Equine

Frequently Asked Questions

• My horse appears to have colic; gets up and down, rolling, sweating,problems urinating, not eating normally, breathing hard or fast and generally does not feel well. What should I do?

  A horse with colic may exhibit all or part of the symptoms listed above. Colic should be considered an emergency. The veterinarian on call should be contacted. Withdraw all feed including grain, hay and pasture if possible. Take the horse’s rectal temperature if possible. Start hand walking the horse; this will help the intestine to start moving and help take the horse’s mind off of the pain.

• My horse does not appear to have colic but does not seem to feel well; not eating normally, depressed, nasal and or eye discharge, coughing; what should I do?

  A horse with a respiratory virus will likely have part or all of these symptoms. Remove all feed sources and take the horse’s rectal temperature if possible. Normal is below 101 degrees f. The temperature of a horse with a respiratory virus is frequently 105 or even higher. The veterinarian on call should be contacted

• My horse just started limping, was fine yesterday and i see no obvious swelling, cuts or obvious injuries. My horse is eating and drinking normally. What should I do?

  This is probably not an emergency. The cause is likely a hoof abscess. Contact the veterinarian during normal hours.

• I came out to feed my horse and there is a large cut. The cut is not bleeding, there is some swelling around it and no bone is exposed, is this an emergency?

  Probably not, the injury is probably “old” the cut should be examined by the veterinarian and treated accordingly. The course of action can usually be determined by a telephone conversation with the veterinarian.

• My horse just stepped on a nail. The nail penetrated the sole of the foot and the horse is limping; is this a potential emergency?

  Yes. An injury of this type can have disastrous consequences if not treated promptly. The veterinarian may or may not have to see the animal but we should be contacted.

• My horse was vaccinated very recently and the neck is sore to the touch and somewhat swollen. What should I do?

  Vaccine reactions are not uncommon. Modern vaccines are much better than they used to be, but sometimes a reaction can occur. The vaccines have antigens that promote immunity for various diseases. These antigens can cause a local and sometimes a systemic (general) reaction. Mild cases respond well to phenylbutazone (bute) given orally as well as dmso topically directly on the sore spot. This condition normally clears up in 24-48 hours. If the condition does not improve or even gets worse, the veterinarian should be contacted.

• My horse will not open one of its’ eyes and will not let me touch or open it without a fight. There is discharge from the eye. Is this an emergency?

  Yes. An eye injury or infection frequently causes moderate to severe pain. Most of the time the horse keeps the eye closed because of the pain. This condition should be treated promptly therefore the veterinarian should be contacted.

• The feed room was accidentally left open or the horse broke in and ate an enormous amount of feed sometime during the day or night. My horse does not appear to have colic, should i be concerned?

  Yes. In our experience this situation does not cause colic as often as it causes founder (laminitis) actually hours or days later. The veterinarian should be contacted to determine a course of action.

• My horse just now got cut and is bleeding. Will he bleed to death?

  Horses have a very large volume of blood. Although it is possible, it is very unlikely that a horse will bleed to death from a cut (a severe cut in the neck involving the carotid artery would be an obvious exception) use common sense, apply some type of clean compression bandage if possible and call the veterinarian to determine a course of action.

• My horse will not move at all and shuffles it’s feet; puts the hind legs forward. What could this be?

  These are the classical symptoms of founder (laminitis). The veterinarian on call should be contacted. Withdraw all feed sources.

• My horse has large volumes of green snot coming out of it’s nose. The horse is acting scared and is retching. What could this be?

  This is probably “choke.” this condition happens when food gets stuck in the esophagus (the tube that goes from the mouth to the stomach). Frequently this problem can be addressed over the phone. Sometimes, however the condition can be difficult and will require immediate veterinary attention. Most of the time the problem will not resolve on its own.

• My mare is in labor, how long should it take for the foal to come out?

  Once the mare is in full labor (laying down, contracting, the water breaks, etc) the foal should come out within 30 minutes or so. After removing placenta from it’s face and nose, it should stand and nurse in a few hours or less. The placenta should fully pass from the mare in a few hours or less. Contact the veterinarian for questions.

• Why does my horse have to have a microchip, tattoo, or brand to obtain a coggins test in Louisiana?

  This is state law. All horses must have a permanent form of identification as described. The state passed this rule at the request of the horse industry to avoid dishonesty concerning coggins testing.