MRI scan experiences

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Anglebracket

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My horse has been referred to have an MRI scan. I would like to hear first-hand experiences of the procedure. In particular:
1. where did you have the scan done?
2. were you happy with the service / treatment you received?
3. was the MRI report useful in diagnosing the underlying issue?

Thank you for reading.
 
I had a horse MRI'd in 2012. She was done at B&W Equine at the Breadstone clinic, the staff there were excellent.

It took 6 hours to do both front feet but they did give her a few breaks and I know she was quite difficult as they have to be perfectly still to get good images and she just shook so they had to sedate her very heavily.

It basically confirmed what the vet suspected and the treatment proposed initially didn't change as a result of the MRI.
 
bell equine in 2013 - couldn't have treated my horse better but I was kind of handed the report and left to get on with it - no feedback from bell abou what was wrong and I had to wait 4 days to speak to my own vet which when you are already panicking isn't great - confirmed the issue and raised a hell of a lot of others
 
Thank you both for your replies.

Metafleur, I think mine will need a similar level of sedation to yours, there is no way she'll stand perfectly still for hours otherwise.

Toomanyhorses26 did the report you were given contain a diagnosis, or was it more of a description of everything that could be wrong?
 
his report was a break down of what they found and then a list at the end of the diagnosis but it was listed in vet speak so I was totally unsure about what some of it meant and what the prognosis was - a lot of googling and I had a better idea
 
Slightly off topic as patient is a dog, but he had an MRI recently. History of recurrent back pain and lameness - which did move between legs, but mostly near hind. Pet physio thought it was back, ortho specialist suspected cruciate. X-rays totally clean. MRI showed he had damaged disc pressing on spinal cord causing sciatica. I was shown the images and damaged area clearly visible. Turns out ita a common agility injury, which dog may have done in previous home.

Ask to see the images and good luck.

Edited to add surgery carried out that has hopefully cured the sciatica.
 
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Bell equine in Kent. This was before the RVC had theirs installed.
Very happy with the report, very clear and well written. A friend had one done at the same time in one of the Newmarket hospitals and though very high standard the report was poorly written.

I had arranged to meet my vet the next day and they faxed a copy to him instantly so we could go through it together. I got my copy with the scans through the post several days later.

My only quibble was how we were treated, I found the staff a bit offhand. We drove from north London and had to wait all day and we were more or less told to go away and don't come back till we call. Luckily the receptionist pointed us to a nearby pub where we had lunch and stayed till we got kicked out. Then went back to bell as we had nowhere else to go only to find he was finished but no one had called us.

They had grabbed my horse and taken him away without speaking to me. When I collected him they said he got grumpy when sedated and that I should have warned them. If they had given me a chance I would have done and reassured them that it's no more that making faces and he doesn't do anything.

Problem is I'm used to the RVC where they are very friendly and include you where they can so it was a bit of a culture shock.
 
Donnington Grove (O'Gormans at Newbury) 2012

Very happy with the service I got. We have also had a Stallion there last year who was very sick and we were always kept upto date with news and information.

Very happy with the results and report. The vet explained everything clearly and what the prognosis would be.

The staff were very helpful ( my mare can be very nervous ) and kind and gentle with her.

As I only live 15 miles away I left the trailer and went home. I was told I could pick her up at 6pm but they rang me at 3pm to say everything was fine and I could pick her up.

They also dealt with the insurance for me.
 
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