QUARTERLY BEAT / DECEMBER 2023 ///
/// QUARTERLY BEAT / DECEMBER 2023
EYE OR EYELID TRAUMA Because of their prominent location, the equine eye is prone to injury. Corneal ulcers, eyelid lacerations, and uveitis are the conditions most frequently observed. Any time an eye is observed to be swollen or closed or has a discharge associated with it, you should consider it a medical emergency. EXERTIONAL MYOPATHY/EXHAUSTION Also known as tying-up or rhabdomyolysis, this painful condition arises when a horse is pushed beyond its conditioning or training limits. The affected horse cannot seem to move or will move with a stiff, short-stepping gait, does not want to eat and basically looks miserable. Often, their rump and back muscles are corded up and very tight, their gums are pale, and their heart rates are INCREASED. Medical treatment is required at once to prevent renal (kidney) problems, frequently including IV fluids to treat the inevitable dehydration and promote diuresis. REPRODUCTIVE EMERGENCIES Broodmares do not often have problems, but when they do, it can quickly turn into a disaster. These are some of the most difficult and time-sensitive situations a veterinarian can face. Dystocias (difficult births), abortions, uterine torsions, placental separation, post-foaling uterine hemorrhage, and prolapse are all included in this category. These emergencies must be dealt with quickly and efficiently and usually require a well-trained technical staff and multiple doctors to remedy the situation. Definitely not one for the horse owner. FOAL EMERGENCIES Another broad category includes meconium impaction, foal colic, septicemia, hypoxia, neonatal diarrhea, failures of colostrum transfer, contracted tendons, and any number of medical and surgical conditions, ailments which may affect foals in the first hours to days to weeks of life. These are special conditions that require intense effort and technical expertise on the part of the veterinary crew and represent true medical emergencies where a few hours can mean the difference in saving a foal’s life.
ADR This stands for “ain’t doin’ right, Doc;” a vague and nebulous category of symptoms that catch the attention of the alert horse owner. “I just know something’s wrong” are common words expressed by a concerned client. Sometimes it can be a low-grade fever, lymph node sepsis, or a mild colic, other times it can be something as sinister and obscure as pleuropneumonia or liver or kidney disease. A complete battery of diagnostic blood tests, ultrasound examinations, and abdominal/ pleural fluid analyses may be required to diagnose and treat whatever is bothering ol’ “Trigger.” A quick look can let you know if further evaluation is needed right then, with additional diagnostics scheduled for the next day if the horse is stable.
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Additional Reading • https://aaep.org/issue/guidelines-equine-emergencies • https://www.irongateequine.com/education/equine-emergencies-and-how-to-treat-them • https://horsesidevetguide.com/Common+Horse+Emergencies+and+the+Skills+You+Need+to+Help • https://www.zoetisus.com/news-and-media/four-strategies-to-streamline-your-response-to-equine-emergencies
LEARN MORE AT PURINAPROPLANVETS.COM/MICROBIOME
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VETGIRL BEAT EMAGAZINE | VETGIRLONTHERUN.COM
VETGIRL BEAT EMAGAZINE | VETGIRLONTHERUN.COM
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