The task
Assume that today's date is 9 November 2026. Juno is being discharged home this afternoon.
You are the equine surgeon at the Equine Referral Hospital. Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to Dr Ciaran Strachan, Juno's regular equine veterinarian. Update him on the surgery and recovery, and explain the post-operative care, box rest and staged return to exercise. Address the letter to Dr Ciaran Strachan, Strachan Equine Veterinary Services, 42 Mill Road. In your answer: expand the relevant notes into complete sentences; do not use note form; use letter format. The body of the letter should be approximately 180–200 words.
Length: the body of the letter should be about 180–200 words. You have 45 minutes in the test: 5 minutes to read, 40 to write. Letter type: Update letter.
Case notes
Patient details
- Patient: Juno, 12 yo Warmblood gelding, approx. 580 kg
- Owner: Ms Leanne Kinnear, 18 Ridge Lane
- Referred by regular vet (Dr Ciaran Strachan) 30/10/26: colic unresponsive to medical mx on farm
- Admitted: 30/10/26; discharge: 09/11/26
Social background
- Used for amateur dressage; owner hoped to compete again in spring
- Kept at owner's property: stable, small sand yard and grass paddocks available
- Owner says her partner opposed surgery because of cost
- Owner unhappy with size of hospital account; insurance claim pending
- Experienced groom on site, able to hand-walk and check incision BID
Medical history
- Vaccinations up to date (per referring vet)
- Hoof abscess LF 2023, resolved
- Routine dental 6/12 ago
- 1 previous mild colic 2024, resolved with medical mx (managed by Dr Strachan)
- Nil known adverse drug reactions
Presentation and surgery
- On admission: moderate–severe pain, ↑ HR, gas-distended large colon on rectal exam; nil reflux
- Rectal + ultrasound findings consistent with large colon displacement; pain persisted despite analgesia → surgery same day
- 30/10: ventral midline exploratory laparotomy; right dorsal displacement of large colon corrected; pelvic flexure enterotomy to evacuate contents
- Colon viable, no resection required
- Skin closed with staples; abdominal bandage applied
Post-operative progress
- IV fluids, peri-operative antimicrobials + flunixin; antimicrobials ceased 03/11
- Flunixin ceased 05/11; comfortable since, no colic signs
- Appetite good; passing normal faeces; vital signs WNL; afebrile throughout
- Feed reintroduced gradually from day 1 (small frequent hay meals) → now near-normal hay ration
- Incision: dry, no discharge; mild ventral oedema
- Repeat bloods 04/11 WNL
- Owner complained night staff did not phone her with updates
Discharge plan
- Staple removal 12–14 days post-op (11–13/11), by regular vet
- Abdominal support bandage 4/52; check incision BID (↑ risk of incisional infection / hernia)
- Box rest 4/52 (until 27/11) with hand-walking 10–15 min BID
- Then 4/52 small yard / small paddock turnout → gradual ↑ to ridden work; full work approx. 3/12 post-op
- Diet: good-quality hay, frequent small meals; no concentrates for 2/52, then reintroduce gradually; fresh water; avoid sudden feed changes
- Warning signs: colic, ↓ faecal output, fever, incisional swelling/discharge → urgent vet assessment; hospital available 24 h for advice/readmission
- Hospital recheck not routinely needed; request update from regular vet at 4/52
Who is reading, and what do they need?
Dr Strachan referred Juno and is his regular vet, so he knows the horse and the original colic. He needs the surgical findings, the recovery course, and what he must do himself: remove staples, monitor the incision and send an update. Detail should focus on dates, intervals and warning signs, not background he already has.
What to include
Selection is the skill the Content and Conciseness criteria reward. These notes earn their place:
| Case note | Why it belongs |
|---|---|
| Referred 30/10; right dorsal displacement of large colon corrected; pelvic flexure enterotomy | The referring vet needs the reason for surgery, the date and what was done. Pain persisted despite analgesia, which is the basis for surgery that day. |
| Colon viable, no resection required | This finding shapes the prognosis and the recovery plan, and it is a key outcome for the referrer. |
| Antimicrobials ceased 03/11; flunixin ceased 05/11; no colic since; bloods 04/11 WNL | Shows the medication stopped, the date and a settled course, so the referrer knows Juno goes home with no listed medication. |
| Incision dry, no discharge, mild ventral oedema; staples | Gives the baseline against which the referrer and groom will judge the wound later, including the swelling. |
| Staple removal 11–13/11 by regular vet; bandage 4/52; check incision BID | A task assigned to the reader with a specific window. The notes say risk of incisional infection or hernia, and an experienced groom can do the checks. |
| Box rest 4/52 until 27/11, hand-walking 10–15 min BID, then 4/52 turnout | The staged return to exercise is a requested topic. Include each stage in order, with durations, ridden work and full work at about 3/12. |
| Hay, small frequent meals; no concentrates for 2/52; avoid sudden changes | Feeding after colic surgery affects recovery and is part of the post-operative care the reader will supervise. |
| Warning signs; 24 h hospital advice; no routine recheck; update at 4/52 | Lists when to seek urgent assessment and what the hospital expects back. Give all four warning signs together: colic, reduced faecal output, fever, incisional swelling or discharge. |
What to leave out or compress
| Case note | Why it goes |
|---|---|
| Owner's partner opposed surgery because of cost | Private family opinion with no bearing on post-operative management. |
| Owner unhappy with hospital account; insurance claim pending | A financial matter for the hospital and owner, not a clinical handover item. |
| Owner complained night staff did not phone her with updates | A service complaint to be handled separately, not for the referring vet. |
| Hoof abscess 2023, routine dental, vaccinations up to date | Old or resolved routine history unrelated to the colic and its recovery. |
| Previous mild colic 2024 managed by Dr Strachan | Looks relevant, but the reader managed it himself, so repeating it adds nothing. |
| Owner hoped to compete in spring | A goal rather than a clinical fact. The stated timeline of about 3/12 to full work covers what the reader needs. |
A paragraph plan for this case
Open with the purpose, then summarise admission, the surgery and findings. Next cover post-operative progress and the incision. Then set out the discharge plan in order: staples and bandage, box rest and staged exercise, diet, warning signs and the update requested.
Where candidates slip on this task
- Convert intervals into dates carefully: staple removal 11–13/11 and box rest until 27/11 are both counted from the 30/10 surgery, not from discharge on 9/11.
- Juno is a gelding, so use male pronouns or the name throughout. Do not add discharge medication, because none is listed in the notes.
- Give the four warning signs and the 24-hour hospital availability together, and do not add other advice or doses. State the staged exercise in the right order with its durations.
No model letter is published here. Write for the named reader from the case notes in the timed editor, then get it marked.
Write it in the timed editor and get marked on the 6 criteria
More Veterinary Science letter tasks
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- Non-healing deep corneal ulcer in a Pug referral letter
- Recurrent urethral obstruction in a male cat referral letter
Your profession's guide: OET Veterinary Science. Layout and structure: OET letter format.
Questions about this task
How should the staged return to exercise be organised?
Present it in sequence: box rest for 4 weeks with twice-daily hand-walking, then 4 weeks of small yard or small paddock turnout, then gradual increase to ridden work, with full work at about 3 months post-op.
Do I need to mention the owner's complaints and cost concerns?
No. The account, pending insurance claim, partner's view and night-staff complaint are not clinical and do not help Dr Strachan manage recovery. Selecting only what he must act on is the point of the task.
Sources
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