Lyme disease symptoms in horses include lameness, stiff joints, fever and abnormal behavior change, but a blood test is the only way to confirm the disease. Find out if a horse has Lyme disease, which is caused by infected ticks, with helpful information from a farm manager and on-site veterinarian in this free video on horses.
The basic symptoms of Lyme disease, are lameness, especially in the large joints of the horse's limbs. It may randomly change between limbs, and the limbs appear stiff. Fever may or may not be present. An abnormal behavior change for your horse, unwillingness to work, and engage in an activity that normally was not a problem, and laminitis, which is the inflammation of the hoof wall. Lyme disease is caused by tics that are infected with the bacteria, that they have picked up from rodents, and this makes it very important, to keep your feed area very clean, so that these rodents are in your barn, and these tics are biting them. It's difficult to diagnose Lyme disease, because only ten percent of horses actually show the signs. There is a blood test that you definitely need, to have Lyme disease diagnosed by your veterinarian, and for further treatment. Lyme disease prevention involves daily grooming your horse, and being sure that they are free of any tics.
Specialty: Horse Health
