Salmonellosis affects humans, horses, most mammals, and birds. It can cause debilitating–and even deadly–diarrhea. Salmonella bacteria can affect both foals and adults, and they spread easily by horse-to-horse contact and by fomites
Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a 12-part series of articles on vaccinations for horses.
Equine influenza is a common respiratory infection. While it affects many horses, it has a low mortality rate; horses generally recover.
Let’s say you’ve got a great performance mare you’d like to breed. But getting her in foal might not be as simple as swapping arena for breeding shed. Mares in performance careers can sometimes be hard to breed because these mares are under more
When a pregnant mare develops a problem that puts her fetus at risk, what can be done? Some of these foals can be saved if the problem can be discovered early and the mare given proper treatment to reverse the condition.
Jon Palmer, VMD, associate professor of medicine and director of the neonatal and perinatal programs at the Connelly Intensive Care Unit at New Bolton Center (part of th
Infectious diarrhea in young foals can be fatal without prompt treatment, and the age of the foal can make a difference in his vulnerability to certain pathogens and how deadly they might be. In foals less than a week old, the cause is often salmonella or a clostridium bacteria.
Sam Jones, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor of equine medicine at North Carolina State University,
Horses occasionally get lice, and a horse owner needs to know what to look for and how to treat these irritating parasites. Bill Clymer, PhD, of Amarillo, Texas (now a livestock parasitologist on the professional services staff of Fort Dodge Animal Health), has worked with horses and lice for many years. Earlier in his career, he was an extension livestock specialist with Texas A&M
Fresh water is important to horses all year, especially in winter. Some waterers are designed to remain functional in cold weather–with an insulated tank or bowl, a heater, or a combination of a heating unit and insulation. Following are some of the ways you can keep water flowing to your horses even when it’s below freezing.
Insulated Buckets
Buckets made of insulating
If a horse is confined in a barn during winter, he is at risk for respiratory problems.
Many things can trigger allergic reactions, among them environmental allergens such as dust, pollen, and mold; insect bites; substances in feeds; things put on or touched by the horse; or injections.
Most outdoor horses are better off without blankets, but a blanket can help keep a horse comfortable when trailering, during a severe winter storm, or when a horse is sick and having trouble staying warm.
A horse’s nutrient requirements increase with cold weather; he needs more calories to generate heat to keep warm.
Give your horse longer warm-up and cooling-out time in cold weather to prevent tendon injury. Frozen ground, cold temperatures, and stiff tendons (not warmed up) can result in damage or even a bowed tendon.
Computers can make our lives easier in many ways, and a growing number of horse owners are using computers for recordkeeping. Some horse owners just want to keep track of horse records (deworming, vaccination, breeding records, etc.), some want
Some of the skin problems that can plague a horse in winter are ringworm, lice, and mites.
Some horses present special challenges, such as being too thin, too fat, or sick. Some horses are finicky and are hard to keep weight on, especially when working.
To work with horses successfully, we must be able to communicate adequately with voice, touch, and body language.
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