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Category: Students

An irrational fear of the final year

Having averaged four hours’ sleep a night for a couple of weeks, I came out of fourth year exams alive… just.

Poster image created online with the Keep Calm-o-Matic.

Sleeping pattern ruined, and a number of family and friends to see in quick succession (seeing as the next time I’ll be “home home” will be in five months or so), the four-day “summer holiday” we were given was anything but restful.

Midway through a week of induction lectures and “how to cope with real life” talks, the prospect of final year rotations beginning in five days’ time is becoming very real.

However, I think the induction week has had the opposite of the desired effect and, subsequently, I am anticipating my first week in the hospital with utter terror.

Panic mode

In theory, we should have the knowledge base to cope with whatever they throw at us in final year. However, in my panic-stricken state, I can only imagine drawing a blank at the first case I’m given and already feel sick at the thought of looking like the idiot I’m almost certain I am.

I feel under-prepared and tired from the last few weeks, not to mention the fact I don’t know if I’ve passed the exams and deserve to be in the hospital in the first place.

Several family members have asked me if it feels like my time at vet school has gone quickly, to which I can only answer “yes and no” – on one hand, it feels like I’ve always been at vet school; on the other, final year has sprung suddenly out of nowhere.

Time flies

Sound familiar?

More relaxed times seem a long way off, such as soaking up the German sun at a yearling auction, or paddling waist-deep through a swamp to care for a puma. Even scrubbing into orthopaedic surgery a month ago seems much more distant. Time flies when you’re having fun… or are kept stupendously busy by the various aspects of vet school.

While this transition feels tough, I’m sure tougher ones are ahead (such as this time next year, when we’re all about to enter the real world of work), but I’ll worry about those closer to the time.

I can only hope students in the year above (those finishing final year), who claim they felt the same way when starting rotations, were speaking the truth and, somehow, as unlikely as it seems right now, we’ll come out the other side as qualified, competent vets.

The question now is whether to spend the next few days – between the remaining induction lectures – catching up on sleep or frantically trying to relearn everything I’m supposed to already know…

May 4, 2016
Omnicompetence – maybe not so foolish?

The first of April brought with it the usual abundance of amusing online articles, tweets and blogs, only claiming credibility until midday – and the veterinary community was no exception.

Sun Life’s “courtesy pet” joke didn’t have vet student Jordan fooled for a minute.

Some April Fools were obvious hoaxes – such as Sun Life’s courtesy pet scheme, offering owners a replacement pet in place of their beloved while away at the vets – while others were a little harder to interpret, such as BEVA’s announcement of a privately funded equine vet degree – or maybe that’s because I was still half asleep and it was the first one I’d seen before realising the date.

Food for thought

Although it was cleared up at midday that BEVA president Mark Bowen was not due to become dean of the first UK equine-only vet school and that the nine traditional degrees would remain the only ones available, it did provoke some thought about whether it would be such a bad idea after all.

While plans for a traditional five-year omnicompetence approach, followed by a further three years of equine-only study, seemed a little far-fetched (fourth year has nearly finished me off – I certainly don’t think I’d hack eight years at vet school), many veterinary schools around the world use a condensed version of this model.

For example, Utrecht University in the Netherlands follows the format of a three-year bachelor’s degree for all species, followed by a three-year master’s degree aimed solely at one species/area (with the exception of 20 weeks). The University of Leige in Belgium compromises in that the fifth year is spent rotating through clinics for all species and half of the final (sixth) year is spent in one area in particular, with a choice of small animal, farm or equine.

Omnicompetence or specialisation?

The question of omnicompetence or specialisation is highly debatable and seems to go around in circles in the UK. Earlier career specialisation would be favoured by some who know, undoubtedly, they never want to see a cat, dog or rabbit again after vet school – likewise for those who shudder at the thought of an emergency caesarean and an angry farmer.

Early specialisation as an equine vet could mean you’ll never find yourself taking a blood sample from a lion. Image courtesy Shamwari Conservation Experience.

But what about those like me, who, after a considerable amount of vet school already under his or her belt and a variety of EMS placements (good and bad), when posed with the question “what sort of practice do you want to go into?” still can’t come up with anything more eloquent than: “Umm… mixed?”

The advantage of omnicompetence is that, in theory, graduates should leave vet school equipped with the knowledge and skills to address most cases in general practice in any field/species, deal with emergencies and know who or where to refer a patient to if the case is beyond his or her abilities.

Early specialisation could change this to the extent an equine or farm graduate asked “can you just look at my dog” may end up looking a bit silly.

Everything changes

Circumstances also change and accidents do happen. A vet may end up sustaining an injury while working with horses or livestock that could prevent him or her from doing so in the future, so a species-specific degree could force him or her to leave clinical practice altogether.

Similarly to the “new vet schools” debate, it is feared introducing species-specific degrees may reduce job availability for graduates who have taken the traditional educational pathway, making the equine sector, in particular, even more “elitist”. Ultimately, this could potentially drive the profession away from the concept of mixed practice altogether.

Master of one?

More like our medical counterparts, we could lose our “Jack of all trades” status and end up being highly specialised instead, which does, of course, have its advantages, but leaves those of us who want a bit of variety and flexibility in the dark.

For me, omnicompetence is definitely the right starting point for a veterinary degree, but I know others have very different opinions. I did, however, enjoy the brief social media debate before a communal sigh of relief.

My personal favourite April Fool this year, however, was the University of Glasgow’s announcement the university tower would be reopening as a public helter-skelter (see video below) – and I’m still disappointed it isn’t true.

April 20, 2016
Sheep worrying at lambing
Easter brings not only the endorphin rush associated with an abundance of chocolate eggs (perhaps more so for those of us who gave up goodies for Lent), but also the picturesque seasonal backdrop of spring lambs merrily bouncing about.

An abundance of public footpaths allow the wanderer to happily stroll through the British countryside. Image: antbphotos / Fotolia.

If only the reality was so idyllic…

Unfortunately, the lambing season brings with it a growing number of reports of sheep worrying and, even more concerning, reported dog attacks on young lambs.

Right of way

We are lucky to live in a community where many public footpaths allow the wanderer to happily stroll through the British countryside. However, most of these footpaths cross private land, the owners of which have very little choice in their presence and, at best, can apply for them to be moved, but not closed off completely.

The consequence of this is that, short of double fencing or restricting which parts of land are usable, farmers may be forced to keep livestock in fields that aren’t just accessible by the public, but actually form public rights of way.

There are many downsides for the landowner, but most prominently at this time of year is the susceptibility of young lambs to uncontrolled dogs.

It’s a distressing reality there are owners out there who would allow their animals to attack livestock, or lack the good sense to recognise they cannot exercise enough control over their animal to prevent something like that happening.

Keeping it legal

The results of a particularly nasty dog attack on one of my family’s sheep.

The Countryside and Right of Way Act states the public may only exercise their right to access open land if they keep dogs on a fixed lead of two metres or less near livestock.

Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, the owner of a dog worrying livestock is guilty of an offence. More recently, livestock are also covered by the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), under which, if the dog attacks another animal, the owner can be given an unlimited fine, or sent to prison for six months. The owner may also be banned from owning dogs in the future and could be ordered to have the dog destroyed.

While there are laws supposedly protecting livestock, the reality is very difficult to police, unless the farmer catches the guilty dog or has CCTV. A farmer is also within his/her rights to shoot a dog that attacks livestock on their land.

Attacks, while the most instantaneous causes of devastation, are not the only problem. Sheep worrying earlier in gestation can also cause abortion, ultimately at a loss to the farmer.

Encouraging responsibility

Raising awareness within the veterinary and farming community would be preaching to the choir, but is there more we can do, as a profession, to encourage dog owners to take responsibility? Be that keeping their dogs on a lead, obedience training or simply avoiding sheep fields at particular times of year – perhaps it is up to small animal clinicians to lead the way on this one.

Posters in practices reminding owners of the repercussions of their actions could be enough, or even an off-hand remark to an owner about being careful walking through the fields at this time of year.

References
March 30, 2016
Mega dairies: intensive farming? Or just efficient?

Delegates who participated in the farm stream at the 2016 Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) Congress in Liverpool (myself included) had a visit to a so-called “mega dairy”.

So-called “mega dairies” often receive bad press for their size.

The herd we visited had around 1,000 milkers, which seems large when compared to the UK dairy herd average of 123 (according to AHDB Dairy). Yet, in the grand scheme of things – when considering the real dairy giants in places such as the US with herds ranging up to 30,000 and the proposed 100,000 cow dairy in China – it’s questionable as to whether this farm could really even be considered “mega.”

Putting numbers aside, the real reason we were taken to the farm was to see how these large-scale, high-intensity dairy production units function.

Preconceptions versus reality

The public shudders at the words “intensive farming” and, as a vet student, I like to think I have a slightly more informed view on what that means. Saying that, I hadn’t been to a dairy farm on such a scale as this before and was pleasantly surprised by the forward-thinking approach to every aspect of dairying.

The concept behind many of the methods used on this farm is based on maximising production by reducing stress levels in the dairy cow, thereby minimising any health implications and reduction in yield. This is done by time budgeting by accounting for time she wants to spend feeding, lying down, eating, drinking and socialising. The “leftover” time is used for milking, with management tasks fitted around – i.e. pregnancy diagnosing during her time at the feed face.

Regulation and reduction

Milking is fitted around the cows’ “social” time.

Interestingly, the zero-grazing system allows for the cow to regulate her own feed intake depending on her stage of lactation. The straw-based total mixed ration fed is the same for every cow, and differences in energy requirements rely on the reduction of rumen size during late pregnancy to sufficiently reduce intake. This minimises fat cows during late lactation and drying off.

Digital motility assessing scales are used to pick up any load imbalances, which can then be addressed immediately, opposed to 2-3 weeks later, when the cow would begin to show clinical lameness. There is also emphasis on the milking parlour being a stress-free environment so the cattle can enjoy being there without the need for food bribery.

Efficiency effects

Maximising efficiency is key, not only in terms of the cow, but the unit as a whole. Water used on the farm is recycled five times by using it for drinking water, washing and filtering bedding sand from slurry. This process also allows the sand to be cleaned, dried out and reused for bedding. Large solar panels on the roofs of the open-sided housing sheds provide more than enough electricity for the whole unit, with the surplus being shipped out to the surrounding area.

Research has shown the optimum environmental temperature for a cow is much lower than perceived – this is accounted for by the huge open-sided housing buildings and ventilation system. Each detail seems to have been meticulously considered, with continual monitoring and data analysis taking place to ensure production efficiency is maximal. In the efforts to reduce antimicrobial use within the veterinary profession, the farm’s claim to have halved its use, and any veterinary involvement in the last few years, can only be applauded.

Time for change?

Efficiency measures on the farm include water recycling and solar panels (file image).

With its huge open sheds, cows bedded on a calculated depth for maximal comfort with access to feed at any time and constant monitoring for early signs of stress or ill health, while not the idealistic picture of a cow moseying around a field at her leisure, was not far off, and certainly not the grim jumped-to conclusion when it comes to intensive farming.

Public perception is always going to be a huge hurdle for farming, but perhaps we can change that through the right sort of publicity, starting with abandoning the phrase ‘intensive farming’ and all associated misconceptions, and replacing it with something like ‘efficient’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ farming, because that is exactly what it is.

March 9, 2016
Work hard, play hard

At the end of January I travelled down to Nottingham for the third annual Student Equine Veterinary Association (SEVA) symposium.

Image: Roman Milert / Fotolia.

The weekend was crammed with lectures, practicals and seminars relevant to horses in particular, for equine enthusiasts from all UK vet schools – and even some from further afield.

Auspicious start

Any congregation of vet students is eventful, and the weekend kicked off with us accidentally setting the toaster on fire before making our way to campus for the first set of lectures.

It’s always interesting to see other vet schools in their settings: the short journey through the Midlands countryside was quite different from our commute in the West End of Glasgow.

Sarcoid legend

Big names in the equine vet world were present to deliver talks on a range of subjects from the emergency colic, orthopaedics, the racing vet and reproduction.

The British weather was against some of the guest speakers and, after battling the snow to make his plane, Prof Derek Knottenbelt arrived a little later than planned to deliver his lecture on oncology – a highly amusing and informative presentation that proved the renowned sarcoid legend was worth the wait.

Jonathon Pycock, as well as delivering a talk on reproduction, ran a seminar on the Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) and through the medium of hilarious anecdotes, encouraged students to make use of the VDS in the future should they ever get into a sticky legal situation.

Practicals covered a wide range of subjects, but I had chosen cardiology and farriery.

Matters of the heart

The cardiology practical covered auscultation of the normal horse and localisation of a heart murmur in the abnormal horse, followed by ultrasound scanning of the heart; something I’d never done before.

We were able to use electronic stethoscopes during the session – the difference they made was incredible (shame I haven’t got a spare £400 to upgrade from the manual one). We then had a related seminar on diagnosing and interpreting heart murmurs from auscultation recordings and ultrasound videos, which was very helpful in trying to distinguish heart sounds more clearly.

Veterinary students taking part in the cardiology practical.

Local Army Farriers ran a session on farriery, allowing us to practice removing a shoe, putting a shoe on and the approach to an abscess in the foot. We later discussed the use of different remedial shoes for various conditions and urged us to communicate effectively with farriers in order to work together to achieve the best solution to problems of the foot.

Party on

Saturday evening played host to a black tie ball, with great food and wine and a live string band, before continuing the party with many of the speakers also dancing among the students until the early hours.

As with all vet events, I had a fantastic time and would urge other students to go to at least one of these symposiums or congress during their time at vet school.

Even if it’s revision, I find learning something you think you might know reasonably well in a different format will highlight areas you need to work on and help consolidate things better. While the focus is primarily academic, I think these weekends are still always true to the vet school mantra of “work hard, play hard”, and I always have a fab time.

February 17, 2016
Lost and found: why microchipping is a must
Doogle’s plight found its way into the hallowed pages of The Hinckley Times.

One of our cats – Doogle, a home-loving feline who rarely sets foot outside the garden – recently got himself caught under my mum’s car, only to drop out when she’d driven along a few streets and run, startled, across the fields toward the next village.

Posters, local press coverage and Facebook shares resulted in a few potential leads on his whereabouts (we’d localised him to 2-3 miles from home) but, as a cat that doesn’t normally roam far, we never thought he’d find his own way back. The only comforting factor was the knowledge he was microchipped – should someone find him and take him to a rescue centre or vet, he’d be returned to us.

Cats vs. dogs

As cats tend to stray (or get lost), the advantage of microchipping them is clear, but it isn’t a legal requirement. It will, however, become law in England and Scotland for dogs to be microchipped from 6 April 2016. This change in the law means that all dogs must be chipped by 8 weeks of age and the appropriate details registered to the chip must be up to date.

Unfortunately, while we did have Doogle microchipped, we realised we hadn’t registered our contact details with the microchip company, despite him being 18 months old and having been chipped as a kitten.

This is something many dog owners will have to consider in line with the new law: if an owner does not keep the dog’s information up to date on a relevant database, or the dog is unchipped, a notice may be served giving 21 days in which to rectify the situation. If they still fail to comply, a fine of up to £500 can be issued or the dog may be seized and microchipped.

Raising awareness

Doogle managed to make his way home without the aid of microchip technology, but not all pets are so lucky.

Ignorance is no excuse, so we must make clients aware of the new regulations, and in some cases, the exemptions:
- Working dogs that have their tails docked in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are allowed an extended time limit of 12 weeks before they must be chipped (this applies to England and Wales only – tail docking is entirely banned in Scotland).
- Implantation can also be delayed if a vet believes it could adversely affect a dog’s health. In these cases, the vet must certify this is the case and state the expiry of the exemption, by which time a chip must be inserted.
The introduction of the law will help trace inherited defects, tackle puppy farming and promote responsible dog ownership, not to mention the peace of mind that chipping gives owners should their pets be lost or stolen.

Much to our disbelief, Doogle managed to find his own way home two weeks after he first went missing, so we never relied on his microchip for him to be returned, but we can now appreciate the relief of knowing it’s there (with the correct details registered) if he ever disappears again.
- Source of microchipping information: www.thekennelclub.org.uk/microchippingfactsheet
January 30, 2016
Barking up the right tree – with Trusty Paws
Originally a charity set up by veterinary students for the homeless hounds of Glasgow in October 2014, Trusty Paws has become incredibly successful and has received a huge amount of public support.

This success has allowed the charity to run monthly clinics at the Simon Community Scotland drop-in centre, providing free health checks, vaccinations, microchipping, and flea and worming treatment for the pets of the homeless.

Essential supplies, such as food, coats and harnesses for the dogs, are also given out at these clinics for those in need.

Branching out

The success of the Glasgow clinics has led to a branch of the charity opening in London, with the first clinic taking place in November 2015.

Run by fourth year RVC students, the clinics take place at the West London Day Centre in Marylebone, which also provides other services for the homeless.

The expansion of the charity is excellent news for the pets of the homeless, for whom we can continue to provide the veterinary care they deserve.

In at the deep end

Poor Bruno has been diagnosed with Cushings Disease. @DogsTrust @SaveABulls @SimonCommScot pic.twitter.com/GwwaJ0Iruj

— Trusty Paws Clinic (@Trusty_Paws) January 15, 2016

The Glasgow clinics are organised by the student committee, but health checks are conducted by other fourth year student volunteers. Last week I had the chance to get involved and, under the supervision of a volunteer vet, conducted my first full consultation that didn’t involve actors in a communication skills class.

My patient, Bruno, wasn’t particularly well. The owner said he was not himself (he certainly looked depressed), had lost a significant amount of weight since his last visit and had a slow heart rate, in addition to some evident skin issues.

The vet suspected Cushing’s disease, so we referred him to the local Pets’n’Vets branch that undertakes any secondary veterinary care Trusty Paws patients require. They have conducted blood tests, paid for by the charity, and have confirmed the diagnosis.

Offering support

While a little daunting to be thrown straight into a full consultation, I thoroughly enjoyed helping out at the clinic and would certainly encourage other students (whether in Glasgow or London) to do so in the future.

The clients are extremely appreciative and evidently love their pets dearly, so it’s easy to see the benefits of such a charity to everyone involved.
- If you can’t get directly involved, but wish to offer financial support, donations can be made via PayPal.
- Alternatively, the charity has two Amazon wishlists (one for Glasgow, one for London), enabling supporters to purchase specific products that each clinic requires.
January 15, 2016
Festive threats to four-legged family members

Now well into December, and getting ever closer to Christmas, there will be an abundance of “goodies” around the house that are not so good for the four-legged family members.

Jordan advises colleagues to ensure clients keep an eye on their pets during the festivities. Image: © Freeimages/s22k.

Most owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate and so are likely to rush down to the vet on Boxing Day when their Labrador has broken into the tin of Heroes – but what other festive dangers are there that owners are not so clued up on?

Pudding

The festive favourite Christmas pudding, while enjoyable for us, can be lethal for pets. It is the raisins, currants and sultanas that may lurk within that are poisonous.

While the mechanism of toxicity is poorly understood, we know it can cause acute kidney failure in dogs.

The treatment protocol for poisoning by raisins, etc, is similar to general suspected poisoning with an unknown agent: give an emetic (to make the animal vomit), an adsorbent (for example, activated charcoal) and supportive care (IV fluids) to protect the kidneys for a few days.

Antifreeze

Ethylene glycol, more commonly known as antifreeze, is extremely toxic to pets, with consumption of tiny amounts resulting in crystal formation in the kidneys, and so acute renal failure. Antifreeze smells and tastes sweet, so pets are often attracted to it. For this reason, it is best for owners to ensure it is kept in a secure container, well away from pets.

Early symptoms include neurological signs, such as wobbliness, twitching, seizures and depression. As the poisoning progresses, the animal will have cardiac and respiratory signs, such as increased heart and respiratory rate. It’s vitally important owners look out for these signs if their pets have had any possible access to antifreeze (for example, if they’ve got into the garage or if a cat has been missing for a few days and potentially been locked in someone’s shed).

The antidote for ethylene glycol poisoning is ethanol, because it replaces ethylene glycol as a substrate for the enzyme that breaks it down into toxic products. More specifically, lab-grade ethanol is best.

Sweetener

Xylitol is a sugar-free sweeter that is used in chewing gum, cakes and sweets, particularly diabetic foods. Xylitol causes insulin release in the body, resulting in hypoglycaemia and, later, liver damage.

Symptoms include vomiting and signs of hypoglycaemia: lethargy, weakness, collapse and, if it progresses, seizures and coma. Unlike ethylene glycol, there isn’t a specific antidote, but supportive care, including fluids and liver protectants, is vital. The prognosis for xylitol toxicity is good if the animal’s hypoglycaemia is corrected quickly, so it is essential for owners that suspect this to contact their vet immediately. If you’re trying to determine whether xylitol is in a product, it is often listed as a food additive, code E967.

Decorations?

And don’t forget the potential foreign body too – if the cat has been playing with the tinsel and managed to swallow some or the dog has ingested a few tasty looking baubles.

Enjoy the festive season, but advise owners to keep an eye on their pets this Christmas.

December 15, 2015
Being English in Scotland

Coming from the centre of England, studying veterinary medicine in Scotland has its quirks. In my first week I was immersed in an entirely new language that had nothing to do with my choice of course.

One of my Scottish friends loves to remind me of the golden moment in an introductory lecture when I leaned over and whispered “who’s Ken?” (as in “I dinnae ken”, or “ken what I mean?”).

But this week, during a lecture on bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), I was left wondering about the geographical impact of studying in Glasgow compared to friends who stayed closer to home.

North of the border

The BVD virus has a pretty interesting mechanism that, while making for fascinating reading, is the reason it wreaks havoc on the UK’s cattle industries and can be pesky to both diagnose and get on top of in the herd.

While BVD is prevalent all over the UK, Scotland is significantly further ahead than my home turf in the control of this disease, mainly due to a government-implemented eradication programme in recent years.

In England, however, many farmers are unaware of the disease or reluctant to undertake the costly exercise of hunting persistently infected calves within the herd, which, at the moment, is not compulsory – unlike in Scotland.

Now there was a lot of joking about England letting the side down and being a bit useless, but the reality is that until England plays catch-up and implements an eradication scheme, it’s going to be extremely difficult for the Scottish eradication to be 100% successful – short of throwing up a double fence between us and them.

Regional issues

If I were studying elsewhere, I wonder how the emphasis would differ depending on the prevalence in that region. Several times in my lectures I’ve heard Angiostrongylus (heartworm) brushed off as a differential if the animal has been to the south of England, with little much else said.

Would that be given more time in an area with higher prevalence, if I were studying in London for example?

At the end of the day, we all come out as vets, no matter where we’ve studied, and, while some topics may get more emphasis because of their regional importance, we’ll still need to pay particular attention to those conditions or diseases more commonly found in the areas we end up working in. So I don’t think geography has a dramatic impact long term (unless you never intend to leave your university city).

And after all, Scotland knows how to ceilidh.

November 30, 2015
A high-risk profession

Currently nursing a bruised tailbone after being propelled twice from a four-legged fiend I had a disagreement with regarding a small upright jump, I can’t help but wonder why we do these stupid things.

“HorseKick” by Daniel Johnson. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Horses can be hazardous enough when you’re on top of them, but they’re not all angels at ground level either. The results of a 2014 study commissioned by BEVA revealed equine vets are at the highest risk of sustaining injury out of all the civilian occupations in the UK.

While these results have been published for some time, and whether the news was surprising or not on first reading, my recent injury certainly made me consider more seriously whether we are cautious enough around horses in a veterinary context.

I was probably about as safe as possible this week during my falls, kitted out with a high standard helmet and air jacket, yet I still got injured. We can’t prevent every injury or accident possible, but we can try to take measures to minimise the damage.

The second most common site of injury reported by equine vets in the study was the head, but when was the last time I saw a vet enter a stable wearing any form of head protection? Never.

In some cases, I believe this is a matter of pride, practicality or even client confidence. If a vet turned up at the yard with a riding hat on, clients may believe they’re not confident around horses – and how difficult is it to look into a horse’s mouth while rasping teeth with bulky headgear?

“Jousting? No, I’m just off to the stables…”

However, safety should come first and perhaps vets should consider being more vigilant, despite the potential judgemental attitude they may be presented with.

What about repro work? I’ve seen many a fractious thoroughbred mare lash out with her hindlegs while being scanned, luckily with an appropriate board or stocks used to protect the vet. But I have seen an equal number of occasions when vets have been rectal scanning with nothing except confidence in a “good tempered” horse to protect them.

So, how can we make situations like that safer, short of carrying a portable kick board in the car or persuading clients to invest in appropriate equipment.

It should be a daunting prospect entering a profession that has been proven to carry the highest risk of injury in the country, and yet most of us take this as a given, not giving it much thought. The results of the study have only confirmed what many of us already knew about equine work, but I think it should act as a wake-up call to encourage vets or practices to alter policies to maximise safety in the field.

After all, it would be pretty miserable work if most of the time was spent hobbling around like I currently am.

November 16, 2015