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.
Sanders-Shamis M, Bramlage LR, Gable AA.The case records, radiographs and treatment results of 47 consecutive equine radius fractures presented to The Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital from 1975 to 1985 were examined retrospectively. Chip fractures and incomplete fractures were not considered. Both diaphyseal fractures and fractures involving the physes were included. Diaphyseal fractures were placed into three major categories: comminuted, oblique and transverse; and subclassified as proximal, mid-diaphyseal, or distal. Fractures involving a physis were classified using the Salter-Harris classification system. The horses ra...
Herd RP, Kent JE.Serum protein responses were examined in 52 ponies divided into five groups and subjected to various control strategies that resulted in pasture infectivity ranging from 706 to 18,486 infective third stage, cyathostome and Trichostrongylus axei larvae per kilogram of herbage (L3/kg) by 17 September 1984. Major protein changes occurred only in young ponies (Groups 4 and 5) and were observed before exposure to maximum numbers of pasture larvae (Group 4; 10,210 L3/kg, Group 5: 10,042 L3/kg) on 17 September. It appeared that a primary infection of T axei was a greater stimulus to serum beta-globul...
Lees P, Higgins AJ.In a 12-day treatment schedule, 5 ponies were given orally a paste formulation of phenylbutazone (PBZ) and 5 matched ponies were given equivalent doses of a placebo paste. On day 12, a mild, nonimmune inflammatory reaction was induced subcutaneously in the neck of each pony by inserting sterile, polyester sponge strips soaked in a 2% carrageenan solution. Exudate was collected at 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours by serial removal of sponges. There were no significant (P less than 0.05) differences in exudate protein concentration and leukocyte numbers between the treatment groups, but the group given PB...
Michel TH, Rossdale PD, Cash RS.Plasma progesterone levels were measured daily to determine the accuracy of diagnosing ovulation by rectal palpation carried out every other day; 81.5 per cent mares injected with human chorionic gonadotrophin showed increases of progesterone more than 1 ng/ml by 72 h after injection compared with 65 per cent of mares injected with gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) or saline. Mating at ovulation achieved a 74 per cent pregnancy rate in mares given hCG compared with 50 per cent given GnRH and 45 per cent controls. Diagnosis of ovulation per rectum on the basis of a pit in the ovarian surfa...
Al-Modhefer AK, Atherton JC, Garland HO, Singh HJ, Walker J.Single-nephron and whole-kidney function were studied in female rats with corticomedullary nephrocalcinosis, and in animals where the lesion had been prevented either by a dietary magnesium supplement or by using a diet with a calcium:phosphorus ratio in excess of 1. At the single-nephron level, rats with nephrocalcinosis had prolonged tubular fluid transit times. Proximal transit time was 19.42 +/- 1.98 (mean +/- S.E. of mean) vs. 11.58 +/- 0.19 s for controls; distal transit time was 62.64 +/- 9.16 vs. 31.50 +/- 1.03 s for controls. Although single-nephron function is altered in nephrocalcin...
Kellagher RE, Watney GC.Unexpected cardiac arrest occurred in two horses during routine surgical anaesthesia. Both were successfully resuscitated. The aetiology of these occurrences and their possible relationship to second degree heart block is discussed.
Aguilar CM, Rangel EF, Deane LM.In an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Rio de Janeiro State where a mule had been found infected, a systematic search among equines was performed, resulting in the detection of Leishmania parasites in skin lesions of 30.8% of the animals, which included horses and mules. The eventual role of equines in the epidemiology of the human disease is being investigated.
Patel J, Lofstedt RM.This report involves uterine rupture in a mare, which was unique because it was not associated with assisted or difficult foaling. We describe an alternative to surgical correction of the condition and illustrate the need for luminal uterine palpation, so that uterine rupture does not go undiagnosed.
Hardy J, Marcoux M, Eisenberg H.A suspected lesion of osteochondrosis dissecans involving the anconeal process of the humeroradial joint (elbow) was found in 2 horses. In horse 1, the lesion was found during routine lameness examination, during which alleviation of the lameness was achieved after intra-articular anesthesia of the elbow. In horse 2, the lesion was found at necropsy. Horse 1 responded satisfactorily to intra-articular treatment with hyaluronic acid. Both horses also had other joints affected with osteochondrosis dissecans.
Byars TD, Greene CE, Kemp DT.Warfarin-induced anticoagulation and reversal of the induced anticoagulation by vitamin K1 were evaluated in 4 mature horses. Each horse was given warfarin IV until the prothrombin (PT) time was prolonged by approximately 1.5 times the predosing base-line value. In experiment 1, we evaluated the time required for PT to return to the predosing value (PT reversal time) after warfarin administration was discontinued. Between each experiment, a 1-week rest period was allowed. In experiment 2, two doses of vitamin K1 (100 mg/dose) were administered IM 6 hours apart, and the PT was monitored hourly ...
Matthews NS, Gleed RD, Short CE, Burrows K.Isoxsuprine (0.6 mg/kg) administered IV to 6 standing horses produced substantial, transient decreases in systemic blood pressure, systemic vascular resistance, and stroke volume. It also produced substantial, transient increases in heart rate, cardiac output, and purposeful movement. Plasma concentrations of isoxsuprine peaked soon after the drug was administered IV and then decreased over a 12-hour period in a biexponential manner, with distribution and elimination half-lives of 14 minutes and 2.67 hours, respectively. Total body clearance and steady-state volume of distribution were calcula...
Sojka JE, Brown SA.Serum gentamicin concentrations were measured and pharmacokinetic values were calculated for 12 equine patients receiving parenteral gentamicin therapy. Horses were selected for monitoring of gentamicin pharmacokinetics if they met several criteria of high risk for gentamicin-induced toxicosis. Two blood samples were obtained, one immediately before gentamicin dosing and one at 1 hour after dosing. Gentamicin serum concentrations were analyzed and dosage adjustments were made on the basis of calculated one-compartment pharmacokinetic values. Nine of the 12 horses required dosage adjustment to ...
Bauer C, Bürger HJ.A paste formulation containing 14.3 per cent of oxibendazole and 44 per cent of trichlorfon was administered to 33 ponies and horses. The dose rate used was equivalent to 10 mg and 30 mg/kg bodyweight, of oxibendazole and trichlorfon respectively. After treatment 25 animals passed between one and 82 third stage larvae of Gasterophilus intestinalis in their faeces. Dosing with 0.2 mg ivermectin/kg bodyweight three weeks later resulted in six animals expelling between one and four bots. The efficacy of the oxibendazole-trichlorfon paste was on average 96.2 per cent. This drug combination given t...
Hillidge CJ.Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi is becoming increasingly significant as a cause of bronchopneumonia and lung abscessation in foals. The organism can survive within macrophages and may thus escape normal pulmonary defence mechanisms, particularly in immunocompromised animals. The disease has hitherto been associated with mortality rates as high as 80 per cent, partly as a result of inappropriate therapy. The selection of lipid-soluble antibiotics capable of intracellular penetration is critical for the successful treatment of C equi lung abscesses. A combination of two such antibiotics, eryt...
Webbon PM.A series of experimental tendon biopsies is described. Three biopsies were taken from the lateral digital extensor tendon (LDET) and three from the superficial flexor tendon (SFT). The LDET biopsies resulted in little discomfort whereas the SFT biopsies led to temporary lameness. The tendons were examined histologically up to 99 days after the biopsies were removed. In all of the tendons the defect filled with granulation tissue which subsequently became organised as a longitudinally orientated collagenous scar tissue. In this small series of biopsies the histological effects of the biopsy per...
Hoffer RE, Barber SM, Kallfelz FA, Petro SP.Esophageal patch grafting, using the sternocephalicus muscle, was used for treatment of cervical esophageal stricture in a mare. The mare was maintained during the initial healing phase by total parenteral nutrition.
Tang L, Xiu Y, Yan L, Cui Y, Ma X, Ente M, Zhang Y, Li K, Zhang D.Reintroduction of endangered species to natural habitat is considered as an important tool for conservation. The effect of drug management on captive population of reintroduced species is largely neglected. Decreased drug efficacy could pose a substantial threat to health of animals. More importantly, captive population without proper drug administration could act as transmission medium of resistance nematodes to wild population, making it important to delay the occurrence of drug resistance in captive population. Ivermectin have been used in captive Przewalski's horse () to eradicate intestin...
Traub-Dargatz J.This article describes the field investigation of horses with nasal discharge (serous, purulent, blood and feed). Flow charts on how to evaluate affected horses, and photographs of the examination procedures and of horses affected with nasal discharge are included.