HORSE CARE Online

11/10/2025

Equine asthma is an umbrella term used to describe chronic, noninfectious airway inflammation in horses. Here’s what experts know.

11/10/2025

DON'T MISS OUR LAST HORSE OWNER EDUCATION WEBINAR OF 2025! 📢

Join us next Wednesday, Nov. 5, for "Care and Management of the Elderly Equine".

Just like people, the needs of horses change as they continue to age. Members of the AAEP Horse Owner Education committee will present on a wide range of topics to help you properly care for the elderly equine in your life. Discussion points will include diet, dentistry, common diseases and illnesses, preventative care, and more. Do not miss this informative session on how to help your older horse live its best life!

Registration is FREE but required. A recording of the webinar will be available if you miss the live event.

Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ah5yOsCebSifxMhDsKU4IL28l58V2uXLCCZy2BJfr1cVGkPrhte-~AkTrbyktZL-X6LN0LpntEqMChUPte_sAlD_Vc22m-q6fZUf_K_Bby90XhQ

This informative session is brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

11/10/2025

Can horses lose weight too fast? Does exercise or dietary restriction work better for safe equine weight loss?

11/10/2025

Pigeon Fever, caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, is a fly-borne disease that’s becoming increasingly common across the U.S. Once mostly seen on the West Coast, it’s now emerging in southern and eastern states.

🔍 How It Spreads:
Flies play a major role in transmission, carrying the bacteria (which originally lives in the soil) from draining abscesses or contaminated soil to other horses. Infection can occur through:

• Flies landing on open wounds or scrapes
• Contact with contaminated dirt or pus
• Direct contact with an infected horse

⚠️ Signs to Watch For:
Pigeon Fever can show up in several ways:

1️⃣ External Abscesses (most common)
• Swelling, often on the chest or belly (“pigeon breast” look)
• Abscesses that rupture or drain thick pus

2️⃣ Internal Abscesses on Organs (less common but serious)
• Signs include anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, colic, pneumonia, fever, respiratory tract disease
• Require prolonged therapy and close monitoring with an overall worse prognosis

3️⃣ Lymphangitis/Vasculitis
• Swelling of the limbs (one or more can be affected)
• Inability/difficulty moving limbs
• Fever
• This form can mimic clinical signs of other conditions like cellulitis, purpura hemorrhagica, Strangles associated vasculitis, and lymphangitis

🩺 Diagnosis:
Your veterinarian can confirm the infection through:
• Bacterial culture
• SHI titer (blood test)
• PCR testing (purulent exudate, biopsy of affected tissue, internal abscess exudate)

💊 Treatment:
• Hydrotherapy
• Anti-inflammatories
• Abscess lavage and lancing
• Antimicrobials AT DIRECTION of your veterinarian

🛡️ Prevention Tips:
• Keep fly populations under control
• Isolate horses with draining abscesses
• Dispose of pus and bedding safely to reduce contamination

If you suspect your horse has Pigeon Fever, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Additional recourses:

AAEP Guidelines: https://aaep.org/resource/pigeon-fever-corynebacterium-pseudotuberculosis/

EDCC: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/pigeon-fever

10/08/2025

10/08/2025

Researchers say bump kinase inhibitors show promise in treating horses with this neurologic disease.

10/08/2025

Dr. Stephanie Valberg discusses the features of two often-confused conditions in horses: shivers and stringhalt.

10/06/2025

10/04/2025

IT'S MYTHBUSTERS TIME! 🔎

As we know, our equine companions can be quite accident-prone. Injuries can vary in severity from small surface cuts that can be managed at home to deep wounds that require sutures that should be addressed by your veterinarian.

As a horse owner, it's inevitable that your equine will sustain several less severe wounds throughout the course of its life, and you may be tempted to clean these wounds with products such as hydrogen peroxide in an effort to prevent infection. However, hydrogen peroxide may cause more harm than good to the healing process.

The truth is that hydrogen peroxide is much too aggressive and toxic to the fibroblasts and other healthy cells that aid in wound healing. Therefore, the use of hydrogen peroxide can actually delay wound healing. In addition, its use can be quite painful when being applied to the wound site.

Instead, it's important to use an isotonic solution (similar in pH to the fluids of the body). Ideally this solution will be warmed to limit the amount of constriction of the blood vessels. If you're in a bind and the wound is grossly contaminated, clean tap water is acceptable to clean the injury site but be sure to use gentle water pressure.

Overall, be sure to approach wound care and cleaning with caution so that you do not unintentionally worsen the injury or slow the healing process. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide, concentrated antiseptics like Betadine or chlorhexidine that have not yet been diluted, or high pressure when applying water or cleansing agents.

If you have questions or concerns about wound care or are unsure if a wound needs veterinary intervention, contact your veterinarian.

10/04/2025