Equine Medical Service
3021 W. County Rd. 64
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Office
(970) 568-9445
FAX
(970) 568-0705
| Equine Medical Service Advantage Program | |
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In part 1 of "The Older Horse", we wrote about various cancers that are seen in the geriatric horse. In part 2 of "The Older Horse", I will discuss the various problems of the digestive, respiratory, and urinary systems and how to prevent these problems from occurring or to manage these problems after they have occurred.
As the horse ages, its body tends to wear out. In the "Equine Dentistry - Not Just a Float!" article, in the Equine Medical Service Newsletter January 2004, it was mentioned how horse's teeth continue to erupt, creating sharp enamel points that need to be rasped or "floated" down. The continued eruption of the teeth exposes more of the crown to wear, until eventually there is very little if any crown left and a small amount of root. Some of these teeth will fall out and leave the horse with nothing to chew with. Further down the gastrointestinal tract other parts are also not as they once were. The small and large intestine both have a decreased capacity to digest and absorb the food material they once had. The liver can also be impaired, not being able to function and detoxify the body, and store the simple sugars for cells to use for energy. These organs could have been further damaged some other time in the horse's life from migrating parasites. This migration causes scar tissue to form and combined with age related scarring could dramatically decrease a horse's ability to digest its food.
Changes also occur in the respiratory system as the horse ages. Over time the once elastic lung looses its pliability, with scar tissue being deposited into it. This deposition of scar tissue decreases the amount of air that can be brought into the lungs, thus decreasing the horse's capacity to oxygenate the body. Compound the problems of the normal aging process with a respiratory disease such as "heaves" or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the horse's ability to breath is extremely compromised. Add to this, the older horse's immune system is less effective as it once was and a mild case of influenza can become pneumonia in a very short period of time.
The aging process also impacts the urinary system in the older horse. Weight loss and anorexia can result from reduced kidney function and these problems can be fatal. Horses are unique among animals in that they get rid of excess dietary calcium in the urine rather than in the manure. But when the kidneys don't function, as they should, calcium (in the form of calcium oxalate) can build up in the kidney tissue, the urethra, or the bladder, as "stones", rather than being excreted. These stones can be extremely painful, and of course they often interfere with normal urinary function. Stones in the bladder or urethra sometimes can be surgically removed, but stones in the kidney are inoperable. A potentially lethal buildup of calcium in the bloodstream is possible when horses suffer kidney failure.
To help with prevention or management of these problems, there are several things that you and your veterinarian can do. First, as the owner, you can provide good quality hay that is free from mold and dust. Always provide clean fresh water. If the horse needs supplementation to maintain weight, try a complete feed made for the geriatric horse.
Next, call Equine Medical Service to provide the proper veterinary care for your older horse. We will provide a full examination of your horse, proper immunizations and a full dental exam and dentistry. We can also offer complete blood work to determine the function of liver, kidneys, and immune system. Finally, together as a team, we can ensure your horse will truly enjoy life through the aging process.
