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07.22-24.2012
Registration Now Open for AAEP’s Hindlimb Lameness and Business Education Summer Meetings
 Register
today for the American Association of Equine Practitio... More »
Start of Gaited Horse Show Season Heightens Commitment by AVMA, AAEP and USDA to End Abusive Practice of Soring
 SCHAUMBURG, Ill., April 11, 2012 -- Soring, illegal for more tha... More »
Applications for Funding through the AAEP Foundation Due May 1
 The American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation is... More »
Follow AAEP Biosecurity Guidelines to Reduce Risk of Infectious Disease Transmission during Breeding Season
 The American Association of Equine Practitioners urges those inv... More »
AAEP Foundation Asks Veterinarians to Submit Cases for Laminitis Study
 First Laminitis Research Project study attempts
to identify ris... More »
AAEP Foundation/Markel Insurance Company Honor Top-Achieving Veterinary Students with Scholarships
 Eight outstanding equine veterinary students selected for schola... More »
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The Relationship Between the Owner and VeterinarianHow many clients does a racetrack veterinarian typically have?
A. On the racetrack, most veterinarians, with a few exceptions, are hired by a trainer who essentially becomes a client of the veterinarian. In such a manner, the veterinarian indirectly works for an owner who is responsible for the costs of veterinary care of the horses that they own, while the trainer is responsible for the welfare of that horse. Therefore, a veterinarian on the racetrack will have a subset of clients (owners) within their primary set of clients (trainers). It is therefore critical that a strong relationship between the owner, trainer and veterinarian be established to ensure the success of the program. The number of clients that a racetrack veterinarian has will depend on numerous variables such as the size of the practice (# of veterinarians), specialty practices and geographical locations of racetracks. More-established veterinarians tend to have a larger client base for obvious reasons.Jeff Blea, DVM
Von Bluecher, Prida, Blea, Inc.
Equine Medicine and Surgery
Sierra Madre, Calif.
Should an owner have a direct relationship with their veterinarian or is everything coordinated through the trainer? A. This is really two different questions. Veterinary care needs to be coordinated through the trainer. There are a number of regulatory and practical reasons for this being the case. For example, by regulation the trainer must ensure the condition of the horse for the race. This has been interpreted as meaning the trainer is responsible for any prohibited substances in the post-race drug testing whether inadvertent or not. The trainer is also the day-to-day caregiver of the horse in his or her charge and knows the horse’s training and racing status. Therefore, the trainer is in the best position to make those decisions.
This is not to say the owner is not consulted relative to veterinary care. The level of communication is entirely dependent on the relationship between the owner and trainer. Ideally, ground rules agreeable to both parties have been established prior to the horse being sent to the trainer. Whether you have a direct relationship with your veterinarian depends on the trainer and to a lesser degree on the veterinarian. The AAEP strongly recommends owners have open communication with their veterinarian. The veterinarian’s fiduciary responsibility to the owner and, if they wish, the owner has a right to expect the same level of communication as with your lawyer, accountant or trainer.
Some trainers encourage such communication between a veterinarian and the owner while others won't allow it. If you want a direct relationship with your veterinarian, you should establish this prior to employing the trainer. Very few veterinarians will communicate directly to an owner without the knowledge of the trainer. Even though the owners pay the bills, the trainer usually chooses the veterinarian. As a corollary, if you don't like a trainer’s veterinarian, you are better off looking for another trainer than forcing the trainer to change veterinarians. As a practical matter, very few owners have direct routine communications with their veterinarian.
Rick Arthur, DVM Sierra How much should an owner understand about basic veterinary care for the racehorse? A. As an owner, you should know that there exists a need for routine veterinary care for any horse in training. This would include:
Horses in an active racing schedule will likely necessitate additional veterinary care. It has been shown that nearly 100% of racing horses experience some degree of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). This condition may require a range of evaluations and treatments, such as endoscopic exams and medications, throughout the horse’s career. Many trainers will have a pre- and post-race medication regime based on individual minor infirmities or past successes. Any diagnostic procedures that are performed as a result of injury, sickness or reduction in race performance should not be considered “routine” care. Pre-purchase examinations such as radiographs or endoscopy are not considered to be “routine.”
It is the trainer’s responsibility to bring a problem with a horse’s health to the veterinarian’s attention. Subsequently, the veterinarian will diagnose and recommend a treatment or recommend further diagnostic procedures that will help identify the problem. A diagnosis will not always have an available treatment that will restore the horse to a sound horse for racing. With new technology, your veterinarian might be able to diagnose and provide more options for preserving the longevity of the horse's racing career A diagnosis will not always have an available treatment that will restore the horse to a sound horse for racing. Benjamin Franklin, Jr., DVM |
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American Association of Equine Practitioners |
