DO
YOU KNOW YOUR HORSES VITAL SIGNS?
NORMAL
RED ALERT
TEMPERATURE
99 - 101 degrees Farenheit
higher than 101 degrees
PULSE
36 - 48 beats per minute
greater than 60 in a resting horse
or a weak pulse
RESPIRATION
8 - 16 breaths per minute
depending on activity level
unusual flare of nostrils:quick
shallow breaths
INTESTINAL SOUNDS
variety of gurgles, squeaks, rasps
pipings and scrapings coming from the stomach area
NO gut sounds
Recommended
Checklist When Choosing a Boarding Stable for Your Horse
* Do knowledgeable personnel own
and operate the stable in a professional manner?
* Does the stable have a vet available
in case of emergency?
* Are horse owners required to
sign a release giving the stable permission to summon a veterinarian
in case of sickness or injury?
* Does the stable require regular
immunizations by all boarders?
* Is an isolation area provided
for new animals?
* Are all owners required to deworm
their horses (at least four time annually)?
* Are barn rules posted to encourage
health and safety and are they enforced?
* Is regular hoof care a requirement?
* Are stalls, aisles and paddocks
well-maintained and free of litter and protrusions, which could injure
a horse?
* Are paddock fences and gates
as horse proof as possible?
* Is a regular feeding schedule
maintained and do other horses appear to be in satisfactory condition?
* Are stalls cleaned and bedded
regularly and manure properly disposed of to reduce the fly population?
* Are horses checked between chore
hours or monitored in some way?
* Are regular hours listed and
followed?
* Are adequate and realistic safety
ruled posted and strictly enforced?
Necessary
Vet Care
Large animals, like automobiles
are personal property. But this fact alone does not allow one to do
as they please with that property. Yes, by merely owning a car one is
permitted to plaster yellow daisies on it. But there are laws and codes
that must be obeyed in order to maintain the safety of the owners of
the vehicle and others on the road. If not followed, the vehicle, by
law, can and will be seized and criminal charges filed. On a simpler
note, we must maintain our motor vehicles as prescribed by code and
monitored at annual safety inspections, and in some counties, emissions
inspections. Yes, it is your property, but to play-you must follow the
rules. Consider the proviledge of owning an animal similar. It is our
law in this Commonwealth, that animals are to be maintained with adequate
food, water (NOT ice or snow), suitable shelter, and necessary veterinary
care. Anything less is against the law!
What is necessary veterinary care?
I consider necessary veterinary care as any veterinary treatment or
procedure that immediately affects the well being of an animal. For
example, in large animals, this would include deworming at intervals
of 6-8 weeks, or use of a daily dewormer, regular dental care, appropriate
treatment for sickness, disease, or trauma. Vaccinations, though ALWAYS
recommended, would not fall into this definition and interpretation
of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. They are important,
but just because an animal is not vaccinated against disease does not
constitute a case of neglect. Now, if that animal contracts one of the
serious diseases that we commonly vaccinate against, it is required
by law that the animal have the necessary veterinary care to help it
through it's ordeal.
Every animal deserves adequate
food, water, shelter, and medical care. There are absolutely no reasons
why suffering and neglect at these basic levels must continue, but it
does.
LAPS is dedicated to simply enforcing
our standing laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To be successful,
it becomes everyones job to help monitor the well-being of our noble
friends and help educate their owners to provide a more healthful environment
for them.
Dental
Problems of Older Horses
A great percentage of LAPS cases
involve older horses. These horses are in many levels of generally poor
condition. One common finding in these, animals, and pet horses as well,
are dental abnormalities that can be managed successfully long before
a horse has to slip into despair. Wavemouth, step mouth, and sharp hooks
are terms used to describe the molar abnormalities most commonly seen
when even tooth wear is disrupted and regular care is neglected.
Our knowledge of equine dentistry
has gone through some dramatic improvements through the last 10 years.
Prior to this time, most veterinarians and horse owners thought floating
teeth was the entirety of horse dentistry. We now know that floating
is a fundamental aspect of dentistry but not the whole picture, any
more so than we believe that brushing ones teeth is the sum total of
human dentistry. One concept of dentistry which holds true for both
horse and man, is that prevention or correction of minor problems is
much easier to deal with than is large-scale correction. Unfortunately,
many older horses that come into the LAPS program fall in the large-scale
correction needed category.
Clues of dental discomfort or
pain sometimes obviously originate in the mouth, other times not:
- Large pieces of forage
and undigested grain in manure
- Bad breath
- Excessive spillage
of grain, difficulty chewing
- Tongue lolling
- Weight loss and poor
coat
- Tail wringing
- Drooling
- Colic
- Head tilts, head tossing,
or bucking
- Choke
- If still being ridden,
a rider may notice decreased athletic performance and communication
with the rider, bit chewing, fighting the bit, and general resistance.
Horses
teeth grow throughout their lives and are continuouslv being worn down.
Dental
problems often take years to develop.
Common Problems
Sharp Points:
The most common problem is the development of sharp points along the
cheek side (buccal) of the upper cheek teeth and the tongue side(lingual)of
the lower cheek teeth. These points can be very sharp and will cut the
inside of the cheeks as well as the tongue. Not only can a horse show
problems with chewing but problems with the bit are also seen. Floating
or rasping these points REGULARLY is essential for good dental health.
Molar abnormalities: As
horses mature we see these types of dental problems more frequently.
Wave mouth, step mouth, and sharp hooks are molar malocclusions that
occur due to inadequate maintenance when the horse is a developing youngster
or when regular dental care is denied. These abnormalities result when
even wear is disrupted. These problems occur because the grinding (occlusive)
surface of the teeth do not meet and wear properly. When this I situation
goes uncorrected the surfaces wear unevenly over time, causing some
teeth to be too long and others to be too short. The result is poor
chewing and, if neglected long enough, the long teeth can dig into the
palate and gums. Other less common dental problems include extremely
long hooks, broken teeth, and abscesses of infected teeth.
A competent practitioner, using
new power equipment or with hand floats can smooth out enough sharp
and irregular surface to bring the horse more comfort. Sometimes,
this is all that is needed to save a life of a starving animal.
General recommendations for frequency
of exams by the American Association of Equine Practitioners are: every
six months for horses between two and five years old, and horses older
than 20 years; yearly for horses between age five through the teens.
Horses with dental problems at any age may need to be seen more often.
It's not magic. It's not matching
water buckets in a color coordinated stable, not the brand of tack on
the wall... it's basic needs that all animals are entitled to by law.
Food, water, shelter and necessary veterinary care. If you don't know
what to do as an animal owner. ..ask! These animals depend on you to
care for them.
Water
- Why Do We at LAPS Have Complaints Concerning Water Availability &
Cleanliness?
Water is an important and necessary
part of animal care. Too often we over look how important this nutrient
is in the maintenance of our animals. Clean, potable, fresh water is
usually easy to come by and very cheap.
Let's examine the basics concerning
body fluids, water requirements, and the basic nutrients water provides.
It doesn't matter is you are a
human, horse, or gerbil, we all need water. Daily requirements for adult
livestock are included in the chart below. These amounts can vary depending
on outdoor temperature.
Many mineral elements are found
in the water we drink. Water intake helps contribute to many mineral
requirements including Iodine, Copper, Calcium, Iron, Zinc and Selenium,
just to name a few. Mineral needs are not normally met by just water
intake; so mineral supplements are still needed to maintain our animal's
health.
Unfortunately, minerals are not
the only substances we can find in our water supply. Too often our water
may also contain harmful products like man made pollutants, toxins,
or pesticides. We need to ensure that our water sources are not polluted
prior to placing our animals in contact with these areas.
Palatability is an important consideration
when choosing water sources for our livestock. Salinity, or salt levels,
will negatively affect the palatability of the water.
Highly mineralized water is often
unpalatable to many species.
If water becomes stagnant, algae
blooms can produce toxins that may poison livestock. Stagnant water
also contributes to our mosquito population and the growing concern
over West Nile Virus. Livestock poisonings from algae depend upon the
species of algae present, the concentration of the algae, the amount
consumed, and the animal's general health.
This is simply a small sample
of the factors we need to consider as we provide water to our animals.
The purity of our water has far reaching implications including animal
death, poor reproduction, and poor weight gains. Clean, potable, palatable
water is easy to get. Let's make sure our animals get what they need!
Amounts
are Per Animal
Animal
Daily Requirements
High Temperature
Needs
Horses
10 -12 Gallons per day
12-15 Gallons
per day
Beef Cattle
8 - 10 Gallons per day
12-15 Gallons
per day
Dairy Cattle
12-17 Gallons per day
15-20 Gallons
per day
Sheep and Goats
1 - 3 Gallons per day
2 - 4 Gallons
per day
Llamas and Alpacas
4 - 6 Gallons per day
6 - 8 Gallons
per day
Pigs
6-8 Gallons per day
8 - 10 Gallons
per day
ASK QUESTIONS
If you have any questions for the
vet, or want to suggest topics for the vet to write about contact us
via e-mail.
We'll answer as quickly as possible.
|
Your Horse's Vital Signs 
