Herd Health Management
Equine Science II
Know Your Equine
1. The equine should be in good body condition and move freely
2. Normal
may vary from one equine to another
3. Determine normal vital sign when the equine is at rest.
4. Recognize changes
a.
is one of the first
warnings that something is wrong.
b. Observe changes in
the
,
,
, etc. of
manure.
c. Dullness of
and
, a runny nose or a
persistent cough can all be indications that something is wrong.
Respiration
1. The normal rate an equine breathes while at rest is
, breaths
per minute.
a. Any kind of distress or activity increases a equine’s respiration
rate.
b. When respiration rate exceeds the
, the
equine has a serious problem. Normally the heart beat about
four times per breath the equine takes.
2. Respiration rate can be determined without special equipment by:
a. Counting the number of times the
move in and
out per minute. (Flanks move in and out with each breath).
b. Counting the number of times the nostrils flare and contract per
minute. (The nostrils flare and contract with each breath.)
c. Holding the hand in front of the nostrils to feel the breaths that
the equine takes may also help.
Temperature
1. The normal temperature range is
degrees F.
a. 102 degrees F is a mild fever, 104 degrees F is moderate and
106 degrees F is a high fever
b. The chance for recovery by an equine with a high temperature
is _____________.
2. Rest equine with a 102 degree F temperature and call a veterinarian
when the temperature rises to 103 degrees.
3. Use a veterinary thermometer to check an equine’s temperature.
a. Always take the equine’s temperature ____________________.
b. Allow
minutes for accurate reading
c. Use the
attached to the thermometer to secure and
retrieve.
d. Inserting the thermometer full length helps prevent breaking
4. Procedure for taking equine’s temperature:
a. Shake the mercury down to the
degree range.
b. Dip the bulb of the thermometer, bulb first, full length into the
rectum
c. Fasten the thermometer to the equine’s tail using the clip-on
string.
d. Remove after
minutes, read and then wash the
thermometer with soap and cool water
e. Finally, dip the thermometer in a disinfectant solution and rinse
it again
Heart Rate
1. Normal heart rate varies
a. Adult:
beats per minute
b. Newborn foal:
.
c. Older foals:
.
d. Yearlings:
.
2. Establish the normal rate for the equine by checking the rate when the
horse is calm, cool, and relaxed.
a. The heart rate may have to be checked several times to identify
a comfortable range for the normal rate
b. An ill equine may have a heart rate from 80-120 beats per
minute for long periods
3. Determine a equine’s heart rate by counting the pulse for 30 seconds
and multiplying by 2
a. Locate an artery at one of the following points
i.
.
ii. The cheek 4” below eye
iii. Under the tail close to the body
iv. Inside
.
v. Inside left elbow
vi. Against chest wall
vii. Behind the knee
viii. Inside or outside of the
.
b. Press the fingers against an artery and count each throb.
c. Use a
just behind the equine’s left elbow
Why First Aid
1. The nature of equine makes them accident-prone and they are subject
to:
a. Kicks or bites from other horses, falls and injuries sustained by
running through or over obstructions when frightened
b. Equines are naturally curious and may be injured as a result of
pawing objects or sticking their heads through holes in fences
or stall walls.
2. Equines may develop unsoundness from injuries because of stress and
strain to
, etc. and
are caused by:
a.
or over exercise from trainers, riders,
etc.
b. Improper exercise (too little followed by too much)
3. First aid measure are needed for open wounds so that:
a. Excessive bleeding which can result in death is controlled.
(Some controlled bleeding is good because it helps flush the
wound of contaminated material)
b. The contaminated wound becomes a clean wound.
c. The wound heals rapidly
4. Other reasons for first aid treatment include
,
the animal until a veterinarian can arrive, and
,
further injury
Common First Aid Treatments
1. Wounds
a.
(Skin scrapes) are superficial wounds caused
by falls or tack and are treated by gently and thorough washing
of the area with lukewarm water or a saline solution and when
possible applying a light bandage.
b. Equine who suffer wounds more serious than abrasions or
superficial cuts must be treated by a veterinarian, but first aid
used for all open wound should be used until a vet arrives.
i. Move the equine to a quiet area and calm it down.
ii. Hose the wounded area to remove dirt, clay and other
contaminants.
(
.
)
iii. Clean the wounded area with either
,
solution (1 tsp of salt in 1 pint boiled water is .84% salt
solution) or diluted solution of mild skin antiseptic in
2.
3.
4.
5.
warm water (1% iodine-based washes such as Povidone
Iodine or Chorhexidine)
iv. Remove foreign objects from puncture wounds and apply
a
to draw out contaminating materials
and keep the wound open
v. Applying firm, direct pressure with a
.
to the wound and holding it in place to control arterial
bleeding (spurts our of the wound and is bright red).
Reconstituted cellulose and absorbable gelatin sponges
help blood clot and may be left in the wound since they
are absorbed by the body.
Lameness
a. Check each hoof for any foreign object lodged in
the
, remove the object and
observe the equine for signs of lameness and rest the equine.
b. First aid treatment for closed wounds, injuries or swelling
include:
i. Application of
is a common first aid
treatment because it reduces pain, swelling, bleeding and
inflammation
ii. Cold treatment should not continue past the
first
, hours
iii. Apply cold treatment for
minutes and then
wait one hour before starting another 30 minute treatment
Bruises and Fractures
a. Call a veterinarian
b. If leg fracture is suspected,
the leg with a
pillow held in place as tightly as possible by wrapping
bandages tightly around the pillow and leg.
Strains and Sprains
a. Muscle strains/sprains to tendons and ligaments may be treated
with an
.
b. After the application of liniment, the owner or caretaker should
wrap the horse’s legs in
.
Bandages used for
,
and
.
a. Bandages may protect a wound from dirt, decrease movement
of the wounded or affected area, allow faster healing, cover
medications, minimize swelling and provided support.
b.
c.
d.
e.
i. Bandages consist of padding material and an adhesive,
elastic or not-elastic wrap
is a self-adhering, elastic bandage with
contouring qualities which can make it useful for bandaging
difficult areas, pressure bandages and ice packs
A
extends from below the knee or hock
to the fetlock and is used to support the lower leg: support the
leg opposite an injured leg: or for wounds. Apply a stable
bandage by:
i. Wrapping padding snugly around the leg from just below
the joint to below the fetlock and cover with wrapping
flannel or knit wrap starting near the middle of the
cannon bone.
ii. Tuck the end of the wrap under the edge of the padding,
and wrap once around the leg to just below the fetlock
joint.
iii. The bandage should wrap below the back of the joint but
rise higher in front, causing an upside down “V” on the
front of the joint.
are used to apply cold
pressure to cool a warm strained leg. Apply a cold-water
bandage by applying cold water to the leg or soaking padding in
ice water and applying padding directly to the leg without
wringing it out.
i. Wrap the padding snugly with a knit leg wrap.
ii. Run cold water over the bandage frequently and do not
let the bandage dry out
Bandages should be changed when they are no longer
functional; the leg is swollen above or below the bandage; the
equine shows signs of pain; the bandage slips out of position or
the bandage becomes dirty.
f.
Hoof Anatomy
1. Parts of a horse’s foot
a. The
is a horny substance made of
parallel fibers protected by a varnish-like coating called
periople that also holds moisture in the hoof.
i. The hoof wall functions to: provide a __________________________ surface, protect the internal structure
of the foot and maintain moisture in the foot.
b. The
, or coronary band is an area directly
above the hoof wall that serves as the source of growth for the
hoof wall.
c. The
- The part of the horse’s leg between
the fetlock and the coronet that affects the stride of the horse.
d. The
of the foot is a horny substance that protects
the sensitive inner portions.
e. The
is a triangular shaped formation in the sole of
an equine’s foot. The frog of a healthy hoof must remain elastic
as it acts like a shock absorber.
2. The hoof is designed to
when weight
is applied. As weight is applied the sole flattens and the hoof expands
laterally at the heel.
Growth of the Hoof
1. The growth rate of the hoof is about
per month
depending on exercise and general health of the equine.
a.
grow faster
than
, because they have less
weight to rise.
b.
hooves grow faster than shod because the
nails and shoe of a shod hoof limits movement.
c. The hooves of mares and geldings grow ______________ than
stallions because they get more exercise than stallions.
2. The hoof grows at a
degree angle with the ground.
Important Points in Foot Care
1. Foot care is often neglected as a horse management practice. Foot
care includes
a.
. Pick
from the heel to the toe of the foot to prevent injury.
b. Trimming the hooves every
weeks so they retain
proper shape and length.
c. Correcting minor imperfections by trimming such as splayfoot,
toed in and toed out.
d. Treatment of foot diseases and injuries.
is a
bacterial infection that penetrates the frog, making it soft and
mushy. Thrush is related to lack of cleaning. Wet conditions
cause rapid drying out of the horse’s foot.
Reasons for Shoeing
1. Protect the hooves from excessive wear.
2.
.
3. Help correct defects of stance or gait such as forging.
4. Help cure diseased or defected hooves such as inflamed tendons.
5. Shoes can provide relief from the pain of injured parts such as
and
.
6. Shoes do not make walking easier; shoes do not improve agility;
shoes do increase shock and road concussion
and
, made in attaching shoes weaken the
hoof wall, may cause separation and may provide entry for
infection
7. A proper fitting shoe should follow closely the outline of the
trimmed hoof at the toe and around the wall to the bend of the
quarter. Then it should widen gradually until it extends laterally
beyond the hoof wall at the heel. This provides support for the
expanded hoof when the horse places weight on the shod foot.
8. The branch of a properly fitted shoe should not project beyond the
upper part of the hoof at the heel.
9. The last nail should be placed on the
of the
hoof. Placing the nail too far to the rear hinders the lateral
expansion of the foot at the heel.
Common Dental Problems
1. A common problem is painful sores in the equine’s mouth as a
result of sharp edges of hooks on the molars caused when the
equine’s molars do not meet evenly.
2.
(One to four small teeth that may
develop in front of the molars) can cause “bit” problems.
3.
on older equine can get too long,
hit the opposite gum and cause sores.
4.
(Caps) that fail to fail to fall out
may stick to the equine’s gums while the permanent teeth are
coming in and can make chewing difficult.
5.
is a common problem that results
when the lower jaw is too short and affects the equine’s ability to
graze.
6. Chipped or broken incisors may result from the bad habit of
cribbing.
a.
is a bad habit of equines living in stalls
that results from boredom.
b. Cribbing occurs when an equine grabs objects with their
teeth, arch their necks and swallow air.
Recognizing Dental Problems
1. Observe the equine while it is eating to learn if it has problems chewing.
Signs are:
a. The equine moves food around it its mouth a lot prior to
swallowing and food falls from the horse’s mouth as it eats.
b. The equine refuses to eat
2. Make an examination of the equine's mouth by:
a. Grasping the equine’s
with one hand
to open the mouth.
b. At the same time use the other hand to pull and hold the equine’s
to the side of the mouth so that visual inspection can be made.
Correcting Dental Problems
1. A veterinarian uses a special rasp called a
to file and
remove sharp edges from an equine’s teeth.
2. A veterinarian can pull
.
3. Equine with
should not be bred since parrot
mouth is an inherited defect
4. Equine may be prevented from cribbing by placing:
a. Cribbing strap around the equine’s throatlatch.
b. The strap presses on the equine’s
when it
arches its neck.
Internal Parasites
1. An internal parasite lives
,
inside the host.
2. There are more than
types of internal parasites that can
infect equine.
3. No individual equine is ever
of internal
parasites but relatively few internal parasites cause serious damage to the
equine.
4. Most internal parasites live in the
,
,
,
or
of the equine.
5. The extent of injury from internal parasites depends on:
a. The
of parasite.
b. The
of parasites involved, and
c. The
of time the parasite lives in the host.
6. The general life cycle of internal parasites includes five stages:
a. Stage 1- ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
b. Stage 2-_______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
c. Stage 3- ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
d. Stage 4- ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
e. Stage 5- ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7. The MOST abundant and harmful internal parasites affecting equine are:
a.
(Bloodworms) pose the most serious
threat to the equine’s health out of all internal parasites.
i. Migrate within artery walls from the digestive tract toward
the heart.
ii. May cause damage to arteries so the equine bleeds
internally and dies.
b.
spend their entire life cycle in the
intestinal walls.
i. Cause
in the intestinal walls that may
interfere with digestion.
ii. They do not attach to the lining of the intestine and they do
not suck blood.
c.
(Large roundworms) are the largest
parasite that infect equine.
i. May grow to
” long and be the size of a pencil.
ii. Affect young equine less than
years of age.
iii. May damage the heart, liver,
, and cause lockage
of the small intestine resulting in
, or death
should the intestine rupture.
d.
are more of a nuisance causing digestive
problems but resulting in little damage.
e.
are flies that lay eggs on various parts of the equine.
i. Eggs hatch into larvae and are ingested by the equine when
the equine licks the area where eggs are laid.
ii. Other eggs hatch and larvae crawl into the mouth, from the
nostrils and lips where they mature in the gums and
membranes of the inner lips.
iii. When horsemen refer to bots, they usually mean the
mature larvae that attach to the lining of the stomach.
iv. Bots cause
problems and can block
the entrance to the
, causing the
stomach to rupture.
8. Management practices and treatment include:
a. Proper manure disposal which includes:
i. _______________________________________________
ii. Composting prior to spreading on pasture grazed by
animals other than equine or spread on cropland or
ungrazed areas.
b. Proper pasture management that includes
i. The use of temporary pastures where possible.
ii. Frequent
and grain
.
iii.
grazing when possible.
iv. Separate pasture for young and old equine.
v. Avoiding
.
c. Never feed equine from the ground. Always use troughs and
mangers.
d. Regular use of
under the supervision of a
veterinarian.
i.
, a form of avermectin, controls al
common internal parasites.
ii.
may be administered easily with little
chance of injury by a paste.
iii. The most effective way to administer a dewormer is by
____________but usually a veterinarian is required for
that procedure.
iv. Feed additives are effective as long as the equine will eat
the materials.
External Parasites
1. External parasites annoy equine and may infect equine with deadly
diseases.
2. External parasites may leave a equine _______________,
___________and produce
.
3. Some common external parasites that attach equine include:
a.
can cause damage and transmit disease such as
African equine fever.
b.
are most often found on neglected equine.
i. Two types of lice live on equine: The
, louse
and the
louse.
ii. Lice spread quickly from equine to equine.
c.
cause the condition mange or scabies in equine.
i.
is very contagious
ii. Separate equine with mange from healthy equine and use
different grooming equipment
d.
are bloodsuckers and cause extreme itching after
they bite.
e.
carry viruses and bacteria which cause
diseases such as equine infectious anemia (sleeping sickness).
f.
are annoying to equine and carry stomach
worms from equine to equine.
i. Female
flies lay eggs in fresh wounds on
animals that hatch into larva that feed on the tissue resulting
in large sores.
4. Management practices and treatment for external parasites include;
a. Regular
, dirty stall bedding
and materials which encourage the breeding of parasites.
b. Maintaining
to
discourage breeding by external parasites.
c. Use
according to label instructions as repellants
and control methods.
d. Use regular
on infected
animals according to label instructions.
e. Use
such as predator wasp to
reduce the need for chemical controls.
f. Use
such as a face mask made
from scrap leather or commercial vinyl masks to keep face flies
away.
Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)
1. A
that affects the equine’s immune system
resulting in recurrent fever, weight loss and anemia.
2. Once an equine is infects, it
for the rest
of its life.
3. Chronically infected equine may go for years
,
signs of anemia only to have the sign recur when stress, environmental
conditions or other disease affects the equine.
4.
and
are the major natural
transmitters of the virus from one equine to another.
5. Detection- A blood test called the “
” is used to
detect the presence of EIA.
6. Equine must have a
Coggins test before they can
compete or be placed in events in North Carolina
7. Prevention involves
from equine that are not infected
and protection from biting, flying insects.
8. Treatment
a. There is
or vaccination
for the disease
b. In some cases, equine with EIA are required to be
.
Equine Influenza
1. There are two common features of this viral infection
a. Extremely
.
b. Frequent,
.
2. Equine with influenza have an elevated temperature
of
, degrees F which persist up to 5 days
3. The death rate from influenza is
.
4. The virus is spread to other equine when the equine
, or
and may be carried by handlers on equipment that have been in contact
with an infected equine.
5. Prevention
a. Use two
of influenza
vaccine scheduled
weeks apart followed by a booster
shot at
month intervals for horses at risk.
b.
of infected equine and screening animals prior to
transportation will reduce the spread of the disease.
6. Treatment
a. One
of stall rest is recommended for each day the
equine has an elevated temperature due to influenza
b. Maintain a
environment during the illness and
recovery by wetting hay and providing clean bedding.
Equine Rhinopneumonitis
1. This is a respiratory disease caused by
.
2. The infection is accompanied by a
nasal
discharge among foals.
3. The virus associated with this disease also may cause
, in
pregnant mares and occasional paralysis.
4. Equine may develop a temperature of
degrees F which
lasts for
hours.
5. Equine become infected when they inhale the virus exhaled by sick or
even apparently healthy equine that are infected.
6. Prevention requires a combination of:
a. Sensible management practices
i. Mares should be
and separated from other
equine
ii.
Thorough cleaning and sanitation in the event
of
.
b. Vaccination
i. Vaccinate pregnant mares in the
,
and
,
month of pregnancy.
ii. Young equine should receive two injections followed by a
booster according to manufacturer’s recommendations
7. Treatment is
as there is not specific anti-viral therapy
available.
Strangles
1. A highly
most commonly
found in young equine from one to five years of age.
2. Early signs of strangles include
,
, and
due to difficulty with swallowing.
3. As strangles progresses, the
and
, region may become hot, swollen and painful
with abscesses forming and rupturing onto the skin.
4.
from ruptured abscesses may contaminate water buckets and
communal feeders for months.
5. When strangles develop and abscesses from on internal organs,
mortality may be as high as
.
6. Prevention and treatment are used in conjunction.
a. Treat ruptured abscesses with a
,
solution to hasten healing
b. Administer
as an antibiotic
treatment until clinical signs no longer exist for five days.
c.
affected animals from all other equine
d. Vaccinate with or
injections one month apart and apply
a booster annually.
Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA)
1. EVA is a viral infection that causes
, with nasal
and ocular discharges, swelling (stocking up) of the hind limbs and other
areas of the body and sometimes abortion.
2. EVA may be passed by __________________ transmission when equine
come in close contact.
3. Equine invariable make uneventful clinical recoveries even without
treatment
4. Perhaps EVA is most pronounced as a
, through the
venereal spread of the disease by acutely affected stallions.
a. Viral persistence in the stallion can range from several weeks to
the entire ______________ of the equine
b. Mares can be infected either at time of
, breeding or
breeding.
5. Prevention
a. Immunize the breeding stallion population with
.
b.
all mares if they are inseminated with EVA
positive semen.
6. Treatment
a. There is
for equine
with EVA
b. Infected stallions should receive forced rest if they show symptoms
of the disease.
Eastern, Western and Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE,
WEE, and VEE)
1. EEE, WEE, and VEE are viral infections that result in
the
.
2. The viral infections are spread by insect contact.
a. The virus may live in
such as birds and
rodents for long periods of time without harming the host.
b. The virus is transmitted and spread by
, (vectors)
to equine and humans.
c. The viral infection is
transmitted between equine and
humans.
3. The disease has high mortality rates:
a. EEE is
%
b. WEE is
%
c. VEE is
%
4. Complete recovery is
with equine frequently continuing to
exhibit clumsiness, depression and abnormal behavior.
5. Signs of EEE, WEE, and VEE
include
,
,
, and a number of things that indicate the equine is confused.
6. Prevention focuses on
.
a. Use
and repellants when possible and
practical
b. Eliminate
.
c. Screen stalls, use fans to move air, and limit the use
of
lights in stall areas
d. Brings equine inside prior to dusk
e. Vaccinate with 3 injections at
,
, and
,
months of age and give a booster at the beginning of insect season
7. Treatment
a. There is
specific treatment available
Equine Colic
1. Colic is the behavioral signs of
in equine
characterized by various activities including, but not limited to: tail
twitching; head tossing; kicking toward the belly with one of the hind
limbs; pawing the ground; grinding the cheek teeth and frequent attempts
to lie down and roll on the back, etc.
2. True colic is due to
or disease
which causes pain
3.
of all colic cases are from two causes
a.
causes where their is intestinal spasm
caused by numerous things such as stress, anxiety, diet change,
parasite damage, dewormers, etc.
b.
(constipation) caused
most often by improper diet and exercise (Human management is
often _____________)
4. Prevention
a. Use a
management program to avoid problems
b. Careful
of pasture helps reduce levels of
parasites
c. Avoid overstocking pastures
d. Use “
” as a deworming compound
e. Pay attention to the equine’s diet
5. Treatment
a. Place the equine in a safe environment
b. Treat with
for pain relief
c. Treat with
as a laxative
d.
until the equine has improved and then
reintroduce feed gradually
e. Do not allow the equine to eat too much hay or roughage (lightly
grazing the pasture is recommended)
Founder
1. Characterized by the
as a result of
laminitis (inflammation of the supporting tissue between the hoof wall
and pedal bone)
2. Causes lameness in the horse and if left unchecked can cause permanent
lameness or even require
.
3. The leading cause of founder is
from any number of factors
such as colic, grain overload, lush grass, excessive cold water, etc.
4. Other factors that cause founder are
,
(Road founder) contact with black walnut
shavings, etc.
5. Prevention
a. Control diet
b. Avoid
the equine
6. Treatment
a. `Identify cause and direct treatment toward alleviating the problem
b. Increase
to the laminae through the use
of drugs and IV fluids
c. Use aspirin or
to thin blood
d. Use anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs (
) to
reduce laminar swelling
e.
the frog and sole to increase support
f. Use specialized shoes to relieve pressure to the hoof area.
Tetanus (Lockjaw)
1. Caused by a
that allows uncontrolled muscle
contraction and muscle spasms
2. Affected horses most often have sustained a wound from
days to a month prior to the onset of tetanus; however, tetanus
bacteria also live in the equine’s digestive tract
3. Tetanus has become less common due to vaccination, but is
still
.
4. Equine usually die from
,
or starvation since their muscular system does not
function
5. Prevention
a. Vaccination with two doses of
vaccine given one
month apart followed by a booster shot annually
b. Equine that are injured should receive the _______________
booster if there is no record of prior shots
6. Treatment
a. Administer
.
b. Aggressively clean the wound
c. Administer
.
d. Use
and
to relieve
spasms and muscle pain
e. Provide IV fluids and nutritional support
Potamac Horse Fever (PHF)
1. PHF is a disease which in its extreme form
results
.
2. The occurrence of PHF disease is consistently within
miles of a
river
3. PHF is caused by an organism that can survive within living cells and
must be transmitted through blood cells by insects such as
.
4. Equine with PHF are not considered
to other equine
5. Prevention
a. Vaccinate with
injections one month apart
b. Give a booster injection annually in
or
.
6. Treatment
a. A veterinarian should use
(anti-microbial
drug) for 4-5 days
b. IV fluids, frog pads, sole support, and anti-inflammatory drugs also
help
Borreliosis (Lyme Disease)
1. Lyme disease is
a
.
2.
among equine and only a problem where Lyme
disease is found among human populations
3.
is the most commonly reported sign of Lyme
disease in equine
4. Prevention
a. Careful grooming to remove ticks
b. Avoiding
areas
5. Treatment
a. Use antibiotics such as
and
.
b. Prolonged treatment of
days usual
West Nile Virus (WNV)
1. Viral infection that can cause inflammation of the brain and often
EEE in equine
a. First introduced in western hemisphere in
.
b. Equine are
often affected by WNV than any other
domesticated animal
2. WNV is spread by
when they bite an infected bird
and then bite a human or an equine
a. Equine are not
and do not pose a
health risk to other animals or humans
b. About
of horses who show clinical signs either die
or have to be euthanized
3. Clinical sign of WNV may include
,
,
,
,
, etc.
4. Prevention
a. See mosquito and control techniques listed for EEE, WEE and
VEE
b. A veterinarian should vaccinate with “
” and
follow with a booster injection three weeks later
5.
.
THE END!!!