What to do When Waiting for the Vet

Course Notes* Horse Health - Waiting for the Vet

Certificate III VCE/VET Horse StudiesCourse Book Notes Week 2, Lesson 4What to do when waiting forthe vetWhat do you do when the vet is coming, and what do you dowhen the vet arrives?Most of the vet treatments fall into:1. Routine treatments - drenching, pregnancy testing, etc. suchtreatments can be done at any time within the required range,and are not time critical. They can be done when the vet isnext coming your way.2. Problems which can be predicted - like mares foaling.3. Obvious injuries which cannot be predicted. - involvinganything which has external bleeding, possible bone fractures(critical, requiring immediate vet attention).4. Not so obvious problems - colic.Conditions falling into the first category should only require thehorse owner to have the horse ready with a suitable person toassist the vet.Conditions falling into the second category require the horseowner to have some degree of knowledge. Owners of maresshould know that if the foal is not delivered within one and a halfhours of the water bag showing that the vet should be calledurgently. N.B. if a mare goes down to foal and no progress occursfor 10 minutes, call the vet. The foal dies aprroximately 25-30minutes after the start of foaling.Unpredictable injuries require the horse owner to be able topresent the vet with:1. An adequate record of the horses vital signs.2. Restrained movement.3. Horse in warm place (shock).4. Control bleeding.Any delay in calling the vet will cause the horse more pain.In the not so obvious cases like colic, the vital signs should bedocumented. Give the vet the relevant information over the phoneand let him decide as to the urgency of the problem.1

Certificate III VCE/VET Horse StudiesCourse Book Notes Week 2, Lesson 4If possible call the vet at a reasonable hour. The last thing the vetneeds is to be called early on a Sunday morning to a horse that hasbeen off colour all week and you thought that it would just getbetter.When you ring the vet, and he is coming:• Restrain the horse and keep it warm. If you think it is showingsymptoms of colic walk it quietly, allow it to lie down forshort periods but restrain it from rolling violently.• Bring a supply of hot water, towels and buckets to the locationof the horse.• Have available any restraints (twitches) you feel may beneeded. When the vet arrives be ready to assist, since hecannot diagnose the horse and restrain it at the same time.When holding the horse for examination concentrate on the jobthat you are doing. Always hold the horse by standing on thesame side as the vet and watch what the vet is doing. Leave yourquestions until after the vet has concluded the examination, andthen he will be happy to explain everything to you.2

Certificate III VCE/VET Horse StudiesCourse Book Notes Week 2, Lesson 4RestraintSometimes horses must be restrained in order to performveterinary treatment or diagnostic procedures, to medicate minorwounds, or for clipping or other purposes. In using restraints, thefollowing principles are most important:• Any restraint must be safe for the handler, and for theveterinarian or person working on the horse.• The restraint must be safe for the horse, and appliedhumanely.• Minimize stress on the horse by using the least severe restraintthat will work safely under the circumstances, and for nolonger than necessary.• Plan ahead. Teach horses to accept routine handlingprocedures; have suitable restraint equipment andexperienced help; work in a safe and suitable area.• Restraints must be used with good judgement, taking intoaccount the situation, the individual horse, and the experienceof the handler. Apply them kindly but firmly, and never loseyour temper!• Any horse sedated or otherwise may react violently. Beprepared, don't relax.ChemicalTranquilizers - or sedatives - are drugs that produce a calmingeffect by working on the brain or the central nervous system.They are used to calm and restrain horses during veterinarytreatment and for clipping, shipping, and other procedures. Mosttranquilizers raise the horse’s pain threshold, but they do notblock pain. A tranquilized horse can still feel pain and may kick,jump, or react violently to a startling or painful stimulus.Eye lid massageOne of the easiest restraints to use on a quiet horse is eyelidmassage. Both the bottom and the top eyelid contain a lot of nerveendings near the skin.Facing the horse massage from the front of the eyelid in abackward and forwards direction. Use the first and second fingersof the hand with the palm over the horse’s nasal bone.The eyelid massage must be on the same side of the horse as thetreatment is being carried out.3

Certificate III VCE/VET Horse StudiesCourse Book Notes Week 2, Lesson 4Don’t try this method with a horse that is restrained in any otherway.Ear restraintsThe horse’s ears are very sensitive and mobile.Ear restraints involve grabbing the ear of the horse with the freehand (the one other than the hand holding the horse).Light pressure can be applied by folding the ear over itself.Never apply a rope twitch to the ear as it can cause permanentdamage to the ear cartilageNeck pinchThis is a help in restraining horses. Grasp a loose fold of skin fromthe neck with all your fingers. Squeeze and twist the fold of skinto restrain the horse for a short time.The twitchThis is the most common form of restraint.The upper and the lower lips are sensitive organs, and containnumerous nerve endings near the skin. The twitch appliespressure to the nerve endings and takes the horses attention awayfrom what is being done to it. This twitch causes the release ofsubstances called endorphins, which are carried by the blood andact on the brain.The correct use of the twitch ensures that the horse experiencessufficient response in the nose to override any pain.ApplicationCorrect application depends on placing the hand through the loopso that the top of the loop sits under the index finger on the frontof the knuckles. In this position the twitch cannot slip back overthe hand.Grasp the horses muzzle with the fingers of the same hand, slidethe loop, or the ring, up the fingers on to the muzzle at least 35 to40cms from the tip and twist the handle of the twitch. Continue to4

Certificate III VCE/VET Horse StudiesCourse Book Notes Week 2, Lesson 4twist until the loop around the muzzle compresses the muzzletissue so that the loop or ring is not sitting above the skin surfaceby more than half the depth of the rope.Once the twitch is applied, fix it in position by placing at least twoloops over the handle or by passing the lead through the ring.Some horses have a strong aversion to the twitch and reactviolently to the application of the twitch. In this case use anothertype of restraint (e.g. knee hobbles).TypesTwitches come in a variety of types.The hand twitch is the simplest where the handler uses the handto apply pressure to the muzzle or neck. (Grabbing a piece of neckskin from the depression in the neck then rolling your knucklesand wrist into the horses neck).The loop twitch is a loop of about 75mm in diameter of a narrowbut strong rope, attached to a handle of timber or poly pipe about400mm long. A ring, (bull ring), handle is another option. I preferthis option as it can be attached easily to the headstall, and cannothit you if the horse panics.Although the twitch is an effective restraint it can easily be usedincorrectly.Never leave the twitch on for longer than 10 minutes withoutreleasing the pressure and allowing normal blood flow.Incorrect or too loose application means that the horse can wriggleit off which can be very dangerous in the middle of an operation.5

Certificate III VCE/VET Horse StudiesCourse Book Notes Week 2, Lesson 4Figure 1: Restraining a horse with a twitch6