You can also try taking the heart rate by sliding your hand between the elbow and the chest wall on the left side, or by listening to the heart with a stethoscope.Using a stethoscope is the easiest way to get an accurate heart rate and respiratory rate, but you'll need a little training. Name: _____ Temperature: _____° F Then walk back along the chest wall and hindquarters keeping a hand on the horse at all times. Then fill in your horse’s name and record his vitals on the chart so you’ll have them handy in case of an emergency. Every horse owner should now what the normal temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate (TPR) for their horse and know how to obtain these numbers.
A healthy horse’s gut sounds should be gurgling, with gaslike growls, "tinkling" sounds (fluid), and occasional "roars." Use one hand to move the tail out of the way (expect the horse to try to move it back and/or to clamp it down).
As you listen, watch the chest rise and fall to double-check what you are hearing.Once you have mastered taking vital signs, you should spend a little time learning what is normal for your horse. Horses vary in their response to having someone come at them with a strange contraption hanging from their ears, so make sure your horse gets accustomed to the procedure before you take readings. Take your horse’s rectal temperature using a digital thermometer that’s been dipped in a small amount of lubricant.
Leave a digital in place until it beeps; a glass thermometer for 2 to 3 minutes. Listen to your horse’s gut sounds by placing your ear or, preferably, a stethoscope, against both sides of the abdomen, high and low.
(adult); 80–100 beats/ minute (foal). Any longer indicates dehydration. You probably expect to hear the familiar description of a lub-dub for the heart beat, but equine hearts can have many extra sounds and split sounds.
Keep a hand gentling resting on the horse at all times, but don't stroke the horse (it's distracting). For example, a temperature of 101.5°F will mean a lot more in a horse that normally runs 98.8°F than in one that normally runs 101.2°F.Record your horse's TPR in the morning, afternoon and evening for two or three days, always taking the readings at the same time and under the same circumstances.
The facial artery crosses the lower jaw bone about halfway along its curve. Normal temperature: 99-101°F; 37.2-38.3°C. When a horse is breathing quietly, you often can't see any movement to the nostrils, but with higher respiratory rates you can see a slight flare or flutter.Do not place your hand on the nostrils or your ear close to the nostrils to try to get a respiratory rate. Use this interactive tool to learn about the normal adult horse's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, respiration, and capillary refill time. Normal capillary refill time (the time it takes for capillaries in the gums to return to pink after being pressed with a finger): 2 seconds or less. TPR is the common abbreviation and you'll want to know what numbers are "normal" for your horse so you can use them for comparison.Pulse and respiration rates are reported as the number of pulses or breaths per minute. We'll tell you how to gather this vital information.Gauge your horse's internal condition with the help of this vital signs chart from the editors of EQUUS magazine.Rising temperatures can bring on a multitude of problems for your horse including heat stroke, colic and dehydration. If you do want to use something, use only water or a water-soluble substance like K-Y Jelly.
This allows you to get safely out of the way of the horse's back legs.
Summer Increases Chances of Colic and Heat Stroke Health Conditions in Your Horse.