You’re in the barn aisle tacking up your horse when he ducks his head and expels a harsh, dry cough. Just one, but it gives you pause. He had started munching his evening hay when you arrived at the...
When communicating with your vet, you should consider the following checklist to relay any history and information that might shed light on your horse's respiratory problem.Questions to answer include:Have there been any indications of respiratory illness in other...
Not too long ago, heaves was more commonly referred to as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. In recent years, the terminology has changed to distinguish the equine from the human form of lower airway disease. In humans, COPD...
It's well-known that obesity rates in humans are alarmingly high in the western world. In the United States, nearly two-thirds of adults are obese or overweight. In England, the rate is more than 50 percent and projected to continue...
Q: I have a gelding in his late-20s. He is still sound and healthy, except that he coughs when he is ridden. He always does it when he trots or canters, and sometimes even just at the walk. Is...
How do you know if your horse is too fat, too thin, or just right? The Henneke Body Condition Score (BCS) system assigns a value from 1 (extremely emaciated) to 9 (extremely obese). Most horses are considered healthy at...
Q: I have heard that you can't let a horse drink water if he’s
still hot after working because it can cause colic. I've also been told that you shouldn't hose
your horse down when he's hot because it can cause...
Q: My horse is about to turn 16, and I've noticed that he will trip or miss a step in his back end. It started about a month and a half ago and has been happening more and more...
Q: I am thinking about purchasing a 3-year-old Thoroughbred gelding. When he was 2 1/2, he was in race training and developed a hairline sesamoid stress fracture. The vet said to rest him six months, and he's been rested...
Q: I have a 29-year-old Appaloosa that is missing some teeth. She drools a lot and likes to throw her feed on the mat below her feeder making quite a mess. I tried soaking her feed but then she...
