Horse First Aid for Sudden-Onset Illness

Veterinarian examining a horse in process of making a diagnosis.
Veterinarian examining a horse in process of making a diagnosis. Melinda Nagy

Newsdate: November 5, 2024, 11:30 am
Location: MORGAN HILL, California

A sudden-onset illness is one where the symptoms appear suddenly and seemingly out of the blue. The horse is healthy one minute, but obviously ill the next minute.

Supplies needed for a first aid kit.

Supplies needed for a first aid kit.

Being prepared to deal with any emergency by having a first aid kit readily available, knowing your horse's normal vital signs, and knowing what to do in each case is important for any horse owner.
© 2017 by G Becerra New window.

Diseases caused by viruses, colic, poisonings, adverse drug reactions, hemorrhages, and heart arrhythmias are typical conditions that can appear without warning and need immediate attention.

Symptoms of sudden-onset illness in the horse

Being prepared to deal with any emergency by having a first aid kit readily available, knowing your horse's normal vital signs, and knowing what to do in each case is extremely important for any horse owner or care-taker.

Typical symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Loss of appetite
  • Stiffness
  • Change in gait
  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of coordination
  • Nasal discharge
  • Depression
  • Lymph node swelling
  • Paralysis
  • Convulsions
  • Coma

Dealing with a sudden-onset illness in the horse

  1. Check the horse's vital signs and compare them with normal readings.
  2. Note symptoms and call your veterinarian for advice and follow-up treatment.
  3. Keep the horse calm and restrained if necessary.
  4. Follow the advice your veterinarian gives you for immediate first-aid care for your ailing horse and make arrangements for necessary follow-up treatment.

    Note - Still - timely article was first posted on EquiMed.com in 2017.

About the Author

Mark Sellers

Author picture

Mark is the founder of EquiMed.  Prior to EquiMed, Mark was the CEO and founder of Pacific Crest Corporation, a maker of wireless communication devices and now a subsidiary of Trimble Navigation.

Mark trains and shows reining horses, and is a member of the West Coast Reining Horse Association, the NRHA affiliate in Northern California.  Mark also breeds and exhibits Mediterranean Donkeys.

Mark has a strong interest in equine health.  This website is the result of Mark's and numerous other contributor's efforts to make equine health information accessible to the horse owner.

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