Equine Nursing and Surgery Flashcards
Horse Height
Measurement
1 hand = 4 inches
Horse Cardiac Cycle
4 heart sounds made - may hear only 2-3
* S4: atrial contraction
* S1: AV valve closing
* S2: semilunar valve closing
* S3: faint; blood rushing into ventricles
* S1 and S2 are loudest and most obvious
AV Block
- May be regular or irregular
- 2nd degree: no S1, S2, or arterial pulse
- 2nd degree may be seen in unfit horses - resolves with exercise
- Most common nonpathological arrhythmia
Borborygmus
GI motility sounds
* upper left and right paralumbar fossa
* lower left and right abdomen
* cecum on right side paralumbar - no sound is concerning
* 2+ is normal = sounds do not overlap
Dental Characteristics
- Canine teeth called tushes
- P1 = wolf teeth; located on upper jaw
- Side to side chewing creates points - need to be floated
Tetanus
What / Cause / Transmission
- Lockjaw
- Caused by bacteria Clostridium tetani
- Transmitted via spores / bacteria getting into open wounds
Tetanus
Signs / Treatment
- Results in muscle stiffness / sawhorse / light sensitivity
- Treat: wound care, tetanus antitoxin
- Keep horse in dark, quiet stall
- Vaccines available (core vaccine)
- Recovery often fatal
Rabies
- Caused by Lyssavirus (Rhabdoviridae family)
- Transmitted via infected saliva entering body / contact with infected material
- Vaccine available (core vaccine)
- Progressive and fatal
- Zoonotic - reportable disease
Equine Herpesvirus
What / Transmission
Also called Viral Rhinopneumonitis
* affects respiratory and neuromuscular
* transmitted via cough secretions / fomites
Equine Herpesvirus
Signs / Treatment
- Causes respiratory symptoms and abortions
- Treat with supportive care and antibiotics
- Vaccine available (risk-based)
- Lifelong infection may still shed when stressed
Colic vs Colitis
- Colic: abdominal pain (most common ailment)
- Colitis: acute inflammation of large colon and cecum
Influenza
What / Cause / Transmission
- Respiratory disease (highly contagious)
- Caused by Orthomyxovirus
- Transmitted via fomites / secretions (cough)
Influenza
Management
- Young most susceptible
- Quarantine new horses
- Vaccine available (risk-based)
EEE / WEE / VEE
What / Transmission
Equine Encephalomyelitis
* location based: Eastern, Western, Venezuelan
* called sleeping sickness
* transmitted via mosquito
EEE / WEE / VEE
Signs / Treatment
- Causes nervous signs and brain lesions
- Manage with supportive care
- Vaccine available (core vaccine)
- Death common
- Zoonotic
Strangles
What / Cause / Transmission
Also called Distemper
* respiratory disease
* caused by bacteria Streptococcus equi
* highly contagious - direct contact or via fomites
Strangles
Treatment / Mangement
- Supportive care / Antibiotics
- Isolate sick
- Destroy contaminated items
- Vaccine available (risk-based)
Potamic Horse Fever
What / Cause / Transmission
- GI disease
- Caused by bacteria Neorickettsia risticii
- Transmitted via eating aquatic insects
Potamic Horse Fever
Treatment / Management
- Supportive care
- Potentially can be fatal
- Vaccine available (risk-based)
West Nile Virus
What / Cause / Transmission
- Neuromuscular disease
- Caused by Flavivirus
- Transmitted via mosquitos
West Nile Virus
Signs / Treatment
- Swelling and inflammation of brain / spinal cord
- Circling / lameness
- Death
- Treat via supportive care
- Vaccine available (core vaccine)
- If recovered - may have lifelong immunity
Botulism
What / Cause / Transmission
Also called Shaker Foal Syndrome
* neuromuscular disease
* caused by bacteria Clostridium botulinum
* transmitted via ingesting spores in soil or contaminated feed
Botulism
Signs / Treatment
Toxins produced in GI tract
* muscle weakness
* foals unable to nurse
* sudden death with no signs
* supportive care
* poor prognosis - can recovery if caught / treated early
* vaccine available (risk-based)
EPM
What / Cause / Transmission
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis / Myelitis
* neuromuscular disease
* caused by bacteria Sarcocystis neurona
* transmitted via spores in opossum feces contaminating feed / water / soil
EPM
Signs / Treatment
- Affects both CNS and PNS
- Treat with longterm antibiotics
- Complete recovery may not be possible
- Relapses common
Equine Degenerative Myelopathy
What / Cause / Signs
- Neuromuscular disease
- Caused by vitamin E deficiency
- Muscle wasting / ataxia
Foal Pneumonia
What / Cause / Transmission
- Respiratory disease with some GI signs
- Caused by bacteria Rhodococcus equi - previously Corynebacterium equi
- Transmitted via inhalation of bacteria in soil
Foal Pneumonia
Treatment
Treat with Antibiotics and Supportive Care
* fatality rate depends on appropriate treatment
* heavy GI signs = grave / poor prognosis
* isolate sick foals
* zoonotic (if immunocompromised)
EIA
What / Cause / Transmission
Equine Infectious Anemia
* also called Swamp Fever
* caused by Lentivirus
* transmitted via blood / semen / tissue
* can be transmitted from horse to horse via horsefly bites
EIA
Treatment / Management
Test / diagnose via Coggins test
* no cure
* horses either need to be isolated for life or euthanized
Thrush
Fungal infection of the foot
* affects the frog
* causes black slime and bad odor
Laminitis
Also called Founder
* inflammation of the feet
* caused via grain overload / drinking cold water
Navicular Syndrome
Degeneration of the navicular bone
* no exact cause known
* issues walking
* use hoof testers - will react and pull away
* surgery needed if drug therapy doesnt work
