Whether your horse is coming in during the day for an out-patient appointment, or is staying overnight for a procedure, all owners should in the first instance park their lorry/trailer in the car park and report to reception. One of the nursing team will then come and help you unload and take you through to the yard.
Passports
Please make sure you bring your horse’s passport with you. It is a legal requirement that the passport should be with your horse at all times. It is also important that we record on our practice management system whether section IX has been signed off. This is where you can choose for your horse not to enter the human food chain. If it is not signed then it is assumed that your horse may go for human consumption at the end of their lifetime, and then many medicines cannot be administered, for example “bute” (Equipalazone/Danilon) or pergolide (Prascend).
Lameness assessments
If you horse is coming in for a lameness investigation it is worthwhile bringing your tack with you incase there is a need to see your horse ridden. It is also worth noting the state of your horse’s shoes, as a loose or cast shoe could affect soundness in that limb and mask the other issues at hand.
In-patients
If you are bringing your horse in to be admitted to the hospital you will need to fill out and sign some admission forms. These can be downloaded here and filled in in advance; otherwise a member of the nursing team will run through the questions with you on arrival.
Feed, bedding & rugs
We have most of the usual hard feeds at the surgery so generally you do not need to bring food with you. It is usually only necessary if your horse is on a specialised diet or is on any supplements or medication. We also feed excellent quality hay or haylage depending on what you normally give them at home. All our stables are rubber matted and we using high quality dust extracted shavings. We do have a large array of stable and turnout rugs but it is advised that you bring your horse’s own where possible.
Shoes
Hind shoes need to be removed for Scintigraphy, and all shoes need to be removed for MRI and any surgery being carried out under general anaesthesia.
24hr care
There is a member of the nursing and veterinary team on site 24hrs a day. Routine, twice daily examinations are carried out by our team of house surgeons. Morning treatments are usually completed by 10.30am so you are invited to call the hospital at any time after this to receive an update.
All in-patients receive a late night and early morning check as standard. Additional checks are carried out when necessary and the frequency of these checks is determined by the severity of the condition being treated. The stables also have CCTV, which is a great help in assisting with continuous monitoring.
Visiting
Our visiting hours are 10.00am to 12.00pm and 5.00pm – 6.00pm 7 days a week.
Please ring ahead to let us know when to expect you, and on arrival please report to reception before being taken to see your horse. Our stables are often a very busy area, so for your health and safety we must ensure that there are no procedures being undertaken which may compromise this. Children are more than welcome to visit but we ask that they are under supervision by you at all times. We take every step possible to make our hospital safe but as always, horses are unpredictable creatures, especially those that are unwell or receiving treatment. We groom our in-patients everyday but you are more than welcome to do this yourself or take him/her out for a pick of grass, but please check with one of our nurses or veterinary surgeons first. Horses admitted for scintigraphy remain radioactive for 48 hours after their injection, therefore they cannot be handled during this time. If you wish to visit you may do so, but you will not be allowed entry to their stable.
Collection
When your horse is ready to be discharged you will be notified in advance so that you can arrange transport if necessary. Please organise with reception a time for collection so that we can ensure that all discharge notes and medication required is ready for you. A member of the team will meet you to run through any treatment protocols and after care plans which will have been set by the veterinary surgeon in charge of your horse’s case.
Payment
Clients of the practice will be invoiced under our normal terms and conditions of business. Clients who are new to the practice or who have been referred in by another veterinary surgeon are asked to pay on collection of their horse. Under exceptional circumstances, with the prior approval of a Partner, it may be possible for insured horses to have the insurance companies pay us directly. For horses referred for emergency treatment (such as colic, joint infections, diarrhea) a deposit will need to be paid at admission.
