06/03/2026
A fighting Spirit 🐎✨ A four-hour trail ride earlier in the fall this year started as any other for Spirit, a 6-year-old American Paint Horse, and his riders, but after finishing the ride, something was off.
An emergency phone call led to care from the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, revealed the cause of a horse’s severe colic, and resulted in saving his life. “I'm extremely pleased with how everything with Spirit was handled and would definitely refer anyone who has a life-threatening issue with their horse to take them to the Veterinary Medical Center,” says Spirit’s owner, Mary Lewin. “It's nice to know I have access to a top-notch equine veterinary hospital only about 40 miles away from home.”
04/14/2026
Meet the team healing the Veterinary Medical Center’s biggest patients, Large Animal Surgery 🩺
From pygmy goats to equine athletes, the range of patients seen by the Large Animal Surgery Service at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center means its team members must be ready for just about anything at any time of the day.
The long hours are worth it to see critical patients heal and walk out the door—often after living in the hospital for months on end. Having a great team to rely on makes caring for patients a special experience.
“We are like family, and we like to have fun and enjoy coming to work every day,” says Dr. Nicolas Ernst, veterinary surgeon and professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine. “We go through hard times and challenging cases together and also get to celebrate the wins and patients recovering and going home.”
📰 Read more: https://profiles-vetmed.umn.edu/article/meet-service-large-animal-surgery
