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.
Steenhaut M, Vlaminck K, Gasthuys F.RUPTURE of the stomach is a common complication of
gastric impaction and intestinal reflux or of gastric distention.
After rupture, the general condition of the horse deteriorates
and death follows within a few hours (Tennant, Wheat and
Meagher 1972; McIlwraith 1982).
Dietz and Wiesner (1982) state that partial rupture of the
stomach may result in severe blood loss with circulatory
collapse. In this report a partial rupture of the stomach was
surgically repaired during exploratory laparotomy.
Greet TR, Whitwell KE.Twenty-five horses, suspected on clinical grounds of having grass sickness, were given a barium swallow. Using image intensification the passage of the barium bolus was followed radiographically from the pharynx to the stomach. All 18 horses in which grass sickness was later confirmed at post mortem examination showed defective oesophageal motility. Although the specificity of the abnormality could not be proven, the technique offers a valuable aid to the ante mortem diagnosis of grass sickness.
Edwards GB.During a 14 year period, 27 of 310 horses undergoing laparotomy because of abdominal pain were found to have an intussusception involving the small intestine (16 cases) or caecum (11 cases). The clinical signs, operative findings and techniques adopted to overcome the obstruction are described. An evaluation of possible predisposing factors provided further evidence of the important role of the tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata in initiating intussusception involving the ileum and caecum.
Bowman KF, Dix LP, Riond JL, Riviere JE.Pharmacokinetics of ampicillin sodium (11 mg/kg), gentamicin sulfate (2.2 mg/kg), and combination ampicillin sodium-gentamicin sulfate were determined for serum and synovia of healthy horses given single-dose IV injection and were not found to be different from those from other reports; however, a prolonged terminal gamma-phase for gentamicin (8,498 +/- 1,842 minutes) in serum of horses was found to exist. Pharmacokinetic interaction between combination ampicillin sodium-gentamicin sulfate was not observed int he serum or synovia. Prediction of ampicillin sodium or gentamicin sulfate concentra...
Puotunen-Reinert A.In a retrospective study, the prognostic value and individual merit of seven variables, used in routine examination of colic cases, were tested. The following variables proved to be significant in discriminating between horses which survived and those which died: heart rate (P less than 0.00005), packed cell volume (P less than 0.00005) and intensity of colic signs (P less than 0.0001).
Edwards GB.Intraoperative techniques for assessing the viability of ischaemic bowel are discussed. Intravenous administration of sodium fluorescein appears useful but further investigation of the method is required. Methods of resection and anastomosis of small intestine are described and illustrated, including the use of automatic stapling instruments.
Dieleman EF.This review describes research conducted from 1900-1983 on trypanosomiasis due to Trypanosoma evansi in Indonesia. Clinical signs and post-mortem findings in horses, cattle, buffaloes, pigs and dogs, experimental transmission tests to establish possible surra vectors in Indonesia, and research on chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis are discussed.
Livesey MA, Hulland TJ, Yovich JV.The research article discusses a rare case of colic in two horses, which was attributed to the existence of smooth muscle intestinal tumors. Introduction The article begins by explaining that […]
Mathisen SR, Wu HD, Sauvage LR, Walker MW.Because repeat sternotomies are becoming much more prevalent with repeat coronary bypass operations, prevention of direct adhesions of the heart and grafts to the back of the sternum by use of synthetic or xenograft material to close the pericardiotomy has become a matter for investigation. In this study bovine and equine glutaraldehyde-processed xenografts were implanted bilaterally in dogs for implant intervals of 6 weeks and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The bovine and equine xenografts both performed well in resisting the adhesion of the heart to their inner surfaces and less well in resisting a...
Gerring EE, Hunt JM.An experimental model of postoperative ileus was developed in ponies using trauma to, and exposure of, a length of small intestine which gave rise to a reproducible and reversible set of changes in gut activity. This was assessed by recordings of electrical and mechanical activity and by propulsion of spheres from stomach to anus. Activity was depressed, especially in the stomach and colon, and transit was slowed. All drugs given increased electromechanical activity but propranolol was the least effective and did not alter the delayed transit of spheres. Yohimbine was more effective and the ad...
Becht JL, Byars TD.Gastroduodenal ulceration is becoming recognised as an important disease in foals during the first few months of life. Aetiopathogenesis is presumed to be similar to peptic disease in humans associated with back diffusion of hydrogen ions into the mucosa. Many factors have been incriminated as predisposing foals to ulceration but few have been proven. To date, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents has been the only documented cause of gastroduodenal ulceration in foals. The clustering of affected foals on certain farms suggests an infectious aetiology but attempts to identify a causati...
Roberts MC, Argenzio A.Amitraz, atropine, glycopyrrolate and morphine (but not its derivatives, meperidine [pethidine], oxymorphone and butorphanol) produced similar effects on clinically observed intestinal functions and significantly prolonged intestinal transit, as assessed with polyethylene glycol (PEG). However, their mechanisms of action, particularly on intestinal transport (fluid movement), may differ widely. Loperamide appeared to exert a preferential action on intestinal transport rather than motility, as there was no significant delay in PEG transit. The action of amitraz in perturbing smooth muscle coord...
Hunt JM, Edwards GB, Clarke KW.A survey of 259 surgical colic cases revealed that over 50 per cent of fatalities occurred in the postoperative period. Postoperative ileus and circulatory/endotoxaemic shock accounted for 70 per cent of these deaths. Other less important complications were salmonellosis, long bone fracture, adhesions, haemorrhage, laminitis, wound infection and ischaemic muscle damage. Close monitoring of postoperative progress is necessary to enable early diagnosis and treatment. Recent developments in understanding of the pathophysiology of endotoxic shock and ileus may lead to more successful treatment reg...
The Journal of traumaJune 1, 1986
Volume 26, Issue 6 559-560 doi: 10.1097/00005373-198606000-00013
Busch HM, Cogbill TH, Landercasper J, Landercasper BO.During the past 6 years 134 patients were admitted as the result of bovine (cow) and equine (horse) trauma. The mechanism of injury was fall from horse in 45 patients, animal assault in 42, animal kick in 39, and animal-drawn vehicle accident in eight. Injury Severity Score (ISS) ranged from 1 to 41 and was greater than or equal to 25 in 11 patients. One hundred seventeen operative procedures were performed by ten groups of surgical subspecialists. Mortality was nil. Ideal management of these injuries includes treatment in a regional trauma center and an educational program of preventive measu...
Bell LG, Lowe JE.A questionnaire was designed to determine the incidence of major injuries, severe colic, and acute laminitis in horses at American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) A- and B-rated shows, ie, those shows requiring a veterinarian in attendance. The questionnaire was sent to the show stewards and filled out by the attending veterinarians of the AHSA A- and B-rated shows held from January 1982 to October 1984. Of 2,952 questionnaires sent out, 799 (27%) were completed and returned by veterinarians; 99 of them were discarded because of incomplete or misleading information. The study revealed a low inc...
Denkhaus M, Van Amstel S.Non-commercial, endotoxin positive, intravenous fluids as well as a commercially available intravenous fluid were given to clinically normal horses. Endotoxin-positive fluids caused clinical signs attributable to endotoxaemia. Leukopenia, preceded by a fluctuating white cell count, was observed in horses showing clinical signs. The commercial intravenous fluid had no effect on the white cell count or on the clinical state. Precautions to be taken and recommendations are made with regard to the monitoring of horses in which one might be forced to use non-commercial intravenous fluids.
Wernette KM, Hubbell JA, Muir WW, Sams RA.The cardiopulmonary effects of 3 dosages of doxapram hydrochloride (0.275 mg/kg, 0.55 mg/kg, and 1.1 mg/kg, IV) were studied in 6 adult horses. Doxapram given IV significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased PaCO2 and increased respiratory rate, cardiac output arterial blood pressures (systolic, mean, and diastolic) arterial pH, and PaO2 at 1 minute after each dose was administered. Heart rate and mean and diastolic pulmonary arterial blood pressure were significantly (P less than 0.05) increased 1 minute after the 2 larger dosages of doxapram were given (0.55 mg/kg and 1.1 mg/kg, IV), but not af...
Smith JE, DeBowes RM, Cipriano JE.Corticosteroid preparation was administered to 7 Shetland Ponies and 10 Quarter Horses. Serum iron concentration increased dramatically for 48 to 72 hours after the steroid treatment, whereas serum iron-binding capacity and serum ferritin concentration did not. An increase in available iron may allow bacteria to proliferate when ponies or horses are stressed or treated inappropriately with corticosteroids.
Calisher CH, Mahmud MI, el-Kafrawi AO, Emerson JK, Muth DJ.Paired sera from 28 nonvaccinated horses with serologically confirmed western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus infections were evaluated for immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG directed against WEE virus, by use of enzyme immunoassay. Twenty-one of the horses developed greater than or equal to 4-fold increases or decreases in serum IgM titers in paired serum samples, confirming the diagnosis of WEE in these horses. Of the remaining 7 horses, 1 had stable IgM titers, 1 had a 2-fold increase in IgM titer between paired sera, 2 had 2-fold decreases in IgM titer, and for 3 horses adequate volumes were not...
Wijnberg ID, Vink-Nooteboom M, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.A 7-year-old Friesian gelding was referred to the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Nutrition of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine because of an inadequate response to treatment for vague symptoms of colic. An extensive physical examination showed there to be circulatory problems, with right-sided decompensation. Heart sounds were muffled on both sides of the thorax, and ECG showed a low voltage and variable amplitude of the QRS complex. Further investigations indicated idiopathic pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis was performed and supportive therapy started. Three weeks later th...
Tscheuschner R, Richter W, Dietz O, Petersen R.Metacarpal or metatarsal exostoses were diagnosed in 112 horses used for sport purposes between January 1976 to December 1987. Fourteen of these patients were treated surgically by subperiosteal removal of the exostosis. All animals which could be followed up had returned to their original use. The average time of use after discharge from the clinic was 38.4 months. Surgery was successful in completely removing the exostoses in 58.3% of these horses. The indications for anaesthesia and resection of the ulnar nerve are discussed.