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.
Frisbie DD, Stewart MC.Joint disease is a major cause of wastage in performance horses. Arthritis can be challenging to treat because articular cartilage has little or no capacity for repair, therapeutic options are limited and are largely targeted at ameliorating clinical signs of joint disease. Cell-based therapies have potential to overcome the intrinsic constraints to articular cartilage repair. This article focuses on cell-based therapies for treatment of equine joint disease. Results from experimental model and human clinical studies are presented along with available data from equine studies.
Alves AG, Stewart AA, Dudhia J, Kasashima Y, Goodship AE, Smith RK.Tendon and ligament injuries have proved difficult to treat effectively. Cell-based therapies offer the potential to harness the complex protein synthetic machinery of the cell to induce a regenerative response rather than fibrous scarring. This article reviews the current state of play with respect to the clinically used cell preparations for the treatment of tendon and ligaments overstrain injuries.
Milner PI, Clegg PD, Stewart MC.This article provides an overview of the cellular and molecular events involved in bone repair and the current approaches to using stem cells as an adjunct to this process. The article emphasizes the key role of osteoprogenitor cells in the formation of bone and where the clinical applications of current research may lend themselves to large animal orthopaedics. The processes involved in osteogenic differentiation are presented and strategies for bone formation, including induction by osteogenic factors, bioscaffolds, and gene therapy, are reviewed.
Stewart MC.This article focuses on current issues facing cell-based therapies in equine practice and future studies validating the use of stem cells and related biologic therapies for the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in the horse. Issues raised include the characterization and use of tissue- and anatomic location-specific mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sources, the putative advantages and feasibility of allogeneic embryonic stem cell and MSC products, the technical advantages and performance of cell-based biologic agents that do not require extensive ex vivo manipulation, the regulation of MSC ho...
Textor J.Autologous biologic therapies such as platelet-rich plasma and autologous conditioned serum are in widespread clinical use to treat musculoskeletal pathology in horses. These substances exert a therapeutic effect through the provision of either anabolic or anti-catabolic factors, or a combination of both. This article discusses the history, experimental and clinical literature, and currently accepted preparation and usage strategies for both platelet-rich plasma and autologous conditioned serum.
Fielding CL, Magdesian KG.Hypertonic saline solution (7.2%) (HSS) can quickly replace intravascular volume deficits. HSS more recently has been advocated in the treatment of traumatic brain injury, but its use in dehydrated patients remains controversial. Objective: Hypertonic saline solution will show a significant improvement in both clinical and laboratory hydration parameters as compared to isotonic (0.9%) saline solution (ISS). Methods: Endurance horses eliminated from the 2009 Western States 100-mile (220-km) endurance ride and requiring IV fluid therapy were eligible for enrollment in the study. Methods: Twenty-...
Curling A.Equine recurrent uveitis has traditionally been treated with medical management to reduce ocular inflammation and control pain during a single episode. Newer management methods include surgical options such as cyclosporine implantation and vitrectomy. These methods were developed not only to control inflammation but also to eliminate the underlying cause of uveitis in order to prevent recurrence.
Curling A.Equine recurrent uveitis has traditionally been treated with medical management to reduce ocular inflammation and control pain during a single episode. Newer management methods include surgical options such as cyclosporine implantation and vitrectomy. These methods were developed not only to control inflammation but also to eliminate the underlying cause of uveitis in order to prevent recurrence.
Curling A.Equine recurrent uveitis is a cyclical disease that affects the eye and often leads to high management costs and unfavorable results, such as blindness. Research has improved understanding of the roles of various etiologies, especially leptospirosis, in initiating and perpetuating the pathogenesis of equine recurrent uveitis. Research has also led to the discovery that specific breeds and horses with specific coat color patterns may be predisposed to developing recurrent uveitis.
Boyle A.Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (strangles) is a highly contagious upper respiratory infection in horses. The infection is transmitted by inhalation or direct contact with mucopurulent discharge from an infective animal, resulting in fever, depression, and submandibular and retropharyngeal lymph node enlargement that can lead to respiratory distress. Complications include purpura hemorrhagica and metastatic abscessation. Control of outbreaks requires strict isolation protocols and hygiene measures. Detection of carriers is essential for preventing disease recurrence on a farm.
Allen KJ, Christley RM, Birchall MA, Franklin SH.There are numerous treatments for correction of dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). However, the efficacy of these treatments is controversial and there is little consensus on how best to treat this condition. The aims of this study were to systematically review the literature and to assess the evidence on the clinical effects of interventions for dynamic intermittent DDSP. A secondary objective was to assess whether factors relating to study quality affected reported success rates. Twenty-three studies were included, covering a wide number of interventions but also differing widely...
Dixon PM, Parkin TD, Collins N, Hawkes C, Townsend NB, Fisher G, Ealey R, Barakzai SZ.The historical and clinical findings in 200 referred cases of equine sinus disease were reviewed retrospectively. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to detect significant differences in historical or clinical features between various categories of sinus disease. The causes of sinus disease were classified as subacute primary (less than two months duration) (n=52), chronic primary (more than two months duration) (n=37), dental (n=40), sinus cyst (n=26), traumatic (n=13) or mycotic sinusitis (n=7), sinus neoplasia (n=10), dental-related oromaxillary fistula (n=8) and intrasinu...
van der Geize R, Grommen AW, Hessels GI, Jacobs AA, Dijkhuizen L.Rhodococcus equi causes fatal pyogranulomatous pneumonia in foals and immunocompromised animals and humans. Despite its importance, there is currently no effective vaccine against the disease. The actinobacteria R. equi and the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis are related, and both cause pulmonary diseases. Recently, we have shown that essential steps in the cholesterol catabolic pathway are involved in the pathogenicity of M. tuberculosis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed the presence of a similar cholesterol catabolic gene cluster in R. equi. Orthologs of predicted M. tuberculosis vi...
Dyson S, Murray R.Neurectomy of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve and plantar fasciotomy have become accepted as methods of treatment of proximal suspensory desmopathy (PSD), but there are limited long-term studies documenting the outcome. Objective: To describe long-term follow-up in horses with PSD alone or with other injuries contributing to lameness and poor performance, including complications, following neurectomy and fasciotomy. Methods: Follow-up information was acquired for 155 horses that had undergone neurectomy and fasciotomy for treatment of PSD between 2003 and 2008. Success was classif...
Cavanagh HM, Mahony TJ, Vanniasinkam T.Two known serotypes of equine adenovirus (EAdV), equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV-1) and equine adenovirus type 2 (EAdV-2) have been isolated from horses. EAdV-1 is predominantly associated with upper respiratory tract infections while EAdV-2 appears to be associated with gastrointestinal infections in horses. In this report the EAdV-1 genome has been sequenced for the first time. The EAdV-1 genome encoded genes are characteristic of the Mastadenovirus genus such as protein V and IX. Unexpectedly, phylogenetic reconstructions also revealed a close relationship between EAdV-1 and two recently cha...
Teixeira-Neto FJ, McDonell WN, Black WD, Harris W, Grovum L.This study investigated the effects of a muscarinic type 1 (M(1)), 2 (M(2)), and 3 (M(3)) antagonists (4-DAMP, pirenzepine, and methoctramine, respectively) on acetylcholine (Ach)-induced contractions of longitudinal jejunal muscle strips of horses. Strips were irrigated with Krebs-Henseleit solution gassed with 95% O(2) and 5% CO(2), and the developed tension in response to Ach was recorded before and after incubation with increasing concentrations of 4-DAMP (10(-8)-10(-6) M), pirenzepine (10(-6)-10(-4) M), and methoctramine (10(-5)-10(-3) M). When competitive antagonism was characterized, th...
Alworth LC, Hart KA, Kelly LM, Harvey SB.Transtracheal access enables researchers to obtain diagnostic samples from or infuse materials into the lower respiratory tract. This column describes transtracheal aspiration and infusion of horses.
Wright IM, Minshall GJ.Although a well recognised clinical entity, only small numbers of osteochondromata on the caudal distal radius have previously been published and its occurrence in young racing Thoroughbreds has not previously been reported. Identification and management of associated lesions in the deep digital flexor tendon have received scant attention in the literature. Objective: Osteochondromata of the caudal distal radius occur commonly in young racing Thoroughbreds. They vary in size and location, sagittally and proximodistally, but the majority cause impingement damage to the deep digital flexor tendo...
Smith MR, Wright IM.Diagnostic navicular bursoscopy has been described in limited cases. Review of greater numbers is needed to define its contribution to case management and prognostic values. Objective: To report: 1) clinical, diagnostic and endoscopic findings in a series of cases, 2) surgical techniques and case outcomes and 3) prognostic values. The authors hypothesise: 1) lameness localising to the navicular bursa is commonly associated with dorsal border deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) lesions, 2) endoscopy allows extent of injuries to be assessed and treated, 3) case outcome relates to severity of DDFT ...
McCoy AM, Goodrich LR.Annular ligament desmotomy is commonly performed in horses with chronic tenosynovitis. Previously reported tenoscopic techniques have limitations related to haemorrhage and awkward instrumentation. Radiofrequency (RF) energy affords precision and excellent haemostasis and may be a good alternative to sharp transection of the annular ligament in horses. Objective: To describe a technique for using a RF probe for tenoscopic-guided annular ligament desmotomy and to report the clinical outcome of horses in which it was performed. Methods: Cadaver specimens (n = 14) and live horses undergoing unrel...
Kirkland PD, Davis RJ, Wong D, Ryan D, Hart K, Corney B, Hewitson G, Cooper K, Biddle A, Eastwood S, Slattery S, Rayward D, Evers M, Wright T....Until August 2007, Australia was one of only three countries internationally recognised to be free of equine influenza (EI). This report documents the diagnosis of the first cases of EI in Australian horses and summarises the investigations that took place over the next 5 days. During that time, a multifocal outbreak was identified across eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. The use of an influenza type A pan-reactive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction allowed rapid confirmation of suspect cases of EI.
Major DA, Jones B.We describe the behaviour of equine influenza (EI) virus infection in a naïve population as observed by equine veterinary practitioners. The clinical signs displayed by infected horses and the highly contagious nature of the disease are discussed, as well as the treatment and management of infected horses.
Gilkerson JR.The clinical symptoms observed during the 2007 equine influenza outbreak are compared and contrasted with those observed in overseas outbreaks and described in the veterinary literature.
Minke JM, El-Hage CM, Tazawa P, Homer D, Lemaitre L, Cozette V, Gilkerson JR, Kirkland PD.The results of an accelerated immunisation schedule for horses used as part of the emergency response plan to contain and eradicate equine influenza in Australia in 2007 is described. The horses studied were vaccinated with a recombinant canarypox-vectored vaccine (ProteqFlu®, Merial) with a shorter interdose interval. Vaccinated horses included foals aged less than 4 months.
Bracken MK, Wøhlk CB, Petersen SL, Nielsen MK.Strongyle parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses. Of these, the bloodworm Strongylus vulgaris is regarded as most pathogenic. Increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance in strongyle parasites has led to recommendations of decreased treatment intensities, and there is now a pronounced need for reliable tools for detection of parasite burdens in general and S. vulgaris in particular. The only method currently available for diagnosing S. vulgaris in practice is the larval culture, which is laborious and time-consuming, so veterinary practitioners most often pool samples from several horses ...
Barrell EA, Kamm JL, Hendrickson DA.A 7-year-old mixed-breed stallion was admitted because of colic. Results: Entrapment of the left colon in the renosplenic space was diagnosed via rectal palpation and ultrasonographic examination, despite a renosplenic space ablation 6.5 years earlier. Results: The renosplenic entrapment was corrected with a combination of phenylephrine administration, rolling, and ballottement of the horse's abdomen during general anesthesia. The following week, left flank laparoscopic renosplenic space ablation was performed with the horse standing. On examination of the previous surgical site, only 4 bands ...
Evans MJ, Alexander SL, Irvine CH, Kitson NE, Taylor TB.The GnRH antagonist cetrorelix was given during the early (Days 1-5), mid (Days 6-10 or 5-12) or for the entire (Days 1-16) luteal phase of mares to inhibit the secretion of FSH and LH (Day 0=ovulation). Frequent blood sampling from Day 6 to Day 14 was used to determine the precise time-course of the suppression (cetrorelix given Days 6-10). Cetrorelix treatment caused a decrease in FSH and LH concentrations by 8 and 16 h, respectively, and an obliteration of the response to exogenous GnRH given 24h after treatment onset. Treatment never suppressed gonadotropin concentrations to undetectable l...
Aleman M, Nieto JE, Higgins JK.A 15-year-old Quarter Horse gelding and a 26-year-old Thoroughbred gelding were evaluated because of hematuria of 4 to 6 days' duration following prolonged oral administration of phenylbutazone. Results: The horses had received either treatment with phenylbutazone for 3 months or intermittent long-term phenylbutazone treatment prior to development of hematuria. Each horse was systemically stable but had orthopedic or neurologic problems. Clinicopathologic findings included normochromic normocytic anemia in both horses and hypoalbuminemia and high BUN concentration in 1 horse. In both horses, u...
Vatistas NJ, Snyder JR, Hildebrand SV, Harmon FA, Woliner MJ, Barry SJ, Nieto J, Henry P, Enos LR, Magliano D, Brown SA, Drake C.To determine the effects of the 21-aminosteroid, U-74389G, on reperfusion of the equine jejunum, using total (TVO) and partial (PVO) vascular occlusion during the ischemic period. Methods: TVO: 16 healthy horses were randomly allotted to 3 groups-4 horses received the vehicle alone, 6 horses received a low dosage (3 mg/kg o body weight), and 6 horses a high dosage (10 mg/kg) of U-7438G. PVO: 10 healthy horses were randomly allotted to 2 groups--5 horses received the vehicle alone, and 5 horses received the low dosage (3 mg/kg) of U-74389G. Methods: TVO was induced for 1 hour followed by 2 hour...
Goodrich LR.Much has been learned in the past decade about osteomyelitis. The inhibitory mechanisms of the "biofilm slime" layer that is formed by bacterial extracapsular exopolysaccharides and binds to bone, joints, and implants are now better understood than in the past. The surface colonization of bacteria that occurs within these biofilms is a biologic phenomenon that is somewhat unique to orthopedic infections. This survival strategy of bacteria is effective, and it is important for veterinarians who treat osteomyelitis to be aware of current diagnostic and therapeutic treatment modalities. The pract...
von Fellenberg RL, Jordan JC, Ludwig B, Rehm WF.Aditoprim, a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent acting as a reversible dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, was intravenously injected into four 12 to 24-year old horses at a dosage of 5 mg/kg b. w. Blood samples were collected over a 48-hour period after drug injection, and the separated plasma samples were assayed for aditoprim by high performance liquid chromatography. The body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, and behaviour were recorded during the experiment. The bilirubin and urea concentrations were also determined in several plasma samples, and liver function tests were carried ...
Tallon RE, Whitt B, Bladon BM.Monitoring antibiotic usage is an important part of tackling antimicrobial resistance. The use of computerised records for monitoring has been previously described in the equine sector but there is currently no consensus on metrics used to report usage. Objective: To document antibiotic use in equine practices in the United Kingdom over a 10-year period using commercially available practice management software. Methods: Retrospective survey. Methods: A custom antibiotic usage report was created using Eclipse® practice management software. Participating practices were given instructions on how...
Steel CM, Robertson ID, Thomas J, Yovich JV.To investigate the effects on wound healing of transforming growth factor-beta 1 as a topical treatment to full-thickness, excisional wounds of the distal limb of horses. Methods: A randomised block study using four horses, each with wounds assigned to four treatment groups. Methods: Four adult Standardbred geldings. Methods: Four, 4 cm2, full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsomedial and dorsolateral aspect of the metacarpus or metatarsus of each limb of four horses, giving a total of 64 wounds. For each limb, wounds were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: no treatment (contro...
Dao S, Abdillahi AM, Bougoudogo F, Toure K, Simbe C.The district of Bamako is the political and economical capital city of Mali with 1,800,000 inhabitants. The goal of the present retrospective study was to determine the frequency of animal bites, human and animal rabies on the one hand and to determine the frequency and the nature of mad animals on the other hand from January 2000 to December 2003 (4 years). To achieve this goal, we have analysed registers and documents related to rabies in the department of prevention and fight against diseases, the central veterinary laboratory, and also at the lazaret clinic involved in caring for human rab...
Zhang S, Li Y, Bao Z, Sun N, Lin S.In this study, the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) on apparent morphology and molecular structure of shell-like ferritin obtained from horse spleen was determined by circular dichroic (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, cold field emission scanning electron microscopy (CF-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and verified by molecule dynamics (MD) simulation. After PEF treatment, the α-helix content of the samples reached a minimum value at 10 kV/cm, which indicated that the ferritin structure has been partially unfolded. However, the α-helix content peaked ...
Ávila ACA, Diniz NC, Serpa RT, Chaves MMBC, Viu MAO, de Oliveira RA.Endometritis is defined as inflammation of the endometrium that may be acute or chronic, infectious, or non-infectious. Endometritis is an important cause of subfertility in mares. Considering the antimicrobial characteristics, immune-stimulating ability, and low cost of ozone (O3) therapy, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intrauterine O3 therapy as an alternative treatment for endometritis in mares. Twenty-five mares with a known reproductive history of uterine infection and inflammation were allocated into three groups: Group 1 (control; n = 7), uterine lavage with Ringer's lactat...
Fairbanks EL, Brennan ML, Mertens PPC, Tildesley MJ, Daly JM.African horse sickness (AHS) is a vector-borne disease transmitted by Culicoides spp., endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. There have been many examples of historic and recent outbreaks in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. However, not much is known about infection dynamics and outbreak potential in these naive populations. In order to better inform a previously published ordinary differential equation model, we performed a systematic literature search to identify studies documenting experimental infection of naive (control) equids in vaccination trials. Data on the time until the onset of viraemia...
Gastal EL, Kot K, Ginther OJ.A technique for intrafollicular treatment with a transvaginal ultrasound-guided injection needle was developed using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) as the test substance. An injection was made into one growing follicle of a wave when the follicles were 20 to 23 mm. The treated follicles were injected with 1000 iu of eCG in 0.2 ml saline solution and control follicles were injected with 0.2 ml of the saline vehicle (10 mares per group, 1 follicle per mare). The injection system used an inner 25-gauge needle and an outer 20-gauge needle inserted together through the needle-guide channel of ...
Freden GO, Provost PJ, Rand WM.To assess clinical utility of abdominal fluid analysis in predicting outcome, lesion type, and whether medical or surgical treatment is indicated for horses with colic. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 218 horses > 1 year old. Methods: Horses were classified on the basis of age, site of lesion, lesion type (nonstrangulating vs strangulating), type of treatment (medical vs surgical), and outcome (survival vs nonsurvival). Sensitivity and specificity of using age and results of abdominal fluid analysis, individually and in combination, to predict lesion type, type of treatment, and outc...
Riddin MA, Venter GJ, Labuschagne K, Villet MH.African horse sickness (AHS), a disease of equids caused by the AHS virus, is of major concern in South Africa. With mortality reaching up to 95% in susceptible horses and the apparent reoccurrence of cases in regions deemed non-endemic, most particularly the Eastern Cape, epidemiological research into factors contributing to the increase in the range of this economically important virus became imperative. The vectors, Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), are considered unable to proliferate during the unfavourable climatic conditions experienced in winter in the province, although the annua...
Troedsson MH, Scott MA, Liu IK.Four intrauterine treatment strategies were evaluated for effectiveness in mares that were confirmed to be susceptible to chronic uterine infection. Pretreatment samples were obtained at detection of estrus, and a genital strain of Streptococcus zooepidemicus was infused into the uterus when a preovulatory (> 35 mm) follicle was detected. At 12 hours after inoculation, mares were assigned to 1 of 4 selected treatment groups: autologous plasma, 100 ml (n = 5); potassium penicillin, 5 million U in 100 ml of phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBSS; n = 5); 10 mg of prostaglandin F2 alpha in 1...
Liu J, Zhang Z, Bai A, Sha Y, Ma L, Qin S, Chen F, Qin S, Wu J.Feline parvovirus (FPV), a type of parvovirus prevalent worldwide, can cause foetal death and acute enteritis in adult cats with severe leukopenia, and yet there are no effective drugs to prevent or treat FPV. Here, the immune effects of two FPV vaccines on horses were compared. IgG was extracted from FPV-immunized horse sera. Equine F(ab') fragments were obtained from pepsin-digested IgG and then purified by protein-G column chromatography. The results showed that the inactivated FPV oil vaccine was more effective than the inactivated FPV propolis vaccine in helping healthy horses to produce ...
Walewska E, Wołodko K, Skarzynski D, Ferreira-Dias G, Galvão A.The regulation of corpus luteus (CL) luteolysis is a complex process involving a myriad of factors. Previously, we have shown the involvement of Nodal in functional luteolysis in mares. Presently, we ask the extent of which Nodal mediation of luteolysis is done through regulation of angioregression. We demonstrated the interaction between Nodal and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF1α) and thrombospondin 1/thrombospondin receptor (TSP1/CD36) systems, could mediate angioregression during luteolysis. First, we demonstrated the inhibitory effect of Nodal on the vascular marker platelet/endotheli...
Bracamonte JL, Anderson SL, Hendrick S, Barber SM, Deutscher D, Sumner D.To compare bursting strength, construction time, and anastomotic dimensions of 4 jejunoileal anastomotic techniques. Methods: Experimental ex vivo study. Methods: Adult horses (n = 12). Methods: Jejunoileal anastomoses were constructed from harvested ileal and distal jejunal segments using a single-layer Lembert technique (1HS), double-layer simple continuous/Cushing technique (2HS), stapled side-to-side technique (SS), or stapled functional end-to-end technique (FEE). Anastomotic construction time was recorded. Bursting pressures (BP), bursting wall tension (BWT), percentage of mean anastomot...
Tirosh-Levy S, Solomovich-Manor R, Comte J, Nissan I, Sutton GA, Gabay A, Gazit E, Steinman A.Envenomation by venomous snakes is life threatening for horses. However, the efficacy of available treatments for this occurrence, in horses, has not yet been adequately determined. The aim of this study was to describe the treatments provided in cases of Daboia palaestinae envenomation in horses and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of antivenom administration. Data regarding 123 equine snakebite cases were collected over four years from 25 veterinarians. The majority of horses were treated with procaine-penicillin (92.7%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (82.3%), dexamethasone (81.4%...
Korenek NL, Andrews FM, Maddux JM, Sanders WL, Faulk DL.Viscosity of synovial fluid (SF) from 29 clinically normal horses was determined by use of a rotational cone and plate microviscosimeter. Total protein concentration in the SF of the 29 horses, as measured with a refractometer, was less than 2.5 g/dl. When the Coomassie brilliant blue test was used to determine total protein concentration in SF for 15 horses, the mean value was 1,088 mg/dl. Viscosity values at 60, 30, 12, 6, 3, and 1.5 revolutions/min (rpm) spindle speed were 4.41 +/- 1.54 centipoise (cp), 5.29 +/- 1.94 cp, 6.76 +/- 2.76 cp, 8.52 +/- 4.27 cp. 10.41 +/- 6.30 cp, and 13.07 +/- 9...
Lyskova P, Hubka V, Petricakova A, Dobias R, Cmokova A, Kolarik M.Trichophyton bullosum is a zoophilic dermatophyte from the Arthroderma benhamiae complex with a poorly known distribution. In this study, we report a case of dermatophytosis caused by T. bullosum in a 6-year-old male horse who had a skin lesion located in a saddle area. The infection spread rapidly to the upper chest and to both sides of the trunk. The dermatophyte was isolated in culture and identified by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS rDNA). To date, this is the first verified case of animal infection due to T. bullosum in Europe following the 2012 report o...
Gussmann K, Czech C, Hermann M, Schaarschmidt-Kiener D, von Loewenich FD.A 22-year old mare from Switzerland was admitted to an equine clinic in May 2011. She presented with fever, lethargy, icteric mucous membranes, reduced alertness, an unsteady gait and ataxia. An Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection was confirmed by blood smear and PCR. The mare was treated with oxytetracylin and recovered rapidly, but she still suffered from a slight atactic gait disturbance at 3 weeks post infection. Eine 22 Jahre alte Stute aus der Schweiz wurde im Mai 2011 in eine Pferdeklinik aufgenommen. Die klinischen Symptome bestanden in Fieber, Abgeschlagenheit, ikterischen Schleimhäu...
Kowalczyk L, Steblaj B, Schauvliege S, Schramel JP, Pavlidou K, Savvas I, Duchateau L, Gasthuys F, Moens Y.To compare breathing patterns and transdiaphragmatic pressure during total intravenous (TIVA) and isoflurane anaesthesia in ponies. Methods: Experimental, cross-over study. Methods: Six healthy ponies weighing 286 (233-388) ± 61 kg, age 13 (9-16) ± 3 years. Methods: Following premedication with romifidine [80 μg kg(-1) intravenously (IV)], general anaesthesia was induced with midazolam (0.06 mg kg(-1) IV) and ketamine (2.5 mg kg(-1) IV) and maintained with either isoflurane (Fe'Iso = 1.1%) (T-ISO) or an IV combination of romifidine (120 μg kg(-1) per hour), midazolam (0.09 mg kg(-1) hour(-...
Stokes SM, Belknap JK, Engiles JB, Stefanovski D, Bertin FR, Medina-Torres CE, Horn R, van Eps AW.Continuous digital hypothermia can prevent the development and progression of laminitis associated with sepsis but its effects on laminitis due to hyperinsulinaemia are unknown. Objective: To determine the effects of continuous digital hypothermia on laminitis development in the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp model. Methods: Randomised, controlled (within subject), blinded, experiment. Methods: Eight clinically normal Standardbred horses underwent laminitis induction using the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp model (EHC). At initiation of the EHC, one forelimb was continuously cooled (...
Flynn H, Cenani A, Brosnan RJ, DiMaio Knych HK, de Araujo Aguiar AJ.To determine the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of high-concentration formulation of buprenorphine (1.8 mg mL; Simbadol) following subcutaneous (SC) administration in horses. Methods: Prospective, randomized, crossover trial. Methods: A group of six healthy adult horses weighing 521-602 kg. Methods: On three occasions, Simbadol (0.005 mg kg; treatment S5), (0.0025 mg kg; treatment S2.5) or saline (treatment SAL) were administered SC at least 7 days apart in random order. Electrical nociceptive threshold (ENT) measured on the neck region, physiologic variables, locomotor activity, degree...
Owen RA, Jagger DW.Clinical observations on the use of BCG cell wall fraction in oil for treating seven horses with periocular sarcoids and five horses with sarcoids in other regions are described. Therapy was successful when used for periocular or solitary and smaller sarcoids. For sarcoids previously treated with cryosurgery, therapy appeared to be less efficient. A horse with a sarcoid on the stifle developed a septic gonitis due to necrosis of the sarcoid tissue adjacent to the joint. Sarcoids of the axilla appeared to be more aggressive than sarcoids at other locations and did not respond favourably to this...
Piché CA, Kennedy MJ, Herbers HA, Newcomb KM.Thirty resident horses at a boarding stable in Alberta were used to evaluate the relative efficacies of ivermectin, oxibendazole, and pyrantel pamoate in reducing fecal egg output in adult horses under routine management conditions during spring and early summer, and to more clearly define the duration of suppression of fecal egg production following anthelmintic treatment. Horses were blocked according to pretreatment egg counts and randomly assigned to one of three treatments: pyrantel pamoate at 6.6 mg/kg body weight; oxibendazole at 10 mg/kg body weight; or ivermectin at 200 mug/kg body we...
Gossett KA, French DD, Cleghorn B, Church GE.Hypertonic NaHCO3 infusion caused blood volume expansion, increased blood bicarbonate concentration, and delayed the onset of hypophosphatemia in ponies with endotoxemia. However, NaHCO3 infusion did not normalize blood pH, and it increased blood L-lactate concentration, and caused hypokalemia, hypernatremia, and hyperosmolality. The deleterious effects of NaHCO3 infusion in endotoxemia ponies outweighed the beneficial effects. The role of hypertonic NaHCO3 given IV for treatment of endotoxemia in equids must be reevaluated.
Menzies-Gow NJ, Knowles EJ, Rogers I, Rendle DI.Circulating adiponectin concentrations were lower in ponies with a history of endocrinopathic laminitis and in nonlaminitic ponies that subsequently developed laminitis. The assays used in these studies have been discontinued or are no longer valid. Objective: (1) to determine the validity of immunoturbidimetric (IT) and enzyme linkedimmunosorbent (ELISA) assays for equine total and high molecular weight (HMW) [adiponectin] measurement and (2) to investigate the association between [adiponectin] measured using these assays and endocrinopathic laminitis. Methods: Method validation and cohort st...
Ellenberger MA, Kaeberle ML, Roth JA.A lymphocyte blastogenic assay was developed to serve as an in vitro correlate of cell-mediated immunity to Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi (R equi) in the equine species. Lymphocytes obtained from a group of experimental ponies showed no response in cell culture to R equi heat extract or lysozyme extract antigens. Ponies were assigned to groups for experimental inoculation. Three ponies were inoculated subcutaneously with live R equi, 3 were given live R equi by intranasal and intratracheal routes, and 4 ponies were left untreated. Lymphocytes from all inoculated ponies had a mitogenic res...
Ginther OJ, Gastal EL, Gastal MO, Checura CM, Beg MA.The effect of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on the concentrations of follicular fluid factors during follicle deviation and the development of dominance was studied in mares in two experiments. Transvaginal ultrasound guidance was used for intrafollicular injection and subsequent sequential sampling of follicular fluid. Treatment involved a single injection of IGF-I into the second-largest follicle (F2) at the expected beginning of deviation (Hour 0) based on diameter (> or =20 mm) of the largest follicle (F1). Mares in IGF-I groups were given a dose of 500 microg (experiment 1) or 2...
Stokol T, Serpa PBS, Zahid MN, Brooks MB.Equid herpes virus type-1 (EHV-1) is a major pathogen of horses, causing abortion storms and outbreaks of herpes virus myeloencephalopathy. These clinical syndromes are partly attributed to ischemic injury from thrombosis in placental and spinal vessels. The mechanism of thrombosis in affected horses is unknown. We have previously shown that EHV-1 activates platelets through virus-associated tissue factor-initiated thrombin generation. Activated platelets participate in thrombus formation by providing a surface to localize coagulation factor complexes that amplify and propagate thrombin genera...
