Brain Trauma

Brain trauma, concussions and other brain injuries are common among horses, especially when more than one horse occupies a space or stable. It generally occurs because the horse accidentally hits it head on an object, although some common causes are running into a post, another horse, or even get hit by a car.

Symptoms and Types

Symptoms vary depending on how extensive the trauma to the brain, including:

• Confusion
• Poor coordination
• Unsteadiness on foot
• Dullness in the eyes
• Blood in the nose
• Blood in the ears
• Headache
• Slowness
• Coma

Causes

Brain trauma is due to a head injury, but may happen in variety of ways; among them:

• Running into a post
• Car accidents
• Rearing and hitting an object (e.g., beam, tree, rails, etc.)
• Sporting accidents (e.g., falls, bumps, etc.)

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of brain trauma varies from case to case. In many instances, diagnosis only occurs when the horse is brought to the veterinarian after an accident. Many other times it may take a symptom or a host of symptoms for the brain trauma to be noticed. The sooner the veterinarian examines a horse after the trauma, the better.