HEPATITIS IN HORSES
Symptoms and Types
As far as horses are concerned, there are two different forms of hepatitis:
•Acute Hepatitis
◦Loss of appetite
◦Dull pain in the abdomen
◦Increase in pulse rate
◦Labored and quickened breathing
◦Nervous behavior
•Chronic Hepatitis
◦Loss of appetite
◦Diarrhea
◦Weight loss
◦Abdominal pain
◦Increase in pulse rate
◦Labored breathing
◦Nervousness (e.g., head pressing, wandering, confusion about surroundings)
◦Complications with vision or complete blindness
Causes
Acute hepatitis is usually caused by some type of viral infection and is due to the ingestion of toxins. These toxins may be biological, chemical, or both. Chronic hepatitis, on the other hand, is caused by ragwort, a poisonous weed that possesses toxins which slowly eat away at the cells in the liver. And while a horse will not eat ragwort purposely, it occasionally makes it way into the hay and can go undetected, as it does not have any particular taste. Another effect of the toxins on the liver is cirrhosis, which can be fatal.
Liver fluke is also known to cause chronic hepatitis in some horses.
Diagnosis
Other than observing the horse's clinical symptoms, your veterinarian will confirm the diagnosis of hepatitis by examining a tissue sample from the horse, in addition to conducting further tests on the animal.
Treatment
Prompt treatment is critical to the survival of a horse infected with hepatitis. Antibiotics will be used to curb and control any secondary infections -- bacterial, or otherwise -- that occur as a result of the hepatitis. The antibiotics will also help to reduce the effects that any toxins may have had on the body.
If the veterinarian administers glucose intravenously, it is to maintain the horse's vitamin and glucose levels in its blood. Another commonly used therapy is vitamin B supplements. These supplements aid in the healing of the damaged liver cells.
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