At my wits end with my pony. WWYD?

[SEL]

I think most posters are annoyed with your vet, not aiming anything at you (apart from a few who don't seem to have read the thread)

I found out the hard way that sometimes you have to stand your ground with vets. A stand up argument in a livery yard car park about just scan her bl**dy suspensories because I'm paying was the day I knew it was time to change practice.

 

[ycbm]

I'm sorry if anything I've written has caused you to feel that way. But I feel that you are over reacting and slapping in the face people like me who have done nothing but spend their time trying to help you. I'll bow out now.

Clinic near Liphook, no referral needed if you sign on as a client.

BLACKDOWN EQUINE CLINIC – BLACKDOWN EQUINE CLINIC

.

 

[Bellaboo18]

I think most posters are annoyed with your vet, not aiming anything at you (apart from a few who don't seem to have read the thread)

I found out the hard way that sometimes you have to stand your ground with vets. A stand up argument in a livery yard car park about just scan her bl**dy suspensories because I'm paying was the day I knew it was time to change practice.

That makes two of us...well, I think I phrased it, I don't care if you've seen lamer horses competing, I want her suspensories scanned.

OP, at times I've felt I've had to jump up and down screaming to get the right investigations for my mare and the findings showed I hadn't lost the plot!

You're obviously a caring owner and its ashame your vet hasn't referred you before now but a poor performance workup will give you answers.

 

[jaffa2311]

Sorry, I am grateful for the kind advice and probably too over sensitive for an internet forum at the moment.

Being advised to pursue further imaging and vet help is probably all I needed to hear. I just felt at a dead end with it all this morning and tired of fighting and wondered if I should give up. It’s hard to be succinct as, like I said, I could write a book on her and her mishaps and adventures.

I don’t appreciate being told to take her hunting, that’s she hating her workload (of nearly no work) or being addressed like I have no idea of any local hospitals or how to transport the pony.

 

[jaffa2311]

That makes two of us...well, I think I phrased it, I don't care if you've seen lamer horses competing, I want her suspensories scanned.

OP, at times I've felt I've had to jump up and down screaming to get the right investigations for my mare and the findings showed I hadn't lost the plot!

You're obviously a caring owner and its ashame your vet hasn't referred you before now but a poor performance workup will give you answers.

Suspensories was my main concern that I verbalised at the lameness workup but apparently she’s too sound for that however my internet reading has suggested otherwise.

 

[Zoeypxo]

I have learnt over the years you just have to do your own research and TELL the vets what investigations you are going to have done on your horse.

My first experience was with ulcers, vet said no definitely doesnt have ulcers, condition too good, doesnt look like the type etc. i put my foot down and booked a scope, funnily enough grade 4 bleeding ulcers.

Im really sorry your vets are not listening to you, please update us once you get a vet who will listen. My money is on a problem with the neck personally, i hope you get some answers

 

[nagblagger]

@jaffa2311 - on an open forum there are always people who have odd ideas and may, through the power of words, annoy and upset you, try to rise above these people..

Most on here, i have found, are helpful (maybe a bit blunter than i would have liked at times) but have the horse and owners best interest at heart. On reading this whole thread the main consensus is it is the vet at fault and you are only following their advice. On other threads the first thing we advise owners to do is contact the vet!

Hopefully through this thread you will have developed confidence in challenging or changing your vet.
Keep us updated.
.

 

[Micky]

Is this before or after the hacking hunting etc etc that you advised?

Before you go on forums

 

[nagblagger]

Just realised your user name 'taking the @Micky'

 

[ycbm]

being addressed like I have no idea of any local hospitals or how to transport the pony.

I'm going to come back on this because it's clearly my posts you are talking about with this comment. I did not address you as if you had no idea how to transport a pony. All I did was not to assume that you had your own transport and tell you, in case you were unaware, that some hospitals have pick up facilities.

If you did have any idea of local hospitals that's all you needed to say, instead of repeatedly referring to having to get a referral after being told several times you didn't, and then quoting Liphook's referral policy. I hope the clinic close to Liphook that I pointed you to is of some use.

I really don't appreciate using my time to try and help people and ending up with this kind of attack.

I hope you manage to find a vet who will listen to you.
.

 

[Upthecreek]

Suspensories was my main concern that I verbalised at the lameness workup but apparently she’s too sound for that however my internet reading has suggested otherwise.

I think we are conditioned to accept what we are told by ‘experts’. But they are only human and they don’t always get it right (and it’s not uncommon for them to get it very wrong). I cannot understand why your vet has fobbed you off and has not supported your request for further investigation given everything you have described. I definitely think you need a fresh pair of eyes to look at this horse and a vet who takes what you are saying seriously. It’s really hard to stand up to professionals, but you know your horse better than they do and they only see it for a snapshot in time. Keep going and I really hope you get some answers.

 

[DabDab]

Hope you manage to get a new vet/suitable referral sorted OP, it can be beyond frustrating with vets sometimes and if you get the wrong one they can be a bit fixed with just looking at the horse on the day and not at all the context of their history. Might be worth jotting down all the relevant details or any injuries, incident or symptoms over the years in bullet point fashion so that you can be very direct with a new vet about all the relevant points.

Sorry this thread has upset you a bit, as you say you didn't remember/note down everything in your OP as were conscious of trying to keep it succinct, so even though you've then given pertinent details further down people often just keep responding to the first post. Plus when you've got a lot of details and quite complicated history different random bits of what you are saying will jump out at different posters and they will respond to that as it rings bells with them...just the way. Rest assured that you definitely don't sound like a terrible owner or a moron.

Good luck with getting the veterinary help that you're looking for

 

[webble]

being addressed like I have no idea of any local hospitals or how to transport the pony.

Sorry you're having a tough time, it sounds stressful

I think this is a little unfair though not everyone knows all local vets hospitals and not everyone has transport

 

[Glitter's fun]

Liphook website ‘For professional and ethical reasons, and in the best interest of your horse, pony or donkey, we are only able to accept animals that are referred by a veterinary surgeon. Horse owners who call us directly will be asked to discuss referral with their own veterinary surgeon. Once the decision to refer an animal has been taken, the referring veterinary surgeon should discuss the case with one of our clinicians and an initial plan of investigation’

If your current vet doesn't want to refer you I would get a second opinion from another GP vet & then if they don't do Xrays & full investigation, ask them for a referral. It is a very common thing to do & there is a standard procedure for it. You just choose a vet & phone them to make an appointment. You don't need to tell your own vet yourself unless you want to . Tell the new surgery it's a 2nd opinion when you make the appointment & the new vet's receptionist will phone your old vets' & ask for the medical history of the pony. Unless it's a very small, quiet surgery it's unlikely the actual vet will be spoken to. You can still go back to her for other things if you want to.

 

[LEC]

Get the vet hospital referral and start with neck x rays. You could x ray at home but the hospitals have more powerful machines. Failing that I would consider getting a bone scan. Bone scans have their pros and cons but on this type of thing are very useful as you might pick up something. You have done everything right up to now with looking at it and now you just need to examine final bit of the puzzle. It could be a nice simple fix like a bit of steroid in the neck or it might not.

 

[ycbm]

Why are people still writing posts as if a referral is essential if you want a performance workup done by a vet hospital?

It isn't.

There are three hospitals within a one hour drive of my horse in Cheshire which take direct appointments from clients.
.

 

[meleeka]

I can’t believe the vet has even refused to refer, now I’ve read the updates. Headshaking, along with previous trauma to the head/neck, would be enough of a reason for most vets, even without the poor performance.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Why are people still writing posts as if a referral is essential if you want a performance workup done by a vet hospital?

It isn't.

There are three hospitals within a one hour drive of my horse in Cheshire which take direct appointments from clients.
.

Apparently OP's nearest is Liphook, & OP believes they don't take self-referrals so I was suggesting another way of getting there.
Looking at it further, this would suggest she is wrong in that ....

Request an Appointment | Liphook Equine Hospital | Ongoing Excellence

liphookequinehospital.co.uk

(You're lucky being in Cheshire! My nearest good horse hospital is about 5 hours away. They do 1st opinion as well as referrals though, which seems to be most common now.)

 

[AnShanDan]

OP, I think we can all appreciate it's hard sometimes to see the big picture with horses, weeks, months, years can go by and things happen, piecing it all together is difficult, esp. with a young horse that is still developing.

I had a lovely mare years ago and she had an odd way of going that I put down to just being her. Now with hindsight, I think she most prob. had a physical issue but I didn't see it at the time and neither did the vets that saw her suggest it. Her performance was good, in a way (she was a very brave and scopey mare) but now I think it was never really as good as it could have been. She had run into a metal pole as a foal (I bought her from her breeder) and had a dent in her head, maybe it wasn't relevant but I'll never know now.

In any case you are 100% right to get imaging done now, I was also going to suggest a bone scan as well as X rays. The lameness vets at the vet school have seen so many more cases than most local vets too so right away you get better input.

 

[paddy555]

Those pictures are pretty similar to how she will go. She is the same on the lunge too.
I don’t use gadgets ever, ridden or lunging but she looks like she’s spent her life strapped in.
As a yearling she came in from the field with a wonky head/ bad neck once and minus a fly mask. It looked horrendous, I was hysterical and called an emergency vet out at the time. I thought she had sudden onset of wobblers. That’s how bad it was.
Her neck was swollen around the jaw but that was all they found. They did a strangles test and said they’d X-ray if it doesn’t resolve. I was convinced she’d broken it but it did resolve very fast so that was that.
I always wonder if it’s of any relevance.

I would take that as a starting point. I would see this accident as being very important if things weren't fully resolved at the time..

I would start with a full dental exam under sedation from an experienced vet qualified dentist. Not only the teeth in general but how the teeth relate to the various bits.
After getting neck x rays if nothing is identified I would also get her eyes properly checked. Is her head in that position as it is the only way she can see when ridden, (loose in the field is very different) is she head shaking because of an eye problem. The head shaking on one of mine was frightening when trying ride but once the eyes were sorted head shaking went. Eye problems can present in many diverse ways that one would never think of as being connected to the eyes.

Doing those will give you a good start and eliminate some possibilities. All of those are possibilities.

ETA I haven't read in detail the last page of the usual HHO arguments. I am simply working on starting on the pony at the front and working my way backwards. Sometimes you have to ignore vets and take charge yourself. Work out a plan forward to eliminate possible problems and simply ask the vet along the way to carry out whatever tests you want. You know the pony the best. It is difficult when you are in the middle of a situation which has many possible problems and you can't see the wood for the trees

 

[maya2008]

I would strongly suspect something neurological as what jumped straight out at me was that your description of her symptoms is similar to the presentations discussed on the neuro thread elsewhere on this forum - I.e. low head carriage. Then you add in the previous injury (which might mean you are not covered on your insurance btw) and there you go. Neck x-rays 100% needed.

 

[dottylottie]

This is my dream come true… to find a vet that will take her and find problems.

whilst i completely understand and sympathise with where you’re coming from here, this made me chuckle! i don’t think many of us have this dream

in all seriousness, i hope you can get to the bottom of it!

 

[Mimsyborogrove]

Blackdown clinic mentioned by ycbm above is run by two very experienced vets and I would thoroughly recommend

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sorry but I feel like I’m being made out to either be lying or avoiding taking her now. I regret posting this as I now feel like I’m a shit horse owner on top of the rest of the major crap going on in my life (we won’t even go there).
I guess I was just looking for support and a genuine ‘what would you do?’ As I genuinely feel like I’ve tried my absolute best for her.
But it has somehow turned into an accusatory slamming of me and everything I have done.

I am aware there are hospitals in the area, I am perplexed as to why I am being accused of being a total moron. I also have transport of my own, again I didn’t feel the need to share this as it’s not relevant to this post.

Liphook website ‘For professional and ethical reasons, and in the best interest of your horse, pony or donkey, we are only able to accept animals that are referred by a veterinary surgeon. Horse owners who call us directly will be asked to discuss referral with their own veterinary surgeon. Once the decision to refer an animal has been taken, the referring veterinary surgeon should discuss the case with one of our clinicians and an initial plan of investigation’

I apologise to both my pony and the horse and hound forum for misunderstanding the referral centres pathway and believing my local vet had to refer me.

I don't think anyone is blaming you I definitely wasn't you have literally done everything you can I think the issue I had was your vet not recognising the horse needs a referral.

You sound a very caring responsible owner.