With this year’s fires now hopefully
behind us, we at A.C.E.S hope all of you and your animals made it through
safely. For those who lost their homes or loved ones, you truly have our deepest
sympathies.
We
were again reminded of some of the problems that can arise and that can create
havoc for us when we are not fully prepared for such emergencies. Perhaps now in
the aftermath of the 2007 Firestorm (while still fresh in our minds) is a good
time to revisit some basics that can mean life or death to our furry friends.
Trailer Loading
Probably the most important thing a
horse has to do in an emergency. We hear time after time how someone’s horse
was left behind to fend for itself because they simply would not load in the
trailer. Well as you know this could mean life or death for the horse. So why
not prevent that by teaching your horse to load easily in and out of the
trailer. If you are unable or unwilling to teach your horse to load seek the
help of a reputable trainer to help you.
Emergency Kits
Everyone
should have some form of emergency kit for the horse trailer or truck. A kit
should contain: Vet Wrap, Scissors, Super Glue, bandages, ice packs,
thermometers, stethoscope, duct tape, antibiotic ointment, saline eye flush. All
of these things are important to have on hand if your horse gets injured. During
a disaster anything can happen and it’s our jobs as horse owners to be
prepared for anything.
Diet Changes and
Colic
When
your horse is evacuated to another location, you may not have control of what
they eat. We’ve had several colic cases that were a result of a sudden change
in diet. Take as much of your horse’s feed with you as possible to keep their
diet consistent. If that is not possible, and if they’d had a sudden diet
change as a result of an evacuation, try to slowly adjust their diet back to
normal. If they skip a meal or exhibit any other colic symptoms, don’t
hesitate to call your vet. While sometimes you may see improvement, other times
waiting can make the difference between life and death.
Many of you that evacuated used spray paint, tags on halters or some form of external identification so that you could find your horse once it was relocated to a safer place. But how many of you have your horses microchipped? Paints can be washed off and tags can be easily removed. A microchip implanted under the skin is a safe and foolproof means of positively identifying your horse. Microchip scanners are currently being used by law enforcement and animal control agencies throughout the country to identify lost animals and return them to their rightful owners. For the month of November we will be having a special on micro-chipping. Please call us for details.
Without
your Consent
Without a signed ‘Consent to Treat’ form on file, we cannot treat your horse unless you are present. This means if you are out of town and your horse colics or has some other emergency, there is nothing that we can do to help them. So call our office today to and ask for a ‘Consent to Treat’ form to be mailed, emailed or faxed to you so we can have it on file in case of an emergency!
Did you know?
· Horses’
tear ducts exit out their noses
· Colder
weather is not what makes horses grow their winter coats. It is
the shorter days (less daylight) that stimulates hair growth.
· Horses
can’t breathe through their mouths
· Splint
bones are thought to be remnants of toes from prehistoric horses
· The
biggest horse in the world is 19 hands and 3.5 inches tall. His name
is “Radar”.
· The
famous racehorse Secretariat’s heart weighed close to 21lbs.
A typical Thoroughbred’s heart only weighs an average of
8 lbs.
· This
year Rags to Riches was the first filly to win a Belmont Stakes race since 1905.