When to Call the Equine Vet

Knowing when to call the veterinarian for your horse can be one of the most challenging decisions to make. Not all emergencies or ailments are as black and white as we would like them to be, leaving a fair amount of gray area where you have to make a decision. To try to help navigate the gray area, we will discuss seven of the most common emergencies horses experience, when to call the vet, and what you can do in the meantime. 

This website, including its text, graphics, and images ("Content"), is for educational purposes only; it is not intended to be a substitute for veterinary medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine or other licensed or certified veterinary medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a veterinary medical condition or symptom.

Colic  

Quite possibly the most common emergency call, colic is simply defined as abdominal pain. Abdominal pain usually originates from the gastrointestinal tract but may also come from the liver, kidneys, urinary tract, or reproductive tract. Symptoms of colic range from "just not right" and off feed to pawing, flank watching, lying down, and in severe cases, rolling and thrashing. Colic can present with abnormal gum color (pale or red/injected) and a delayed capillary refill time. When to call the vet varies by situation. An experienced owner who knows their horse well can try to monitor a mild colic, while a new owner or one with a new horse should make the call earlier. Regardless of the colic severity, a phone call to your vet is always good for guidance and to give the veterinarian a heads up in case intervention is required a few hours later. Severe colic (rolling, thrashing, heart rate over 50 beats per minute, pale/injected gums) ALWAYS requires a call. If your horse is colicking, you should withhold feed, walk the horse to prevent rolling, and watch for manure production. Do not exhaust the horse by walking it for hours at a time. Do not administer medications without first consulting a veterinarian. By administering medications without veterinary approval, you may limit what your veterinarian can observe and do when they arrive. 

Wounds

Wounds are another very common veterinary call. Symptoms of wounds are usually easy to identify with disruption of skin and deeper tissue. Bleeding can vary with the severity of the wound. Significant blood loss (more than 1.5 gallons) can result in pale gums, increased heart rate, and increased capillary refill time. When to call the vet depends on wound size, depth, and location. Large wound size/depth, significant bleeding or signs of blood loss, or a wound close to a joint, tendon sheath, or the eye always requires a call. If your horse has a wound requiring veterinary care, you should keep the horse quiet in a clean, dry area. Apply pressure to a bleeding wound until a clot forms and bleeding stops. Absorbent bandaging can be applied to the wound; if it bleeds through the bandage, add another layer rather than removing the wrap. As long as bleeding is not severe, you can gently clean with an antiseptic (such as Betadine) and water. Do not apply ointment or spray if the vet will be out to evaluate or suture the wound. 

Fevers

Fevers can result from numerous causes. Symptoms of a fever include lethargy, decreased appetite, increased respiratory rate, rectal temperature over 101.5°F, and sometimes abnormal gum color. The veterinarian should be called in any of the following scenarios: when a low-grade fever persists for more than 24 hours, when there is a prolonged lack of appetite, or when the rectal temperature is over 102°F. These scenarios may not require an emergency visit, but do need veterinary evaluation. If your horse has a fever, you can provide comfort measures such as wetting them down to the skin or providing a barn-safe fan. Do not administer medications without first consulting a veterinarian. By administering medications without veterinary approval, you may limit what your veterinarian can do when they arrive.

Dystocia

Dystocia is abnormal or difficult birthing. Symptoms of dystocia include active labor for more than 15-20 minutes, red bag (placenta) delivery prior to the foal, or anything other than two front feet and a muzzle presenting first. Dystocia is Always an emergency requiring veterinary intervention. While waiting for the vet, you can try walking the mare to keep her from rolling or overstraining. Do not attempt to manipulate the foal or administer medications without consulting a veterinarian.

Sick foals

A sick foal is another urgent situation that Always requires veterinary evaluation. Symptoms to watch for include subtle changes in nursing and activity, coughing, diarrhea, lameness, lethargy, abnormal gum/eye color (pale, red, yellow), and swollen/painful joints or umbilicus. Sick foals are fragile creatures with immature immune systems that cannot fight off infections like an adult horse. Any change in a young foal requires a call to the vet. While waiting for veterinary evaluation, you can provide comfort measures. Do not administer medications without first consulting a veterinarian.

Eyes

Eye injuries can get very serious quickly. Symptoms of an eye issue include squinting, tearing, swelling, discoloration, and an enlarged globe. Eye symptoms lasting greater than 12-24 hours without improvement should be evaluated by a veterinarian. While waiting for veterinary evaluation, you can remove your horse from bright light and try gently flushing the eye with sterile saline. Do not apply ointment/medication without consulting a veterinarian, as the wrong type of eye medication can make certain eye conditions worse.

Choke

Choke is different in horses than in people. Choking in horses is not a blocked airway but rather a blocked esophagus. While choking in people is an immediate, life-threatening emergency, choking in horses often resolves on its own. Choke is identified by feed material coming out of the nose, coughing, retching, or straining to swallow. A veterinarian should be notified of choke symptoms lasting more than 2-4 hours. If your horse is choking, try to keep the horse calm, remove all feed and water, and encourage the horse to lower its head and extend its neck. You can try massaging the obstruction on the left side of the neck to loosen the bolus of food stuck in the esophagus.  Do not try to "flush" out the obstruction using a syringe or hose, this will only increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia.

Other Emergency Situations

Other notable mentions include severe lameness, diarrhea, hives/anaphylaxis, the down or neurologic horse, and difficulty breathing. A horse that suddenly comes up very lame should be evaluated by a veterinarian right away. Mild lameness and diarrhea are more routine calls, while hives/anaphylaxis and down/neurologic horses are emergency calls. Allergic reactions where breathing is compromised, other difficulty breathing, prolonged erection, and grain overloads also warrant an immediate call.

Being Prepared for an Emergency

Before your horse gets sick or injured, you should be familiar with its normal vital signs and behaviors. Knowing this can help you quickly discern when something is not right and describe the abnormalities to your veterinarian. 

Horses are unpredictable, so owners should be prepared for an emergency at any time. Knowing how to behave and what to have ready can save valuable time and reduce panic. It is also critical to have an established relationship with a veterinary practice; often, practices cannot send an emergency vet if you do not already have a VCPR (Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship) for that animal.

What to do in an emergency:

• Remain calm 
• Remove all non-essential people 
• Carefully assess your horse and take vital signs 
• Call your vet before giving any medications
• On the emergency line, state your name, emergency, and contact information calmly. Keep your phone on you or someone by the phone until the vet calls back.
• Keep a list of emergency contacts in the barn 
• Have a plan for how much you are willing to spend, who you will need to call for help/trailering, etc. ahead of time

What to have on hand:

Suggested First Aid Kit

• Gauze squares, roll cotton, brown gauze
• Non-adherent pads
• Vet wrap
• Scissors
• White tape, duct tape
• Stethoscope
• Thermometer (test it to make sure it works correctly)
• Betadine/antiseptic
• Needles/syringes
• Gloves
• Flashlight

Medications

Consult with your veterinarian about keeping these on hand. You should always speak with your veterinarian before administering a medication, but in some cases, having them in the barn can save you a farm call.  

• Flunixin meglumine (Banamine)
• Phenylbutazone (Bute)
• Neo-Poly-Bac eye ointment
• Detomidine (Dormosedan)
• Wound ointment
• Animalintex pads
• Sterile saline/eye wash

Conclusion

Sometimes it can be difficult to decide if your horse needs a veterinarian right away or if it can wait until business hours. When in doubt, the best thing to do is call. You can talk through the situation with the on-call veterinarian and decide together. Being familiar with common emergencies can make the decision easier, and having a first aid kit and medications on hand will allow you to administer first aid based on the vet's instructions while you wait for them to arrive. In general, you should never give medications in an emergency until you've spoken to the veterinarian and they instruct you to do so. It's a great idea to have a conversation with your own veterinarian before an emergency about what they would like you to keep in stock and how to get in touch with them if something comes up.