frazzled
Well-Known Member
What is the benefit of x-raying when vetting? How much information do they actually give you or can they give a false sense of security? Having new horse vetted next week and am trying to decide what to do.
X -rays when vetting
- Thread starter frazzled
- Start date
OFG
Well-Known Member
I attended a lecture at my local vet school last night on pre purchase examinations / vetting.
X-rays were discussed and my vet said that unless you were spending absolutly thousands (he just recently did a vetting for a Grade A SJ which was being exported to America and did a full set of x-rays but then purchase price was circa £50k) it probably wasn't worth doing.
The sheer amount of plates the vet would have to take of each hoof, fetlock, hock, stifle etc to get a comprehensive set would mean it would be very costly (circa £400).
At the end of the day totally up to the individual buyer but my vets opinion was don't do it
X-rays were discussed and my vet said that unless you were spending absolutly thousands (he just recently did a vetting for a Grade A SJ which was being exported to America and did a full set of x-rays but then purchase price was circa £50k) it probably wasn't worth doing.
The sheer amount of plates the vet would have to take of each hoof, fetlock, hock, stifle etc to get a comprehensive set would mean it would be very costly (circa £400).
At the end of the day totally up to the individual buyer but my vets opinion was don't do it
Andiamo
Well-Known Member
I would ALWAYS get them done. Otherwise you could end up with something with kissing spines, sacroiliac problems, neck problems. Obviously a healthy horse costs just as much to keep as an unhealthy horse, and you could end up with something that is unride-able in a year's time due to back / leg/ foot / neck probs. I've seen it happen.
I would rather pay for a full set of Xrays than end up with something with issues.
I had a full set of Xrays done on a horse in Germany - the horse had had a full set done just a month before - but friends recommended that I get my own done. I did. The Xrays showed up severe kissing spines - this was in a 4 year old megabucks Hannoverian, he had only been under saddle for a few months.
I spent almost £800 on the xrays, but am very happy I didn't end up with a horse with kissing spines. It would have cost me a hell of a lot more than £800, and I would have had a horse that would have been impossible to sell on.
I would rather pay for a full set of Xrays than end up with something with issues.
I had a full set of Xrays done on a horse in Germany - the horse had had a full set done just a month before - but friends recommended that I get my own done. I did. The Xrays showed up severe kissing spines - this was in a 4 year old megabucks Hannoverian, he had only been under saddle for a few months.
I spent almost £800 on the xrays, but am very happy I didn't end up with a horse with kissing spines. It would have cost me a hell of a lot more than £800, and I would have had a horse that would have been impossible to sell on.
frazzled
Well-Known Member
Andiamo, what exactly do you have x-rayed as was only considering feet and hocks?
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TarrSteps
Well-Known Member
Interesting that the two cases mentioned involve non-UK people. In North America it would be unusual to have a vetting that did NOT include x-rays. There are two sides to it, definitely, and there is no guarantee but it can be useful to let you know what you might be getting in to.
chickenlover
New User
X-rays definitely, and definitely have your own done, as unscrupulous vets and owners can choose their angles carefully to avoid showing problems. might depend on how much you are spending, but £4 to 500 for scans and x-rays, vs a worthless animal, or several thosuands in vet bills over a few years, is a trade off worth making in my view.
KatB
Well-Known Member
The problem is x rays can show "abnormalities" which will.never effect the horse...its believed a majority of horses have kissing spines for example, but only a small % will ever have a problem with them! If I wad paying mega mega bucks, then yes I'd think about x rays because youd expect a horse for that sort of money to have form and some sort of wear and tear you'd want to know about, its risk limitation I guess!
frazzled
Well-Known Member
Katb you sum up my dilemma 
We are paying a decent amount but not mega mega bucks. It is an 8 yr old eventer. Having the x-rays could also affect the insurance.
We are paying a decent amount but not mega mega bucks. It is an 8 yr old eventer. Having the x-rays could also affect the insurance.christine48
Well-Known Member
I wonder if scans of tendons & hocks etc are more valuable than x rays.
KatB
Well-Known Member
Tbh, I wouldn't bother. Get the horses history from its own vet, and insure it, that is all I'd do!
be positive
Well-Known Member
I have spoken to several vets regarding x-rays at vetting, the general opinion was that for a horse in the average price range, not mega bucks, they would recommend x-rays if anything during a vetting gives them reason to suspect a problem, such as a slight issue with flexions or with the trotting on the circle, which was not enough to fail or when the purchasers were prepared to go further with investigations.
Otherwise where do you stop, if hocks and feet are clear the spine may be a problem, a full body scan would be required to rule out all issues, the horse could still break the first day you get it home.
Otherwise where do you stop, if hocks and feet are clear the spine may be a problem, a full body scan would be required to rule out all issues, the horse could still break the first day you get it home.
GermanyJo
Well-Known Member
100% agree with be positive - I worked at an equine clinic for more than 8 years, and have seen lots of horses x rays where they looked horrible.. but horse was never lame , and continued not to be lame for many years.... others where the x rays were clean and a month later the horse was a cripple
Katb ... 100% right about the kissing spines too ....
if there is something unclear on the clinical vetting , then it may make sense ..
there is a reason good vets do nerve blocks on a lame horse before x raying ...
Katb ... 100% right about the kissing spines too ....
if there is something unclear on the clinical vetting , then it may make sense ..
there is a reason good vets do nerve blocks on a lame horse before x raying ...
Daytona
Well-Known Member
My vet told me its a waste of time unless the horse is cost >50 odd K.
He said you would need to do every joint at every angle, even then it could show things that would never bother the horse.
He said you would need to do every joint at every angle, even then it could show things that would never bother the horse.
Luci07
Well-Known Member
My vet is in favour. Prob cos she is an Aussie! She is also pragmatic so would say x ray if you have any queries. You need a 5 * vetting for horses insured over @ £2.5 k. Not sure why x rays would impact the insurance and have not heard that before? Obviously if they found something, it would.