The stifle is the rear joints in a horse or other four legged animal that is akin to the knee in a human. If this joint is damaged, the horse is not considered in fit condition. Many times a horse stifle injury can mean having to put the horse down if it is severe enough. [...]
Why it is Important to Check the Stifle before Purchasing a Horse
Wobbler Syndrome in Horses
While out on your regular ride, you notice that your horse seems a little clumsier than usual, tripping over sticks and stumbling. You put it down to him being lazy, but notice it’s becoming a common pattern. Should you be concerned?
Many horses with spinal problems will exhibit signs of clumsiness as they are being ridden. [...]
Cushing’s Disease in Horses
As equine medicine progresses, and routine stable management improves, horse owners are finding that their horses and ponies are living to a much more advanced age. Because of this, it is important for horse owners to be aware of age-related diseases. Cushing’s Disease is a relatively common problem affecting older horses, and particularly ponies. Cushing’s [...]
Is Your Horse Suffering From Back Pain?
Usually we take for granted our horses’ strong backs, however, what if your horse is suffering from back pain? How can you tell, and if you suspect he is, what can you do about it? Just as with humans, back pain in horses can make them incredibly uncomfortable, irritable, and have difficulty moving.
Suspect back pain [...]
Does Your Horse Have Enteroliths?
If your horse is experiencing chronic but low intensity colic, your veterinarian may suspect that enteroliths are at the root of the problem. Enteroliths are mineralized stones that form in a horse’s intestinal tract. At the centre of these stones is always an ingested object, such as a piece of stone, wood, or metal that [...]
How to Tell if Your Horse is Tying Up
Tying up is a condition that can affect horses in many different situations, from the casual riders who do a few trails over the weekend, all the way up to competitively working horses in all disciplines. Horses suffering from this form of muscle breakdown show stiffness and poor performance in its mildest form, and in [...]
Heaves and Your Horse
Heaves, also known as broken wind or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a devastating disease that affects the respiratory system of a horse. It is usually caused by ingesting dusty or moldy hay, or being exposed to dust, mold or pollen in bedding and elsewhere in the horse’s environment. Depending on the length of time [...]
Equine Influenza Virus
As with humans, horses can become very ill from the normal influenza virus. Although most horses can and do make a full recovery from the disease, those with a compromised immune system, and in particular very old and very young animals, are at a higher risk of succumbing to their illness. Additionally, secondary infections such [...]
Equine Infectious Anemia
Also known as swamp fever, this devastating disease is mainly prevalent in the southern United States, as well as in some areas of Canada. The disease is spread through the bites of blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes. As a mosquito bites an infected horse, then moves on and bites an uninfected horse, the second horse [...]
Arthritis in Horses
All animals, including humans, have a tendency towards arthritis as they get older. In horses the disease can the result of the ageing process and general wear and tear on joints, or can come on at any age due to an injury.
Arthritis specifically refers to the inflammation of your horse’s joints, especially weight bearing ones, [...]
Your Horse’s Pulse, Respiration and Temperature
Since many ailments are more easily treatable with early detection, being able to catch early warning signs that something is changing in your horse’s body is vitally important. All horse owners should know their horse’s resting heart rate, respiration, and temperature.
To check your horse’s pulse, find an artery close to the skin and count the [...]
Dealing with a Snakebite
If you live and ride in an area with poisonous snakes, it is vital to know how to handle a potentially deadly snakebite. Here’s what to do if your horse gets bitten.
Call your vet. This is an emergency situation that requires immediate attention. Most bites [...]
When Your Horse is “Stocking Up”
Some horses, when left in their stalls for extended periods of time, have a tendency to develop swelling in their legs. This condition is referred to as “stocking up,” and can result in discomfort and stiffness. For most horses, the swelling will subside after ten to fifteen minutes of exercise.
Horses were not meant to stand [...]
White Line Disease
Although they are complex structures designed to be the foundation that holds your horse’s weight, his hooves are remarkably vulnerable. White Line Disease occurs when the inner layer of the hoof wall begins to deteriorate. This non-pigmented layer, called the white line, protects the inside of the hoof from damaging pathogens and bacteria. When it [...]
Dealing with Colic in Your Horse
As the number one killer of horses, colic is a very serious issue for horse owners everywhere. To maximize you horse’s chance of survival, know the symptoms and be prepared to take immediate action. Common symptoms include refusing to eat, inability to defecate, nipping at their sides, and kicking at their abdomen with a hind [...]
Laminitis vs. Founder
There is often much confusion about the relationship between laminitis and founder. Because so much mystery still surrounds these diseases, and because of their debilitating reputation, many horse owners find themselves unsure of exactly what this diagnosis might mean for their horses.
Laminitis is the inflammation of the laminae in a horse’s foot. The [...]
Equine Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Healing
Physiotherapy and chiropractic work, although relatively new fields in horse care, are growing in popularity among owners who are looking for new ways to help their horses be comfortable and pain-free. Physiotherapy uses a number of different techniques to help rehabilitate the horse, including stretching, massage, joint and soft tissue mobilization, and hydrotherapy. Treatment is [...]
Preventing and Treating Rain Scald
Rain scald, sometimes known as rain rot or mud fever, is a bacterial skin infection that causes sores and scabbing along a horse’s body, usually concentrated on the back, rump and legs. Most commonly found in areas of high temperatures and high humidity, the infection is a relatively minor problem, provided that it receives treatment. [...]
Deworming Your Horse
If you want to keep your horse happy, healthy, and free from energy sucking parasites, it is vital to implement a deworming routine that is both varied and regular. Most horses should be dewormed about every two months. If your barn typically has new horses arriving all the time, or if your horse is either [...]
Navicular Syndrome in Horses
There are few words more terrifying to a horse owner than navicular disease. This destructive and potentially life threatening syndrome affects the navicular bone in the horse’s hoof. Veterinarians are still at a loss as to what causes the disease, which means that it is difficult to prevent and even diagnose. However, once your vet [...]