Home
| Lifestyle
| Pets & Animals
| Horses
| Horse Medical Information
Horse Medical Information
by Marie Sberna
-
Overview
Keeping accurate records of your horse aids in diagnosing any problems.
6fcb9b27-69ba-60c2-e38e-e3d26b0ae3e3283424
Horse medical information contains information of his normal vital signs, deworming and vaccination schedule, past injuries and illness, dental and farrier care, and medical history. It is vital to your horse's health to keep accurate records of all care and treatment given, along with specific vital signs. These records will help you when your horse becomes ill by giving you a baseline of normal behavior and vital signs.
-
Heart Rate
The horse's pulse is the rate at which his heart is beating. The normal pulse rate is most often taken by listening to the heart on the left side of the chest, just behind the elbow. Fit horses may have a pulse rate as low as 28 beats per minute. If the rate is above 40, the horse should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
-
Respiration Rate
There are many factors that determine whether the horse's breathing is abnormal. It is important to observe and note anything other than quiet, easy breathing. Observe the breathing for anything out of the ordinary, including deep breathing, breathing with extra abdominal effort, abnormal breath noises, labored breathing and gasping.
Determine the respiratory rate by observing and counting the movements of the horse's nostrils or flanks. A healthy adult horse should count 10 to 20 breaths per minute, with the average at rest rate being 12 breaths per minute.
-
Temperature
An adult horse's temperature can differ during weather extremes or intense competition. The real worry is a temperature rise seen with infection. The horse's normal temperature is between 99.8 and 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above 102 degrees is reason to call a veterinarian.
-
Mucous Membranes
Check your horse's gums for mucous membrane color by curling up the horse's lip. In a normal horse, the membranes are pink. For horses suffering from shock, the membranes will have a pale pink color. A deep red color in horse could be a sign that the horse is toxic and in shock. Very yellow gums may indicate jaundice.
-
Vaccinations and Deworming
It is imperative to keep your horse on a routine schedule of deworming, rotating medications to combat all types of internal parasites that affect horses. Yearly vaccinations help to prevent your horse from suffering certain diseases. Record the type of medication, the amount and the date. If the horse becomes sick and certain signs indicate a particular disease for which your horse has been vaccinated, it will aid the veterinarian in either ruling out that disease or doing further testing.
-
Dental and Hoof Care
Horses should receive annual dental care to treat any problems associated with their teeth. Some horses require routine filing of their teeth to keep points from forming, which are painful when eating or when bridled. Likewise, a horse's feet should be trimmed and checked by the farrier every six to eight weeks, sometimes more often if a problem with his feet needs to be corrected. Pay close attention to the look and feel of your horse's hooves when picking (cleaning) them.
-
Feed Schedule
Horses need to be fed a consistent diet on a schedule. If he is kept out to pasture ( free grazing), then bring him in for grain twice a day. Horses that are stalled need to be fed appropriate amounts of forage and grains twice daily (breaking up the rations into three meals is even better). Horses need different amounts of feed and nutrition based on their age, training, current weight and overall health. The starting point for a healthy 1,000-pound horse is 10 lbs. of hay per day.
