Very Common
Less Common
You also might be observing
Observation
What you see. The starting point for addressing any equine health related issue is your observation.
YOU ARE OBSERVING
Skin Pinch or Tent at Shoulder Prolonged
Summary
A pinch of skin taken at the point of the shoulder and released gives a rough indication of hydration by the time it takes to flatten back out. From 0-1 second is considered normal, 2-3 seconds is prolonged and 4+ seconds is indicative of severe dehydration.
Normal (subcutaneous) tissue under the skin has a very high percentage of water and so is very resilient and elastic. The skin is very tight at the point of the shoulder. The net result in a normal horse is skin that quickly snaps back into place. Dehydrated subcutaneous tissue becomes "sticky" and slowly creep back, causing the skin to be very slow to return to normal.
Normal (subcutaneous) tissue under the skin has a very high percentage of water and so is very resilient and elastic. The skin is very tight at the point of the shoulder. The net result in a normal horse is skin that quickly snaps back into place. Dehydrated subcutaneous tissue becomes "sticky" and slowly creep back, causing the skin to be very slow to return to normal.
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Code Orange
Call Your Vet at Their First Available Office Hours- If examination of your horse suggests that they are clinically dehydrated.
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Code Green
Contact Your Vet to Obtain Useful Advice & Resources- If the horse's appetite and attitude are normal and you see nothing else wrong.
- If the results of the Whole Horse Exam (WHE) suggest the horse is otherwise normal.
your role
What To Do
Assess the horse's general health using the Whole Horse Exam (WHE), paying special attention to gum appearance, capillary refill time (CRT) and heart rate.Recognize that as with all observations, they are just one piece of the puzzle and so should prompt you to look further. That said, this is a useful indicator of hydration.
What Not To Do
Do not over-interpret this observation, as "normal" returns can be different for different horses. Normal and healthy young foals have notoriously prolonged returns.
Skills you may need
Procedures that you may need to perform on your horse.
your vet's role
Vets are trained to insert each piece of information into the broader puzzle of the horse's health and treat the whole horse. This finding may indicate dehydration and prompt the vet to consider this in reaching a diagnosis and recommending treatment.
Questions Your Vet Might Ask:
- Does your horse seem normal otherwise?
- Is the horse drinking water normally?
- What is the Capillary Refill Time (CRT)?
- What is the horse's heart rate?
- How much water is your horse drinking per day?
- What is the horse's age, sex, breed and history?
- What are the results of the Whole Horse Exam (WHE)?
Diagnostics Your Vet May Perform
Figuring out the cause of the problem. These are tests or procedures used by your vet to determine what’s wrong.
Diagnoses Your Vet May Consider
The cause of the problem. These are conditions or ailments that are the cause of the observations you make.
Very Common
Less Common
Rare
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Clostridial, Clostridium Colitis (in Adult)
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Endotoxemia, Endotoxic Shock
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Heat Exhaustion or Stroke
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Liver Failure, Generally
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Coronavirus Entero-Colitis
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Salmonella Colitis (in Growing Foal or Adult)
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Enteritis, Acute
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Liver Disease, Acute Hepatitis
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Right Dorsal Colitis
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Enteroliths, Intestinal Stones
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Foal or Newborn, Enterocolitis
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Foal or Newborn, Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Bloody Diarrhea
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Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia, HERDA
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Chronic Systemic Disease, Generally
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Foal Heat Diarrhea (1-2 Weeks of Age)
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Neoplasia, Tumor or Cancer, Kidney
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Diabetes Insipidus, DI
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Neoplasia, Tumor or Cancer, Liver
Treatments Your Vet May Recommend
A way to resolve the condition or diagnosis. Resolving the underlying cause or treating the signs of disease (symptomatic treatment)
Very Common
Less Common