When you call our office with an emergency, the veterinarian on call will ask a series of questions to help assess your horses’ condition. We suggest that you have taken your horses vitals before calling along with some other observations such as;
- Hydration status – check your horse for dehydration by checking the gums and making sure they are moist. Pinching a bit of skin on the neck and noting if it bounces back quickly indicates proper hydration.
- Appetite, urination (amount and color if possible), and manure production and quality of manure (loose, dry or normal).
- Attitude – is the horse depressed, anxious, or distressed.
- Assessment of gut sounds.
- Degree of lameness (mild to head-bobbing). Any heat or swelling or a leg or increased pulse to a hoof. Favoring a particular leg or standing unusually.
After discussion with the veterinarian on call a plan of action will be determined. Some emergencies are more critical than others and will need immediate attention, while others may be seen at a later time.
First Aid Kit
Standing wraps (full set of four quilts and wraps)
Sheet Cotton
Roll cotton
Non-adherent gauze
Betadine scrub and solution
Sterile saline for flushing wounds
Clear Eyes or Saline solution for flushing eyes
Multiple rolls of vetrap
Elastikon wrap
Bandage scissors
Rectal thermometer (digital or mercury with string and clip attached)
Flashlight
Pliers and wire cutters for dealing with nails in hoofs
1.5-2 foot lengths of either PVC tubing cut in half or 2x4 wood pieces for splinting
Hemostats and tourniquet
*We recommend certain prescription medications for your first aid kit. The basics are Banamine, Bute, and Azium. NEVER administer medication without consulting with your veterinarian first.
Wounds
You just brought your horse in from the paddock and find a bloody wound on his leg. How do you know if it’s a simple injury or if it needs veterinary attention? And what do you do with the wound before the vet gets there. Here are some guidelines;
Call the vet when:
- The wound is a full thickness wound in which the skin edges can be completely pulled apart and underlying structures can be seen.
- There is excessive bleeding ie; spurting blood like a vessel has been involved.
- The wound is near or on top of a joint or tendon.
- The wound is excessively contaminated and may need to be cleaned, debrided and the horse put on antibiotics.
- Puncture wounds.
*Always wait to treat a wound until you speak with a veterinarian unless the wound is bleeding excessively. If this is the case, apply direct pressure with a clean bandage or towel first and then call the vet. DO NOT apply ointments or sprays to a wound – clean the wound as best you can and cover it with a bandage until your veterinarian arrives.
In the case of a horse stepping on a nail, resist the urge to pull the nail out of the foot. It is much easier to take x-rays to determine the path of the nail with it still in place. Cut the excess of the nail with a wire trimmer leaving plenty to grab onto to pull it out, but not enough where the horse is going to continue to step on the nail and drive it further into the foot.
*Our Emergency Policy – we are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you’re not sure if what you’re dealing with constitutes an emergency, please feel free to call and consult with the veterinarian on call. We’re here to help make that determination, and we appreciate knowing there’s a potential problem as soon as one is suspected.
Backstretch Veterinary Inc.
39 Miller Street
Norfolk, MA 02056
Office: 508-520-4300
Fax: 508-520-4303
Emergency: 508-473-6793
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Emergencies