Write a challenging exam over the Powerpoint I’ve attached. You must ask at least 20 questions. No true-false or multiple choice questions. You may use matching, essay or short answer questions. You must clearly provide the answers to all questions in a key at the end of the questions.
The Healthy Horse and
Recognizing Illness
ANSC 4402
The Healthy Horse
Signs of A Healthy Horse
Each horse in an
individual
Signs of good
health/comfort:
Good appetite
Bright, alert and
responsive
Ears forward
Signs that
something
might be
up
• Ears back or flat
• Separation from others
• Poor appetite (not always!
Sometimes they will still eat)
• Act or look “depressed”
• Any behavior you consider
abnormal for that horse
(rolling, limping, yawning
excessively, flehmen response)
• Remember, horses can be very
stoic!
Signs of Illness/Not feeling well
Flehmen response
The Physical Exam
– Temperature
– Pulse
– Respiratory rate
– Mucous membrane color, degree of moisture
– Capillary refill time
– Hydration status
– Digital pulses
– Abdominal auscultation
Temperature
• Normal is 99-101.5 degrees F
Ave Normal = 100.5
• Rectal temperature is most
accurate
• Stand to the SIDE of the
horse
• Lubricate thermometer (spit
works well)
• A digital thermometer is
quick and easy
Pulse
• Normal is 28-40 beats per minute
• This can vary; foals, ponies can be higher – always consider
horse’s temperament and if it is excited or has just exercised
• Place stethoscope behind left elbow and push cranially
• Can also get pulse by palpating the facial artery
Facial Artery
Respiratory Rate
•
Normal 8-12 breaths per minute
• Watch sides moving (best way)
• Place hand near nostril and feel air movement
Some horses will not breathe normal when your hand
is
by their nose.
• Consider environment/activity –
it will be faster on a hot day or if the horse just ran
across the pen
Mucous Membranes
•
•
•
Gums should be pink
and moist
Dry can indicate
dehydration
Red or purple is very bad
Capillary Refill
Time
• Push gently on the gum
above the incisors
• The tissue should blanch
(turn white)
• Blood (color) should
return within 2 seconds
• Slow or fast refill time
could indicate illness
Hydration Status
• A colicy horse can become dehydrated
very quickly
• Pinch the skin on the neck; it should be
elastic and fall back into place quickly
• Skin that remains tented may be
dehydrated
• The degree of moisture in mucous
membranes may be more indicative
Digital Pulses
• The palmar digital arteries run
along the lateral and medial
aspects of the fetlock
• Increased blood flow to the
foot (eg.laminitis) will be
palpable as a “bounding”
artery
• Note: feeling the pulse is not
always abnormal, but you
usually cannot feel it in a
healthy horse
• Don’t use your thumb – it has
a pulse
Palpating the Digital Arteries
•
•
•
•
•
Abdominal
Auscultation
•
•
Auscultation: listening for sounds produced
within the body
Borborygmus: a rumbling noise caused by gas
propulsion through the intestines (bowel
sounds)
Normal is around 3 sounds per minute
Stethoscope is ideal but sometimes you can
hear with your ear
Increased sounds could mean hypermotility
that could result in diarrhea
Decreased sounds could mean hypomotility or
ileus
Sometimes can hear gas
– Flick with your finger; a very gasdistended viscus will sound like a red
rubber ball
Listening to Gut
Sounds
• Listen in 4
quadrants:
– Upper left
– Lower left
– Upper right
– Lower right
Common Illnesses
• Colic
• Lacerations
• Lameness
COLIC
• Colic: a syndrome caused by severe pain due
to disease of an abdominal organ
– Gas: change in feed, impaction down stream
– Impaction of feed/manure
– Obstruction: tumor, displacement, twist
– “-itis” such as enteritis, colitis
– MANY other non-gastrointestinal causes of colic
• Ulcers, urinary stones, reproductive tract issues,
pneumonia, liver disease, basically anything painful
Colic Signs
•
Signs can vary a lot
– Poor appetite
– Yawning
– Head shaking
– Swishing tail
– Flehmen response
– Pawing
– Looking at or biting sides or belly
– Kicking at belly
– Lying down
– Rolling
– Decreased manure production
– Sweating
– Stretching out or posture to
urinate but don’t urinate
Mild Colic Video
• Mild colic:
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9wQtPRqEz
U
Severe Colic Video
• More severe colic:
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNtE3vIvics
•
Colic
Physical exam findings:
– Increased heart rate
– Increased respiratory rate
– Increased temperature may mean “-itis”
– Increased or decreased bowel sounds
– Laminitis can be secondary to colic, so
digital pulses may be increased (after the
initial colic episode)
– Dehydration
– Mucous membranes can be dry and
discolored (purple is bad)
What do I do?
• “Mild” – not rolling, just seems a little
uncomfortable
– Flunixin meglumine:
• 10mL in the vein
• 10mL in the mouth
• DON’T GIVE IN MUSCLE
– Electrolytes
• Walking
• Many other products out there
• When in doubt, call the vet
Clostridial Myositis – gas gangrene, from Banamine shot in the muscle
Never inject Banamine (or
Ivermectin injectable cattle
wormer) into the muscle of a
horse. The Banamine bottle may
even say it is for intramuscular use
– don’t do it!!
More links to colic videos:
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Es9eUKOm
k
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKtNKhpB8i
M
– http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=colicky+h
orse+video&qpvt=colicky+horse+video&FORM=V
DRE#view=detail&mid=38297D8927061919DD00
38297D8927061919DD00
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