Lunges well. Then gently remove the thermometer and double-check the reading. To measure your horse’s temperature, use a plastic or digital “oral” or “rectal” thermometer.
To those of us in Fahrenheit areas, this means that clipped horses are most comfortable exercising in 50 to 60 degree weather. Horses tend to have higher temperatures in warm weather and during/after exercise, stress or excitement. Temperature-taking is vital for good equine husbandry, so all horses should learn to stand quietly for the procedure from an early age. Take a baseline reading at a time when your horse is relaxed, such as during a meal. Join All thermometers vary in their operation. Continue holding the tail and the end of the thermometer firmly until the final reading is clear (consult the manual that comes with the thermometer ahead of time to see exactly how your particular brand indicates this). (A notepad for recording the vital sounds is never a bad idea either!
A healthy range at rest is suggested to be approximately 37.5°C and 38.5°C (99.5-101.3°F). Join us as we interview leading equine researchers from the University of KentuckyQuick reference guide on normal temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate in horses.It’s essential that every horse owner know his or her horse’s normal, healthy resting temperature, heart rate, respiration (breathing) rate, and other vital signs and have trained the horse to allow handling for assessment of vital signs. If your horse becomes ill or injured, quickly take his vital signs before calling the veterinarian to help him/her get a better idea of how ill your horse might be. The normal body temperature for an adult is around 98.6°F (37°C), but every person’s baseline body temperature is slightly different, and may consistently be a little higher or lower.. Generally speaking, temperatures over 102 degrees indicate some kind of disease. Digital thermometers are safer (harder to break and mercury-free) than glass ones, and so much faster that you don’t need to resort to the old, occasionally unreliable method of clipping the thermometer to the horse’s tail while you wait for the temperature to register. However, it can be extremely dangerous for the human handler to attempt doing it with an uncooperative horse, such as a misbehaving yearling. If you are right-handed, stand on his left side, with the thermometer in your right hand; if you’re left-handed, stand on his right side, with the thermometer in your left hand. Be careful as this could result in even the most even-tempered horse kicking out.Ensure your horse is wearing a head collar with lead rope and that an experienced handler has control of his head. All rights reserved. Find specific details on this topic and related topics from the Merck Vet Manual. Just like humans, equines thermoregulate, which means their bodies maintain a constant internal temperature, regardless of the temperature of the surrounding environment. Extremely high and humid ambient temperatures and the time of day can also result in an increase. Double this number and you have the number of breaths per minute. A. All you need is a watch that counts seconds, a thermometer (ideally a plastic digital one for safety), and a stethoscope. If you cup your fingers and roll them round the inside of the jaw bone, you will come against the plump tubular structure of the artery and vein running together. This will give you an idea of your horse's normal temperature so you can more easily spot an abnormal reading. Infections caused by bacteria, such as infected injuries or respiratory conditions, usually result in temperatures in the range of 102.5 to 103.5. Exercise will cause a slight elevation in body temperature, as will excitement or anything else that causes activity of the horse’s muscles. Use this baseline temperature for comparison when your horse shows signs of stress or illness. A “normal” body temperature for individual horses can vary, from about 98 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit, with 100 being average. Foals for example, have slightly higher body temperatures than mature animals – often 38.5 to 39˚C. A horse’s age will cause normal temperature variations. Log In But they really liked the 12 to 19 degree zone.