Horse Urinary Diseases

The urinary organs constitute the main channel through which are thrown out most of the poisons of a horse's body. To a large extent, therefore, these organs are the sanitary scavengers and purifiers of the system, and when their functions are impaired, the retained poisons quickly show their presence in resulting horse diseases of the skin, the nervous system and/or other organs.
 
This goes both ways as well; scarcely an important organ of the body can suffer derangement without entailing a corresponding urinary disease. Horse health can be seen in the health of the horse urinary tract and the urinary system.

Causes of Urinary Disorders and Diseases

Here is a list of the primary causes of urinary disorders and diseases:
  • a disordered liver
  • any disorder leading to impaired functional activity of the lungs
  • being feed green vegetables
  • certain poisons taken in with the feed and water
  • diseases of the heart and lungs
  • diseases of the nervous system
  • extensive inflammations and acute fevers
  • privation of water
  • sprains of the back and loins.

Symptoms of Horse Urinary Disease

General symptoms of urinary diseases in horses include:
  • difficulty in making a sharp turn
  • diseases of the skin and nervous system
  • dropping the back when mounted or when pinched on the loins
  • frequent attempts to pass urine
  • lying down and rising with groaning
  • swollen legs
  • the animal moves stiffly on the hind limbs.

Most Common Horse Urinary Diseases

The most common urinary diseases of the horse include:
  • Acute Nephritis (Inflammation of the Kidneys): Generally due to inflammations of other organs or fevers. It results in stiffness of the back that restricts or hampers movement.

  • Chronic Inflammation of the Kidneys: It is commonly connected with faulty conditions of the system—indigestion, heart disease, lung or liver disease, kidney disease or imperfect blood formation. This condition has many of the same symptoms of acute nephritis.

  • Diseased Growths in the Bladder: These may be of various kinds, malignant or simple. The symptoms are frequent straining while urinating and blood in the urine.

  • Diuresis (Excessive Secretion of Urine): This disease is widespread in wet seasons and especially in rainy districts. The horse drinks deep at every opportunity and passes urine on every occasion when stopped.

  • Hematuria (Bloody Urine): Bloody urine is usually the direct result of mechanical injuries, as sprains and fractures of the loins, lacerations of the sub-lumbar muscles or irritation caused by a stone in the kidney.

  • Irritable Bladder: This condition is seen in many mares during the period of heat. It results in frequent urination in small quantities.

  • Saccharine Diabetes: Its causes are varied, but resolve themselves largely into disorder of the liver or disorder of the brain. The symptoms are ardent thirst and profuse secretion of a pale urine of a high density (1.060 and upward) and rapid loss of condition.

  • Tumors: Tumors, whether malignant or simple, give rise to symptoms resembling some form of inflammation, and are not liable to be recognized during life.

  • Urinary Calculi (Stones): These consist in some of the solids of the urine that have been precipitated from the urine in the form of crystals of varying size. Symptoms include frequent passing of urine in small quantities and mingled with mucous or blood.

Resources

Michener, CH. B, V.S. (2007). Diseases of the Digestive Organs. Retrieved March 8, 2008, from the Project Gutenberg Web site: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/23403/23403-h/23403-h.htm#Page_49.