Re: RC: Re: Re: Tieing up/Cardiac Recovery

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/20/00 1:34:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
sisufarm@mmmpcc.org writes:

<< It is my feeling that better methods of predicting (that is before the
 problem becomes a medical crisis) the following would be of great help:
 
 1. Metabolic difficulties.
         a. dehydration
         b. tying up
         c. electrolyte imbalance
 
 2. Colic
 
 3. Lameness
         By this I mean better differentiation of small harmless gait
 abnormalities from pain caused by damage to structures.  Currently, and
 rightly so, vets  pull horses on the basis of gait abnormalities and leave
 soundness determination to others after the ride.  Everyone please note:  I
 am not advocating that hurting horses be allowed to continue, I'm just
 saying that a good lameness examination takes an hour and can't be done in
 the field.   In my opinion the need for better methods here is much less
 than items 1 and 2. >>

Actually, Ed, one of the things about the use of recovery rate coupled with 
the CRI is that even though it is non-specific, it tends to be an indicator 
that SOMETHING pathological is going on.  And in terms of making that 
decision of "go or no go" one NEED NOT have a diffinitive diagnosis--only to 
realize that the horse has a problem.  ONCE THE HORSE IS OUT OF COMPETITION, 
then one can take the time to reach a diffinitive diagnosis, whether it is 
that hour lameness exam, or a good metabolic workup, or whatever.  One of the 
things that Kerry pointed out with the CRI is that in most cases, horses even 
trying to be stoic about lamenesses will show either an elevation in the CRI 
or will have a failure of recovery in the first place.  (I can't tell you HOW 
many times I've seen horses' pulses hang with nothing particularly visible on 
a trot-out, only to have them be Grade 3 lame an hour later.)  Just using 
lameness as an example--one need not KNOW why the horse is Grade 3 lame to 
make a decision that he should not continue on.  Once having reached that 
decision, THEN one can step back and start appropriate diagnostic procedures 
to see if we are dealing with a severe stone bruise, a check ligament injury, 
a desmitis, or what have you.  And likewise--a horse appears cramped and 
humped, and is reluctant to move, and has a hung pulse--the FIRST decision is 
that THIS HORSE DOES NOT GO ON.  And then one goes on to the diagnostic phase 
to see if this is a tie-up or a bellyache.

The CRI has proved to be a great tool to augment all of our other tools in 
making that FIRST decision, and that really is the main one that the control 
vet has to make, unless he is wearing two hats and being the treatment vet as 
well, in which case he then goes on into a more diagnostic phase.  At more 
and more rides, though, the roles are being split, so other than sharing 
one's observations with the treatment vet, the control vet often has very 
little or no role in the further workup and diagnostics of that horse.

Heidi