Elsa Ludwig joins the Equine Medical Center faculty team as a clinical assistant professor of equine surgery
With extensive expertise in soft tissue surgery and a love of horses that stems from her early years in Wisconsin, Elsa Ludwig has joined the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center.
“Dental surgery is one of my passions. It’s an area that, for the most part, is not widely embraced by equine surgeons,” said Elsa Ludwig who joined the team as a clinical assistant professor of equine surgery on Aug. 1. Ludwig also has expertise in emergency and critical care, cutaneous tumor treatments, and advanced dental and sinus procedures.
Ludwig holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, a Master of Science focusing on equine septic arthritis from the Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and a Ph.D. in comparative biomedical science from North Carolina State University.
The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg is one of three 24/7 animal healthcare facilities and teaching hospitals of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, based at Virginia Tech.
Board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons–Large Animal (ACVS-LA) and a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA), Ludwig has served as an equine soft tissue surgery clinician, emergency clinician, and locum surgeon at institutions including the veterinary college at Virginia Tech and N.C. State University.
(From left) Lexi Nieves, Mohammed Hajeeh Ali, and Elsa Ludwig. Photo courtesy of Sharon Peart.
“I am particularly interested in treating tumors in horses and during my time at N.C. State had the opportunity to use novel treatments to treat sarcoid, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinomas”, said Ludwig.
Ludwig’s passion for horses began in childhood in Madison, Wisconsin, where her aunt, a mounted police officer, introduced her to riding. Summer horse camps soon followed, and at 13 she received her first horse, an Arab cross gelding named Bucky, who is still with her to this day. Together, they competed in dressage and hunter-jumper events up to the national level.
Initially undecided on a veterinary career, Ludwig’s path became clear while working at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine dairy farm and at a local mixed-animal practice. Encouraged by her faculty mentor, she applied to veterinary school as a sophomore and was one of only four students admitted early.
While in veterinary school, she worked in a mixed animal private practice, and as a student technician in the large animal barn, solidifying her desire to focus on equine medicine. Drawn to the precision, dexterity, and problem-solving skills required in surgery, she sought out mentorship from local animal surgeons.
Following graduation, Ludwig completed a one-year internship at the Vermont Large Animal Clinic, the state’s only equine hospital, before pursuing a three-year surgery residency at the Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. There, she earned her master’s degree under the guidance of professor Linda Dahlgren, focusing her research on septic arthritis.
After three years as a large animal surgeon in Vermont, Ludwig returned to academia in a hybrid role at N.C. State, where she completed her Ph.D. in the lab of Liara Gonzalez, professor of gastroenterology and equine surgery.
Ludwig’s research, conducted in collaboration with Duke University, explored new methods for preserving intestines prior to human transplant. The work, which used anatomically similar pigs, and advanced organ preservation systems, has direct applications for improving treatment and recovery in equine colic surgery.
While earning her Ph.D., Ludwig also worked part-time as an equine emergency and critical care surgeon, balancing clinical work with research and teaching. She later accepted a full-time position at N.C. State as a soft tissue surgeon, specializing in colic, tumor removal, oral and maxillofacial surgery, sinus infection treatment, and complex dental surgery.
Ludwig’s enthusiasm and collaborative approach to patient care, areas of expertise, and her dedication to teaching, will benefit horse owners, students, staff, and the referral community that the Equine Medical Center serves.
