• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Upcoming dvm360 Conferences
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
Veterinary Heroes
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Veterinarians, don't let your horse trainer break her elbow...

May 31, 2014
Bo Brock, DVM

Tuna fish, peanut butter, pregnancy symptoms, a gas-induced elbow fracture-sounds like the makings of one wild commercial.

Have you seen the any of those DirecTV commercials running recently? There's one that has some fella whose cable goes out, and as a result, he feels trapped inside his home ... So he takes up hang-gliding ... Then hits a power line, which knocks the grid out ... Then people start breaking into businesses, looting and the like ... And eventually the guy's dad gets punched in the stomach over a can of soup. The last line of the TV spot says: "Don't let your dad get punched in the stomach over a can of soup—switch to DirecTV."

I had a horse trainer come in to the clinic yesterday who told me a story that made me laugh so hard I had to write it down. It sounded so much like those DirecTV commercials, except the ending would be: "Don't let your horse trainer break her elbow—wear gloves when you give Regu-mate."

The horse trainer came into the clinic with a cast on her right arm. When I asked what had caused such a trauma, one look at her face told me I would never believe it. So, I let it go. We worked on her horses for about an hour and had a lull in conversation as we waited for a joint block to work. As we sat on the bench, she opened up and told me about her broken elbow.

She began by reminding me that a woman is not supposed to come in contact with Regu-mate, a synthetic type of progesterone given to horses to keep them from coming into heat. She explained that it would make a woman gain weight and act as if she is pregnant, among other strange side effects.

Advertisement

The story starts with a woman who had been living with the horse trainer for about two months while she learned to train horses. The horse trainer told me that the woman began gaining weight soon after she arrived to stay. She began eating the strangest things soon after she arrived. The horse trainer would come into the kitchen and find the woman eating things like a can of tuna fish mixed with peanut butter. The trainer couldn't believe it and decided this woman was a really weird person.

After a number of tuna and peanut butter meals, the trainer finally asked the woman why she ate such an odd diet. She responded by telling the trainer that she had no idea, but she was having strange cravings lately that were actually causing her stress and making her gain weight.

The next morning my trainer friend was making her way into the barn in the early morning hours and discovered her guest giving her horse Regu-mate. She was not wearing gloves and had the liquid all over her hands and arms as if it was perfectly safe to have that stuff on you. The trainer told her that Regu-mate was a hormone and that women shouldn't get it on their skin because it could cause adverse side effects. She responded that her veterinarian had not mentioned this. The trainer told her that it may be the reason she is gaining weight and eating tuna and peanut butter concoctions.

That afternoon, the two went to Walmart to do a little shopping. They were in the hair care aisle when the trainer noticed some shampoo she needed, and she bent down to grab it.

When she bent down behind her guest, she was hit with a horrible odor that made her jump back so quickly that she slipped and fell all the way to the hard, tile floor—landing on her elbow. She lay on the floor in the middle of the shampoo aisle in Walmart rolling around in agony. The woman came to her side and asked what had happened. When the trainer told her, she replied, "Oh my, that tuna and peanut butter may have had a bad effect on me. I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself! I had no idea you were behind me or I wouldn't have done it."

The trainer balked while her companion continued to apologize profusely. Eventually, they went and got one of those motorized carts and took the trainer to the hospital where she was diagnosed with the broken elbow.

Which brings me back to the remark that kicked this story off. Always remember: Don't make your horse trainer break her elbow—wear gloves when you give Regu-mate!

Dr. Bo Brock owns Brock Veterinary Clinic in Lamesa, Texas.

Related Content:

Leadership & Personal Growth
The four-letter word to why you're burning out and feeling unproductive
The four-letter word to why you're burning out and feeling unproductive
Shortage of veterinary professionals may be blessing in disguise for the profession
Shortage of veterinary professionals may be blessing in disguise for the profession
Reduce your veterinary teams’ stress with financial wellness
Reduce your veterinary teams’ stress with financial wellness

Advertisement

Latest News

The four-letter word to why you're burning out and feeling unproductive

Merck Manuals recognizes importance of One Health concept

Topical therapy and immunotherapy can save time and frustration with dermatology cases

Texas Tech appoints new faculty member with passion for animal agriculture

View More Latest News
Advertisement