b'Arizona Ask the VetREAL COUNTRY CHOOSING A VETthe magazine M aybe you recentlyMuch of veterinary medicine is learned in the purchased a new horse."trenches." Experienced veterinarians will have been Perhaps you just movedexposed to more situations, and most likely developed Mike Barna to a new area or your long-time veterinarian justa better intuition, regarding diagnosis and treatment retired or sold their practice. There are many reasonsof equine diseases and conditions. Fortunately, many Publisher you might be searching for a new veterinarian forpractices have an experienced veterinarian that works ArizonaRealCountryMagazine@gmail.com your horse but don\'t wait until an emergency occursclosely in a support role of younger veterinarians. Keep before you select one. Three oclock in the morning on ain mind that if a new graduate is working alongside weekend is not the time to introduce yourself to a newan experienced clinician, the resulting synergy can Erika Smith Royal vet. All veterinarians are unique individuals, just like allsometimes benefit the horse owner. horses so take the time to choose the right one for you Editor and your horse.Your veterinarian should keep up with the current erika963realcountry@gmail.com veterinary literature and periodically attend continuing The first step is to identify the equine veterinarianseducation meetings. A trusted large animal veterinarian in your area. Friends who own horses, your farrier,has a good understanding of what diseases and Misty Voitovski your boarding facility, or your trainer are all excellentcontagions are high-risk within their community. Creative Director resources. You can also ask for recommendations at your local tack or feed stores. Always keep in mindSpecialists who serve many clients in one area will often that their ideal choice may not be yours. Once you\'vebe able to help monitor outbreaks and offer preventive Contributing Writers identified the equine veterinarians in your community,assistance to help keep your animals healthy. meet them in person to make a fully informed decision. Lee AndersonJustin Legler Here are some of the things to keep in mind as youGOOD HORSEMANSHIPMark MelkowskiBetsy Nunnsearch. Watch how a veterinarian handles horses. Good horsemanship should be part of the package. An equine Jim & Bobbi Jeen OlsonCOMMUNICATION veterinarian should be a confident, calm, and highly Bill RobertsAlan Rockman You want to be comfortable talking about your horse\'seffective horse handler and procedures should go easily care with the veterinarian you choose. Communicationand smoothly. Not every horse is easy to handle, of Bob RoloffJohn Samsill is the key to your horse receiving the treatment hecourse, but veterinarians should not lose their temper, Hank ShefferBuddy Uldrikson needs. Choose a vet who\'s responsive and answerseven with the difficult ones.your questions in terminology you understand. If Michele Wilson a veterinarian uses technical language you dontYou also want to be mindful of the horsemanship understand you should ask for clarification. An openskills of the general staff. This is also a generally good dialogue can help get to the right diagnosis andindicator of the care standards at that practice.801 W. Wickenburg Way treatment more quickly and will reduce the chance of miscommunication or of missing that crucial detail. Wickenburg, AZ 85390 Feeling comfortable with your equine vet should also (602) 254-6644 help you remember and follow the expert advice thats offered during the visit.ArizonaRealCountry.com Your ability to develop a relationship with your veterinarian is very important. Ideally, the veterinary relationship is long-term. Your veterinarian learns more about your animals, their history, behavior, even their personalities, over time. This value of the doctor-patient relationship grows over time. Owners and veterinarians dont have to think the same on every issue to have a Follow Arizona Realgood relationship.Good personality and so-called bedside manner Country for news, events,count, but should not be the only reasons to prefer one veterinarian over another. One owner might not giveaways and more! feel comfortable unless a vet is friendly and chatty. Another might find that superfluous, especially if the practitioner excels in other areas. Some popular equine Arizona Real Country is owned andveterinarians may be popular more for their charm published by Barna Broadcastingthan for their expertise.LLC. No person, organization or partyIf your veterinarian always dismisses your concerns can copy or reproduce the contentas those of an over-anxious horse owner, he or she is on our website and/or magazine orrisking the possibility that you may be correct aboutSOLO PRACTITIONER ORany part of this publication withoutsomething being wrong. Veterinarians should alwaysMULTI-VETERINARY PRACTICE a written consent from the editorslisten to the horses owner. Whether you want a veterinarian who works alone panel and the author of the content, asor is part of a larger practice is a personal choice. You applicable. The publisher, authors andRemember that a veterinary-farrier relationship might only feel comfortable when the same person contributors reserve their rights withis essential to success when dealing with lameness issues. sees your horse every time and there are definitive regards to copyright of their work. pros to knowing that the same experienced vet will be EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE seeing your horse. A veterinarian working as a solo Veterinarians come with a wide range of backgrounds,practitioner has less opportunity to physically interact knowledge, experience, and expertise. continued on page 7ArizonaRealCountry.com September 2020 5'