Have you ever or would you ever challenge you vets advice

She is really itchy and yes it is affecting her quality of life but I am not prepared to risk laminitis! It may well be standard practise but this does not necessarily mean that it is the right thing to go for her ATM. The more I learn the more in sure I've made the right decision
 
Second opinion. No one is infallible. My local vet missed chipped bones on X ray, when I had a second vet look at the same x rays he said it should not have been missed. i was not impolite and paid their bill.

The second vet (equine vets ) who I used for the next 8 years, also made a mistake, they operated on wrong leg on my horse, again, I was not impolite, but did bring up the matter. Eventually we sorted it out, more or less.
 
happyhacking:) said:
My mare has recently developed a skin condition to which as of yet we have not discovered the root cause of (see http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=525666&highlight=poorly+pony for full info)

Vet has today prescribed her with steroids to help with the itching but as she has a higher chance of getting laminitis than most I am extremely concerned about giving her the drugs. Vet has downplayed the risks of the drugs but it has done nothing to ease my concerns. My gut screams don't do it right now. I am going to get a second opinion as soon as possible.

My question is really what would you do in my shoes? Would you go ahead and give her the drugs or challenge the vet?
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Hi HAppyhacking - I too would be concerend about the steroid injection - a friend had some a few years ago and it brought on full blown diabetes! It obviously can have a big effect on the pancreas which will then lead to other metabolic disorders.

Have you tried washing her with Nizoral - it's an anti fungal shampoo but seems to have a good effect on a variety of skin conditions. Try a patch test first.

My friend has a pony that has a history of skin problems - she seemed to have it under control until a few days ago when she put a synthetic lined sheet on the pony - the next day the pony had rubbed itself raw in places and serum was oozing throuogh.

Check your covers to see what they are lined with - unless 100% pure cotton/wool or linen then try putting a real jute rug under her covers.

Also consider the washing powder you use when washing her covers - Go for the traditional powders - the ones without enzymes and all the other stuff that strip cleans our clothes. Lux flakes and specialised baby or wool wash liquids. Use a warm cycle and a douoble or more rinse. I'd be inclined to wash twice - the first with the powder and the second with nothing so that the rugs are really well rinsed.

HAve suggested Nizoral to my friend and waiting to hear back as to wether it worked.

If you think midges might be to blame then rub white vinegar into the areas she is itching - it neutralises the bites.

A good fly repellant is this one if you are able to get the Citronella.
Fly Repellant Mix
15ml Citronella
2 Tbs Meths
1 Tbs Dishwashing Liquid
4 Tbs Vinegar
250ml strong Black tea
Add to 2 ltrs Water
Store in a Spray bottle

Hope she improves soon she must be so miserable
 
Yes, I challenge my vets all the time - not in a confrontational way - but the most recent incident has been my lame mare who has navicular, PSLD, spavin and arthritis in her fetlock. When he first saw her about a month ago, his advice was that nothing could be done and write her off as a field ornament with remedial shoeing. I had had her shoes taken off already in the September and told him in no uncertain terms that she would not be having shoes on again if I could help it. I took her back yesterday. He is thrilled with her progress - she will always be slightly lame in one hind limb, but she is long-reining out on the roads with hoof boots on her fronts and the vet was fascinated by the boots, even calling one of his colleagues out to see her move in them. Remedial shoeing wasn't even mentioned yesterday, and he has even suggested that I start hacking her out lightly in walk in a couple of weeks when she is a bit fitter and stronger.....this is the same vet who wouldn't even commit to saying she would ever be rideable again a few weeks ago. But I really rate this vet - he's fabulous - I think he's a bit closed minded and he thinks I'm mad, but we agree to compromise.

Another incident was at a large equine hospital where she went with unilateral nasal discharge. I said that I thought it was a tooth abscess, but was told that it wasn't and that it was primary sinusitis. She was sent home after a week's stay and deteriorated rapidly. She ended up going back to the hospital and again I said that I thought it was a tooth abscess. After a few days of draining the sinus I got a very apologetic phone call admitting that it was a tooth abscess and that the tooth would have to come out. Unfortunately the infection was so bad at this time that she ended up in hospital for over two months for which they kindly billed me for their errors. This vet was a world renowned "expert" in equine sinus disorders who has been teaching all over the world - arrogant to the point of obnoxious - and in view of this I would always, always challenge a vet's advice if I felt it necessary - it could well save your horse's life.
 
Yes, I'm a barefoot horse owner - I went against my vets and farriers advice that he wouldn't cope without shoes. He did, and was off pain relief within six months.
After 2mg of Pergolide didn't "bring my old horse back", as I was advised by the vet, I wanted to up the dose to control the Cushings symptoms and went against his advice again to increase it to get his ACTH down to normal levels - he's on up to 6mg in December to keep him right.
My vet thinks my boy has *just* got thin soles and won't even entertain my thoughts on the reason why he has never succeeded in building stronger feet.
You stick to your guns and do what you think is right for your horse, you are the one who knows your horse best and try to work with your vet to find the reason why this problem has occurred, then you can begin to find how to manage it and keep it under control.
Good luck...;)
 
Have just had to have the emergency vets out as she has had a temp and was sweated up and not breathing right this morning. Vet pit her back on antibiotics and antionflamatories and is referring us to a specialist at Newmarket.
 
:o Probably what they should have done in the first place , lets hope they find an answer and can put it right successfully, fingers crossed for you, you have done your very best:)
 
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