Friendicoes Equine Program December 2020 Activity

AAA partner group Friendicoes had a busy December and have sent us a summary of their activity during this time.

The team dealt with a large number of colic cases. Symptoms of this include frequent lying down and getting up, and the inability to defecate and urinate. It can be caused by lack of exercise, poor dry feed and inadequate watering. One horse suffering from colic collapsed on the side of the road while pulling a cart, and was found on a busy highway, unable to stand. To treat these cases, the team use pain killers, fluid therapy, laxatives and rectal enemas. It is found that many of the horses who suffer from this are white horses that are used locally for weddings. The team offer monetary compensation to owners who agree to surrender their horses.

There were also a number of fetlock wounds caused by sharp fencing wires. In each case, the wound was cleaned with antiseptics and dressed, and pain killers and tetanus vaccine administered.

Another horse sustained a wound to its flank area when it lay down on a piece of wood which punctured the skin. The horse was not co-operating and was obviously in pain, so the wound was cleaned and dressed whilst under general anaesthetic. Antibiotics, pain killers and tetanus vaccine were given to aid in recovery.

Allergic dermatitis was another of the ailments that the team came across. Contributing factors to this condition included unhygenic housing and the use of a dirty sack cloth for warmth, among other things. This sever skin infection was treated by orally administering invermectin and the owner was advised to bathe the animal with a chlorhexidine solution.