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Nuclear Scintigraphy Nuclear scintigraphy (a.k.a. bone scans or nuke scans) is a diagnostic tool that can be used to help localize issues such as orthopedic concerns like fractures, injuries, joint inflammation and osteoarthritis, as well as a variety of other conditions. Nuclear scintigraphy has very high sensitivity to help uncover regions of interest, but only moderate specificity (as compared to other imaging techniques). Its unique value is that it can help us locate the areas most likely to be causing problems, direct more detailed studies using other diagnostic imaging modalities, and/or develop evidence-based treatment plans. When is a Bone Scan Useful? Nuclear scintigraphy is a great diagnostic tool for horses who seem to have subtle or "mystery" lameness. This may include a horse for which nerve blocking hasn't successfully indicated the source of lameness, just doesn't feel right under saddle, shows overall poor performance, or has multiple limb lameness. It helps us figure out where there is active inflammation and can often uncover stress fractures that are not apparent on radiographs. Benefits of Bone Scans Nuclear scintigraphy can help: Consider multiple areas within the body at once Find problems not seen using other imaging modalities Look at areas that may be difficult to image using other techniques We have the option to scan the front end of the horse, the hind end, or even the whole body if multiple issues seem to be involved or when the cause has a completely unknown location. Our nuclear scintigraphy machine is able to explore neck, back and pelvic issues, as well as distal limb issues. General anesthesia is not necessary; nuclear scintigraphy is performed standing, with mild sedation. Results can be seen the same day. How it's Done and How it Works A small, tracer amount of a radioactive isotope called technetium is injected into the horse intravenously. It takes about three hours for this radiotracer to fully penetrate the bone, where it binds to areas of exposed hydroxyappetite (a naturally occurring, bone-forming mineral) and emits gamma rays. We then mildly sedate the horse and use a special gamma camera to detect the radiation. It can take up to four hours to complete a full-body scan. A computer processes the scan, measuring the amount of radiotracer absorbed in different areas, and produces images offering information on both the structure and function of various internal body parts. View a video presentation about Nuclear Scintigraphy... Things to Know About Scheduling a Bone Scan Nuclear scintigraphy is performed at our Menlo Park facility. Your horse will need to arrive the day before the scan. Your horse will receive an IV catheter and will be mildly sedated during the procedure. Your horse will need to stay for two days after the scan while the radioactivity dissipates. During this time, your horse cannot leave the isolation stall or have visitors inside the stall. ​ After two days of isolation, your horse will no longer be radioactive, and will be ready for any further diagnostics or therapeutics recommended based on bone scan findings. Please contact the clinic for details and scheduling. Back to Diagnostic Imaging... Bone Scan Client Form and FAQ This Nuclear Scintigraphy Form and FAQ is a 2-page PDF that includes a form that must be completed and submitted when scheduling a bone scan, which will provide us with pertinent account information, as well as critical information about your horse to ensure we order the right amount of technetium. It also includes answers to frequently asked questions about the procedure. >

Myant Ramirez Salinas Office and Pharmacy Team Myant was born and raised in San Jose, CA and now resides in Hollister. She got a head start in the veterinary medicine field in high school by taking a Veterinary Assistant course through Silicon Valley Career Technical Education. After completing high school, she worked as a receptionist at a small animal clinic and had planned to transition to a position as a Veterinary Assistant, but she found her interests shifting more toward how medications work for animals. Myant is excited to have the opportunity to pursue her interest in veterinary medicine by assisting with the pharmacy at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics, as well as gaining new experiences working with horses. She hopes to further her education by attending college to gain certification as a Pharmacy Technician, and also learn more how certain medications help the “gentle giants” she’s getting to know and love. Myant has three dogs: Cookie and Honey Chihuahuas, and Moose is Boxer. Her two cats are Milo and Oliver, and she also has a rabbit named Queso. On weekends, she enjoys cuddling with her fur babies, babysitting for her young nephews and niece, and hanging out with her boyfriend (who she only sees on weekends) — not necessarily in that order! She also enjoys relaxing and de-stressing by preparing the traditional Mexican dishes she grew up with, as well as cooking a variety of different foods, such as Spam misubi, sushi, curry, and lasagna. > Back to Office Staff...

Back to News/Events... This event is open to all veterinarians. PRICING & REGISTRATION • TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATIONS • 17th Annual Symposium ISELP 3-Day Module: Neck & Back Friday-Sunday, May 8-10, 2020 THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. If you have already registered, please contact Hadley Bickford for more information. Please visit the ISELP website for full details including instructors, pricing and registration. Lectures on Friday and Saturday are at: The Palo Alto Elks Lodge 4249 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306 Wet Lab on Sunday will take place at: Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinic (At the Portola Valley Training Center) 100 Ansel Lane Menlo Park, CA 94026 Contact: Hadley Bickford Phone: 1 (650) 854-3162 Reserve your accommodations early to ensure lodging availability! Please join us on Saturday night for a BBQ hosted at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine in Menlo Park , approximately 6 miles from the Palo Alto Elks Lodge. After lectures conclude, decompress with barbeque, beer, and lawn games! Transport from the Elks Lodge provided upon request. ISELP offers a comprehensive program of advanced education in the field of equine lamenesses and osteoarticular, musculotendinous and nervous pathology, covering the different parts of the locomotor system of the horse. These modules cover eight topics: Distal frontlimb: foot, pastern, fetlock jjoint Middle frontlimb: palmar fetlock, metacarpus and tendons, carpus, carpal canal Proximal frontlimb: forearm, elbow and shoulder Distal hindlimb:foot, pastern, fetlock, metatarsus Middle hindlimb: hock and crus Proximal hindlimb: stifle and thigh Neck and thoracolumbar area Lumbosacral area and pelvis Our 2020 focus will be the Neck and Back. ​ For each topic, the following data will be considered: Descriptive anatomy Functional anatomy and Biomechanics Clinical (physical and dynamic) examination including diagnostic blocks Diagnostic imaging (radiology, ultrasonography, nuclear scintigraphy, MRI) Treatment and management Travel & Accommodations ISELP Travel & Accommodations Travel: Palo Alto and Menlo Park are approximately equidistant from San Francisco and San Jose, accessible via the San Jose International Airport (SJC), the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the San Jose Diridon Amtrak station (SJC) or San Jose Diridon Greyhound station. Depending on the day and time, it's about a 40 to 60-minute drive from either San Francisco or San Jose to the Palo Alto Elks Lodge. Accommodations: The Palo Alto Elks is directly next door to Dinah's Garden Hotel . The Hilton Garden Inn, Crowne Plaza, and the Residence Inn by Marriott are also within waking distance. > Please visit the ISELP website for full details including instructors, pricing and registration. PRICING & REGISTRATION • Reserve your accommodations early to ensure availability!

On-Site Laboratories On-site laboratories at both our Salinas and Menlo Park facilities allow us to provide rapid turn-around of lab tests, day and night — because in an emergency, timing can make all the difference. Chemistry panels, bacterial cultures and sensitivities, CBCs, cytology, blood-gas analyses and fecal examinations are all performed in-house. We're equipped with the most up-to-date lab equipment, including: CBC Machine — for complete blood counts to assess red blood cells and white blood cells ​ Chemistry Machine — assesses organ function, electrolyte levels, and glucose levels ​ Lactate Machine — used mainly to assess severity of colic episodes ​ Electrolyte and Blood Gas Machine — to monitor vital values both in cases under anesthesia and ICU cases on fluids ​ Fibrinogen Machine — accurately measures fibrinogen, a soluble protein in the plasma that is broken down to fibrin by the enzyme thrombin to form blood clots ​ SAA Reader — detects and quantifies the biomarker serum amyloid A (SAA), which is a major, acute phase protein produced by the liver that rapidly and dramatically increases in response to inflammation caused by infection >

Shay Magditch Back to Veterinary/Pharmacy Staff... RVT Primary Location: Salinas ​ Shay was born and raised in the small town of Nazareth, PA. She grew up enjoying the competitive East Coast Hunter/Jumper and, later, the Dressage world. Shay loves being a part of the SCEC Team for the chance to work outdoors in the beautiful Toro Hills and the vast diversity of the cases seen, along with the intellectual and physical interplay of being an equine RVT. Her professional interests include internal medicine, anesthesia, emergency and critical care. • 2013 rejoined SCEC • 2012 Colorado State University, Fort Collins, BS Biology/Biomedical Science • 2010-2012 Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Equine Emergency and Critical Care Technician • 2010 Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey, AS Biology • 2007 Hartnell College, Salinas, Salinas, AAS Animal Health Technology • 2005 joined SCEC, Veterinary Assistant • 2004-2005 North Saucon Animal Hospital, Bethlehem, PA, Small Animal Veterinary Assistant • 2003-2004 Nazareth Veterinary Center, Nazareth, PA, Small Animal Veterinary Assistant >

Samantha Mehling DVM Primary Location: Salinas ABVP Resident Samantha was born and raised in Fresno, in the heart of California’s Central Valley. She amassed experience with cattle, horses, and swine through her local 4H and FFA programs and college classes, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science with emphasis in Veterinary Science from Fresno State in 2017. In 2021, she graduated from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. After her time in the Midwest, Dr. Mehling couldn’t wait to return to sunny California, so she accepted a one-year internship at Pioneer Equine Hospital in Oakdale. During this time, she worked with a multitude of equine patients ranging from backyard ponies to top level Dressage and champion Western Performance horses. Her current ABVP (American Board of Veterinary Practitioners) residency with Steinbeck Peninsula Equine will further increase her breadth of equine knowledge. Upon completion of her residency, Dr. Mehling plans to pursue a career in equine general practice providing primary care to the horses of the Central Coast, with special interests in ophthalmology and dentistry. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys kayaking along the coast; riding Jack-Jack, her Appaloosa gelding and partner in crime for over 15 years; and going on adventures with her perfect Labrador-Great Pyrenees Mix who she named Regular-Sized Rudy, after one of her favorite Bob’s Burgers characters. Back to Veterinarians... >

Juan Martinez Back to Facilities Staff... Primary Location: Menlo Park Groom Juan was born in Jumiltepec, Mexico and is the oldest of 10 siblings. He went to high school and studied electronics and worked on the family farm. Juan first joined Peninsula Equine in 2005, splitting his time between cultivating the family farm in Mexico and helping the horses on the San Francisco Peninsula. Juan is married with three children: a daughter Rosario Carolina, a son Juan Brando and another son Genario Octavio. In his free time, Juan likes to play soccer. He is also pursuing further classes in English as a second language at Foothill Community College. • 2005 joined PenEq >

Erin Chapin Back to Veterinary/Pharmacy Staff... Veterinary Technician Primary Location: Salinas ​ Erin grew up in Prunedale. She found her passion for animals at a very young age. She started riding at the age of 2 and began to compete by 7 in the hunter/jumper rings with her first pony, Romeo. After many years of competing in the hunter/jumpers, Erin found a passion for cutting horses. Veterinary work had always been a dream for Erin. She joined Steinbeck Equine in 2018 and now she’s living out her dream. Erin is currently in school at Carrington College in San Jose, studying to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. In her free time, Erin loves to travel, do photography and spend time with her horses. • 2019 - present Carrington College, RVT candidate • 2018 joined Steinbeck Equine >

Madison Scott Back to Veterinary/Pharmacy Staff... Veterinary Assistant Primary Location: Salinas ​ Madison was born and raised in Santa Cruz, CA. She found a passion for horses at a very young age and spent most of her early years alongside her horses, Hollywood and Gauge―showing them in western pleasure. Her grandparents always supported her and her horses, and this allowed her to pursue her goal of working in the equine veterinary field. When she is not working, she enjoys camping with her friends, riding horses, and spending time with her dog, Indy―an adorable German Shorthaired Pointer. Madison joined Steinbeck Equine as a technician in 2018 and has thoroughly enjoyed everything she has learned since. >

Kayla Dykstra DVM, cVA Primary Clinic: Salinas Kayla was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, where she spent time riding in multiple disciplines. During her summers, she spent her time working on a horse and cattle ranch, leading and organizing a summer riding camp, along with general ranch and herd management. Working at the ranch, she fell in love with her palomino, Casper and mini pony, Chewy. Basketball brought Kayla to the University of Victoria for her undergraduate degree, where she played for the University of Victoria Vikes basketball program while completing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a minor in Neuro-psychology. She returned home to Calgary to complete her degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. Kayla has recently started Eventing, enjoying the sport both as a competitor and as an on-site veterinarian for the shows. When she is not doing horse-related activities, she enjoys hiking and exploring the coastline with her dog, Jac, and spending time with her fiancé, Mike, her “significant other.” Dr. Dykstra’s professional interests include equine sports medicine and rehabilitation, acupuncture and equine reproduction — her favorite time of year is foaling season! ​ Background: 2015 University of Calgary – Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine ​ 2011 University of Victoria – Bachelor of Science Back to Veterinarians... >

Back to News/Events... July 29, 2020: Patient Spotlight Cocoa’s Comeback Cocoa is a teenage miniature horse who lives at Nestldown Therapeutic Riding Center in Los Gatos, California. In September of 2019, she suffered a traumatic fall... When initial conservative management of her lameness at home under veterinary guidance did not result in significant improvement, Cocoa came to Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinic for further evaluation. Based on imaging and Cocoa's presentation — a toed-out stance and appearance of shortening of her right hind limb — we were able to determine that Cocoa had luxated (dislocated) her right hip joint. Unfortunately, treatment of this type of injury by reduction, or replacement of the head of the femur back into the hip socket, becomes nearly impossible after 24-48 hours of initial injury in horses. The only option for Cocoa was to perform a Femoral Head Ostectomy, or FHO. This surgery involves removing the head and neck at the top of the femur so that the bone ends are no longer rubbing against each other, which can be a significant source of pain. Gradually, the abundant surrounding soft tissue structures are able to adapt and take over the job of supporting that side of the pelvis and allowing ambulation on that limb by forming a "pseudoarthosis" or false joint. While this procedure is commonly performed in small animals, it is relatively rare in horses due to size and is only attempted as a salvage procedure in small ponies or miniature horses. Cocoa's size and weight is greater than that of previously published cases, making this more challenging, but her docile and stoic nature made her an ideal candidate. Understanding that this was an invasive procedure that would require a prolonged recovery time and at best, a degree of lameness that was reasonable for a good quality of life, Cocoa's very dedicated owners and caretakers at Nestldown opted to proceed with surgical intervention for their very special mare. The surgery went well and, after spending a few weeks at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine, Cocoa returned home for lots of TLC and to continue her rehabilitation using exercises and recommendations provided by our Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation colleagues at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Ten months later, Cocoa is enjoying her wonderful life and pasture mates at Nestldown, where she provides a calm, approachable, and loving demeanor to everyone she encounters. “A magical place where people of all abilities can improve their mental, emotional and physical health by connecting with horses.” >

Posters Download and print these informative posters to learn more about your horse, equine anatomy, medical conditions and emergencies. Conformation Dental Anatomy Digestive System Foaling Foot & Hoof Anatomy > Hind Limb Anatomy Navicular Syndrome Emergency Horse Care