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Location: midwest mama | So I took one of my horses to the vet clinic today for a lameness recheck and to get him shod. My vet decided that he wanted to weigh my horse just to compare with how much he weighed the last time he was at the clinic. Every time I have had a horse on the scale at this clinic, the vet tech and another assistant have done it - one to hold the horse still on the scale, and the other to look at the weight monitor which is located at the back of the scale.
Today, for some reason, the tech decided she was going to weigh my horse all by herself. My vet had walked into the office to take a phone call. I even told her to wait for a minute and I would help her, but she went ahead and tried it anyway. She walks my horse onto the scale, then proceeded to hang on to his lead rope while she walked to the back to the scale to read his weight. Of course my horse turns to follow her (like he should) and she pulls him in a small circle toward her - on the cement. He proceeds to slip and pancakes all the way down on his side and in the process he banged his knee hard. So now he's lame. I couldn't believe it.
Of course my vet is upset and is trying to make things right - he bandaged my horse's knee and sent him home, and I have to take him back tomorrow to see how bad it is.
I am just sick inside - this is my good barrel horse. I'm just praying he doesn't have something horribly wrong now.
So who's responsible? I think the vet needs to take care of everything since it was their fault. Now if my horse was being unruly and hard to handle and slipped that's one thing, but the tech pulled him around and made him spin on the cement. She shouldn't even had been trying to weigh him solo - especially since I was telling her to wait for me.
What do you think?
Please send prayers for my guy.
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Location: In my own little world | Most definitely the responsibility of the clinic because the horse was checked in and in their care at the time of the accident. All costs incurred should be covered by the clinic. Besides if it is something quite serious that is why they carry liability insurance. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 742
| For sure the vet clinic is responsible. Sorry about your horse. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Ugg, so frustrating. I agree with others that under those circumstances the clinic is responsible and should be doing everything possible to take care of your horse at their expense. I would ask for X-rays or ultrasound of the knee. Hope he is OK. |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | I would talk to the vet and not just make assumptions...
My story...a 4th year vet student and the vet were clearing a choke on my mare at our house. The student gave her Rompun in the carotid artery. She lived, thankfully, but she flipped over so hard that she had head trauma. When she came to, she had a head tilt and could only walk in small circles to the right. I was leaving out of state the next day, so I hauled her to the clinic for care. I was SHOCKED at the bill I received when I came home. I was billed for everything...including board. Newest choke treatment???
I'm so sorry about your boy! for a good outcome!!!
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | I'm so sorry this happened to you. Before getting too stressed out I'd see what today brings with the recheck. I would ask that they xray or ultrasound to make sure it is just swollen from the impact and not anything else.
One you know what is wrong with him you can go from there. If it's mild and will be fine on its own it's just frustrating. If it's a more serious injury I would be asking the vet about covering the cost of treatment.
Prayers for your horse and you!! |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i would want x-rays or ultrasound at no cost ....on the front and back leg.....and check his hip and shoulder as well....i would be pissed and they would know it.....
m |
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 Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | I agree, the vet should be responsible because this is definite negligence on the part of the vet check and you told her to wait. They should do everything possilbe to make it right! So sorry, these type of things seem to happen sometimes no matter how many precautions you take, next time, don't let your house out of your sight lol! |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | vet |
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| It is the clinic's responsibility, no doubt about it. Best case scenario, though, is that it is not anything serious and that the vet will do whatever treatment is necessary and your horse makes a full recovery. Anything less than that would mean the good doc needs to figure on tapping into his medical malpractice insurance to pay you for the full value of your horse as a barrel horse. If he happens to be one who has chosen not to cary MMPI then he'll get to pay it out of his pocket. Prayers to you that it is a very insignificant injury and nothing dramatic becomes of the situation.
Although it is definitely the vet tech's fault she works as the vet's agent which is why it is he that is responsible. He can penalize her as he chooses and he certainly needs to. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I guess your vet does things differently then any of the vets I have ever been to.
I have always had my horses lead shank in my hand, and been within reach during assessments.
I am not understanding why the vet tech had your horse and not you as this could be seen as implied consent.
I would also repeat the X-rays in a weeks time as blood in the joint may not show on the initial xray.
Also if the horse is unable to compete, you will need to decide how far you want to pursue.
Suing a vet, can cause you to be black balled therefore you may find it difficult to find a vet to assess and treat your animals.
If the vet is a good vet and cares about his clients (the horse not you), he will do everything necessary to get that horse sound and competing again.
This got me thinking how many people sign consents for injections, sedation, teeth, all the normal procedures and how many people are fully aware of the inherent risks of the procedure prior to the procedure?
Edited by cheryl makofka 2014-10-28 11:07 AM
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | cheryl makofka - 2014-10-28 10:59 AM I guess your vet does things differently then any of the vets I have ever been to. I have always had my horses lead shank in my hand, and been within reach during assessments. I am not understanding why the vet tech had your horse and not you. I would also repeat the X-rays in a weeks time as blood in the joint may not show on the initial xray. Also if the horse is unable to compete, you will need to decide how far you want to pursue. Suing a vet, can cause you to be black balled therefore you may find it difficult to find a vet to assess and treat your animals. If the vet is a good vet and cares about his clients (the horse not you), he will do everything necessary to get that horse sound and competing again. That's not how the equine clinics here have worked in the last 5-6 years... the 3 I go to all have a vet tech come take your horse so that you can stand by the vet to talk what they're seeing. Kinda hard to watch when you're the one holding....
Edited by MS2011 2014-10-28 11:08 AM
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Red Hot Cardinal Fan
Posts: 4122
| MS2011 - 2014-10-28 11:06 AM cheryl makofka - 2014-10-28 10:59 AM I guess your vet does things differently then any of the vets I have ever been to. I have always had my horses lead shank in my hand, and been within reach during assessments. I am not understanding why the vet tech had your horse and not you. I would also repeat the X-rays in a weeks time as blood in the joint may not show on the initial xray. Also if the horse is unable to compete, you will need to decide how far you want to pursue. Suing a vet, can cause you to be black balled therefore you may find it difficult to find a vet to assess and treat your animals. If the vet is a good vet and cares about his clients (the horse not you), he will do everything necessary to get that horse sound and competing again. That's not how the equine clinics here have worked in the last 5-6 years... the 3 I go to all have a vet tech come take your horse so that you can stand by the vet to talk what they're seeing. Kinda hard to watch when you're the one holding....
Agreed....
Local cow vet that I go to for Coggins and Health Certificates.... Sure. I'm going to be holding my horse.
Any actual equine clinic for lameness issues or what not... No. Vet tech takes care of my horse so I can talk with the vet. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| MS2011 - 2014-10-28 11:06 AM
cheryl makofka - 2014-10-28 10:59 AM I guess your vet does things differently then any of the vets I have ever been to. I have always had my horses lead shank in my hand, and been within reach during assessments. I am not understanding why the vet tech had your horse and not you. I would also repeat the X-rays in a weeks time as blood in the joint may not show on the initial xray. Also if the horse is unable to compete, you will need to decide how far you want to pursue. Suing a vet, can cause you to be black balled therefore you may find it difficult to find a vet to assess and treat your animals. If the vet is a good vet and cares about his clients (the horse not you), he will do everything necessary to get that horse sound and competing again. That's not how the equine clinics here have worked in the last 5-6 years... the 3 I go to all have a vet tech come take your horse so that you can stand by the vet to talk what they're seeing. Kinda hard to watch when you're the one holding....
Thanks.
The vets I deal with review everything with me while my horse is waking from the sedation |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I would expect to get all that covered by the clinic. I would also want to see something done with the technician. Vet didn't do anything wrong- technician was the one who did not wait even when you told him/her to wait. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | cheryl makofka - 2014-10-28 10:59 AM I guess your vet does things differently then any of the vets I have ever been to. I have always had my horses lead shank in my hand, and been within reach during assessments. I am not understanding why the vet tech had your horse and not you as this could be seen as implied consent.
Both lameness vets I have worked with (both very good vets in very respectable clinics) have the vet tech handle the horse, because the tech knows what the vet expects and what the vet wants. I've never thought twice about it. Plus then I can also watch how my horse moves and if it is consistent with what I have them there for.
To the OP: I would say in this case, if the scenario happened as you stated, that it would be the vet clinic's fault. I would have a full discussion with the vet so that you are on the same terms on who is going to pay for what and to what extent, so that you are on the same page.
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Veteran
Posts: 103
| Of course the vet is responsible, but you're going to have to hire a lawyer to get them to accept responsibility and good luck with that. The lawyer is going to have to find another health care provider to testify against them that the way they did it was wrong, and they just won't testify against each other. Been there done that, only the injury mine had lead to him having to be put down at a very prestigious vet practice. And of course,..... they were sorry. |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| mruggles - 2014-10-28 9:28 AM
i would want x-rays or ultrasound at no cost ....on the front and back leg.....and check his hip and shoulder as well....i would be pissed and they would know it.....
m
Ditto |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | I'm so sorry to hear! Ugg! very frustrating. It is definitely the clinics the fault. They should pay for everything and do more tests to make sure nothing else is injured besides his knee. prayers for a speedy recovery and that it isn't anything bad. |
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| just4fun - 2014-10-28 6:38 AM I would talk to the vet and not just make assumptions...
My story...a 4th year vet student and the vet were clearing a choke on my mare at our house. The student gave her Rompun in the carotid artery. She lived, thankfully, but she flipped over so hard that she had head trauma. When she came to, she had a head tilt and could only walk in small circles to the right. I was leaving out of state the next day, so I hauled her to the clinic for care. I was SHOCKED at the bill I received when I came home. I was billed for everything...including board. Newest choke treatment???
I'm so sorry about your boy! for a good outcome!!!
I hope you didn't pay that bill in full?  |
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