The Only Unique Raft-Pool Recovery System For Large Animals in the World

By: Ashley Berke

Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center is home to the only raft-pool recovery system for large animals in the world. This unique method of recovering high-risk horses from anesthesia has, unlike many innovations in surgery, withstood the test of time. Dr. Dean Richardson, the Charles W. Raker Professor of Equine Surgery, will discuss this pioneering system as part of the First Tuesday Lecture series.

The presentation, “The Recovery Pool: Defying Gravity after Orthopedic Surgery,” will take place on Tuesday, June 6, at 6:30 p.m. in New Bolton Center’s Alumni Hall, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA. The lecture is free and open to the public. Due to limited seating, reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting Barbara Belt at beltb@vet.upenn.edu.

For more than forty years, horses with catastrophic injuries have woken up in New Bolton Center’s pool. It remains the single best technique for anesthetic recovery of the seriously injured horse, providing a chance to safely recover strength, coordination, and awareness. Dr. Richardson will present how and why the system works, along with case reports exemplifying the value of this method to recover horses from general anesthesia.

New Bolton Center’s pool recovery system was dedicated in 1975, featuring the pool measuring 22 feet wide and 11 feet deep; a custom-made life raft designed to accommodate a resting horse head and four horse legs; and a rail system making it possible to lift the horse from the surgical table, into the raft and the pool, out of the pool, and straight to a recovery stall. Click here for more information about the pool’s history.

About the First Tuesday Lecture Series

The First Tuesday Lectures, free and open to the public, are presented September through December, and March through June. During the series, faculty and clinicians at New Bolton Center share current information on equine topics of interest to horse owners and caregivers. Many of the lectures highlight the advanced techniques performed by Penn Vet’s team of leading clinicians, and the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities available to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients.

The next First Tuesday lecture will take place in September.

About Penn Vet

Ranked among the top ten veterinary schools worldwide, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) is a global leader in veterinary education, research, and clinical care. Founded in 1884, Penn Vet is the first veterinary school developed in association with a medical school. The school is a proud member of the One Health initiative, linking human, animal, and environmental health.

Penn Vet serves a diverse population of animals at its two campuses, which include extensive diagnostic and research laboratories. Ryan Hospital in Philadelphia provides care for dogs, cats, and other domestic/companion animals, handling nearly 35,000 patient visits a year. New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large-animal hospital on nearly 700 acres in rural Kennett Square, PA, cares for horses and livestock/farm animals. The hospital handles nearly 4,900 patient visits a year, while the Field Service treats more than 38,000 patients at local farms. In addition, New Bolton Center’s campus includes a swine center, working dairy, and poultry unit that provide valuable research for the agriculture industry.

For more information, visit www.vet.upenn.edu.