Miniature Horses

Through years of selective breeding, minature horses have developed into true scaled down versions of full-sized horses. However, despite the similarity in appearance to their larger relatives, miniature horses cannot be viewed simply as smaller patients with respect to veterinary care. The rates of occurrence, diagnosis and treatment of many diseases are affected by their size and unique physiological and metabolic demands. The error of treating miniatures in the same manner as their full-sized counterparts often has undesirable consequences. Unfortunately, this misconception regarding the medical treatment of miniatures is not limited to owners and breeders - some veterinarians unfamiliar with theh breed often make the same mistake. This book aims to provide all the information needed to safely and appropriately treat miniatures. All the systems of the horse are covered with special attention given to miniature-specific problems and concerns such as hoof diseases; abnormalities of growth; liver dysfunction; dental irregularities; dwarfism; reproduction; and nutrition.
The manual is made complete with appendices offering normal physical parameters, clinical signs of disease and resources of miniature horse owners.