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Topic:Disease Treatment
Disease treatment in horses encompasses a range of medical interventions and management strategies aimed at addressing various health conditions affecting equine species. These treatments can include pharmacological approaches, such as the administration of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antiparasitic medications, as well as non-pharmacological methods like physical therapy, dietary adjustments, and surgical procedures. The selection of appropriate treatments depends on the specific disease, its severity, and the individual needs of the horse. This topic brings together peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the efficacy, safety, and advancements in therapeutic options for equine diseases, providing insights into best practices and emerging trends in equine veterinary medicine.
Babesia equi-induced anemia in a Quarter Horse and subsequent regulatory response. A 7-year-old Quarter Horse gelding used for unsanctioned racing was examined because of fever and anorexia. Results: Physical examination revealed fever, tachycardia, and tachypnea. Results of a CBC indicated anemia and mild thrombocytopenia. Results of microscopic examination of a blood smear indicated piroplasms in erythrocytes, consistent with Babesia spp. Regulatory authorities were contacted, and results of serologic testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed acute Babesia equi infection. Results: Equids on the home premises of the index horse were placed under qua...
Fragmentation of the proximal tubercle of the talus in horses: 9 cases (2004-2010). To identify the prevalence of fragmentation of the proximal tubercle of the talus (FPTT) in a hospital population of horses, characterize the anatomic features of the affected area and fragments, and describe clinical findings, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome for horses with FPTT. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 9 horses with FPTT. Methods: 2,543 radiographic views of the tarsal region of 1,526 horses that were evaluated between June 2004 and December 2010 were reviewed. Medical case records for horses with detectable FPTT were retrieved, and signalment, history, clinical signs,...
Antibody responses to natural rattlesnake envenomation and a rattlesnake toxoid vaccine in horses. Antivenom antibody titers following administration of rattlesnake venom for antivenom production in horses are well documented; however, antivenom antibody titers following natural rattlesnake envenomation in horses are not. Antibody titers produced in response to the commercially available rattlesnake venom vaccine are also not published. Our study objectives were to measure antivenom antibody titers in rattlesnake-bitten horses and compare them to titers in horses vaccinated with the rattlesnake venom vaccine. Additionally, titers were compared in pregnant versus nonpregnant horses to assess...
Influence of an intra-articular lipopolysaccharide challenge on markers of inflammation and cartilage metabolism in young horses. Nineteen weanling Quarter Horses (225 to 380 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design to investigate the effects of intra-articular lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce acute joint inflammation in young horses. Horses were blocked by age, BW, and sex and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments for a 35-d experiment. Treatments included intra-articular injection of 0.25 ng (n = 7) or 0.50 ng (n = 6) of LPS obtained from Escherichia coli O55:B5 or sterile lactated Ringer's solution (n = 6; control) into the radial carpal joint. Synovial fluid was obtained at preinjection h 0 and 2, ...
Effect of selenium and vitamin C on clinical outcomes, trace element status, and antioxidant enzyme activity in horses with acute and chronic lower airway disease. A randomized clinical trial. Excess production of reactive oxygen species is involved in the pathogenesis of airway disorders in horses. Trace element antioxidants have a beneficial role in oxidant/antioxidant balance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a combination of sodium selenite and ascorbic acid on clinical outcome, antioxidant enzymes, and trace elements status in horses with lower airway disease. For this purpose, 40 draft horses with lower airway disease were randomly selected (acute, n = 20; chronic, n = 20). Both acute and chronic cases were randomly allocated into two subgroup...
Knowledge base and effectiveness of online continuing education about foreign animal diseases for equine veterinarians. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two different methods of online education using the knowledge base of African horse sickness (AHS) among US equine veterinarians as a model. An e-mail was sent to US veterinary members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), inviting them to participate in a complementary online educational opportunity. We determined participants' baseline knowledge of AHS by their responses in an AHS case scenario. Participants were then randomly assigned to either a Webinar module or a text-formatted module, followed by an educa...
Equine keratomycosis in Switzerland: a retrospective evaluation of 35 horses (January 2000-August 2011). Keratomycosis is a severe disease in horses. Geographical differences in fungi causing keratomycosis and susceptibility of the organisms to antifungal drugs exist but few previous publications on this disease originate from Europe. Objective: To retrospectively compare the clinical data of 36 eyes with keratomycosis, diagnosed in 35 horses between January 2000 and August 2011 at the Vetsuisse Faculty of Switzerland. Case history, season, prior treatment, clinical appearance, surgical and medical treatment, treatment duration, and globe survival were evaluated. Methods: Retrospective case serie...
Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy in two young horses. Two cases of temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) in young Australian horses are described. The pathogenesis of THO is yet to be fully elucidated, but current theories include extension of infection from otitis media or interna to the temporohyoid joint or a primary but non-infectious degenerative condition within the temporohyoid joint. The young age of the horses and the unilateral distribution suggested an infectious aetiology. Both horses partially responded to treatment with broad-spectrum antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drugs with concurrent management of ulcerative keratitis. The man...
Prognosis for racing with conservative management of cervical vertebral malformation in thoroughbreds: 103 cases (2002-2010). Cervical vertebral malformation (CVM) is seen in young, rapidly growing horses, and is commonly associated with a poor prognosis for racing. Objective: To examine the records of a population of Thoroughbreds with a presumptive diagnosis of CVM and to determine which radiographic findings and neurologic exam findings have an effect on these horses achieving athletic function when managed conservatively. Methods: One hundred and three thoroughbreds presumptively diagnosed with CVM and treated conservatively between 2002 and 2010. Methods: Racing records were reviewed in this retrospective study ...
Streptolysin-O/antibiotics adjunct therapy modulates site-specific expression of extracellular matrix and inflammatory genes in lungs of Rhodococcus equi infected foals. The addition of streptolysin-O (SLO) to the standard antibiotics regimen was shown to be superior to antibiotics alone after experimental infection of foals with Rhodoccocus equi (R. equi). The objective of this study is to investigate this response by determining the site-specific expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) and inflammatory response genes in biopsy samples taken from three distinct lung regions of the infected foals. Twenty-four foals were challenged by intrabronchial instillation of R. equi and assigned to four treatment groups: SLO/antibiotics adjunct therapy, antibiotics-only...
Pharmacokinetics of a peroral single dose of two long-acting formulations and an aqueous formulation of doxycycline hyclate in horses. Doxycyline (Dox) is a semisynthetic antibacterial drug with pharmacological advantages over its parent drug (tetracycline) in the treatment of various bacterial diseases in horses. Yet, at present a horse-customized pharmaceutical formulation is not available. Based on its pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) ratio, Dox is considered a time-dependent antibacterial drug and ideally expected to achieve sustained plasma drug concentrations both at or slightly above the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) level for as long as possible between dosing intervals. Hence, the objective of this st...
Use of a soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor as an adjunctive analgesic in a horse with laminitis. A 4-year old, 500 kg Thoroughbred female horse diagnosed with bilateral forelimb laminitis and cellulitis on the left forelimb became severely painful and refractory to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy (flunixin meglumine on days 1, 2, 3 and 4; and phenylbutazone on days 5, 6 and 7) alone or in combination with gabapentin (days 6 and 7). Methods: Pain scores assessed independently by three individuals with a visual analog scale (VAS; 0 = no pain and 10 = worst possible pain) were 8.5 on day 6, and it increased to 9.5 on day 7. Non-invasive blood pressure monitoring revealed severe hyper...
Venezuelan equine encephalitis replicon particles can induce rapid protection against foot-and-mouth disease virus. We have previously shown that delivery of the porcine type I interferon gene (poIFN-α/β) with a replication-defective human adenovirus vector (adenovirus 5 [Ad5]) can sterilely protect swine challenged with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) 1 day later. However, the need of relatively high doses of Ad5 limits the applicability of such a control strategy in the livestock industry. Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE) empty replicon particles (VRPs) can induce rapid protection of mice against either homologous or, in some cases, heterologous virus challenge. As an alternative approach ...
Clinical observations and management of a severe equine herpesvirus type 1 outbreak with abortion and encephalomyelitis. Latent equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection is common in horse populations worldwide and estimated to reach a prevalence nearing 90% in some areas. The virus causes acute outbreaks of disease that are characterized by abortion and sporadic cases of myeloencephalopathy (EHM), both severe threats to equine facilities. Different strains vary in their abortigenic and neuropathogenic potential and the simultaneous occurrence of EHM and abortion is rare. In this report, we present clinical observations collected during an EHV-1 outbreak caused by a so-called "neuropathogenic" EHV-1 G(2254)/D(...
Comparison of glycopyrrolate and atropine in ameliorating the adverse effects of imidocarb dipropionate in horses. Imidocarb, an effective treatment for piroplasmosis, may cause colic and diarrhoea in horses. Atropine and glycopyrrolate are anticholinergics that could reduce the adverse effects of imidocarb. However, atropine and glycopyrrolate inhibit gastrointestinal motility, potentially causing ileus and colic. Objective: To compare glycopyrrolate and atropine in ameliorating the adverse effects of imidocarb dipropionate in horses and to determine the effect of combinations of these drugs on the gastrointestinal tract. Methods: A blinded, randomised, crossover study was performed in 8 healthy horses. E...
Renal replacement therapy in healthy adult horses. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) has been implemented extensively in people to facilitate recovery from acute renal failure (ARF). RRT has not been explored in horses, but might provide a further treatment option in horses with ARF. Objective: To investigate efficacy and safety of RRT in horses. Methods: Five healthy adult horses. Methods: A prospective study was performed on horses restrained in stocks and intravenously connected to a commercial RRT machine to allow continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration to be performed for 6 hours. The RRT machine was set at the following flow rates: blood ...
Eliminating infectious diseases of livestock: a metapopulation model of infection control. When novel disease outbreaks occur in livestock, policy makers must respond promptly to eliminate disease, and are typically called on to make control decisions before detailed analysis of disease parameters can be undertaken. We present a flexible metapopulation model of disease spread that incorporates variation in livestock density and includes occasional high-mixing locations or events, such as markets or race meetings. Using probability generating functions derived from this branching process model, we compare the likely success of reactive control strategies in eliminating disease spread...
The addition of ticarcillin-clavulanic acid to INRA 96 extender for stallion semen cooling. A commonly used commercial extender (i.e. INRA 96) contains antimicrobials that may have limited effectiveness. Therefore, addition of ticarcillin-clavulanic acid to this extender is a widespread procedure in the equine breeding industry in the United States. However, such practice has not been critically evaluated. Objective: To evaluate the addition of ticarcillin-clavulanic acid to INRA 96 and different extender and antimicrobial storage conditions on sperm function and antimicrobial effectiveness. Methods: Gel-free semen (42 ejaculates from 14 mature Quarter Horse stallions) was extended w...
Visual outcome after corneal transplantation for corneal perforation and iris prolapse in 37 horses: 1998-2010. We wanted to investigate the visual outcome of horses presented with iris prolapse and treated with corneal transplantation. Objective: To evaluate the visual outcome of horses with iris prolapse treated with penetrating keratoplasty alone and penetrating keratoplasty in combination with overlying conjunctival or amniotic membrane grafting. Methods: A retrospective medical records study of horses presented to the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center for iris prolapse and treated with penetrating keratoplasty in the period of 1998-2010. Data collected from the medical records include...
Clinical evaluation of a closed, one-stage, stapled, functional, end-to-end jejuno-ileal anastomosis in 5 horses. This study describes the outcome and complications in horses that had a closed, one-stage, stapled, functional, end-to-end (COSFE) jejuno-ileal anastomosis (JIA) following resection of compromised small intestine. Medical records were reviewed to identify all horses that had a COSFE JIA performed during exploratory laparotomy and to determine post-operative complications and final outcome. All 5 horses that were identified had successful COSFE JIA with resection of various amounts of distal jejunum and proximal ileum. Post-operative ileus occurred in 1 of the 5 horses. All horses survived at l...
Retrospective study on equine uterine fungal isolates and antifungal susceptibility patterns (1999-2011). Knowledge of commonly encountered fungi infecting the mare's reproductive tract and their respective drug susceptibilities should improve treatment efficacy in mares with fungal endometritis. This is particularly important when practitioners need to start empiric treatment before culture results are complete. Objective: To report the spectrum of fungal isolates from uterine samples from mares with reproductive problems and their respective antifungal susceptibilities. Methods: Equine uterine samples submitted to the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Centre for fungal culture between ...
Surgical treatment for acute small intestinal obstruction caused by Parascaris equorum infection in 15 horses (2002-2011). There is a consensus in the veterinary literature that Parascaris equorum (ascarid) impaction carries a poor prognosis. Hence surgery is often delayed and foals are often subjected to euthanasia after diagnosis of ascarid impaction is established. Our clinical impression was that ascarid impaction carries a better prognosis than previously reported. Objective: Our expectation was that manually evacuating the impaction into the caecum, thus refraining from opening the small intestine, would improve the prognosis for survival of horses with ascarid impaction. The aim of this study was to examine...
The use of maggot debridement therapy in 41 equids. Maggot debridement therapy is a long-established tool to promote wound healing. Objective: To describe and assess the results of this technique in equids with various lesions. Methods: Retrospective analysis performed on cases in which, depending on clinical case, type, size and location of the wound, maggots were applied either in direct or indirect contact with the wound. Results: Treated cases (n = 41) included horses with foot pathology (n = 9), laceration of the limbs (n = 15), other soft tissue abscesses or wounds (n = 6), fistulous withers (n = 5), other musculoskeletal infection (n = 2...
The clinical and pathological features of gastric impaction in twelve horses. Gastric impaction in the horse is poorly described in the veterinary literature. Objective: To review the clinical and pathological features of gastric impaction. Methods: The clinical details of horses presenting with colic over a 7-year period and cases in which gastric impaction was considered to determine the outcome were reviewed. Clinical and clinicopathological data were recorded. Results: Twelve cases of gastric impaction were recorded (1.4% of 857 horses hospitalised for colic). Diagnosis was achieved by ultrasonographic examination, gastroscopy, exploratory celiotomy and/or post mort...
