Sue Dyson - AHT - opinions please

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CBAnglo

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Anyone had any dealings with Sue Dyson for lameness issues? If so, please let me know what your experience was - my vet has suggested her and I want to get some information before I make a decision.

Please feel free to pm!

Thanks

(also in Vet)
 
As far as I have been told she is pretty much the best - also my insurance company recommended her too - I just wanted to go with a non newmarket vet at the time.

If my vet didn't have the facilities to do what I needed then she could recommend me to Sue. I also had a lengthy conversation with Sue and she was very nice and helpful - which was very different to the other vet I dealt with in newmarket!!! xx When you off??
 
Really? I was told by someone who went there recently that she was really horrible to them ... worse than that other Newmarket vet!

I have been told she is the best too - but this other person has really put me off.

Next week hopefully. how's the new boy? and the old boy?
 
Yep she's the best at what she does but her 'people' skills leave a lot to be desired!!!!!!
If you can ignore her rudeness and just remember your horse is in the best hands you'll be fine!!!!!!
Feel free to PM if you want x
 
Ditto of all of that.
She does not have a great "bedside" manner. But is No 1 for horses & i would not hestitate to send an animal to her
smile.gif

ETA
She is particuarly good with sensitive animals.
 
I dont have first hand experience but from what I have heard other liveries say of her who have taken their horses to her that they all appear to have a high opinion of her, she is extremely knowledgable and experienced. However put simply..... she doesn't suffer fools gladly!!!
 
Oh, she was really nice on the phone to me!! But then I didn't go there in the end so she could have been different face to face.

Is she the only option? I can see why you are warey of another rude person after the grief you had last time I would be petrified too!

Henry is settled and being a good boy!! Max is great as usual and off to pastures new on 9th July xxx
 
I took my horse to her as I was advised she was the best. I also took a friend who can confirm everything that happened during the visit.

Firstly I will not go into her people skills - I have now found out they are legendary and others will no doubt confirm.

My horse had sintigraphy and was found to have a broken ischum and sacroilliac problems. She recommended that the horse be put down as he would never be ridden again. She also stated that as he was not in pain I could not claim for death on my insurance.

As I had significant funds still left on my insurance for vets fees I did ask for a second opinion - she went ballistic.

I did not have my horse PTS - I did get a second opinion - this was six years ago.

The horse has been back in work for 5 years and is shown at a high level. He has won many, many championships (including this year) and quite frankley during this time given me some of the best days of my life.

He is now 20 - is fit, well and still in work and being competed regularly.

I am more than happy to give you my phone number if you want to send me a PM.
 
Ditto what everyone else has said!

For the sake of the horse, I couldn't care less how frank and to the point the vet is with me.
She is exceedingly good at what she does and IMO that is worth more than her having a good bed side with me!
 
Ditto the majority above. As an investigative vet, she found out what was wrong with OH's mare where no-one else had, by carrying out an MRI. As it happened it was what our vet had suspected initially but he didn't have the technology to confirm. The only thing she didn't really help us with was what course of action to take - she essentially seemed feel that there wasn't much we could do to rectify the problem, but didn't suggest PTS or anything just left us hanging a bit. But our vet helped us out with that and we did get haer back to being sound enough to hack....unfortunately her temprament didn't suit a quiet life as she was so hot to ride that she needed regular proper work to keep her in check, so she is a broodmare now.
I would send another horse there though if I needed too, as I do think they give a very thorough diagnosis....having said that, friend recently had similar and positive experience at RVC, although not MRI as problem was too high up. So they seemed good too.
 
Thanks everyone.

I am not bothered about bedside manner - I would rather have someone tell me upfront rather than faff about. I can cry about it later.

What concerns me is the readiness to completely write off a horse. Now, I wouldnt want to ride my horse if it means he is in pain, nor would I keep a horse going that should be pts, but I am worried that she is so matter of fact about having your horse pts. Yes, he may never jump again, nor dressage, but if he is ok for a couple of bimbles rounds the countryside or being field sound, then I dont want her telling me to have him pts.

He is my horse of a lifetime and he was bought as a pet - not a working animal - therefore I cant be quite so business like about it.

Basically, all I want is for her to tell me what the problem is and give me the possible treatment (if any) but I dont want her to dismiss treatment because she is too quick to advise pts. It seems everyone agrees she will find out what the problem is, its just whether she will give you advice about treatment!
 
I haven't used her myself although she has a good reputation for getting to the bottom of a problem. A friend of mine who goes to her says that she doesn't want the competition horses to be 'coping' if there is a problem, she wants them completely 100% sound hence the number of write-offs.
 
As to her people skills, she spent a long time with me initially, talking about Tiggy - everything about her. I knew as soon as I got there that she would get to the root of the problem. She did not initially suggest PTS, she did discuss options, untl it became apparent that it wasn't going to happen for Tigs.

I have an issue with them, but it has nothing to do with the handling or treatment of my horse at all - I could not have asked for better.

I took Dizzy to a different Newmarket vet - they seemed dismissive of her/me (I actually ended up arguing with her on the phone whilst I was at work! She suggested I get rid of Dizz and get another horse). My horse came back in a right old state. Her brand new stable rug was torn. Her fleece (slighlty too big, only sent for 'walking between' treatments, etc) was used as a stable rug - the fillet string hanging low beyond her hocks. Tiggy and all her things came back from the AHT in the same condition as when they went.

I talked to Sue some weeks after Tiggy had gone, she was kind and compassionate - a side of her I had not fully seen before, and one that I suppose she keeps a shield around.
 
Thanks everyone - you have all been really helpful (as usual).

I have decided to see her - I want to know what is wrong with him and sounds like she knows her job. I can always research the condition myself, once I actually know what it is (although referring vet and I are 90% sure we know what it is, we just want her to confirm).
 
Cairo went to the AHT many many times for cancer. He was looked after like a king - impossible to deal with on his return as he was so pampered. They did everything for him, and he came back everytime in wonderful condition. The grooms were so good and caring.

I found with their vets that they are not always the best bedside manner - we were asked were we sure about the amount Cairo was going to cost - no insurance and an old horse, ie best to leave him as the money was a waste.

In fairness once it was made clear that cost was not an issue and the importance was on getting him well, and he was a beloved pet, they never questioned again the financial side.

They always took time to explain pros and cons and treatment in a ver professional manner.

We did see Sue once, she was standing in for the normal vet in charge of his treatment, very nice, to the point and you could see under the brisk exterior she was someone who really cared for her patients.

I have found that the vets at the top of their profession often write off horses in terms of finance and ability - they are used to dealing with the high end of the market and professionals who need 100% performance rather than folks like us with animals that are really pets. Once they realise where you come from, their way of addressing things does tend to change.

Good luck with the visit.
 
Used to work there and would agree with most of the above - she really knows her stuff, but a scientist not a people person! If you're confused or doubting about anything talk to one of the vet nurses on the yard, they're really knowledgable and helpful, as are the intern vets.
 
Admittedly it was many years ago that I last dealt with her, but I found her great - to the point, brisk, but also funny, and very good at defending me to my horse's owner, which was much appreciated at the time, as I was only eighteen. She really is much more interested in sorting out the horse than pleasing the owner for the sake of it, which I think is in general a V good thing.
I had to wait two weeks between my vet seeing my boy (DDFT injury) and his appointment at AHT and during that time he was in and iced 3x a day. By the time she saw him she said there was nothing to see on the trot-up or to feel, but that she would scan him based on his history, and found the injury then. Adequan was being trialled at the time (IIRC) and was used on him with great success (tho being a guinea pig isn't to everyone's taste!).
The instructions and follow-up care from the AHT were the best I've ever had from a vet anywhere. I hope it's still the same!
Good luck!
 
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