Diarrhea in Horses

Sometimes called scouring, diarrhea happens to all living creatures and it is never pretty. Diarrhea is not in itself a disease but instead a symptom of many diseases, recognized when a horse's waste becomes less solid, and is more runny or even liquid in appearance. There are certain instances in which a bit of diarrhea is normal, such as a sudden change of environment or feed, however, long bouts -- those that persist more than a few days -- or severe forms of diarrhea is not normal and require veterinary assistance.

Symptoms and Types

There are many types of diarrhea; some common forms include:

• Chronic Diarrhea
  • Loose stool
  • Liquid or fluid stool
  • An increase in the frequency of defecation
  • Swelling in the lower limbs
• Neoplasia
  • Stomach tumors
  • Rectal Tumors
  • Weight loss

• Malabsorption Syndrome
  • Severe diarrhea
  • Chronic weight loss
  • No change in appetite

Causes

As previously stated, diarrhea is a common symptom for many different diseases. Listed below are a few causes to some of the more common forms of diarrhea in horses.

• Chronic Diarrhea
  • Parasites or intestinal worms
  • Poor pasture management
  • Lack of a proper, well-balanced diet or clean water
• Neoplasia
  • Stomach tumors
  • Old age
• Malabsorption Syndrome
  • Inflammation of small intestine
  • Decreased ability to absorb food material properly

Diagnosis

It doesn’t take a veterinary degree to be able to tell when your horse has diarrhea. Loose or liquid stool is the one and only clue needed to make such a diagnosis. If the issue persists, you should bring the horse to a veterinarian, as it may be an indicator of other medical issues. Other than conducting blood work on the horse, the veterinarian may ask you to bring a stool sample to identify any abnormalities such as larvae.

Treatment

Treatment for cases of diarrhea varies and depends on the underlying cause for the affliction. Typically for chronic diarrhea, the horse will undergo electrolyte therapy, thereby re-hydrating the animal and restoring the fluids lost because of diarrhea. For parasitic diarrhea, a de-worming agent will help get rid of the parasites, while anthelmintic drugs have also been used for this purpose. Unfortunately, there is currently no treatment available for malabsorption syndrome.

Living and Management

Diarrhea can often be a simple thing to cure. It is, however, important to pay attention to the signs and symptoms of diarrhea in your horse in order to seek treatment before it, or the more serious disease causing it, becomes severe.