I tempted fate too much

Doodle92

Doodle92

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Apr 6, 2021
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Thinking things were going well. Thinking we may have come to end of issues. Thinking perhaps maybe just maybe the odd prelim test would be doable. Increasing his work a little to include some trotting.

His hock is swollen today. Exactly the same as the start of the issues. He felt great yesterday and so we did 5 mins walking over single poles and trotted over twice each direction. I am now thinking what I thought was him being sensible over the very muddy gateway was him feeling hock.

The more I look at it the fatter it is. I have of course rung the vet. He won’t be in till tomorrow.

He is not a horse who will take to semi retirement. If we just walk 3 times a week it will be ok for a short time and then he will make his own entertainment.
 
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What did he do to his hock before, when, and how far through any rehab are you? It may just be a slight set back and you need to go back a step or two to give him a bit more time to heal. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you xx
 
Last sept wasn’t right and had dumped me. Started off every so slightly lame at saddle fit appt. vet called immediately. So slightly lame not to worry. Week off. Back on and dumped again. Vet a couple of days later and he had progressed to pretty bad. Same swelling as there is now. In for xrays. Expecting top joint affected. Turned out both legs bottom hock joint significant changes. Steroid injections then and there. That was end Oct. 2 weeks later vet back and delighted with how well he was doing. Rode once and ok. Next time he was very unhappy. Vet back, hocks still fine but scoped for ulcers. Which then started the months of him being very unwell. Ulcers, anaemic and terrible lung infection.

March I think final lung scope and all good. Trotted up and moving great.

He then had 5 weeks inhand walking starting at 10 mins. Ulcers came back at week 4 inhand. vet delighted with how he was moving trotting up, even better than last time. Ulcers treated (2 more days of maintenance dose to do). He then had 4 weeks ridden in walk having started back in hand again. Again starting at 10mins. Last week started very very small amounts of trot. Feeling and going great.

About 4 weeks ago physio was out, very pleased with him. Messaged her a couple of days ago, could I start some poles. She said yes. So yesterday I did poles in walk (single poles at random places) for about 5 mins. All good. Trotted it 4 times (walking in between). Felt all good. Today swollen. If he can’t cope with even a short trot it is pretty depressing.
 
Dammit 😣 I hope it is just a final blip, sometimes steroid injections don’t last long and need repeating a couple of times a year, hopefully your vet can shed some light tomorrow 🤞
 
I must say I’m anxious of injecting again so soon. I had in my head once a year. When I rang vet I didn’t think it was necessary to call a vet out there and then and better time wait to speak to vet who has been dealing with him.
 
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I was thinking the same as @Jessey that maybe the hock injections have worn off. There are non-steroid injections and they're meant to last longer, but they're a LOT more expensive.
 
Yes possibly. Gutted that he has gone from excellent to swollen in a day. But it is thee exact swelling as originally. It is still and insurance claim but will need to check how much is left and only have till 1st sept.
 
The vets are swamped and too busy to come out. “My” vet who has been treating him wouldn’t be able to come out for 2 weeks.
 
That's not acceptable :mad:. Is there another practice you can use? Maybe call yours tomorrow and ask if they can recommend another practice since they aren't able to come out and see your horse when you think he needs a vet, I suspect they may miraculously find a slot for you but if they don't then I think I'd rather be with another practice anyway.
 
This is first time I have had an issue. She finished the call saying she would see what she could do and get back to me - nothing.

I have emailed them and again said the issue and have sent pictures hoping they can pass to my vet so he can at least look at them. He is on call next week so can’t come out but hopefully that means he will at least be at the practice.

Yes there is another practice but I actually moved away from them for a few issues. I am unsure how the insurance thing would go as presume they (new vets) would want to start again with xrays etc.
 
I'd be having strong words tomorrow - their lack of vets isn't your problem, if needs be they should take on locums until they've recruited more vets NOT compromise on service. Likewise if you say you'll get back to someone you get back to them.

Speak to your insurance company but there shouldn't be a problem with changing vets and your current vets should hand over his notes and x-rays to a new one.
 
I asked yesterday for vet to ring me. He hasn’t. That’s fine I’m sure he is busy. She said at 3.30 she would ring back. Still nothing. I haven’t had the usual confirmation that they had got an email reply either. Argh.
 
Doodle92 said:
I asked yesterday for vet to ring me. He hasn’t. That’s fine I’m sure he is busy. She said at 3.30 she would ring back. Still nothing. I haven’t had the usual confirmation that they had got an email reply either. Argh.
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No, that isn't fine, it isn't even close to fine. He may be busy but calls should be returned, and your call is as important as anyone else's. My vets will call when travelling to clients or in the evenings if they don't have time in office hours. You have a lame horse with a history of problems. if he's lame he's in pain and needs seeing by a vet and treating. He may not be an emergency, but that doesn't make waiting two weeks ok - two days at a push! Is part of the problem that you want a specific vet? If so then have any one from the practice, but get someone to see him.
 
Yesterday I said he wasn’t lame. I think this was the wrong thing to say. I have only looked at him moving in the field rather than trotting up and he felt sound on Tuesday.

When i rang this afternoon I said rather than wait for vet to ring back (as a hint, meaning he hasn’t rung back!) could I just get him to come out as his hock was still just as swollen. She said he is booked up all this week and then next week he is on call so won’t be seeing horses unless an emergency.

At that point I said ok, well I don’t want him to wait 2 weeks so perhaps someone else could come and see him. Her reply to that was that they are very busy and she wouldn’t be able to get anyone to come to me unless an emergency. I repeated that I felt he needed to be seen. He has a history, his hock is swollen and I am worried. She said she would see what she could do but she was really struggling with lack of vets and would ring me back.

In my email I stressed how he had been very depressed with all his issues and I didn’t want to tip him back in to being unhappy. Here are the photos, perhaps vet could have a look as he has been treating him.

I will ring insurance tomorrow and if they don’t come back to me I will ring again with the plan of ring other vets if no luck.
 
That's terrible behaviour, I wonder how much is the receptionist and how much is the actual vet? I dread to think what would happen if it was a real emergency - try not to let it bleed out and I'll get a vet to you next week? Or bad luck he's dying anyway so I'm not wasting the vet's time?

I'd put in a complaint addressed to the senior partner, and in the meantime get a vet from elsewhere.
 
It is the senior partner who I want. He is a blooming amazing vet. Yesterday receptionist said she would “put it in his book” for him to call me. So I don’t know. Annoying thing was he was at the yard on Tuesday, but of course he was fine then!
 
I have a feeling the receptionist may be your problem. Do you have a direct number for the vet?
 
Unfortunately I don’t. Although another livery does! Actually I have his email so maybe resend email directly to him.

She did say she did pass on the message.
 
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