When a vet says...

Sarahlou63 · 2021-03-05T02:02:33+00:00

When you call a vet out for a bad colic and he drugs up your horse and says, "no, let's not put him to sleep, he has a chance and may be OK tomorrow", don't fucking believe him. Three hours later when the horse is screaming in pain and said fucking vet takes an hour to arrive is not a place I would recommend to anyone [sad]

CrikeyPeg · 05/03/2021 04:33

So sorry @Sarahlou63 - I lost a lovely boy to colic some years ago, it's a tough thing.

Raindancer411 · 05/03/2021 05:03

That's awful.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 05/03/2021 05:34

Really sorry you've gone through this

Dkfhenzkghsm · 05/03/2021 05:51

Oh god I'm so sorry.

midnightstar66 · 05/03/2021 06:05

Colic cases can go either way sadly and can go downhill fast if that's the direction it takes - working at an equine hospital colic surgeries were the most common emergency surgeries it can be hard to know when to make that call from home without access to hospital equipment. Very sorry to hear you've been through this

billysboy · 05/03/2021 06:19

Some of these vets seem to want to keep going even when faced with the inevitable
I had a horse and same situation vet was ducking about so I called the local huntsman who came and sorted within half hour
The vet was really pissed off but when the hunt kennels inspected further it’s stomach had flicked over its pelvis
I am sorry for your loss which is devastating

Stickytreacle · 05/03/2021 07:13

God how awful, I'm so sorry for your poor horse and you.

LockdownIsDragging · 05/03/2021 10:13

That is awful, so sorry you and your horse had to go through that. I guess the vet felt it was worth trying but obviously was the wrong call in this case.

EmmaC78 · 05/03/2021 22:46

Sorry for your loss. Colic is a terrible thing. Take care of yourself, losing a horse is such a difficult time.

TheFnozwhowasmirage · 07/03/2021 15:29

I'm so sorry.Its an awful thing to watch them go through. I lost one to colic,but I knew that there was no chance that she'd pull though and the vet agreed. Don't be hard on yourself,you did everything that you could.

Labracadabra · 16/03/2021 11:46

I'm so sorry you and your horse have been through a traumatic time. It's really tragic he got so poorly and didn't survive. Very sad indeed.
Let's remember though, we only have one side of the story here. So, although it might not have worked out for you this time, there are other occasions on which someone would be on here praising the vet for not giving up. Colic cases (especially those examined away from the hospital, without access to imaging and blood tests etc). can be challenging. I'm not saying the vet was right or wrong, but you're understandably angry and upset and that means it's not a good time for you to give balanced and considered advice to others. You've every right to rant about your own situation, but we can't extrapolate.
Take care of yourself and take time to grieve, you've been through a horrible thing.

Original poster

Sarahlou63 · 16/03/2021 12:37

@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.

OP posts:

Labracadabra · 22/03/2021 14:56

[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?