In This Chapter
- Putting together the right tools and information
- Handling an injured horse
- Administering first aid to your horse
- Recognizing an emergency situation
Horses have an amazing ability to hurt themselves. Maybe it’s because they’re such big creatures who are kept in relatively small confines. Or perhaps they’re just naturally clumsy. (Coauthor Audrey recalls the story of a draft horse filly who once fell into her water trough and got her legs caught in a fence, all at the same time.) Whatever the reason, horses seem to get themselves in situations requiring first aid on a regular basis.
In this chapter, we show you how
to prepare for a first-aid emergency. We give you instructions on how to deal
with a variety of injuries and situations until your veterinarian arrives to
save the day.
Gathering the Right Tools and Information for Emergencies
To effectively handle any equine
emergency that may arise, you need to be prepared. That means you have to think
ahead of time about how you might respond when your horse is in need, and you
need to have the tools ready to do what’s needed.
Remember
Before you do a thing, your first step in being prepared is having your horse vet’s emergency number on hand and easy to find. Post it on your tack room door, put the number in your cellphone, and leave it for your horse sitter if you go away for the weekend. If you don’t have your own trailer, have the phone number of an equine ambulance or friend with a trailer close at hand, too.
Staying aware of your horse’s health
A big part of providing first aid
for your horse is knowing when it’s necessary. Discovering as much as you can
about equine health will give you the knowledge you need to determine when your
horse is in trouble and needs your help.
Remember
The following steps can help you develop a good working knowledge of horse health and prepare you for potential emergency situations:
- Explore equine anatomy. Memorizing the parts of the horse, where the major organs are located, and how the horse’s body works will give you a solid background in how a healthy horse functions. (Chapter Introducing the Anatomy of a Horse is a great place to start.)
- Know your horse. Watch your horse when he’s feeling well so that you can tell if something isn’t right. Observant owners are usually the best judges of whether a horse is experiencing a health problem. (Chapter Sizing Up a Healthy Horse lists the signs of a healthy horse.)
- Find out about equine health problems. Study up on the types of problems that can affect horses so that you’re better able to recognize a health issue when it comes up. (Flip to Chapters Tackling Common Ailments and Fighting Infectious Diseases for a primer.)
If you become a knowledgeable
horse owner in these areas, your veterinarian will love you for it.
Making the medicine go down
Unfortunately, horses aren’t always cooperative when
you try to give them their medicine. But we do have some tips and tricks that
you can try to make this job easier.
If you’re giving your horse a pill to swallow, disguise
it. Grind it up and mix it with grain, applesauce, syrup, or even cake
frosting. Experiment to see what works for your horse. (Never try to give
your horse a pill without grinding it up first; he’ll just spit it out.)
This trick also works with powdered medications. Some
powdered medications are easily disguised in food. Others are bitter and
require experimenting with added flavors. Powdered gelatin mix or a
strawberry-flavored soft drink mix (like Kool-Aid) can often disguise
unpleasant tasting powders.
To help your horse take liquid medicine, ask your
vet about mixing it with pancake syrup or molasses in a syringe and
depressing the syringe directly into the horse’s mouth. If the medication is
flavored, your vet may suggest that you mix it with some grain or pelleted
feed.
Paste medications need to be administered directly
into your horse’s mouth. Depending on your horse, this will be either an easy
task or a difficult one. Some horses let you put a syringe inside the corner
of their mouths and allow you to inject the paste right in. Others fight you
like a tiger to keep you from getting a syringe inside their mouths. If you
have a horse who hates getting paste medicines, talk to your vet about getting
the medication in an alternate form.
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Assembling a first-aid kit
You can buy a complete first-aid
kit at a tack store or through the Internet. Or you can put together your own
by using a lunch pail or fishing tackle box. Keep the kit in your tack room or
in your trailer if you travel with your horse. If you like to trail ride,
consider putting together a small first-aid kit to take with you. The kit
should fit in a saddle bag.
Tip
Include the following items in your kit:
- Antibiotic ointment: Triple antibiotic ointments are great for applying to minor wounds for protection against infection.
- Antiseptic cleanser: Chlorhexidine scrub is a good choice when it comes to an antiseptic cleaner for wounds.
- Bandages: Vet wrap bandages are good for applying pressure to leg wounds. They’re available in tack stores, on the Internet, or through mail-order catalogs.
- Cotton sheets or quilted wraps: Sheets of cotton measuring 30 x 36 inches are good for wrapping injured legs.
- Duct tape: A roll of duct tape is useful in wrapping a hoof after a puncture wound.
- Gauze pads: Sterile, nonstick gauze pads are great for dressing small wounds, abscesses, and other breaks in the skin. They come in a variety of sizes.
- Hand sanitizer: If you can’t find water to wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer before handling a wound.
- Latex gloves: These are handy if you have to handle an open wound on your horse.
- Lubricant: K-Y Jelly or another personal lubricant is good to have on hand for lubricating a rectal thermometer. (Petroleum jelly is not a good choice because it can irritate the lining of the rectum.)
- Pocket knife: A knife with a serrated edge sharp enough to cut is good to have because horses sometimes get tangled in ropes, wires, and their own tack.
- Rectal thermometer: A veterinary or human rectal thermometer is an absolute necessity. Knowing your horse’s temperature before calling the vet helps give the doctor a better idea of what’s wrong. (See Chapter Sizing Up a Healthy Horse for instructions on taking your horse’s temperature.)
- Rubbing alcohol: Rubbing alcohol is valuable as a disinfectant for rectal thermometers.
- Scissors: Scissors can be used for cutting bandages and cloths in an emergency.
- Tweezers: A splinter or cactus spine can be removed with a pair of tweezers.
- Wound medication: A wide variety of wound medications are available for use in a first-aid kit. These products help protect the wound, discourage flies from landing, soothe the skin, and promote healing. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation.
Tip
Keep your first-aid kit up to date by replacing ointments, cleansers, alcohol, and lubricants every two years.
Considering the possibility of natural disasters
Unfortunately, catastrophic
events such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires have become all too common and
have forced most communities to have evacuation strategies not only for people,
but for animals as well. In the following sections, we explain the importance
of planning for natural disasters and obtaining identification for your equine
friend.
Making plans
Remember
Take the time to make a plan for any disaster that may strike your home, and know how to act on it if the time ever comes. The following points can help you evacuate and care for your horse in a disaster:
- Have a halter and lead rope available for every horse and have quick access to them.
- Plan a barn evacuation strategy in the event of fire. Your local fire department will be happy to help you devise a safety plan. You should also have a fire extinguisher in every barn and trailer, and be certain that each is in good working condition.
- Line up a ride for your horse well before a disaster strikes. If you don’t have your own trailer, know who you’ll call if you need to get your horse out of the area in a hurry.
- Don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate your horses. Getting a horse out of danger quickly is usually very difficult. Heed voluntary evacuation warnings so that you’ll have enough time to move your horse.
Securing permanent and temporary identification
You can mark your horse in
permanent ways so that if disaster strikes, you’re more likely to get your
horse back. Here are some permanent ways to identify your horse:
- Freeze brand: A common and effective method of horse identification, freeze branding consists of a cold iron applied to the horse’s neck. The freezing destroys the cells in the skin that produce color in the hair. The hair grows back white in the shape of the brand. (If your horse is white or gray, the hair doesn’t grow back because the brand is held on longer, leaving an area of gray skin in the shape of the brand.) The brand provides a permanent mark that you record with a freeze-branding registry. Call your local brand inspector for a list of approved freeze branders in your area. (You can find brand inspectors by contacting your county extension agent.)
- ID certificate: Identification certificates for horses are available through some state agricultural offices. The identification certificate features line drawings with your horse’s markings, brands, scars, and other identifying factors drawn in. The vet filling out the paperwork gives a written description of the horse and files the certificate with the state.
- Lip tattoo: If your horse is retired off the racetrack, he already has a lip tattoo. Or a veterinarian can put one on the inside of your horse’s upper lip. Some people like this form of identification best because it can’t be seen unless you lift up the horse’s lip.
Tip
Before you go this route, check with your horse’s breed registry (if you have one) to make sure that their rules allow you to have your horse’s lip tattooed. (Be aware that lip tattoos tend to fade and become unreadable.)
- Microchip: An electronic identification microchip is placed into a ligament in your horse’s neck by a veterinarian. This tiny computer chip contains a unique number that corresponds to your contact information. This information is maintained electronically by a microchip-registering company. You can’t see the chip, and it doesn’t cause the horse any discomfort.
Even if your horse has permanent
identification of some kind, adding a temporary ID is a good idea if you’re
preparing to evacuate because of an emergency. Rescuers will be looking for
temporary identification on horses who have been separated from their owners,
and this type of ID is easier to see. Here are some ways to identify your horse
to help ensure that you get him back when the crisis is over:
- Fetlock ID bands: These bands attach to your horse’s fetlock area and should contain your name, address, and a phone number where you can be reached during the emergency. (You can order these bands via the Internet.)
- Hair ID: Using clippers, shave your phone number into your horse’s neck. You can also use a permanent marker for this if you don’t have clippers available.
- Halter tag: Sold in tack stores and through equine catalogs, halter tags attach to the side of the halter. They’re engraved with one or two lines — usually the owner’s phone number and address. You can also use a luggage tag with your contact information and attach it to your horse’s halter.
- Photographs and record of identifying marks: Take color photographs of your horse with you, along with notes on any identifying features such as scars, brands, markings, cowlicks, and anything else that sets your horse apart. Make sure that the photos show your horse from both sides and from the front and rear.
- Tail ID: A luggage tag with your name, phone number, and address and your horse’s information can be attached to your horse’s tail.
Tip
Braid the tag into the tail. Don’t tie it to the dock of the tail because this can cut off circulation.
Approaching an Injured Horse
Few things are as scary as an
injured horse. Horses are big animals, and their injuries are often dramatic.
Injured horses are often scared and in great pain. They’re sometimes panicky,
too, especially if they’re unable to get up or move.
To keep yourself and your horse
safe during an injury emergency, you need to know the best way to approach and
handle the horse. You can do a lot to help an injured horse, but you have to do
it carefully or both you and the horse can suffer serious consequences.
Tip
One of the best things that coauthor Dr. Kate ever learned about emergency medicine was that in the event of an emergency, the first thing you do is take your own pulse. Why? It causes you to take a deep breath and gives you a moment to calm yourself. If you can’t take your own pulse, or if your pulse is racing out of control, you won’t do the horse much good.
Remember
Keep the following points in mind if you ever encounter an injured horse:
- Stay calm. It can be hard not to panic when you see a horse injured, especially if the horse is panicking too. But getting hysterical is the worst thing that you can do. Horses feed off your emotions, and if you stay calm, the horse is more likely to relax and allow herself to be helped. (By the way, Dr. Kate says that staying calm is easier for a vet because it’s not the vet’s horse experiencing the emergency.)
- Call for help. If you’re alone, calm the horse down by staying calm and reassuring her, and then call for help right away. Ask someone to do that for you if you’re with other people. You should call an equine veterinarian or even 911 if a horse is trapped and injured.
- Put human safety first. If a person also has been injured or if someone gets hurt trying to help an injured horse, help the person first before you attend to the horse.
- Wash your hands. If you need to handle a wound, wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, or put on latex gloves to prevent infection. (We explain how to handle wounds later in this chapter.)
Applying First Aid
Giving first aid to your horse
depends on the situation. Do a bit of studying up on how to handle each of the
following problems so that when an emergency hits, you’re ready.
Wounds
Wounds come in several different
types, and as you find out in the following sections, you need to handle each
one differently when you administer first aid.
Remember
If your horse is bleeding freely from an open wound of any variety, try not to panic. Have someone call the vet while you apply first aid. Here’s how:
1. Assess the situation.
If you understand the type of bleeding that you’re seeing, you can accurately gauge the seriousness of the situation.
- If blood is spurting from your horse, your horse probably has severed an artery. In this case, take immediate action to stop the flow of blood.
- On the other hand, if the blood is dark and oozing, it’s coming from a vein. You should try to stop the bleeding, but this kind of blood loss usually isn’t life threatening.
2. Quiet the horse.
You need a cooperative patient if you’re going to stop the bleeding. Talk to your horse and ask him to stand in one place because movement will make the bleeding worse. Keep everyone around you calm because hysterics will only upset the horse.
3. Apply pressure.
Put pressure on the wound to help stop the flow of blood. Do this by wrapping a bandage around the source of the blood flow. If you can’t do this because the affected area is too large to bandage, put a piece of gauze or another clean, absorbent material against it and press firmly. If you don’t have a bandage or other material to press against the wound and the blood seems to be coming from an artery, use your bare hand to apply pressure to the wound. (Wear a latex glove if you can to avoid infecting the wound.)
4. Add a tourniquet.
If you’re dealing with a severed artery in the leg and applying pressure doesn’t help stop the spurting of blood, make a tourniquet out of a clean towel or piece of cloth. Do this by wrapping the cloth around the leg above the wound (between the heart and the point of bleeding). Tighten the tourniquet and tie it until the blood flow stops. While waiting for a vet to arrive, loosen the tourniquet every 15 minutes for a few minutes at a time to allow blood to temporarily flow back into the leg.
Remember
Many wounds tend to happen on the legs. Know how to properly and safely wrap legs before you tackle this situation (Figure 13-1 shows a properly wrapped wound). If you wrap too loose, the bandage slips and can potentially slow down the blood supply. Wrap the leg too tight and your well-intentioned wrap could cause a bowed tendon. Ask your veterinarian to show you how to wrap a leg so that if your horse ever injures himself, you’re prepared. (When coauthor Dr. Kate was in vet school, the students had to put bandages on each other’s legs and wear them for several hours while attending classes. It was a great lesson, as you can imagine.)
Figure 13-1: Clean and dress
a serious wound just after it occurs. (Dr.
Janice Sojka, Purdue University)
Abrasions
Abrasions are superficial
wounds that usually result when a horse scrapes himself on something with a
rough or jagged surface. Poorly fitting tack can also cause abrasions.
These types of wounds aren’t
dangerous in and of themselves unless they’re particularly large and/or deep
and become infected. You can prevent infection by handling an abrasion properly
as soon as you discover the wound.
If your horse gets an abrasion
that isn’t too deep or large, you can handle it yourself with the following
steps:
1. If the abrasion is bleeding
profusely, stop the blood by following the steps we give earlier in this
chapter.
2. Cleanse the area with
chlorhexidine scrub and apply antibiotic ointment.
3. Don’t bandage the area.
You want the area to be exposed to the air to help ward off infection. Lower-leg abrasions are an exception; they can benefit from bandaging to prevent fly infestations.
4. If the area becomes
swollen, contact your veterinarian.
Remember
Flies can feed and lay their eggs in a wound, so be sure to keep these pests away from any open sores on your horse’s body. You can buy special wound cream that contains fly repellent at your local tack store or on the Internet. See Chapter Getting Up to Speed on Routine Care for more information about getting rid of pests.
Lacerations
If your horse cuts himself, he’s suffering
from a laceration. Lacerations can be shallow or deep, depending on
their severity.
Take the following steps if your
horse has a laceration:
1. Flush the wound with water
from a garden hose to get rid of foreign material like dirt or rocks.
2. If foreign material clings
stubbornly to the site, use chlorhexidine scrub on a sponge to clean it gently.
3. If the wound is bleeding,
apply pressure to stem the flow of blood (just follow the steps we give earlier
in this chapter).
4. If the laceration is
shallow, apply antibiotic ointment to the wound — don’t bandage it — and let it
heal on its own.
Remember
If the laceration is deep (you can tell because deep lacerations bleed profusely and appear to go deep into the skin), don’t apply ointment. Instead, contact your veterinarian right away.
Punctures
Puncture wounds are serious
because they provide an avenue for bacteria to enter deep into the body. Nails
and other sharp objects are the most frequent culprits for puncture wounds.
If your horse suffers a puncture
wound, follow these steps for first aid:
1. If the object is still
embedded in the horse, remove it carefully and keep it; if it’s embedded very
deeply, have your veterinarian remove it.
2. If the puncture wound is on
the bottom of the hoof, mark the area of the wound with a pen so that the vet
can find it.
3. Don’t try to stop the
bleeding.
The flow of blood helps wash out the bacteria.
4. Call a veterinarian right
away.
Remember
The danger of serious infection is real with a puncture wound, so you need a vet to come out and examine the wound. (Chapter Fighting Infectious Diseases covers infections and their consequences in more detail.)
Fractures
Fractures are terrifying and
serious injuries in a horse. The way that you handle first aid with a fracture
can mean the difference between life and death for your horse.
Warning!
When a horse fractures a bone — usually a leg — the initial injury is only part of the problem. As the horse struggles to stand or walk, further injury occurs.
If your horse fractures a bone,
follow these steps:
1. Have someone call a
veterinarian immediately.
2. Immobilize the fracture
site by keeping the horse as quiet as possible and keeping him from moving.
You can do this by staying calm, reassuring your horse with a soothing voice, and asking him not to move by saying “whoa.”
3. If a wound is present along
with the fracture, control the bleeding by putting pressure on the area.
Clean the wound with water and bandage it to prevent contamination with bacteria. (Do this only if you can keep the horse quiet.)
4. Don’t attempt to transport the horse before a veterinarian arrives to splint the broken bone.
Poisoning
Unlike dogs and cats, horses
don’t routinely get into poisonous household cleansers and antifreeze. They can
still eat toxic substances, however, usually in the form of plants growing
along the trail or in the pasture. (See the nearby sidebar “Problem plants” for
a long list of threats.)
You may not know that your horse
has eaten a toxic plant until he starts to exhibit the symptoms of poisoning.
The symptoms depend on the type of toxin ingested. Some common poisoning
symptoms include
- Colic (this ailment is explained in Chapter Tackling Common Ailments)
- Neurological symptoms like staggering
- Refusal to eat or drink
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Poor coat and body condition that worsens over time
- Abortion of foal
- Profuse sweating
Remember
The symptoms of poisoning are similar to many other illnesses, so your veterinarian will need to determine the cause if your horse is exhibiting any of these behaviors or conditions. If you see one or more of the noted symptoms, call your vet immediately; treatment depends on the type of poisoning that has occurred.
Bites
Horses live outdoors and
sometimes come into contact with other animals. These meetings can result in a
horse being bitten. The consequences of a bite depend on the type of animal and
the seriousness of the bite, as you find out in the following sections. If your
horse is bitten, take steps immediately to deal with the situation.
Spiders
Two species of spiders can cause
painful and serious bites in horses: the black widow and the brown recluse. If
your horse is bitten by one of these spiders, you’ll probably see a wound that
starts as a dime-sized lump and gradually grows larger as the hair falls out.
The spot is sore to the touch, and your horse may even start rubbing it on
fence posts or the walls of his stall. Eventually, the lump opens up and a
thick greenish pus begins to ooze out
Problem plants
As a horse owner, you need to know the most common
poisonous plants in your area. Watch out for these plants in your pasture or
along the trail. If your horse eats one of these, contact your veterinarian
right away:
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Arrowgrass
Asters
Azalea
Black locust
Black walnut
Boxwood
Broomweed
Buckwheat
Buttercup
Castor bean
Clover
Cotton
Fern palm
Fescue
Fitweed
Ground ivy
Hemlock
Horse chestnut
Hydrangea
Indian paintbrush
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Lantana
Larkspur
Locoweed
Lupine
Mesquite
Milkweed
Mistletoe
Mountain laurel
Oak
Oleander
Onions
Rape
Red maple
Rhododendron
Snakewood
Squirreltail grass
Tobacco
Wild cherry
Yew
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If you discover a bite wound on
your horse, follow these steps to provide him with relief:
1. Call your veterinarian.
You need a vet to treat the bite, which has become infected. Your vet may administer antivenin (if the wound isn’t too old) and/or antibiotics, and may perform minor surgery to remove damaged tissue.
2. Don’t let your horse rub
the bite.
While waiting for your vet, keep your horse from rubbing the area by tying him in a place where he can’t rub.
3. Remove food from your
horse’s reach (providing him with water is okay).
Take your horse’s food away from him in case your vet needs to give him a sedative or anesthetic for the surgery.
Tip
Where one spider lurks, many others can be found. Search out black widows and brown recluses in dark corners. Get rid of clutter where these spiders can hide.
Snakes
Most snakes found in the U.S. are
harmless. That said, you do have about 25 poisonous species to worry about. The
most common of these is the pit viper. Species in this family are the
rattlesnake, cottonmouth or water moccasin, and copperhead. Each can deliver a
bite that can make a horse very sick. It’s a good idea to find out what each of
these reptiles looks like so that you recognize them if you see them on the
trail. (The easiest way to know what these critters look like is to do a simple
Internet search.)
Tip
If you happen to run across one of these snakes, go around it, giving it plenty of room. These snakes usually coil as a warning before they strike, and rattlers shake their noisy tails. If you happen to see a viper in this position and you can’t pass at least 30 feet from it, turn your horse around and go the other way. The snake will probably leave the trail after you’re gone, and you can go back several minutes later to see if it returned to the brush.
If your horse accidentally steps
on one of these snakes or gets bitten on the face by one because he lowered his
nose to investigate, follow these tips and try not to panic. Most snake bites
aren’t fatal, although they can cause lameness, swelling, and plenty of
discomfort.
- Try to keep your horse from moving. The more he moves, the faster the venom will circulate through his body. (This is if the snake injected venom in its bite — not all bites contain venom.)
- Call for help, either with a cellphone or by sending another rider ahead. If you’re alone and don’t have a phone (or can’t get cell service), tie your horse to a tree and go get help. If this isn’t feasible, slowly hand-walk your horse to get help.
- If you trail ride frequently in an area where pit vipers are common, consider carrying two 5- to 6-inch long pieces of garden hose in your saddle pack. If your horse is bitten in the face, inserting the hose pieces into his nostrils will keep them from swelling shut.
Warning!
- Don’t put a tourniquet above the bite, cut the wound, or try to suck out the venom. These methods are old wives’ tales that will do more harm than good.
Other animals
Your horse may tangle with just
about any kind of animal when out in a pasture, but the most common
altercations are with other horses. If your horse is bitten severely by another
horse, let the wound heal on its own with just an application of antibiotic
ointment. Keep flies out of it as it heals with a combination wound cream/fly
repellent. Make certain that your horse is up to date on his tetanus vaccine
because the wound can become contaminated with the tetanus organism that’s
widespread in the horse’s environment. (See Chapter Fighting
Infectious Diseases for more information
about tetanus.)
If your horse is bitten by
another type of animal, like a dog, cat, coyote, or raccoon, call your
veterinarian immediately. These types of bites are prone to infection, and
antibiotics may be warranted.
Choking
When a horse chokes, it’s not the
same as when a person or even a dog or cat chokes. Food doesn’t block the
horse’s airway — instead it blocks his esophagus and makes him unable to
swallow.
You can tell that your horse is
choking if he coughs and salivates with his head down while watery food comes
out of his nose and mouth. He may also back away from his food, act anxious,
and/or swallow repeatedly.
Remember
If your horse is choking, call the vet right away. Food trapped in the esophagus can cause irritation that often results in scarring and permanent damage or may actually rupture the wall of the esophagus. The scarring causes the esophagus to narrow, which means that the horse is more prone to choking in the future. While you’re waiting for the vet, don’t allow your horse to have access to any food or water.
Burns
It’s rare for a horse to
experience a burn, but it sometimes happens. Horses can be singed in a barn or
brush fire, accidentally electrocute themselves, or get a very bad sunburn.
- If your horse receives a burn from an open flame or from an electrical wire, contact your vet immediately. While waiting for the vet to arrive, run cool water over the burned area.
- Sunburn is the most common type of burn seen in horses and tends to happen more often to horses with pink skin. The muzzle and nose are most prone to this, although horses with pink skin on their backs can also get sunburned. A sunburned horse can benefit from an application of aloe, which helps soothe the skin. It’s best to protect your horse before he becomes sunburned. A thick, zinc oxide ointment can shield the area and prevent it from burning. Some people simply use a strong sunscreen lotion to keep the sun from burning sensitive skin. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a sunscreen suitable for use on horses.
Another option is to keep your horse indoors during the day. Or you can fit your horse with a sun-blocking fly mask. If your horse has a pink muzzle that tends to burn, purchase a mask that extends down the nose and covers the delicate area.
Heat stroke
When horses work hard in hot
weather, they’re prone to heat stroke — especially if they’re unfit for the
task that they’re performing. Heat stroke occurs when a horse is unable to cool
his body temperature because of increased exercise and hot, usually humid
weather.
If you see any of the following
symptoms in your horse, he may be suffering from heat stroke:
- Sweating stops: Even though the horse is exerting himself, he stops sweating.
- Heavy breathing: Your horse is breathing more heavily than usual at rest and may even try to breathe through his mouth.
- Fatigue: Your horse becomes tired and has trouble continuing with his exercise.
- Stumbling: Just walking is difficult for a horse with heat stroke, and the horse begins to stumble.
Remember
If you notice any of these signs in your horse, stop all activity and contact a veterinarian immediately. While you’re waiting, work on getting the horse’s body temperature back to normal by pouring cool water on his body, especially around the head and neck and on the inside of the legs. By cooling the blood flowing though these areas, you can bring down the overall body temperature. Try to move the horse into the shade too.
Knowing When to Call the Vet Immediately
If something is wrong with your
horse, should you automatically call the vet? That depends on what the problem
is. You can handle some issues yourself, or at least provide first aid before
the vet comes.
Remember
Some situations are serious, though, and require an immediate call to the vet. If your horse has one or more of these symptoms, call your vet for help:
- Bleeding: If your horse has significant bleeding, apply pressure to stop the flow as we describe in the earlier section “Wounds.” Then call the vet.
- Bloody urine: If blood comes out when your horse urinates, she may have an infection or bladder injury.
- Choking: If your horse coughs and salivates with her head down, and watery food comes out of her nose and mouth, and she acts anxious, swallows repeatedly, and/or backs away from her food, she may be choking. (We discuss choking in more detail earlier in this chapter.)
- Colic: Signs of colic may include profuse sweating, repeatedly lying down and getting up, pawing, standing with her legs outstretched, rolling, and/or biting at the abdomen. Take away the horse’s food and hand-walk the horse until the vet arrives. (For more information on colic, see Chapter Tackling Common Ailments.)
- Diarrhea: Severe, liquid, foul-smelling diarrhea is an emergency.
- Difficulty breathing: Horses who are breathing rapidly, coughing repeatedly, or have noisy, raspy breath need to be seen by a veterinarian.
- Fever: If your horse’s temperature is significantly above 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit (38.6 degrees Celsius) or below 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius), call your veterinarian right away. (We explain how to take your horse’s temperature in Chapter Sizing Up a Healthy Horse.)
- Inability to stand: Staggering, falling, or not being able to get up signals an equine emergency.
- Injury: Deep wounds that expose the bone are emergencies, as are puncture wounds. Infected wounds also demand a call to the vet.
- Irritated eye: If one or both of your horse’s eyes becomes teary or is held partially or completely closed, contact your vet. Other signs of serious eye problems include the white part of the eye turning red, sensitivity to light, a cloudy surface, or the inability to see in the dark. (See Chapter Tackling Common Ailments for the basics on eye problems.)
- Pain: A horse showing pain in any part of her body should be seen by a vet.
- Refusal to eat: This is a serious sign of illness.
- Straining: Straining to defecate or urinate with little or no result may indicate a serious intestinal or urethral blockage.
- Swelling: Swelling in any part of the body requires a call to the vet.by Audrey Pavia with Kate Gentry-Running,DVM,CVA
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