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"Slobbering Horse Syndrome," "slobbers," and "excessive drooling" are all terms for a disorder that results in the spring and summer when horses eat legume forages, particularly clover, which have been infected by the fungus Rhizoctonia leguminicola. This fungus produces an alkaloid called slaframine, which is responsible for the excessive drooling and slobbering. Slaframine stimulates the salivary glands and smooth muscles.
The fungus most commonly affects...
Thoughtful and planned care will allow your horse to live a longer and healthier life. Good equine husbandry is based upon the principle of preventive care: problem prevention rather than problem treatment. This requires embracing all aspects of horse care that affect its health and well-being. The purpose of this publication is to provide a broad overview of health care for horses. More detailed information is available through your local Extension agent and/or...
Septic arthritis, or joint infection, can be devastating to soundness, athletic careers, and even life for affected animals if treatment is delayed or inappropriate. In foals, bacteria from a distant site invade the bloodstream and cause an infection of the joint. The umbilicus is commonly blamed, but the gut and lungs can be equally responsible. Foals may also have diarrhea, pneumonia, or failure of passive transfer (when foals have not consumed a sufficient amount of high quality...
Osteochondrosis is a disease that is known for causing loose fragments in joints. In spite of the disease being extremely common in Norwegian horses, the causes and mechanisms behind it are not well known. Recently, veterinary surgeon Kristin Olstad of the Equine Clinic at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science completed a PhD which concluded that failure of the blood supply to growth cartilage was a cause of osteochondrosis in horses.
Osteochondrosis is a...
Tetanus, or lockjaw, is an often fatal disease caused by the anaerobic bacteria (grows in low oxygen conditions), Clostridium tetani . The spores of Cl. tetani are commonly present in the soil and can contaminate puncture wounds, crushing wounds, open lacerations, surgical incisions and the umbilici of foals. Upon gaining entrance to the body, they produce a powerful neurotoxin that blocks neurotransmission, resulting in unopposed muscle contraction and spasm (tetany)....
In mid summer, when horses are in the middle of their show season, owners are often disturbed by the loss of hair from the white-skinned areas of the horse's body. This is particularly noticeable on the legs and face of the horse. The difficulty is determining whether the hair loss is due to sunburn, contact dermatitis or photosensitization. The diagnosis of sunburn, (overexposure to ultraviolet light) as a primary diagnosis without other confounding factors is probably a diagnosis of...
The Irish equine industry Over many centuries, Ireland has become famous for its bloodstock. The country’s climate, soil and its peoples’ innate knowledge have given the Irish many advantages in the production of quality horses. These qualities continue to draw leading investors to our island, thus making the Irish bloodstock industry a major economic force. The equine industry in Ireland is broken into two sectors: the thoroughbred bloodstock...
Groundbreaking CSIRO research into how the deadly Hendra virus spreads promises to save the lives of both horses and humans in the future.
CSIRO Livestock Industries' scientists working at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), in Geelong Victoria, have made a major breakthrough in better understanding how Hendra spreads from infected horses to other horses and humans.
Funded by the Australian Biosecurity CRC for Emerging Infectious Diseases,...
African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and bluetongue virus (BTV) are both members of the genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae. Both cause serious, non-contagious but infectious, arthropod-borne diseases in equids and ruminants, respectively. AHSV infects all equids, causing asymptomatic infection in zebra and African donkeys, but it is the most lethal infectious disease of horses known, with mortality as high as 95%. BTV is thought to infect all known species of ruminants; however, severe...
Up until the 2006 Preakness Stakes, it was nearly set in stone that if a horse breaks a leg, its future is not bright. But then came Barbaro, the thoroughbred predicted to win the Preakness that year. After shattering its right hind limb in several places and undergoing five hours of surgery, its story offered hope that perhaps not all fractured limbs are beyond repair.
Even before Barbaro's accident received considerable attention from the media, equine surgeons have been...
Swollen lymph nodes beneath your jaw are a common occurrence in human medicine. While they are not usually a major concern to physicians, mention to an equine veterinarian that your horse has large swellings on the side of its neck and their reaction is quite the opposite.
"Strangles is a highly contagious disease in horses affecting the submandibular and retropharyngeal lymph nodes," says Dr. Luke Borst, a pathology resident at the University of Illinois College of...
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is a high-dose oxygen inhalation therapy that is achieved by having the patient breathe 100% oxygen inside a pressurized hyperbaric chamber. The delivery of oxygen to the tissues is through respiration because the patient absorbs insufficient oxygen through the skin.
Oxygen is transported by the blood from the lungs into the tissue by two methods: it is bound to hemoglobin in red blood cells, and it is physically dissolved in the plasma. As the chamber is...
The practice of floating teeth should be considered a fundamental part of every horse's routine veterinary care (Figure 1). Floating of horses' teeth involves filing down the sharp enamel points that have developed naturally over time on the "buccal" or cheek surface of the upper teeth and along the "lingual" or tongue surface of the lower teeth.
There are several reasons why horses develop sharp enamel points. Horses' teeth continue to growth throughout life and the teeth are...
"Bowed tendon" is the common name for superficial or deep digital flexor tendonitis. The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) runs down the back of the leg and attaches to the long and short pastern bones. The deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) runs to the SDFT and attaches to the coffin bone. Together, these tendons aid in flexion of the lower limb.
When either of these tendons becomes inflamed, it swells, causing it to look "bowed." The bow can appear anywhere from the...
Equine metabolic syndrome or Insulin Resistance is gaining a great deal of publicity. It is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism that is typically seen in overweight middle-aged horses and ponies, and is often associated with severe laminitis. Many horses that develop the metabolic syndrome are easy keepers. These horses often build up a high level of a stress hormone called cortisol. Among its many metabolic effects, increased circulating levels of cortisol increase...
Wrapping your arms around a 2,000-pound Percheron, or even a 900-pound Arabian, might not be possible unless you are Hulk Hogan. Even at that, you might have a hard time locating your mare's belly button so you can place your hands slightly above it for compressions.
Unfortunately, even if you could do the Heimlich maneuver on your equine friend it probably would not help. That's because choke in horses is completely different than when a human chokes, at least from an anatomical...
There are many different hoof problems that can occur in horses. To reduce hoof problems, follow these recommendations: 1. Regular trimming or shoeing 2. Maintain good hoof balance 3. Maintain the correct hoof pastern angle, break over, and medial-lateral balance 4. Give heel support if needed 5. Use appropriate shoeing for different weather and footing...
Needles are often equated with pain and discomfort; however, for a horse named Gypsy the tiny sharp objects brought about much needed relief as Dr. Mark Crisman, a professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, administered acupuncture therapy. Gypsy had an infection in her ankle and Crisman was using acupuncture -- along with traditional therapy -- to help strengthen her bones and immune...
Although equine dentists cannot have their patients lie down in a reclining chair for easy access to those hard to reach molars, the field has progressed greatly in the past 20 years. It is now possible to perform a root canal or a tooth extraction on a horse, just as in humans. In 1988, the American Veterinary Dental College was formed, allowing veterinarians who have already completed their degree to train further to become a board certified veterinary dentist. Dr. Carol Akers is a...
Many people think of farriers as blacksmiths, or someone who molds metal shoes for a horse's foot. With the advent of items like specially-made shoes, digital x-rays, and epoxy cushioning, modern day farriers are much more than someone who works over hot coals. Travis Finn is the farrier for the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. He has been around horses and, more specifically, their feet, since birth. His father, Michael Finn, recently retired from the position...