Symptom guides

Horse Symptom Guides

Start from what you see. Find the first checks, when to call your vet, when to isolate and what to tell your vet.

1. Pick the symptom Sixteen common signs, from fever to lameness.
2. Take the first checks What to look at before you pick up the phone.
3. Know when to call Clear signs for now, today or keep watching.

Symptom finder

What are you seeing?

Pick the main sign. You get the likely causes, the first checks, when to call and whether to isolate.

Call vet nowCall vet todayMonitor, call if worse

Fever

Call vet todayContagious: Possible

A rectal temperature above 38.3 °C (101 °F) in an adult. Often the first sign of infection, but heat, hard work and recent vaccines can also raise it.

Possible causes

• Viral or bacterial infection, such as influenza, EHV or strangles
• Potomac horse fever in horses near water
• A reaction to recent vaccines (usually mild and short)
• Abscess, infected wound or pneumonia

Check first

• Retake the temperature after 30 minutes of rest in the shade
• Heart rate, breathing and gum colour
• Appetite, manure, cough or nasal discharge
• Temperatures of horses that share air or water

Call your vet if

• 38.6 °C (101.5 °F) or higher in an adult
• Any fever in a foal
• Fever with diarrhea, cough, discharge or neurologic signs
• Fever lasting more than 24 hours after vaccines

Isolate? Yes, until your vet rules out a contagious cause.

Fever temperature chart → Isolation assistant →

Red flags

Signs that need a vet straight away

Do not wait to see if these settle. Call your vet, then use the first aid page while you wait.

Call your vet now

• Colic heart rate over 60, nonstop pain or no gut sounds
• Trouble breathing at rest, or flared nostrils and heaving
• Neurologic signs stumbling, head pressing, falling
• Choke feed or saliva from the nostrils
• Dark or red urine often during or after exercise
• Will not bear weight on a leg, or laminitis signs
• Pale, dark or purple gums or capillary refill over 3 seconds
• Foals any fever, diarrhea or stopping nursing

Call your vet today

• Fever of 38.6 °C (101.5 °F) or more in an adult
• Watery diarrhea especially with fever or a dull horse
• Off feed for 12 to 24 hours
• A painful or cloudy eye ulcers worsen within hours
• Lameness that is not improving
• Anything getting worse over two rechecks in a row

First aid and vitals checker Colic first-hour actions Vital signs guide

Any symptom

First checks before you call

Write every reading down with the exact time. A trend tells your vet more than a single number.

• Temperature 37.2 to 38.3 °C (99 to 101 °F)
• Heart rate 28 to 44 beats per minute
• Breathing 8 to 16 breaths per minute
• Pink, moist gums, refill under 2 seconds

Use the vitals checker

Lubricate the thermometer, stand to the side and hold it until it beeps.

Stethoscope behind the left elbow. Count 15 seconds and multiply by 4.

Watch the flank. Count 30 seconds and multiply by 2.

Pink and moist. Press, release and count until the colour returns.

Pinch the skin on the shoulder. It should flatten within 2 seconds.

Listen high and low on both flanks for a full minute each.

Time of the last normal pile, amount, consistency and colour.

When the horse last ate and drank normally.

Biosecurity

When and how to isolate a sick horse

Isolation is a precaution, not a diagnosis. When the cause is unknown, separate first and ask questions second.

Isolate if you see

• Fever with cough, nasal discharge or fast breathing
• Thick, coloured or smelly nasal discharge
• Swelling or abscesses under the jaw
• Watery diarrhea, especially with fever
• Fever plus any neurologic sign
• A new arrival that has not finished 14 to 21 days of quarantine

How to isolate

• A separate stall or paddock with no nose-to-nose contact
• Its own buckets, feed tubs, brushes and tack
• Care for it last, with gloves and separate boots or boot covers
• Take its temperature twice a day and write it down
• Take the other horses' temperatures daily too
• Tell your barn manager and keep visitors away until your vet clears it

Isolation assistant Strangles guide EHV guide Health conditions

On the phone

What to tell your veterinarian

Your vet will ask for most of this in the first two minutes. Have it ready.

Describe it, don't diagnose it. 'Pawing and looking at his belly' beats 'he seems off'.

The time you first noticed it and whether it is better or worse since.

Temperature, heart rate, breathing and gums, each with the time taken.

When the horse last ate and drank normally.

Time of the last normal pile and any change.

Shows, clinics or new arrivals in the last 3 weeks.

Product and date. Vaccine reactions can cause fever within a day.

What, how much and exactly when. Never leave this out.

A short clip of the gait or behaviour helps a lot.

Free tools

Tools that help you describe what you see

Use them alongside the symptom guides to assess faster and give your vet clearer information.

Vitals checker

Enter your readings and get a call-or-monitor result with a vet summary.

Track symptoms over time

When signs change over hours or days, memory is not enough. Log vitals, symptoms, medications and vet 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 first signs a horse is sick?

Often small changes: leaving feed, standing apart, less interest in surroundings, fewer manure piles or a change in manure. A temperature above 38.3 °C (101 °F) is one of the most reliable early signs. Knowing your horse's normal makes changes easier to spot.

Which horse symptoms are emergencies?

Call your vet now for colic with a heart rate over 60, trouble breathing at rest, neurologic signs, choke, dark or red urine, a horse that will not put a foot down, pale or dark gums, any diarrhea or fever in a foal, and any sign that is getting worse fast.

Should I isolate a horse with a fever?

Yes, until the cause is known. Fever with cough, nasal discharge or diarrhea can mean a contagious disease. Use separate buckets and tools, take temperatures of the other horses and call your vet.

What vitals should I have ready before calling the vet?

Rectal temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, gum colour, capillary refill, hydration, gut sounds and the time of the last manure, each with the time you took it.

Can horse symptoms change quickly?

Yes. Colic can go from mild to a surgical emergency in hours, and fevers can spike. Recheck vitals every 15 to 30 minutes while signs are active and call at the first sign of worsening.

When is diarrhea in horses an emergency?

Watery diarrhea with fever, a dull horse that stops drinking, any diarrhea in a foal, or several horses affected at once all need a same-day or urgent vet call.

Is a cough in horses serious?

An occasional cough at the start of work is often dust. A cough with fever, discharge or fast breathing, or one that lasts more than a few days, needs your vet.

How does Horse Tracker help when my horse is sick?

It keeps timed records of vitals, symptoms, medications and vet notes for each horse, so you and your vet can see how things changed instead of relying on memory.

These guides support, but do not replace, veterinary care. Always contact a licensed veterinarian for diagnosis, treatment and emergencies.