Horse Diseases
POLL EVIL
Signs
Tenderness around the poll, may be noticed when putting on a bridle. Stiffness in head movement, pus discharge in mane.
Causes
Infection, trauma, e.g. headband of bridle or headstall rubbing skin, horse rearing and hitting the back of head against hard object.
Treatment
Clip all hair well away from swollen area so that any discharge will not mat hair. Contact your veterinarian for advice and treatment.
POISONING
Signs
General signs, depression, off food, dehydration, weight loss, laboured breathing.
Specific signs, snake bites usually cause swelling found on legs or head, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, twitching muscles,
paralysis and convulsions.
Causes
Snake bite, plants, chemicals, insects. Plant poisoning not common,
horses tend to be selective in grazing. Horses exposed to poisoning usually by accidental
contamination, feed, pastures, water, or by accidental overdose when drenched for internal parasites.
Treatment
Contact your veterinarian immediately. Keep horse quiet as possible, movement will stimulate circulation of poison.
Some Poisonous Plants to Horses
Alder Buckthorn
Black Bryony
Black Nightshade Box
Bracken
Buckthorn
Buttercup
Charlock
Cherry Laurel
Chickweed
Columbine
Deadly Nightshade
Foxglove
Ground Ivy
Hemlock
Hemp Nettle
Horse Radish
buttercup
Horse Diseases
ragwort
water hemlock
Horse Diseases
PEDAL OSTEITIS
This condition is an inflammation of the pedal bone.
Signs
Lameness sometimes present in front feet, other times absent. Often difficult to tell if in right front leg
or left front leg as condition progresses, lameness obvious in all gaits, characterised by a short step.
Causes
Inherited conformation that increases amount of concussion on pedal bone.
Concussion associated with hard work on hard surfaces, poor hoof care.
Treatment
Consult your veterinarian. Treatment and its success vary according to severity and distribution
of inflammation in pedal bone, treatment may involve rest, corrective shoeing, anti inflammatory drugs, a calcium supplement in diet.
PERITONITIS
Signs
Abdominal discomfort, tense abdominal muscles, reluctance to lie down, severe depression, grunting associated with breathing or when forced to move. Loss of appetite and weight, dehydration.
Causes
Common cause is penetration of abdominal wall by sharp object such as broken fence rail.
Another is rupture of stomach or intestines, contents spill into abdominal cavity.
Treatment
Call your veterinarian immediately. Preventive treatment includes elimination of sharp protruding
objects from stable wall, fences, etc. Remove sharp objects such as rails, bailing wire from where horses graze.
Provide a systematic worming program as bots can cause perforation of stomach wall.