Plus-Hex CLINICAL
ABSTRACT The equine veterinary nurse plays a crucial role in the care and long-term management of the equine patient in a sling . In this article , we aim to provide a practical resource for equine nurses regarding the application and use of a sling in hospitalised horses , as well as tips on the nursing care and nutrition of these patients .
Keywords equine , horse , sling , veterinary , nursing
Introduction
This sling consists of four components and an overhead rectangular base frame , which can support up to 2 tonnes of weight . It differs from other slings as it has a large rectangular base frame , which provides level and stable support for the horse ' s weight and movement , rather than a single point of suspension ( Figure 1 ).
The four-piece unit includes an abdominal support sling with chest- and rear-support panels , which help evenly distribute the patient ' s weight safely through the frame ( Figure 1 ). Additional leg supports can also help further reduce pressure on the horse ' s abdomen ( Gardner , 2011 ). The latest models of the ASSD are colour- and number-coded for ease of application ( Figure 2 ). In this article , we will refer to the use of the ASSD .
Hospitalised patients with severe locomotive debilitation , such as those with fractures , myopathies , laminitis or neurological disorders , often progress to recumbent states or are required to rest for prolonged periods . These patients are difficult to manage and demand high staffing levels with intensive care ( Ryan et al ., 2020 ). Sling suspension of these patients can partially relieve pressure on horses ' feet , in the case of laminitic patients , or allow for prolonged periods of rest for patients who are unable to lie down , such as certain fracture patients . In the authors ' experience , horses managed correctly can be maintained in slings for up to 4 – 6 weeks . However , the duration of use usually depends on the horse ' s clinical condition and may be significantly shorter . In this article , we will discuss the use of slings in horses and the essential role the veterinary nurse plays in caring for the equine patient in a sling .
Choosing a sling
There are numerous commercially available equine slings on the market , such as the Large Animal Lift
TM , the Liftex
TM sling , the PM Horse Swinglifter
TM , and the Anderson Sling Support Device
TM ( ASSD ) ( Madigan , 1993 ; Gardner , 2011 ). The Large Animal Lift
TM ( LAL ) from Large Animal Lift Enterprises (
http :// www . largeanimallift . com ) is a useful , lightweight sling , designed to lift a recumbent horse to standing in both hospital and rescue situations . However , it is not designed for long-term support ( Pusterla & Madigan , 2006 ). The Liftex
TM sling from Liftex Corp (
https :// www . liftex . com / animal-slings ) can be tailor-made for different equine uses , in a variety of speciality webbing fabrics . The portable PM Horse Swinglifter
TM unit from Michael Puhl (
https :// www . pmhuftechnik . saarland / home-english / pm-horse-swinglifter ) is a practical sling choice for many hospitals as it is a portable unit with an inbuilt hoist that can be installed in any location , so a stall does not need a pre-installed hoist to accommodate a horse in a sling ( Puhl , 2010 ). Finally , the ASSD from CDA Products (
https :// www . andersonsling . com / andersonsling ) can provide longterm standing support to horses with musculoskeletal debilitation or recumbency ( Pusterla & Madigan , 2006 ).
Figure 1 . A four-piece unit can provide additional support and more even weight distribution .
Figure 2 . Extra padding can dramatically reduce skin ulceration caused by sustained shear pressure .
Volume 37 ( 4 ) • September 2022
35