B105
Capillary Refill Time (CRT)

Checking the mucous membranes and capillary refill time is essential for evaluating the health status of any horse.

Note:If the horse is dehydrated, the membranes will be dry and the capillary refill time will be prolonged (>2-3 seconds). A horse with colic, or in shock may also have an increased capillary refill time.

 

With a thumb or finger, apply pressure to the gums just above or below a tooth.

 

Once the gums under the thumb have been blanched out, the thumb can be removed. The blanched area should return to normal color in less than 1-2 seconds. A video of this procedure can be found below. The horse in this video has a NORMAL CRT.

 

 

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