Do you doctor your own horse vs. calling a vet?

Question

I would like to know how many experience horse owners doctor their own horses vs. calling a vet everytime, unless a serious emergency. Where I live in Arizona, the horse population is huge and most of these horse owners do doctor their own horses with meds that a vet normally has, or with old fashion remedies. It is very hard to get a vet out here, they are always so booked up.

If you do doctor your own, what for and what technique did you use. I am really curious, as I trust the people that I know to doctor mine (unless very serious).

Thanks for answering!

Answer 1

I do almost all my own doctoring.  Everything from giving shots and wound care to administering antibiotics.  I also do all my own farrier work.  With the 7 horses we now have they see the vet for their coggins test and that is about all.  The only exception is if their is a deep enough cut to need stitches.   Even then you can often use superglue to get the job done.

Answer 2

Well, normally if my horse just has a cut or something I put some antiseptic on it to prevent infection and bandage it with some gauz and vetwrap. If the cut is too deep and needs stitches...call the vet. It is worth the price of a vet if you love your horse. If your horse is collicing, please dont be an idiot and decide you can help the horse yourself.

Answer 3

It depends.  I think I have enough experience (29 years of horse ownership) to know when I can do something and when to call the vet.  Luckily, in the last few years, I haven't had many incidents.  I got my old pony through 2 choke episodes myself but called the vet out for a third (which was actually the first one).  I also took a wait and see attitude when he colicked mildly and he recovered.  I did call the vet out after months of him doing kind of poorly (including the choke, colic, diarhea, skinnyness) to see if it was anything other than his age of 27, and had bloodwork and fecal tests done.  In the last few years, I have only needed the vet for one other horse (out of 4), when he injured his eye.  I give my own vaccines but have the vet out for coggins tests and rabies shots, which I can't give in my state.

Answer 4

i vet my own livestock,pretty much anything that doesnt require an xray or lab work.i have a library of vet manuals and have some profesional schooling in the veterinary trade from CSU (before events took me away from school).as for techniques i use whatever i need to do to help my livestock including farrier and dental work.

Answer 5

I "first aid" but I  don't mess beyond my capabilities.

Same goes for cats, dogs ( and kids ! )

My husband may think I phone the vet at the drop of a hat but I really don't ( he's just a bit paranoid !!)

edit - I have a pretty good first aid kit but don't go as far as suturing or injecting. Bute and anti- bi's are vet only in the UK so I don't have them either. I can deal with minor wounds, sprains, cuts and bruises, the odd abscess etc etc - pretty average stuff really.

Answer 6

It really depends. Sometimes, we'll have the vet on the phone giving vague instructions, but we won't feel it was necessary for him to make a trip all the way out. We've got a few horses at the barn who are extremely accident prone, so much that the vet has given up making bi-weekly trips out and has given us simple medication and taught all people at the barn how to give it.

But in real emergencies or the occasional extreme birth complication, the vet is called without a second thought.

Answer 7

My husband and I do a lot of our own doctoring... I always have, my mom worked in a vet clinic very closely with the vets so we did most of our own doctoring growing up at home too. I also have had the privilage of growing up knowing some wonderful equine (and bovine) vets who tolerated all my questions and answered with great patience and genuine knowledge. Also, our clinic is great in that you can call and talk to one of the vets... knowing them so long has really helped. There is nothing that irritates me more than being told that they really can't help you without you shelling out the big bucks to come see your horse. I think the key to doing your own doctoring is recognizing what is beyond your capabilities.

We give all our own shots and antibiotics... our horses really only see the vet unless they are being vetted, getting a Coggins pulled or are on deaths door. My husband also does all our farrier work, unless it is specialty shoeing for a client or corrective work.

I'll pretty much doctor anything. Even if I have to call the vet I'm not just going to stand there pacing and wringing my hands until they arrive. I'll call the vet pronto!! if: I have a colic that I'm worrying is a twist as opposed to an upset belly, arterial bleeding, anything requiring mega stitches, foaling troubles or something I haven't seen before or anything hoof related I will call my vet. Or for the hoof stuff-- sometimes the farrier we use for specialty stuff first... ex/ navicular, laminitis or founder.

Hard to list all the injuries that I would be comfortable treating at home... bites, saddle sores, scrathes/ mud fever, rain rot, any fungus I've encountered so far, minor colics, abrasions, bruises, lacerations (unless serious= arterial bleeding), choking, strangles, wire cuts, bandage bows, bowed tendons, abcesses... on and on and on it goes.

Answer 8

Depends on the problem, if it's a minor cut or scrape that's swelled or bleeding I can take care of it, if it's way over my head and knowledge, I'll call someone

Answer 9

I'll do a lot on my own but I do recognize when I'm over my head and need help with a colic, a severe laceration, a horse spiking a high temp, a profound limp, or a neurological problem.

I'll handle smaller problems, rashes, rain rots, scratches, early colics, (will wait just a bit to see if I need to summon the vet).

Answer 10

That totally depends on what the problem is, and, sometimes, because we are experienced, we feel that we can judge what is an emergency and what isn't...well, sometimes, we can, sometimes, (because we don't have a lab in our barn) we can't...so, when it comes to simple colic, muscular issues, sometimes even founder (yes, I said founder) depending on what syptoms are presenting....most of the time just plain ole common sense will tell you when to call the vet and sometimes, right when you think you have it pegged, you are a mile off...so, depending on your experience, and only you know the extent of that, you can treat your own horses....and, if your experience is serving you well, you will usually call the vet, just to be sure, at least to talk to him/her.

Answer 11

If I'm 99% sure of my own diagnosis and it is something that I know how to treat without further information needed (eg blood work, xray), I treat it myself.  If it's iffie, I'll call to run it past the vet.  If I'm either not sure of my diagnosis or of the appropriate treatment, I have the vet come out.

I know many people take pride in doing their own diagnosis and treatment and some have been trained by veterinarians to correctly do it for some things.  I've also seen way more who are either completely without a clue, or read an article and think they are doctors.  I don't have a farm with multiple livestock, so for me to pay a vet for services is not a huge issue...and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Answer 12

Well I have spent may a summer doing work experience with my vet and have been using the same one since I was 10.... every time I get him out he makes me diagnose myself and list possible treatments. He then points out anything I've missed and lets me preform as much of the treatment as he can. As a result I am now proficient in injecting suturing and the treatment of most minor injuries/illnesses. I would never risk trying to treat anything serious or life threatening, but I will treat all minor cuts, abscesses, colic (beginning), founder (mild) etc myself. However I do know I am not a qualified vet and I will generally clear things over the phone when I feel it is necessary.

Answer 13

Well, I cheat.....lol    My sister and business partner is a D.V.M. so i have a vet onsite all the time. For really serious emergencies we do have specialty vets that we work with.

Answer 14

I agree with a lot of the other peoples answers.  I do most of the first aid by myself.  Deep cuts and that kinda stuff I call the vet but most of the time they just advise me and I clean it and wrap it myself.  Anything I'm not sure about I always call.

Answer 15

I do alot of my own...

I'm a good client of my vets...so they will sell me some prescription meds that many will have the vet do.  For example...Injectable Banamine, Ace, oxytocin, things like that.

I keep a supply of wound care items from guaze and vet wrap to furazone, 10% iodine, injectable antibiotics, needles and syringes...you get the idea.

Even with wounds that I feel I can manage...I STILL call the vet and get my ideas 'okayed'...or follow what they recommend.

If it's something I have no experience with...like neurological or extreme reactions...vet call immediately.

catastrophic wounds...that's a no brainer...need the vet.

I do the same with our dogs and cats too.  

The major equine vet is 30 miles away and down the mountains...and most of the time, they are completely booked.  They do appreciate someone who can handle the minor things...freeing them up for where they are really needed.  At least mine does.

Answer 16

I do alot on my own, but this is after years of doing this extensive medical training and a great vet who stood there and let me do everything...Now i do know when i cant do something and i call in a vet.