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Sometimes called "lockjaw," tetanus is caused by toxin-producing bacteria present in the
intestinal tract of many animals and found in abundance in the soil where horses live. The
spores can exist for years and they enter the body through wounds, lacerations, or the
umbilicus of newborn foals.
Therefore, although not contagious from horse to horse, tetanus poses a constant threat to
horses and humans alike. Symptoms include muscle stiffness and rigidity, flared nostrils,
hypersensitivity, and the legs stiffly held in a sawhorse stance. As the disease progresses,
muscles in the jaw and face stiffen, preventing the animal from eating or drinking. More than
80 percent of affected horses die.
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| Puncture wounds and lacerations are avenues for Tetanus toxins. |
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