Anemia in Horses: When is Nutrition a Consideration? - Mad Barn - Vet Talk

A diagnosis of anemia in your horse can sometimes be unexpected for horse owners, particularly when their equine companion isn't exhibiting any clinical signs or apparent illness. This often leaves owners scratching their heads and worrying that they're missing something.... could their horse's anemia be related to diet? Join Dr. Fran Rowe, DVM, one of Mad Barn's Veterinary Nutritionists, to learn more about anemia in horses. In this informative video, Dr. Rowe breaks down the basics of anemia, its impact on horses, and when there may be a connection between nutrition and this condition. Anemia is defined as a decrease in red blood cell mass. The job of red blood cells is to carry oxygen from the lungs to every tissue in the body. When anemia occurs, it results in tissue hypoxia, which means the tissues aren't getting enough oxygen. The three main causes of anemia in horses are blood loss (hemorrhage), red blood cell destruction (hemolysis), and reduced red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Anemia can present in horses in a variety of different ways depending on the cause and severity, which can sometimes make reaching a diagnosis challenging for veterinarians and owners, alike. When horse owners discover their horse is anemic, many assume it's related to iron deficiency. However, Dr. Rowe addresses this common misconception and discusses why true iron-deficient anemia in horses is actually rare. If not iron deficiency, then what's causing your horse's anemia? Tune in to Dr. Rowe's presentation to learn about more common causes of anemia in horses and when diet can play a role in this condition. Learn more about anemia in horses at https://madbarn.com/equine-anemia/ Or find out about a related condition, the Equine Infectious Anemia Virus, at https://madbarn.com/equine-infectious... Want to evaluate your horse's diet? Follow this link to get connected with an equine nutritionist or explore our horse nutrition calculator: 👉 https://madbarn.com/analyze-diet/?mod... Have ideas for topics to cover or questions about your horse's health? We would love to hear from you! Please send any questions or comments to [email protected]. ------------------------------ Mad Barn Academy is dedicated to supporting horse owners, handlers and practitioners through research, training and education. Visit us to learn more at ⁠⁠⁠https://madbarn.com ⁠⁠⁠ You can also find Mad Barn at: ⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@madbarnequine⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@madbarnequine⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ⁠⁠⁠@madbarnequine⁠⁠⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ @madbarn ⁠⁠⁠ X (Twitter) @madbarnequine