Fact Sheets

by: The Horse Staff
January 13 2009, Article # 13442
Print ArticlePrint Email ArticleEmail Add to my FavoritesAdd to Favorites

TheHorse.com has created a series of free, two-page, downloadable Fact Sheets to give a short, basic synopsis on a variety of topics associated with horse health, care, management, and welfare. You are welcome to read these online, download them to your computer, e-mail them to friends, or print them out and share with your horse-owning friends or equine groups.

More Fact Sheets will be released in the coming days and weeks, so return often! If you have suggestions on future topics we should include on TheHorse.com Fact Sheets, please send us an e-mail.

These fact sheets may be reprinted and distributed in their exact form for educational purposes only in print or electronically. They may not be used for commercial purposes in print or electronically or republished on a Web site, forum, or blog.

Infectious Diseases

Syndromes/Common Complaints

Anatomy/Physiology

Nutrition

Lameness/Laminitis

Horse Management

Reproduction

Diagnostic Imaging

 Fact Sheets

Infectious Diseases

BOTULISM IN HORSES is a fatal neurologic disease caused by toxins the anaerobic, spore-forming, soil-dwelling bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum toxins are extremely potent, and horses are particularly sensitive to them.
Download
268K
 Sponsor: Neogen Corporation
EQUINE INFLUENZA is a highly contagious infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by strains of the influenza virus type A.
Download
249K
 Sponsor: Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health
EQUINE PROTOZOAL MYELOENCEPHALITIS is a progressive and potentially fatal neurological disease in horses caused by a protozoal (single cell) microorganism, most commonly Sarcocystis neurona, which causes inflammation in the brain and/or spinal cord.
Download
322K
 Sponsor: Neogen Corporation
EQUINE RABIES is a life-threatening neurological disease that can affect all warmblooded animals, including horses, dogs, cats, skunks, wolves, foxes, raccoons, and bats--and humans.
Download
281K
 Sponsor: Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health
EQUINE STRANGLES is a highly contagious and debilitating equine disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi.
Download
229K
 Sponsor: Zoologix
RHODOCOCCUS EQUI is well known for its ability to cause severe pneumonia in young foals, but it can also cause septic arthritis (infection of joints), osteomyelitis (infection of bones), neonatal diarrhea (enterocolitis), and more.
Download
263K
 Sponsor: Plasvacc USA
WEST NILE VIRUS (WNV) causes a potentially fatal encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) in a variety of mammals such as birds, horses, and humans.
Download
267K
 Sponsor: Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health
VACCINATING HORSES is generally considered to be the most cost-effective method of preventing infectious diseases; however, vaccines do have limitations.
Download
338K
 Sponsor: Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health

Syndromes/Common Complaints

EQUINE COLIC is defined as the presence of abdominal pain. Signs of colic in horses are variable and often depend on the severity, location, and cause of the pain.
Download
460K
 Sponsor: ARENUS
EQUINE CUSHING'S DISEASE, equine Cushing's syndrome, hyperadrenocorticism, pars intermedia pituitary adenoma (PIPA), and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) are all terms used to describe horses with an endocrine (hormonal) disorder.
Download
298K
 Sponsor: Emerald Valley Equine
The term "EQUINE METABOLIC SYNDROME" is being used more often in equine practice to describe horses with abnormal fat distributions and insulin resistance.
Download
360K
 Sponsor: Platinum Performance
EQUINE INSULIN RESISTANCE is a reduction in sensitivity to insulin that decreases the ability of glucose to be transported into the body's cells from the bloodstream.
Download
268K
 Sponsor: Emerald Valley Equine
THRUSH IN HORSES is a common equine foot infection that can affect the frog, sole, white line, and sensitive tissues of the hoof.
Download
196K
 Sponsor: Vettec Hoof Care Products
TYING-UP IN HORSES, also known as exertional rhabdomyolysis, azoturia, set fast, Monday morning disease, or paralytic myoglobinuria, is a common equine muscle disease.
Download
101K
 Sponsor: BC2A

Anatomy/Physiology

CARDIOLOGY: THE EQUINE HEART: Cardiac disease is considered the third-most common cause of "poor performance" in athletic horses (after musculoskeletal disease and respiratory disorders).
Download
403K
 Sponsor: IDEXX Laboratories
EQUINE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM dysfunction is an important cause of exercise intolerance and poor performance in horses.
Download
397K
 Sponsor: Sweet PDZ
EQUINE UPPER AIRWAY: Since respiratory dysfunction is a major cause of poor performance in athletic horses (second only to musculoskeletal disorders), a basic knowledge of the structure and function of the respiratory system, particularly the upper respiratory tract, is important for horse owners.

Download
397K

 Sponsor: FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips
THE HORSE'S DIGESTIVE SYSTEM is large, complex, and functions like a factory, yet it is exceedingly delicate. Digestive tract dysfunction in the horse is an important concern for owners and veterinarians.
Download
331K
 Sponsor: Freedom Health, LLC. Corporation
JOINT STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: A joint is defined as an anatomic union or junction between two or more bones. There are three basic types of joints in the horse: Synovial, fibrous, and cartilaginous.
Download
396K
 Sponsor: Platinum Performance

Nutrition

EQUINE COLIC is defined as the presence of abdominal pain. Signs of colic in horses are variable and often depend on the severity, location, and cause of the pain.
Download
460K
 Sponsor: ARENUS
EQUINE JOINT SUPPLEMENTS have been purported to decrease inflammation, increase mobility, provide the building blocks for articular cartilage synthesis, and/or contribute to the overall health of movable joints by some other mechanism.
Download
400K
 Sponsor: Myristol
EQUINE SUPPLEMENTS: Nutraceuticals are thought to have some beneficial effects for horses, but more studies are necessary.
Download
400K
 Sponsor: Platinum Performance
FEEDING GERIATRIC HORSES: Just because a horse is older does not necessarily mean he requires a special diet; aging is not a disease. However, many older horses with special physical or nutrional needs (geriatric horses) require specific diets and feed modifications to maintain good health and body condition.
Download
203K
Sponsor: Triple Crown Nutrition
FEEDING EASY KEEPERS: The term "easy keepers" refers to horses and ponies that maintain or gain weight on a minimum amount of food.
Download
293K
 Sponsor: LLOYD Inc.
THE HORSE'S DIGESTIVE SYSTEM is large, complex, and functions like a factory, yet it is exceedingly delicate. Digestive tract dysfunction in the horse is an important concern for owners and veterinarians.
Download
331K
 Sponsor: Freedom Health, LLC. Corporation
 PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS are dietary supplements given to horses in an effort to prevent or treat certain illnesses or simply to promote a healthy gastrointestinal (GI) system.
Download
276K
 Sponsor: Nutramax Laboratories

Lameness/Laminitis

EQUINE ARTHRITIS refers to an inflammation of the joint. There are different kinds of arthritis, such as septic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the most important arthritis affecting horses is osteoarthritis (OA), which is a major cause of lameness in athletic horses (up to 60% of cases).
Download
203K
 Sponsor: Dechra
EQUINE JOINT INJECTIONS can help veterinarians diagnose lameness or medicate a horse's painful joint.
Download
670K
 Sponsor: Arthrodynamic Technologies
EQUINE JOINT SUPPLEMENTS have been purported to decrease inflammation, increase mobility, provide the building blocks for articular cartilage synthesis, and/or contribute to the overall health of movable joints by some other mechanism.
Download
400K
 Sponsor: Myristol
EQUINE LAMENESS, defined as a deviation from a normal gait, is an indicator of a structural or functional disorder of the musculoskeletal system (the limbs or spinal column) that is noted while the horse is either moving or stationary.
Download
206K
 Sponsor: Dechra
JOINT STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: A joint is defined as an anatomic union or junction between two or more bones. There are three basic types of joints in the horse: synovial, fibrous, and cartilaginous.
Download
396K
 Sponsor: Platinum Performance
LAMINITIS is an inflammation of the sensitive laminae that connect the horse’s hoof to the coffin bone (third phalanx or pedal bone). It can occur severely and acutely, and it can be a one-time occurrence or a chronic/recurrent problem.
Download
286K
 Sponsor: Soft-Ride
PAIN MANAGEMENT IN HORSES: In veterinary medicine, particularly equine practice, the recognition, classification, management, and overall importance of pain and pain management have only recently been described.
Download
317K
 Sponsor: Heartland Veterinary Supply and Pharmacy
ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN HORSES: Equine practitioners use ultrasound machines to help diagnose a number of physical abnormalities.
Download
336K
 Sponsor: E.I. Medical Imaging

Horse Management

DEWORMING refers to the removal of internal parasites (worms) from a horse. Deworming is an important part of horse ownership because uncontrolled parasitic infections, particularly in foals, yearlings, and older, pregnant, or debilitated horses, can cause severe problems.
Download
281K
 Sponsor: Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health
IDENTIFICATION: Permanent, tamper-resistant, and accurate identification of horses provides positive proof of ownership. The identification of race, performance, sale, and show horses, broodmares, and stallions can be achieved rapidly and confidently using a variety of methods.
Download
249K
 Sponsor: Destron Fearing
PAIN MANAGEMENT IN HORSES: In veterinary medicine, particularly equine practice, the recognition, classification, management, and overall importance of pain and pain management have only recently been described.
Download
317K
 Sponsor: Heartland Veterinary Supply and Pharmacy
WOUND CARE: Due to their inquisitive nature, a well-developed flight response, their large size, and that they are commonly confined in areas with potential obstacles such as metal or wire, horses tend to be accident prone, making both minor and major wounds a fairly common occurrence.
Download
432K
 Sponsor: Neogen Corporation

Reproduction

CLONING EQUIDS is defined as the process of creating a genetically identical copy of another cell or organism (i.e., bacteria, plant, or animal) through non-sexual means.
Download
281K
 Sponsor: ViaGen

ENDOMETRITIS IN MARES is defined as an inflammation of the endometrium, which is the inner lining of the uterus. Endometritis is an important cause of reduced fertility and infertility in mares, therefore it contributes to economic losses in the equine industry.
Download
318K
 Sponsor: Neogen Corporation
FAILURE OF PASSIVE TRANSFER is the process by which mares pass antibodies on to their foals via the colostrum (first milk). If foals don't get the necessary antibodies from their dams (failure of passive transfer), they are at risk of developing serious medical conditions.
Download
261K
 Sponsor: Plasvacc USA
FOALING, also referred to as parturition, is the process of a mare giving birth to a foal. Foaling occurs approximately 338 to 345 days from the last breeding date; however, this time period can range from 320 to 365 days or more.
Download
360K
 Sponsor: Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health
ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN HORSES: Equine practitioners use ultrasound machines to help diagnose a number of physical abnormalities.
Download
336K
 Sponsor: E.I. Medical Imaging

Diagnostic Imaging

ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN HORSES: Equine practitioners use ultrasound machines to help diagnose a number of physical abnormalities.
Download
336K
 Sponsor: E.I. Medical Imaging

These fact sheets may be reprinted and distributed in their exact form for educational purposes only in print or electronically. They may not be used for commercial purposes in print or electronically or republished on a Web site, forum, or blog.

Print ArticlePrint Email ArticleEmail Add to my FavoritesAdd to Favorites

Most Popular (last 3 days)
Related Articles ( * = Login required )
Special Reports (downloadable)  »  All Reports