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Re: [RC] ADR & horse deaths - Joe Long

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 15:18:31 -0400, "Wendy Mancini"
<wendym@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


   My below observations are only based on 2 horse deaths that I know of that 
were colic related.
   1.  In both cases the riders recognized ADR (ain't doing right).  
   2.  Both had C or D gut sounds on entering a vet check but "seemed" to 
improve before leaving.
   3.  Both were treated at ride site for many hours before being shipped to 
a hospital.
   These observations leave us with several things to think about.
   1.  If the horse ADR and has C or D gut sounds, vets correct me if I'm 
wrong, I would think the gut may be compromised circulatory wise and 
returning to trail, even if slightly improved at rest, would only 
recompromise the gut.  Hard call, maybe we need to reevaluate our thinking on 
pulling for poor gut sounds.


I don't think we should be too quick to conclude this, and start
pulling horses for reduced gut sounds.  I've had horses with reduced
gut sounds at vet checks many times, and I've never considered that
*in and of itself* to indicate a problem.

I long-duration exercise, does not the body regulate the blood flow to
where it's needed most?  The brain always has top priority, of course,
but if the muscles need more does not the body divert some from the GI
tract?  And, are not horses on rides taking in less bulk food than
usual?  This is one reason why I haven't considered REDUCED gut sounds
to be anything to be concerned about, as long as the other parameters
are OK.  

Now, ABSENCE of gut sounds is certainly a red flag and I would not
continue on a horse that had NO gut sounds ... but merely diminished?
In the presence of other indications of ADR, diminished gut sounds is
another factor indicating pulling, but otherwise I'd want more
evidence on this before making it a pull trigger.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxx
http://www.rnbw.com


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Replies
[RC] ADR & horse deaths, Wendy Mancini