Equine health encompasses the study and management of diseases, disorders, and overall well-being of horses. It involves understanding various physiological systems, preventive care, and treatment strategies to maintain optimal health in equine populations. Common areas of focus include nutrition, infectious diseases, orthopedic conditions, and reproductive health. Research in equine health aims to advance knowledge on diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, and management practices that improve horse welfare and performance. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine health, offering insights into current findings and advancements in the field.
Naidoo V, Gehring R.An overview of reports of suspected adverse drug reactions received by the Veterinary Pharmacovigilance and Medicines Information Centre during the period March 2001 to February 2002 is given. A total of 77 reports were received. The majority of reports involved suspected adverse reactions that occurred in dogs and cats. Most products implicated in the reports were Stock Remedies. The products were predominantly administered either by veterinarians or trained paraveterinary professionals. Although the majority of reports were received from veterinary pharmaceutical companies, the proportion of...
McKenzie EC, Valberg SJ, Godden SM, Pagan JD, Carlson GP, MacLeay JM, DeLaCorte FD.To determine daily variation in urinary clearance and fractional excretion (FE) of electrolytes and minerals within and between horses and to compare volumetric and single-sample urine collection for determining FE values of diets with a range of dietary cation-anion balance (DCAB). Methods: 5 Thoroughbred and 6 mixed-breed mares. Methods: 3 isocaloric diets with low, medium, and high DCAB values (85, 190, and 380 mEq/kg of dry matter, respectively) were each fed for 14 days. Daily blood samples, single urine samples collected by using a urinary catheter (5 mares), and volumetric urine collect...
Hill AE, Carpenter TE, Gardner IA, Stover SM.To evaluate a Markov-chain model for the development of forelimb injuries in Thoroughbreds and to use the model to determine effects of reducing sprint distance on incidence of metacarpal condylar fracture (CDY) and severe suspensory apparatus injury (SSAI). Methods: Weekly exercise and injury data for 122 Thoroughbreds during racing or training. Methods: Weekly data were used to construct a Markov-chain model with 5 states (uninjured [UNINJ], palpable suspensory apparatus injury [PSAII, SSAI, CDY, and lost to follow-up [LOST]). Transition probabilities between UNINJ and PSAI were estimated as...
Brown NA, Pandy MG, Buford WL, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW.To determine whether muscle moment arms at the carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints can be modeled as fixed-radius pulleys for the range of motion associated with the stance phase of the gait in equine forelimbs. Methods: 4 cadaveric forelimbs from 2 healthy Thoroughbreds. Methods: Thin wire cables were sutured at the musculotendinous junction of 9 forelimb muscles. The cables passed through eyelets at each muscle's origin, wrapped around single-turn potentiometers, and were loaded. Tendon excursions, measured as the changes in lengths of the cables, were recorded during manual rotation of th...
van Schie HT, Bakker EM, Jonker AM, van Weeren PR.To describe a method of computerized ultrasonographic tissue characterization that includes structures below the size limits of resolution in equine superficial digital flexor tendons. Methods: 2 damaged and 2 structurally normal superficial digital flexor tendons. Methods: Transverse ultrasonographic images were collected along the tendon long axis. Stability of echo pattern was quantified by means of variation in gray levels of each pixel in contiguous images and expressed as correlation, entropy, and waviness ratios. Results: Normal young and normal old tissues were characterized by high co...
Wagner IP, Rees CA, Dunstan RW, Credille KM, Hood DM.To determine whether systemic immunologic hyperreactivity exists in horses with chronic laminitis, compared with responses for nonlaminitic horses. Methods: 7 nonlaminitic horses and 7 CL horses. Methods: In experiment 1, intradermal testing (IDT) was performed on 7 nonlaminitic and 7 CL horses to evaluate the response to a combination of 70 allergens at 15 and 30 minutes and 4 and 24 hours after injection. Three nonlaminitic and 3 CL horses used in experiment 1 were used in experiment 2 to determine whether histologic differences existed between the 2 groups. The H&E-stained tissue sectio...
Lillich JD, Rakestraw PC, Roussel AJ, Finley MR, Ganta S, Freeman LC.To determine whether ether-a-go-go (ERG) potassium channels are expressed in equine gastrointestinal smooth muscle, whether ERG channel antagonists affect jejunal muscle contraction in vitro, and whether plasma cisapride concentrations in horses administered treatment for postoperative ileus (POI) are consistent with ERG channels as drug targets. Methods: Samples of intestinal smooth muscle obtained from 8 horses free of gastrointestinal tract disease and plasma samples obtained from 3 horses administered cisapride for treatment of POI. Methods: Membranes were prepared from the seromuscular la...
Herholz CP, Gerber V, Tschudi P, Straub R, Imhof A, Busato A.To investigate whether volumetric capnography indices could be used to differentiate between horses without recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and horses with RAO that were in clinical remission or that had clinically apparent RAO. Methods: 70 adult Swiss Warmblood horses (20 used for pleasure riding and 50 used for dressage or show jumping). Methods: Horses were allocated to 4 groups on the basis of history, clinical signs, results of endoscopy, and cytologic findings (group 1, 21 healthy horses; group 2, 22 horses with RAO that were in remission; group 3, 16 horses with mild RAO; group 4, 11...
Berardinelli P, Barazzoni AM, Russo V, Brunetti O, Della Torre G, Scapolo PA, Muttini A, Bortolami R.Based on previous observations that capsaicin can selectively damage group III and IV afferents and induce muscle fibre transformation, we hypothesized that eliminating, by means of capsaicin, the group III and IV afferents of a peripheral territory it could lead to a fibre transformation in a muscle involved in the flexor reflexes of the same peripheral territory. Therefore, capsaicin was injected into the palmar nerves of the forelimb of the horse to investigate if eliminating group III and IV afferents from the hand of the horse a muscle fibre transition would occur in the flexor carpi radi...
Westcott DG, King DP, Drew TW, Nowotny N, Kindermann J, Hannant D, Belák S, Paton DJ.Routine detection of equine arteritis virus (EAV) can be achieved by virus isolation (VI) in cell culture, or by the amplification of viral genome by molecular methods. To simplify molecular diagnosis, a number of different Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and RT-nested PCR (RT-nPCR) assays were compared, and a one-tube method was developed and optimised utilizing a fluorogenic probe (TaqMan). An artificial RNA template (Mimic) and associated probe were also constructed to provide in-tube validation of the RT-PCR system. To assess the utility of the RT-PCR TaqMan assay,...
Feige K, Kästner SB, Dempfle CE, Balestra E.Activation of coagulation can be frequently found in horses with colic. However, it has also been demonstrated as a sequela of surgical trauma alone in humans. The purpose of the present study was to determine changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis in horses that underwent colic surgery and to evaluate whether these changes were secondary to the colic or the surgery and wound healing. Thirty horses that underwent colic surgery with uncomplicated recovery were included. Ten horses with a Forssell's procedure served as control group with a standardized surgical trauma. Besides daily physical ex...
Sinowatz F, Wessa E, Neumüller C, Palma G.Sperm binding and sperm penetration of the zona pellucida (zp) are regarded as species-specific. In this investigation, the interactions between bovine oocytes and porcine, respectively, equine spermatozoa have been studied under in vitro conditions and compared with the normal in vitro fertilization of bovine oocytes by bovine sperm. Surprisingly, many of the heterologous spermatozoa adhered firmly to the bovine oocytes and could not be removed by intense washing. On average, more than 100 boar or equine spermatozoa were bound to the zp of bovine oocytes. Electron microscopic studies clearly ...
Barrera R, Torres N, Freier JE, Navarro JC, García CZ, Salas R, Vasquez C, Weaver SC.The distribution of the sylvatic subtype ID Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) viruses in the lowland tropical forests of western Venezuela was investigated using remote sensing and geographic information system technologies. Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper satellite imagery was used to study the reflectance patterns of VEE endemic foci and to identify other locations with similar reflectance patterns. Enzootic VEE virus variants isolated during this study are the closest genetic relatives of the epizootic viruses that emerged in western Venezuela during 1992-1993. VEE virus surveillance was condu...
Oke RA.A 5-year-old quarter horse mare presented with unilateral, severe, chronic forelimb lameness. Radiographs revealed extensive hoof wall separation and capsular rotation of the distal phalanx. Treatment included dorsal hoof wall resection, phenylbutazone, a bar shoe, and stall rest. Whether white line disease or laminitis was the primary lesion remains unclear.
Wickler SJ, Hoyt DF, Cogger EA, Myers G.Two studies have focused on potential triggers for the trot-gallop transition in the horse. One study concluded that the transition was triggered by metabolic economy. The second study found that it was not metabolic factors but, rather, peak musculoskeletal forces that determine gait transition speeds. In theory, peak musculoskeletal forces should be the same when trotting up an incline as when trotting at the same speed on the level. Assuming this is the case, we hypothesized that if peak forces determine gait transition speeds then horses should switch from a trot to a gallop at the same sp...
Herholz C, Straub R, Braendlin C, Imhof A, Lüthi S, Busato A.Tidal breathing flow-volume loop (TBFVL) indices in healthy horses and in horses suffering from mild and moderate to severe recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) were measured. In addition, the ability of these indices to differentiate healthy controls from horses with mild RAO by separating the horses according to their usage was investigated. The horses were assigned to three sporting categories: 1 Leisure horses; 2 Horses competing at events with a duration of more than five minutes (eventing, coaching and endurance); and 3 Horses competing at events with a duration of less than five minutes (...
Carstanjen B, Duboeuf F, Detilleux J, Lepage OM.The purpose of this ex vivo study was to analyse two commonly established methods of mechanical bone property assessment for application in horses: Quantitative ultrasound (QUS), which depends on the bone's density and Young's modulus, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), which depends on the areal bone mineral density (BMD). The third metacarpal bone (MC III) of horses was selected as examination region for practical reasons. An interrelationship between QUS- and DXA-values was examined. Both MC III of eleven randomly selected equine cadavers were divided in nine regions of interest (R...
Sieme H, Martinsson G, Rauterberg H, Walter K, Aurich C, Petzoldt R, Klug E.The objective of this research was to improve the techniques in processing chilled and frozen-thawed horse semen. In a preliminary experiment (Exp. I), different techniques for sperm selection and preparation [Swim-up, Glass wool (GW) filtration, Glass wool Sephadex (GWS) filtration; Percoll] were tested for their suitability for equine spermatozoa and results were compared with the routine procedure by dilution (Exp. I). In the main experiment (Exp. II), two sperm preparation techniques (GWS, Leucosorb) refering to the results of Exp. I and a previous study of our group (Pferdcheilkunde 1996 ...
Wang T, Magnarelli LA, Anderson JF, Gould LH, Bushmich SL, Wong SJ, Fikrig E.Recombinant West Nile virus envelope (E) protein was examined in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies elicited during West Nile virus infection. Horses (nine of 10) and humans (six of six) with confirmed West Nile virus infection had IgG and/or IgM antibodies to the E protein. Antibodies to the recombinant West Nile virus membrane and nonstructural 1 proteins were not detected in any of these sera. An E protein-based ELISA may aid in the serological diagnosis of West Nile virus infection.
Weiss DJ, Moritz A.Previous studies have suggested an association between equine immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and clostridial infections or neck abscesses. Objective: The purpose of this report was to describe and characterize the hematologic abnormalities in a horse with Clostridium-associated immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. We also retrospectively evaluated hematologic abnormalities in 8 horses with clostridial myositis or subcutaneous emphysema. Methods: A 7-year-old Foreign Warm-Blood gelding was evaluated for anemia and a cervical abscess. CBCs and reticulocyte counts were obtained using an Advia 120 ...
Dekker R, Groothoff JW, Eisma WH, ten Duis HJ.To determine whether equestrian injuries result in long-term residual symptoms and to establish the risk factors for these outcomes. Methods: Retrospective, descriptive. Methods: A total of 88 patients older than 17 years of age who had been admitted to the Department of Surgery, University Hospital Groningen during the period 1990-1998 because of an equestrian injury were included in the study. After an average period of five years an inventory was made using the Sickness Impact Profile 68 (SIP68), if absenteeism from work or sport and disabilities or handicaps were experienced. Following thi...
Van Eenoo P, Delbeke FT, Roels K, Baert K.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prohibited by the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities but are commonly used in veterinary practice. Plasma and urinary concentrations of the NSAID tolmetin were determined by a high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure with UV detection following oral administration of a dose of 1 g to six fasted untrained standard bred mares. With a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.05 microg/ml tolmetin was present in plasma for 9-12 h post-administration. Maximum concentrations of 2.1+/-0.89 microg/ml were found after 0.7+/-0.25 h. T...
Haffner JC, Fecteau KA, Eiler H.To determine whether tetanus antitoxin, equine serum, and acetylcysteine, which are currently used in the treatment of equine corneal ulcer, inhibit the digestion of equine corneal collagen when exposed to collagenase in vitro. Methods: Corneas from 40 adult horses. Methods: Sections of equine corneas were incubated with saline, a solution of bacterial collagenase in saline, bacterial collagenase in saline plus equine tetanus antitoxin, bacterial collagenase in saline plus equine serum, or bacterial collagenase in saline plus acetylcysteine. Each one of the collagenase inhibitors was tested at...
Tremoleda JL, Van Haeften T, Stout TA, Colenbrander B, Bevers MM.Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the method of choice for fertilizing horse oocytes in vitro. Nevertheless, for reasons that are not yet clear, embryo development rates are low. The aims of this study were to examine cytoskeletal and chromatin reorganization in horse oocytes fertilized by ICSI or activated parthenogenetically. Additional oocytes were injected with a sperm labeled with a mitochondrion-specific vital dye to help identify the contribution of the sperm to zygotic structures, in particular the centrosome. Oocytes were fixed at set intervals after sperm injection and exami...
Rosa M, Cardozo LM, da Silva Pereira J, Brooks DE, Martins AL, Florido PS, Stussi JS.The conjunctival fungal flora of 32 adult horses with normal eyes (n = 64) from the State of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was identified in the fall of 2000 using horses of different breeds, both genders and aged 5-19 years old. The culture samples were taken from the conjunctival sac of both eyes with a sterile cotton swab wetted with saline solution, seeded in Sabouraud's dextrose agar with chloramphenicol, and incubated for 5 days at an average temperature of 25 degrees C. The number of fungal colonies per eye varied between 0 and 250 colony forming units (CFUs). There were often differences in...
Turell MJ, O'Guinn ML, Parker MD.Specific mutations associated with attenuation of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus in rodent models were identified during efforts to develop an improved VEE vaccine. Analogous mutations were produced in full-length cDNA clones of the Cba 87 strain of western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus by site-directed mutagenesis in an attempt to develop an improved WEE vaccine. Isogenic viral strains with these mutations were recovered after transfection of baby hamster kidney cells with infectious RNA. We evaluated two of these strains (WE2102 and WE2130) for their ability to replicate in and...
Komáromy AM, Andrew SE, Sapp HL, Brooks DE, Dawson WW.The goal of our study was the evaluation of a practical method for the recording of flash electroretinograms (ERGs) in sedated, standing horses with the DTL microfiber electrode. Methods: The horses were sedated intravenously with detomidine hydrochloride (0.015 mg/kg). The pupil was dilated and the auriculopalpebral nerve was blocked. The ERGs were recorded with the active electrode on the cornea (DTL), the reference electrode near the lateral canthus, and the ground electrode over the occipital bone. The light intensities of the white strobe light were 0.03 cd x s/m2 (scotopic) and 3 cd x s/...
Goachet AG, Harris P, Philippeau C, Julliand V.This study aimed at evaluating, in previously inactive Standardbreds horses, the effect of 5 weeks of an exercise training programme on nutrient digestibility and faecal fermentative parameters (FFPs). As an increase in digestibility had previously been reported in trained endurance horses, we hypothesized that similar results would be found in horses being trained for other types of exercise on a different type of diet. After 3 weeks of dietary adaptation, a digestibility trial (DT1) was undertaken, over 3 days, in eight untrained Standardbreds with a fresh faecal sample being collected on th...
Barnés CM, Petoud S, Cohen SM, Raymond KN.The ability of ferritin as an Fe(II) detoxifier and Fe(III) storage protein is limited by its ability to recognize and incorporate Fe(II), which is then oxidized and mineralized at internal protein sites. The Cr(III) amine complex [Cr(N(CH(2)CH(2)NH(2))(3)(H(2)O)(OH)](2+) [abbreviated as Cr(TREN)] is a kinetically inert inhibitor of iron incorporation and mineralization in ferritin. Unlike other inhibitors, Cr(TREN) can only exchange its two aqua/hydroxy ligands. Competition studies between Cr(TREN) and Tb(III) binding have been performed in horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) to probe uptake of Fe(I...
Knych HK, Corado CR, McKemie DS, Scholtz E, Sams R.Tramadol is a synthetic opioid used in human medicine, and to a lesser extent in veterinary medicine, for the treatment of both acute and chronic pain. In humans, the analgesic effects are owing to the actions of both the parent compound and an active metabolite (M1). The goal of the current study was to extend current knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of tramadol and M1 following oral administration of three doses of tramadol to horses. A total of nine healthy adult horses received a single oral administration of 3, 6, and 9 mg/kg of tramadol via nasogastric tube. Blood samples were collected...
de Freitas CM, Leite RC, Lopes CM, Rodrigues DS, Paz GF, de Oliveira PR.Some reproductive parameters of adult stages of Amblyomma cajennense ticks were studied. The capacity of virgin females to reproduce by parthenogenesis was evaluated, during an experimental infestation, in absence of males, on a horse (Equus cabalus). Ticks were spread either completely free or in limited sites on the body of the animal. The engorged virgin females showed longer feeding periods and lighter body weights than those that had been fertilized. Some of these unmated females produced smaller egg masses, which had no embryonary development. On the other hand, females that had been ins...
Hamor RE, Roberts SM, Severin GA, Trawnik WR, Johnson WJ.Specific details on surgical procedures, although not covered here, are available in other references. Factors enhancing the overall cosmetic appearance obtained with procedures are emphasized, providing information that should allow veterinarians to offer clients a good cosmetic appearance and effective treatment for disfiguring ocular problems in their horses. Questions regarding procedures should be addressed to your referral ophthalmologist or, in the case of a corneoscleral prosthesis, the ocularist assisting.
Davis HA, Munsterman A.A 4-month-old Arabian filly was treated by surgical correction of an ileal impaction. The impaction was resolved through a distal jejunal enterotomy. One-year follow-up showed no post-operative complications secondary to the enterotomy. Jejunal enterotomy may be a surgical option for resolution of an ileal impaction. Une pouliche Arabe âgée de 4 mois a été traitée par la correction chirurgicale d’une surcharge iléale. La surcharge a été résolue par une entérotomie jéjunale distale. Un suivi d’un an n’a pas montré de complications postopératoires suite à l’entérotomie. L...
Andrietti ALP, Durgam SS, Naumann B, Stewart M.Mesenchymal stem cells are characterized by their capacities for extensive proliferation through multiple passages and, classically, tri-lineage differentiation along osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic lineages. This study was carried out to compare osteogenesis in equine bone marrow-, synovium- and adipose-derived cells, and to determine whether osteogenic capacity is reflected in the basal expression of the critical osteogenic transcription factors Runx2 and Osterix. Unassigned: Bone marrow, synovium and adipose tissue was collected from six healthy 2-year-old horses. Cells were isolate...
Vulcano LC, Mamprim MJ, Muniz LM, Moreira AF, Luna SP.Monthly radiography was performed to study distal radial physeal closure in ten male and ten female Thoroughbred horses. The height, thoracic circumference and metacarpus circumference were also measured. Distal radial physeal closure time was sooner in females than males, and took 701 +/- 37 and 748 +/- 55 days respectively.
Bennell AJ, Wright RJH, Malalana F, Senior JM.Catastrophic fractures or luxations (FoL) sustained during recovery from general anesthesia are a significant cause of mortality during equine anesthesia. There is a lack of evidence regarding potential risk factors for a FoL occurring in the immediate anesthetic recovery period. A single center, retrospective, case-matched study was performed to identify risk factors for sustaining a catastrophic FoL during recovery from general anesthesia. Clinical data were obtained for horses which sustained a catastrophic FoL when recovering from general anesthesia from January 2011 to June 2020 in a sing...
Lord PF, Croft MA.Echocardiography may be an accurate method of measuring left ventricular (LV) volumes and mass of the horse's heart. If so, studies of the heart size and hypertrophy would be possible. This study evaluated geometric models of the external and internal LV shapes, to determine which could be applied to echocardiographic measurements. We preserved 30 horses' hearts and measured their dimensions and cross sectional areas. These measurements were entered into seven formulae representing different geometric models of the ventricle and its chamber. We derived a correction factor to estimate the long ...
Muñoz A, Santisteban R, Rubio MD, Riber C, Agüera EI, Castejón FM.To establish the effect of the locomotor pattern on heart rate (HR) and plasma lactate (LA), 28 horses, 18 Andalusian (AN) and 10 Anglo-Arabian (AA), aged 3-4 years, were studied. After a warm-up period, the horses performed a four-step test at 5, 6, 7 and 8 m/s, covering 1000 m at each velocity. HR was monitored, LA was analysed at rest and after each workload, and images were filmed. The locomotor parameters determined were stride duration (SD), frequency (SF) and length (SL), step and bipedal support durations, stance (restraint and propulsion) and swing phase durations, and stride vertical...
Ortega Granda O, Valle C, Shannon A, Decroly E, Canard B, Coutard B, Rabah N.Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a reemerging arthropod-borne virus causing encephalitis in humans and domesticated animals. VEEV possesses a positive single-stranded RNA genome capped at its 5' end. The capping process is performed by the nonstructural protein nsP1, which bears methyl and guanylyltransferase activities. The capping reaction starts with the methylation of GTP. The generated mGTP is complexed to the enzyme to form an mGMP-nsP1 covalent intermediate. The mGMP is then transferred onto the 5'-diphosphate end of the viral RNA. Here, we explore the specificities of the...
Adair HS, Goble DO, Shires GM, Sanders WL.Once daily for 3 days, laser Doppler flowmetry was used in 5 healthy, nonsedated adult horses to evaluate coronary band and laminar microcirculatory blood flow (MBF) in both forelimbs. The coronary band had significantly (P < 0.05) higher MBF than did the laminae on the days evaluated. Significant variation in MBF was not found over the 3-day measurement period in any one site. Significant (P < 0.05) variation was found in coronary band MBF among horses. This variation was not observed in laminar MBF. On occlusion of the digital arteries at the level of the fetlock, marked decrease in coronary...
Julliand S, Buttet M, Hermange T, Hillon P, Julliand V.Nutritional factors are suggested to influence the incidence and severity of glandular gastric disease (GGD) in horses. Objective: To retrospectively assess whether dietary fermentable carbohydrates increase the severity of GGD and to prospectively evaluate whether the partial substitution of concentrates by dehydrated alfalfa would decrease GGD severity scores. Methods: In total, 82 trotters from 4 training centers exercised ≥5 days/week. Methods: Multicenter retrospective observational study, and prospective 2-arm randomized trial. Glandular mucosae were observed by gastroscopy and score...
Millares-Ramirez EM, Lavoie JP.Severe asthma in horses is characterized by structural changes that thicken the lower airway wall, a change that is only partially reversible by current treatments. Increased vascularization contributes to the thickening of the bronchial wall in humans with asthma and is considered a potential new therapeutic target. Objective: To determine the presence of angiogenesis in the bronchi of severely asthmatic horses, and if present, to evaluate its reversibility by treatment with corticosteroids. Methods: Study 1: Bronchial samples from asthmatic horses in exacerbation (7), in remission (7), and a...
Sanders-Shamis M.Perirectal abscesses were diagnosed retrospectively in 6 horses treated for colic. The abscesses caused colic in the horses by producing an extraluminal obstruction that led to fecal impaction. The abscesses were diagnosed by rectal palpation and aspiration of exudate from the masses and were drained surgically. In horses in which the abscess involved abdominal organs, peritonitis developed.
Hopfgartner T, Brown JA, Adams MN, Werre SR.The recent availability of standing computed tomography (CT) for equine paranasal sinus disease has enhanced diagnosis and enabled more targeted surgery compared to radiography and sinoscopy. To date, there have been no studies which have critically evaluated the benefit of preoperative CT versus radiography and sinoscopy on complications and outcome in horses undergoing sinus trephination. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 229 equids. Methods: The medical records of equids (229) presented for sinusitis treated via trephination that had CT, radiography and/or sinoscopy at time ...
Turner PG, Dugdale A, Young IS, Taylor S.Monitoring the composition of gases breathed by anaesthetised patients requires measurement methods with fast responses, high accuracy and good reliability. There is also an increasing demand for systems to be able to monitor more than one target analyte simultaneously, but some gas analysers can be sensitive to the presence of methane gas in exhaled breath, consequently leading to inaccurate measurements of the anaesthetic agent. This study investigated the feasibility of employing portable quadrupole mass spectrometry to monitor volatile anaesthetic agents (halothane, isoflurane and sevoflur...
Macpherson ML, Giguère S, Hatzel JN, Pozor M, Benson S, Diaw M, Sanchez LC, Vickroy TW, Tell L, Wetzlich S, Sims J.The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of CCFA in mares with placentitis and evaluate the disposition of the drug in fetal fluids, fetal membranes, colostrum, and serum of foals. A secondary objective was to obtain pilot data regarding the efficacy of CCFA for improving foal survival in mares with placentitis. Twelve pregnant pony mares were enrolled in the study, inoculated with Streptococcus zooepidemicus, intracervically and assigned to one of three groups: CEFT (n = 3; administered CCFA only; 6.6 mg/kg, i.m., q96h); COMBO (n = 6; administered combination therapy ...
Zeitler-Feicht MH, Streit S, Dempfle L.Comparison with regard to animal welfare of different automatic feeding systems for hay and concentrate in group housing systems for horses using parameters of ethology and physiology. Methods: Parameters of research comprised: duration of stay, frequency of visit, threatening behaviour with and without risk of injury, and avoiding behaviour as well as heart rate and injuries of the integument. 452 horses were observed at the feeding area of 32 run-out-sheds. Every group of horses was continuously observed following the pie chart system for 24 hours. Results: The "walk-through" station signifi...
McCormick JD, Watkins JP.Double plate fixation has been reported in a small number of horses with comminuted fractures of the middle phalanx. There are no published reports using this technique in the management of other injuries that destabilise the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIJ), including biaxial palmar/plantar eminence fractures and disruption of the palmar/plantar soft tissue support structures of the PIJ. Furthermore, there is a paucity of information on the long-term prognosis for horses undergoing double plate fixation to manage destabilising injuries of the PIJ. Objective: To document further the clinic...
Kuttappan DA, Mooyottu S, Sponseller BA.The understanding of the pathogenesis of equine enteric clostridial organisms is an active, evolving field. Advances will improve our knowledge both from the animal welfare and human health perspectives. The zoonotic nature of this group of diseases makes them relevant in the age of One health, as a significant amount of close human-equine interactions occurs for business and pleasure. Economic and welfare reasons prompt a better understanding of enteric clostridial pathogenesis, treatment, and control of the infection in horses and ongoing efforts are needed to advance clinical outcomes.
Clothier J, Hinch G, Brown W, Small A.Clear definitions of 'normal' equine gestation length (GL) are elusive, with GL being subject to a considerable number of internal and external variables that have confounded interpretation and estimation of GL for over 50 years. Consequently, the mean GL of 340 days first established by Rossdale in 1967 for Thoroughbred horses in northern Europe continues to be the benchmark value referenced by veterinarians, breeders and researchers worldwide. Application of a 95% confidence limit to reported GL range values indicates a possible connection between geographic location and GL. Improved kno...
Jansson A, Nyman S, Lindholm A, Lindberg JE.Studies of the effect of varying dietary carbohydrate compositions on exercise metabolism of horses are scarce. In the present study, the starch and sugar proportions were altered in the diet to 4 Standardbred horses. In a crossover experiment, the horses were offered a hay and oat diet, where the oats were substituted for barley syrup (BS) at 4 levels (BS 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg). Each diet was consumed for 21 days and both an incremental treadmill exercise test (IE) and a 40 min submaximal exercise test (SE) were performed. During the IE there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in mean VO...
Alaql FA, Alhafufi AN, Kasem S, Alhammad YMO, Albaqshi H, Alyousaf A, Alsubaie FM, Alghamdi AN, Abdel-Moneim AS, Alharbi SA.Equine influenza is a major cause of respiratory infections in horses and can spread rapidly despite the availability of commercial vaccines. This study aimed to screen the incidence of equine influenza virus (EIV) and molecularly characterize the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase from positive EIV field samples collected from Saudi Arabia. Six-hundred twenty-one horses from 57 horse barns were screened for the presence of the clinical signs, suggestive for equine influenza, from different parts of Saudi Arabia. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from each horse showing respiratory distress. S...