( FIRST AID ) Equine emergencies
and how to deal with them By Dr Susanna Ballinger BVSc CertAVP(EP) MRCVS
O
bvious equine emergencies vary from a cut leg to severe colic. However, some emergencies may not be so easy to spot so it is important to know and become familiar with
your horse’s normal vital signs. Choke
Normal vital signs for an adult horse (Note - ranges vary for foals)
Rectal temperature Heart rate
Respiratory rate
Mucus membrane (gums) Gut sounds
37.2oC - 38.3oC 28 – 42 bpm 10 – 20 bpm
pale pink and moist
gurgling, gas like growls and tinkles
Have your veterinary surgeon’s number programmed into your phone, and post it up in the lorry, tack room or on the stable door. You never know when you – or others – may need it. A comprehensive equine first-aid kit is a must for any tack room or lorry. The kit should include a thermometer and bandaging materials, as well as a poultice, scissors and other essentials.
Emergencies may require referral to an equine hospital for further assessment and treatment so be prepared with options for transport. Do you have a lorry or trailer? Is there enough diesel in the vehicle? Who do you call for transport if you don’t have your own – is it a friend or commercial transporter? And, do you have sufficient funds or equine veterinary fees insurance to cover further treat- ment? Being prepared makes decision-making in an emergency easier, quicker and less stressful.
Colic: The presentation and signs of colic indicate pain and include:
Rolling Flank watching Pawing the ground Belly kicking Lip curling Not eating Lying down / lying flat out
Horses and ponies with colic are unpredictable and may collapse and kick out at random – so take care. Clinical signs do not necessarily correlate with the severity of the scenario and a major colic is not necessarily indicated by dramatic rolling. Colic is an emergency so call your vet and whilst waiting for them to arrive, remove all food and water. If possible, quietly walk the horse. If this proves challenging and the horse wants to lay down and roll, ensure they are in a safe environment such as a manege, away from fencing, with a lunge line attached. A field is also suitable. If a horse is rolling in a stable, the confined space can lead to physical injuries to the horse and handler. It is a common myth that rolling causes a twisted gut.
Many colic cases are an accumulation of gas or spasms within the gastrointestinal system and respond well to symptomatic treatment following assessment by the vet, albeit some impactions necessitate repeat visits. However, signs of colic may also indicate more sinister underlying problems which require multiple visits to identify, or surgery to rectify a torsion (twist) or displacement. Prompt veterinary assessment is therefore essential. An assessment will include clinical examination as well as examination per rectum
8 JULY/AUGUST 2019
Choke is oesophageal obstruction and can be dramatic and distressing to witness. The oesophagus is the food pipe between the mouth and the stomach and is a muscular tube. It can become blocked with food, typically during or aſter a hard feed.
Clinical signs include coughing and retching, with saliva, feed matter and mucus ejected from the horse’s nose and mouth. The neck arches upwards as the spasms occur. Sometimes a lump can be palpated on the underside of the neck but equally the obstruction can occur much lower down, oſten where the oesophagus enters the chest cavity. This can present as a very frightening situation but in many cases, it resolves as quickly as it presents.
Choke is common when greedy horses eat dry feed, which combines with saliva and blocks the oesophagus. Other causes include feeding inadequately soaked sugar beet, feeding a sedated horse who is not fully awake and feeding exhausted horses. Other, less common issues leading to a predisposition to choke include dental disease which prevents proper chewing of food, external masses, e.g. abscesses or tumours, pressing on the oesophagus, or ulceration and stricture of the oesophagus.
Until the vet arrives, remove feed and water and leave the horse quietly. Gentle walking is fine if this helps calm the horse.
Diagnosis is by clinical signs. Medical management will clear many cases but for more severe cases, repeated gentle lavage by stomach tube should resolve the problem. Potential complications include damage to the mucosa lining the oesophagus, and aspiration pneumonia if the secretions are inhaled.
Wounds
Wounds vary considerably. A big laceration will obviously need immediate veterinary attention but sometimes the small, seemingly insignificant wounds are the most serious depending on their location.
Initial first-aid by the owner includes ensuring the horse is in a safe environment before assessing the severity of the wound. Apply pressure, using a bandage or clean dressing compress, to stem any bleeding on the area. Both these will be in your equine first-aid kit. Cold hosing can also be useful but take care not to contaminate the wound by hosing debris or dirt into it.
to palpate the abdomen. Some cases will require passing of a nasogastric (stomach) tube. Aſter the veterinary surgeon’s visit, follow carefully any instructions for management and monitoring.
© Ballinger Equine
A wound such as this requires urgent
veterinary attention
Location of the wound is critical as it may have penetrated a synovial structure (joint, tendon or tendon sheath) which could require emergency surgery. Is the horse very lame? Could the wound have a foreign body in it? Is there an underlying fracture? Is the wound full skin thickness or just a deep graze? Does the vet need to close it with stitches, staples or glue? Is infection likely? Importantly - is the horse up-to-date with the tetanus vaccinations?
For the latest news visit
www.centralhorsenews.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96
