Strangles, also known as distemper, is a highly contagious disease among horses. Strangles in horses is characterized by inflammation of the nasal and pharyngeal mucous membranes, with swelling, inflammation and abscessing in the lymph nodes; fever is also common...
An adult horse’s teeth are not all that they appear. With a full length of about four inches, much of each permanent horse tooth is hidden within the jaw. In the days of roaming pastures, continuous grazing of rough...
According to an IDEXX Laboratories survey of more than 2,000 horse owners and trainers regarding equine lameness, joint pain is plaguing our horses. Here’s what respondents said:• Approximately 50 percent revealed that their horses suffer from some form of lameness.• More...
When veterinarians evaluate horses for lameness, they usually provide the owners with written descriptions of what they observe. For example, “Lame at trot, left fore, +3 ... ,” is what you might find scrawled in a vet’s notes. While...
Researchers at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine are warning that overuse and misuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as bute, Banamine, ketoprofen and naproxen may cause gastrointestinal injury (stomach ulcers, and severe inflammation and injury...
Equine feed companies are required by law to include specific information on their complete feed and supplement labels: The name of the feed, the class of horse the feed is designed for (broodmare, growing horse, et cetera), ingredient list...
Catching dental problems early can help keep your horse healthy. Horses over 5 years old should receive annual checkups; younger horses should be examined twice a year.The following disorders can signal dental trouble and need immediate veterinary attention:Dropping...
Q. What is your advice regarding when to call out the vet if you suspect that your horse is colicking? Do you have some general guidelines on this?
A. Colic can be a serious and life-threatening condition if there...
Equine herpes virus (EHV) is a difficult disease to control. “It is speculated that 80 to 90 percent of horses become infected with EHV by 2 years of age, and up to 90 percent of adult horses are latent...
If your horse travels or is exposed to unfamiliar horses on a regular basis, talk to your veterinarian about regular immunization against equine influenza. While it’s true that influenza viruses do evolve to bypass the horse’s immune defense, you...
