Vets visit- not happy- would you be??

charlie76

charlie76

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I booked the vet to look at my horse on Weds as I felt he didn;t feel quite right behind and has been struggling a little in lateral work. The vet came out. He prodded his back pretty hard and the horse flinched. He then touched his poll, I told him the horse was head shy and didn't like his head touched so he would over react but he didn;t take any notice. He didn't see him out of the stable or trot him up. Just told me to tack him up and he would see me ride him. I got on him and 20 mins later the vet came to see me ride him by which time he was warmed up. He said he would need to x ray his back and neck for kissing spine but said he was sound! The horse shows no signs of back trouble, he doesn't buck, crab, nap, and had really good muscle development over his back. I am 100% positive he doesn't have kissing spine!
There was a physio here with the vet, she took a look at him and said he was sore under the saddle and his neck ( muscular sore) and did a quick ( 10 mins max) treatment on him and told me to do some stretch exercises but it was all so rushed I have no idea what exercises, for how long and how many.
Would you complain?
 
Before you go down the complaint route phone the vet up again. Tell him you were too rushed to take in what was said and ask him to explain again, including what the physio said, if you can get to talk to the physio as well all the better. If you can't get tot talk to the vet ask for him to call back at a more suitable time, if you can't get a call back then consider complaining.

But I'd definitely start off by trying to sort out what to do for now in a calm manner.

Good luck
 
are you doing more lateral work than normal? could he just be getting bit stiff and sore due to that and maybe changing your work with him could help? one of mine has EPSM are you feeding high sugar content feeds and maybe this is affecting him !!!! not an expert but if muscle soreness is the prob i would try changing a few things see if it helps. sorry did you put his age !!!
doesnt sound like your vet was great, try talking to him again if you still arent happy i would look at getting someone else out do you have a good physio in your area who maybe able to help. also you can get a great little book that shows you how to massage your horse yourself.(not invasive) just helps them my boy love this. good luck :eek:
 
It's well worth trying to talk to the vet again, even be prepared to write it down if it helps - one of my boys had a nasty leg injury and I ended up writing bandaging procedure down as it was that complicated ( and therefore, expensive !!! )
 
yeah i wouldnt be happy. had the vet out a few days ago with pretty much the same problem as yours vet spent ages with me doing flexion test, trotting up on different surfaces, lunging and riding.
 
I think it is completely negligent that he did not see the horse trotted up in hand on a hard flat surface and then perform hock flexion tests on him. I think you should, diplomatically, find some way to tell him so (or bluntly if you have another choice of vet in the area) and refuse to pay this bill and call another vet to do those tests. Frankly, if I haven't been frank enough!, to be called to non-specific hind end "difficulty" and not do hind leg flexions is downright ridiculous!!
 
ps the most likely reason, statistically, for an indefinable hind end issue causing lateral work stiffness is the start of hock spavin. That also presents as stiffness in the back as the horse uses itself wrong to compensate for stiff hocks. That would have been shown up by hind flexions and it is FAR too soon to talk about spine xrays. It's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in weeks and has been on my mind all evening!

Don't panic about the idea of spavin. It's extremely common, I've had two with it and both are in full work, one never lame and one rideable for dressage (but not jumpable) for the entire time.

I'm even more of the opinion that you should get another vet - good luck!
 
Wow, nothing like your vet doing 1 + 1 and getting 10!

Thats one hell of a diagnosis without doing flexion tests etc etc etc

Would it be his practice that does the x rays?
If so, pessimist that I am, sounds like an easy option for him. Miss out the middle **** and go straight for the expensive money making option.

I would be very unhappy!

I would phone the physio and find out what the exercises are you need to give him.
 
charlie76 said:
I booked the vet to look at my horse on Weds as I felt he didn;t feel quite right behind and has been struggling a little in lateral work. The vet came out. He prodded his back pretty hard and the horse flinched. He then touched his poll, I told him the horse was head shy and didn't like his head touched so he would over react but he didn;t take any notice. He didn't see him out of the stable or trot him up. Just told me to tack him up and he would see me ride him. I got on him and 20 mins later the vet came to see me ride him by which time he was warmed up. He said he would need to x ray his back and neck for kissing spine but said he was sound! The horse shows no signs of back trouble, he doesn't buck, crab, nap, and had really good muscle development over his back. I am 100% positive he doesn't have kissing spine!
There was a physio here with the vet, she took a look at him and said he was sore under the saddle and his neck ( muscular sore) and did a quick ( 10 mins max) treatment on him and told me to do some stretch exercises but it was all so rushed I have no idea what exercises, for how long and how many.
Would you complain?
Click to expand...

I would ask to speak to the vet and discuss why he thinks it could be kissing spine and why he feels the action he has suggested is necessary. Poll probs can be linked to back probs. Ask why he didnt do flexion tests. He may have had a good reason. :)

I would also contact the physio and ask her to come out and show you the exercises. It should have been done at the time tbh. But Physios are scared of vets! ;)
 
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