FAQs

"Frequently Asked Questions"

What do I do if my horse gets heat exhaustion?

What is teeth floating and why does my horse need it?

What are the normal vital signs of the adult horse?

What vaccines does my horse need?

What is the best way to deworm my horse?

What should I have at home as an owner to treat my horse in case of an emergency?

What is strangles and how is it contracted?

What should I expect when my mare has a foal?

What do I do with the new foal after it arrives?

"Frequently Asked Questions"

1.	What do I do if my horse gets heat exhaustion?	Top
	The first thing to do for a horse with "heat exhaustion" is get it into the shade. Stop all physical activity, and if it was being ridden at the time, take off all the tack. Hose the horse down with cool water, concentrating on the legs and neck (where the big jugular veins run) and the back. Then either scrape off teh excess water and hose again or put the horse in front of a good, high-powered fan or several fans for better cooling. An overheated horse can heat up the water sitting on its skin, which literally insulates the heat against its body! For a severly high fever (rectal temperature over 104 degrees F), towels soaked in ice water can be repeatedly applied to the horse's back and neck, or ice water can be sponged onto the horse. Rubbing alcohol can be poured down the horse's back for evaporative cooling, or it can be added to your ice water mixture. Be careful not to get the alcohol in the horse's eyes or any open wounds. Often times these horses are dehydrated as well, so offer the horse a fresh bucket of water, preferrably tepid or cool, but not ice cold. Water with electrolytes is okay, but make sure there is a source of plain water too. It's a good idea to keep a salt block near the water source or add a small amount of salt to the feed. Have water in several locations so that horses do not have to travel a long way or compet for it. Sometimes a horse with heat exhaustion still needs veterinary care, as a prolonged high temperature or severe dehydration can cause organ damage. An examination and bloodwork is usually required to determine the extent of such damage and the treatment necessary.

2.	What is teeth floating and why does my horse need it?	Top
	“Floating” of the teeth basically involves removing sharp points created by a horse’s natural grinding/chewing motion and leveling out uneven places in the dental arcades, or malocclusions. The sharp points can cause ulceration of the horse’s cheeks and tongue, making it painful to eat, have a bit/bridle on, or carry their head in a desired position. Uneven areas can cause loss/wasting and prevent proper grinding of feed and hay. Horse teeth have reserve crown, and erupt or “grow” a few millimeters every year to make up for what has been ground away. If the teeth are not wearing evenly, then the horse can develop severe malocclusions. That is why we recommend at least checking and usually floating the teeth every 12-18 months to correct small problems before they become big ones.

3.	What are the normal vital signs of the adult horse?	Top
	Temperature =100.5ºF (99º – 101.5ºF) Pulse = 32-48 beats per minute Respiration = 12-16 breaths per minute Capillary Refill Time = less than 2 seconds Mucous Membranes = pale pink / moist We recommend that the horse owner become familiar with the normal parameters of their horse and learn how to properly check vital signs. Ask your veterinarian to show you how to take your horse's temperature, pulse and respiration, and check capillary refill time and mucous membranes. In the event of an illness or emergency, this information will enable you to give your veterinarian a more complete medical history and profile. After learning the protocol, practice taking your horse's vitals regularly so that you will be fully prepared and comfortable doing so in an emergency situation.

4.	What vaccines does my horse need?	Top
	Talk to your veterinarian about which vaccines your horse should have based on their exposure to other horses and past history. Rabies - annual VEWT/Flu/Rhino (Fort Dodge "Fluvac 6") - annual ~Venezuelan Encephalitis ~Eastern Encephalitis ~Western Encephalitis ~Tetanus ~Influenza ~Rhinopneumonitis West Nile (Intervet "Prevenile") - annual Strep. equi "Strangles" (Fort Dodge "Pinnacle IN" intranasal) - annual Inluenza booster (Merial "Recombitek") - six months after annual Rhinopneumonitis booster (Intervet "Prodigy") - six months after annual Please see the client education page for specific recommendations for pregnant mares and new foals

5.	What is the best way to deworm my horse?	Top
	Depending on who you ask and where you read, there are many differing opinions on deworming protocols and products. There are several ways to dose your horse as well as brands of dewormers, so it can be rather confusing and difficult to know if you’re doing the right thing. We basically recommend either a daily dewormer with a spring and fall dose of ivermectin, or a rotation of paste dewormers every 8 weeks. Please refer to the client education page for more detailed information.

6.	What should I have at home as an owner to treat my horse in case of an emergency?	Top
	Equine First Aid Kit In the event of illness, injury, or emergency, the horse owner should be prepared to care for their horse until the veterinarian arrives. We suggest every horse owner have at least one Equine First Aid Kit. For owners who frequently compete or trailer away from home with their horse, we suggest keeping two kits on hand, one in your tack room and one in your trailer so that you will have one available wherever you are with your horse. Your veterinarian can assist you in assembling your equine first aid kit and advise you on how to customize the kit to your horse's needs. Equine Veterinary Associates suggests the following items for your Equine First Aid Kit: Thermometer Stethoscope Banamine paste (1 tube) Bute paste (1 tube) Triple antibiotic wound ointment Towel Vet Wrap Elastikon Brown Gauze Magna Paste Sheet Cotton (minimum of 2 rolls) Sterile 4X4s (1 package) Nolvalsan Electrolytes (2 packages) Dose syringe Veterinarian’s phone number

7.	What is strangles and how is it contracted?	Top
	It is a bacterial infection caused by streptococcus equi. This infection is highly contagious and strangles suspect horses need to be quarantined. Horses contract the disease by coming into contact with the bacteria in shared water troughs, buckets, blankets, bits, etc. Horses can also contract the disease by touching noses through bars in stalls or through the air when an infected horse coughs or sneezes. Please see our client education page for more about this disease.

8.	What should I expect when my mare has a foal?	Top
	There are three stages of parturition, or foaling. The first stage is preparation, as the mare is restless, may get up and down, look at her sides, raise her tail, and sweat; this can go on for hours! She is experiencing uterine contractions and the fetus rotating into normal delivery position. The second stage begins when the “water breaks,” or several gallons of allantoic fluid are expelled. The foal should present one front foot, then the other (soles down), with the head stretched out on top of the legs. Delivery should take only 20-30 minutes; any longer may indicate abnormal fetal position and a need for emergency intervention. Stage three is simply the passing of the placenta or “afterbirth” and uterine involution. Typically this happens without assistance and within three hours of foaling. A new foal usually stands within the first hour of birth, which breaks the umbilical cord, and is trying to nurse by two hours. Call the vet immediately if any of these stages do not seem to be progressing normally. If all goes well, call the clinic the next day to schedule an exam of the new foal and the mare.

9.	What do I do with the new foal after it arrives?	Top
	Try to allow the mare and foal to bond naturally, and keep “visitors” to a minimum. If the mare is not standing still for the foal to nurse, you may need to halter or otherwise restrain her. It is very important that the foal get all the colostrum, or fist milk, which contains antibodies necessary for a good start to the immune system. The foal can absorb these antibodies through the blood vessels in its intestines for the first 18-24 hours of life, so all the colostrum needs to be consumed by then. The vet can perform a simple blood test after that time to test the antibody (IgG) level of the foal. If it is too low, we recommend a transfusion of hyperimmune plasma, which can be done at the farm or in the clinic. The vet exam also allows us to detect potential problems early, and vaccinate the mare and foal for tetanus (if the mare wasn’t vaccinated ~30 days prior to foaling; see pregnant mare vaccine regimen under client education). You or your vet can disinfect the umbilical stump (where the umbilical cord naturally breaks off) with a diluted chlorhexadine or betadine solution, and give the foal an enema as needed to ensure passage of the meconium (first stool, very dark and hard). Watch for urine leakage from the umbilical stump or a complete lack of urination, straining to have bowel movements or profuse diarrhea, irregular nursing, raspy breathing, or swelling of the joints, and call the vet immediately if you have any concerns; a sick foal can deteriorate rapidly.