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.
Meijer AE, van den Hoven R, Wensing T, Breukink HJ.Needle biopsies from m. gluteus medius of 22 horses which had suffered from repeated attacks of exertional myopathy were studied at various times after an attack, to determine if metabolic alterations can be demonstrated by enzyme histochemistry. Morphological changes and activity of 25 enzymes were studied. Immediately after onset of an attack, some large rounded fibres with a defect of the oxidative phosphorylation were seen. After some hours these fibres lost their glycolytic enzyme activity, followed by disappearance of mitochondrial enzyme activity with accumulation of Ca2+-containing sub...
McMurphy RM, Cribb PH.This study was designed to investigate the effect of the nasotracheal insufflation of oxygen at a flow rate of 15 L/min on the arterial partial pressure of oxygen during the recovery period following inhalation anesthesia in the horse. It has been stated that this is a suitable flow rate to prevent postoperative hypoxemia but without any experimental evidence to support those statements. Horses being used for the study of healing of cartilage were anesthetized on two separate occasions. Following one period of anesthesia they were allowed to recover breathing room air, and following the other ...
Kobluk CN, Schnurr D, Horney FD, Sumner-Smith G, Willoughby RA, Dekleer V, Hearn TC.High-speed cinematography with computer aided analysis was used to study equine hindlimb kinematics. Eight horses were filmed at the trot or the pace. Filming was done from the side (lateral) and the back (caudal). Parameters measured from the lateral filming included the heights of the tuber coxae and tailhead, protraction and retraction of the hoof and angular changes of the tarsus and stifle. Abduction and adduction of the limb and tarsal height changes were measured from the caudal filming. The maximum and minimum values plus the standard deviations and coefficients of variations are prese...
van Schie HT.The ultrasonic examination of tendons and ligaments of the distal limb of the horse improves the diagnostic possibilities of these frequently injured structures. The successful application is based upon a reliable knowledge of the normal sonographic anatomy and upon a standardized, flawless technic of the examination. Practice and experience allow the recognition of minor alterations which enables a more precise diagnosis, a more reliable prognosis, and in follow-up examinations also more specific information about the further use of the horse.
Kawaoka Y, Webster RG.A severe influenza outbreak occurred in horses in South Africa in 1986. The causative agent was identified as an influenza virus [A/Equine/Johannesburg/86 (H3N8)]. Antigenic analyses of the hemagglutinin (HA) with ferret antisera and monoclonal antibodies showed that the Eq/Johannesburg/86 virus is similar to recent equine H3 viruses. The nucleotide sequence analysis on the HA genes of Eq/Johannesburg/86 and other equine H3 influenza viruses, together with the epidemiological data, clearly demonstrated that the Eq/Johannesburg/86 virus was derived from a virus that had been circulating in hors...
Morgan SJ, Storts RW, Stromberg PC, Sowa BA, Lay JC.Factors involved in the proliferation of equine vascular smooth muscle cells were studied in vitro. The most prominent proliferative responses in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells were induced by Strongylus vulgaris larval antigen extract (LAE) and platelet-derived factors. Less significant proliferative responses were obtained with conditioned media from S. vulgaris LAE stimulated and from unstimulated equine mononuclear leukocytes. Additionally, vascular smooth muscle cells exposed to S. vulgaris LAE developed numerous perinuclear vacuoles and were more spindle-shaped than control or smo...
Al-Izzi SA, Al-Bassam LS.Pseudomonas mallei was isolated from pus samples obtained from 34 mallein-positive horses. The isolates were subjected to in vitro sensitivity test using 16 different antimicrobial discs. All isolates (34) were sensitive to sulfamethizole, gentamycin, tetracycline, sulfathiazole, kanamycin, tobramycin, streptomycin and a combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole while none of them were sensitive to cephalothin, colistin, ampicillin, penicillin and nitrofurantoin. Rifapicin, chloramphenicol and carbenicillin were effective against 32, 26 and 18 isolates respectively. The minimum inhibito...
Browning GF, Studdert MJ.The BamHI, EcoRI, and HindIII physical maps of the genomes of 14 isolates of equine herpesvirus 2 (EHV 2) were determined by Southern blot analysis using DNA fragments of a previously mapped EHV 2 strain 86/67. No two isolates had identical maps for all 3 enzymes, the number of differing cleavage sites between pairs of isolates varying from 3 to 21. Overall 75 cleavage sites were mapped, of which 40 were variable. Cleavage sites occurred throughout the genome, including within the terminal repeat regions. Additionally, fragment length polymorphisms, independent of cleavage site loss or gain, w...
Weiss DJ, Kraemer R, Schmit K.A simple discontinuous Percoll density-gradient technique was adapted for isolation of granulocytes and mononuclear cells from cats, dogs, horses and cattle. Separation was accomplished at low speeds using a standard tabletop centrifuge. Cell purity was 100% for both granulocytes and mononuclear cells and cell viability exceeded 95%. Percent recovery of leukocytes ranged from 69 to 83%.
Verschooten F, Roels J, Lampo P, Desmet P, De Moor A, Picavet T.Radiographic measurements from the lateromedial projection of the equine foot were compared in three groups of horses. Group 1 consisted of 143 normal horses, group 2 were 60 horses with clinical navicular disease and group 3 were 161 horses with clinical and radiographic navicular disease. Several measurements tended to be larger in group 3 than group 1. An enlargement of the navicular bone was observed in proximodistal and dorsopalmar directions. Partial enlargement of the pedal bone was observed in groups 2 and 3. Few differences were observed between age classes. All horses aged four years...
Bianchi M.In 13 horses from both sexes, between 5 months and 18 years of age, in good nutritional state, statistical evaluations of fat cell sizes were performed in 16 body regions. From direct and indirect measurements referred to the cell diameter and cell number in equivalent areas, carried out on sections from paraffin embedded material and on preparations of dissociated whole cells, it emerged that the adipose cells of the subserous fat of the abdominal floor are consistently the largest, whereas those of the orbital fat body and supraorbital fossa are the smallest. In the other regions the cells h...
Herzog A, Höhn H, Klug E, Hecht W.In a 7 months old foal with a male pseudohermaphroditism the cytogenetic investigation revealed a XO/XYY-mosaic with a centric fusion of the Y-chromosomes.
Ball BA, Little TV, Weber JA, Woods GL.The estimated embryonic loss rate between Days 4 and 14 after ovulation for young, normal mares (9%) was significantly lower (P less than 0.01) than the estimated embryonic loss rate for aged subfertile mares (62%). Fertilization rates, which were based on the recovery of embryos at Day 4 after ovulation, were 96% and 81% (P less than 0.1) for normal and subfertile mares, respectively. Day-4 embryos were collected from the oviducts of normal and subfertile donors mares. These embryos were transferred to the uteri of synchronized, normal recipient mares to test the hypothesis that the high inci...
Nishita T, Matsushita H.Sections of equine thymus were examined for the presence of carbonic anhydrase (CA) isozymes by an immunohistochemical method. Carbonic anhydrase III, a major enzyme of skeletal muscle, was localized in some of the epithelial-reticular cells of the equine thymus. This finding suggests the presence of a new type of cell in the thymic cortex. The concentration of CA-III in the thymus was 17 micrograms/g wet tissue. CA-I and CA-II were not found in equine thymus.
Jedruch J, Gajewski Z, Kuussaari J.The effect of detomidine on the electrical activity of the uterus was studied during the last trimester of pregnancy in 6 mares. The effect was observed in 3-5 min after the i.m. injection and it lasted for 50-70 min. 20 and 40 micrograms/kg b.w. doses of detomidine decreased the myometrial electrical activity, whereas 60 micrograms/kg dose did not have any effect on the activity. The results suggested that 20, 40 and 60 micrograms/kg b.w. doses of detomidine can be administered to mares during the last trimester of pregnancy without the risk of abortion induced by increased uterine electrical...
Harasawa R, Higashi T.Viral DNA obtained from the equine adenovirus propagated in equine transitional cell carcinoma (ETCC) cells and in equine fetal dermis cells were compared by cleaving with isoschizomeric restriction enzymes, HpaII and MspI, and then electrophoresed in 1.4 per cent agarose gels. Differences between the HpaII and MspI cleavage patterns were evident in viral DNA obtained only from the equine adenovirus propagated in ETCC cells, suggesting site specific methylation at CpG sequences.
Colles CM.A study was carried out on five horses and four ponies to assess the effect of altering frog pressure on hoof expansion. Measurements of hoof expansion were made using strain gauges. It was concluded that whereas frog pressure affects hoof expansion, it is only one of several factors. Increasing frog pressure may result in increased expansion, or contraction, or may have virtually no affect. The variable results of changing frog pressure should be taken into account when considering therapeutic shoeing.
Gerber H, Ueltschi G, Diehl M, Schatzmann U, Straub R.For various anamnestic reasons the cervical vertebral column of 78 horses was examined radiologically. Statistical comparisons showed that male "warmbloods" were more frequently affected than was expected. Our horses were older than comparable animals in the international literature. Independently of their history the radiologic diagnosis of "cervical spondylarthrosis" was established in 56 horses. Arthrosis and other conditions were clinically manifested by spinal ataxia (44 horses) or mechanical impairment of the neck's mobility (21 horses). 10 of the arthrotic patients had synovial cysts ca...
Guelfi JF, Kraouchi DE.Chemotaxis and superoxide anion production of neutrophils in healthy horses were investigated before and 8 h after, a single injection of dexamethasone at a dose of 0.045 mg/kg. Chemotaxis was studied by the technique of migration under agarose and superoxyde production was measured by ferricytochrome c reduction. Superoxide anion production was not changed, but the chemotactic index, with zymosan activated horse serum, was increased. The FMLP chemoattractant effect, at 10(-4) M, was slightly enhanced.
Jolly RD, Dalefield RR.The lipopigments are a heterogenous group of pigments whose pathogenesis and terminology is confused. Whereas there is epidemiological and observational evidence that ceroid is derived from degeneration and peroxidation of unsaturated lipid, the assumption that all so-called lipopigments are similarly formed, is questioned. In particular, recent studies have distanced the pathogenesis of the pigment found in the ceroid-lipofuscinoses from that perceived for ceroid. The importance of protein rather than lipid in the pathogenesis of the pigment of ceroid-lipofuscinosis and of age pigment from th...
The Journal of traumaJanuary 1, 1989
Volume 29, Issue 1 25-30 doi: 10.1097/00005373-198901000-00005
Ingemarson H, Grevsten S, Thorén L.Riding accidents can be of a serious nature. Knowledge of risk factors is of essential value in the prevention of injuries. From the years 1969 through 1982 a series of 53 lethal riding injuries is analysed with reference to the rider, the horse, and the environment. Craniocerebral injuries dominate in this series, indicating the importance of adequately protecting helmets. Among the victims the female sex is dominating before the age of 25 and the males above this age. Older horses are less frequently involved in these accidents than younger ones. A long training period for riders under surve...
Nunamaker DM, Butterweck DM, Provost MT.Geometric properties of the third metacarpal bone were compared between the young and adult Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorse. The change in shape during growth and superimposed training was dramatic in both breeds but the Thoroughbred showed the greatest difference in the minimum moment of inertia as the animal matured. Males had larger moments of inertia throughout the length of the diaphysis than did females. The differences in geometric properties of the third metacarpal bone between the Thoroughbred and Standardbred were related to the incidence of fatigue fractures which are common...
Betticher DC, Geiser J.1. The resistance of different mammalian red blood cells (RBCs) to hyperosmotic environments was studied. RBCs of six mammalian species were exposed to 10 increasingly hyperosmotic NaCl solutions for 24 hr at 5 degrees C. 2. The osmolality at which the amount of liberated haemoglobin reached a preset level (e.g. 3-4% of the total haemoglobin) showed a linear correlation with negative slope with RBC volume. This indicates that small RBCs are more resistant to hyperosmotic milieu than large ones. 3. A similar relation can be found from literature data when maximal urinary tonicities are plotted ...
López ML, Grez P, Gribbel I, Bustos-Obregón E.The epididymis of stallion castrated during the breeding and non breeding seasons were subdivided into six regions and their ultrastructural and cytochemical characteristics were studied in order to provide a better understanding of the structure-function relationship of this androgen target organ. Even when the stallion has been postulated to be a seasonal breeder, our results do not show significant ultrastructural or cytochemical differences in both seasons. The pseudostratified epithelium is composed mainly of principal and basal cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes. The principal cells s...
Fischer A, Lechner J, Kraft W, Hirschberger J.The QBC is a centrifugal haematology system. Modified haematocrit capillaries are measured optically. The parameters haematocrit, total leukocyte count, relative and absolute values of granulocyte and lympho-/monocyte fractions, and total thrombocyte count are stated. The microhaematocrit method, the counting chamber, and the differential blood count are reference methods. Blood samples of the dog, cat and horse were used for the study. As a screening method the QBC analysis meets all requirements for the veterinary practice.
May SA, Hooke RE, Lees P.Although an E-series prostaglandin has previously been identified in equine inflammatory exudate, the identity of this eicosanoid as PGE2 has not been confirmed. The objective of this study was the specific characterisation of the prostaglandin produced by equine cells in the presence of an inflammatory stimulus. By using two radioimmunoassays, a relatively non-specific PGE2 assay and a more specific PGE1 assay, it has been possible to identify the E-series prostaglandin produced by equine chondrocytes and synovial cells, in response to a variety of stimuli, as PGE2.
Singh AK, McArdle C, Ashraf M, Granley K, Mishra U, Gordon B.Equine plasma and urine samples were analyzed by using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and particle concentration fluorescence assay (PCFIA). Although ELISA and PCFIA were rapid, simple and sensitive for the screening of furosemide, they did not give reproducible quantitative results. The HPLC method, which required relatively longer analysis time, provided simple and reproducible quantitative analysis of furosemide in plasma and urine. The performance of the three methods was compared for the quantitation of furosemide in plasma obtai...
Wille KH, Nakov C.The mucous membrane of the caecum and colon ascendens of adult horses was first studied using light and transmission electron microscopy. In the surface epithelium there was an inconspicuous constellation of organelles, otherwise there was a lot of mitochondria as a source of energy for absorptive performances. Moreover, enlarged intercellular spaces exist as an indication of an increased uptake of water and electrolytes. In the basal region of Lieberkühn's crypts there were single enteroendocrine cells and numerous granules in the apical epithelial cytoplasm. The functional meaning of these ...
Jeffcott LB, Hyland JH, MacLean AA, Dyke T, Robertson-Smith G.Pregnant Standardbred mares were allocated to 2 groups. On Day 45 of gestation, 20-45 ml saline (240 g NaCl/l) were injected into the fetal sacs of 10 mares, and the other 10 mares were given sham treatment. Post-operative plasma oestrone sulphate concentrations were lower (P less than 0.01) on Days 48-55 in saline-treated mares than in sham-treated mares. Mean plasma progesterone profiles were similar in the two groups of mares, although post-operative luteolysis occurred in 4 saline-treated mares. There was no difference in plasma CG profiles between the 2 groups, except that CG concentratio...
Hillman RB, Loy RG.The rate of urinary oestrogen excretion was studied in four ovariectomized mares. In two animals ovariectomized when urinary oestrogen concentration was high, levels fell to a minimun within 48 hr. Intramuscular injection of oestradiol-17beta produced maximum urinary oestrogen levels within 3 to 6 hr and a return to minimum detectable levels within 24 hr. The major urinary oestrogen in mares was oestrone. In nine maiden mares studied between September and June, the cycle, the durations of dioestrus and oestrus, and the time of ovulation were similar in autumn (September to December) and spring...
Blancquaert AB, Colgan SP, Bruyninckx WJ.To identify the influence of technical factors on the in vitro motility of equine neutrophils towards streptococcus culture supernatant in an under-agarose assay, we studied the changes in eight cell migration parameters. The distances the phagocytes travelled by directed, random and spontaneous migration increased with incubation time, cell concentration and the gelatin and serum contents of the migration plates. The contribution of chemotaxis to the phagocyte migrations, however, decreased simultaneously. The directed and random, though not the spontaneous, migrations of the phagocytes incre...
Dart A, Perkins N, Dowling , Batterham T, Livingston C, Hodgson D.To evaluate the effects of three different doses of sodium pentosan polysulphate (PPS) on haematological and haemostatic variables in adult horses. Methods: Eight adult standardbred horses were used. All horses received a single injection of 0, 3, 6, and 10 mg/kg of PPS at the beginning of each treatment week for 4 weeks so that by the end of the study all horses had received all four doses of PPS. Blood samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 168 h after each weekly injection of PPS. Variables measured were packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell count, mean cor...
McDiarmid AM.A mature thoroughbred cross gelding with an acute onset forelimb lameness was found to have sustained a fracture to the distal phalanx. The fracture traversed the distal phalanx In a lateromedial direction dividing the phalanx into two halves, dorsally and palmarly and was classed a frontal fracture. The horse was treated conservatively and after 14 months rest it returned to work. Three years later the horse has remained sound.
Nixon AJ, Spencer CP.Techniques and normal radiographic anatomy for positive and double contrast shoulder arthrography in horses were evaluated. General anaesthesia was used for most radiographic projections of the shoulder. The mediolateral projection provided the most information during arthrography, although the supinated mediolateral view occasionally allowed better definition of the cartilage surfaces on the medial aspects of the humeral head. The craniocaudal mediolateral oblique and caudocranial projections provided limited additional information. Water soluble non-ionic contrast agents, such as metrizamide...
Woods PR, Helman RG, Schmitz DG.A 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare was examined because of weight loss of 2 months' duration. The horse was anemic and in poor body condition, and had several areas of cutaneous ulceration, including areas on the muzzle and distal portion of the limbs. Histologic examination of a rectal mucosa biopsy specimen revealed a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in the lamina propria mucosa. Results of a glucose absorption test were suggestive of malabsorption. Histologic examination of a biopsy specimen from the cutaneous lesions revealed pronounced arteritis, and weak, patchy immunofluorescent staining for i...
Keller C, Schulz R.To determine the full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence of equine retinal and pineal gland phosducin (PHD) and to clone these sequences. Methods: Samples of equine retinal RNA. Methods: A primer set was designed for use in identifying a fragment of the equine PHD nucleotide sequence, derived from retinal RNA samples, and subsequently for use to deduce specific primers for additional examination. The full-length cDNA was determined by the method of rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). For full-length cDNA, newly designed primers were used. Nucleotide sequences were analyzed by use of...
Rosendal S, Blackwell TE, Lumsden JH, Physick-Sheard PW, Viel L, Watson S, Woods P.Mycoplasma felis has been isolated from horses with pleuritis, and limited research indicates that mycoplasma pleuritis can be reproduced in horses. The serodiagnostic potential of the indirect hemagglutination and the metabolism-inhibition tests was evaluated by testing 177 horses for antibodies to M felis. Seven horses with M felis pleuritis developed antibodies, and 6 horses with sterile or bacterial pleuritis had high titers suggesting a previous M felis infection. Six horses with pleuritis (one sterile and five bacterial) had low or no titers to M felis. Only one of 30 horses with conditi...
Wismann ES, Jacobsen S, Thøfner M, Ladefoged S, Ekstrøm C, Lindegaard C.Outcome after desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (AL-DDFT) to treat flexural deformity of the distal interphalangeal joint has been reported to be excellent. However, no studies have compared long-term athletic performance of sport horses exposed to desmotomy of the AL-DDFT to that of matched controls. Objective: The objective of this study is to compare long-term athletic performance in sports horses subjected to desmotomy of the AL-DDFT with the performance of matched controls. Methods: This is an observational multicentre retrospective matched cohort study...
Mapleson WW, Weaver BM.Total compliance and lower respiratory resistance, that is, total respiratory resistance less upper airway resistance, have been measured during passive expiration in anaesthetized, intubated, completely relaxed animals, lying on their sides. Nine horses and one mule were studied.
Compliance was determined for each animal from the volumes expired after inflation of the lungs to various pressures. The mean compliance for the horses was 0.246 (S.D. 0.088) litre/cm H2O or 0.573 (S.D. 0.229) (ml/cm H2O)/kg body mass.
Resistance was measured in the course of passive expiration through an endotrac...
Di Salvo A, Chiaradia E, Della Rocca G, Giorgi M, Mancini F, Marenzoni ML, Conti MB, Nannarone S.Intra-articular administration of analgesics is performed to ensure good perioperative pain management avoiding undesirable systemic effects. To evaluate the effect of intra-articular injection of tramadol on postoperative pain after arthroscopy in horses and to determine whether tramadol had a local effect. Before the in vivo study, an in vitro test was performed aiming to evaluate the viability of equine chondrocytes after exposure to various concentrations of tramadol. The concentration identified as most appropriate was used to treat the horses' joints. Twelve horses affected by osteochond...
Ceccarelli P, Pedini V, Gargiulo AM.The presence and distribution of serotonin-containing cells in the gastroenteric tract of horses have been investigated. The enterochromaffin (EC) cells have been identified using immunostaining procedures at both light and electron microscopic level. The EC cells were very numerous in the pyloric gland region, were only few in the duodenum but were absolutely lacking from the more distal portions of the intestine.
Binev R, Valchev I, Nikolov J.Monitoring of changes in some blood laboratory parameters in 34 horses after ingesting freshly harvested maize that was to be used for ensiling, heavily contaminated with young Datura stramonium plants, is described. For a 7-day period the following parameters were monitored: haemoglobin content (HGB), red blood cell counts (RBC), white blood cell counts (WBC), haematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), differential white cell counts (DWC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), protein fractions, aspa...
Harcourt M, Smith C, Bell R, Young A.We describe the radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings associated with a case of bilateral forelimb bipartite navicular disease in a 7-year-old Warmblood gelding used for eventing. In addition to the radiographically evident partitioned navicular bones, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) also detected other concurrent abnormalities occurring within the foot that have not been described before in other cases of navicular bone partition. MRI not only revealed soft tissue lesions of the podotrochlear apparatus, but also allowed for more detailed characterisation of the recently diagno...
Martin BB, Nunamaker DM, Evans LH, Orsini JA, Palmer SE.Circumferential wiring was used to repair 12 mid-body fractures and four large basilar fractures of proximal sesamoid bones in 15 horses. Eighteen-gauge stainless steel wire was placed around both fragments in five horses, and through the proximal fragment and around the distal fragment in 10 horses. The horses were returned to work when they were clinically sound and fracture healing was evident radiographically. Eleven horses resumed athletic performance, three horses were used as breeding animals, and one horse was retired. Five horses performed at an athletic level equal to or better than ...