The study of diseases in horses encompasses a wide range of conditions affecting equine health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetic abnormalities. These diseases can impact various systems within the horse, such as respiratory, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems, and can lead to significant health challenges. Research in this area focuses on understanding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of equine diseases. Common diseases studied include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, and laminitis. This page provides access to peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, clinical presentation, and management strategies of diseases in horses, contributing to the advancement of equine veterinary medicine.
Whelchel DD, Tennent-Brown BS, Coleman AE, Rapoport GS, Blas-Machado U, Maisenbacher HW, Credille BC, Giguère S.To describe the treatment of persistent supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in a young horse in endurance training. Methods: A 6-year-old Arab gelding in endurance training presented for a dysrhythmia and decreased performance. SVT was diagnosed and conversion to a normal sinus rhythm was achieved following administration of a constant rate infusion of amiodarone. However, reversion to SVT occurred shortly after initiation of ridden exercise. A second attempt to convert the dysrhythmia with amiodarone failed, but normal sinus rhythm was achieved with transvenous electrical cardioversion (TVEC)....
Stewart AS, Pratt-Phillips S, Gonzalez LM.All species, including horses, suffer from alterations that increase intestinal permeability. These alterations, also known as "leaky gut," may lead to severe disease as the normal intestinal barrier becomes compromised and can no longer protect against harmful luminal contents including microbial toxins and pathogens. Leaky gut results from a variety of conditions including physical stressors, decreased blood flow to the intestine, inflammatory disease, and pathogenic infections, among others. Several testing methods exist to diagnose these alterations in both a clinical and research setting....
Mesquita LP, Arévalo AF, Zanatto DA, Miyashiro SI, Cunha EMS, de Souza MDCC, Villalobos EMC, Mori CMC, Maiorka PC, Mori E.The equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is an important cause of myeloencephalopathy and respiratory disease in horses. Animal models for EHV-1 infection have been specially developed using mice and Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). However, few studies have attempted to evaluate the pathogenesis of EHV-1 infection in the central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory system of hamsters. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the pathogenesis of four Brazilian EHV-1 strains within the CNS and lungs of Syrian hamsters. Hamsters intranasally infected with A4/72, A9/92, A3/97, and Iso...
Pintore MD, Cerutti F, D'Angelo A, Corona C, Gazzuola P, Masoero L, Colombo C, Bona R, Cantile C, Peletto S, Casalone C, Iulini B.A fatal case of meningoencephalitis was reported in a 13-year-old Koninklijk Warmbloed Paard Nederland stallion, suspected of West Nile virus (WNV) infection, in the Piedmont region of Italy. Clinical signs included right head tilt and circling, depression alternated with excitability, fever and lateral strabismus. Combined treatment consisting of dimethylsulfoxide, dexamethasone, sulphonamides and sedative was administered, but because of the poor conditions the horse was euthanatized and submitted for necropsy. At post-mortem examination no skin lesions were observed, all organs appeared nor...
Giancola F, Rambaldi AM, Bianco F, Iusco S, Romagnoli N, Tagliavia C, Bombardi C, Clavenzani P, De Giorgio R, Chiocchetti R.Serotonin plays a pivotal role in regulating gut motility, visceral sensitivity, and fluid secretion via specific receptors. Among these receptors, 5-HT exerts a prominent control on gut motor function. Although the prokinetic effect exerted by 5-HT agonists is well known, the cellular sites of 5-HT expression remain poorly understood in large mammals, e.g., horses. In this study, we evaluated the distribution of 5-HT in the horse intestine and in foals with enteric aganglionosis, reminiscent of human Hirschsprung's disease. Methods: The intestine and spinal ganglia were obtained from three he...
Gordon DL, Radtke CL.A 12-year-old Norwegian Fjord gelding was diagnosed with paranasal sinusitis as a post-operative complication of tooth repulsion surgery. The infection with inspissated purulent material persisted despite sinus trephination and lavage, and systemic antimicrobial therapy. Resolution occurred following infusion of a gelatin/penicillin mixture into the right rostral and caudal maxillary sinus. Une sinusite paranasale a été diagnostiquée chez un hongre Fjord âgé de 12 ans comme complication postopératoire d’une chirurgie pour la répulsion d’une dent. L’infection avec du matériel pur...
Wilkes E, McConaghy FF, Thompson RL, Dawson K, Sangster NC, Hughes KJ.This study was performed to investigate the efficacy of a morantel-abamectin combination for the treatment of macrocyclic lactone (ML)-resistant Parascaris spp. infections in foals. Methods: Foals on five properties with a Parascaris faecal egg count (FEC) > 50 eggs per gram were used to estimate the FEC reduction (FECR) and efficacy of the anthelmintic combination. Conclusions: On all properties, resistance to ivermectin and abamectin was present and the Parascaris FECR in foals administered the morantel-abamectin combination was > 99%, indicating that this combination effective...
Horak IG, Heyne H, Halajian A, Booysen S, Smit WJ.The aim of the study was to determine the species spectrum of ixodid ticks that infest horses and donkeys in South Africa and to identify those species that act as vectors of disease to domestic livestock. Ticks were collected opportunistically from 391 horses countrywide by their owners or grooms, or by veterinary students and staff at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria. Ticks were also collected from 76 donkeys in Limpopo Province, 2 in Gauteng Province and 1 in North West province. All the ticks were identified by means of a stereoscopic microscope. Horses were infest...
Zhao J, Poelaert KCK, Van Cleemput J, Nauwynck HJ.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disease, abortion and neurological disorders in horses. Besides epithelial cells, CD172a monocytic cells become infected with EHV-1 in the respiratory mucosa and transport the virus from the apical side of the epithelium to the lamina propria en route to the lymph and blood circulation. Whether CD172a monocytic cells are specifically recruited to the infection sites in order to pick up virus is unknown. In our study, equine nasal mucosa explants were inoculated with EHV-1 neurological strains 03P37 and 95P105 or the non-neurological strains ...
Journal of proteomicsFebruary 24, 2017
Volume 158 62-72 doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2017.02.015
Segura Á, Herrera M, Reta Mares F, Jaime C, Sánchez A, Vargas M, Villalta M, Gómez A, Gutiérrez JM, León G.The venom of the Mexican west-coast rattlesnake (Crotalus basiliscus) was characterized for its protein composition, toxicological profile and immunogenic properties. This venom is composed of 68% Zn2+-dependent metalloproteinases (SVMPs), 14% phospholipases A2 (PLA2s), 11% serine proteinases, 4% SVMPs-inhibitor tripeptides (SVMP-ITs), 2% bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs), 0.6% cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), and 0.2% l-amino acid oxidases (LAAOs). SVMPs present in the venom are responsible for azocasein hydrolysis and hemorrhagic activity, but their contribution to the lethal...
Horbal A, Dixon PM.A 4-year-old thoroughbred cross mare was referred to the University of Edinburgh Veterinary School Equine Hospital for treatment of a soft tissue tumor on the buccal gingival margin of the rostral right maxillary cheek teeth. The lesion was initially surgically excised and diagnosed as a fibrosarcoma via histopathology. Adjunctive treatment with intralesional cisplatin chemotherapy was begun. The tumor recurred and was repeatedly treated with intralesional cisplatin injections and additional surgical resection over the course of 14 weeks. Despite the initial poor response to treatment, no furt...
Nielsen MK, Lyons ET.Cyathostomins (small strongyles) are ubiquitous in grazing horses and are known pathogens as cause of larval cyathostominosis. As part of their life cycle, cyathostomin larvae invade the mucosal walls of the large intestines and undergo encystment. Newly ingested third stage larvae are known to undergo arrested development and this can lead to an accumulation of encysted burdens over the course of a grazing season. It is believed that the host immune system plays a significant role in triggering this arrestment. Little is known about the development and progression of larval stages in foals th...
Roy MF, Kwong GP, Lambert J, Massie S, Lockhart S.Despite its widespread use in equine medicine, the clinical value of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) concept in horses remains unknown. Objective: To study the prognostic value of measures of SIRS in horses and identify the best model of severe SIRS to predict outcome. Methods: A total of 479 consecutive adult horse emergency admissions to a private primary referral practice. Methods: Prospective observational study. All adult horses admitted for emergency treatment over the study period were included. Multivariate logistic regression and stepwise model selection were used. ...
Wong DM, Ruby RE, Eatroff A, Yaeger MJ.A newborn foal was presented because it was unresponsive and in cardiopulmonary arrest. Aggressive cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation was administered to the foal, which revived the foal; however, acute renal failure developed. Fluid retention and azotemia occurred although the foal was alert and able to suckle. A 6-hour renal replacement therapy session using hemodiafiltration and a continuous renal replacement therapy machine was administered to the foal at 3 days of age which lowered the foal's azotemia and facilitated removal of some of the excess body fluid. Despite therapy, the foal ...
Citek J, Vostry L, Vostra-Vydrova H, Brzakova M, Prantlova V.The objective of this study was to assess the genetic parameters of insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) in the Old Grey Kladruber horse, an original Czech warmblood horse breed. Insect bite hypersensitivity is a recurrent allergic skin disease affecting horses worldwide. Its etiology is multifactorial. The defect is genetically controlled, and the starting impulse is a bite by midges of the spp. and less frequently spp. Knowledge about the associated genes is limited. Horses were kept by the National Stud in Kladruby (1,146 measurements) and by 10 private breeders (63 measurements). The horses ...
Giusto G, Tramuta C, Caramello V, Comino F, Nebbia P, Robino P, Singer E, Grego E, Gandini M.The objective of this study was to investigate whether cleaning surgical materials used to close pelvic flexure enterotomies with a wet sterile gauze will reduce contamination and whether the use of a full thickness appositional suture pattern (F) or a partial thickness inverting (or Cushing) suture pattern (C) would make a difference in the level of contamination. Large colon specimens were assigned to group F or C and divided into subgroups N and G. In group G, a wet sterile gauze was passed over the suture material, another over the instruments, and another over the gloves. In group N, no t...
Payne VK, Mbafor FL, Wabo Pone J, Tchoumboué J.To evaluate the prevalence of infestation of ectoparasites of horses, a total of 894 horses (367 males and 527 females), aged 1-7 years old were examined. Horses were groomed for collection of ectoparasites. Out of the horses examined, 164 came from Fundong, 80 from Acha, 30 from Fongo-Tongo, 30 from Fokoue and 17 from Dschang, all of which were infested with ectoparasites. Five hundred and seventy-three (573) horses came from Banso and 99.48% were infested by ectoparasites. From the results obtained, three species of hard ticks ( and ) and one species of biting lice () were identified. (66%...
Salas-Romero J, Gomez-Cabrera K, Molento MB, Lyons ET, Delgado A, González L, Arenal A, Nielsen MK.Equine cyathostomin parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses and have been shown to cause severe inflammatory disease in the large intestine of horses. Decades of intensive anthelmintic therapy have led to widespread anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomins across the world. In Cuba, no anthelmintic products are formulated and sold for equine usage and little is known about anthelmintic efficacy of ruminant and swine formulations used. A strongyle fecal egg count reduction test was used to assess the efficacy of a liquid formulation of ivermectin labelled for use in swine, ruminants and carn...
Choubisa SL.India is one of the fluoride-endemic countries where the maximum numbers of ground or drinking water sources are naturally fluoridated. In India, a total of 23, out of 36 states and union territories have drinking water contaminated with fluoride in varying concentration. In the present scenario, especially in rural India, besides the surface waters (perennial ponds, dams, rivers, etc.), bore wells and hand pumps are the principal drinking water sources for domestic animals such as cattle (Bos taurus), water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), sheep (Ovis aries), goats (Capra hircus), horses (Equus c...
van Gennip RGP, van de Water SGP, Potgieter CA, van Rijn PA.The Reoviridae family consists of nonenveloped multilayered viruses with a double-stranded RNA genome consisting of 9 to 12 genome segments. The Orbivirus genus of the Reoviridae family contains African horse sickness virus (AHSV), bluetongue virus, and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, which cause notifiable diseases and are spread by biting Culicoides species. Here, we used reverse genetics for AHSV to study the role of outer capsid protein VP2, encoded by genome segment 2 (Seg-2). Expansion of a previously found deletion in Seg-2 indicates that structural protein VP2 of AHSV is not essen...
Kirisawa R, Toishi Y, Akamatsu A, Soejima K, Miyashita T, Tsunoda N.In the spring of 2015, two stallions reared in Farms A and B in Hokkaido in Japan showed symptoms of equine coital exanthema. Equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) was isolated from penis swab samples of both stallions, and the isolates from each stallion in Farms A and B were designated as SS-1 and YS-1 strains, respectively. BamHI restriction profiles of SS-1 and Japanese reference strain Iwate-1 were indistinguishable, but the BamHI-A fragment of YS-1 was larger than those of SS-1 and Iwate-1 by 1.9 kbp because of the lack of two BamHI sites. Nucleotide sequence analyses of glycoprotein G (gG), gB, ...
Russell JW, Hall MS, Kelly GM.A 3-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was presented with a grade 3/5 lameness of the right forelimb and effusion of the extensor carpi radialis tendon sheath (ECRTS). Radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations revealed an osteochondroma on the cranial aspect of the distal radius projecting into the fibrous lining of the ECRTS. An open surgical approach was used to remove the osteochondroma and some of the proliferative synovial tissue. Conclusions: Six months after surgery the clinical signs had resolved and the horse raced successfully.
The Journal of urologyDecember 1, 1986
Volume 136, Issue 6 1314-1315 doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(17)45327-4
Wheeler JS, Culkin DJ, O'Connell J, Winters G.The immunocompromised patient after organ transplantation is susceptible to unusual and life-threatening infections. We report a case of epididymitis that evolved into testicular nocardiosis after cardiac transplantation. An awareness of the potential for these infections and early diagnosis may prevent extensive morbidity in the post-transplantation patient.
Mahoney DF, Wright IG, Frerichs WM, Groenendyk S, O'Sullivan BM, Roberts MC, Waddell AH.A Babesia parasite, isolated from the blood of a horse at Bowral, New South Wales, was identified on the basis of its morphological features, host specificity and serological reactions, as Babesia equi (Laveran 1901). The case was originally reported by Churchill and Best (1976, Aust. vet. J. 52: 487) and is the first record of equine babesiosis in Australia. In preliminary studies, the organism produced only a mild disease in an intact horse, but caused the typical clinical syndrome of acute babesiosis in a splenectomised horse, which died 19 days after the intravenous inoculation of the para...
Freeman DE, Schaeffer DJ.To test the hypothesis that strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma or in the epiploic foramen is more common in older horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 46 horses. Methods: Ages of horses with strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma (n = 29) or in the epiploic foramen (17) were compared with ages of 79 horses with miscellaneous small intestinal lesions. Effects of increasing age on risk of the diseases of interest were examined by use of logistic regression and a 1-sided trend test for binomial proportions. Results: Mean age of the horses with strangulation in th...
Dabareiner RM, White NA.The cecum is an important site of water and electrolyte absorption, as well as microbial digestion of soluble and insoluble carbohydrates. These functions of the cecum and ascending colon require that ingesta be mixed constantly and retained long enough to complete the digestion of cellulose. Parasites, changes in regional blood flow, diet, and various pharmacologic agents are associated with alterations in normal cecal motility patterns.
Moncayo AC, Edman JD.Putative epidemic/epizootic eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus (EEE) vector populations were compared at 15 recent (1982-90) human and horse case sites in Bristol and Plymouth counties in southeastern Massachusetts. Carbon dioxide-baited American Biophysics Corporation light traps were used for trapping adult mosquitoes to estimate biting risk in these foci of known transmission. Population data suggest that Coquillettidia perturbans, Aedes canadensis, and Culex salinarius are more likely vectors of EEE in Massachusetts than Aedes vexans, Anopheles punctipennis, and Anopheles quadrimaculat...
Rule EK, Boyle AG, Redding LE.Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most important public health risks facing our world today. Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed in equine veterinary medicine, but limited information exists documenting their use in practice. The goal of this study was to investigate antimicrobial prescription patterns in regards to prescription frequency, duration, drug class, clinician and affected body system in an equine ambulatory setting via retrospective analysis of billing and electronic medical records. Risk factors associated with antimicrobial prescription including the nature of the visit, ...
Murase H, Miyazawa M, Harada T, Ozawa M, Sato F, Hada T.The degree of fetal growth restriction has been unclear in equine reproduction. In this study, 2,195 fetuses from 2,137 abortions during 11 seasons were examined to determine the causes of abortion, and fetal size dimensions (crown rump length and body weight) were measured. In total, 900 cases (42.1%) of abortion were identified as caused by viral infection (215, 10.1%), bacterial infection (156, 7.3%), fungal infection (25, 1.2%), circulation failure (406, 19.0%), multiple causes (66, 3.1%), deformity (13, 0.6%), placental abnormality (12, 0.6%), and other causes (7, 0.3%). All viral infecti...
Katz J, Dewald R, Nicholson J.Procedurally similar competitive enzyme-linked immunoassay (cELISA) methods were developed for the serodiagnosis of Babesia equi and Babesia caballi (piroplasmosis), Trypanosoma equiperdum (dourine), and Burkholderia mallei (glanders) infections in horses. Apparent test specificities for the B. equi, B. caballi, T. equiperdum, and B. mallei cELISAs were 99.2%, 99.5%, 98.9%, and 98.9%, respectively. Concordances and kappa values between the complement fixation (CF) and the cELISA procedures for the serodiagnosis of B. equi, B. caballi, T. equiperdum, and B. mallei infections in experimentally e...
Silva MA, Silva KM, Jesus AL, Barros LO, Corteggio A, Altamura G, Borzacchiello G, Freitas AC.Papillomavirus (PV) are double-stranded DNA viruses that can cause both benignant and malignant tumours in mammals. Twelve genotypes of bovine papillomavirus (BPV1-12) have been identified so far. The presence of BPV1 and 2 has been found in the body fluids of cattle and horses. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of BPV DNA and the expression of viral genes in the blood and sperm cells of healthy horses using PCR and RT-PCR. BPV-1 or 2 was detected in 14 of 70 blood samples (20%) and in 11 of 31 semen samples (35%). In five of fourteen blood samples, the E5 expression tested ...
Magno M.This review considers the similarities and difference between several animal species to determine which are most appropriate for studies of the human bronchial circulation in health and disease. The subgross anatomy of the sheep, cow, pig and horse appear to be similar to that of humans. These species have a major bronchial artery with a consistent location. In humans and other species, there is evidence of anastomoses between the bronchial and coronary circulations. The bronchial circulation provides nutrient supply to the neural structures of all species. The bronchial arteries themselves ar...
Cui J, Zhao Y, Wang H, Qiu B, Cao Z, Li Q, Zhang Y, Yan F, Jin H, Wang T, Sun W, Feng N, Gao Y, Sun J, Wang Y, Perlman S, Zhao J, Yang S, Xia X.West Nile virus (WNV) is prevalent in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, West Asia, and North America, and causes epidemic encephalitis. To date, no effective therapy for WNV infection has been developed; therefore, there is urgent need to find an efficient method to prevent WNV disease. In this study, we prepared and evaluated the protective efficacy of immune serum IgG and pepsin-digested F(ab')₂ fragments from horses immunized with the WNV virus-like particles (VLP) expressing the WNV M and E proteins. Immune equine F(ab')₂ fragments and immune horse sera efficiently neutralized WNV infec...
Düttmann C, Flores B, Kadoch Z N, Bermúdez C S.We document the species of ticks that parasitize livestock in Nicaragua. The study was based on tick collection on cattle and horses from 437 farms in nine departments. Of 4841 animals examined (4481 cows and 360 horses), 3299 were parasitized, which represent 68 % of the bovines and 67 % of the equines in study: 59 cows and 25 horses were parasitized by more than one species. In addition, 280 specimens of the entomological museum in León were examined. The ticks found on cattle were Rhipicephalus microplus (75.2 % of the ticks collected), Amblyomma mixtum (20.8 %), A. parvum (2.6 %), A....
Keen JA.Despite advances, increased convenience, and availability of echocardiography and other diagnostic techniques in equine cardiology, a comprehensive history and clinical examination still forms the essential first step in any cardiac evaluation. This article summarizes the approach to the cardiac examination at rest, highlighting key areas for the clinician to assess, and stressing the importance of context for assessing the significance of any abnormalities detected. Ancillary techniques, such as blood pressure measurement and the laboratory assessment of cardiac disease in the horse, are also...
Antonello AM, Pivoto FL, Camillo G, Braunig P, Sangioni LA, Pompermayer E, Vogel FS.Neospora spp. is a intracellular protozoan phylogenetically closely related to Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona, and it can infect horses leading to the development of reproductive or neurological diseases. We determined the presence of antibodies to Neospora sp. in mares at their parturition time and determine the frequency of vertical transmission in healthy foals to verify the importance of transplacental transmission. The samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test, showing that seroprevalence in mares is higher than in foals and seropositive mares are likel...
Huang H, Zhang K, Zhang B, Liu S, Chu H, Qi Y, Zhang D, Li K.Gasterophilus spp. have been found to be widespread in reintroduced Przewalski's horses in the Kalamaili Nature Reserve (Northwest China). However, data on the annual variation in Gasterophilus infections are lacking. To analyze the epidemiological features and determine the cause of the annual variation in Gasterophilus infections, we treated 110 Przewalski's horses with ivermectin and collected Gasterophilus larvae from fecal samples each winter from 2007 to 2019. All 110 Przewalski's horses studied were found to be infected by Gasterophilus spp., and a total of 141 379 larvae were collected...
Cain JL, Foulk D, Jedrzejewski E, Stofanak H, Nielsen MK.Anthelmintic resistance in equine cyathostomin parasites is widespread. A surveillance-based parasite control program using fecal egg counts (FECs) and fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs) to decrease anthelmintic use and monitor treatment efficacy is recommended. The purpose of this study was to examine shifts in equine parasite control program management practices via a short course presented by the Penn State Extension, and to highlight how data collected from these programs is useful for monitoring anthelmintic efficacy on a large scale. Horse owners were enrolled after participating i...
Chollet A, Wespi B, Roosje P, Unger L, Venner M, Goepfert C, Monod M.We report a case of an outbreak of inflammatory dermatophytoses caused by Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii (formally Trichophyton mentagrophytes pro parte) that involved an infected horse, the owner and at least 20 students, staff and stablemen at a veterinary school in Bern (Switzerland) that presented highly inflammatory dermatitis of the body and the face. Transmission from human to human was also recorded as one patient was the partner of an infected person. Both the phenotypic characteristics and ITS sequence of the dermatophytes isolated from the horse and patients were identical, consistent ...