The Body Condition Score of Horses
Assessing a horse’s overall body condition The body condition score (BCS) is a subjective evaluation
Symptoms on the Horse Head: Eyes, Ears, Nostrils and Gums
Watery eyes, discharge from the ears, swelling or gum colour give you information about possible infections or injuries. In this blog post you can read how to interpret these symptoms.
What You Need to Know About the Horse Head
Discharge From the Horse Ears
Discharge from the ears is often caused by an infection, parasite or insect infestation.
If you notice a swelling in the ears, it may also be caused by parasites, insects or an infection as well. However, these swellings can also be frostbite or tumours. Bleeding ears are usually caused by trauma or sarcoids. Equine sarcoids are skin tumours that respond to irritation and/or injury with massive growth. Treatment of sarcoids by a veterinarian is essential.
If you notice that your horse suffers from severe itching, then a mite infestation is obvious.
Your horse’s ears are essential. Not only does it hear and orient itself, but it also shows you its state of mind. If you notice that your horse hardly reacts to you or not at all, then this can have various causes. Besides a sudden loss of hearing, an injury or swelling in the ear is also a possibility.
Horse Eyeinfection
Not only cloudy eyes can be a sign that your horse is not healthy. Discharge, swelling, itching and/or a reddish discolouration or frequent blinking are also possible symptoms. These are often caused by foreign bodies/insects/dust, infections or injuries. Have the eye examined by a veterinarian!
Horse Nosebleeds and Discharge
Horses are real sniffers. They can detect smells up to two kilometres away. Moreover, horses can only breathe through their nostrils and not through their mouths. This makes it all the more important to keep an eye on your horse’s nostrils and treat possible infections immediately.
Discharge from the nostrils is categorised as one-sided and both-sided. One-sided discharge can be caused by a dental abscess or a sinus infection. Both-sided discharge often indicates a bacterial or viral infection.
If your horse has a nosebleed, it may be due to overloading or, in extreme cases, head trauma.
What Does the Gum Colour Say About My Horse's Health?
It is often forgotten or underestimated how much the colour of the gums tells you about the health of your horse.
Ideally, your horse’s gums should be pale pink to white-grey. Here is an overview of what the different gum colours can mean.
White/light: reduced blood circulation, anaemia, shock
Red: dehydration, poisoning
Dark/purple: poisoning, shock, lack of oxygen in the blood
Yellow: liver failure, high bilirubin concentration
Save this chart with all symptoms and always keep track of your horse’s health:
Health x Happie Horse App
Enter all of your horse’s symptoms into the Happie Horse App’s symptom diary and have all of the health information at your fingertips for your next vet appointment.
Also get reminders for the next vet appointment with a push notification when you add the appointment in the Happie Horse App.
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