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EQUINE MATTERS
I S MY PONY HEALTHY
?
Veterinary Surgeon
Andrew Robinson
XLVets Equine practice
Millcroft Veterinary
Group
Angus - a healthy pony
Andrew robinson BSc(hons) BVMS MrCVS,
Millcroft Veterinary Group
Heart and pulse
Normal heart rate is 28-44 beats per
minute. If you have a stethoscope place it
on the left side of the pony, just behind the
elbow in the girth area
(figure 1)
. If you
don’t have a stethoscope you can take the
pulse from the bottom side of the jaw
where it crosses the bone
(figure 2)
. Don’t
press too hard or you will stop the pulse.
If your pony is clipped you may also be
able to see the pulse in the jugular vein on
the side of the neck beside the windpipe.
Take the pulse for 15 seconds and multiply
by four remembering that ‘lub-dub’ is one
beat and not two and the heart rate will
increase if they are nervous or excited.
Eyes
Eyes should be bright and clear (not
cloudy) and if gentle pressure is applied to
the eyelid, you can see the colour of the
conjunctiva
(figure 3)
. It should be a nice
pink colour.
Nostrils
Normal rate is 10 – 24 breaths per minute.
The nostrils should either be free of
discharge or may have a small amount of
clear discharge
(figure 4)
. To take a
breathing rate, you can stand and watch
the chest wall rise and fall or use your
stethoscope on the windpipe or on the
chest, further back and above where you
took the heart rate, to listen to the lungs.
How can we check our horse or pony is healthy, and know what is
normal for the individual animal
?
Here are some simple checks that
you can make at home - if done regularly it will help you to spot
any changes if or when they occur.
Figure 1. Normal heart rate is 28-44 beats per
minute
Figure 2. Taking the pulse from below the jaw
Figure 3. Bright and clear eyes
Figure 4. If present, nasal discharge should be
clear