Horse Health

In North America, it is estimated that up to 51% of horses are overweight and up to 8% are obese. Horses become overweight from a combination of factors, including insufficient activity and consuming excess calories. A horse’s energy requirements depend...

Obesity is a health concern in horses worldwide, with a prevalence estimated between 31 – 45% in some equine populations. Among ponies and easy keeper breeds, the prevalence is even higher with one study reporting that 72% of adult ponies...

Stagnation edema, also known as stocking up, is a common cause of leg swelling in stabled horses. It occurs due to impaired circulation from periods of reduced activity. This short-lasting form of edema typically affects both hind limbs and causes...

Box walking, stall circling and weaving are examples of locomotor stereotypic behaviours in horses. They are believed to be caused by a lack of freedom to express natural equine behaviours. Over time, stall walking and weaving can have negative physical consequences such as...

Horses can experience a number of different dental issues over their lifetime, impacting their ability to chew and digest their feed. Unaddressed dental issues can affect your horse's health, condition, behaviour and performance. This is why it’s important to have...

Whether you are a horse owner, handler or the manager of an equine facility, biosecurity plays an important role in keeping horses under your care safe and healthy. Horses can be affected by many different transmissible diseases, including equine infectious...

Equine influenza virus, or EIV, is an extremely contagious respiratory disease or flu affecting horses, mules, and donkeys. EIV is characterized by fever, apathy, and lack of appetite, and causes respiratory symptoms such as coughing and nasal discharge. However, some...

Windsucking is an oral stereotypic behavior performed by horses. It is closely related to cribbing, but they are distinct behaviors. Horses windsuck by arching their necks and using their mouth to suck air into the cranial esophagus. The horse will...

Have you noticed changes in your horse's appetite and eating behavior? Perhaps your horse has gone off their feed or is no longer interested in eating as much forage as usual. Or maybe your horse's appetite has increased, and they...

Nutritional myodegeneration (NMD), more commonly known as white muscle disease, is a disorder that affects various animals, including horses. In equids, the condition primarily occurs in newborn foals, although adult horses can also develop it. The condition results in degeneration...

Equine pneumonia is a common respiratory illness that can be life-threatening. It can affect different parts of the horse’s lungs and may cause varied symptoms. Pneumonia refers to inflammation of the lung tissue. Upper airways and lining of the lungs...

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is an infectious disease that affects horses and other equids, such as donkeys and mules. The disease is caused by an RNA virus transmitted by blood-sucking insects. Many affected horses show no clinical signs and are...

Is your horse showing signs of girthiness? Also known as girth aversion or cinch sensitivity, horses that are girthy express signs of discomfort when they are being saddled. A girthy horse may respond to having a girth tightened by expressing...

Developmental orthopedic diseases (DODs) refer to a range of non-infectious conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system of growing horses. These conditions arise from an interruption in the normal development of cartilage, bone, or soft tissue (joint capsule, tendon, or ligament)....

Neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS) - also referred to as dummy foal syndrome - is a condition that causes neurological symptoms in foals. This condition prevents the foal from performing normal behaviours, such as recognizing and feeding from the mare, standing...

Unexplained weight loss in your horse is a cause for concern for any horse owner but is often straightforward to diagnose and address. If your horse is losing body condition, it could indicate an undiagnosed health problem or it may...

Equine sinusitis is the most common disease affecting the paranasal sinuses in horses. Sinusitis is an inflammatory condition that often involves excessive nasal discharge. Horses with sinus diseases can also experience swelling in the face or reduced appetite. The causes...

Foal heat diarrhea is a condition involving transient diarrhea in young foals, lasting for a few days up to two weeks. Foals with heat diarrhea do not have any systemic illness. While it is not known exactly what causes foal...

Is your horse getting what she needs in her current diet? Does she have health concerns that could be improved through feeding practices? If you own or care for horses, chances are you have asked yourself these questions at some...

Swayback, or equine lordosis, is characterized by a large dip in the spine of a horse, often resulting in a high wither and severe downwards curve to their topline. Swayback is more common in older horses and broodmares who have...

Strangles, also known as equine distemper, is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacteria Streptococcus equi. Young horses are most susceptible to developing strangles disease. This condition most commonly occurs in horses under the age of two. The name...

Dehydration is a serious problem in competing and working horses, especially during hot weather. Horses competing in endurance racing or engaging in sustained or strenuous activities are at the highest risk of dehydration. Dehydration occurs when a horse loses excessive...

Roaring is a condition that causes some horses to make a whistling or roaring sound during exercise. It can affect a horse’s performance during high-intensity exercises, such as racing. This condition is also referred to as recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN)...

Electrolytes are minerals that play a key role in cellular function and regulate fluid balance in the body. Electrolytes carry an electric charge when dissolved in fluids such as blood or fluid in and around cells. These are critical for...

The hind fetlock is a high-motion joint that undergoes significant compression and force absorption when the horse is moving. This joint is highly susceptible to soft-tissue injuries and bone disorders. Horses with hind fetlock lameness often show signs of heat...

Magnesium supplements for horses come in many forms and are used to support muscle function and calming. This important macromineral is required in the equine diet to facilitate muscle contraction, maintain ion balance in the blood, and activate enzymes throughout...

Equine Coronavirus (ECoV) is a highly contagious illness transmitted between horses that can cause fever, anorexia, diarrhea, and colic. Most horses recover from equine coronavirus with supportive care. In serious cases, affected horses may require specific treatments such as electrolytes,...

Emaciated horses have a very low body condition score with extensive loss of muscle and fat. These severely underweight horses need to be carefully managed with veterinary care and precise nutrition strategies during their recovery. Reintroducing feed must be done...

Thumps in horses is a condition that produces irregular contractions of the diaphragm, resulting in a thumping noise similar to a human hiccup. Scientifically referred to as Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter (SDF), thumps causes the diaphragm to spasm in the same...

Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) is a condition that causes bleeding in the airways, commonly seen in high-performance horses such as racing Thoroughbreds. Horses that experience EIPH are known as "bleeders."