Baileys Horse Feeds Vet of the Year 2020

We are looking for an outstanding vet who has  made a real difference to the horses in his or her care in  2020, and subsequently has had a positive impact on the lives of their owners, too, for which they cannot thank them enough

The shortlist has been chosen and voting for this award is open for one week only, until 11.59pm on 5 November, in accordance with these terms and conditions.

Proudest vetting moment: “We do a lot of work with the RSPCA and have been involved with some horrific cases. One rescue, Razor – named due to his protruding backbone – was one of the worst cases I’ve seen. He had strangles and a host of other issues but we eventually got him right. He’s now on loan to a client and I see him fairly regularly. He was a yearling when he was picked up and he’s now 15.”

Proudest vetting moment: “One horse was presented with a severe epistaxis (nosebleed) which we quickly diagnosed by endoscopy to be caused by guttural pouch mycosis; this is a fungal infection in a cavity in the Eustachian tube connecting the back of the mouth with the ear. The fungal growth erodes the very large arteries in the pouch and they can eventually leak, sometimes fatally. A colleague and I immediately subjected the horse to a general anaesthetic and cut down on to the artery involved, tying it off, managing to keep the horse alive by flooding his circulatory system with fluids and blood expanders. The life-or-death situations often make us feel most proud of having done our best, win or lose.”

Proudest vetting moment: “We treated a pony for pieces of wire stuck in her throat and tongue, thought to have come from a Chinese lantern. A year and a half later, the pony started to colic frequently. One night, she colicked violently and needed surgery. A piece of wire embedded in scar tissue was found within her intestine. She had several serious complications, and there were times we weren’t sure she would survive. It was so rewarding to see her recover after everything we had been through.”

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Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.