The Importance of Proper Horse Health Care

Horse health care is an ongoing process that must be taken seriously to ensure the long term health of your horse. Proper health care will not only increase your horse's life, but also save you time and money.

One of the most important factors in ensuring the long term health of your horse is proper nutrition. Horses need proper amounts of vitamins, minerals, and proteins to maintain their health. Lack of these elements can cause lameness and decreased performance.

Aside from nutritional deficiencies, improper hay and feed can also increase your horse's susceptibility to infectious diseases. Taking the time to consult a veterinarian can help you determine which vaccines are recommended for your horse.

Other important steps include regular dental checks and dental care. These checkups will allow you to detect problems early and correct them before they become more serious. This can save you from a lot of headaches and unnecessary expenses.

You should contact your local animal health official if you suspect that your horse may be infected with reportable diseases. Your state or federal animal health official will follow certain guidelines and will implement appropriate control and eradication measures.

If your horse has been ill for more than 10 days, you should isolate him or her. This includes physical separation from other horses. It is essential that the area is well-isolated and you use separate equipment for sick horses. In addition to isolation, you should also clean and disinfect the stall.

Vaccines are a crucial part of your horse's prevention and treatment. While they may not be recommended during an outbreak, they are a vital component of preventive medicine.

If your horse is diagnosed with a contagious disease, you should follow your state or federal animal health officer's recommendations to isolate him or her. This should occur as soon as possible after your horse's symptoms have gone away.

The National Equine Health Plan is a government initiative that protects the health of the US equine population. Through education, regulatory services, and research, NEHP supports the larger mission of enhancing the overall health of the equine industry.

A national surveillance system is essential to identify and reduce the impact of emerging equine diseases. The USDA-APHIS-VS coordinates this system and provides information to owners and the equine industry.

Reportable and non-reportable infectious diseases are tracked by practicing veterinarians. They notify the EDCC of unusual or unexpected increases in the prevalence of a disease. EDCC then reports the results to USDA. This helps ensure that the proper diagnostic testing, monitoring, and surveillance measures are in place.

To learn more about how to effectively keep your horse healthy, visit the EDCC website. Whether you own a performance horse or a geriatric pony, there is information on the site that will provide you with the most up-to-date information on a range of issues.

EDCC also has alerts for emerging and endemic diseases. When a horse is suspected to be infected, you will be notified via an alert.