Horse IQ

Tetanus affects all animals, including humans. But horses are more susceptible to it than other animals; they just have less natural immunity against it. That’s why it’s so important to protect your horse from this horrible disease. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to do. Here’s what you need to know…

WARNING: I don’t want to gross anyone out with this article. But I want you to know the symptoms of equine tetanus so your horse will never have to suffer from it. Please take this information and use it: it could save your horse’s life.

Equine tetanus (sometimes called lockjaw) isn’t contagious. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t deadly. It is. And watching a horse die from it is nothing short of heart-wrenching. That’s why I want you to know how horses get tetanus and how you can protect yours.

Of course, the best thing you can do for your horse is get him vaccinated. But if you haven’t been able to or can’t remember the last time he’s had a vaccination, you’ll need to know how the warning signs of tetanus. And that starts with knowing how your horse can get it.

How Your Horse Can Get Tetanus

Your horse can get tetanus the same way you can: an untreated puncture wound that seals over. Of course, it depends on what kind of sharp object caused the wound and what bacteria that object passed onto your horse.

A rusty nail has always been the classic example. Rust cotains the bacteria clostridium tetani, and it doesn’t take much to cause a rip-roaring infection in a horse. The bacteria multiplies in low-oxygen environments. That’s why it likes sealed-over wounds so much.

Equine Tetanus Symptoms

From the date of the wound, it can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks for symptoms to show up. What you’ll notice is a mysterious stiffness in your horse. He’ll become oddly erect - as if taking on the stance of a saw horse: legs apart in all 4 directions.

He’ll stand still with his neck and his tail sticking straight out. He’ll then show odd spasms in his jaw (hence the term ‘lockjaw’). But the telltale sign is a cloudy film over the eyes. Equine vets use this as the sure indicator - if he has all these signs and the cloudy eyes, there’s no question. He’s got tetanus.

Here’s the Good News

The good news is that veterinary medicine has come a long way toward treating this awful disease. And as you’ve heard me say before, early detection and treatment is your best defense against all horse diseases. Equine tetanus is no different.

Since tetanus bacteria hates oxygen, you want to load it up with as much as you can. That means fresh air and fresh water. I’ve got an article on how to treat a puncture wound. This is the one thing you must do as soon as you find a puncture wound. Clean it: lots of fresh air, soap, and fresh water.

I’ve heard some vets estimate that cleaning a horse puncture wound thoroughly eliminates 90% of otherwise fatal equine tetanus cases. I like that number.

The One Thing I Wouldn’t Do

If you can tell for sure that a sharp piece of rusted metal caused the wound in the first place, I wouldn’t even close it up. After you clean it, let it drain naturally. Then call your vet. When he arrives, he’ll inject it with some penicillin. He may even give your horse some intravenous antitoxin, or maybe even a muscle relaxant.

Forgive me if I grossed you out with this article. I certainly didn’t intend to. I just want to help save these wonderful animals from this awful, deadly disease. Know the symptoms so you can get your equine vet into action as quickly as you can. Early detection can save your horse from tetanus. And you from a lot of heartache.

Yours for Better Horse Health,
Sierra Lynch

Tags: Horse Diseases

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