From Colic to Respiratory Disease: Illnesses Affecting Horses Today
by Jennifer Prince, An EquestrianMag Exclusive Article
Illness prevention is critical in maintaining equine health. Though an owner can never be certain that their horse will not fall victim to an equine illness, having the ability to identify potential symptoms and take action could make a big difference in the overall health of your horse. With several different kinds of illnesses affecting horses today, learning about the different types, signs and symptoms, and treatment techniques is more important than ever before.
Believe it or not, barn management can play a role in illness prevention. A good manager will not only keep a close watch on their horse, but also keep detailed vaccination and veterinary records, maintain a steady equine health management program and keep stalls, troughs and other areas clean. Never being afraid to call a veterinarian when a horse’s health is in question is another characteristic of a good manager. Illnesses can turn from mild to urgent in a short period of time. With time a critical factor, reporting any unusual behavior to a veterinarian could be important to the long-term health of your horse.
Vaccinations help keep your horse healthy by minimizing the chances of contracting an illness. The frequency and type of vaccinations necessary for your individual horse may vary depending on age, susceptibility or other factors. Working with a trained veterinarian to determine the right vaccination schedule will help maintain optimal health at different stages of your horse’s life.
Education may be the best preventative medicine you could offer your horse. If as a horse owner you have even basic knowledge of different illnesses, you will be better prepared to take action if your horse becomes ill. Discovering a potential illness in your horse could be a very distressing experience. Having a prewritten plan in place that outlines the steps you need to take should your horse become ill could help keep you organized during a potentially stressful time.
Though there are several different types of illnesses affecting horses today, illnesses affecting the digestive system, respiratory system and joints are among the most common. A few common illnesses are described below.
Digestive Illnesses
Colic
The term colic refers to pain the abdomen. There are several different causes and types of colic, from gas, to spasmodic or even displacement. Because it is often difficult to determine the severity of the colic, especially in its early stages, any signs of potential colic in your horse should receive attention.
Potential symptoms of equine colic may include a sense of anxiety, pawing at the ground, rolling, lying down more than usual, kicking at the abdomen or frequent curling of the upper lip. If you suspect that your horse may be experiencing colic, watch its behavior closely, take the horse’s temperature and heart rate if possible, and call your veterinarian with signs and symptoms.
One of the best ways to prevent the occurrence of colic in your horse is to serve a balanced diet. The horse should be kept on a feeding schedule that consists primarily of roughage. By ensuring that your horse has constant access to fresh clean water, is up to date with its parasite control program, and is provided with plenty of exercise you may be able to reduce the chances of your horse developing this illness.
Respiratory Illnesses
Strangles
Strangles is a very contagious disease that is easily spread from one horse to another through the burst abscesses and nasal discharge that develops. This disease is so contagious that a horse that contacts this illness must be isolated from the rest of the group. Even those horses that show no signs of illness but have come in potential contact with a horse infected with strangles should be removed and isolated.
The strangles culprit is the bacteria Streptococcus equi. This bacteria not only infects the horse, but has the ability to contaminate troughs, barn walls and potentially anything an infected horse has touched. Once a horse has become infected, the illness affects the respiratory tract, causes abscessed lymph nodes that later burst, and a thick nasal discharge containing thousands of bacteria that could infect other horses.
Strangles may be treated with Penicillin, but perhaps the most important medicine for strangles is prevention. Though vaccinations do not provide a 100% guarantee from infection, prevention for high-risk horses should be considered.
Equine Herpes Virus
One of the unique characteristics of the equine herpes virus is its ability to reappear months or even years after the initial onset and recovery. Though there are four types of herpes virus, type EHV1 and EHV4 affect the respiratory tract in horses. This virus most commonly affects young horses, though horses can contract the virus at any age.
This virus is usually passed from horse to horse through direct contact with infected substances. Infected horse may experience a raised body temperature, nasal discharge, depression, and possible lymph node swelling. Though vaccination does not guarantee prevention, it may lessen the symptoms should the horse come in contact with this virus.
Bone and Joint
Navicular Disease
Navicular disease can be difficult to diagnose since there are many factors that could potentially cause pain in and around the navicular bone. Because Navicular disease is difficult to define, veterinarians often consider problems associated with this area part of navicular syndrome. This term refers to pain located in the area surrounding the navicular bone, whether the bone, bursa or tendon is at fault.
Certain horses are more at risk to develop navicular syndrome than others. Horses with small feet compared to the size of their body, horses between the ages of ten and thirteen, horses kept in stalls or horses that are physically active are more at risk. Potential symptoms for navicular syndrome could be a constant shifting of body weight, refusing to lengthen its stride, pointing or having a stumbling gait. Depending on the particular problem your horses is experiencing, a variety of treatment options are available and should be discussed with your veterinarian.
Degenerative Joint Disease
Degenerative joint disease commonly affects the ankles and knees, though any joint could be at risk. Deterioration in the joint cartilage causes a friction between bones and resulting pain. Degenerative joint disease is usually a slow process and causes lameness in many athletic horses.
Though x-rays can determine whether or not degenerative joint disease is a problem in your horse, it is usually not suspected until the disease is advanced and the horse is showing signs of discomfort. Symptoms of degenerative joint disease could include a sense of pain or discomfort, stiffness after rest, swelling and noticeably low performance ability. Treatment can vary from rest and inactivity to anti-inflammatory medicines as determined by your veterinarian.
Other Illnesses
West Nile Virus
Until recently the West Nile Virus was not considered a threat in the United States. In recent years, however, the threat of the virus became well known and of great concern. Though many species of birds carry this virus, it is the mosquito that spreads the virus after feeding on an infected bird.
Horses are susceptible to the West Nile Virus, which affects the central nervous system. Symptoms may include twitching, loss of appetite, convulsions, fever, stiffness in the back legs, or even coma. Vaccinations are available for your horse though two doses are required and the greatest protection isn’t received until several weeks after the second dose. Annual booster shots are also available after the initial vaccine is given.
Because your horse spends a great deal of time outdoors, it is difficult to prevent your horse from coming in contact with mosquitoes. However, keeping your horse inside the barn during the time of day that the mosquitoes are at their worst, filling in areas of still water on our property to reduce mosquito breeding, placing fans in your stable or surrounding your property with bright lights may discourage mosquitoes from lingering around your horse. Because of the severity of this virus, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian if you suspect your horse has become infected.
Any horse owner would cringe at the thought of their horse developing an illness. Though there is no way to completely protect your horse from ever developing an equine illness, good horse care and barn management is the first step toward illness prevention. By taking preventative measures in and around your barn, keeping your horse up to date with necessary vaccinations, and having your horse cared for by a trained veterinarian you can reduce the risk of illness to your horse. Understanding the types of illnesses that affect horses today could make a different from onset to recovery.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article should not replace the advice, diagnosis, or need for a trained veterinarian.
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