Ownership of Xrays

TicTac

TicTac

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 April 2008
Messages
3,109
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
My mare has just been diagnosed with kissing spine, a condition she was born with according to the vet. I saw the xray that was taken but as is usual, you never really look at thease things properly in the first instance. I have asked my vet for a copy of the xray, not for any other veterinary opinion but my own. They have refused saying that the xrays will always remain the property of the veterinary clinic but I am able to go and view it again by appointment.

Basically, is this correct? Surely as I am paying for it am I not entitled to at least a copy? Just wondering.....

( I have also posted this in veterinary)
 
yes, Im afraid it is correct. Not sure why the law is this way really, but the xrays will always remian the property of the practice.
 
Depends if you have a nice vet or not. Ours will email me digital xrays and normally let me keep the other plates.
 
I was told by a vet that the x rays are actually property of the horse,.. yeah yeah i know how that sounds lol. Ive never had a problem obtaining a copy, could it be worth going to the royal vetinary college and asking for sure?
 
Yep, they're the property of the veterinary practice :-( We usually let owners have them if they need referrals, farriers opinion (for feet) etc... but have to consult the case vet first & they have to be returned to us.
 
Interesting when Murphy broke his leg I asked the RVC at Potters Bar where is he went for his X-Rays for my own interest and they gave them to me no questions asked, he was an interesting case and when he was referred to Rossdales after I moved him home they had further plates done and let me have them too.
 
X rays belong to the veterinary practice that took them. I should know the legislation better but I think it is because we need to be able to prove evidence of all radiation used in the practice - radiation protection legislation is very strict as there are serious health issues associated with spending a lifetime of regular exposure to xrays. So film radiographs taken in the traditional way must always be returned to the practice that performed them.

Many referral hospitals have film copying machines, so it is sometimes possible to obtain copies of radiographs. However, this is way beyond the reach of most 1st opinion practices.

Digital radiographs are a different story altogether, as you can print/make CD's as many times as you like.
 
My vet gave me my horses xrays on a cd when he had lami a few years back, they also printed them for me, I've never looked at cd but still have it. Personnally I think if you've paid for them you should be able to have a copy,not sure legally though what you would be entitled to
 
My vets let me have my (original) xrays to show the farrier and weren't explicit about whether they wanted them back, and then they also happily passed them on to my new vets when we moved? No mention of being their property at all?
 
I have all my horses xrays on several discs and have done for the last 5 years!

I send a copy to my farrier!

Each vets will have their 'own' set of rules regarding whether or not they will release them. They do belong to the horse and owner.
 
I think as you paid for it you are entitled to a copy surely? That is deff the case if you have a horse vetted (I am currently going through a legal case atm so know for sure that is the case). Very odd your vets wont let you see them. My horse was also diagnosed with kissing spine on Tuesday and the vets are happy for me to have a digital copy of these xrays :)
 
Personally I think it would have to depend on the contract you had with your vet in the first place - as in, what you had asked your vet to do. If you had asked the vet to find out what was wrong with your horse, then the x-rays would just be a diagnostic tool, not the point of the exercise, so maybe would belong to the vet. Also, as the vet has possibly taken an educated guess based on those x-rays, I would think that they might be a bit sensitive about passing them on, in case you showed them to someone else who challenged the diagnosis. On the other hand, if you had asked your vet to produce x-rays, say to use at a stallion grading or a sale, then I believe they would belong to you, as its the x-rays themselves that you are asking for and paying for.
 
My vet actually told me that the X-Rays were mine, we are talking about the old fashioned lot here not the new digital ones. I have left them with the vet so they can compare them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top