[quote Sarahlou63]@Labracadabra - I appreciate your measured response.
The vet was optimistic at first but, when the horse went down again after we thought the worst was over, he did a rectal exam and discovered that the gut was displaced. At that stage the prognosis became much more serious and (in hindsight) I should have insisted that he PTS - the horse was 21 and had been in horrible pain. He left us with enough drugs to knock the horse out, so it was 50/50 at best.
When we made the call at 10pm he could (should?) have called our local vet, who is 20 minutes away and has treated our horses (inc PTS) in the past, instead of driving for over an hour.
Sadly this case was a replica of a situation from 2013 when we were advised to see how an elderly horse coped overnight after a bad colic - that didn't end well either, so I was angry and upset at ignoring my own instincts as I was at the vet.[/quote]
Oh I feel for you and I so know what you mean about being cross about not trusting your instincts. My gelding is lame, a colleague of my husband's took him out for a ride on a horrible rainy day about 6 weeks ago, I wish I'd said not to as the weather was awful, we were not at home that day and everything just felt wrong but I didn't want to let her down. Anyway he spooked at a deer and they had a slip or skid or something and now he's been lame ever since and despite nerve blocks, x-rays and treatment he's no better so he's off for an MRI on Friday. He's a successful competition horse who now may be off work for a year or even never be sound again....I wish so much I trusted my gut and said don't take him for a ride. I'm more cross with myself than with the lady that was riding him as it was just an accident but still....the wish for a time machine hey?