Skip to main navigation Skip to main content

We're growing! New Surgery & Emergency Center coming in 2025! Please pardon our mess during construction.

A horse standing in a field

Passionately Honoring the Human-Horse Bond

News and Events

November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month

 
November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, and at Woodside Equine Clinic, we’re raising awareness about cancer in horses. Early detection and modern treatment options — including electrochemotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy — are helping horses live longer, healthier lives than ever before.
 

 
Common Types of Equine Cancer
Horses can develop a variety of tumors, both benign and malignant. The most common include:
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC): Frequently seen around the eyes, eyelids, penis, and vulva, especially in light-skinned horses exposed to sunlight.
  • Sarcoids: The most common equine skin tumor. Although typically non-metastatic, sarcoids can be locally invasive and often recur if not treated properly.
  • Lymphoma: A cancer of the lymphatic system that may affect the skin, lymph nodes, or internal organs.
  • Melanoma: Common in gray horses, often appearing under the tail, near the lips, or around the eyes.

 
Signs of Cancer in Horses
Early detection starts with daily observation. Keep an eye out for:
  • Unusual lumps, bumps, or swellings
  • Non-healing wounds that persist or change in size
  • Changes around the eyes, sheath, or vulva such as swelling, discharge, or irritation
If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian right away. Even small changes can signal something more serious.
 

 
Equine Cancer Treatment Options at Woodside Equine Clinic
Woodside Equine Clinic offers a range of advanced cancer treatments for horses in Virginia, allowing us to tailor care to each horse’s needs and comfort.
 
Surgical Removal
When appropriate, surgical excision is often the most effective way to remove tumors. Many procedures can be performed with the horse standing, reducing anesthesia risk and recovery time.
 
Electrochemotherapy
Our clinic proudly offers electrochemotherapy for horses, an innovative treatment that combines localized electrical pulses with chemotherapy drugs to destroy cancer cells. This technology allows us to treat many cutaneous and external tumors — including sarcoids, melanomas, and squamous cell carcinoma — while the horse remains standing.
 
Chemotherapy
Certain cancers respond well to topical, injectable, or intralesional chemotherapy. These therapies may be used alone or alongside surgery or electrochemotherapy to improve outcomes and minimize recurrence.
Our veterinarians will develop an individualized treatment plan based on your horse’s tumor type, size, and location to provide the best possible prognosis.
 

 
Why Early Detection Matters
Regular grooming, observation, and veterinary checkups are the best tools for catching cancer early. Identifying tumors in their early stages means less invasive treatments, shorter recovery times, and a better long-term outlook for your horse.
 

 
If you’ve noticed a new lump or skin change on your horse, contact Woodside Equine Clinic today.
Our experienced team is here to provide thorough evaluations and advanced treatment options to keep your horse healthy, comfortable, and thriving.  Call us at 804-798-3281 or visit www.woodsideequineclinic.com to schedule a consultation.

Spotlighting our Technicians and Assistants

It is no secret that a veterinary clinic cannot run smoothly without a team of talented veterinary assistants and technicians. Whether it is on the farm or in the operating room, we rely on the many skills of our technical staff to offer the wide variety of services Woodside Equine Clinic provides.

One of the responsibilities of our veterinary assistants is to assist with our on-farm appointments with our ambulatory team. Each ambulatory veterinarian is paired with a veterinary assistant on a daily basis to help manage the appointments. They serve a vital role in maintaining an efficient work flow, utilizing skills in safe horse handling, and assisting veterinarians in procedures. Not only do they serve as a part of the on the farm team, but they also facilitate client communications and work hard with our doctors to maintain medical records.

On site with our hospital team, there is a wide variety of roles and responsibilities. One of those is to provide around the clock care for our in hospital patients. Whether it is running IV fluids, administering medications, or assisting with after hours emergencies, our team is always ready to tackle whatever is needed to care for our equine patients. They use their skills to identify signs of equine pain, provide comfort to patients, and communicate findings to veterinarians at any hour. This is crucial to providing the high quality care to our patients and clients.

The laboratory team in hospital facilitates timely results for diagnostics such as blood work or fecals to get you the information as fast as possible to make treatment decisions on your horses. They work with a variety of equipment and assist our vets with decision making on sampling for these diagnostics. Our team also assists with the pharmacy, approving medications requests and communicating with clients in a timely manner about preparing their prescriptions. Our assistant team also works with the organization and business side of Woodside, helping manage schedules, procedures, and internal communications.

Our skilled team has a variety of backgrounds that lends them the expertise to serve your horses. Veterinary assistants and technicians have a variety of backgrounds including college degrees and advanced veterinary certifications. There is a state certification for Licensed Veterinary Technicians (LVTs) acquired after completing a training program, passing a national certification exam, and maintaining regular continuing education. At Woodside, our LVTs serve a vital role in running general anesthesia for surgeries as experts in safe anesthesia, pain management, and surgical recovery. Similarly to veterinarians, LVTs can acquire specialty certifications in areas of interest such as emergency medicine or anesthesia. This variety allows for veterinary technicians and assistants to grow through very fulfilling careers, as there is always more to learn in medicine!

our employees

our employees

our employees

our employees