Australian Equine Hospitals Provide the Best Care for Your Horse
As a new horse owner or someone new to an area, finding the right care for your horse is a top priority. This is where equine hospitals come into play, providing specialised care and treatment for your horse’s medical needs.
What Are Equine Hospitals?
Horse or equine hospitals are medical facilities specifically designed to provide veterinary care for horses. Some also treat other equids, like donkeys and mules.
More specifically, these hospitals offer a wide range of services, from routine horse check-ups to advanced surgical procedures.
Equine hospitals can also provide emergency services, ensuring your horse receives immediate care in critical situations.
Equine Hospitals Vs General Veterinary Practices
Although some general veterinary practices do have vets that are experienced with treating horses and other equids, they don’t necessarily have the facilities to treat them at the clinic.
In these instances, they will rely on you, the horse owner, to have those facilities where your horse is kept.
This typically includes a crush or some other safe area for treating the horse. It will also incur a call-out fee and travel expenses to treat the horse.
Specialist equine hospitals on the other hand offer more specialised care than a general practice.
These hospitals have access to sophisticated diagnostic technology, advanced surgical suites, and specialised staff trained specifically in equine medicine.
They also have all the facilities required to treat and look after horses – crushes, stables, yards and so on.
Why Choose An Equine Hospital?
Choosing an equine hospital for your horse’s health and medical needs offers several advantages.
Equine hospitals are equipped to handle complex medical cases that a general veterinary practice may not be able to manage.
Additionally, many equine hospitals offer 24/7 emergency services, ensuring your horse receives the critical care it needs.
Finding The Right Equine Hospital
Finding the right equine hospital can be overwhelming, but there are a few things to consider when making your decision.
Look for a hospital with experienced veterinarians who specialise in equine medicine.
Also, consider the hospital’s reputation and reviews from other horse owners in the area. Social media can be a good place to find these reviews.
Find local horse groups on sites like Facebook and ask for feedback about local horse hospitals in the area.
Also check their after hours services – some horse hospitals have a policy of ensuring a vet always answers emergency after hours phone calls (so you can get immediate advice over the phone and decide the best course of action) whilst others have a paging service, or use Telco messaging services i.e. leave a message and I’ll call you back.
The issue with these last 2 is that the on-call vet may not respond to the paging service (they may for instance be busy with another emergency when your call comes in and then forget to ring you back), or check their messages, leaving you high and dry with a potentially seriously ill horse.
Note – always ask people to message you if they have negative feedback because airing grievances publicly can damage the reputation of these businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Equine Hospitals
What services do equine hospitals offer?
Horse hospitals offer a range of medical services, including routine check-ups, emergency treatment and after care, lameness evaluations, reproduction services, surgical procedures, and dental and oral services.
How do I know if my horse needs to go to an equine hospital?
If your horse is showing signs of a medical emergency, such as colic, a significant injury, or difficulty breathing, always seek emergency veterinary care immediately.
Equine hospitals can provide immediate and comprehensive care for these types of emergencies. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
How much does it cost to take my horse to an equine hospital?
The cost of equine hospital care can vary depending on the services needed.
Routine check-ups or vaccinations may cost a few hundred dollars, while more complex surgical procedures can cost thousands of dollars.
If your horse needs to be hospitalised, you’ll also incur charges for this, which will include treatments costs as well as feed costs.
Note too that having your horse treated at home will incur call out fees and travel on top of the standard consult and treatment fees, and the cost of any medications required.
Some horse owners have an emergency credit card specifically for things like emergency vet care for their horse.
You can also look into pet insurance, as some insurance companies will cover large animals like horses. However, not all types of medical treatment may be covered so check any policy before signing up.
Key Takeaways About Equine Hospitals
Horse or equine hospitals provide specialised care and treatment for your horse’s medical needs from regular health checks to emergency treatment and care. Most offer 24/7 emergency care and a call out service if you can’t get your horse to them.
