10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Veterinary Visit

As with most things in life, the value of a veterinary visit depends largely on perception.  A vet appointment can be viewed as a necessary but unwanted expense, or as an investment in the health and ongoing welfare and performance of your horse.  And, as with most things, what you put into your vet call will help to determine what you get out of it.  So, how can you maximize the value, efficiency, and effectiveness of a visit with your vet?

1.      Schedule Wisely --Everyone wants the evening or weekend appointment.  We all have jobs/lives, right?  However, evenings are simply not appropriate for some vet visits.  A couple of vaccinations?  Fine, 5:00 will be great.  That on-and-off two-month lameness?  No.  You want full daylight and plenty of time for your veterinarian to properly evaluate your horse.  You want her to see that subtle short stride in good light.  You don’t want her to be thinking about dinner.  If your vet uses office staff, listen when they suggest an appointment time.  These people usually know their boss and know how he/she works best.

2.      Location, location, location – Make sure the location of the call is appropriate to the appointment.  It is almost impossible to perform an adequate lameness exam in a hilly, rocky pasture.  Repair of a wound on the lower leg will go better if it is done in a clean environment.  Any surgery requiring full anesthesia, even short acting, needs a clean open space with good footing for recovery.

3.      Check your weather report – Avoid scheduling elective procedures on days when extreme weather (high heat, storms, etc) is expected, particularly if work is to be done outside.  Intense heat increases the risk of an adverse outcome for many procedures including vaccination, tranquilization, and surgery.  Why cause your horse extra stress?  Likewise, it is very difficult to see, let alone diagnose, a lameness in the pouring rain, and slick footing can cause an unnecessary danger.

4.      Train your horse – It is not the veterinarian’s job to train your horse, and expecting a vet to perform work on an intractable animal puts everyone at risk: horse, handler, and vet.  The more time the vet spends trying to calm the horse and keep everyone safe, the less time he will have to properly educate you as to your horse’s condition.  Like medical procedures, veterinary procedures are stressful to the patient, and it is unfair to expect a green horse to respond calmly to a needle when he has never even seen a body brush.  Teach your horse to have all parts of his body handled, lead, tie, and load in the trailer.  Even young foals can learn these lessons, and they are better learned when the experience can be pleasant rather than uncomfortable.  Pair handling with rewards.  A carrot at the end of a trailer ride beats a shot for the first trip!

5.      Be Prepared – Ok, yes, I was a Girl Scout, but this is always good advice. 

a.       Be honest when you make your appointment.  If you want the vet to work up a lameness or check out your horse’s weight loss, say so when you call.  An equine vet’s time is budgeted, and if you ask for a 15 minute vaccination exam but really want him to clean, debride, and treat an old wound, neither you nor the next client will get the most out of your appointment.

b.      Prepare the surroundings – Clean the junk out of the barn aisle to make a clear area for work.  Clean the stall.  Wash/brush the mud off of the legs so the doc can find the lump.  Have an outlet and extension cords handy if the equipment (X-ray, ultrasound, dental tools, etc.) requires electricity.  If you don’t know what the vet will need, ask.  Have lights available if it is night.

c.       Catch your horse – This may sound obvious, but many an hour has been wasted trying to catch the old, lame horse who suddenly decides that he can run, and that he has no intention of seeing the person in the big, scary truck.  Have your horse haltered and held, tied, or stalled when the vet arrives.  If you don’t want your horse to risk waiting tied for a late veterinarian, call.  Find out if he’s running on time.

d.      Have a list of questions – Know what you want to ask.  Write down questions that address the concerns of all family members in advance. 

e.       Get your story straight – History is a critical portion of the vet exam.  Make sure the person meeting with the vet knows the entire history of the condition.  Write down pertinent details like date of onset (“Well, it was before we got the blue truck…” doesn’t count as a timeline.); whether the condition is worsening or improving, or if it comes and goes; any incidents or factors associated with the onset of the condition; the age of the horse (Again, “She was old Molly’s foal” doesn’t count.); any other horses affected; the dates and types of any vaccines and dewormers; any previous medical history, even if a vet wasn’t called out; type and amount of feed, and any changes in feed, housing, or exercise; dates of recent travel.  The more information you can provide, the better your chances of getting an answer and solution.

6.      Have the most invested member of the household present if possible – There is almost always one person in the family who is more invested in/attached to/aware of the horse than others.  This is the person who should coordinate with the vet.  Success of a veterinary exam depends largely upon a solid veterinary/client/patient relationship, and the client is an integral part of that.  History and treatment compliance bookend the vet call.  The person who can best answer the vet’s questions and the person who will be providing care should be present for the exam. 

7.      Ask questions – Veterinarians endure years of schooling and sometimes forget that not everyone speaks Medical-ese.  If you don’t know a term, ask.  If you don’t know how to provide a treatment, ask.  If it sounds as though your vet suddenly began speaking in Tongues, ask.  This is your investment and you are entitled to know everything about it.  If budget is a concern, state this up front.  If you have expectations for future performance, ask about the likelihood of those expectations being met.  Ask, ask, ask.  Nothing is too basic or too stupid.  You won’t sound foolish if you ask a question – believe me, we’ve heard it all!  However, you will prove yourself foolish if you treat your horse incorrectly for two weeks because you were too stubborn to clarify the recommendations.

8.      Follow instructions – Veterinarians are busy.  We don’t talk because we like the sounds of our voices.  If your vet tells you to do something, there is a reason.  Do it.  If you can’t remember the instructions, ask the vet to write them down.  If someone at the barn gives you conflicting advice, talk to your vet.

9.      Follow up – Medical conditions evolve.  A vet appointment is a snapshot, and sometimes the video is needed to get the complete picture.  If your horse is not improving, or the condition seems to be getting worse, don’t just quit treatment and give up.  You’ve already invested money in this project; call your vet, give him or her the update, and work to formulate a plan.  Medicine is not a precise science; the body is complex.  Treatment failure doesn’t necessarily mean veterinary failure.  Sometimes, the success or failure of one treatment is another clue toward diagnosis.

10.  Don’t shoot the messenger – Veterinarians are human.  We also get that having a sick or injured horse is stressful.  You may be worried about money.  You are probably worried about your horse.   Maybe you are having trouble with your job/spouse/child/parent.  None of this is the vet’s fault.  You will get more out of your investment if you approach the visit from a non-combative, polite, and inquisitive place.   Vets are people too, and people perform best when not placed on the defensive.  You may prefer Dr. A, but give Dr. B a chance without letting your preferences color your judgment. 

Remember, a veterinary visit can be an investment or a money suck.  What you put into the experience will often determine what you get out of it.  You should expect preparedness, thoroughness, professionalism, compassion, and competence from your vet, and he or she should be able to expect the same from you.