Causes of Equine Sudden Weight Loss

There are several causes of equine sudden weight loss and one of the most common problems is chronic inflammatory disease that may affect any body organs. An intestinal parasite is the usual cause of weight loss and diarrhea is the common symptom. A sudden loose watery stool with frequent bowel movement needs immediate attention from your veterinarian before it gets any complications. A good regular de-worming program is a necessary preventive measure.

There are several reported cases of horses that have chronic weight loss with no symptoms which is almost caused by malnutrition or not receiving enough nutrition. Yet it is not enough to adequately diagnose such case without extensive clinical testing. Most experts suggest that eating habits and better quality feed must be ruled out first before undergoing diagnostic testing for it will cost you so much. And despite the availability of latest technology for diagnosis of horses with sudden weight loss, there are several instances that the problems still persist.

If you aren’t able to find the probable cause of the sudden weight loss, it might be from the type of food that your horse is eating. Most vets would suggest trying a different kind of hay or grain to test if it can do wonders. It is really imperative that you must have your vets get involved for the treatment modalities of your horse especially if your horse has diarrhea because dehydration may set in so fast. Monitoring the frequency of your horse’s bowel movement is a must and make sure you have plenty of available water around.

Equine sudden weight loss may cause a great stride but we should not neglect also the dangers of horses carrying too much weight. The excess weight could cause so much pressure on their joints and feet which will compromise their ability to move around.