5* vetting !

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The_Connemara_Queen

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Hi guys!
My mare is having a 5* vetting tomorrow for a potential buyer (fingers crossed it goes well!!). Although, the only thing I'm nervous about is the blood tests. My mare, vets and needles are not a good combination at all!! For her yearly injections she has to have the needle thrown into her neck which is connected to a very long tube so the vet can just push the injection fluid through the tube while she is rearing and running at the back of her stable. Obviously, this can't be done with a blood test. Apart from the usual holding a bucket of feed (which really doesn't work for her) anybody got any other tricks? Also, if it turned out impossible for the vet to take the blood test..what would this mean? Would she fail the vetting or would the potential buyer have to decide if she wants to take the risk of not getting any results back from blood tests? I've never had vettings done on horses so I'm abit clueless! Thanks
 
I assume you have declared this potential issue to the purchaser and that they have informed the vet that taking bloods may be difficult to impossible, if so they should already have decided what they plan to do if blood cannot be taken, if you have not already declared this then you better do so before the vet arrives.

In the circumstances as the buyer I think I would want in writing that she has not received any medication recently and expect you to be willing to allow her full veterinary history to be seen, providing she then passed the 5 stage vetting I would probably go ahead but I am not sure I would be purchasing a horse that cannot be easily vaccinated, I am happy dealing with tricky horses but yours sounds more than I could probably be bothered taking on unless she was perfect in every other way and priced sensibly to reflect her behaviour.
 
You must declare this to the buyer in advance of the vetting. It is up to them if they pull out. They may decide that it is something they can cope with, or not.

I would be very suspicious if I was told that it wouldn't be possible to take bloods at the vetting, it would be a good wheeze to cover up some dodgy dealings.
 
Thank you for your reply. Yes the owner is fully aware of how she is with vets and fine with it. I usually just leave the vet to get on with it. It's such a shame as she is 100% in every other way. I'm hoping that she won't know when it's coming as obviously the vet will spending a lot of time with her before the injection. If it's not possible, I shall do what you said about putting it in writing that she has not received no medication etc. Thank you for your advise, it is much appreciated xx
 
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Twitch her? I agree hope you've explained this behaviour to the buyer. Friend had a talented event horse shot recently because she was too dangerous to treat after a fairly minor field injury became infected. The horse was always difficult.
 
Tiddlypom said:
You must declare this to the buyer in advance of the vetting. It is up to them if they pull out. They may decide that it is something they can cope with, or not.

I would be very suspicious if I was told that it wouldn't be possible to take bloods at the vetting, it would be a good wheeze to cover up some dodgy dealings.
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Thank you for your reply, yes the owner is fully aware of how she is with the vet. It's such a shame as she is 100% in every way, but vets she just seems to be petrified of. I'll see how it goes, hopefully the vet will have some tricks up her sleeve for doing it descent. Thank you xx
 
I read in a training book to simulate injections by using a rubber band, and a pencil. Use the blunt end of the pencil to pull the band against, place on neck and then let ping. Start with soft ones and follow up with a food reward straight away. Could potentially work or would be an excellent way to give you both a workout, running around the stable. I've never tried this but potentially may do so for my baby pony as prep work for his vaccinations.
 
I had one that was a drama queen and would run round the stable. Vet used to twitch him, give him a local injection to freeze area before using the bigger needle for whatever was needed. Problem was he often still wasn't still enough to know where the local had been put, so had to find a way to mark the skin as to not miss the spot. It wasn't perfect but sure did help
 
I would expect the vet not to take blood if the horse is very difficult .
You just need to check the new owner is happy to buy the horse without this being done if the vet can't get the needle in .
It's much more difficult to take blood than give a flu jab so you need to be prepared with a twitch and enough help .
 
As long as you have forewarned the buyer and they are happy with the situation and are willing to release vet history Im not sure what else can be done! As a buyer I would want to witness a vet attempt and fail to take blood though
 
I think I would try and get bloods, try a twitch. My mare is a witch with needles, but we can manage with a twitch.

Hope she flies through the vetting :)
 
Our vet has the best needle technique I've ever seen. It's almost like darts, he just kind of flicks it and boom, in the vein. Works even on sis' fidgety horse who likes to run around the stable to avoid it :)

You might get a similar vet doing the vetting!
 
Would blinkers work? I've seen this help.

You mare has my sympathy - I hate needles too. I'd be a nightmare horse.

Hope the vetting goes well.
 
Have you tried taking her out of the stable when she is injected? Mine makes a right fuss if she is approached and injected in the stable, but walk her away from the stable and inject her somewhere else on the yard then although she doesn't like it we experience a lot less dramatic reaction.
 
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