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.
Johnson PJ, Allhands RV, Baker GJ, Boero MJ, Foreman JH, Hyyppa T, Huhn JC.Incomplete linear tibial fractures were identified in two horses with the aid of scintigraphy. Both horses were treated successfully by strict stall confinement, and both returned to normal athletic activity. Scintigraphy can be used to facilitate the generally difficult diagnosis of incomplete tibial fractures.
Blanchard TL, Varner DD, Hurtgen JP, Love CC, Cummings MR, Strezmienski PJ, Benson C, Kenney RM.A Thoroughbred stallion suspected of having venereal disease was found to have an infection of the accessory sex glands. Purulent debris, blood, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were recovered from all ejaculates. Treatment with gentamicin sulfate, tobramycin, and amikacin sulfate was unsuccessful in eliminating the infection. The stallion's seminal plasma, collected during treatment with gentamicin sulfate, did not contain any appreciable antibacterial activity. Apparently, negligible amounts of gentamicin diffused across the mucosal cell borders of the accessory sex glands into the seminal plasma....
Hondalus MK, Lofstedt J.A 16-year-old pony with signs of intermittent abdominal pain was treated with phenylbutazone in excess of the recommended dosage. Endoscopy revealed ulceration of the esophagus, stomach, and proximal portion of small intestine. The pony developed diarrhea. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from the blood and feces. Treatment included fluids, trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, sucralfate, and ranitidine hydrochloride. The diarrhea resolved, as did the gastrointestinal ulceration. This case was unusual because septicemia with salmonellosis is an uncommon finding in adult equids. Also, complications co...
Buonanno AM, Carlson GP, Kantrowitz B.Portosystemic shunt was diagnosed in a 6-month-old Quarter Horse filly with acute onset of apparent blindness and a 3-month history of depression, lethargy, and ataxia. Clinicopathologic test results indicated slightly high gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and serum total bilirubin concentration. Sulfobromophthalein half time was prolonged, and plasma ammonia and serum bile acid concentrations were high as well. Histopathologic findings of percutaneous liver biopsy included widespread hepatocyte atrophy and numerous prominent small arterioles in the area of the portal triad. On the basis...
Bohanon TC.An 8-cm compressed mass of dry cracked corn was found obstructing the duodenum of a horse with signs of colic. The mass was manipulated aborally and removed through jejunal enterotomy. The horse recovered and the impaction did not recur.
Markel MD, Wheat JD, Jones K.The medical records of 10 horses with invasive neoplasms of the penis, prepuce, and/or superficial inguinal lymph nodes in which treatment involved en bloc resection and penile retroversion were reviewed. All were geldings and ranged in age from 12 to 25 years (mean, 19 years). Evaluation of biopsy specimens obtained before surgery confirmed lymphosarcoma in 1 horse and squamous cell carcinoma in 9 horses. Typical history included swelling, ulceration, and abscessation of the penis and prepuce and large superficial inguinal lymph nodes. Complications after surgery included dehiscence of the ur...
Dean PW, Robertson JT.A urachal remnant, causing pollakiuria and dysuria, was diagnosed by rectal palpation of a urinary bladder adhesion and endoscopic visualization of a urinary bladder diverticulum. Surgical excision of the remnant resulted in relief of abnormal micturition, but the filly was euthanatized 9 months after surgery because of a chronic ventral midline incisional infection. Pollakiuria and dysuria associated with urachal abscessation occur most commonly in calves. This report documents the syndrome in a horse.
Markel MD, Meagher DM, Richardson DW.Colopexy of the left ventral colon to the abdominal wall was performed in 4 horses with recurrence of large-colon displacement or volvulus. Horses were discharged between 5 and 27 days after surgery. At follow-up evaluation (mean, 10.5 months; range, 7 to 13 months) of the horses, none had recurrence of signs of abdominal pain, and all had normal body weight. Three horses were exercised regularly; signs of abdominal pain were not observed.
Humber KA.After becoming entangled in safety lines and being submerged in a chlorinated swimming pool, a 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was evaluated and treated successfully. Treatment included antimicrobial agents, anti-inflammatory drugs, bronchodilators, diuretics, humidified oxygen, and surfactant transplant. The results of follow-up examination of the gelding 120 days after hospitalization were normal.
McCarthy RN, Hutchins DR.A retrospective analysis of 74 cases that underwent surgery for colic was undertaken to determine short and long term survival rates and the incidence of post-operative complications. In 28 cases colic was related to small intestinal lesions and in 46 cases to large intestinal lesions. Pre-operative packed cell volume and heart rate were found to be inversely related to short-term survival. Twenty-five horses (34%) recovered from surgery and were discharged. Of 18 of these cases with available histories, 6 subsequently had one or more episodes of colic since surgery of which 5 eventually died ...
Markel MD, Dreyfuss DJ, Meagher DM.A study was designed to evaluate 2 colopexy techniques (A and B) in 8 clinically normal horses to determine which technique would prevent recurrence of large-colon displacement and/or volvulus. For technique A, 35 cm of the lateral free band of the left ventral colon was sutured to the abdominal wall, 6 cm to the left of ventral midline. For technique B, the medial free band of the left ventral colon was sutured to the medial free band of the right ventral colon, and 8 cm of the lateral free band of the left ventral colon was sutured to the abdominal wall, 6 cm to the left of ventral midline. ...
Koblik PD, O'Brien TR, Coyne CP.The effect of dorsopalmar projection obliquity on calculation of distal phalangeal rotation (DPR) angle was determined in 8 feet obtained from 5 horses that had been euthanatized because of laminitis. A true lateromedial view of each foot served as a reference, with additional views taken at 5, 10, 15, and 20 degrees of x-ray tube head rotation in both a dorsal and in a palmar direction. Projection obliquity resulted in consistent underestimation of DPR angle. Where projection obliquity exceeded 10 degrees, there were significant (P less than 0.05) differences in DPR angle. The magnitude of un...
Sundquist B, Lövgren K, Morein B.A monovalent experimental ISCOM vaccine has been prepared with the envelope glycoproteins haemagglutinin and neuraminidase of the equine virus strain A/Solvalla/79 (H3N8). In vaccination trials on BALB/c mice the ISCOM vaccine induced more than ten times higher serum antibody titres measured in ELISA than a corresponding experimental micelle vaccine. Similarly, in guinea-pigs the ISCOMs induced about tenfold higher haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and neuraminidase inhibition (NI) titres than a micelle vaccine or a conventional killed influenza whole virus vaccine. Horses vaccinated with a di...
Mendoza L, Alfaro AA, Villalobos J.A 5-year-old, female saddle horse developed a tumoral mass anterolaterally on the metacarpal region of its right front leg. Histopathological study showed hyaline, aseptate, broad hyphae in the sequestered coral-like necrotic masses. Radiographs revealed an extensive osteomyelitis with disorganized bone proliferation of the metacarpal bones, as well as exostosis of the distal radius and the proximal and distal row of carpal bones. The etiologic agent was detected histologically, isolated in culture and identified as Pythium insidiosum. Serological tests were positive. Immunotherapy was applied...
Palmer JE, Whitlock RH, Benson CE.Equine ehrlichial colitis was experimentally induced in 18 ponies, using Ehrlichia risticii-infected blood. Four ponies (group 1) were treated with oxytetracycline (6.6 mg/kg of body weight, IV, q 12 h), beginning 14 hours before inoculation and continuing for 5 days after inoculation. Four additional ponies (group 2) were treated similarly for 10 days after inoculation. The remaining 10 ponies were used as nontreated, infected controls. Clinical disease was delayed in 3 group-1 ponies and in 4 group-2 ponies. Protective immunity developed in the remaining pony that did not develop clinical di...
Belknap J, Arden W, Yamini B.A 2-month-old Standard-bred colt with signs of abdominal pain and large scrotum was found to have septic periorchitis involving the right testis. Surgical exploration of the abdomen and scrotum was performed; the colt was then castrated. Actinobacillus equuli was isolated from specimens obtained at surgery. The colt was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics and flunixin meglumine after surgery, and fully recovered. The clinical signs of periorchitis in the colt were similar to an inguinal/scrotal hernia.
McKinnon AO, Squires EL, Harrison LA, Blach EL, Shideler RK.During breeding of mares, ultrasonographic detection of uterine fluid accumulations in the first postpartum ovulatory period was associated with significantly decreased pregnancy rates, when compared with rates in control mares (P less than 0.005). The previously gravid uterine horn was recognized as the larger horn, when assessed for size by ultrasonography, for a mean of 21 days (range, 15 to 25 days) after parturition. On the basis of similar measurements obtained during 3 ultrasonographic scans (5-day period), uterine involution was determined to be completed in a mean of 23 days (range, 1...
Livesey MA, Arighi M, Ducharme NG, Horney FD, Hurtig MB.Incarceration of the large colon by the suspensory ligament of the spleen was diagnosed and surgically corrected on exploratory celiotomy in 76 horses exhibiting abdominal pain. The condition was diagnosed most frequently during the winter months in mature males of mean age 4.7 years. Clinical signs progressed slowly and included mild to moderate abdominal pain and distension with moderate tachycardia. The mean duration of colic prior to surgical intervention was 20.7 hours. The mild nature of the colic, the findings on palpation per rectum, and the continued passage of feces in 40% of horses,...
Divers TJ, Byars TD, Spirito M.Bilateral ureteral defects were diagnosed as the cause of depression and azotemia in an 8-day-old Thoroughbred filly. The azotemia resulted from accumulation of urine in the retroperitoneal area. A ventral midline laparotomy was performed, and defects found in both the left and right ureter were repaired. Uroperitoneum and abdominal distention, presumably from urine leakage at the left ureteral surgery site, were detected on the fourth postoperative day and necessitated abdominal drainage. Thirty-six hours later, the leakage stopped spontaneously, and the foal recovered normally. This report s...
Matthews AG, Hackett IJ, Lawton WA.The effect of the mucolytic drug Sputolosin on the clinical signs of respiratory disease among 28 matched pairs of horses was examined. Compared with the untreated group, the treated group showed a significant decrease in the frequency of coughing and a decreased time to resolution of both cough and nasal discharge. The results indicate that the drug is potentially useful in the management of respiratory disease characterised by an abnormal or increased production of mucus.
Plenderleith RW.In large animal practice, clinical cases involving deep-seated infections affecting bones, joints, meninges and the larynx are particularly difficult to treat. The antibiotic lincomycin has the ability to penetrate tissue of poor vascularity and is also effective in the presence of pus. Eleven cattle, six sheep and three horses were treated with the drug at various doses and in 75 per cent of the cases there was a positive response.
Harrison IW, Raker CW.Bilateral arytenoidectomy had been performed as treatment for bilateral arytenoid chondritis in 2 horses. After surgery, dorsal mucosal defects were associated with subsequent development of dorsal glottic stenosis in the 2 horses. When performing bilateral arytenoidectomy in the horse, care must be taken to eliminate dorsal mucosal defects that cross the midline. Failure to close these defects may result in glottic stenosis.
Bostedt H.A clinical study about the effects of a beta 2-mimetic agent (Clenbuterol) in mares with pregnancy disorders or disorders during the periparturient period (n = 34) is reported. In general, a single dose of 0.3 mg Clenbuterol given i.v. induces sufficient tocolysis. Subsequent doses or follow-up treatment depend upon individual development during dystocia, indication of treatment and clinical preparturient status (dorsoflexio uteri ante partum, abortus imminens, preparturient labor pains).
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.During 1986, fecal specimens were collected 1 or more times from each of 164 horse foals (158 Thoroughbred and 6 mixed light horse type), ranging in age from 0 to 252 days, on 13 farms in central Kentucky. To detect natural infection with Eimeria leuckarti, feces were examined for oocysts. Oocysts were found in 67 (41%) of the foals on 11 (85%) of the farms. The earliest age at which oocysts were first detected was 15 days (1 foal); the latest age was 123 days (1 foal). The mean age for the first appearance of oocysts in the feces of the 67 foals positive for E leuckarti was approximately 70 d...
Louw JP, Meyer S, Schröder J.The anthelmintic efficacy of a 44.5% paste formulation of cambendazole was evaluated in a critical trial performed on 5 horses and a donkey. A dosage of 20 mg/kg showed reduction of mean parasite burdens as follows: Strongylinae greater than 99%; Cyathostominae 94%; immature and adult Oxyuris equi 89 and greater than 99%; Probstmayria vivipara greater than 99% and Habronema muscae 97%. Parascaris equorum and Anoplocephala perfoliata were present in small numbers in individual animals only, and while all were removed by treatment, the small numbers did not justify calculation of a percentage ef...
Ysebaert MP, Johnson JP, Abbas G, Cavalcante PH, King R, Oikawa M, Puchalski S, David F.To report the diagnostics, surgical treatment, and outcome of a juvenile foal with solitary osteochondroma (SO) interfering with the podotrochlear apparatus. Methods: Case report ANIMAL: One 36-day-old Arabian colt. Methods: Clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, computed tomographic, and histopathologic examinations were required to characterize and treat an SO located at the palmar aspect of the diaphysis of the second phalanx of the left forelimb. This SO caused severe distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) inflammation, marked interference with the podotrochlear apparatus, and associated l...
Kuiper R, Franken P.The course run by the disease is described in a horse which showed the symptom complex of colitis X following treatment with oxytetracycline. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was also observed in this horse. The possibility of disseminated intravascular coagulation being part of colitis X is discussed.
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...
Brünott A, van der Velden MA.In this case report a 20-year-old horse with unilateral eosinophilic keratitis is presented. The occurrence, clinical symptoms, histological findings and treatment of this ocular disorder are described and discussed against the background of relevant literature. Local administration of 0.1% dexamethason was successful.