Taxonomy term

strangles, symptoms of strangles, strangles outbreak, treatment strangles, how to prevent strangles, signs of strangles, steps to contain strangles, s. equi infection

How to reduce the risk, recognize the symptoms, and take steps to manage an outbreak. Strangles is a highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus equi (S. equi). It is not an airborne virus. Rather, the bacteria spreads through contact, which could be direct nose-to-nose between horses, or via contaminated surfaces or equipment such as shared halters, lead shanks, cross-ties, feed tubs, stall walls, fencing, clothing, hands, the hair coat from other barn pets, grooming tools, water buckets, and communal troughs.

wildfire smoke horses, protect horse smoke inhalation, how to tell if wildfire smoke dangers horses, smoke on a horse farm, air quality index

Horses exposed to fire smoke can suffer respiratory injury of varying degrees, ranging from mild irritation to severe smoke inhalation-induced airway or lung damage. Knowing what is normal versus concerning can help to know whether a veterinarian should evaluate your horse.

breathe herbs for horses, equine asthma treatments horses, alternative therapies horses, equine respiratory ailments

Respiratory disease is one of the most important health concerns facing the horse industry, and accounts for one of the biggest reasons why horses miss training days (Rossdale et al., 1985). Equine asthma, also known as “heaves,” is one of the more troublesome small airway diseases which causes an elevated respiratory rate, chronic coughing and runny nose, and affected horses often find it difficult to exhale.

equine genetics, types of equine diseases, uc davis center for equine health, genetic diseases based on horse breed, testing my horse for dna

The first equine genetic tests became available in the 1990s, well before the equine genome sequence was completed in 2009. Technical advances have since led to a rapid expansion in available tests. Here are a few that can be utilized to inform breeding decisions and provide diagnostic information.

preventing flies horses, diseases mosquitoes horses, fly sheets, fly masks, manure pile location, botfly eggs on horse, horse fly leggings, parasitic wasps

How flies spread parasites and disease - Flies are the bane of many horses’ existence from spring through autumn. In Canada, horse-biting flies include gnats (no-see-ums), black flies, stable flies, deer flies, horse flies, and mosquitoes, all of which create painful sores. Non-biting flies include house flies, eye gnats, face flies, bot flies, and warble flies, and can be just as irritating. It’s not just buzzing and biting that’s worrisome; flies may transmit parasites and diseases, can cause a horse’s immune system to overreact, and some use horses as hosts, all of which impact horse health. Preventing horses from being bitten is key. Before diving into solutions, here’s a summary of the damage that flies can inflict on Canada’s horses.

horse colic, what is equine colic, equine digestive tract, preventing horse colic, treating horse colic, how much water horse, how much exercise horse, what should a horse eat, colic risk rater, equine guelph

If there’s one word that strikes fear into the hearts and minds of horse owners, it’s “colic.” Used to describe any form of abdominal pain, colic can affect horses for many reasons and in any season, although cold weather months are a particularly challenging time with increased risk of impaction-related colic.

endometritis treatment horses, mare has endometritis, settle as treatment for equine endometritis, novavive horse products

Improves Mare Fertility - Canadian veterinarians now have another option for treating endometritis in their clients’ mares. Canada is the latest country in which Settle® immunotherapy has received regulatory approval for sale. The product is also approved and available in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and UAE.

equine neurological conditions, uc davis center for equine health, infectious diseases horses, horse headshaking, diseases in foals, flies disease spread horses

Neurologic issues can affect horses at any age, and clinical signs can result from infectious and non-infectious causes. Increased understanding of equine neurologic conditions has enabled earlier diagnosis and improved outcomes, and vaccines have reduced the spread of infectious diseases. However, diagnosis and treatment remain challenging in some cases.

equine neurologic disease, horse pre-purchase exam, neurological examination horses, how to buy a horse, horse with shivers

Equine neurological examinations evaluate horses from head to tail. They are performed to evaluate signs consistent with neurologic disease or to establish that a horse is neurologically normal, such as during a pre-purchase exam. A neurological exam can be divided into two parts: static and dynamic.

biosecurity horse farm, preventing disease spread horse stable, managing equine property, farm and ranch biosecurity, acera insurance

Across Canada, owners, riders, farms, and horses continue to struggle with strangles, equine influenza, and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy. Not only can these diseases be detrimental to horses’ health, but managing ill horses can stretch finances, shut down commercial operations, and be an emotional roller coaster for those involved.

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