Is DIY medication dangerous?
From toothpaste being recommended to treat sarcoids (news, 15 August) to owners asking for advice on how to treat severely lame horses, leading vets are concerned about a growing trend in owners using online forums to self-diagnose and treat their horses.
Although many of the treatments suggested online might appear harmless, vets warn there may be sinister consequences.
“It won’t be long before a horse needlessly suffers or even dies a result of the wrong diagnosis and treatment,” outgoing British Equine Veterinary Association president Keith Chandler told H&H.
“Social media sites are a really positive thing as they allow owners to discuss and understand their horses. The downside is that the wrong treatment is often recommended.”
For a full report into the issues surrounding DIY medication don’t miss this week’s issue of Horse & Hound, out today — Thursday 3 October.
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Sophia Heath joined Horse & Hound in July 2013 having previously worked for the Daily Telegraph's Olympics website, CNN International and Omnisport. A Durham graduate with a Masters in journalism from City University, Sophia has evented, showjumped and hunted. Sophia left Horse & Hound in early 2015 to join an international boating website.