In a blog post on Equine Envelope, Linda Spahr discusses "How to Get the Most from Your Veterinarian" and includes some very timely tips and information that can be helpful to all horse owners:
All animal owners have had to make that dreaded call to their veterinarian when something goes wrong with an animal. In some cases, it’s a routine question. At other times, it appears to be an emergency.
Nothing is more frustrating that thinking your vet doesn’t care or doesn’t understand the severity of your call. In most cases the information we give the vets when we make an emergency call is vague and can lead to a mediocre response. Here are some tips for making a call to your vet that can help you get a more satisfactory response.
Animal owners need to observe their animals each day, handle them at least a few times a week to determine body condition, and pay attention to changes. Youth in 4-H get tired of hearing me say “if you don’t know normal, you will never see abnormal”, but it’s a very accurate statement. Every animal has a different personality, different habits, and a different reaction to stress, sickness and pain.
Some animals may fit into the “wuss” category where any little thing makes them act like they are dying. Other animals are just the opposite and by the time they show pain they may be in serious need. You should know the differences when calling your vet.
Your veterinarian gets hundreds of emergency calls a week and, in some cases, a single day. When you call 9-1-1, you are asked to state the nature of the emergency. A call to your vet should be no different. If the call is for a routine, non emergency issue, be sure the vet knows that.
If it is an emergency, your vet is more likely to respond as such if you have not declared every call an emergency. Be ready to give specific symptoms and be as precise as possible. One thing that slows down a response is giving non-specific descriptions, such as “he’s just not acting right”. Know the vital signs for your horse. Some horses will run a normal temperature a degree higher or lower than average and some will have a higher pulse or respiration rate. Record what is normal for your horse.
There are some basic observations you should record before you call. The most important thing you need to record is the animal’s temperature. Temperature is key in determining the severity of an illness. In many cases it helps differentiate one illness from another.
Use a rectal thermometer to take temperatures. If you don’t know how to read a rectal thermometer, ask a vet technician to help you before you have an emergency. It is always a good idea to put a string through the glass loop at the end of the thermometer or duct tape string to the end and then secure an alligator clip to the string.
If you have a horse that doesn’t like have its temperature taken, you can clip the thermometer to the tail and stay safely out of the way without worrying about the thermometer getting sucked into the rectum of your horse. When you report the temperature of your horse, you should be able to also tell them if it was a sudden onset or if the horse has had a low grade temperature for a day or more.
The next thing you should be able to report is the timing of the illness. Has the horse been acting “off” for a few days, or did it become sick in just a few hours? What was the horse doing before you noticed the symptoms? Was it eating leaves blown down in a storm? What kinds of trees border your pasture? Had the horse just finished a rigorous workout or was it grazing? Your vet will also need to know if your horse has been exposed to other horses recently. Horses boarded or housed together will pass sickness around the barn, just like school children.
If your horse is a show horse, you have most likely taken the precaution of vaccinating your horse and having an EIA or coggins test done. However, it’s also important to make note of any horse at the show that appears sick and make note of its symptoms. If possible, ask a person in charge if you can have your stall area moved away from a horse that isn’t healthy.
Changes in feed or hay can cause complications for horses that often result in colic or severe gastric symptoms. The vet will need to know the protein and fiber content of the previous feed versus the new feed.
When you switch feeds, always keep a tag from both the old feed and the new feed close by the phone. Some hay may have toxic weeds baled into the bale. Some toxic plants lose their toxicity when they are dried, but others, such as nightshade, remain very toxic.
Some plants will cause immediate reactions and often some of the material is still in the horse’s mouth. Very carefully try to remove any plant material from your horse’s mouth. If the horse is having seizures, stay clear and do not attempt to remove any materials from the mouth.
Injuries to horses cause the adrenalin level in the horse and owner to rise rapidly. Try to remain calm as you assess the extent of the injuries. Is the horse bleeding, and if they are, where are they bleeding from; the leg, ear, nose? You should attempt to control the bleeding by placing a dressing on the wound and applying pressure. Don’t take any dressing off; just apply more dressing on top of the first dressing if the bleeding continues.
Horses will often panic if they have a head wound that bleeds into their eyes or runs down to the nostrils. Try to prevent this while keeping in mind that any injured horse is unpredictable and be ready to react as needed. Try to remove any sharp or harmful objects from the area in case the horse goes down.
Never under any circumstances should you remove an item that has caused a puncture wound. Keep the horse calm and immobilize the object the best you can. When reporting to your vet, be prepared to report if the blood is oozing or squirting from the wound. Make note of any fluid coming from the ears, eyes, or nose and report that as well.
When you call the veterinarian write down as much information on the cause of the injury, the location of the horse when it showed signs of illness, the severity of the symptoms and all vital signs you can. It’s easy to give misinformation when get excited or if there is a lot of commotion. Your veterinarian can respond more effectively to your situation if you can give them clear, concise information on your horse’s current condition, along with a brief history of your horse’s recent activity. Be prepared and be safe!
-Linda Spahr, Extension Educator
Please see additional information on this site about first aide kits, emergencies, and the various diseases and conditions that may require the services of your veterinarian.