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.
Donnelly BP, Nixon AJ, Haupt JL, Dahlgren LA.To characterize the nucleotide sequence of equine platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A and -B and analyze temporal expression of these genes in equine tendon after induced tendinitis injury. Animals-18 mature horses. Methods: Genes for equine PDGF-A and -B were reverse transcribed and sequenced from synovial tissue mRNA obtained from a 3-year-old horse. Collagenase-induced lesions were created in the tensile region of the superficial digital flexor tendon in 14 horses; 3 horses served as uninjured control animals. Tendons were harvested and total RNA was isolated from experimental horses 1,...
Ishihara A, Zachos TA, Bartlett JS, Bertone AL.To evaluate host cell permissiveness and cytotoxic effects of recombinant and modified adenoviral vectors in equine chondrocytes, synovial cells, and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMD-MSCs). Methods: Articular cartilage, synovium, and bone marrow from 15 adult horses. Methods: Equine chondrocytes, synovial cells, and BMD-MSCs and human carcinoma (HeLa) cells were cultured and infected with an E-1-deficient adenovirus vector encoding the beta-galactosidase gene or the green fluorescent protein gene (Ad-GFP) and with a modified E-1-deficient vector with the arg-gly-asp capsid pepti...
de Grauw JC, Brama PA, Wiemer P, Brommer H, van de Lest CH, van Weeren PR.To assess whether reported alterations in metabolism of cartilage matrix in young (0 to 24 months old) horses with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) may also be found in older (24 to 48 months old) horses with clinical signs of OCD and to investigate the role of eicosanoids in initiating these clinical signs. Methods: Synovial fluid was collected from 38 tarsocrural joints of 24 warmblood horses with (22 joints of 16 horses) or without (16 joints of 8 horses) clinical signs and a radiographic diagnosis of OCD of the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia. Methods: Turnover of type II collagen wa...
Aguilar J, Fraser HM, Wilson H, Clutton E, Shaw DJ, Watson ED.The temporal relationship between endothelial cell death, vascular regression and the death of hormone-producing cells in the mare has not been established. To determine the dynamics of cell proliferation and death throughout the luteal phase, corpora lutea were studied at the early, mid- and late luteal phase, and after treatment with cloprostenol in the mid-luteal phase to induce premature luteolysis. Changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis were investigated utilising specific markers (phosphorylated histone-3 and activated caspase-3 respectively). Histone-3 positive cells were most abun...
Knobloch M, Portier CJ, Levionnois OL, Theurillat R, Thormann W, Spadavecchia C, Mevissen M.Ketamine is widely used as an anesthetic in a variety of drug combinations in human and veterinary medicine. Recently, it gained new interest for use in long-term pain therapy administered in sub-anesthetic doses in humans and animals. The purpose of this study was to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPk) model for ketamine in ponies and to investigate the effect of low-dose ketamine infusion on the amplitude and the duration of the nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR). A target-controlled infusion (TCI) of ketamine with a target plasma level of 1 microg/ml S-ketamine over 120 ...
Osborne C.A 7-year-old Arabian gelding was presented with a 9-month history of progressive patches of nonpruritic scaling, crusting, alopecia, and leukoderma of the periocular areas and muzzle, becoming generalized over time. Sebaceous adenitis was diagnosed on histopathologic examination. Lesions resolved without treatment, coinciding with regression of a sarcoid on the neck. Un cheval Arabe castré âgé de 7 ans a été présenté pour une histoire de 9 mois de plaques de desquamation, de croutes, d’alopécie et de leucodermie sur les régions périoculaire et sur le nez, devenant généralisées ...
Elce YA, Southwood LL, Nutt JN, Nunamaker DM.Distal radial fractures in adult horses are examples of long-bone fractures that are not always amenable to internal fixation. These fractures are often open, contaminated, severely comminuted, and located adjacent to the antebrachiocarpal joint. There have been few studies to improve upon the methods of stabilization of this type of fracture. External coaptation incorporating transfixation pins is one method that has been used to stabilize distal radial fractures in horses (1-3). The purpose of this preliminary study was to compare the load to failure in simulated weight-bearing of a novel ta...
During August-September 2005, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported seven cases of human eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) disease, the first laboratory-confirmed, locally acquired cases of human EEEV disease reported from New Hampshire in 41 years of national surveillance. Also during August--September 2005, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported four cases of human EEEV disease, five times the annual average of 0.8 cases reported from Massachusetts during the preceding 10 years. Four of the 11 patients from New Hampshire and Massachusetts d...
Bonfini B, Semproni G, Savini G.A horse erythrocyte culture technique, partly modifying that originally developed by Holman, was used to detect the presence of Theileria equi strains in 12 horse and 2 mule blood samples. The animals were placed into four groups on the basis of their case history and laboratory test results: the mules and two horses were considered as infected and included in the 'recent infection' group, four horses with a history of past infection were included in the 'past infection' group and four animals subjected to anti-theileria treatment formed the 'treated animals' group. The final group consisted o...
Acosta de Pérez O, Teibler P, Leiva L, Ríos E, Sanchez Negrette M, Pollitt C.The envenoming caused by Bothrops snakebite includes local symptoms, such as pronounced edema, hemorrhage, intense pain, vesicles, blisters and myonecrosis. The principal systemic symptom consists in the alteration of blood clotting, due to fibrinogen consumption and platelet abnormalities. The horses involved in this study had this symptomatology and one of them exhibited symptoms consistent with laminitis in the bitten and in the contralateral limbs. Laminitis lesions were characterized by separation of the hoof lamellar basement membrane (BM) from basal cells of the epidermis. These results...
Duquesne F, Pronost S, Laugier C, Petry S.A direct-PCR assay was developed for the rapid detection of Taylorella equigenitalis, a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for contagious equine metritis (CEM) in Equidae. The bacteria may be detected in equine genital swabs without need for a preliminary step of DNA extraction or bacterial isolation. Specificity was determined with 125 isolates of T. equigenitalis, 24 isolates of Taylorella asinigenitalis, five commensal bacteria of the genital tract and a facultative intracellular pathogen of foals found in large concentration in soil. Our PCR is specific and amplified a 413-bp 16S ribosoma...
Hellberg W, Wilson AD, Mellor P, Doherr MG, Torsteinsdottir S, Zurbriggen A, Jungi T, Marti E.Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic dermatitis of horses caused by IgE-mediated reactions to bites of Culicoides and sometimes Simulium spp. The allergens causing IBH are probably salivary gland proteins from these insects, but they have not yet been identified. The aim of our study was to identify the number and molecular weight of salivary gland extract (SGE) proteins derived from Culicoides nubeculosus which are able to bind IgE antibodies (ab) from the sera of IBH-affected horses. Additionally, we sought to investigate the IgG subclass (IgGa, IgGb and IgGT) reactivity to thes...
Boliar S, Stanislawek W, Chambers TM.The hemagglutination inhibition test is used by many diagnostic and surveillance laboratories for detection of antibodies to influenza viruses. It is well known that the hemagglutination inhibition test is affected by nonspecific inhibitors present in equine serum. Several serum treatments are in use to remove these inhibitors, including treatment with kaolin. Discrepant results were observed in the authors' laboratories when using kaolin treatment before testing equine sera for antibodies against equine influenza virus (EIV) subtype-1 (H7N7). It is demonstrated here that kaolin treatment lead...
Traversa D, Iorio R, Capelli G, Paoletti B, Bartolini R, Otranto D, Giangaspero A.Gastric habronemosis of horses caused by Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Nematoda, Spirurida) is characterized by catarrhal gastritis, diarrhoea, progressive weight loss and ulcers. Despite its importance in the equine industry and in clinical practice, knowledge of the epidemiology of this infection is still incomplete as diagnosis in live animals is challenging. A two-step semi-nested PCR assay using ribosomal DNA (rDNA) markers has recently been used for the molecular diagnosis in vivo of gastric habronemosis based on the detection of H. microstoma and/or H. muscae DNA in equine ...
Semevolos SA, Nixon AJ, Fortier LA, Strassheim ML, Haupt J.The purpose of this study was to determine changes in the expression of regulatory molecules in normal equine articular cartilage throughout development up to 18 months of age. The hypothesis was that expression of these regulatory molecules would decrease from birth to postpubescence. Cartilage was harvested from normal femoropatellar or scapulohumeral joints from 34 fresh horse cadavers. Horses were placed in four age groups [prenatal (n = 5); prepubertal, 0-6 months (n = 11); pubertal, 7-14 months (n = 13); and postpubertal, 15-18 months (n = 5)]. Indian hedgehog (Ihh), Gli1, Gli3, Patched1...
Kolm G, Knapp E, Wagner R, Klein D.Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is a primary cytokine of the skin that has a pivotal role in keratinocyte differentiation, epidermal wound healing and host defense. Pathological increase of cutaneous IL-1beta is associated with edema formation, epidermal hyperproliferation and atopic dermatitis in humans. However, in horses the role of cutaneous IL-1beta in edema formation and allergic skin disease has not been characterised so far. Particularly in Culicoides hypersensitivity (CHS), intradermal injection of Culicoides extract may be associated with enhanced transcription of local IL-1beta. To exa...
Stickle JE, McKnight CA, Williams KJ, Carr EA.A 2-year-old, Quarter Horse filly was referred to Michigan State University, Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a 2-3 day history of depression and partial anorexia progressing to severe, watery diarrhea with severe neurologic abnormalities, including repetitive muscle fasciculations, muscle stiffening, and collapse. Laboratory findings included severe polycythemia, neutropenia, metabolic acidosis, and electrolyte and fluid loss, consistent with watery diarrhea and endotoxic shock. Increased creatine kinase and aspartate transaminase activities were consistent with recent transport and the musc...
Macgregor J, Graf von Schweinitz D.Myofascial trigger points are commonly described in humans, and many studies have shown abnormal spontaneous electrical activity, spike activity and local twitch responses at these sites. Myofascial trigger points have only rarely been described in horses, and studies of their electrophysiological characteristics have not previously been published. The objective of this study was to explore the electromyographic (EMG) and other characteristics of myofascial trigger points in equine muscle, and to compare them with normal muscle tissue. Methods: Four horses with chronic pain signs and impaired ...
Kasperowicz B, Rotkiewicz T, Otrocka-Domagała I.The purpose of the study was a pathomorphological and immunohistochemical analysis of tumour cells and connective tissue in equine sarcoids. Investigations were performed using histopathological, ultrastructural, immunohistochemical (PCNA, p53, cytokeratin, vimentin) and histochemical (Ag-NORs) methods. The study was conducted on 50 sarcoids originating from 36 horses and classified as occult, verrucous, fibroblastic and a mixed type of sarcoid based on their clinical appearance. Most of the tumours were located on the girth (30%), neck (24%), head (12%), and legs (12%). The average age of the...
Kummer M, Geyer H, Imboden I, Auer J, Lischer C.The understanding of the normal position of the third phalanx (P3) and the distal sesamoid bone in relation to the size and shape of the hoof capsule in sound horses is helpful in the diagnosis of equine foot lameness. Some measurements on radiographs used to define the position of the pedal bone within the hoof capsule are significantly influenced by hoof trimming and the height of the withers. In this study, the front hooves of 40 Warmblood horses were radiographed twice, eight weeks apart, both before and after their hooves were trimmed by an experienced farrier. Using the software programm...
Richardson LE, Wakley GK, Franklin SH.Dorsal displacement of the soft palate is a common cause of upper airway obstruction in racehorses and is of unknown aetiology. To determine whether the palate may displace for structural reasons, knowledge of the normal soft palate is required. The present study aimed to describe, qualitatively and quantitatively, the structure of the normal equine soft palate using histomorphometry. In soft palates from 12 Thoroughbreds, glandular tissue predominated (ca. 40% of total area), located mainly in the rostral and ventral regions. Rostrally, muscles attached to a tendinous aponeurosis located dors...
The Journal of nutritionJune 15, 2006
Volume 136, Issue 7 Suppl 2099S-2102S doi: 10.1093/jn/136.7.2099S
Longland AC, Byrd BM.Fresh forages constitute a majority of the diet for many horses and ponies that graze on pastures during the growing season in many parts of the world. Grasses generally predominate in such pastures, with varying proportions of legumes. Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) (simple sugars, starch, and fructan) can induce laminitis experimentally, and NSC can accumulate to >400 g/kg of dry matter (DM) in pasture grasses. In this article we discuss the environmental factors affecting NSC accumulation in pastures and estimate the potential daily intakes of pasture NSC by grazing horses. We also di...
The Journal of nutritionJune 15, 2006
Volume 136, Issue 7 Suppl 2094S-2098S doi: 10.1093/jn/136.7.2094S
Treiber KH, Kronfeld DS, Geor RJ.Insulin is a major regulatory hormone in glucose and fat metabolism, vascular function, inflammation, tissue remodeling, and the somatotropic axis of growth. Insulin resistance alters insulin signaling by decreasing insulin action in certain resistant pathways while increasing insulin signaling in other unaffected pathways via compensatory hyperinsulinemia. In humans, altered insulin signaling is implicated in reduced glucose availability to insulin-sensitive cells, vasoconstriction and endothelial damage, and inflammatory response. Although no direct evidence exists for insulin's role in thes...
The Journal of nutritionJune 15, 2006
Volume 136, Issue 7 Suppl 2114S-2121S doi: 10.1093/jn/136.7.2114S
Harris P, Bailey SR, Elliott J, Longland A.Laminitis occurs throughout the world in horses and ponies and has major welfare implications. It is obviously important to be able to recognize and treat the condition in its early stages so that pain and suffering are kept to a minimum. However, ideally it would be preferred to be able to recommend certain interventions/countermeasures that avoid or prevent the condition from occurring in the first place. Because pasture-associated laminitis occurs with grass consumption, one obvious way to avoid the condition is to prevent access to pasture and to feed forage alternatives that are known to ...
Gokbulut C, Akar F, McKellar QA.Fenbendazole (FBZ), oxfendazole (fenbendazole sulphoxide, FBZSO), and albendazole (ABZ) were administered orally to donkeys at 10mg/kg bodyweight. Blood and faecal samples were collected from 1 to 120 h post-treatment. The plasma and faecal samples were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The parent molecule and its sulphoxide and sulphone (FBZSO(2)) metabolites did not reach detectable concentrations in any plasma samples following FBZ administration. ABZ was also not detected in any plasma samples, but its sulphoxide and sulphone metabolites were detected, demonstratin...
Ameni G.A study was conducted between January 2003 and June 2004 on 19,082 carthorses in 28 towns in Ethiopia to investigate the epidemiology of equine histoplasmosis (EH). Clinical and microscopic examinations were used and an overall prevalence of 18.8% (3579/19082) was recorded. Statistically significant (P<0.001) differences was observed in the average prevalence with high, medium, and low prevalence categories. The highest prevalence (39%) was recorded at Mojo while the lowest (0.0%) was recorded at five towns, namely, Agaro, Bokoji, Debre Berhan, Dinsho, and Sagure. The prevalence of EH was n...
The Journal of nutritionJune 15, 2006
Volume 136, Issue 7 Suppl 2103S-2107S doi: 10.1093/jn/136.7.2103S
Elliott J, Bailey SR.Equine laminitis is the painful and debilitating condition resulting from cellular damage and inflammation of the tissues comprising the bonds supporting the pedal bone within the hoof capsule. One of the reasons why this condition is so complicated and enigmatic is its association with gastrointestinal disturbances, particularly a diet of lush grass at certain times of the year. Determining the link between disturbances to the hindgut flora and pathophysiology in the foot is one of the keys to preventing this condition. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges in equine laminitis research is ...
Gangl M, Serteyn D, Lejeune JP, Schneider N, Grulke S, Peters F, Vila T, Deby-Dupont G, Deberg M, Henrotin Y.Markers of cartilage breakdown enable studying the degradation of cartilage matrix in equine joint pathologies. This study was designed to determine the levels of Coll2-1, a peptide of the triple helix of type II collagen, and Coll2-1NO(2), its nitrated form in the plasma of healthy horses (controls; n=37) and horses suffering from osteochondrosis (n=34). Clinical and arthroscopic scores were attributed reflecting the severity of lesions and were related to the plasma levels of Coll2-1 and Coll2-1NO(2). The median of Coll2-1 was significantly higher in the control group, whereas the mean of Co...
Ramzan PH, Dallas RS, Palmer L.To evaluate a technique for oral extraction of fractured cheek teeth (CT) under oral endoscopic guidance. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n = 30) with fractured CT. Methods: Medical records (April 2007-August 2010) of horses that had standing oral extraction of fractured CT under endoscopic guidance were reviewed. Results: Thirty horses (median age, 11.5 years; range, 5-23 years) had 31 fractured CT (21 maxillary, 10 mandibular) removed. Midline sagittal fractures of maxillary teeth (n = 13; 42%) were the most common type, followed by buccal or palatal (10; 32%), and transverse or multi...
Ainsworth DM, Eicker SW, Nalevanko ME, Ducharme NG, Hackett RP, Snedden K.Horses chronically-instrumented with costal diaphragmatic electromyographic electrodes were studied during exercise while unencumbered by a breathing mask. Exercise-associated changes in esophageal (Pes), gastric (Pga) and transdiaphragmatic (Pdi) pressures were measured and related to diaphragmatic electromyographic activity (CS EMG) and to left forelimb impact. In all breaths examined, CS EMG always coincided with decrements in Pes. For all exercise trials, linear increases in CS EMG, Pga and Pdi and linear decreases in Pes, as a function of exercise intensity, always occurred. During all ga...
Weber JA, Woods GL.Accessory sex gland and excurrent duct activity of 10 stallions was visualized with transrectal ultrasonography during seminal emission and ejaculation. First and last penile urethral contractions were defined as the start (0 sec) and end of ejaculation, respectively. Duration of ejaculation (n = 63 ejaculations) averaged 6.15 +/- 2.98 sec. Penile urethral contractions occurred an average of 6.2 +/- 2.2 times per ejaculation. Right bulbourethral glands (n = 19 ejaculations) alternated repeatedly from ovoid to flattened, irregular shapes during ejaculation. Cross-sectional area of right bulbour...
Linford RL.Quantitated locomotion analysis is increasingly being used during assessment and treatment of gait disorders in human beings. Locomotion analysis is also thought to have potential for enhancing the assessment of lameness in horses. Availability of high-speed video recording systems has simplified the process of quantitated locomotion analysis; however, the high cost of such systems has limited their use for routine clinical assessment in horses. The temporal resolution of 500- to 1,000-images/s (Hz) recording systems is beyond what has been considered necessary for precise quantitation of shor...
Galantino-Homer H, Brooks SA.Laminitis is a devastating disease with diverse etiologies and few, if any, effective treatments. Gene expression and hypothesis-generating genomic studies have provided a fresh look at the key molecular players at crucial timepoints in diverse experimental and naturally affected tissues. We summarize findings to date, and propose a unifying model of the laminitis disease process that includes several pathogenesis concepts shared with other diseases of epidermal and epithelial tissues. The value of these new pathways as potential therapeutic targets is exciting but will require careful future ...
Pellegrini F, Buonavoglia A, Omar AH, Diakoudi G, Lucente MS, Odigie AE, Sposato A, Augelli R, Camero M, Decaro N, Elia G, Bányai K, Martella V....Massive sequencing techniques have allowed us to develop straightforward approaches for the whole genome sequencing of viruses, including influenza viruses, generating information that is useful for improving the levels and dimensions of data analysis, even for archival samples. Using the Nanopore platform, we determined the whole genome sequence of an H3N8 equine influenza virus, identified from a 2005 outbreak in Apulia, Italy, whose origin had remained epidemiologically unexplained. The virus was tightly related (>99% at the nucleotide level) in all the genome segments to viruses identif...
Bossut DF, Page EH, Stromberg MW.Cutaneous pain thresholds to pinprick, pinch, and heat stimuli were quantified during control and electroacupuncture trials in 23 horses. Pain thresholds for 8 areas of the body during control trials (no needles) were statistically compared with pain thresholds measured in the same areas of the same horse when given electroacupuncture treatment. Statistically significant increases of pain threshold were interpreted as induced analgesia and occurred mainly in 5 areas of the trunk, but not in the head or extremities. Analgesic efficacy varied between sexes and among 3 groups of points chosen fro...
Russell T, Pollock PJ.To report a technique for improving surgical access to the bladder for removal of cystic calculi in male horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Geldings (8) with cystic calculi. Methods: After catheterization of the bladder through the penis, 100 mL 2% lidocaine hydrochloride solution was instilled. After 10 minutes, the bladder was distended with sterile, warmed Hartmann's solution to a pressure of ≈ 40 cm H(2) O, using gravity feed. This was left in place until abdominal access was gained at surgery, then the fluid siphoned off via the catheter. Results: Calculi were 3-11 cm ...
Courtney CH, Asquith RL.ALTHOUGH the seasonal transmission of equine cyathostomes is well documented in cool climates (Ogbourne 1978),
less is known about their transmission in warm climates.
Australian studies have suggested that these parasites do not
survive well during the long, hot summers of the humid
subtropics (English 1979a.b). Development of egg to third
stage larva (L3) was rapid during the summer but the
percentage of larvae that survived to ascend herbage was very
low. In contrast, larvae survived for longer periods during the
cooler months and the highest L3 populations were observed
during spr...
Stock KF, Hamann H, Distl O.Factors associated with the prevalence of osseous fragments (OF) in fetlock and hock joints were investigated in a population of young Hanoverian Warmblood horses selected for sale at auction from 1991 to 1998. The study was based on results of a standardized radiological examination of 3127 horses. The prevalences of OF in the two joints were significantly dependent on the date, type and quality of the auction, the region of origin and on the anticipated suitability of the horses for dressage and/or show-jumping. The probability of finding OF increased with wither-height. Furthermore, there w...
Broekman LE, Kuiper D.After giving a descriptive definition of megaesophagus attention is paid to the occurrence, the possible causes and pathogeneses, the clinical history and diagnosis, age, breed and sex of the horses with megaesophagus, and the prognosis. The most important characteristics of megaesophagus are summarized in two tables referring to 11 cases published in the literature and 18 own cases. Finally some conclusions based on published as well as not published own cases are given.