When To Call The Vet: Common Horse Emergencies

The goal of this article is to familiarize horse owners with common emergencies and to give some guidance as to when veterinary assistance is needed. However, and this cannot be stressed enough, at no time is it wrong to call your veterinarian if you are concerned.

Colic

Colic is the most common emergency call veterinarians get. The definition of colic is abdominal pain, which can arise from any organ in the abdomen including liver, kidneys, the reproductive tract, etc. but is most often from the gastrointestinal tract.
Symptoms: Symptoms of colic range from “just not right” to pawing, looking at their abdomen, lying down, and when severe, rolling and thrashing.

When to call: Recommendations of when to call can vary depending on the owner. Even if the colic is mild a phone call to your veterinarian is always a good idea for guidance and to give the veterinarian a heads up that you may need them. Certainly more severe colics warrant a vet visit.

What you can do: Many horse owners are familiar with colic and may try and treat a mild colic on their own by withholding feed and walking the horse. Any medications such as Banamine or anti-ulcer drugs should be given only after consulting with your veterinarian. Walking the horse is often recommended to keep the horse from rolling, but if the horse is so painful that it is thrashing it can be a danger to anyone attempting to handle the horse and further intervention should then wait until veterinary assistance has arrived.

Wounds

Wounds are another common emergency and can certainly vary in severity.

Symptoms: Wounds are generally pretty obvious and involve skin disruption and possibly disruption of deeper tissues. The amount of bleeding may vary depending on location of the wound. Small wounds can sometimes have deep tracts (as often the case with puncture wounds), so full evaluation of any wound is always warranted.

When to call: Minor wounds and abrasions do not always necessitate an emergency visit, but a call to the veterinarian may be helpful for guidance in appropriate at-home treatment. Factors to consider when deciding if your horses’ wound needs seen by a vet are both wound size and depth, amount of bleeding, if there is lameness associated with the wound, and importantly, the wound’s proximity to any important structures such as a joint or eye.

What you can do: Gently clean the wound with soap (Betadine or Nolvasan if available, but even a mild dish soap such as Dawn or Ivory will work) and water. Do not put any ointment or spray on the wound if there is any chance it will be sutured. If there is bleeding, pressure may be applied to the wound. Keeping the horse quiet and in a clean dry area will help to minimize contamination.

Fevers

Horses, like people, will get fevers from a variety of causes, most often being infectious although occasionally a fever may come from a non-infectious disease. The normal temperature range for horses is 98.6 F – 101.5 F.

Symptoms: Generally horses with a fever are lethargic and have a decreased appetite. Sometimes they will have an increased respiratory rate and will “blow”. Often owners will initially think that the horse is colicky due to the lack of appetite, but usually febrile horses do not show signs of pain.

When to call: It is appropriate to call anytime your horse has a fever. While it may or may not be necessary to have an emergency visit, most horses should be seen within the next day or so to further evaluate the cause for the increased temperature.

What you can do: Medications like Bute or Banamine are often given to bring down a fever but should be given only as directed by your veterinarian. Fans and/or an alcohol bath may help to bring down a fever as well.

Foaling Mares – Dystocia

Dystocia is defined as abnormal or difficult birthing and is a serious concern in a foaling mare.

Symptoms: Anytime a mare is in labor for more than 15-20 minutes or if you see anything other than two front feet and a muzzle it is a cause for concern.

When to call: ALWAYS! Dystocia is always an emergency, as both the foal and the mares’ lives are at high risk.

What you can do: While waiting for the veterinarian to arrive you can walk the mare. Walking her may help to minimize straining. Do not attempt to manipulate the foal on your own.

Sick Foals

Young foals are at a higher risk for illness due to their naïve immune systems. Making sure that a foal gets adequate colostrum (the first milk from the mare that is high in antibodies) is important to reducing the risk of illness to the foal, but it does not completely omit the chance that a foal could get sick.

Symptoms: Symptoms that a foal is sick can range from subtle changes in nursing and activity to more obvious signs such as coughing, diarrhea, lameness, and extreme lethargy.
When to call: Sick foals can go from bad to worse in a matter of hours, so it is prudent to call your vet as soon as a change is noted.

What you can do: While you may be tempted to give your foal something, whether it’s a probiotic for diarrhea or Banamine to make them feel better, it is better to not give the foal anything unless directed by a veterinarian as foals are often more sensitive to medications than an adult horse.

Eyes

Symptoms: Eye problems are generally easy to recognize and can involve squinting, tearing, swelling, or discoloration to the eye.

When to call: Generally it is recommended to call the veterinarian for any issue with an eye. Certain eye problems can be very serious and require prompt treatment.

What you can do: Removing the horse from bright lights may help their comfort level. If the eye is swollen icing the area is beneficial. Flushing the eye with saline is fairly benign and may be helpful, but resist the urge to put anything else in the eye unless directed by your veterinarian. Even if you have ointment on hand that was prescribed for a prior issue, do not use it unless directed by your veterinarian. While certain ointments may be appropriate for one condition, they may be wrong for another. A good rule of thumb – if you would not put it in your eye, do not put it in your horses’ eye either.

Choke

Choke in horses is an obstruction in the esophagus, which is different than a person choking in which the trachea (airway) is obstructed.

Symptoms: The main symptom of choke is feed material coming out of the horses’ nose. Horses that are choking may also gag, cough, or strain while trying to swallow.
When to call: While different from “choke” in people where it is a life threatening condition, horses that are choking are not at immediate risk but do generally require veterinary attention to get the obstruction to pass.

What you can do: Remove all feed from the horse as some horses may continue to eat. Allow the horse to lower its head and extend its neck. Do not administer any oral medications as they will not be absorbed properly. Resist the urge to try to “flush” out the obstruction using a garden hose because that can significantly increase the horses’ risk of aspiration pneumonia (pneumonia that originates from food/foreign material that the horse breathes in).

Lameness

Most owners can recognize a significant limp in their horse and the horse may even be non-weight bearing on the affected leg.

Symptoms: There may or may not be heat and swelling in the affected leg/foot. Horses with laminitis (very painful inflammation within the feet) will be extremely reluctant to move and will appear to be “walking on eggshells”.

When to call: If the horse is non-weight bearing on a limb or there is extreme swelling it is advised to call your vet. While an average foot abscess may make a horse not bear weight on a leg and may also cause swelling above the affected foot, other significant diseases/injuries can present with similar signs of severe lameness and/or swelling, such as a fracture or cellulitis (a painful infection under the skin).

It is also advised to call as soon as any signs of laminitis are present. Certain treatments are recommended to be started immediately, such as icing the affected legs. Baseline radiographs are recommended within the first day or so of clinical laminitis to be able to monitor for changes in the foot as the disease process progresses.

What you can do: Refrain from moving your horse unless directed by your vet as further movement could worsen the situation. Icing the affected leg(s) may be beneficial. Wrapping the leg(s) may help treat any swelling that may be present. Most owners will want to give their horse Bute, but check with your vet prior to administering any medications.