FAQs for Veterinarians

A: ColiCare supports your ability to keep your patients healthy and your clients happy. We hope that through the combination of a comprehensive wellness program offered by you, the veterinarian, and our digestive supplements, we can help reduce the risk of colic in our clients' horses. Should a horse in your care experience a surgical colic, ColiCare increases the likelihood that the client will elect the surgery, possibly saving that horse's life. Beyond that, the ColiCare program gives clients an incentive to fully tap into your wellness offering. Horses enrolled in ColiCare are required to receive annual physical and dental examinations and veterinarian-administered vaccinations. We also hope to return you, the veterinarian, to a more central role in parasite control and contribute to broader adoption of modern deworming methods, such as those recommended by the AAEP. 
 

A: There are no extra fees for clients to enroll in ColiCare. The main costs for clients to participate are the preventive medical services and vaccinations provided by your practice, and the monthly supply of a ColiCare eligible product purchased in the SmartPak™ Supplement Feeding System.
 

A: Yes, there are exclusions for horses having undergone a previous colic/abdominal surgery, horses having experienced an episode of colic in the past 12 months, and horses with a history of chronic colic. Previous colic/abdominal surgery is defined as any previous surgical procedure to a horse's abdomen. We define colic in the past 12 months as any veterinarian-attended colic episode in the past 12 months. If the veterinarian was called out to attend the horse by the owner or person with care, custody and control of the horse, this is considered a colic episode regardless of whether or not the attending veterinarian treated the horse. Lastly, chronic colic is defined as a horse experiencing 3 or more separate episodes of veterinarian-attended colic within a 12 month period. 
 

A: No, because clients are required to list their horse’s veterinarian during the enrollment process, we do not require veterinarians to register with SmartPak in order for their clients to participate in ColiCare. We will regularly inform you which of your clients have enrolled horses in ColiCare, so you know which horses should be maintaining compliance with the Annual Wellness Requirements.
 

A: No. There are no special record-keeping requirements for veterinarians. Should a colic surgery claim occur, we will ask you to confirm that the horse has met both the initial Eligibility Requirements, as well as the Annual Wellness Requirements via a ColiCare Program Compliance Affidavit. 
 

A: No. The ColiCare program is designed to allow you, the veterinarian, to focus on providing optimal care for your clients while we handle the enrollment paperwork, compliance, product sales, inventory, delivery, and customer service aspects of the program. If you have a client that is interested in enrolling in ColiCare please have them visit SmartPak.com/ColiCare or call 1-800-461-8898.
 

A: Yes. Horses owned by veterinarians are eligible to apply for ColiCare and will be eligible for the same level of reimbursement as client-owned horses. 
 

A: Yes. We will honor your veterinarian professional discount on ColiCare eligible products as well as all other products we offer, for your own personal use (some exclusions may apply). 
 

A: While we don’t require documentation of the Annual Wellness Requirements at the time of enrollment, should your patient undergo colic surgery, we will require verification that the horse has met the Annual Wellness Requirements in the 12 months prior to the client’s claim.
 

A: While the selection of vaccines for individual horses under your care remains your professional decision, the AAEP Vaccination Guidelines released in 2012 lists as Core Vaccines Tetanus, EEE/WEE, WNV, and Rabies while including Herpesvirus, Influenza, Potomac Horse Fever, Strangles, and others as Risk-Based Vaccines.
 

A: You do not need to personally deworm any patients under your care that are enrolled in ColiCare. To meet this part of the Annual Wellness Requirements, the horse owner needs to work with you to develop a parasite control program that includes at least one fecal test and two deworming administrations per year. The specific chemicals used, and when, are up to you to decide based on your professional judgment.
 

A: No. We do not require pre-authorization. It is the responsibility of the client to maintain compliance with the Annual Wellness Requirements. 
 

A: In the event of an approved colic surgery claim, SmartPak will reimburse the client up to $15,000, independent of any insurance or additional reimbursement program associated with the horse. 
 

A: No, ColiCare is only available to horses residing in the United States.
 

A: We would love to help you spread the word about ColiCare! You can request a veterinary media kit for your office or mobile vehicle by contacting us (see below). You can also direct any clients to our ColiCare webpage for more information.

• Website: SmartPak.com/ColiCare
• Phone: 1-800-461-8898
• Email: ColiCare@SmartPak.com

ColiCare is a colic surgery reimbursement program, and therefore only covers costs associated with colic surgery (surgery related specifically to the digestive tract) incurred at a veterinary surgical facility. It does not cover expenses associated with a non-surgical colic episode.