Cough, sneeze, sniffle!
Cold and flu season not quite over and horses too can fall victim to the runny-nose blues.
While humans can try to avoid contact with other ill people, cover their achoo-ing and attempt to wash their hands with the same germaphobic zeal as Howie Mandel; the fact is, horses simply can’t keep up.
Two critical conditions exist that make horses (and humans) sick:
First, the cold.
Now remember, it’s not literally the cold that causes a cold or the flu. It’s the body’s reaction to those decreased temperatures. Horses who are kept outside or in cold stalls during the chilly season exert more energy to maintain a core body temperature (through, for example, shivering). As a result, calories are diverted to temperature upkeep rather than immune system maintenance.
Continue reading Tip of the Week – Mushrooms to the Rescue for a Healthy Horse
