Do your horses always seem to need vet out of hours??!!

vetsbestfriend

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2009
Messages
478
Location
Peterborough
Visit site
Do I have the only horses who seem to like to get poorly either at a weekend or out of hours so massive bills assured !! Only joking as I know that they can't help when they are ill.

On arriving at yard this afternoon to get my 2 in, one on them didn't seem quite right. Took them both in and Denby was looking very sorry for himself and would not eat anything (totally unheard of unless really ill!). Thinking it was initially colic, rang vet whilst getting suringe of Coligone and lunging gear out. Vet was on another emergency call so knew would be over an hour to get to me. Lunged him and walked him but still not interested in any food and felt hot to the touch.

Vet came and did external colic checks, nothing wrong but on taking temperature found that he had an increased temperature. Internal colic check revealed nothing wrong in there. Decided to take bloods to test and did a tummy tap, should get results tomorrow. Gave him a shot of antibiotics and painkillers which he then came up in an allergic rash so also ended up having a shot of steroids. So total of 3 injections and tummy tap needles, but he was a very good boy.

Back off to check him again in a little while as can never settle unless I know they are o.k.

So vibes for Denby that it is a simple infection and he is back to his normal self soon.
 
My horse is colic prone and I have always been advised by my vets to try lunging him for 15 to 20 mins walk and some trot to see if that helps him whilst I am waiting for them to arrive. Can normally only do this though if it is a mild bout, if he is having a bad case of colic, we have about 4 people just trying to keep him on his feet waiting for vet to arrive.
 
yes i had a run of ten sundays in a row with my lot last summer! grrrrrrrrr!
hope ur boy is ok.
 
Your horse is not the only one, we have a little filly who only ever decides to get ill after hours! When the spring grass was coming through this year she got colic 3 nights running over a bank holiday weekend! its as if she knows when not to get ill, and than gets ill!!
Hope Denby is back on form tomorrow, vibes are coming your way!
 
Vets sometimes advise lunging because the colic can be cause by two organs (can't remember which ones) swapping places. I have been asked in the past to lunge a horse in the hope that the exercise will make them swap places again thus preventing further measures - in our case it didn't and had to take horse to hospital.

In answer to OP my horse always seems to require vet on a night or weekend - not that she's sick that often. And what should happen this weekend? I get new horse vetted Friday, fine when I got to pick him up yesterday, today he has a swelling possibly cause by the injection they took blood from. Vet just advised course of action over phone and will possibly come out tomorrow if he's no better. He was a bit better tonight but still some swelling.
 
Mine always wait till out of hours! Little monkeys. Even yesterday I had to take the spotty one to the vets grrrrr nevermind!!!
 
Yes, yes and yes I can only remember my two ever having one in-hours emergency! The cat's just as bad, she enjoys being ill on major bank holidays think New Year/Xmas.
 
A few months ago I didn't go a week without seeing a vet and alway knew who was on call
ooo.gif
Thank god for mothers and insurance
wink.gif
 
Glad my boys aren't the only ones then. Just back from checking him and he is settled for the night, just wait for the test results now and the wonderful large vet bill! Blooming horses, you've got to love them but my bank account hates them.
 
I know it sounds wierd, but unless it is a serious colic, I tend not to panic when either of my 2 are not right just trust the judgement and diagnosis of my wonderful vets (Isle vets from Ely). When my vet says it's serious, like in March 2008 when I had to get Denby to hospital for colic surgery and then when my other one also needed to go to hospital May 2008 as unknown diagnosis and pain uncontrollable by drugs, I panic like mad!!! Good job I love them both.
 
Just to update you all.

Vet has rung with test results. Bloods show that a couple of bits are at the high end of the normal range and the tummy tap also shows that he is at the highest end of the normal inflammatory range. Vet confident that we have caught whatever it is early and the liquid Baytril antibiotics he gave me yesterday will continue to fight the infection. Just need to ring them if he worsens again. He was back to his normal bargy self this morning so obviously must be feeling a bit better already.
 
Top