WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

COURSE TITLE :-VETERINARY ETHICS AND
JURISPRUDENCE
CLASS:-YEAR 5
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Name:-Melkamu Feleke
ID No:-Vet/R/033/10
Academic year:- 2014 E.C

Instuctor's Name:- Dr. Fantaye K. and

Dr. Yemisirach M.

Submission date:-

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 PRE-PURCHASE EXAMINATION OF A
HORSE

 Also called ‘soundness exams’, or

‘vettings’.
 The word ‘sound’ means that the animal is useful for
that purpose; and unsound means that he, at the
time, is affected with something which will have the
effect of impeding that use.
 Pre-purchase examinations are often requested by a
potential buyer of a horse.
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 Pre-purchase veterinarexaminations (PPEs) or
'vettings' are a standardised and comprehensive
examination of a horse by a veterinary surgeon.
Objectives of PPEs of a horse
 To reduce the buyer’s risks in relationship to the
general health and athletic soundness of the horse
for sale.
 To gain knowledge of any early disease, previous
injuries or preexisting abnormalities.
 To conduct a thorough clinical examination on
behalf of a potential purchaser.
 To identify any factors that could prejudice the
horse’s suitability for its intended use. 4
 “The veterinarian’s job is neither to
pass or fail an animal.”
“Rather, it is to provide the buyer with information
regarding any existing medical problems and to
discuss those problems with you so that you can
make an informed purchase decision.”

“Your veterinarian can advise you about the horse’s

current physical condition, but he or she cannot
predict the future. The decision to buy is the
buyers alone to make.”
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 Parties involved in PPE of a horse
A. Buyer / Buyer’s Agent
 Pays for the examination
 Determines which veterinarian will perform the
exam
B. Seller / Seller’s Agent
• Current owner or agent of the horse involved
• Should provide an honest medical history of the
horse, including any previous diagnostic imaging
exams performed prior
• Gives permission for veterinarian to perform
examination and procedures on the animal 6
 Parties......Cont'd
C. Veterinarian
 Needs to provide disclaimer to buyer if there is
a conflict of interest
 I.e, if veterinarian has previously worked on
the horse up for sale or has relationship
with the seller

D. Additional members present

 I.e, technicians, vet students
 Document as they are witnesses to the
examination
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Buyer’s Questionnaire
 Before the exam
 Establish the cost of the pre-purchase
exam with the buyer
 Questions to consider asking the buyer
 How much do you know about the horse?
 Have you had the chance to ride/work the
horse?
 What is your intended use for the horse?
 Short term goals (ie, riding)
 Long term goals (ie, breeding)

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Seller’s Questionnaire
 Opportunity for seller to fully disclose
history of the horse
 Questions:
 Level of current work / discipline?
 How long has seller owned the horse?
 Vaccines / Deworming / Coggins?
 Previous medical history?
 Previous surgeries?
 Previous lameness? • Ie, joint injections,
supplements, etc.
 Previous or current medication?
 Stereotypies? • Cribbing, weaving, head tossi
biting, kicking, etc. 9
Standard pre-purchase examination
 There is a standardized 5-stage PPE procedure:-

Stage 1- Preliminary examination

Stage 2-Walk and trot up in hand
Stage 3-Strenuous exercise ridden or longed

to evaluate conditioning,heart,
breathing, and strains
Stage 4-Period of rest and re-examination to
evaluate heart and lung recovery
Stage 5- A second trot in hand and foot
evaluation 10
 Examination
 Be thorough:-
 Examine any and every aspect of the horse
 This should be the most complete exam you
will perform in veterinary medicine.
 Document everything, even if you are unsure of the
clinical significance
 Basics of the Examination
 Confirm breed of horse
 Document any tattoos or brands present
 Document the markings and color of the horse
 Attain weight 11
  Attain height
 Temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate
 Document scars, skin lesions or growths

 Oral Examination
 Check the incisor teeth to ensure the reported age
roughly matches the teeth
 Open the mouth (unsedated), grab the tongue and
evaluate for sharp points of enamel on the molars, wolf
teeth, etc.
 Sedate the horse (with permission, and after lameness
evaluation)
 Open the mouth with a speculum, and fully evaluate all
arcades with dental mirror and probes
 Recommend dental radiographs 12
 Ophthalmological Examination
o Evaluate both eyelids, the third eyelid, sclera, for any
abnormal masses or pigmentation
o Check direct/indirect pupillary light response
o Check menace response
o With ophthalmoscope, evaluate the cornea,
anterior chamber, iris, pupil, lens
o Further examination, dilate the eye and examine the
optic nerve, retina
 Auditory Examination
 Evaluate the inner aspect of the ears for any aural
plaques or abnormal skin growths
 Produce noise to determine horse can properly
hear 13
 Respiratory Examination
 Evaluate both nares for normal airflow, any nare
pathology, mucopurulent discharge or odor
 Percussion of the sinuses, evaluate facial bones
for any asymmetrical swelling
 Palpate the larynx, muscular process
 Palpate guttural pouches for swelling, fluid fill
 Palpate submandibular lymph nodes for
enlargement
 Auscultate trachea & all areas of both sides of the
lungs
 Further examination, rebreathing exam with bag
• Upper airway endoscopy exam
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 Cardiovascular Examination
 Fully auscultate the heart, from both sides of the
thorax, to evaluate for any valve murmurs
 Auscultate heart for normal rhythm, normal rate
 Evaluate peripheral artery for pulse quality
 Evaluate both jugular veins for normal fill, patency
 Further evaluation :-ECG ,Cardiac ultrasound
exam

 Abdominal Examination
 Palpate ventral midline to feel for previous colic
surgery scar
 Auscultate all four quadrants for normal
gastrointestinal motility. 15
  Auscultate ventral abdomen for sand in large colon
 Palpate flank for previous standing surgery
incisional scars Palpate for ventral midline,
umbilical, abdominal, inguinal hernias

Urogenital Examination
 Examine external genitalia for any abnormalities
 In mares, evaluate perineal/vulvar conformation
 If a stud, palpate for two descended testicles into
scrotum

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Musculoskeletal Examination
 Systematic palpation of the neck, back and
pelvis
 Systematic palpation of the four limbs
 Walk, trot, canter horse
 If abnormal gait is noted, first step is to evaluate
whether horse appears lame or neurological

 Identify the limbs of lameness, and assign

appropriate grades of lameness
 Perform flexion tests , distal limb, carpus, stifle,
upper hindlimb
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 Laboratory Tests
 Not all tests are routinely done, but any test available can
be offered to buyer based on the individual horse
examined
 Most common,
- Complete Blood Count - PCV/TP, RBC, WBC,
Platelet, Fibrinogen
- Chemistry -Muscle, Kidney, Liver, Electrolytes,
Protein
- Urine Analysis
 More specific,
• Drug Testing- NSAIDs, sedatives, steroids etc.
• Genetic Testing- Cerebellar Abiotrophy,PSSM
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 Ancillary Examinations
 Drug Testing
 Upper Airway Endoscopy
• Evaluate standing or dynamic endoscopy to look for
performance limiting upper-airway abnormalities
 Radiographs
 Gastroscope
 Reproductive Exam
• Uterine ultrasound, cytology, culture, biopsy
• Stallion collection, semen motility & morphology
 Cardiology
• Cardiac ultrasound, consult DACVIM specialist
 Ophthalmology
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