Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2010 20:54:01 GMT 1
oh and in a discussion regarding pain v's "behavioural" informed me that 'the way horses learn is that they learn what to do to avoid getting hit'. Seriously. The best diagnostic centre in the country, seven years at vet school and that is what Rossdales vets have learned? Shocking. Better (slightly) than the considered opinion of my client's vet who said the only problem with her horse was that he's a dipstick. I'm not sure what it cost for her to be told that, probably a couple of hundred.
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l17
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Fizzy boy!
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Post by l17 on Jan 23, 2010 11:59:27 GMT 1
My pony went to AHT and had scintigraphy, deep x-rays, nerve blocks, and full investigation. He was there for 4 nights. He was diagnosed with arthritis in both lower hocks. He had steroid and joint lubricating injections. 6 weeks after coming home he had to be re-injected with a different steroid. He had a couple of courses of bute/ danilon. All together the cost was £4700 luckily covered by Petplan. I also decided to put him on the recommended supplement which is £70 every 8 weeks. Although he is still not back to his old self and may never be, I am glad that I know what the problem is. Lx
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Post by Bridget RA on Jan 28, 2010 21:39:36 GMT 1
Dipstick Liz? Your client should have told the vet he must be in a muddle - dipsticks go in cars. Was he failed mechanic perhaps?
I shouldn't laugh.
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Vicky&Beenie
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"The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears..."
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Post by Vicky&Beenie on Jan 29, 2010 16:13:28 GMT 1
We currently have an ex-racehorse, who was suspected with gastric ulcers. For the endoscopy, call outs, sedation, course of gastroguard, travel costs, surgery livery, procedures and other small treatments, came to just over £2,000.
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Post by june on Jan 29, 2010 22:21:13 GMT 1
Thankfully my vet is fairly pragmatic. He went to look at a client's horse a while back because the yard owner was convinced it had a back issue. Having seen the horse drag the YO out of the stable and across the yard, and after checking its back, he prescribed turnout and less feed. The YO demanded the client get a second opinion. She ended up moving yards and sure enough, turnout and cereal free feed did the trick! Cost her £30 call out and £30 examination.
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Post by bramblesmum on Feb 4, 2010 7:54:25 GMT 1
Give me a few weeks and i'll have a really up to date lameness one for you lets just say atm its megga and thank god for insurance
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Post by jackiedo on Feb 4, 2010 13:12:37 GMT 1
Liz, I once had a vet tell me that my hunter yearling was 13hands and 5 inches........
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Post by Kelly Marks on May 9, 2010 18:37:27 GMT 1
From a Vet
Unfortunately no known website listing vets cost. You may by now have realised you are opening a rather large can of worms but I am pleased you are highlighting the issue. Vet costs vary hugely, regionally and from practice to practice. There was a letter recently in a widely read professional veterinary publication highlighting the fact that you never see a price list of procedures in the waiting room when you go into a surgery. At best in a small animal practice you may find a list for dog castrates, bitch spays, micro-chipping and vaccinations. This problem is confounded in the UK because most people have medical treatment on the NHS and have no concept of what medical procedures cost. A few people will phone around and get the get the cheapest quote for a procedure but not many because they would rather stay with the vet they know. It is my experience however that the reason for a lot of people changing vets is because they feel they are being over charged or the vet has failed to communicate costs prior to procedures being carried out. It is surprising how many people are happy to express to assistants such as my self their displeasure with their bill but are not prepared to raise the issue with the senior partner. As for me it actually states in my contract that I am not allowed to disclose or make public the fees charged by the practice at any time during or after my term of employment. I bet you didn’t think you would be asking me to break my contract when you asked for a list of procedure costs!! Hence this is confidential but you can still use figures as long as you don’t tell any one they are from me! – I just checked my contract and it actually does say this!
Gastroscopy where I work is expensive because we don’t have a scope long enough so a vet travels to us from another clinic. Gastroscopy £400, sedation from £45.
As for investigation of renal problems they are usually considered together, with the bladder, ureters and urethra which all form the urinary tract, because they share common symptoms. The most common symptoms for urinary tract disease are weight loss and abnormal urination. Other clinical signs include fever, anorexia, depression, ventral oedema, oral ulceration, excessive dental tartar, colic, excessive drinking, anaemia, scalding or blood staining of the hind limbs/perineum. Occasionally lumbar pain or hind limb lameness may be caused by urinary tract disease but there are far more common musculoskeletal causes for these symptoms. Tests use to evaluate urinary tract disease include Blood tests- £120 Urinalysis – Sediment examination £15 Dip stick £10 Specific gravity £10 Culture and sensitivity £30 Biochemistry £50
Fractional electrolyte clearance tests £50 Ultrasound of kidneys through body wall and bladder and left kidney per rectum £170 Endoscopy of bladder £150
Abnormalities that may be picked up on these tests include; Blood tests; Haematology; anaemia, white blood cell count/fibrinogen consistent with infection. Biochemistry; increased BUN (blood urea nitrogen), creatinine, enzymes ALP and GGT, electrolytes. Decreased protein, glucose, chlorine.
Urinalysis; Sediment; Examined under microscope, may show bacteria, protein casts, mineral crystals, red/white blood cells. Dip stick; picks up high protein levels and blood cells. Specific gravity; indication of the kidneys ability to concentrate urine. Culture and sensitivity; If infection is suspected (high temp) will grow bacteria and test which antibiotics it is sensitive to. Biochemistry; Measures same things as measured in blood, creatinine in urine and blood can be compared to calculate the kidneys functional ability. Fractional electrolyte clearance tests are more sensitive comparisons between the level of sodium, potassium and chlorine in the blood and urine to indicate the kidneys ability to regulate these electrolytes. They also indicate if dietary or sometimes perfusion (by IV drip) supplementation is required.
Ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder can pick up all sorts of things including cysts, abscesses, tumours and stones. Endoscopy (cystoscopy) of the bladder will also pick these things up.
When the kidneys are failing the key things are that they stop excreting nitrogen (urea) so levels increase in the blood (Azotaemia) and it is high blood urea levels than cause oral ulcers. Kidneys stop producing erythropoetin which stimulates red blood cell production in bone marrow so the patient will become anaemic. Kidneys stop excreting potassium and high levels of potassium in the blood cause dys-rhythmias of the heart which can be fatal. Kidneys start leaking proteins and glucose so blood levels become depleted and fluid leaves the blood vessels causing ventral oedema and eventually oedema of the lungs. Well all of that probably made no sense unless you have a good grasp of renal physiology but hopefully is a taster. Treating kidney disease is a balancing act trying to keep the right concentrations of everything in the blood. Fortunately it is very rare in horses but is seen when toxic substances are eaten and if the balance can be kept horses may have a chance of surviving.
If an owner suspects urinary tract disease the vet will ask them to measure water intake over 24 or 48hrs. An accurate figure is very important as it is used to assess the kidneys concentrating ability. Recognised urinary tract diseases include; Cystitis Bladder stones (urolithiasis) Poisoning (nephro-toxicity) Glomerulonephritis; immune mediated kidney damage Pylonephritis (kidney infection) Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) Neoplasia Feacal occult blood test rrp is £25. It is made by a company called Succeed. We have some more gumph somewhere in the practice about it so I’ll try and find it this week and photocopy it for you. It may be possible that they can be sold to anyone, I’m not sure. Posting samples is out of the question though as the dung must be less than 4hrs old! The test is very accurate and detects any blood in the dung which might have been leaked into the gut from deep ulcers. It does not distinguish between colonic and gastric ulcers but if gastric ulcers are ruled out by endoscopy and its positive then you know you are dealing with colonic ulcers. I don’t know how these are caused - other than by worm damage - or if there is any treatment but I am on the case.
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