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.