Vet injured my horse! Should he pay?

[Michen]

And never let a vet do your horses teeth again! I always, always used an equine dentist. I've seen vets made a (literally) bloody mess of horses mouths.

 

[Firefly9410]

I didn't see power rasping mentioned?

it wasn't, the OP does not say either way, but I have never experienced manual rasping under sedation so cannot comment on that.

 

[ycbm]

The vet practice is closing as of Saturday, we have always had a great relationship with them but obviously due to them closing Iv had to register to be with another vet anyway. There was very little I could do to restrain him as vet had insisted that I just have the head collar round his neck I did ask whether he wanted me to hold his head but vet said no. So when my boy moved forward there was no way of holding him. Xx

This is negligence. I have never been asked to remove a horse's headcollar for dentistry. The gag works fine over the top. I always stand by the head and restrain the horse if necessary. With the headcollar only around the neck, you could not restrain your horse and this accident was unable to be prevented. The fact that he knew you had no hold on his head made what happened far more likely. There is no way that I would pay the bill.

 

[TBmare92]

Thanks guys he's on his way home yay!! so unfortunately not had chance to ring BHS yet but will do as soon as I get chance.

It was a manual rasp he had already used the electric one and then switched. I agree that he shouldn't have let go of the rasp it actually hit me when it fell out of my horses mouth after he pulled back from banging his mouth with the rasp still in there. Apparently it was the sharpest one so caused that much damage.


The surgeon at referral clinic described there to be significant trauma to the soft pallet, gums and tongue and that he was a very lucky horse to be alive. Referral vets said they had never even heard of it before.

There was no way of restraining my boy without the head collar and I did actually ask the vet a few times if he wanted the head collar on as well as the gag!
He was in a stable with the headrest and positioned near the open door but he still landed against the wall.

I will never use a vet again for teeth, it was one of the most traumatic experiences:-(.

And yes the bill is in the £1000s at the moment!

 

[FfionWinnie]

It's not as simple as not paying the bill as the horse has needed treatment at a vet hospital not with the vet that did the damage I think?

OP they could be being cadgey because they know they are closing down. You really have to sort this today.

I would phone the hospital and check if the vet has made arrangements for him to be billed.

It's going to be a grey area because the vet will say the horse caused the damage to it's self but what's to say the horse didn't react to extreme pain caused by the vet in the first place.

There are several odd things like the headcollar being removed. That could be the evidence you need to prove negligence.

The whole thing sounds like a complete nightmare. The vet has led you to believe you wouldn't have to pay but you've no proof. Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[TBmare92]

I know It is a total nightmare! I'm so glad my boy is going to be ok but I'm devastated that it happened in the first place!

I will be contacting the vet this afternoon direct.


I will update you guys on my progress thank you so much it's really made me feel like I'm not being silly expecting some form of reimbursement.

Xxxx

 

[Blurr]

I'm very pleased your horse is okay and coming home, that must be a great relief to you. As others have said, you need professional legal advice for this.

As for the way the vet was working, I use a qualified EDT rather than a vet and he uses the gag with a gum line to which he attaches a lead rope which he steps on to hold them. The headcollar is removed or left round the neck. The EDT does not like owners to hold the horse because the risk of being caught by the gag if the horse flings his head to the side is too great and would cause serious injury to the owner. The EDT used to use (until last year) only manual rasping tools and I've always sedated them with sedalin. However, my horses are not stabled for their treatment and so no danger of hitting anything.

So whereas lots are saying to leave the headcollar on, it can be perfectly safe to take it off and the preferred method of whoever is doing the treatment. And since any horse could swing its head to the side, I'm with the EDT on the owners staying well out of the way of the gag and not attempting to hold the horse themselves.

None of which means the vet is not to blame in this instance, just a different opinion on some of the points which have been picked up as being potentially dangerous or contributing to the accident.

 

[ycbm]

In the situation as described, no-one was holding the horse's head, though?

 

[Wishful]

Barring something odd, can't think why the vet would have let go of the gag/rasp. I know it's dinned into them not to let go to the point of being dangled in mid air because the consequences of being hit by the gag are potentially very severe!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Re the headcollar. Sometimes my very experienced EDT will use one, but not always.

Photos taken last year. The experienced EDT is the one checking the mouth in the first pic, whilst the trainee who he was mentoring is the one using the power tool in the second pic.

I'd previously been holding two other horses, using a head collar looped round the neck. This elderly mare had been given Sedalin, as no one seemed sure if she'd ever had much dentistry done. My EDT says he can feel if a horse is going to play up before the handler does, and is happy to rasp without them being held. Tbf, he has such a magical way with horses that it is very rare for one to mess about (and the trainee is a chip off the old block).

Can't quite see how the rasp was left in the mouth??

 

[gembear]

Thanks guys he's on his way home yay!! so unfortunately not had chance to ring BHS yet but will do as soon as I get chance.

It was a manual rasp he had already used the electric one and then switched. I agree that he shouldn't have let go of the rasp it actually hit me when it fell out of my horses mouth after he pulled back from banging his mouth with the rasp still in there. Apparently it was the sharpest one so caused that much damage.


The surgeon at referral clinic described there to be significant trauma to the soft pallet, gums and tongue and that he was a very lucky horse to be alive. Referral vets said they had never even heard of it before.

There was no way of restraining my boy without the head collar and I did actually ask the vet a few times if he wanted the head collar on as well as the gag!
He was in a stable with the headrest and positioned near the open door but he still landed against the wall.

I will never use a vet again for teeth, it was one of the most traumatic experiences:-(.

And yes the bill is in the £1000s at the moment!

OP if you had time to come on here and write that big response, you had time to call BHS for advice.

Never mind us, get advice asap unless you want to be landed with a huge bill!

 

[TBmare92]

Just to update- vet payed the bill !

Re questions Horse put his head up vet jumped back thinking he was going to do something naughty rasp was right at the back of horses mouth, vet let go of rasp , the movement spooked horse he kind of stumbled: jumped forward forward hitting his mouth on the stable!

Hopefully able to start riding again today xx

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Hope it all goes well, what a trauma.

 

[Orangehorse]

Glad to hear all settled, and best wishes for the horse and you.