Health and Welfare

A HOT TOPIC FOR HORSE

HEALTH By Redwings Horse Sanctuary

How often do you check your horse’s rectal temperature? This question was included in a survey of horse owners by the British Equestrian Trade Association in 2021, and of 385 respondents, more than half reported that they only take their horse’s temperature if they think they may be unwell. In addition, 20% said they never think about it, and 8% felt unable to temperature-check through their own inexperience or the horse’s lack of training.

The survey also revealed that just 4% of respondents had made a habit of checking this key health indicator on either a daily or weekly basis. Only a small number of people (4%) monitored their horse’s temperature on returning from equestrian events. While Redwings specifically promotes the value of routinely keeping an eye on resting temperatures as part of our Stamp Out Strangles campaign, infectious disease is only one reason a horse may develop fever (a temperature above 38.5°c). Any viral or bacterial infection can cause temperature to rise, as can inflammation or rarer conditions such as immune-disorders and some types of cancer. Sometimes the underlying cause of a fever is not revealed through diagnostics, being termed by vets as ‘pyrexia of unknown origin’. But fever is always a sign that something is wrong. Making a habit of checking your horse’s rectal temperature will help you to: • Know your horse’s normal temperature range • Help your horse feel comfortable with the process • Get you used to the process if you haven’t often done it before • Know where your thermometer and lubricant are if you need them in a hurry • Spot a health issue early and take action to investigate and help stop anything infectious spreading to other horses • Combine your horse’s temperature with their pulse and respiration rate (TPL) to monitor overall health.

Top temperature taking tips Checking your horse’s temperature can soon become a quick and straightforward horse health habit. Here are some handy hints to make sure the process is as easy and accurate as possible: 4 Always use a digital thermometer – old fashioned glass ones are an absolute no-no 4 Use lubricant to avoid snagging the thermometer on the sensitive skin around the rectum – your horse might also appreciate the lubricant being warmed

slightly in your hand first! 4 Remember to angle the thermometer slightly when inserted so it is resting against the wall of the rectum which is where it will give you an accurate reading 4 Ensure you are taking a resting temperature, so not for at least an hour after the horse has been ridden or exercised 4 Horse’s temperatures can vary slightly in the morning and evening, so try taking temperatures at different times of day to discover natural fluctuation in your own horse. Take the temperaturecheck challenge! Strangles Awareness Week 2022 is taking place from 2nd – 8th May and this year horse owners are being invited to monitor their horse’s temperature each day throughout the event and add the reading to an online temperature tracker. Whether you want to make temperature checking more of a habit, or help your horse become more comfortable with the process, it’s the perfect chance to focus on a really important health monitoring activity. If that wasn’t enough of an incentive, everyone who submits their horse’s readings will be entered into a prize draw for a fabulous bundle of goodies from the SAW team! Did you know that fever is one of the very earliest signs of an infectious disease like strangles? Not only that, fever also usually develops before the horse becomes infectious to others, making it the ideal time to spot a problem and take action to stop the disease spreading further. Monitoring temperatures plays such an important role in protecting horses from infectious disease that the FEI has introduced the requirement for all horses entering FEI competitions to have their

Getting started…

If you’ve never taken a horse’s temperature before, or you’re not sure how receptive your horse will be to the idea, don’t worry! It’s not as invasive for the horse as we may think, but, as with all training, it’s important to take things slowly at first, make the experience as positive as possible and monitor the horse for any signs of stress. Here are our top training tips to help get you started:

4 Make sure your horse is already happy to stand when asked – this is fundamental to so many interactions, from vet and farrier visits to tacking up and mounting. If your horse fidgets, work on this basic training first 4 Work in an environment that is quiet, safe and comfortable for your horse 4 Ask someone else to hold your horse who can help keep them relaxed and make the process a positive one for them, while watching for any signs of anxiety that may help you know when to take things more slowly or go back a step 4 A haynet, some feed, wither scratches or head rubs can create positive associations for the horse – remember any excessive pressure or reprimand can quickly become a negative association for the horse that may affect how they behave on the next occasion 4 Don’t rush. Be calm, take things one step at a time and always end on a positive note, even if you don’t achieve everything you were hoping for on the first attempt 4 Always thank your horse - lots of praise goes a long way when they’re learning new things! temperature checked twice a day for three days prior to travelling and twice a day during the event itself. The temperatures are uploaded on the FEI HorseApp and any horse with a temperature above 38.5°c must be treated as potentially infectious and isolated while tests are carried out. The EHV-1 outbreak in Valencia in early 2021 was a stark reminder of how rapidly disease can spread and the devastation it causes. A total of eighteen horses were reported to have died in the outbreak, with many more becoming sick. Horse movements meant that more than thirty yards in ten countries were subsequently affected by the disease. The outbreak will almost certainly have been triggered by one infected horse, and mandatory temperature checking is a simple yet effective way of helping ensure similarly catastrophic outbreaks can be prevented in the future. Temperature checking can literally save lives.

To find out more about Strangles Awareness Week, the temperature check challenge and other ways to get involved, simply follow the Strangles Awareness Week Facebook page or go to www.redwings.org.uk/strangles /strangles-awareness-week

CORRECT WOUND MANAGEMENT

Secures young horse’s future

Event rider Louisa Milne Home was thankful to have a first aid kit bursting with wound care products (thanks to her sponsor Robinson Animal Healthcare) when one of her promising youngsters suffered a nasty injury.

Louisa had only purchased Arty, along with one of her owners, Sara Brown, at the start of 2021 and has high hopes that he will have a big future in either Eventing or Showjumping. Whilst out in the field enjoying life on Louisa’s yard in Kinross, Scotland, Arty managed to get a very deep and long wound along the back of the pastern. Although Louisa and her team didn’t know exactly how the injury had happened, it appeared to have occurred as a result of Arty putting his foot through a fence and then pulling back. Louisa immediately consulted her vet as she was concerned that the wound was deep and also worried about the risk of infection or damage to the tendons and ligaments. The position of the wound meant that stitching wasn’t going to be an option, so open wound management would be required. A wound that is not able to be closed surgically will need to be left to heal by second intention and managed as an open wound, using appropriate treatment involving bandaging techniques. Healing by second intention is when the edges of the wound are far apart and cannot be surgically brought together. Arty was put on box rest for around a month with the wound bandaged to keep it clean and as stable as possible. The first 24-hours were crucial to spot any signs of infection or complications. Louisa cleaned the wound and applied a Skintact wound dressing which was held in place with Orthopaedic padding and an Equiwrap cohesive bandage, with a little bit of duct tape at the bottom to prevent any dirt travelling up from the bedding. The dressing was changed every two days to start with and then every four days to try not to disturb the wound and allow it to knit together. Said Louisa: “All the Robinson Animal Healthcare products did a fantastic job. The Skintact didn’t stick to the wound and was easy to change, which was definitely a bonus with a young horse as it would have been much more difficult if he had been in discomfort. All the products stayed in position which helped reduce the frequency of dressing changes. “Within 17-days the wound was fully granulated with no proud flesh but we kept the bandages on and Arty on box rest for a few more days just to be on the safe side. The wound had completely healed and looked amazing in just 24-days which is a great outcome.”

www.robinsonanimal healthcare.com

Arty suffered a deep and long wound along the back of the pastern. Because the wound could not be closed surgically, Louisa had to apply a dressing and bandage the wound, changing the dressing frequently.

Equiwrap Cohesive Bandages from Robinson Animal Healthcare are a must have item for any equine first aid kit. Available in a wide range of colours from bright fluorescent Green, Orange and Pink, to more conservative colours such as Bottle Green and Black, Equiwrap Cohesive Bandages are a powerful, flexible bandage that sticks to itself but not to skin or hair.

Easy to tear by hand, Equiwrap is made from elasticated crepe and comes in 10 cm x 4.5 m single rolls and is ideal for bandaging awkward contours of the legs such as the knee and hock. Equiwrap is perfect for securing bandages in place and providing support, once positioned Equiwrap will stay firmly in place and not loosen. The bandage should be changed daily, and applied over a dressing or Veterinary Gamgee, making sure there are no wrinkles.