What to Expect When Planning Your Visit

We are located on the campus of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, MA at the Cummings Veterinary Medical Center.

53 Willard St.
N. Grafton, MA 01536

Map for directions

Visitors should park in the large paved lot in front of the Hospital for Large Animals. There is ample room to park your trailer and also designated visitor parking for individual cars.

Please park all trailers in the trailer parking spaces shown on the map. Any passenger cars can follow signs into the small animal parking area; there is a gateway thru to the trailer parking. Please check in at the Large Animal Reception Area prior to unloading your animal from your trailer/vehicle.

Download a PDF version of our map

Visit our interactive map at Google Maps.

Please proceed to patient check-In before unloading your horse. Our reception area is located through the main entryway of the large brick building to the right of the red Equine Sports Medicine Complex. We will be available to help bring your horse into the hospital. For your convenience, we have water, coffee and tea, and a private consultation room, television and restrooms in our reception area.

During your visit, one of our service team members will greet you and record a brief history of your animal. The veterinarian, resident, technician and senior student (when applicable) will begin the examination and diagnostics.

After the exam, the veterinarian will create and discuss the details of a care plan and cost estimate for further treatment. Our team members will guide you through the appointment and will be more than happy to answer any questions regarding your horse’s diagnosis and treatment options.

Should one be necessary, surgeries are performed by the faculty surgeon with assistance by a surgical house officer who is also a graduate veterinarian. Hospitalized patients are cared for under the direct supervision of the attending faculty veterinarian. Caregivers include a knowledgeable team of technicians, senior veterinary students, house officers and attending faculty. If the patient is required to stay overnight for additional procedures, the service team will go over everything you need to know about your animal’s stay including feed, hospital care, the procedure itself, and when you can expect to bring your animal home.

We have several food options for your horse as the hospital carries a variety of Nutrena grain products as well as oats, beet pulp, hay stretcher and alfalfa pellets. Feel free to supply your own grain, supplements or treats for your animal during their stay, but please be sure to package the grain or supplements into individually labeled portions. We also provide high-quality grass/timothy mixed hay that the majority of our patients enjoy. As storing sufficient quantities of owner-provided hay is difficult, we encourage you to consider our stock.

In general, treatment plans include estimated costs and are based on the anticipated course of action. They do not include costs associated with additional tests, unanticipated complications, unanticipated findings, etc.

Costs not included in the estimated treatment plan are still the client's responsibility. Tufts Equine Center welcomes daily inquiries about the status of a hospitalized patient.

For information about dining, accommodations, activities and tack and feed stores near Tufts Equine Center, please visit the Cummings Veterinary Medical Center website.

At the end of your appointment, we will give you and your primary veterinarian written or electronic discharge instructions that detail both the examination itself, as well as future care plans. A copy of the imaging studies performed during the visit will also be provided. Any follow-up appointments can be booked either at the time of discharge or at a time more convenient to you.

Payment for outpatient services is due at the time they are provided. When an animal is admitted to the hospital for inpatient services, a deposit of 75 percent of the estimated costs of the treatment plan is collected. In the event that the initial treatment plan changes over the course of the patient's stay, an additional deposit towards the final bill is requested. We accept cash, personal check, MasterCard, Discover and Visa. Clients may apply for a CareCredit credit card, a Healthcare Financing option.