Transcript Basic Physical Examination of Horses

Basic Physical
Examination of
Horses
Chapter #5
LACP
Examination of Horses
• The history and physical examination are the most important
part of the database and serve as the starting point for
identifying the patient’s problems
History
• History
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Coach the clientIndividual –food and water source, feeding practices
Management of the entire group
Environmental stresses- pasture management, new animals
Prior treatments- other veterinarians, or self medications/treatments
Do not pass judgment
Physical Examination
• Physical examination
• Baseline
• Potential problems
• Insurance examination
• Required
• Prepurchase examination
• Used in the sale of horses
• It is not a guarantee of horses future performance
Physical examination
• There are several types of physical examinations
for equines
• Insurance examination is required by the
insurance company before a horse can receive
insurance coverage
• Prepurchase examination, conducted before
completing the sale of an animal, the
veterinarian performing the examination is
presumed to be working in the buyer’s best
interest
Basic Physical Exam
Visual Observation
• Observe the animal from a distance
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Gait
Posture
Hair coat
Behavior
Breathing pattern
Respiratory noises
Body swellings
Skin wound
Etc.
Observation From a Distance
Behavior
• Individual differences
• Affected by illness/pain
• Depending on environment, changes
throughout the day
• Eating, drinking
• Feces, urine
Body Condition Scoring
The Ideal Body Condition Score is between 5 and 6-1/2
1. Poor
Animal extremely emaciated; spinous processes, ribs, tailhead,
tuber coxae (hip joints), and ischia (lower pelvic bones)
projecting prominently; bone structure of withers, shoulders,
and neck easily noticeable; no fatty tissue can be felt.
2. Very Thin
Animal emaciated; slight fat covering over base of spinous
processes, transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel
rounded; spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, tuber coxae (hip
joints) and ischia (lower pelvic bones) prominent; withers,
shoulders, and neck structure faintly discernable.
3. Thin
Fat buildup about halfway on spinous processes; transverse
processes cannot be felt; slight fat cover over ribs; spinous
processes and ribs easily discernable; tailhead prominent, but
individual vertebrae cannot be identified visually; tuber coxae
(hip joints), appear rounded but easily discernable;
tuber ischia (lower pelvic bones) not distinguishable; withers,
shoulders and neck accentuated.
Body Condition Scoring
4. Moderately Thin
Slight ridge along back; faint outline of ribs discernible; tailhead prominence depends on
conformation, fat can be felt around it; tuber coxae (hip joints) not discernable; withers, shoulders
and neck not obviously thin.
5. Moderate
Back is flat (no crease or ridge); ribs not visually distinguishable but easily felt; fat around tailhead
beginning to feel spongy; withers appear rounded over spinous processes; shoulders and neck
blend smoothly into body.
6. Moderately Fleshy
May have slight crease down back; fat over ribs spongy; fat around tailhead soft; fat beginning to
be deposited along the side of withers, behind shoulders, and along sides of neck.
7. Fleshy
May have slight crease down back; individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable filling between ribs
with fat; fat around tailhead soft; fat deposited along withers, behind shoulders,and along neck.
8. Fat
Crease down back; difficult to feel ribs, fat around tailhead very soft; fat area along withers filled
with fat, area behind shoulder filled with fat, noticeable thickening of neck; fat deposited along
inner thighs.
9. Extremely Fat
Obvious crease down back; patchy fat appearing over ribs, bulging fat around tailhead; along
withers, behind shoulders and along neck, fat along inner thighs may rub together; flank filled
with fat.
Courtesy of Purina Mills
Attitude
Depressed attitude:
• Pain
• Weakness
• Cerebral dysfunction
Abnormal behavior:
• Pain
• Cerebral dysfunction
• The basic physical examination usually includes
temperature/pulse/respiration (TPR) heart/lung auscultation,
abdominal auscultation, hydratation status, examination of
mucous membranes, and height/weight measurement
Normal values- Adults (p. 149)
Body temperature- normal adult at rest: 99.0-101.5°F
—varies by age, breed, environmental temperature
Pulse rate/heart rate- normal adult at rest: 28-44 bpm
—varies by age, fitness level, 2° A-V block
Respiratory rate- normal adult at rest: 6-12 breaths per minute
—varies by age, environmental temperature
Gastrointestinal motility (p. 130) normal adult at rest: 1-3
borborygmi per minute
Borborygmus- rumbling or gurgling noises produced by movement
of gas in the alimentary canal and audible at a distance
Pink gums
6-10 piles of well formed manure per 24 hours
Normal Neonate
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Temperature 99-102F
HR 80-120
RR 20-40
Pink gums
Nursing 4-6 times per hour
Fecal output 2-4 piles per day, pasty
Equine weight
measuring
tapes
Pull the tape so that is it snug and not tight around the
horse’s girth.
Read the number that meets the “weight arrow” end of your weight tape, this is
the animal’s weight in lbs.
• Page 487 CVTV
The height of a horse is measured from the
point of the withers to the ground.
Measuring height.
A, Proper position for the height/weight tape for
measuring height.
B, Height is read at the highest point of the withers
Physical Examination
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By system
Always use the same approach
Record your findings
Look at “the whole picture”
Body temperature
Look Familiar?
99-101.5
• Temperature is almost
always taken rectally
using a standard
mercury thermometer
or a digital
thermometer for large
animals
When inserting rectal thermometer, stand facing
caudally and maintain contact with the horse
Grasp the tail at the base and move it gently to the side
Never stand directly in back of the horse’s rear end.