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Topic:Disease Management
Disease management in horses encompasses the strategies and practices employed to prevent, control, and treat diseases affecting equine populations. This field involves understanding the etiology, transmission, and clinical presentation of various equine diseases, as well as implementing biosecurity measures and therapeutic interventions. Common diseases in horses include equine influenza, strangles, and equine herpesvirus. Effective disease management relies on accurate diagnosis, vaccination protocols, and the use of antimicrobials and other treatments. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, challenges, and advancements in managing diseases in equine health.
Clinical efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids in equine asthma: A meta-analysis and number needed to treat. Equine asthma, a prevalent chronic inflammatory condition affecting the equine population, significantly compromises the performance and quality of life in affected horses. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are often the first-line pharmacological intervention due to their potent anti-inflammatory properties. This meta-analysis investigates the clinical efficacy of ICS in treating equine asthma, emphasizing the number needed to treat (NNT) and the likelihood of achieving a clinical response. A comprehensive literature search identified relevant studies comparing ICS with placebo (PCB) controlled t...
Bilateral coxofemoral dysplasia in a Mangalarga Marchador foal. Coxofemoral dysplasia is a condition characterized by the abnormal development and flattening of the femoral head and deformities in the acetabulum, leading to joint instability. Although described in various animal species, it is uncommon and rarely reported in horses. This article presents a case of incapacitating coxofemoral dysplasia diagnosed in a four-month-old foal Mangalarga Marchador, which exhibited lameness in the hind limbs, thoracolumbar kyphosis, gluteal muscle atrophy, and pronounced sensitivity during pelvic limb flexion. The clinical diagnosis indicative of bilateral coxofemor...
Case series report: Equine coronavirus in Australia. Equine Coronavirus (ECoV) can cause gastrointestinal disease and was first described in 2000 in the USA followed by several international outbreak case reports. Disease manifestation is characterised by vague clinical signs, including mild pyrexia, lethargy and anorexia. Morbidity ranges greatly from 10% to 83%. Although uncommon, ECoV may result in death secondary to disruption to the gastrointestinal barrier causing endotoxaemia and hyperammonaemic encephalopathy. Unfortunately to date, there is no vaccine available to prevent ECoV. Methods: Three faecal quantitative polymerase chain reactio...
Improved embryo recovery through increased flushing media volume and the impact on unintended pregnancies in a single subject donor mare. The case report discusses the implications of using different volumes of flushing media during embryo flushing (EF) procedures in a single donor mare that experienced multiple unintended pregnancies following negative EF outcomes. The study involved two sets of EF experiments over two years on a non-lactating Spanish purebred mare. The initial experiments (group 1, n=6) used 1L of flushing medium (Ringer´s Lactate), and subsequent tests (group 2, n=5) increased the volume to 2L, to assess whether a larger volume could enhance embryo recovery rates. After every EF procedure, no PGF2α was admi...
Unraveling the uterine fluid proteome of mares diagnosed with post-breeding and infectious endometritis. Endometritis is the leading cause of subfertility in mares and a significant challenge to equine reproduction. Unraveling uterine fluid proteome may promote advancements in the knowledge of endometritis etiopathogeneses and its diagnosis and therapeutic practices. Therefore, we aimed to characterize and compare the protein profile of the uterine fluid from healthy mares and animals diagnosed with endometritis. Mangalarga Marchador breed mares from Muriaé - Brazil were divided into control, infectious endometritis, and post-breeding endometritis groups (n = 8/ group). Uterine fluid was collect...
A review of the equine suspensory ligament: Injury prone yet understudied. The suspensory ligament (SL) is a key component of the elaborate and highly adapted suspensory apparatus in the horse. In addition to contributing to stabilisation of the metacarpophalangeal joint, the SL has a spring like function to reduce the energetic cost of locomotion. Although the SL is highly prone to injury in horses of all ages and competing in a wide range of disciplines, knowledge regarding fundamental structure-function relationships in the SL is lacking, particularly compared with other injury-prone tendinous structures such as the superficial digital flexor tendon. In this revie...
Clinical and morphological features of corneal lymphoma in 26 horses (27 eyes). Little information describing the biologic behaviour and therapies for corneal lymphoma exist. Objective: To characterise histologically confirmed equine corneal lymphoma considering breed, age or sex predisposition, histologic and immunologic features, therapies and outcomes. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: A multicentre retrospective medical record review was used to identify horses that presented with corneal disease confirmed morphologically as corneal lymphoma from 2012 to 2022. Results: Mean age at diagnosis was 10.5 years. Males represented 18/26 cases. Warmblood (14) and...
Reference intervals for equine fecal calprotectin and calprotectin:protein ratio and preliminary clinical evaluation in horses with colic and colitis. To establish the reference interval (RI) of fecal calprotectin (fCP) and fCP:protein ratio in the feces of healthy horses and demonstrate preliminary clinical utility for the quantification of intestinal inflammation. Methods: Feces were collected from healthy horses (n = 103) and horses with colic (n = 15) or colitis (n = 13). Feces were suspended in buffer to create fecal supernatant. Fecal calprotectin concentration was determined by ELISA, fecal total protein concentration was determined by bicinchoninic acid assay, and the fCP:protein ratio was calculated. Reference intervals for fCP and ...
Phenotypic, Biochemical and Molecular Characterization of Streptococcus equi Isolates in Northern India. poses a significant threat to equine health globally. The bacteria causes strangles, a respiratory disease characterized by enlarged, abscessed lymph nodes, leading to airway obstruction. The bacterium, a Gram-positive, chain-forming, Lancefield group C β-hemolytic , is closely related to and distinction between these species is challenging. The present study focused on characterization of isolates from horses in northern India, aiming at elucidation of their sugar fermentation patterns. Nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs collected from different geographical regions of northern India, yieldin...
Nutraceutical Supplement Mitigates Insulin Resistance in Horses with a History of Insulin Dysregulation During a Challenge with a High-Starch Diet. Insulin dysregulation (ID) is associated with an increased risk of laminitis which often necessitates the need for clinical intervention. To test the contention that the prophylactic supplementation of nutraceuticals could mitigate ID in susceptible horses, 16 mature horses with a history of ID were supplemented with either the placebo (n = 8) or nutraceutical (n = 8) once daily. Horses were housed in dry lots with ad libitum access to grass hay and fed a concentrate twice daily to provide 0.5 g starch/kg BW/meal. A combined glucose-insulin tolerance test was performed on all horses before and...
Horse Diagnosis and Triage Accuracy of GPT-4o. Animal owners may increasingly rely on large language models for gathering animal health information alongside internet sources in the future. This study therefore aims to provide initial results on the accuracy of ChatGPT-4o in triage and tentative diagnostics, using horses as a case study. Ten test vignettes were used to prompt situation assessments from the tool, which were then compared to original assessments made by a veterinary specialist for horses. The most probable diagnosis suggested by ChatGPT-4o was found to be quite accurate in most cases, with the urgency to contact a veterinari...
Comparison of serum microRNA in healthy horses and horses with moderate to severe mitral valve regurgitation using a commercially available canine cardiac panel. MicroRNA (miRNA) has previously been used as a biomarker for cardiac disease in humans and dogs, however, studies in horses are not yet available. Objective: To determine if adult horses with moderate or severe mitral valve regurgitation have a different serum miRNA expression profile compared to healthy controls. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional. Methods: Serum samples from 77 adult horses with moderate or severe mitral valve regurgitation and 77 healthy control horses were analysed using a commercial cardiac disease-specific miRNA panel previously used in dogs. Results: The commercial ...
Treatment approaches to horses with acute diarrhea admitted to referral institutions: A multicenter retrospective study. This study aimed to describe and compare therapeutic approaches for horses with acute diarrhea in different geographic regions worldwide. Methods: Clinical information was retrospectively collected from diarrheic horses presented to participating institutions between 2016 and 2020, including fluid therapy on admission, antimicrobial drugs, probiotics, anti-endotoxic medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, gastroprotectants, digital cryotherapy, and toxin-binding agents. Seasonal and geographic differences were investigated. Results: 1438 horses from 26 participating hospitals from 5 continents w...
Case report: Successful treatment of chorioptic mange in two Belgian draft horse foals with topical ivermectin. Various draft horse breeds, especially breeds with abundant feathering on the lower limbs, are known to be susceptible to chorioptic mange. Clinical signs of chorioptic mange encompass intense pruritus leading to self-mutilation and hair loss, thickening of the epidermis, and the formation of hyperkeratotic crusts and scabs. Despite the frequent occurrence and high impact of this condition, treatment options are limited, with a conspicuous absence of registered products formulated for equines, and especially foals. This limited availability of approved products highlights the necessity for alt...
Simplifying the Animal Welfare Assessment Grid for enhanced accessibility. Ensuring animal welfare is essential for both the well-being of zoo animals and the effective management of zoological facilities. This study introduces the Simplified Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (S-AWAG), a streamlined adaptation of the original AWAG framework that integrates the Five Domains Model with an observation-based approach. Designed for non-expert users, S-AWAG focuses on easily observable welfare indicators-such as health and environmental conditions-making it particularly suitable for small, private zoos, including petting zoos, roadside zoos, indoor zoos, and animal cafés. We...
Evaluation of point-of-care capillary and venous blood glucose concentrations in hospitalized neonatal foals. To compare glucose measurements from capillary and venous blood samples using a point-of-care (POC) glucometer with a standard laboratory (colorimetric, glucose oxidase) assay (LABGLU) in a population of hospitalized, neonatal foals. Methods: Multicenter, prospective, experimental study, conducted between March 2019 and June 2020. Methods: Four university teaching hospitals and 1 private referral hospital. Methods: Fifty-four hospitalized neonatal (≤30 days of age) foals. Methods: Simultaneous capillary (muzzle, POCMUZ) and venous (jugular, POCJUG) blood samples were obtained to determine P...
Antibody isotyping and cytokine profiling in natural cases of Burkholderia mallei infection (glanders) in equines. Immunological aspects of B. mallei infection were rarely studied in natural cases of equines. The present study was conducted to determine IgG, IgM, IgA and IgG (T) titre against recombinant Hcp1, TssA and TssB proteins and PilA-Hcp1-TssN-BipD and BpaB-BpaC- BMAA0553 chimeras and cytokine responses in glanders affected equine serum. Methods: The study was conducted on serum samples collected from 151 glanders positive equines which include horses (n = 134), mules (n = 16), and donkeys (n = 01). The IgM, IgG, IgA and IgG (T) titre were determined against recombinant antigens by indirect E...
Plasma alpha-fetoprotein in neonatal foals affected by prematurity, sepsis and neonatal encephalopathy. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations have been reported in healthy foals and proposed as a biomarker of sepsis in foals born from mares with experimentally induced placentitis. This study aimed to describe the diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma AFP in foals spontaneously affected by different diseases. The study included all foals less than 72 h old that were diagnosed with either: (1) prematurity (PRE), when born prior to 320 days of gestation with immature physical characteristics; (2) sepsis (SEP), in the presence of both positive blood culture and SIRS or (3) neonatal encephalopat...
National survey reveals elastic price sensitivity for select equine veterinary services. The objective of this study was to estimate the price elasticity of demand for 3 common equine veterinary services: vaccinations (a routine service), lameness examinations (an elective service), and emergency colic surgery (an urgent service). Methods: Data were collected via a nationwide online survey of horse owners from August 15 to September 11, 2023, eliciting their willingness to pay for each service. The link to the online survey was distributed through participating organizations' social media and email lists to the target audience of US residents aged ≥ 18 years who were financially...
Validation of Vetscan Imagyst®, a diagnostic test utilizing an artificial intelligence deep learning algorithm, for detecting strongyles and Parascaris spp. in equine fecal samples. Current methods for obtaining fecal egg counts in horses are often inaccurate and variable depending on the analyst's skill and experience. Automated digital scanning of fecal sample slides integrated with analysis by an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm is a viable, emerging alternative that can mitigate operator variation compared to conventional methods in companion animal fecal parasite diagnostics. Vetscan Imagyst is a novel fecal parasite detection system that uploads the scanned image to the cloud where proprietary software analyzes captured images for diagnostic recognition by a d...
Hydroallantois in a mare associated with schistosomus and unilateral ovarian agenesis in the fetus. Hydropsical conditions in domestic animals are characterized by abnormal fluid accumulation. While their complete pathophysiology remains unclear, factors such as changes in chorioallantoic membranes, placentitis, or fetal abnormalities may contribute. Hydrops present as a medical emergency that can cause complications for the mare. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for the mare's prognosis, as fetal survival is often poor. This report describes a case of hydroallantois in a 9-year-old pregnant Quarter mare at 271 days of gestation, leading to dystocia of a non-viable foal with multipl...
Preliminary Functional Analysis of the Gut Microbiome in Colic Horses. The gut microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining horse health, influencing digestion, immunity, and overall well-being. However, in certain conditions like colic, there is evidence of significant alterations in the microbial community. To analyze the composition of the fecal microbiome and the enriched predicted metabolic functions of horses with colic compared to a control group, 14 horses with colic and 14 control horses were recruited. From a stool sample, DNA extraction was carried out for subsequent 16S rRNA metagenomic analysis. The composition of the microbiome was analyzed from ...
Detection of fungal and bacterial organisms from clinical uterine samples of horses using Next-Generation Sequencing in comparison with culture. Fungal and bacterial culture is currently the primary method for pathogen detection and identification. Next-generation sequencing is a powerful method for detecting and identifying the presence of microbial DNA in samples. We evaluated the correlation between fungal and bacterial culture with next-generation sequencing in equine uterine samples. Fungal cultures (n=63) were evaluated based on their culture results. In culture positive (n=16) samples, next-generation sequencing identified the same organism in 10 samples (62.5%), 5 samples did not identify fungal agents, and 1 sample identified ...
Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages specific to Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus and evaluation of efficacy ex vivo. subspecies (subsp.) is an important facultative pathogen in horses and can cause severe infections in other species including humans. Facing the post-antibiotic era, novel antimicrobials are needed for fighting bacterial infections. Bacteriophages (phages) are the natural predators of bacteria and discussed as a promising antimicrobial treatment option. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize subsp. specific phages for the first time and to evaluate their efficacy and . In total, 13 phages with lytic activity were isolated and host ranges were determined. Two phages wit...
Postanesthetic rhabdomyolysis in 7 warmblood horses. To describe the clinical findings, outcomes, and muscle histopathology in warmblood horses that developed severe rhabdomyolysis in the perianesthetic period despite remaining stable while under general anesthesia. Methods: 7 warmblood horses, 6 geldings and 1 mare, with a median age of 9 years (range, 4 to 18 years) and median weight of 615 kg (range, 550 to 703 kg). Records from the Valberg Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory and Michigan State University were reviewed (2016 to 2023) to identify warmbloods with postanesthetic myopathy (PAM). Methods: Warmblood horses with no history of myopat...
Treatment of equine keratomycosis, part 1: selection of appropriate therapy based on clinical presentation and diagnostic testing improves clinical outcomes. To determine clinical outcome, treatment costs, and hospitalization duration in horses treated for keratomycosis and identify ophthalmic examination and diagnostic results associated with these outcomes. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 126 equine keratomycosis cases between 2004 and 2020 with fungal infection confirmed on cytology, culture, and/or histopathology and a minimum of 1-month follow-up. Details of the ophthalmic examination, diagnostic test results, and treatment and cost outcomes were recorded. Outcomes of interest were analyzed by treatment type. The relationship of pat...
Genetic Factors of Equine Osteochondrosis and Fetlock Osteochondral Fragments: A Scoping Review – Part 2. Equine osteochondrosis and osteochondral fragments in the fetlock joint are linked to various environmental and genetic risk factors. To assess the scope of the literature linking these risk factors to the development of these osteochondral disorders, while identifying knowledge gaps and challenges to guide future research, a scoping review was performed. This article constitutes the second part of this scoping review and focuses on genetic factors, with the first part addressing environmental factors. To identify potentially relevant papers, online bibliographical databases PubMed and Web of ...
Clinical and pathological findings of Africanized bee (Apis mellifera) envenomation in horses. Africanized crossbred bees (Apis mellifera) originated in Brazil in 1957, and since then, the number of accidents involving humans and animals has significantly increased. Although they are considered clinical emergencies, there are few reports describing the clinical and pathological aspects of bee envenomation in horses. In this context, this report aims to describe the clinical and pathological features of bee toxicity after massive bee envenomation in three horses. The horses were referred to the veterinary hospital the day following the attack, and after clinical and laboratory examinatio...
Stability of Gastric Fluid and Fecal Microbial Populations in Healthy Horses under Pasture and Stable Conditions. Equine gastrointestinal microbial communities vary across the gastrointestinal tract and in response to diet or disease. Understanding the composition and stability of gastric fluid microbiota in healthy horses is a prerequisite to understanding changes associated with the development of disease. The objective of this study was to describe microbial communities in the gastric fluid and feces of healthy horses longitudinally. Horses were maintained on pasture (6 weeks), stabled (5 weeks), then returned to pasture. A consistent forage diet was provided throughout. Native gastric fluid and feces ...
Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolates from cattle and horses with salmonellosis in Hokkaido, Japan. In recent years, reported cases of salmonellosis in cattle and horses in Hokkaido, Japan, have increased. To optimize antimicrobial therapy, we assessed the antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella isolates from these animals. Among 112 bovine isolates, high resistance rates were observed for streptomycin (92.0%), ampicillin (88.4%), and tetracycline (79.5%), while resistance rates for kanamycin (8.9%), ciprofloxacin (1.8%), gentamicin (0.0%), and colistin (0.0%) were low. Additionally, 18.8% of the bovine isolates were resistant to cefotaxime, and all of these cefotaxime-resistant isolates ...
