Horses And
Bleeding
“There is always a chance of your horse getting wounded on the field. So it is necessary that you know how to deal with wounds and bleeding in such situations”
Horses bleed profusely when wounded. And remember that wounds heal side to side and not end to end. So that nasty looking hole that your horse has, most probably will heal surprisingly well.
It is necessary to control the bleeding before the wound can be treated. The chances of a horse dying because of a single cut artery or vein is slim but keep in mind that heavy bleeding has to be controlled. A small amount of bleeding is good since it cleans the wound by flushing out the dust.
Always contact your vet if:
- Any wound is bleeding profusely.
- The horse is very lame, even if the wound itself is small.
- The wound is more than 10cm long and has gone right through the skin into the tissue beneath.
- There may be a foreign body in the wound.
- A vital structure such as a joint may be involved in the injury.
- The horse has NOT been vaccinated against tetanus.
Though little blood around your wounded horse can be horrible to look at and terrifying , the chances are that there is nothing to worry about. A thoroughbred horse has around 50 liters of blood in its body and it has to lose at least 10 liters of blood before the situation becomes dangerous.
Heavy bleeding comes from two sources – arterial and venous.
Arterial blood comes directly from the heart. It is bright red in color and comes out in spurts in rhythm with the heart. This can be alarming to look at. Severing a major artery is critical if it involves a big blood vessel near the heart rather than a small artery near the lower limb.
Venous blood is on the way back to the heart. It is darker in color and oozes continuously. Losing large amount of venous blood can be dangerous.
How much blood is lost depends on many factors which include size of the injured vessel and extent of the wound. A clean cut will bleed more than a jagged tear ( if the skin in torn most probably the blood vessels are stretched and so are less susceptible to bleed extensively)
Stopping the Bleeding
Clotting is a natural process which stops bleeding and you can help the process by applying pressure. Bleeding has to be stopped before treatment can be given. You have to keep yourself and your horse clam and try stopping the bleeding by applying steady pressure on the wound.
The best way to do this is to use a pressure pad made from a thick cloth or use a gamgee from your first aid kit. And don’t forget to use a non-stick dressing underneath in case of emergency you have to make do with what you have which maybe a big handkerchief or big towel. Press the pad against the wound and hold it there as tightly as possible.
Bleeding from wounds on the lower limb can be easily controlled by using a thick pressure bandage over the area. Just add more padding over the top and apply more pressure if the blood soaks through. The pressure pad should be in place for at least five minutes. You are better off not looking under the padding since doing so can restart bleeding.
Your horse is more worried at this point of time so try to talk to the horse reassuringly, encouraging him to stand still. This will help you to keep the pressure pad in place. Horse’s excitement can cause its heart to pump faster and so the blood will run faster. So it is necessary to keep him calm and still. This will help the blood to clot faster. It is better to take the horse or pony to a familiar environment , so unless the wound is enormous or the distance particularly great, it is usually best to lead a horse back to the yard and deal with the injury there.
Do not move the horse if the bleeding is more than a teacupful per minute unless you get a firm and effective pressure pad in place. Try to settle your pony or horse down by giving it something to eat. Or you could ask some else to hold the horse’s head and talk to it calmly while you feed it the odd tidbit
Once you make sure the dressing is in place, apply a bandage using several moderately tight turns. This will reduce the blood supply to the lower leg. Avoid a tourniquet – since a pressure bandage is much more practical in a crisis. A tight dressing should hold up for at least two hours. Once you have place the pressure bandage to control the bleeding, leave it in place until your vet can can have a look at the injury.
All your views and opinion will be appreciated
Vinitha V
Creationz Unlimited
Email your opinions and suggestions to creationzunlimited@gmail.com
Web designing India – http://www.creationzunlimited.net
“There is always a chance of your horse getting wounded on the field. So it is necessary that you know how to deal with wounds and bleeding in such situations”
Horses bleed profusely when wounded. And remember that wounds heal side to side and not end to end. So that nasty looking hole that your horse has, most probably will heal surprisingly well.
It is necessary to control the bleeding before the wound can be treated. The chances of a horse dying because of a single cut artery or vein is slim but keep in mind that heavy bleeding has to be controlled. A small amount of bleeding is good since it cleans the wound by flushing out the dust.
Always contact your vet if:
- Any wound is bleeding profusely.
- The horse is very lame, even if the wound itself is small.
- The wound is more than 10cm long and has gone right through the skin into the tissue beneath.
- There may be a foreign body in the wound.
- A vital structure such as a joint may be involved in the injury.
- The horse has NOT been vaccinated against tetanus.
Though little blood around your wounded horse can be horrible to look at and terrifying , the chances are that there is nothing to worry about. A thoroughbred horse has around 50 liters of blood in its body and it has to lose at least 10 liters of blood before the situation becomes dangerous.
Heavy bleeding comes from two sources – arterial and venous.
Arterial blood comes directly from the heart. It is bright red in color and comes out in spurts in rhythm with the heart. This can be alarming to look at. Severing a major artery is critical if it involves a big blood vessel near the heart rather than a small artery near the lower limb.
Venous blood is on the way back to the heart. It is darker in color and oozes continuously. Losing large amount of venous blood can be dangerous.
How much blood is lost depends on many factors which include size of the injured vessel and extent of the wound. A clean cut will bleed more than a jagged tear ( if the skin in torn most probably the blood vessels are stretched and so are less susceptible to bleed extensively)
Stopping the Bleeding
Clotting is a natural process which stops bleeding and you can help the process by applying pressure. Bleeding has to be stopped before treatment can be given. You have to keep yourself and your horse clam and try stopping the bleeding by applying steady pressure on the wound.
The best way to do this is to use a pressure pad made from a thick cloth or use a gamgee from your first aid kit. And don’t forget to use a non-stick dressing underneath in case of emergency you have to make do with what you have which maybe a big handkerchief or big towel. Press the pad against the wound and hold it there as tightly as possible.
Bleeding from wounds on the lower limb can be easily controlled by using a thick pressure bandage over the area. Just add more padding over the top and apply more pressure if the blood soaks through. The pressure pad should be in place for at least five minutes. You are better off not looking under the padding since doing so can restart bleeding.
Your horse is more worried at this point of time so try to talk to the horse reassuringly, encouraging him to stand still. This will help you to keep the pressure pad in place. Horse’s excitement can cause its heart to pump faster and so the blood will run faster. So it is necessary to keep him calm and still. This will help the blood to clot faster. It is better to take the horse or pony to a familiar environment , so unless the wound is enormous or the distance particularly great, it is usually best to lead a horse back to the yard and deal with the injury there.
Do not move the horse if the bleeding is more than a teacupful per minute unless you get a firm and effective pressure pad in place. Try to settle your pony or horse down by giving it something to eat. Or you could ask some else to hold the horse’s head and talk to it calmly while you feed it the odd tidbit
Once you make sure the dressing is in place, apply a bandage using several moderately tight turns. This will reduce the blood supply to the lower leg. Avoid a tourniquet – since a pressure bandage is much more practical in a crisis. A tight dressing should hold up for at least two hours. Once you have place the pressure bandage to control the bleeding, leave it in place until your vet can can have a look at the injury.
All your views and opinion will be appreciated
Vinitha V
Creationz Unlimited
Email your opinions and suggestions to creationzunlimited@gmail.com
Web designing India – http://www.creationzunlimited.net