Medical science has given all living things many blessings. As health care makes advances for humans, it is making corollary advances for animals. That is good news. You can actually have your dog’s cataracts removed. The bad news is that it costs as much to have your dog’s eyes treated as your own. While medicine has made large progress, the medical bills for large animals are even larger. If you have the largest common pet of all, a horse, the medicine you have to give is sizeable, as is the accompanying fee. Large animal veterinarians are specialists who charge accordingly. This raises the question, how can you afford to pay for the health care of your beloved pony?
Can You Take Care of Your Horse Economically?
Fortunately, veterinary medical science is not the only industry keeping up with the times. It is possible to purchase health insurance for your animals. For decades, those who owned very expensive animals—racehorses, bovine breeding stock, show dogs—covered their beasts with various types of insurance. Now it is possible for you to provide horse medical insurance for your pony, regardless of whether it is a prize trotter or a weekend companion.
What Are the Most Frequent Equine Health Problems?
Like other species, certain types of horses are more likely to develop characteristic health issues than others. It pays to know and to be able to recognize some of the more common problems horses face:
- Colic. Newborn babies are not the only ones who come down with this intestinal issue, however, with horses it can be life-threatening.
- Arthritis. All mammals are subject to this. You can often see its advancing effects on your horse.
- Laminitis. This is an extremely painful and potentially dangerous swelling of the soft tissue of the hoof.
- Mud fever. This is a skin infection that develops in very humid conditions. It can become an infection requiring antibiotics.
How Can a Horse Express Gratitude?
Your horse may not like it when you have to administer medicine. Knowing that you are helping it to heal, however, chances are your pony will get over its injured pride and seek to express its thanks to you.
How does a grateful horse act? It may blow its breath in your face or rest its head against yours on your shoulder. It may nibble at your clothing or hair. It may whinny or snort. Since horses are naturally quiet, little vocalizations are really a big way of saying thank you.
