Warts And All

An eruption of lumps can spoil the good looks of any youngster, but the effects are usually short-lived, as Karen Coumbe MRCVS explains

- Karen Coumbe MRCVS

SKIN disease is surprisingly frequent in horses. In the Blue Cross 2017 National Equine Health Survey, it was the most reported problem. This means that skin disease is even more commonly described than lameness, possibly because any skin defect or damage is so obvious.

This is particularly true with equine juvenile warts, properly called viral papillomatosis. The warts are caused by a host-specific papilloma virus, which only affects horses — typically younger horses aged between six months and four years.

Immunologically susceptible horses can also be affected, however, as well as older animals that have not been exposed previously to the virus. Similarly, the condition can affect horses that are immuno suppressed, such as those suffering from Cushing’s disease.