Download Disease

Glossary of most common diseases:
Arthritis – inflammation of structures of a joint
Azoturia, (Tying-up) - stiffness, pain, and muscle tremor involving the muscles of the hindquarters
Bone Spavin - is a bony swelling on the lower, inner side of the hock, caused by arthritis of the bones in the area
Bots
Botulism, Forage Poisoning, Shaker Foal Syndrome
Bronchitis - This is inflammation of the bronchi within the lungs of the horse caused by a virus or bacteria.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an allergic disease resulting in the development of the small airway in the horse's lungs
caused a fungal infection. Commonly known as heaves.
Conditions of Stifle
Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM, CEMO) highly infectious venereal disease of mares.
Corneal Ulcers follow injuries to the cornea that progress instead of healing.
Cystic Stones (Cystic Calculi)
Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), a group of disorders characterized by progressive deterioration of cartilage cells lining joint surface.
Dermatophilosis (Mycotic Dermatitis, Mud Fever) is a skin disease of badly cared for horses mainly seen in mild wet winters.
Dourine is a contagious disease of horses transmitted only by coitus and characterized by inflammation of the external genital areas, skin lesions
and paralysis.
Equine Colic is a group of symptoms rather than a disease in itself that result in colonic obstruction and gastric ulcers.
 Impaction Colic – blockage of the intestinal tract with normal ingesta or foreign material
 Incarceration Colic – loop intestine becoming entrapped within a normal or abnormal structure within the abdominal cavity. Strangulating
hernia is a common example.
 Spasmodic Colic – similar to indigestion, most common and mildest form often caused from excessive grains which distend the stomach
Equine Encephalomyelitis - is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The two forms currently active in the United States are Eastern equine
encephalomyelitis (EEE) and Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE). The mosquito transmits the virus from small infected animals such as
birds and rodents to horses.
Equine Herpes virus causes respiratory infection and abortion in pregnant mares.
Equine Infectious Anemia, also known as malarial fever, mountain fever, slow fever, or swamp fever, is a chronic contagious viral disease affecting
only horses. Coggins test is used to detect. Internal parts affected; kidneys, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, brain. This is caused by a
virus closely related to the human immunodeficiency virus and is characterized by fever, anemia, jaundice, depression, edema and chronic weight
loss.
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis EPM is a progressive neurologic disease of horses which affects the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord.
Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU), also known as periodic ophthalmia or moon blindness, is one of the most common causes of blindness in horses.
Equine Ulcer - Stomach and duodenal ulcers are common in the adult horse. Untreated ulcers can perforate. Collapse and death may follow soon
after.
Equine Viral Rhinopneumonitis – Rhinopneumonitis is caused by an equine herpes virus, EHV-1. Often causes pregnant mares to abort. Two
different subtypes of the EHV-1 virus exist in nature. Subtype one usually causes abortion or nervous system disease (myeloencephalopathy),
while subtype two (sometimes called EHV-4) is most often the cause of respiratory infections.
Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH or bleeders) – some horses experience horse bleeds (epistaxis) after a hard work-out due to
restriction of the blood vessels in the lungs.
Foal Heat Diarrhea - Diarrhea is the most common problem affecting foals. While foal heat diarrhea is mild and goes without consequences,
infectious enteritis is serious and often fatal.
Foal Pneumonia - Pneumonia in foals is primarily caused by a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection and is common in young horses.
Foot Infections - Canker, Thrush, and White line disease.
Gastric Dilation (Impaction)
Glaucoma - is a disease associated with elevated pressure within the eye.
Hemophilia A is an inherited disease of Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Arabians, and Standardbreds. The disease is transmitted by an X-linked
mode of inheritance. Hemophilia A is characterized by prolonged bleeding times in affected males. These horses have a tendency to develop
hematomas (blood pockets) whenever traumatized.
Hernia - A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it.
 Umbilical hernia – openings in the body wall at the navel that does not close normally, resulting in the presence of a sack into which
intestines may fall
 Scrotal hernia is a protrusion of a piece of the intestine into the scrotum
Hives (Urticaria) Most cases of equine hives resolve as quickly as they appear, usually within 24 to 48 hours, and the cause is never figured out.
Hydrocephalus is an accumulation of fluid within the compartments of the brain, resulting in crushing of normal brain tissue.
HYPP - Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) is an inherited disease of the muscle which is caused by a genetic defect. In the muscle of
affected horses, a point mutation exists in the sodium channel gene and is passed on to offspring.
Labyrinthitis (Otitis Media and Interna)
Laryngeal hemiplegia (roaring) – dysfunction or partial paralysis of the larynx such that it does not open completely when the horse inspires
Laminitis (Founder) - means "inflammation of the laminae," (tissue layer) and it can refer to either a short-term (acute) inflammation or the disease
caused by chronic attacks of inflammation
Lethal white foal syndrome is genetic, and both parents carry the defective gene. Horses that carry this gene are most commonly overo white
patterned horses (frame overos), but there are exceptions. The syndrome causes certain types of nerves in the intestinal tract to form.
Lyme disease (Borreliosis) is a bacterial illness caused by the spirochetal (corkscrew shaped) bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. It is most commonly
transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes spp ticks, commonly referred to as "deer ticks" or "black legged ticks".
Lymphangitis
Navicular Disease is the most common cause of chronic front foot lameness.
Onchocerciasis is a skin disease caused by worms.
Osteochondrosis is a condition associated with defective development of bone from cartilage.
Pyoderma is a bacterial skin infection that drains pus.
Piroplasmosis (Babesiosis, Horse Tick Fever) is a tick-born disease of horses caused by the protozoan blood parasites.
Potomac Horse Fever or equine monocytic ehrlichiosis is caused by Neorickettsia risticii (formerly Ehrlichia risticii). Originally described in 1979
as a sporadic disease affecting horses residing in the eastern United States near the Potomac River, the disease has since been identified in other
geographic locations in the United States and Canada. The disease is seasonal, occurring between late spring and early fall in temperate areas,
with most cases in July, August and September at the onset of hot weather.
Quittor is a condition in which there is an infection of the lateral cartilage of the third phalanx (pedal or coffin bone).
Rotavirus Infection is a highly infectious virus which spreads rapidly throughout the population and causes severe diarrhea in foals.
Salmonellosis
Sandcracks (Hoof-Cracks, Vertical Fissures) are vertical cracks that develop in the hoof wall.
Seasonal Recurrent Dermatitis (Summer Eczema, Sweet Itch) is a skin disease caused by allergic reaction to insect bites.
Splints
Sporotrichosis is a skin disease caused by a yeast-like fungus.
Strangles is an infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract seen mainly in young horses. Symptoms include swelling of the lymph nodes.
Bastard strangles or metastatic abscessation which occurs in the lungs, mesentery, liver, spleen and kidneys are often a complication of strangles.
Stringhalt - The horse exaggeratedly flexes one or both hind limbs when in motion. The abnormality is sometimes evident at all paces, but it is
usually most apparent at walk, especially if the horse is turned or backed, and may disappear at trot.
Strongyles are species of most damaging internal parasites.
Summer Pneumonia (Rattles) bacterial infection caused by Rhodococcus equi
Tetanus is an acute, often fatal disease caused by the bacteria found in soil. Commonly called lockjaw. Prolapse of the third eyelid is a
characteristic of this disease.
Thrush – caused by an anaerobic organism that causes necrosis of the tissue of the frog and a foul, blackish discharge
Wound Care
Bandages are used to immobilize wound and aid healing, keep wound clean, protect from infection, keep medicine on/in wound, protect from
further trauma, reduce swelling, control hemorrhage
Test for dehydration by pinching the capillaries. Capillary refill time should be 2 seconds or less.
Prevention, Misc.
Crepitation – Grating movement that would occur in broken bones
Obel grade – term used to grade the severity of lameness
Ostsetits – inflammation of the bone
Pathogenicity – proportion of animals exposed to a virus that will develop the disease
Radiographs – x-rays
TRP (Temperature, Respiration, Pulse) – vital signs of the horse
Horse Bowl Questions will tell you that Tetanus, Rabies, and Encephalomyelitis should be given yearly
Disease or
Illness
Bastard Strangles
Colic
Dehydration
EIA
Encephalomyelitis
Sleeping
Sickness
EVA Equine Viral
Arteritis
EVR
Equine viral
Rhinopneumonitis
Heaves - Chronic
Obstructive
Pulmonary
Symptoms
Caused By
Metastatic abscessation, which occurs in the lungs,
mesentery, liver, spleen & kidneys
Restlessness, pawing, kicking at the belly, getting up & down frequently,
rolling, lying on its back, increased pulse, temperature normal or up to 103,
abdominal pain
complication of strangles
Rise in temperature, increased respiration, small weak pulse, skin
wrinkles/un-pliable, eyes sink into its skull, rapid weight loss, muscular
weakness, lack of appetite, increased thirst, depression
fever, anemia, jaundice, depression, edema and chronic weight loss.
Affects the Kidneys, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, brain.
Detected by Coggins test.
Approximately two days there is an inapparent infection and low-grade
fever. The first apparent signs are at four to five days; fever and rapid heart
rate, is showing signs of anorexia, depression, and variable other
neurological signs. As the illness progresses the brain stem and spinal
cord are affected. Muscle weakness becomes apparent and there are
behavioral changes and dementia. Notable symptoms include aggression,
head pressing, wall leaning, compulsive circling, and blindness. Other signs
might include uncontrolled twitching of the eyeball, and facial muscle
paralysis. As the disease progresses, a semi-comatose and convulsive
state occurs. Death usually follows two or three days later. If the animal
survives, residual nervous system problems result. The reported mortality
rate for EEE is 75-90 percent, and it's 20-50 percent for WEE.
early embryonic death or abortion in pregnant mares, flu-like
signs, fever, edematous swelling of the eyelids, face, limbs, trunk & genital
areas of the horse
Can cause mares to abort, often many at one farm (abortion storm).
Chronic cough or wheeze, often associated with dusty, moldy hay.
Impaction: blockage of the intestinal tract
Incarceration: loop intestine becoming
entrapped within a normal or
abnormal structure within the abdominal cavity
Spasmodic: Gas
Lack of water
Caused by a virus closely related to the
human immunodeficiency virus
Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
caused by a virus; Eastern (EEE) and Western
(WEE).. This disease not only affects horses,
but is also deadly for humans.
contagious viral infection caused by the virus
called equine arteritis virus
Viral respiratory disease caused by Herpes
virus
Inability to exhale or move air out of lungs.
Disease
Laminitis or
founder
Potomac Horse
Fever
Quittor
Rabies
Shock
Strangles
Distemper
Tetanus Lockjaw
Thrush
Pounding digital pulse, warm feet, camped in front stance, and abnormal
gait. Can be acute and chronic. Check for a pounding pulse over the
fetlock joint in the digital artery. Obel grade 1 through 4 can determine the
extent of laminitis.
Fever (102-107), depression, MILD TO PROFUSE DIARRHEA, colic,
dehydration, loss of appetite, 20 - 36% of affected horses die or are
destroyed because of serious complications such as founder, reduced or
absent intestinal sounds. Found in summer (July, August, September)
Swelling of the lateral cartilages
Fever, depression, loss of appetite, altered behavior, hyper responsiveness
to touch, colic, inability to swallow, blindness, hyperactivity & convulsions
apathy, prostration, rapid breathing, cool skin, low/falling blood pressure,
subnormal
temperature, sweating, rapid-shallow pulse, pale or blue mucous
membranes
Depression, Loss of appetite, Glands in throat area swell, stand with neck
stretched out, high temperature (104), lymph nodes under lower jaw form
abscesses, thin watery nasal discharge
hypersensitivity to light/touch/or sound, prolapse of third eyelid (haw),
sweating, muscle spasms, flared nostrils, stiff neck, erect ears, stiff gait,
fever, elevated heart rate, elevated respiration rate, tail trismus
Foul black discharge from the frog
Inflammation or a disturbance in the circulation
& bond of the sensitive laminae of the bone to
the
horny laminae of the hoof. Eventually blood is
shunted away from dermal laminae at first
causing
swelling & then death of tissue possibly
followed by loosening & downward rotation of
the distal phalanx.
Rickettsia Ehrlichia. first recognized in 1979,
in the Potomac Valley of Pennsylvania
chronic, purulent, deep-seated inflammatory
swelling of the lateral cartilages
Transmitted by salvia from bites from an
affected animal
acute & progressive failure of the peripheral
circulation to the outer limbs
The salivary glands become the acute site for
contagious bacteria, Streptococcus Equi.
Usually occurs in younger horses ages 1-5.
Caused by the toxin, clostridium tetani, which
is present in the intestinal tract & feces of
humans, horses & other animals & is abundant
in the soil on all horse
Facilities. Often called the wound disease.
Preventable with Tetanus toxiod vaccine,
which should be given to a mare and foal after
parturition and followed up with 2 more
injections at 4-6 week intervals.
Necrosis of the tissue of the frog, black, foul
discharge