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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(5); 1251; doi: 10.3390/ani11051251

Capturing Beneficial Changes to Racehorse Veterinary Care Implemented during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract: In March 2020, the World Health Organisation called for countries to take urgent and aggressive action against a global pandemic caused by COVID-19. Restrictions were introduced in many countries to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and ultimately deaths. Such restrictions have been colloquially referred to as "lockdown". Anecdotal evidence of the beneficial practices that facilitated safe veterinary treatment and equine care had been reported together with an increase in the use of electronic communication and information technologies during the first "lockdown". Thus, the aim of this qualitative study was to capture any beneficial changes to racehorse veterinary care that were implemented during the first "lockdown" period in the UK that lasted from 23 March to 12 May 2020. Ten equine veterinary surgeons who primarily treat racehorses and 10 racehorse trainers were interviewed either by telephone or by videoconferencing. After using thematic analysis from a critical realist social constructionist perspective, four themes were identified. These were, firstly, according to our participants, the trainer-vet relationship is predicated upon a good working relationship, secondly, there had been little or no change in the vet-trainer relationship during the first "lockdown" period. Thirdly, when COVID-19 restrictions were in force, more remote consultations took place using images or videos as well as telephone consults, viewed favourably by both trainers and vets, and finally, intermittent connectivity and poor-quality images and videos limited their effectiveness. In order to fully benefit from the positive changes employed by some vets and trainers in their working relationships, we recommend that rural connectivity is prioritised.
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Publication Date: 2021-04-26 PubMed ID: 33926093PubMed Central: PMC8145652DOI: 10.3390/ani11051251Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research examines the positive changes made to the veterinary care of racehorses during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The study found that despite challenges such as poor connectivity, remote consultations were well received by both vets and trainers.

Background and Aim

  • With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many nations imposed lockdown regulations to curb the spread of the virus, drastically altering how businesses and professions operated.
  • This study aimed to investigate the positive changes implemented in racehorse veterinary care during the initial lockdown period in the UK, which spanned from 23rd March to 12th May 2020.
  • The primary objective was to document useful practices that ensured equine care and veterinary treatment continued despite restrictions.

Methodology

  • To gather this data, the researchers conducted interviews with ten equine veterinary surgeons and ten racehorse trainers. These interviews were done either through telephone or videoconferencing.
  • The researchers then applied thematic analysis from a critical realist social constructionist perspective to discover themes and patterns in the data.

Findings

  • The research resulted in four main findings. Firstly, the survival of the vet-trainer relationship largely depends on a positive working relationship between the two parties.
  • Secondly, the team found little to no change in the vet-trainer relationship during the lockdown period, suggesting the collaboration had adapted well amid the pandemic constraints.
  • Thirdly, there was a significant increase in remote consultations, with the use of images, videos, and telephone consults as mediums of communication. This shift to remote consultations was viewed favourably by both trainers and vets.
  • Lastly, the researchers identified some challenges with the new approach. Remote consultations were often hindered by inconsistent rural connectivity and the poor quality of images and videos restricting their effectiveness in some cases.

Recommendations

  • To fully harness the positive impacts observed in vets’ and trainers’ work relationships during this period, the research team suggested prioritising improving rural connectivity.
  • This approach would increase the efficiency of remote consultations and expand the possibility of maintaining these beneficial changes even beyond the pandemic period.

Cite This Article

APA
Butler D, Upton L, Mullan S. (2021). Capturing Beneficial Changes to Racehorse Veterinary Care Implemented during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Animals (Basel), 11(5), 1251. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051251

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 5
PII: 1251

Researcher Affiliations

Butler, Deborah
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, UK.
Upton, Lois
  • British Horseracing Authority, 75 High Holborn, London WC1V 6LS, UK.
Mullan, Siobhan
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford BS40 5DU, UK.

Grant Funding

  • R100646-122 / Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Wu H, Bains RS, Morris A, Morales C. Affordability, Feasibility, and Accessibility: Companion Animal Guardians with (Dis)Abilities' Access to Veterinary Medical and Behavioral Services during COVID-19. Animals (Basel) 2021 Aug 10;11(8).
    doi: 10.3390/ani11082359pubmed: 34438816google scholar: lookup
  2. Ward A, Stephen K, Argo C, Watson C, Harris P, Neacsu M, Russell W, Grove-White D, Morrison P. The Human Aspect of Horse Care: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted the Wellbeing of Equestrian Industry Stakeholders. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 22;11(8).
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