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.
Green de Freitas M, Gonçalves Lino Borges D, Henrique Conde M, Takemi Muchon Nakatani M, Francieli Tutija J, Fuzaro Scaléa GO, Reckziegel GH....The aim of the present study was to validate methods of stool sample conservation for the egg hatch test (EHT). This study involved the use of a bovine naturally infected predominantly by Cooperia spp. and one equine naturally infected predominantly by cyathostomins characterized as susceptible to benzimidazoles in the EHT. Fecal samples were submitted to three treatments: aerobic methods (anaerobic storage in plastic bottles, anaerobic storage in vacuum-sealed bags or aerobic storage in plastic bags), under two temperature conditions (room temperature and refrigeration) analyzed at four diffe...
Bertelsen L.A Quarter horse filly was evaluated for a two-week old wound of the right hind cannon bone after the mare stepped on her. A sequestrum was noted radiographically and was surgically debrided. After continued follow-up a left hind varus deformity was noted and was corrected with a lateral transphyseal screw in the distal left tibia. After the varus deformity was improved, a lateromedial radiograph was taken of the distal left tibia and tarsus and talocalcaneal subluxation was seen. The same view was taken of the right tarsus and the same deformity was noted. After finding no case reports on the ...
Mullen KR, Felippe MJB.Equine common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a rare, late-onset, nonfamilial humoral deficiency characterized by B-cell depletion and/or dysfunction resulting in inadequate antibody production and predisposition to recurrent infections. Serum immunoglobulin concentration and peripheral blood lymphocyte immunophenotyping are required to diagnose and characterize CVID in horses. Early recognition of the disease by the equine practitioner is paramount to managing the quality of life for these patients, for whom specific treatment is not yet available and long-term prognosis remains poor. An ...
Collins EN, Barr EM, Westermeyer H, Gilger BC, Oh A.To determine the predictive value of corneal ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) findings for the outcome of equine corneal disease. Methods: 46 horses with a clinical diagnosis of either infectious ulcerative keratitis or stromal abscess. Methods: Corneal UBM (VevoMD; UHF70; VisualSonics) of horses with infectious corneal disease presenting to the North Carolina State University Equine Ophthalmology Service from 2019 to 2023 were evaluated. Size and depth of lesion, presence of Descemet membrane disruption (DMD), corneal thickness, and aqueous humor cell counts (AHCC) were assessed. Comparisons of...
Elisabeth Müller C.A study comprising 74 colic and 74 control horses admitted to an animal hospital was performed. Faecal samples were collected and analysed for dry matter concentration, particle size distribution using wet-sieving, and sand presence through a sand sedimentation test. Data on horse breed, age, gender and basic feeding variables was collected and analysed using χ-tests. Faecal dry matter concentration, particle size distribution and sand score was compared between colic and non-colic horses, and between horses with different colic types, using one-way ANOVA. Results showed that colic and non-co...
Höglund N, Rossi H, Javela HM, Oikari S, Nieminen P, Mustonen AM, Airas N, Kärjä V, Mykkänen A.Equine asthma (EA) is a chronic lower airway inflammation that leads to structural and functional changes. Hyaluronic acid (HA) has crucial functions in the extracellular matrix homeostasis and inflammatory mediator activity. HA concentration in the lungs increases in several human airway diseases. However, its associations with naturally occurring EA and airway remodelling have not been previously studied. Our aim was to investigate the association of equine neutrophilic airway inflammation (NAI) severity, airway remodelling, and HA concentration in horses with naturally occurring EA. We hypo...
Dubuc J, Schneider MJ, Dubuc V, Richard H, Pinsard M, Bancelin S, Legare F, Girard C, Laverty S.Investigate meniscal extracellular matrix degradation. Equine menisci ( = 34 from 17 horses) were studied. Site-matched sections were cut and scored from three regions (ROIs; = 102) and stained for histology, proteoglycan (safranin O and fast green), aggrecan, and collagen cleavage (NITEGE, DIPEN, and C1,2C antibodies, respectively). Picrosirius red and second harmonic generation microscopy were performed to investigate collagen ultrastructure. A total of 42 ROIs met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. The median (range) ROI histological score was 3 (0-9), providin...
Schumacher A, Gehlen H.This literature review analyzes the historical development of polo, its organizational structure, the course of the game, as well as the breeding, rearing, and training practices of polo horses. Frequently occurring ailments, such as musculoskeletal injuries, respiratory diseases, and internal illnesses, are highlighted. Lameness is a major problem, with injuries to the superficial digital flexor tendon being the most common cause. Other notable diseases include exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), myositis, rhabdomyolysis, and equine infectious anemia (EIA). To ensure the welfare of ...
Silva GF, Ribeiro TE, Cunha R, Salas PB, Guimarães T, Ribeiro MR, Barros G, Carvalho F, Mesquita JR, Amorim I.Although relatively uncommon, lymphoma is the most prevalent haematopoietic neoplasia in horses, and multicentric lymphoma remains the most common presentation of the disease. The pathogenesis of equine lymphoma is still poorly understood and the diagnosis is usually confirmed at an advanced stage of the disease, compromising the prognosis. This study investigated the clinical, pathological, and molecular features of a case of equine multicentric lymphoma. Unassigned: An apparently healthy 5-year-old crossbreed mare hospitalized at the Centre of Animal Reproduction of Vairão, Portugal, sudden...
Medina B AL, Faleiros RR, Martínez A JR.Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) occurs with variable prevalence in horses, donkeys, and mules. Due to the particularities of the mucous membranes, the syndrome is made up of Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD) and Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD). Given the multifactorial nature and multiple classification systems of the syndrome, significant differences have been reported between prevalence studies performed ante mortem, which are even more remarkable when compared with postmortem evaluations. This study aimed to determine the presence and grade of squamous gastric disease in horses, donkeys...
Toner S, Leguillette R, Israel J, Legge C, Samani ARE, Kavanagh M, Goodmanson M.A 21-year-old retired polo Argentinian thoroughbred horse from a teaching herd was presented for a routine bronchoalveolar lavage demonstration, during which an incidental finding of a granulomatous mass on the dorsal aspect of the epiglottis was made. Rhinosporidium seeberi was suspected from a histological section obtained from an initial biopsy, and the mass was removed via laser surgery for cytology and PCR. Sequencing of the PCR amplicons confirmed the diagnosis of R. seeberi. A treatment protocol of nebulized voriconazole for 10 d postoperatively was used. Long-term follow-up required 2 ...
Safaee Firouzabadi MS, Paidar Ardakani A.Many studies have shown a strong correlation between Hindgut Acidosis (HGA) and the occurrence of laminitis in horses; therefore, the early diagnosis of HGA is essential. In this study, we investigated changes in the plasma concentrations of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) as inflammatory markers in horses with laminitis. Sixteen healthy male Arabian horses that had cecal cannulation without visible laminitis or general symptoms were randomly divided into two groups. The horses were fed two different diets in a forage-to-concentrate ratio. Blood samples were ...
Pereira LO, DE Souza AF, Spagnolo JD, Yamada ALM, Salgado DMRA, DE Zoppa ALDV.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent condition in horses, leading to changes in trabecular bone structure and radiographic texture. Although fractal dimension (FD) and lacunarity have been applied to quantify these changes in humans, their application in horses remains nascent. This study evaluated the use of FD, bone area fraction (BA/TA), and lacunarity in quantifying trabecular bone differences in the proximal phalanx (P1) in 50 radiographic examinations of equine metacarpophalangeal joints with varying OA degrees. In the dorsopalmar view, regions of interest were defined in the trabecular bo...
Ewelina SG, Anna Z, Rafał P, Maciej W.Sarcoids are the most frequently diagnosed dermatological tumour in horses. It is a disease that can affect various species of equids, such as donkeys, mules and zebras. This type of tumour can develop in all horse breeds, regardless of age and gender. Treatment options depend on many factors, such as the type of lesion, location, extent, owner preference and financial considerations. In the present study, we investigated the TRIM29 expression, the methylation status of its first exon and its involvement in the formation of equine sarcoids. Bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) was used to determine ...
Kapusniak A, Nath L, Hebart M, Franklin S.Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an important cause of exercise-associated fatalities in Thoroughbred racehorses. Equine deaths share similarities with fatalities in human athletes that result from inherited cardiac disease. Whilst genetic causes have been postulated in horses, these have not been confirmed and heritability of SCD has not previously been estimated in Thoroughbred racehorses. Objective: To determine the heritability of SCD in a sample population of Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Retrospective case-control study. Methods: Steward and post-mortem reports of Thoroughbred racehorse...
Bishop RC, Graham SM, Connolly SL, Wilkins PA, McCoy AM.To optimize and evaluate methods for the detection of the inflammatory biomarkers myeloperoxidase (MPO) and calprotectin (CP) in equine feces by ELISA. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 28) and horses with intestinal inflammation (n = 10). Methods: Feces were suspended in buffer to create fecal supernatant. Serum and fecal supernatant were analyzed using ELISA kits validated for the detection of MPO and CP in equine serum. Assay validation steps included intra- and interassay variability (coefficient of variation [CV]), dilution linearity, spike recovery, and sample type correlation. Variations in ...
Davidson EJ, Stefanovski D, Slack J, Manzi TJ.Cervical articular process joint (CAPJ) therapy is advocated for horses with neck disorders. Several ultrasound-guided CAPJ techniques have been described in cadaver studies with 72%-89% intra-articular injection accuracy; however, the CAPJ injection accuracy in clinical equine practice has not been extensively reported. Objective: To describe a modified cranial approach for ultrasound-guided caudal CAPJ injections, to investigate the accuracy of this CAPJ injection technique in live horses, and to assess the effect of CAPJ injection location, laterality, operator, and radiographic CAPJ enlarg...
Roberts DM, Gilger BC.Equine fungal keratitis represents a substantial portion of keratitis cases in horses, with fungal involvement identified in approximately half of all infectious keratitis cases. Despite its prevalence, more comprehensive retrospective analyses are needed to better understand this condition. Outcomes vary, with approximately two-thirds of cases achieving complete healing with retained vision, although enucleation is often necessary. Predominant pathogens include Aspergillus and Fusarium, with yeast reported in a minority of cases. Resistance to common antifungal agents among filamentous fungi ...
Kuwano A, Ueno T, Katsurashima Y, Tateno O, Saitoh S.From summer 2018 to summer 2019, several Thoroughbred racehorses held at the Miho Training Centre of the Japan Racing Association inadvertently ingested excessive amounts of sodium selenite, resulting in typical chronic selenium (Se) poisoning - the so-called alkali disease. The typical abnormality was a hoof wall disorder with a circumferentially deep ring and/or transverse hoof wall cracks parallel to the coronet on all feet and appearing after excessive ingestion. One affected Thoroughbred male was unique in that all the hooves had a rough surface with a very fragile hoof wall, but no wall ...
Pickles KJ, Marlin DJ, Williams JM, Roberts VLH.Equine trigeminal-mediated (TGM) headshaking (HS) is a neuropathic facial pain syndrome characterised by varying intensity and frequencies of head movements and signs of nasal irritation. An accurate method for quantification and/or characterisation of HS severity is lacking. Objective: To develop and validate an objective measure of TGMHS. Methods: Prospective case control study. Methods: Horses presenting for investigation of HS were recruited alongside those presenting for forelimb lameness (LAME) and pre-purchase examination as well as healthy controls (CONTROL). Head movement data were co...
Kjeldsen ST, Nissen SD, Christensen NC, Haugaard SL, Schneider MJ, Vinther Z, Sattler SM, Carstensen H, Jøns C, Hopster-Iversen C, Buhl R.Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (pAF) occurs sporadically and can impair athletic performance. Gold standard for diagnosis is surface electrocardiography (ECG), however, this requires AF to be sustained. Implantable loop recorders (ILRs) are routinely used for AF detection in human medicine. While ILR placement has been studied in horses, its AF detection performance is unknown. Objective: (I) Validation of ILRs for AF detection in horses. (II) Determining pAF incidence using ILRs and estimate the positive predictive value (PPV). Methods: (I) Experimental study; (II) Longitudinal observational ...
Winther MF, Johnsson J, Madsen PK, Pihl TH, Paltrinieri S, Cerón JJ, Scavone D, Pardo-Marin L, Jacobsen S.Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) has been suggested as a marker of inflammation and oxidative stress in horses and could potentially be used for prognostication in horses with colitis. Objective: Assessment of PON-1 in horses with colitis and comparison of two methods. Methods: Serum PON-1 was measured by two methods (paraoxon and p-nitrophenyl acetate) in 161 horses with colitis and 57 controls. Follow-up samples obtained during hospitalization were available from 106 horses with colitis. The two methods were compared. Results: Serum PON-1 was significantly lower in horses with colitis than in healthy h...
Shams F, Jokar M, Abdous A, Mohammadi P, Abbassioun A, Seuberlich T, Rahmanian V.Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are two closely related protozoan parasites that are widely distributed throughout the world. Horses can act as intermediate hosts for both parasites and can acquire disease. Blood samples were taken from 487 clinically healthy horses from 17 different mechanized stables in Tehran, the capital of Iran, during September and November of 2022. IFAT and ELISA were employed to detect antibodies directed against Neospora spp. and T. gondii. The anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected in 52 of the horses (10.67%) based on IFAT and in 86 of the 487 horses (17.65%) ...
Pimenta J, Prada J, Pires I, Cotovio M.Sarcoids and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are the most concerning equine oncological diseases. Both tumors are challenging to manage due to their invasive behavior and high prevalence of recurrences. Furthermore, SCCs have a propensity to metastasize. Programed cell-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been one of the main therapeutic targets for immunotherapy in various human tumors. PD-L1 research in equine tumors is scarce and more efforts are necessary to understand the potential of this biomarker as a therapeutical target. Unassigned: Evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1 in equin...
Koziy RV, Bracamonte JL, Katselis GS, Udenze D, Hayat S, Hammond SA, Simko E.Septic arthritis (SA) in horses has long-term health implications. The success of its resolution hinges on the implementation of early, aggressive treatment, which is often sustained over a prolonged period. Common diagnostic methods do not allow for the reliable detection of the eradication of joint infection. A potential alternative is the discovery and characterization of mRNA biomarkers. The purpose of this study was to identify potential mRNA biomarkers for the eradication of joint infection in equine SA and to compare their expression with our previously published proteomics data. In add...
Korim F, Revajová V, Koľvek F, Bujňák L, Hreus S, Všianský D.The parotid duct has been reported to be the most common site of sialoliths in horses. In this case report, we described the first confirmed case of the equine sialolithiasis in Slovakia. The work was aimed to describe the transcutaneous approach to removing the sialolith, which manifested as a hard painless mass in the area of the maxillary cheek teeth, in a 14-year-old Slovakian warmblood mare. Pathological-anatomical and histological examination after extirpation confirmed the presence of parotid duct ectasia resulting from calculus. The mineral composition of the sialolith was determined w...
Puccetti M, Pilati N, Beccati F, Denoix JM.To describe the clinical diagnosis, ultrasound findings, and outcome of 11 endurance horses with injuries to the serratus ventralis thoracis (SVT) or serratus ventralis cervicis (SVC) muscle. Methods: 11 endurance horses competing in medium- to high-level competitions and presenting with lameness caused by injuries to the SVT or SVC muscle, as confirmed by ultrasonography. Methods: Physical examinations revealed swelling caudal to the shoulder region associated with dorsocranial displacement of the scapula and edema of the ventral thorax for horses with SVT injuries. Swelling cranial to the sc...
The diagnosis of mild-moderate equine asthma (MEA) can be confirmed by airway endoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALf) cytology, and lung function evaluation by indirect pleural pressure measurement. Oscillometry is a promising pulmonary function test method, but its ability to detect subclinical airway obstruction has been questioned. Objective: To evaluate the differences in lung function measured by oscillometry between healthy and MEA-affected horses. Methods: Prospective case-control clinical study. Methods: Thirty-seven horses were divided into healthy and MEA groups, based on hist...
Manning H, Sampson S.Antimicrobial prophylaxis for elective orthopaedic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in equids is a topic of debate among practitioners and can have negative detrimental effects on patients if used unnecessarily. Objective: To describe the complications with elective orthopaedic MRI of horses, mules, and donkeys under general anaesthesia without the use of peri-anaesthetic antimicrobial prophylaxis at a single large tertiary referral centre. We hypothesised that horses, mules, and donkeys undergoing general anaesthesia for elective orthopaedic MRI, without antimicrobial prophylaxis, will not be...
