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.
Ewert KM, Fessler JF, Templeton CB, Bottoms GD, Latshaw HS, Johnson MA.To evaluate the effect of certain drugs on hematologic changes, blood chemical values, and survival in endotoxin shock, anesthetized ponies were given (IV) endotoxin (Escherichia coli O55:B5) and then treated as follows: Group A ponies--given a saline infusion at 5 minutes and at 3 hours after they were given endotoxin; group B ponies--given flunixin meglumine at 5 minutes and at 3, 6, 9, and 24 hours after they were given endotoxin; group C ponies--treated with dexamethasone; and group D ponies--treated with prednisolone at 5 minutes and at 3, 9, and 24 hours after they were given endotoxin. ...
Comben N, Clark RJ, Sutherland DJ.Horses with weak hoof horn, which becomes misshapen and crumbles around the lower parts of the hoof walls, pose problems for treatment in practice. The effects of dietary supplementation with a high level of the B-group vitamin biotin (which has proved successful in the treatment of the similar condition in pigs) were investigated in more than 40 cases. Varying degrees of improvement in the hardness, integrity and conformation of the hoof horn were observed in all cases. The signs and progress seen in three typical cases are described. It is concluded that dietary supplementation with 10 to 30...
Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Binkhorst GJ.The differences in aetiology, symptomatology, pathomorphology, diagnosis and therapy between the nervous form (paralytic form) of Equine Herpes Virus, type 1, and Neuritis Caudae Equinae are reviewed. The conclusion is that in most cases it is possible to differentiate between these two clinical syndromes.
Harkiss GD.An isotype-specific microELISA is presented for the measurement of antibodies to equine antithymocyte globulin in human heart transplant recipients. The assay conditions were optimized and evaluated in serial samples from 40 patients receiving a cardiac allograft. The results demonstrate that despite steroid immunosuppression and T cell cytopenia the majority of patients receiving antithymocyte globulin develop significant antibody responses, with some producing very high titres. IgM and IgG isotypes tended to predominate, with peak antibody responses occurring during the second and third week...
Neill JD, Kelling CL, Rhodes MB.Pigs experimentally inoculated with bovine herpesvirus-1 or equine herpesvirus-1 developed mild clinical disease signs. Regression of clinical disease was accompanied by development of specific virus-neutralizing antibodies. These antibodies did not react positively with pseudorabies antigens in the serum-virus neutralization test, an indirect radioimmunoassay, or a microimmunodiffusion test.
Benson CE, Sweeney CR.Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 was isolated from seven tracheobronchial aspirates and one pleural tap of seven adult horses and one foal. There was no direct evidence in these horses that isolation of the pneumococcus was related to a specific disease syndrome. Presenting complaints included two horses with chronic cough, two horses with decreased exercise tolerance, one horse with exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, and three horses with pneumonia. Antibiotic therapy resolved the primary clinical complaint. This is the first report of the isolation of S. pneumoniae type 3 from adult horse...
Cho SN, Collins MT, Reif JS.The indirect fluorescent antibody test was used to examine 109 samples of equine sera randomly selected from serum pools. Results were compared with titers obtained by the microagglutination (MA) test. A high correlation (r = 0.89) was found between titers measured by the 2 tests. Blood samples were obtained serially from a total of 156 horses at a research farm and the sera were tested against Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 through 4 using the MA test; 29 horses (19%) seroconverted to at least 1 serogroup of L pneumophila. The indirect fluorescent antibody test substantiated the results ...
Firth EC.Bilateral neurectomy of the ventral branch of the spinal accessory nerve was performed in an attempt to control windsuckling. There was no permanent improvement in the eight cases described.
Schulz KS, Simmons TR, Johnson R.An 8-year-old mare was presented to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine Large Animal Clinic for evaluation of anorexia, fever and icterus. The mare had a 5-day history of anorexia, depression and tongue protrusion. Diagnostic procedures included serum hepatic enzyme activities, serum bile acid concentrations, blood ammonia evaluations and hepatic ultrasound and ultrasound guided biopsy. The history, clinical pathology and histopathology in this case supported a probable diagnosis of primary septic cholangiohepatitis.
Labelle AL, Metzler AG, Wilkie DA.Neoplasia, for which surgical excision is a frequent treatment, is the most common disease of the equine nictitating membrane. There is little long-term follow-up information available to the practitioner regarding the long-term effects of nictitating membrane excision on ocular health. No information is available to compare recurrence of primary neoplasia of the nictitating membrane after excision with local or general anaesthesia. Objective: To evaluate the long-term complications of nictitating membrane resection in horses; recurrence of neoplasia of the nictitating membrane when nictitatin...
Nottle BF, Tatarniuk DM, Caldwell FJ, Bell CD, Caston SS, Merkatoris PT, Gillen AM, Katzman SA.To describe the presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome for horses with fibro-osseous lesions of the craniofacial complex. Methods: Retrospective multicenter case series. Methods: Thirty horses evaluated for fibro-osseous lesions of the skull from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2019 in four centers. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for signalment, clinical presentation, histological and diagnostic imaging findings, treatment instituted, and outcome. Long-term outcome information was obtained by owner questionnaire or the medical record. Results: Diagnoses included ossifying...
This year's Association of Veterinary Students' congress was held at the University of Liverpool, and included a varied programme, with subjects ranging from the role of large-scale production systems in dairy farming and fertility practices in horses to the importance of recognising and talking about mental health problems within the veterinary profession. Jordan Sinclair, editor of the Journal of the Association of Veterinary Students, reports.
Hughes KJ.Ocular manifestations may develop in many systemic diseases of horses; however, signs may not be observed unless ophthalmological examination is specifically undertaken. Recognition and assessment of ocular lesions in horses with systemic disease is desirable to facilitate diagnosis and determination of treatment options and diagnosis for both the underlying systemic disease and ocular manifestations. The purpose of this article is to review systemic diseases of horses that may have ocular signs as part of the disease process. Systemic diseases are discussed in categories of pathways for devel...