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.
Acosta de Pérez O, Teibler P, Leiva L, Ríos E, Sanchez Negrette M, Pollitt C.The envenoming caused by Bothrops snakebite includes local symptoms, such as pronounced edema, hemorrhage, intense pain, vesicles, blisters and myonecrosis. The principal systemic symptom consists in the alteration of blood clotting, due to fibrinogen consumption and platelet abnormalities. The horses involved in this study had this symptomatology and one of them exhibited symptoms consistent with laminitis in the bitten and in the contralateral limbs. Laminitis lesions were characterized by separation of the hoof lamellar basement membrane (BM) from basal cells of the epidermis. These results...
Rockx B, van Asten L, van den Wijngaard C, Godeke GJ, Goehring L, Vennema H, van der Avoort H, van Pelt W, Koopmans M.West Nile virus (WNV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus that is endemic in Africa, Europe, and Eastern Asia. The recent introduction and rapid dissemination of the virus in the United States as well as an increase in WNV outbreaks in Europe, has raised concerns for its spread in Europe. A surveillance system was developed to allow timely detection of an introduction of WNV infections in The Netherlands. This program focuses on cases presenting with neurological disease and includes the monitoring of hospital discharge diagnoses, trends in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostic requests, laborator...
Hellberg W, Wilson AD, Mellor P, Doherr MG, Torsteinsdottir S, Zurbriggen A, Jungi T, Marti E.Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic dermatitis of horses caused by IgE-mediated reactions to bites of Culicoides and sometimes Simulium spp. The allergens causing IBH are probably salivary gland proteins from these insects, but they have not yet been identified. The aim of our study was to identify the number and molecular weight of salivary gland extract (SGE) proteins derived from Culicoides nubeculosus which are able to bind IgE antibodies (ab) from the sera of IBH-affected horses. Additionally, we sought to investigate the IgG subclass (IgGa, IgGb and IgGT) reactivity to thes...
Hall JA, Hoyt D, Zuver C, Skinner MM, Schlipf JW.The criteria used to diagnose recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) in affected horses include demonstration of reversible lower airway obstruction and greater than 25% neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Additional objective laboratory tests are needed to improve diagnostic accuracy and to monitor response to treatment. The goal of this study was to determine if neutrophil chemoattractant activity of BALF could be measured by using a previously described, rapid, multiwell colorimetric assay for chemotaxis. In this assay, neutrophils that have migrated through a membrane filter ar...
Lescun TB, Vasey JR, Ward MP, Adams SB.OBJECTIVE-To determine clinical findings, complications, and outcome of septic synovitis in which continuous intrasynovial antimicrobial infusion (CIAI) was used for local antimicrobial delivery in horses. DESIGN-Retrospective case series. Animals-22 adult horses and 9 foals (horses7 days) in nature, 15 had been refractory to standard treatments, and 13 synovial infections had associated osteomyelitis. Mean duration from infection to initiation of CIAI was 19.7 days, and mean duration of CIAI was 6.1 days. Temporary discharge from the catheter site at the time of removal was evident in 8 horse...
Qin SH, Sun L, Zheng XJ.To explore the Ilizarov mini-invasive distraction technique for the treatment of severer ankle and foot deformities secondary to ischemic contracture of the leg. Methods: Based on the tension-stress low of Ilizarov, a serial of adjustable three dimensions external distractive instrument was developed in our department. From April 2002 to March 2004, 8 patients with ankle and foot deformities secondary to ischemic contracture of the leg induced by trauma and fracture were treated with the distractive instrument. Of them, 4 patient were male and 4 female, aged from 13 to 31 years with an average...
Sharkey LC, DeWitt S, Stockman C.A 23-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was referred for the evaluation of acute onset of ataxia and depression, and a 2-day history of fever. On physical examination, the gelding was profoundly depressed and 10-12% dehydrated. The horse appeared very unstable, with a wide-based stance in the hind limbs, severe symmetric ataxia in all 4 limbs, and proprioceptive deficits in both hind limbs. Nasogastric intubation produced 4 L of brown, fetid reflux, and rectal examination revealed mild small intestinal and cecal distention. Hematologic abnormalities included neutropenia with toxic change, compatibl...
Osman SA, Hanafy A, Amer SE.At Kafr El-Sheikh province, Egypt, out of 117 examined drafting horses, mites were detected in 20 (17.09%) horses. The recovered mites were 14 Chorioptes, four Psoroptes and two Sarcoptes whereas mites were not detected in four cases clinically showed typical mange lesions. Interestingly, neither the age nor the sex of the examined horses had a clear influence on the prevalence of the infection. Clinical signs observed in mange infested horses were in the form of irregular skin lesions, severe itching and sometimes biting of affected skin areas and decrease feed consumption. The skin lesions m...
The Journal of nutritionJune 15, 2006
Volume 136, Issue 7 Suppl 2090S-2093S doi: 10.1093/jn/136.7.2090S
Kronfeld DS, Treiber KH, Hess TM, Splan RK, Byrd BM, Staniar WB, White NW.Treatment of clinical laminitis usually fails to prevent some degree of persistent disability; thus, intervention should aim at avoiding risk factors and preventing the disease. Efficiency of intervention would be improved by identifying predisposed horses and ponies. A herd of 160 healthy ponies included 54 previously laminitic (PL) and 106 never laminitic (NL). Pedigree analysis was consistent with dominant inheritance partially suppressed in males. Blood analysis revealed higher plasma concentrations of insulin and triglycerides but not cortisol, glucose, or free fatty acids in the PL group...
Balaggan KS, Binley K, Esapa M, MacLaren RE, Iqball S, Duran Y, Pearson RA, Kan O, Barker SE, Smith AJ, Bainbridge JW, Naylor S, Ali RR.We evaluated the efficacy of equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV)-based lentiviral vectors encoding endostatin (EIAV.endostatin) or angiostatin (EIAV.angiostatin) in inhibiting angiogenesis and vascular hyperpermeability in the laser-induced model of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). Equine infectious anaemia virus.endostatin, EIAV.angiostatin or control (EIAV.null) vectors were administered into the subretinal space of C57Bl/6J mice. Two weeks after laser injury CNV areas and the degree of vascular hyperpermeability were measured by image analysis of in vivo fluorescein angiograms. Compar...
Diana A, Guglielmini C, Candini D, Pietra M, Cipone M.Cardiac dysfunction is a rare complication of babesiosis in domestic animals. The horse in this report showed clinical signs of anorexia, depression, fever, icterus and brown urine, and laboratory results (monocytosis, thrombocytopenia, azotemia, hyperbilirubinemia and bilirubinuria) indicated sub-acute piroplasmosis. Furthermore, junctional and polymorphic ventricular premature complexes and tachycardia associated with increased serum cardiac troponin I and myocardial-bound creatine kinase concentration were found. The diagnosis of piroplasmosis was confirmed by serology. Specific and support...
Mathis SC, Slone DE, Lynch TM, Hughes FE, Clark CK.To evaluate the relationship of colonic luminal pressure (CLP) measurements to outcome in horses with large colon volvulus (LCV) after either manual correction or large colon resection and anastomosis (LCRA). Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Horses (n=57) that had LCV. Methods: Records for horses with LCV (March 1997-December 2003) were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were strangulating LCV proximal to the cecocolic ligament (>270 degrees), recorded CLP, and successful recovery from anesthesia. CLP measurements and survival/mortality rates were compared between horses that had manual correc...
Lykkjen S, Strand E, Haga HA, Lie KI.To report treatment and wound healing after radical surgical mass excision in the equine buccal region. Methods: Clinical case reports. Methods: An 11-year-old Warmblood gelding and a 9-year-old Norwegian Trotter gelding. Methods: Large tumoral masses were removed from the buccal region by radical electrosurgery, creating large defects into the oral cavity. Wound ultimately healed by second intention. Results: Buccal defects in both horses healed well by second intention without tumor recurrence. Conclusions: Locally invasive tumors involving the cheek region of the horse can be successfully t...
Röcken M, Stehle C, Mosel G, Rass J, Litzke LF.To describe a technique for laparoscopic-assisted removal of cystic calculi in geldings and report outcome. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: Four geldings with cystic calculi. Methods: Laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy and urolith retrieval was performed in 4 anesthetized geldings positioned in dorsal recumbency. With a laparoscope portal located at the umbilicus, the abdomen was insufflated and then the surgical table was tilted (30 degrees head-down position) before an instrumental portal was created parallel and 2-3 cm medial to the left external inguinal ring. Laparoscopic grasping forceps...
Couëtil LL, Art T, de Moffarts B, Becker M, Mélotte D, Jaspar F, Bureau F, Lekeux P.Horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) present many similarities with human asthmatics including airway inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, reversible obstruction, and increased NF-kappaB expression. Studies in experimental asthma models have shown that transcriptions factors such as activator protein-1 (AP-1), GATA-3, cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) and CAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) may also play an important role in airway inflammation. The purpose of this study was to measure DNA binding activity of these transcription factors in the airways of horses with ...
Boscan P, Van Hoogmoed LM, Farver TB, Snyder JR.To evaluate the effects of morphine administration for 6 days on gastrointestinal tract function in healthy adult horses. Methods: 5 horses. Methods: Horses were randomly allocated into 2 groups in a crossover study. Horses in the treatment group received morphine sulfate at a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg, IV, every 12 hours for 6 days. Horses in the control group received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution at a dosage of 10 mL, IV, every 12 hours for 6 days. Variables assessed included defecation frequency, weight of feces produced, intestinal transit time (evaluated by use of barium-filled spheres and radio...
Rohrbach BW, Buchanan BR, Drake JM, Andrews FM, Bain FT, Byars DT, Bernard WV, Furr MO, Paradis MR, Lawler J, Giguère S, Dunkel B.To create a mathematical model to assist in early prediction of the probability of discharge in hospitalized foals < or= 7 days old. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 1,073 foals. Methods: Medical records from 910 hospitalized foals < or = 7 days old for which outcome was recorded as died or discharged alive were reviewed. Thirty-four variables including historical information, physical examination findings, and laboratory results were examined for association with survival. Variables associated with being discharged alive were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model. A...
Gregg AJ, Fortier LA, Mohammed HO, Mayr KG, Miller BJ, Haupt JL.To evaluate the effects of interleukin (IL)-1beta on proteoglycan metabolism in equine cartilage explants when cultured in the presence of synoviocytes. Methods: Samples of cartilage and synovium collected from the femoropatellar joints of three 2- to 3-year-old horses. Methods: 3 experimental groups were established: cartilage explants only, synoviocytes only, and cartilage explants-synoviocytes in coculture. In each group, samples were cultured with or without IL-1beta (10 ng/mL) for 96 hours. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content of cartilage and medium samples was measured by use of a spectropho...
Pusterla N, Magdesian KG, Mapes S, Leutenegger CM.To determine gene expression of selected molecular markers (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, interleukin [IL]-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, procalcitonin [PCT], and transforming growth factor [TGF]-beta) in the blood of healthy and sick foals. Methods: 28 sick foals without sepsis, 21 foals with sepsis, and 21 healthy foals. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from blood samples and converted into complementary DNA (cDNA). Gene expression was measured for the molecular markers by use of real-time PCR assay, and final quantitation was performed with the comparative threshold cycle method. Results: S...
Boscan P, Van Hoogmoed LM, Pypendop BH, Farver TB, Snyder JR.To determine the pharmacokinetics and effects of the morphine antagonist N-methylnaltrexone (MNTX) on gastrointestinal tract function in horses when administered alone and in combination with morphine. Methods: 5 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were treated with MNTX (1 mg/kg, IV), and serial blood samples were collected for determination of drug pharmacokinetics. For evaluation of effects on the gastrointestinal tract when administered alone, MNTX was administered at a dosage of 0.75 mg/kg, IV, twice daily for 4 days. For evaluation of effects when administered concurrently with morphin...
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...
Ohta M, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Matsumura T.A PCR assay for the diagnosis of respiratory disease induced by equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) was performed at the clinical laboratory in the Racehorse Clinic of the Ritto Training Center of the Japan Racing Association from December 2007 to March 2008. The assay was performed without the trouble of contamination throughout the study and its turnaround time was approximately 6 hr. The PCR detection rates of EHV-1 among seroconverted horses were 22.2% for nasal swabs and 33.3% for blood samples. However, EHV-1 DNA was also detected in horses without seroconversion at a low rate. These resul...
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...