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.
Moustafa A, Elmetwally M, El-Khodery S, Hamed M, Gomaa N, Rizk MA.There is a paucity of information regarding the frequency and risk factors associated with the occurrence of an abdominal hernia in different equine species especially donkeys, and mules. In addition, the effectiveness of using polypropylene mesh for the surgical management of abdominal hernia in donkeys and mules is still unknown. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of using polypropylene mesh for the surgical treatment of abdominal hernia in horses, donkeys, and mules and to address the occurrence and risk factors associated with an abdominal hernia in the selected ...
Moorman VJ, Pezzanite LM, Griffenhagen GM.To compare the efficacy and duration of action for perineural analgesia with liposomal bupivacaine (LB) versus bupivacaine hydrochloride (BHCl) in a sole-pressure induced model of forelimb lameness in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult research horses. Methods: In 1 randomly assigned forelimb, grade 3/5 lameness was induced by use of a sole-pressure lameness model. Objective lameness (vector sum [VS]) was determined with an inertial sensor system at 0, 1, 6, and 24 hours after lameness induction to evaluate the model. Mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) and objective lameness (VS and force ...
Almazán C, Scimeca RC, Reichard MV, Mosqueda J.Babesia and Theileria are apicomplexan parasites that cause established and emerging diseases in humans, domestic and wild animals. These protozoans are transmitted by Ixodid ticks causing babesiosis or theileriosis, both characterized by fever, hemolytic anemia, jaundice, and splenomegaly. In North America (NA), the most common species affecting humans is B. microti, which is distributed in the Northeastern and Upper Midwestern United States (US), where the tick vector Ixodes scapularis is established. In livestock, B. bovis and B. bigemina are the most important pathogens causing bovine babe...
King MR, Seabaugh KA, Frisbie DD.Back pain and inflammation of the epaxial musculature is a significant problem in all equine athletes. Treatment of back pain can be challenging and often requires a multimodal approach. In humans, bio-electromagnetic energy regulation therapy (BEMER) has been reported to be effective in pain modulation. With its increased use in people comes a similar robust application in veterinary medicine unfortunately, there is unsubstantiated evidence for this type of therapy in horses. Objectives of this study were to assess analgesic responses and biomechanical outcome variables using a bio-electromag...
Murata D, Ishikawa S, Sunaga T, Saito Y, Sogawa T, Nakayama K, Hobo S, Hatazoe T.Medical interventions for subchondral bone cysts in horses have been extensively studied. This study investigated the regeneration of articular cartilage and subchondral bone with scaffold-free three-dimensional (3D) constructs of equine synovial membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SM-MSCs) isolated from three ponies and expanded until over 1.0 × 10 cells at passage 2 (P2). Results: SM-MSCs were strongly positive for CD11a/CD18, CD44, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I; moderately positive for CD90, CD105, and MHC class II; and negative for CD34 and CD45 on flow cytom...
Straticò P, Guerri G, Palozzo A, Varasano V, Petrizzi L.(1) Background: Laparoscopic surgery replaced traditional invasive techniques for the treatment of common urogenital disorders in equids. The aim of this review is to evaluate applications and the development of urogenital laparoscopy from 2001 to 2021. (2) Methods: A scoping review of literature was undertaken according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for scoping reviews on three databases (NCBI-PubMed, Web of Science-Thompson Reuters, and SciVerse Scopus). (3) Results: A total of 452 papers were identified. After duplicate removal...
Dohrmann J, Hildebrand F, Straub J, Wadephul R, Pusterla N, Freise F, Venner M.The goal of the current report was to describe the clinical signs, therapy and outcome of foals with suspected equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) due to an infection with Lawsonia intracellularis. Forty foals, born on the same breeding farm, were diagnosed with suspected clinical EPE between September 2019 and January 2020. Data of these cases were analyzed retrospectively regarding the course of the disease, treatment, outcome and long-term prognosis. All horses, including randomly selected control horses, were reassessed about nine months after the suspicion of EPE. The horses affected w...
Hain-Saunders NMR, Knight DR, Bruce M, Riley TV.Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile presents a significant health risk to humans and animals. The complexity of the bacterial-host interaction affecting pathogenesis and disease development creates an ongoing challenge for epidemiological studies, control strategies and prevention planning. The recent emergence of human disease caused by strains of C. difficile found in animals adds to mounting evidence that C. difficile infection (CDI) may be a zoonosis. In equine populations, C. difficile is a known cause of diarrhoea and gastrointestinal inflammation, with considerable mortality and morb...
Rudnick MJ, Denagamage TN, Freeman DE.Although survival rates have been reported after small intestinal surgery for strangulating diseases in horses, none have followed survival for periods relevant to the long lifespan of horses and none have described effect of age, disease and surgical treatments over such long survival periods. Objective: To examine effects of age, disease and type of surgery on long-term survival in horses after surgical treatment of small intestinal strangulating diseases over periods relevant to the expected lifespan of a horse. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: Post-operative data were gather...
Auckburally A, Wiklund MK, Lord PF, Hedenstierna G, Nyman G.To measure changes in pulmonary perfusion during pulsed inhaled nitric oxide (PiNO) delivery in anesthetized, spontaneously breathing and mechanically ventilated ponies positioned in dorsal recumbency. Methods: 6 adult ponies. Methods: Ponies were anesthetized, positioned in dorsal recumbency in a CT gantry, and allowed to breathe spontaneously. Pulmonary artery, right atrial, and facial artery catheters were placed. Analysis time points were baseline, after 30 minutes of PiNO, and 30 minutes after discontinuation of PiNO. At each time point, iodinated contrast medium was injected, and CT angi...
Midon M, Yamada DI, Zangirolami Filho D, Natalini CC, Escobar A, Clark-Price SC.This randomized double-blinded study evaluated the recovery from isoflurane anesthesia in horses receiving doxapram and xylazine. 6 horses were anesthetized 4 times (minimum of 2-week washout period). Anesthesia was performed with xylazine (0.6 mg/kg), ketamine (2.2 mg/kg), midazolam (0.1 mg/kg), and maintained with isoflurane for 90 minutes. At recovery, horses received one of the following randomized treatments: RX: xylazine (0.2 mg/kg), RXD1: xylazine (0.2 mg/kg) and doxapram (0.1 mg/kg), RXD2: xylazine (0.2 mg/kg) and doxapram (0.2 mg/kg), or RS: saline. Recoveries were rope-assisted and e...
Radcliffe RM, Liu SY, Cook VL, Hurcombe SDA, Divers TJ.Interpreting changes in peritoneal fluid helps clinicians manage colic and other diseases in horses. During abdominal problems in the horse, abdominal fluid characteristics such as color, turbidity, total nucleated and red blood cell counts, cytology, total protein, and l-lactate change in predictable ways, helping the clinician characterize the disease. Methods: Normal abdominal fluid in horses is odorless, clear to light yellow in color, and transparent. Peritoneal fluid becomes more turbid with increasing levels of protein, number of WBCs or RBCs, or with gross contamination following intes...
Radcliffe RM, Bookbinder LC, Liu SY, Tomlinson JE, Cook VL, Hurcombe SDA, Divers TJ.Blood transfusion is a lifesaving treatment for horses with acute hemorrhage and other causes of anemia. Transfusions improve oxygen delivery to the tissues via increased blood volume and hemoglobin concentration. Certain aspects of equine blood transfusion are challenging, especially in the field situation, and practitioners may be unfamiliar or feel overwhelmed with the process. An understanding of the indications, materials, methods, and techniques as well as donor selection and possible complications will help practitioners successfully implement blood transfusion in clinical practice. Met...
Schroeder EL, Gardner AK, Mudge MC.Cecal or colonic gas tympany of any cause may result in increased intraabdominal pressure, causing a significant decrease in venous return and cardiac output. Trocarization of the large colon or cecum in the event of large intestinal tympany may resolve gas distension and accompanying increased intraabdominal pressures sufficiently enough to promote resolution of a displaced large colon. Furthermore, trocarization of the medical colic may decrease morbidity and mortality associated with severe intraabdominal hypertension. Methods: This how-to description details the technique of transcutaneous...
Maniego J, Pesko B, Hincks P, Taylor P, Stewart G, Proudman C, Scarth J, Ryder E.The misuse of gene therapy by the introduction of transgenes via plasmid or viral vectors as a doping agent is an increasing concern in human and animal sports, not only in consideration to fair competition but also in potential detrimental effects to welfare. Doping events can be detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a transgene-specific region of DNA. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is particularly suited to confirmatory investigations where precise limits of detection can be calculated. To fully validate a qPCR experiment, it is highly desirable to confirm the ident...
Frosth S, Morris ERA, Wilson H, Frykberg L, Jacobsson K, Parkhill J, Flock JI, Wood T, Guss B, Aanensen DM, Boyle AG, Riihimäki M, Cohen ND....Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S equi) is the cause of Strangles, one of the most prevalent diseases of horses worldwide. Variation within the immunodominant SeM protein has been documented, but a new eight-component fusion protein vaccine, Strangvac, does not contain live S equi or SeM and conservation of the antigens it contains have not been reported. Objective: To define the diversity of the eight Strangvac antigens across a diverse S equi population. Methods: Genomic description. Methods: Antigen sequences from the genomes of 759 S equi isolates from 19 countries, recovered between 1...
Ibrahim S, Hedia M, Taqi MO, Derbala MK, Mahmoud KGM, Ahmed Y, Sosa AS, Saber YHA, Hasanain MH, Nawito MF, Seidel GE.Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a promising biomarker and play a vital role in cell-cell communication. This study aimed (I) to identify and characterize EVs from low volume uterine lavage (LVL) and serum in mares with endometritis, compared to healthy controls and (II) to measure serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), and prostaglandins (PGF and PGE). Mares were divided into 30 sub-fertile (endometritis) and 20 fertile (controls). Serum and LVL was collected for EV isolation, and determination of serum levels of inflammatory mediators. Characterization and visualization of EVs were done by el...
Górski K, Stefanik E, Bereznowski A, Polkowska I, Turek B.Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a stress-free, relatively safe method supporting the treatment of many different diseases. Although it is widely used in human medicine (including dentistry), in veterinary medicine, especially in the treatment of horses, there are not many scientifically described and documented cases of its use. Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis syndrome is a disease that affects older horses and significantly reduces their quality of life. The only effective treatment for this condition is extraction of the incisors. The described case compares the...
Rizk MA, El-Sayed SAE, Eltaysh R, Igarashi I.Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-transmitted disease that is considered one of the most serious infectious diseases affecting equines. Searching for novel antipiroplasm drugs remains indispensable due to the emergence and spreading of resistant piroplasm parasites against the limited currently used drugs, diminazene aceturate and imidocarb dipropionate. Therefore, novel drugs with specified targets need to be identified and exploited. The inhibitory effects of Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria Box compounds with potent in vitro anti-equine piroplasmosis activity were evaluated against ...
Murphy DJ, Kö-Peternelj V, Aleri JW.Superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injury is common in racehorses and a significant cause of lost training days and wastage in the industry. Objective: To compare the post-injury performance of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses diagnosed with SDFT tendonitis treated with intralesional bone marrow and superior check desmotomy or managed conservatively and further to compare this performance with that of uninjured racehorses. Methods: Retrospective and case-controlled. Methods: Medical and race records of racehorses treated surgically or managed conservatively for SDFT tendonitis we...
Pearce CJ, Brooks N.Caries of the infundibula of equine cheek teeth can lead to significant dental disease including increased attritional wear, pulpar and apical disease, secondary sinusitis, and dental fracture. Restorations of cavities of equine cheek teeth infundibula have been performed since 1889. Recent advances in dental materials, instrumentation, and techniques have facilitated the use of dental restoration techniques by equine veterinary practitioners. No studies to date have demonstrated the safety or efficacy of restorations of equine cheek teeth infundibula. Objective: To assess the long-term result...
Buhl R, Hesselkilde EM, Carstensen H, Hopster-Iversen C, van Loon G, Decloedt A, Van Steenkiste G, Marr CM, Reef VB, Schwarzwald CC, Mitchell KJ....The recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses after cardioversion to sinus rhythm (SR) is relatively high. Atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR) derived from surface ECG is considered a biomarker for electrical remodelling and could potentially be used for the prediction of successful AF cardioversion and AF recurrence. Objective: Evaluate if AFR was associated with successful treatment and could predict AF recurrence in horses. Methods: Retrospective multicentre study. Methods: Electrocardiograms (ECG) from horses with persistent AF admitted for cardioversion with either medical treatmen...
Gonzlez CR, Elgueta M, Krolow TK, Henriques AL.A catalog of the Tabanidae from Chile is provided. All valid names and synonyms for the 116 species and 25 genera known for the country including information about name, author, year of publication, page number, type species, type locality and references are listed. The species Dasybasis albohirta (Walker) is cited for the first time for Chile. The type locality of Dasybasis nigrifrons (Philippi) is corrected to Chile (Todos Los Santos Lake). The dates of the description of Tabanus nigrifrons Philippi (now Dasybasis), and Pangonia australis Philippi (now Pseudoscione) are corrected from their ...
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...
Engiles JB, Uzal FA, Navarro MA, Reef VB, Bender SJ.Phlegmonous gastritis was diagnosed in 2 yearling fillies that were presented with a 1-wk history of fever, lethargy, and hypoproteinemia, associated with a previous diagnosis of equine proliferative enteropathy based on clinical signs and PCR assay detection of Lawsonia intracellularis in fecal samples. Abdominal ultrasound revealed enlargement of the stomach and expansion of its submucosal layer with hypoechoic fluid, as well as thickened hypomotile small intestinal segments. Given the poor prognosis and poor response to treatment, both horses were euthanized, one on the day of presentation ...
Raisi A, Davoodi F.The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive comparison of spermatic cord torsion in domestic animals. Spermatic cord torsion leads to occlusion of testicular blood flow resulting in ischemia and tissue hypoxia. Spermatic cord torsion has been reported in all domestic mammals but dogs and horses are overrepresented. Abdominal pain (colic), anorexia, vomiting, lameness, and stiff gait are the most common clinical signs reported. The condition may be asymptomatic in cases of a low degree of spermatic cord torsion. In dogs, spermatic cord torsion is most commonly reported in undescend...
Morrell JM, Rocha A.One of the most commonly encountered challenges in equine breeding is endometritis, which can be difficult to resolve and causes considerable economic losses to the industry. It is a multifactorial condition, developing as an exaggerated form of the normal physiological response to breeding. Seminal plasma proteins, spermatozoa, bacteria and debris initiate an inflammatory response; the resulting fluid and neutrophils are then cleared from the uterus along with the debris. However, in some mares, the response is prolonged or exaggerated, with much fluid formation and neutrophil infiltration le...
Hwang H, Dong HJ, Han J, Cho S, Kim Y, Lee I.Gastric ulcer is one of the prevalent diseases in racehorses. However, it has not been recognized as important in Korea, and drugs used to treat gastric ulcers are included in the doping test list, so they are not allowed to be administered to racehorses in training. Objective: This study was performed 1) to investigate the prevalence and the severity of gastric ulcers in Thoroughbred racehorses in Korea, 2) to confirm the therapeutic effect of ranitidine and omeprazole, and 3) to compare the efficacy between ranitidine and omeprazole. Methods: Forty-nine horses were randomly recruited, and ga...
Malaluang P, Wilén E, Lindahl J, Hansson I, Morrell JM.Bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics following low-level "background" exposure to antimicrobial agents as well as from exposure at therapeutic levels during treatment for bacterial infections. In this review, we look specifically at antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the equine reproductive tract and its possible origin, focusing particularly on antibiotics in semen extenders used in preparing semen doses for artificial insemination. Our review of the literature indicated that AMR in the equine uterus and vagina were reported worldwide in the last 20 years, in locations as diverse as Euro...
Pritchard JC, Burn CC, Barr AR, Whay HR.Dehydration is a serious welfare concern in horses working in developing countries. Identification of a valid and practical indicator of dehydration would enable more rapid treatment and prevention. Objective: To examine changes in bodyweight, clinical and blood parameters during rehydration of working horses, identify a 'gold standard' criterion for dehydration and use this to validate a standardised skin tent test, drinking behaviour and mucous membrane dryness as potential field indicators. Methods: Fifty horses with a positive skin tent test, working in environmental temperatures of 30-44 ...
Nitschke M, Korte T, Tielesch C, Ter-Avetisyan G, Tünnemann G, Cardoso MC, Veit M, Herrmann A.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is an enveloped, positive-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Arteriviridae. Infection by EAV requires the release of the viral genome by fusion with the respective target membrane of the host cell. We have investigated the entry pathway of EAV into Baby Hamster Kidney cells (BHK). Infection of cells assessed by the plaque reduction assay was strongly inhibited by substances which interfere with clathrin-dependent endocytosis and by lysosomotropic compounds. Furthermore, infection of BHK cells was suppressed when clathrin-dependent endocytosis was inhibited ...
Dwyer AE, Crockett RS, Kalsow CM.Recurrent uveitis, a leading cause of blindness in horses, often develops as a sequela to systemic leptospirosis. Over a 7-year period, 63 of 112 (56%) horses with uveitis were seropositive for Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona, but only 23 of 260 (9%) horses without uveitis were seropositive. Odds-ratio analysis revealed that seropositive horses were 13.2 times more likely to have uveitis than were seronegative horses. Of the 63 seropositive horses with uveitis, 59% developed blindness, compared with only 24% in the 49 seronegative horses with uveitis that lost vision in 1 or both eyes du...
Rochette F, Engelen M, Vanden Bossche H.The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of antifungal agents currently in use in veterinary medicine. The practical applications and the therapeutic regimens that have proved successful in the treatment and prevention of fungal infections in dogs and cats, cattle and sheep, horse, pig, poultry and other birds, rodents, rabbits and fur animals are summarized.
Gerber V, Schott Ii HC, Robinson NE.Efficacy of medications for recurrent airway obstruction is typically tested using clinical, cytological and lung function examinations of severely affected animals. These trials are technically challenging and may not adequately reflect the spectrum of disease and owner complaints encountered in clinical practice. Objective: To determine if owners of horses with chronic airway disease are better able to detect drug efficacy than a veterinarian who clinically examines horses infrequently. Methods: In a double-blinded randomised controlled trial, owners and a veterinarian compared the efficacy ...
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...
Pavulraj S, Eschke K, Theisen J, Westhoff S, Reimers G, Andreotti S, Osterrieder N, Azab W.Equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) is enzootic in equine populations throughout the world. A large outbreak of EHV-4 respiratory infection occurred at a Standardbred horse-breeding farm in northern Germany in 2017. Respiratory illness was observed in a group of in-housed foals and mares, which subsequently resulted in disease outbreak. Out of 84 horses in the stud, 76 were tested and 41 horses were affected, including 20 foals, 10 stallions, and 11 mares. Virological investigations revealed the involvement of EHV-4 in all cases of respiratory illness, as confirmed by virus isolation, qPCR, and/...
Hurtig MB, Fretz PB, Doige CE, Schnurr DL.The mechanisms and completeness of equine articular cartilage repair were studied in ten horses over a nine month period. Large (15 mm square) and small (5 mm square) full-thickness lesions were made in weight bearing and nonweight bearing areas of the radiocarpal, middle carpal and femoropatellar joints. The horses were euthanized in groups of two 1, 2.5, 4, 5 and 9 months later. Gross pathology, microradiography, and histopathology were used to evaluate qualitative aspects of articular repair. Computer assisted microdensitometry of safranin-O stained cartilage sections was used to quantitate...
Contentin R, Jammes M, Bourdon B, Cassé F, Bianchi A, Audigié F, Branly T, Velot É, Galéra P.Equine osteoarthritis (OA) leads to cartilage degradation with impaired animal well-being, premature cessation of sport activity, and financial losses. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies are promising for cartilage repair, but face limitations inherent to the cell itself. Soluble mediators and extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by MSCs are the alternatives to overcome those limitations while preserving MSC restorative properties. The effect of equine bone marrow MSC secretome on equine articular chondrocytes (eACs) was analyzed with indirect co-culture and/or MSC-conditioned media ...
Sauer P, Andrew SE, Lassaline M, Gelatt KN, Denis HM.To document changes in antibiotic resistance of organisms in cases of equine bacterial ulcerative keratitis over a 10-year time period. Methods: A retrospective study. Methods: Medical records of equine patients with bacterial ulcerative keratitis seen at the University of Florida's VMTH for the years 1991-2000 were reviewed. Methods: All cases of equine bacterial ulcerative keratitis for the above mentioned years were examined. Bacterial isolates were identified and subjected to Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method sensitivity tests. Antibiotics used in the sensitivity tests included bacitracin,...
Anderson RC, Linder KE, Peregrine AS.Although the original description given by Stefanski (1954) was satisfactory, Anderson & Bemrick (1965), in describing H. deletrix (= Micronema deletrix), claimed Stefanski's description was "inadequate" and the species a "species inquirenda". Thus, infections in horses and humans have been assigned to H. deletrix. We believe the species reported in horses and humans is H. gingivalis and that H. deletrix is its synonym. H. gingivalis is separated herein from forms found free-living. The genital tract in the advanced fourth stage of H. gingivalis is didelphic and amphidelphic and terminal e...
Chirino-Trejo JM, Prescott JF, Yager JA.Two groups of three one to three week old foals were immunized orally on four occasions over five weeks with two strains of Rhodococcus equi, a clinical isolate from a pneumonic foal and a laboratory passaged Congo red negative variant of this strain. Three nonimmunized foals of similar age acted as controls. Three weeks after the last immunization, all foals were challenged on five occasions over seven days by aerosol infection with about 10(10) of the pneumonic foal isolate on each occasion. Control foals became seriously ill and were euthanized. Immunization with either strain protected foa...
Rubio-Martínez LM, Elmas CR, Black B, Monteith G.To describe the clinical use of regional limb perfusion with antimicrobials (A-RLP), complications, and outcome in a large series of patients. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 174 horses. Methods: Medical records of horses treated with A-RLP between 1999 and 2009 were reviewed. Signalment, primary complaint, horse use, etiology, duration of clinical signs, previous treatment, structures involved, concurrent conditions, A-RLP characteristics, additional treatments, complications, and outcome were recorded. At long-term follow-up, 2 outcomes were investigated: survival rate and retur...
Robertson SA, Sanchez LC, Merritt AM, Doherty TJ.Commonly used analgesics (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, opioids and alpha2-agonists) have unwanted side effects. An effective alternative with minimal adverse effects would benefit clinical equine pain management. Objective: To compare the effect of lidocaine or saline on duodenal and rectal distension threshold pressure and somatic thermal threshold in conscious mature horses. Objective: Systemically administered lidocaine would increase somatic and visceral nociceptive thresholds. Methods: Lidocaine (2 mg/kg bwt bolus followed by 50 microg/kg bwt/min for 2 h) or saline was administe...
Freeman KD, Southwood LL, Lane J, Lindborg S, Aceto HW.Infections are common complications in post operative colic patients. It is the impression of some surgeons that pyrexia in the early post operative period is a sign of infection and appropriate timing of perioperative antimicrobials will decrease the incidence of post operative infection. Objective: To determine the association between 1) post operative pyrexia and development of infection and 2) perioperative antimicrobial drug use and infection rate in post operative colic patients. Methods: Medical records of patients undergoing surgical treatment for colic were reviewed. Horses recovering...
Ursini TL, Amelse LL, Elkhenany HA, Odoi A, Carter-Arnold JL, Adair HS, Dhar MS.Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are frequently used in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. Fully characterised cells that are readily available for use is optimum. Allogenic BM-MSCs can satisfy the need for rapid treatment, however, their safety has been questioned. Objective: Objectives were to characterise BM-MSCs from an adult donor horse, in vitro, and to identify and describe adverse reactions that occurred following their injection into other horses. We hypothesised that BM-MSCs capable of proliferation, differentiation and lacking MHC II from one donor could ...
Davis AB, Schnabel LV, Gilger BC.Equine immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) leads to increased corneal opacity and inflammation secondary to an alteration of the local immune system. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) have been shown to modulate the immune system by downregulating inflammation. Four horses with unilateral IMMK poorly responsive to traditional medical treatments underwent novel, autologous subconjunctival BM-MSC therapy. Bone marrow was harvested and processed as previously described for equine orthopedic disease. Horses received autologous subconjunctival BM-MSC injections approximately every 3-...
Reeves MJ, Curtis CR, Salman MD, Hilbert BJ.Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate prognosis in 308 horses referred to the University of Minnesota veterinary teaching hospital with colic. Bivariate results identified the following significant individual parameters: absent or hypomotile abdominal sounds, medical or surgical classification, peritoneal fluid total protein, anion gap, serum glucose, capillary refill time, blood pH, heart rate, packed cell volume, base excess, serum chloride, plasma bicarbonate, serum urinary nitrogen and age. Two multivariable prognostic models were developed using logistic regression. Model I...
Fumuso EA, Aguilar J, Giguère S, Rivulgo M, Wade J, Rogan D.Our objective was to characterize immune parameters in susceptible (SM) and resistant (RM) mares, with and without artificial insemination (AI) and immunomodulation. Eight RM and eight SM were selected based on their reproductive history and functional tests. Both groups of mares were evaluated during three consecutive cycles: Cycle 1, untreated cycle (control); Cycle 2, AI with dead semen; Cycle 3, AI with dead semen and immunomodulation. Endometrial biopsies were taken during the three cycles as follows: Cycle 1--at estrus, when follicles > or =35mm and at diestrus (7+/-1 days after ovulatio...
Lee JS, Hadjipanayis AG, Welkos SL.Anthrax, a disease usually associated with herbivores, is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The current vaccine licensed for human use requires a six-dose primary series and yearly boosters and causes reactogenicity in up to 30% of vaccine recipients. A minimally reactogenic vaccine requiring fewer inoculations is warranted. Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus has been configured for use as a vaccine vector for a wide variety of immunogens. The VEE vaccine vector is composed of a self-replicating RNA (replicon) containing all of the VEE virus nonstructural genes and a multiple...
Doucet MY, Bertone AL, Hendrickson D, Hughes F, Macallister C, McClure S, Reinemeyer C, Rossier Y, Sifferman R, Vrins AA, White G, Kunkle B, Alva R....To compare efficacy and safety of paste formulations of firocoxib and phenylbutazone in horses with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. Methods: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods: 253 client-owned horses with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. Methods: Horses were treated with firocoxib (0.1 mg/kg [0.045 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h) or phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg [2 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h) for 14 days. Physical examinations and lameness evaluations were performed prior to treatment and after 7 and 14 days. Clinical improvement was defined as a reduction of at least 1 lameness grade or a combined...
Velloso Alvarez A, Boone LH, Pondugula SR, Caldwell F, Wooldridge AA.Autologous conditioned serum (ACS) and autologous protein solution (APS) are newer therapeutic options for osteoarthritis (OA). Co-culture of cartilage and synovium stimulated with IL-1β produces a similar physiologic response to tissues from naturally-ocurring OA. The study objective was to investigate the effects of ACS, APS, and triamcinolone (TA) on inflammatory and catabolic gene expression of inflamed joint tissues in co-culture. Blood was collected and processed for ACS and APS from six horses. Cartilage and synovial explants were harvested from the stifle, placed in co-culture, and tr...
Lanci A, Merlo B, Mariella J, Castagnetti C, Iacono E.A complex feedback of growth factors, secreted by a variety of cell types, is responsible for the mediation of skin healing. Despite the recent advances in wound healing management, this fails up to 50% and skin wounds can still be considered one of the main causes of morbidity, both in human and veterinary medicine. Regenerative medicine, involving mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), is nowadays a promising solution for skin wound healing. Indeed, MSCs are involved in the modulation of the inflammatory local response and cell replacing, by a paracrine mode of action. Local application of equine...
de Grauw JC, van Loon JP, van de Lest CH, Brunott A, van Weeren PR.Although phenylbutazone (PBZ) is commonly used in equine orthopaedic practice, little is known about its in vivo effects on joint inflammation and cartilage turnover. This study investigates the effects of PBZ on inflammatory parameters, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and cartilage biomarkers in equine joints with acute synovitis. In a two-period cross-over study, transient synovitis was induced at T = 0 h in the middle carpal joint of seven ponies by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Ponies received PBZ (2 mg/kg PO twice daily) or placebo for 1 week, starting at T = 2 h. Ar...
Wimer CL, Schnabel CL, Perkins G, Babasyan S, Freer H, Stout AE, Rollins A, Osterrieder N, Goodman LB, Glaser A, Wagner B.The equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) ORF1 and ORF71 genes have immune modulatory effects in vitro. Experimental infection of horses using virus mutants with multiple deletions including ORF1 and ORF71 showed promise as vaccine candidates against EHV-1. Here, the combined effects of ORF1 and ORF71 deletions from the neuropathogenic EHV-1 strain Ab4 on clinical disease and host immune response were further explored. Three groups of EHV-1 naïve horses were experimentally infected with the ORF1/71 gene deletion mutant (Ab4ΔORF1/71), the parent Ab4 strain, or remained uninfected. In comparison t...
Walmsley JP, Pettersson H, Winberg F, McEvoy F.The surgical treatment of impingement of dorsal spinous processes (DSPs) at 2 equine veterinary hospitals following a similar diagnostic and surgical protocol is described with special reference to the diagnosis and case selection. The diagnosis was made from clinical examination and results of radiography and diagnostic analgesia of the affected sites. Scintigraphy was also used as an aid to diagnosis at one hospital. Surgical treatment was generally recommended when conservative treatment, which included 3-9 months rest, intralesional corticosteroids and physiotherapy, had failed. The DSPs w...
Lin YZ, Cao XZ, Li L, Li L, Jiang CG, Wang XF, Ma J, Zhou JH.The attenuated equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) vaccine was the first attenuated lentivirus vaccine to be used in a large-scale application and has been used to successfully control the spread of equine infectious anemia (EIA) in China. To better understand the potential role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of EIAV infection and resulting immune response, we used branched DNA technology to compare the mRNA expression levels of 12 cytokines and chemokines, including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IP-10, IL-8, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, MCP-1, and MCP-2, in equine monocyte-derived mac...
Barry S.The ability of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) to inhibit bone healing has been established in experimental animal models using mice, rats, and rabbits. The mechanism of action is largely unknown but stems from prostaglandin inhibition and is likely multifactorial. In human medicine NSAID are known to prevent heterotopic ossification, however the clinical importance of their effects on bone healing remains controversial. Although a small handful of reports suggest that NSAID suppress bone healing in dogs and horses, there is little published information to direct veterinary pract...
