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.
Boomker J, Coetzer JA, Scott DB.Black grain mycetoma occurred in two horses, one a cross-bred pony and the other a Thoroughbred racehorse. Lesions were limited to wart-like growths in one case and a deep-seated girth gall in the other. In both cases the granules in the affected tissues were similar in pigmentation and structure to those produced by Curvularia geniculata in dogs. Since all the specimens were received in formalin, the causative fungus could not be isolated. These are the first cases of maduromycosis in animals to be recorded in South Africa.
Goulden BE.Any condition which leads to a diminution in the size or alteration of the shape of the lumen of the respiratory tract in the horse may result in the production of abnormal respiratory noises at exercise.
McConnel MB, Katada M, McConnell S, Moore R.Electron microscopy was used to demonstrate the presence of viral particles in primary cultures of leukocytes taken from a horse after SC inoculation with the Wyoming strain of equine infectious anemia virus. Unlike previous studies, the exposure virus was not passaged through cell culture prior to horse inoculation. Cultures were begun approximately 1 week before and 1 week after the 1st pyrexic period after inoculation. In both samples, viral particles and cytoplasmic alterations were observed resembling those previously reported in equine infectious anemia virus and other retravirus-infecte...
Firth EC.The signs observed in 6 cases of peripheral vestibular disease included incoordination, head tilt and nystagmus. The intensity of the signs varied greatly with duration of the disease, and in 3 cases facial paralysis was also present. Tympanosclerosis was demonstrable in all cases subject to radiology. Trauma was the causative factor in most cases. The causes of, and relationships between, vestibular dysfunction and concomitant facial paralysis are discussed. The exact etiology of the tympanosclerosis is unknown.
Steffey EP, Howland D.The slow rate of change of inspired halothane concentration which results in a conventional large animal circle anesthetic delivery system when low carrier gas flow rates are used was confirmed, using a model system. To obtain a 63% change in inspired halothane concentration in the 32-L large animal circle anesthetic machine at fresh gas inflow rates of 3, 6, and 12 L/minute required 10.7, 5.3, and 2.7 minutes, respectively. At a given inflow rate, increasing the rebreathing bag size from 20 to 40 L prolonged the time for equilibration between the gas flowing into the anesthetic circuit and th...
Nicander L, Malmqvist M.Principal cells in the initial segment of the epididymis in horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, dogs, cats, and rabbits have an abundant, partly rough, endoplasmic reticulum and a large Golgi complex. Small vacuoles with opaque content seem to be formed by the Golgi complex and move to the cell apex, where they empty their contents into the lumen by a merocrine mechanism.
Bayly WM, Elfers RS, Liggitt HD, Brobst DF, Gavin PR, Reed SM.Acute renal failure was produced in 5 ponies which had received mercuric chloride (0.25 mg/kg) and potassium dichromate (3 mg/kg) intravenously each day for 5 days. Failure was due to acute nephrosis. This was indicated clinically by daily monitoring of the urine output, and B-mode ultrasonography of both kidneys after administering the fifth dose of the chemical agents. Euthanasia was performed after days 14, 9, 5, 8 and 5 respectively in each of the ponies, and the presence of renal disease confirmed by gross and microscopic post mortem examination. The nature of the kidney lesions observed ...
Becker M, Breuer D.The results of the ileus surgery in horses by a consistent performing of a known and standardised clinical and operative procedure are very good, provided that there are surgeons who have experience in abdominal surgery and that there is a co-operating team for the pre- and post-operative care.
Williams LA.Many skin disorders in horses share the same appearance-hair loss of various degrees, itchiness, lesions that may or may not be painful to the touch, oozing sores, or skin that is reddened, crusty, scaly, flaky, thickened or swollen- making diagnosis sometimes difficult. A horse owner's documentation of a horse's medical history, the history of the skin disorder, and the horse's environment assists veterinarians and compounding pharmacists in their diagnosis and treatment. This article discusses some of the common skin problems that affect horses, takes a look at causes, and provides a case re...
Ashraf R, Rashid S, Rasheed I, Asif S.This paper includes the study of early embryonic death (EED), predisposing factors of EED and treatment. EED refers to the fetal mortality which varies in mare and camelids but most probably not later than 50 days of gestation. This duration may be divided into very early mortality, early mortality and late embryonic mortality. This also varies in mare and camelids. There are different embryonic, maternal, environmental/external, and infectious and noninfectious factors which lead to early embryonic loss. Diagnosis is very difficult as in most of the cases resorption of fetus occurs but it is ...
Palmer SE, Passmore JL.Thirty-nine unilateral cryptorchid horses were castrated, using a midline scrotal ablation technique. This approach was satisfactory to access both inguinal rings, to eliminate the need for 2 incisions, and to allow for completion of the surgery by primary closure. These horses recovered from surgery with few complications, returned to work promptly, and had excellent cosmetic results.
Mason DE, Ainsworth DM, Robertson JT.Responding to an equine respiratory emergency requires rapid localization of the problem and appropriate choices for therapy. Localizing the cause of respiratory distress is aided by history and thorough physical examination. When examining the patient, one must focus on the presenting signs as indicators of URT or LRT dysfunction. Table 3 summarizes the characteristic presenting signs based on respiratory tract location and suggests the initial treatment course indicated. Respiratory distress in the absence of signs related to the pulmonary system suggests inadequate oxygen delivery secondary...
Behn C, Bostedt H.Under field conditions, the diagnosis of foal's diseases relies almost exclusively on the physical examination. As the signs of illness in the equine neonate are frequently vage and non-localizing, the diagnosis of diseases may be problematic. This often causes misinterpretations and leads to ineffective prophylaxis and treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of diagnostic ultrasonography of the foal's abdomen under field conditions to provide an optimized technique and to describe the normal findings. Diagnostic ultrasonography of the abdomen was performed after ob...
Mair TS, Lane JG.The clinical signs associated with intramural tracheal obstructions in two horses and a donkey were respiratory distress and coughing, which were aggravated by exercise and excitement. The obstructions were at the level of the thoracic inlet and consisted either of flattening of the cartilage rings in the dorsoventral plane or of cartilage rings having a scroll-like conformation. They appeared to be developmental in origin and to have been present for a considerable time before the onset of clinical signs. Endoscopy and radiography were helpful in the diagnosis of the condition.
Gill J.1. The use of an electronic recorder for the horse motor activity was described. 2. Examples of different types of motor activities are given in Figs 1-8. 3. The ultradian pattern of activity in all records was stressed. 4. The possibility of receiving of more physiological informations by this type of apparatus is discussed.
Poole AW, Heath MF, Sage SO, Evans RJ.Equine platelets in platelet-rich plasma were incubated with the fluorescent indicator dye, Fura-2-AM (Fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester) and the degree of loading of the cells with the dye and the extent of hydrolysis of the ester was assessed by quantitative fluorimetry and by thin-layer chromatography respectively. Under these conditions the cells loaded poorly with Fura-2 to a concentration of 4 microM. The technique was validated by demonstrating adequate loading of human platelets with Fura-2, to a concentration of 250-300 microM, using the same method. The removal of plasma from the extracellu...
Bertone JJ.The nature of the equine industry and equine veterinary medicine often requires veterinarians to prescribe drugs with little evidence for a drug's formulation safety or efficacy, or even assurance of the chemistry of the drug used. This means that equine veterinarians must remain skeptics and understand the limitations in their ability to attribute safety and efficacy to a particular drug or treatment. An evidence-based approach to pharmacology demands rigorous testing and an unbiased analysis of results.
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.In 1 experiment, a prepatent period of 8 or 9 days was recorded for Strongyloides westeri in 4 pony foals raised worm-free but infected with parasitic 3rd stage larvae in the postpartum milk of a mare via gastric intubation. This is about 2 to 6 days less than the usual age that eggs of S westeri appear in the feces of naturally infected suckling foals, in central Kentucky.
In other studies, mares were treated with cambendazole or thiabendazole at 0 to 2 days after parturition and continued for 7 to 16 days. Appearance of S westeri eggs in feces of foals nursing treated mares was prevented ...
Attenburrow DP, Flack FC, Portergill MJ.Peak expiratory sound intensity (dB SPL), obtained by means of a radiostethoscope, and peak expiratory flow rate, obtained using a mask incorporating a thermistor flow sensor, were measured in six Thoroughbreds over a range of stride rates from 100 to 140 strides per min. The results show linear relationships between peak dB SPL and stride rate, peak expiratory flow rate and stride rate and also between peak expiratory flow rate and peak dB SPL. Peak expiratory dB SPL can therefore indicate peak expiratory flow rate.
