Emergency!

Be Prepared if Crisis Strikes Your Barn

Nikki James, CVT

It's 10 o'clock in the evening and time for the late night check. You head for the barn sporting your best pajamas, plus (because our story’s set in the Northwest) a raincoat and rubber boots. As you make your way down the aisle way, you notice that the first three horses have cleaned up all but a few scraps of hay and each has a pile or two of manure. In stall number four, you most of the hay you fed is just as you left it, there is no manure, and the horse is lying down—you run to the phone to call your vet. She arrives on the scene and quickly determines that your horse is suffering from a serious bout of colic. She explains that it may require surgery—you should head to the hospital right away.

A million questions flood your mind. What does that mean? Where is the closest hospital? What is the hospital going to do? How much is this going to cost? It is nearly midnight, who can I call to borrow a truck and trailer? What am I going to do?

Don’t panic, you are not alone. These questions go through everyone’s mind when faced with an emergency. The best way to avoid panic is to plan ahead. Being prepared for an emergency can be not only mean life or death to your horse, but can also save you hours of stress and worry.

In this article, I’ll help you be prepared for the six most common emergencies you’re likely to encounter. I’ll tell you what they are, how you can identify what’s happening, and what you should do about it. Most importantly, I’ll help you determine when it’s really an emergency that might require veterinary care. Finally, I’ll help you put together your own first-aid kit so you can handle an emergency when it strikes.

Emergencies Defined

How do you know whether you are dealing with an emergency, or just something that requires somewhat urgent care? The definition of an emergency is something that, without immediate care, is in eminent danger of losing life or limb. While there are many things that require urgent care, there are few true emergencies. The following outlines the six most common potential emergency situations you are likely to experience.

Nikki James is a certified veterinary technician with Pacific Crest Sporthorse based in Oregon City, Oregon.