Illness and Medical Conditions
We can provide diagnosis and treatment for all types of medical conditions in horses and ponies. Our vets will come to your yard and take a history along with a full examination, then explain the likely diagnosis and recommend further tests if necessary.
Colic
Horses with abdominal pain are said to have ‘colic’. Horse owners dread finding their horse with colic, as it can be a very serious condition. Horses with colic show a range of symptoms from being unsettled, pawing the ground and flank watching, to constantly getting up and down, violent rolling or lying flat out.
Colic can be caused by spasm of the guts, an impaction or blockage, or displacement or torsion of the large or small intestine. Colic may be the result of dietary or management changes, poor dentition, gasto-intestinal damage from worms, grass sickness, stress, bacterial enteritis (such as salmonella), or a tumour involving the intestines.
Colic may be treated medically with a good response in many cases. We will refer more serious cases to the Dick Vet Equine Hospital, either for more intensive medical management, or possible surgery.
Colic surgery is a major operation which carries considerable risk, however it may be the only choice other than euthanasia for horses which continue with severe pain despite treatment. Some horses do make a full recovery after colic sugery, and return to full work and competition, though sadly others are euthanased on the operating table (after discussion with the owner) if the prognosis is not good.
Photo credit: Dick Vet Equine Hospital
Strangles
Strangles is a highly contagious upper respiratory tract bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus equi. Clinical signs include depression, loss of appetite, high temperature, cough, and nasal discharge which is often thick and yellow (purulent or pus like).
The bacteria often infect the lymph nodes around the jaw, causing them to become swollen. In severe cases they can become so swollen that affected horses struggle to breathe properly, hence the name ‘strangles’.
Very occasionally abscesses develop in other body organs, known as ‘bastard strangles’ which can be fatal.
Strangles can spread quickly through a yard via direct horse to horse contact or indirectly through tack, shared drinking water and on clothing. The bacteria can survive in water for up to four weeks. Affected horses must be isolated immediately. Please contact us if strangles is suspected - we can confirm the diagnosis and help put suitable biosecurity measures in place.
Most horses will recover fully within 6 weeks, however around 10% will remain carriers of the disease, meaning that they will no longer show clinical signs but they still harbour the bacteria in their guttural pouches and can intermittently spread the disease to other horses.
Sarcoids
Sarcoids are a type of skin cancer which effects horses, ponies and donkeys. There are several types of sarcoids which can be very different in appearance, and a horse may have one or multiple lesions. The location of a sarcoid can make it difficult for the horse to wear a bridle or saddle comfortably, and the condition reduces the value of the animal. They can sometimes multiply quickly if untreated.
Treatment will depend on the type and location of the sarcoid, and can involve cytotoxic cream, surgery, ligation or banding, radiation therapy or injection of chemicals into the sarcoid.
Find out more about sarcoids from Equine Medical Solutions, headed by world-renowned sarcoid expert Prof Derek Knottenbelt.
Cushings Disease
Equine Cushing's disease is one of the most commonly diagnosed endocrine (hormone) disorders in horses, with up to 20% of older horses affected. It results from dysfunction the pituitary gland, which lies at the base of the brain. Find out more from RVC Equine.
SIgns of Cushings diease include:
laminitis
an abnormally thick coat and excessive sweating
muscle wastage and bnormal fat deposits
recurring skin and respiratory infections including sinusitis and dental disease
increased thirst and urination
Cushings disease can be diagnosed by a simple blood test in the vast majority of cases. Excellent control of the vast majority of cases is achieved with treatment with Pergolide (Prascend) alongside lifelong routine care including a suitable worming program, teeth care, foot care, and vaccinations.
Mud fever
Mud fever is a condition of the lower limbs, usually the pastern, that occurs when a breakdown in the skin barrier allows bacteria to enter. As the name suggests, it is much more common in the wet, muddy winter months, but it can be seen in summer too. It usually presents as crusty scabs associated with areas of matted hair or hair loss, sometimes with a yellow discharge too.
It will help to bring your horse into drier conditions if possible, and clipping the affected area so it can be effectively bathed and dried every day is ideal. Treatment should be started as early as possible as severe mud fever cases can be frustrating and costly to treat. If initial first aid at home doesn’t result in any signs of improvement, we should have a look and may prescribe any combination of shampoos, steroid cream, pain relief, antibiotics and/or mite treatment.
Sometimes it is necessary to perform additional testing such as a bacterial culture of the area to select appropriate treatment. Once under control, it is important to discuss ongoing management and steps to take to avoid a recurrence.
Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Disease (COPD)
COPD, also known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction or ‘heaves’, is an allergic reaction that leads to difficulty breathing due to airway constriction. Often, the allergic reaction is to dust, pollen and/or fungal spores from hay or straw, so we tend to see more of COPD during winter. Clinical signs are fairly typical and a diagnosis can often be made based on these and the history alone.
Signs of COPD include:
coughing
nasal discharge
abdominal (heavy) breathing or more rapid breathing
development of a heave line (line of muscle becoming clear along the abdomen due to the change in breathing)
Most of the time COPD presents with a gradual onset, slowly getting worse with time. However, occasionally a horse can have a COPD attack where they will suddenly struggle for breath – this is an emergency and it is important to call a vet as soon as possible.
Treatment of COPD often focuses on removal or reduction of the potential allergens as much as possible, before initiating long term medical treatment. In cases where allergen management is not enough, steroid and airway dilators will be precribed to reduce the symptoms of COPD.
Sweet itch
Sweet itch is a skin condition that occurs when a horse has an allergic reaction to the saliva in a midge bite. It often appears in horses around four years old and may get worse with age. Sweet itch causes an intense itchiness and affected horses will often be seen rubbing themselves in an attempt to relive their itch. This can result in hair loss, inflammation and sometimes broken skin often around the mane and the base of the tail but symptoms can extend to almost anywhere on the body.
Wherever possible, prevention of sweet itch is far better than a cure as once itching starts sometimes it can be hard to get under control. There are many options that can be trialled in order to reduce the symptoms of sweet itch by preventing midges from being able to bite and induce an allergic response and our vets will be able to go through these in more detail. In symptomatic cases, treatment can be initiated to reduce the allergic response and control the itch.
New for 2023: there is now a vaccine which might help with sweet itch. Please contact vet Danielle Crawford for details.
