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Topic:Equine Diseases
Equine diseases encompass a wide range of health conditions that can affect horses, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetic conditions. These diseases can impact the overall health, performance, and well-being of horses. Common equine diseases include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, laminitis, and equine metabolic syndrome. Diagnosis and management of these diseases often require a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory testing, and appropriate treatment strategies. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment options for various equine diseases, providing valuable insights for veterinarians and researchers in the field.
Cutaneous vasculitis in equines: a retrospective study of 72 cases. Cutaneous vasculitis was identified by histopathological findings in 72 equines. The most frequent clinical findings were crusts/scales and oedema of the legs with the most common underlying disease being photo-aggravated dermatitis. Common laboratory findings were anaemia, neutrophilia, hyperglycaemia and hyperglobulinaemia. Histopathological patterns were most commonly cell-poor and lymphocytic/histiocytic. While statistically supported treatment recommendations could not be made due to the large numbers of confounding factors, trimethoprim-sulfa antibiotics, corticosteroids, and/or resoluti...
Intradermal testing of horses with and without insect bite hypersensitivity in The Netherlands using an extract of native Culicoides species. Intradermal tests using a Culicoides nubeculosus extract have proven unreliable for diagnosis of equine insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) in the Netherlands. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of an extract derived from the Dutch species C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris. Thirteen pairs of horses were tested, each pair consisting of one horse with IBH and the other a healthy control. Each horse was injected intradermally with 0.1 mL of three concentrations of Culicoides whole body extract (1 : 1000 w/v, 1 : 10,000 w/v and 1 : 25,000 w/v), histamine solution (0.01 mg/mL, po...
An open study to evaluate topical treatment of equine chorioptic mange with shampooing and lime sulphur solution. Chorioptic mange caused by Chorioptes bovis is a common pruritic skin condition of the horse. This surface-browsing parasite usually affects the lower legs (leg mange) but can present as a generalized skin disease. Numerous anecdotal reports exist in the literature about the benefit of lime sulphur as a treatment for surface ectoparasites in the horse. This report studies the use of lime sulphur when applied as a 5% solution, some with and some without prior shampooing and clipping, to treat confirmed cases of chorioptic mange in 22 horses. Horses included in the trial had clinical signs indic...
Simplified method to measure glucocorticoid metabolites in faeces of horses. Glucocorticoids or their metabolites can be measured in several body fluids or excreta, including plasma, saliva, urine and faeces. In recent years the measurement of glucocorticoid metabolites (GCMs) in faeces has gained increasing attention, because of its suitability for wild populations. In horses, however, the group-specific enzyme immunoassay described so far has a limited practicability due to its complex extraction procedure. Therefore, we tested the applicability of other enzyme immunoassays for glucocorticoid metabolites. The present study clearly proved that an enzyme immunoassay (E...
Risk of equine infectious disease transmission by non-race horse movements in Japan. For determining surveillance programs or infectious disease countermeasures, risk evaluation approaches have been recently undertaken in the field of animal health. In the present study, to help establish efficient and effective surveillance and countermeasures for equine infectious diseases, we evaluated the potential risk of equine infectious disease transmission in non-race horses from the viewpoints of horse movements and health management practices by conducting a survey of non-race horse holdings. From the survey, the non-race horse population was classified into the following five secto...
Jugular thrombophlebitis developed from buccal ulcer in a thoroughbred horse. A 22-year-old Thoroughbred stallion had severe left jugular thrombophlebitis. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations revealed extension of the lesions from a penetrating ulcer on the left buccal mucosa to the underlying muscle and local vein, and sequentially to the left jugular vein. This was a rare case of equine jugular thrombophlebitis caused by direct extension of infection from a traumatic oral lesion.
Biodiversity and distribution of helminths and protozoa in naturally infected horses from the biosphere reserve La Sierra Madre de Chiapas”, México. A cross sectional survey was performed to identify gastrointestinal helminths and protozoans in naturally infected horses from the biosphere reserve known as "La Sierra Madre de Chiapas", Mexico (El Triunfo and La Sepultura). During a three-year survey, fecal samples from 90 horses and parasites from 2 necropsied animals were collected. Five families from the Nematoda class: Ascaridae, Kathlanidae, Oxyuridae, Strongylidae and Trichostrongylidae were found, whereas, only one family from the class Cestoda, was observed: Anoplocephalidae. One family from the class Insecta, was observed: Gasteroph...
Seroprevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in the Swiss horse population. In Switzerland, the prevalence and incidence of equine piroplasma parasite (EPP) infections are unknown. In order to obtain a first insight into the prevalence, a representative sample of 689 sera of horses from Switzerland was serologically tested for the presence of antibodies directed against T. equi and B. caballi using the Indirect Fluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). A total of 50 (7.3%) horses were seropositive for EPP: overall, the seroprevalence of T. equi was significantly higher than that of B. caballi (p=0.002). The seropositivities in indigenous horses (animals bred and raised in Sw...
Comparative rheumatology: what can be learnt from naturally occurring musculoskeletal disorders in domestic animals? Examples of naturally occurring musculoskeletal disorders are extremely common in veterinary species and provide a valuable comparative research resource, which can provide compelling comparative data on the aetiopathogenesis and treatment of many common human musculoskeletal diseases. In particular, orthopaedic diseases are a common morbidity in both dogs and horses. In this review, we give an overview of the common musculoskeletal diseases encountered in these species: for instance, tendon and ligament injuries, arthropathies and stress fractures, as well as an insight into the basic biology...
On the water transport of animals with special reference to Denmark. Transport of animals by water is a very old way of transport because it is relatively cheap and safe, with a minimum loss of animals. Waterways have been used for the transport of living animals and various goods from ancient times, for example in Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire. Later, Vikings were so successful in their conquests because they always had trained horses aboard. It is believed that the colonization of America was possible because Spaniards were also bringing many horses with them. Danish possessions in the Caribbean owe much of their economic success in the period between 18...
A study of the thickness of cheek teeth subocclusal secondary dentine in horses of different ages. There is limited knowledge on the thickness of subocclusal secondary dentine in equine cheek teeth (CT). Objective: Subocclusal secondary dentine is of consistent thickness above different pulp horns in individual horses and its thickness increases with age. Methods: 408 permanent CT were extracted post mortem from 17 horses aged 4-30 years, with no history of dental disease. The CT were sectioned longitudinally in the medio-lateral (bucco-palatal/lingual) plane through each pulp horn, and the thickness of the secondary dentine overlying each pulp horn was measured directly. Results: The suboc...
Equine laminitis: induced by 48 h hyperinsulinaemia in Standardbred horses. Hyperinsulinaemia is known to induce laminitis experimentally in healthy ponies with no history of the condition. Horses are more insulin sensitive than ponies and whether prolonged hyperinsulinaemia and euglycaemia would have a similar laminitogenic effect requires study. Objective: To determine if laminitis results when the prolonged euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique (p-EHC) is applied to clinically normal Standardbred horses, and to monitor hoof wall temperature seeking an association between vascular activity and laminitis development. Methods: Eight young, clinically normal St...
Dysautonomia in a six-year-old mule in the United States. Equine dysautonomia, also known as equine grass sickness (EGS), is a well documented disease in several countries. To the authors' knowledge, EGS has not been reported previously in North America. This report describes EGS in a 6-year-old female mule in the USA. Failure initially to consider EGS resulted in a delayed diagnosis. EGS should be considered as a differential diagnosis and appropriate diagnostic tests performed in similar cases in North America.
Occlusal fissures of the equine cheek tooth: prevalence, location and association with disease in 91 horses referred for dental investigation. Fissures of the occlusal surface of the equine cheek tooth are poorly understood and their association with dental disease is unknown. Objective: To describe the prevalence and location of occlusal fissures in the cheek teeth (CT) of a group of horses referred for dental investigation/treatment, and determine association with intercurrent dental disease. Methods: Digital video recordings of oral endoscopic examinations for all horses referred to the Rossdales Equine Hospital for dental investigation from November 2006 to June 2009 were reviewed. Location of occlusal fissures in relation to bot...
Repeatability of subjective evaluation of lameness in horses. Previous studies have suggested that agreement between equine veterinarians subjectively evaluating lameness in horses is low. These studies were limited to small numbers of horses, evaluating movement on the treadmill or to evaluating previously-recorded videotape. Objective: To estimate agreement between equine practitioners performing lameness evaluations in horses in the live, over ground setting. Methods: 131 mature horses were evaluated for lameness by 2-5 clinicians (mean 3.2) with a weighted-average of 18.7 years of experience. Clinicians graded each limb using the AAEP lameness scale ...
Evaluation of current equine welfare issues in Ireland: causes, desirability, feasibility and means of raising standards. Significant potential threats to the health and welfare of horses exist in Ireland when supply exceeds demand and the identification system for horses is not yet robust. Objective: To secure engagement with stakeholder groups and determine their perception of equine welfare in Ireland and encourage the development of inclusive, rather than imposed, policy solutions. Methods: A 3 round, web-based Policy Delphi incorporating novel vignette methodology was conducted from November 2007-March 2008 to canvass opinion (in both quantitative and qualitative forms) on the perceived most significant equi...
A review of tendon injury: why is the equine superficial digital flexor tendon most at risk? Tendon injury is one of the most common causes of wastage in the performance horse; the majority of tendon injuries occur to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) whereas few occur to the common digital extensor tendon. This review outlines the epidemiology and aetiology of equine tendon injury, reviews the different functions of the tendons in the equine forelimb and suggests possible reasons for the high rate of failure of the SDFT. An understanding of the mechanisms leading to matrix degeneration and subsequent tendon gross failure is the key to developing appropriate treatment and p...
Relationship of horse owner assessed respiratory signs index to characteristics of recurrent airway obstruction in two Warmblood families. The horse owner assessed respiratory signs index (HOARSI-1-4, healthy, mildly, moderately and severely affected, respectively) is based on owner-reported clinical history and has been used for the investigation of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) genetics utilising large sample sizes. Reliable phenotype identification is of paramount importance in genetic studies. Owner reports of respiratory signs have shown good repeatability, but the agreement of HOARSI with an in-depth examination of the lower respiratory tract has not been investigated. Objective: To determine the correlation of HOARSI ...
Detection of equine rotavirus by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was applied to detection of equine rotavirus. Because equine rotavirus of the single P genotype, P[12], is predominant in the equine population worldwide, an RT-LAMP primer set was designed to target the genotype P[12] sequence and thus detect equine rotavirus. The detection limit of the RT-LAMP assay was 10(3) copies of viral RNA, whereas that of semi-nested RT-PCR for genotype P[12] was 10(5) copies. The RT-LAMP assay specifically amplified genotype P[12] but did not amplify the other P genotype strains. The RT-LAMP assay...
Isolation and cultivation of equine corneal keratocytes, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. To establish an in vitro model for the investigation of equine corneal wound healing. To accomplish this goal, a protocol to isolate and culture equine corneal keratocytes, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts was developed. ANIMAL MATERIAL: Equine corneal buttons were aseptically harvested from healthy research horses undergoing humane euthanasia for reasons unrelated to this study. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy was performed prior to euthanasia by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist to ensure that all samples were harvested from horses free of anterior segment disease. Methods: Equine corneal s...
Doping control analysis of recombinant human erythropoietin, darbepoetin alfa and methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta in equine plasma by nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO), darbepoetin alfa (DPO) and methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (PEG-EPO) are synthetic analogues of the endogenous hormone erythropoietin (EPO). These erythropoiesis-stimulating agents have the ability to stimulate the production of red blood cells and are commercially available for the treatment of anaemia in humans. These drugs are understood to have performance-enhancing effects on human athletes due to their stimulation of red blood cell production, thereby improving delivery of oxygen to the muscle tissues. Although their effect on horses has...
Gene-based vaccines: Recent developments. Gene-based vaccines are under development for a broad variety of applications, ranging from vaccines to immunotherapies for infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases and allergy. In addition, following the licensing of DNA vaccines for use in fish and horses, and DNA immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer in dogs, several veterinary uses of vaccines have been demonstrated for species ranging from fish and shrimp to cattle and horses. A variety of publications describing preclinical and clinical studies of the technologies used to increase the potency of gene-based vaccines, and resea...
Mass spectrometric investigations on lactate adduction to equine myoglobin. Research focused on determining the fundamental mechanisms by which lactate influences color stability has not considered a direct effect of lactate on myoglobin. Thus, the objective of this study was to use Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry to examine lactate adduction to myoglobin. Equine oxymyoglobin and equine carboxymyoglobin (0.15mM) were incubated with sodium lactate (200mM) at 4 degrees C, pH 5.6 in 50mM sodium citrate buffer or at 37 degrees C, pH 7.4 in 50mM sodium phosphate buffer, simulating typical meat storage and physiological condition...
Clinical update on the use of mesenchymal stem cells in equine orthopaedics. Stem cells have received much attention in recent times because of their potential to improve healing of othropaedic problems. This manuscript presents the genesis, issues and current state of stem cell treatment in equine medicine. Current literature supports the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for treatment of orthopaedic problems.
A rapid molecular method for diagnosing epidemic dermatophytosis in a racehorse facility. Identification of the species and strain of dermatophyte can play an effective role in control of disease outbreaks by establishing the source of infection. Current methods of identification are based on cultural and microscopic methods, often involving weeks before a positive identification are made. A rapid molecular diagnostic method would therefore be an important laboratory technique, but requires confirmation in equine clinical practice. Objective: To test the sensitivity and specificity of molecular diagnostic methods applied to a racehorse herd from the Korean Racehorse Authority (KRA)...
In vitro effects of lidocaine on the contractility of equine jejunal smooth muscle challenged by ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Post operative ileus (POI) in horses is a severe complication after colic surgery. A commonly used prokinetic drug is lidocaine, which has been shown to have stimulatory effects on intestinal motility. The cellular mechanisms through which lidocaine affects smooth muscle activity are not yet known. Objective: To examine the effects of lidocaine on smooth muscle in vitro and identify mechanisms by which it may affect the contractility of intestinal smooth muscle. Objective: Ischaemia and reperfusion associated with intestinal strangulation can cause smooth muscle injury. Consequently, muscle ce...
Use of ultrasound to evaluate outcome following colic surgery for equine large colon volvulus. The post operative response of the large colon wall after a surgically corrected large colon volvulus (LCV) has not been investigated. Objective: To use transabdominal ultrasound to monitor the post operative change in large colon wall thickness following surgical correction of LCV. Objective: A prolonged period to colon wall involution is correlated with an increased rate of post operative morbidity and mortality. Methods: A prospective clinical study including horses that presented to the North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for colic between September 2006 and March,...
