Vets - rant (long)!

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josephinebutter2

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Last night my friends pony came in from the field with a cut and hot, swolllen hind leg - looked like possibility of a damaged tendon.

She also had a large laceration right up between her hind legs, which looked a bit manky.

Called the vet out to be on the safe side.

She cleaned cuts and the one between her hind legs was really deep - she put her fingers up and still didn't reach the end - and all yellow puss was coming out - yuk!

She advised on treatment etc. and I had to ask does she need box rest? - Yes - Can she have a little daily hand walk - yes - should she not have been advising all of this?

I asked if she thought she had damaged the tendon, and she said - I don't really know, the pony keeps squirming! IMO, she did'nt really try - the pony let me have a good feel and if she couldn't manage, she should have sedated it to have a good feel and check.

Anyway, I asked if she needed any medication. She said to give her 1/2 bute a day to take the swelling on the leg down.

I asked if she needed anti b's. She said no.

Anyway, get down to clean up, cold hose and re-bandage this morning, and all between her hind legs is swollen up like a baloon!

So now the owner has to pay another call out for them to come back down, when she should really have given anti-b's in the first place!

If it was me, I would refuse to pay the 2nd call out as I honestly don't think she was thorough enough in the first place.

What do you think?
 
I would of thought any vet called out to find a horse with a weeping pus filled cut would of put her on antibiotics straight away... ODD. I wouldnt pay the 2nd call out no!
 
First thing I would have done is given anti B's, and tet jab to be sure. I would refuse to pay for second call out, any cut with pus coming out is infected!!!!! Thats why we get pus! - bute wont do a thing! Thats apalling.

Should have cleaned out, possible stitches if necessary, pain killers, anti-biotics and tet jab if reqired but ours get them in case even tho they are up to date.

Apalling!!! Ring up practice manager first port of call.
 
well I aint no vet but I tend to agree!
If the cut was deep and had puss coming out of it already it sounds as though it was infected.
 
Its not really fault on the owners side regarding the not prescribing of antibiotics as what if she hadnt seen horse for say 2 or so days and it was like that then it would be infected, and in fact could have gotten like that v quickly if it had happened when horse was turned out to being brought back in.

It sounds very irresponsible of the vet not to prescribe antibiotics - they are just leaving themselves open to a lot of trouble as what if infection got into the leg and the horse had to be destroyed (ok know its a worse case scenario) but I think any sane reasonable person would then be pursuing them for damages and negligence.

Refuse to pay and make a complaint. Hate to see how that vet would deal with something like colic!
 
In fairness to the owners, the cut is right up between the hind legs and out of view. I only saw it because I had the leg held up and out to have a good feel of the swollen tendon.

When the pony is standing normally, you could not see it at all, and as it was not swollen yet, there were no signs. The puss only came out when vet put her finger up inside it. It looked like it was probably done the day before.

I will see what the vet has said when I get down to do the cleaning and bandaging later.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Anyway, get down to clean up, cold hose and re-bandage this morning, and all between her hind legs is swollen up like a baloon!

[/ QUOTE ]
Well to be fair this is more likely to be because the horse was standing in it's stable overnight.

My horse jumped out of his field on Thursday night, and his knee is huge, despite being left out to walk it off. I suspect because he's sore he's not been moving about much - hence the excessive swelling.

You asked the standard questions that we would all have asked - and vet's do expect to have some kind of discussion with you, not just real off a list of instructions.

I am suprised that antibiotics weren't given - however, I'm even more suprised that the cut wasn't noticed by it's owner before hand (it sounds as if it's been there for a couple of days).

In your position I would call the vet up and tell them you feel that the horse needs antibiotics and could you collect some. Speak on the phone to the vet who examined the horse and explain what you're seeing, she'll then be able to say whether she needs to come out again.
 
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