1. Basic Physical Examination of Horses
Chapter #2
Pages LACP

2. Auscultating the heart.
A, Gently lift the triceps muscle away from the chest wall.
B, Place stethoscope against the chest wall, deep to the triceps muscle.

3. Respiratory rate
The number of respirations/minute can be counted in several ways:
Using a stethoscope to listen to air movement in the trachea or chest
Using a hand to feel movement of air in and out of a nostril
Simply counting chest excursions (rise and fall of the thoracic wall)/minute

4. Landmarks for the lung. Borders of the left lung field for auscultation

5. Lung auscultation
The stethoscope is placed in several locations within the lung field to listen to several breaths at each location

6. Abdominal Auscultation
A stethoscope is used to listen to abdominal sounds, which are created by movements of the intestines
This commonly referred to as gastrointestinal motility or GI motility
Landmarks for abdominal auscultation in the flank area are the point of the hip (tuber coxae) and the last rib.

7. Standard four point auscultation
A, Auscultation of the upper left abdominal quadrant. B, Auscultation of the lower left abdominal quadrant. C, Auscultation of the upper right upper abdominal quadrant. D, Auscultation of the lower right abdominal quadrant.

8. ://

9. Mucous membranes
Mucous membranes are tissues that have the ability to make and secrete mucus.
Mucus membranes’ color is helpful for disease diagnosis
The color may change with abnormalities of blood perfusion and oxygen content of the blood and other diseases
Cyanosis is bluish coloration
Brick red coloration indicates septicemia or shock or both
Purple gum line indicates endotoxic shock
Yellowish coloration of the gum indicates icterus
Pale mucus indicates anemia

10. Examination of mucous membranes
.A, Examination of the gums.
B, Examination of the conjunctiva

11. Examination of mucous membranes
C, Examination of the mucosa of the nares.
D, Examination of the vulva in the female.

12. Mucous membrane color. Normal gum color.

13. Capillary refill time. Assessing capillary refill time.
Original color should return in less than 2.5 seconds
Severe dehydration and shock prolong the capillary refill time from 5-8 seconds

14. Inspection and Assessment of Foot Conformation and Shoeing

15. HOOF WORK

16. Examination of the hoof using Hoof Tester

17. Examination of the hoof using Hoof Tester
The hoof testers are being applied across the heels of the foot to localize pain to the palmar aspect of the foot

18. Examination of the hoof using Hoof Tester
The hoof testers are applied over the middle third of the frog. Horses with pain in the navicular region may show pain on application over this area

19. Hoof hammer
Tapping of the hoof wall with a hammer, whit the hoof on the ground. Sometimes this will reveal pain when the use of the hoof testers does not

20. Questions????