Emergency Callout Arrangements

meleeka

meleeka

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A recent FB post got me thinking 😳With the increase in vets using OOH providers, what do you consider an acceptable wait when requesting an OOH visit? Have you ever had to wait an unacceptably long time? If so, did you complain?

My own vets uses an OOH service, but both times I've needed to call them, they were with me within half an hour. I understand their area is quite large, so I'm not sure if I was just lucky, or if they just have enough vets to cope with the workload. During the day I've always been seen in a similar timeframe.

This post is not intended to become a vet bashing one, but I just wonder what is 'normal' these days.
 
I’m not sure there is a right answer to be honest.

I’d expect it to be proportional to the severity of the emergency. But if there are multiple big emergencies then there is only so much vets can do.

I’d always want a plan of how to get a horse into horsepital asap if shit hits the fan.
 
ihatework said:
I’m not sure there is a right answer to be honest.

I’d expect it to be proportional to the severity of the emergency. But if there are multiple big emergencies then there is only so much vets can do.

I’d always want a plan of how to get a horse into horsepital asap if shit hits the fan.
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Yes that's a good point. I have waited longer for lameness than I have say a colic, but I always advise if it's really urgent or not. It's never occurred to me that I might have to transport a very sick horse to hospital because I couldn't get a vet.
 
IrishMilo said:
I've not had to wait more than 45 minutes. However I do also keep the number of 2 local fallenstock men in my phone for this reason.
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This is a good idea. I do worry that my vets are over half an hour away and in rush hour it could possibly double - not what you want in an emergency
 
The OOH providers often offer a better service IMO- you get vets who specialize in emergencies, who do not have other commitments during their time on call (for example, childcare….. competing their own horses…..). They always have a second on call, either from a neighboring area or the main practice (usually both) so that critical emergencies can be prioritized. Of course it doesn’t always work out that easily and a minority will be left waiting. There are plenty of disgruntled owners who think their small stitch up shouldn’t have had to wait whilst the 2 colics and 1 suspected fracture were dealt with…..
Owners could help themselves out by having provisions for basic first aid, a stable to use (even just in emergencies) and transport easily to hand. You'd be shocked at how many horses are PTS at home because referral isn’t an option for the simple reason that they can’t get them there.
 
Agree with @ihatework that it's proportional to the scale of the crisis! The only emergency I've had recently was impaction colic in a colt (he tried to eat a whole bed because he is young and foolish) - he was very, very uncomfortable and I phoned our vet (who do their own OOH) around 8am on a Sunday morning. The on-call vet was already on his way to another emergency so it took him an hour to get to me, but I was able to get the horse up and keep him walking, so he didn't get worse. The whole thing was extremely unpleasant but I really appreciated being able to speak to a vet I knew and trusted, and to know that he was doing his best to get to me asap.

We're very close to the big vet hospital (Rainbow) in Malton so in a desperate crisis I would probably beg my neighbour for her 3.5T rather than trying to post a very sick horse into my trailer.
 
Last January we found one of our horses lying motionless in the field. He had colic and it must have kicked in overnight. I’ve no idea how long he was like that. He was shivering and in a state.It was a Sunday and so when I called the vets it was put through to the OOH vet practice. It took her 1hr and 20 mins to get to us. Luckily in that time we had managed to get the horse up and walking. When the vet arrived she was fantastic, very experienced and the horse recovered. However since then, I now use a different practice just for out of hours because they deal with it in house and are 30mins away. I think we were lucky with our horse and I’m not taking that risk again.
 
It’s a tricky one and I changed vets because mine was too far away. My pony choked and would have waited an hour at least had he not cleared it himself. I felt that was too long.
 
We changed vet because the brilliant one we used opted out of OOH. There was no equine cover and the small animal practice was about an hour's drive away. We went back to an independent multi-surgery mixed practice which does its own OOH and has recently opened an equine specialist unit in addition to the small animal hospital that was opened about 6 yrs ago. It's no good having a brilliant vet if you can't see him.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
We changed vet because the brilliant one we used opted out of OOH. There was no equine cover and the small animal practice was about an hour's drive away. We went back to an independent multi-surgery mixed practice which does its own OOH and has recently opened an equine specialist unit in addition to the small animal hospital that was opened about 6 yrs ago. It's no good having a brilliant vet if you can't see him.
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Do you now use Donaldsons? I'm still with Hirds and I do like them but with the best will in the world its a good 45 minutes to either Shelf or the Sheffield clinic.
Now Donaldsons have the equine unit at Honley, I'm thinking I should maybe have an account
 
I’m with our most local practice for emergencies (corporate). We’ve never had a wait too long thankfully. If they’re right on the far side at another urgent emergency I’d hope they’d signpost me to someone able to help quicker, if they agreed with me it was an emergency..! Thankfully not had to test that one out.
 
rara007 said:
If they’re right on the far side at another urgent emergency I’d hope they’d signpost me to someone able to help quicker, if they agreed with me it was an emergency..! Thankfully not had to test that one out.
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Yes, if I thought I was going to have to wait too long to actually save a horse, I'd definitely try a few of the other local vets (we're registered with several because we use different practices for dog, farm, and horses - sounds a bit mad but it works!)
 
It worries me a bit. I’m about 40 minutes away from my choice of vet. She is a one man band though and so had cover from a bigger practice. They are further away from me and tbh I’ve never used them. If I can’t get her I’ll get another local vet.
I’ve been very lucky not to have had an ooh emergency in ages.
The last real emergency I had I got incredibly lucky in that my horse vet neighbour who lives 5 minutes down the road was home and came up.
She’s not often around though so can’t rely on her
I too have a fallen stock number just incase. In a real terrible emergency our game keeper would be able to help.
I keep out little old lorry pretty much literally these days for emergencies!
 
Is anyone on the horse vet page on fb? It’s mainly based in America and I often see horrible things on there and the nearest vet is 8 hours or something crazy away 😩 that would terrify me
 
poiuytrewq said:
Is anyone on the horse vet page on fb? It’s mainly based in America and I often see horrible things on there and the nearest vet is 8 hours or something crazy away 😩 that would terrify me
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Yes. It horrifies me that there's sometimes horses with life threatening illnesses/injuries and there's no way of transporting them or getting a vet. I think they must have nerves of steel to deal with with it on their own.
 
I waited a just over an hour for one vet before ringing my other vet who arrived in 20 minutes (so about 1.5 hours total) The first vet were attending a colic (mine was for a colic too). I wouldn’t consider myself out in the sticks either but clearly just one of those days.

Hindsight being that I knew as soon as I called the vet that mine would be being PTS (age), and I wish I had better prepared myself with other options that may have been quicker. She was my first to go so I did what I thought was right at the time but am still upset at myself for the choice I made.

Generally though all other times I’ve had the emergency vet out they were here within half an hour (injury or colic).
 
My vets is about 20minute drive away, that said if OOH, the vets would presumably be at their own residence. I'd hope within half an hour at the most? However, they have amalgamated with 2 other practices which are further away so I suppose there's no guarantee that it's a vet from my practice that is on call.
 
It took my vet just under 40 minutes get the call, leave their home, drive to us and pts my yearling who had broken her leg horrifically one Sunday. I remain incredibly grateful for that, I thought it was managed very well.
 
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