Bone scan - likely cost?

SEL

SEL

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I'm still having on / off issues with the PSSM mare and the vets want her back for another lameness work-up. This would be work-up number 3 without any solutions, so I think we need to try something new.

I can't see the insurance company paying for a bone scan given her exclusions, so can anyone give me a likely idea of cost before I speak to the vets and plead poverty?

From what I've read the scan will show hotspots - so presumably the best thing is to keep them in as much work as possible to ensure the problem areas show up??
 
Yes keep them active,

And definitely shop around - prices vary considerably, ask for best price cash up front.

Last time I had one done I got it for 1K all in (5 years ago)
 
I had one done 2 years ago on my horse. 1.5k for a full body scan including the 4 day stay in horsepital!
They reduce it to £1k if they only scan a set area.
 
£1.5k sounds about right from memory, or course if they do other investigations such as x rays and blocks at the same time then the cost can ramp up.
And remember, the scan will only say where the issue probably is, not exactly what or why so they are likely to need to do follow up tests to get any diagnosis.
 
I think I want all of her done - if her arthritis is widely spread then I need to know. She's only just turned 8. No point in just scanning the back end if the problem is actually originating in her neck or feet I guess.

So if I ask a vet who isn't my normal practice to do the procedure (if they are cheaper) can they then share the results with my vets?

ETA - and if the problem is not in her excluded areas then hopefully the insurance will step in!
 
SEL said:
I think I want all of her done - if her arthritis is widely spread then I need to know. She's only just turned 8. No point in just scanning the back end if the problem is actually originating in her neck or feet I guess.

So if I ask a vet who isn't my normal practice to do the procedure (if they are cheaper) can they then share the results with my vets?

ETA - and if the problem is not in her excluded areas then hopefully the insurance will step in!
Click to expand...

This is exactly it - I called around, got the best price, my Vets referred horse in, procedure done and results shared. I paid cash up front but did actually end up getting an insurance payout. Slightly helped/easier as my Vet was a mobile Vet and didn’t offer scintigraphy so they weren’t being ‘done’ out of any business. You could always try and get them to price match, will depend if they have been taken over by a corporate or if they are still an independent
 
I work in equine insurance and generally for invoices we receive where the horse has gone in for a scan it is probably around the £1.5k mark including all the other bits like hospital stay, work up etc. I think you are right, your insurance company is likely to be unable to agree the costs if you have exclusions and there is a possibility the issue is an excluded condition. But if the results come through unrelated to an excluded condition they may consider it. However, some companies do require you to ask permission before the procedure is performed so bets check your terms and conditions as it may cause a problem if you do want to claim.

The bone scan won't necessarily diagnose an issue but if they can't identify the cause it will help point them in the direction/pin point areas of concern.

If you use a different practice you should be provided with the results or they should pass to your vet.
 
Elbie that's really helpful thank you.

I'm with KBIS so I'll speak to them and see what they say. Every time we have a lameness work-up I'm in the hundreds in terms of cash spent and we're not really getting anywhere.
 
I was recently quoted just over 1k plus 3 days livery as they need to stay in as they're slightly radioactive. All in it would have come to 1.5k but we've decided against it as we already have x ray changes to neck and hocks. Vet says bone scans are rubbish at showing SI issues, which is where we are now looking at in addition to the neck and hocks. (So I've just retired a 7yo, which is rubbish but he's never been right and it's just one thing after another.)

But they are apparently useful for other areas - just not SI.
 
Mine cost £2k including 8 days in horsepital (due to him being so bleedin' special) and the treatment for the arthritic elbow it found. Most are in 3 days max but they identified the elbow and a more minor area in his neck. They suspected the elbow was the real culprit but wanted to rule out the neck so had nerve block the elbow to be certain. It took 3 days of hard work to get him lame enough for the block to be effective then they had to keep him in an extra 48 hours as he reacted to nerve blocks previously (hence the need for the bone scan in the first place) and was really ill. Luckily it was the elbow, (neck would have been pretty catastropic) he had it medicated and he's been great ever since.
 
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