Hobby

In caring for horses, health is a major issue that must be monitored constantly. Horses have tendencies towards disease, especially involving stomach issues, and a veterinarian must regularly perform checkups on these animals. What are some of the most prevalent issues that affect a horse’s health?

One area of health that affects many horses is the foot. If you notice that your horse tends to “point” one foot, followed by the other, or the foot begins to narrow and toes turn in, this could be a sign of navicular disease, an ulcer that corrodes one of the bones in the foot. Improper shoeing and work on hard ground are common causes. Other foot damage includes laminitis, which can permanently damage some tissues so that, eventually, the horse will refuse to stand.

Arthritis, rheumatism, and other Degenerative Joint Disease are common in horses. This is something that can only be found through x-rays, as there are no visible symptoms, and this area of health is progressive and incurable. A horse’s breathing and allergic reactions can also be affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which develops in the small airway of the horse’s lungs.

Other health problems result in colic, which is actually a number of symptoms rather than a disease unto its own. Colic is a form of abdominal pain that makes a horse restless and uneasy. The horse with a health issue that results in colic may sweat, get up and down, or bite at the flanks. Common causes of colic are bad food stock, overfeeding, grazing on weeds that can be poisonous, and too much exercise. In severe cases, the colic could be caused by a true illness, such as a twisted gut that requires surgery or from birth defects, such as malformation of the large colon.

Beware of other common health problems, such as tetanus, which can be fatal if unchecked, and Equine Infectious Anaemia, which can also lead to horse fatalities.