urgent, help...

Bossdog

Bossdog

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As you might know, we have had strangles at our yard. Now one of the little ponies has it but his owner (old boy) doesn't believe in vets. Poor little chap is going downhill really fast (has really deteriorated in last 24 hours) and isn't coping at all with it. He's very obviously sick but the other owners refuse to get involved. I don't know what to do, I want to just call a vet and sort it out later but I know it won't go down well. He's such a lovely pony and seeing him liek this is breaking my heart, he won't walk, he has pus RUNNING out of his nose and lots of swelling under his jaw. Help help help, what do I do, I've never been involved in yard polictics before, is it acceptable to call a vet to someone elses horse?

Jules x
 
call the RSPCA
frown.gif
 
id call the vet - i dont know about whether legally you can or not, and if the owner refuses to pay the vets bills you will probably be landed with them as the person who called the vet.

However if i was you id call the vet and worry about the bill paying later, i cant stand seeing animals in distress
frown.gif
 
I'd call the vet but also the RSPCA as he is not even providing basic care for the pony. You will probably get grief but better to help the pony I think.
 
In this particular instance the RSPCA will actually act. They will be acommpanied by a vet who theoretically should certify that the owners negligence has and is causing unncessary suffering - they will then be able to remove it.

Is the YO involved and do they live on site????
 
this is a case of neglect, if you call the vet for someone else's animal they should not treat it without the owners consent.
 
What is the YO doing about this?
Personally, I'd forget the RSPCA but would call the ILPH.
 
if its a livery yard isnt the owner of the yard responsible to the other horses and should do the vet calling?
 
Call the RSPCA - this is from the DEFRA site and comes into effect tomorrow:

From 6 April 2007 in England, and in Wales from 27 March, animal welfare law is being improved.

It is still against the law to be cruel to an animal. But now you must also ensure that all the welfare needs of your animals are met.

What does the new law do?
It makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of their animals are met.

These include the need:

For a suitable environment (place to live)
For a suitable diet
To exhibit normal behaviour patterns
To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
To be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease
The new law also increases to 16 the minimum age at which a person can buy an animal and prohibits giving animals as prizes to unaccompanied children under this age.

Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison.

More details of how the new Act affects people are available here.

Defra have produced the following leaflet and poster about the Act which can be downloaded here:



Further information about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat documents is available on our help page.

Further information
For further information please contact the Defra Helpline by telephone on 08459 33 55 77 or by email at helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk

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The Helpline is available for general enquiries between the following hours: 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

More information on how to contact Defra is available here.


Page last modified: 5 April, 2007
 
The YO is a bloke who just happens to ahve a bit of spare land with some stables on. He has no interest in happeninsg on the yard and probably wouldn't even know what strangles was. I am giong to call teh RSPCA and the vet and see what each reccommend, I have to do something, I can't watch him die.

Jules x
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am giong to call teh RSPCA and the vet and see what each reccommend, I have to do something, I can't watch him die.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good girl - go and do it right now and let us know how you get on.
 
Don't call the blankety blank RSPCA

the YO should be aware that under the new animal welfare bill that comes into effect TOMORROW - this is blatent neglect and both YO and owner are liable

(not sure of the exact details but the bill means YOs cannot just 'wash their hands' in these sort of cases)

get the YO to call the vet mentioning the new bill which definitely becomes law tomorrow

otherwise call the ILPH (NOT the d**n rspcuselessa)
 
[ QUOTE ]
(not sure of the exact details but the bill means YOs cannot just 'wash their hands' in these sort of cases)

get the YO to call the vet mentioning the new bill which definitely becomes law tomorrow

[/ QUOTE ]
But clearly is in this instance - so watching the little thing die in front of you is unacceptable.

Not a fan - but in this instance the RSPCA will act - and take it up further with the YO and pony owner. Both are liable to some sort of prosecution. So hopefully YO will have his eyes opened to his responsibilities. And pony owner will be banned.
 
Ok, legally, if the YO merely rents the land/stable and isnt involved in any management issues beyond general property maintenance, is it really their responsibility?
I personally dont think it should be. It should be down solely to the owner and in this instance I would call RSPCA.

Dont get your vet out, you cant give permission for the vet to look at someone else's pony, quite rightly so as imagine the come back if anything should go wrong with the vet.
 
Joules - have the abcesses burst yet? If not the vet will not be able to administer antibio's. Find the abcesses and put a hot, wet towell on them and hold for as long as possible (as hot as horse can stand, but obviously not scalding). You need to encourage them to burst on their own and drain.

He will not be able to get his head down to drink, so you will need to lift his water bucket. Same goes with food.

Dont forget to disinfect yourself and change clothes etc.
 
We have had strangles & if you do call the vet you will probably find that they will advise you to do nothing. Treating with antibio's - as someone else has already said - is ill advised at this stage as they can lead to the development of bastard strangles.
It is horrible watching ponies suffering but all of ours that had it (and some were VERY poorly) were not given ANY treatment and that was on veterinary advice. One of ours was in so much discomfort he couldn't even drink properly - let alone eat for almost a week. He's back to 100% now so TBH even if the vet were called he'd probably advise the same as ours did -which is let the disease run it's course.
 
nowt to do with this thread but british breeders DO produce the same quality and need support

I also object to all these continental holidays when the UK economy could do with the cash spent here

rather a 'nationalistic' view but with global warming - who needs to fly to spain
(and yes - I'm a 'green' and use renewable energy and have done for 10 years).

Uk breeders get no state subsidies and need support

(plus the continentals never sell the 'best' horses to the UK - they sell UK punters the middling to low grade ones......)
 
Horses always become incredibly depressed before the abscess under the jaw bursts. You need to keep a close eye on the jaw swelling and if it doesn't burst within the right amount of time then a vet will need to be called to lance it. Almost the moment the abscess bursts you will see a huge improvement of the horses mental state. It will now be in recovery.
 
No you can't and to be honest there is nothing anyone can do here. It's purely a waiting game.
 
Call the ILPH (International League for the Protection of Horses) as they have a nationwide network of inspectors who are experienced in matters of this nature.

www.ilph.org
 
nowt to do with this thread but british breeders DO produce the same quality and need support

You are my super hero
grin.gif
(but I'm not a breeder, yet)
 
Call the ILPH - they are much better IMO than the RSPCA. Also call your vet and explain the situation. Please do not turn your back on this pony - it sounds as if you are its only hope
 
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