1 It is important for horse owners to be able to identify when their horses need medical treatment.
2
Every horse should be vaccinated for Equine Influenza, Tetanus, Encephamyelitis
Other horses who are exposed, should be vaccinated for strangles, rabies, rhinopneumonitis, anthrax
-Anthrax-
Cause: A bacteria that can be picked up ingesting it or from biting insects.
Symptoms: Fever, diarrhea and abdominal pain, which will later lead to swelling around the neck, mammary glands and sheath.
Treatment: The horse will need massive doses of antibiotics
- EIA
Cause: Viral disease contracted from contaminated needles and biting insects, especially flies.
Symptoms: Flu like symptoms, fever, depression, weakness, poor appetite, weight loss and anemia. Edema may appear under the skin in the chest, abdomen, legs and scrotum.
Treatment: Horses are isolated and typically put down.
-Encephalomyelitis
Cause: Mosquito bites. The virus can live in wild birds, rodents and other animals, but they only infect horses and people.
Symptoms: high temperature for 1 or 2 days, nervousness and restlessness. Later, symptoms include depression, lack of coordination, drowsiness, droopy ears, and aimless walking. Paralysis and death follow within 2-4 days.
Treatment: General care including providing fluids, protection, warmth and shade, and quiet. The disease can be prevented through vaccinations.
-Piroplasmosis
Cause: Ticks that carry the protozoan microorganism.
Symptoms: anemia, jaundice, fever, depression, thirst, tears in the eyes and swelling of the eyelids.
Treatment: 15% will die, drug treatment, combined with the normal immune response of the horse will bring about recovery.
-Equine Influenza
Cause: Extremely contagious virus, coughing horses can spread mucous on feed and water troughs, they might also ingest the virus, most commonly contracted after an event with several other horses.
Symptoms: Fever, runny nose, cough, depression and poor appetite.
Treatment: Isolate the horse, and treat them with care, warmth, quiet, and rest.
- Rabies
Cause: Virus affecting the nervous system, contracted from a rabid animal bite such as a raccoon, skink or bat.
Symptoms: Fresh wound on the face, muzzle or legs that is from a rabid animal. Symptoms include, droopling, spastic lip movements, behavioral changes, poor appetite, and aggression.
Treatment: Quarantine and monitor the horse for 30-50 days. If infected, early treatment from a vet can help, but it is fatal in late stages. Vaccinations can prevent rabies infection.
- Rhinopneumonitis
Cause: Rhino is a virus transmitted from horse to horse.
Symptoms: Flu like symptoms including nasal discharge and coughing, increased body temperature, and abortions in pregnant mares. .
Treatment: Vaccinating agains the disease can help, however, some suggest that the vaccination itself is dangerous. A vetrenarian must see the horse to treat it.
- Pneumonia
Cause: Inflammation of lung tissue.
Symptoms: Fever, nasal discharge, poor appetite, chest pains, lung congestion, and breathing difficulties.
Treatment: A veterinarian must treat the horse. This can be fatal for foals.
- Ringworm:
Cause: Introduction of Ringworm fungus into the horses system by either another horse, contaminated feed, stalls, or grooming equipment.
Symptoms: The horse will have small round reddish lesions, small scales might cover the lesions.
Treatment: Depending on type, there are multiple treatments. A veterinarian will be able to determine the appropriate remedy.
-Tetanus:
Cause: Puncture wound
Symptoms: Symptoms occur 7-10 days after infection, stiffness in horse’s legs, stumbling, cocked ears, protrusion of the third eyelid, a few days later, the horse is unable to walk. The horse will elevate its tail and have difficult moving it’s head. It will be unable to open its mouth and eat eventually and will fall and not get up.
Treatment:A vet can treat the horse, but recovery is unlikely. Vaccinations can prevent it.
- Strangles:
Cause: Contracted from other horses, common in ages 1-3, it can also be contracted through water troughs, feed buckets and pastures.
Symptoms: Fever, nasal discharge, cough, swollen lymph nodes and difficulty swallowing.
Treatment: Isolate the horse, disinfect water trough, and give penicillin under the guidance of a veterinarian.
- Colic:
Cause: Feeding too much grain, rapid diet change, worms, sand impaction and several other causes.
Symptoms: Horse lying down, rolling, biting at its sides, increased heart rate and temperature, profusely sweating, restlessness, and lack of desire to eat or drink.
Treatment: Depending on the level of severity, anti-inflammatory medication, painkillers, or walking the horse can help. If it is more severe, a vet will need to do surgery.
- Azutoria:
Cause: Metabolic problems caused by receiving too much feed after being worked hard then continuing to receive the same amount of feed with no hard work.
Symptoms: Symptoms disappear after they begin exercise again. Symptoms include stiffness, tremors, and pain. They will be unable to move and may fall. Their urine might be dark reddish-brown, or black.
Treatment: Cease exercise immediately and call a veterinarian. Decrease amount of grains in the horses diet.
- Warts:
Cause: Unknown causes, but common in younger horses
Symptoms: Wards on lips, muzzle, inside of thighs, or on the prepuce.
Treatment: They will disappear on their own. I have a mare who has a wart on her muzzle, and read that people tear them off with pliers. I left it and after a fewo months, it went away.
- Melanomas
Cause: Cancerous growths on light horses, similar to skin cancer
Symptoms: growths on the tail, anus head, or any other body part- primarily on white and gray hoses over 7 years old.
Treatment: Surgical removal
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