Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ambulatory medicine in equine practice.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
- Year:
- 2012
- Authors:
- Gillen, Susan S
- Affiliation:
- Gillen Equine Veterinary Clinic · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Equine veterinarians who work in the field face a wide range of medical issues with horses. They have access to a lot of information to help them provide good care on-site, but some conditions may require a visit to a hospital for better treatment. When a horse has a complicated problem, it's important for the vet to suggest a referral to ensure the horse gets the best care possible, and most owners appreciate this guidance. If a hospital visit isn't possible, the vet should still offer compassionate alternatives and help horse owners understand their horse's suffering and welfare needs, so they have realistic expectations about recovery. Overall, the goal is to ensure that horses receive the best possible care, whether at home or in a hospital.
Abstract
The scope of medical problems encountered by the equine ambulatory practitioner is immense; there is a wealth of information available to ambulatory practitioners pertaining to specific medical topics. It is certainly possible to practice high-quality equine medicine in a field setting. However, hospital referral should be offered to clients for conditions not conducive to successful treatment in the field. Prompt referral of difficult cases is a sign that the practitioner wants the best treatment for the patient and is often gladly accepted by the client. When surgical or hospital referral is not an option, it is imperative that the ambulatory practitioner not only offer humane alternatives but also inform and educate horse owners on equine suffering and welfare issues so that clients do not have unreasonable expectations of a positive outcome.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22640579/