With 26 veterinarians and over 70 additional employees there is always something happening at Pilchuck Vet Hospital. We have collected the news we think will be most interesting to our clients, friends, and community. Please see Seminars & Events for educational seminars and other events.

EHV-1 Update: Revised, August 14, 2007 Subsequent to an Oregon horse show in mid-July, there has been increasing concern over horses demonstrating clinical signs compatible with Equine Herpesvirus-1
(EHV-1) from that show which have developed neurologic disease in Oregon and Washington. At this time, there have been three confirmed cases of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) from that show which have developed neurologic signs and have tested positive for EHV-1 (two Oregon cases, 1 Washington case).
Read more about EHV-1»
Read the USDA APHIS equine biosecurity brochure»

Dr. Jeff Duke was presented the Waltham Award at the American Animal Hospital Association’s 71st Annual Meeting, in recognition of a veterinarian’s outstanding contributions that have resulted in improving the well-being of companion animals in the international veterinary community.
Read the press release »

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) honored Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital Inc. PS for its 25-year commitment to excellence in small animal care at its 71st Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida.
Read the press release »

Dr. Jim Bryant, Pilchuck Equine Surgeon, was asked to speak to veterinarians attending the September 2003 convention of the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association. Topics presented will include, Forelimb Lameness: Splint Bones, Wound Management & Adjunct Therapies, Wounds Management With Sepsis Present, & Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy.



Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital Was Named Hospital of the Month by the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, June 2003
The publication, which has a worldwide circulation, ran a photo of the hospital on its front cover and a feature article containing more photos inside.



VersaTron Portable Shock Wave Therapy Unit Arrives at Pilchuck, June 2003
Horse owners who have been on the receiving end of the gloomy news that their star athlete must be restricted to stall rest for 3 to 4 months or perhaps even face an early retirement due to a soft tissue or bone injury are finding new hope! The emerging technology responsible for this encouraging news is a non-invasive procedure that focuses acoustic sound waves at a point of tissue or bone to stimulate healing and reduce pain & inflammation. The technology, known as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), is being used by Pilchuck’s equine practitioners with promising results.
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Dr. Mike Salewski was interviewed & photographed administering a vaccination to one of his equine patients for an article about West Nile Virus, which was run on the front page of the March 18, 2003 edition of the Seattle Times.



Meeting Challenges in Challenging Times With a Challenge
Snohomish Veterinary Hospital and Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital have always served the small community of Snohomish and outlying areas with a friendly rivalry. This often occurs between veterinary clinics with similar high standards for veterinary medicine and customer service. However, things heated up recently when technician Ms. Kari Griffith at Pilchuck issued a challenge to the staff at Snohomish. Gather as much people and pet food as possible in the next three weeks prior to Thanksgiving to be donated to food banks and humane societies. The winner, judged by ton of food per employee, would be treated to a pizza extravaganza at the loser's expense. Snohomish agreed and the race was on.
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West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a viral disease that causes encephalitis, an infection of the brain and spinal cord. WNV was first identified in the western hemisphere in 1999, in birds in the Bronx zoo. WNV causes disease and mortality in humans, wildlife (particularly birds) and domestic animals (particularly horses). Birds are the reservoir of disease and infected mosquitoes are the vector (primary mode of transmission). Neither infected humans nor horses are considered carriers of the disease.
Learn about West Nile Virus »



Dealing with Lameness
Ever wonder what would happen if you had to take your horse to the hospital? Read about Star, the Percheron mare, and her lameness exam at Pilchuck in the San Juan Islander as told by Triana Elan.
Get pdf of the article »
Read the original



Presentation on Mongolia
In conjunction with the American Animal Hospitals Association Annual Meeting, Dr. Jeff Duke traveled to Boston in April 2002 to give a presentation on his trips to Mongolia with Christian Veterinary Mission.



Presentation to Farriers Association of Washington State
Dr. Conrad Boulton gave a presentation to the roundtable clinic of farriers and vets in April 2002.



Veterinarian on a Mission From God,
November 1, 2001
The Herald interviews Dr. Duke after his second trip to Mongolia.
For Jeff Duke, just seeing that the veterinary clinic in Mongolia had running water was a measure of success. But the fact that animal surgeries could now be done under sterile conditions with modern equipment was like working back home.



A Mission to Serve, One Veterinarian’s Adventures in Mongolia, September 2001
Dr. Jeff Duke traveled twice to Mongolia to provide updated equipment, medicines, and hands on clinical practice, and to help establish a new clinic in Ulaanbaatar.
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More background »



Pilchuck Offers Laser Surgery, published in The Herald, May 27, 2001
Pilchuck adds a technologically advanced laser system. The CO2 surgical laser has become a valuable surgical instrument for all soft tissue procedures because the physical and mental trauma associated with these procedures is greatly reduced.
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More information, from The Herald



Horse & Rider, March 2001 included Dr. Michael Salewski in its Horse People column featuring veterinary chiropractors.



Khouture’s Story – A Filly with a Broken Leg Makes a Remarkable Recovery, published in the August 2000 issue of Flying Changes.
Khouture’s story begins as a foal with a catastrophic leg fracture peopled with a risk-taking team of equine surgeons, a visionary and dedicated owner, a talented support team of caregivers, and a cooperative patient. Khouture turned one year old in June 2000. A black Arab filly with one white sock, she stands 13.1 hands and looks like a normal yearling, but in her owner’s eyes, Khouture is already a champion for surviving the rigors of treatment, while remaining a sensible and loving creature.
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More information



Straight Talk About Crooked Legs, a report of Dr. Boulton’s talk published in the July 2000 issue of Washington Thoroughbred.
Conrad Boulton, DVM, DACVS, a former member of the equine surgical faculty at the University of Missouri and Washington State University, gives his views on identifying and correcting crooked legs in foals.
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Tapeworms, published January 2000 in Washington Thoroughbred.
Although once considered to be a benign inhabitant of the equine gastrointestinal tract, recent research suggests that the equine tapeworm, A. perfoliata, may be a significant cause of colic. In fact, reports of colic associated with tapeworm infections have increased over the last decade. Although the cause of this rise is unknown, some have attributed it to the use of dewormers that do not address tapeworms.
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