Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital takes shape, specialist hired

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. —Construction continues with exterior walls now giving shape to the Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital near Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville, Indiana, and the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine has hired a board-certified equine surgeon to lead the medical team that will treat equine patients.

Timm Gudehus will start as clinical assistant professor of equine surgery in October. The facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

As a satellite facility of the College of Veterinary Medicine, the hospital will provide specialty medical and surgical services for horse owners while also supporting equine research and education of future equine specialists. Its location is just a few miles from the track at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino and within an hour's drive of Hoosier Park in Anderson, Indiana.

Gudehus (GOO-deh-whos) comes to Indiana from Germany, where he has been an equine surgery specialist since 2012. Passionate about horses and equestrian sports since early childhood, and experienced as a semi-professional rider of show jumpers, he went to veterinary school in Munich. After earning the German equivalent of the DVM degree and completing an internship in Munich, he came to the United States for an internship in equine orthopedics in California, followed by a residency in equine surgery at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.  

"This additional training in the U.S. exposed me to all the equine disciplines that I hadn't seen, especially thoroughbreds, racing quarter horses and a little bit of Western performance," Gudehus said. "That was followed by two years as a staff surgeon in Auckland, New Zealand, which added the very last discipline that I hadn't worked on, which was standardbreds." 

Gudehus returned to Germany with his wife, an American citizen and small animal veterinarian, to become the leading surgeon of one of the largest animal hospitals in Europe, where he worked on Olympic-level warmblood horses.

"I am excited about the fact that pretty much all these equine disciplines are gathered around the new facility in Shelbyville. I really hope that people will look at this and say, 'Cool, here's somebody who otherwise we would have to fly in,' to do exactly what I will be providing at this facility," Gudehus said.  "I also am really excited to work on racehorses again. My heart beats with the speed horses."

Willie Reed, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said Gudehus' experience and expertise, and the state-of-the-art facility, will be great resources for the Indiana equine industry.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the way in which the dream of a world-class equine specialty hospital in proximity to our state's two racetracks is becoming a reality," Reed said.

In addition to recruiting Gudehus, two equine veterinary technologists have have been hired. They are training in the Purdue Large Animal Hospital in West Lafayette before moving to the facility in Shelbyville when it opens.

The Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital will offer advanced diagnostic imaging, shockwave therapy, nuclear medicine, regenerative medicine, endoscopic laser surgery and specialized equine orthopedic and soft tissue surgery.

Site preparation for the facility began last fall, and construction started in the spring.  The $8.8 million, 18,000-square-foot structure is being built on land purchased by the Purdue Research Foundation, with $2.3 million in support from Shelby County and the City of Shelbyville. Centaur Gaming, which owns and operates Indiana Grand Racing & Casino and Hoosier Park, pledged $3.1 million to name the facility. 

Media contact: Greg McClure, 765-496-9711, gmcclure@purdue.edu

Sources: Willie M. Reed, 765-494-7608, wreed@purdue.edu

Kevin Doerr, director of public affairs and communications, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, 765-494-8216, doerrkr@purdue.edu