What Medical Care do Horses Need?

Horses are a beloved animal that people have been looking after for hundreds of years. This blog will look at the type of medical care provided to them to stay as healthy as they possibly can be.

What is an Equine?

This is a piece of useful vocabulary when you start to look at this topic as equine is something that relates to a horse or member of the horse family such as a mule, donkey, pony or even zebra. Many technical medical terms and equipment use this word as the medical care horses receive is usually the same for other equines. This group of animals also have specialised doctors to look after the, these veterinarians are trained especially to be able to help equines and perform medical procedures like a dr for equine xrays. They also have knowledge on horse behaviour and how to train them properly which is helpful for people who have never been around horses.

Equine Medical Care

Like other animals, equines have a few basic needs that must be met to keep them happy and healthy. This includes regular exercise so they can run, have fun, and burn off energy. The right diet to make sure that the horse is getting the right amount of nutrients it needs. When it comes to medical requirements, a horse should receive routine veterinary care for vaccinations to prevent diseases that could harm it. It should be groomed regularly with attention to the hooves as those experience the most wear which means they need the most care. Parasite control is another thing that should be checked regularly as parasites can cause a lot of harm to horses, in some cases even death. Finally, like humans, horses require dental care to make sure their teeth and gums are healthy. This could be done with a dr for equine xray or with a regular check-up to make sure there are no signs of health problems.

Medical Issues of Equines

There are a few different conditions and diseases that are more common in horses, making them key things to look out for when caring for an equine.

. One of the most common issues that equines deal with is back pain. This is an unsurprising side effect of humans riding horses and ponies so regularly. If you feel that your equine is not ridden a lot and are unsure why they are in pain, it may be due to an ill fitting saddle that is hurting them.

. Carrying on from back pain, horses are also likely to develop arthritis, making it harder for your horse to move and limiting its range of motion. This is particularly difficult as there is no cure for this disease which is why it is so important to look after your horse before this becomes a problem. Letting your horse warm up and cool down before exercise will help to prevent this from happening. It can also be caused by a horse being overweight so make sure your horse is only getting the food that it needs without overfeeding it.

. If you don’t take preventative measures, your horse is very likely to develop colic. This can be from a few contributing factors such as, the wrong diet, dirty or not enough water and dental issues. By having enough clean wood and water for your horse while having its teeth checked regularly, this can be avoided.

. A common cold can have a similar effect on horses as it has on people, it can cause symptoms like a cough, snotty nose, swollen lymph nodes and a fever. Usually the fever will go quickly without too much damage to the horse, however, if you do think that they do have a cold, call a vet and isolate them from any other equine to prevent it spreading.

Procedures like a dr for equine xray can help to keep your horse healthy. By monitoring your equine health and taking preventative measures where possible, you can avoid painful conditions or diseases.