Recognizing health problems in your horse is the first step toward treating them. For some problems, early recognition can mean the difference between recovery and disaster. Here’s a glossary of common ailments and horse health terms.Abscess (hoof abscess, sole...
Wounds
What it is: Lacerations (cuts) and puncture wounds.Symptoms: Variable, depending on the type of wound, its severity and location. Minor lacerations are superficial (penetrating the skin but not the deeper structures—muscles, tendons or joints), cause minimal bleeding and don’t...
What it is: A disease of the hoof’s frog, with an accompanying secondary bacterial infection. In extreme cases it can destroy the frog, to the point of causing damage to deeper structures.Symptoms: Foul-smelling, gooey black discharge in the frog,...
Scratches, aka pastern dermatitis or “greasy heel”
What it is: Inflammation of the skin on the lower legs caused by bacteria (for example, the same organism that causes rain rot), fungal infections, local irritation, external parasites (such as mites), or...
Rain rot (dermatophilosis)
What it is: A skin infection caused by Dermatophilus congolensis, a fungus-like bacteria present on the skin of many horses. The organism only causes problems under certain conditions, such as excessive moisture (from rain or high humidity),...
Navicular syndrome
What it is: A degenerative condition characterized by progressive damage to the navicular bone, a small bone of the foot, with accompanying damage to the deep digital flexor tendon and other adjacent structures.
Symptoms: Navicular syndrome is a...
LaminitisWhat it is: Laminitis in horses is an inflammation of the laminae, the structures in the foot that connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone. It’s usually caused by overeating grain or lush spring grass. Other causes include...
LamenessWhat it is: An abnormality of movement due to an injury or infection in one or more legs.Symptoms: Variable, depending on the problem and the horse’s tolerance for pain. The lameness may be easily detected or obscure, especially if...
Hives (urticaria)
What it is: A skin manifestation of an allergic reaction to various triggers, including insect stings/bites, chemicals, medications or, less commonly, ingested or inhaled substances. In some horses, hives develop or worsen with pressure, heat, sunlight or stress....
Heaves, formerly known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and now most often called recurrent airway obstruction (RAO)What it is: A chronic allergic respiratory disease triggered by exposure to straw and/or hay, resulting in airway inflammation, mucus production and...
