Biz Buzz: New mobile clinic in Idaho Falls provides veterinary care for horses

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BIZ BRIEF

IDAHO FALLS

Woman specializes in treating horses through mobile veterinary clinic

IDAHO FALLS – A leisurely horseback ride on eastern Idaho’s trails is the way Abby Matthaeus prefers to spend her time.

The 34-year-old Idaho Falls woman owns a mobile vet clinic for horses called Teton Equine Mobile Veterinary Practice. She grew up in Seattle in a non-horse-loving family, but somehow developed a passion for the animals early on.

One day, her horse developed collic, something Matthaeus describes as a severe gastrointestinal condition.

“My horse almost died and was in the hospital for two weeks. As a kid, I was so scared and didn’t know what was going on and the vets didn’t necessarily go through everything with me and explain it. I felt very helpless,” Matthaeus tells EastIdahoNews.com.

Though her horse survived, Matthaeus knew in that moment she wanted to become a horse vet.

She moved to Idaho about five years ago after taking a job at a clinic in Boise. She worked at a local vet for a while before launching her clinic in Jackson last year. As of March 4, she’s now serving clients in the Idaho Falls area.

“There’s only one ambulatory mobile clinic in Victor, but around Idaho Falls, we’re the only ones,” Matthaeus says. “In an emergency, a mobile clinic is less stressful for the animal.”

Teton Equine caters primarily to performance horses but will treat any horse that needs medical attention. One of the most common services is a lameness exam, which focuses on treating joint soreness, arthritis and similar ailments.

The clinic is also set up to do artificial inseminations, castrations and other reproductive services, as well as vaccinations, laceration repair, dental work and maintenance care.

Watch Matthaeus bandage an injured horse in the video above.

“There’s certain surgeries we can’t do out in the field,” says Matthaeus. “The majority of surgeries done on horses are done (with the animal in a standing position). It’s really difficult to lay a horse down, and they don’t always get up very well from it. It’s a lot more dangerous than sedating them and doing it while they’re standing.”

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The most rewarding thing for Matthaeus is providing care for clients who’ve exhausted all their options at other clinics.

“We get a lot of cases where people call and say, ‘I’ve been through a lot of different vets. I can’t figure it out. I’m going to have to put my horse down. He’s miserable and in pain. You’re our last resort,'” Matthaeus says. “To help a horse that’s been in pain for years or to save a horse that otherwise would’ve been euthanized is one of the most satisfying things.”

Matthaeus is hoping the business will continue to grow. She hopes to hire specialists in the future who can care for dogs, cats, cows and other animals, and she’s considering opening a permanent location at some point.

But for now, she’s happy to serve clients in eastern Idaho. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call (208) 881-7753. You can also send an email to tetonequinevet@gmail.com or visit the website.

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