Horse Health Woes-When to Call the Vet

There is definitely something beautiful about snow in winter. The cold weather recalls moments of cuddling and family time. However, winter can be hard on your animals, especially horses. Horses have a lot more health problems in the winter than any other season. When the temperature drops, horses tend to get sick faster, especially if they are not protected properly.

Here are some of the major health problems that a horse can suffer from during the cold winter months.

Colic is a serious stomachache that horses sometimes suffer from. Colic doesn’t always appear in the wintertime, but horses appear more susceptible to it in cold weather. Horse reacts to having colic by not eating. They tend to lie down and keep getting up, trying to soothe the pain. In some severe cases, some horses will roll and thrash violently, kick at their bellies and grind their teeth. Immediately call a vet if you notice any of these things. This means that they need to get serious medical attention. Why do some horses seem more prone to colic during the cold months?

Dehydration is the major reason that a horse may get colic. When winter sets in and it begins to get colder, horses don’t care to drink cold water, especially frozen water. Horses don’t get many nutrients from snow. When they do drink, their body temperature will begin to drop. This means that their body has to work twice as hard to produce enough heat. When a horse becomes hydrated, its intestines become easily affected. This can cause your horse extreme pain. To avoid this, set a pan of lukewarm water in the barn and fill their water troughs twice a day with warm water.

Everyone loves warm food or hay, and your horse is no exception. Overfeeding in the wintertime is a common problem. Many horse owners think that since its cold out, they should feed the horses more. When your horse consumes its food too fast, it can cause problems such as colic or laminitis. Instead of increased feeding, try to feed more hay of a better quality about three times a day.

Horses will usually not eat weeds and stalks mixed in hay, as they simply won’t digest it as well as some animals. Your goal is not to make the hay moldy as this can cause Botulism.

Another problem is rain rot. This occurs when the ground is soggy and wet and bacteria moves onto the horses skin and dirt. Rain rot looks like tiny bumps or large scabbing along the front of the horse’s legs. This condition can spread rapidly if not treated right away. Try a betadine scrub bath and if this doesn’t work, a vet should prescribe antibiotics.

Just like humans can get it, horses can contract pneumonia as well. This condition has to do with fluid in the lungs from a viral or bacterial infection. Antibiotics can wipe it out if caught early enough, but it can lead to premature death if not treated promptly. Keep your horse in a stall in the barn that is clean and warm. A horse blanket can help raise a horse’s body temperature to fight off the infection. Make sure to pamper your horse in order to help it heal faster. Consult your vet if you have any question about caring for your horse in intemperate weather.