Module 3: Horse Assesment Flashcards
Why are horses assessed
good health indicators
injury assesment
what is considered in a visual evaluation
- body condition
- coat condition
- eyes
- movement
- behaviour
what are warning signs on a body condition score test 1-9?
- too fat or too thin
- 6 areas of concern - crest, fat on withers, along the spin, tail head, elbow and ribs/ stomach
what does a body condition score of 1 look like
- whole body extremely emacipated
- no fat tissue
- bone structure visable
- dips around tail/ rump
- elbow standing out and space between elbow and barrel
what is the last place on a horse it looses muscle?
Rump
what does a horse with a body scale of 9 look like
- extremely fat - inner buttocks may rub together
- neck and withers and buldging fat
- patchy fat appears over ribs
what could horses with a body score of 9 be susceptible to
- lamness
- laminitis
- metabolic problems
- hard time moving or breathing
what should a quality coat look like
- smooth
- glossy
- ## seasonally appropriate (long hair in winter/short in the summer)
what are warning signs in coat conditions
- wounds
- dry brittle patchy skin
- external paracites
what do healthy eyes look like
bright
clear
wide open
what do warning signs in eyes look like
dull
glazed
cloudy
squinty
discharge
what two things should movement have
- symmetrical and smooth
- there is always asymmetry to some degree but it should be unnoticible
- should hesitate or pause
what are some warning signs in movement
- asymmetry (neuro)
- lameness
- stiffness
- hesitation
what are good behavioural signs
- need to know the horse to know its behaviour
- calm
- alert
- normal defication and urination
what are some behavioural warning signs
- atypical
- anxious
- depressed
- aggressive
- somnotent (excessivily sleepy)
what should the normal TPR be on a regular horse
temperature - 37.2-38.3C
pulse - 25-45 BMP
respiration - 10-25 breaths/min
what is a dangerous temp for your horse
40.5C
what can influence BMP
resting/ working
age
gender
fitness
what is a dangerous BPM
over 68 BPM after 30 minutes of working
what is the normal colour for muscous memebranes
pale roseate
pink
what do poor mucous membranes look like
pale - anemia, blood loss, dehydration or infection
dark red - circulatory comprimise, shock
yellow - jaundice
what is the right CRT
under 4 seconds
- press on gums with thumb - white and colour returning
jugualar refil
skin pinch
what are some ways horses get hydration
- drinking water
- water in feed
- metabolic water
- water lost - urine, sweat, feces and milk
what causes dehydration
- loosing more water then taking in
how can you asses dehydration
- skin tint, 2-3 s CRT over 2 and gums try
how do you treat dehydration
water IV and electrolytes
what % is dangerous in terms of dehydration
- 8-10% can kill
>10 skin tent stays crt over 5 cold extremitites
12-15% shock and death
where can horses experience discharge from
- nasal
- oral
- occular
which is the most common type of discharge
- nasal
what do different discharges mean
- bilateral, watery - allergies
- bilateral thick, yellow - viral or bacteria
- flowing bloody, EIPH, bacterial, fungal infection of gutteral pouch
- dry with blood - ethmoid hematoma
- unilateral creamlike - gutteral pouch empyema
- bilateral foamy chunky - choking
where is the gutteral pouch
- under ear
what are colic symptoms
- looking/ biting signs
- stretching
- kicking belly
- rolling without shaking
- flehmans repsonse
- pawing
not eating
T/F you should give a horse banimene when they colic
false, it masks the signs and colic can get worse without notice
- can also effect ability to get surgery
do you want to here silence from the gut
NO
what are your goals with first aid
- preserve life
- prevent suffering
- stabalize condition
- relieve acute conditions
what are the most common injuries or risks
- wounds
- colic
- lamness
what are options you can do
- can you take care of the problem
- call for assistance if you cant
- keep horse calm and safe
- maintian untill help arrives
- check vital signs
what should you have in a first aid kit
- help numbers (vets ferrriors knowledgable people)
- restraint aids ( halter lead shank, ropes and twitch)
- medications (what you know)
- bandages
- cleaning solutions ( water, salene, antiseptic)
- would creams ( honey)
- fly repellent
- ebsons salts for swelling
anti fungal meds - mineral oils for colic
- anti inflammatories
- antibodies ( if horse has known allergies)
- sedatives
- sterile gauze, cotton
- sillicon gell pads
- leg wraps, vet wraps and duck tape
- thermometer and stethoscope
- needles syringe
- scissores, penlight note pad and pencil
