Your horse, like you and every other animal, is susceptible to health troubles. The problems in the symptom column in the following table are ones that merit immediate attention and a call to the veterinarian.
| Symptom(s) | Possible Cause | Steps to Perform |
|---|---|---|
| Bleeding | Injury | Apply pressure; call vet |
| Blood in urine | Severe infection or bladder injury | Call vet immediately |
| Coughing and salivating with head down as food exits the mouth | Choking | Horse can breathe, but call vet immediately |
| Inability to stand; staggering | Severe sickness | Call vet immediately |
| Liquid, foul-smelling excrement | Diarrhea | Call vet immediately |
| Profuse sweating, lying down and getting up, pawing ground, biting abdomen | Colic | Remove food; call vet immediately |
| Rapid breathing, raspy breathing, heavy coughing | Illness or infection | Call vet immediately |
| Refusal to eat | Serious illness or mild colic | Call vet immediately |
| Severe pain | Injury or illness | Call vet immediately |
| Straining to defecate or urinate | Intestinal or urethral blockage | Call vet immediately |
| Swelling or body part that’s hot to the touch | Injury | Call vet immediately |
| Teary eye; closed eye; red eye; cloudy eye | Eye injury or infection | Call vet immediately |
| Temperature significantly above or below 98–101.5ºF | Fever | Call vet immediately |
