Services

We are excited and proud to be the first in Tucson to offer one of the most comprehensive Equine Reproductive Facilities.  Dr. B.K. Thwaits, DVM is our Resident Veterinarian. Dr. Thwaits has been practicing for over twenty years and joins our team with an extensive reproductive and veterinary career. We have built a facility that allows us to maximize all options of breeding and rehabilitation services. In addition, Dr. Thwaits is on staff to assist with the veterinary care on site. Bandalero Ranch offers 24 hour emergency service to Bandalero residents as well as routine services.

On-Site Veterinarian Services

  • Full Service Hematology Laboratory
  • Routine Veterinarian Services
  • 24 hour Emergency Services to Residents

    Now Available:
  • Veterinarian Services Available to non-residential clientele

Reproductive Services

  • Stallion station
  • Stallion phantom training
  • Semen collection and shipping, freezing of semen and storage
  • Artificial Insemination with Fresh, Shipped Cooled and Frozen Semen
  • Computer Assisted Sperm analysis for accurate semen motility evaluation
  • Embryo Transfer, Embryo freezing and frozen embryo transfer
  • State of the Art Reproduction Laboratory
  • 24 Hour foaling Monitors (limited space available)

Rehabilitation Services

  • The HydroHorse Submerged Treadmill Systems - a high tech engineered combination of a treadmill, whirlpool, and swimming pool, designed to aid in the therapeutic healing, strengthening, conditioning, and training of all types of horses. In essence, the horse is partially buoyant in a specially designed water filled tank, which at the same time allows contact with the treadmill. Unlike traditional swimming pool therapy, the horse can exercise in a controlled environment, using its normal gait and the same muscles are in use while exercising on the track without undue stress or trauma.
     

  • Shockwave Therapy - the cutting edge in equine lameness. Shock Wave therapy is a non-invasive procedure and is successful where conventional therapies fail. Shock Waves are not electrical but they are high energy sound waves. These high energy sound waves can easily pass through fluid filled structures like skin, fat, and muscle. These waves do not pass through tendons, ligaments or bone. When the sound waves hit these structures they “crash” and release energy. The released energy penetrates the surrounding tissue and increases blood flow to the area. This stimulates various cells which are responsible for tissue repair of the injured structures. Shock Wave not only promotes and speeds up the healing process, but ultimately causes various soft tissue injuries to heal more thoroughly with less fibrous tissue accumulation.
     

  • Digital Radiographs - Bandalero Ranch utilizes digital technology for all of its imaging modalities. Now, in less than four seconds, we can take a digital x-ray of the area of concern without having to develop film.
    Once the digital image is complete we can review the images. Digital technology also allows us to magnify the image or change its contrast in order to examine the images in more detail and begin immediate treatment.
     

  • Vet-Stem - Regenerative Veterinary Medicine
    Equine tendon, ligament, and joint injuries are some of the most frequently seen and the most debilitating in clinical veterinary practice leading to joint instability, degenerative joint disease, and reduced performance. Traditional therapies address the inflammatory process and pain, yet have not successfully addressed the regeneration of these tissues that often result in scar tissue formation and partial or full loss of function. Whether these horses are performance athletes or companions, their owners are seeking therapy that can return them to their chosen level of activity.

    With more than 3,000 horses treated and multiple studies demonstrating the success and safety of Vet-Stem regenerative medicine, Vet-Stem has the technology and the experience to help horses with fractures, joint disease, or tendon or ligament injuries return to their full level of ability.
     

  • IRAP II Therapy
    Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD) and is one of the main causes of lameness in horses. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage surrounding the joints is destroyed, which produces pain and inflammation. Areas that are affected the most are knee, hock, fetlock and coffin joints. Usually, therapy involves intra-articular medications such as hyaluronic acid and/or steroids, rest, NSAIDS (bute or banamine), shockwave therapy, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) such as Adequan, intravenous hyaluronic acid (Legend), and oral supplements (for example GLC5500) that contain glucosamine and/or chondrotin sulfate.

    Treatment with Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein (IRAP) utilizes progressive gene therapy to combat osteoarthritis in your horse. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a type of cytokine and is secreted by many types of cells. A cytokine is a chemical secreted by the cells of the immune system to attack infections and apoptotic (damaged or dying) cells. IL-1 is an important part of the inflammatory response but in the case of your horse’s joints, sometimes can be detrimental. The joint fluid carries a protein called interleukin-1, which plays an important role in inflammation and accelerates the deterioration of tissues like joint cartilage. Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein (IRAP) blocks IL-1 from binding to tissues and inhibits the damaging consequences of IL-1.

    The procedure begins with drawing blood from the horse that will be treated with IRAP into a syringe. The syringe is specially prepared with glass beads that stimulate production of the antagonist protein and an anticoagulant. The blood is harvested, incubated and centrifuged to separate the plasma (abundant with IRAP) from the blood. Typically, IRAP treatments are once a week for three weeks and usually, after that time, the horse can return to normal work.

    IRAP is another therapy to be added to the battery of weapons that the equine veterinarian has to combat osteoarthritis in your horse. The reason IRAP is so exciting is its’ potential for a long-term effect on battling osteoarthritis. Whereas some of the therapies listed above might only have short-term effect, IRAP has the potential to stop the cartilage matrix from being degraded and increase healing. IRAP has the ability to stop the inflammation cycle and bring comfort to your horse. The research on IRAP is ongoing but the results have been very encouraging. Please call us at The Equine Center if you think that your horse is a candidate for IRAP or have any more questions.

Nutritional Supplementation

Individual nutritional supplementation is available. We have selected some of the highest quality products available today. Together we can help you make well-informed decisions regarding equine supplementation.

  • Platinum Performance™ Equine - Comprehensive horse health begins one cell at a time. Platinum Performance Equine Wellness & Performance is a comprehensive foundation formula for all horses. Platinum Performance addresses equine health at the cellular level, providing a special blend of more than 55 nutrients that supports the fundamental health of each of your horse's 12 trillion cells. Healthy cells mean a healthy horse.  That's the Platinum difference.
     

  • Nutrena - SafeChoice®, EnergX™, Life Design®, Vitality®, XTN®, Legacy®, Lite Balance®, Empower®, Triumph®