Instructions & Tips

Emergency List: Know When to Call Your Vet

           

Compiled by an equine veterinarian, here are the conditions that alert you to seek professional help. If your horse exhibits these tell-tale symptoms, telephone your vet at once. Vets unanimously agreed that they would rather arrive and diagnose a simpler problem than be called out when the condition is critical.

When in doubt, make the phone call. Occasionally, your veterinarian can offer helpful recommendations while enroute. When your horse’s health is in question, err on the side of caution.  

Colic is a term for abdominal pain. Colicky horses are depressed and anorexic (uninterested in eating). In fact, many owners first notice their horse isn’t acting right when they refuse a scheduled feeding such as morning or evening grain. They commonly paw, look at their side, lay down and may roll violently. Some horses curl their upper lip. Colic needs to be treated aggressively to prevent progression to severe, surgical colic.

Eye injury appears as a squinting, tearing, painful eye with a possible cloudy appearance to the surface of the eye (the cornea). The eyelids may be swollen also. All affected horses need to be seen as soon as possible due to the likelihood of infection if corneal ulcers (scratches on the surface of the eye) are left untreated. An injured eye most likely will require antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and possibly anti-fungal therapeutic agents as well.

Wounds identified within the first 12 hours after the incident can be sutured; therefore, let us know as soon as you find the injury. After 12 hours, lacerations and puncture wounds need to be started on appropriate antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and topical wound care.

A horse with a fever acts depressed and anorexic. Fever may be due to upper respiratory infections (rhinopneumonitis, influenza) or other infectious diseases; therefore, the affected individual(s) should be quarantined from other horses immediately and started on fever-reducing medication.

Choke is obstruction of the esophagus by a food bolus. Usually a watery discharge containing feed particles will be seen draining from both nostrils. The horse will gag, become very distressed as well as continually push his nose to the ground and then stretch his neck out straight in front of him/her. Many horses will want to lie on the ground and roll. This may dislodge the feed bolus, but it can upset the owners in the meantime. Please contact us if choke is noted. Even if the choke becomes dislodged prior to the veterinarian’s arrival, we can offer anti-inflammatory and antibiotic therapy. 

Diarrhea in the horse is always an emergency but is quite rare. Profuse, watery diarrhea in the horse causes profound dehydration, endotoxic shock and can rapidly progress to death if left untreated.

Any lameness where the horse is not bearing weight on the leg needs to be seen immediately in order to rule out a fracture/broken bone or laminitis.  Laminitic or foundered horses will typically present with both front feet pushed out in front of them in a rocking horse stance with the majority of the animal’s weight distributed to its hindlimbs. These horses are reluctant to move, especially when asked to turn. These horses need to be treated immediately and aggressively to prevent significant permanent damage to the feet.

Essential First Aid Kit

            What’s in your first aid kit? When traveling with horses, here are the items recommended by equine veterinarian Dr. Emily Mitchum of South Carolina’s Lowcountry Equine.

Stethoscope: to check heart rate, and gut sounds

Digital thermometer: for use rectally to watch for fever

Duct tape: to secure bandages with appropriate strength and pressure

Clean towels: bath-sized and hand towel-sized. For cleaning. Also to wrap large injuries

Betadine or Nolvasan solution: you can find this at your local feed store at the pharmacy counter to cleanse wounds

Antibacterial soap: such as Dial soap. For cleaning

Baby diapers or absorbent diaper-like material: to wrap injuries

Triple antibiotic ointment or wound care ointment: for external infections

Vetrap or 4” cohesive bandage: best wrap for nearly every injury

Telfa pads or maxi pads: absorbent and adds padding

Karo syrup: when horse is tied up, apply to horse’s lips and gums until vet arrives

Bute paste: use as prescribed by your veterinarian. For pain and swelling

Banamine paste or injectable: use as prescribed by your veterinarian

Sterile saline solution: you can find this in bottles at your local pharmacy in the eye care aisle; make sure to pick up at least two bottles in case a horse sustains a large injury

Styrofoam padding: you can pick up sheets of industrial grade styrofoam from your local hardware store to use as padding to support the soles of laminitic horses until the vet arrives – make sure to pre-cut the styrofoam into hoof-sized squares so they’re ready to use if needed

Additionally, my family added:

Bag balm: a medicated Vaseline that moisturizes and heals. Great for dry lips, too.

Peroxide: Second to betadine for cleaning wounds

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Your Turn

What items are essential to your equine first aid kit? Do you carry a kit for you and your family?