Equine Emergency Responses - Practical & Herbal

By: © Victoria Ferguson Dip.Herb.Med.

First aid kit

Hypericum

Yarrow and Calendula

In caring for our beloved horses it is a no brainer to have an emergency response plan in place. 

A basic knowledge of practical and herbal first aid is the best insurance any horse owner can have. Quick and appropriate first aid usually results in faster and more complete healing and prevents complications.

Firstly learn how to read the vital signs using a stethoscope, thermometer,  a stop watch and your brains.

HEART RATE – normal resting heart rate is 40 beats per minute

TEMPERATURE – normal temperature is 37.5 degrees, give or take for the time and temperature of the day

RESPIRATION RATE  - normal respiration rate is 10 – 14 breaths per minute

GUT SOUNDS – noisy or very few or quiet gut sounds are both abnormal

GUM COLOUR – normal gum colour is pink, abnormal colours are white, red or mauve.

CAPILLARY REFILL – colour should return immediately after holding your thumb on the upper gum for a few seconds

HYDRATION – pick up a small piece of skin in the middle of the horse’s neck, if the skin stays sitting up, the horse is dehydrated

GLANDS – check for any enlargement, heat or sensitivity in the lymph glands from the base of the ear and around the back of the jaw

Any of the above vital signs which are abnormal are clues to working out what is wrong with the horse and treating appropriately.

The following is a practical and herbal response guide which should be followed up promptly with veterinary attention and/or herbal treatment from a qualified practitioner, if required.

Colic

Colic can be life threatening or a mild attack may pass unnoticed with no problem.  If colic is suspected, check gut sounds, if abnormal, immediately oral dose with 50 ml Chamomile Tea plus 10 drops of straight Rescue Remedy or 10 ml Chamomile Extract diluted 50/50 in water, plus 10 drops of straight Rescue Remedy. This dosage can be repeated every half hour.  Mild cases of spasmodic colic will usually respond quite quickly to this treatment as Chamomile is a gentle anti-spasmodic. If the horse is trying to roll, lead continuously to prevent this and call your vet. A fresh green pick is often appealing and helpful in resolving mild cases.

If impaction is suspected, that is gut noises are low and the horse has not passed faeces for an hour or more, Valerian is a powerful anti-spasmodic which will produce a positive reaction within 15 minutes. The dosage rate and frequency is the same as Chamomile.

Wounds

These range from minor cuts and abrasions to a more serious injury which requires veterinary attention including stitching. The first thing to do is to stop the bleeding. Use towel or even the shirt off your back, with pressure on the wound. Once the bleeding has stopped assess whether you can care for the wound yourself or whether it needs veterinary attention.  Administer Rescue Remedy orally.  Disinfect the wound by flushing with a diluted Yarrow and Calendula extract, then apply medi-honey and bandage if necessary with a pad and elastoplasts or vetwrap.

Coughs and Colds

To help relieve a dry cough, add 2-3 drops of Oil of Eucalyptus and a teaspoon of raw or medi-honey to 500 ml of water to dampen down the feed. For coughing which produces phlegm add the juice of a lemon and a tablespoon of honey dissolved in water to dampen down the feed. A tablespoon of dried Thyme leaves can be brewed into a tea and added as well for their soothing and expectorant action or 2 - 3 drops of Essential Oil of Thyme to 750 ml of water.  Be sure to keep the horse warm and out of the wind or cold.  If Garlic and Rosehips are already being fed routinely, double the daily dosage to 50 grams of each twice per day, otherwise introduce as a first aid measure. 

Bruising – Sprains and Strains

For local or systemic bruising dose orally with homeopathic Arnica 6 C or 6 X, 1 ml hourly for the first 3 hours, then 3 times daily. For longer term usage twice daily is sufficient. Immediate application of ice packs or ice boots or cold hosing is most important for localised bruising. Pressure bandages under pads should be applied to legs provided they are applied correctly, otherwise they can cause extra damage. If there is bruising without a break in the skin immediately apply Arnica ointment and maintain for a few days depending upon the severity. In the lower leg Comfrey cream or ointment is preferred as Arnica can cause pooling of fluid in that area. If the skin is broken use Witch Hazel cream or ointment in conjunction with Calendula cream or ointment to prevent infection. 

If the bruising has affected bony areas, then Comfrey oil or a Comfrey poultice is the best choice for topical treatment.  For obvious sprains or strains, oral dosing with Devil’s Claw is also required. Dosage rate with a 1:1 extract is from 5 – 10 ml (depending on size of the horse) two to three times daily for three to five days.

Scouring

Whilst it is most important to ascertain the underlying causes of scouring, it is also important to treat symptomatically immediately. This can be done by feeding Slippery Elm Bark Powder combined with PLAIN yoghurt (with acidophilus, bifidus & casei) such as Jalna Biodynamic - 2 tablespoons of powder with 2 tablespoons of yoghurt and 1 tablespoon of melted raw honey given in the feed. If they won’t eat it - add a little water and give as a drench. If a horse is scouring and appears systemically ill, that is off feed, appears to be in pain or has a temperature, it would be wise to consult an experienced equine veterinarian as a matter of urgency.

Bites, Stings, Burns, Itches

It is very easy to grow Aloe Vera plants around the stables. Just remove a leaf, open up with a pen knife or similar and apply the gel from the inside directly onto the skin to soothe and assist healing of bites, stings, itches and burns.  Additionally keep Hypericum Oil and/or Aloe Vera Gel on hand for the same purpose.  Chamomile Tea will also soothe and reduce inflammation used both internally and topically with a few drops of Rescue Remedy added.

The Herbal Response Tool Kit

Herbal products required are …

Rescue Remedy stock bottle, Rescue Remedy 100 ml dosage bottle

Herbal Extracts – 100 ml bottles of Calendula, Yarrow, Chamomile, Valerian, Devil’s Claw

Herbal  Oils – 200 ml bottles of Comfrey, St John’s Wort

Herbal  Creams – 100 gram jars of Comfrey, Calendula, Arnica, Witch Hazel

Homeopathic Arnica 6C or 6X 100 ml fluid

Dried herbs – 500 grams packs of Slippery Elm Bark Powder, Calendula petals (preferably organic)

Manuka or Jellybush Honey 500 grams

Practical items required are …

Digital thermometer, stethoscope, at least 3 rolls of elastic sticking bandage one each in small, medium & wide widths, 3 rolls of self adhesive bandage,  50 ml reusable oral doser, selection of syringes, medicine cups, roll of gauze covered cotton padding, roll of extra long cotton wool, packet of panti-liners, packet of infant sized disposable nappies, set of 4 fybagee pads, set of 4 polo bandages.

Other items required are …

Injectable Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Hydrogen Peroxide, Castor Oil, Epsom Salts, Eucalyptus Oil, one pair of strong sharp scissors, small stainless steel bucket, soap, disposable rubber gloves, roll of paper towel & packet of disposable cloths. Biosecurity personal protection should also be included – eye protection goggles, disposable masks and overalls, in the event that Hendra virus is suspected.

All these items should be kept together in a clearly marked kit which everyone who is involved with the management of horses on the property is aware of, together with the emergency phone number of the vet.

Be prepared, invest in your herbal response tool kit without delay. All herbal items and most other items if stored correctly will still be good for several years and the bonus is that they can also be used for humans.

The Herbal Response Tool Kit is available to members of The Complete Horse Herbal Book Club

The team at Horsezone is excited to bring you informative articles from Victoria Ferguson www.thecountryherbalist.com.au