A new program called VITALS, introduced by the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC), will assist horse owners in communicating basic health indicators to their veterinarians when illness, injury, or disease is suspected.

The KHC Health and Welfare Committee, whose members include veterinarians and professionals in the animal health and welfare field, developed VITALS under the direction of Doug Byars, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (internal medicine), ACVECC (emergency and critical care), of Byars Equine Advisory LLC in Georgetown, Ky. The program is quite simple: a stethoscope, thermometer, instructional poster, and information booklet comprise the VITALS kit.

"We want to equip every horse barn, from the private horse owner to the commercial operation, with a stethoscope and thermometer and the skills to use them," Byars said.

Over the course of the summer, the KHC weekly e-newsletter, Kentucky Horse, will feature educational articles written by Byars on the assessment and interpretation of equine vital signs. These online articles will compliment the eight-page instructional booklet and laminated poster included with the kit