Needle broke off in horses neck, who should pay?

Daisychain

Daisychain

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My friend had a vet check done on her horse today, and the vet suggested she should have the mite injection rather than the frontline drops. While she was giving it the needle broke off into the mare's neck. The other vet now needs to give this mare an operation and are requesting that my friend should be footing the bill..... Tbh i am tending to think it is the vet who is neglegent here and they should be doing it out of courtesy... my friend is hard up enough as it is and near on rescued this mare. What are your views? Currently the mare is still waiting for the vet to arrive, her neck has swelled considerably and she is in pain.
 
Depends how the needle was broken I should think. Was the horse being difficult? If so, and that's how the needle broke, owner get's the bill, I should say. If the vet did something that broke the needle, they should sort it, of course.
 
Depends whether the vet was actually negligent or not. If the needle was the correct size and the injection site was correct then maybe not.
Usually its because the horse wasn't restrained correctly, so if the vet gave instructions which the handler didn't follow, then again, it may not be the vet's fault. If the vet saw the needle bend, then the needle should have been removed and replaced.

Your friend needs to ask exactly what happened, but regardless, the needle needs removing asp in case it migrates and then will be extremely difficult to find.
 
JEEEZ...... this sounds awful.

I'd look to the vets to pay TBH; they will have relevant insurance for situations like this.

Don't see that the owner can be held blameworthy for this.

Perhaps the BHS legal helpline would be able to offer some advice? OR personally if the vets are at all iffy about paying for the op to remove the needle I'd be looking for a legal-beagle with equine experience to take this up.
 
This can happen, even in humans, especially if the needle hits a bone or muscles are really tense. Tbh, it can be hard to say anyone is at fault, it could just be one of those unfortunate things.
I hope the injection site was marked.
 
Whilst these things do happen I think I might want the vet to sort this one out (and I usually never say things like that either)!
 
Thanks i tend to agree she shouldn't be paying... my husband is a builder if he accidently dropped a brick through someones window, do you think he would bill them??? !!!!
 
I would bathe with warm water it will hopefully help the bit in the neck to make its way to the surface, but really get the job done then argue who is going to pay after, right now the horse is important.
 
I have done dozens of jabs for myself over the years and never had a needle break.

This sounds like a faulty needle to me if the horse did not move. In which case the vet should pay and reclaim from the needle supplier.

I'm another struggling to understand why the horse was not sedated, locally anesthetized and the needle removed. I can't imagine situation where I would have allowed a vet to leave my yard with a needle still in my horse.
 
Well to let you know, the main vet came out, did several xrays to locate exact location, then minor surgery and removed needle. He turned to client and said 'no charge' good outcome :)
 
That seems about right, the senior vet has made the decision to put everything right and not charge, as he should.

Similar happened to a friends horse, a young vet stuck the needle in broke it but it came out, scared the already slightly needle shy horse, said it was impossible to vaccinate without sedation and left, main vet went out did the jab no problem, no charge, junior vet, who was on a trial period and had made several rather serious mistakes previously, was told she was not going to remain employed by them as an equine vet.
 
My old mare had nerve blocks and by the time they had got to her stifle she had had enough. She kicked out at the vet quite violently and luckily the vet moved out of the way, but left the needle stuck in her leg. She was x rayed from3 directions to triangulate and find the needle, operated on in theatre as it was right near joint in the end, given antibiotics to prevent infection, given further powdered antibiotics when infection set in, then 2 courses of daily injectable antibiotics to finally clear it up, vet came out 4 times during that to drain it. She had a tube of compagel after that to reduce lump left. Despite being the horse that caused it and she was insured, I was not charged a penny towards it. Insurance would have paid for it - it would have just been added on to the bill with the bone scan she ended up having, but vets waived any charges. I was very pleased and that excellent piece of customer service probably ensured my continued custom.
 
I'm glad it worked out for you in the end.
A while ago I had a pony microchipped. The microchipping must have also introduced some unsterile material into my pony's neck because it became infected and inflamed and leaking pus along the pony's crest. She had 2 courses of antibiotics each of which settled the problem for a month or so but she ended up with a fistula from the chip to her crest. The vet eventually said she needed to go in and have operated on, which she did and they cut out the fistula and the area which had been producing the pus. Although they did give me a reduced rate for the operation the whole thing still cost me quite a bit of money and she has a scar on her neck. All of this from a bodged microchipping which she only had because of passporting rules.
 
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