Canker is an uncommon condition affecting a horse’s hooves, and its cause has not been definitively proven. Many veterinarians suspect that canker stems from a bacterial or viral infection in the foot.

It’s a cool rainy fall day, and you’re looking forward to a nice ride in the indoor arena on your beloved equine pal. Perhaps you’ve had a busy work week and haven’t seen him in a few days. As you bring him in from the pasture and park him in the cross ties, you absently run your hand along his back and give him a loving pat. To your dismay, your horse’s typically fuzzy soft coat feels lumpy and crusty and he flinches at your touch. What on earth is this?

NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as phenylbutazone (Bute), flunixin meglumine (Banamine) and firocoxib (Equioxx) are commonly used in equine patients to help relieve pain, decrease inflammation, and control fever. 

PPID, or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction, is sometimes referred to as equine Cushing’s disease. The cause of this condition in equine patients is different from the cause of Cushing’s in human and canine patients, so equine veterinarians typically refer to the condition as PPID.

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a fatal condition for horses - there is no cure, and there is no treatment. Any horse who acquires EIA needs to be euthanized. That’s why owner compliance with acquiring certificates of veterinary inspection (CVI) prior to travel is so important.