Horse Illnesses
Important Information About Horse Illnesses
There are a few horse illnesses that you should be aware of if you have or if you plan on having horses and you need to also know how to treat them or at least keep them comfortable until help is on the way. Since veterinarians usually do not live right around the corner or may not be able to respond immediately, it is important that you have an understanding of how to take care of a sick horse on your own.
Colic
This is one of the more common horse illnesses. Colic literally means “pain in the abdomen” and there are several causes that range from mild to fatal. In early stages it is relatively difficult to diagnose the severity so any sign of pain should be taken seriously. Symptoms of colic can include:
- Lying down and standing up repeatedly
- Lying down a lot more than usual
- Standing completely stretched out
- Turning its head towards the flank
- Pawing the ground
- Curling the upper lip repeatedly
- Rolling on the ground
- Kicking at the abdomen
If possible, you should try to take the horse's temperature, respiration rates and pulse. Examine his appetite over the past few days and his defecation consistency. You also need to determine if water intake has been normal and check the color of his gums. It is important to also look to see if the horse was exposed to foreign food that he should not be eating.
While waiting for the veterinarian to arrive, take away all food and if you can slowly walk him it may help to distract him from the pain. If you can't stop him from rolling, try to keep him in an area where he can't get hurt.
Laminitis
There are a few horse illnesses that are associated with the hoof, laminitis being one of them. This is one of the horse's most sensitive areas. This condition refers to a digital laminae inflammation which is attached to the coffin bone and the hoof wall. If your horse has laminitis, it is very difficult for him to walk without being in obvious pain.
Radiographs are needed to confirm if a horse has this condition or any other type of hoof disease. Therefore, it is necessary for the horse to be taken to an accommodating veterinary clinic for testing. Symptoms generally include profuse sweating, increased vital signs and obvious tendency to favor the hurt hoof.
EPM
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is one of the more common horse illnesses in the southern states. It is caused by a parasite and hosted by the opossum. This disease causes neurological issues and if left untreated can become quite serious.
The most common symptom is a noticeable disconnection between the front and back end of the horse causing it to appear drunk when it walks. An advanced symptom of EPM is muscular atrophy.
Equine Influenza
Viruses can be the most deadly of horse illnesses because they spread so incredibly fast through a population. Equine influenza has symptoms of dry coughs, fever, despondency and increased mucus production.
This is a sickness that will usually just disappear all on its own within a week or two. A veterinary consult is highly recommended and the horse cannot be ridden during this time.
Founder
Founder is not actually a disease but more of a complication of a few horse illnesses combined. It usually occurs if a condition such as laminitis is left untreated. Founder is generally a sign of neglect of the animal.
This condition occurs if the coffin bone sinks down through the hoof which makes standing and moving difficult without horrible pain. Horses with founder need constant attention and affection and hospitalization to heal in an equine clinic.