Minor Field Surgical Services

Minor Field Surgical Services in Lincoln, AR

Welcome to Smithers Animal Hospital-Lincoln, where we offer minor field surgical services as part of our large animal care for owners in Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Farmington, Summers, and everywhere in between.

Understanding Minor Field Surgery

Not every procedure means hauling an animal to a hospital. Many routine surgeries for horses and livestock can be done safely right on the farm, which saves you a trailer ride and spares your animals the stress of travel.

Minor field surgery covers these common, shorter procedures, performed with proper restraint, sedation or local anesthesia as needed, and pain control. Our farm calls include a variety of limited veterinary medical and surgical procedures, and our experienced veterinarians perform large animal surgeries such as castration.

Our fully-equipped on-site large animal facility also gives us another option when a procedure is better done away from the field.

What to Expect From a Field Procedure

A little planning helps field surgery go safely and smoothly. Here’s what to expect:

Talking It Through First

When you call, we’ll ask about the animal, its age and the procedure you need. Our doctor will discuss timing with you, along with whether the procedure is best done on your farm or at our facility.

Preparing Your Animal and Your Space

Have the animal caught and confined before we arrive. A clean, dry, well-lit area with safe footing and good restraint, such as a chute for cattle or a quiet stall or small pen for horses, helps make field surgery safer. We may ask you to hold off on feed beforehand, so follow any instructions we give you.

The Procedure

Your animal is restrained safely and given sedation or local anesthesia as needed, along with pain control, so the procedure can be done as comfortably as possible.

Aftercare

Before we leave, we’ll go over aftercare, including what normal healing looks like, how to keep the area clean, and the signs that mean you should call us, such as steady bleeding, swelling that keeps getting worse, fever, discharge or an animal that stops eating.

Benefits of Minor Field Surgery for Horses and Livestock

Minor field surgery is a good fit for horse owners, cattle producers, and sheep and goat owners who need routine procedures like castration done with less hauling and handling.

• Less stress: Animals stay in familiar surroundings without a trailer ride.
• Convenience: A farm call can take care of several things at once, such as pairing a procedure with vaccinations or exams for other animals on the farm.
• Flexibility: Some cases are better handled at a facility, especially more involved procedures, animals that are hard to restrain safely, or days when weather or farm conditions aren’t right. Our doctor will help you decide.
• Clear aftercare: We explain what to watch for so healing goes smoothly.

We offer large animal ambulatory services by appointment only. Field procedures fit well alongside our herd healthcare and food animal and equine medicine services. To see the full range of care we provide for horses, cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and other farm animals, visit our large animal services page.