Horses: Equine Flu and Arthritis

March 29, 2008 – 10:56 pm

by Letho Maseko

With Equine Flu know to others as ARD, it seems the most common cause of ARD is several types of mould spores and weeds in hay or straw. This is a seasonal thing, so you may only see the problem popping up in the spring and the summer. Problem is, winter and fall feed come from the same source, so what happens is the horse builds up sensitivity over time and their reactions increase.

When you want to get the best treatment for ARD, figuring out what the problem is in the first place is half the battle and once you have that under control, your horse is well on his way to making a good recovery.

Arthritis in the Older Horses

There are a variety of home remedies or treatments you can use for your senior horse companion if he is having a lot of pain and inflammation with his arthritis. And several of them can be done at the same time. The thing to remember is that your horse is an individual and may not take too kindly to some treatments, and be just fine with others. Treat them accordingly and go with the flow.

You can try using a flexible ice pack or even a bag of frozen peas tucked in a towel on the swollen joint for 5 minutes. Remove for 15 minutes, repeat 3 times in a row. If you can wrap the joint, then try a standing bandage to help reduce swelling and inflammation. You can also try Neo-Ice Equine bandages or an ice gel that provides deep penetrating action to help reduce edema and inflammation.

Exercise should always start out slow and easy, a walk for 10 minutes, a slow trot, a walk, some turns and circles, some easy uphill work. When you first take him out, it will have to be for a shorter period of time to get him used to being out again. Over a period of time, based on his response, you can increase the duration of the exercises. Even if you walk and trot him by hand, he will enjoy the change of scenery.

Check your senior’s diet and make sure he’s getting the right dietary supplements in the right amounts. Don’t assume his feed provides everything he needs. Check this with your Veterinarian. The large-intestinal function changes as your horse gets older, and they need higher-quality protein, alternative forms of roughage and supplemental vitamin B. Commercial senior feed is good for the older horse who cannot maintain weight. Just watch the deadly mixture of not enough exercise and too much rich food or you may wind up with a portly horse.

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