Wheeler Ranch & Feed
Kari's
Fascinating Facts and Informative Info
( or at least Kari thinks so :) )
| A
Matter of Degrees...
A fever occurs when your horse's hypothalmus, which regulates
his body temperature, adjusts his "thermostat" such
that he'll tolerate higher temperatures before cooling mechanisms
kick in. This allows his body to battle invading organisms,
by creating a hot, unfriendly environment for them -- his body
is literally trying to burn them out. His temperature also is
a good indicator of his health. When you think something's wrong
with your horse, one of the first questions your veterinarian
is likely to ask is, "What's the horse's temperature?"
Here's what those degrees can mean...
|
Temperature |
Possible
Causes |
105 or
higher |
Serious viral infection;
heat stroke |
102 to
104.5 |
Post-excercise heat; at rest,
pain, inflammation, or mild infection |
99.5
to 101.5 |
Normal |
97.5
to 99 |
Mild to moderate shock; hypothermia |
97 or
below |
Severe shock |
|
Baseline
Vital Signs
|
Vital Sign |
Normal
Range |
Abnormals
& Possible Cause |
Your
Horse
Vitals |
Temperature |
99-101.5
degrees |
Below
Normal: hypothermia; shock.
Above Normal: infection; heat exhaustion;
exerted/muscle exertion. |
6
a.m.:
Noon:
6 p.m.: |
Heart
Rate |
3-44
beats per min. |
Below
Normal: good athletic condition; heart problem;
poisoning; hypothermia; shock
Above Normal: exercise; pain; fever;
heat exhaustion; shock; heart problem; anxiety |
|
Respiratory
Rate |
10-15
breaths per min. |
Below
Normal: athletic condition; hypothermia; shock;
drug effect.
Above Normal: exercise; pain; fever;
heat exhaustion; electrolyte imbalance; shock; respiratory
infection |
|
Gut
Sounds |
Long,
rolling rumbles interspersed with shorter gurgles; quiet
periods no longer than 2 minutes. |
Quieter
than Normal: gut motility slowed or stopped.
Noisier than Normal: hunger; digestion
of a meal; nervousness; or gut inflammation.
High Pitched Pings with periods of Quiet: accumulated
gas(often a sign of colic. |
|
Digital
Pulse |
Subtle
and difficult to feel |
No
Pulse : could be normal, or it could indicate
poor circulation.
An obvious or strong pulse: could indicate
a variety of foot problems, including laminitis(founder)
or an abscess. |
|
Gum Color |
Pale to bubble gum pink |
Whitish
Gums: could indicate anemia or shock.
Bright Pink Gums: could indicate illness;poisoning;
shock; or could be normal if the horse has just been
excercising.
Bright Red, Blue or Muddy Colored Gums could
indicate poisoning or shock. |
|
Capillary Refill Time(CRT) |
CRT: 1-2 |
Faster
than Usual CRT: means your horse's blood pressure
is elevated, probably due to recent excercise; excitement;
or anxiety. : hypothermia; shock.
Slow CRT: can indicate illness; poisoning;
or shock. |
|
|
| The
benefits of using a conditioner after shampooing...
Shampooing removes dirt and gunk from the horses coat but it
also takes away the natural oils, such as sebum. Sebum helps
keep the hairs flexible and aids in waterproofing. Bathing too
frequently can leave the coat, mane and tail overly dry and
brittle.
Applying conditioner will keep the elasticity of the mane and
tail less prone to breakage which allows the mane and tail to
grow longer and fuller.
Check out our Conditioner web specials
Fact:
The percentage of equine population 20 years of age or older
increased from 5.6 in 1998 to 7.6 in 2005 and the numbers are
still increasing each year!
|
| How
to battle bots...
Late summer and early fall are the main times for the dreaded
Bot Fly to lay its eggs. The bot eggs are deposited on the horses
legs, chest, throat and belly. The Bot eggs hatch when the horse
licks them. The ingested larvae migrate to the stomach and latch
onto the wall to mature, before being passed with manure eight
to ten months later. Bots are not likely to be harmful to your
horse but they will irritate the tissues of his mouth and stomach
and can cause his general condition to decline.
Deworming in late fall can help kill internal larvae. You can
also scrape the eggs off daily with a Bot block or a dull knife
or safety razor. Baby oil helps to smother the larve and keep
them from hatching. It also provides a slick area to prevent
the eggs from attaching to the horse.
Check out our websale on Ivermectin Paste! The wormer that kills
the bots!
|
| Fact:
Bute (phenylbutazone) takes two hours to take effect and begin
to relieve a horses mild pain.
Fact:
Researchers estimate the total time a horse devotes to drinking
water each day is very small. Normal drinking behavior for adult
horses in stalls has these characteristics: Episodes occur two
to eight times a day and last for only about 10 to 60 seconds
at a time, for a cumulative daily total drinking duration of
approximately one to eight minutes. The average horse drinks
6.6 gallons per day.
Remember the old saying ...you can lead a horse to water but
you can't make him drink!
|
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boarding, arena & horse hotel fees.
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Service at it's best is our continuous goal.
We strive to provide a friendly, courteous, clean and helpful
atmosphere for our customers.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Hours
Open
Monday - Saturday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm
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