Equine Behavior Flashcards
horses are fight or flight animals, which one take priority?
flight
T/F: almost all behavorial problems and the majority of healthy problems are attributable to domestication
T
what are some signs of aggression in horses?
ears flattened backward
retracted lips
rapid tail movements
snaking
pawing
squealing
threats to kick
stereotypic behavior is caused by __ and lack of __
boredom, dietary fiber
how would one treat weaving?
turn out, exercise, increase forage, socialization, decrease anxiety
oral compulsive behaviors
tongue playing
lip smacking
hay dipping
wood chewing
biting
aerophagia or windsucking or cribbing
Grasping fixed object with incisors and cotracting lower neck muscles to retract the larynx caudally. Causes a decreased heart rate, may reduce stress, higher beta endorphins and lower serotonin. This can be learned from other horse
what problems can cribbing cause?
dental wear
colic
- epiploic foramen entrapment
- gastric ulcer syndrome
undernourishment
fence/barn/anything destructive
treatment for aerophagia includes increased __,__ and __ or a cribbing collar, removed ledges or an electric fence
dietary fiber, exercise, and social activity
what is lignophagia and what causes it?
wood chewing!
its caused by a lack of roughage, confinement, high concentrate, lack of exercise and lack of stimulation
Geophagia (pica) can be indicative of a lack of __ or __ in the diet
roughage or trace minerals
headshaking can be __ or __ with medical and behavioral causes
moderate or severe
trigeminal neuropathy dz
neuropathic pain that can cause photic headshaking or sudden itching/burning. Usually seen in adults age 7-9 yrs old with geldings being overrepresented
trigeminal neuropathy tx
- avoid sunlight, nose nets, TENS/electoracupuncture
- pharmaceuticals: gaba, cyproheptadine, carbamazepine
- surgery: caudal compression of infraorbital nerve, can cause permanent pain
granulosa cell tumors cause __ behavior in mares and/or excessive __ behavior
stallion like, estrous
