Page 1018 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse
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carbohydrate feeds combine to increase the stomach acidity. This and the stress of weaning
may be the stimulus for the onset of crib-biting. Foals that are kept in at weaning are at
VetBooks.ir higher risk than those turned out at pasture.
Clinical signs
In addition to the obvious behaviour pattern, affected horses may show:
• abnormal wear on the incisor teeth (Figure 22.2)
• poor appetite; these horses are often picky feeders
• weight loss or failure to put on weight
• overdevelopment of the muscles running down the underside of the neck
• gastrointestinal problems, e.g. gastric ulceration.
Figure 22.2 Abnormal wear on the incisor teeth of a crib-biter
Diagnosis
