On July 2, a 13-year-old Quarter Horse mare in Allegan County, Michigan, tested positive for strangles. The mare developed clinical signs on June 22, including nasal and lymph node discharge. She is currently recovering.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About StranglesStranglesin horses is an infection caused byStreptococcus equisubspeciesequiand spread through direct contact with other equids or contaminated surfaces. Horses that arent showing clinical signs can harbor and spread the bacteria, and recovered horses remain contagious for at least six weeks, with the potential to cause outbreaks long-term.Infected horses can exhibit a variety of clinical signs:FeverSwollen and/or abscessed lymph nodesNasal dischargeCoughing or wheezingMuscle swellingDifficulty swallowingVeterinarians diagnose horses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with either a nasal swab, wash, or an abscess sample, and they treat most cases based on clinical signs, implementing antibiotics for severe cases. Overuse of antibiotics can prevent an infected horse from developing immunity. Most horses make a full recovery in three to four weeks.A vaccine is available but not always effective. Biosecurity measures of quarantining new horses at a facility and maintaining high standards of hygiene and disinfecting surfaces can helplower the risk of outbreakorcontain one when it occurs.

Veterinarians rely on a thorough history, physical examination, and gastroscopy to guide gastric ulcer diagnosis. Gastroscopy, which allows the veterinarian to visualize the horses stomach with an endoscope, remains the gold standard for confirming the presence, location, and severity of gastric ulcers. In this Ask TheHorse Live excerpt Laramie Winfield, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, cVA, cVMMP, of Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinic, in Salinas, California, explains how veterinarians use gastroscopy to diagnose equine gastric ulcer syndrome.ThispodcastisanexcerptfromourAskTheHorseLiveQ&A,WhatYouNeedtoKnowAboutEquineGastricUlcers.Listentothefullrecordinghere.About the Expert: Laramie Winfield, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, cVA, cVMMP Laramie Winfield, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, cVA, cVMMP, grew up in the Salinas Valley, riding horses with her mom and sisters. Winfields professional interests are equine internal medicine, emergency and critical care, neonatology, acupuncture, sports medicine, and ophthalmology. Winfield is certified in veterinary acupuncture and is also a veterinary medical manipulation practitioner, having completed her training at the Integrative Veterinary Medical Institute in Reddick, Florida. In integrating her riding background with her training in internal medicine, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation Winfield strives to offer a comprehensive view of horse health and performance. Winfield is an equity partner at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics, in Salinas, California. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Nick Carlson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, and their children. She loves horseback riding and three-day eventing with her horse Franky.

Consider your horses individual needs when helping him gain weight. | Alexandra Beckstett/The HorseHelping a horse gain weight might sound simple: Feed more. In practice, it is rarely that straightforward. Some horses need additional digestible calories. Others eat well but their bodies do not utilize nutrients efficiently. Still others appear thin because they lack topline and muscle, not because they simply need more body fat.That distinction matters, because the best supplement for one horse might not address the limiting factor in another.For many horses that primarily need additional dietary energy, Mad Barns W-3 Oil remains the best overall weight gain supplement. For horses that would benefit from different support, Optimum Digestive Health, Visceral+, and Three Amigos address feed efficiency, appetite and stomach comfort, or lean muscle development, respectively.When Does a Horse Need a Weight Gain Supplement?A weight gain supplement might help when a horse cannot maintain body condition on its current forage and feeding program. That can happen because the diet is short on calories, but it can also reflect poor forage quality, inadequate protein quality, dental problems, parasite burdens, stress, illness, or digestive inefficiency.Owners often notice the problem first as visible ribs, a sharper topline, loss of muscle, or difficulty holding weight during training. In some horses the change is gradual. In others, especially seniors, lactating mares, growing horses, or horses in heavy work, calorie demands can outpace intake more quickly.The first step is identifying why the horse might be losing condition and what its diet is lacking. Owners should use supplements only to fill a specific gap in that program, not to cover up an unresolved health or management problem.Looking Beyond the Feed ScoopWeight loss and poor condition can have several overlapping causes. Horses with higher energy requirements need a diet to match those. Hot-blooded breeds, highly active horses, and anxious horses can also expend more energy than expected, even when they are not in intense training.Mature or low-quality hay can fill the gut without providing enough digestible energy. Limited turnout, inconsistent forage meals, competition within a herd for resources, and long stretches without forage can reduce intake.Health concerns can complicate the picture. Dental disease can make it more difficult for a horse to chew hay thoroughly and obtain the nutrients it provides. Parasite burdens, gastric discomfort, hindgut imbalance, chronic pain, illness, and age-related changes can all affect how a horses ability to absorbs and use nutrients.Call your veterinarian if the horse has a reduced appetite, difficulty chewing, or is dropping feed, or if it has loose manure, recurrent digestive upset, lethargy, declining performance, muscle loss, or any other sign that suggests illness or pain.Three Common Nutritional LimitsTo determine why a horse appears thin, start by considering three broad categories, which can overlap: insufficient calories, poor nutrient utilization, and inadequate muscle development.The first group includes horses in a calorie deficit. They expend more energy than they consume, which is common among hard keepers, seniors, horses in work, growing horses, and horses exposed to temperature extremes or stress. These horses often need more digestible energy through improved forage, increased forage intake, or calorie-dense feeds and supplements.The second group includes horses that appear to eat enough but still struggle to hold their weight. For these horses, the problem might be digestive efficiency. Stress, abrupt diet changes, aging, illness, inconsistent forage intake, and shifts in hindgut microflora can interfere with fiber digestion and nutrient utilization. These horses might show inconsistent manure quality, reduced feed efficiency, or difficulty maintaining weight during travel or stress.The third group includes horses that are not truly lacking fat but lack topline or lean muscle. They might have an acceptable body condition score yet look narrow over the back or weak through the hindquarters. In these horses, amino acid intake, protein quality, vitamin and mineral balance, and the horses exercise program especially matter.What to Look for in a Weight Gain SupplementFor most horses primarily needing more calories, fat is one of the most useful tools. Fat supplies more energy per gram than carbohydrates or protein, allowing a horse to consume more calories without a large increase in feed volume. This can be especially helpful for hard keepers, senior horses, performance horses, and horses that do not tolerate large concentrate meals well.A useful weight gain supplement should provide add enough calories per serving to support weight gain, fit into a forage-based diet, and avoid unnecessary starch and sugar. Palatability matters, too, because a supplement not eaten consistently cannot help the horse gain weight.Fat-based calories are often called cool calories because they increase energy intake without relying on high-starch feeds, which some owners associate with reactive horse behavior. Common fat sources in equine diets include vegetable oils, stabilized rice bran, flax products, camelina oil, and high-fat commercial feeds or supplements.W-3 Oil: Best Overall Choice for Calorie SupportFor horses that simply need more dietary energy, W-3 Oil is the strongest overall choice. A 100-gram serving provides approximately 900 calories from fat, making it an efficient way to add energy without relying on larger grain meals or extra feed bulk.Unlike plain vegetable oil, W-3 Oil is formulated to supply fat-based energy from flax oil and soybean oil, along with added DHA and natural vitamin E. DHA is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that supports normal inflammatory balance, joint health, skin and coat quality, immune function, and overall wellness.The added natural vitamin E is also important. When unsaturated fat increases in the diet, antioxidant support becomes more important for cell membranes, muscle function, immune function, tissue health, and recovery from exercise. W-3 Oil pairs calorie density with these broader nutritional benefits, which is why it works well for hard keepers, senior horses, sport horses, and horses that need extra energy on a lower-starch program.Visceral+: Best Support When Appetite and Stomach Comfort Limit IntakeSome horses do not maintain weight because they do not eat enough to meet their energy needs. Reduced appetite, inconsistent feed intake, stress, and abdominal discomfort can all make healthy weight gain harder. Gastric discomfort, in particular, can contribute to picky eating and reduced calorie intake.Visceral+ is the best option for horses that need support for appetite, gastric function, and abdominal comfort. It is designed to help maintain a healthy stomach environment and support normal digestive function, which can encourage more consistent feed intake.Its ingredients include lecithin to help maintain the stomachs protective lining, nucleotides to support healthy gastric tissue, glutamine as an energy source for digestive tract cells, and mannan-oligosaccharides to support mucin production in the gut.Optimum Digestive Health: Best Support for Feed EfficiencyOther horses eat enough on paper but still fail to maintain weight. In those cases, the issue might not be feed volume. It might be how efficiently the horse digests fiber and extracts usable nutrients from the diet.Much of a horses usable energy comes from hindgut fermentation. Microbes in the cecum and colon break down fiber from hay and pasture into volatile fatty acids, which the horse absorbs and uses as energy. When the horse might not get as much benefit from the forage it consumes.Optimum Digestive Health is the best choice for horses that need support for feed efficiency and hindgut function. It does not primarily supply calories. Instead, it supports the digestive environment that helps a horse get more from the ration it consumes.The formula provides probiotics to help maintain beneficial hindgut microbes, prebiotics to support microbial activity, yeast and fermentation products to support fiber-digesting bacteria, digestive enzymes to aid feed breakdown, toxin binders, and ingredients that help maintain hindgut stability during stress, travel, dietary change, or inconsistent forage intake.Choose Optimum Digestive Health when a horse eats adequate energy but still struggles to maintain condition, has inconsistent manure quality, or needs added support for hindgut function.Three Amigos: Best Support for Topline and Lean MuscleSome horses look underdeveloped because they lack muscle rather than fat. They might have enough calories to maintain body condition but still look narrow through the back, weak over the topline, or poorly developed through the hindquarters.In those cases, adding more calories alone might not solve the problem. Muscle development depends on an appropriate training stimulus, enough energy to support tissue growth, and adequate protein quality. The horse also needs enough essential amino acids to build muscle protein.Three Amigos is the best option for horses that need targeted amino acid support. It provides lysine, methionine, and threonine, the three essential amino acids most commonly limiting in equine diets.Lysine is the primary limiting amino acid in many horse diets and key for muscle protein synthesis. Methionine supports protein synthesis, tissue development, hoof quality, and normal metabolic pathways. Threonine supports muscle protein synthesis, gut barrier function, immune function, and normal tissue maintenance.Choose Three Amigos when a horse lacks topline or muscle development, appears to be receiving enough calories but still struggles with muscle maintenance, eats mature hay or lower-quality forage, or needs added support for muscle recovery and lean tissue development. If the horse is truly underweight, calorie intake still needs to be addressed alongside amino acid supply.Final RecommendationsSupplements work best when they complement, rather than replace, good forage, adequate calories, balanced vitamins and minerals, consistent management, and veterinary care for unexplained weight loss. For personalized guidance, submit your horses diet for a free evaluation by Mad Barns equine nutritionists.

A 25-year-old pony mare in Wellington County, Ontario, recently tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). The mare developed sudden neurologic signs on the evening of June 29. Her signs progressed the next day, and she was euthanized.The mare had attended a schooling show in the Regional Municipality of Peel on June 28. She was kept outside at all times, and the risk to other horses that competed at the show is considered low. However, owners are advised to monitor their horses health and rectal temperatures for 14 days.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.EHV 101Herpesvirus is highly contagious among horses and can cause a variety of ailments in equids, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and EHM.In many horses, the first or only sign of EHV-1 infection is fever, which can go undetected.In addition to fever, other common signs of EHV-1 infection in young horses include cough, decreased appetite, depression, and a nasal discharge. Pregnant mares typically show no signs of infection before they abort, and abortions usually occur late in gestation (around eight months) but can be earlier. Abortions can occur anywhere from two weeks to several months following infection with EHV-1.Horses with EHM usually have a fever at the onset of the disease and might show signs of a respiratory infection. A few days later, neurologic signs such as ataxia (incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the fore- and hind limbs, urine retention and dribbling, loss of tail tone, and recumbency (inability to rise) develop.Herpesvirus is easily spread by nose-to-nose or close contact with an infectious horse; sharing contaminated equipment including bits, buckets, and towels; or clothing, hands, or equipment of people who have recently had contact with an infectious horse.Routine biosecurity measures, including hygiene and basic cleaning and disinfection practices, should be in place at all times to help prevent disease spread.Current EHV-1 vaccines might reduce viral shedding but are not protective against the neurologic form of the disease. Implementing routine biosecurity practices is the best way to minimize viral spread, and the best method of disease control is disease prevention.

One horse at a private facility in Spokane County, Washington, has tested positive for strangles. The horse recently returned from a breeding facility, where it was housed with a suspected carrier.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About StranglesStranglesin horses is an infection caused byStreptococcus equisubspeciesequiand spread through direct contact with other equids or contaminated surfaces. Horses that arent showing clinical signs can harbor and spread the bacteria, and recovered horses remain contagious for at least six weeks, with the potential to cause outbreaks long-term.Infected horses can exhibit a variety of clinical signs:FeverSwollen and/or abscessed lymph nodesNasal dischargeCoughing or wheezingMuscle swellingDifficulty swallowingVeterinarians diagnose horses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with either a nasal swab, wash, or an abscess sample, and they treat most cases based on clinical signs, implementing antibiotics for severe cases. Overuse of antibiotics can prevent an infected horse from developing immunity. Most horses make a full recovery in three to four weeks.A vaccine is available but not always effective. Biosecurity measures of quarantining new horses at a facility and maintaining high standards of hygiene and disinfecting surfaces can helplower the risk of outbreakorcontain one when it occurs.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, one horse in Seminole County was euthanized after contracting Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).This is the second confirmed EEE case in Florida in 2026.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.EEE 101Eastern equine encephalomyelitis is caused by the Eastern equine encephalitis virus, for which wild birds are a natural reservoir. Mosquitoes that feed on EEE-infected birds can transmit the virus to humans, horses, and other birds. Horses do not develop high enough levels of these viruses in their blood to be contagious to other animals or humans. Because of the high mortality rate in horses and humans, EEE is regarded as one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States.Tips for preventing mosquito-borne diseases include:Avoid mosquito bites: Use insect repellent when outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn.Look for EPA-labeled products containing active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin (KBR3023), or oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane 3,8-diol).Apply more repellent, according to label instructions, if mosquitoes start to bite.Mosquito-proof homes: Fix or install window and door screens, and cover or eliminate empty containers with standing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs.Protect your horses: Veterinarians recommend commercially available licensedvaccines against EEE for all horses in the U.S. Horses should be vaccinated at least annually (recommendations vary in high-risk areas). Its not too late this year to vaccinate your horses.Use approved insect repellents to protect horses.If possible, put horses in stables, stalls, or barns during the prime mosquito exposure hours of dusk and dawn.Eliminate standing water, drain water troughs, and empty buckets at least weekly.Stock water tanks with fish that consume mosquito larvae (contact your local mosquito control for assistance), or use mosquito dunks (soliddonuts ofBacillus thuringiensis israelensis, which are nontoxic to horses) available at hardware stores.

According to the USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), seven new equine premises affected by vesicular stomatitis (VSV) have been identified in New Mexico and Colorado.New Mexico (6 premises)Santa Fe County:One presumed positive equine premises.Valencia County:One confirmed positive equine premises and three presumed positive equine premises.Rio Arriba County:One confirmed positive equine premises.Colorado (1 premise)Montrose County:One confirmed positive equine premises.Since October 2025, VSV has been identified at 15 equine premises in Arizona, two equine premises in Colorado, and 13 equine premises in New Mexico. All confirmed caseshave been vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) serotype.The last outbreak of VSV in the U.S. occurred from May 2023 through January 2024, affecting 319 premises across California, Nevada, and Texas. VSV circulates annually between livestock and insect vectors in southern Mexico and only occasionally results in incursion to the U.S.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About Vesicular StomatitisVesicular stomatitis is a viral disease of horses, donkeys, mules, cattle, swine and New World camelids that occurs in the Western Hemisphere. It is named for the characteristic vesicular lesions it causes in the form of blisters, crusts and ulceration of the lips, muzzle, nose, tongue, ears, sheath, teats and/or coronary band. The virus is transmitted by biting midges and therefore is seasonal.Clinical Signs for vesicular stomatitis include:Vesicle formation leading to ulcerative lesions on the lips, muzzle, nostrils and tongue. The tongue is often the most severely affected area.Ulceration of the inner surface of the lips.Crusting of the muzzle, nostrils, and/or inside the ears.Excessive salivation secondary to the oral lesions.Difficulty picking up and chewing feed.Lameness due to painful erosions on the coronary band.Lesions can occur on the udder, sheath and inside of the ear.Lesions can develop secondary infections resulting in slow-to-heal wounds.Animals on pastures are at increased risk of vesicular stomatitis.Initial diagnosis is based on recognition of characteristic vesicular lesions. Infection is confirmed via laboratory testing for serum antibodies and/or virus identification in fluid samples from active lesions. Veterinarians are required to report suspected cases to state/federal animal health officials who will direct sample submission to an approved regulatory laboratory for diagnostic testing.There is no specific treatment for vesicular stomatitis. Best practices include implementing good biosecurity and treating affected horses with pain relievers, anti-inflammatories and supportive care as recommended by a veterinarian.Isolating all affected animals and placing the premise on immediate quarantine is required until all horses have fully recovered and no active lesions are present. The State Veterinarian will work with the local veterinarian to determine and implement necessary quarantine procedures.

Ten equine infectious anemia (EIA) cases have been identified across four states:NevadaNye County:One horse tested positive. The facility is under quarantine.CaliforniaSanta Clara County:Six horses tested positive and were euthanized. Fifty exposed horses on the premises are under quarantine.TexasEllis County:One horse tested positive and was euthanized. The facility is under quarantine.Shelby County:One horse tested positive and is under quarantine.WashingtonYakima County:One horse tested positive. The facility is under quarantine.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About EIAEquine infectious anemiais a viral disease that attacks horses immune systems. The virus is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids from an infected to an uninfected animal, often by blood-feeding insects such as horseflies. It can also be transmitted through the use of blood-contaminated instruments or needles.ACoggins test screens horses blood for antibodiesthat are indicative of the presence of the EIA virus. Most U.S. states require horses to have proof of a negative Coggins test to travel across state lines.Once an animal is infected with EIA, it is infected for life and can be a reservoir for the spread of disease. Not all horses show signs of disease,but those that do can exhibit:Progressive body condition loss;Muscle weakness;Poor stamina;Fever;Depression; andAnemia.EIA has no vaccine and no cure. A horse diagnosed with the disease dies, is euthanized, or must be placed under extremely strict quarantine conditions (at least 200 yards away from unaffected equids) for the rest of his life.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, one horse at a private facility in Polk County has tested positive for strangles. Five additional horses have been exposed. The horses are currently quarantined.This is the 17thconfirmed equine premises with strangles in Florida in 2026.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About StranglesStranglesin horses is an infection caused byStreptococcus equisubspeciesequiand spread through direct contact with other equids or contaminated surfaces. Horses that arent showing clinical signs can harbor and spread the bacteria, and recovered horses remain contagious for at least six weeks, with the potential to cause outbreaks long-term.Infected horses can exhibit a variety of clinical signs:FeverSwollen and/or abscessed lymph nodesNasal dischargeCoughing or wheezingMuscle swellingDifficulty swallowingVeterinarians diagnose horses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with either a nasal swab, wash, or an abscess sample, and they treat most cases based on clinical signs, implementing antibiotics for severe cases. Overuse of antibiotics can prevent an infected horse from developing immunity. Most horses make a full recovery in three to four weeks.A vaccine is available but not always effective. Biosecurity measures of quarantining new horses at a facility and maintaining high standards of hygiene and disinfecting surfaces can helplower the risk of outbreakorcontain one when it occurs.

On June 24, a weanling donkey filly at a rescue facility in Parker County, Texas, tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). The filly began displaying clinical signs on June 17, including extreme lethargy, increased respiratory rate, fever, elevated heart rate, and diarrhea. She was euthanized.Seven additional animals have been exposed and are currently quarantined.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.EHV 101Herpesvirus is highly contagious among horses and can cause a variety of ailments in equids, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and EHM.In many horses, the first or only sign of EHV-1 infection is fever, which can go undetected.In addition to fever, other common signs of EHV-1 infection in young horses include cough, decreased appetite, depression, and a nasal discharge. Pregnant mares typically show no signs of infection before they abort, and abortions usually occur late in gestation (around eight months) but can be earlier. Abortions can occur anywhere from two weeks to several months following infection with EHV-1.Horses with EHM usually have a fever at the onset of the disease and might show signs of a respiratory infection. A few days later, neurologic signs such as ataxia (incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the fore- and hind limbs, urine retention and dribbling, loss of tail tone, and recumbency (inability to rise) develop.Herpesvirus is easily spread by nose-to-nose or close contact with an infectious horse; sharing contaminated equipment including bits, buckets, and towels; or clothing, hands, or equipment of people who have recently had contact with an infectious horse.Routine biosecurity measures, including hygiene and basic cleaning and disinfection practices, should be in place at all times to help prevent disease spread.Current EHV-1 vaccines might reduce viral shedding but are not protective against the neurologic form of the disease. Implementing routine biosecurity practices is the best way to minimize viral spread, and the best method of disease control is disease prevention.