QUARTERLY BEAT / DECEMBER 2023 ///
/// QUARTERLY BEAT / DECEMBER 2023
EMERGENCIES Top 10 Equine FROM COLIC TO LACERATIONS, OCULAR EMERGENCIES TO UROGENITAL EMERGENCIES, AND MORE
nasal discharge occurs, which is usually green and mucoid in nature. The horse typically demonstrates coughing fits and is in obvious distress, and although seldom life-threatening, to the panicking owner it sure seems so. Eating too quickly, feeding rough, poor-quality hay, bad dentition, or esophageal trauma are the most probable causes. Some horses tend to choke often and need to be managed very carefully to prevent reoccurrence. Complications include esophageal rupture and aspiration pneumonia, both of which are life-threatening. LACERATIONS AND PUNCTURES These injuries are probably the most frequently encountered by veterinarians, and although they almost always require immediate attention, they are seldom life-threatening. Obviously, the location of the injury will dictate the necessary treatment and aftercare. Often there is significant hemorrhage associated with these injuries, in which case the horse owner is often advised to apply direct pressure to the wound until help can arrive. Applying a snug, dry bandage is the best first aid for a lower leg wound while transporting the horse to an equine hospital. The head and face are commonly affected areas of laceration-type injuries, and although they look horrible, they heal quite nicely given appropriate care.
The causes are varied and sometimes difficult to pinpoint but the following can all cause colic:
• inadequate water intake (summer or winter) • changes in diet • adverse weather • ingestion of unusual (sand, bedding, grass clippings, plants, and grain overload) • concurrent infection changes in exercise, shipping, and other stresses The great majority of colic emergency calls will be mild to moderate medical colic, gas, or impaction type problems, that will respond well to pain relief, such as flunixin meglumine (Banamine®) along with perhaps making the horse NPO and providing fluid support, potentially with enteral fluids and electrolytes by nasogastric tube. Assessment of all colic emergency calls should include a complete physical examination and then additional tests such as abdominal FLASH ultrasound examination, nasogastric intubation to check for reflux, palpation per rectum, and, perhaps, abdominocentesis. Comparing blood L-lactate to peritoneal fluid L-lactate, measured on a point of care (POC) lactate meter, can help distinguish between simple colic and more complicated colic perhaps involving intestinal vascular compromise. Between 1-5% of colic cases are severe enough to warrant discussion of referral to an equine hospital with the ability to provide 24-hour care and surgical intervention if needed. Discussion regarding probable causes of the colic, possible treatment, and the economic implication of choices are important to have with the owner/client in a timely manner. ACUTE LAMENESS This is a rather broad category but is seen fairly often. Conditions in this category include:
VETERINARY TECHNICIAN WEBINAR
Do not be the veterinarian who forgets to administer the tetanus antitoxin or boost the vaccination!
PAMELA A.WILKINS , DVM, PHD, DACVIM-LAIM, DACVECC
JOINT AND TENDON INJURY Any trauma to a tendon or joint should be considered a medical emergency. Delays in aggressive and appropriate treatment can add months to the healing time. Infections readily set in because of the nature of tendon sheath and joint fluid, and they can be very difficult to treat. Closed trauma to tendons, ligaments, or joints can occur in performance horses, stall/barn accidents, and in horses housed in open pastures.
Professor Equine Internal Medicine and Emergency/Critical Care University of Illinois, College of Vetrinary Medicine
Don’t know the difference between ocular and urogenital emergencies? Learn the common signs and symptoms of equine emergencies from Dr. Pamela A Wilkins’, PhD, DACVIM-LAIM, DACVECC webinar on Top 10 Equine Emergencies from October 18, 2023.
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• nail punctures • hoof abscess • laminitis (founder) • even complete fractures
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If the horse was fine yesterday, but dead lame today professional help in diagnosing and treating the condition is probably an emergency. CHOKE Known as esophageal obstruction, this problem occurs when feedstuffs become lodged in the esophagus and the horse cannot swallow. Consequently, a copious amount of oral and
Emergency calls are common in ambulatory or hospital-based private practice, and knowing how to prioritize, diagnose, and begin treatment is essential to equine practice. Knowing when to discuss referral with the owner/client is an important part of the veterinarian-client communication skill set. The following are the top 10 equine emergencies, not necessarily in order of frequency, as this will vary by your practice area!
COLIC This continues to be the number one cause of death in horses and tops this list. The symptoms can range from a mild episode, where a horse is merely sluggish coming for food, to severe pain where the horse is covered in sweat and can no longer stand.
Webinar Highlights
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