vet going back on clinical diagnosis -no claiming no definitive diagnosis given

lostinrates

KENICKIE wrote: »

Any advise from any vets please xx

IIRC snowman, who answered above is a vet.

You say the horse is a show cob. Has the sweetitch precluded him for competing/show entry? I'm wondering if that would support your case.

KENICKIE_2

I wonder is snowman could give me any advise regarding this ethical issue.

My show cob I bought in Mid september it was getting quite cold he was in lovely condition,however if the sweet itch was mild and managed in time when the vet diagnosed him in March 2010 ie with the boett rug purchased from the NFU insurance he would not have shown any sign of this condition his mane is hogged due to being a show horse. If i dont treat it as sweet itch and wait until he has symptoms it will be too late and indeed i will have ruined my chances of him acheiving anything this season he is a County standard show cob.

lostinrates

KENICKIE wrote: »

I wonder is snowman could give me any advise regarding this ethical issue.

My show cob I bought in Mid september it was getting quite cold he was in lovely condition,however if the sweet itch was mild and managed in time when the vet diagnosed him in March 2010 ie with the boett rug purchased from the NFU insurance he would not have shown any sign of this condition his mane is hogged due to being a show horse. If i dont treat it as sweet itch and wait until he has symptoms it will be too late and indeed i will have ruined my chances of him acheiving anything this season he is a County standard show cob.

If he had no signs in sept from an infection controlled earlier in the same season and more than hair loss in his mane with out a mane you might expect some quite hefty scabs or skin thickening in mane, tail, and often beyond...I've seen horses in a wretched state well into winter, trying to heal from summer. Less common now rugs are more commonly available. It might well be the rug solves the issue enough for you to compete this season. If you bought him as a county standard cob I guess he must have had some outings last season. So sometime between the non-diagnoses and your purchase he was in condition to go out...

Regardless of the dispute being on going then, I would treat it as sweet itch, for the horse's well being and your showing. Many people do manage to control symptoms and itching enough to show, unless your solicitor advises otherwise. My fear would be that to ignore to treat it would be bad for the welfare of the animal AND you would also fall foul of the new welfare laws which require you to meet his welfare needs including protection from pain and suffering, so I can't see how you could NOT treat him if you suspect it and see signs of it.

Have you sought legal advice yet? And have you contacted the National Sweet Itch Centre for more advice?
http://www.sweet-itch.co.uk/index.html


They may well have incountered this before

orlao

While I'm no vet, IMHO you need to investigate reporting the vet as a completely separate issue to any legal action you are taking against the vendor. I would think that, you need to talk to RVCS about the feasibility of making a formal complaint.

http://www.rcvs.org.uk/


I have shown my Section D to county level with a perfect mane and tail :Ddespite moderately severe sweet itch- managing it was fairly easy once I figured out what regime worked for him. His career only ended due to a lack of functioning brain cells, nothing to do to with SI.

If the horse can still do the job you bought him for with minor management changes - maybe you would be better cracking on and enjoying him rather than losing a season, all this stress and no doubt, lots of costs that you may or not recover eventually? At any time he could injure himself in a career ending manner (that's horses for you! Heartbreak on four legs) and you have a field ornament....or have to have a year off with a tendon injury - you get my drift?

snowman2_2

I am a vet but not an equine vet so I am not fully aware of the treatment of sweet itch - it has been over 10 years since I last saw a horse professionally. Pre-purchase exams should be performed with the vet knowing the purpose of the horse - a hacker has different needs to an olympic show jumper. You have to judge problems like sweet itch against the costs of treatment and I am no expert on that.

From my point of view, the interesting thing is the vet "changing their mind". You need to get the clinical history and see what was written. Was it a definite diagnosis of sweet itch, was it a clinical suspicion or was it precautionary? Has the original owner got confused as to the reason for the rug? What was actually claimed for on the insurance claim and why? Until you get the original notes, you can't really go much further.

KENICKIE_2

Thanks everyone. It is a real pickle!! It certainly has taken the shine out of what was a very exciting purchase for me as the back of my mind is I have this ticking time bomb. I have decided i will treat him as having it so for my birthday in feb I am treating myself to a boett rug for my boy!! I cant not treat him as not knowing this info and I live on peat land and have a large pond some 40mx60m in my field!!
The problem with the vet i will take up with the royal college I have a complaints pack on the way. The second vet letter said there had been no documentation in his notes thAT the horse had been itchy..as we speak I have sent both letters to the insurance company to see what their underwrighters think especially as in the second letter it does say although no diagnosis or record of itching was made she was happy to have supplied the first letter clearly saying he had clinical signs consistant with sweet itch!!

Its a total mess. the problem is i cant put it to the back of my mind until we have our day in court as its eating away at me i hate being deceived and lied to in such a blatent way .The original owner knew about this letter and knows what sweet itch is and has tried her best to cover it up. The boett rug was purchased via her insurance using the first vet letter. My vet has been supportive and has supplied a letter for me for court. I could do with a showing person giving me a letter saying a horse can show at county standard with sweet itch if it is appropriatly managed. I just dont know anyone willing