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.
Martins EA, Silva LC, Baccarin RY.The objective of this study was to evaluate, through ultrasonography, the effect of medial patellar desmotomy. Middle patellar desmitis, enthesophytes in the patella, and irregularities in the cartilage of the femoral trochlear groove were observed. Medial patellar desmotomy leads to lesions in the stifle, and restriction of movement does not prevent these lesions from occurring. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer, par échographie, l’effet d’une desmotomie du ligament médial de la rotule. Une desmite du ligament médial de la rotule, des enthésophytes dans la rotule et de...
MacLean YT.An 11-year-old Trakehner mare was presented with a firm moveable mass over the left maxilla. Radiography revealed a discrete opaque ovoid mass. Sialolithiasis of left parotid duct was diagnosed. The sialolith was excised by using a transoral approach and found to contain an organic nidus. The mare recovered without complications. Sialolithiase chronique chez une jument Trakehner. Une jument Trakehner âgée de 11 ans a été présentée pour une masse mobile ferme au dessus du maxillaire gauche. La radiographie a révélé une masse ovoïde opaque et discrète. Une sialolithiase du canal parot...
Habacher G, Pittler MH, Ernst E.Acupuncture is a popular complementary treatment option in human medicine. Increasingly, owners also seek acupuncture for their animals. The aim of the systematic review reported here was to summarize and assess the clinical evidence for or against the effectiveness of acupuncture in veterinary medicine. Systematic searches were conducted on Medline, Embase, Amed, Cinahl, Japana Centra Revuo Medicina and Chikusan Bunken Kensaku. Hand-searches included conference proceedings, bibliographies, and contact with experts and veterinary acupuncture associations. There were no restrictions regarding t...
Walther B, Friedrich AW, Brunnberg L, Wieler LH, Lübke-Becker A.The problem of nosocomial infections is of increasing importance in veterinary medicine. As an example, this review summarizes current knowledge regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a typical example, as these pathogens are the most important agents of nosocomial infections in human medicine worldwide and are being increasingly reported in veterinary medicine. MRSA are classified by their ability to be resistant against oxacillin/methicillin, this feature being confered by mecA, a gene which was acquired by horizontal gene transfer of the staphylococcal gene cassette...
Bergh A, Nyman G, Lundeberg T, Drevemo S.Treatment with defocused CO2 laser can have a therapeutic effect on equine injuries, but the mechanisms involved are unclear. A recent study has shown that laser causes an increase in equine superficial tissue temperature, which may result in an increase in blood perfusion and a stimulating effect on tissue regeneration. However, no studies have described the effects on equine tissue perfusion. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of defocused CO2 laser on blood perfusion and to correlate it with temperature in skin and underlying muscle in anaesthetized horses. Differenc...
Gilger BC, Salmon JH, Wilkie DA, Cruysberg LP, Kim J, Hayat M, Kim H, Kim S, Yuan P, Lee SS, Harrington SM, Murray PR, Edelhauser HF, Csaky KG....To determine the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of an episcleral or deep scleral lamellar sustained release cyclosporine (CsA) device in a naturally occurring animal model of uveitis. Methods: A two-compartment perfusion chamber was used to assess in vitro human and equine scleral permeability of fluorescein, dexamethasone-fluorescein, or CsA. A biodegradable, matrix-reservoir CsA implant was designed, and release rates of CsA were determined in vitro. Tissue CsA levels were measured in eyes with the implant. Horses with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) received episcleral or deep sclera...
Müller K, König M, Thiel HJ.The tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), also known as early summer meningo-encephalitis, is a geographically limited virus infection transmitted mainly by ticks. The importance of TBE is largely underestimated. The causative agent TBE-Virus (TBEV) is grouped into the genus Flavivirus of the virus family Flaviviridae. Clinical disease including fatal outcomes has been described for men and dogs. With regard to horses only a limited number of case reports is available. In a study performed at the Institute of Virology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen serum samples from the German endemic region of M...
James FM, Richardson DW.Complications of osteosynthesis including superficial and deep infections continue to affect adversely outcome in equine surgery of the lower limb. Objective: To describe a technique for minimally invasive plate fixation in horses and evaluate clinical results of the technique. Objective: Lower complication rates would occur in horses treated with a minimally invasive approach compared with conventional techniques. Methods: Cases of minimally invasive plate fixation from January 1999 to December 2003 were evaluated. Case records, radiographs and race records for horses that sustained distal th...
Morrell JM, Geraghty RM.A method of removing equine arteritis virus (EAV) from equine semen used for artificial insemination is urgently needed. Recent medical studies suggest that a double semen processing technique of density gradient centrifugation followed by a 'swim-up' can provide virus-free sperm preparations for assisted reproduction. Objective: To investigate the use of the double semen processing technique to obtain virus-free sperm preparations from stallion semen containing EAV. Methods: Aliquots of an ejaculate from an uninfected stallion were spiked with virus and processed by the double processing tech...
Woodford NS, Lane JG.The spectrum of clinical presentation, methods of diagnosis, management and prognosis in cases of sinunasal cysts (SNCs) requires more extensive study. Despite the extensive nature of SNCs, the prognosis for afflicted horses appears to have improved since earlier studies were conducted. Objective: To evaluate prognosis and cosmetic outcome of surgical ablation in 52 cases of SNCs. Methods: Fifty-two case records (1982-2005) of horses affected with SNCs were retrieved from the archives. Subject details, clinical signs, diagnostic techniques, surgical management and post surgical complications w...
Allen GP, Breathnach CC.Neurological disease in horses caused by infection with certain 'paralytic' strains of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is a potentially devastating condition the pathogenesis of which is poorly understood. Preliminary observations in both experimentally induced and naturally occurring cases of the central nervous system disease have revealed a more robust cell-associated viraemia in horses infected with paralytic isolates of EHV-1, relative to horses infected with abortigenic isolates. To investigate further this pathogenesis-relevant question, the present study was performed using a greater numb...
Hubbell JA, Muir WW.The ability to shorten the duration of sedation would potentially improve safety and utility of detomidine. Objective: To determine the effects of tolazoline and atipamezole after detomidine sedation. Objective: Administration of tolazoline or atipamezole would not affect detomidine sedation. Methods: In a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, descriptive study, detomidine (0.02 mg/kg bwt i.v.) was administered to 6 mature horses on 4 separate occasions. Twenty-five mins later, each horse received one of 4 treatments: Group 1 saline (0.9% i.v.) as a placebo control; Group 2 atipamezole...
Schambourg MA, Farley JA, Marcoux M, Laverty S.Transrectal ultrasonography is a reliable technique to identify intra-abdominal testes, but can be hazardous or impractical in fractious, juvenile or small equids. The transabdominal approach therefore requires validation. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of transabdominal ultrasonography to localise cryptorchid testes. Methods: Thirty-eight horses admitted for cryptorchidism underwent transabdominal ultrasonography to locate errant testes. Location of the testes was confirmed during surgery (n = 37) or necropsy (n = 1). Results: Horses weighed 175-760 kg. Twenty-two test...
Goodrich LR, Brower-Toland BD, Warnick L, Robbins PD, Evans CH, Nixon AJ.Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is one of the most influential growth factors in cartilage repair. Maintenance of adequate IGF-I levels after articular repair procedures is complicated by the short biological half-life of IGF-I in vivo. This study investigated the potential for more prolonged IGF-I delivery through direct adenoviral mediated transduction of synovial tissues in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints of horses. The use of a large animal model provided a structurally similar and metabolically relevant corollary to the human knee. The complete IGF-I coding sequence was packaged...
Hilbe M, Herrsche R, Kolodziejek J, Nowotny N, Zlinszky K, Ehrensperger F.Borna disease virus (BDV) is the causative agent of severe T-cell-mediated meningoencephalitis in horses, sheep, and other animal species in central Europe. Here we report the first unequivocal detection of a BDV reservoir species, the bicolored white-toothed shrew, Crocidura leucodon, in an area in Switzerland with endemic Borna disease.
Rothenbuhler R, Hawkins JF, Adams SB, Lescun TB, Weil AB, Glickman LT, Fessler JF, Glickman NG.To determine whether heavy (> or = 680 kg [> or = 1,500 lb]) draft horses undergoing surgical treatment for acute signs of abdominal pain were at a greater risk for anesthetic and postoperative complications and lower postoperative survival rates than light ( 1 year) follow-up information was available was 50%. Conclusions: Draft horses weighing > 680 kg that underwent surgery because of acute signs of abdominal pain had longer durations of anesthesia, more postoperative complications, and higher mortality rates than draft horses weighing < 680 kg.
Yamanaka T, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Matsumura T.To investigate the possibilities of two NA inhibitors [oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) and zanamivir (ZA)] as the clinical agents for equine influenza A virus (EIV) infection, we examined the efficacies of these inhibitors against twelve EIVs in vitro. OC and ZA inhibited NA activities of all EIVs with 50% inhibitory concentrations with ranging from 0.017 to 0.130 and from 0.010 to 0.074 microM, respectively. OC and ZA inhibited plaque-forming of all EIVs in MDCK cells with 50% effective concentrations with ranging from 0.015 to 0.097 and from 0.016 to 0.089 microM, respectively, except for one s...
Slocombe JO, de Gannes RV.Clinical trials using fecal egg count reduction tests and coproculture were conducted with yearlings and mares on a farm in 1997. Fecal samples were taken from each horse to estimate the number of strongyle eggs/g feces with Cornell-Wisconsin centrifugal flotation and Cornell-McMaster dilution techniques. Eleven of 15 yearlings, which had been on a daily feeding of grain with pyrantel tartrate for 66 d were found with strongyle eggs in feces. This was the first time the in-feed medication had been used on the farm. Nine yearlings were randomised into three groups; continuation of daily pyrante...
Sargent SJ, Frank LA, Buchanan BR, Donnell RL, Morandi F.Otoscopic examination and cytology of the equine ear would be beneficial in diseases such as head trauma, headshaking, otitis externa secondary to otitis media, vestibular disease, aural neoplasia and aural pruritus secondary to parasites. In practice, otic examinations of horses are rarely done due to the perceived difficulty in visualizing the equine external ear canal and tympanic membrane, as well as the need for chemical restraint. In this study, the proximal external ear canal was examined in live horses using a handheld otoscope and in cadaver heads using video otoscopy. Visualization o...
Steinbach T, Bauer C, Sasse H, Baumgärtner W, Rey-Moreno C, Hermosilla C, Damriyasa IM, Zahner H.The study was undertaken to evaluate adverse effects of larvicidal treatment in horses naturally infected with cyathostomins. Out of 24 ponies kept on pasture, four animals were housed in September and anthelmintically cured to serve as worm-free controls (group C-0). The others were housed in December. Eight animals each were treated 8 weeks later with 5 x 7.5mg/kg fenbendazole (FBZ) or 1 x 0.4 mg/kg moxidectin (MOX). Four animals remained untreated (group C-i). Two, 4, 6 and 14 days after the end of treatment two animals of each of the treated groups were necropsied together with group C-0 a...
Koenig JB, Sawhney S, Cote N, LaMarre J.To determine whether inflammation of the jejunum of horses decreases the number of motilin receptors and amounts of motilin receptor mRNA and alters erythromycin lactobionate binding affinity to the motilin receptor in jejunal tissues. Methods: Jejunal segments in 6 adult horses. Methods: Each horse was anesthetized, and a ventral median celiotomy was performed; 2 segments of jejunum underwent a sham operation, 2 segments underwent ischemic strangulation obstruction (ISO), and 2 segments underwent intraluminal distension (ILD). Treatments were maintained for 120 minutes. From each segment, ful...
Szeredi L, Hornyák A, Dénes B, Rusvai M.A 4-days-old foal died after a short course of respiratory syndrome and fever. Large areas of the alveoli, bronchioles and bronchi were partly or completely filled by hyaline membranes. Pronounced oedema and mild interstitial pneumonia were present and, in the small muscular arteries, fibrinoid necrosis and vasculitis or perivasculitis could be seen. Vasculitis was found in several other organs, and it was most severe in the thymus. The virus was detected in the lung, kidney and spleen using virus isolation and in the lung and spleen using polymerase chain reaction. The virus was also detected...
Ricketts SW.The clinician may use the clinical pathology laboratory as a valuable aid to diagnosis and management, for the assessment of response to treatment, and in preventive medicine programs. Each "link in the chain," that is, sample selection, collection, handling, analysis, result reporting, and interpretation must be carefully and efficiently managed, using an informed combination of art and science, to provide a useful endpoint. This general introduction precedes more specific and detailed articles.
Klei TR, Chapman MR, Dennis VA.The adherence of equine leukocytes to Strongylus vulgaris infective larvae (L3) in the presence of normal and immune sera was examined in vitro. Immune sera promoted adherence of buffy coat cells from ponies with S. vulgaris-induced eosinophilia (eosinophilic ponies) to S. vulgaris L3. However, eosinophils in the buffy coat cells were the predominant adherent cell type. Studies using leukocyte populations enriched for eosinophils, neutrophils, and mononuclear cells from eosinophilic ponies support the observations using buffy coat cells that eosinophils were the main effector cells. Adherent e...
Steiss JE, White NA, Bowen JM.Electroacupuncture was used to treat lameness in horses and ponies with chronic laminitis (n = 10) or navicular disease (n = 10). A clinical trial was conducted with random allocation of equal numbers of animals to control and treatment groups. Acupuncture was performed three times per week for four consecutive weeks. The degree of lameness was assessed by 1) a grading scheme, 2) measurement of stride lengths and 3) analysis of weight distribution using a force plate. Although seven out of ten animals with chronic laminitis improved clinically during the trial, there were no statistically sign...
McDonnell SM, Kenney RM, Meckley PE, Garcia MC.Sexual behavior dysfunction unaccompanied by detectable physical or endocrine abnormality is an important cause of reproductive failure among domestic stallions. Several authors have suggested that such dysfunction may be psychogenic, related to negative experience associated with intense handling and training. An experimental model of experience-related dysfunction was developed by exposing pony stallions to erection-contingent aversive conditioning. This resulted in rapid, specific suppression of sexual arousal and response similar to spontaneously occurring dysfunction. Subsequently, treatm...
Douglas RH, Umphenour N.Routine measurement of estrogens, testosterone, T4, insulin, FSH, and LH at least four times per year (e.g., during each of the four seasons) may improve the efficiency of stallion management. Benefits may not be realized in the short term but will provide valuable historical data on individual stallions that, when added to other data, will improve ability of management personnel to initiate early treatment and delay or slow declining fertility. This ability will be greatly improved as more data and products become available. There appears to be a relationship between low total estrogen concen...
Doran R, Allen D, Gordon B.Ovarian granulosa theca cell tumours were removed surgically in 10 mares. Stapling instruments were used to facilitate haemostasis of the ovarian pedicle in five out of 10 cases and as a sole method of haemostasis in the remaining five cases. Postoperative haemorrhage from the ovarian pedicle was suspected in only one case. All cases survived long term follow-up from six months to four years. Results from this series of cases indicate that stapling instruments provide a rapid, easy and efficient means of ligating ovarian pedicles when performing ovariectomy in the mare.
Hillyer MH, Mair TS.Equine multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease is rare in horses. The clinical signs vary according to the organs affected, the skin and gastrointestinal tract being most commonly involved. This paper gives the first reported description of a horse with multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease in the United Kingdom and the attempts to treat it. The horse showed dermatological, gastrointestinal, hepatic, pulmonary and pancreatic involvement. Some improvement was seen when the horse was treated with corticosteroid and hydroxyurea.
McClanahan S, Hunter J, Murphy M, Valberg S.Propylene glycol and mineral oil are commonly used in the veterinary profession for treatment of bovine ketosis and equine impactions, respectively. Accidental administration of 6.0 ml propylene glycol/kg of body weight in horses causes severe depression, ataxia and malodorous breath and feces. However, appropriate medical therapy can result in successful treatment of this toxicosis.
Mazaheri-Khameneh R, Azizi S, Davoodi F, Gooran MM.One of the traumatic fractures occurring in the hindlimb of the foals is physeal fractures of the tibia. The most common type of proximal tibial fracture in foals is reported to be Salter-Harris type II. Methods: This case report describes the history, clinical signs, radiographic findings, and surgical management of a proximal physeal fracture of the tibia due to the kick trauma in a 2-weeks-old Kurdish female foal, with signs of left pelvic limb lameness, valgus deviation with non-weight-bearing, non-mobility in stifle region and crepitation in the affected area. In this case, radiography wa...
Sertich PL.The events surrounding parturition are well orchestrated, and normal delivery of a foal is an explosive, rapidly occurring event. Any aberration may jeopardize the pregnancy and cause clinical complications. This article discusses problems associated with the periparturient period that require immediate attention.
Bürki F, Nowotny N, Oulehla J, Schmehlik O, Möstl K, Pallan C, Rossmanith E.In a project lasting 4 years more than 300 Lipizzans, around 180 of them adults, were vaccinated systematically against Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and representative groups thereof were serologically controlled for their antibody responses. In part, vaccination intervals recommended on packing slips were followed, in part other intervals, implicated by intermediary results, were used. A live virus vaccine proved ineffective if humoral antibodies were present. An oil-adjuvanted vaccine proved of highest antiviral immunogenicity, but after repeated revaccinations caused severe local reactions ...
Kobluk CN.Lateral luxation of the patella in four femoropatellar joints of three foals was repaired by recession sulcoplasty and medial imbrication of the joint. One foal was euthanatized because of septic arthritis caused by incisional dehiscence, and the other two foals were normal 2 years after surgery. Recession sulcoplasty combined with medial imbrication of the joint capsule resulted in a functional femoropatellar joint and should be considered in foals affected with lateral patellar luxation.
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.
Ohmes CM, Davis EG, Beard LA, Vander Werf KA, Bianco AW, Giger U.Two Quarter horses with weight loss had glucosuria, euglycemia, and a mild metabolic acidosis suggesting a proximal renal tubular defect. Further testing revealed transient generalized aminoaciduria, lactic aciduria, and glucosuria, indicating Fanconi syndrome. Both horses recovered with supportive therapy. This is the first report of acquired Fanconi syndrome in horses. Deux chevaux Quarter horse ayant subi une perte de poids étaient atteints de glucosurie, d’euglycémie et d’une acidose métabolique légère suggérant un défaut tubulaire rénal proximal. De nouveaux tests ont révél...
McKenzie EC.Polyuria and polydipsia provide a diagnostic challenge for the equine clinician. This article describes the various known causes of polyuria and polydipsia in horses and provides a description of a systematic diagnostic approach for assessing horses with polyuria and polydipsia to delineate the underlying cause. Treatment and management strategies for addressing polyuria and polydipsia in horses are also described.
Bernard WV, Williams D, Tuttle PA, Pierce S.A Thoroughbred foal that was born after 305 days of gestation was referred 6 hours after birth. On initial examination, the foal was alert, but weak and unable to stand. Heart rate was 150 beats/min, respiratory rate was 48 breaths/min, and rectal temperature was 33 C. Leukocytosis was detected (26,000 WBC/microliters). Dysuria and passage of red urine was observed approximately 30 hours after admission. Urine collected by free catch had a 3+ reaction for blood on dipstick analysis. Examination of Warthin Starry-stained sections of allantochorion revealed organisms morphologically characterist...
Britt DP, Preston JM.The efficacy of orally administered ivermectin against induced Dictyocaulus arnfieldi infection was evaluated in a controlled study comprising 12 yearling ponies. Treatment with ivermectin paste, at a dose rate of 200 micrograms/kg bodyweight orally once, was 100 per cent effective against both adult and immature or inhibited stages of the horse lungworm. Similar control of second and third instars of Gastrophilus intestinalis was observed and no nematode eggs were present in faeces from seven to 15 days after treatment when the study was terminated.