Horse other health concerns

Dysphagia is characterized by a difficulty or inability to swallow. In horses, dysphagia is a symptom caused by a vast range of diseases and conditions. In general, it is caused by difficulty getting food into the mouth, chewing it, or moving feed from the mouth into the stomach

Pale gums are gums that have less color than the healthy salmon pink color typically identified in a horse’s mouth. Gums can be used as a sign of overall health.

Constipation in horses occurs when the process of eliminating feces from the digestive system is very slow or stops altogether. Constipation is associated with tenesmus, which is the term for straining to defecate.

Itching (also referred to as pruritus) in horses is a common symptom that may indicate insect bites, skin infection, or allergic reactions. An itchy horse will often rub against other surfaces, including stalls, trees, fences, or buildings, which may lead to loss of hair and more irritated skin.

Seizures are characterized by uncontrolled muscle movement and spasming, which may affect a horse’s entire body or be localized to a smaller group of muscles. Seizures are rare in horses, but have a variety of causes including injuries, infections, toxicoses, metabolic imbalances, or disorders affecting the brain.

Recumbency describes a horse who is lying down, unable to rise. Recumbent horses are typically laying flat on their side, but some may be able to sit up on their chest. Recumbency may be caused by a wide variety of conditions, including injuries, degenerative diseases, inflammatory diseases, tumors, infectious diseases, toxicosis, and neurological conditions.

Nosebleeds (epistaxis) are common in horses, and may stem from infections, cancers, foreign objects, injuries, or exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Nosebleeds may present acutely or chronically, and range from drops of blood falling from one nostril to a stream of blood from both.

Melanomas are skin tumors that develop from the cells responsible for skin pigment called melanocytes. Melanomas are most common in gray, but occur in other horses as well. The cause of melanoma is not completely understood.

Hair loss (also known as alopecia) in horses occurs for three main reasons: because the hair has been broken or rubbed off; the immune system is not working properly and an infection has taken root; or the immune system targets the hair as a foreign invader. 

Rhodococcal pneumonia is an infection of the lungs in horses. It is caused by the bacteria Rhodococcus equi, which is found in soil. Rhodococcal pneumonia is the most common cause of pneumonia in foals.

Gastric ulcers are sores inside the lining of the stomach. In horses, two types of gastric ulcers have been identified: upper and lower. Ulcers found in the upper area of the stomach are often caused by intense performance demands or stress.

Red or spotted gums are mottled or speckled with brown, bright pink, red, or purple spots. Emergency veterinary attention is required for horses with red or spotted gums.

Swollen legs, sometimes referred to as “stocking up,” are a noticeable increase in the size of the legs, giving affected horses the appearance of a “fat leg”. If leg swelling is accompanied with pain, heat, or lameness, it requires emergency veterinary attention.

A swollen umbilicus describes the presence of an enlarged umbilical stump in newborn foals. Depending on the underlying cause, the swelling can feel soft and fluid-like, hard and warm, or may be accompanied by other symptoms.

Oxalate toxicosis occurs when horses ingest a toxic dose of oxalates, which are naturally occurring acid compounds that can be found in a number of plant species. Once ingested, the oxalate acids bind to calcium in food sources, preventing absorption of calcium by the body. 

Retained deciduous (or baby) teeth occur when the adult teeth do not push the overlying baby teeth out of the gums as they grow. Normally, the baby teeth become thin, forming a cap on the underlying permanent tooth, and fall off between 2.5 - 4.5 years of age.

Dental disease is a common condition in horses, and includes gingivitis, periodontal disease, tooth decay, tooth fractures, and loose or missing teeth. Senior horses are particularly predisposed to developing dental disease.

Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4), also referred to as rhinopneumonitis (or “Rhino”),  are the most common and widespread forms of herpesvirus to affect horses. 

Muscle twitching and cramping, also referred to as “tying up”, are symptoms that appear from painful and continuous muscular contractions. During a severe episode, horses might refuse to move and suffer from extreme pain.

Hypothermia happens when the core body temperature drops below normal. Hypothermia is a rare condition in horses, and it is usually caused by environmental accidents such as falling into a frozen body of water.

A strangulating (or pedunculated) lipoma is a benign tumor that is suspended within the abdomen by a stalk of tissue. The lipoma moves behind or around the structures of the gastrointestinal tract, in some cases wrapping the stalk tightly enough to cut off the blood supply.

Intussusception occurs when a portion of the intestine folds in on itself and pushes into the adjoining part of the gastrointestinal tract. The causes of intussusception are not fully understood.

Enteroliths are rock-like masses that form in the large intestine when a foreign body becomes coated in mineral deposits. Enteroliths range in size and number in affected horses.

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) occurs when insulin levels are consistently high, leading to dysfunction of the systems that regulate body fat and blood sugar. EMS is caused by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors, such as high-sugar diets and obesity, although it is unclear why some horses develop this condition and others do not.

Abortion is the loss of a fetus before the expected due date, resulting in delivery of a non-viable foal. There are many causes of abortion in horses, including infectious causes such as equine herpesvirus, and non-infectious causes such as twinning.

Anorexia in horses is a noticeable decrease in appetite. Appetite in horses fluctuates depending on many factors, and anorexia refers to a significant decrease in feed intake, to the point where caloric needs are not being met.

Sepsis or septicemia is an infection of the blood caused by bacteria or bacterial toxins (endotoxins). Foals become infected with harmful bacteria *in utero* or after birth from environmental bacteria. 

Intestinal displacement is a condition in which the free-floating intestinal tract becomes trapped behind, among, or in other structures in the abdomen. Volvulus (torsion) is a condition in which parts of the gastrointestinal tract twist around themselves, disrupting blood flow.

Gastrointestinal impactions are compact masses of feed or other material that get stuck in specific locations along the digestive tract of horses. Causes include dehydration, large meals, insufficient chewing, foreign material, or disruption to intestinal function.

Laminitis refers to inflammation of the lamellae, the support structure that holds the coffin bone in place within the hoof capsule. The lamellae are extremely sensitive, making laminitis a very painful condition.