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Topic:Disease Treatment
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.
Basal and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion in young horses. Equine gastric secretion was studied using a gastric cannula model after fasting (basal) and pentagastrin infusion. Gastric secretory rate, pH, osmolality, and electrolyte concentrations and outputs were determined over a 5-h period. Dose-response tests estimated that the maximally effective intravenous dose of pentagastrin was between 3 and 6 micrograms.kg-1.h-1. Basal secretory rate was 278 +/- 29 (SE) ml/15 min, and the pH was 2.00 +/- 0.31. Pentagastrin infusion at 6 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 increased secretory rate to 533 +/- 60 ml/15 min and decreased pH to 1.41 +/- 0.11. Basal gastric acid c...
Use of halothane and isoflurane in the horse. When compared with halothane, isoflurane has several distinct characteristics. Vaporizer settings are higher because of its lower potency. Respiratory rates will be slower, and intraoperative changes in depth and recovery from surgical depth of anesthesia will be more rapid, although total recovery times frequently will not be different. Halothane and isoflurane appear similar in their effects on ocular reflexes and mean arterial blood pressure. Recovery from isoflurane should be managed to provide added sedation or physical support if the horse attempts to stand prematurely.
Neuromuscular blocking agents in equine anesthesia. In summary, neuromuscular blocking agents can be used safely and to advantage in equine anesthesia. Muscle-relaxant use in equine anesthesia has been helped by the development of new relaxants such as atracurium, which has a reliable and reproducible duration of action. There are certain cases that benefit particularly by the use of relaxants but their use is not limited to these cases. These cases involve horses that experience persistent movement and hypotension during anesthesia, are undergoing ophthalmic or abdominal surgery or fracture repair, or are severely ill. Horses receiving muscle ...
Effects of human alpha interferon on experimentally induced equine herpesvirus-1 infection in horses. The immunotherapeutic effect of low-dose human alpha interferon on viral shedding and clinical disease was evaluated in horses inoculated with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). Eighteen clinically healthy weanling horses, 5 to 7 months old, were allotted to 3 equal groups. Two groups were treated orally with human alpha-2a interferon (0.22 or 2.2 U/kg of body weight), on days 2 and 1 before inoculation with EHV-1, the day of inoculation, and again on postinoculation day 1. The horses of the remaining group were given a placebo orally on the same days. The horses were monitored daily for changes in...
An outbreak of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi on the island of Madura, Indonesia. During an outbreak of trypanosomiasis in cattle, buffalo and horses on the island of Madura, a survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi in the region. Blood samples were collected from 130 cattle and 147 buffalo in 5 villages, whole blood was examined for trypanosomes by the microhaematocrit (MHCT) method and serum samples were subjected to an enzyme linked immuno absorbent assay to detect T. evansi antibodies. T. evansi was detected by MHCT in 50% of the buffalo examined and 13% of the cattle, while antibodies were detected in 47% of the buffalo and 30% of the ca...
[Animal nutrition for veterinarians–recent cases of clinical disorders in horses after intake of ionophore-containing feed]. Anamnesis and clinical signs of horses form five different stables after ingestion of ionophores are reported and techniques of feed examination are described. Within a few hours or days after feeding of new types or batches of concentrates horses fell ill. They showed colic-like symptoms with intense sweating and ataxia. Most of the sick animals died within a short time span. Samples of the concentrates were analysed and different types and amounts of ionophores were detected. In four cases contamination by monensin in concentrations of less than 5 mg to 679 mg/kg feed were found. One feed sa...
Monitoring equine anesthesia. In conclusion, monitoring the depth of anesthesia plays an integral role in the anesthetic regimen. Although the use of sophisticated monitoring equipment has replaced some of the art of anesthesia and made assessment of depth of anesthesia more precise, a vigilant clinician still needs to serve as the animal's advocate. He or she must gather the data that are generated by machines, acquire data that monitoring equipment cannot obtain, assimilate all the facts, and make appropriate changes in anesthetic management.
General anesthesia for horses with specific problems. We have discussed anesthetic techniques, special considerations, and expected complications involved in anesthetizing horses for abdominal, orthopedic, and head and neck surgery, and myelography and have described expected physiologic dysfunction that may require changes in anesthetic technique or supportive measures. The objective is high-quality patient care and reduction in anesthesia-related morbidity and death.
Supportive therapy in the anesthetized horse. In conclusion, vigilant supportive care is necessary to prevent morbidity and death in the anesthetized horse. Because some of the equipment and drugs are specialized and the consequences of some postanesthetic complications are severe, availability of those items must be confirmed prior to anesthesia. Proper positioning and padding will help to reduce the incidence of postanesthetic myopathy-neuropathy syndrome in these large patients. Adequate tissue perfusion is important and can be achieved by controlling anesthetic depth, increasing intravascular volume with fluid administration, and by a...
[Bone marrow examination in the horse]. The technique of needle biopsy, the examination of aspirated bone marrow and the interpretation of bone marrow smears are described. The indications for a bone marrow biopsy are listed and the literature is reviewed. The significance of this examination is illustrated with some clinical cases.
Local anesthetic techniques for diagnosis of lameness. Successful diagnostic local anesthesia is dependent upon a thorough knowledge of appendicular anatomy, application of correct technique, and accurate interpretation. Use of cadaver specimens to review anatomy and practice needle placement is strongly recommended. A marker solution, such as new methylene blue, can be injected into cadaver limbs, which can be subsequently dissected to verify accuracy. Detailed interpretation of local anesthetic blocks in the lame horse reaches beyond the scope of this article. Interpretive difficulties, however, can be responsible for the failure of a block to p...
Antagonism of endotoxin-induced disruption of equine gastrointestinal motility with the platelet-activating factor antagonist WEB 2086. The effect of pre-treatment with a selective platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist, WEB 2086, on the actions of low-dose endotoxin was evaluated in ponies prepared with gastrointestinal strain gauges. Endotoxin (0.1 microgram/kg i.v.) produced a marked reduction in gastric contraction amplitude and rate, and an increased frequency and reduced duration of jejunal phase III activity fronts (AFs). WEB 2086 (6.6 mg/kg) administered i.v. 10 min before the endotoxin, produced significant antagonism (P less than 0.001) of the effect of endotoxin on gastric contraction amplitude and rate. The co...
Management of anesthesia in the foal. Several unique pharmacologic and physiologic factors must be considered when attempting to anesthetize premature or neonatal foals. Juvenile foals are similar to adults in their physiology and metabolism. Anesthetic drug and protocol selection should reflect the differences between these two age groups. Neonates are best anesthetized using an inhalation technique, whereas older foals can be safely anesthetized with either parenteral or inhalation anesthetic agents. Careful monitoring is absolutely essential when anesthetizing foals. The clinician should plan to routinely administer fluids and ...
General clinical considerations for anesthesia of the horse. The peculiarities of the equine species present a number of unique situations that must be addressed when horses are anesthetized. Perhaps the most troublesome situation is related to the horse's size. Though the horse's large lungs are responsible in part for its sustainable athletic ability, they are detrimental to effective ventilation when the horse is anesthetized and placed in a recumbent position. Of major concern is depression of ventilation and cardiovascular function. Hypercapnia and hypoxemia usually result from hypoventilation, and with time all anesthetized horses suffer from some...
Haemoparasites of equines: impact on international trade of horses. The geographical distribution of Babesia equi and Babesia caballi and their tick vectors is discussed. Control of infections with these protozoa is hampered by the lack of a suitable antiprotozoal drug and a reliable serological test. No vaccine is available. Ehrlichia risticii (the causal agent of Potomac horse fever) and E. equi are rickettsial parasites which are difficult to control. Little is known of their geographical distribution and vectors. Early diagnosis is required for tetracycline therapy to be effective and there is a need for a rapid test to provide an early diagnosis.
Testicular seminoma associated with torsion of the spermatic cord in two cryptorchid stallions. Two adult horses had colic attributable to spermatic cord torsion and strangulation of abdominally retained neoplastic testes. Both horses had caudal abdominal soft tissue masses palpable per rectum. One horse was treated successfully by surgical removal of the testis, and the other was euthanatized without treatment. Histopathologic diagnosis of the involved testes was testicular seminoma. Spermatic cord torsion of an abdominally retained testis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of signs of abdominal pain in cryptorchid stallions, especially those with a palpable caudal abdom...
Ultrastructural observation on the response of equine hoof defects to dietary supplementation with Farrier’s Formula. Farrier's Formula feed supplement was added to the diet of 18 horses with two types of hoof horn defects. The first group of horses showed sand cracks and crumbling horn around the nail holes; the second group suffered frequent bruising and had flat feet with collapsed heels. Hoof clippings from both groups were studied in the transmission and scanning electron microscopes. All the horses showed a progressive improvement in the gross and microscopic structure of the hoof horn, starting six weeks after the supplementation began. Once good quality hoof horn had grown there was no relapse during ...
Cecocolic intussusception in horses: 11 cases (1979-1989). Over a 10-year period, cecocolic intussusception was diagnosed in 11 of 842 horses undergoing surgical treatment for colic at the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine. Eight horses died or were euthanatized because of poor prognosis determined at surgery or because of postoperative complications. Three horses recovered without complication after manual reduction of the intussusception and partial typhlectomy, using an intestinal stapling device.
Influence of head posture on the respiratory tract of healthy horses. Twenty four normal, confined mares were unable to lower their heads for 24 or 48 h. In 21 mares this resulted in increases in the proportion of neutrophils and/or numbers of bacteria in transtracheal aspirates. In eight mares the changes in tracheal washes were accompanied by clinical evidence of mild respiratory disease. In three additional cases respiratory signs were accompanied by systemic illness. These changes reversed once the mares were able to lower their heads. Haematological changes (absolute neutrophilia and/or hyperfibrinogenamia) were mild and occurred more commonly in horses res...
Condylar buttress plate fixation of femoral fracture in a colt. A Salter-Harris type-II fracture of the distal portion of the femur in a 1-year-old Pony of America was repaired by use of lateral plating combined with interfragmentary compression. The configuration of the fracture and the method of internal fixation with a condylar buttress plate were unique and resulted in primary bone healing, seen at the 5-month follow-up examination.
Laryngeal hemiplegia in draft horses. A review of 27 cases. Case records of 27 draft horses with laryngeal hemiplegia were reviewed. Twenty-one horses were treated by ventriculectomy with or without prosthetic laryngoplasty, and 17 owners were contacted to determine the results. Fifteen horses improved after surgery and were able to perform to the owners' expectations. Performance improved significantly and hospitalization was shorter after ventriculectomy alone. Results of this study indicate that the clinical signs of exercise intolerance and excessive inspiratory noise associated with left laryngeal hemiplegia in draft horses can be treated successf...
Efficacy of avermectin B1 given orally against equine intestinal strongyles and Onchocera microfilaria. Three groups of horses and ponies (N = 13, 13 and 12) were treated with ivermectin paste (0.2 mg/kg p.o.), avermectin B1 solution (0.2 mg/kg p.o.), or fenbendazole suspension (10 mg/kg via nasogastric tube). The avermectin B1 was a 1% solution in a propylene glycolglycerol formal base. Faecal strongyle egg counts were performed before, and 14, 28, 42, 56 and 70 d, after treatment. Full-thickness skin biopsies from the neck, pectoral and umbilical regions were examined for Onchocera microfilaria before treatment, and again 14 and 70 d later. Ivermectin therapy produced a significant (P less tha...
A method of assessing auditory and brainstem function in horses. Brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) waveforms were recorded as a means of objectively evaluating auditory and brainstem function in horses. BAEP recordings were readily and repeatably recorded from horses, under minimal restraint, using signal averaging equipment. Clearly identified BAEP waveforms were obtained with compression clicks of 30-100 dB (HHL) at 10 Hz applied in the external auditory meatus of one ear and masking white noise (10 dB lower) in the other ear. Vertex positive (upwards) waveforms I through V were obtained with an active, subdermal electrode over the ipsilateral an...
Displacement of the large colon associated with nonsurgical correction of large-colon entrapment in the renosplenic space in a mare. Nonsurgical correction of a renosplenic entrapment of the large colon was attempted in a mare, using a rolling technique. After correction, the mare had initial improvement in clinical signs, but later developed signs of abdominal discomfort. A ventral midline celiotomy was performed, and a pelvic flexure impaction and large intestinal volvulus were found and corrected.
Vascular injury associated with naturally occurring strangulating obstructions of the equine large colon. Ten horses were euthanatized before, during, or after surgery to correct severe volvulus of the large colon. At surgery, the colonic serosa changed from blue-gray, blue or purple toward a more normal pink in seven horses after the volvulus was corrected. The mucosa consistently remained black or dark red. Results of postmortem colonic microangiography revealed perfusion of the serosa and the circular and longitudinal muscle layers, but mucosal perfusion was limited by thrombosis in the muscularis mucosae and submucosa. There was evidence of thrombosis of the mesenteric colic vessels in six hor...
Pleural effusion secondary to thoracic metastatic mammary adenocarcinoma in a mare. A 17-year-old Quarter Horse mare was examined nearly 3 years after excision and cryotherapy of a papillary mammary gland adenocarcinoma. The mare had been used for pleasure riding since surgery, but had recently developed progressive dyspnea. The mare had clinical evidence of pleural effusion, but died before further clinical examination and treatment were instituted. Necropsy revealed deep mammary masses with similar nodules in the deep inguinal, renal, and mediastinal lymph nodes and in the lungs, pericardium, visceral and parietal pleurae, and left ovary. The masses were identified as papil...
Treatment of equine leg wounds using skin grafts: Thirty-five cases, 1975-1988. A retrospective study was conducted on 35 equine patients with lower leg wounds that were managed utilizing skin graft procedures. Two pinch graft, five punch graft, seven tunnel graft, eight split-thickness mesh graft and thirteen full-thickness mesh expansion graft procedures were performed in the initial treatment. The average wound size was 188 cm(2). Twentyfour cases had pregrafting complications: 10 wounds developed sequestra; three wounds were grossly contaminated and infected; and 11 cases developed granulation tissue complications prior to grafting. Graft failure following the initial...
