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.
Ramzan PHL, Wylie CE.Arthroscopy is considered the treatment of choice for dorsal osteochondral chip fractures of the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) joints in the racehorse; however, there is no published research on non-surgical management of this injury. Objective: To compare clinical features, intra-articular medication use and return to racing in Thoroughbred racehorses with non-surgically (non-SX) or surgically (SX) managed MCP/MTP dorsal chip fracture. Methods: Retrospective observational study conducted between 2006 and 2014. Methods: Radiographs of Thoroughbred racehorses were reviewed to identify...
Vernemmen I, De Clercq D, Decloedt A, Vera L, Van Steenkiste G, van Loon G.The number of atrial premature depolarisations (APDs) is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in humans. Objective: To evaluate if the number of APDs over a 24-h period 5 days post cardioversion predicts AF recurrence within 1 year in horses, taking the multifactorial nature of AF into account. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Eighty horses met these inclusion criteria: first AF episode, no AF recurrence within 5 days post cardioversion, cardioversion by transvenous electrical cardioversion (TVEC), 24-h ECG recording and echocardiographic examination 5 da...
Dern K, Burns TA, Watts MR, van Eps AW, Belknap JK.Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is consistently increased in the digital lamellae in different studies of sepsis-related laminitis (SRL). IL-6 signalling through the gp130 receptor activates similar signalling (i.e. mTORC1-related signalling) previously reported to be activated in models of endocrinopathic laminitis. Objective: To assess the activation state of signalling proteins downstream of IL-6/gp130 receptor complex activation in an experimental model of SRL. Methods: Randomised experimental study. Methods: Lamellar phospho-(P) protein concentrations downstream of the IL-6/gp130 receptors were asse...
Gustafsson K, Tatz AJ, Dahan R, Kelmer G.Case history: Medical records were reviewed of horses (n = 7) undergoing surgery for fracture of one or more facial bones extending into the paranasal sinuses that was repaired primarily within 24 hours of the time of injury using a rotational periosteal flap, between April 2009 and May 2017. A kick from another horse was the cause of the injury of three horses, and one horse was injured when it collided with a tree. The cause of the injury of three horses was unknown.Clinical findings and treatment: Fractures were of the right maxillary bone in two horses, the left maxillary bone in two h...
Ramsauer AS, Wachoski-Dark GL, Fraefel C, Tobler K, Brandt S, Knight CG, Favrot C, Grest P.There is growing evidence that equine papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) infection is causally associated with the development of equine genital squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Early stages of disease present clinically as plaques or wart-like lesions which can gradually progress to tumoural lesions. Histologically these lesions are inconsistently described as benign hyperplasia, papilloma, penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), carcinoma in situ (CIS) or SCC. Guidelines for histological classification of early SCC precursor lesions are not precisely defined, leading to potential misdiagnosis. Th...
Crosby DE, Labens R, Hughes KJ, Nielsen S, Hilbert BJ.Synovial infections (SI) are common in horses of all ages and can be associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Identifying factors influencing survival and return to function may be useful for management of affected individuals and determination of prognosis. The objectives of this study were to identify factors associated with survival and return to function of horses and foals with SI presented to an equine hospital. This study is a retrospective case series. Data were collected from medical records of all horses with SI that were presented to a single equine hospital between Ap...
Galinelli N, Wambacq W, Broeckx BJG, Hesta M.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is a pathological condition affecting the glandular and squamous regions of the stomach. It is characterized by non-specific clinical signs, behavioural changes or can also be found without any overt clinical manifestations. Nutritional factors such as intermittent feeding, high sugars and starch intake, large amounts of straw as forage and prolonged time without access to forage have all been associated with an increased risk of equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). The aim of this study was to investigate which nutritional practices are commonly seen in...
Dahmani M, Davoust B, Sambou M, Bassene H, Scandola P, Ameur T, Raoult D, Fenollar F, Mediannikov O.Our study aimed to assess the diversity of the species of Anaplasmataceae in Senegal that infect animals and ticks in three areas: near Keur Momar Sarr (northern region), Dielmo and Diop (Sine Saloum, central region of Senegal), and in Casamance (southern region of Senegal). Methods: A total of 204 ticks and 433 blood samples were collected from ruminants, horses, donkeys and dogs. Ticks were identified morphologically and by molecular characterization targeting the 12S rRNA gene. Molecular characterization of species of Anaplasmataceae infecting Senegalese ticks and animals was conducted usin...
Knight PK.This study analysed the race day veterinary reports from harness racing meetings controlled by the New South Wales Greyhound and Harness Racing Regulatory Authority between 1 September 2008 and 30 June 2009. The findings of all prerace and postrace examinations were analysed, and the frequency of observations was recorded. Chi-square testing was used to determine whether the incidence of abnormalities differed between age groups and tracks. A total of 542 meetings were conducted during the period of the study, with veterinary examinations conducted at 395 of these meetings. A total of 520 vete...
Beste KJ, Ortved KF, Rossignol F, Ducharme NG.To describe the use of a silicone-covered laser guide and diode laser for surgical correction of epiglottic entrapment and report postoperative outcomes in horses with epiglottic entrapment. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Thoroughbred and standardbred racehorses (n = 29) with epiglottic entrapment. Methods: A silicone-covered laser guide was placed endoscopically to direct the diode laser cutting action during transection of the entrapping subepiglottic membrane and to act as a physical barrier between the membrane and the epiglottic cartilage. Postoperative complications and tra...
Elzinga SE, Betancourt A, Stewart JC, Altman MH, Barker VD, Muholland M, Bailey S, Brennan KM, Adams AA.Much of the equine population is obese and therefore predisposed to the development of additional health concerns such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). However, pharmacologic treatments for EMS are limited. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is a therapeutic strategy in humans with metabolic dysfunction that improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation, but the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in horses with EMS are unclear. Therefore, in this pilot study, 10 mixed-sex and mixed-breed horses with EMS were fed a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich microalgae containing 16 ...
Hesselkilde EZ, Carstensen H, Flethøj M, Fenner M, Kruse DD, Sattler SM, Tfelt-Hansen J, Pehrson S, Braunstein TH, Carlson J, Platonov PG....Large animal models are important in atrial fibrillation (AF) research, as they can be used to study the pathophysiology of AF and new therapeutic approaches. Unlike other animal models, horses spontaneously develop AF and could therefore serve as a bona fide model in AF research. We therefore aimed to study the electrical, functional and structural remodelling caused by chronic AF in a horse model. Nine female horses were included in the study, with six horses tachypaced into self-sustained AF and three that served as a time-matched sham-operated control group. Acceleration in atrial fibrilla...
Krohn J, Ennen S, Hospes R et al. Use of a cervical stent for long-term treatment of pyometra in the mare: A report of three cases. Reprod Dom Anim 2019; 55: 1155–1159 DIE PYOMETRA DER STUTE IST EIN CHRONISCHER ENTZüNDUNGSZUSTAND DES ENDOMETRIUMS, DER HäUFIG MIT DER AKKUMULATION GROßER MENGEN AN SEKRET EINHERGEHT. PRäDISPONIERT SIND STUTEN MIT VERäNDERUNGEN DER ZERVIX, DURCH DIE DIE UTERINE CLEARANCE BEEINTRäCHTIGT WIRD. DIE HäUFIG UNSPEZIFISCHEN SYMPTOME UMFASSEN LEISTUNGSMANGEL, KONDITIONSVERLUST, SUBFEBRILE TEMPERATUR ODER KOLIKARTIGE SCHMERZEN. MANCHE TIERE PRäSENTIEREN SICH SYMP...
Marycz K, Szłapka-Kosarzewska J, Geburek F, Kornicka-Garbowska K.Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is characterized by adiposity, insulin dysregulation and increased risk for laminitis. Increased levels of specific liver enzymes in the peripheral blood are typical findings in horses diagnosed with EMS. Current management of EMS is based on caloric restriction and increased physical activity. However, new potential treatment options are arising such as the transplantation of autologous adipose stem cells (ASC). However, cytophysiological properties of ASC derived from EMS horses are impaired which strongly limits their therapeutic potential. We hypothesized, t...
Hildebrandt M.The advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) landscape is entirely different from classical drug development. Academia has been the major source of ATMP development, and academic hospitals act as trial sites for the clinical testing of ATMPs, including early academic-led trials as well as industry-sponsored trials that pursue the full developmental pathway to market authorization. The recent breakthrough developments in some ATMPs, such as genetically engineered immune cells, have confronted academic hospitals with a substantial amount of public demand, competitive pressure, and costs. At t...
Álvarez-Narváez S, Giguère S, Anastasi E, Hearn J, Scortti M, Vázquez-Boland JA.Antibiotic use has been linked to changes in the population structure of human pathogens and the clonal expansion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains among healthcare- and community-acquired infections. Here we present a compelling example in a veterinary pathogen, , the causative agent of a severe pulmonary infection affecting foals worldwide. We show that the (46) gene responsible for emerging macrolide resistance among equine isolates in the United States is part of a 6.9-kb transposable element, Tn, actively mobilized by an IS family transposase. Tn is carried on an 87-kb conjugative pla...
Orellana-Guerrero D, Renaudin C, Edwards L, Rose E, Aleman M, Moore PF, Dujovne G.Placentitis has been reported as the most important cause of equine abortions, stillbirths, and perinatal deaths in horses. Most cases are caused by bacteria and less commonly by fungal elements. The aim of this report is to describe the clinical presentation of a fungal placentitis caused by Aspergillus terrerus. A 5-year-old thoroughbred maiden mare at the 217th day of gestation presented with some classic signs of placentitis (premature udder development and milk dripping). All ultrasonographic findings were consistent with a live fetus and a severe placentitis. On vaginal examination, pur...
Yao C.The kinetoplastid protozoan Leishmania spp. cause leishmaniasis, which clinically exhibit mainly as a cutaneous, mucocutanous or visceral form depending upon the parasite species in humans. The disease is widespread geographically, leading to 20 000 annual deaths. Here, leishmaniases in both humans and animals, reservoirs and sand fly vectors on the Caribbean islands are reviewed. Autochthonous human infections by Leishmania spp. were found in the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe and Martinique as well as Trinidad and Tobago; canine infections were found in St. Kitts and Grenada; and equine infe...
Kopper JJ, Bolger ME, Kogan CJ, Schott HC.Obtaining commercial fluids for intravenous administration (IVF) was challenging during a recent shortage. This necessitated use of custom-made non-sterile fluids for intravenous administration (JUGs) in some hospitals. There are no studies comparing outcome of horses treated with JUG versus IVF and limited information is available about adverse effects of JUGs. Objective: To evaluate death, complications, blood pH, and plasma electrolyte concentrations of horses that received JUG versus IVFs. Methods: One hundred eighty-six horses that received IVFs and 37 that received JUGs. Methods: A retro...
Beste KJ, Lawhon SD, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Duff AH, Coleman MC, Griffin CE, Hardy J, Whitfield-Cargile CM.Horses with bacterial sinusitis frequently undergo empirical treatment with antimicrobials, however, in some cases bacterial culture of the affected sinus is used to direct therapy. Data regarding which organisms are part of the commensal microbiota of the equine sinus are lacking making it difficult to interpret culture results and guide empiric antimicrobial selection. Objective: Our objectives were to describe the bacterial and fungal microbiota of the paranasal sinuses in clinically normal horses using culture-dependent and independent approaches and to compare the bacterial culture and su...
Rahmani V, Häyrinen L, Kareinen I, Ruohoniemi M.The progression of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH) has not been completely evaluated, and currently, the only effective treatment is extraction of severely affected teeth. We aim to describe how the disease relates to the history and clinical findings and to report on the outcome in individual horses. This case series comprises data collected from 20 horses (age 14-29 years old) with radiographic findings of EOTRH in their incisor and/or canine teeth. Most horses affected with EOTRH in this study were admitted for dental problems, but some for other complaints...
Malalana F, Ireland JL, Pinchbeck G, McGowan CM.Uveitis appears to be less prevalent in the UK compared with other parts of the world and studies characterising the disease in the UK are lacking. The objectives of this retrospective study were to describe acute and recurrent cases presenting for management of uveitis in a referral hospital on the North West of England and compare the signalment of horses presenting with uveitis with the equine hospital population during the same period. Methods: Medical records of horses presented to the referral Equine Hospital, University of Liverpool with signs of uveitis between 2008 and 2018 were revie...
Bourély C, Cazeau G, Jarrige N, Jouy E, Haenni M, Lupo A, Madec JY, Leblond A, Gay E.To examine the relevance of co-resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline as an indicator of multidrug resistance (MDR) in animal health. Methods: isolates collected between 2012 and 2016 by the French surveillance network for antimicrobial resistance in diseased animals (RESAPATH) were analyzed. The proportions of MDR isolates and the proportions of isolates presenting co-resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline were calculated for seven animal species (cattle, horse, dog, swine, poultry, duck, and turkey). The degree of agreement between these two proportions was estimated by calculating ...
Ziegler AL, Blikslager AT.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to manage a wide variety of conditions in horses, including management of colic. Flunixin meglumine is by far the most commonly used drug in the control of colic pain and inflammation and has become a go-to for not only veterinarians but also horse-owners and nonmedical equine professionals. NSAID use, however, has always been controversial in critical cases due to a high risk of adverse effects associated with their potent cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibition. There are two important COX isoenzymes: COX-1 is generally beneficial for ...
Steinfort S, Obach-Schröck C, Röcken M, Theiss F, Failing K, Vogelsberg J, Staszyk C.Equine periodontal disease (ePD) usually starts with food impaction, formation of diastemata, gingival inflammation and formation of periodontal pockets. This process proceeds toward the dentoalveolar space, causing detachment of tooth supporting periodontal fibers. Although several therapeutical procedures have been proposed, ePD is often only diagnosed in advanced stages, requiring dental extraction. A similar dilemma has been observed in small animal medicine, but has been overcome by the introduction of reliable examination protocols for the early diagnosis of periodontal diseases (PD). Th...
Ellerbrock RE, Curcio BR, Zhong L, Honoroto J, Wilkins P, Lima FS, Giguere S, Canisso IF.Enrofloxacin may be an alternative antimicrobial for unresponsive cases of severe bacterial infections in pregnant mares. As pregnancy may affect drug bioavailability, distribution, metabolism and excretion, dose adjustment might be necessary. Objective: To determine the disposition of orally and intravenously administered enrofloxacin in pregnant and non-pregnant mares. Methods: Randomised cross-over experiment. Methods: Six light-breed, healthy pregnant mares (260 days gestation) were given a single dose of either intravenous (5 mg/kg bwt) or oral compounded (7.5 mg/kg bwt) enrofloxacin, ...
Mendoza FJ, Toribio RE, Perez-Ecija A.The donkey evolved under harsh and arid environmental conditions, developing unique energy-efficiency traits, with an efficiency to rapidly mobilize fat in situations of increased energy demands or when food is scarce. This evolution has led to an inherent predisposition of donkeys to obesity, dyslipidemias, insulin dysregulation/metabolic syndrome, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, and endocrinopathic laminitis. Marked differences have been described in hormone dynamics and testing protocols for the diagnosis of these endocrine and metabolic diseases in donkeys compared with horses, unde...
Rodrigues JB, Lilly G.Research and clinical understanding of equine dentistry has progressed in recent years; however, specific knowledge about donkey dentistry is lacking. This article intends to revise unique anatomic features of the head and oral cavity of donkeys, as well as how to correctly examine, diagnose, prevent, and/or treat dental pathology, allowing for a better comprehension of oral and dental disorders affecting these animals throughout their life. It also emphasizes that these disorders need to be taken into account when assessing the welfare of donkeys.
Mendoza FJ, Perez-Ecija A, Toribio RE.Donkeys and mules show several pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic idiosyncrasies that have to be fully considered by any clinician dealing with these species. Because they possess an increased metabolic rate and cellular water content compared with horses, higher doses (or shorter dosing intervals) are usually recommended for those drugs where pharmacologic studies have been performed. Nonetheless, owing to the lack of species-specific information, this assumption cannot be arbitrarily applied. Thus, when a drug protocol published for horses is extrapolated to a donkey or a mule, a close moni...
van den Boom R, van der Velden MA.A retrospective study was carried out of 224 horses operated for strangulating small intestine obstructions. Fifty-four horses were euthanized and 5 horses died during surgery which means that 165 (73%) were allowed to recover. Of these, 53 horses were euthanized or died in the clinic and 112 (50%) were discharged from the hospital. Of 90 horses available for follow-up 1 year postoperatively, 76 (84%) were still alive. The most important causes of death or reasons for euthanasia in the direct post-operative period were post-operative paralytic ileus, (adhesive) peritonitis and intra-abdominal ...
Duncan JL, Bairden K, Abbott EM.The efficacy of five daily treatments with 7.5 mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight against mucosal cyathostome larvae was evaluated in 20 12- and 24-month-old ponies with naturally acquired cyathostome infections. After three weeks communal grazing on infected pasture and six weeks indoors, one group of 10 ponies were treated. Six weeks later, both groups of ponies were humanely destroyed and their burdens of large intestinal cyathostome worms, including luminal parasites and mucosal larvae, were assessed. In the control animals approximately 7 per cent of the total worm burden was present in the gu...
Jacobs CC, Schnabel LV, McIlwraith CW, Blikslager AT.Orthopaedic disorders are commonly encountered in equine veterinary medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play an important role in the management of many equine orthopaedic disorders. There are multiple NSAIDs available for use in horses, including both non-selective and selective NSAIDS, and the body of literature evaluating the efficacy of these medications, their effects on normal and inflamed musculoskeletal tissues, and their side effects is broad. This review aims to summarise the current literature on the use of NSAIDs for equine orthopaedic disorders and examine...
Caston SS, McClure SR, Martens RJ, Chaffin MK, Miles KG, Griffith RW, Cohen ND.This study evaluated the prophylactic effectiveness of hyperimmune plasma (HIP) as an aid in the prevention of pneumonia caused by experimental infection with Rhodococcus equi. Thirty neonatal foals were administered R. equi HIP or saline at 2 days of age and were infected with virulent R. equi at 7 days. All foals developed signs or symptoms of respiratory disease. Radiographic scores on day 28 and neutrophil concentrations on day 49 were significantly greater in control foals, and time to respiratory effort score of 2 or higher was significantly shorter for control foals. Three foals, all in...
Becher AM, Mahling M, Nielsen MK, Pfister K.For 9 consecutive months (March-November 2008), faecal samples were collected monthly from 129 horses residing within 40 km of Salzburg, Austria. Samples were analysed quantitatively using a modified McMaster egg counting technique. Whenever a faecal egg count (FEC) result exceeded 250 eggs per gram (EPG), the horse was treated with pyrantel, ivermectin or moxidectin. In 52 of 129 horses (40.3%), no strongyle eggs were ever detected over the course of 9 months. In 39 horses (30.2%), strongyle eggs were detected in at least 1 sample, but the egg count never exceeded 250 EPG. The remaining 38 (2...
Ihler CF, Venger JL, Skjerve E.The present prospective study included 106 horses referred to the Department of Large Animal Sciences, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, as non-responders to the initial colic treatment in general practise. In 14 of these cases a required surgical treatment was not performed due to economical or other reasons and were excluded from the study. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained at the arrival in the hospital. The outcome for all analyses was survival/ non-survival. A multivariable logistic regression was performed. The analyses were used in medically (46 horses) and surgically...
Roberts VL, Patel NK, Tremaine WH.There are no consistently safe and effective methods for the treatment of trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses. In affected horses, the trigeminal nerve is sensitised, appearing to result in neuropathic pain. Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) therapy is a minimally invasive neuromodulatory treatment used in people to manage neuropathic pain. Objective: To determine whether PENS therapy is safe, tolerated and effective for the management of trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses. Methods: Descriptive case series. Methods: Seven horses diagnosed with trigeminal-mediated he...
Gallhoefer NS, Spiess BM, Guscetti F, Hilbe M, Hartnack S, Hafezi F, Pot SA.CXL penetration depth is an important variable influencing clinical treatment effect and safety. The purposes of this study were to determine the penetration depth of CXL in rabbit and equine corneas in epithelium-on and epithelium-off procedures and to assess an ex vivo fluorescent biomarker staining assay for objective assessment of CXL penetration depth. Methods: CXL treatment was performed according to a standardized protocol on 21 and 17 rabbit eyes and on 12 and 10 equine eyes with and without debridement, respectively. Control corneas were treated similarly, but not exposed to CXL. Hem...
Goehring LS, Soboll Hussey G, Gomez Diez M, Benedict K, Maxwell LK, Morley PS, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Lunn DP.Central nervous system blood vessel thrombosis is a part of the pathogenesis of equid herpesvirus-associated myeloencephalopathy (EHM). D-dimers (DD) are stable breakdown products of cross-linked fibrin, and increased DD-plasma concentrations could reflect the degree of systemic coagulation during EHV-1 infection. Objective: We hypothesized that blood DD concentrations will be increased during periods of EHV-1 fever and viremia, reflecting an activated coagulation cascade with fibrinolysis. Methods: Twenty-eight equids were infected with EHV-1 in 3 experimental infection studies. Three (uninfe...
Nykänen O, Sarin JK, Ketola JH, Leskinen H, Te Moller NCR, Tiitu V, Mancini IAD, Visser J, Brommer H, van Weeren PR, Malda J, Töyräs J, Nissi MJ.To investigate the potential of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and T2* relaxation time mapping to determine mechanical and structural properties of articular cartilage via univariate and multivariate analysis. Samples were obtained from a cartilage repair study, in which surgically induced full-thickness chondral defects in the stifle joints of seven Shetland ponies caused post-traumatic osteoarthritis (14 samples). Control samples were collected from non-operated joints of three animals (6 samples). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at 9.4 T, using a 3-D multi-echo gr...
Poller C, Hopster K, Rohn K, Kästner SB.Aim of the study was to compare the effect of neuroleptic sedation with acepromazine and neuroleptanalgesia with acepromazine and buprenorphine on thermal thresholds (TT) obtained at the nostrils and at the withers. The study was carried out as a randomized, blinded, controlled trial with cross-over design. Thermal thresholds were determined by incremental contact heat applied to the skin above the nostril (N) or the withers (W). Eleven horses were treated with saline (S), acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) (ACE) or acepromazine and buprenorphine (0.0075 mg/kg) (AB) intravenously (IV). Single stimula...
Pusterla N, Barnum S, Lawton K, Wademan C, Corbin R, Hodzic E.Contemporary data on equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) genotype (non-neuropathogenic or N, neuropathogenic or D and new variant or H) in clinically diseased equids is important in order to determine the frequency of these genotypes and their association with disease expression. A total of 297 EHV-1 qPCR-positive swabs collected from 2019 to 2022 from horses with respiratory disease (EHV-1), neurological disease (equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy [EHM]) and abortion were tested for the three different EHV-1 genotypes (N, D and H) using qPCR allelic discrimination assays. All submissions origi...
Garcia-Lopez JM, Provost PJ, Rush JE, Zicker SC, Burmaster H, Freeman LM.To determine the prevalence of hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia in horses with surgical colic. Methods: 35 horses with surgically managed colic. Methods: Serum concentrations of total magnesium (tMg2+) and calcium (tCa2+), as well as ionized magnesium (iMg2+) and calcium (iCa2+) were analyzed before surgery and 1, 3, 5, and 7 days following surgery. A lead-II ECG and pertinent clinical data were also obtained at each time. Results: Preoperative serum tMg2+ and iMg2+ concentrations were below the reference range in 6 (17%) and 19 (54%) horses, respectively. Serum concentrations of tCa2+ and iCa2...
Ortved KF, Nixon AJ.Damage to the articular cartilage surface is common in the equine athlete and, due to the poor intrinsic healing capabilities of cartilage, can lead to osteoarthritis (OA). Joint disease and OA are the leading cause of retirement in equine athletes and currently there are no effective treatments to stop the progression of OA. Several different cell-based strategies have been investigated to bolster the weak regenerative response of chondrocytes. Such techniques aim to restore the articular surface and prevent further joint degradation. Cell-based cartilage repair strategies include enhancement...
Byron CR, DeWitt MR, Latouche EL, Davalos RV, Robertson JL.Irreversible electroporation is a proven ablation modality for local ablation of soft tissue tumors in animals and humans. However, the strong muscle contractions associated with the electrical impulses (duration, 50-100 μs) requires the use of general anesthesia and, in most situations, application of neuromuscular blockade. As such, this technology is not used in an outpatient setting for ablating common cutaneous tumors (e.g., squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma) in humans or animals. Recently, high-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) technology has been developed to enable ele...
Caminoto EH, Alves AL, Amorim RL, Thomassian A, Hussni CA, Nicoletti JL.To evaluate the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on affected ligaments in the hind limbs of horses with experimentally induced suspensory ligament desmitis by use of ultrasonographic, ultrastructural, and immunocytochemical techniques. Methods: 10 horses. Methods: Suspensory ligament desmitis was induced in both hind limbs of each horse by use of 2 collagenase injections (administered 2 weeks apart) in each suspensory ligament. Two weeks after the second injection, the right hind limb of each horse was treated with ESWT (3 treatments at 3-week intervals); the left hind limb ...
Wharton T, Whitworth J, Macauley E, Malone M.The objective of this study was to test effectiveness and feasibility of equine-facilitated cognitive processing therapy (EF-CPT), a manualized adaptation of the cognitive processing therapy model for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) championed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, in which equine-facilitated activities are integrated into face-to-face sessions. Methods: Twenty-seven veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD participated (M = 51; 78% male) in a pretest-posttest design. Veterans were seen by a single psychologist for 12 sessions of individual EF-CPT. Instruments incl...
Finlay M, Yuan Z, Morgan IM, Campo MS, Nasir L.Bovine papillomavirus type 1 infects not only cattle but also equids and is a causative factor in the pathogenesis of commonly occurring equine sarcoid tumours. Whilst treatment of sarcoids is notoriously difficult, cisplatin has been shown to be one of the most effective treatment strategies for sarcoids. In this study we show that in equine fibroblasts, BPV-1 sensitises cells to cisplatin-induced and UVB-induced apoptosis, a known cofactor for papillomavirus associated disease, however BPV-1 transformed fibroblasts show increased clonogenic survival, which may potentially limit the therapeut...
Söderlund R, Bölske G, Holst BS, Aspán A.Infection by Mycoplasma felis is associated with ocular and respiratory disease in cats and respiratory disease in horses. A correct diagnosis is beneficial since the use of specific antimycoplasmal treatment can lead to resolution. The objective of the present study was to develop a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method based on dual-labeled fluorogenic probe technology, targeting the gene encoding elongation factor Tu (tuf ), for the fast and specific detection of M. felis. Specificity was achieved by basing the assay design on partial sequencing of the tuf gene in strains and cli...
Gopalakrishnan M, Yadav P, Mathur R, Midha N, Garg MK.Snakebite envenoming is a serious and life-threatening but neglected problem in the tropics. The focus in the Indian subcontinent is usually on the Indian cobra (Naja naja), common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), and Indian saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus). The Indian polyvalent antivenom contains hyperimmunized horse antibodies against only these 4 species. However, regional intraspecific variations are important in viper envenomings, leading to marked differences in clinical presentation and response to the available polyvalent antivenom. Echis carinatus soch...
Velloso Alvarez A, Boone LH, Braim AP, Taintor JS, Caldwell F, Wright JC, Wooldridge AA.There are several non-steroidal intra-articular therapeutics (NSIATs) available for use by equine practitioners for the treatment of performance-limiting joint-related pathology. Information is limited on perceived clinical efficacy, recommended treatment protocols, and associated complications. Our objective with this cross-sectional survey was to investigate the current clinical usage of NSIATs by equine practitioners. An electronic cross-sectional convenience survey inquiring about the use of steroidal and NSIATS (platelet-rich plasma, autologous conditioned serum, autologous protein soluti...
Acosta-Jamett G, Cleaveland S, Cunningham AA, Bronsvoort BM, Craig PS.Cyst echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most important zoonosis in Chile, where studies have focussed mainly in moist southern regions. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in livestock and humans in the semiarid Coquimbo region in north-central Chile. A review of all surgical cases of CE in humans reported in the Elqui, Limarí and Choapa provinces in Coquimbo region for the period comprising 1995-2006 was obtained. In addition, a retrospective study of CE covering condemnation records from slaughterhouses of these provinces from the same pe...
Damiani AM, Scicluna MT, Ciabatti I, Cardeti G, Sala M, Vulcano G, Cordioli P, Martella V, Amaddeo D, Autorino GL.During local respiratory disease outbreaks, occurring in 2003 and 2004 in horse training stables within race-tracks in Rome, and on a stud horse farm in Bari in 2005, four strains of equine influenza (EI) virus were isolated. All outbreaks occurred in flu-vaccinated horses. Here, we are reporting the results of the genetic characterization of these isolates, together with that of another EI virus strain isolated in 1999 from a dead foal presenting pulmonary lesions. Alignment and phylogenetic analyses were carried out using the haemagglutinin amino acid sequences. The Rome and Bari isolates we...
Webster WR.In August 2007 equine influenza (EI) was diagnosed in Australia's horse population following the failure to contain infection in quarantine after the importation of one or more infected horses. The response had many unique features, and addressed financial, social, economic, human and animal health, trade and recovery issues. The outbreak and the associated control measures had a vast impact on individual horse owners, the horse industry and associated sectors in both infected and uninfected states.
Herrera M, León G, Segura A, Meneses F, Lomonte B, Chippaux JP, Gutiérrez JM.Caprylic acid purification of IgG, currently used in the manufacture of horse-derived antivenoms, was successfully adapted for the preparation of sheep and camel IgG. Sheep IgG had a molecular mass of approximately 150 kDa, whereas camel IgG presented two bands of molecular masses of approximately 160 and 100 kDa, the latter corresponding to heavy-chain IgG, which is devoid of light chains. Horse, sheep and camel IgGs were compared by several parameters aiming at predicting their potential for induction of early and late adverse reactions. Horse and sheep IgGs showed a higher anticomplementary...
Dutra F, Schuch LF, Delucchi E, Curcio BR, Coimbra H, Raffi MB, Dellagostin O, Riet-Correa F.A disease named locally as churrío or churrido equino (i.e., equine scours) has occurred for at least 100 years in Uruguay and southern Brazil in farms along both shores of the Merín lake. This report describes cases of churrido equino and provides serologic, pathologic, and DNA-based evidence indicating that the disease is in fact equine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Potomac horse fever). Results of an epidemiological investigation conducted on an endemic farm are also presented. Clinical signs in 12 horses were fever, depression, diarrhea, dehydration, and sometimes colic and distal hind limb ed...
Robinson NE, Berney C, Behan A, Derksen FJ.Efficacy of inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) for management of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) has only been evaluated after several weeks' treatment. Objective: To compare efficacy of (1) 3-day treatments with FP to dexamethasone (DEX) for management of RAO; and (2) FP and DEX to no treatment in prevention of acute RAO exacerbations. Methods: Nine RAO affected horses. Methods: Crossover studies in RAO-affected horses compared (a) 3-day treatment of RAO exacerbation with FP (3 and 6 mg q12h) and DEX (0.1 mg/kg q24h) and (b) FP (6 mg q12h) and DEX (0.1 mg/kg q24h) to no treatment for prev...
Madison JB, Sommer M, Spencer PA.A retrospective evaluation of 64 cases of suspected infectious arthritis in horses was undertaken to determine the relations among histopathologic findings in synovial membrane specimens, cytologic findings in synovial fluid samples, and bacterial culture results. Positive cultures were obtained from 55% of the joints, and 18 different bacterial organisms were cultured. Culturing of synovial fluid yielded bacterial growth more often than did culturing of synovial membrane. Histologic evaluation (H&E and Gram stain) of synovial membrane specimens provided little information to help distingu...
Misra KK, Roy S, Choudhury A.Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) evansi is a causative agent of the dreadful mammalian disease trypanosomiasis or 'Surra' and carried as a latent parasite in domestic cattle but occasionally proves fatal when transmitted to horses and camel. Sporadic outbreak of 'Surra' to different animals (beside their natural hosts) reminds that T. evansi may be zoonotic, as their close relative cause sleeping sickness to human being. This haemoflagellate is mechanically transmitted by horse fly and its effect on different host varies depending on certain factors including the effectiveness of transmission by mech...
Holl HM, Pflug KM, Yates KM, Hoefs-Martin K, Shepard C, Cook DG, Lafayette C, Brooks SA.Variations in the SLC45A2 gene are responsible for the dilution phenotypes cream and pearl in domestic horses. Cream dilution is inherited in an incomplete dominant manner, diluting only red in the heterozygous state but both red and black pigments when two alleles are present. The pearl dilution is recessive and dilutes only the red and black pigment in the homozygous state or when paired with a cream allele. Horses that inherit one copy of pearl (C ) and one copy of the dominant cream allele (C ) display a dilution phenotype similar to that of homozygous cream, suggesting that pearl is the ...
