EQUINE EMERGENCY

CARE

Natasha Lefkowitz, DVMWith special thanks to AAEP

EMERGENCY CARE

Chances are goodthat if you spendenough time withhorses you will likelybe confronted withan equine medicalemergency.

BEHAVIORAL TRAITS

Several behavior traitscause horses to beemergency prone:

!Flight–or-Fight Instinct

!Need to establishhierarchy

!Natural curiosity

!Delicate GI tract

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

!LACERATIONS

!COLIC

!PUNCTURE WOUNDS

!GRAIN OVERLOAD

!LAMINITIS

!TYING-UP

!“STREET NAILS”

!EYE TRAUMA

!FOALING EMERGENCIES

!FRACTURED BONES

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

The goal of this presentation is to helpyou recognize a serious emergency andknow what to do while awaiting yourveterinarian’s arrival.

NORMAL vs. ABNORMAL

We will start by discussing signs of distress in thehorse as well as normal versus abnormal physicalexam parameters.

WHAT IS NORMAL?

ADULT HORSE:ADULT HORSE:

! Temperature: 99.5 – 101.5 degrees F

! Pulse: 28 – 44 beats per minute

! Respiratory Rate: 10-24 breaths per minute

FOAL:FOAL:

! Temperature: 99.5 – 102 degrees F

! Pulse: 80-120 beats per minute

! Respiratory Rate: 24–40 breaths per minute

PLAN OF ACTION

Next, we will talk about developing a plan of actionwhen you see a horse in distress…

FIRST AID KIT

WHAT SHOULD YOU HAVE IN YOUR

FIRST AID KIT?

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

MOST IMPORTANTLY…

STAY CALMThis is especially importantwhen you are trying to describethe emergency to your vet overthe phone.

WOUNDS AND LACERATIONS

WHEN EVALUATING A WOUND

CALL YOUR VET IFCALL YOUR VET IF……

! There appears to be excessive bleeding

! The entire skin thickness is penetrated

! The wound is near or over a joint ortendon sheath

! Any structures underlying the skin arevisible

! A puncture has occurred

! The wound is severely contaminated

! You suspect a broken bone

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

““STREET NAILSTREET NAIL””

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

COLICCOLIC

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

EYE TRAUMAEYE TRAUMA

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

CHOKECHOKE

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

NEUROLOGIC EMERGENCIESNEUROLOGIC EMERGENCIES

EQUINE EMERGENCIES

ACUTE NON-WEIGHTACUTE NON-WEIGHT

BEARING LAMENESSBEARING LAMENESS

FOOT ABSCESSES

CLINICAL SIGNSCLINICAL SIGNS

!SEVERE LAMENESS

" OFTEN NON WEIGHT BEARINGON LEG

!STRONG DIGITAL PULSES

!SWELLING AT CORONARY BANDAND HEEL BULBS (+/-)

!MAY DRAIN AT CORONARY BAND

Foot abscesses are most commonduring winter months

FOOT ABSCESSES

TREATMENTTREATMENT

!REMOVE SHOE

!VET OR FARRIER WILLCAREFULLY OPEN ABSCESSPOCKET

!SOAK IN BETADINE ANDEPSON SALT

!POULTICE

" MAGNA PASTE

" ICHTHAMOL

!USUALLY NO BUTE ORANTIBIOTICS

" MAY SLOW PROGRESS OFABSCESS DRAINAGE

• LAMINITIS

SIGNS OF LAMINITIS (SIGNS OF LAMINITIS (““FounderFounder””))

!Lameness, reluctant gait, difficulty walking

!Heat and increased pulse in feet

!Pain in toe region when pressure is applied

!Sawhorse stance

LAMINITIS

If you see any of these signsIf you see any of these signs

of acute laminitisof acute laminitis……

Put horse in deeply bedded stall

Do not force horse to walk

Call vet immediately

Apply Styrofoam pad IF you arecomfortable with foot bandagingtechnique

FRACTURE

IF YOU SUSPECTYOUR HORSE MAYHAVE A FRACTUREDBONE, KEEP YOURHORSE STILL ANDCALM

CALL YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY

EQUINE EXERTIONAL

RHABDOMYOLYSIS

(“TYING-UP”)

EQUINE EXERTIONAL RHABDOMYOLYSIS

CLINICAL SIGNSCLINICAL SIGNS

!Stiff gait

!Reluctance to move

!Hard painful muscles

!Sweating

!Increased heart rateand respiratory rate

EQUINE EXERTIONAL RHABDOMYOLYSIS

Sporadic tying-up

!Over-exertion for horse’s levelof fitness

!Electrolyte imbalance

Recurrent tying-up

Underlying muscle disorder coupledwith high level of carbohydrate in feedand inconsistent exercise (breedpredisposition)

EQUINE EXERTIONAL RHABDOMYOLYSIS

TREATEMENT IN ACUTE PHASETREATEMENT IN ACUTE PHASE

!Un-tack horse

!Put cooler on horse

!DO NOT force exercise

!Call your VETERINARIAN!May require HYDRATION THERAPY

" prevent kidney damage from myoglobinrelease

!May require Acepromazine and/or Methocarbamol

" vasodilation and muscle relaxation

GRAIN OVERLOAD

CAN CAUSECAN CAUSE

! COLIC (colitis)

! FOUNDER

" Due to high levels of carbohydrate killing off regulargut bacteria

! REMOVE ALL FEED FROM STALL

! CALL VET IMMEDIATELY

! ICE HORSES FEET (OR STAND IN ICE WATER)

" 20 MINUTES PER HOUR

Chicken feed is most toxic due to antibiotics in feed

FOALING EMERGENCIESPREMATURE PLACENTAL SEPERATIONPREMATURE PLACENTAL SEPERATION

a.k.a “Red Bag”

!LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY

!DEPRIVES THE FOAL OF OXYGEN

!CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY

!TEAR OPEN RED, VELVETY MEMBRANE

!PROMPLTY DELIVER FOAL

EQUINE EMERENCIES

IN SUMMARY…

ANY QUESTIONS?

Natasha Lefkowitz, DVM

503.841.6566

www.hoodtocoastequine.comdrlefkowitz@hoodtocoastequine.com