Emergency Care

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Emergency Care

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EMERGENCY CARE Guidelines to Follow During Equine Emergencies If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you are likely to confront a medical emergency. There are several behavioral traits that make horses especially accident-prone: one is their instinctive flight-or-fight response; another is their dominance hierarchy -- the need to establish the pecking order within a herd; and a third is their natural curiosity. Such behaviors account for many of the cuts, bruises, and abrasions that horses suffer. In fact, lacerations are probably the most common emergency that horse owners must contend with. There are other types of emergencies as well, such as colic, foaling difficulties, acute lameness, seizures, and illness. As a horse owner, you must know how to recognize serious problems and respond promptly, taking appropriate action while awaiting the arrival of your veterinarian.
		RECOGNIZING SIGNS OF DISTRESS When a horse is cut or bleeding, it's obvious that there is a problem. But in cases of colic, illness, or a more subtle injury, it may not be as apparent. That's why it's important to know your horse's normal vital signs, including temperature, pulse and respiration (TPR), as well as its normal behavior patterns. You must be a good observer so that you readily recognize signs of ill health
		WHAT'S NORMAL? There will be variations in individual temperature, pulse and respiration values. Take several baseline measurements when the horse is healthy, rested, and relaxed. Write them down and keep them within easy reach, perhaps with your first aid kit, so you have them to compare to in case of an emergency. Normal ranges for adult horses are: Pulse rate: 30-42 beats per minute. Respiratory rate: 12-20 breaths per minute. Rectal temperature: 99.5' to 101.5' F. If the horse's temperature exceeds 102.5' F., contact your veterinarian immediately. Temperatures of over 103' F indicate a serious disorder. Capillary refill time (time it takes for color to return to gum tissue adjacent to teeth after pressing and releasing with your thumb): 2 seconds. Other observations you should note: Skin pliability is tested by pinching or folding a flap of neck skin and releasing. It should immediately snap back into place. Failure to do so is evidence of dehydration. Color of the mucous membranes of gums, nostrils, conjunctiva (inner eye tissue), and inner lips of vulva should be pink. Bright red, pale pink to white, or bluish-purple coloring may indicate problems. Color, consistency, and volume of feces and urine should be typical of that individual's usual excretions. Straining or failure to excrete should be noted. Signs of distress, anxiety or discomfort. Lethargy, depression or a horse that's "off-feed." Presence or absence of gut sounds. Evidence of lameness such as head-bobbing, reluctance to move, odd stance, pain, unwillingness to rise. Bleeding, swelling, evidence of pain. Seizures, paralysis, or "tying up" (form of muscle cramps that ranges in severity from mild stiffness to life-threatening illness).
		ACTION PLAN No matter what emergency you may face in the future, mentally rehearse what steps you will take to avoid letting panic take control. Here are some guidelines to help you prepare: 1. Keep your veterinarian's number by each phone, including how the practitioner can be reached after-hours. If you have a speed dial system, key it in, but also keep the number posted. 2. Consult with your regular veterinarian regarding back-up or referring veterinarian's number in case you cannot reach your regular veterinarian quickly enough. 3. Know in advance the most direct route to an equine surgery center in case you need to transport the horse. 4. Post the names and phone numbers of nearby friends and neighbors who can assist you in an emergency while you wait for the veterinarian. 5. Prepare a first aid kit and store it in a clean, dry, readily accessible place. Make sure that family members and other barn users know where the kit is. 6. Also keep a first aid kit in your horse trailer or towing vehicle, and a pared-down version to carry on the trail. FIRST AID KITS First aid kits can be simple or elaborate, but there are some essential items. Here is a short list to get yours started. (Material that should be sterile.) Cotton roll Contact bandage Cling wrap Gauze pads, assorted sizes Gauze wrap Adhesive wrap and adhesive tape Leg wraps Sharp scissors Hemostats Steel cup or container Rectal thermometer with string and clip attached Surgical scrub and antiseptic solution Latex gloves Flashlight and spare batteries Permanent marker pen Pliers (to pull nails) 6" diameter PVC tubing cut in half the long way (like a gutter) into lengths of 1-1 /2 to 2 feet (for emergency splinting)