Common Horse Diseases and Their Treatment

Horses are really great companions one could have. If you’re a horse owner, you need to spend a lot of time in taking care and maintaining its health. Although horses are strong, they also get sick at some point in their life. There are plenty of horse diseases out there that could range from mild to deadly ones. For horse owners out there, here are some of the common horse diseases to broaden your knowledge on how to take care of your horse a lot better.

Colic

Colic is a very common disease in horses. However, it could be deadly when not treated as soon as possible. Colic can refer to a wide range of horse stomach illnesses. It is caused by a variety of factors – overeating grain, gas, parasite infection, and many more.

Usually, a horse displays appetite loss, bloating, rolling or lying down on the ground, agitation, and curling at its upper lip. If your suspect your horse has colic, don’t let it drink or eat yet. Contact your vet first to know what to do next and for medical help.

Gastric Ulcer

The stomach produces acids that help horses digest the food that they eat. However, there are situations when these acids corrode the linings of the stomach, causing ulcers or sores that are painful for the horse. Equine gastric ulcers can affect horses of different age range but it is common among performance horses since exercise increases the production of gastric acid. The common symptoms of gastric ulcer are appetite loss, weight loss, behavioural changes, and lacklustre coat. An equine vet will diagnose the condition and prescribe oral medication to treat this illness.

Strangles

Strangles is one of the toughest yet common horse disease in the equine world. It is a bacterial infection that affects the lymph nodes of the horse. The lymph nodes swell and burst, releasing pus into the nose and throat. The bacteria that cause strangles is hard to kill and could be easily transmitted by sharing water and horse tack equipment.

The common symptoms of strangles is mucous discharge, fever, lethargy, cough, appetite loss, and a difficulty in swallowing. Contact your vet immediately for complete treatment of the horse. Be sure to quarantine the infected animal and clean everything that your horse gets in contact with to prevent it from spreading to the other horses.

Equine Flu

Equine flu is one of the most contagious equine diseases. It is caused by a viral infection that mainly affects the equine respiratory system. This disease is airborne, making it easy to get passed on to other horses in a stable. The symptoms of equine flu are similar to strangles but the two have different causes.

Vaccination helps prevent this disease. However, if your horse already contracted it, be sure to isolate the infected one and call a vet for diagnosis. The virus goes away on its own and just needs to run its course. All you need to do is provide good supportive care to your horse when it’s sick.

There are still many more horse diseases that you need to get familiar with especially if you own a horse. Take care of your horse better by constantly learning more about equine care and illnesses.