Owning horses is a big job and if you have had one for any length of time, you most likely have experienced some sort of injury or medical condition that requires treatment by a veterinarian. An equine vet specializes in dealing with horses and their specific needs and may come to your location for treatment if you can not get the horse to an equine hospital. There are some common injuries that you may need to take the horse to the equine hospital for, though some are more pressing than others.

Lacerations and Puncture Wounds

Because of the conditions that horses are ridden in, it is not at all uncommon for a horse to have a puncture wound or a laceration to a leg or to their face or neck area. In most cases, they are not life-threatening and can be treated with a clean dressing and some pressure but check with the veterinarian to see if they think the horse needs to be on a course of antibiotics after a wound like this. If the wound is deep or you have a hard time getting the bleeding stopped, call the vet and see if they can come out or you can bring the horse in for treatment. If you are not comfortable treating the injury at all, take the horse to the equine hospital for care as soon as you can.

Treatment For Colic

Colic in horses is not a good thing at all. It can lead to a host of problems that can require surgical intervention to treat and should be taken very seriously. In fact, colic is the number one cause of death in horses and should never be ignored. There are many potential causes of colic such as limited water intake, stress, and food changes. The horse with colic may display symptoms like being slow to come in for feed or not eating at all. In severe cases, you may notice the horse sweating heavily and laboring to move from pain. If you suspect your horse has colic, get the horse to an equine hospital right away so they can examine and treat the horse. Colic is not something you want to overlook. In most cases, the horse will not just get better on their own. They need to be treated right away to recover.

Lameness The Comes On Suddenly

A horse that is fine one day and lame the next needs to be examined by an equine veterinarian right away. There are many things that can cause this rapid onset of lameness in horses,  some as simple as a nail puncture to the foot or as serious as a complete fracture. In any case, the problem can't be treated until the vet examines the horse to determine the proper course of action. 

Contact a service, like Alabama Performance Horse Services, for more help.