Essential kit list
This article provides a list of equipment required for equine ambulatory work. It can be amended to suit the environment, facilities and case load. Some of the items mentioned here will not be available to all ambulatory vets/clinics.
Not included but important is looking after your own well being on long days. Water, snacks and comfort breaks are essential. Working in the shade where needed and having good sun protection in hot climates can protect against heat stroke. Adapting to local work patterns and expectations is crucial in developing resilience.
⚠️ Drugs and equipment can be targets for thieves; where possible ensure a second person looks after a vehicle and equipment, or ensure that any vehicle is locked when not in use
Records
- Mobile phone or Tablet/ in-vehicle charger/ solar charger
- Notebook/Pens
- Controlled drug records or careful notes
- Medication labels to dispense
- Client information leaflets/links/infographics
- Quick reference guide
Essential
- Stethoscope
- Thermometers
- Watch/mobile phone
- Suitably robust, easy to clean carrying boxes
- Swabs/cotton wool for cleaning
- Bucket for cleaning
- Regular nitrile/latex gloves
- Hand gel/disinfectant hand and utensil wipes
- Chlorhexidine or povidine/iodine for hand scrub and wound cleaning
- Selection of needles - e.g. 21G (0.8 x 40mm), 19G (1.1 x 38mm) 18G (1.2 x 38mm), 25G 5/8" (0.5 x 16mm), 23G 5/8" (0.6 x 16mm)
- Selection of syringes; 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 10ml, 20ml and 50 ml dosing syringe
- Rectal gloves
- Lubricant
- Sharps container
- Bags for waste
- Twitch
- Hard hat
- Scrub top
- Boiler suit/overalls for infectious case
Eye kit
- Bright light source - pen torch/mobile phone
- Ophthalmoscope
- Nasolacrimal duct catheters x2
- Atropine drops; mydriatic, long acting
- Tropicamide drops; mydriatic, short acting
- Tetracaine drops; local anaesthetic
- Fluorescein
- Antibiotic eye drops/cream
- Steroid based eye drops/cream
- Lubricating eye drops
Hoof kit
- Hoof rasp
- Hoof knives and searchers
- Knife sharpener
- Straight and half round nippers
- Nail puller/ clench buffer and hammer
- Protective Gloves
Dental kit
- Dental gag; Hausmanns or similar
- Dental rasps for upper and lower molars
- Dental rasps short for 06’s
- Dental pics
- Dental bucket
- Scrub brush
- Dental putty
- Head torch
- Disinfectant e.g. Chlorhexidine
- Dental mirror
Enteral Fluid Therapy
- Nasogastric tubes; horse, pony and foal sized
- Funnel and jug
- Electrolytes; commercial or home made (NaCl and KCl)
- Magnesium sulphate
- Glucose powder
- Liquid paraffin (only for plastic impactions)
- Biosponge /activate charcoal
Catheter kit
- Sterile gloves
- Scalpel blades
- Short stay catheter 14G 52mm, 12G 80mm
- Long stay catheter
- Extension set
- Bungs/3 way taps
- Suture; pre-threaded, to stitch in catheter
- Heparinised saline
Fluid therapy
- Extension set for catheter
- Giving set
- 1L and 3L bags Hartmanns
- 1L bags dextrose
Wound care
- Clippers/half round scissors
- Swabs to clean
- Saline flush, or salt to add to water (1 teaspoon/litre)
- Chlorhexidine/Povidine iodine
- Honey/Intrasite gel
- Wounds dressings
- Bandaging layers e.g. soffban, easifix, vetwrap, elastoplast
- Poultice/Waterproof layer
Stitch-up kit (sterile)
- Scalpel blade
- Scapel handle
- Rat tooth forceps
- Atraumatic forceps
- Allis tissue forceps
- Artery forceps x 4-6
- Needle holders
- Sterile swabs
- Towel clamps
- Sterile drape/tray to lay kit on
- Suture material; absorbable 3 and 5 metric, non-absorbable 3 and 5 metric
Medication
- Antibiotics; Trimethoprim, Doxycycline, Metronidazole
- NSAIDs; Flunixin, Equipalazone, Fibricoxib, Suxibuzone etc
- Steroids; oral prednisolone
- Respiratory; oral clenbuterol, oral dembrexine
- Labels and instructions
- Anthelmintics
Cool box; all injectables
- Vaccines
- Tetanus antitoxin
- NSAIDS - flunixin, phenylbutazone, meloxicam etc
- Antibiotics- Penicillin, Gentamycin, Oxytetracycline
- Buscopan/ Hyoscine
- Local anaesthetics- lignocaine, mepivacaine
- Steroids- Dexamethasone
- Sedatives- alpha agonist- detomidine, xylazine, romifidine
- Partial agonist opioids analgesics- Butorphanol, Buprenorphine
- Sterile water
- Heparinised saline
Lockable box
- Euthanasia drugs
- Ketamine
- Diazepam
- Opioids
Diagnostics
- Blood tubes:
- Swabs for culture and sensitivity
- Nasopharyngeal swabs
- Universal containers
- Biopsy punches
- Microscope slides
- Sticky tape (for mites/pinworm eggs)