Whether or not to call the veterinarian is a dilemma all observant horse owners face on a regular basis. Fortunately a few guidelines can make the decision-making process a little easier. The University of Florida Large Animal Hospital College of Veterinary Medicine has provided an extensive list that addresses the signs and conditions that indicate "It's Time to Call the Vet."
Traveling veterinarian visiting a farm to vaccinate horses.
If you have concerns about your horse’s condition, it is better to call your veterinarian because earlier diagnosis and treatment helps provide you and your horse with the best possible outcome.
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Although certain illnesses and conditions will have obvious signs and indicators that a veterinarian should be called, others may not. It is critical to know the normal behavior, attitude, and gait of your horses, since changes that could require veterinary attention may be subtle at first.
No one knows your horse better than you. Learn how to take your horse’s heart rate (normal 28-48 beats per minute), respiratory rate (10-20 breaths per minute), and temperature (99-101.5 F), and know the normal values for your horse. Be familiar with normal gum color (light pink) and capillary refill time (less than 2 seconds). Understanding what is normal for your horse will help you identify subtle changes and will help improve communication with your veterinarian should an issue arise.
Equally important as knowing when to call your vet, is having a plan for emergencies. Keep important phone numbers readily available, have a plan for transportation if your horse requires a referral to a hospital, and keep a first aid kit on the farm and in your trailer.
Consider discussing a backup veterinarian with your vet in case they are unavailable. Keeping directions and maps available to local veterinary hospitals may help expedite travel should that be necessary. Most importantly, remember to stay calm and call your vet sooner rather than later if you suspect a problem.
Specific Symptoms and Conditions
Call the vet if your horse has:
- Fever
- Adult: temperature greater than 101.5 o F
- Foal: temperature greater than 102 o F
- Temperatures over 103 o F indicate a serious problem and your horse should be placed in a cool area with fans and hosed off until the vet arrives
- Abnormal gum color (red, purple, white, or yellow)
- Squinting, swollen, cloudy or tearing eye
- Yellow or green nasal discharge
- Loss of appetite or difficulty eating
- Chronic cough
- Sweating profusely
- Lame (head-bobbing, reluctant to walk or trot, laying down more than usual)
- Unable to get up
- Unable to move
- Uncoordinated gait (ataxia) or stumbling excessively
- Seizures or collapse
- Profuse bleeding, deep wounds, or lacerations
- Difficulty breathing (nostril flare, distressed, increased respiratory rate)
- Injury over a joint, tendon, or on the bottom of the foot
- Depression or anxiety
- Diarrhea (more than loose manure from excitement/trailering)
- Blood in urine
- Heat stress
- Unusual swelling or suspected bite (snake, spider, etc.)
- Mare is foaling and there is no progression in 10-15 minutes from water breaking. Normal deliveries take 30-40 minutes from water break to foal on the ground
Foal
- Remember the 1-2-3 Rule! 1 hour to stand, 2 hours to nurse, and 3 hours for the mare to pass the placenta. If any of these are broken, call your vet!
- Mare has no milk, foal not nursing, IgG low (not enough colostrum)
- All foals should be evaluated by a veterinarian within 12-24 hours of birth to ensure adequate passive transfer
- Diarrhea in the first few days of life or any diarrhea that persists
- Fever (temperature greater than 102 o F)
- Abnormal behavior
- Seizures or other neurological signs
- Unable to stand
- Colic, bloated
- Milk coming out of nose
- Difficulty breathing or increased respiratory rate
- Any abnormalities with the eye, for example: tearing, squinting, swelling, cloudy appearance
- Straining to urinate or defecate
- Lame, swollen joint or joints
Read the complete posting of this informative article about when it's time to call the vet relative to Older Horses, Colic, and Seasonal Reminders for Veterinary Calls HERE
Please Note: these lists are not exhaustive. If you have specific concerns about your horse’s condition, it is always better to call and discuss them with your veterinarian. Earlier diagnosis and treatment typically provides you and your horse with the best possible outcome.
Press release by University of Floida Large Animal Hospital College of Veterinary Medicine - Information provided by Dr. Amanda House, Veterinarian, Associate Dean For Academic And Student Affairs; Professor