Advice please on vet investigations

harvgj19

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I have posted this in Veterinary, but I was hoping for some other advice. Anyone who gets to the end of this can have a cookie!

My horse Harvey is on loan to a girl in Devon, as we have moved over to America. At the beginning of January she emailed me to say the vet had been to look at a small bony lump just below his hock. She said he was not lame, but the vet was going to scan it just in case.

A week later she emailed to say it was just fluid under the skin and it had been drained and he was given a steroid injection. He had a weeks box rest and then was allowed to wander around the yard, and had an hour's turnout.

Another week on, I got an email to say he was being turned out, but the lump was still there. She still said he wasn't lame and was fine in himself.

Yesterday (a month from the first vet visit) she emailed to say the lump was still there and a bit "strange" so the vet wants to investigate further. The vet bill currently stands at £300 and the vet had advised her to contact the insurance company for a claim form. I pay his insurance, but they know he is on loan, and that the loaner is able to contact them, but I have to give signed permission for any changes or claims to his insurance.

I have had real trouble getting any kind of detail from her, and have been given no diagnosis as such. I have tried to phone the vet, but can't catch him in the surgery, and as I am across the pond, they won't have him call me back. I am getting a) worried and b) frustrated about this!

What do you think this sounds like? To me and my books it sounds a bit like a bog spavin.
Do you think all this investigation is necessary? Not at all in the month of correspondence has she said he is lame. Would you be having scans etc on a horse that isn't lame? Do you think the vet is just trying to get her to spend as much money as possible. I think she is feeling like she has to get all these tests done because he is not her horse. It is not the vet that I prefer from my practice either. Should I be questioning what he is recommending?

Any advice or thoughts are welcome.

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GTs

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I would not worry - it does not seem dire - maybe just get everyone to send you a copy of the paper work and sort it out.

I personally do not think it is wise having horses on loan when you are so far away - what a hassle......
 

harvgj19

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It wasn't too much of a hassle until recently, as a friend had him on loan, but this girl is younger and less experienced.

I am really thinking about selling him to her, but my OH is set against it. Don't know why...
 

pottamus

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As the owner of this horse you have a right to know what is going on from the vet in question! I would not be accepting that rubbish about not calling you back...can they not afford a quick call given how much they take in profits as a practice!? Can they not call you and then you call them straight back? Or as already mentioned...correspond by email?
I would also want some photos to see the 'lump' for myself...but I might be a bit of a synical old devil!
But in my opinion it cannot be too much bother for the horse if there is no lameness.
 

kcgibson

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i agree with pottamus. the vets really should ring you back, america or not. you could always ask for a second opinion from another vet in the practice or another practice altogether, altho this would mean spending more money. i would also agree that you should ask for photos. she can always take the pic on her mobile and send them that way. if the bill is at £300 (and you've got to pay excess anyway, altho it depends how much your excess is) then maybe its worth investigating? is the lump just some arthritis or could it be something more sinister? how quickly has it developed? weigh up the pros and cons of investigation but to do this you need to speak to the vet. its terrible they wont ring you back! vets def earn enough to afford a call to america, its not as if all their clients live there is it! persists with them and i hope things turn out for the best!!
 

harvgj19

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I know! Unfortunately he is one of the "older" chaps at the practice and "can't do email"! I have managed to get through to the vet I always used, and he said he would look at his notes and email me back.

So I am finally getting somewhere!
 

harvgj19

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I have managed to email to the vet I always used at that practice, and he is going to look at Harv's file and email me back.
I also managed to talk to the YO today, who is my friend who had him on loan originally, and she has filled in a few details for me. She seems to think it may just be a bog spavin. He is not lame, and the vet has drained some more fluid today. She is going to email me some pics of it.
I have to sign any claim made to the insurance company anyway, as I pay for it, so nothing can be done without my sayso.

Thanks for your input!
 
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