Health conditions
Horse Health Conditions
Owner guides to common horse diseases and problems, grouped by what you are dealing with, with what spreads and what vaccines exist.
- Search or browse 33 guides and tools, grouped by body system.
- Know what spreads Contagious diseases and how to stop them.
- Prevent what you can Vaccines, deworming, teeth and biosecurity.
Condition library
Find a condition
Search by name or browse by body system. Badges show which conditions spread between horses and which have a vaccine.
33 results
Infectious Highly contagious bacterial infection with fever, nasal discharge and abscesses under the jaw. Contagious Vaccine available Infectious Respiratory disease, abortion in mares and a rare but serious neurologic form. Contagious Vaccine available Infectious Fast-spreading cough and fever wherever horses mix: shows, clinics and boarding barns. Contagious Vaccine available Infectious Mosquito-borne nerve disease. Horses do not pass it to each other. Not horse to horse Vaccine available Infectious Fever, diarrhea and laminitis risk in horses near water, peaking in summer. Not horse to horse Vaccine available Infectious Deep abscesses, often on the chest, spread by flies in dry climates. Contagious Infectious Always fatal once signs appear, and dangerous to people. Prevented by yearly vaccine. Risk to people Vaccine available Hoof and lameness Painful inflammation inside the hoof. Signs, emergency steps and what causes it. Hoof and lameness Sudden, severe lameness from infection trapped in the hoof. Common and very painful. Hoof and lameness Black, smelly infection of the frog, linked to wet or dirty footing. Hoof and lameness Heel pain in the front feet. What the current evidence says about cause and care. Hoof and lameness The 10 problems behind most lameness in pleasure horses. Hoof and lameness What vets look for in a lameness exam and what you can check at home. Hoof and lameness How to tell where the problem is when a horse is stiff or resistant behind. Hoof and lameness What splints are, how they form and when they need a vet. Hoof and lameness Sort hoof problems by urgency before you call the farrier or vet. Free tool Digestive and metabolic Belly pain, from gas to a twisted gut. Signs, causes and when to call. Digestive and metabolic Insulin problems that raise laminitis risk in easy keepers. Signs and prevention. Digestive and metabolic Causes, dehydration risk and when loose manure is an emergency. Digestive and metabolic Horses that stop sweating in heat, and how to keep them safe at work. Digestive and metabolic Floating, sharp points and how teeth affect weight and colic risk. Breathing Dust, asthma or infection: what a cough can mean and when to call. Breathing What colour, smell and one or both sides tell you. Neurologic The most common neurologic disease in North American horses. Early signs and treatment. Neurologic How it is organized, and how that helps you describe signs to your vet. Neurologic Walk through gait, balance and reflexes and produce a report for your vet. Free tool Skin Crusty scabs along the back in wet weather. Treatment and prevention. Contagious Skin Scabby, sore heels and pasterns in wet, muddy conditions. Skin Fly sprays and barn fly control, which matter for wounds and several skin conditions. Skin Narrow down crusts, lumps and hair loss and know when to call. Free tool Medication and joints Safe use, dosing risks, ulcers and show rules for the most common pain medication. Medication and joints How joints work and what arthritis does to them. Medication and joints What the evidence says about joint supplements.Strangles
Equine herpesvirus (EHV)
Equine influenza
West Nile virus
Potomac horse fever
Pigeon fever
Rabies
Laminitis
Hoof abscess
Thrush
Navicular syndrome
Common causes of lameness
Lameness assessment
Hock, stifle or back pain
Splint bone injuries
Hoof triage toolkit
Colic
Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)
Diarrhea
Anhidrosis (not sweating)
Dental problems
Cough
Nasal discharge
EPM
The equine nervous system
Neuro screen assistant
Rain rot
Mud fever
Fly control
Skin conditions helper
Bute (phenylbutazone)
Joints and arthritis
Glucosamine
Biosecurity
Contagious or not? At a glance
How common infectious conditions spread, whether to isolate and whether a vaccine exists. When in doubt, isolate and call your vet.
| Condition | How it spreads | Isolate? | Vaccine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strangles | Nose-to-nose contact, shared buckets and tack, people's hands and clothes | Yes, until your vet clears the horse | Yes |
| Equine influenza | Coughing and close contact, shared equipment | Yes | Yes |
| Equine herpesvirus | Nasal droplets, shared equipment; fluids from an aborted foal | Yes, strictly if neurologic signs or abortion | Yes (respiratory and abortion) |
| Pigeon fever | Flies and contact with abscess drainage or contaminated soil | Isolate horses with draining abscesses; control flies | Ask your vet |
| Rain rot | Shared brushes, blankets and tack in wet weather | Separate grooming kit and tack | No |
| Diarrhea (unknown cause) | Some causes, such as salmonella, spread through manure | Yes, until the cause is known | Depends on cause |
| West Nile virus | Mosquitoes. Not horse to horse | No | Yes (core) |
| Potomac horse fever | Swallowing infected water insects. Not horse to horse | Not for spread, but isolate diarrhea until the cause is known | Yes |
| Rabies | Bites from infected wildlife. Can infect people | Yes, and limit handling. Call your vet and public health | Yes (core) |
Isolation assistant Symptom guides Vaccination Center
Prevention
Prevent what you can
Most serious conditions are cheaper and easier to prevent than to treat. These four habits do the most.
Vaccinate
The core four every year: tetanus, EEE/WEE, West Nile and rabies. Add risk-based vaccines for travel and busy barns.
Vaccination Center → 5-way vaccine planner →
Deworm by testing
Fecal egg counts show which horses need treatment. Most adults need only 1 to 4 treatments a year.
Deworming planner → Schedule by region →
Check teeth yearly
Sharp points and missing teeth cause weight loss, choke and colic. Older horses may need checks twice a year.
Quarantine new horses
Keep new arrivals apart for 14 to 21 days with their own buckets and tools, and take temperatures twice a day.
Track treatment and recovery
Conditions change over days and weeks. Keep symptoms, medications, vet visits, photos and recovery notes for every horse in Horse Tracker. Start free with one horse.
Explore Horse Tracker Start Horse Tracker Free
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common health problems in horses?
Colic, lameness (especially hoof abscesses and laminitis), respiratory disease such as strangles and influenza, skin problems such as rain rot and mud fever, dental problems, and metabolic conditions such as EMS and PPID. Which ones matter most depends on your region, season and management.
Which horse diseases are contagious?
Strangles, equine influenza, EHV and pigeon fever spread between horses, and rain rot and ringworm spread through shared tools and tack. West Nile virus and Potomac horse fever do not spread horse to horse. Rabies can spread to people.
When should I isolate a sick horse?
Isolate any horse with fever plus cough, nasal discharge, swelling under the jaw or diarrhea, and any new arrival for 14 to 21 days. Use separate buckets and tools, care for it last and take temperatures twice a day.
Which horse diseases can vaccines prevent?
Core vaccines protect against tetanus, EEE/WEE, West Nile virus and rabies. Risk-based vaccines are available for influenza, EHV, strangles, Potomac horse fever, botulism and others. See the Vaccination Center to build a plan.
What horse symptoms should not be ignored?
A temperature of 38.6 °C (101.5 °F) or more, any fever in a foal, a heart rate over 60 at rest, colic, trouble breathing, neurologic signs, watery diarrhea, refusing water and anything getting worse over an hour or two.
What should I track while my horse is being treated?
Temperature and heart rate with times, appetite, water, manure, every medication with dose and time, how the signs change and your vet's instructions. A dated log makes follow-up visits faster and more accurate.
These guides do not replace veterinary diagnosis or treatment. Always contact a licensed veterinarian about a health concern.