Topic:Clinical Study
Clinical studies in equine research involve the systematic investigation of health and disease in horses through structured scientific methods. These studies aim to evaluate the safety and efficacy of treatments, understand disease mechanisms, and improve veterinary care practices. Clinical studies can include randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and case-control studies. They may focus on various aspects such as pharmacokinetics, therapeutic interventions, and diagnostic techniques. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the design, implementation, and findings of clinical studies in equine medicine, providing insights into their impact on horse health and veterinary practices.
Occurrence of fenbendazole resistance in Parascaris spp. on breeding farms in Sweden. Anthelmintic resistance is an increasing problem in many gastrointestinal parasites of grazing animals. Among these, the equine roundworm, Parascaris spp., has developed wide-spread resistance to macrocyclic lactones over the past decades. Additionally, there are recent observations of emerging treatment failure of both tetrahydropyrimidine and fenbendazole. Therefore, the aims of this study were to further investigate the occurrence of fenbendazole resistance on breeding farms and to explore potential management-related risk factors associated with resistance in Parascaris spp. in Sweden. Ele...
First report of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis (EqPV-H) in Argentina. The novel Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis (EqPV-H) was first identified in the serum and liver of a horse that died of equine serum hepatitis, also known as Theiler's disease. Several reports in recent years strongly suggest that EqPV-H is the etiologic agent of Theiler's disease. Brazil is the only South American country where infection with this virus has been reported. This study investigated the presence of EqPV-H DNA in horse serum pools (n=51), commercial horse serum batches (n=5) and individual serum samples from donor horses (n=175) from Argentina. All serum samples were analyzed by quanti...
Hoof wall masses removal in 30 standing sedated horses: Surgical technique, postoperative complications and long-term outcome. To describe the surgical technique for removal of hoof wall masses in horses under standing sedation (SS) and local anesthesia (LA), and to report complications and long-term outcome following surgery. Methods: Observational retrospective study. Methods: Client-owned horses (n = 30). Methods: Horses undergoing keratoma removal under SS and LA in a single equine hospital between August 2016 and July 2023 were included in the study. Signalment, affected foot, history of lameness and/or foot abscesses, degree of lameness on admission, imaging findings (radiography and magnetic resonance imagi...
Prostaglandin-related genes are differentially expressed in equine endometrium with different biopsy grade, degrees of inflammation, and fibrosis. Prostaglandins have many roles in the equine reproductive tract, including but not limited to luteolysis, luteal support, ovulation, transport through the uterine tube, uterine contraction, embryonic mobility, inflammation, and fibrosis. Altered secretion of inflammatory proteins are likely to disrupt the balance of endometrial function and could impair fertility. Our overall goal was to measure the expression of several prostaglandin- and inflammation-related genes in mares with different degrees of endometrial histological changes. Our hypothesis was that mares with neutrophilic and lymphocy...
Management of paracondylar process fracture in three horses. Fractures of the paracondylar process of the occipital bone may cause headshaking, neck pain and neurologic deficits. The condition is being recognised more frequently with increasing availability of computed tomography. However, to date only limited information is available as to presentation, treatment, surgical approach and outcome. Objective: To describe the clinical signs, imaging findings, treatment, surgical approach and outcome in three horses diagnosed with paracondylar process fracture. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Clinical records and diagnostic images of affected ca...
Large-scale study of blood markers in equine atypical myopathy reveals subclinical poisoning and advances in diagnostic and prognostic criteria. Equine atypical myopathy (AM) is a severe rhabdomyolysis syndrome primarily caused by hypoglycin A (HGA) and methylenecyclopropylglycine protoxins. This study aimed to refine diagnostic and prognostic criteria for AM while exploring apparently healthy cograzers. Blood samples from 263 horses, including AM cases (n= 95), cograzers (n= 73), colic horses (n= 19), and controls (n= 76), were analyzed for HGA, its toxic metabolite, and acylcarnitines profile. Diseased horses exhibited alterations in acylcarnitines that strongly distinguished them from controls and colic horses. Regression analyses i...
Prices for veterinary care of dogs, cats and horses in selected countries in Europe. In recent years, prices for veterinary care have received considerable attention in mainstream media, yet scientific literature has not delved into actual figures. This study aims to elucidate veterinary care costs for dogs, cats, and horses across five countries [Sweden (SE), Norway (NO), Denmark (DK), United Kingdom (UK), and Ireland (IR, with limited data)] through web searches. Unassigned: Utilising online business directories, we located URLs featuring veterinary care prices in autumn 2022, and repeated tri-monthly five times. Vetpris.se (VP), a price comparison site for SE, NO, and DK, e...
Use of a poll-mounted accelerometer for quantification and characterisation of equine trigeminal-mediated headshaking. Equine trigeminal-mediated (TGM) headshaking (HS) is a neuropathic facial pain syndrome characterised by varying intensity and frequencies of head movements and signs of nasal irritation. An accurate method for quantification and/or characterisation of HS severity is lacking. Objective: To develop and validate an objective measure of TGMHS. Methods: Prospective case control study. Methods: Horses presenting for investigation of HS were recruited alongside those presenting for forelimb lameness (LAME) and pre-purchase examination as well as healthy controls (CONTROL). Head movement data were co...
The efficacy of an eight-week exercise program for the management of chronic low back pain in the equestrian population. Equestrians (horse riders) are more susceptible to low back pain than the general population due to loads placed on their bodies during the activity. A specific eight-week exercise intervention program targeting the muscles used during horse riding was implemented for a group of equestrians with low back pain. Methods: Volunteers were invited to participate in the study through social media posts in Melbourne, Australia. The participants were required to complete an exercise screening test prior to enrolment in the study to ensure they were suitable to participate in the iteration program. Par...
Ultrasonography of the suspensory ligament branches in yearling and 2-year-old Thoroughbred sales horses: Prevalence, progression of findings and associations with racing performance. Equine suspensory ligament branch (branch) ultrasonography is becoming increasingly commonplace presale. No ultrasonographical branch reference data exists for Thoroughbred sales horses. Objective: To define the prevalence of ultrasonographical findings in the forelimb suspensory branches of yearling and 2-year-old sales Thoroughbreds and to analyse associations with racing performance. To track changes in branch findings between 1 and 2 years of age in horses that present for sale at both ages. Methods: Prospective cohort study using an enrolled sample. Methods: Horses were enrolled from a ...
Concentration of Marbofloxacin in equine subcutaneous tissue fluid after subcutaneous administration in encapsulated microparticles. Surgical-site infections (SSIs) at implant sites in horses are sometimes difficult to control with systemic antimicrobials. Because one of the likely reasons is insufficient antimicrobial concentrations, there is a need to increase these concentrations in and around the infected tissue. Marbofloxacin (MAR)-encapsulated microparticles (MAR-MPs) made of biodegradable poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid are capable of sustained release in vitro. We examined the concentration of MAR in the subcutaneous tissue fluid at sites where MAR-MPs had been administered. On day 0, six 3- × 4-cm subcutaneous pock...
Cytokines and chemokines skin gene expression in correlation with immune cells in blood and severity in equine insect bite hypersensitivity. Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is the most frequent skin allergy of horses and is highly debilitating, especially in the chronic phase. IBH is caused by IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to culicoides midge bites and an imbalanced immune response that reduces the welfare of affected horses. Unassigned: In the present study, we investigated the pathological mechanisms of IBH, aiming to understand the immune cell modulation in acute allergic skin lesions of IBH horses with the goal of finding possible biomarkers for a diagnostic approach to monitor treatment success. Unassigned: By qPC...
Ultrasound findings in 34 newborn foals with uroperitoneum. Uroperitoneum is a typical disease of the newborn foal, which occurs rarely but regularly. Ultrasonography is considered the most important imaging method for diagnosing this disease. Thus far, only one older case series comprising 31 foals suffering from uroperitoneum has systematically listed results of ultrasound examinations. Objective: This paper presents the findings of an ultrasonographic examination of 34 foals with uroperitoneum in order to inform future interpretation of ultrasonographic data in suspected uroperitoneum cases. Methods: Ultrasonographic data of 34 neonatal foals up to ...
A scoping review on intraoperative and postoperative surgical castration complications in domesticated equids. Castration is the most common surgical procedure in domesticated equids; surgical techniques used and perioperative management vary considerably. Objective: To identify and chart the current evidence on perioperative complications associated with different methods of surgical castration in domesticated equids. Methods: Joanna Briggs Institute systematic scoping review. Methods: CAB Abstracts, Medline and Embase databases were searched using terms related to equine castration complications. Two authors independently and blindly screened publications against eligibility criteria. Data on study m...
Should the use of omeprazole be allowed during equestrian competition? Prioritising equine welfare, making evidenced-based policy, and consistent decision-making across sports are crucial to maintaining the social licence for equestrian sport. Regulations on the use of omeprazole during competition differ; all regulators argue that their rules prioritise welfare. This discrepancy is a matter of concern to the public and equestrian stakeholders. Objective: To apply Campbell's Ethical Framework for the use of Horses in Sport to the question: 'Should the use of omeprazole be allowed during equestrian competition?' Methods: A desk-based ethico-legal study. Methods: C...
Treatment of subcutaneous lipomas in the horse. To describe the treatment of subcutaneous lipomas in the horse. Methods: 3 horses. Methods: The horses were aged 1 to 2 years old, with lipoma of the abdomen, prepuce, and tarsus. Results: Recurrence of an invasive thoracic lipoma occurred in case 1 at the exit site of a passive drain. The recurrence was treated unsuccessfully with injectable cisplatin, and a second revision surgery with the use of an active drain resulted in resolution. In case 2, complete resection of an encapsulated lipoma of the lateral prepuce was successful with no recurrence. In case 3, incomplete resection of a tarsal ...
Ultrasound-guided caudal cervical articular process arthrocentesis is accurate in live horses with and without arthropathy. Cervical articular process joint (CAPJ) therapy is advocated for horses with neck disorders. Several ultrasound-guided CAPJ techniques have been described in cadaver studies with 72%-89% intra-articular injection accuracy; however, the CAPJ injection accuracy in clinical equine practice has not been extensively reported. Objective: To describe a modified cranial approach for ultrasound-guided caudal CAPJ injections, to investigate the accuracy of this CAPJ injection technique in live horses, and to assess the effect of CAPJ injection location, laterality, operator, and radiographic CAPJ enlarg...
Current therapy and advancements in the treatment of equine fungal keratitis. Equine fungal keratitis represents a substantial portion of keratitis cases in horses, with fungal involvement identified in approximately half of all infectious keratitis cases. Despite its prevalence, more comprehensive retrospective analyses are needed to better understand this condition. Outcomes vary, with approximately two-thirds of cases achieving complete healing with retained vision, although enucleation is often necessary. Predominant pathogens include Aspergillus and Fusarium, with yeast reported in a minority of cases. Resistance to common antifungal agents among filamentous fungi ...
Sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitor use in the management of insulin dysregulation in ponies and horses. Laminitis is a common and painful condition of the equine foot and approximately 90% of cases are associated with insulin dysregulation (ID) that is a central feature of the common endocrine disorder equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and occurs in a subset of animals with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Additional features of EMS include obesity, altered circulating concentrations of adipokines (particularly adiponectin and leptin) and hypertriglyceridaemia. Obesity, ID, hypoadiponectinaemia, hyperleptinaemia and an altered plasma lipid profile are also features of human metabolic syndrom...
Study Protocol: Pegasus: psychotherapy incorporating horses for ‘therapy-resistant’ adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, a study with series of randomised, baseline controlled n-of-1 trials. For people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), daily life can be highly stressful with many unpredictable events that can evoke emotion dysregulation (ED): a strong difficulty with appropriately negative affect regulation. For some of the patients with ASD, treatment as usual does not prove to be effective for ED. They may be at risk of life-long impairment, development of other disorders and loss of motivation for most regular forms of therapy. A highly promising method that may prove effective for therapy-resistant individuals with ASD is Psychotherapy incorporating horses (PIH). PIH uses t...
Systematic evaluation supports the use of ELISA for quantification of calprotectin in equine feces, a first step toward noninvasive quantification of intestinal inflammation in horses. To optimize and evaluate methods for the detection of the inflammatory biomarkers myeloperoxidase (MPO) and calprotectin (CP) in equine feces by ELISA. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 28) and horses with intestinal inflammation (n = 10). Methods: Feces were suspended in buffer to create fecal supernatant. Serum and fecal supernatant were analyzed using ELISA kits validated for the detection of MPO and CP in equine serum. Assay validation steps included intra- and interassay variability (coefficient of variation [CV]), dilution linearity, spike recovery, and sample type correlation. Variations in ...
Use of regenerative medicine in the treatment of endometritis in mares: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Defining the optimal therapy for endometritis remains a significant challenge for clinicians. Given the public health threat posed by antibiotic resistance and the inconclusiveness of traditional therapies, regenerative medicine has been proposed as an alternative. The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis, to investigate the efficacy of regenerative medicine products in the treatment of both post-breeding persistent and chronic degenerative endometritis (PBIE/CDE) in mares, following the PRISMA guidelines. This research could be a comprehen...
Use of wound infusion catheters for delivery of local anesthetic following standing partial ostectomy of thoracolumbar vertebral spinous processes in horses is not associated with increased surgical site infections. Wound infusion catheters (WICs) have been used in humans and some veterinary species for post-operative local anesthetic administration following a variety of surgical procedures, aiming to reduce post-operative analgesia requirements and improve patient comfort. Benefit in reduction in pain, post-operative analgesia requirements and length of hospital stay are well documented in humans, but use of WICs may not have been widely adopted in veterinary species due to the concern of increased complications, such as dehiscence or surgical site infection (SSI), creating a barrier to their use. This ...
Equidae pythiosis in Brazil and the world: a systematic review of the last 63 years (1960-2023). This systematic review compiles reports of clinical pythiosis in horses, mules and donkeys from 1960 to 2023 worldwide, focusing on Brazil. We searched databases and included 71 articles detailing clinical characteristics, geographic distribution, epidemiology, diagnostic methods, therapies, and outcomes. The results showed that publications on equine pythiosis have significantly increased since 2010. Brazil reported the highest incidence, comprising 55% of cases, predominantly in the southern, northeastern, and central-western regions during summer and autumn. Cutaneous pythiosis was the most...
Effect of nose twitching on the pupillary dilation in awake and anesthetized horses. Pupillometry is used in humans to monitor pain, nociception and analgesia. This single-center, non-randomized, non-blinded intervention trial, evaluated the effect of nose twitching on the pupil size in awake, sedated, and anesthetized horses. Pupil height (H) and length (L) were measured before (Be) and after (Af) nose twitching in fourteen non-painful adult awake horses (T0). The percentage of variation (PSV) was calculated (PSVTn = [(TnAf-TnBe)/TnBe]*100). Measurements were repeated (Tn) after acepromazine (0.04 mg kg IV) (T1), romifidine (0.04 mg kg IV) (T2), morphine (0.1 mg...
Radiographic texture of the trabecular bone of the proximal phalanx in horses with metacarpophalangeal osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent condition in horses, leading to changes in trabecular bone structure and radiographic texture. Although fractal dimension (FD) and lacunarity have been applied to quantify these changes in humans, their application in horses remains nascent. This study evaluated the use of FD, bone area fraction (BA/TA), and lacunarity in quantifying trabecular bone differences in the proximal phalanx (P1) in 50 radiographic examinations of equine metacarpophalangeal joints with varying OA degrees. In the dorsopalmar view, regions of interest were defined in the trabecular bo...
Outbreak of equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) in Denmark: tracing patient zero and viral characterization. Equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) causes respiratory disease in horses, and the virus is considered endemic in the global equine population. However, outbreaks can occur when several horses are gathered in relation to shows, competitions, breeding units and at hospitals. In the spring year 2022, an EHV-4 outbreak occurred at the Large Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Nine horses were tested EHV-4 positive during the outbreak, which lasted approx. seven weeks. In addition, a tenth horse "Eq10" tested EHV-4 positive almost three weeks after the last of the outbreak horses ...
Serum amyloid A increases following routine vaccination of healthy adult horses. To measure the effect of routine vaccination on serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration in apparently healthy horses. We hypothesized that routine vaccination would increase SAA in healthy horses. Methods: 21 apparently healthy client-owned horses and 15 Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine-owned horses. Methods: In experiment 1 (n = 8 horses), a blinded, randomized, prospective, crossover study was performed. Horses were either vaccinated (rabies, tetanus, West Nile, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, equine herpesvirus-1/-4, influenza) or administered saline, and SAA...
Transoral snare removal of subepiglottic cysts. The objective of this demonstration was to describe and simulate a surgical technique for removing subepiglottic cysts in horses via an oral approach under endoscopic guidance using a cadaver model for simulation and clinical data. The technique aims to provide a minimally invasive method for the removal of these cysts. Methods: 2 clinical case images from the Washington State University Teaching Hospital were used in the video. In a third horse euthanized for reasons unrelated to the study, the procedure was simulated after the head was frozen and transected transversally. Methods: Files from...
Lyophilization as an alternative for conservation of equine plasma as a source of immunoglobulin G for neonatal foals. Providing plasma with immunoglobulins is essential for the health of foals with failure of passive transfer of immunity. The use of lyophilized plasma (LP) offers a simple and affordable option in terms of transportation and storage. This study aimed to measure the concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG), total protein (TP), and total solids (TS) in fresh equine plasma before and after lyophilization. Plasma was collected from six healthy male horses. The samples underwent freeze-drying and were reconstituted in deionized water to their original volume. The concentrations of IgG in both fresh...