Recognizing Signs of Illness in Horses

 

 

Grooming for Health

 

• The small, subtle signs that horses give us provide clues about their health. Using these clues and involving your vet helps with a few things. Your horse’s pain can be managed faster and better, your vet bills will be lower, you won’t waste money trying things that may not work, and ailments are less likely to worsen and cause complications.

 

• The most important thing to mention is that if you’ve discovered an underlying issue, look around for more clues. A horse with warm hooves is not necessarily laminitic; they may have been standing in the sun. Or, the horse with a rapid heart rate may not have a cardiac arrest but instead, a few happy laps around the paddock before you drove up.

 

• Regular touching and observing your horse’s body while grooming is the easiest way to check their health. Sure, proper care and grooming are great for cleaning a horse, but it also includes checking for possible health conditions.

 

Vital signs

 

• An easy place to start monitoring health is your horse’s vital signs, called TPR for temperature, pulse, and respiration.

 

• • Temperature: A normal temperature for an adult horse is between 99.5º and 101.5º degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Pulse Rate: A healthy resting pulse rate for adult horses is between 28 and 44 beats per minute.
  • Respiration Rate: The normal respiration rate for a resting horse is 8 to 16 breaths per minute.

 

• Vital signs are a primary sign of illness and measure their body systems. Significant changes to their resting values may be signs of disease in horses, but they might have run around like a hooligan! Monitor them for a few minutes to see if values change.

 

Read more about vitals and how to take them here.

 

Your horse’s gums can tell you a lot about their health.

 

Other things to check while grooming

 

• Use your time grooming to examine a few other things on your horse.

 

Gums

 

• Pale pink gums are expected, and a capillary refill test will tell you how well your horse is circulating their blood. To test this, press your thumb into the gums, and when you release it, you will see a white thumbprint. It should be 2 seconds for the pink color to return.

 

• The gums should also be slippery and wet. Dry or sticky gums indicate dehydration. Severe dehydration can lead to impaction colics and organ failures, so it’s best to check in with your vet.

 

• Any color other than pale pink is a sign of problems like massive fluid loss or congestive heart failure. Red, white, blue, or purple gums warrant a call to the vet.

 

• While you are poking around in there, also give a good sniff. Abscesses and diseased teeth smell putrid.

 

Digital pulses

 

• The digital pulse indicates blood flow into and out of the hoof. Each leg has a digital artery and vein inside and outside the pastern. These are your measuring spots.

 

• When you run your hand down the leg, use your first and middle fingers to find the soft spot at the back of the fetlock as the tendons start to go under it. Wiggle side to side to feel the artery and vein. Press halfway down, and you will feel nothing. Not finding a digital pulse is good!

 

• If you feel nothing or a faint pulse, this is good. Strong or bounding pulses indicate inflammation inside the hoof, which is a big red flag. Bruising, abscesses, laminitis, and more will cause this.

 

It’s SO EASY to check digital pulses.  Video below!

 

Muscles

 

• Is your horse sore from exercise or an accident? Squishing all over their body with your hands, curry comb, and brushes can give you clues. Soreness and flinching from contact may mean they worked too hard, or there could be a kick wound, or they are ticklish.

 

• You may also notice uneven development of muscles over time. This is something to notice and search for more clues about.

 

Tendons and ligaments

 

• Running your hands down the legs can help you find swelling, heat, soreness, cuts, ticks, and more. Soft tissue injuries to the lower legs take ages to heal, and successful recovery means finding problems early, reducing inflammation, and preventing further damage.

 

Establishing a Baseline for Normal Behavior

 

• Your horse is as unique as you are, with their quirks, preferences, and habits. Memorizing these gives you a fantastic baseline of expected behaviors, allowing you to see changes immediately.
• Some things to notice, and by notice, that includes when, where, why, how, and even with what other horses.

Do you know their routines for:

• Napping
• Playing
• Rolling
• Grazing

What about when, and why, they are:

• Alert
• Sleepy
• Hungry
• Cranky

What may change these behaviors?

• Weather
• Change in food
• A new turnout schedule
• Unusual riding times

 

 

Eating, drinking, peeing, pooping

 

• The most essential normals to memorize are their inputs and outputs. How they eat, drink, pee, and poop speaks volumes about their health and comfort. Make noticing these things part of your daily routine, even if it means spending a few more minutes walking around their paddock or picking their stall.

 

Eating

• How much are they eating, and how long does it take them?
• Are they eating normally, or too fast or slow?
• Do they drop food?
• Is there evidence of quidding?

Drinking

• How’s their water intake? Are they drinking enough?
• Do they prefer warm or cold water?
• Is there a preferred location for water?
• What flavors do they like (in addition to plain, fresh water), just in case they are dehydrated?

Urination

• What’s the normal color and volume of pee?
• How foamy is it?
• Do you notice your horse straining?
• How frequently are they peeing, and where are they peeing?

 

This article has great info about what normal horse urine is like.

 

Passing manure

• What’s the color, texture, fecal ball size, and moisture content?
• Where do they like to poop?
• How often are they pooping?
• Are they straining to poop?
• Do you notice any free fecal water?

 

Manure can tell you a story – size, location, frequency, texture, moisture content – pay attention and look for changes. 

 

Indicators of Sickness in Horses

 

• And now I will blast you with a massive list of signs your horse is sick. Some are glaringly obvious, while others are subtle and can mean many things. Look for changes in:

 

• Pulse. Generally, an increase in heart rate is a sign of pain.

 

• Respirations. Shallow, strained, or rapid breathing isn’t normal.

 

• Temperature. Temps outside the normal can lead to hyperthermia (heat stress) or hypothermia (low body temperature).

 

• Eating and drinking habits. A loss of appetite is a red flag, as is not drinking and showing signs of dehydration.

 

• Urination. You may see dark urine or clear urine, a change in volume and frequency, or straining.

 

• Pooping. The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive and will react to illness with changes in manure, mild or severe diarrhea, no manure passing, and abdominal pain. You will see evidence of this in their manure habits.

 

• How they react to handling, grooming, leading, tacking up, and riding. Strange or new reactions are like them sending you an email!

 

Notice energy levels

 

• If your horse is acting lethargic, dragging toes, acting depressed, or overly tired, it’s a sign. The opposite is also a sign. Wild and erratic behaviors also indicate something’s off.

 

• If your horse interacts with a herd, are those interactions the same as usual, extra cranky, or needy?

 

• Changes in how your horse acts can be the first sign that something is wrong with its health. These changes can be easy to miss, so paying attention is vital for early detection.

 

• Horses that shut down, as if in freeze mode, ramp up aggression, abnormally seek comfort, or isolate require investigation.

 

sad pony 🙁

 

Signs of Gastrointestinal Issues in Horses

 

• The dreaded colic is one of the more common digestive issues that horses can scare us with. Severe cases may result in surgery, and mild cases may clear up spontaneously. Or vice versa. There is no rhyme or reason.

 

Colic symptoms and their severity

 

• Colic is not a specific injury, disease, or condition. It’s just the general term for abdominal pain in horses. Colic pain can range from a tad bit gassy to thrashing about and violent rolling. All signs of colic are serious, as the mildness of the symptoms doesn’t always equal the severity of the colic.

 

Signs of colic in horses

 

• You may see any of the following signs with colic:

 

• • Restlessness – Pacing, circling, or inability to stand still
  • Frequent lying down and getting up – Rolling or attempting to roll
  • Looking at the flank – Repeatedly turning the head to stare at the abdomen
  • Pawing at the ground – Digging or scraping with front legs
  • Curling the upper lip (Flehmen response) or twitching of the lip
  • Stretching as if to urinate – But producing little or no urine
  • Lack of appetite – Refusing food or water
  • Reduced or absent gut sounds – Either no noise or excessive gurgling
  • Sweating – Especially when not related to exercise or heat
  • Elevated heart rate (above 40-50 BPM in severe cases)
  • Rapid or labored breathing
  • Dry or tacky gums – Possible sign of dehydration
  • Dark or purple gums (in severe cases, indicating shock)
  • Distended abdomen – Bloated or tight belly
  • Kicking at the belly – With hind legs
  • Violent rolling or thrashing – Risk of twisted gut (torsion)
  • Prolonged lying down – Unable or unwilling to stand
  • Collapse or inability to rise
  • Signs of shock

 

What kind of roll is this? Other behavioral clues can help you decide. 

 

• There are also endless reasons for colic, including a blockage in the intestines, gas buildup, spasms in the intestines, worms, twisting of the gut, and even stress. Laminitis and colic often show the same signs and may happen concurrently, especially if sugar or carbohydrate overload is suspected.

 

• Getting vet help when you suspect colic is vital for the horse’s health. The type of colic will determine the treatment and any follow-up lifestyle changes.

 

Signs of gastric ulcers and other intestinal disturbances

 

• Gastric ulcers are sores that form in the stomach lining of horses and sometimes in the esophagus. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a condition where ulcers that link to stress, diet, and exercise form. Gastric ulcers are shockingly common, unfortunately, and have a vague set of signs to watch out for. Of course, these signs also look like a dozen other horse ailments.

 

• Horses are also skilled at developing hindgut ulcers, and many have a condition called hindgut acidosis where the pH of the hindgut is consistently abnormal, creating the perfect storm for colic, laminitis, and more.

 

• Sugary feeds influence all ulcers, and just like a horse with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) or Cushing’s disease, a low-sugar and low-starch diet is best.

 

Signs of ulcers in horses

 

• Frequent colic
• Weight loss
• Decreased appetite – eating hurts!
• Increase water consumption – to soothe the esophagus and stomach
• GIrth behaviors
• Diarrhea or other changes to manure
• Unwillingness to exercise
• Lethargy
• Odd posturing while exercising or eating

 

Read more about equine ulcers here.

 

Gastroguard is a great treatment for equine ulcers.

 

Respiratory Conditions in Horses

 

• Breathing problems in horses are possible and have many causes. Allergies, infectious diseases, dust, and even exercise can trigger respiratory issues.

 

• Noticing any changes to your horse’s resting respiratory rates and how they recover after exercise can indicate a respiratory condition.

 

Nasal discharge and its implications

 

• Some nasal discharge is normal and common, but any changes to the discharge indicate a respiratory problem that is showing itself through the nasal passages.

 

• Usually, nasal discharge is clear and barely noticeable. But, you may see:

 

• • Thick or thin discharge that is different from the normal.
  • A color change. Clean usually means allergens or dust, and sometimes a viral infection. Yellows and greens in the snot may indicate a bacterial infection. You may also find bloody nasal drips.
  • Any dripping that has a new smell is also cause for concern.
  • Many horses will drip chewed food and saliva from their noses during a bout of choke.

 

• If you spot any strange nasal discharge from your horse, talk to your veterinarian. If bacteria or a virus are to blame, you don’t want your horse spreading a disease around the barn. Avoiding fevers is also critical.

 

Is your horse in trouble, or were there shenanigans?

 

Recognizing respiratory distress and effort

 

• The basic signs of respiratory distress in horses are:

 

• • struggling to breathe (with flared nostrils and noticeable chest movements)
  • coughing
  • wheezing
  • blue gums or any color other than pale pink
  • trouble catching their breath
  • longer time to recover from exercise
  • sweating
  • odd nasal discharge

 

• Call your vet if you see any of these.

 

Neurological Disorders in Equines

 

• Neurological disorders impact a horse’s central nervous system. Neuro problems can affect how they move, act, and feel overall. These issues can be mild and temporary or more serious and long-lasting.

 

• Many toxins and diseases create neurological issues. Unfortunately, some horses never recover or may pass away.

 

• Prompt diagnosis and treatment can help your horse.

 

Ataxia and loss of coordination

 

• Ataxia is a sign that affects coordination and balance in horses and is a key indicator of neurological issues. A horse with ataxia may stumble, sway, walk awkwardly, or struggle to stand still. Balance and coordination are impacted.

 

• A horse with ataxia could be due to things like Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM), West Nile Virus, or injury to the spine. Other possible causes include equine herpesvirus, bacterial meningitis, certain toxins, and vitamin deficiencies.

 

• Toxins could include acorns, black walnuts, maple leaves, monensin from cattle feed, and many other things that horses find delicious despite the danger.

 

• Always consider ataxia as an emergency.

 

Your vet can do a neuro exam if your horse is uncoordinated. 

 

Behavioral changes and neurological signs

 

• Severe cases of ataxia are clear, but horses can show more subtle signs of neurological damage. You may see:

 

• • New or different head-shyness
  • Tilting their head or pressing their face against solid surfaces
  • Trouble chewing or swallowing
  • Odd behaviors, including aggression
  • Toe dragging
  • Subtle changes to the gait or stumbling
  • Odd circular walking or pacing

 

Skin and Coat Health as Indicators

 

• A horse’s skin and coat can tell a lot about their health. If their coat changes and looks dull, rough, or has bald spots, it could mean health problems, a poor diet, or a lack of proper grooming.

 

Unusual hair loss or a dull coat

 

• Skin and coat health directly reflects nutrition, genetics, and grooming. One of those things you can’t change, but you can do a lot with proper horse management.

 

• Dull coats indicate nutrition problems, hormone imbalances and metabolic disorders, parasite infestations, or skin allergies that affect the skin.

 

• When horses have trouble shedding, it could be vision-related, or your horse has pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, formerly called Cushing’s disease).

 

• Allergies to the environment, feed, pasture weeds, a supplement, a topical grooming product, or some mystery allergen in the universe create itching, rubbing, and hair loss in some spots.

 

This coat looks dull and has some scaly patches like rain rot.

 

Parasites

 

• Internal parasites, usually worms, steal nutrition from our horses and create dull coats. Parasites are often the cause of weight loss, too. First, investigate their parasite load. Fecal egg counts measure the approximate parasite burden inside your horse.

 

• And before you start blasting away with dewormers, know that the previously standard treatment was a deworming schedule with a rotation of different medications. As many internal parasites are becoming drug-resistant, we want to stop using the rotation system and instead focus on intentionally targeting parasites only when necessary.

 

• The goal is not to blast every parasite, as the remaining ones will resist dewormers after you eliminate all of the others. Then you have a horse filled with parasites that will continue to reproduce, with no available treatment.

 

• That’s why using fecal egg counts to measure parasite load and using specific dewormers as needed is the protocol now.

 

Nutrition for healthy skin

 

• Proper and balanced nutrition is critical for healthy skin and hair. Vitamins and minerals, especially copper and zinc, directly influence hair color. Omega-3 fatty acids are generally anti-inflammatory and help a horse produce natural, protective oils on their coat.

 

• Not all horses can have a pasture-based diet, and those who do may not have it all year. Using dietary supplements and commercial feeds is vital to help horses look and feel their best.

 

• Equine nutrition is complicated, and the unique needs of every individual horse will determine their optimal diet. There is no better investment in your horse’s health than an equine nutritionist to help you sort all of this!

 

A forage-based diet plus suitable supplements can support your horse’s health. 

 

Skin lesions and their significance

 

• When we talk about skin issues in horses, they always have a reason for popping up. Most of them are management-related although many have elements of things we can’t control – like bugs and genetics.

 

• Sores and rubs indicate a problem with tack, equipment, or itchiness that makes your horse rub. Why your horse is itch is a whole can of worms, too.

 

• Insects are another cause of skin issues and may trigger a vast allergic reaction like sweet itch, or something more localized like a hive.

 

• Bacterial infections show up as mud fever or rain rot. Fungus can accompany these topical infections, too. Bacteria and fungi are unavoidable everywhere, but improper grooming, poor mud and manure management, and lack of general good animal husbandry can lead to some skin issues.

 

Read more about the world of skin problems horses will surprise us with.

 

Eye and Dental Health

 

• A thorough grooming and inspection of our horse’s body can reveal growing problems. We need to look deeper at the eyes and teeth. Your vet is also the perfect partner for tracking eye and teeth health when your horse has their spring and fall visits.

 

• The eyes and teeth become extremely painful when diseased or injured. Early intervention will save you money on future vet bills and help your horse feel better much faster.

 

Eye discharges and vision problems

 

• Eye discharge is not usually typical. Eyes that are watery or have a thicker discharge tell you something is happening.

 

• A watery eye means allergies, dust, or an insect is stuck in there, or there could be the beginnings of an eye infection. Bloody or cloudy discharge indicates much more significant issues, from a disease to an injury that’s not visible to you.

 

• Your horse may also show you there’s a problem by squinting, rubbing their eye, or shaking their head. Swollen eyes, corneal ulcers, or conditions like equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) may accompany discharge.

 

• Vision changes may not be noticeable. Your horse may gradually become spookier in one eye, hold their head differently, or show clouding in the eye. A horse that isn’t shedding correctly may also have eye damage.

 

• If you see any eye discharge, notice changes in vision, or observe signs of discomfort in your horse’s eyes, always talk to your veterinarian.

 

This green goop is an eye stain that helps your vet look for corneal ulcers. 

 

Dental issues leading to feeding problems

 

• Dental problems impact comfort and the digestive system. Mouth pain makes chewing difficult, and may lead to quidding, dropping food, and choke. Pain is also associated with hooks on the teeth, dental abscesses, and broken teeth.

 

• You might see them drop food, make balls of half-chewed food (a quid), tilt their head when chewing, salivate a lot, or lose weight.

 

• Just like checking a horse’s eyes when your vet is there, have them look at your horse’s teeth, too.

 

When to Seek Veterinary Care

 

• Call your vet if you notice your horse behaving differently or see a change in their resting vital signs or gum health. It may be nothing!

 

• Your vet can ask you questions that have slipped your mind to get more information and help you discern an emergency from something else. Not all emergencies are dramatic. Choke, for example, usually makes a horse stand still. From a distance, everything is fine, but it’s not.

 

• And don’t forget that the longer you wait, the bigger the vet bill.

 

Emergency situations vs. monitoring signs of illness in horses

 

• Some examples of horse emergencies are:

 

• • Colic 
  • Not being able to get up or severe lameness
  • High fever along with tiredness or other worrisome signs
  • Problems breathing or struggling to breathe
  • Heavy bleeding or serious wounds
  • Neurological signs like seizures or paralysis
  • Eye injuries
  • Temperatures that are above or below normal.
  • Sudden or chronic diarrhea

 

• Your horse’s vital signs give you and your vet much-needed and hidden information about their condition.

 

This is a bag of money attached to an IV line. 

 

Preparing for the vet

 

• Gather some important information beforehand to make the most of your vet visit and aid in a swift diagnosis. This readily available information allows your veterinarian to thoroughly examine and determine the best course of action for your horse.

 

• Here’s a quick checklist of things to tell your vet:

 

• • Your horse’s typical vital signs and what they are in the moment, including gums and digital pulses
  • Their complete diet with forage, pasture, supplements, medications, and commercial feeds
  • Their normal behaviors versus what you are seeing now
  • Any other notes that triggered your spidey-senses

 

• Also, start tracking your horse’s vital signs to see if there are any changes as time goes on.

 

For the sake of our sanity and wallets, better safe than sorry. Don’t ignore new or odd behaviors your horse’s body shows you. Instead, spend a few minutes investigating their surroundings for clues and taking their vital signs. Then have a chat with your vet on how to proceed! They may see your horse immediately or plan on diagnostic tests for their next visit.

 

What are the first signs of illness in horses?

 

A horse shows illnesses with changes to their vital signs, like temperature, pulse, respirations, gum color, and digital pulses. Changes to their behavior, like not eating or following their regular habits, also indicate a problem. Talk to your vet to investigate further!

 

How can I tell if my horse is in pain?

 

Horses are very good at hiding their pain, and you might see changes in behavior and attitude. Perhaps they don’t enjoy grooming as much as usual, or you may also find they are unhappy about exercising, or their eating and drinking habits have changed.

 

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