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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.
Intratumoral para-toluenesulfonamide as a tumor-ablative therapy for equine cutaneous tumors: a case series of three horses. Equine neoplasia, including sarcoids, melanomas, and squamous cell carcinomas, presents therapeutic challenges due to recurrence and limitations of conventional treatments. Para-toluenesulfonamide (p-TLS) is a tumor-ablating agent that is associated with localized tumor necrosis and subsequent lesion resolution. It has been evaluated in human clinical settings as an intratumoral treatment of malignant airway obstruction caused by non-small cell lung cancer. This study aimed to describe the clinical outcomes and tolerability of intratumoral p-TLS in equine neoplasia. Three equine cases, includi...
Limited Effects of High-Intensity Laser Therapy on Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes in Three-Year-Old Arabian Racehorses with Dorsal Metacarpal Disease. Dorsal metacarpal disease (DMD) is a common musculoskeletal injury in young racehorses, and effective non-invasive treatments remain of clinical interest. This study aimed to evaluate whether high-intensity laser therapy (HILT), which was applied as the sole intervention in horses retired from training, reduces the clinical signs of DMD compared with untreated controls. During the 2023-2024 racing seasons, 15 Arabian racehorses diagnosed with DMD were enrolled; 9 received HILT and 6 served as controls without laser therapy. The treatment protocol consisted of five daily HILT sessions followed ...
Electrochemotherapy Following Surgical Cytoreduction for the Treatment of Recurrent Equine Sarcoids: A Retrospective Study of 23 Lesions. Despite the wide range of therapeutic options currently available for equine sarcoids, recurrence of these lesions remains a major clinical challenge. Consequently, the identification of effective strategies for the management of recurrent sarcoids remains an important objective in equine oncology. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of surgical cytoreduction combined with intraoperative electrochemotherapy in horses affected by recurrent equine sarcoids. Medical records of horses treated between July 2018 and August 2025 at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital...
Isolation of high-quality stallion spermatozoa: a comparison of methods and their effects on sperm quality and yield, DNA damage, and functional competence by ICSI. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the primary method for equine in vitro embryo production, yet outcomes may be influenced by sperm selection techniques. Objective: This study compared four isolation methods: EquiPure™, Vetmotl™, Felix™, and Samson™, to assess effects on sperm quality and embryo development. Methods: Semen was collected from four fertile stallions, processed and evaluated for sperm motility, viability, DNA integrity, and yield of high-quality cells relative to input. Isolated samples were compared to non-isolated (centrifuged) samples. Spermatozoa were used fo...
Improving concussion assessment in jockeys: normative benchmarks and web-based tool for ImPACT interpretation. Despite horse racing's exceptionally high concussion risk, there is no jockey-specific ImPACT study. This work aimed to develop demographically adjusted, jockey-specific ImPACT norms and to evaluate complementary approaches to clinical classification. Unassigned: Retrospective baseline data from 663 Irish jockeys (2021-2024) were analyzed. Two normative methods were applied: (i) a univariate regression-based approach estimating expected scores for each cognitive domain independently, adjusting for age, sex, and education, with percentile-based classification; and (ii) a multivariate regression...
Assessment of Thyroid Hormones Using the Immulite 2000xpi Analyzer in Healthy Donkeys. The Immulite 2000xpi, a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA)-based analyzer, is currently recommended for measuring thyroid hormones (TH) concentrations in equids. However, scarce data are available on TH measurements in donkeys using this technique. Similarly, the effects of factors such as age and gender on TH concentrations have not been assessed with this analyzer. Serum free and total T4 and T3 concentrations were measured in 40 healthy donkeys (6.1 ± 0.8 years old; 8 intact jacks and 32 jennies) and 41 horses (10.7 ± 0.5 years old; 15 stallions and 26 geldings) using the Immulite 2000xp...
Plasma and Urinary Concentrations of Synephrine in Horses Following Controlled Oral Administration. Synephrine is a sympathomimetic alkaloid of regulatory interest in both horse racing and equestrian sports, where feed‑related exposure may lead to its detection in equine blood and urine. This study characterized plasma and urinary concentrations of synephrine in horses following controlled oral administration. Six Thoroughbred horses received single oral doses of 100 mg or 800 mg synephrine, and blood and urine samples were collected sequentially. Each sample was analyzed both before and after β‑glucuronidase hydrolysis, demonstrating that synephrine was present predominantly as conjuga...
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Equine Colic: A Scoping Review of Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Decision-Support Applications. Equine colic remains one of the leading causes of mortality in horses, with timely diagnosis and accurate prognostic assessment being critical for clinical decision-making. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly applied to support diagnostic and prognostic evaluation in veterinary medicine. However, the scope, methodological characteristics, and performance of AI models in equine colic have not been systematically mapped. Therefore, this scoping review was conducted to summarize current AI applications in equine colic, identify commonly used algorithms, describe re...
Clinical and microbiota alterations in performance horses undergoing long-distance transport. Transport-associated pneumonia contributes substantially to morbidity, impaired welfare, and economic loss in high-performance horses and may be associated with alterations in the respiratory microbiota. Objective: Examine the effect of long-distance transport on the respiratory microbiota and correlate changes in microbiota diversity and composition with systemic and airway inflammation. Methods: Seventeen client-owned performance horses transported from New England to Florida under optimized trailering conditions, and 12 non-traveling horses. Methods: Physical examination, blood testing, nas...
Serum Electrolyte Changes in Foals Receiving Rhodococcus equi-Specific Hyperimmune Plasma. Rhodococcus equi-specific hyperimmune plasma (Re-HIP) is routinely administered to neonatal foals to help prevent rhodococcal pneumonia. In addition to pathogen-specific immunoglobulins, frozen plasma products (FPPs) contain electrolytes that may exceed concentrations found in neonatal foal plasma. Because FPPs are also used to treat failure of passive transfer and sepsis, understanding their effects on neonate homeostasis is crucial. This study evaluated the effects of administration of Re-HIP on the serum concentrations of Na, Cl, K, albumin, and globulin of healthy neonatal foals. Results: ...
Pre-ovulatory follicles and ipsilateral ovarian stroma are cooler than non-dominant antral follicles and stroma on the contralateral ovary of the mare. Reports in several species have demonstrated that pre-ovulatory follicles (POFs) are cooler than neighbouring ovarian tissue, with cooling important for fertility. This study measured the temperature of POFs and compared it with other regions of the ovary, cervix, and rectum to determine if POF cooling occurs in mares. Fourteen oestrous cycles in 11 mares were monitored, and when an ovarian follicle ≥38 mm was present, deslorelin was given. Thirty hours later, rectal and cervical temperature measurements were taken. Mares were sedated and ovarian temperature measurements taken using a ther...
Efficacy of Therapeutic UVC Irradiation in Reducing Bacterial Load in Microbial Keratitis: A Retrospective Clinical Study in Veterinary Patients. To evaluate the immediate effect of therapeutic ultraviolet-C (UVC) irradiation on corneal bacterial load in veterinary patients with microbial keratitis (MK), using a retrospective analysis of clinical data collected at a UK referral ophthalmology hospital. Methods: Client-owned dogs, horses, and cats presented to a referral ophthalmology clinic with MK in 2025. Methods: Clinical records from MK cases were reviewed. For each case, paired corneal swabs were obtained immediately before and immediately after UVC irradiation with a commercially available 265 nm device (PhotonUVC). Treatment con...
Reference interval for serum amyloid a in apparently healthy donkeys measured with a donkey-specific ELISA. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a major acute phase protein used as an inflammatory biomarker in equine medicine. However, no universally accepted assay-specific reference interval (RI) exists for donkeys, and available literature remains limited, with only few studies using different donkey breeds and immunoassay platforms. This study aimed to establish an assay- and population-specific RI for serum SAA in apparently healthy donkeys using a species-specific double sandwich ELISA. Unassigned: Serum SAA concentrations were measured in 176 apparently healthy donkeys. RI estimation followed ASVCP/CLSI r...
Correlation of Positron Emission Tomography and Low-Field Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Horses With Forelimb Lameness Localized to the Foot. Low-field magnetic resonance imaging (LF-MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can be obtained in the standing horse. There is potential for increased diagnostic capacity combining PET with MRI, given that PET assesses the metabolic activity of injured tissues, whereas MRI provides structural and functional details on both bone and soft tissue anatomy. This study aimed to describe 18-fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG)-PET and 18-sodium fluoride (F-NaF)-PET imaging of horses with forelimb lameness localized to the foot and compare PET with LF-MRI. Fourteen horses with lameness lo...
Preliminary investigation of ghrelin in horses and ponies: receptor expression and associations with prandial state, morphometry and signalment. The hormone ghrelin has had limited attention in Equidae, despite connections with appetite and metabolic health in other species. Ghrelin influences hunger and food intake, energy expenditure and storage, glucose metabolism, and thermoregulation, through its receptor-mediated effects on tissues and via interaction with other hormones. There are two circulating forms, acylated and des-acylated ghrelin, considered to have distinct effects on metabolism in other species. The aims of this study were to confirm the presence of ghrelin receptors in equine tissues, to validate an assay for the measu...
Reply to Henshall et al. Commentary on “MacKechnie-Guire et al. Measuring Noseband Tightness on the Lateral Aspect of the Horse’s Face. Animals 2025, 15, 537”. In a paper published in 2017, Doherty et al [...].
Parents’ perspectives on equine-assisted occupational therapy intervention for their children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study examined how parents experienced the ASTride Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy intervention for their children with ADHD, and the meanings they ascribed to changes observed in their children and themselves. Unassigned: Thirteen parents of children aged 7-12 who completed the ASTride intervention participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. A grounded theory approach guided the analysis, which included open coding, category mapping, and thematic modeling to identify central processes across narratives. Unassigned: (1) Parents' perceived benefits for children including emo...
Maxillary and mandibular fracture repair using a modified bis-acryl reinforced interdental wiring technique: Description of the technique and report of 11 cases. Repair options for maxillary and mandibular fractures in horses are dictated by the proximity of dentition, fracture configuration, and implant design. Jaw fractures can be repaired by minimising tension forces via intraoral splint constructs when dentition is present on either side of the fracture line. This repair option reduces iatrogenic damage to dentition while achieving reduction and stability until appliance removal. Objective: To first report a modified technique for jaw fracture repair in horses with cadaveric example images. Second, to report the clinical outcome of maxillary and ma...
Influence of collection site on cerebrospinal fluid test results in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a critical component in the diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Test results obtained may differ based on different collection sites. Objective: Compare results of EPM-specific diagnostic tests obtained from different collections sites in EPM-affected and non-EPM affected horses. Methods: Twenty control and 7 EPM-affected horses. Methods: Prospective observational study. CSF was collected from the lumbosacral (LS) and cranial sites (atlantooccipital or C1-2) in 27 horses and EPM-specific diagnostic tests were performed. Data were summari...
Gastroscopic Evaluation of Gastric Mucosa in Horses Treated With Flunixin Meglumine or High-Dose Firocoxib: A Descriptive Pilot Study. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is common in horses, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a known risk factor for gastrointestinal ulceration. Although COX-2 selective NSAIDs such as firocoxib theoretically offer a better safety profile, endoscopic evidence for their mucosal safety at high off-label doses is lacking. Objective: To compare the effects of label-dose flunixin meglumine and high-dose firocoxib on the gastric mucosa of a small selected group of horses using serial gastroscopy and histopathology in a descriptive pilot study. Methods: Twenty mixed-breed horses w...
Platelet indices’ dynamic in broodmares: Effects of parity and lactation. Lactation and parity are physiological factors influencing platelet (PLT) indices, yet their combined effects in mares remain poorly characterized. As a dynamic process, lactation involves metabolic and endocrine changes that may influence thrombopoiesis; therefore, reproductive history and lactation stage may modulate PLT indices. Objective: To characterize longitudinal platelet (PLT) indices during early lactation in mares and evaluate the influence of parity on thrombopoietic responses. Methods: Fifty-five clinically healthy Spanish Purebred mares were included (20 primiparous and 25 multip...
Agreement of a veterinary-specific oscillometric noninvasive arterial blood pressure monitor (SunTech Vet30) with invasive arterial blood pressure in anaesthetised horses. To evaluate agreement between a veterinary-specific oscillometric noninvasive arterial blood pressure monitor and invasive arterial blood pressure (IBP) measurements in anaesthetised horses. Methods: Prospective clinical method-comparison study. Methods: A group of 46 horses undergoing general anaesthesia in dorsal recumbency. Methods: Paired invasive and oscillometric blood pressure measurements were recorded at 15-minute intervals. IBP was measured via a facial artery catheter, and systolic (SAP), diastolic (DAP), and mean arterial pressures (MAP) were recorded. Oscillometric measurements we...
Validation of an improved insect bite hypersensitivity severity score for allergic equine insect bite hypersensitivity in horses. Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is the most common allergic skin disease in horses, but existing clinical scoring systems lack extensive validation, limiting standardized disease monitoring and therapeutic evaluation. Objective: Develop and validate a standardized, sensitive, and reproducible clinical scoring system for IBH in horses. Methods: Forty-four privately-owned horses with clinically diagnosed IBH examined under field conditions in Switzerland. Methods: In this prospective field validation study, the equine IBH severity score (EqIS) integrates a lesion severity score and an area sc...
Horses without ocular disease maintain similar electroretinographic responses and peripapillary retinal thicknesses across age groups. To determine the impact of age on equine electroretinography (ERG) parameters and retinal thickness in horses with healthy eyes. We hypothesized that ERG b-wave amplitudes would be significantly lower in older horses and that total retinal thickness would not vary significantly with age. Unassigned: Horses with clinically normal eyes comprising 3 age groups (≤ 10, 11 to 20, and ≥ 21 years) underwent scotopic and photopic ERGs, high-resolution fundus photography, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Electroretinography results were compared between age groups using mean implici...
Synovial fluid oxidative stress index as a biomarker for arthritis severity in thoroughbred racehorses. Arthritis is a major cause of lameness in racehorses. Even when lameness improves, it may recur after training resumes, making it difficult to determine the disease state and when to end treatment. This retrospective observational study examined whether oxidative stress in synovial fluid could assess arthritis status in racehorses. Synovial fluid samples obtained during routine clinical practice from horses with arthritis and control samples obtained from horses without clinical or radiographic evidence of carpal joint disease were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 72 Thoroughbreds in Japan...
An Investigation of the Role of Ridden Exercise, Including Application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, in Pre-Purchase Examinations of Sports Horses. Many horses undergo a pre-purchase examination (PPE) prior to acquisition by a new owner; however, despite evidence that lameness and canter dysfunction may only be apparent during ridden exercise, ridden exercises assessing gait quality is not a routine part of PPEs. The objectives were to determine the influence of the results of ridden exercise on decision-making concerning risk assessment for purchase and to establish the long-term performance of horses. Twenty-five sports horses underwent PPEs including ridden exercises to assess gait quality and to apply the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (R...
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...
Humoral immune response to equine mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs): MHC compatibility has more influence than inflammatory priming or chondrogenic differentiation. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) hold great potential for treating various conditions, but their effectiveness and safety in allogeneic therapies can be affected by the recipient's immune response, among other factors. Allogeneic MSC administration has been associated with immune recognition in different species, including horses. These animals are both veterinary patients and translational models, offering valuable insights into how allogeneic MSCs interact with the immune system in vivo. Factors such as inflammation, chondrogenic differentiation, and major histocompatibility complex (MH...
Administration Study of Bedinvetmab, an Antinerve Growth Factor Monoclonal Antibody, in Horses for Doping Control Purposes. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) represent a novel therapeutic approach for managing acute and chronic pain in humans and animals. However, their potential misuse as pain-masking agents in competitive equine sports raises significant welfare and integrity concerns. To enhance understanding of the elimination profile of anti-NGF mAb if misused in horses, this study describes the first administration of bedinvetmab (a canine anti-NGF mAb) in three geldings, establishing its plasma elimination profile following subcutaneous administration. Bedinvetmab plasma concen...
