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
Starving or Very Thin Horse
Summary
Severely starved or emaciated horses often require special care to rehabilitate. A common problem is overfeeding a starved horse too quickly, which can cause intestinal problems, abdominal pain (colic), laminitis, or re-feeding syndrome.
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Code Orange
Call Your Vet at Their First Available Office Hours- To discuss your equine's general health and management.
your role
What To Do
Assess the horse's general health using the Whole Horse Exam (WHE) paying particular attention to heart rate, rectal temperature, respiratory rate and body condition and share your findings and concerns with your vet. You can start by offering the horse .5% of body weight of grass hay as the first meal (5 lbs or 2.2 kg) for 1000 lb horse).What Not To Do
Do not immediately vaccinate or deworm horses in poor body condition. Allow time for their strength to develop.Do not drastically change their feed in hopes of increasing their weight quickly.
Skills you may need
Procedures that you may need to perform on your horse.
Very Common
your vet's role
A vet should evaluate the horse to determine whether their weight loss is not caused by an underlying illnesses. Your vet's findings may also provide valuable information to inform nutrition and management decisions going forward. Your vet can also help you develop an appropriate and safe plan for weight gain.
Questions Your Vet Might Ask:
- How old is the horse?
- What is the horse's history?
- What has the horse's diet been?
- Is the horse fed alone or with other horses?
- 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
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
further reading & resources
Helpful Terms and Topics
Written, reviewed or shared by experts in equine health
