VETERINARY AND FIRST AID – C2

Instructor’s Guide

Part I – Signs of Good Health

Purpose
1.  Know where and how to evaluate temperature, pulse and respiration
2.  Know the signs of good health
Teaching Suggestions
1.  If possible do this part with a horse à have students follow correct procedure. They are more likely to remember what they have correctly done.
2.  Look at horse and discuss how students know it is healthy (or not). Be sure they consider criteria in all three areas (you want to be sure they aren’t focusing entirely on one thing such as lameness or digestion)

Basic Health Monitoring

General / Establish Baseline
·  regularly check and record pulse, respiration and temperature when rested and following work
·  this will indicate what is normal for your horse

PULSE

Regular pulse rate / ·  between 30 and 45 bpm (lowest reference to highest reference)
·  between 35 and 45 beats per minute (MH – 232)
·  between 30 and 45 bpm (USC – 236)
·  between 45 and 40 bpm (KYH – 57)
·  40 bpm (VN – 63)
Procedure
MH 340 / 1.  find facial artery at the inside bottom edge of the horse’s jawbone (it feels like a thick string crossing over the jaw bone)
2.  rest your fingertip (not thumb) lightly on the artery and you will feel it twitch (each twitch indicates one heart beat)
3.  count the beats in 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to get beats per minute
4.  place a stethoscope over the heart (slightly behind the elbow) to hear the heart

RESPIRATION

Regular respiratory rate / ·  between 8 and 20 breaths per minute (lowest reference to highest reference)
·  between 10 and 20 breaths per minute (MH – 232)
·  between 8 and 16 breaths per minute (USC – 237)
·  between 8 and 12 breaths per minute (KYH – 58)
·  between 10 – 14 breaths per minute (VN – 38)
Procedure
MH 340 / 1.  stand behind and slightly to the side of the horse
2.  watch the flank move in and out
3.  one in and out = one breath
4.  count breaths for 15 seconds then multiply by 4

TEMPERATURE

Regular temperature at rest / ·  between 37.5 and 38.6 C (lowest reference to highest reference)
·  between 37.5 C (99.5 F) and 38.5 C (101.3 F) (MH – 232)
·  100.5F (USC – 236)
·  between 100 and 101.5 F (37.7 – 38.6 C) (KYH – 58)
Procedure
MH 340 / 1.  shake the thermometer until the mercury is below 97 Fahrenheit
2.  grease the thermometer with Vaseline
3.  stand to one side of the horse, lift his tail and gently push about 2/3 of the thermometer into the rectum
4.  clip the string to the tail or hold the thermometer firmly so it cannot be drawn into rectum
5.  after one to two minutes remove the thermometer, wipe it clean and read the temperature
6.  wash the thermometer in cool or luke-warm water
·  only use a thermometer that has a string and a clip attached to one end

OTHER SIGNS OF HEALTH (MH – 232)

Temperature, Pulse and Respiration / 1.  Within normal range, or near your horse’s baseline
General behaviour / 2.  Standing and behaving normally with confident and alert look
3.  Eyes wide-open and bright (membranes under eyelids and linings of the nostrils should be salmon pink in colour)
Skin / 4.  Skin loose and supple to touch and easily moved over the underlying bones
5.  No visible signs of sweating at rest except in very hot weather
Limbs / 6.  Limbs free from swellings or heat
7.  Standing evenly on all four feet (resting a hind leg quite normal but not forelegs)
8.  Sound in action: taking strides of equal length
Digestion / 9.  Eating and chewing normally
10.  Body well filled out (bones well covered) but not grossly overweight
Waste Removal / 11.  Urine fairly thick and either colourless or pale yellow and passed several times a day
12.  Droppings passed approximately eight times daily in damp balls that break on hitting the ground

Part II – Common Wounds

Purpose
1.  Know the common types of wounds and how to treat each type
Teaching Suggestions
1.  Make sure students know the difference between the types of wounds. It will make it easier for them to know the treatment if they can picture exactly what the wounds look like.

Common Wounds and Their Treatments

WOUND / DESCRIPTION / TREATMENT /
Incised Wounds
(HN – 203; USC – 230; VN - 547) / ·  clean cuts made by sharp objects, like glass
·  often bleed a lot / ·  if they are deep or gap open them may need stitches
Lacerations
(USC – 230) / ·  torn cuts where the skin is ripped (often from barbed wire)
·  usually some bruising / ·  may need stitches if deep or very big
·  if on the legs or over joints should be seen by veterinarian
Abrasions
(USC – 230) / ·  scrapes or sores caused by rubbing (including galls)
·  they are not usually deep but may be full of dirt / ·  cleaned by running a stream of clean cold water over the wound
·  in the case of galls, if the skin is unbroken, harden it with applications of strong saline solution, witch hazel or surgical spirit
·  if the skin is broken wash it with weak saline solution, pat dry and dust with an antiseptic powder – do not used saddle again until the gall is healed, swelling is gone and area is painless
Puncture Wounds
(USC – 230; VN – 548) / ·  deep narrow wounds such as those made by a nail or splinter
·  sometimes a piece of splinter may be left in the wounds
·  they can be serious because they may go deep into a muscle, tendon or joint and can easily become infected
·  there is a high risk of tetanus with puncture wounds / ·  all punctures should be seen by a veterinarian
·  do not probe or explore
·  ensure tetanus vaccination
·  establish and encourage drainage à healing from inside out
·  poultice can help draw out material
Bruises
(USC – 230) / ·  often caused by a kick or a blow
·  the skin may not be broken but the tissues and blood vessels underneath are damaged
·  there may be swelling and the area tender
·  sometimes bleeding under the skin causes a hematoma (a swelling filled with blood) / ·  applying cold for fifteen to twenty minutes as soon as possible to help reduce the pain and swelling
·  hot poulticing or fomentations after 24 hours will help reduce remaining swelling

Other terms related to wounds

Proud Flesh
Excessive Granulation
USC 231 / Definition
·  healing problem
·  more common on legs
·  granulation tissue helps wounds heal
·  excessive (too much) granulation bulges out from surface of wound
Appearance
·  pink or pinkish-white
·  bunchy (like surface of cauliflower)
·  wet and raw
Common Sites
·  wounds that do not close properly à especially on the leg
·  wounds irritated by improper treatment, strong antiseptic or too much movement near joint

Part III –Diseases

Purpose
1.  Define the term communicable and give examples of communicable diseases
2.  For common communicable diseases (including those in Statement 3) know the characteristics, prevention and treatment
3.  For common non-communicable diseases know the characteristics, prevention and treatment
Teaching Suggestions
1.  The use of the term “communicable” is tricky. For example, the USC manual states that for a disease to be communicable it has to be passed from horse to horse but then when listing communicable diseases it includes tetanus (a disease not passed horse to horse) first. Note that the term “infectious” (which will occur in later levels) may be a better term for tetanus as it is caused by an agent resulting in disease. Just identify this problem and move on.

Terminology related to diseases

Communicable / Definition
·  disease which can be passed from one horse to another
·  have a causative agent involved (a virus, fungus etc)
Examples
·  strangles, influenza (flu)
Non-communicable / Definition
·  disease which cannot be passed from one horse to another
·  occur when something goes wrong with an individual horse
Examples
·  colic, azutoria, choke

common communicable diseases

Tetanus
(Lock jaw)
USC 216
MH 367
Jaw muscles usually among first affected.
** not communicable with respect to transfer from horse to horse, but infectious in that it is caused by some sort of agent (in this case a bacteria) / Notes
·  a very serious and often fatal disease
·  people can also get tetanus – so keep your vaccination up to date
Cause
·  bacteria clostridium tetani is present in soil and manure
·  clostridium tetani grows only where there is no oxygen (like in a puncture or other deep wound)
·  if the bacteria gets entrance to the body (at a wound) it can be carried deep into the body to an oxygen free environment
·  clostridium tetani releases “tetanus toxin” à a poison which attacks nerves
Symptoms
·  spasms of the jaw and other muscles
·  horse is tense and jumpy
·  inability to eat or drink normally
·  standing stiffly in one place
·  third eyelid (normally hidden) is exposed and ears are erect
·  may stand with nose and hind legs stuck out
Treatment
·  put horse inside darkened stall
·  try to keep barnyard quiet
·  call vet
Prevention
·  keep tetanus vaccination up to date
·  boost vaccination if serious injury occurs
Equine Encephalomyelitis
USC 218
(Sleeping Sickness)
Equine= horse
Cephao=head
Myelitis=inflammation of myelin around brain/nerves / Notes
·  can be fatal
Three Major Types
1.  Eastern
2.  Western
3.  Venezuelan
Cause
·  a virus is the causative agent à resulting in brain damage
·  transmitted when mosquito bites in infected bird and then bites a horse
Symptoms
·  fever and excitability followed by
·  depression and drowsiness
·  walk in circles or stand with head pressed against a wall
·  paralysis and death within two to four days
Prevention
·  vaccination schedule depends on the activity of the mosquito that spreads the disease
o  North : annually
o  South: may be as frequently as every three months
Rabies
USC 218
Picture the rabid dog with lots of drool coming out, acting wild and crazy / Notes
·  always fatal in horses
·  people can get it
·  if you suspect rabies do not handle the horse à call the vet
Cause
·  virus affecting brain and nervous system
·  transmitted in saliva by the bite of a rabid animal (often a wild animal such as skunk or raccoon)
Symptoms
·  takes up to two months to develop
·  bit mark may itch or become inflamed
·  depression
·  inability to eat or drink normally
·  lack of coordination
·  personality change or unusual behaviour (excitement or aggressiveness)
·  paralysis
·  symptoms may be confused with other diseases such as encephalomyelitis
Prevention
·  in areas where wildlife carry rabies, vaccinate the horses and pets
Influenza
USC 217 / Notes
·  upper respiratory infection
·  several strains
·  common in areas where large number of horses are gathered (shows, sales etc)
Cause
·  virus
·  spread through air by coughing, sneezing and contact with infected horses or their equipment
Symptoms
·  depression
·  loss of appetite
·  fever
·  runny nose with white mucus
·  coughing (may linger after other symptoms are gone)
Prevention
·  vaccination à immunity lasts for short time so boosters may be necessary depending on horse’s exposure level
Rhinopneumonitis
USC 217
“Rhino”= nose
“pneumo” relates to breathing (think pneumonia) / Notes
·  upper respiratory infection
·  quite contagious
·  young horses more susceptible but horses of any age may contract the disease
·  causes pregnant mares to abort à serious problem in breeding farms
Cause
·  virus (Equine herpesvirus 1 or EHV 1)
·  spread by sneezing, coughing and contact with infected horses
Symptoms
·  similar to those of a cold
·  coughing, runny nose, fever, sometimes swollen glands
Prevention
·  follow basic disease prevention practices
·  there are two different types of vaccination
·  get veterinarian advice
Equine Infectious Anemia
(EIA or Swamp Fever)
USC 218
“Equine”= horse
“Infectious”=from an agent
“Anemia”=blood not carrying sufficient oxygen
** This disease is important because there is not effective treatment or vaccine** / Notes
·  blood disease
·  incurable and often fatal
·  some cases “acute” à short but severe and often fatal
·  some case “chronic” à long-term case that weakens horse and may flare up into an acute case
·  some horses are carriers à do not have symptoms but carry the virus and can spread it to other horses (via mosquito/needle etc)
Coggins Test
·  blood test that detects presence of antibodies that form when horse is infected with EIA
·  only way to identify horses having the disease (especially carriers which may not be showing any other symptoms)
·  negative test needed for Pony Club events, most competitions and stables
·  some states have laws requiring testing
·  horses with positive test must by quarantined (kept separate from other horses)
Cause
·  virus
·  transmitted when mosquito bites an infected horse and then bites another horse (transfers infected blood)
·  transmitted by needles used on more than one horse
Symptoms
·  fever
·  depression
·  sweating
·  loss of appetite
·  increasing weakness
·  jaundice
·  frequent urination
·  staggering gait
·  paralysis
Prevention
·  no effective treatment
·  no vaccine
·  keep healthy horses away from infected horses
·  get a test as part of a pre-purchase exam for horse
Strangles
(Distemper)
USC 217
MH 371
“strangling” occurs at the throat / Notes
·  very contagious (easily transferred from horse to horse)