Unexplained Muscle Cramping? Check the Horse’s Ears!

According to a report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, an infestation of ticks in a horse’s ear can cause severe muscle cramping as well as signs of colic.

Strange as it may seem, this reaction is not uncommon, and may be related to stimulation of spinal cord nerves through an unexplained process. Ticks can also cause more commonly seen reactions such as head shaking, ear rubbing, drooping ears, and prolapse of the third eyelid.

Severe muscle cramps in horses have a number of causes that might be related to exercise, fitness, nutrition, and metabolic problems. A veterinarian can examine a horse with this condition, diagnose the cause, and prescribe an appropriate treatment. An equine nutritionist may have suggestions for changes to the horse’s feed management if it is determined that the cramping is due to a condition such as hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) or polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM).