Angry at the vet!!

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Becki1802

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Good evening all... I need a rant with some horsey people as I think all the none horsey people just think I am mad / boring when I talk about this stuff.

I have had my lad since Apr when I had him vetted - in June his vaccination was due and as he was fairly new to me I asked the vet to check his teeth for me. I wasn't overly worried as he works well on flat and jumping. The vet had a look - with that contraption that opens his mouth and told me there were no issues and that he could be left another 6 months before he needed doing.

Today the horse dentist came and did the whole yard so I had my lad checked again. The dentist was shocked I'd had them checked. He said my horses teeth hadn't been done for 4-5 years, if ever (he is only 10). He needed his rostral ramps realigned and had Caudal hooks present. Both these things will have caused him discomfort when eating and being ridden. He also needed the usual rasping.

I am so angry - I specifically asked the vet to check the teeth and they completely missed that they had NEVER been rasped and that he would be uncomfortable when ridden.

To top it off, one of the horses was being shod today - the owner had had the same vet out the week before and was told the horse had horrific thrush and needed box rest which this horse can't cope with mentally. The farrier came out today and found the thrush was only in one foot and was v mild & the other frogs just needed trimming.

I know that a dentist is always better with teeth like a farrier is always better with feet but I thought I could trust them to check for problems and to advise me when to get the specialist in. It is difficult to get our farrier or dentist out without weeks of notice so when it's an emergency we have to trust the vet!!

I thought I'd done right by my boy back in June and now I feel so angry that I can't trust the vet!!
 
How ridiculas, we pay alot for professionals and trust there opinion. I would be getting something wirtten from the dentist and sending to the vet and the vets boss and asking for a refund and apoligy if i were you, i would also be looking for a new vet!!!! At least youve now picked it up and can remedy it.
 
tinkandlily said:
Good god, what a crap vet. I'd get a new one if i was you, if something serious happens and he missess it, god forbid.
New vet!!
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I'm glad someone else agrees! I mean you would expect them to know this stuff right?! When I first had horses 15 years ago you always used the vet to do this, dentists were unheard of.
As for the feet - farrier said other horse has really good feet and that the vet couldn't be more wrong!!
The vet in question is very young, just qualified so probably a lack of experience. I will be asking specifically for the practice owner in future as lost confidence in this one other than injections!!
 
brighteyes said:
May I point out that most vets are not fully trained EDT's.
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Hi Bright eyes
I do understand that they aren't specialists but come on, you'd expect an equine vet to realise my horses teeth had NEVER been rasped and needed doing urgently. I have been riding him for 4 months since thinking I'd had them checked by a professional and that he could fit in with the rest of the yard with the annual EDT visit when I should in fact have got someone out as a matter of urgency!! I feel so bad my boy has been in pain - I am so lucky he has even been coming down on the bit!!
 
It's a hard one, if you talk to my vet he says that the dentist get carried away with their tools and he's had to deal with horses before that's had their teeth so rounded off and smooth they couldn't eat properly. My vet says he rasps em etc so there isn't sharp edges, points etc but will not go over board like denists.
Out off interest I would like to know which vets it was as I'm quite local, please pm me.
 
Just wondering is your vet a specific equine vet coming from an only equine practice or do they deal with everything?

I agree that what your vet has done and said isn't really on, however unless a specific equine vet then I have to say I don't let them near my horses for this reason, they have only 5 years to learn about all animals, looking for diseases, treatments, surgeries etc and unless you then begin to specialise think things like this can be missed, especially if a newly qualified vet. Or else which sounds like it happened with the horse with thrush is that in this day and age they are so terrified of being sued that they often diagnose the worst and then hope for the best.

If I were you would change to an equine only practice if not already at one and just find a vet within the practice that has been out of vet school for several years. I have to say I use my vet to do my girl's teeth rather than an EDT, however he is an equine specialist so fully trust him with this and everything else and I have faith in him that he is always my first port of call.
 
I have a load of respect for my vet, but he is by default not a specialist. As a human (ok, nominally!) I go to a dentist for teeth, a chiro for my back (actually recomended by my GP)etc. So listen to your vet, if you really dont trust them change, ask questions and also dont be afraid to ask for specilaists(that seems wrongly spelled).
 
I must say that there have been a couple of posts recently on here where somone has asked for an opinion on something quite mild and posters have straight away said "CALLTHE VET" sorry - to me that is a last resort because they are far too keen to charge lots of money on unnecessary treatment before using some good old fashioned horsemanship.

I think the problem with a lot of vets is that they worry too much about being sued so go in a bit heavy handed with the diagnostics rather than just letting nature take its course.

At my old yard the manager told me (when my mare went quite badly lame behind) that I had to call a vet and the back doctor immediately. I called my farrier as he was due that in a week anyway and yes my suspicions were right - badly infected foot - hot tubbing and poultice for a week and it ruptured through the sole and was fine 10 days later. Oh and no massive vet bill!
 
Thanks guys! Some good advice.

The practice has a very good reputation for equine vets, not sure they are equine only - I don't wish to say who as the horse world is too small & bitchy. The practice owner is apparently exceptional - I am just going to ask for him specifically for complex stuff & the young vet when it doesn't matter, for jabs etc!! I wasn't charged much for the check & I've already paid so I'll be a wimp and say nothing.

I don't even mind them not being experts and would have accepted it if they'd advised me to call a dentist. It was that I was told they were fine when today I've been told I've been hurting my boy & his teeth have been totally neglected!!!

The good thing is they have been put right now and I can't wait to ride him and see if he goes any better!! Exciting!!
 
Becki1802 said:
I'm glad someone else agrees! I mean you would expect them to know this stuff right?! When I first had horses 15 years ago you always used the vet to do this, dentists were unheard of.
As for the feet - farrier said other horse has really good feet and that the vet couldn't be more wrong!!
The vet in question is very young, just qualified so probably a lack of experience. I will be asking specifically for the practice owner in future as lost confidence in this one other than injections!!
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Young or not, he shouldn't be qualified if he can't make a correct diagnosis on something obvious. It could cost you a fortune on bills that were not needed. I have heard a story of a horse that had a simple hoof problem (can't remember what) but the vet thought it was something else and cut away half the hoof!!! The owners got a second opinion because the horse was in a lot of pain, and because of the vet they had to spend a lot of money and time to get said horse right.
Vets may not speacialise on teeth or feet, but they should know if something doesn't look right, in which case they ask for a professonal.
 
TBH I don't get why more vet practises don't have vets with EDT qualifications! there is a vet and a vet nurse at the practise we use with full EDT qualifications.
 
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