Your experiences?

[Sunlark]

Hi there! I'm quite new to this forum and horses in general (only two years riding) so I apologise in advance if I make any mistakes eg. Posting in wrong thread.

So basically, I start my a-levels in September and plan to then go on the study vetinary science at uni. I want to specialise in equine medicine and one of the things that many suggest I do is to find stories about the vet profession so I can see what its like.

So there it is, I want to know any good vet stories you have, rude vets, funny incidents, good vets, surprise pregnancies etc! I want to know what its like for horse owners when dealing with vets so that hopefully I won't make the same mistakes XD

 

[Montyforever]

I've found the vets that faff about less are better for my mare. Going up to her, patting her and reassuring her before they jab her with a needle means they have a fight on their hands because she knows what's coming and they've usually given her enough time to plan an attack
Its so much less stressful for all involved to sort the injection out of her sight and walk straight up to her and jab her.
Any more intrusive things she has to be sedated for anyway, except for with the straight to the point vet who doesn't faff about, she's always a star for him sedated or not!

 

[Sukistokes2]

My advice to you is to listen to the owner. .....we ar not idiots.


When I had my yearling gelded I helped by sitting on his neck and holding up his leg. My Vet , who was great by the way, was instructing another younger vet on how to geld. The horse was done knocked out completely ,as he was at the point untouched and I had only had him 3 days. My vet had taken off one ball and the new vet was starting the second when I saw the pony blink. I informed the vet who told me he would be fine. We carried on, I could feel his muscles tensing and could see life coming back into his eyes. I informed the vet again and was told I could leave the stable if I was worried. At this point I could see the pony was very nearly awake, so I said ok and left. I had no sooner shut the door when he jumped up and galloped around the stable. Luckily the new vet seemed to have finished. The both looked a bit sheepish when they cqme out the stable. My vet then apologised to me for not paying attention to me.

 

[Sunlark]

And I can imagine he wasn't a very happy boy after that procedure XD

 

[be positive]

My advice to you is to listen to the owner. .....we ar not idiots.


You will learn all about treating the animals but dealing with the people involved is a skill in itself, listen to the owners and take on board what they say, if they express concerns about anything they will have a reason do not dismiss it just because they are not qualified.

One of the best stories was from many years ago I was sent a mare for schooling, unfortunately she had a injury on her hind leg which required, in my humble opinion, stitching and antibiotics the owners vet came but was not really up to dealing with the rather awkward mare so rather than stitching decided to bandage instead, no antibiotics were given, I was not happy but went along with it as not my horse.
2 days later the leg looked dreadful, badly infected and had swollen up, so had her udder which was puzzling as she was not as far as I knew in foal, vet came treated leg and I pointed out the by then very swollen udder, her enormous tummy but didn't actually say "is she about to drop a foal?" I was told it was fluid from the leg injury which was in my view unlikely as it was not that badly swollen, to cut a long story short she had a filly that very night, vet refused to come out again, I think he was slightly embarrassed, the owners decided to use my equine vet for the rest of the treatment. Due to not stitching or giving antibiotics she required extensive treatment and a minor op to sort out the leg, my vet found the story very amusing that a vet couldn't recognise a mare about to foal and failed to see what was so obvious to me, it all had a happy ending but could have been very different.
It turned out that 11 months earlier a neighbours stallion had jumped in with the mare, who lived alone, he had taken it out and said nothing hoping nothing had happened, we knew she had not been covered, had been owned for a couple of years so certainly not a BOGOF so at least that mystery was cleared up, hopefully the vet will have learnt to listen or at least look at what is in front of him, it would have saved him some embarrassment.

A vet who listens, who communicates well, who can handle horses confidently as they can be very stressed when injured, that is able to admit when they are unsure rather than continue regardless, would be on my list.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Some years ago my horse went into the vets for his elbow to be medicated with steroid when I arrived with him I was told he would be ready to pick up by 5 pm,I then replied sorry but I would have stated on booking that I would have to wait while he was done this morning as I couldnt return as I had someone else driving him here and they cant come back later, after about an hours wait for the vet I was told to put him in the stocks so vet sedated him then he plugged the clippers in to shave the area to be injected, I said thats the wrong leg your about to clip! He replied no its not and laughed, I said yes it is, so off he goes to check his notes and returns saying I was sure it was that leg, I am just glad I didnt leave him there for them to do it I would have had the wrong leg medicated, I know everyone makes mistakes but a few things that went on during my horses treatment made me decide never to use them again.

My new vet is great he tries to save me money if he can, he listens and never makes me feel like an idiot, he explains things so I understand properly and even asks my opinion about things, he always says my mare is his favourite client as she is so easy and wishes all the horses he dealt with were like her, you can stick needles in her all day long where ever you want and she never complains bless her. So I have had a few bad experiences with vets and lost faith for a while but my faith has been restored with my current vet.

 

[OwnedbyJoe]

As a vet of 20 years and a horse owner:
1. Veterinary science is essentially a service industry. You will not thrive unless you have good communication skills.
2. Never be afraid to admit that you don't know. The sensible horse owners will respect you for it.
3. Better to refer too early than too late. Find a good horse hospital that will treat YOU the referring vet with respect and use them.
4. Common things are common. When you hear hoofbeats, look for horses... But don't forget to look out for the occasional zebra.
5. If you own horses too, that will help establish a connection with you.
6. When people ask you "how long before he/she will be able to go back to work" ALWAYS double the number that first pops into your head! Then when they get better more quickly, they will be delighted.
7. Take the owner's advice on how to handle their horse - until such time as they have proved themselves to be a complete numpty...
8. Don't be afraid to walk away: no one's career is worth a serious injury.

 

[cptrayes]

Learn to tell the difference between an owner who is looking for 'permission' to put an old or ill horse to sleep but feels guilty about it, and one who really does want you to save it at all costs.

Treat the whole history of the horse, not only the immediate symptoms in front of you. A DSLD sufferer, for example, May have a current tendon strain, but if it's also previously been lame in other legs, it may need to be retired out even pts.

Don't bullshit! If you don't know, say so. If the owner suggests a disease you've never heard of, look it up. My friend had a vet last year tell her that she had never heard of DSLD, had not looked it up in spite of having been forewarned by text that we would ask about it, And when she did finally look it up told us that it did not exist in British horses, and rarely in this country even in American ones, who she said have caused it by in breeding. She was finally forced to admit that Leahurst do a nuchal ligament biopsy test for it. The whole thing was totally inexcusable.


I must say that by starting off with this thread, you are likely to become a really great vet.

 

[soulfull]

Firstly Well done you for taking the time to do this. I wish more vets would

I've found the vets that faff about less are better for my mare. Going up to her, patting her and reassuring her before they jab her with a needle means they have a fight on their hands because she knows what's coming and they've usually given her enough time to plan an attack
Its so much less stressful for all involved to sort the injection out of her sight and walk straight up to her and jab her.
Any more intrusive things she has to be sedated for anyway, except for with the straight to the point vet who doesn't faff about, she's always a star for him sedated or not!

Biggest thing is THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT, both horses and owners, if any vet did this now to any of my horses I would be very annoyed. It happened once many years ago, vet walked into stable and suddenly stuck need in his rump, horse shot off with needle still in his butt. needle then fell out somewhere in the straw bedding! I had to throw the whole bed away as we could not find it. The horse had always been fine to inject if the vet had taken the time to say hello!

As someone else said LISTEN to the owners 95% of the time they have a good idea what or at least where the problem is (obviously you will come across people who are nuts and know nothing, but don't let those stop you listening)

two examples (and I am just one owner)

Quite a few years ago I had a horse that I knew something wasn't quite right with, he was lazy stubborn, sometimes would jump and sometimes wouldn't. Referral to horsepital. vet basically said it was novice owner syndrome (not in so many words to me directly, but to my vet) All his bloods were normal etc but I was sure something was wrong. I suspect a new condition called EPSM, which a vet nurse friend in the stateds had told me about when I gave her his symptoms). vet dismissed me saying bloods would show any muscle problems


I got in touch with a DR Beth Valentine who was the worlds expert at the time, she agreed from symptoms it was likely he had it as bloods didn't always show the problem, only a muscle biopsy would. I took her email to my own vets who had always been good and listened (hence the referral ) he did the biopsy the following week. Newmarket couldn't make up their minds, just wanted to know why the horse had been for a gallop shortly before the biopsy (stupid idiots) Sample was sent to the States to Dr Beth and she confirmed EPSM so stupid novice owner was right!!!

years later and new specialist equine vet (well known and respected across the country). New horse which he vetted (3 months) I told him horse was not right, that I thought he had ulcers, he was stubborn didn't want to canter and throwing in the odd buck, girthy. He told me to go back for lessons to the professional I bought the horse off. He was so arrogant because he vetted the horse and so nothing could be wrong with him!!
I waited until he was on holiday the following week and just booked a scope. Guess what? yep ULCERS!!!

Nowadays there is a LOT of talk amongst owners that vets are just out for the money and playing with new procedures. The way around this is to give owner the choice, conservative or aggressive treatment

Don't let them teach you to ask if the horse is insured as though it is the be all and end all! Insurance premiums are killing us and vets need to stop spending the insurance money as though it is free!!! Often vets spend it too easily and we run out of money before they have finished the treatment. Spend it carefully and not just playing with new toys!!!

 

[soulfull]

Learn to tell the difference between an owner who is looking for 'permission' to put an old or ill horse to sleep but feels guilty about it, and one who really does want you to save it at all costs.

Treat the whole history of the horse, not only the immediate symptoms in front of you. A DSLD sufferer, for example, May have a current tendon strain, but if it's also previously been lame in other legs, it may need to be retired out even pts.

Don't bullshit! If you don't know, say so. If the owner suggests a disease you've never heard of, look it up. My friend had a vet last year tell her that she had never heard of DSLD, had not looked it up in spite of having been forewarned by text that we would ask about it, And when she did finally look it up told us that it did not exist in British horses, and rarely in this country even in American ones, who she said have caused it by in breeding. She was finally forced to admit that Leahurst do a nuchal ligament biopsy test for it. The whole thing was totally inexcusable.


I must say that by starting off with this thread, you are likely to become a really great vet.

THIS ^^^^^ I lost a horse a couple of years ago to this. But not before unnecessary surgery!! basically horse went to Liverpool with right fore lameness. They found he was more lame on right hind and showed a slight lameness at times on left hind. Scan showed PSD in right hind
When questioned by me if they were related They said they needed to put this right BEFORE looking at Right Fore. At the time DSLD wasn't that well known by owners. BUT a huge vets like Liverpool should have known about it.

Basically they operated, right hind was still not right and still lame on right fore and increasingly lame on left fore. My vets advised PTS several months later. So my poor young horse had gone through surgery and months of box rest for nothing, or rather so they could practice this surgery??

 

[Sunlark]

Wow there's some great stuff here x I never thought that some vets would act the way they did, but its good to learn about it, especially the way that different horses react to shots.

 

[soulfull]

Wow there's some great stuff here x I never thought that some vets would act the way they did, but its good to learn about it, especially the way that different horses react to shots.

oh and some owners just have so much bad luck no matter what they do LOL


you will probably find re the shots that if a horse needs anything different than a short hello and a pat before jabbing, the owner will tell you

 

[Red-1]

I would say learn how to actually handle horses. Many young vets seem scared of horses, hold on to their head collars tight, and say "good boy" when the horse is naughty! Just the way you stand and breathe will have a huge effect on the way a horse behaves for you. With many horses holding tight and no release will cause bad behaviour as they will have no idea what they are supposed to do.

I also echo listen to the owners. I left one vet who refused to remove a lump on a horse's groin area, he feared it was melanoma, and therefore should not be disturbed. I had seen an injury there a couple of years previously and I was equally convinced it was a cyst, and as it was growing fast it needed removal. The new vets removed it, it was biopsied an a benign cyst and all was well. Because of the delay swapping vets it was double the size, and involved a vein. If it had been removed first thing it would have been a lot easier.

I would also be quick to refer on. For example I had a friend with a horse, a beautiful horse, who had a cut on his fetlock. The call out vet attended and stitched. I know they call it "practising" medicine, but I would prefer if the vet did not practice on an animal of mine when they were really not competent. The horse's fetlock was a real mess, and I sincerely believe that if the vet had told the owner that they *could*stitch it here and now, but the injury would have been better treated in hospital by a senior vet, they would have chosen that option.

I am talking a real Frankenstein job here.

Also, writing down. Although if the horse has an injury of course that must be declared to the insurance, it is a downside that now people do not even dare to discuss minor queries with the vet as it gets written down that it was even queried, and then it is excluded. There was a post here this week mentioned this. The vet did not even think the horse had the ailment that was queried, but they wrote on the notes that it was queried, and it was subsequently excluded. From memory the owner asked about Lami management, the horse was not lamanitic, the vet gave general advice, wrote the Lami word in the notes, excluded.

 

[Tern]

My current vet is great I have one horse that doesn't like needles - he needed to have 3 injections one after the other - 1st one was okay but wouldn't have the other two.. vet was patient and we took him into field shelter.. Horse tried to kick him 3 times including trying to strike him with his front leg and he did nothing but growl at him - noting there was 3 of us trying to hold him (he's 27yo cob) He also gave us some advice for our mare about stabling.

 

[smja]

We used to have a fantastic vet who took the time to explain to us (as kids) what he was doing and why, and things to look out for. He retired, and was replaced by a succession of young, blonde, fresh out of vet school types.
One of these was supposed to give my horse a flu jab. She looks in stable, says she won't go in there to give it. Fair enough, he was a big lad and she didn't know him. I put headcollar on and brought him out. He stood like a rock. She fluttered about, jumping away every time he even moved an ear. Finally managed to put needle in when my non-horsey dad offered to stand next to her, then turned to me and said 'he's a bit of a difficult one!'. I've held plenty of different horses for different vets, and he was easily one of the best behaved I've seen.

Needless to say, we're no longer with that practise, so...don't be scared of horses

 

[Sunlark]

Don't be scared of horses is excellent advice XD

 

[sasquatch]

As most people have said, listen to the owners. If they tell you they don't think the horse is right, then there's a reason they don't think the horse is right and it shouldn't be dismissed.

My horse didn't feel right for a while, when vet was up doing shots we asked if he'd check him over. Said he was fine, no pain or anything else despite other liveries having a look and noticing a lot of wastage on his right side. Went to get his saddle checked and fitted and the saddler took one look and said his shoulders were being pinched and it was most likely one of the causes of him not being 'right'. I would have hoped the vet at least spotted the muscle wastage on his shoulders as it was quite visible and he was very tense through his shoulders/back and twitchy.

If you feel unable or not confident to make a diagnosis, tell the owners and refer them straight away to someone who can. The longer you wait and faff around, the more annoyed the owner (and horse!) will be.

Make sure you tell the owner why you're doing something! If you tell the owner to give 3 weeks box rest, tell them what for, what you symptoms you hope it will alleviate etc. We are not silly horse owners who can't understand long words, and even if we don't understand it's not hard to google what it means.

Get to know the horses you care for. It makes a big difference for you, the owners and the horse if the vet knows the horse. If you know in advance that the horse is normally laid back, but when it comes to shots it has to be done before the horse realizes what is happening it makes it a lot easier (and safer) for horse and vet.

But most of all, learn from your mistakes. If you make a mistake, own up for it, apologise and learn from it so it doesn't happen again. Most owners will make small allowances for young vets who say 'sorry, I can't do this I need to call someone else' or 'I'm not sure this is the right course of action, do you mind if I get a second opinion?'.
If you feel you've made a mistake, or the owner feels you've made a mistake, instead of trying to cover yourself try and get someone senior out asap to rectify anything before it does too much damage.

Trying to push owners for decisions or push them into having expensive, not necessarily needed surgery is another thing I don't like to see. It's slightly different with scans - if a horse genuinely might have a problem that shows up on a more expensive, newer scan than older types of scan then it is worthwhile raising it with the owner. Referring horses for operations that may or may not improve them is down to the owner, and by pushing them one way or the other you're making that choice for them essentially, especially when the owner is the one who should be making the call on their horse.

Also, the owners feelings are important. Some of them do need a kick up the backside, but if someone is having to PTS their pony of 20 years due to colic, this is going to be an emotional time and your support as a vet will be remembered well. Being clinical and straight talking has a time and a place, but when someone is having a horse PTS, especially a much loved horse or pony, it's emotional for the owner and a sympathetic, kind vet will be well remembered whilst the vets who seem to have a care less attitude won't be looked on so kindly. At the same time, don't get too emotionally attached or your job will become very hard.

I think you'll make a great vet if you're willing to take on the opinions of those who deal with vets, and vets themselves!