Common Diseases and Disorders

• *Distemper (strangles) usually occurs in young horses and can be spread to other horses within three to 10 days by infectious nasal and pus discharge.
  *Cushings diseases, caused by a pituitary gland tumor, is a disease typically in young ponies and older horses. The disease has no cure, however daily medications can manage symptoms, helping the horse live close to a normal life.
  *Equine encephalomyelitis (swamp fever) is an infectious disease caused by glanders, a virus affecting the lungs.
  *Tetanus (lockjaw), which is often fatal, is an acute disease with muscle spasms, mostly in the jaw and neck. Caused by soil bacteria, tetanus is contracted when a horse eats infected grass. It can also occur after an injury, so whenever a horse is wounded badly it should be protected by the anti-tetanus vaccine
  *Potomac horse fever, commonly seen in the western United States, is a diarrhea disease involving inactivity, high fever and loss of appetite.
  *Horses can also contract colds and influenza which can develop into pneumonia. The symptoms are similar to those in humans, such as coughs, fevers and nasal discharges. If a horse does get the flu, keep it isolated and give it plenty of stall rest.
  
  

Feet and Legs Problems

• Lameness usually occurs because of the extreme pressure placed on the front legs. Laminitis is a bony hook enlargement that affects the blood vessels in the feet, causing hoofs to be deformed. It's caused by overeating as well as overworking or drinking excessive cold water when a horse is overheated. In extreme cases of laminitis a horse groans, sweats and cannot stand.
  
  Thrush is an infection of the bottom of the foot which can result in lameness and is caused by a lack of exercise and unsanitary conditions. It's not deadly, but if not treated it can lead to a horse being put down. It's most commonly found in unclean stables, so daily hygiene is an important preventative.
  
  Splints are soft swellings or bony enlargements between the cannon and splint bones, and usually occurs in young horses on the inside front legs, the area bearing the most weight. Treatment involves using an ice boot to ice the area for an hour about three to four times each day.
  
  

Internal Parasites

• Pinworms, tapeworms and ticks are a few of the most common external parasites that can attack horses. Pinworms can cause itchy tails and live in the large intestine. For a diagnosis, a vet does a "scotch-tape prep," pressing tape around the horse's anus and then examining pinworms on a microscope slide. They're treated with dewormers. Tapeworms are harder to diagnose because a fecal egg count doesn't always show the eggs and the worms are rarely seen in manure. Ticks are typically found in the ears and easily visible. By applying a swab rubbed over the ear canal skin, some of them can be removed and examined. Dictyocaulus affects lungs, causing a chronic cough and can be detected in manure. Other parasites may include mites, lice, bowflies and ticks.
  
  

Functional Disorders

• Heaves (pulmonary emphysema) is a respiratory condition where the horse struggles to force air from its lungs. Besides breathing difficulties, other signs include unusual lung sounds, chronic coughing and resistance to exercise. Heaves is most common where animals are kept in straw bedded stalls, feeding on hay.
  
  Colic, which is pain in the abdomen, is caused by a change in food, a horse eating too quickly or drinking too much water at once. Sweating, loss of appetite, kicking the flank, rolling and depression may indicate colic. Also, repeatedly getting up and down is another sign. Although about 90 percent of all colic cases are treatable with intestinal lubricants and pain relievers, it should be treated immediately as it can be fatal if ignored.
  
  

Symptoms

• Loss of appetite and vigor are some of the most common symptoms of illness. Other symptoms may include bloody discharge from nose or eyes, hot feet or legs, body sores and swellings. Rapid or slow breathing or pulse may also indicate illness. A normal breathing rate for a horse is from 8 to 16 times each minute. Pulse rate should be 30 to 40 beats per minute. Extreme sensitivity, high temperature, gum blood flow and flared nostrils can also signal sickness.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Vaccinate horses against influenza, tetanus, West Nile virus and rabies. Give worm medicine to fight internal parasites. Take care of teeth by filing them down to remove sharp edges, in addition to sometimes floating teeth. Shoe your horses and have hoofs regularly trimmed by a registered farrier.
  
  

Misconceptions and Warning

• It's an old misconception that it's good to give weekly feedings of hot bran mash (with the main ingredient being wheat bran), thinking it has a laxative effect. However research shows this is false (see Resources). In reality, wheat bran only gives the false appearance of a horse dumping a large pile.
  
  Horses suffering from colic can hurt themselves as they trash around in pain. Often, injuries can come from barbered wire fences and fighting with other horses, causing further infection.