Common Winter Illnesses in Horses to Watch out for

Common Winter Illnesses in Horses to
Watch out for
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For horses, winter is a particularly tough time
of the year. They don’t have the comfort of a
heated living room to retreat to, and must
instead contend with a draughty stable. And
it’s not just that the freezing conditions can
cause discomfort; winter is also a time where
horses are at risk from many threatening
diseases. Let’s examine some of the ways in
which these diseases might be anticipated
and fought against.
Mud Fever
This is a condition that’s often known as
‘greasy (or cracked) heels’. It affects the skin
around a horse’s feet, and is brought about by
a specific sort of bacteria which thrives in
muddy, wet conditions. Since these
conditions are more prevalent during winter,
so too is mud fever.
When the skin remains wet for a prolonged
period, spores of this bacteria will have time
to germinate and grow tentacles which
burrow into the skin, producing an
inflammatory response. This is usually quite
easy to recognise – there will be matted hair,
scabs, discharge and fissures on the skin
around the feet. The horse might even
eventually go lame.
The condition can be treated by moving the
affected horse into a clean and dry
environment, and applying lotions or
bandages to the infected area. The area will
need to be thoroughly washed and dried –
and full recovery might take weeks. It’s best
then to avoid the problem in the first place by
keeping your horse’s feet clean after they’ve
been grazing on wet ground.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease
Chronic Obstructure Pulmonary Disease (or
COPD or ‘heaves’) is an allergic reaction of the
lung.
It causes the tiny channels in the lung to
contract, making it more difficult for the
animal to breathe. Often, this will result in a
lack of energy – which may be particularly
apparent when the horse is being exercised.
During winter, the most likely responsible
allergen are the fungal spores found in hay,
and the dust that collects on a stable floor.
Consequently, it’s thought that stabling the
animal during winter will heighten the risk of
an allergic reaction occurring.
In order to diagnose COPD, an endoscope
must often be passed through the horse’s
mouth, and a small amount of fluid collected
from the lungs. In particularly severe cases it
might be necessary for the horse to be
medicated – but it’s mostly sufficient to
simply remove potential allergens by clearing
the stable of cobwebs and dust with a vacuum
cleaner, and making the switch to vacuumpacked
hay and straw that’s less prone to
harbouring allergens.
Arthritis
Older horses are at an increased risk of
arthritis, a degenerative disease which causes
the cartilage surrounding the horse’s joints to
wear down. While there are many different
forms of arthritis, they all share one common
feature: they make it more difficult for a horse
to move around.
This is especially troublesome during winter,
when a horse might need to move around to
keep warm. In the case of older horses, then,
you might wish to give them a blanket during
the winter to help keep warm. This should be
used sparingly, since there are many skin
conditions which prolonged blanket use can
heighten – as you’ll be creating a pocket of
warmth and moisture in which bacteria can
thrive.
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While we can’t say for sure, it’s likely that
arthritis pain is worse for horses during winter
– as many arthritic humans have reported
that their symptoms get worse when the
weather gets cold. Since it’s important for an
arthritic horse to remain as active as possible,
you might therefore apply anti-inflammatory
medication, in order that the pain be bearable
enough for the horse to move around.
Cushing’s Disease
If your horse begins to develop a shaggy coat
and an insatiable thirst, then the chances are
high that they’ve developed Cushing’s
disease. This condition is caused by a tumour
growing on the pituitary gland, which, as it
grow, will upset the balance of the hormones
in the body. The most troubling of these
hormones is cortisol, a stress hormone which
in excess can bring about a number of
damaging effects.
Cushing’s disease is more likely to develop in
ponies than it is horses, and it mostly effects
older animals. It can cause weight loss, ulcers
and laminitis, to name but a few symptoms.
Affected horses will require careful
management if they’re to get through the
winter unscathed.
Beeston Animal Health Ltd.,
Whitchurch Road,
Beeston Castle,
Tarporley,
Cheshire,
CW6 9NJ
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