Season’s Greetings

Posted on December 30, 2011 by netqwik

Season’s Greetings!   We would like to express our warmest wishes to you, your family and your horses during this wonderful time of year.  We appreciate your support since our inception and here are a few 2011 highlights:

  1. Hired Gail Figgins, a licensed Veterinary Technician.  Some of you have had Gail visit your farm on her own, and we look forward to additional technician appointments in 2012.  Click here for Details.
  2. Cavalia.  Attended to the Cavalia horses– 71 dentals and various other needs during their 3 week stay enroute to Atlanta.  Click here for Details.
  3. Launched our new TEVA website and Facebook page.  Clickhere for Details.
  4. Zebra capture… Dr. Jay got back to his African wildlife roots to coordinate, dart, capture and transport escaped zebra back to their owners.  Click here for Details.
  5. Hired our first office manager, Andrea Nuccio.
  6. Seriously upgraded our digital radiology system  – we take even better pictures, and faster.
  7. Selected to be the Flagship company for a nationwide veterinary software company.  Click here for Details.
  8. Earned 2011 Loudoun Green Business, Silver Certification – the only veterinary practice in Loudoun. Click here for Details.
  9. Began ISELP certification – this is an extreme proficiency in lameness diagnosis and treatment.  This is a 2-3 year process. Click here for Details.
  10. Initiated an on-line feedback system to help us better serve our clients. Click here for Details. 
  11. NAVY BEAT ARMY, AGAIN!

Looking ahead to 2012, we’d like to share where the practice is going.  We are learning as we go and continue to strive for the ultimate in client care and customer service. Here are our 2012 plans:

  1. Implementing several improvements related to medical records and treatment plans based on the new feedback system.
  2. More technological upgrades (e.g., ultrasound).
  3. Hire a 2nd Vet Technician by February.
  4. Long term vision: hire a second equine vet in 2013.
  5. Reviving the Seminar Series at the winery.  Client education seminars on various topics were always very well received.
  6. Revising the 2012 Wellness Membership program.  

We truly appreciate your support, trust and confidence over the years and look forward to helping in the coming year.

 Here’s to a Happy and Healthy 2012,

Dr Jay Joyce, Paula and the staff of Total Equine Vets

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Orchestrating the Leesburg zebra capture

Posted on December 30, 2011 by netqwik

 Dr. James “Jay” Joyce loaded his dart gun and fired, sending a dart into the zebra’s rump. But the beast still stood, even after another dart stuck into his skin.

Joyce, owner of Total Equine Veterinary Services in Leesburg and a nine-year U.S. Navy vet, had the unique opportunity on Nov. 28 of chasing down a pair of zebras that had escaped from the Leesburg Animal Park.

This wasn’t altogether unfamiliar territory for Joyce. He spent three months at Kruger National Park in Africa, dangling out of helicopters while wielding a dart rifle. In that job, Joyce was working as part of a buffalo tuberculosis study and the team routinely had to drop buffalos via tranquilization for study.

In Africa, wild exotic game is the norm. In Leesburg, not so much.

Seeing stripes

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kraig Troxell said that the zebras had escaped the animal park around noon.

Soon after, Joyce and his team was contacted by the Leesburg Animal Park, and he was headed to the scene.

“We just drove out there, and the Sheriff’s Office was already there, and Animal Control was already there, and half a dozen other people and the zebras just standing,” Joyce said. “We kind of walked up to them and they just bolted.”

Joyce said that zebras have a comfort zone that’s “pretty big,” and started to devise a plan to drive the animals back towards the park.

“We had hoped they would get familiar and just run back in,” Joyce said. “But that’s not what they wanted to do.”

What happened next became a wild goose chase, as the zebras scampered through neighborhoods, easily navigating around homes without fences.

At one point, someone suggested to Joyce that they might have to shoot the zebras to stymy a growing public safety threat as emptying schools and rush hour loomed.

“We saw little kids, and soccer moms, people taking cell phone pictures and everyone peeking out their front door as the zebras ran across,” Joyce laughed.

“There goes a zebra, and there goes a zebra, and there goes a guy chasing him with a dart gun, and there goes his technician, and there goes Animal Control and there goes a bunch of cop cars.”

Eventually, they were able to chase the zebras to a more secure location, away from roads and with some fences blocking off escape routes.

What happened next was straight out of an old video game as a chain of people, including Animal Control staff, employees of Leesburg Animal Park, Sheriff’s deputies and curious neighborhood bystanders, moved inch-by-inch to cut off sections of the grass, containing the zebras in a grid.

“All the people wound up helping, it ended up being really cool,” Joyce said.

Back to the zoo

Once the zebras were contained to a basic area, Joyce was able to load up a dart and fire tranquilizer syringes into the zebras to slow them down. As the chain of people continued to move closer, the group was able to herd the animals onto a trailer, to be safely returned to Leesburg Animal Park.

“Once we had them onboard, everybody broke into a cheer,” Joyce said. “There was a lot of high-fiving and fist-pumping going on.”

Joyce knew he was the right man for the job as soon as he got the call.

“Who else could they have called that could show up in a short time, who had game capture experience, who had a dart gun and who has the leadership ability to move all those people the right way,” Joyce said.

Sometimes animals escape, as Loudoun County was reminded last April when a serval – which resembles a small cheetah –  named Nairobi escaped from Leesburg Animal Park and was eventually hit by a car. The animal was later recovered.

Despite all the excitement in Leesburg, this story had a happy ending – for Joyce, the zebras and Leesburg Animal Park.

Joyce is keeping his phone on in the future.

“For sure, I think I will receive similar calls, absolutely,” he said. “From Leesburg Animal Park and Animal Control.”

For now, though, it’s back to those equines without stripes.

Zebra

Showing his stripes: One of the escaped zebras remains standing despite two lodged darts fired by Dr. James “Jay” Joyce. The zebras were eventually herded into a trailer and returned to Leesburg Animal Park after three hours on the loose. Courtesy photo/Dr. James Joyce.

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Subject: Guess what Dr. Jay did? Are you familiar with the Cavalia Horse Show?

Posted on December 2, 2011 by admin

We are very excited to finally share with you that our very own Dr. Jay Joyce and the TEVA staff had the opportunity to work with Cavalia’s 71 horses while they boarded at a local facility enroute their USA premier in Atlanta. 

For the last 3 weeks, Dr Jay attended to their varied veterinary needs.  The most formidable challenge was squeezing in 71 dental floats in 2 weeks while meeting the demands of regular TEVA patients.

“I had a great time working with the staff of Cavalia (Odysseo) and their incredible horses. The Cavalia Team is extraordinary.  Everything they do is impressive– times 71.  Their grooms, their trainers, their vet techs, their leaders– they all are 100% horsemen with 100% dedication to the health and welfare of their horses,” said Dr. Jay early in their visit. “And although the Cavalia Show is not staying in the area, we look forward to a lasting relationship and their return.” Cavalia demands the very best from their staff and their horses, and TEVA was able to deliver outstanding veterinary and dental care to a unique team of high-level performers.  TEVA is proud to have been chosen to deliver this service.

These magnificent horses are truly one of a kind, check Cavalia (Odysseo) at http://www.cavalia.net/en/.

Although an exhausted Dr. Jay is ready to relax now that the 71 dental floats are done, their departure is bittersweet. “It went well and TEVA established a good rapport with Cavalia, but I am sore.  Maybe we will meet up at various USA locations between shows to attend to routine veterinary needs.”

“This was a very demanding time for Dr. Jay as he worked with the 71 horses yet kept up with his regular appointments and his emergency on-call.  We survived the grueling schedule and it is back to ‘business as usual’ but I must say that although Dr. Jay is a little tired, the entire experience has been wonderful and we’ve truly enjoyed working with the Cavalia horses and staff,” says wife Paula Joyce. “We thank the Cavalia staff for the opportunity to work with their horses and we thank our clients for their patience these last two weeks.  And I thank my husband, Dr. Jay, for his dedication to our beloved horses.”

“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”    ~ Sir Winston Churchill

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Come Celebrate Total Equine Vets’ One Year Anniversary

Posted on September 11, 2011 by admin

Saturday 01 October at the Virginia Fall Steeplechase Races at Glenwood Park, in Middleburg

“Bellini’s and Baloney”– We have 2 rail-side spots, a canopy, food, and drinks for you to enjoy.  Come say hi to Dr Jay Joyce and our staff, our families, our friends and our clients.

Spend the afternoon– steeplechase, friends, horses.  There is a “Family Fun Fair” with a petting zoo and pony rides and more.

Cost:  Free to attend our tailgate party, but $30 per carload (4 people) for event general admission (TEVA will discount your next vet bill $30 for the general admission price– for regular clients only)

From downtown Middleburg, at the only stoplight, go north about 1 mile.

Check out http://www.vafallraces.com for more details.  We will have updates on our website and Facebook.

Bring the family, maybe a chair or two. Come enjoy a fun afternoon with us.

Please RSVP  TEVA: call or text (703) 505-2320    or email      info@totalequinevets.com

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Coggins – EIA – and 40 dead horses

Posted on September 11, 2011 by admin

This is why we test for Coggins. And why we care. And don’t forget.  40 dead horses.

Dr Jay

Forty horses from one Clarksville, Ark., farm have died or been euthanized after testing positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA), according to Arkansas State Veterinarian George Pat Badley, DVM.

“The first positive came in about two to three weeks ago,” Badley explained, adding that testing on the entire herd began after two horses on the property died and were subsequently confirmed as EIA-positive. “When we got one that tested positive, we sent the blood off to Ames, Iowa, (to the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation) and it tested positive, too. That’s when we found the (rest of the) positives, when the private veterinarian went back and tested the blood on all the horses.” The farm was quarantined after the initial positive test results were returned.

Of the 80 horses residing on the property, a total of 40 horses tested EIA-positive and were euthanized, Badley confirmed. The remaining horses are under veterinary observation, however at this point all have tested negative for EIA.

“We have one herd that has a lot of positives in it,” Badley said. “These horses don’t show and the owner hasn’t sold any for quite some time, either. It’s pretty much a closed herd.

This year “the owner has taken additions in,” he noted. “The latest addition, which arrived about four to six months ago, had a negative test when it arrived there. Then (when the outbreak) happened, it was one of the positives.”

Badley noted that all the horses at that horse’s farm of origin had current negative Coggins tests, but the animals were retested at the state’s expense and were confirmed as negative.

Although state veterinary officials believe this to be an isolated and contained incident, they are working to determine the source of the disease and confirm whether or not the virus has spread from the property. State animal health officials have tested 13 horses residing at a nearby facility (all of these horses were at least a quarter mile away from the index property), and all test results have been negative at this point, Badley noted.

He also said that blood for Coggins tests had not been drawn on the affected farm’s complete herd for several years: “Arkansas has a law that says every horse is supposed to be tested once a year, but that’s in a perfect world and it doesn’t happen. So we now believe that the disease was there for quite a while and has been brewing.”

Additionally, he stressed that this incident is not related to another isolated situation that occurred two to three months ago in Van Buren County, Ark., in which five horses on three premises in close proximity tested positive for EIA. Badley noted that the five horses were all in contact with each other prior to testing positive for the disease.

Understanding Equine Medications is your A-Z guide to learning more about generic and brand-name pharmaceuticals, possible side effects and precautions, and proper dosage.

“There are some reports that try to tie the two separate events together and it makes it (the scope of the scenario seem) much worse if you do that, but these events are completely unrelated. They do not have anything to do with each other epidemiologically. The horses had never even seen each other.” Epidemiology is the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations.

Equine infectious anemia is a viral disease that attacks horses’ immune systems and is most commonly detected with the Coggins test. The virus is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids from an infected to a noninfected animal, often by blood-feeding insects such as horseflies, and more rarely through the use of blood-contaminated instruments or needles. Once an animal is infected with EIA, it is infected for life and can be a reservoir for the spread of disease. Obvious clinical signs of the disease include progressive loss of condition along with muscle weakness and poor stamina. An affected horse also could show fever, depression, and anemia.

TheHorse.com will continue to provide updates should more information become available.

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FIRST HORSE IN 2011 TESTS POSITIVE FOR WEST NILE VIRUS

Posted on September 11, 2011 by admin

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) today announced 2011′s first positive case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in a horse.  The horse was from Berryville/Clarke County. It had been vaccinated for WNV but was due for a booster in September.

A nasal swab and serum sample was submitted to VDACS’ Regional Animal Health Laboratory in Warrenton for suspicion of Equine Herpes Virus infection, but it tested positive for West Nile Virus. Onset of symptoms was August 30. The horse was treated for symptoms – low-grade fever, ataxia, hypermetria (lifting its feet excessively high) and intermittent central nervous system depression – for 24 hours and then euthanized on August 31.

 Dr. Joe Garvin, head of VDACS’ Office of Laboratory Services, urges horse owners to check with their veterinarians about vaccinating their animals for WNV. “This is our first case of West Nile Virus in a Virginia horse this year,” Garvin said. He adds that, so far, Virginia has not had any cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). “Both WNV and EEE are mosquito-borne diseases,” he said, “and we generally start seeing our first cases in August and September. Since both diseases are preventable by vaccination, it may make sense for horse owners to go ahead and vaccinate now even though it’s late in the year. Mosquito season in Virginia can run through November.”

The WNV vaccine for equines initially requires two doses administered three to six weeks apart. The vaccine takes four to six weeks from the second dose for optimal effectiveness. Horse owners should consult with their veterinarians to choose a re-vaccination schedule to protect their horses effectively. Prevention methods besides vaccination include destroying standing water breeding sites for mosquitoes, use of insect repellents and removing animals from mosquito-infested areas during peak biting times, usually dusk to dawn.

The virus usually lives in wild birds of many different species.  Mosquitoes transmit it from bird to bird.  Occasionally a mosquito that has bitten an infected bird will then bite a human, horse or other mammal and transmit the virus to them. Transmission between horses and humans is extremely unlikely. Continuous, effective mosquito control can minimize the risk of exposure of both horses and humans to West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.

 Currently, no drugs exist to treat WNV specifically in horses or humans. Treatment for an infected horse consists of supportive therapy to prevent the animal from injuring itself throughout the two to three weeks of the disease. A veterinarian can prescribe treatment tailored to the particular case. 

WNV can cause a horse to go down and be unable to get up without help. Animal owners should consult their veterinarians if an animal exhibits any neurological symptoms such as a stumbling gait, facial paralysis, drooping or disinterest in their surroundings. Currently, there are live-animal tests for WNV in horses and chickens, but none for other animals, although testing can be done on any dead animal. Animal owners

should consult their veterinarians or the nearest VDACS Regional Animal Health Laboratory for advice or information should an animal exhibit symptoms of WNV.   

The following Web sites provide more information on WNV and how to protect humans and horses:

Horses:

http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/wnv.html

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/wnv/

Humans:

http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/DEE/Vectorborne/factsheets/westnilevirus.htm 

 

Elaine J. Lidholm

Virginia

Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services

102 Governor St.

Richmond, VA  23219

804.786.7686

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Tildren: How It Can Stop Arthritis Pain and Improve Your Horse’s Performance

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Jay

By Jay Joyce, DVM

  How can you make the performance of  your nearly-perfect horse a little better?  “Performance Tweaking” is a term I’ve coined to apply to those horses who are performing very well but whose owners and trainers feel could do just a little bit better.  Tweaking is not intended for obviously lame or off patients.  Tweaking is for the horse who sometimes just “isn’t quite right ” when doing his job.  Overall, such a horse gets the job done, but has those moments when you wonder if something could be done to get the horse to 100% of its athletic potential.

One solution may be Tildren, along with a thorough physical and lameness evaluation. 

What is Tildren?  Tildren is an amazing medication used for the management of arthritis in horses.  It has shown great results in foot soreness, hock arthritis, and back pain.  In normal horses, bones are always being remodeled.  This process allows the skeleton to adapt to and perform under the mechanical stresses created by the life of a typical equine athlete.  The two types of cells that are involved in bone regulation and renewal are osteoclasts and osteoblasts.

Osteoclasts – These cells cause bone lysis, which is the removal of microscopic areas of bone. These cells start working when new spaces need to be created within the bone to increase density in response to mechanical stress.  Tildren works by inhibiting the function of these cells.   

Osteoblasts – These cells build collagen, the most basic material needed in bone formation.  They cause collagen mineralization and create denser bone.  They also build new bone, sometimes creating too much new bone material.

Because osteoclast activity depends on osteoblast activity, and vice versa, stopping osteoclast activity stops both activities, stopping bone remodeling and arthritis.

Osteoclasts destroy bone faster than osteoblasts rebuild it, which can cause major issues in horses that are constantly putting stress on their bones. In competition horses, remodeling of bone is a highly active process, resulting in area of bone where there is less density, and areas where there is too much density.  Joints where bones have either condition damage more easily and are inflamed and painful.

Tildren works by regulating bone remodeling in cases where there is too much bone destruction. It generates osteoblast activity, while suppressing osteoclast function. It also has anti-inflammatory affects, because it inhibits the secretion of enzymes that destroy cartilage.

Tildren is used primarily in subtle, chronic lameness and is considered a long-term investment in the control of arthritis in your horse.  Navicular disease, hock arthritis, and back pain are some of the most common indications for its use.  It is not yet approved by the FDA for use in the United States, so each use must be pre-approved by the FDA in writing.  Food and Drug Administration approval is pending, however.  Currently, the drug must be imported from France or Great Britain. 

 How is it administered?  It is an intravenous medication delivered via a catheter over about 30 minutes.  It is a very safe process and very well tolerated. 

What are the side effects?  Very mild cramping is rare. Some horses experience some sweating or slight muscle tremors.  Tildren cannot be administered to horses less than three years of age or to mares that are lactating and/or pregnant.

How much does it cost?  Typically, a Tildren treatment will run between $1000-1200.  It is expensive but a solid investment in your horse’s future.  Slowing arthritis is a good thing, and gives you more years of performance from your horse. 

 How long does it last?  The medication takes up to 30 days to take effect and lasts six-12 months. Many clients use this medication annually, along with products like Adequan and Legend (administered how often?). They complement each other very well, and can enhance the long-term soundness of your horse.  

The effectiveness of Tildren is gaining a growing body of scientific evidence.  This medication is not a passing fad. It is real, proven, and effective for keeping your almost-perfect horse perfect.

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What’s New in 2011?

Posted on July 25, 2011 by admin

With the successful spin-off of Total Equine Veterinary Associates from Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates, we now focus solely on your horse.  We’ve had a strong start– thanks to our many horse friends and support from Blue Ridge.  We promise a very exciting year with new services, revised pricing and educational programs that push the envelope in customer service and horse health. 

HEALTHY TIP #1:  Do not drag manure piles in the winter.  Strongyle eggs in their cold weather hibernation state will just get spread evenly across your pasture– so in the spring, worms will hatch everywhere. 

New in 2011:

 Wellness Memberships:  We will introduce new Wellness Packages in the upcoming weeks.  Our programs help horses be healthier and have fewer emergencies with reduced routine maintenance costs. 

Shockwave Therapy:  Introduced in 2010, it is an indispensable treatment tool– no needles, improved healing, faster healing, and covered by horse insurance.  It’s a proven treatment modality for back soreness, tendons and ligaments, nasty wounds, navicular disease, and splints.

 Dentistry/floats:   Dr. Jay has been doing dentistry for almost 10 years.  Did you also know that it costs more to have a vet sedate and a lay-dentist do the work? Did you also know there is a good chance a “lay-dental person” is either unqualified or incapable of providing complete services. Did you know that it is illegal and unsafe for anyone other than a vet or yourself under a vet’s orders to  sedate your horse? 

It is illegal for a non-veterinarian (i.e., the lay dental tech) to possess and/or administer sedatives that have both human abuse potential and can be fatal?  Think of it this way:  if a lay dentist knowingly sedates using an illegally acquired tranquilizer to your horse, what does that say about the character and integrity of the lay dentist.  Most horses don’t need floats twice a year.  Once a year to every other year is likely acceptable with regular veterinary oral exams.

HEALTHY TIP #2: Nearly every performance horse needs maintenance support.  Before and after competition soundness evaluations by your veterinarian may ensure subtle issues are addressed early and actively.  Performance tweaking prior to a problem is smart and cost effective.     

Other news:

Dr. Jay will be joining the International Society for Equine Locomotor Pathology (ISELP) where he will aim to certify after he completes the 2 year program.  This world-renown group emphasizes lameness diagnosis and treatments at advanced levels.

Our assistant, Jill, left TEVA to return to Florida.  We wish Jill well as she will be near family and starting a new career.  Dr. Jay will be hiring a new tech in the months ahead.  If you are interested in assisting, send a resume and cover letter.

HEALTHY TIP #3:  Horses get stiff, especially if they are off during the winter.  As you start to work your horses again, call TEVA for recommendations on how to avoid joint and muscle injuries during this fitness building phase.  

This will be the first of several e-communications in the months ahead.

Periodically visit our website, www.totalequinevets.com.  It is being updated and has the latest on seminar dates, special deals, and healthy tips.  Also, any emerging disease information and outbreak alerts will be posted. 

HEALTHY TIP #4:  Don’t forget to peak under your horses’ blanket occasionally.  Don’t be surprised in the springtime by either weight loss or skin diseases.  We should address these issues before you have a skinny, hairless horse.

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Total Equine Veterinary Associates

Posted on July 24, 2011 by netqwik

 “Total Equine Veterinary Associates was conceived to take equine care to the next level, and to distinguish itself as a veterinary practice committed to customized service.  Your horse has a unique set of needs that demands tailored medical care and advice.  I understand that your horse has a team of caretakers:  owner, rider, trainer, barn manager, farrier, veterinarian and barn staff.  I am proud to be part of this team, ensuring the maximum health and performance of your horse,” contends Dr. Joyce.

Customer service and client education will be a major focus of the veterinarians and staff of Total Equine Veterinary Associates, P.C.   In September, local veterinarian Dr. Jay Joyce will assume the helm of Total Equine as a spin-off division of his previous employer, Blue Ridge Veterinarian Associates in Purcellville. 

“We really need to emphasize total, dedicated, 100% horse care,” says Dr. Joyce.  Years of feedback and working within Loudoun and adjoining counties has given Dr. Joyce the insight that horse owners need a unique blend of personal care, proven medical performance, and cutting-edge techniques to deliver the latest in innovative health care.  All of which Total Equine is designed to deliver.

“I want to create a practice environment wherein we promote a durable bond between owner, trainer, patient, and veterinarian. “  This philosophy will be a cornerstone in Total Equine’s niche in today’s evolving equine industry.  “With more than 80% of Loudoun residents having some college experience (nearly 60% with either a Bachelor’s or graduate degree) there is no reason that we shouldn’t have the smartest and most informed owners and trainers in the country.  Our 15,000 horses in Loudoun alone should be the best performing, healthiest, happiest horses in the world.”

To this end, Dr Joyce has conducted a highly successful client education campaign for the last two years.  About every 2 months, at the Sunset Hills Vineyard, he and his team present various topics of interest to clients and guests.  These seminars are free and open to anyone interested.  Previous topics have included Lyme Disease, Parasites and Deworming Strategies, Overview of Skin Diseases, interactive video lameness demonstrations, Gastric Ulcers, Dentistry…the list is extensive.  On October 7th, the topic will be Back Soreness and Treatments, coupled with Fitness and Training Tips: A Vet’s Perspective.

Total Equine also utilizes a VersaTron Shockwave Treatment Device which underscores its commitment to cutting-edge techniques.  This non-invasive technology is used to treat many types of lameness and back soreness with amazing, proven success.   In many cases, horses suffering from chronic pain and lameness must undergo prolonged medication and surgical interventions.  These treatments can be costly, necessitate an extended recovery period, and may not provide satisfactory results.  Shockwave treatment offers a non-invasive treatment option that provides enduring results with minimal recovery time.

Client and wife, Paula Joyce, “Jay bridges the gap between horse, rider and trainer; leaving a sense of total care.  He works with all involved individuals to implement sensible horse care from groomer, barn manager, horse owner and trainer.   He’s extremely informative and never leaves a barn until he is comfortable that everyone is fully aware of what is going on with their horse.”

For additional information, call Total Equine at (703) 505-2320, or visit their developing website at www.totalequinevets.com, or email them at info@totalequinevets.com.

Dr. Jay Joyce has been practicing equine medicine and dentistry locally for more than 7 years.  He attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis and served 9 years on active duty.  An Honors graduate from the University of California, at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, he interned at the Marion du Pont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg before joining Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates in 2004.  Underscoring his desire to stay on the cutting edge of the latest equine techniques, Dr. Jay presented at the World Equine Veterinary Association (WEVA) Conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in September 2009.  It was with great personal pride that Dr. Joyce was able to represent the U.S. equine veterinary community internationally.  He is also very proud to be an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 998 in Leesburg.

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