Bad breath in pet horse is no different to that of dogs and cats. Horse owners also experience the hassles of owning a pet that produces foul smells. In this article, we will talk about what causes horse’s breath to smell bad and suggest tips on how it can be treated.
When a horse pet produces an unpleasant smell from its mouth or even from its tonsils, it may be because your pet horse has poor dental health or worse, suffering from a serious medical condition. When this happened, you will need to consult a veterinarian.
Periodontal disease
One of the most common health conditions that a pet horse might be suffering from that is causing the bad breath is periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums and bone that surrounds and supports the teeth. You know your horse has a periodontal disease if its gums become swollen and red, and in the worst case, his swollen gums start to bleed. This disease can get even worse and the horse’s gums will start pulling away from the teeth, bone can be lost, and the teeth may loosen or even fall out.
There are treatments available to help horses that suffer from periodontal diseases, but the very best thing to do is to have a veterinarian check on your pet horse before this starts. Early intervention is the key and this requires responsibility on the owner’s part.
Kidney disease
Kidney disease in horses is a medical condition where the its kidneys can experience failure. A horse who suffers from this condition experiences depression, lethargy, swelling of the legs and of the lower abdomen. Also experiences increased or decreased urination.
Aside from the effects mentioned in the previous paragraph, a horse with kidney disease starts to smell unpleasant. This is because waste and toxic elements start to build up in its blood which also causes severe itching and skin rashes. Sounds horrible but good news is that this condition can be treated. If the disease is not that severe, it is important to maintain the horse’s healthy eating and drinking habit. However, if the condition is severe, it is important that you seek the help of a veterinarian or any animal doctor that specializes in treating kidney diseases.
Horse bad breath develops because of the said causes, but when the horses are healthy and are free of any underlying medical conditions, they will be more active and have no bad breath.
