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.
Adamson PJ, Jang SS.Salmonella arizonae 61:1,5, was isolated in pure culture from the eye of a horse with unilateral ulcerative keratitis. The eye responded well to treatment with atropine sulfate and polymyxin B-bacitracin-neomycin ophthalmic ointments. In swab specimens taken after the lesion had healed, Salmonella was not found to be a constituent of the bacterial flora of the horse's eyes.
McDonnell SM, Kenney RM, Meckley PE, Garcia MC.Sexual behavior dysfunction unaccompanied by detectable physical or endocrine abnormality is an important cause of reproductive failure among domestic stallions. Several authors have suggested that such dysfunction may be psychogenic, related to negative experience associated with intense handling and training. An experimental model of experience-related dysfunction was developed by exposing pony stallions to erection-contingent aversive conditioning. This resulted in rapid, specific suppression of sexual arousal and response similar to spontaneously occurring dysfunction. Subsequently, treatm...
Selim SA, Soliman R, Osman K, Padhye AA, Ajello L.Isolation of Histoplasma farciminosum from five horses, showing typical signs of histoplasmosis farciminosi (epizootic lymphangitis) was successfully attempted. The mycelial form of H. farciminosum was isolated on Sabouraud dextrose agar enriched with 2.5% glycerol, brain heart infusion (BHI) agar enriched with 10% horse blood and PPLO dextrose glycerol agar. The last medium proved to be the most effective, both for primary isolation and subculturing of the fungus. It was found that on primary isolation, the lag phase of the mycelial form of the fungus was relatively long, involving 4-8 weeks ...
Beroza GA, Gentile DG, Goodness P, Charles R.A Robert Jones bandage modified to include a steel walking bar frame and, in one case, side-supporting bars, was applied as a splinting device in 4 horses with hindlimb fractures (3 tarsal and 1 middle phalangeal). The modification was used as an adjunct to previous casting therapies or as a means for handling casting failures or soft tissue problems encountered during the casting period. This means of stabilization is easily adapted to replace a problematic cast in various clinical settings, is easily applied in the standing patient, is easily changed and adjusted on a regular basis, has mini...
Orsini JA, Soma LR, Rourke JE, Park M.The pharmacokinetics of amikacin sulfate (AK) were studied in the horse after intravenous (i.v.) and intramuscular (i.m.) administration. Serum (Cs), synovial (Csf) and peritoneal (Cpf) fluid concentrations of the drug were measured. Doses of 4.4, 6.6 and 11.0 mg/kg were given. The concentrations at 15 min following i.v. injection were 30.3 +/- 0.3, 61.2 +/- 6.9 and 122.8 +/- 7.4 micrograms/ml, respectively, for the 4.4, 6.6 and 11.0 mg/kg doses. Mean peak Cs values after the intramuscular injections occurred at 1.0 h post-injection and were 13.3 +/- 1.6, 23.0 +/- 0.6 and 29.8 +/- 3.2 microgra...
McClure JJ, Addison JD, Miller RI.Oral candidiasis and bacterial septicemia were diagnosed in 8 foals that had laboratory and/or pathologic evidence of immunodeficiency. Two foals suffered solely from complete failure of passive transfer of colostal immunoglobulins. Six foals had evidence of immune defects but did not meet the criteria for diagnosis of any of the currently recognized primary equine immunodeficiency syndromes. All six of these foals died or were euthanatized due to bacterial infections. One foal with failure of passive transfer recovered and the other died of a mesenteric torsion before the effect of treatment ...
Lunn DP, Peel JE.A five-year-old standardbred mare suffered a cervical oesophageal rupture subsequent to a kick. Marked cellulitis and extensive soft tissue damage resulted. Treatment consisted of creating an oesophageal fistula, local debridement and systemic antibiotics. The mare made a long but successful recovery. Treatment of oesophageal rupture in the horse is discussed.
French DD, Haynes PF, Miller RI.A horse had severe granulomatous lesions of the upper airways that were attributable to Conidiobolus coronatus. Therapeutic success was documented by clinical examination of the horse 4 years after treatment by surgical extirpation and intralesional and topical use of amphotericin B.
Sohrabi Haghdoost I, Zakarian B.THE results of a 20 year retrospective study of the tumours diagnosed in all equine cases referred to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teheran, for surgical treatment or post mortem examination are reported here.
Lloyd KC, Harrison I, Tulleners E.A single injection of reserpine in an adult horse was believed to induce toxicosis for several days. Clinical signs included erratic, colic-like behavior followed by depression, bradycardia, miosis, ptosis, and paraphimosis. Diarrhea was not observed and may have been due to the effect of xylazine given with the reserpine. The horse was supported with IV fluids and intensive nursing care. Gradual improvement was noted 72 hours after the horse received the drug. Qualitative analysis via high-performance liquid chromatography was positive for reserpine. Methamphetamine is the recommended antidot...
Halnan CR.The prognostic use of karyotyping in equine breeding has been recommended since 1976. Specimens used and laboratory methods are described. The system of karyotype evaluation is explained together with a glossary of terms. The principal aberrations in horses are defined. The present state of knowledge in cytogenetics in horses is reviewed dealing with infertility in the mare, where sex chromosomes give clear indication of problems; the situation with respect to anomalies found in stallions and hermaphroditism is explained coupled with recent concepts of chromosomal roles in reproduction. The fu...
Giles CJ, Urquhart KA, Longstaffe JA.Clinical and laboratory findings are recorded from a series of 15 cases (aged one to 16 years) of sudden-onset chronic diarrhoea with weight loss, progressing in many cases to emaciation and death, associated with the emergence of fourth stage cyathostome (trichoneme) larvae in large numbers through the colonic and caecal mucosae. Apart from a single incident in mid-October, disease only occurred in winter and spring (January to May). Characteristic features included hypoalbuminaemia, increased alpha and beta plasma globulin levels and neutrophilia without left shift. Faecal egg counts were fr...
Spurlock GH, Landry SL, Sams R, McGuirk S, Muir WW.Plasma volume, extracellular fluid volume (ECFV), and total body water (TBW) were measured before and after endotoxin (Escherichia coli) administration in 6 conscious adult horses. Evan's blue dye, sodium thiocyanate, and antipyrine were the test substances used to estimate plasma volume, ECFV, and TBW, respectively. Pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma concentration vs time was used to determine changes in body fluid compartments. The pathophysiologic effects of endotoxin were monitored by clinical evaluation, blood chemical changes, and blood gas determinations. All horses became dyspneic with...
Dunsmore JD, Jue Sue LP.A survey was conducted on the prevalence of the major gastrointestinal parasites in 140 horses necropsied in Perth, Western Australia, during 1979 to 1982. Adult Strongylus vulgaris were found in 22.5 per cent of horses and verminous arteritis in 62.9 per cent. The peak worm prevalence was in November to January (summer). S edentatus had a similar prevalence and seasonality but S equinus was not found in this survey. Draschia megastoma and Habronema muscae were found in 66.2 per cent and 35.3 per cent of horses respectively. Infection is probably acquired in summer when 8 per cent of the Musca...
Dunsmore JD.An attempt was made to control or eliminate Strongylus vulgaris from a closed group of three horses at pasture near Perth, Western Australia, by dosing with ivermectin on four occasions during the time of year when it was believed that environmental conditions would eliminate all the non-parasitic stages of that species. At necropsy, five months after the last dose of anthelmintic and after continually grazing the same pastures, no S vulgaris or arterial lesions were found in those horses and S edentatus, Draschia megastoma and Habronema species were also almost completely eliminated.
Brownlow MA, Turner DM, Hutchins DR.An inhalation anaesthetic apparatus for the horse is described and the physiological concepts pertaining to its design presented. The internal diameter of all breathing components is 6.2 cm with no change in cross sectional area throughout the circle system. The soda lime capacity is 25 litres (approximately 20 kg). In the horse, which is apparently predisposed to alveolar hypoventilation during inhalation anaesthesia, it is apparent that adequate anaesthetic apparatus design should be directed towards minimising resistance and dead space and providing maximal and efficient carbon dioxide elim...
Leaper DJ, Foster ME, Brennan SS, Davies PW.Magnetic fields have been considered for treating many ailments over man's history. There have been many anecdotal unsupported claims for successful treatment of soft tissue injury although reports have been more substantive in the orthopaedic field. The widespread clinical and veterinary use of a light self-adhesive magnetic foil in Europe prompted this trial of experimental wound healing. One hundred and sixty Sprague-Dawley rats had a linear 2.5 cm incision or a circular 1 cm skin defect made over the mid-dorsal spine. Equal numbers were randomised to receive either a magnetic foil or a dum...
Richardson DW.The common conditions affecting the urogenital tract of the neonatal foal and their medical and surgical management are described. Early recognition and treatment of serious abnormalities are necessary for a successful outcome in the equine neonate.
Stern JA, Doreste YR, Barnett S, Lahmers SM, Baumwart RD, Seino KK, Bonagura JD.Sustained narrow-QRS tachycardia of three months duration and left ventricular systolic dysfunction were identified in a fifteen-year-old Quarter Horse. No underlying cause for the tachyarrhythmia was found and no predisposing structural cardiac lesions were evident by echocardiography. Intravenous diltiazem and lidocaine were administered without achieving successful conversion of the arrhythmia. Oral quinidine therapy converted the tachyarrhythmia to sinus rhythm. Ventricular systolic dysfunction and chamber dilatation subsequently resolved. As with other species, echocardiographic features ...
Ganjam VK, Kenney RM, Flickinger G.The disappearance rate of progesterone from blood plasma of an ovariectomized mare was rapid and occurred in three phases. The half-life of the first component was 2-5 min and that of the second was 20 min; the half-life of the much slower third component was not measured. Progesterone, administered to ovariectomized and deeply anoestrous mares at the rate of 150 or 300 mg/day, maintained maximal peripheral levels of 6 to 8 ng/ml. Physiological levels were reached in 21 days using a dose of 150 mg and in 11 days with 300 mg daily. After withdrawal, circulating levels dropped rapidly. Blood pla...
Van Hoogmoed LM, Snyder JR, Harmon FA.To evaluate the effect of 2 cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors on contractile activity of the circular smooth muscle layer of the equine dorsal and ventral colon. Methods: Samples of the dorsal and ventral colon obtained from 10 healthy horses. Methods: Full-thickness tissue samples were collected from the dorsal colon in the area of the diaphragmatic flexure and the ventral colon in the area of the sternal flexure. Samples were cut into strips oriented along the fibers of the circular muscle layer and mounted in a tissue bath system for determination of contractile strength. Incremental amount...
Houghton E.The methylated xanthines caffeine and/or theobromine are commonly encountered in drug-positive samples from racehorses and their metabolism and excretion in the horse and their analysis in urinary extracts has been of particular interest in this laboratory. Due to their polar nature the dimethylxanthines theobromine, theophylline and paraxanthine give unsatisfactory gas chromatographic performance and require derivatization prior to analysis by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The present paper describes a simple deuteromethylation procedure to render the compounds amenable to analysis by...
Martins EA, Silva LC, Baccarin RY.The objective of this study was to evaluate, through ultrasonography, the effect of medial patellar desmotomy. Middle patellar desmitis, enthesophytes in the patella, and irregularities in the cartilage of the femoral trochlear groove were observed. Medial patellar desmotomy leads to lesions in the stifle, and restriction of movement does not prevent these lesions from occurring. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer, par échographie, l’effet d’une desmotomie du ligament médial de la rotule. Une desmite du ligament médial de la rotule, des enthésophytes dans la rotule et de...
Smith DF.The pathophysiology, diagnostic evaluation and medical management of the horse with intestinal obstruction is outlined. Emphasis is on early and accurate determination of the need for surgery and on providing optimal preoperative medical support.
Pinna AE, Okada CTC, Ferreira CSC, Campos DG, Possidente KS, de Cássia C L Morais R, Oliveira M, Salomão MC, Hataka A.Ovarian tumours in mares represent 2.5% to 6% of the most frequent neoplasms found in the equine species, with a higher chance of benignity. This study aims to describe a case of two different tumours found in the same ovary of a mare that presented clinical signs of suppressed oestrous cycle during 5 years. After unilateral ovariectomy, the ovary was sent to the histopathology examination which determined a mixed tumour of granulosa cell and leiomyosarcoma. After treatment, the mare returned to oestrus and got pregnant in the next season.