Recent research has highlighted the dangers from horses ingesting wire fragments.
A report published in a January edition of Veterinary Record looked at the cases of four horses that ingested wire fragments, resulting in perforation of their intestines.
Three of the horses developed acute colic, and the other progressively lost weight and became inappetent and pyrexic.
Metal wires were detected either by exploratory laparotomy or in postmortem examinations.
The South African and American researchers found adhesions containing an encapsulated metallic wire in the small intestine in three of the horses, and in the other the wire was in an abscess with multiple adhesions involving the liver, spleen and mesentery.
The work highlighted the dangers of using recycled tyres for feed bins.
Last year, Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine handled a case in which a horse's tongue was pierced by a piece of wire.
Horses sometimes accidentally become wounded by more than just pieces of metal or wire. Splinters of wood and even hard grass bristles that become lodged in their tongue, mouth, or throat as they eat can also be responsible.
These and other foreign bodies can cause serious medical problems and great discomfort for a horse within hours or days after being punctured, said Dr Macarena Sanz, an equine medicine resident.
"Within 24 to 48 hours, owners usually begin to notice that their horse is in pain and won't eat," said Sanz.
"A lot of owners think the problem is caused from an insect bite or sting, but it is more likely from a foreign body that got lodged in the mouth," she said.
"If the problem was caused by an insect, such as a bee, fly, or spider like a black widow or brown recluse, the swelling should decrease with time. The same is true of mild lacerations. If a foreign body is the culprit, the swelling will remain or even get worse after two or three days. Until it is removed, the problem will not go away."
Owners that notice their horse has a swollen mouth may attempt to administer pain medication (anti-inflammatory drugs) like phenylbutazone (Bute) or flunixin meglumine (Banamine).
"When you have a horse with a swollen mouth or tongue, you must be very careful when administering anti-inflammatories or some antibiotics if the horse is not drinking," Sanz said.
"These drugs (phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine) can be very hard on the horse's kidneys if they are not drinking enough water, and can cause severe kidney damage. These drugs should be administered if indicated by a veterinarian so the dose and frequency of administration are correct."
If the swelling remains after a couple of days, it is important to seek veterinary attention as the object usually requires surgical removal.
Pain, dehydration, anorexia, infections, and other associated problems are also cause for concern.
Unfortunately, the offending object can be hard to diagnose because often it is buried in soft tissue that becomes swollen.
"Many objects like wood are hard to diagnose and find, but metallic objects are easier because they show up more clearly on a radiograph or x-ray," Sanz said.
Horses with metallic splinters are often stuck when eating out of tractor tyres that were cut in two and converted to feeding troughs.
Hay containing problematic grass bristles from species such as bristle grass or foxtail grasses (Setaria spp.), wild barley and foxtail barley (Hordeum spp.), and needlegrass (Stipa spp.) is another source for blisters, lesions, and ulcerations in a horse's mouth.
"Mechanical irritation and sores from grass awns (bristles) are completely preventable," said Dr Patricia Talcott, a Washington State University associate professor who provides diagnostic toxicology services for the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman.
"It is important for owners to know what they are purchasing when buying hay, and to be able to recognize components in the hay they feed."
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