How long is it acceptable to wait for a vet?
- Thread starter Drum
- Start date
SusieT
Well-Known Member
Well are you going to enlighten us as to the situation?
Call back should be within 10min if leaving an answer on ooh phone and out within 45min-1hour if long distance to travel or 30min if not. Assuming no ther emergency,
Call back should be within 10min if leaving an answer on ooh phone and out within 45min-1hour if long distance to travel or 30min if not. Assuming no ther emergency,
Laafet
Well-Known Member
They certainly carry enough of the lethal injection round here all the time. I think most vets do. I have had two dodgy situations, first one was where a yearling broke its neck running into the wall of a lunge pit, vet practice is 45 minutes away, so took that long for them to get out and put the poor horse out of their misery. Second nasty event, complicated foaling, mare was dying, senior practice vet was out and went to get his Somulose out, it was cloudy so unusable, had to wait 20 minutes for another vet to bring out some more. At least in that situation, he could sedate her until the drugs arrived.
As for OP's question. I would expect a call back within 10 mins at the longest, as for how long until they arrive that depends on how far the vet is away. Sometimes you just have to deal with situations the best you can.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
So how long did it take? and what was the issue?
Drum
Well-Known Member
Young, usually healthy horse was lying stuck at a muddy gateway unable/unwilling to move, having difficulty lifting her head and having difficulty breathing. This was in the morning at a weekend. She could have been there since any time after her 10pm check the night before. She was cold although she had a rug on so wasn't too wet. We couldn't see underneath her to check her for injuries as she had sort of buried herself deep down into the mud, and its not a place the horses choose to lie down as most of their field is quite dry and not muddy.
Tried to right her with straw bales but she couldn't even lift her head and was getting weaker. She looked liked she was at deaths door if you know what I mean, like she had given up trying. The fire brigade were called and they arrived within 7 mins. They aren't allowed touch her without a vet present. Vet had been called first so I assured the firemen there was a vet on the way (as the operator had said they would send one immediately). OH phoned vets again to say firemen now here. Three hours later, not even a phone call from the vet. The operator is not a vet so cannot offer any advice.
Have now had an apology from the vet.
Horse has now made a full recovery (this was several weeks ago this happened)
Tried to right her with straw bales but she couldn't even lift her head and was getting weaker. She looked liked she was at deaths door if you know what I mean, like she had given up trying. The fire brigade were called and they arrived within 7 mins. They aren't allowed touch her without a vet present. Vet had been called first so I assured the firemen there was a vet on the way (as the operator had said they would send one immediately). OH phoned vets again to say firemen now here. Three hours later, not even a phone call from the vet. The operator is not a vet so cannot offer any advice.
Have now had an apology from the vet.
Horse has now made a full recovery (this was several weeks ago this happened)
twiggy2
Well-Known Member
my dughters mare had colic two weeks ago, i phoned my vet who was heading in the opposite direction to a colic call so i called 5 more vets in the area untill i spoke to one that could come straight out
SO1
Well-Known Member
During the week I would call the practice and the receptionist would do a basic triage and then vet would call back normally within 10 minutes. They would normally direct the nearest vet in an emergency. It is a large practice with 5 vets and a hospital with hospital vets too who I am guessing could come in an emergency in the rare occasions that none of the others were available as they were all at emergencies.
I had a routine appointment this morning and vets called to say they had to redirect my vet to an emergency and could they change my appointment to the afternoon. This was probably easier than calling everyone on the vets list for the day and telling them that the vet was going to be late. However as I was already at the yard I said I would prefer that the vet came to me after the emergency if I was first on the list for the day rather than moving my appointment to the last slot of the day. I did feel a bit bad but I expect the admin staff wanted to move me to the last slot of the day as this was easier than calling everyone and telling them that the vet was going to be late. If I had an 11am appointment and had to wait till 7pm then I would expect it be due to there being a whole load of emergencies and then after they dealt with emergencies they deal with booked appointments based on the order of their appointment unless one of the appointments was very near one of the emergencies.
In the end the vet was only 20 minutes late and had said she would come to me first after her emergency as she knows that I work and it is hard for me to get the time off and I might have only booked half a day off work - I like the morning appointments for this reason.
I have had emergency call outs at the weekend and they have usually come out within 40 minutes, only on one of those occasions was I very anxious about the vet getting to me quickly as I thought my pony had colic. The other times he had a kick injury which turned out to be a broken splint bone, and also when he fell on the road and cut his hock. There was one time when I wanted to the vets advice after hours and it was one of the hospital vets who called me back - she was interested in his case anyway as he had been at the hospital.
I had a routine appointment this morning and vets called to say they had to redirect my vet to an emergency and could they change my appointment to the afternoon. This was probably easier than calling everyone on the vets list for the day and telling them that the vet was going to be late. However as I was already at the yard I said I would prefer that the vet came to me after the emergency if I was first on the list for the day rather than moving my appointment to the last slot of the day. I did feel a bit bad but I expect the admin staff wanted to move me to the last slot of the day as this was easier than calling everyone and telling them that the vet was going to be late. If I had an 11am appointment and had to wait till 7pm then I would expect it be due to there being a whole load of emergencies and then after they dealt with emergencies they deal with booked appointments based on the order of their appointment unless one of the appointments was very near one of the emergencies.
In the end the vet was only 20 minutes late and had said she would come to me first after her emergency as she knows that I work and it is hard for me to get the time off and I might have only booked half a day off work - I like the morning appointments for this reason.
I have had emergency call outs at the weekend and they have usually come out within 40 minutes, only on one of those occasions was I very anxious about the vet getting to me quickly as I thought my pony had colic. The other times he had a kick injury which turned out to be a broken splint bone, and also when he fell on the road and cut his hock. There was one time when I wanted to the vets advice after hours and it was one of the hospital vets who called me back - she was interested in his case anyway as he had been at the hospital.
SusieT
Well-Known Member
3 hours sounds this something went badly wrong
Was vet an equine vet? Did they definitely get the message/were on call? They weren't arm deep in an operation or something?
If vet has apologised that's all you can do-after 15min or so of no answer I'd have rung a different vet assuming vet 1 was unable to make it.
Was vet an equine vet? Did they definitely get the message/were on call? They weren't arm deep in an operation or something?
If vet has apologised that's all you can do-after 15min or so of no answer I'd have rung a different vet assuming vet 1 was unable to make it.
Honey08
Waffled a lot!
I've thankfully no experience of having to call out emergency vets, but you'd think if the rescue services were involved and no vet turned up they would have other vets to contact.
Drum
Well-Known Member
Yes, an equine vet who had been to the yard before.
Just to clarify the operator said there was a vet on their way, or we would have immediately started phoning around other vets. The rescue services also have vets to contact, but as I said there was apparently a vet on their way.
And the vet was not on another call-out.
Just to clarify the operator said there was a vet on their way, or we would have immediately started phoning around other vets. The rescue services also have vets to contact, but as I said there was apparently a vet on their way.
And the vet was not on another call-out.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
Something very wrong with this did you ring again when the vet did not arrive ?
SusieT
Well-Known Member
Was there crossed wires or something? What explanation did the vet give?
Drum
Well-Known Member
Yes they we rung to update them that there was now firemen to help. Never thought to ring again as kept expecting them to arrive at any moment! We did think maybe they were too busy driving to use their hands-free phone for advice and had probably prioritised getting to us rather than talking to us.
The operator and vet somehow couldn't communicate but they didn't explain further.
The operator and vet somehow couldn't communicate but they didn't explain further.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
And are you a regular client of the practise ?
Drum
Well-Known Member
yes and horse is registered with them. used them for many years.
Drum
Well-Known Member
although not sure if i shall use them any more!
Aru
Well-Known Member
I would always try to call back within 15 minutes where possible..but it can be difficult to call back when you are the sole vet on call and in the middle of doing something like a c-section(mixed practice).In most cases where I am going to be unable to answer for a while whatever owner/helper is with me is given the phone and told to answer if the same number rings twice.Rings twice implies emergency as opposed to looking for an update or looking to ask a question which can be called back via voicemail once my hands are free. We don't have a second on call.I dont know of any practice in my locality who does second on call out of hours.
Time to call out depends on my over the phone triage and degree of emergency....deciding priorities is the worse. Colic call/versus foaling...foaling wins...versus calving depends on the severity of the colic versus the position of the calf....versus Rta dog...depends on the triage I can do of the dog over the phone versus severity of colic call.....bleeding animal of any sort...depends on if the level if bleeding..ie sounds arterial and life threatening or owner panicing over a few teaspoons of blood....first aid advise over phone is usually involved. Its a minefield and everyone who rings out of hours usually wants you there immediately.
Generally if its a true life threatening incident and I am stuck at another emergency that cannot be left..like a section I will give an estimated time I will be free but strongly advise ringing all local practices to see if theres anyone closer.
Did you ever get an explanation from the vet as to why they were 3 hours late with no contact? Did you ever actually speak to the vet themselves or was it a message passed only through the operator(some messages can get lost in translation) Did you really wait 3 hours without calling another vet...you have a lot more patience then I would have.
Time to call out depends on my over the phone triage and degree of emergency....deciding priorities is the worse. Colic call/versus foaling...foaling wins...versus calving depends on the severity of the colic versus the position of the calf....versus Rta dog...depends on the triage I can do of the dog over the phone versus severity of colic call.....bleeding animal of any sort...depends on if the level if bleeding..ie sounds arterial and life threatening or owner panicing over a few teaspoons of blood....first aid advise over phone is usually involved. Its a minefield and everyone who rings out of hours usually wants you there immediately.
Generally if its a true life threatening incident and I am stuck at another emergency that cannot be left..like a section I will give an estimated time I will be free but strongly advise ringing all local practices to see if theres anyone closer.
Did you ever get an explanation from the vet as to why they were 3 hours late with no contact? Did you ever actually speak to the vet themselves or was it a message passed only through the operator(some messages can get lost in translation) Did you really wait 3 hours without calling another vet...you have a lot more patience then I would have.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
I would have been on the phone every twenty minutes .
Write to them , complain.
Our practise is large that's one of its advantages lots of vets .
Write to them , complain.
Our practise is large that's one of its advantages lots of vets .
flirtygerty
Well-Known Member
What an interesting thread, I've only ever had one emergency, vet was on site within 30 mins (colic)couldn't help though, horses heart gave out while waiting for the painkiller to work, another time, vet was out for dental sedation and horse was fighting the sedative, the vet phoned his surgery and told them he was held up, but since I need to find a new vet due to moving house, I'm going to make a list of all equine vets in my area, it never occurred to me there might be hold ups