Working together

Following any diagnosis, successful treatment relies on the horse’s owner as well as the vet. Karen Coumbe MRCVS examines findings from a recent study

- Karen Coumbe

DETERMINING the most appropriate course of action following a diagnosis is not always straightforward. However, vets have a clear ethical and legal obligation to ensure their clients have sufficient understanding to be involved in decisions about their animals’ care, and to give informed consent to treatment. The ideal way to do this is in person, but the pandemic has somewhat limited the extent to which vets can do this.

Vets want to use shared decision-making as much as possible, so that clients are closely involved in deciding which of the available treatments for any given condition is the best for their horse.

Sadly, there are sometimes suggestions that vets may dispense treatment additional to that which is required, to fulfil commercial targets or for profit. I believe this to be absolutely untrue; but the existence of such rumours illustrates the need for close cooperation and clear communication between vet and horse owner – trust and communication are critical to ensuring a successful outcome to any treatment and, therefore, to the horse’s wellbeing.

To be effective, any treatment must be carried out as prescribed, and horse owners bear much of the responsibility for the day-today aspects of this.

Once the various options are clearly communicated to the horse’s owner, any risks can be more clearly understood and a proper plan – that takes into account both the available evidence and practical and economic considerations, and which will work well for all involved – can be agreed.

CUSHING’S COMPLIANCE