Emergency Services

We are available 24 hours a day for emergencies. Please call our office number 714.589.2480 to be directed to our emergency answering service.

The most common types of emergencies that we encounter are colic and lacerations.

Colic

Colic is defined as abdominal pain in the horse. Colic represents the most common and important medical problem of horses. Clinical signs of colic can be subtle, such as anorexia, depression or decreased manure output. More severe signs of colic include pawing, flank watching, lip curling, repeated posturing to urinate ("parking out"), prolonged recumbancy, rolling and abdominal distension.

While many colics can be resolved through appropriate veterinary and owner care on the farm, some colics require surgical intervention or extensive medical care at a veterinary referral hospital. An early, thorough veterinary evaluation of your horse will help determine the proper course of action and give the best chance for your horse's survival.

If your horse begins to display signs of colic you should first contact your veterinarian to discuss the symptoms. If you horse is lying down or thrashing it can be helpful to actively walk your horse while waiting for the vet to arrive. Most importantly, stay safe. Remove any feed from the stall. Do not give your horse any medications without first discussing it with your veterinarian as this could mask the signs of a serious colic that requires surgical intervention.

While there are measures you can take to help prevent colic, unfortunately certain types of colic can not be prevented. Access to fresh water, regular exercise, appropriate dental care and good nutrition are each key components in colic prevention. When possible, keeping a routine and avoiding sudden changes in feed can help. Any changes to your horse's routine should be made gradually over several days.

Lacerations

Horses, because of their instinctive "fight or flight" nature, appear uniquelly accident prone when compared to the rest of the domestic animal kingdom. Some wounds are minor and heal fine with basic first aid care. Other wounds, whether because of their location, size or heavy bleeding, will warrant veterinary attention.

Location is a very important consideration. Any wound, no matter how trivial, over a joint or other synovial structure needs to be examined. Infected joints or tendon sheaths are a life-threatening condition. Heat and swelling can be signs of infection and also warrant veterinary attention. If your horse is bleeding profusely, apply pressure over the source of the bleeding with a clean towel and hold in place or secure with a flexible bandage. Most importantly, stay safe! Only work on a laceration if the safety of both you and your horse can be assured.

Prompt veterinary evaluation can help prevent the establishment of infection or further complications and contribute to more cosmetic resolution.