EMERGENCY CARE EMERGENCY CARE OF THE HORSEOF THE HORSE

Maggie Turner DVM

WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

DON’T PANIC!!!DON’T PANIC!!!

COMMON EMERGENCY COMMON EMERGENCY SITUATIONSSITUATIONS

ChokeChoke Eye injuriesEye injuries ColicColic Sudden onset of severe lamenessSudden onset of severe lameness FeverFever LacerationsLacerations

CHOKECHOKE

CHOKECHOKE

Esophageal obstruction (not windpipe)Esophageal obstruction (not windpipe) Not always an extreme emergency – a lot will Not always an extreme emergency – a lot will

resolve on their ownresolve on their own Usually occurs when horses eat too fast or Usually occurs when horses eat too fast or

don’t chew their feed enough (esp. w/ beet don’t chew their feed enough (esp. w/ beet pulp and pelleted feed)- therefore usually pulp and pelleted feed)- therefore usually occurs after or during a mealoccurs after or during a meal

Call veterinarian if it does not resolve in 30minCall veterinarian if it does not resolve in 30min

Signs of choke…Signs of choke… Standing quiet not eating or drinkingStanding quiet not eating or drinking Large amounts of green discharge w/ Large amounts of green discharge w/

food particles mixed in it coming from the food particles mixed in it coming from the nosenose

Some horses will paw, cough or act very Some horses will paw, cough or act very distresseddistressed

What to do……What to do……

Remove all feed from the Remove all feed from the

stall (water is okay)stall (water is okay) If you can see an area on the neck where If you can see an area on the neck where

the blockage may be (always on the left) the blockage may be (always on the left) you can gently massage it you can gently massage it

If it does not resolve the vet will sedate If it does not resolve the vet will sedate the horse, pass a tube and try to flush the the horse, pass a tube and try to flush the feed down into the stomachfeed down into the stomach

EYESEYES

EYESEYES EYES ARE ALWAYS AN EMERGENCY!EYES ARE ALWAYS AN EMERGENCY! CloudyCloudy

SquintingSquinting

Excessive tearingExcessive tearing

LacerationsLacerations

What to do…What to do… Try to prevent them from rubbing the eyeTry to prevent them from rubbing the eye DO NOT USE ANY OLD EYE DO NOT USE ANY OLD EYE

OINTMENTS IN AN EYE THAT A VET OINTMENTS IN AN EYE THAT A VET HAS NOT SEEN (an inappropriate HAS NOT SEEN (an inappropriate ointment can do more damage than ointment can do more damage than

good and some old ointment can be good and some old ointment can be contaminated with bacteria)contaminated with bacteria)

COLICCOLIC

SIGNS OF COLICSIGNS OF COLIC MILDMILD – off feed, quiet, occasional flank – off feed, quiet, occasional flank

watching, laying down more than normalwatching, laying down more than normal MODERATE MODERATE – the above + pawing, rolling, – the above + pawing, rolling,

getting up and down a lot, standing in a getting up and down a lot, standing in a stretched position, sweatingstretched position, sweating

SEVERESEVERE – the above + trying to go down – the above + trying to go down even when being walked and hard to get up even when being walked and hard to get up once downonce down

WHAT TO DO…..WHAT TO DO….. If possible take the horse’s TPRIf possible take the horse’s TPR Call your veterinarianCall your veterinarian Take away any feedTake away any feed If the horse is rolling walk it to prevent it from If the horse is rolling walk it to prevent it from

doing so – if it is laying quietly that is okaydoing so – if it is laying quietly that is okay If you do have Banamine and choose to give it If you do have Banamine and choose to give it

before the vet arrives do not be fooled by the fact before the vet arrives do not be fooled by the fact that it will make them feel better while it is in their that it will make them feel better while it is in their system although the cause of the discomfort has system although the cause of the discomfort has not been eliminatednot been eliminated

SUDDEN ONSET OF SUDDEN ONSET OF SEVERE LAMENESSSEVERE LAMENESS

Any lameness in which the horse is Any lameness in which the horse is reluctant to move or put weight on the leg reluctant to move or put weight on the leg

or is significantly lame at the walkor is significantly lame at the walk

What could it be????What could it be???? AbscessAbscess Penetrating wound to the sole (i.e. nail in Penetrating wound to the sole (i.e. nail in

the foot)the foot) CellulitisCellulitis FractureFracture Joint or tendon sheath infectionJoint or tendon sheath infection

What to do…..What to do…..

Call your veterinarianCall your veterinarian Don’t move the horse if there is a chance Don’t move the horse if there is a chance

that it may be fracturethat it may be fracture If there is a nail in the foot DO NOT TAKE If there is a nail in the foot DO NOT TAKE

IT OUT UNTIL THE VET ARRIVES!!!!!IT OUT UNTIL THE VET ARRIVES!!!!! If the horse appears distressed give them If the horse appears distressed give them

some haysome hay If there are any open wounds address If there are any open wounds address

them as you would a laceration – clean them as you would a laceration – clean and wrap while you wait for the vetand wrap while you wait for the vet

Hoof AbscessHoof Abscess

Can be as lame as a horse with Can be as lame as a horse with a fracturea fracture A pus pocket develops in the sole of the A pus pocket develops in the sole of the

hoof and can become very painful in a hoof and can become very painful in a very short period of time very short period of time

Generally the abscess will drain and the Generally the abscess will drain and the problem resolves uneventfullyproblem resolves uneventfully

Probably the most common cause of Probably the most common cause of acute onset of severe lamenessacute onset of severe lameness

Penetrating Wound to Penetrating Wound to SoleSole

IE – a nail in the hoofIE – a nail in the hoof Pick out the foot and Pick out the foot and thoroughly examine the thoroughly examine the foot for a foreign bodyfoot for a foreign body DO NOT TAKE OUT A NAIL DO NOT TAKE OUT A NAIL BEFORE THE VET GETS THERE!!!!BEFORE THE VET GETS THERE!!!! It is very important to take an x-ray with It is very important to take an x-ray with

the nail in the foot to determine what the nail in the foot to determine what structures it may have penetrated and structures it may have penetrated and therefore what the treatment and the therefore what the treatment and the prognosis will beprognosis will be

CellulitisCellulitis

Bacterial infection of the skin and Bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues that can enter from subcutaneous tissues that can enter from the smallest nick and lead to a very the smallest nick and lead to a very swollen leg very quicklyswollen leg very quickly

It generally responds well to antibiotic It generally responds well to antibiotic and diuretic therapyand diuretic therapy

The leg can be VERY swollen - so much The leg can be VERY swollen - so much so that the skin can crack and seep fluidso that the skin can crack and seep fluid

Can often be very painful to touch Can often be very painful to touch

FRACTUREFRACTURE

FRACTUREFRACTURE

Some are more obviousSome are more obvious

than others….than others…. Closed = skin is still intactClosed = skin is still intact Open = the skin has been damaged during Open = the skin has been damaged during

the injury and is open around the fracturethe injury and is open around the fracture DO NOT MOVE THE HORSE until the vet DO NOT MOVE THE HORSE until the vet

arrives and can apply an appropriate splint arrives and can apply an appropriate splint to the areato the area

Many horses can be saved with Many horses can be saved with surgical repair but it can be very surgical repair but it can be very costly and there can be costly and there can be complicationcomplication

There are also many fractures that There are also many fractures that cannot be repaired due to the fact cannot be repaired due to the fact that they have to stand on their feet that they have to stand on their feet during the healing processduring the healing process

Fractures such as coffin bone Fractures such as coffin bone fractures and splint bone fracture fractures and splint bone fracture generally do well and do not need generally do well and do not need to be surgically repairedto be surgically repaired

FEVERFEVER

Any horse that is off feed should have its Any horse that is off feed should have its temperature taken because most horses temperature taken because most horses with a fever do not have an appetite with a fever do not have an appetite

It is wise to have a vet come out and see if It is wise to have a vet come out and see if they can find a cause for the fever (although they can find a cause for the fever (although often the fevers are of unknown origin)often the fevers are of unknown origin)

Banamine or bute can help decrease a Banamine or bute can help decrease a feverfever

Having a high fever is not good for the Having a high fever is not good for the horse’s body in general and may put them horse’s body in general and may put them at risk of founderingat risk of foundering

LACERATIONSLACERATIONS

What to do….What to do…. Call the vet Call the vet Depending on the location, Depending on the location,

size and timing (<8hr) of it it may need to be size and timing (<8hr) of it it may need to be suturedsutured Often it is the large body wounds that heal well Often it is the large body wounds that heal well

and the small innocuous puncture wounds over and the small innocuous puncture wounds over joint that give you troublejoint that give you trouble

If there is a significant amount of bleeding If there is a significant amount of bleeding apply a bandage and pressure if the horse apply a bandage and pressure if the horse allows you toallows you to

Keep the horse still – it will also help with Keep the horse still – it will also help with controlling the bleedingcontrolling the bleeding

If the bleeding is under control and the If the bleeding is under control and the wound is contaminated with dirt or manure wound is contaminated with dirt or manure you can gently lavage the wound with warm you can gently lavage the wound with warm water (sterile saline is ideal) – DILUTION IS water (sterile saline is ideal) – DILUTION IS THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION!!!THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION!!!

DO NOT apply ointments DO NOT apply ointments

or sprays while you areor sprays while you are

waitingwaiting

OTHER EMERGENCIESOTHER EMERGENCIES

Hives – generally respond well to Hives – generally respond well to corticosteroidscorticosteroids

Down horse – i.e. elderly horses that slip Down horse – i.e. elderly horses that slip on the ice in winteron the ice in winter

Trapped horse/ trailer accident – Trapped horse/ trailer accident – sedation can be a key to the best sedation can be a key to the best outcomeoutcome

WHAT TO HAVE ON HANDWHAT TO HAVE ON HAND

ThermometerThermometer Bandage material Bandage material Iodine based scrub or solutionIodine based scrub or solution StethescopeStethescope

THANK YOUTHANK YOU