Symptoms of anaemia in a horse or pony include pale gums, eyelid linings or other mucous membranes. Heart having to work harder to get oxygen around the body; it beats faster than normal. Lack of best performance and reduction in stamina.
Causes of anaemia in a horse or pony include a shortage of red blood cells or haemoglobin through haemorrhage (bleeding), infection, weakness in the immune system, redworms, bots, liver or kidney damage, tumours, poor diet (a diet lacking iron or B12 causing a deficiency) or diseases such as equine infectious anaemia.
Firstly the cause of the anaemia shoud be diagnosed by a vet.
If the anaemia is caused by an infection or illness the vet must treat this.
When a horse or pony has been suffering from an infection for a long while, there are some conflicting effects.
The low levels of iron in the horse's body cause anaemia, but this also slows down the rate of growth of bacteria in the infection.
So as well as treating the anaemia, the horse's immune and digestive systems needs to be built up to fight the infection.
Try feeding a horse with anaemia an immune boosting equine dietary supplements.
Other popular supplements to feed an anaemic horse are multi-mineral supplements, fenugreek, nettles and seaweed, the latter being rich in iron.
Prevention of anaemia in a horse or pony: Control redworms and bots.
Grow deep-rooting herbs in the paddock or feed Russian comfrey or an equine
mineral supplement.
Anaemia in Horses - Symptoms, Causes, Prevention and Treatment
of an anaemic Horse
or Pony.