Sarah Eaton

Interests

Teaching

Clinical SkillsEquine MedicineLarge Animal TheriogenologyEquine Neonatology

Research

Equine TheriogenologyEquine Reproductive ImmunologyClinical Skills Methodology

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Books

• Eaton, S. (2025). Performing the Large Animal Physical Examination. John Wiley & Sons.

Chapters

• Eaton, S. (2025). Clinical Case Vignettes: Equine. In A Simulated Approach to Veterinary Consultation. 5M Books.
• Eaton, S. (2025). Examination of the Neonate. In Performing the Large Animal Physical Examination. wiley. doi:10.1002/9781119830382.ch11
  More info

  Examination of the neonate is like that of an adult horse, with a few key areas of concentration. Safety is paramount. Adequate restraint is important to minimize the risk of injury to all members of the veterinary team. A head-to-tail examination is performed, with emphasis on the palate, eyes, ribs, legs, and umbilicus. The placenta provides communication and nutrition between the dam and foal during pregnancy. After parturition, when it has been passed, close inspection of the placenta can provide valuable information regarding the health of the neonate. A thorough examination of both the foal and the placenta will expedite the identification of potential problems, paving the way for rapid interventions that hopefully improve neonatal and maternal outcomes.
• Eaton, S. (2025). The Reproductive Exam in the Mare. In Performing the Large Animal Physical Examination. wiley. doi:10.1002/9781119830382.ch9
  More info

  The reproductive examination in the mare is regularly performed by veterinary practitioners for a multitude of reasons: diagnosis of pregnancy, breeding management, as part of a workup for infertility, and for the inclusion or exclusion of the reproductive tract in the role of performance issues. A complete reproductive examination in the mare includes evaluation of the external genitalia, transrectal palpation, transrectal ultrasonography, and vaginal examination. In the pregnant mare, transabdominal ultrasonography and transrectal palpation with ultrasonography are also performed to evaluate the health of the fetus, uterus, and placenta.
• Leith, G., Eaton, S., & Englar, R. E. (2025). Basic Clinical Procedures in Equine Practice. In Performing the Large Animal Physical Examination. wiley. doi:10.1002/9781119830382.ch12
  More info

  Diagnostic tests and other common clinical procedures are routinely performed in practice to medically manage patient care. Sometimes the goal of a procedure is to obtain a biosample (e.g., blood and urine) for the purpose of establishing a clinical diagnosis. On other occasions, the goal of a procedure is to obtain a particular patient outcome, such as preventative care (e.g., vaccination, microchip insertion for patient identification purposes, and odontoplasty for oral health). Indications for sampling, a step-by-step collection technique, and appropriate handling of samples will be discussed when relevant. Additional procedures that are commonly performed in general practice (e.g., sheath cleaning, intravascular catheter placement, and nasogastric (NG) intubation) will be introduced both in terms of rationale and procedural outline. Nasogastric intubation involves passing a soft, hollow, rubber tube into the ventral meatus, then esophagus, to the stomach to relieve gas, remove excess fluid, or administer medication. The safety of the patient, the clinician, and all handlers is paramount in equine practice. Depending on the horse's temperament, additional restraint in the form of stocks, twitches, lip chains, intravenous (IV) sedation, and/or regional anesthesia may be indicated.

Journals/Publications

• Eaton, S. E., Dial, S., Owen, M. P., & Shreve, L. K. (2025). Abdominal mass in a 25-year-old grade mare. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 263(Issue 10). doi:10.2460/javma.25.04.0234
• Eaton, S. (2025). The use of hysteroscopy to identify and treat reproductive tract abnormalities in the mare. Equine Veterinary Education.
• Lairmore, M. D., Byers, C., Eaton, S., Sykes, J. E., Marks, S., & Meurs, K. M. (2024). An imminent need for veterinary medical educators: are we facing a crisis?. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 262(8), 1124-1128.
  More info

  A potential emerging shortage of veterinary medical educators requires the profession to acknowledge and understand the factors leading to this outcome. Expanding class sizes within existing schools and colleges of veterinary medicine and the expected expansion of new programs seeking AVMA-Council of Education accreditation have heightened the need to address an impending shortage of veterinary medical educators. A solution-oriented approach that accurately projects educator workforce needs and identifies factors contributing to the shortage requires effective collaboration across various partnering organizations to develop innovations in pedagogy and educational delivery methods. The veterinary profession must also identify and reduce disincentives that deter students and post-DVM trainees from pursuing careers in education. Finally, efforts at the state and federal level are critical to advocate for financial support and incentives for expansion of the veterinary medical educator workforce. Through these collective approaches and partnerships, the veterinary medical educator workforce can be strengthened to overcome obstacles for educating the next generation of veterinarians to meet societal needs.
• Eaton, S. (2023).

  Neonatal sepsis – Pathology and clinical signs

  . Equine Veterinary Education, 35(9), 498-503. doi:10.1111/eve.13796
• Eaton, S. (2022).

  Neonatal Septicemia -- Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis

  . Authorea (Authorea). doi:10.22541/au.167161814.42076161/v1
  More info

  Septic foals may present diagnostic conundrums as their clinical presentation can vary from normal to comatose. While the comatose, hypothermic foal with swollen joints is easy to identify as septic, bright foals may require additional diagnostics such as bloodwork, radiographs, or ultrasonography. Treatment of neonatal septicemia is led by the need for supportive care and selection of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Antimicrobial pharmacology in foals differs significantly from adult horses due to the lack of hindgut fermentation development. Foals respond to many medications similarly to other common domestic species, the cat and dog, until their adult gastrointestinal tract is developed. As such, care should be taken whenever administering antibiotics for a sick neonatal foal. The goal is to avoid medications that maybe damaging to a developing animal and consider their differences in medication absorption and pharmacology. The prognosis for septic foals varies extensively based on the cause of the disease, promptness in starting therapy, and complications. In most cases the prognosis is improved the more quickly treatment is initiated. Therefore, sick foals should be treated as emergencies.

Presentations

• Eaton, S. (2023). Mare Endometrial Cytology. American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
• Eaton, S. (2023). Neonatal Stabilization & Treatment in the Ambulatory Setting. American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
• Eaton, S. (2023). Stallion Semen Cytology. American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
• Eaton, S. (2023). Clinical Approach to Reproduction Diagnostics. The Equine Practice Company.
• Eaton, S. (2023). Clinical Approach to the Management of Endometritis. The Equine Practice Company.
• Eaton, S. (2023). Practical Approach to Semen Evaluation. The Equine Practice Company.
• Eaton, S. (2023). Practical Approach to the Logistics of Breeding Management. The Equine Practice Company.
• Eaton, S. (2023). Practical Approach to the Reproduction Examination in the Mare. The Equine Practice Company.
• Eaton, S. (2022). Caring for Neonates in the Field. Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association.
• Eaton, S. (2022). Equine Dystocia. Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association.