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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.
Wounds of the esophagus and trachea. Wounds of the esophagus and trachea are uncommon, but closed wounds can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Esophageal wounds are the more serious and can be life-threatening; however, appropriate surgical and medical treatment applied without delay can be successful in some cases, especially in full-thickness longitudinal wounds. Tracheal wounds are usually less severe, but the high risk of iatrogenic injuries to the trachea should be recognized. Also, tracheal injuries can limit the athletic potential of a horse.
Management of exuberant granulation tissue. Exuberant granulation tissue is common in large, lower limb wounds of horses, particularly horses of large body size. Methods of control include chemical cautery, cryogenic surgery, and surgical resection. Surgical resection is preferred because it is easy to perform, provides tissue for histologic evaluation, and preserves the epithelial margin. Effective treatments to prevent the formation of granulation tissue include leaving granulating wounds open to the air or, possibly, bandaging with topical steroids. Bandaging or casting may promote exuberant granulation tissue in wounds in which it h...
Delayed wound closure and scar revision. Delayed closure is an underutilized technique that can produce a good cosmetic result in lower leg wounds and can significantly shorten the healing time. To be successful, the surgeon should be able to utilize tension-relieving techniques and manage dead space. Scar revision should be limited to simple elliptical excision or modifications thereof until experience is developed. Sliding skin flaps, Z-plasties, and W-plasties are used infrequently and require adequate preoperative planning.
Effect of calcium-channel blockers and salbutamol on the isolated mare uterus–interaction with the calcium agonist Bay K 8644. The effects of nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem were investigated in the isolated mare uterus in comparison with salbutamol. All the calcium-channel blockers and salbutamol inhibited the spontaneous, KC1- and electrically induced contractions; nifedipine and salbutamol were the most potent compounds. The calcium agonist Bay K 8644 (10(-8)-10(-6) mol/l) competitively antagonized the inhibitory effect of nifedipine (pA2 value = 8.54 +/- 0.06), whereas it was only slightly or totally ineffective against verapamil, diltiazem and salbutamol. These results indicate that calcium-channel blockers a...
Viral DNA in horses infected with equine infectious anemia virus. The amount and distribution of viral DNA were established in a horse acutely infected with the Wyoming strain of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). The highest concentration of viral DNA were found in the liver, lymph nodes, bone marrow, and spleen. The kidney, choroid plexus, and peripheral blood leukocytes also contained viral DNA, but at a lower level. It is estimated that at day 16 postinoculation, almost all of the viral DNA was located in the tissues, with the liver alone containing about 90 times more EIAV DNA than the peripheral blood leukocytes did. Assuming a monocyte-macrophage ...
Techniques of wound closure. Although many wounds in horses heal successfully by second-intention healing or delayed closure, some wounds can be sutured primarily, with reasonably high expectations of first-intention healing. To expect to achieve these results, one needs to have a rational treatment plan. Such a plan should be based on a working knowledge of the biology of tissue repair and tissue infection. Treatment decisions should be based more on results of experimental and clinical trials rather than on testimonials of other practitioners.
Efficacy of ivermectin against experimental and natural infections of Gasterophilus spp in ponies. Antiparasitic efficacy of ivermectin against migrating Gasterophilus intestinalis was evaluated in 36 treated and 24 nontreated (n = 12) or vehicle-treated (n = 12) ponies experimentally and naturally infected with G intestinalis and naturally infected with G nasalis. Each pony was experimentally infected with 500 G intestinalis 1st instars in 2 divided doses on days -14 and -7 before treatment. On day 0, ivermectin was administered at the rate of 200 micrograms/kg of body weight by IV (n = 12) or IM injection (n = 12) or given as an oral paste (n = 12). Ponies were euthanatized and necropsied...
Second-intention healing. Second-intention healing (contraction and epithelization) is most appropriate for heavily traumatized, contaminated wounds that may have a prolonged debridement phase. Therapy during healing can promote rapid debridement and faster healing. Healing of lower limb wounds by second intention may be protracted, owing to poorer wound contraction and excessive granulation tissue production as compared with body wounds.
Management of traumatic tendon lacerations. This article deals with the diagnosis and treatment of tendon lacerations. Tendon healing, with its implications relative to treatment, is discussed. The various pros and cons of suturing severed tendons are addressed as well as methods of immobilizing the injured limb. The need for prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment of tendon sheath injuries is also discussed.
The use of long-acting neuroleptics, perphenazine enanthate and pipothiazine palmitate in two horses. Two Arabian horse stallions with behavioural problems were treated with long-acting neuroleptics in order to facilitate corrective training. Perphenazine enanthate, administered intramuscularly at a dose of 0.5 mg kg-1 had an effect for 30 d. Pipothiazine palmitate (1 mg kg-1) induced tranquilization of 30 d duration as well as extra-pyramidal clinical signs, ataxia and aphagia. Neither horse showed prolapse of the penis or haemolysis.
Effects of atracurium administered by continuous intravenous infusion in halothane-anesthetized horses. Atracurium (0.4 mg/ml in isotonic NaCl solution) was administered by IV infusion to 7 healthy adult horses for 2 hours. Over the 2-hour period, a 95 to 99% reduction of train-of-four hoof-twitch response was maintained by 0.17 +/- 0.01 mg of atracurium/kg of body weight/h, for a total of 161 +/- 6 mg of atracurium (mean +/- SEM) for horses 1 to 4, 6, and 7. Horse 5, a mare in estrus, required 0.49 mg of atracurium/kg/h to maintain comparable relaxation. Hoof-twitch recovery time from 10 to 75% of baseline strength was 19.8 +/- 2.5 minutes for all horses. The 10 to 75% recovery time for horse 5...
Hoof injuries. Major surgery for wounds of the foot, compared with other parts of the body, requires a more detailed preparation and a more persistent aftercare. To approach severe hoof wounds with a routine applicable to drainage of a subsolar abscess is doomed to failure! Yet, in dealing with referral cases of hoof wounds, particularly those that have become chronic, the author has observed that the principles have been ignored and/or the routines inadequate. The hoof has a suitable capacity to heal, with complete reformation of hoof structures, if a healing environment is maintained for a long enough peri...
The management of open joint injuries. The prognosis for returning horses with open joint injuries to athletic function is most closely related to the duration of the injury prior to treatment. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate therapy should yield a favorable result. Delayed diagnosis or inappropriate therapy that allow the wound to progress to an infected state makes the likelihood of return to athletic function poor. Refractory joint infection can occur despite early diagnosis and prompt appropriate therapy. The development of these infections is undoubtedly increased by tissue loss and gross contamination. Appropriate antibiotic...
Skin grafting of the horse. Free autogenous skin grafting of the horse is indicated for wounds too large to heal by contraction and epithelization. Techniques of pinch, punch, tunnel, and sheet grafting are described. Allografting and storage of skin for delayed grafting are discussed.
Cross-neutralizing and subclass characteristics of antibody from horses with equine infectious anemia virus. Antibody responses in horses with equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) were examined to determine their cross-neutralizing capacity. Antibodies induced by infection with any of six biologically cloned variants of EIAV cross-neutralized multiple variants from the group. Anti-EIAV antibody was found in both the IgG and IgG(T) subclasses in plasmas with virus-neutralizing activity and the majority of antiviral antibody was of the IgG(T) subclass. Depletion of IgG(T) did not increase the neutralization indexes of either neutralizing or non-neutralizing plasma samples.
Influence of clenbuterol on mucociliary transport in healthy horses and horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The mucociliary tracheal transport rate and clearance index were measured in 16 healthy horses and 16 horses suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A marker, Indian ink in syrup, was placed in the mucus layer of the interior wall of the trachea, just in front of the carina, and its displacement was measured after 30 and 60 minutes. The same procedure was repeated 30 minutes after the intravenous administration of 0.8 microgram clenbuterol/kg bodyweight. In the diseased horses the mucociliary transport rate was significantly lower than in the healthy horses. After clenbuterol adm...
Staphylectomy for treatment of dorsal displacement of the soft palate in two foals. Dorsal displacement of the soft palate associated with dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia was diagnosed in 2 young foals. The displacement appeared to be congenital. Clinical signs associated with the condition were resolved after staphylectomy. Dorsal displacement of the soft palate is usually recognized in adult animals as an upper respiratory tract disease, but may be a contributing factor to dysphagia and lower respiratory tract disease in young animals.
Methods of stimulating acupuncture points for treatment of chronic back pain in horses. Horses with chronic back pain of 2 to 108 months' duration were treated using acupuncture (n = 15), laser acupuncture (n = 15), or injection acupuncture (n = 15). Horses were treated once a week for 8 treatments (mean) with needle acupuncture, 11 treatments with laser acupuncture, or 9 treatments with injection acupuncture. After treatment, 37 horses had alleviation of clinical signs of pain and could train and compete: 13 horses treated with needle acupuncture; 11 horses treated with laser acupuncture; and 13 horses treated with injection acupuncture. Seemingly, the 3 types of acupuncture wer...
Field efficacy of ivermectin, fenbendazole and pyrantel embonate paste anthelmintics in horses. Three anthelmintic pastes were compared in terms of their ability to suppress the output of parasite eggs in the faeces of 108 grazing horses at four sites in Britain; the horses were treated once with either ivermectin, fenbendazole or pyrantel. At each site, the horses grazed together throughout the trials which took place during the summers of 1985 and 1986. The median periods before parasite eggs reappeared in faeces were 70 days for ivermectin, 14 days for fenbendazole and 39 days for pyrantel embonate. Geometric mean faecal egg counts in the groups treated with ivermectin and pyrantel we...
Postanesthetic equine myopathy suggestive of malignant hyperthermia. A case report. Signs of malignant hyperthermia, including progressive increases in PaCO2, skin temperature and heart rate, and elevated serum levels of potassium, inorganic phosphate, and creatine kinase, were identified in a halothane-anesthetized horse. Treatment was discontinuing halothane administration, applying ice and cold fluids, and hyperventilating with 100% oxygen. After an initial recovery, bilateral hindlimb myopathy and pigmenturia developed. The myopathy resolved after treatment with oral dantrolene, IV fluids, and hydrocortisone. Results of caffeine-halothane challenge, using semimembranosus ...
Simultaneous analysis of furosemide and bumetanide in horse plasma using high performance liquid chromatography. A high performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the simultaneous determination of furosemide and bumetanide in horse plasma. The C8 (3 microns) reversed phase column (4.8 x 150 mm) provided clear separation of furosemide and bumetanide with other components present in the horse plasma. The detection limit for both the drugs was 10 ng/mL. Both drugs were stable in plasma (at natural or acidic pH) for up to 24 h. The method is sufficiently sensitive to detect furosemide levels in plasma obtained from horses receiving a therapeutic dose of furosemide.
An improved TLC method for the detection of flunixin in equine serum. A method for flunixin detection in equine serum extracts involving thin layer chromatography, spraying the chromatogram with alkaline sodium hypochlorite solution and heating with a detection limit of 50 ng ml-1 is described.
