Uncommon Diseases of a Horse

Most horse owners are familiar with such common equine diseases as myeloencephalitis, strangles, rabies, rhinopneumonitis, West Nile virus, tetanus and influenza and probably vaccinate for most of them. Equine infectious anemia is also well known. There is no cure for the disease, though there is a test to screen for it. However, several equine diseases are less well known.

  1. Colitis-X

    • According to the Merck Veterinary Manual website, the name colitis-X covers a variety of fatal forms of acute colon diseases in horses. Symptoms include severe explosive diarrhea that comes on suddenly, acute abdominal pain, shock and dehydration. Death usually occurs within 24 hours of the onset of the disease; the mortality rate is 90 percent to 100 percent. While some research has focused on the Clostridium bacteria as a causative agent, many believe that other agents are at work. There is no vaccine.

    Vesicular Stomatitis

    • Vesicular stomatitis most often affects cattle and swine but horses can also get it. Fever, lethargy and small blisters with clear fluid on mucus membranes in the mouth are its main symptoms. Infected horses typically have difficulty eating. Because vesicular stomatitis is highly contagious, horse owners must quarantine affected horses. While horses usually recover from the disease in a couple of weeks, it can restrict the movement of horses from farm to farm, shows and breeding establishments. It can also spread to humans, who exhibit flu-like symptoms.

    Anthrax

    • Horses can contract anthrax by grazing infected pastures.

      Anthrax is an infectious disease that develops rapidly and is usually fatal. Its symptoms in horses include a high fever, abdominal swelling, septicemia and an obviously sick appearance. Horses can contract the disease from grazing on infected pastures. Since it can be passed on to humans, special care must be taken in handling infected animals and disposing of the carcasses.