Page 612 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

• ultrasonography

• scintigraphy
VetBooks.ir • thermography

•
MRI or CT scans.

Also important are:
• a dental examination: a sore or dysfunctional mouth will quickly lead to myofascial pain

elsewhere in the body
• an assessment of foot balance: mediolateral imbalance or ‘long-toe, low-heel’ syndrome

can lead to chronic lameness

• a bridle and saddle examination: it is important to check that the bridle, bit and saddle are
correctly fitted and suitable for the horse

• an assessment of the rider’s ability: unfortunately, some riders are unwittingly the cause

of their horse’s discomfort; it is important to identify this and arrange for professional
help in this area if necessary.

Taking a good history is essential as chronic pain may be the result of an injury that occurred

and appeared to heal many months or even years ago. Temperament changes are important as
the horse only has a limited number of ways to express discomfort. Certain behaviour
patterns may be classified as ‘resistance’, when what the horse is really saying is ‘I can’t’ or

‘This hurts’.

Taking the history in the stable gives the horse some time to become accustomed to the
vet before the examination begins. It also allows the vet to observe its posture and behaviour
when relaxed in its own environment.

PALPATION

The acupuncture point examination involves careful palpation of the horse to find areas of
abnormal sensitivity to either light or deep pressure. It is important for the horse to be relaxed

and comfortable so the horse is usually examined in the stable wearing just a headcollar.

The individual points are tested using fingertips or a blunt probe such as the rounded end
of a pen. The pressure is gentle to begin with and gradually increased. The reaction of the

horse is observed carefully as it may be a tiny muscle twitch, a slight movement away from
the pressure or a change of facial expression. Alternatively, the horse may swish its tail, turn

round and bite or lash out when a sensitive area is palpated.