Why taking the right x-rays in a Equine Pre-purchase Exam can be a dealmaker or -breaker

A lot of horse buyers and sellers have blind trust in a equine pre-purchase exam conducted by the qualified veterinarian of their pick. Vets also know that the result of a equine pre-purchase exam is not a black-or white kind of thing. Doing the right exams with the right equipment can be a game-changer when it comes to conducting a correct equine pre-purchase exam. Hence the importance of taking the correct amount of X-rays with equipment of the highest possible quality like the JRX iQ Digital Imaging System.

You’ve done your initial clinical exam on a horse and you’re considering which radiographs to take. Or you’ve examined a high-level sports horse for a complete equine pre-purchase exam. Whichever situation you’re in, your decision-making on which x-rays to take is of crucial importance. You don’t want to be the veterinarian that misses that bone fragment in a stifle, that will start affecting soundness and needs surgery one year later.

Having the right equipment can significantly change the way you conduct your pre-purchase
exam. It influences your decision making about the necessary supplementary examinations. If you have access to high-quality digital radiography, you know that you can take a considerable amount of x-rays in a short period of time. The higher the quality of those x-rays, the higher the chances are that you can analyze them yourself, without needing the help of a radiology specialist. This boosts your self-confidence, contributes to the relationship with your client and saves him that extra couple of hundred dollars. Another essential point is clear communication with the client. When explaining to a client which supplementary exams you wish to do, you have to communicate your initial findings in a transparent way. You also need to keep the horse’s profile in mind.

For example, when you’re examining a young horse, a buyer might choose not to do too many x-rays. He might be convinced that a young horse can’t have a problem. That kind of owner doesn’t think about congenital and degenerative joint diseases. He only sees the amount of money he’s paying and will see the bill going up with every x-ray you add to it. It’s the vet’s job to explain that findings on a young horse can have a predictive value to its future performance. You could use this argument to explain the importance of doing as many x-rays as possible, within a certain budget. A young horse doesn’t equal a sound horse. And even if you see a sound horse on the trot and after flexion tests, we all know that you can never be 100% sure about what’s happening in its joints. The equine pre-purchase exam can represent a significant part of the budget for the buyer. The accuracy of a vet’s conclusions thus becomes all the more essential. Having access to high-quality radiography equipment can have a positive effect on how you conduct your pre-purchase exam. You’ll save a lot of time and effort, and it will make the communication with the future horse owner that much easier. Definitely worth the investment!