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.
Drögemüller M, Jagannathan V, Welle MM, Graubner C, Straub R, Gerber V, Burger D, Signer-Hasler H, Poncet PA, Klopfenstein S, von Niederhäusern R....Congenital hepatic fibrosis has been described as a lethal disease with monogenic autosomal recessive inheritance in the Swiss Franches-Montagnes horse breed. We performed a genome-wide association study with 5 cases and 12 controls and detected an association on chromosome 20. Subsequent homozygosity mapping defined a critical interval of 952 kb harboring 10 annotated genes and loci including the polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1 (autosomal recessive) gene (PKHD1). PKHD1 represents an excellent functional candidate as variants in this gene were identified in human patients with autosoma...
Pusterla N, Hussey GS.Equine myeloencephalopathy (EHM), an uncommon manifestation of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) infection, can cause devastating losses on individual farms, boarding stables, veterinary hospitals, and show and racing venues. An improved understanding of EHM has emerged from experimental studies and from data collected during field outbreaks at riding schools, racetracks, horse shows, and veterinary hospitals throughout North America and Europe. These outbreaks have highlighted the contagious nature of EHV-1 and have prompted a reevaluation of diagnostic procedures, treatment modalities, preventati...
Alanazi AD, Said AE, Morin-Adeline V, Alyousif MS, Slapeta J.Equine piroplasmosis is the most important tick-borne disease of horses. Regulations on movement of horses into disease-free countries are in place to preserve international trade. Introduction of infectious disease, such as equine piroplasmosis, into non-endemic countries remains a substantial risk owing to the wide-spread distribution of vectors. Identification and restriction of movement of Theileria equi persistently infected horses is an integral part of control strategies, because persistently infected horses with low parasitaemia are an important reservoir. We used real-time PCR for dia...
Rosanowski SM, Cogger N, Rogers CW, Stevenson MA.New Zealand has never experienced an equine influenza (EI) outbreak. The 2007 outbreak of EI in Australia showed that in a naïve population EI spreads rapidly and substantial efforts (in terms of movement restrictions, mass vaccination and post-vaccination surveillance) were required to achieve eradication. To control EI, it is essential that animal health authorities have well-defined strategies for containment, control and eradication in place before an incursion occurs. A spatially explicit stochastic simulation model, InterSpread Plus, was used to evaluate EI control strategies for the Ne...
Wise LN, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Mealey RH, Knowles DP.Equine piroplasmosis, caused by the parasites Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, is a globally important disease, affecting a large percentage of the world's horses. This article serves as a review of these divergent parasites. Discussed are the clinical presentation of disease, diagnosis, and treatment. Special attention is given to the current disease status specifically in North America.
Burgess BA, Morley PS.Infection control is achieved through all efforts used to prevent the introduction and limit the spread of contagious pathogens within a facility or population, with the goal of eliminating sources of potentially pathogenic microorganisms and to disrupt infectious disease transmission. Congregating animals from multiple sources, as occurs at veterinary hospitals, racetracks, equestrian events, and boarding and training facilities, increases the risk for transmission of infectious diseases such as salmonella. There is a recognizable standard of practice for infection control and due effort must...
Middleton D.Hendra virus infection of horses occurred sporadically between 1994 and 2010 as a result of spill-over from the viral reservoir in Australian mainland flying-foxes, and occasional onward transmission to people also followed from exposure to affected horses. An unprecedented number of outbreaks were recorded in 2011 leading to heightened community concern. Release of an inactivated subunit vaccine for horses against Hendra virus represents the first commercially available product that is focused on mitigating the impact of a Biosafety Level 4 pathogen. Through preventing the development of acut...
Stringer A, Lunn DP, Reid S.The working equid is of vital importance in many low-income countries
where horses, mules and donkeys are the primary means of transport and
traction. Notwithstanding basic husbandry and welfare needs, infectious
diseases compromise the health and welfare of these working animals,
which in turn threatens the livelihoods of the most vulnerable members
of society. A workshop on Infectious Diseases of Working Equids was held in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in November 2013, attended by 35 participants
representing academia, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs),
governmental institutions and the ...
Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Kuzmina TA, Dzeverin II, Nielsen MK, McDowell KJ.The main purpose of the research was to determine if three weekly samplings would produce consistent results for low strongyle egg shedders, generally associated with older horses. Strongyle egg counts per gram of feces (EPG) were done for 661 Thoroughbred mares on 14 farms in 2012-2013 once a week for three consecutive weeks. None of the mares had been treated with ivermectin or moxidectin for more than 90 days and with fenbendazole, oxibendazole, or pyrantel pamoate for more than 60 days. Strongyle EPG count data indicated that 38.3% of the mares were positive at first and second sampling, a...
Bergström K, Grönlund U.Detection of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in horses in Sweden has increased attention on infection control (IC) in equine hospitals. This study established baseline data on IC programmes within such settings, evaluated compliance with some IC procedures before and after an education intervention, and examined barriers to compliance.The study was carried out between 2008 and 2011 in four Swedish equine hospitals. Data on current IC of each hospital, purchase data on hand sanitisers and disposable gloves per patient, and direct observations of compliance with...
Balakrishnan A, Abbadi R, Oakland K, Jamdar S, Harper SJ, Jamieson NV, Huguet EL, Jah A, Praseedom RK.Equestrian sports are common outdoor activities that may carry a risk of liver injury. Due to the relative infrequency of equestrian accidents the injury patterns and outcomes associated with liver trauma in these patients have not been well characterized. Methods: We examined our experience of the management of equestrian liver trauma in our regional hepatopancreaticobiliary unit at a tertiary referral center. The medical records of patients who sustained liver trauma secondary to equestrian activities were analysed for parameters such as demographic data, liver function tests, patterns of in...
Mendez D, Buttner P, Speare R.Following the emergence of Hendra virus (HeV), private veterinarians have had to adopt additional infection control strategies to manage this zoonosis. Between 1994 and 2010, seven people became infected with HeV, four fatally. All infected people were at a higher risk of exposure from contact with horses as they were either veterinary personnel, assisting veterinarians, or working in the horse industry. The management of emerging zoonoses is best approached from a One Health perspective as it benefits biosecurity as well as a public health, including the health of those most at risk, in this ...
Greve L, Dyson S.No previous studies have investigated interrelationships between saddle fit/management, equine thoracolumbar asymmetries, rider and horse health. Objective: To assess associations between data obtained by clinical assessment and those provided by riders via a questionnaire. Methods: Clinical assessment of a convenience sample of horses and riders compared with a Web-based questionnaire survey (n = 205). Methods: Horse thoracolumbar asymmetries at predetermined sites, the presence of lameness (in hand and/or ridden), saddle slip, saddle fit/management and rider straightness were assessed. Kappa...
Sobczak N, Kantyka M.The saliva of medicinal leeches, e.g., Hirudo medicinalis and Hirudo verbana commonly used in hirudotherapy, contains more than 100 bioactive substances with various therapeutic effects, including anticoagulant, vasodilator, thrombolytic, anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic properties. Recently, leeches have been used very successfully in veterinary medicine to treat many diseases of animals, especially dogs, cats and horses. The most common indications for the use of leeches are hip and elbow dysplasia, acute and chronic arthritis, diseases associated with inflammation of tendons, ligaments, an...
Brown JA, Holcombe SJ, Southwood LL, Byron CR, Embertson RM, Hauptmann JG.To determine factors associated with postoperative reflux, postoperative colic, repeat celiotomy, and survival in horses after end-to-side (E2S) or side-to-side (S2S) jejunocecostomy. Methods: Retrospective, multicenter study. Methods: Horses (n = 150). Methods: Admissions, intra- and postoperative data were collected from medical records of horses that had E2S or S2S jejunocecostomy. Descriptive statistics were calculated and data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric tests, linear and multivariate logistic regression with significance set at P < .05. Kaplan-Meier estimate ...
Ons E, Van Brussel L, Lane S, King V, Cullinane A, Kenna R, Lyons P, Hammond TA, Salt J, Raue R.The efficacy of Zylexis®, an immunomodulator in horses based on inactivated Parapoxvirus ovis (iPPVO), was assessed using an equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) challenge model in the presence of a natural infection with Streptococcus equi equi (S. equi). Eleven horses were treated with iPPVO and twelve were kept as controls. Six horses were challenged with EHV-1 and commingled with the horses on study. Animals were dosed on Days -2, 0 (just before commingling) and Day 7. On Day 11 significantly less nasal discharge, enlarged lymph nodes, EHV-1 shedding and lower rectal temperatures were observ...
Hébert L, Guitton E, Madeline A, Géraud T, Carnicer D, Lakhdar L, Pitel PH, Coste M, Laloy E, Giraudet A, Zientara S, Büscher P, Laugier C, Hans A....Trypanosoma equiperdum, the causative agent of dourine, may affect the central nervous system, leading to neurological signs in infected horses. This location protects the parasite from most (if not all) existing chemotherapies. In this context, the OIE terrestrial code considers dourine as a non-treatable disease and imposes a stamping-out policy for affected animals before a country may achieve its dourine-free status. The use of practices as drastic as euthanasia remains controversial, but the lack of a suitable tool for studying a treatment's efficacy against dourine hampers the developmen...
Yadav SC, Kumar P, Khurana S, Kumar R.Trypanosomosis caused by Trypanosoma evansi, commonly known as "surra," is a wasting disease affecting equids, camels, cattle, as well as several other domestic and wild animals. No systematic information is available on disease pattern in equines for development of control and treatment strategies in endemic areas in India. The present study was undertaken with a comprehensive plan to screen large population of equines using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to obtain epidemiological information on "surra" in different agro-climatic zones of India. A total of 6455 serum samples were ...
Harvey AM, Ramp D, Mellor DJ.A detailed understanding of what is usual for a species under optimal conditions is critical for identifying and interpreting different features of body function that have known impacts on animal welfare and its assessment. When applying the Five Domains Model to assess animal welfare, the key starting point is therefore to acquire extensive species-specific knowledge relevant to each of the four physical/functional Domains of the Model. These Domains, 1 to 4, address areas where objective information is evaluated and collated. They are: (1) Nutrition; (2) Physical environment; (3) Health; and...
Xie J, Tong P, Zhang A, Song X, Zhang L, Shaya N, Kuang L.In 2015, a novel equine parvovirus, equine parvovirus-cerebrospinal fluid (EqPV-CSF), was identified from cerebrospinal fluid of a horse with neurological signs and lymphocytosis in USA. In our study, an EqPV-CSF-like virus was detected from 15 serum samples of 65 imported thoroughbred horses during custom quarantine in north Xinjiang province, China. Further field investigation in several major horse-producing areas in Xinjiang using specific PCR showed that this virus was detected mainly in thoroughbred horses (39/154 positive) previously imported, not in local breeds (0/127 positive). Phylo...
Leathwick DM, Sauermann CW, Geurden T, Nielsen MK.A previously described model for the dynamics of the parasitic stages of Parascaris spp. was modified to include eggs outside the host and the genetics of anthelmintic resistance before being used to address questions regarding the development of resistance. Three broad questions were addressed; i) How sustainable is the current common practice of treating foals monthly for their first year of life (i.e. 12 treatments/year)? ii) Does the timing of treatments have an effect on resistance development? (i.e. do certain treatments select for resistance more strongly than others?), and iii) How sus...
van Galen G, Rijckaert J, Mair T, Amory H, Armengou L, Bezdekova B, Durie I, Findshøj Delany R, Fouché N, Haley L, Hewetson M, van den Hoven R....To identify prognostic variables for adult equids and foals with tetanus. Methods: Multicenter retrospective study (2000-2014). Methods: Twenty Western, Northern, and Central European university teaching hospitals and private referral centers. Methods: One hundred fifty-five adult equids and 21 foals with tetanus. Methods: None. Results: Variables from history and clinical examination were statistically compared between survivors and nonsurvivors (adults: 49 survivors, 85 nonsurvivors; foals: 7 survivors, 10 nonsurvivors). Cases euthanized for financial reasons were excluded. Mortality rates i...
Kaaden OR, Eichhorn W, Essbauer S.There is continual variation in viral epidemics regarding clinical symptoms, duration and disappearance, and the emergence of new diseases. This can be observed in both human and animal diseases. This evolution of virus diseases is mainly related to three factors: aetiological agent, host and environment. As far as genetic alterations of the virus are concerned, two major mechanisms are involved: mutations such as recombination and reassortment; and selection for resistance or susceptibility. This review focuses on the epidemiology of newly emerged virus diseases in man and animals, such as ac...
Nemoto M, Yamanaka T, Bannai H, Tsujimura K, Ueno T, Mekata H, Yoshida A, Koyama A, Kokado H.This study compared agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) protocols for diagnosing equine infectious anemia. Two commercial testing kits were used: one following the Japanese Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Diseases Control and one following the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) manual. From 651 samples tested, both protocols gave identical results for 647 samples (23 samples tested positive; 624 tested negative). Non-specific reactions were observed in 21 samples testing negative by the Japanese protocol, but none were observed with the OIE protocol. The kappa coefficient value was 0.962...
Podolsky MJ, Lasker A, Flaminio MJ, Gowda LD, Ezekowitz RA, Takahashi K.The mannose-binding lectin (MBL), a pattern recognition serum protein, participates in the innate immune system of mammals as an opsonin. In humans, MBL plays a key role in first-line host defense against infection during the lag period prior to the development of a specific immune response. MBL also activates complement via the lectin pathway that requires a MBL-associated serine protease-2 (MASP-2). Homologues of human MBL (hMBL) have been identified in a variety of mammals, fish, and primitive animals such as ascidians. In this study, we report that equine MBL (eMBL) has properties that are...
Golding E, Neavyn Neita A, Walshe N, Hanlon A, Mulcahy G, Duggan V.As the primary decision-maker for their horse's health and welfare, owners' knowledge of clinical conditions may impact their horse's health. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the emotional impact of equine illness on the owner can be severe but research is lacking. Objective: To evaluate horse owners' self-declared knowledge of eight common equine health conditions and perceptions of the quality of information available; to ascertain respondents' perceptions of the severity of impact on their horse of the conditions and potential emotional impact on themselves and to establish the factors of g...
Dart AJ, Hodgson DR.All horses undergoing coeliotomy for an acute abdominal crisis are at risk of developing ileus and should receive therapy aimed at promoting gastrointestinal function by restoring fluid and electrolyte balance. Adequate analgesia and prevention against peritonitis, bacteraemia and endotoxaemia should be provided. Horses that at the time of surgery have a strangulating or non-strangulating small intestinal obstruction should be considered to be at greater risk of developing a persistent ileus that is refractory to treatment than those horses with lesions involving the large intestine. In horses...
Hotchkiss JW, Reid SW, Christley R.Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is an environmental respiratory disease affecting horses. A risk-screening questionnaire (RSQ) for RAO would provide a useful tool to investigate the epidemiology of the disease in horses; our aim in this study was to construct and validate such an instrument. Guidance for what questions to include in the RSQ came from three processes: a review of the scientific literature, a survey of equine practitioners in the UK and a consultation with 19 experts using a modified Delphi technique. The latter consultation consisted of two rounds; agreement amongst the expe...
Seyoum Z, Zewdu A, Dagnachew S, Bogale B.A study was conducted from November 2015 to April 2016 to determine fenbendazole and ivermectin resistance status of intestinal nematodes of cart horses in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. Forty-five strongyle infected animals were used for this study. The animals were randomly allocated into three groups (15 horses per group). Group I was treated with fenbendazole and Group II with ivermectin and Group III was left untreated. Faecal samples were collected from each cart horse before and after treatment. Accordingly, the reduction in the mean fecal egg count at fourteen days of treatment for iverme...
Rosanowski SM, Chang YM, Stirk AJ, Verheyen KLP.The incidence of race-day injuries in Great Britain (GB) is higher on all-weather (AW) surfaces than on turf. However, to date no studies have focused on identifying risk factors for injury specific to AW racing. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to determine risk factors for fatality, distal limb fracture (DLF) and episodes of epistaxis in flat racing Thoroughbreds racing on AW surfaces in GB. Data included all flat racing starts on AW surfaces (n=258,193) and race-day veterinary events recorded between 2000 and 2013. Information on additional course-level variables was gather...
Morley PS.Surveillance for nosocomial infection and disease is a critical component in an integrated and highly effective infection control program. Surveillance activities provide a sensory role to guide ongoing control practices so that they are focused and efficient. Without input from surveillance results, infection control practices are likely to be guided more by emotion and opinion than by data and evidence. This article discusses issues to be considered when developing effective nosocomial infection surveillance programs as well as the historical perspective of surveillance efforts for nosocomia...
Magdesian KG.Horses with GI diseases such as colic and diarrhea are often intolerant of adequate enteral nutrition. Nutritional intervention should be an early part of therapeutic management in such cases. Protein and energy malnutrition in critically ill horses can have deleterious effects, including poor wound or incisional healing, reduced immunity, and weight loss. Early enteral or parenteral support should be provided to supply resting DE requirements in the equine ICU.
Malone ED.Many compounds are being investigated for the control of symptoms of osteoarthritis in people and animals. Ideally, treatment should include analgesia, inflammation control, and chondroprotection. With further progress in this area, combination therapies tailored to the needs of the individual animal should enable us to maximize efficacy and minimize side effects. Only a few of the newer therapies and pharmaceutic agents have been investigated in the horse, however. With more rigorous investigation, they may be determined to be ineffective or unsafe. Meanwhile, as much information should be ga...
Navas de Solis C.Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) are often incidental or coincidental with systemic disease. Ventricular arrhythmias are also the most likely cause of many sudden cardiac deaths in horses. This dichotomy creates challenges in the management of horses with VAs. This review presents current knowledge of diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of VAs in horses.
