Page 81 - Libro_MariaA_26agosto
P. 81
Welcome to Pre-Vet School
muscles in the horse that causes painful cramps and muscle damage. It is often
seen when there is an imbalance between exercise and feeding, for example
maintaining a high-energy diet while suddenly reducing the exercise levels”.
This means that if you want to prevent your horse from suffering this painful
disease, you should talk to your vet to design a balanced diet for your horse ac-
cording to his daily exercise. Also, if there’s a day of the week when your horse
is not going to exercise, you should reduce his grain to prevent this disease.
Common causes of azoturia (Scarsdale Veterinary Group, 2015) (XL Vets
Equine Association, no year of publication):
• Imbalance between diet and exercise, usually a high-energy diet and a
sudden exercise reduction.
• Excessive exercise for level of fitness.
• Genetics.
• Dehydration or electrolyte imbalance.
Symptoms (Scarsdale Veterinary Group, 2015) (XL Vets Equine Association):
• Lack of impulsion.
• Dark red/brown urine.
• Unwilling to move.
• Poor performance.
• Sweating.
• Increased heart and respiratory rate.
• Muscles in the hindquarters may feel swollen.
95
