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Horse Health Archive

Welcome to the AAEP's Horse Health article search engine. Each of the articles available in this section have been written by AAEP member veterinarians. To use the search, you can either put a keyword in the box that says "Search" or you if you are looking for a specific topic, you may select a topic from the drop-down box under the search box and all articles on that subject will be brought up. 

Equine Behavior Through Time

Written By Dr. Sid GustafsonHorses began their journey through time 60 million years ago. Three million years ago the footsteps of humans were fossilized...

Understanding Anhidrosis

Anhidrosis, a compromised ability to sweat, in the face of exercise or high ambient temperatures is a potentially dangerous condition for horses. Working...

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care

Equine chiropractic care is a rapidly emerging filed among veterinarians due to increasing demand from horse owners for alternative therapies. It is an art of...

Summer Sores

Written by Dr. Tom Lenz on behalf of AQHA   One condition that many people do not associate with flies is habronemiasis, also called summer sores,...

Grass Founder

Written By Tom Lenz, DVM, MS Spring might be the best time of the year, but if we have horses that are prone to developing grass founder, this season may be...

Obesity

Written by Dr. Tom Lenz on behalf of AQHAFat horses are at greater risk for exercise intolerance, founder, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, the...

Preventing Shipping Fever

By: Joan Norton VMD, DACVIMShipping fever is a well-described pulmonary disorder appearing in animals shipped long distances. If left untreated, cases of...

Winter Water Consumption

We all know that colic is the number one non-infectious health risk for horses. There are several types of colic but the one we see the most in winter is...

Bran Mash

During these cold, dreary days of winter a common discussion around most barns and stables is whether or not horse owners should provide their horses with a...

Cold Weather Care

The good news is that horses are inherently well equipped to handle practically anything that winter can dish out as long as they have a way to get out of the...

Weaning Your Foal

Written by Tom Lenz, DVM, MS, DACTWeaning is usually done somewhere between 4 and 7 months of age, although some ranches leave their foals on the mares a bit...

10 Tips for Reducing Your Horse's West Nile Risk

West Nile Virus Updated March 2018  Since first being recognized in the United States in 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) has posed a serious threat...

Working with Your Veterinarian

By Ben Espy, DVM, DACT Keep your own records. Whether you are trying to schedule routine work or an emergency visit, your veterinarian relies on you to be...

When Should I Call the Vet?

A good rule of thumb is this: if a child were exhibiting the same symptoms as your horse, would you call the...

Vesicular Stomatitis In Horses

Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) is a contagious disease that afflicts horses, livestock, wildlife and even humans. The disease is caused by a virus, which although...

Rabies Has Many Faces

By Ann E. Dwyer, DVM   Rabies. The word conjures up chilling images from old movies: a snarling dog, foaming at the mouth, attacking anything that...

Tips for Controlling Infection in Your Horses

By Josie L. Traub-Dargatz DVM, MS   When you ask most horse owners about controlling infection in their horses they say “Oh you mean do I...

Traveling with Your Horse? Reduce the Red Tape

By Lydia F. Gray, DVM, MA, Medical Director/Staff Veterinarian, SmartPak  Whether it’s a short distance or a long trip, you’ve got a lot to think...

Cleaning the Sheath: How Much is Too Much?

By Ben Espy, DVM, DACT   Question: I am concerned about the abnormal smegma buildup on my 17-year-old palomino gelding’s sheath. Since we...

A Better Sarcoid Treatment

In conjunction with Ben Espy, DVM, DACTA Texas veterinarian is taking a novel approach to sarcoid treatment---removing portions of the tumors, freezing the...

Hair Loss

By Susan L. White, DVM, MS, DACIVM I noticed that my Arabian mare was missing a patch of hair under her mane at the beginning of the summer. Since then, the...

Taking the Frustration Out of Summer Skin Problems

By Susan L. White, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM with Lydia F. Gray, DVM Skin problems in horses are some of the most frustrating disorders to manage for both owner...

Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO) in the Horse

By Amanda House, DVM, DACVIMMany terms and abbreviations have been used over the years for various inflammatory and hyper reactive airway conditions causing...

Managing Summer Pasture-Associated Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, an Asthma-like Disease of Horses

By Lais R. R. Costa; Jill R. Johnson; Cyprianna H. Swiderski; Department of Clinical Sciences at Mississippi State University and Equine Health Studies Program...

Strangles: A Contagious Equine Disease

By Written by Josie Traub-Dargatz, DVM, MS, DACVIMWhat is "strangles?" Strangles is a highly contagious disease of equids including horses, donkeys and...

Respiratory Problems

By Nancy S. Loving, DVM   Equine influenza or other respiratory viruses (rhinopneumonitis, rhino virus) or bacteria can strike a horse regardless of...

Strangles: New Millennium, Same Disease

By John Timoney, BSc, MVB, MRCVS, MS, PhD, DSc Strangles was one of the first equine diseases to be described by the early writers of veterinary science....

Maximizing Pregnancy Rates with Shipped Semen

Elizabeth S. Metcalf, MS, DVM, DACT Although artificial insemination in horses has been reported since the 18th century, it was not until the 1980’s that...

Lactation in the Mare

By Ben Espy, DVM, DACT Lactation is a very important function in a mare. So important, in fact, those two lives depend on it. The horse owner should always...

When Can Mom Go Back to Work?

By Ben Espy, DVM, DACT QUESTION: When is it OK to start riding my mare after foaling? ANSWER: My initial response is the same as a human obstetrician’s...