Face it when the treatment vet gets a horse it's not in good shape to
start with. Unless they have a full lab in the field they can't get all
the necessary info they need. They are very dependent on the rider to
tell them what they have noticed and what they and the horse have done.
I is much easier in a clinic where blood and if necessary intestinal
fluid can be pulled and analyzed prior to treatment decisions. At most
rides it is truly emergency medicine. I am amazed at how well they
usually do.
I've seen miracles but they were miracles. I fear that we have come to
expect miracles. This is the real world, not the world of Oz where
miracles are the norm.
Just ask an MD how he would like to have to be taken out of the
emergency room and perform his work in the field. Not many would.
Truman
Karen wrote:
If some
of our vets
would have chimed in and said, "IF this happens, this is what we
MIGHT recommend and here may be some alternatives." Instead, we got
nothing. Nothing helpful and nothing educational. Except of course,
from
Heidi and Kim. If I am going to be totally responsible for my horse, I
need all the help I can get in making the best educated decisions for
my
horse.
It seems to be a delicate situation and a lot of vets are probably not
willing to stick their necks out and make statements regarding the
treatment or demise of a horse, especially when they were not there and
do not know all of the circumstances.
For those who want to know more about how their own horse should be
treated if they end up in a situation like that, they should talk to
their own veterinarians. Or, talk to the next friendly ride
veterinarian they meet up with at a ride.
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to participate in a
discussion
on this topic with my local vet (not a ride vet). We talked for a
long time. He told me that he feels that a high profile ride like
that would not use inept vets, and second if they were that inept the
rider should be seeking legal council not reporting it on the internet,
and third if that person came in needing a horse treated to let him
know
who it was because he would not touch their horse. So, you can see
why ride veterinarians are not going to be commenting on such
issues. My vet did go on to say that treating the horses is the
easy part. It's what is on the end of their lead lines that is
usually the difficult part.
