When a horse is in hospital

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CobsGalore

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Sorry for all the questions tonight...

How often are you allowed to see your horse when they are in hospital? Do they have set hours that you have to go or can I go whenever? Can I just go and spend an hour with him grooming or something?

Do they get turnout if they are well enough or are they always kept in 24/7?

Vet is phoning tomorrow with an update and I will ask the questions then, but just wondering what others have found.
 
It depends on which hospital they are at. When one of mine was at the RVC they were very keen that you didn't visit. Another of mine was hospitalised at my vets and although they would have been happy for me to visit I wadn't able to ad he became very sick and had to be barrier nursed.
 
Depends on the reason they are in I guess. Mine was in for a nasty wound, and he was kept pretty much sedated for his own good, and whenever they changed the dressings etc. I went once to be taught how to do that but it was 25 miles away and I have others to take care of.
 
Ive only experience of smaller vets. It was fine to go up and take horse out for a walk and a graze in hand where applicable. One had a few small grazing paddocks but I guess this wouldn't suit all patients.
Get a good chat with your vet tomorrow and I hope he's home soon!
 
I have had a couple of mine in a large vets practice local to me.I could go and visit daily but timed it for more middle of the day so as not to be in the way when vets were doing there bit!.The vets rang me daily even just to tell me all ok.I could go and give them a brush but to be honest tended to give a love and let the nurses get on with it.Mine was turned out for a while everyday as he was there for 3 weeks and had been treated for Ulcers so wanted to keep him as calm as possible.I got told that I could ring whenever to see how he was.I would just write down any questions and ask the vet,they are usually very good.Normally apart from any rugs they may need,you don't even leave your own headcollar or anything,they use there own.Mine also recommended I took certain feeds in that he had to have.Good luck.
 
Just ask your vet......most likely will give a specific time that will be good for them I.e after ops

Also depends if your horse is an isolation or not?
 
He probably won't be out, but when mine have been in horsepital although they live out at home they have coped fine with confinement. I suppose the complete change in everything they know throws them enough they just sit up and deal with it.
Mine have been at Rossdales and they don't mind visits, although they aren't close enough for me to do it too often.
 
My mare was at the Dick vets for a week and they had visiting hours like a normal hospital during the week and open at the weekend. I wasn't able to visit as 120 miles one way trip doesn't work on top of working full time, but the option was there and they phoned everyday
 
I was able to visit my mare the morning after she was admitted/treated for colic & liver problems. Spent a while with her grooming etc, she didnt go out but i saw other horses turned out while there. She was only in one night, was an emergency and i stayed during all the treatments.
The hospital staff were all fab! Was there until very late on that first night by her head the whole time even during the ultrasounds/tubing and was never asked to leave. Infact kept being offered tea :p
Had a phone call first thing the next morning with an update on how she was and told i was free to visit whenever.
Cannot fault my vets at all!
 
When mine was at Bristol I stayed in a hotel a few miles down the road and spent the daytime in the lorry cab at the vets. Someone let me know whenever they were doing something so I could come and watch, and then I used to wash him off after, take him for some grass and put him back in his stable.

I did let them know in advance that I'm an over-protective nutcase.
 
A lot depends on the practice, one local vets was happy for me to go up whenever even if it was out of hours as long I let the vet nurses know I was there (they lived on site), another local vets I could go up anytime during the week during normal practice hours and weekends the vet would let me know what time they were doing there rounds to visit then, but this was a small practice. I found the big hospital the worst as they had very strict times you could visit, plus they wouldn't give you a number to ring they had to ring you.
 
I've have one that is a bit of a frequent flyer up at the RVC.

They have visiting times during the week but were flexible one time when my work were being difficult about time off. At the weekends there are no set times but they ask that you let them know when you are coming.

They leave you alone to spend time with your horse and you can just groom or chill. During the week someone will usually come and discuss the case, depending on the status it may be one of the students just there in case you have questions or the senior vets if a major review or update is due.

Mine have never been turned out but then it wasn't appropriate at that point.

I can't praise the staff there highly enough, they are all really friendly and helpful and the equine techs who look after them do a fantastic job.
 
My mare was in the B&W Equine Hospital in Breadstone, Glos this summer after puncturing her knee in the field - and we were allowed to visit her pretty much every day, sometimes a vet would be around to chat but sometimes one of the nurses would come with us. They gave us time with her and never rushed us.

The staff were so kind, so patient - and so helpful when it came to insurance too.
 
I worked at an equine hospital and owners where allowed to vist at any point of the day except between 8am-9am whilst the vets where doing rounds.
 
Bud was in a week, went up every week day but there were certain hours and couldn't visit at the weekend, two days without seeing him was horrid but got him back on the tues.
He didn't go out as was box rested with lots of stitches and a giant bandage x
 
When Dennis had grass sickness ,the folk at Liphook couldnt have been more accomodating. I would turn up and stay with him at all hours. They felt that his mental well being was as important to his recovery as anything they could do. That was 3or 4 years ago and he is well and has been taking his mum round BE novice and intermediate since. Me , I am just his designated driver,but there has been a definate bond between us since I spent the time with him while he was ill. I have observed ,over the years ,that horses do not forget their friends when they were ill.
 
I have had two horses at Leahurst over a period of about 5 years - the first they welcomed me to see her whenever I liked and I was allowed to walk her out in hand for some grazing in the little paddock. The second time they were definitely less welcoming but still sympathetic. Some of it will depend on the vet who is assigned to your case, and what the horse is in there for. Both of mine were conditions that were unaffected by contact and risk of infection so I was able to come and go (within reason) as long as I let them know I was on the premises and signed out when I left. Hope all goes well x
 
Yes I understand why it's just a shame I can't see him. I don't want him to think I've just left him there!

The nurses have been putting the drops in every hour since he arrived and he had his catheter put in this morning. They will re dye his eye on Thursday to see if the ulcer has improved.

Fingers crossed
 
Mine was in leahurst for 2weeks and I could go daily between 3-5 but once there you could stay longer as long as they knew you were there. Plus there was morning visiting at the weekend. They were really nice but I only visited every 2 or 3 days for an hour. She had turnout a few days after her op and that was with an eye ulcer too. My mare ended up being treated in leahurst for one as she got it when her face became paralysed and couldn't blink. Thankfully they treated it fine. What caused yours to get an ulcer? Hope it goes ok!
 
Toomanyhorses - Why was your horse radioactive!?

Linperrie - did your horse recover from the ulcer ok? Think my horse got one from rooting around in bushes. Storm blew down a few of our fence posts in their usual field so had to put them in another for a few days while fencing was being fixed. Think he was being a bit too inquisitive and forgot to close his eyes!
 
8 or 9 years ago my mare had a nasty accident and was at Leahurst for the best part of 4 weeks...I made my poor long-suffering mother take me to see her every 2-3 days even though it took us about an hour to get there!! I was only 14, to be fair, and was so worried about her, but I'm still amazed that my mum agreed to it! I don't think I even asked if it was okay or when visiting hours were, I just used to turn up with my grooming kit and let myself into the stable :o. I do remember one of the grooms telling me that it was very unusual for them to see so much of an owner...I was there so often that I got quite friendly with the girls who looked after her.
 
She had a bone scan so she is injected with radioactive stuff ( cant remember what it was ) so dropped her there Monday afternoon ,she was scanned on Tuesday and then was in quarantine as such for 48 hours afterwards so couldn't pick her up till Friday morning - poor pony
 
CobsGalore said:
Linperrie - did your horse recover from the ulcer ok? Think my horse got one from rooting around in bushes. Storm blew down a few of our fence posts in their usual field so had to put them in another for a few days while fencing was being fixed. Think he was being a bit too inquisitive and forgot to close his eyes!
Click to expand...

Hi yes recovered fine although I didn't realise she had an ulcer until after her op and didn't appreciate how serious they are. My problem is that she is still paralysed so still not blinking fully so I have to be extra vigilant to make sure it's clean and has eye drops as much as poss. I had to have weekly vets visit for 6 weeks after leaving hosp so they could stain her eye checking for further ulcers. Thankfully all ok as I think she has learnt not to poke her open eye anywhere it doesn't belong now. I think she'll be blinking fully within the month. Fingers crossed!
 
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