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.
Steinman A, Orgad U, Sutton GA.Wet gangrene developed in all 4 limbs following repair of a rupture in the lower urinary tract in a 2-week-old foal. Dehydration and hypoxemia are suspected as the inciting causes of the necrosis.
Facemire PR, Chilcoat CD, Sojka JE, Adams SB, Irizarry AR, Weirich WE, Morisset SS, Dutweiler VA.A 7-year-old warmblood mare was referred because of a respiratory tract disorder; pulmonary granular cell tumor was diagnosed. Pulmonary granular cell tumor is a locally invasive but rare type of tumor with low metastatic potential. The entire right lung was resected to ensure removal of all neoplastic tissue. The horse recovered well and has minimal difficulties functioning with one lung. Most of these tumors are diagnosed during postmortem examination. To our knowledge, this is the first report of pulmonary granular cell tumor treated by complete lung resection in a horse.
MacDonald GH, Johnston RE.The initial steps of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE) spread from inoculation in the skin to the draining lymph node have been characterized. By using green fluorescent protein and immunocytochemistry, dendritic cells in the draining lymph node were determined to be the primary target of VEE infection in the first 48 h following inoculation. VEE viral replicon particles, which can undergo only one round of infection, identified Langerhans cells to be the initial set of cells infected by VEE directly following inoculation. These cells are resident dendritic cells in the skin, which mi...
Taube R, Fujinaga K, Irwin D, Wimmer J, Geyer M, Peterlin BM.Transcriptional transactivators (Tat) from human immunodeficiency and equine infectious anemia viruses (HIV and EIAV) interact with their transactivation response elements (TAR) to increase the rates of viral transcription. Whereas the human cyclin T1 is required for the binding of Tat to TAR from HIV, it is unknown how Tat from EIAV interacts with its TAR. Furthermore, Tat from EIAV functions in equine and canine cells but not in human cells. In this study, we present sequences of cyclins T1 from horse and dog and demonstrate that their N-terminal 300 residues rescue the transactivation of Ta...
Nollet H, Van Loon G, Deprez P, Sustronck B, Muylle E.To establish reference values for right ventricular maximal rate of increase in pressure (dP/dt(max)) in horses and determine the usefulness of this variable to evaluate cardiac contractility. Methods: 15 crossbred horses, 3 to 20 years old. Methods: Cardiac catheterization was performed, using a high-fidelity catheter tip micromanometer, to determine right ventricular dP/dt(max). The following mathematic corrections were made: for preload, (dP/dt(max))/instantaneous total pressure, (dP/dt(max))/instantaneous developed pressure, and (dP/dt(max))/end diastolic pressure; for afterload, (dP/dtCPI...
Telfer EE, Watson ED.The aims of this study were to evaluate the use of collagenase treatment to isolate preantral follicles from mare ovaries and to assess the effect of this treatment on follicular morphology. Intact mare ovaries were chopped into pieces, incubated individually with 1, 3 or 5 mg collagenase (type 1A) ml(-1) in a shaking waterbath at 37 degrees C for up to 2 h and passed through a series of stainless steel filters with pore size 50-300 microm to remove large clumps and stromal cells. The samples were prepared for histological analysis and sections were examined by light microscopy. Isolated folli...
Mathias S, Allen WR.The incidence of recurrent spontaneous abortion within the human population in the Western world is low (2-5%) but significant, and a proportion of these pregnancy losses are thought to have an underlying immunological cause. Immunization of women who have a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion with lymphocytes isolated from their husband or a third party donor is one of several forms of immunotherapy used to treat the problem. Early pregnancy loss in Thoroughbred mares is also significant and, as in women, a small number of mares undergo repeated pregnancy losses. Two trials have been pe...
Lagneaux D, Pomarici AM, Sattler M, Bruneau B, Duchamp G, Camillo F, Palmer E.Day 6.5 equine embryos (n=30) were frozen in a medium containing glycerol (2.5-10.0%) supplemented with 0, 20 or 100 mmol L-glutamine 1(-1). After thawing, the embryos were tested individually, using 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining to evaluate cell death. Three embryos (one frozen at each L-glutamine concentration) were transferred together into individual recipient mares. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed at day 12 (age of embryo). Embryos were collected at day 14 (age of embryo) and were identified by PCR amplified microsatellite analysis. Nine of ten recipient mares that rece...
Bailey MT, Christman SA, Wheaton JE, Troedsson MH, O'Brien TD, Ababneh MM, Santschi E.The aim of this study was to examine inhibin production in granulosa-theca cell tumours (GTCT). The experimental aims were: (i) to determine GTCT cell types that produce inhibin alpha- and betaA-subunits; (ii) to determine whether alpha- and betaA-subunit forms differ in GTCT fluid and normal equine follicular fluid (eFF); and (iii) to determine whether dimeric inhibin (alpha betaA) is present in GTCT plasma and tumour fluid. Plasma, tumour fluid and tumour tissue were collected from mares (n=6) with GTCT. Plasma and eFF were collected during the follicular phase from mares (n=4) undergoing no...
Schmid RL, Kato H, Herickhoff LA, Schenk JL, McCue PM, Chung YG, Squires EL.In Expt 1, compact cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in: (i) control medium (Hepes-buffered TCM-199 with 10% oestrous cow serum (OCS) + oestradiol, LH and FSH); (ii) Hepes-buffered TCM-199 with 20% follicular fluid; or (iii) control medium containing 250 ng progesterone ml(-1). Mature oocytes were collected by transvaginal aspiration as a positive control for the in vitro maturation (IVM) treatments. Oocytes were fertilized by ICSI and cultured in Menezo's B2 + 5% fetal calf serum (FCS). There were no significant differences among IVM treatments. In Expt 2, oocytes with expanded COC...
Krebs JW, Smith JS, Rupprecht CE, Childs JE.During 1998, 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico reported 7,961 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 1 case in a human being to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a decrease of 6.5% from 8,509 cases in nonhuman animals and 4 cases in human beings reported in 1997. More than 92% (7,358 cases) were in wild animals, whereas > 7.5% (603 cases) were in domestic species (compared with 93% in wild animals and 7% in domestic species in 1997). Decreases were evident in all of the major contributing species groups, with the exception of skunks and bats. The relative cont...
Zheng YH, Sentsui H, Sugita M, Nakaya T, Kishi M, Hagiwara K, Inoshima Y, Ishihara C, Kono Y, Lu JL, Ikuta K.An attenuated equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), V26, was previously prepared by 50 passages of the Japanese virulent strain V70 in primary horse macrophage culture. The horses inoculated with this V26 virus were shown to raise neutralizing antibodies against V70 without any viremia. Here, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo replication ability of V26. Comparison of the long-terminal repeat (LTR) sequences between V26 and V70 revealed a large insertion within the LTR U3 hypervariable region of V26. V26 with the mutation in the LTR showed much higher promoter activity in vitro than V70...
Silvina Fernández A, Henningsen E, Larsen M, Nansen P, Grønvold J, Søndergaard J.An experiment was carried out in 1997 to test the efficacy of an isolate of the microfungus Duddingtonia flagrans against free-living stages of horse strongyles under conditions in the field and to assess the eventual effect of the fungus on the normal degradation of faeces. Faecal pats were made from faeces of a naturally strongyle infected horse, which had been fed fungal material at a dose level of 106 fungal unit/kg bwt. Control pats without fungi were made from faeces collected from the same animal just before being fed fungi. Faecal cultures set up for both groups of faeces to monitor th...
Dixon PM, Tremaine WH, Pickles K, Kuhns L, Hawe C, McCann J, McGorum BC, Railton DI, Brammer S.Of 400 referred horses with dental disorders, 349 cases suffered from primary disorders of their cheek teeth, ninety of these from disorders of development or eruption, or displacements. These included 20 cases with rostral maxillary and caudal mandibular cheek teeth overgrowths, 16 with diastemata, 15 with grossly enlarged mandibular 'eruption cysts', 4 with grossly enlarged maxillary cheek teeth 'eruption cysts', 10 cases with supernumerary cheek teeth and 23 cases with displaced cheek teeth. These displacements were believed to be developmental in 16 cases and acquired in the remaining 7 ca...
Hunter LC, Miller JK, Poxton IR.The cause of grass sickness, an equine dysautonomia, is unknown. The disease usually results in death. Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is a common clinical manifestation in all forms of the disease. It is generally thought that equine grass sickness (EGS) is caused by an ingested or enterically produced neurotoxin which is absorbed through the GI tract. Clostridium botulinum was first implicated as a causative agent when it was isolated from the GI tract of a horse with EGS in 1919. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypothesis that EGS results from toxicoinfection with C. b...
Artursson K, Gunnarsson A, Wikström UB, Engvall EO.For diagnosis of equine granulocytic ehrlichiosis (EGE) serological testing of antibodies to Ehrlichia equi is frequently used. An elevated antibody level is often misinterpreted as confirmative of active infection and results in treatment with antibiotics. If only seropositivity is considered as the diagnostic criterium, many horses showing convalescence titres will be treated. This study was undertaken to obtain information about the kinetics of antibodies during the course of infection and, for this purpose, 45 horses with clinical signs of EGE and confirmed ehrlichiaemia were monitored ser...
Pardoe CH, Wilson AM.Hoof wall cracks need mechanical stabilisation to allow healing. Common techniques are fixation with screws, wires and plates or bonding of a patch across the crack. An in vitro system to determine the shear properties of equine hoof crack repairs is described. The force and displacement at yield, stiffness and ultimate force were determined for 4 repair techniques based on an acrylic material, polyurethane patch attached with cyanoacrylate adhesive, steel plate attached with screws and a transverse metal bar cut into the hoof wall. The cyanoacrylate bonded patch repair had lower values for al...
Harry P, de Haro L, Asfar P, David JM.To assess early clinical and biological prognosis factors in viper envenomings, and assess efficacy of Viperfav immunotherapy. Viperfav contains purified F(ab')2 fragments of equine antibodies. Methods: A retrospective case review study of viper envenomings collected by two poison centers in France, treated or not treated by Viperfav, was conducted. Two hundred seven cases of viper bites including 119 moderate or severe envenomings (Grade II and III, recorded in adults and children and collected from 1992 to 1997 were included. Before treatment, clinical gradation and early biological severity...
Winberg FG, Pettersson H.Twenty horses with central and third tarsal bone slab fractures, were treated internal fixation. Eighteen of the 20 cases were Standardbred trotters, one was a Thoroughbred racehorse and one a Swedish Warmblood. The central tarsal bone (CT) was involved in 12 cases and the third tarsal bone (T3) in 8 cases. The fractures were treated by lag screw fixation with one (18 cases) or two (2 cases) 3.5 or 4.5 mm cortical screws. Horses were confined to stall rest for one month and then put on a gradually increasing exercise programme. Convalescence time was 3-8 months until the fracture had healed an...
Bedford SJ, McDonnell SM.To evaluate the effects of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and pyrimethamine treatment on various measures of reproductive function in healthy pony stallions. Methods: Randomized complete block study. Methods: 12 healthy, mature pony stallions. Methods: Stallions were assigned to treatment and control groups balanced for age and various characteristics of reproductive function. The treated group received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and pyrimethamine for 90 days during summer and fall; the control group was not treated. Semen characteristics, sexual behavior, testicular volume, and sperm produc...
Yeruham I, Avidar Y, Perl S.Primary photosensitization was observed in 3 Appaloosa mares. The skin lesions were diffuse erythema followed by edema and subsequently weeping and finally dry gangrene and ulceration. The severe photosensitivity dermatitis was apparently induced by gluten ingestion. Resolution of lesions occurred after withdrawal of the suspected dairy concentrate feed and prevention of exposure to sunlight. Neither the ponies nor donkey, which were not fed with the suspected concentrate, exhibited similar skin lesions or other clinical abnormalities. Gluten metabolites may contain photodynamic agents that ca...
Bezerra PS, Driemeier D, Loretti AP, Riet-Correa F, Kamphues J, de Barros CS.Three outbreaks of monensin poisoning caused 12 deaths in 16 horses. The illnesses were associated with the ingestion of the same batch of a commercial ration labeled for feeder calves which contained 180 +/- 20 ppm sodium monensin. The morbidity rate was 100% and lethality was 60%, 75%, and 100%. Clinical signs were tachycardia and cardiac arrythmia, groaning, incoordination, sudoresis, recumbency, and paddling movements with the limbs before death. Two horses had dark discolored urine (myoglobinuria). Serum levels of creatine phosphokinase activity were increased. Main necropsy findings were...
Dowling PM.The well-developed defense barriers of the CNS and the expense of drug therapy limit the pharmacologic options for the treatment of neurologic diseases in horses. New approaches to controlling inflammation in the CNS are improving the outcomes of bacterial meningitis. The appropriate treatment of EPM remains controversial. More research is needed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in the CNS of the horse. Behavioral pharmacology has become fashionable in human and small animal medicine, but it needs to be evaluated for the potential of unethical use in performance h...
Wichtel ME, Buys E, DeLuca J, Stringel G.This article focuses on the pharmacologic properties of drugs commonly used in the treatment of neonatal septicemia and its complications. Rational therapy demands an awareness of not only the pharmacology of individual drugs but also the interactions and anticipated fate of such drugs in the rapidly changing physiologic environment of the neonate. Further research in the area of equine neonatal pharmacology should greatly assist our understanding of the impact of the disease state on the unique physiology of the newborn and should allow us to better predict the ultimate fate of drugs commonly...
Perkins NR.This article reviews therapies and strategies commonly used to treat diseases of the mare's genital tract and modulate the reproductive cycle of the mare. Many reproductive treatments are based on historical use and empirical evidence rather than well controlled clinical studies. This article attempts to present practical information in a summary form while highlighting the need for continued research documenting the efficacy and safety of reproductive therapies.
Hutchens DE, Paul AJ, DiPietro JA.Routine anthelmintic treatments are one of the most important components of an equine wellness program used by horse owners and veterinarians today. Thirteen different compounds are available in the United States in the treatment of gastrointestinal parasites, most of which are available over the counter. As a result, there is a decreased reliance on the veterinarian to perform routine tube dewormings. Therefore, the future of the veterinarian's role in the management of gastrointestinal parasites is likely to be in the consultation and design of parasite control programs. With this in mind, t...
Okai K, Taharaguchi S, Orita Y, Yokota H, Taniyama H.To contribute to early diagnosis and treatment of gastric ulcer of foals, we examined the gastric mucosa of healthy and affected foals using an endoscope. In healthy foals, the characteristic changes in the development of the squamous mucosa were seen mainly in the squamous mucosa, and maturation of the squamous mucosa in the greater curvature (GC-S) occurred more slowly than that of the squamous mucosa in the lesser curvature (LC-S). Epithelial desquamation in the LC-S and GC-S was observed between 6 and 90 days but was not observed in the LC-S at about 60 days, whereas it was observed in the...
Adeppa J, Ananda KJ, Krishna Murthy CM, Satheesha GM.A study was conducted to ascertain the incidence of gastrointestinal parasites in horses of Shimoga region, to generate the data regarding status of parasitic infections of equines in Karnataka state due to paucity of information. A total of 100 fresh fecal samples of equines were collected and examined by direct and sedimentation method for the detection of parasitic egg/ova. Among 100 samples examined, 84 (84.0 %) were found positive for various gastrointestinal helminths. Out of 84 positive cases, 44 (52.38 %) were found positive for Strongylus spp. eggs, 09 (10.71 %) showed Parascaris e...
Taylor FG, Wotton PR, Hillyer MH, Barr FJ, Lucke VM.Clinical examination of a four-and-a-half-month old foal revealed evidence of progressive heart failure associated with an atrial septal defect and atrial fibrillation. Atrial septal defects are rarely reported in foals and the foal's growth, development and demeanour were normal until a sudden onset of lethargic behaviour. The value of B-mode echocardiography in identifying the congenital lesion is indicated.
Trostle S.A working knowledge of normal endoscopic anatomy and the effects of positioning must be mastered to take advantage of endoscopic procedures involving the gastrointestinal system. Endoscopic procedures involving the gastrointestinal system offer advantages over conventional surgery in that they are less invasive and provide direct visualization. Laparoscopy can be used to evaluate horses with abdominal pain before and after surgery. It can be used to evaluate and biopsy abdominal masses and parenchymal organs such as the spleen, liver, and kidney. Endoscopic gastrointestinal surgical procedures...
Frazer GS, Rossol TJ, Threlfall WR, Weisbrode SE.Endometrial fibrosis is a major cause of infertility in broodmares. Because of the proven anti-inflammatory effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and its influence on collagen, the effect of DMSO on the endometrium was investigated in mares. Solutions of DMSO (25%, 50%, or 75%) were infused into the uterus of clinically normal mares. Examination of serially obtained biopsy specimens revealed epithelial ulceration and stromal inflammation that were proportional to the DMSO concentration infused, but vasodilatation was not observed. In all mares, the endometrium had returned to normal by day 21 a...
Weiss DJ, Geor RJ, Burris SM, Smith CM.Pentoxifylline has been reported to improve peripheral vascular circulation by altering the flow properties of blood. To determine if the hemorrheological effects of pentoxifylline were mediated by alterations in neutrophil function and/or flow properties, we evaluated the drug's effects on equine neutrophils in vitro. Pentoxifylline, at a concentration of 1 x 10(-1) M, but not at concentrations of 1 x 10(-6) M to 1 x 10(-2) M, markedly suppressed neutrophil superoxide production, zymosan phagocytosis and adherence to nylon wool. Pentoxifylline failed to improve neutrophil filterability throug...
Schmotzer WB, Hultgren BD, Watrous BJ, Wagner PC, Kaneps AJ.Nasomaxillary fibrosarcoma was diagnosed in 3 young horses. Clinical signs included epiphora, facial swelling, dyspnea, unilateral serosanguineous nasal discharge, or an external mass. Physical examination, radiography, and cytology were important diagnostic adjuncts. The definitive diagnosis in each case was based on biopsy. In one case, surgical removal of the tumor and extensive curettage of the affected sinus resulted in extended remission from neoplastic disease.
Gilliam LL, Carmichael RC, Holbrook TC, Taylor JM, Ownby CL, McFarlane D, Payton ME.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...
Kostiuk D.A 4-year-old Morgan stallion was presented with a 9-week history of diarrhea. Biopsy of nodules in the rectal mucosa yielded a diagnosis of eosinophilic enterocolitis. Treatment with steroids was instituted and the feces firmed within 2 days. Continued treatment with oral prednisone kept the feces at a normal consistency for 4 months.
Ceriotti S, Consiglio AL, Casati L, Cremonesi F, Sibilia V, Ferrucci F.Increasing evidence suggests a role for ghrelin in the control of articular inflammatory diseases like osteoarthritis (OA). In the present study we examined the ability of ghrelin to counteract LPS-induced necrosis and apoptosis of chondrocytes and the involvement of GH secretagogue receptor (GHS-R)1a in the protective action of ghrelin. The effects of ghrelin (10-10 mol/L) on equine primary cultured chondrocytes viability and necrosis in basal conditions and under LPS treatment (100 ng/ml) were detected by using both acridine orange/propidium iodide staining and annexin-5/propidium iodide...
Wilkins PA, Lowe JE.Right dorsal colon fistulas, 2.5 cm in diameter, were created in 2 healthy ponies, using a 2-stage surgical procedure. The first stage consisted of resection of portions of the 16th and 17th ribs on the right side, followed by surgical creation of a 6- to 8-cm-diameter adhesion between the right dorsal colon and the body wall. Fistulas were created approximately 2 weeks after the first surgery by sharp dissection through the adhesion into the lumen of the colon. The fistulas have been satisfactorily maintained for > 2 years by de Pezzer catheters (45 F). Ponies with fistulas have been used ...
Carrick JB, Morris DD, Moore JN.Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an important mediator of endotoxaemia and various PAF receptor antagonists prevent many of the adverse effects of experimental endotoxaemia in laboratory animals. In this study a specific PAF receptor antagonist was used to investigate the role of PAF in equine endotoxaemia. At an interval of not greater than 10 days, 6 horses were each challenged with endotoxin and endotoxin with concurrent administration of SRI 63-441, a PAF receptor antagonist. The order of the treatments was randomised. Clinical signs, serum biochemical and coagulation profiles, and plat...