Safer, Faster, Smarter: Bringing Standing CT to UGA
How Standing CT Will Transform Equine and Small Animal Care
Imagine a world where diagnosing complex equine conditions is safer, faster, and more precise—this is the future of veterinary medicine at UGA. Computed tomography (CT) is a valuable tool in veterinary medicine because of its speed, versatility in diagnosing a wide variety of conditions, and accuracy. CT scans have markedly improved fracture repair, urgent recognition of abdominal and thoracic trauma in small animal species, and enhanced the diagnosis of head trauma and neurologic disease. However, given the need for minimal movement to obtain quality images, anesthesia or heavy sedation of animal patients is required. While UGA’s advanced CT technology has improved care for small animals, a standing CT scan will transform care for all patients, especially horses, allowing for greater information without the risk of anesthesia and anesthetic recovery.
Artistic depiction of an equine patient receiving a head scan in a standing CT unit. (Megan Reeves Sifuentes/UGA Educational Resource Center)
Acquiring a standing CT scan is a top priority for the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital. As a newly approved project, it will set UGA apart from other veterinary institutions, making us one of the few hospitals in the Southeast to own this cutting-edge equipment. Notably, we will also be the first in the state to offer standing CT and only the second within a 185-mile radius, allowing us to be better partners to our greater community.
“Standing CT provides the most advanced level of diagnostics without any of the risk of anesthesia,” says Dr. Jarred Williams, Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service faculty. “This truly changes the game for us and our patients.”
This technology will transform care for all patients, but in particular our equine patients, as it allows our veterinarians to avoid anesthetizing beloved equine patients, making it safer for them. It will enhance diagnostic precision for dental, orthopedic, and neurological conditions while expanding treatment options for performance and companion horses alike. Additionally, our veterinarians will now have technology at hand to make diagnoses we currently outsource to other facilities, enhancing our recruiting tools for top-tier veterinarians and researchers.
“This truly changes the game for us and our patients.”
– Dr. Jarred Williams
It is worth noting that CTs are not species-specific units. By obtaining a CT that can function at the highest level for horses, we can use this same machine for small animal, exotic, and other large animal species, such as goats, sheep, and pigs. Additionally, as a leading center for research within the University, the Southeast, and the nation, this CT can be utilized in valuable, non-clinical ways.
“The standing CT will dramatically improve the safety and ease of obtaining CTs in large animals, providing owners and clinicians with diagnostic information that is key to improving care for our patients,” says Dr. Kira Epstein, Large Animal Medicine & Surgery Department Head and Snyder Distinguished Professor in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery.
(Megan Reeves Sifuentes/UGA Educational Resource Center)
To continue excelling in veterinary excellence, we aim to acquire an industry-leading unit that will not only benefit horses but also improve imaging for small animals, exotics, and other large species. Your support can help bring this cutting-edge technology to UGA, ensuring world-class veterinary care for all our patients. Join us in making this vital advancement a reality.
To learn how you can support this important initiative, please contact Michelle Jones, Senior Director of Development, at (256) 452-3772 or [email protected]. To make a gift online to support the Standing CT, visit give.uga.edu/standingct.
