Larry Bramlage, DVM: Veterinarian - Rood and Riddle
Thursday, Dec 20, 2007
Dr. Larry Bramlage was an overwhelmingly popular guest on Dec. 13. We here at Talkin' Horses know that many of you had questions go unanswered, and as a favor to Bloodhorse.com, Dr. Bramlage has graciously agreed to answer the remaining questions as a special Part 2 installment of his session.
Dr. Bramlage is a familiar face to racing fans. His 14 years as a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioner's (AAEP) 'On-Call' program for television viewers of the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup World Championships has brought him into millions of homes. On-Call, which provides expert veterinary commentary during major, televised races, was the brainchild of a group of elite members of the AAEP that included Bramlage.
Bramlage is a world-renowned surgeon who has honed his skills over more than 30 years of practice. As a partner in the prestigious Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Bramlage has perfected a surgical technique to repair fractured fetlocks, a procedure called arthrodesis that he teaches twice a year to veterinarians who attend his course.
Dr. Bramlage Graduated from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1975. He did an Internship at Colorado State University, and a residency at Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He received a masters degree in veterinary surgery from Ohio State in 1978. He became a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons as a diplomate in 1983. He was a member of the faculty of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Ohio State University Graduate School. He was the head of Equine Medicine and Surgery at the Ohio State University while there, and had a consulting practice in Lexington, Kentucky.
In 1989 he moved to Lexington full time and joined The Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. He is a past president of the AAEP, and is president of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Dr. Bramlage is a 'Distinguished Alumnus' of the Ohio State University, a member of 'The Jockey Club' of America, and received the Jockey Club Gold Medal for contributions to Thoroughbred Racing in 1994, and the 'Joe Palmer Award' from the Turf Writers of America in 2007. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, and chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation.
Arcadia,CA:
Do you feel you are doing more corrective surgery on foals today then maybe ten years ago?
Bramlage:
Yes, we have more stallions that produce conformational faults. Unfortunately some of those stallions also produce exceptional athletes as well. That is why the industry tolerates them.
Chicago, IL:
Thank you for taking our questions. We recently had a horse that received the tie forward surgery from Dr. Woodie at R&R. Before the surgery we consulted with a few successful trainers, and they did not recommend surgery. Do you have any data on success/failure of post surgery cases at your clinic?
Bramlage:
Normally for discussions I should not answer questions that start, 'I had a horse', but Dr. Woodie has published on this surgery. You can do a search and find the papers.
To read the complete transcript of this chat, along with many others, check out Best of Talkin’ Horses.
Best of Talkin’ Horses features provocative “chats” with some of Thoroughbred racing’s most prominent names. Adapted from “Talkin’ Horses,” the popular weekly online chat series hosted by Bloodhorse.com, this edited collection provides additional insights by Ron Mitchell, editor and moderator of “Talkin’ Horses."
Editor's Note: BloodHorse.com moderators retain editorial control over Talkin' Horses discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests; guests may decline to answer questions. Opinions expressed by guests of Talkin' Horses are those of the guest and do not represent the opinions of Blood-Horse Publications, its employees, associates, or affiliated organizations. Guests, dates, and times of Talkin' Horses discussions are subject to change.