Anatomy, Hoof Problems, Conformation, Emergency Care, Vaccinations, Parasites Flashcards
general character or the ___ determined by age and breed.
Skin is thin and firmly bound
Head
many tactile hairs (whiskers) scattered on the lips and chin and around the nostrils.
nostrils are large and widely spaced; supported by cartilage
velvety hair on ____.
Muzzle
upper part of ___ opening leads to a blind pouch (no other domestic species has this).
margins are very flexible and allow the opening to be dilated both actively when breathing and manually.
Horses are obligated to breathe through their noses (cannot breathe through their mouth).
Nostrils
entrance is small,
lips are covered by fine hairs giving a velvety texture.
very sensitive.
used in the selection and grasping food.
Mouth
prominent.
capable of being swiveled when attempting to locate sound.
express their emotions through their ___ carriage.
Ears
prominent and placed to each side of the head.
panoramic field of vision.
length of muzzle creates a blind area directly in front.
generally are dark brown in color
Eyes
“brown bodies” located at the top of the pupil (black hole in the middle of the eyeball)
normal in the horse eye
reduces glare and improves vision in bright light
corpora nigra
long, conforming to the shape of the mouth..
made up of 12+ muscles.
contains many nerves, very sensitive
upper surface has delicate “bumps” (papillae) that make it velvet-like in texture, sensory and motor function, help to guide food in position
tongue
fairly flat, highly mobile, works with teeth and lips to select and pick feedstuff = ___ portion of tongue
front
big lump, large muscle that pushes feedstuff to the back of the mouth, aids in swallowing = ___ portion of tongue
back
suited for herbivore diet.
grow continually throughout the horse’s life.
have two sets of ___ in lifetime: Deciduous (baby) and Permanent (adult)
teeth
out-pouching of the eustachian tube (connects ear to the back of the throat).
one of each side.
each can hold about 1/2 liter.
branches of very important nerve and artery run through these.
guttoral pouch
what is the purpose of the guttoral pouch
helps to cool the blood before it goes to the brain
What causes Guttoral Pouch Tympany (air trapped in GP) and which sex and age of horses does it affect?
causes: congenital defect, local tissue swelling from a previous respiratory infection, unknown
age: within 1st year of age
sex: fillies more than colts
elastic structure that gives the horse’s neck both mobility and strength
allows the horse to lift its head very quickly when grazing
nuchal ligament
different regions of the spine
cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccygeal (caudal tail vertebrae)
what is the equine vertebral formula?
cervical = 7
thoracic = 18
lumbar = 6
sacral = 5
coccygeal = 15-21
The ___ cavity of the horse contains 18 pairs of ribs.
thoracic
organs of the digestive system occupy the greater part of this space
abdominal cavity
___ carry the greatest amount of weight and are the principal shock absorbers.
___ provide the main power for movement
forelimbs, hindlimbs
True/False: There are no muscles in the horse’s leg below the carpus or tarsus.
true
___ bones are located on the inside and outside of the cannon bones
splint
the flexor tendons and the suspensory ligaments, along with other ligamentous structures, make up the ___
suspensory apparatus
anatomical structures that allow the horse to stand at rest for long times with virtually no muscular effort
stay apparatus
structure that holds coffin bone and hoof wall together
lamina
junction between the sole and the wall
white line
pressure from the ___ into the digital cushion is the major means of returning blood from the bottom of the limbs into the body.
frog
degree to which the hind leg reaches forward under the body
reach
what is the #1 problem with the horse’s feet
lack of farrier syndrome
what causes hoof rings
diet changes, high fevers, aggressive shoeing, improper trimming and shoeing
what can cause hoof cracks
abnormal foot conformation, trauma to coronet, improper shoeing or trimming
indicates how proportional a horse is
balance
True/False: To evaluate the balance of the body view from the side. the length of the shoulder = length of back = length of hip
true
ideally the top of the neck should be twice as long as the underside of the horse’s neck in a ___ ratio
2-to-1
the back of the horse should be ___ as long as the underline
1/2
___ act as shock absorbers to the horse’s movement
pasterns
the ideal hip is what shape
square
name some signs of distress in horses
decreased appetite
lethargic
lying down longer than normal
single animal off by itself
sudden lameness
squinting, tearing, or holding the eye closed
fever (greater than 102 degrees F)
purple or red gum color
what is the question you should always ask yourself when you see a horse in distress?
is it safe to approach the horse
name some of the things you should have in your first-aid kit
gauze pads
roll cotton
brown gauze
adhesive wrap
leg wraps
scissors
white tape
duct tape
stethoscope
thermometer
hoof pick
surgical soap
eye wash
antiseptic. solution
latex gloves
flashlight w/ spare batteries
what is the normal temperature range for a horse in fahrenheit
99.5 to 101.5
what is the normal resting heart rate of a horse
28 to 44 BPM
what is the normal respiratory rate of a horse
12 to 16 breaths per minute
what are things to tell the vet if your horse is in distress
recent changes in feed or routine
medical information (such as pregnancy or recent vaccinations, deworming, etc.)
heart rate and gut sounds
quantity and consistency of manure passed int he last 24 hours
describe what blood looks like coming from an artery
cherry red in color
pulsating/squirting blood out of the wound
carry blood away from the heart
describe what blood looks like coming from the vein
dark red in color
ooze out of the wound moving slowly and steadily
describe what blood looks like coming from the capillaries
blood oozes from the damaged body part
typically a skin injury (ex. scrape, minor cut)
causes of sudden lameness
hoof abscess
fractures
laminitis
tendon injuries
signs of choke
coughing and retching
extending the neck
large amounts of nasal discharge, containing food and saliva
what is the #1 killer of horses in America
colic
what is colic
abdominal pain
what are the clinical signs of colic
laying down
biting at belly
rolling
laying flat out
sweaty
stretch out (looks like horse is attempting to urinate)
most critical factor in determining the severity of a wound on a horse
location
what are the signs of inflammation
heat
pain
swelling
redness
decreased function
any condition that impairs normal function of the body
disease
factors to consider when vaccinating
age
occupation
housing
geographical location
core vaccinations include:
sleeping sickness (western/eastern)
tetanus
west nile
rabies
common non-core vaccinations include:
influenza
rhinopneumonitis
strangles
potomac horse fever
how are almost all vaccinations for horses given
IM - intramuscular
what are the mild reactions to vaccinations and when do they typically resolve
slightly depressed
low grade fever
poor appetite
soreness/stiffness at the injection site
hives
24-48 hours after vaccination
what are the serious reactions to vaccinations
swelling to the face
difficulty breathing
downer horse
what can internal parasites do to horses
lower the horse’s resistance to infection
rob him of valuable nutrients
cause permanent damage to internal organs
what is strategic deworming
focus on the 25% of the horses that are causing 75% of the parasite problem
not trying to eliminate parasites from all horses
goals of parasite control
reduce transmission
maintain worm burdens below harmful levels
manage those horses that maintain chronically high parasite levels
signs of parasites in horses
dull, rough hair coat
decreased stamina, lethargy, or depression
unthrifty or loss of body condition
slowed growth in young horses
pot belly (esp. in young horses)
colic
diarrhea
the most common and troublesome parasites are
pinworms
ascarids (roundworms)
small strongyles
tapeworms
think of the word PAST
what is the purpose of a fecal egg count
identify which individual horses are shedding more parasite eggs and should be dewormed more frequently
what is the #1 goal to manage internal parasites
reduce shedding of eggs on pastures where they can contaminate many horses (via feces)
