Anticipate the unexpected, assemble supplies and equipment in advance, and learn first aid procedures

by Robin Stanback

NO MATTER how conscientiously a horse is cared for, bad things--sometimes catastrophic things--will occur. Louis Pasteur said chance only favors the prepared mind. In the game of chance that is owning horses, being prepared should be a mantra.

Chris Keen, president and chief executive officer of Plamp-Keen Agency, has been dealing with equine insurance matters for 28 years.

"Start with the essentials when preparing for emergencies," Keen said. "Most insurance agents today have stall cards they would be happy to share with their clients that list the most important contact names and telephone numbers in case of an accident or illness. This information should also be taped to any emergency kit in a barn or trailer.

"Included should be the names and phone numbers of the primary veterinarian, a back-up veterinarian, the closest equine veterinary hospital, the insurance agent and policy numbers for each horse in the barn, and if transportation is not available, the name and number of a trailer service."

Know vital signs

"In an emergency, having knowledge of each horse's normal vital signs and how it is likely to react in certain situations can be very helpful," said Sarah Ralston, V.M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of animal sciences at Rutgers University. "A vigilant handler can often spot a problem before it becomes life-threatening."

To determine a particular horse's vital signs, take several baseline measurements when the horse is rested, healthy, and relaxed. Write the numbers down and keep them in a handy place, both at home and when traveling. Each horse may have some variation from the normal values. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the usual 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¡; and

•Capillary refill time (time it takes for color to return to gum tissue adjacent to teeth after pressing and releasing with your thumb): two seconds.

Emergency kit

Well-stocked emergency kits--one in the barn and one in the trailer or van--are essential aids for unexpected illness or accidents.

"Look through those kits frequently to make certain that anything you've used has been replaced, and check expiration dates," said LaTonna Wilson, large-animal emergency response training coordinator for Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington.

"Your kit should contain [30 feet] of really, really good rope, the highest quality you can purchase that is still soft enough and pliable enough to work well for both horse and handler," said Rebecca Gimenez, D.V.M., Ph.D. She and her husband, Tomas Gimenez, Dr. Med.Vet., conduct seminars throughout the country on large-animal emergency response. The Gimenezes also are members of the Department of Homeland Security's Veterinary Medical Assistance Team based in Maryland (VMAT-2).

"Everyone always says to have an emergency halter in your kit," she continued. "Well, what if the animal that is in need of your help doesn't fit that halter? A good rope can be made into a rope halter, with enough left over to assure that you have plenty of lead line.

"The next most important thing in my experience is [30 to 50 feet] of good webbing, three or four inches wide. It is useful for so many things. It can be used as a harness to help get a horse out of a bad situation, or you can use it to drag a trailer out of the way, too."

Well-stocked emergency kits may contain items that hardly would seem necessary on a day-to-day basis, but Wilson said: "It is better to be prepared for anything and come up having more than you need. A good example is baby socks. Baby socks, stuffed with cotton and sewn together with a string, make excellent equine earplugs. So do tampons."

Earplugs may be needed to calm a horse that is unsettled by sirens and other loud noises during emergency or rescue operations.

While some horsemen have knowledge of and access to tranquilizers and other veterinary medications, experts agreed that it is unwise for most people to administer them during an emergency.

"Call a veterinarian," Gimenez said. "Horses in shock may not respond to medications in expected ways. Also, drugs given prior to the veterinarian's arrival may mask important symptoms. If you are on the road and don't know of a veterinarian to call, dial 911. Do not hesitate. Do not wait. If there is an accident involving your horses, the sooner help gets to them, the better."

Learn proper response

Familiarity with common medical emergencies and a knowledge of what to if they occur can minimize their damaging effects or even help save the horse's life.

"Before you call the veterinarian, take as calm an inventory of vital statistics as possible," Ralston said. "Note the symptoms and write them down. Be prepared to follow the directions your veterinarian provides."

Common equine emergencies and the proper response to each while awaiting veterinary care include:

•Colic, the most common medical emergency for horses, may be caused by changes in diet, bedding, or exercise routines; insufficient water intake; parasites; adverse weather conditions; concurrent illness (usually respiratory infections); shipping; and stress. Symptoms include rolling, kicking or looking around at the belly, depression, anorexia, sweating, discomfort, getting up and down repetitively, no gut sounds, and constipation.

Some horses may have a mild colic episode and recover on their own, but colic always should be considered an emergency warranting a call to the veterinarian. The horse will need immediate veterinary attention if it is in violent pain or its heart rate exceeds 60 beats per minute.

Until the veterinarian arrives: Allow the horse to lie down, but try not to let the horse roll. Walking the horse until the veterinarian arrives is unnecessary unless it keeps the horse from rolling.

•Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the membrane lining the inside of the eyelids around the eye. It occurs when foreign objects such as dust, dirt, and mud get into the delicate membrane. Conjunctivitis also may be caused by viral or bacterial infections. The eyelids can become swollen and look very red. Excessive tearing often is a sign of conjunctivitis, but a thick, yellow discharge that forms at the corner of the eyelids and can cause the eyes to mat shut also may occur.

Until the veterinarian arrives: Move the horse to a dust-free environment sheltered from wind and bright sunlight. Carefully wash the discharge and eye with warm but not hot water. Do not apply eye ointments containing steroids unless directed by the veterinarian because ulceration of the cornea can be associated with conjunctivitis. Incorrect treatment can lead to blindness.

•Esophageal obstruction (choke) usually occurs when a horse eats too quickly, eats rough or bulky feed, or has an esophageal lesion. A horse with poor teeth that is unable to chew its food properly also can choke. Symptoms of a horse with an esophageal obstruction include the inability to swallow, saliva and feedstuffs coming from the nostrils, spasms of the esophagus, extending the head and neck, the presence of a bulge or lump on the left side of the neck, and marked evidence of distress. Some horses may continue to try to eat. Serious problems like aspiration pneumonia can result.

Until the veterinarian arrives: Try to determine the cause of the choke. Bolted feed can be easier to manipulate out than a foreign object. If the obstruction is close to the pharynx, it might be possible to remove it by hand. However, if the horse is in great distress, this can be a dangerous procedure. Always wear gloves when reaching into a horse's mouth.

•Exertional rhabdomyolysis (tying up) is a muscle syndrome that affects some healthy athletes sporadically. Possible causes are exercise in excess of their training level, electrolyte depletion, or dietary imbalances. Other horses seem more susceptible to a form of tying up that has a basis in abnormal regulation of muscle contraction that could possibly be genetic. Whatever the cause, the symptoms a rider might notice include the development of a short stride behind or a feeling of being "off" in the backend, a loss of impulsion, excessive sweating, and a refusal to move at all. Horses also may pass dark, coffee-colored urine.

Until the veterinarian arrives: Try to keep the horse as quiet as possible. Do not walk the horse or ask it to move any more than is absolutely necessary. If the horse is far from the barn area, trailer it back to the stable. If it is a cold day, blanket the horse. If it is a very hot day, hose the horse off and allow the water to evaporate. Provide water to stop dehydration. If the horse should urinate, try to capture some of the urine for the veterinarian to test.

•Lacerations and puncture wounds require quick response and diligent treatment to promote healing, minimize scarring, and reduce the chance of infection. Lacerations to the face always should have veterinary attention; wounds on lower legs should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent growth of granulation tissue (proud flesh); and wounds over tendons, ligaments, and joints must be guarded diligently against infection.

Until the veterinarian arrives: If the wound is minor, rinse it thoroughly with a stream of clean water. Apply antibiotic creams or lotions and a light bandage, if possible, to protect the wound from environmental contaminants (particularly flies). Check the horse's vaccination record to assure it has had a tetanus booster within a year.

For more severe wounds, keep the horse as quiet as possible. Try to control the bleeding using compression bandages or thick towels pressed tightly against the wound. Apply pressure until bleeding slows or stops. Try to keep the wound as clean as possible. Do not apply creams or ointments because they may interfere with the veterinarian's work.

•Laminitis is a painful state of congestion affecting the vascular system within the hoof. Conditions that may cause acute laminitis include the ingestion of excessive grain or lush pasture, repeated concussion of the hoof on hard surfaces, drinking large amounts of water after heavy exercise, colic, retained placentas, and diarrhea.

It is important to note that symptoms are an indication that damage, possibly irreversible, already has occurred within the hoof, so do not wait for symptoms to appear before responding.

In severe cases the horse may sweat profusely, have an elevated temperature, be unable to bear weight on the affected hoof or hooves, and have a detectable pulse in the digital artery running down into the hoof. Affected hooves may feel warm to the touch. Horses suffering from laminitis also have a very typical stance that can be recognized from a distance. They stand with their hooves forward of their usual posture to relieve the pressure on their toes, rocking their weight back onto their heels.

Until the veterinarian arrives: When a condition is present that may cause laminitis--even if no symptoms are present--immediately stand the horse in ice. Eliminate the causative factors, such as removing any remaining grain from its feed tub. If possible, have a farrier present to work with the veterinarian when he or she arrives.

•Lameness that dissuades a horse from bearing weight on a limb could be caused by a fracture, joint infection, tendon or ligament damage, dislocation of a joint, or a sole abscess. Many of these conditions potentially could be life-threatening.

Until the veterinarian arrives: Having a veterinarian assess and stabilize the injury before attempting to move the animal is preferable. However, if the horse must be transported to the nearest veterinary hospital, it is extremely important to support the affected limb with a large, bulky leg wrap, with or without a splint. Take every precaution during the trip to make it as smooth as possible for the horse.

Robin Stanback is a freelance writer based in Versailles, Kentucky.