How to Identify and Prevent Common Horse Ailments

Have you always wanted to know more about how to identify and prevent some of the more common horse ailments, but perhaps you weren't quite sure where to start? A basic understanding of what to look for will help keep your horse healthy, and keep your veterinary costs down.

Even when given excellent care, some horses will still occasionally fall prey to various ailments. In this article, we will take a look at some of the more common horse ailments that are prevalent today, as well as what you can do about them. For a start, let's explore some skin ailments that are common in horses.

However, even when given excellent care, some horses will still occasionally fall prey to various ailments. To help you recognise a potential problem early on, let's take a look at some of the more common horse ailments that are prevalent today, as well as what you can do about them.

Some skin ailments that are common in horses….

Allergic dermatitis

Allergic dermatitis often causes an intense itchy sensation. Very often, a horse will try to find relief from this by biting or scratching at the area. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to bite and scratch at the affected area so much that the area becomes infected.

One of the first signs is that you'll notice red, flaky looking skin. Oftentimes, the horse will break out in bumps that ooze and then scab over. In warm weather, dermatitis in horses is often caused by them having an allergic reaction to an insect bite. Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent allergic dermatitis is to do your best to try to protect your horse from insects. Using insect repellents, keeping them inside on hot, dry days and protecting them with a fly sheet are all effective means of doing this.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a skin ailment that is caused by a fungus, and unfortunately it's often quite contagious. It can even be spread to humans.

If you see bare circular patches on your horse's coat, it's generally a pretty safe bet that you're dealing with ringworm. It's most frequently seen on the head and/or neck in horses, but it can be found on other parts of the body as well.

Many times, ringworm will go away on its own. However, because of its very contagious nature, you'll want to isolate the infected horse from other horses. This will help keep your other horses from getting the infection while the affected horse is being treated.

The best way to treat ringworm is to bathe your horse with a fungicidal shampoo. Also, you'll want to be sure to bleach the affected horse's brushes and other equipment in order to avoid re-infecting him.

Mud Fever

Mud fever, also known as grease heel, is a type of dermatitis that is typically found on the back of the pastern. For those of you not familiar with pasterns, a pastern is a part of the horse that's located between the hoof and the fetlock joint.

It's most commonly found on the horse's hind legs. There are an especially high number of instances of mud fever seen in draft horses. The reason for this is that their long hair has a tendency to trap mud and moisture which then promotes the growth of bacteria. Mange mites and fungus are also known to cause this disease.

First trim the hair in the affected area. If there are scabs or crusts, you will need to soak in warm water and mild disinfectant, or wash with Quistel Organic Bio-Restoring Horse and Pony Shampoo to soothe, soften and assist removal.

Once the scabs have been removed, wash with a anti-bacterial solution and then make sure you dry the area thoroughly - use a hairdryer if possible.

Protect with a anti-bacterial cream or ointment and try to keep your away from mud & water. If there is swelling under the scabs, your vet can provide an Equine Corticosteriod ointment.

If your horse has a health problem and you would like some advice on the options available to you please complete our Contact Form so we can discuss your specific requirements