Equine Care Guides
Lameness due to Joint Problems
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Any athlete can suffer from joint pain or injury and the horse is no exception. When horses perform sudden stops and sharp turns, there is significant force placed on the joints of the rear limbs. Horses that gallop greatly extend their lower limbs and place significant force on their fetlocks. While joints may be affected differently depending on the equine discipline, lameness caused by joint pain can be a common problem in the performance horse.
Read More Proud Flesh
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Proud flesh (granulation tissue) is an overabundance of new tissue produced during the rebuilding phase of wound healing.
Read More Streptococcus equi equi Infection (Strangles) and Vaccination in Horses
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Infection with Streptococcus equi equi, also commonly known asstrangles, is a very contagious infection that can spread quickly among horses. It can affect one or two horses on a farm, or many horses can be affected in large outbreaks. While any horse can develop strangles, young horses (younger than 5 years) are more often affected. This infection is usually spread through contact with an infected horse through nasal discharge (such as nose-to-nose contact with a horse with a runny nose) or sharing equipment (such as buckets and automatic waterers) or through contact with people handling an infected horse. The bacterium Streptococcus equi equi infects horses’ lymph nodes, especially under the jaw and around the throat. Horses that routinely have contact with unfamiliar horses (such as at shows or other events) or that are boarded with horses that travel are more likely to develop this contagious infection.
Read More The Coggins Test
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The Coggins test is used to detect equine infectious anemia (EIA)—a highly contagious and potentially fatal viral disease of horses.
Read More The Equine Ophthalmic Exam
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An ophthalmic exam is a thorough examination of the horse’s eyes and the surrounding tissues.
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