Post purchase vetting issue

[HarleyBossy]

Hello,

I purchased a pony October. Had 5 stage vetting and X-rays of legs and feet. Vet advised of a small cyst in the left stifle. But passed the pony as fit for eventing, pc, hunting SJ at 7 years old.
He arrived and has never allowed us to pick up his back left leg, where cyst is in stifle. Called my own vet out, reviewed the pre-purchase X-rays and promptly said he should never have passed. The cyst is not fluid it’s bone and it’s communicating with joint. Bloods from vetting tested they came back clear.
I’ve complained to the vet practice who vetted him. They say that they’ve not been negligent but my own vet report shows the difference. I feel it’s an uphill battle with the vet who passed him. But he wasn’t cheap as he is only 7 and meant to have sometime.

Anyone been through something like this with a vet? Thanks

 

[Exasperated]

Hello,

I purchased a pony October. Had 5 stage vetting and X-rays of legs and feet. Vet advised of a small cyst in the left stifle. But passed the pony as fit for eventing, pc, hunting SJ at 7 years old.
He arrived and has never allowed us to pick up his back left leg, where cyst is in stifle. Called my own vet out, reviewed the pre-purchase X-rays and promptly said he should never have passed. The cyst is not fluid it’s bone and it’s communicating with joint. Bloods from vetting tested they came back clear.
I’ve complained to the vet practice who vetted him. They say that they’ve not been negligent but my own vet report shows the difference. I feel it’s an uphill battle with the vet who passed him. But he wasn’t cheap as he is only 7 and meant to have sometime.

Anyone been through something like this with a vet? Thanks

Not me personally, but you need an equine specialist solicitor here, and likely to discover just whose interests professional associations represent.
If a BHS Gold member, they will offer some suggestions. Good luck!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

My vet was willing to write a letter saying horse should never have passed a vetting and explaining why the problem would have been clearly evident during the vetting ( a congenital issue).

On that basis the dealer took the horse back though, so I never actually had to fight the vet. And I queried the issues within days of the horse arriving. It's worth getting legal advice, definitely.

 

[Exasperated]

My vet was willing to write a letter saying horse should never have passed a vetting and explaining why the problem would have been clearly evident during the vetting ( a congenital issue).

On that basis the dealer took the horse back though, so I never actually had to fight the vet. And I queried the issues within days of the horse arriving. It's worth getting legal advice, definitely.

That was great, and ideal you were straight onto it with a dealer (where I think there is time leeway?) because OP’s issue now dates from last October, altho related issues manifested immediately with the pony.
OP sounds to have taken it up with the original vet practice, so the concept of clinical autonomy in interpretation of evidence is likely to be raised - and potentially problematic, because UK vets’ professional body have even more authority to self-determine and self-regulate than do our human medics.
Somewhere on this forum has been posted a list of equine specialist solicitors (by a BHS member?), with one of whom a thorough discussion about what the best outcome might now be for the owners, followed by prompt letter to relevant vets / original vendors, could hopefully avoid the courts - because also sounds like this pony was expensive, with other costs escalating.
Hope things resolve.

 

[ihatework]

It’s difficult- presumably the horse flexed sound on that limb at vetting? You can find all sorts of stuff on xray, but knowing the clinical significance can sometimes be difficult (especially if, for example, the pony had been sneakily injected in the stifle a couple of weeks earlier). As a vet I assume they have said to you (paraphrased) is ‘here is the X-ray finding, the horse is sound and I think suitable but there is always a risk’.

Irrespective, hopefully something can be done to help your pony vet support wise

 

[ycbm]

Hello,

I purchased a pony October. Had 5 stage vetting and X-rays of legs and feet. Vet advised of a small cyst in the left stifle. But passed the pony as fit for eventing, pc, hunting SJ at 7 years old.
He arrived and has never allowed us to pick up his back left leg, where cyst is in stifle. Called my own vet out, reviewed the pre-purchase X-rays and promptly said he should never have passed. The cyst is not fluid it’s bone and it’s communicating with joint. Bloods from vetting tested they came back clear.
I’ve complained to the vet practice who vetted him. They say that they’ve not been negligent but my own vet report shows the difference. I feel it’s an uphill battle with the vet who passed him. But he wasn’t cheap as he is only 7 and meant to have sometime.

Anyone been through something like this with a vet? Thanks

You don't say whether he is actually lame. I assume he is, but how bad and how soon did lameness become obvious?

I'm sorry but I think this one will be a hard battle to win, was he bought privately, from a dealer who owned him, or privately through a dealer?

Does the pony have a gap in his competition record immediate before sale? If not, that will count against you as well, if he was out doing the job.

You are going to need orthopedic expert to say it should have been a vet failure, and for the defence not to have an equally qualified expert who disagrees and says it wasn't clinically significant at the time.

I hope you manage to get the situation resolved.
.

 

[HarleyBossy]

Hello, thank you all for your replies. Much appreciated.

My vet has already provided the report pointing out the incorrect analysis provided.

Having followed the complaints procure and requesting mediation I’m left with small claims court.

I can find no record of him out.

I spoke to BHS and they were very helpful.

It does make you question the point of pre-purchase X-rays. Thanks all