Lesson 5

Detecting Illness and Emergencies in the Horse

I. What Constitutes a Horse Emergency?

A. Some horse emergencies are obvious; severe lacerations, violent colic episodes, founder, etc.

B. Owner becomes aware that his horse is acting unusual and becomes alarmed.

C. An experienced horseperson can usually tell when a horse problem is an emergency.

D. When in doubt, make the call; discuss the symptoms with your veterinarian.

E. Ultimately the owner or person who sees the horse every day is the best judge of when a problem is an emergency.

II. Symptoms, which raise a red flag.

A. Can’t put weight on a leg.

B. Down and unable or reluctant to rise.

C. Severe sweating or heavy breathing for no apparent reason.

D. Obvious symptoms of severe pain. Colic symptoms – Looking back at the sides, pawing, restless, up and down, sweating, rolling of the upper lip, rolling, or even violent thrashing around.

E. Neurological symptoms – In-coordination, head tilt, staggering, loss of balance, blindness, convulsions.

III. Checking the three vital signs

A. Temperature (100 degrees +/- 1)

1. Human oral digital thermometers work well as rectal thermometers in the horse. Because of the short length of human oral digital thermometers, angle it so the tip touches the inside of the rectum.

Glass mercury or galinstan-filled thermometers take a little longer to get an accurate reading (three minutes or longer). Veterinarian thermometers often have a ring on the end for tying a string and clip to so as not to lose it. (Horses that have a bad case of diarrhea or are in shock have very little rectal tone, and the thermometer could be sucked into the horse.

2. Sudden temperature elevation is most commonly caused by an infection caused by a virus or bacteria such as Flu, or Rhino, or Strangles, or something of that nature. With these infections temperatures can reach as high as 106 very rapidly. Colics, especially early in their course, rarely have a fever. Heat strokes or overexertion situations will show high fever also.

B. Heart rate (40 beats per minute, +/- 6)

1. Left side of chest, above elbow, use stethoscope or hand, or ear to chest.

2. Submandibular artery on either side of the lower jaw. (If horse is not standing still, may be difficult).

3. In colics – 40 to 60 beats per minute –could be considered mild to moderate colic, 60 to 80 beats per minute could be considered moderate to severe and above 80 beats per minute is usually considered a very severe colic. Pain response of the horse usually responds to the severity of the colic and the pulse rate also. Heart rate above 100 beats per minute, on a consistent basis, is a bad sign. Few horses survive the colic episode when the heart rate stays that high.

4. High pulse rates can also be associated with heat stroke, tying up and severe diarrhea problems. When the horse is in shock, no matter what the cause, elevated heart rate is seen.

C. Respiratory Rate (12 to 16 breaths per minute).

1. This elevation is usually associated with pain, high fever or respiratory problems experienced by the horse. Remember one respiration is inhale and exhale.

IV. Other indications of potential illness to check

A. Mucous Membrane (Gum) appearance and Capillary refill time –

1. Normal gum color is a pale to medium pink. If gum color is brick red, this indicates a very serious condition and an emergency (a brick red color indicates toxemia) If the gum color is very pale to whitish, this also indicates a very serious condition (severe loss of blood through internal or external bleeding would cause a very pale gum color). If the gum color is grayish or purplish or bluish in color this also indicates a very serious, life-threatening situation (severe shock). Beware of the environment you are in when you evaluate the gum color, for instance those green awnings will make the horses gums appear bluish or purple, and some horses have dark pigment in parts of their gums.

2. For determining Capillary refill time press thumb against upper gum above incisors, normal time - 1-2 seconds for normal pale pink color to reappear. It can indicate shock and dehydration if the refill time takes longer

B. Skin Pinch Test – In many illnesses and emergencies you may want to determine whether the horse is dehydrated. Horses can dehydrate very rapidly in colic or colitis (diarrhea) problems, as well as heat exhaustion, tying up and even overexertion as in an endurance horse on a very hot day.

To determine dehydration, grasp a piece of skin on the side of the neck with your thumb and fore-finger and pull outward on it and then let go. In the normal horse the skin should bounce right back in place, but in the dehydrated horse, the skin slowly crawls back into place. The slower it bounces back, the more severe the dehydration.

V. Calling the Vet

A. Have emergency numbers for your vet and a back up handy.

B. Be ready to give good description of how the horse is acting, any abnormal vital signs or other peculiar activity. Be as specific as possible.

C. Describe what you have done for the horse so far, get instructions of what to do until the vet arrives and be sure and ask for an estimated time of arrival.

VI. Well Equipped Emergency Kit

A. Keep handy at all times.

B. Keep up to date and clean.

BARN FIRST AID KIT

A. Large Fishing Tackle or Tool Box (can be purchased at a department or hardware store.)

B. Label It (Red Tape in a Red Cross)

1. Rectal Thermometer – (plastic digital works well). Normal Temp. 100 +/-1. Foals 101

2. Stethoscope (Walgreen) Heart Rate ~40 /min.. Respiration rate 12 - 16/min.

3. Vetwrap 3 Rolls

4. Gauze squares. (3x3 or larger).( May have to get from your Vet.)

5. Gauze roll bandage (2)

6. Vaseline. (Comes in handy below oozing wounds)

7. Antiseptic wound ointment and Spray. (Nitrofurazone) (Aluspray)

8. Hydrogen Peroxide.

9. Isopropyl Alcohol

10. Saline solution

11. Betadine scrub

12. Betadine liquid

13. Latex Gloves

14. Bandage Scissors or plastic protective bandage knife.

15. Roll of Sterile Cotton.

16. Disposable diaper or Sanitary Napkin pads

17. Forceps or tweezers

18. Bute Paste/Powder or Banamine Paste

The following could be kept in the tack box (large items used in non emergencies also)

19. Epsom Salts. Used to soak foot abscesses. Add to warm water until it doesn’t dissolve.

20. Hoof Pick

21. Hoof Knife

22. Farriers Rasp

23. Duct tape. (Waterproof a bandage.)

24. Flashlight

25. Zip lock baggies (keep small items clean and free of dust)

Click here to take Exam 5