Common Equine Health Issues

These health issues that are listed bellow are very common in heaps of horses: 

#1. Colic. 

Colic is a symptom, not a specific disease. So because it's a symptom of another problem, there is no, one, sure-fire treatment that will alleviate all colics. Some colics might just be a "tummy ache" from a change in the weather or mental upset. Or, colic symptoms may indicate a far more serious, even life-threatening problem. The distress that a horse is in while it colics indicates that something is going wrong with the digestive system.

-Changes in feed.

-An accumulation of sand in the caecum (located in the large intestine) is called "sand colic." 

-Ingesting fungus from moldy hay. 

-Ingesting foreign objects can all trigger colic. 

-Senior horses in response to rapid air pressure changes may develop "spasmodic colic."

A horse that eats it's bedding, or accidently gorges on grain can suffer from "impaction colic." Parasite damage can cause a horse to exhibit colic symptoms. Colic can be caused by too much food eaten too quickly, or drinking a large amount of cold water. It's very recommended to give your horse more smaller meals, rather than less, bigger meals to prevent colic. 

If your horse has mild colic, he will look uncomfortable, maybe biting/or watching his flanks and stands stretched. Watch and see if the colic abates after 30 minutes. Look for a lack of manure, signs of diarrhea, signs such as crushed bedding that indicates the horse may have been trying to roll in his stall, sweating, shaking or any other unusual behavior. Once you've determined the severity of the colic, remove all edibles (including bedding) from the stall. As long as the horse is calm, you can try doing 'belly lifts' and hand walking or lunging. Don't tire him out: if the horse starts to feel a bit better, offer some food. Some colics can be cured by taking your horse for a trailer ride! 

Motion helps the horse produce manure and expel gas. Stay calm, don't stress yourself or your horse. If the colic is really bad, call up your vet straight away.  

Symptoms for colic: Rolling, stretching, looking (or biting) flanks, difficulty getting up, laying down a lot. 

#2. Arthritis. 

Older horses may show stiffness in their gaits; very often is caused by arthritis. Arthritis is almost unavoidable as a horse ages, but early diagnosis and conscientious care can slow it's advance and minimize pain. 

In early stages, arthritis may appear as a slight stiffness that the horse works out once it is wormed up. In the joint, the cartilage material is breaking down but not repairing itself efficiently. Eventually, as the cartilage becomes more damaged, the bone beneath the pad of cartilage becomes damaged as well. The horse will then experience more discomfort and there may be heat in the joint as inflammation occurs. In more advanced cases, small boney growths called osteophytes may be seen under x-rays and may be felt around the affected joint. This can progress to lameness. Arthritis is caused by the wear and tear of cartilage- the tough, flexible tissue that it the shock-absorbing and sliding surface between the bones that meet at the joint. 

Extra stress or injury to any joint can lead to arthritis. Equine arthritis can affect any mobile joint in the body, including the knees, shoulder joints, spine, fetlocks, hocks and stifles. These are all weight-bearing joints. The goal of arthritis management is to reduce the inflammation in the affected joint, relieve pain, and slow further damage to the joint. There is no treatment to cure arthritis. 

How to prevent:

-Proper hoof trims and shoeing. 

-Good conformation. 

-Provide good footing.

-Provide good basic maintenance, can also help to delay the onset of arthritis. 

#3. Gastric Ulcers. 

Gastric or stomach, ulcers or sores that form on the stomach lining. They are common in horses, with the prevalence estimated between 50 and 90 percent. They can affect any horse at any age, but occur most frequently in horses that perform athletic activities such as racing, endurance and showing. 

Symptoms:

-Sour disposition.

-Still eating, but loosing weight, or condition. 

-Avoiding hard feed, and preferring hay. 

-Poor appetite. 

-Unsettled in training or unwilling to work. 

-Grinding teeth.

-Crib-biting, wind-sucking.

-Bad coat. 

Causes:

Horses are designed to be grazers with regular intake of roughage. Since the horse's stomach continually secretes acid, gastric ulcers can result when the horse is not eating regularly due to there being less feed to neutralize the acid. 

Prevention:

-Maximize the time your horses eats forages. 

-Limit grains in the diet.

-Keep routines consistent. 

-Medicate with care. 

-When feeding grains twice a day, have each feed at, example, 7am and 7pm. 

#4. Desmitis (PSD) and Lameness.

Proximal Suspensory Desmitis in the hindlimbs and forelimbs is a cause of acute or chronic lameness in horses. It is most frequently diagnosed in athletic horses 4 to 10 years of age that are used for dressage, general purpose competition, and eventing. You can't ride a lame horse. Shockwave therapy, local anti-inflammatories, ligament splitting and regenerative therapy have all been used with varying results. 

Take care not to over push paces. Be vigilant for signs of back pain. 

Symptoms include: 

-Behavior changes.

-Generalized limping. 

-Inability to put weight on the limb.

-Heat at the sight of damage or swelling. 

-Poor performance.

-Reluctant to stand. 

-Swelling. 

Signs of lameness: 

-A hind leg that doesn't reach as far forward as the other with each stride. 

-Over all, shorter strides, or reluctant to "move out" when asked. 

-Resistance to picking up a particular lead. 

#5. Laminitis. 

Some horses may develop laminitis, a very painful hoof condition. It can be fatal- in some cases severe damage may develop that is incurable, and require the horse to be "put down." Laminitis (also termed founder) is inflammation of the laminae of the foot – the soft tissue structures that attach the coffin bone of the foot to the hoof wall. 

The inflammation and damage to the laminae causes extreme pain and leads to instability of the coffin bone in the hoof. In more severe cases it can lead to complete separation and rotation of the pedal bone within the hoof wall.

Once a horse has experienced a part of laminitis, they are particularly susceptible to getting it again in he future. Laminitis can be managed and treated, but not cured which is why prevention is so important. Prevention:

• Ensure your horse is fed a balanced ration appropriate for their weight, age and activity level.
• Restrict access to lush, green pasture particularly during the wet spring months.
• Ensure your horse receives regular hoof care from a good farrier.                                                        

Over-feeding fat ponies/horses is a very common cause, particularly during the spring months after recent rain. The soluble carbohydrate content increases in grasses and clovers after rain. When digested, this causes metabolic changes that result in altered blood flow to the laminae of the hoof. 

Symptoms:

• Although all four feet can be affected, the forelimbs are more frequently and more severely affected than the hindlimbs
• Laminitic horses will often lie down
• It will be difficult for you to pick up one forelimb due to the severe pain of the other supporting forelimb
• The hoof wall and coronary band (the soft tissue around the top of the hoof) are often warm to touch
• There is often pain on application of hoof testers (a tool your vet or farrier uses to assess hoof pain) – particularly over the toe area
• Digital pulses are strong and rapid (the digital pulse is found at the back of your horse’s fetlock). If you are uncertain how to check this, ask your vet to demonstrate.

Treatment:

• Affected horses need to be stabled in deep shavings so they can dig their hooves into a comfortable position. Alternatively a sand yard can be used, however it is crucial that you use a hoof pick twice daily to prevent sand packing up in the sole. In the early stages exercise should be avoided as it may result in further rotation of the pedal bone
• Hoof care is vital. Your farrier should consult with your vet and trim the hoof according to the degree of rotation of the pedal bone.
• Ongoing dietary management is crucial. Consult with your vet on the most appropriate feeding regime. Many feeds promoted as being safe for laminitic horses are not appropriate if your horse is also receiving other feed sources high in soluble carbohydrate. Until you are able to get veterinary attention/advice, feed hay only.
• Horses need company. You should ensure that horses confined during laminitis treatment are able to interact with other horses.

I hope this article helped you all. :) And I hope you learnt a thing or two! 

If your horse is suspected with a health issue, consult your vet straight away.  

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