Pet Healthcare Tips – Common Diseases of Horses and Treatments

Horses tend to catch ailments if not cared for properly. While parenting horse, one thing owners need to make sure is that a proper vet check-up is done from time to time. There are many seasonal diseases, and also performance related issues are found in active racehorses. Here, we will discuss a few common health issues of horses and treatments.

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Photosensitivity or sunburn

During the summer months, horses are more susceptible to get sunburn. If there is sunburn on the back, then you have to wait until it’s healed to take another ride. Putting a saddle on top of a burn is cruel. Grays and pintos with pink or white noses tend to be most sunburned. Their skin gets pinker or reddish with blisters that peel.

Keep them out of the sun during hot summer months. To protect the vulnerable body parts of the horse, you may use Baby formula sunblocks. Sunburn creams for horses come brightly colored so that you can notice when it wears off and then reapply it from time to time. Zinc oxide paste can also be used as a sunblock and to heal the irritated skin.

Hind leg in horses

Various hind leg issues in horse include:

Stringhalt

On or both legs get over-flexed in straight halt. This flexing may be very subtle but can be more obvious when the horse steps back or turn sharply. Treatment includes tendon removal. Some horses may improve on worked lightly.

Bog Spavins

This condition is caused when the hock joint wears off. It can also be an impact to the joint like a kick which results in an injury. Mineral deficiency and conformation problems may also result in bog spavins.

Bone Spavins

This is caused due to joint strain, confirmation problems, or concussion on any hard surfaces. Jumper horses are more susceptible to this condition. Hock joint of a horse is up of several bones, which may get affected in this condition.

Some other hind leg issues include Jack Spavins, Thoroughpins, Capped Hocks, Curbs, etc, which all requires a good vet’s care to treat.

Wobblers syndrome

As TVG experts point out, this is not a very common condition in horses. However, if a vet diagnoses Wobblers Syndrome, it is essential to the diagnostic testing to rule out the possibility of any other types of neurological diseases. If left attended, this could have very serious aftermaths. The treatment modalities include drug therapy, surgery, and also some rearrangements in the horse’s management. Medicines will help reduce the swelling.

Cushing’s Disease

Cushing’s Disease, otherwise called Cushing’s Syndrome or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction, is described by an aggregation of cortisol. It might include either a considerate tumor or essentially exorbitant tissue development in the pony’s pituitary organ. Indications incorporate dormancy, extreme thirst, muscle and weight reduction, barrenness, and the beginning of different sensitivities or hypersensitivities.

EPM

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, otherwise called EPM, is a neurological illness influencing ponies. The malady is caused by protozoa called Sarcosystic neurona. The parasitic protozoa contaminate ponies through their water or feed, living in the tissues of the pony’s sensory system and in the long run causing seizures, vision issues, and conceivably passing. Side effects may incorporate sores and irregular conduct. The FDA has affirmed a few medications for treating EPM: ponazuril, nitazoxanide, diclazuril, and a blend treatment of sufladiazine and pyrimethamine.

Equine Herpesvirus

The equine herpesvirus really comprises of different infection types, which can run broadly in seriousness. Contingent upon the type of herpesvirus, the sickness may influence the respiratory framework as well as the sensory system. Side effects incorporate fever, torpidity, anorexia, hacking, impeded coordination, and shortcoming. Inoculations can help keep a few types of the infection. Nonetheless, no medicines exist if there should arise an occurrence of contamination, beside palliative consideration.

Weakness

Weakness is, truth be told, an uncertain term that may allude to an extensive variety of individual equine medical issues, including laminitis, bone wounds, neurological issues, and different sicknesses of the hooves or the musculoskeletal framework. Manifestations normally incorporate a powerlessness to perform customary developments, shortcoming, an absence of coordination, and anomalies in walk. Medications may run from pharmaceutical treatment to back rub to work with an expert mentor.

Locked Stifle joints

Stifle joint of a horse may get locked on overs training or due to any genetic problems to its joints. This is a very common condition in horses, and with the minor versions of this condition, there is an easy way to make the animal sound again without any invasive procedures. If left untreated; however, horses with regular locking are unsafe to ride. Severe cases require surgery.

Apart from these, there are many other adverse health conditions too which needs immediate attention like rotavirus, allergies, etc. If you notice any severe or alarming symptoms, it is important to contact your veterinarian immediately.