UK horse owners and veterinary practitioners' experiences of decision-making for critical cases of colic.
Authors: Burrell Katie L, Burford John H, England Gary C W, Freeman Sarah L
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Decision-making in Critical Equine Colic Cases When a horse presents with critical colic requiring referral or euthanasia, outcomes depend heavily on rapid, aligned decision-making between owners and vets—yet little was known about how these crucial conversations actually unfold in UK practice. Burrell and colleagues conducted a phenomenological study with 14 owners and 13 veterinary practitioners who had faced critical colic decisions, analysing semi-structured telephone interviews to identify shared experiences and points of tension. Four overarching themes emerged: 'head' (cognitive/financial factors), 'heart' (emotional bonds and relationships), 'practicalities' (transport, weather, preparedness), and 'impact' (long-term consequences). Notably, owners and vets diverged significantly on financial considerations, whilst both acknowledged how the horse-human bond could create conflict during decision-making; additionally, the vet-client relationship itself proved influential, though involving third parties yielded mixed results. Perhaps most striking was owners' profound psychological toll after critical decisions—described as an emotional rollercoaster with lasting effects on guilt, mental wellbeing, and subsequent management choices for other horses—yet participants reported inadequate support systems to process these experiences. For equine professionals, this work underscores the importance of deliberate, collaborative communication when colic becomes critical: recognising that owners' prior knowledge, beliefs, financial capacity and emotional attachment will shape their perspective differently than clinical reasoning alone, and that practical barriers (logistics, weather, available time) warrant explicit discussion rather than assumption. Crucially, the study highlights a gap in pastoral care; vets should consider signposting owners towards professional support or peer networks post-euthanasia, as the emotional sequelae appear substantial and currently unmet.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Recognize that owners and vets prioritize factors differently (especially finances); explicit discussion of these differences during critical cases improves shared decision-making and may reduce owner guilt afterward
- •Allow time to address the emotional bond between owner and horse during critical colic cases, as this relationship commonly creates decision-making conflict; acknowledge and validate these feelings rather than dismissing them
- •Provide clear information about practical barriers (referral facility location, transport logistics, weather impacts, cost) upfront and help owners problem-solve these issues, as unpreparedness significantly influences decision quality
Key Findings
- •Four overarching themes influenced critical colic decision-making: 'head' (financial considerations differed between owners and vets), 'heart' (horse-human relationship and vet-client relationship), 'practicalities' (transport, weather, preparedness), and 'impact' (long-term emotional and behavioral consequences for owners)
- •Horse owners experienced significant long-term mental health impacts including guilt, emotional 'rollercoaster', and lasting behavioral changes regarding future equine management decisions
- •Veterinarian-client relationship quality was influential on decision-making for both owners and vets, with involving others in decisions described as both positive and negative by participants
- •Both owners and vets identified practical barriers including lack of preparedness, transport issues, and adverse weather conditions as significant obstacles to effective decision-making