Can horses be sick? (throw up)?

Answer 1

actually, horse's are physically unable to vomit.

thats why when they are colicy, its such a serious issue. they can't get rid of the contents in their stomachs that is causing them to colic.

Answer 2

Horses cannot throw up because they do not have a gag reflex like humans. They do not have multiple stomach chambers like cows. Horses have relatively small stomachs for their size (about 4 gallons), most of what they eat is actually digested in the hind gut. That is why they are grazers and are designed to eat a little all day verses a lot at just two meals a day. They get sick from eating too much or eating too quickly or eating poor quality food. Any stomach ailment is called colic and requires special care.

Answer 3

No, horses are unable to vomit.


And if you're interested:-

Anjyla the student vet assistant has slightly misled you as colic does not always mean your horse has a twisted gut. Obstructive colic (torsion of the gut) is only one and thankfully quite rare form of colic - though very serious when it does happen. You need a veterinary surgeon to operate immediately.

Spasmodic colic is much more common (an interference in the normal rhythmic contractions of the gut so that gas and gut contents build up causing the gut to distend and severe pain) Unless it's a very mild attack (in which case walking your horse around can help) call your vet for anti-spasmodic drugs /sedative/analgesics

Other forms of colic include tympanitic (a fancy word for too much gas!!) Tympanitic needs a vet (anti-spasmolytic drugs/analgesics and possibly antibiotics and vegetable oils to reduce fermentation) Severe cases may need a stomach tube to relieve tension.

Impacted colic is where there is an obstruction - usually of too much dry food. This is usually treated with paraffin and saline given by stomach tube which helps to break up the massand get the food moving through the gut again - though occasionally surgery is needed.
Oh - and I wouldn't walk your horse around unless you are able to recognise which colic is which.....because if your horse had obstructive colic you could seriously aggravate the problem with dire consequences.

Answer 4

Horses can't throw up- which a lot of people compare them to cows in their intestine system..but cows do regurgitate food. Horses do not have multi- compartment-ed stomachs like cows do. Instead horses have roughly 85 feet of intestine. And they do not carry the bacteria cattle do to break down toxic materials that may enter their stomachs which then makes it's way to the blood stream causing the horse to colic.
Since most horses aren't able to graze throughout the day due to land depletion they are perfectly safe being fed twice a day. Grain or feed takes longer for the horses body to digest and any consumption of feed or hay stays in the colon for 48-65 hours. And thats only after the 7 hour digestion process.

Answer 5

yes horses can get sick and and like one of the other people said they can not vomit. they also can get colic which it a twisted gut that comes when the food builds up and the stomach cant digest it fast enough. horses can get heaves which is a respiratory disease which cases a horse to cough and there is no cure for this. they get it from mouldy hay and too much dust in the air. if your horse gets sick the best thing to do is call the vet and know your signs of colic.very important your horses life depends on it. colic can and will kill your horse if not looked at and taken care of. one thing is to walk it immediately.

Answer 6

It is physically impossible for horses to vomit or burp, that is the reason why their stomachs are so sensitive. If they eat something "bad" they cannot get it out of their system without passing it all the way through. If they do not get the correct balance of forage with their grain they can have major issues because they cannot release the gas built up in their systems.

Answer 7

Horse can be sick, just like any other animal or human. But, horses cannot throw up. (It is physically impossible for them.)

Answer 8

No, a seal comes over the gullet so they can not regurgatate food so jst watch what they eat.
They might not actually be throwing up they might be quidding their food so get there teeth checked:-)

Answer 9

horses can get sick but they cannot throw up.... if they do, get it out of the barn fast cause its gonna die...... my old boss(vet) told me horses are not able to. if they do, then they will die

Answer 10

No - they physically cannot vomit and are supposed to be unable to burp either - although no-one told my sisters horse this!