A bit cross with vet

[Rollin]

I have found in France, that vets are somewhat reluctant to prescribe Bute for lameness. If they do they give far less than my Scottish vet.

My horses have not done much work this winter but I brought them all back into regular work about a month ago. One mare came in 'pecking' one day. I checked her for injury (none), cold hosed stable bandaged. The vet was due two days later and I asked him to look at her. He said she had inflamation on the fetlock joint but this was an 'old' injury so not worth giving BUTE. News to me.

She got better and I did some gentle walking road work. Yesterday evening she presented lame again and was poor this am. Vet came to scan a mare and on checking my lame horse, announced he thought she had arthritis!! She would need x-ray and hyrdorcortisone and might not be able to work!! She is ten. All this in two weeks. Still no BUTE.

Now I can buy BUTE otc here without any reference to a vet. What would you do?

 

[BigRed]

You seem to see bute as a medicine that will fix your horse's problem. It is only a mild painkiller. If your horse has been lame, then come sound and is now lame again, she has a problem that needs diagnosing properly and then treating.

If you don't like what your vet says, then try another vet.

 

[Rollin]

You seem to see bute as a medicine that will fix your horse's problem. It is only a mild painkiller. If your horse has been lame, then come sound and is now lame again, she has a problem that needs diagnosing properly and then treating.

If you don't like what your vet says, then try another vet.

It is an anti-inflammatory and pain killer. So if she had inflammation in the joint then prompt treatment would have dealt with it. It would have been the first course of action for my Scottish vet who treated my horses for 8 years. That is why I asked the question. Interested to know what other people's experience is with UK vets.

In Scotland I could not take my horse to a second vet without agreement from the first.

 

[cptrayes]

I think UK vets prescribe bute far too easily and people use it even more too easily without consulting a vet (it's easily obtainable online). I get particularly concerned about the many posts on here when vets have prescribed bute for mild lamenesses before it has been established what the problem is. For some problems, bute is not helpful. You don't want to suppress the development of a foot abscess, for example, because you cannot usually heal an abscess in the foot without finding it, or it breaking out for itself. Damping it down can result in it taking absolutely ages to resolve. A limping horse is not necessarily in pain - it's limping because it's AVOIDING pain. Owners worry too much about a horse who looks like he's in pain and Vets happily respond by billing them for prescribing bute.

I'd find out what's wrong with your mare before you bute her.

 

[traceyann]

Iv just moved back to france as well be grateful your vet even knew what a horse is i must say the vets here are rubbish i send mine back to england if its major he just spent two years back in england at the vets and i must say i would do it again. My vets in england give me bute if needed and after all that snow mine couldnt go out so acp was much needed which you cant get here either.