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Factors that impede progress in veterinary care (equine)
R. Reddy
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To understand the factors that impede the progress of the veterinary care and services it is important to follow a multifactorial approach. The factors involved are:
- Veterinary profession.
- Clients
- Government and other stakeholders in the industry.
Veterinarians
To improve the welfare of animals it is essential to have well trained and skilled veterinarians fully equipped with the moderns diagnostic and therapeutic tools at their disposal. However in the developing nations the problems begins much earlier, in the veterinary education system. Majority of the veterinary schools are not attached to teaching hospitals. In places where hospitals exist, the caseload is not adequate and the hospitals are not fully equipped and appropriately staffed.
There are other issues in practice faced by veterinarians regularly. There are limited opportunities for vets from developing countries to attend CPD and practical courses. The absence of active professional organizations results in absence of CPD, which is mandatory in most developed nations.
Due to accreditation problems the veterinarians cannot enroll in training programs for specialty colleges such as ACVS/ECVS/ACVRMR etc. This has led to a lack of highly skilled specialists in certain countries. These countries are also plagued by “country vets” or quacks practicing medieval medicine that reflects poorly on the veterinary profession amongst the clients. This has resulted in a social perception of veterinarians being inferior to their medical counterparts.
Veterinarians also struggle to provide “good medicine” to their clients due to lack of infrastructural support. Due to financial or geographic reasons most modern diagnostic equipment such as nuclear scintigraphy, MRI and CT are not available. Diagnostic labs are scarce and usually equipped with human equipment and technicians. As with infrastructure and equipment, essential drugs are not available for veterinary use due to government policy. However certain schedule drugs can be purchased illegally that has promoted self-medication and practice by unqualified individuals.
Clients
The client plays an important role in the development of the veterinary profession in any country. The clients or owners in most developing nations perceive horses as working animals rather than companion animals contrary to the countries where animal welfare is well understood. In such circumstances the expectation of the owners from the veterinarian and the horse is different. For example a lame working horse is often not assessed in a similar way to a lame dressage horse. The working horses are usually treated with anti-inflammatories and expected to work as soon as possible.
This results from poor client education and compliance. There is need to develop professional organizations that are responsible for veterinary and client education on the lines with BEVA and AAEP to name a few. Poor client education and compliance results in poor follow up treatment during convalescence. Budgetary factors that dictate the actions of the clients also influence the quality of feeding. Most working horses are often fed poor quality feed with little or no protein. As such client education is essential for progress of animal welfare.
Government and Industry
Government and stakeholders of the equine industry are key members for the progress of the veterinary profession. There are several government departments and agencies involved in the policy making procedure. These departments and agencies are headed by bureaucrats, who may not understand the nature of the profession and may not necessarily prioritize the concerns.
Government policies are usually outdated and not in-line with the current practices. There is a lack of veterinary representation in such policy making. This has resulted in restriction on import or excessive duty on the import of medicines and equipment that impedes the progress of the veterinary profession and incapacitates the vets in practice.
Quarantine rules and protocols need to be addressed urgently. These protocols hinder the progress of the equine breeding and performance industry along with the veterinary profession. Besides the protocols, the quarantine facilities are poorly maintained by the government and private quarantine facilities are not allowed. This causes unnecessary stress on horses post travel.
Another area under government, which needs attention, is the reporting of diseases. There is need for regular and reliable testing and reporting to build an international accreditation. Client and veterinary education on the importance of these matters is crucial. This would in the long run, facilitate establishment of disease free zones and easy import and export of horses.
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