The color of the gums can reveal clues about a horse’s health. Any variation from the normal salmon pink could signal something requiring immediate veterinary attention:
- Yellow to yellowish brown can indicate liver problems when the organ is unable to filter the pigment from the bloodstream.
- Very pale pink, almost white, gums may be the result of decreased circulation, anemia, fever and/or systemic shock.
- Grayish to bluish white can be the result of low oxygen levels in the blood and/or systemic shock.
- Dark brick or blood-red gums result from severe dehydration or endotoxemia related to poisoning from toxic plants.
Source: USRider®, July 24, 2019. Link.
From salmon pink to brick red, know what the color of a horse’s gums reveals about his health.
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