Table of contents for Wellness 2023 in Equus

The products most commonly used to deworm horses fall into three major categories: Avermectins and milbemycins (referred to collectively as macrocyclic lactones) are still largely effective against a wide range of parasites, but resistance, especially in ascarids, is growing. This class includes: • Ivermectin, which works against most of the common equine parasites except for tapeworms. However, it does not work against small strongyles while they are encysted. • Moxidectin, which is similar to ivermectin but also acts against encysted small strongyles. Benzimidazoles are effective against many adult parasites, but their efficacy against larval stages and all small strongyles is declining. This class includes: • Fenbendazole, which kills large strongyles, pinworms and ascarids. • Oxibendazole, which works against large strongyles, pinworms, ascarids and threadworms. • Oxfendazole, which kills large strongyles,…

When it comes to preventing lameness there are no guarantees, but if you adhere to these guidelines you can reduce your horse’s risk of unsoundness: RULE #1: START YOUR HORSE ON A SENSIBLE CONDITIONING PROGRAM. A well-designed and faithfully executed fitness program will not only help your horse perform better, but it will also safeguard his soundness. Controlled exercise challenges the targeted tissues—such as muscles, ligaments and other vital structures—and the subsequent repair and replacement of these structures during a recovery period leaves the system stronger than before. RULE #2: NEVER SKIP WARMUPS OR COOLDOWNS. How you begin and end a ride can affect your horse’s soundness as much as what you do during it. A gradual warmup routine—incorporating lots of walking and wide turns—gently and slowly stretches the horse’s…

A healthy equine gut is a thriving, well-balanced community of various microbes digesting food and absorbing nutrients. Some of these microorganisms even create necessary nutrients as well. Many factors in a horse’s life—including the stresses of transport and competition or the administration of antibiotics—can disrupt this microbial population. If the levels of beneficial flora drop too low, the horse can develop chronic diarrhea, he may lose weight or just generally fail to thrive. Or he may become susceptible to various types of colic. There are ways you can support this hard-working internal community: Probiotics are collections of live microorganisms that help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics are nutrients that then feed those bacteria. Some prebiotics also contain non-digestible sugars that bind with pathogens and carry…

Scratches is the common term for pastern dermatitis, an inflammation of the skin that develops between the heels and the fetlocks. Affected areas become scabby and crusty, sometimes oozing clear or yellowish serum. Usually the result of repeated wetting and drying, scratches develops when bacteria or fungi invade through tiny wounds or cracks in the skin’s surface. Although scratches can occur at any time of year, it is seen more frequently when horses are turned out in wet environments. You can probably treat scratches on your own, and most cases will clear up quickly with proper care. But if your horse develops persistent or severe scratches you’ll want to seek your veterinarian’s help. WHAT TO DO • Rinse your horse’s legs. Move your horse into a dry area, and hose…

These are needed by all horses and protect against the following diseases: • TETANUS: a paralytic disease caused by the neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani, a spore-forming anaerobic bacterium. C. tetani is ubiquitous in the soil, putting all horses at risk of exposure. Horses typically contract tetanus when the bacteria enter through a puncture wound or deep laceration, but foals can be infected through their umbilical stump and mares via their reproductive tracts following a difficult foaling. Signs include extreme sensitivity to light, sound and touch, followed by rigid paralysis that causes the horse to adopt a classic “sawhorse” stance and protrusion of the third eyelid. • WEST NILE VIRUS (WNV): a flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes. In horses, infection usually causes little or no illness. However, West Nile infection sometimes triggers…

1. COUNT CALORIES IN CONCENTRATES. Sweet feed and other concentrates provide essential calories to horses who truly need them—athletes, pregnant mares and the like. But concentrates fed to an “easy keeper” pleasure horse will only fuel weight gain. Many horses don’t need any grain at all, yet are given a half scoop twice a day so they don’t feel left out at mealtime. This “kindness” only leads to obesity and all its related health problems. If your horse is on the verge of being overweight, cut back his concentrates to a literal handful or none at all. You can provide him a supplement or a ration-balancer product to ensure he’s still getting all the vitamins and minerals he needs. And, of course, make sure he has plenty of hay. 2.…

When working with your veterinarian to develop an individualized parasite control program for your horses, it’s good to know which organisms you are targeting. • Small strongyles (cyathostomins) include more than 40 species of these worms can affect horses. They spend a portion of their life span encysted in the intestinal wall. Small strongyles typically do little harm, but in very large numbers they can cause enough cumulative damage to disrupt a horse’s digestion and absorption of nutrients, causing him to lose weight and be generally unthrifty. When large numbers of encysted larvae emerge simultaneously, they can cause colic and, rarely, death. • Ascarids (Parascaris equorum) affect mainly foals. Intestinal infections may cause unthriftiness, slowed growth, a dull coat and low energy. Heavier infections can block the intestines, causing life-threatening ruptures…

If there’s a single protruding nail in a pasture fence, some member of the herd always seems to find it. It can be alarming when your horse shows up bleeding at the gate, but keep in mind that many of the largest equine wounds will heal without complications—if managed properly from the beginning. Call your veterinarian right away for any wound you’re not comfortable handling on your own. In addition to making a thorough assessment of the wound—in particular, determining whether critical structures are affected—a veterinarian will decide whether stitches are needed and may remove dead or damaged tissue to aid the healing process. WHAT TO DO As you wait for the veterinarian to arrive, take the following steps to staunch bleeding and keep your horse calm and comfortable: •…

When a horse’s shoe comes loose the signs can be subtle or dramatic. A twisted or dangling shoe will be hard to miss, but if a sprung shoe pretty much stays in place, the only clue might be a slight sliding sound as the affected hoof hits hard ground. A bent shoe or one that’s working its way off can alter a horse’s gait or even make him appear lame. The consequences of a loose shoe can be equally variable. Usually, it’s little more than a nuisance that requires a short visit from the farrier. Sometimes, however, a shoe may cause injury as it loosens or wrenches free. The best way to handle a loose shoe depends on the circumstances and the hoof’s condition. IF THE SHOE IS ONLY SLIGHTLY…

These vaccines are administered depending on a horse’s risk and protect against the following diseases: • ANTHRAX: systemic infection caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which is found in the soil in some regions. Spores are typically picked up by horses as they graze or through bites from flies carrying the bacteria. Once inside the body, the spores multiply and produce a toxin. Signs include fever and colic, with swelling around a bite site if that was the mode of transmission. Even with prompt antibiotic treatment, anthrax can be fatal. • BOTULISM: neuro-poisoning caused by the toxin secreted by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can contaminate feed, water or wounds. Botulism is characterized by progressive paralysis, beginning with the muscles of swallowing. Horses may die from respiratory failure or complications…

In one sense, ulcer diagnosis in horses can be fairly straightforward: During an endoscopic exam, a veterinarian passes a small, flexible tube with a camera in the end through a horse’s esophagus to his stomach. This camera relays real-time images to a screen, often revealing the lesion or lesions causing the discomfort. But not all ulcers may be visible with an endoscope, and those that are seen might not be the cause of specific health or performance problems. The results of the endoscopic exam, then, are just one piece of the larger puzzle. Another diagnostic approach many veterinarians take is starting treatment: If the horse improves after a course of antiulcer medication, it’s a good indication that they were present and a problem. The gold standard for treating ulcers in…

Colic—a catchall term for any abdominal pain—is not a possibility to take lightly. At best, the source of the discomfort might be a slight accumulation of gas or a mild impaction that passes on its own. More severe blockages might be caused by ingested sand, enteroliths (stone-like mineral concretions that form in the horse’s gut) or other obstructions. These are more likely to require surgery. The most serious colics tend to involve entrapments and strangulations that “pinch off” sections of intestine, cutting off blood flow and causing the local tissue to die. In cases like these, prompt surgery is the only way to save the horse’s life. Fortunately, advances in diagnostics and treatments are making it easier for veterinarians to identify the causes of colic and help more horses recover…

Choke can look alarming, especially if you’ve never seen it before. When a wad of poorly chewed feed or a big chunk of apple gets stuck in a horse’s esophagus, the muscles may spasm and clamp it in place, causing him to cough, gag and produce prodigious amounts of drool and nasal discharge. Unlike choking in people, however, choke in horses doesn’t interfere with the ability to breathe, so it does not pose an immediate threat to life. In fact, choke will usually subside on its own. If it doesn’t, however, you’ll want to take quick action to prevent a minor problem from leading to serious complications. Here’s what to do. SUSPECT A HORSE HAS CHOKE IF HE • abruptly stops eating, and perhaps takes on an alarmed or confused…

Asnotty nose isn’t the most pleasant thing to discover when you bring your horse in for a ride. But before you reach for the rag to wipe his nose clean, take a few minutes to inspect the discharge—and to give him a thorough once-over, too. Chances are, it’s nothing serious. But you will want to make sure the nasal secretions are not an early warning of a serious health issue. TAKE A CLOSER LOOK • Inspect the discharge. Make note of its color, odor, quantity and consistency. Note the presence of any foreign material such as chewed foodstuffs, dust or debris, and whether it’s coming from one or both nostrils. If your phone is handy, take photos to share with your veterinarian and to keep track of changes over time. •…