Equine wellness care in ambulatory practice.
Abstract: Clients want dependable veterinary care and to understand how the services will benefit and meet their horse’s needs. Wellness visits provide ambulatory practitioners with great opportunities to strengthen the doctor-client-patient bond; effective communication with clients during wellness visits, where new literature or facts can be presented, can offer opportunities for demonstrating the value of having the veterinarian maintain a primary role in disease control. The criteria for selecting vaccines, interpreting FECs, and diagnosing dental pathology require the continued need for veterinary involvement. When providing wellness services, veterinarians should discuss those services, the reasons for them, as well as the possibility of adverse reactions. In so doing, the veterinarian is able to clearly distinguish himself or herself from a technician who is merely giving a "shot." Although some of these services can be performed by clients and lay professionals, the knowledge and training that veterinarians bring to these tasks add benefits to the horse beyond the services provided. For example, by targeting treatment and conveying the goals and limitations of FECs and deworming to clients, the speed at which anthelmintic resistance occurs will be diminished, and veterinarians will regain control over equine parasite management. Additional client education, such as demonstrating dental pathology to clients and how veterinary treatment benefits their horse, will not only improve the health of the horse further but also solidify the veterinarian’s role in preventative medicine. While all components of a wellness program were not detailed here, services such as nutritional consultation, blood work, and lameness evaluation should be offered based on the practice’s equine population. With the increasing population of geriatric horses, dentistry, nutrition, blood work, and lameness should be assessed annually or biannually. Each practice has its own set of criteria that could be included under the umbrella of "preventative medicine." It is during these times, when the client is most relaxed and not concerned about a serious health problem, that it is easiest to demonstrate the significance of veterinarians in equine wellness care.
Publication Date: 2012-03-14 PubMed ID: 22640587DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2012.02.001Google Scholar: Lookup
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This research article sheds light on the significant role of veterinarians in equine wellness care. It highlights the importance of effective communication between the veterinarian, clients, and patients, the need for tailored treatments, and the value of vaccines and other services that contribute to the horse’s wellbeing.
Role of Veterinarians in Equine Wellness
- The article emphasizes the importance of veterinarians during wellness visits. They play a critical role in educating the client, presenting new literature or facts, and positioning themselves prominently in disease control.
- The veterinarian’s knowledge and skills are crucial for selecting vaccines, interpreting faecal egg counts (FECs), and diagnosing dental pathology in horses.
- Veterinarians contribute more than just administering vaccines or treatments; they provide clients with the rationale behind the treatments and discussions on potential adverse reactions. This distinction sets them apart from technicians.
Benefits of Veterinarian Involvement
- Veterinarians’ involvement extends beyond the service provided. For instance, by targeting treatments and transmitting the goals and limitations of FECs and deworming procedures to clients, the development of anthelmintic resistance can be slowed down. This scenario can help veterinarians take control over equine parasite management.
- Education plays a vital role in the relationship between the client and the veterinarian. For example, demonstrating dental pathology and explaining how veterinary treatment benefits the horse can enhance the client’s understanding of their horse’s health needs and the role of preventative medicine.
Customizing Preventive Medicine Services
- The range of services offered by a veterinary practice should be tailored based on the specific needs of the practice’s equine population. These services can include nutritional consultation, blood work, and lameness evaluation.
- With the increasing population of older horses, a focus on dentistry, nutrition, blood work, and lameness assessment should be taken into account during checkups, either annually or biannually.
- The role of veterinarians in preventive medicine is most apparent during periods when the horse is generally healthy and the client is not anxious about serious health problems.
Cite This Article
APA
Sandoval C, True C.
(2012).
Equine wellness care in ambulatory practice.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 28(1), 189-205.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2012.02.001 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Fairfield Equine Associates, LLC, 32 Barnabas Road, Newtown, CT 06470, USA. csandoval@fairfieldequine.com
MeSH Terms
- Animal Welfare
- Animals
- Communication
- Delivery of Health Care
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Humans
- Interpersonal Relations
- Referral and Consultation
- Vaccination / veterinary
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