Tying-up
ACUTE TREATMENT: Stop work immediately. Get vet. Towels soaked in hot water, covered by shower curtain or plastic drop cloth, then cooler. Encourage drinking but not eating. Other medication only as ordered by vet. Check color of urine.
ONGOING TREATMENT: Rest. Gentle massage with mild traditional liniment (e.g. diluted Absorbine) or herbal (arnica-based) liniment. High-quality diet with high-quality protein, adequate lysine. Continue hot packing as above several times a day as long as there is muscle pain. Full work-up to determine cause.
STALL TIME: 1 to a few days depending on severity of muscle damage (let vet decide) and/or any complications.
PADDOCK TIME: As soon as cleared by vet. "Sun bathing" and rolling helpful. Protect from cold and wind.
WALKING: Slow walking to begin when muscles have relaxed again. Time allowed to be determined by vet.
SLOW WORK: When muscle enzymes have returned to normal, usually in 7 to 10 days.
FULL WORK: Resume gradually. Pay careful attention to warm up.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS: Pigment from muscles (myoglobin) may accumulate in kidneys. This requires intensive intravenous fluid therapy. Muscle atrophy may appear in a few days to a few weeks following a severe attack of tying up. Horses that have tied up once are at higher risk of another episode.
INDICATORS OF HEALING: Blood muscle enzyme levels best indicator. Horse will be moving more freely. Normal muscle tone.
PROGNOSIS: Good to guarded, depending on cause.
Vaccine reactions
ACUTE TREATMENT: Anti-inflammatory (phenylbutazone, aspirin, flunixine meglumine) if very high fever and/or horse refusing to eat or drink. Cold packs to site for first 24 hours.
ONGOING TREATMENT: Do not automatically repeat anti-inflammatory dosing. Wait a few hours to see if horse will be OK without it. If swelling and pain continue, alternate hot and cold packs for next 24 hours.
STALL TIME: 24 to 48 hours.
PADDOCK TIME: After 1 to 2 days.
WALKING: Hand walking OK; encourage grazing if appetite not good.
SLOW WORK: Usually in 2 to 3 days.
FULL WORK: Usually after 3 days.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS: Abscess (sterile or infectious) can form at injection site.
INDICATORS OF HEALING: Normal attitude, temperature and appetite; resolution of swelling.
PROGNOSIS: Excellent.
Viral respiratory infections
ACUTE TREATMENT: Rest, with phenylbutazone, aspirin or Banamine if ordered by veterinarian for very high fever, camphor/mentol ointment to nasal area (e.g. Vicks), high-quality, very palatable diet to encourage eating. No direct drafts but good ventilation is a must. Avoid respiratory irritants.
ONGOING TREATMENT: Cough syrups if ordered, rest two weeks after all symptoms are gone. Good ventilation. Avoid respiratory irritants.
STALL TIME: Until fever has been gone for 48 hours.
PADDOCK TIME: May reintroduce slowly after all symptoms gone for one week.
WALKING: Hand walking after all symptoms gone for one week.
SLOW WORK: 2 weeks after all symptoms are gone.
FULL WORK: 3 to 4 weeks after all symptoms gone.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS: Relapse, superimposed bacterial infection. Chronic cough commonly develops, especially in young horses, if work resumed too soon. Flu virus may involve the heart, so don't start the horse back work too soon.
INDICATORS OF HEALING: Resolution of symptoms.
PROGNOSIS: Excellent with proper care and management.
