Re: Bleeders

["Howard Bramhall" <hwb67@msn.com>]

----- Original Message -----

From: Karen Standefer

Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2002 11:43 PM

To: ridecamp@endurance.net

Subject: RC: Bleeders

 

This quote from Dr. N. Edward Robinson regarding Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemmorage (Bleeders):


The second, and more recent, theory of what causes EIPH states that as a horse exercises, pressure waves travel through the lungs, causing trauma.   As a horse
engages in moderate to heavy exercise, pressure waves are produced with each footfall of the forelimbs. This wave is transmitted from the shoulder blade (scapula), and moves along the dorsal region of the lungs in a caudal direction (Fig. 8).  As the waves
move in this dorsocaudal direction, the shape of the lungs begins to narrow, causing the waves to become focused and damage to be most severe in the dorsocaudal region.   It is this trauma which may lead to the bleeding associated with EIPH.

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I've seen this happen at a couple rides I've attended.  One horse, who was in first place after completing loop number one, had small amounts of blood coming out of his nose at the vet check.  I do believe the vet pulled the horse right away, to the complete surprise of the rider.  Evidently, the rider did not think it was a serious problem.

Since that day, I've wondered myself, just how serious is it?  Is it happening because the horse isn't in shape like it should be?  Or, because, the horse is being overridden; traveling too fast in an effort to win that coveted first place the rider wants so desperately?

If it happened to you, prior to a vet check, would you wipe away the blood and not worry about it, or would you inform the vet and consider pulling the horse?  I don't think nose bleeding is a common occurrence, but I'm hoping those more informed than I (this list is endless) can fill in the blanks.

 

cya,

Howard