be positive
Well-Known Member
I have known and owned 2 that survived many years after colic surgery, the pony was done when surgery was still experimental and was done free of charge, he was not mine at the time, he lived about 20 years of normal life afterwards being pts aged about 34.
I had a little horse operated on, he was already in being treated and there was no time to really think about it, he lived a normal active life for around 12 years post surgery, I think that many cases are referred and operated on now that are possibly poor candidates that are done because there is insurance and pts is the only other option.
Years ago only "good candidates" went in and either lived to go home or died on the table, now they seem to do the op almost everywhere rather than at just a few specialist hospitals, both of mine were in veterinary colleges, success is considered a horse going home not whether it survives once it gets there so the practices success rates may appear high but in reality may be very poor.
I have nothing now that I would send in for a colic op, they are older and not insured so not a consideration, I will do box rest if required as they will all cope well and it is my own yard so I can set up whatever I need to keep them happy.
Conditions I will not treat would be on an individual basis, I had one pts last year with a tumour behind the eye as he would not have coped well with box rest, he was mid 20's and I was not sure that he would have really coped without the eye, it seemed the kindest thing to let him go before subjecting him to the tests, scans he needed to decide if he was even a good candidate for surgery.
I had a little horse operated on, he was already in being treated and there was no time to really think about it, he lived a normal active life for around 12 years post surgery, I think that many cases are referred and operated on now that are possibly poor candidates that are done because there is insurance and pts is the only other option.
Years ago only "good candidates" went in and either lived to go home or died on the table, now they seem to do the op almost everywhere rather than at just a few specialist hospitals, both of mine were in veterinary colleges, success is considered a horse going home not whether it survives once it gets there so the practices success rates may appear high but in reality may be very poor.
I have nothing now that I would send in for a colic op, they are older and not insured so not a consideration, I will do box rest if required as they will all cope well and it is my own yard so I can set up whatever I need to keep them happy.
Conditions I will not treat would be on an individual basis, I had one pts last year with a tumour behind the eye as he would not have coped well with box rest, he was mid 20's and I was not sure that he would have really coped without the eye, it seemed the kindest thing to let him go before subjecting him to the tests, scans he needed to decide if he was even a good candidate for surgery.