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Comments on the dilemma in the July/August issue: ‘Billy the kid’
Author(s) -
Dale Michael
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inp.h4393
Subject(s) - sympathy , notice , medicine , clinical judgement , welfare , dilemma , thursday , law , family medicine , political science , psychiatry , philosophy , epistemology , linguistics
The dilemma in the July/August issue concerned Billy, a 15‐month‐old Toggenburg buck goat which had suddenly become sick with suspected enterotoxaemia. The goat was out of date with its clostridial vaccinations and on examination was very ill, passing diarrhoea and blood. The vet agreed with the owner that this was enterotoxaemia. The owner insisted that ‘money is no object’ in treatment, but the risk of death was high and the goat was in pain ( IP , July/August 2015, vol 37, pp 374‐375). Richard Brown suggested that immediate welfare of Billy needed to be weighed against the potential future welfare of the herd, as he was a buck and kept for breeding. Communication with the owner was key and the vet should show empathy and sympathy. The risks, costs and possible outcomes should be explained to the owner, and he suggested that a professional opinion should be given. If treatment was chosen, it might be prudent to ask the owner if clinical judgement, without notice, could be carried out if Billy's health deteriorated. The matter of missed vaccinations should be followed up at an appropriate later date.