Bio

Dr. Anthony Blikslager is Professor of Equine Surgery and the Associate Dean & Director of Veterinary Medical Services at NC State University in Raleigh, NC, USA. His research is focused on equine colic and mechanisms whereby intestinal mucosa repairs after strangulating obstruction. Dr. Blikslager received the AVMA Clinical Research Award in 2020. He was named an Alumni Distinguished Professor and awarded the Ned E. Huffman Leadership Award from NC State University in 2017. He won the Applied Equine Research Award from the World Equestrian Veterinary Association in 2011. He received the Pfizer Award for Excellence in Research from NC State University in 2006.

Dr. Blikslager received a PhD in Gastrointestinal Physiology at NC State University in 1997. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1995 following a residency in Large Animal Surgery at NC State University from 1990-1994, and an Equine Medicine and Surgery internship at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1989-1990. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989.

Area(s) of Expertise

Biological Barriers, Gastroenterology, Global Health, Large Animal Models, Intestinal transport electrophysiology, Molecular techniques for probing epithelial reparative mechanisms

Publications

• A specific cause of recurrent colic highlights some common themes among horses with intermittent colic , Equine Veterinary Education (2026)
• A specific cause of recurrent colic highlights some common themes amongst horses with intermittent colic , (2026)
• Abdominal palpation per rectum is highly sensitive for identifying small versus large intestinal lesions in horses presenting for colic , Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2026)
• Early inflammatory local mast cell infiltration and systemic CD4+ T cell proliferation in a porcine model of eosinophilic esophagitis , Scientific Reports (2026)
• Pharmacokinetics of Diclazuril in the Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Healthy Adult Horses After a Single Oral Dose Administered as a Pelleted Topdressing , Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2026)
• Roles of systemic CD4+ T cells and local mast cells in a porcine model of eosinophilic esophagitis , Research Square (2026)
• A novel dataset of 2,362 equine fecal microbiomes from veterinary teaching hospitals across three countries reveals effects of geography and disease , Animal Microbiome (2025)
• Comparison of histochemical methods for the analysis of eosinophils and mast cells using a porcine model of eosinophilic esophagitis , Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2025)
• Lactate and colic–Shetland ponies as an example of one size does not fit all , Equine Veterinary Education (2025)
• Single-cell transcriptomics predict novel potential regulators of acute epithelial restitution in the ischemia-injured intestine , American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology (2025)