By Brenna Angel
LEXINGTON, Ky. – There's a new equine surgery center in town. Community leaders are gathering at the corner of Iron Works Pike and Georgetown Road Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the opening of Lexington Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine. Owner Dr. Bill Bernard says unlike the equine hospitals in central Kentucky, his practice will focus exclusively on elective surgeries, not emergencies.
"It helps us with some of the problems of nosocomial infections that have occurred in this area. A nosocomial infection is an infection that a human will get from a hospital or a horse will get from a horse hospital. It's an infection that's brought in often times by those gastro-intestinal cases."
Bernard, who has been a practicing veterinarian in central Kentucky for nearly 20 years, says his surgery center will specialize in muscular-skeletal procedures such as arthroscopies.
"I know there's a need for an alternative. I know there's a need for some increased competition in the area. And we certainly do have clients and horse farms who I know are very interested, and I think that will be a challenge for us is to get people in the door."
The 10,000 square foot space includes a 10-stall barn and two surgery suites. Bernard hopes to one day expand to ophthalmology and dermatology.