Frequently Asked Questions
If you do put my horse on antibiotics, why do you give them for such a short period?
This is an important question because it relates to understanding the two ways that we use antibiotics: one is to prevent infection (prophylactic use) and the other is to treat an active infection. With a planned surgery, we are usually preventing an infection. Prophylactic antibiotic use involves giving the antibiotic at a time that allows it to reach its highest concentration in blood and tissues at the same time as the surgery is performed, so that any bacteria that enter the surgery site immediately encounter effective levels of the drug. These are the conditions that give the antibiotic the best chance to work, and we aim for them as much as possible. We might continue to give antibiotics after that if we consider that the risk of infection from another source, such as through the closed surgery wound, is high. However, there is usually little benefit to giving antibiotics after surgery.
Why in a state funded University do horse owners have to pay the full bill for treatment?
The issue of state support is very critical. Firstly, state support of our university and others across the country has been in a state of steady decline over recent years. At some point, state funding will reach a minimum and may even disappear. Also, state support is earmarked for other University related programs, but not for hospital cases. We run our hospital in the same way as any private practice hospital is run. We have to pay for all the drugs, laboratory tests, technical support, and equipment, and these are costly. We have to pay to maintain our facility and to keep it functioning optimally. Therefore, to successfully treat any animal admitted to a university hospital, the hospital must be run the same as any other hospital, and that is to bill for services rendered. When we do not get paid, we lose a considerable amount invested in our cost to treat an individual horse.
My horse is insured for mortality and you have told me that the horse needs a costly treatment to save its life. Can I simply request euthanasia and collect the insurance money?
The insurance company will not pay off under the circumstances outlined in your question. In your policy, you will find words to the effect that if a treatment is recommended to save your horse’s life, the insurance company will expect you to pursue that option. There are no hard and fast rules on this and that’s why it is very important for you and your veterinarians to discuss the case with the insurance company so that all parties understand the conditions. The conditions that the insurance companies will recognize as grounds for euthanasia are clearly defined by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. You cannot define the conditions.
Also, insurance will not pay off for loss of use if your horse is insured from mortality. Loss of use is another type of insurance coverage and is expensive.
My horse is insured for mortality and also major medical expenses. Can you call the insurance company and talk to them about this case?
Absolutely. We would be happy to talk with the insurance company and discuss the case with them. However, it is very critical that you make the first contact with the insurance company and explain to them that your horse is being hospitalized and treated for a particular medical condition. The onus is on you, not your veterinarians, to inform the insurance company about any change in your horse’s health, including the need for surgery. The insurance company needs to be informed beforehand so that they can be prepared for any issues that might arise from treatments that could adversely affect the outcome of the case. They will contact us to get any additional information.
Is there anything we could have done to prevent this from happening?
The answer to this would vary according to the diagnosis in each individual case. This is always a reasonable question but often a very difficult one to answer. The reason is that we simply do not have an answer as to what causes most diseases or why some horses seem more prone to a particular disease than others. It is difficult to understand why an apparently healthy horse that is well maintained can develop a potentially fatal disease with little if any warning. We have always considered research into the causes of diseases to be a very high priority in the veterinary profession. We strongly believe that prevention is always better than the cure. Nonetheless, these are the most difficult types of investigations to conduct for both animals and human beings. Although an apparent cause may be obvious to you under various situations, we frequently see animals with similar presentations that do not have the same background or history as your horse.
My horse is very nervous in new surroundings and would benefit from my presence near his stall or in the hospital as much as possible. Therefore, I would like to spend as much time as possible with him during hospitalization. Is this possible?
We do have visiting hours and some guidelines to follow that relate to visiting horses in the hospital. We would ask that you please refer to those guidelines before you visit. We also ask that you understand that we frequently receive this request but unfortunately have to deny it. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, the benefit that you might perceive is usually not as great as you might think. We hospitalize thousands of horses each year and they all adjust to hospitalization very well. We do our best to accommodate any special needs that any particular horse might have and we look to your guidance on this. Nonetheless, the benefits that you might perceive are far outweighed by the problems associated with long term visitations for hospital patients. There is safety and other issues involved that we must consider. We would ask that you please comply with our policies on this completely.
Can I receive a copy of my medical record including all images generated during hospitalization my horse incurred?
Yes, records can be released once all paperwork has been completed by the treating veterinarian. Please contact the Large Animal Client Service Dept. at 352-392-2229. A records release will be faxed to you and a copy fee will be added to your account.