How to Check Vital Signs On Your Horse

Summary

Dr. Erica Latcher from Spring Hill Equine educates horse owners on measuring vital signs, including heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature, with a bonus section on gut sounds, digital pulses, and gum color. She emphasizes the importance of these signs for early detection of health issues like colic and provides practical tips for taking accurate readings, ensuring better communication with veterinarians.

Takeaways

• 🙌 Dr. Erica Latcher emphasizes the importance of knowing how to take vital signs for horse owners.
• 📊 Vital signs include heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature, which are crucial for assessing a horse's health.
• 🎧 A stethoscope is essential for accurately measuring heart rate, with the Littman brand recommended for its quality.
• 👂 The correct way to wear a stethoscope is with the earpieces angling forward to align with the ear canal.
• 🐎 The heart rate should be taken on the left side of the horse, just above the elbow, with the stethoscope's bell pressed firmly.
• 🔍 A normal horse heart rate ranges from 28 to 48 beats per minute, with over 60 being a significant concern.
• 🌀 Respiratory rate is measured by listening behind the elbow and along the flank, with normal horses often showing no distinct lung sounds.
• 🌡️ Temperature is taken rectally using a pediatric digital thermometer, with a normal range between 99 and 100.9 degrees Fahrenheit.
• 🌊 Gut sounds should be a mix of gurgles, rumbles, and pings, indicating proper digestive function.
• 🏃‍♀️ Digital pulses can indicate lameness or other issues, with the pulse felt on the widest part of the horse's fetlock.
• 👅 Gum color and capillary refill time are important indicators of a horse's hydration and health status.

Q & A

What is the normal heart rate range for a horse?

The normal heart rate range for a horse is between 28 and 48 beats per minute.

Why is it important to know a horse's vital signs?

Knowing a horse's vital signs is important because it can help identify health issues such as colic or other illnesses, and provide crucial information to veterinarians for diagnosis and treatment.

What is the significance of a heart rate over 60 beats per minute in a horse?

A heart rate over 60 beats per minute in a horse, especially when not post-exercise, is a red flag indicating potential illness or distress.

How can you accurately measure a horse's heart rate?

To measure a horse's heart rate accurately, use a stethoscope on the left side of the horse, about a hand's length up from the bottom of the body wall, and count the beats for 15 seconds, then multiply by four to get the beats per minute.

What is the normal respiratory rate for a horse?

The normal respiratory rate for a horse is not explicitly stated in the script, but it is suggested that listening for crackles, wheezes, or abnormal sounds is more important than a specific number.

How do you check for respiratory issues in a horse?

To check for respiratory issues, listen to the horse's flank area for normal breath sounds and watch for any unusual noises like crackles (like Rice Krispies) or wheezes, which can indicate asthma.

What is the normal temperature range for a horse?

The normal temperature range for a horse is between 99 and 100.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

How should you take a horse's temperature?

To take a horse's temperature, use a pediatric digital thermometer and insert it about an inch into the rectum, then wait for the beep indicating the temperature reading.

Why is it beneficial to teach a horse to be calm during temperature taking?

Teaching a horse to be calm during temperature taking is beneficial for the safety of the handler and to ensure accurate and stress-free temperature readings.

What additional vital signs does Dr. Erica Latcher discuss in the bonus section?

In the bonus section, Dr. Erica Latcher discusses gut sounds, digital pulses, and gum color as additional vital signs to monitor in horses.

How can you tell if a horse is dehydrated by checking its gums?

A horse is likely dehydrated if its gums appear dry and lack moisture, and if the gum feels tacky when touched, rather than moist and glistening.

Outlines

00:00

🐎 Introduction to Horse Vital Signs

Dr. Erica Latcher from Spring Hill Equine begins the video by expressing gratitude to patrons for their support. She emphasizes the importance of knowing how to take vital signs of a horse, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature, especially in cases like colic. She introduces a bonus section at the end of the video and uses a Littman stethoscope to demonstrate how to accurately measure a horse's heart rate, highlighting the importance of proper stethoscope positioning and the significance of a heart rate over 60 beats per minute as a red flag in a sick horse.

05:02

👂 Measuring Respiratory Rate

Dr. Latcher proceeds to explain how to measure a horse's respiratory rate, focusing on listening for lung sounds in a triangular area behind the elbow. She clarifies that while gut sounds are common and expected, lung sounds are what should be listened for, particularly for signs of issues like asthma or pneumonia. She advises on how to elicit a deep breath from the horse using a trash bag or by blocking the nostrils temporarily. The video also covers how to count respiratory rate by observing the flank movement and the importance of listening for abnormal sounds like crackles or wheezes.

10:02

🌡 Taking a Horse's Temperature

The third paragraph delves into the process of taking a horse's temperature, recommending the use of a pediatric digital thermometer for its speed and ease of use. Dr. Latcher advises standing close to the horse for safety and demonstrates how to properly insert the thermometer into the rectum. She notes the normal temperature range for a horse and mentions that elevated temperatures can indicate illness. The paragraph also touches on the importance of teaching a horse to tolerate temperature taking for the safety of both the horse and the handler.

15:03

🔍 Advanced Monitoring: Gut Sounds, Digital Pulses, and Gum Color

In the bonus section, Dr. Latcher discusses additional vital signs such as gut sounds, digital pulses, and gum color. She explains how to listen for gut sounds to assess a horse's digestive health, noting the significance of different sound types and their implications. For digital pulses, she demonstrates how to feel for them at the widest part of the fetlock and what variations might indicate, such as abscesses or laminitis. Lastly, she covers gum color and capillary refill time as indicators of a horse's hydration and health status, warning against signs of dehydration or toxicosis.

Keywords

💡Vital Signs

Vital signs refer to a group of medical measurements that are taken to assess the overall health and monitor the body's state. In the context of the video, vital signs include heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature, which are crucial for diagnosing and monitoring a horse's health. The video emphasizes the importance of these signs for horse owners to understand and monitor, as they can indicate the presence of illnesses or health issues.

💡Heart Rate

Heart rate is the number of times a heart beats per minute, and it's a key vital sign that reflects the cardiovascular health of an animal. In the video, Dr. Erica Latcher demonstrates how to measure a horse's heart rate using a stethoscope, emphasizing the importance of firm placement and listening for the 'lub dub' rhythm. A normal heart rate for a horse is between 28 to 48 beats per minute, and an elevated rate can be a red flag for illness.

💡Respiratory Rate

Respiratory rate is the number of breaths taken per minute and is an indicator of an animal's respiratory health. The video script describes how to measure this by listening for breath sounds in a specific area of the horse's body, using a stethoscope. The script also mentions that abnormal sounds like crackles or wheezes can indicate respiratory issues. Normal respiratory rate in horses is typically quiet and unobtrusive, unlike the loud or irregular sounds that might suggest a problem.

💡Temperature

Temperature is a measure of the body's heat and can indicate the presence of fever or other health issues. In the video, Dr. Latcher explains how to take a horse's temperature using a pediatric digital thermometer, noting that it should be done carefully and close to the horse to avoid injury. The normal temperature range for a horse is between 99 and 100.9 degrees Fahrenheit, and deviations from this range can signal health concerns.

💡Stethoscope

A stethoscope is a medical instrument used for listening to internal sounds within the body, such as the heartbeat or breathing. In the video, Dr. Latcher uses a stethoscope to measure both heart and respiratory rates, highlighting the importance of proper placement and the use of the bell for heart rate and the diaphragm for respiratory sounds. The quality of the stethoscope can affect the clarity of the sounds heard, which is why she mentions the importance of the tubing and earpiece.

💡Colic

Colic in horses refers to a set of symptoms that indicate abdominal pain, often caused by a digestive issue. The video mentions that colic is one of the reasons horse owners might call a veterinarian, and being able to provide vital signs like heart rate can be crucial for diagnosis. The script implies that monitoring vital signs can help in early detection and treatment of colic.

💡Gut Sounds

Gut sounds are the noises produced by the movement of food and gas through the gastrointestinal tract. In the video, Dr. Latcher discusses the importance of listening to gut sounds with a stethoscope to assess a horse's digestive health. Normal gut sounds include gurgles, rumbles, and pings, while abnormal sounds might indicate issues like diarrhea or gas accumulation.

💡Digital Pulses

Digital pulses refer to the pulses felt in the pastern area of a horse's leg, which can indicate the health of the horse's feet and laminitic conditions. The video explains how to check digital pulses by feeling for them at the widest part of the fetlock, and how the strength and presence of these pulses can provide insights into potential lameness or hoof abscesses.

💡Gum Color

Gum color is an indicator of a horse's health, particularly related to hydration and circulatory status. In the video, Dr. Latcher explains how to assess gum color and moisture, which can provide information about a horse's hydration status. She also mentions capillary refill time, which is the time it takes for the color to return to the gums after applying pressure, and how this can indicate the health of the horse's circulatory system.

💡Hydrometer

A hydrometer, while not explicitly mentioned in the script, is a tool that could be used to measure the specific gravity of a horse's urine, which can provide insights into hydration levels. Although not directly referenced, the concept is relevant to the discussion of hydration status and could be included as a tool for assessing a horse's health.

Highlights

Introduction to the importance of knowing how to take vital signs for horse owners.

Explanation of the three vital signs to be covered: heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature.

Discussion on the use of a stethoscope for taking heart rate and the importance of its quality.

Correct positioning of the stethoscope earpieces for optimal sound transmission.

Technique for finding the best location on a horse to take the heart rate.

Instructions on how to properly use a stethoscope to listen to a horse's heart.

Method for counting the heart rate and the normal range for a horse.

Significance of a heart rate over 60 as a potential indicator of illness in a horse.

The importance of listening to both sides of a horse for respiratory rate.

Technique for finding the optimal location to listen for respiratory sounds.

Description of normal and abnormal respiratory sounds in horses.

Methods to encourage a horse to take a deep breath for better respiratory sound assessment.

Introduction to the process of taking a horse's temperature and the equipment used.

Technique for safely and effectively taking a horse's temperature.

Normal temperature range for a horse and signs of concern.

Bonus section on additional vital signs: gut sounds, digital pulses, and gum color.

Technique for assessing gut sounds and what to listen for in a healthy horse.

How to take digital pulses and what they indicate about a horse's health.

Importance of gum color and capillary refill time in assessing a horse's health.

Conclusion and encouragement for horse owners to learn these vital sign techniques.

Transcripts

hi i'm dr erica latcher with spring hill

equine i want to give a huge shout out

to all our patrons out there you guys

are the reasons we can do what we do

so today we're going to do a video on

something i think every horse owner

should know and that is how to get vital

signs this is information i wish i could

get from everyone when they call me with

a colic

never mind pretty much any reason that

they call me for their horse i would

love to know heart rate respiratory rate

and temperature so today we're going to

go over those three things with a bonus

section at the end so stay tuned

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do

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all right let's start with heart rate so

i'm going to be using a littman

stethoscope it's a really nice brand of

stethoscope i would say it's the

probably the cadillac but they have

varying different models in there you

can get your economy cadillac your full

luxury cadillac but any stethoscope will

do

the biggest difference between quality

stethoscopes is the tubing how thick the

tubing is which insulates the sound

better as it comes to your ear

and the quality of the earpiece the

cheaper the stethoscope the harder this

rubber is and the worse it feels on your

poor ears so a five dollar stethoscope

will work it's not the most comfortable

but it'll definitely do the job

the other thing you guys get to hear dr

latcher stethoscope pet peeve and that

is that when you see the stethoscope see

how these angle forward when you put

them in you want to put them in just

like that so that that is angling

forward because your ear canal actually

angles forward into your head

if you put them in this way

like they do in every medical tv show

out there you will now notice this too

it actually makes it harder for the

sound to travel down your ear canal so

remember

forward

not

backward all right so i'm going to take

the the ear pieces put them in my ears

and then

where we take the the heart rate

we're doing this on the right side for

filming purposes

you actually want to do it on the left

side of the horse but it's in the same

location

so come up

from the bottom of the body wall kind of

a good hand length i have tiny hands so

kind of a good hand length up the other

thing you can look for is the point of

the elbow and you're going to go a

couple fingers above that

so

there's usually a bit of a depression

here

and it's a right in front of where your

girth ends up on the saddle

you want to take the the bell of your

stethoscope this end you want to place

it

firmly this helps you get better sound

quality

not pushing firmly enough is is one of

the biggest things i see novices do so

you're going to take the bell

press firmly

and then we're going to slide up under

the triceps muscle right here

so we're going to slide up under

and then we're going to listen

until we get the rhythm

and there's going to be a lob and a dub

so you're here sort of lub dub lub dub

lub dub

get the rhythm

then pull out your watch

count for 15 seconds you know watch your

watch for 15 seconds

counting that whole time

when you're done

multiply by four and you've got your

beats per minute

normal range in a horse is

28ish to 48ish

if they're excited i'll leave my

stethoscope on for a minute and see if

that heart rate comes down

not uncommon for me at all

to put that that stethoscope on

and hear a little jump in the heart rate

that's why i take a moment to listen to

the rhythm it'll come down and you'll

get the normal heart rate

big red flag for me on sick horses is a

heart rate over 60. not post exercise

but if a horse is standing here i've

pulled them out of the stall and you

think they're colicking or sick in some

way and the heart rate is over 60.

that's a really big deal so they have a

very narrow range of what's normal like

i said 28 to 48 higher than that and we

definitely start to get concerned

and again we're going to listen on the

left side

the reason we do that is the horse heart

actually sits a little tilted to the

left just like your heart does so it's

easier to hear from the other side it's

actually quite difficult to hear a heart

rate from here so that's heart rate

okay let's talk respiratory rate so this

one you are going to listen on both

sides in the exact same place

what i do is come back to that point of

the elbow that we found for the heart

rate

draw a line to the top of the flank

whirl so i go bloop

it's really easy on wet horses you leave

like a a mark it's really great so we're

going to go like this

then we're going to come straight up

from the elbow

until we get to about the top of the

flank whirl back there and then we're

going to draw a line back so this

triangle

is where we're going to listen for

respiratory sounds

so i'm going to take my stethoscope

again

and which way are we putting the ear

pieces that's right forward

i'm going to listen

in a couple of different places

and you want to try and go through a

couple of breath sounds

normal on horses in particular in the

area i'm at right now is that you don't

hear anything but gut sounds which is

what i'm getting off of vespa right now

so don't be surprised if you hear gut

sounds and not lung sounds

next i'm going to move up

same thing we're going to listen for a

few breath cycles

this is a really easy place to see if

they're breathing because i watch their

flank so

again listening for a few breath cycles

kind of go to the center of my triangle

listen and then i'm going to come here

we hear different things

in each of the different places

but on a normal horse you often don't

hear much of anything and that's you

know on vespa today i don't hear much of

anything and that's not a bad thing

what we don't want to hear

are crackles or wheezes and crackles

sound like rice krispies it really does

think about putting a stethoscope over a

bowl of rice krispies that's exactly

what it sounds like the other thing

we'll hear are wheezes and those can be

indicative of asthma and you will hear

those

long before you may necessarily see an

increase of respiratory rate or effort

so it's a good way to monitor those

horses for symptoms

the other thing that we'll hear

and really this is uncommon on a normal

horse obviously but um we tend to hear

the pneumonias we hear down here we hear

a lot of um

and almost i describe it as sewer sounds

because that's what it sounds like you

get just these horrible awful sounds

that come from down here that don't

sound like gut sounds no gurgling

so again we're going to listen on both

sides in this triangle

and then we're going to do the same

thing we did for heart rate we're going

to

pull out our watch we're going to count

for 15 seconds we're going to watch for

15 seconds while counting sorry you

can't do both

so i like to stand here and just watch

the flank

rise

and fall

and rise and fall it's the easiest way

to see it the other way you can get it

sometimes if you've got a particularly

jittery horse

is i'll just put my hand in front of

their nostril and let he feel for when

the the air comes in or out and again

usually i have to give that a second for

the horse to settle into

what we're doing to allow me to do that

but that can be a great way on some that

are being just jittery and not standing

still for you

the next trick on

respiratory rate is how to get a horse

to take a deep breath

and we have two ways that we do that i'm

always a little bit jealous of human

doctors when they say take a deep breath

now

because we can't do that

but the way that we hear really good

lung sounds is to ask a horse to take a

really deep breath

so the way that i'll do that is by

taking a small like think like bathroom

trash can size trash bag you're going to

put it over their nose

hold it on there and make them basically

hyperventilate into that so as they do

that they're increasing the carbon

dioxide in the system when you take the

bag off you get a really big deep breath

that's really nice

the other way you can do it

is simply by blocking the nostrils

this is a two-person job so the way that

i'll do that is i just have my helper

come and basically just hold their hand

over the nostrils it doesn't take long

maybe about 10 or 15 seconds or so i'll

hold when they start to fidget i let go

and i get a really nice deep breath and

again that's a great way to listen to

those lung sounds up high here when

you're listening for some crackles or

wheezes on a horse that maybe has asthma

so there you go that's all you need to

know about respiratory rate

all right let's talk temperature

first thing you're going to notice is

i'm standing really close

because if you're going to get kicked by

a horse you want to get it done from

really close or too far away for them to

reach you so we have to be close for

this so we're going to start really

close

next thing let's talk about equipment

we just use a pediatric digital

thermometer from cvs walgreens amazon

wherever you'd like to get your

pediatric digital thermometer

why do we use pediatric you ask because

they take the temperature faster and

sometimes that is a key component to

getting a temperature on a horse

you can use the old school old school

mercury kind but you want to make sure

that you tie a string to them and use a

clothespin to attach it to the tail

because they have been known to suck

them in and then you're hoping and

staring at a lot of poop piles waiting

for a thermometer to come back out so we

go pediatric digital it's way easier

the other thing i'd like to make note of

on this is if you get nothing else out

of this video

please please please teach your horse to

be good about getting their temperature

taken this is probably the most common

thing that i almost lose my life over on

a daily basis there are horses who do

not like this but taking just a few

minutes to teach them that this is a

process that we're going to do is super

easy and very helpful for your

veterinarian that you have a great

relationship with so again notice i'm

standing very close

i'm going to start by taking a hold of

the tail and pulling it towards me

this pushes her weight onto this side

just a little bit so that if she does

want to pick up that leg and take a

swipe at me i'm going to feel her come

off the leg

and then go to kick so i have more time

to respond and do what needs to be done

so again

take that tail pull it to the side if

she was being bad or upset about this i

would give her just a moment to to get

over what we're doing

i'm going to turn on my thermometer by

pressing the button

and then we are going to insert into the

rectum

approximately an inch

now we're going to stand here

and wait

and usually that happens where they pass

a little gas it's very nice very nice

so we're going to wait for that that

beep that tells us what her temperature

is

there we go

all right so this tells us that her

temperature today is about 100.2 which

is normal normal temperature range for a

horse is somewhere between 99 and about

100.9 we get concerned when we got temps

in the 102 range but it's not uncommon

for us to see some of our

mildly sick viral respiratory horses

have temperature range in the range of

103 to low 104s so there you go

temperature

all right the bonus episode we're going

to talk about gut sounds

digital pulses and gum color so let's

talk gut sounds

the nice thing about vespa today is i

can hear her standing right here and

that's not uncommon in horses and we

would consider that normal

but we also want to see how they sound

with the stethoscope to get a better

idea of how many she's having and how

frequently

so i like the flank whirl as a guideline

so we're going to go one hand below

one hand above

and listen in these two places and then

we're also going to listen a couple

places down below so again which way are

we putting our stethoscope in forward

so we're going to go forward

place the stethoscope firmly and a lot

of times you'll see i'll take this hand

i'll put on the other side just to help

them kind of stay where i want them to

and then i'm going to listen

20 to 30 seconds each spot that gives me

an idea of kind of frequency intensity

do i have gas do i have

fluid sounds and then i'm going to

switch

not uncommon up here to hear really high

pitched pings and that's because this is

where the cecum lives and it almost

always has a gas cap

so then i'm going to come down listen

lots of gurgles here

next thing i'm going to do is bring my

stethoscope and listen right behind the

solar plexus

if i hear the sound of the beach

she's got sand

if i don't it doesn't mean she doesn't

have sand but if i do she definitely has

sand

and then i'll usually listen in the

middle of the abdomen somewhere

and then i'm going to repeat on the

other side

their horses and as as we all know no

gut sounds as bad in horses we want to

hear

nearly continuous

gurgles rumbles pings some sort of gut

sound going on

you should not get the impression that

it's water running through a hose that

that means you've probably got diarrhea

coming at you

nor should you hear nothing but pings

when we hear only pings and they're like

these

hunt for red october high-pitched dings

that go on when you hear nothing but

that you've got a lot of gas going on so

you want to hear a nice combination of

rumbles grumbles and pinks

all right let's talk digital pulses this

is super useful information on any horse

that you think is lame

it can tell us if we have more of a

laminitic episode going on or if we've

got an abscess

can usually tell me which side an

abscess is on in the foot

so again lots of useful information

one of the things you want to know is

what's normal for your horse

so where we take digital pulses is right

on the widest part of the fetlock

the the artery runs right here what you

want to be sure you do is use your

finger your pointer finger and maybe

your middle finger don't use your thumb

you've got an artery that runs in your

thumb kind of right here

and you'll get a bound with it

if you are touching their artery and

your pulse lines up to their pulse so

what i do is take two fingers

slide down till i'm at the widest part

you'll feel sort of a little

water balloon type structure

push a little bit and then let off until

you can feel the pulse

each horse is different vespa here for

example i can't really feel a pulse on

her that's normal good to know that

that's normal on her but i'm going to do

the same thing on the inside so you'll

see i have my fingers on inside and

outside feeling them at the same time

not really feeling anything because

that's normal for a vespa i get an

occasional pulse that i can feel on her

if for instance she had an abscess that

was on the outside of this foot usually

the outside digital pulse will be higher

if she was laminitic we would feel that

all of a sudden we have these really

strong pulses

that were coming against my finger and

they'd be bilateral so great information

you can give your veterinarian if you've

got a lameness going on

all right and finally let's talk gum

color

especially for colics this is

information that i really like to have

if possible

one things we're going to look at

is gum color is normally

pale pink

not not dark red like you or i

it's actually a pale pink and that's

very very normal

the next thing we're going to look at is

you can see that there is there's

moisture there right like there's

there's a glistening to her gums because

there's moisture that's one indication

of hydration status just like us they

get sort of cotton mouthy and if they're

dehydrated which is frequently a problem

with colics then we'll see that they

just don't have that moisture and when

you run your finger on the gum you'll

feel it's tacky like your your finger

sticks to it as opposed to sliding

across it

the other thing that we can get from

gums

is what we call capillary refill time

and the way we do that is we're going to

take our finger

and we're going to press

we're going to press

and see how it's white and then come the

color comes back

that's normal and that should happen in

one to two seconds normal horses are

often one second or less and again

that's a good indication of hydration

status for us what we shouldn't see is

brick red mucous membranes or a line

right above the teeth sometimes we'll

see a red line that comes right above

the teeth we call that a toxic line and

it's an indication that there's bacteria

running about on the bloodstream that

shouldn't be there

definitely shouldn't see purple either

those are all bad indications but

getting

uh an idea of what the gum color is and

getting that to your veterinarian again

great information for them to have

all right there you go the easy and

quick way to get a set of vital signs

for your veterinarian this is sure to

make your relationship with your

veterinarian even better than i'm sure

it already is and again we want to thank

our patrons without you guys we can't do

what we do as always if you've got

questions drop them down below and we'll

get to them as fast as we can

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[Applause]

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you