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Topic:Antibiotics
Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections in horses. They work by either killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth, aiding the horse's immune system in overcoming the infection. Commonly used antibiotics in equine medicine include penicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and gentamicin. The selection of an antibiotic depends on factors such as the type of bacteria, the site of infection, and the horse's health status. Responsible use of antibiotics is essential to minimize the risk of resistance. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the efficacy, administration, and impact of antibiotics on equine health.
Historical, clinical and nasal endoscopic findings in 1600 cases of equine sinonasal disease and associations with case outcome. No large study has described the signalment, pre-referral management or clinical and nasal endoscopic findings in equine sinonasal disease. Objective: To explore associations between case outcome and signalment, pre-referral treatments, clinical and nasal endoscopic variables in sinonasal disease. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Data were collected from medical records of 19 equine hospitals on sinonasal disease cases they had examined and which had undergone computed tomographic (CT) imaging. Case outcome was obtained from clinical records and/or by contacting clients and referri...
Fatal equine gas gangrene associated with Clostridium septicum in the Brazilian Amazon: clinicopathological and molecular characterization of a 20-case series. Clostridial gas gangrene is an acute necrotizing infection of skeletal muscle characterized by rapid tissue destruction and severe systemic toxemia in horses; however, systematically documented case series from tropical settings remain scarce. Here, we describe a clinicopathological and molecularly confirmed series of 20 fatal equine gas gangrene cases diagnosed in the eastern Brazilian Amazon (Pará State) between 2018 and 2026. Horses presented with abrupt onset of severe lameness, rapidly progressive swelling of a limb or muscle group, and palpable subcutaneous crepitus, frequently followin...
Successful outcome of open distal interphalangeal joint luxation in equids treated by surgical debridement without internal implants. The distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) plays a crucial role in the function of the hoof and digit. Dislocations and subluxations in this region are rare and primarily of traumatic origin. Methods: This case report aims to describe two unusual cases of open DIPJ dislocation, including clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, treatment, and long-term follow-up. Both animals presented with open traumatic distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) luxation. In Case 1, the animal received initial care on the property 5 h post-trauma and presented with joint exposure and articular surface contact with th...
An atypical extrapulmonary presentation of rhodococcus equi infection in a foal: a case report. Rhodococcus equi infection in foals is primarily associated with pulmonary disease but may also present with extrapulmonary manifestations (Giguère et al. 2011; Reuss et al. 2009). Hemolytic anemia is a rare and poorly described complication, with only a single previous report of presumed immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in foals affected by R. equi. This case report describes the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, disease progression, and postmortem examination of a 4-month-old Holsteiner foal with confirmed R. equi infection and severe anemia consistent with a presumed immune-media...
Microbiological, Molecular Diagnosis and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bordetella bronchiseptica in the Equine Reproductive Tract in Brazil. The genus Bordetella comprises 16 species of aerobic Gram-negative bacteria, with the most notable being B. pertussis, B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica. The latter stands out for its ability to infect various hosts, causing both respiratory and reproductive issues, such as endometritis and infertility in mares. These infections impair reproductive efficiency and facilitate the spread of the pathogen among susceptible animals. Objective: The present study aimed to report the isolation and molecular diagnosis of B. bronchiseptica associated with endometritis and infertility in mares in Bra...
[Puncture wounds of the equine hoof – a retrospective study of 96 cases – Part 2: Management and prognosis]. Puncture wounds are a common and potentially life-threatening injury in equine veterinary practice. The aim of this study was to systematically analyze data from horses presenting to the clinic with a puncture wound. Unassigned: A retrospective study was conducted on patient data from horses with a puncture wound in the period from September 2008 to August 2024. Analyzed data included medical management and surgical treatment, complications, duration and costs of hospitalization, short-term survival rate and treatment success. Unassigned: A total of 96 horses met the inclusion criteria. Seven ...
Challenges for interpreting results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing for treating infections of foals with Rhodococcus equi. Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen and a major cause of pneumonia in foals worldwide. The standard treatment for affected foals is a combination of a macrolide with rifampicin. The widespread use of this combination has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of R. equi. Consequently, antimicrobial susceptibility testing is essential for guiding treatment of rhodococcal pneumonia. Unfortunately, clinical breakpoints for macrolides and other antimicrobials against R. equi for foals are lacking, thereby complicating clinical interpretation of in vitro resu...
Guttural pouch tympany or empyema in 38 ٍStraight Egyptian Arabian foals: clinical presentation, diagnostic features and outcome. As a breed, Straight Egyptian Arabian horses are susceptible to many disorders that mostly affect the head, such as guttural pouch (GP) tympany and empyema. This retrospective study evaluated the findings of clinical examination, ultrasonography, endoscopy, laboratory analyses and outcome of treatment of 38 Straight Egyptian Arabian foals with GP tympany and empyema. Methods: Data from medical records of foals diagnosed with GP tympany or empyema over a 2-year period (2024-2025) were reviewed. Foals with verified GP tympany or empyema who had complete medical records and had not previously rec...
Equine Fungal Keratitis due to Cladorrhinum bulbillosum. To describe the case details and treatment of an equine fungal keratitis case caused by Cladorrhinum bulbillosum. Methods: A 14-year-old Bashkir Curly gelding with a complicated corneal ulcer of the left eye. Methods: Corneal cytology was performed, and intraoperative samples were collected for polymerase chain reaction and for aerobic and mycologic cultures. Under general anesthesia, an inferior eyelid subpalpebral lavage system (SPL) was placed to facilitate postoperative therapy. Anterior stromal keratectomy was performed followed by cryotherapy of the keratectomy bed. A biological scaffold...
A Leptospirosis Outbreak in a Riding Stable in Central Italy. Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease of major concern for both veterinary and public health. In horses, it is associated with equine recurrent uveitis, a painful condition that may lead to blindness and affects approximately 10% of the global horse population. In May 2025, following the occurrence of three uveitis cases in a riding stable in Central Italy, 94 equine blood samples were collected and tested using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for spp. Antibody titres against serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae were detected in 68 horses (72.4%). An on-site investigation was condu...
A Comprehensive Review of the Equine Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease. Molecular microbiology has revolutionized our understanding of the complex host-associated microbiomes required for normative development and physiology. Horses and other members of the family are particularly reliant on the early maturation and lifelong maintenance of an unusually rich hindgut microbiome for optimal digestion and overall health and performance. Research on the equine gut microbiome has accelerated in the past several years, necessitating a renewed appraisal of the field. The present work is a comprehensive and critical review of the literature regarding the bacterial gastroi...
Umbilical vein marsupialization in foals-short literature review. Umbilical remnant infections are common in neonatal foals and may involve one or more umbilical structures. Diagnosis relies on thorough clinical examination, ultrasonography, and hematologic evaluation. Standard care includes broad-spectrum antibiotics, with surgical resection if conservative therapy fails. Omphalophlebitis may extend to the liver, prompting consideration of umbilical vein marsupialization. Surgery is performed in dorsal recumbency with a fusiform incision around the umbilicus. The umbilical arteries and urachus are ligated and transected, with partial cystectomy when indicat...
Antibiotics in Veterinary Ophthalmology: Resistance, Stewardship, and Emerging Antibiotic-Sparing Strategies. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing challenge in veterinary ophthalmology, particularly in cases of bacterial keratitis, where progressive stromal infection can threaten vision and globe integrity within hours to days. This review synthesizes current evidence on pathogen distribution, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, multidrug resistance (MDR) prevalence, and determinants of nonsusceptibility in veterinary patients, highlighting the emerging role of antibiotic-sparing alternatives. Across contemporary studies, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, β-hemolytic streptococci, and Pseud...
Phage Therapy for a Refractory and Multidrug-resistant Equine Surgical Site Infection. A 14-year-old American Quarter Horse mare developed a refractory deep surgical site infection following emergency celiotomy for acute right dorsal large colon displacement with 180° volvulus. Initial cultures revealed a high-burden polymicrobial infection with and , associated with delayed healing, and later followed by multidrug-resistant , further limiting therapeutic options. Phage therapy was initiated using a customized lytic phage cocktail administered topically on a daily basis over a 35-day period, with cocktail composition guided by daily wound culture results. Phage therapy markedl...
Retrospective study of blood culture isolates, antimicrobial sensitivity, and survival factors from 243 neonatal foals in Normandy (France). Identifying causative bacterial species in neonatal foal bacteremia and their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles is essential for guiding appropriate antibiotic therapy. Objective: To describe bacterial isolates from blood culture and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in neonatal foals from two French institutes, and to assess associations between pretreatment and blood culture positivity, and between in-hospital death (euthanasia or natural death) and the presence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Methods: Two hundred forty-three foals (<7 days old) admitted to two equin...
The Occurrence of Bacterial Infections in Equine Wounds and Abscesses in Horses from 2019 to 2023. Bacterial infections in equine wounds are common and can complicate treatment and healing. This five-year retrospective study examined 2844 samples from wounds and abscesses from horses in Germany (2019-2023), analyzing bacterial prevalence by care setting and geographical region. A total of 4464 bacterial isolates were identified, with β-hemolytic streptococci (20.6%), (15.6%), and (13.0%) being the most common. Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) accounted for 35.9% of isolates. Resistance to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins was detected in 15.2% of isolates. Samples from clinics s...
Evaluation of autologous fecal microbiota transplantation for restoring equine gut microbiota after antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. Microbial resilience is important to maintain a healthy gut environment in horses, especially after antibiotic administration, but the efficacies of post-antibiotic recovery strategies remain poorly characterized. We used microbial amplicon sequencing to compare spontaneous recovery, autologous fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and probiotic administration in 18 horses following antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. Clinically healthy horses received a combination of cephalothin and minocycline for 5 consecutive days before intervention. Fecal microbial recovery was longitudinally evaluated by u...
OPTIMIZING EXTRACTION AND CONCENTRATION METHODS FOR LC-MS/MS ANALYSIS OF VETERINARY PHARMACEUTICALS IN EQUINE-ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL MATRICES. This study developed a method for the simultaneous quantification of six potentially environmentally toxic veterinary drugs: benzylpenicillin, acepromazine, flunixin, dexamethasone, ketamine and romifidine, in soils, sediments, equine faeces and natural waters. Three methods were compared for their extraction from solid matrices: Ultrasonic extraction (USE), QuEChERS and Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE). ASE method was optimized according to temperature and extraction cycles. Quantification was performed by LC-MS/MS. LC and MS parameters were optimized. The method was validated according t...
Genomic diversity of multidrug-resistant Rhodococcus equi: novel sequence types, pangenome architecture, and phylogenomic evolution. Rhodococcus equi is a major cause of life-threatening pneumonia in foals under 6 months of age and an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised humans. Although common in soil and equine farm environments, its evolutionary dynamics, virulence architecture, and pathways of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence remain poorly understood. This study integrated phenotypic characterization and whole-genome sequencing of 46 R. equi isolates from horses submitted for necropsy (n = 45) and equine fecal samples (n = 1) in Kentucky between January 2022 and December 2023 to define their resistance la...
Miscellaneous Equine Liver Conditions. Miscellaneous equine liver conditions not covered in other chapters include chronic active hepatitis, Tyzzer's disease, seasonal idiopathic hepatitis, neoplasia, and idiopathic persistent hyperbilirubinemia. Chronic active hepatitis refers to inflammatory and fibrotic liver disease with an unknown cause. Treatment is aimed at reducing inflammation. Tyzzer's disease is caused by Clostridium piliforme infection and causes acute necrotizing hepatitis in foals. Successful treatment with antimicrobial therapy and supportive care is rare. Seasonal idiopathic hepatitis is a winter disease of Midweste...
Integrative and conjugative elements carrying high-level gentamicin resistance genes in Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis from horses. In streptococci, the acquisition of high-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR) abolishes the synergy with beta-lactams, constituting a medical concern for humans and animals. This synergy between gentamicin and beta-lactams is useful to treat severe infections like endocarditis, among others. HLGR has been characterized mostly in roup B Streptococci mediated by the bi-functional gene (6)-(2).HLGR- subsp. () (=27) were isolated from the uterus of mares during a routine screening before fecundation. One HLGR- was isolated from a lymph node of a mare. The mares resided in six different studs locat...
Clinical audit on antimicrobial stewardship effectiveness in reducing antimicrobial-resistant bacterial colonisation in hospitalised horses. International guidelines support the One Health approach and recommend antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) in veterinary medicine. National data on antimicrobial-resistant bacterial colonisation rates (AMRb CR) in horses remain limited. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an ASP in reducing AMRb CR in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital using a clinical audit. Methods: Clinical audit. Methods: In Autumn 2021 active AMR surveillance in Perinatology/Reproduction and Internal Medicine Units planned; January-July 2022-first audit cycle (A1); Autumn 2022-review and implementation of anti...
[Retrospective evaluation of equine blood cultures sampled between 2022 and 2024]. In this study, the results of equine blood cultures sampled during the period from 2022 to 2024 were evaluated. Samples were submitted as routine samples by veterinary practices to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in Germany. The study focused mainly on the differentiation of the bacterial isolates. In order to place the results in a clinical context, the study was complemented by a questionnaire sent to the practices enquiring for sepsis-associated clinical signs. Unassigned: The study was carried out retrospectively. A total of 199 blood culture samples submitted by practices located in Ge...
Horse racing towards antibiotic resistance. Accompanying animals as a source of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance is a significant issue in modern infectious medicine and veterinary science, with animals, including horses, playing a crucial role in its dissemination. Antibiotics, used both for treatment and prevention of diseases in animals, influence the composition of the microbiota and promote the selection of resistant strains that can be transmitted to humans through direct or environmental contact. Horses, currently classified as companion animals, serve as a reservoir of commensal and pathogenic bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains capable of horizontal gene transfe...
Antibacterial use in Norwegian horses: a nationwide registry-based cross-sectional study. BACKGROUND: Antibacterials are essential for treating infections in horses, but the use contributes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which threatens animal and human health. Despite these concerns, antibacterial use in horses has not been systematically studied and described in Norway, and nationwide registry-based analyses in other countries are scarce. The aim of this study is to describe antibacterial use in Norwegian horses, 2022–2024, by analysing nationwide registry data, with a particular emphasis on gynecological and obstetrical conditions. In addition, we will evaluate the data qu...
A single pneumatic tourniquet is superior to wide rubber tourniquets for saphenous intravenous regional limb perfusion with amikacin in standing, sedated horses. To establish whether tourniquet type and number influence synovial fluid amikacin concentrations of the tarsocrural joint (TCJ) or metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) after standing saphenous IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with 2 g of amikacin. Unassigned: 8 healthy adult horses underwent 4 saphenous IVRLP protocols with amikacin, differing in tourniquet type (pneumatic vs wide rubber) and number (1 placed mid-gaskin vs 1 placed mid-gaskin and 1 mid-metatarsus) in a randomized, crossover design. Amikacin concentrations were measured in serum and synovial fluid of the TCJ and MTPJ at 15 and 30...
Molecular typing, biofilm characteristics and biofilm-targeted inhibition strategies of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolated from donkey endometritis. Endometritis is a major cause of infertility in intensively farmed donkeys. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (SEZ) is a predominant pathogen that readily forms biofilms in equine endometritis, conferring resistance to conventional treatments. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the biofilm dynamics of SEZ isolates obtained from donkeys and to evaluate potential anti-biofilm strategies with different drug combinations. Methods: Uterine lavage samples were collected from 30 Dezhou Black donkeys with clinical endometritis. Bacterial cultures were performed on blood agar and MacConk...
Generation of equine-specific local antibiograms: reproductive tract of mares and fillies in Western Australia. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) may lead to increasing inefficacy and treatment failure of bacterial infections in the future. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes are critical to ensuring the continued efficacy of available antimicrobials. There is a lack of published evidence-based data on the susceptibility of isolates from common reproductive infections encountered in mares. This study aims to provide equine veterinarians in Western Australia (WA) with the most appropriate first-line empirical antimicrobials for infections of the mare reproductive tract. Methods: A retrospective study...
Long-term clinical outcome of maxillofacial fractures in horses: A retrospective study of 30 cases (2020-2024). To assess long-term outcome, complications, and return to function in horses with maxillofacial fractures. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: A total of 30 horses with skull fractures (2020-2024). Methods: Clinical records were reviewed for signalment, fracture characteristics, imaging, treatment, and hospitalization. Long-term outcome was obtained via structured owner questionnaires addressing healing, complications, cosmetic appearance, and performance. Descriptive statistics were applied. Results: A total of 29 of 30 horses received treatment (25 surgical, 4 conservative);...
