Without a doubt, one of the animals that has contributed the most to the general development of humanity has been the horse. A good proof of its importance is that veterinary medicine arose almost exclusively to treat its ailments.
Below, our site offers you a brief guide to the most common diseases of horses, known since ancient times and, some of them, described in multiple centennial treatises.
Equine colic
Already addressing the corresponding article on the most common diseases in horses, colic is a group of diseases that give rise to spasmodic pain in the abdomenLet us remember that it can be due to multiple causes, and therefore its treatment is different depending on what it is due to, but in general the signs that we will find in a horse suffering from colic will be:
- Sweating
- Nervousness
- Uncontrolled movements, including self-harm: hitting the flanks with the hind legs…
- The animal may roll over to relieve the pain, which can aggravate the condition
- Dehydration
- Constipation/diarrhea
- Antialgid postures to avoid pain: sitting animal if it is a colic whose origin is in a dilation of the stomach due to accumulation of gases.
Although the term colic encompasses too many pathologies to be able to generalize (from impaction of the large intestine due to inability to eliminate fecal matter, to the presence of foreign bodies in the intestine), there are certain guidelines that can avoid its appearance, whatever the reason for its presentation. For more information, don't miss the article on types of equine colic.
What are those guidelines?
- Feed little by little the horse, over 16 hours. It is the time these herbivores spend grazing in nature. A horse that stays in a box and is fed morning and night is very likely to suffer from digestive disorders.
- Use quality fodder, avoiding excess straw, and allowing frequent and spaced access to water. Do not abuse feed and pellets.
- Allow the horse to perform gentle daily exercise, several times, to promote intestinal transit.
- Install the feeders in an elevated place if the horses are confined.
- Offer distractions to avoid aerophagia (swallowing air), common in bored horses. In this case we can also see animals with the so-called "bad sickness", constant rocking, and the "shot", wearing down the teeth against walls or doors.
Treatment
Given the variety of causes that can cause it, the veterinarian will focus on the specific problem once detected, but until it is located, he will proceed to:
- Relieve pain with spasmolytics (buscapine) and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as flunixin meglumine).
- Rehydrate and/or lubricate the gastrointestinal transit with paraffin. You may need a nasogastric tube.
- Sedar if the animal is in the self-harm phase.
- Antibiotics may be required if the problem is a traffic stop and there is excess fermentation of the material ingested, because in this case microorganisms are released into the blood that can cause infections.
Tetanus in horses
This is a common disease in horses caused by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium (works without oxygen) that lives in the soil, especially in soil rich in organic matter (manure). Horses suffer small injuries or chafing, for example, injuries caused by h alting, after stepping on a nail, etc., and through these wounds the bacteria enter the body.
After about 8 days, although it is a highly variable figure, we can see the typical symptom of the disease: involuntary muscle contractions and constant, which are called tetanus for this disease. Also, we usually find:
- Lockjaw: jaws tightly clenched, unable to open.
- Hyperextension of muscles in the legs, giving rise to a staked horse, unable to flex them.
- Expression called "sardonic laugh" (although it is more common in dogs): wide eyes, and retraction of the corners lipstick.
How does the bacteria C lostridium tetani do this?
Produces two toxins whose site of action is the nervous system. The closer the point of entry of the bacteria (wound) to the central nervous system (brain), the more aggressive the presentation of this disease and the less time it takes to develop.
And is there a cure?
If you arrive before the toxins paralyze the respiratory muscles (diaphragm/intercostals…), you will be given tetanus antitoxin serum and penicillin. They will also be provided with supportive therapy, that is, fluid therapy, lowering the temperature, sedation if necessary, they may even need mechanical ventilation if there is respiratory paralysis.
Can horses be prevented from getting tetanus?
Yes, by means of the pertinent vaccination, as often as the veterinarian indicates. We must not let our horse have wounds without disinfecting, so we will have to use hydrogen peroxide in each lesion that we observe to inactivate the responsible bacteria.
Equine influenza or flu in horses
It is the equivalent of equine influenza and it is a virus that affects the upper respiratory tract, but complications do arise, can affect casu alties (lung, bronchi) even causing death. It is transmitted through the air, through sneezing and nasal secretions.
In populations that have come into contact with it, we can see mild presentation, with runny nose, cough, conjunctivitis, and possibly recovery after a few days. This is because if they have previously suffered from the disease, the horses have been partially immunized. However, they can get it again the following season, especially in cold months, and if the virus invades them when they are sick, poorly fed, or too young, it can have fatal consequences.
The symptoms of equine flu that we usually find are the following:
- Thick nasal discharge
- Conjunctivitis
- Loss of appetite
- Recurring high fever (comes and goes)
If not treated in time, it can lead to:
- Pneumonias
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Bronchitis
- Even death in case of major complications added to the factors mentioned
Treatment
If the animal is partially immunized, and the presentation is mild, the veterinarian can simply prescribe a mucolytic to thin the mucus, bromhexine type and keep the horse sheltered and away from other congeners for a few days. Likewise, a quality feed to promote its immune system helps until the horse is able to repel viral aggression.
If the picture becomes complicated, it may be necessary to use specific antibiotics for the respiratory system, and supportive therapies in very weakened animals.
Remember that mixing horses from different areas without knowing anything about their history can lead to the appearance of an outbreak of equine influenza. If we introduce a partially immunized animal among young horses, we can have an acute outbreak that is difficult to tackle, with high morbidity (rate of animals that get sick when in contact with the virus).
Prevention
To prevent this so common disease in horses, annual vaccination is necessary, especially before the cold season, andavoid mixing animals from different origins without knowing their status. There is a vaccine that combines protection against tetanus and influenza.
Babesiosis or piroplasmosis
This is another of the most frequent diseases in horses that dogs, cows and other domestic animals also suffer from, and it is caused by a protozoan, Babesia equi.
Babesia is transmitted by ticks, and its multiplication inside the horse's red blood cells produces all the symptoms of the disease:
- Anemia (pale mucous membranes, babesias break down red blood cells)
- Fever
- Cognac colored urine
- Anorexy
- Prostration and sudden death in very acute cases
Can it be treated?
If we detect the presence of ticks in the horse and/or environment, and notice our horse strange, the veterinarian will surely opt for the imidocarb injection, in a single intramuscular dose, although it is sometimes necessary to repeat it after a few hours.
The ideal is to detect Babesia in the blood through a blood smear, but it is not always possible in the field, since this product can save your life, without losing key hours.
Can we prevent babesiosis?
The only way to predict this pathology is to prevent the horse from having ticks, which is very complicated. We can apply products weekly to the horse to prevent ticks (permethrin type) from getting on it, but they don't last long.
The area where the horse lives (the box) must also be disinfected weekly, and if the animal is free in the field, it must be avoided that it remains in fern and humid areas, which is almost impossible. There are more problematic areas with babesia (humid areas and mild temperatures, for example, northern Spain), but it is not exclusive to these places, far from it: it has a worldwide distribution, and causes numerous annual losses in the equine population.
