Vets? Who will they listen to? Yard or owner

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ronansmum

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Hard to head this up really so that peoole will read and understand what I am asking.
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I may come across as paranoid but I hope not, I am just in a real quandry and want to ask for advice, someone else may have felt as I do.

To whom does a Vet have "allegiance" if that's the right word? Who should he listen to and who should he keep advised? Yard or Owner?

Don't want to bore everyone with the ins and outs of why I need this answered but just want to have input from you wise people.
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And what about confidentiality?
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If I want to say something to the Vet in confidence, will he keep mum?
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The owner is the customer - but you may have to bore us with details in order to fully understand what the problem is.....
 
Strictly speaking the owner, but depending on the situation there would be many shades of grey on this potentially.

However if I said directly to the vet I wish you to discuss my horse directly with me and not YO then I would expect them to do just that.

Does that help?
 
You as the owner are his client, so his allegiance should be to you. However, in cases of (for example) infectious diseases he would also want to discuss things with the yard owner as it might affect all the horses.

Difficult to answer without knowing the situation. There is no official confidentiality for vets, we don't take an oath like doctors but if he's a decent person and you tell him something and make it clear that you're telling him in confidence, I would like to think that he'd keep schtum.
 
[ QUOTE ]
There is no official confidentiality for vets, we don't take an oath like doctors but if he's a decent person and you tell him something and make it clear that you're telling him in confidence, I would like to think that he'd keep schtum.


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I'm sorry, but a vet has an obligation to his client to ensure confidentiality - and to infer otherwise is simply incorrect and unprofessional.
 
Your vet should if professional ONLY discuss matters/treatments with owner of horse, but can discuss if owner gives premission to YO, so this is where grey areas can happen.
BUT if you say to your VET only discuss with OWNER and doesn't that in IMO very unprofessional!!!
 
You pay the bills - both to YO if you are a livery and the vet. I would hope that the vet would listen to you.

EG Owner is worried about their horse and calls vet. YO remarks to vet that in their opinion there is nothing wrong with horse, owner is just going OTT about the littlest things.

This has happened to me, fortunately vet nodded sagely at the YO and then got on with examining my horse!
 
Not quite sure what you're asking here ronansmum. Quite clearly, the person who pays the vet's fee is the customer, ie the owner. But I would like to think that, for example, if a horse was on full or part livery and the YO and/or her staff had any relevant input regarding observed behaviour, not drinking, lame in the morning etc etc etc, then this too could be important information to guide the vet to a correct diagnosis, for the benefit of the horse and its owner. It is quite common that a YO has more experience than a maybe new owner and has important information to add. However, if I felt that a YO had a different agenda or didn't know my horse or had less experience than me or disagreed with a style of management, then I'd tell him/her politely but firmly that it's YOUR horse you and the vet are dealing with it.
 
Bear in mind as well that some Livery agreements say they can call the vet out if they owner cannot be contacted in which case the yard owner could make decisions without referring to you.
At ours the vets often liaise with the yard manager as some owners are quite happy to take a back seat.
I prefer to get my information direct and so my vet is used to discussing my horse with me.
 
Thank you all very much for your input - I am very grateful.

I agree totally B_O_F that YOs who know their job are worth their weught in gold, and I am happy to say ours falls within that bracket, she has many years experience and lots of good advice but the downside of that is that she becomes TOO committed and tends to take over. The Vet seems to welcome the intervention, to be honest!!

My horse had a severe injury in February and has been on box rest ever since. I have read and studied every scrap of info I can, as you can imagine, and it all looks very black, given his size, age and conformation. I just want to be able to say to the Vet at the next set of xrays in 4 weeks time that I want the horse destroyed as he has had enough, poor lad. It's no one's fault, everything that could be done has been done.

I think I just wanted reassurance that I don't need an intermediary to speak for me and that I have a right to make a choice like this and that any discussion is between him and me. I have the impression at the moment that the Vet treats me very much as a by-stander and will listen only to the YO. I wondered if this was usual when an experienced YO is on the scene.

Of course there is a lot more to it than thta but in essence that is the issue

Thanks again.
 
This is very much a discussion that needs to take place between you and your vet only - as it is the hardest decision you will ever make.

Good luck and hugs.
 
Agree with Amymay - that's an instruction for you to give to your vet whenever you feel appropriate.

Is your decision dependent on the next xray results, or have you made your mind up already? You know it also your decision whether you want to wait the 4 weeks or not.

Hugs. We can all only try and be brave enough to do what's best for our horses and not ourselves when the time comes.
 
Like previous posters have said the YO should have no bearing on whether you decide to keep your horse or have him PTS. That is entirely a matter between you and your vet. I know that sometimes a YO gets involved in a case where someone decides to have an animal put down, and try to change the liveries mind. I have seen this for myself on previous yard. But at the end of the day it is not them that has to watch their animal suffer (if this is what happens) nor is it them that has nothing to ride, and spends money like its water on veterinary care. Please make the decision for the good of your horse who is your best friend and do what is right by him. Do not be influenced by your YO. I am sure you know what you are doing, big hugs, and I will be thinking of you. x
 
If you want to know the details of your vet's duty to you then go to the RCVS web site and have a look at the guide to professional conduct. There is a search facility to its easy to find the relevant bits. Section 1D outlines a vet's responsibility to his/her cleints. Your vet is obliged to maintain case confidentiality in all circumstances unless there is a legal reason not to do so (e.g. your horse has a notifiable disease or a crime has been committed). He should not discuss your horse with anyone else without your permission.

Minnie's Mum- Am I right in thinking that you hope to qualify as a vet soon? If so then maybe you too should review the Guide; as a practising vet you are expected to be familiar with it. When you are admitted to the college you are promising to maintain the provisions of the Guide.

Confidentiality is a fundamental principle of a vet's duty to his/her clients. How could we consider ourselves to be part of a reputable profession were it not? Quite frankly I am astounded that you have almost come to the end of your degree without realising this.
 
Aw hun. That's so sad. But as has been said above, he's YOUR horse and a difficult decision like that has to be YOURS. You know him and will know if it's right or not. With modern medicine, lives can be dragged out for years but the aim should be - and my vets totally uphold this - veterinary treatment is to add life to years, not just years to life. Stay strong hun and post again if you need an ear or a shoulder. Be thinking of you and your ned xxx
 
Thank you everyone, you all seem to immediately grasp how I feel and what I am trying to say and I am very grateful for that. I began to think I was going mad or something, being paranoid because I am so miserable.

It has helped a lot to know that I do have the right to make a decision, with out a fight, horrid though it is.

Thanks again.
 
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