Dehydration. Intestinal inflammation can lead to increased water secretion, and reduce water reabsorption by the colon. This will result in diarrhea, and an increased volume of water lost in feces by the horse. What are the symptoms of a dehydrated horse? Dehydration, along with the loss of electrolytes, can cause Read more…
Mares in heat (estrus) often have a clear or mucous discharge. Reddish discharge in a mare that recently foaled or aborted is considered normal for at least 7 days post-foaling. Do female horses have discharge? The mare may have dark red colored vaginal discharge for about a week following foaling. Read more…
You notice your horse gagging or having liquid or mucus coming out of the nostrils and/or mouth. This is usually a sign of a blockage in the esophagus (esophageal obstruction) or inability to swallow, especially when both nostrils are profusely discharging clear or frothy fluid and feed material. What are Read more…
Infertility can be diagnosed through laboratory tests, semen evaluation, and ultrasonography. Infertility is seldom accompanied by obvious signs of illness or infection. Often, infertility is caused by the mare not being bred with sufficient amounts of good quality semen at the correct time during her estrous cycle. What would make Read more…
The most common cause of delayed gastric emptying in horses is pyloric outflow obstruction secondary to glandular gastric disease (EGGD). What factors delay gastric emptying? Risk factors Diabetes. Abdominal or esophageal surgery. Infection, usually from a virus. Certain medications that slow the rate of stomach emptying, such as narcotic pain Read more…
All species, including horses, suffer from alterations that increase intestinal permeability. These alterations, also known as “leaky gut,” may lead to severe disease as the normal intestinal barrier becomes compromised and can no longer protect against harmful luminal contents including microbial toxins and pathogens. What are the symptoms of leaky Read more…
The stomach is actually quite small (only about 10% of the horses digestive tract), and food remains there for 30-45 minutes on average. The stomach is never more than two-thirds full and so food may pass into the small intestine before it has been treated by the stomach’s digestive juices. Read more…
Unlike humans and many other animals, horses have a continuous production of stomach acid. How much stomach acid does a horse produce per day? Adult horses can produce up to 4 gallons of stomach acid per day! In the wild (or in the pasture), the potentially damaging effects of this Read more…
The top portion of the stomach is non-glandular or the squamous portion of the stomach. The squamous portion is where most of the mixing of the food happens and is the most common site of ulcer formation. Where are gastric ulcers located in horses? Glandular ulcers occur in the glandular Read more…
Alfalfa is a good source of nutrients for sport horses, but owners might want to avoid offering it when horses are working hard in hot weather, says Duren. Protein metabolism creates more heat than fat or carbohydrate metabolism. This added heat can impair the horse’s ability to dissipate heat. Is Read more…