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.
Karàdi I, Kostner GM, Gries A, Nimpf J, Romics L, Malle E.Earlier studies demonstrated that lipoprotein (a), a lipoprotein of high atherogenicity, possesses proteolytic activity. In this report, we provide evidence that the lipoprotein (a)-specific antigen, apoprotein (a) is immunochemically related to plasminogen. This was demonstrated by polyclonal antisera from rabbit, sheep and horse, and with three monoclonal antibodies from mouse. Using immunospecific adsorbers against lipoprotein (a), all plasminogen could be adsorbed from lipoprotein (a)-positive and apparently lipoprotein (a)-negative plasma. As an additional similarity to plasminogen, lipop...
Labadia A, Rivera L, Costa G, Garcia-Sacristan A.alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors in detrusor muscle and bladder base of horses were investigated by in vitro responses of smooth muscle strips to exogenous agonist and antagonist drugs. Noradrenaline, isoprenaline and salbutamol induced relaxation of detrusor muscle strips which was significantly inhibited by propranolol and butoxamine suggesting that the response is mediated by beta-2 adrenergic receptors. In the urinary bladder base noradrenaline, phenylephrine and B-HT 920 induced strong contractile effects. These contractile responses were inhibited by the alpha antagonist phenoxybenzam...
Brooks CL, Garry F, Swartout MS.Analytical characteristics of photometry and ion-specific potentiometry for urine from sheep, horses, cows, dogs, and cats were determined, using solutions of sodium and potassium chloride. The performance of both methods were acceptable, but the ion-specific potentiometer (in the mode for urine analysis) was superior in terms of linearity of response and correlation between actual vs measured concentrations. Coefficients of variation of either method for repeated analyses of various concentrations of sodium and potassium were always less than 2.5%. The measurement of sodium concentration in u...
Crawley GR, Grant BD, White KK, Barbee DD, Gallina AM, Ratzlaff MH.A modified Cloward's technique was performed for arthrodesis of one metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint in eight horses. Dorsal arthrotomies were performed medial and lateral to the common digital extensor tendon and two 16 mm holes were drilled through the joint. A perforated cylindrical stainless steel basket filled with cancellous bone was impacted into each hole. The limbs were supported in casts for 8 weeks. The joints were examined and radiographed at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 6 months, and 10 months. One horse was euthanatized at week 14 to assess the progress of the arthrodesis. In the other seven...
Bertone JJ.Six standing awake adult horses were instrumented for measurement of mean arterial, central venous, and pulmonary arterial blood pressures (mm of Hg), thermodilution cardiac output (ml/kg/min), and pulmonary arterial blood temperature (C). Total peripheral resistance was calculated from these values. Base-line data were accumulated, and a single dose of hydralazine HCl (0.5 mg/kg) was administered IV. Horses were monitored for 420 minutes after hydralazine administration. Mean arterial and central venous blood pressures did not change from the base-line values. Cardiac output and heart rate we...
Merkens HW, Schamhardt HC.The distribution of the ground reaction forces (GRF) over the concurrently loaded limbs of the normally walking horse was determined from 'representative' GRF patterns of all limbs, which were plotted in correct time order after analysis of simultaneously taken high-speed film. This procedure visualises the GRF patterns of each of the four limbs in relation to the GRF pattern(s) of the one or two concurrently loaded limb(s) during a complete stride. In 15 clinically sound horses the mean averaged GRF data and temporal stride parameters showed an almost complete symmetry between both the foreli...
Cook RF, Sinclair R, Mumford JA.An antigen capture indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect influenza nucleoprotein antigen in nasal secretions from horses infected with A/equine/H3N8 viruses. Results from this assay were compared with conventional virus isolation in embryonated hens eggs.
Grünig G, Hermann M, Winder C, Von Fellenberg R.Cell-free supernatants (sol phases), obtained after centrifugation (50,000 x g for 45 minutes) of respiratory tract secretions from horses with chronic pulmonary disease, were assayed for procoagulant activity (PCA) in a one-stage clotting assay. Of the 103 specimens tested, 59% (61) contained PCA. Procoagulant activity was detected most often in respiratory tract secretions of severely affected horses and was correlated with the quantity of neutrophils in the respiratory tract secretions. In 12 of the 17 secretions tested, the clotting time was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. However, i...
Frape DL.There is no clear evidence that the chronic requirement for any non-energy yielding nutrient rises in proportion as the energy requirement increases with hard work. The need for protein, and probably that for calcium, remain a function of bodyweight daily. Some proportionality with energy may exist for certain nutrients, although the evidence has not been adduced. For example, because of an increase in both the proportion and amount of propionic acid in the volatile fatty acids of caecal contents, the tissue requirement for vitamin B12 may rise with an increase in the rate of energy metabolism...
Katila T, Koskinen E, Oijala M, Parviainen P.Fifty-three post-partum (p. p.) periods were studied in 38 mares. Uterine samples were taken on
the 2nd and 5th days p.p. and thereafter every other day until ovulation. Uterine swabs were
examined for bacteria and neutrophils and uterine biopsy specimens for neutrophils and lymphocytes.
The occurrence of bacteria and leukocytes was most common on day 5 p. p. The dominant organism
on day 2 was E. coli and on day 5 P-haemolytic streptococci. Thirty-four mares were inseminated
during the first p. p. oestrus. Only the occurrence of neutrophils in day 5 biopsy specimens correlated
with foal ...
Araújo-Viel MS, Juliano MA, Oliveira L, Prado ES.The effect of secondary-subsite interactions on the catalytic efficiency of horse urinary kallikrein was studied using as substrates oligopeptides and peptidyl-4-nitroanilides with L-Arg at P1. The known secondary specificity of tissue kallikreins for hydrophobic residues at P2 was also demonstrated for horse urinary kallikrein and a higher preference of this enzyme for L-Phe over L-Leu at P2 was evident. Interaction of subsites S3 with D-Pro and D-Phe enhanced the catalytic efficiency but tripeptidyl-4-nitroanilides with acetyl-D-Pro, L-Pro and acetyl-L-Pro at P3 were no better substrates tha...
Barakat SE, Ford EJ.The distribution of 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NT) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) is similar in the tissues of the sheep, calf and horse, except that there is relatively less gamma-GT in calf liver than in the liver of the other two species. The liver lesion produced by the oral administration of chloroform is similar in the three species and is accompanied by the release of 5'-NT into the plasma of the sheep and calf but not of the horse. Conversely, gamma-GT is released into plasma of the horse but not of the sheep or calf. This difference is not related to the tissue distribution of ...
Moorman GH, van Noort JH, Németh F, Breukink HJ, Gootjes P, Verzijlenberg F.A method for detection of neurectomy by electrical stimulation of the skin, distal to the neurectomy site, was tested for accuracy and feasibility. An electrical stimulation device was designed and tested to find the minimum peak voltage that would elicit a response in normal horses. Twenty seven horses were then tested at regular intervals following neurectomy and their responses recorded. Immediately following neurectomy there was an area of insensitivity with sharply defined borders extending in an arc from the back of the pastern down towards the bulbs of the heels. In the months following...
Lloyd KC, Stover SM, Pascoe JR, Pool RR, Kurpershoek C.The effect of gentamicin sulfate, unbuffered and buffered with sodium bicarbonate, on synovial fluid and membrane of clinically normal equine joints was evaluated. Thirty-six adult horses with clinically normal antebrachiocarpal joints were allotted to 6 treatment groups of 6 horses each. One antebrachiocarpal joint in each horse was chosen for treatment. Group-1 horses were given gentamicin (3 ml; 50 mg/ml); group-2 horses were given sodium bicarbonate (3 ml; 1 mEq/ml); group-3 horses were given gentamicin (3 ml; 50 mg/ml) and sodium bicarbonate (3 ml; 1 mEq/ml); group-4 horses were not treat...
Clark ES, Thompson SA, Becht JL, Moore JN.Mechanical activity of the cecal body, lateral cecal arterial blood flow, carotid arterial pressure, and heart rate were measured in 6 conscious healthy horses 30 minutes before and for 120 minutes after IV administration of xylazine at dosages of 1.1 mg/kg of body weight, 0.55 mg/kg, and 0.275 mg/kg. Xylazine at a dosage of 1.1 mg/kg reduced the mean motility index (the product of the mean amplitude of contractions and the total duration of contractile activity divided by the recording time) of the circular and longitudinal muscle layers for the first, second, third, and fourth 30-minute peri...
Clay CM, Squires EL, Amann RP, Nett TM.Influence of day length on seasonal endocrine responses were studied using stallions (seven per group). Treatments included 1) control, with natural day length; 2) 8 h light and 16 h dark (8:16) for 20 wk beginning July 16, 1982 then 16:8 from December 2, 1982 until March 5, 1984 (S-L); or 3) 8:16 from July 16, 1982 until March 5, 1984 (S-S). Blood was sampled hourly for 5 h every 4 wk; sera were pooled within horse, and luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone were quantified. Blood was collected every 20 min for 24 h every 8 wk and 2 wk before and after t...
Watney GC, Hall LW, Jordan C, Nolan AM.The effects of xylazine (an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist) and acepromazine (an alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist) on bronchomotor tone were investigated in seven anaesthetised, apnoeic ponies using a computer aided forced oscillation technique, which separates changes in bronchial calibre from changes in lung volume. Both agents produced bronchodilatation and a decrease in lung volume.
van der Velden MA.During a seven year period, 51 cases of acquired inguinal herniation in 50 stallions were treated surgically. In 25 cases the herniated loop was ileal, in the other 26 it was jejunal. In cases of strangulation, the vaginal ring was enlarged by incising the peritoneum and transverse fascia. Closure of the superficial inguinal ring was advisable to prevent the hernia recurring. In all cases unilateral castration was performed. Laparotomy was carried out in 33 cases; 22 required intestinal resection and in four cases a bypass was made. Follow-up at least six months postoperatively indicated that ...
Mair TS, Stokes CR, Bourne FJ.The immunoglobulin (Ig) content of serum and tracheal lavage fluid was measured in 50 horses suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 40 control horses. The mean immunoglobulin: albumin ratios of the lavage fluids of both groups were significantly higher than the corresponding values for serum, which indicates significant local production of immunoglobulins in the lower respiratory tract. The IgA: albumin ratio of lavage fluid was significantly higher in diseased compared with normal horses, which implies increased local production of IgA in this disease. The IgG: albumi...
Shaw EB, Houpt KA, Holmes DF.Average daily core body temperature and behavioural patterns of pregnant mares were studied, in search of definitive signs of parturition within 24 h of the event. Nineteen pony mares were sampled twice daily for core body temperature. A significant temperature drop, averaging 0.1 degrees C (0.2 degrees F) was observed during the day prior to parturition. Between 18.00 h and 06.00 h, during the two weeks before parturition, Thoroughbred and Standardbred mares (n = 52) spent an average 66.8 per cent of their time standing, 27.0 per cent eating, 4.9 per cent lying in sternal recumbency, 1.0 per ...
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Spoormakers TJ, Donker SH, Ensink JM.The anaesthetic potency, onset of action, duration of action, and side effects of lidocaine and lidocaine plus epinephrine for proximal metacarpal block of the lateral and medial palmar nerves were determined. Ten horses were used and legs were injected using a cross-over model with three test solutions: 1) solvent and lidocaine (2%) plus epinephrine (SLE); 2) solvent and lidocaine (2%) without epinephrine (SL); and 3) solvent only (S). The contra-lateral leg was injected with saline (placebo; P). In both the SL and SLE groups, the onset of anaesthesia occurred between 5 and 15 minutes after i...
van Zadelhoff C, Ehrle A, Merle R, Jahn W, Lischer C.Scintigraphy is a standard diagnostic method for evaluating horses with back pain due to suspected thoracic processus spinosus pathology. Lesion detection is based on subjective or semi-quantitative assessments of increased uptake. This retrospective, analytical study is aimed to compare semi-quantitative and subjective methods in the evaluation of scintigraphic images of the processi spinosi in the equine thoracic spine. Scintigraphic images of 20 Warmblood horses, presented for assessment of orthopedic conditions between 2014 and 2016, were included in the study. Randomized, blinded image ev...
Schamhardt HC, Merkens HW.A method was developed to quantify the ground reaction force pattern of the horse. A number of selected force amplitudes and peak-time positions in the normalized stance phase of left and right contralateral limbs were used to calculate symmetry indices. Data from each limb were compared with those of a 'standard horse' resulting in limb indices. The combination of amplitude and peak-time symmetry and limb indices yielded one H(orse)INDEX. These indices were useful for comparison of different horses and for the evaluation of lameness and treatment.
Foreman JH, Waldsmith JK, Lalum RB.Three-day event horses are subject to various external environmental stresses including changes in ambient temperature, humidity, altitude, and test severity. Considerable research on the adverse effects of increased heat and humidity preceded the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia USA, but no research has been done previously on the effects of altitude on 3-day eventing. Physical and venous blood gas data were collected on horses (n = 24) competing in the High Prairie Preliminary (CCN*) and Intermediate (CCN**) 3-day events and Preliminary Horse Trials in Parker, Colorado (1900 m a...
The Veterinary recordSeptember 9, 2017
Volume 181, Issue 10 ii doi: 10.1136/vr.j4128
Carslake H.Harry Carslake, equine medicine specialist at the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital, Liverpool, reviews a fiveday course on advanced cardiac ultrasound scanning that he completed recently.
Folz SD, Hanson BJ, Griffin AK, Dinvald LL, Swerczek TW, Walker RD, Foreman JH.Ceftiofur sodium was evaluated as a therapy for respiratory infections in horses. This cephalosporin antimicrobial was administered intramuscularly every 24 h and at a dose of 2.2 mg/kg (1.0 mg/lb) of body weight. The efficacy of ceftiofur sodium was compared with that of a positive control drug, ampicillin sodium (recommended dose of 6.6 mg/kg [3 mg/lb], given every 12 h). Both treatments were continued for 48 h after clinical symptoms were no longer evident (maximum of 10 days). Fifty-five (55) horses with naturally acquired respiratory infections were included in the study; 28 were treated ...
Houpt KA, Northrup N, Wheatley T, Houpt TR.When a preliminary experiment in sodium-replete ponies revealed an increase, but not a significant increase, in salt consumption after furosemide treatment, the experiment was repeated using sodium-deficient horses in which aldosterone levels might be expected to be elevated to test the hypothesis that a background of aldosterone is necessary for salt appetite. Ten Standardbred mares were injected intravenously with furosemide or an equivalent volume of 0.9% sodium chloride as a control to test the effect of furosemide on their salt appetite and blood constituents. Sodium intake and sodium los...
Gomez-Villamandos R, Santisteban J, Ruiz I, Avila I.Two horses with fibrotic myopathy of the semitendinosus muscle are described. The report deals with the aetiology, clinical signs and diagnosis of the condition, and discusses the different surgical techniques described in the literature. Tenotomies were performed on both horses. Excellent results were obtained in the horse in which only the semitendinosus muscle was affected, but in the horse in which the semimembranosus and gracilis muscles were also involved the results were less satisfactory.
Jones MB, Gonzalez-Ochoa A, Marx MB, Furcolow ML.In a 3-month period, 2,221 Mexican horses were skin tested for sensitivity to Histoplasma capsulatum antigen. The prevalence of reactivity was 7.9%. There was little evidence of a difference in geographic distribution of sensitivity. The prevalence of reactivity increased with age of the horse. This increment with age is thought to be a function of time exposure to the organism and possibly of selective survival of the horses.
Magnuson NS, Decker DM, Perryman LE.1. Activities of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase were measured in tissues of horses with severe combined immunodeficiency. No decrease in activity of the enzyme was detected.
2. The activity in erythrocytes was 14.2 ± 9.2 nmol AdoHcy formed/min/g hemoglobin and in fibroblasts it was 28.0 ± 7.9 nmol AdoHcy formed/min/108 cells.
3. Km values were obtained for hemolysates (0.77 μM) and for fibroblast lysates (0.59 μM).
4. Effects of 2′-deoxyadenosine on enzyme inactivation were studied.
White R, Nath L, Hebart M, Franklin S.P wave indices are used as non-invasive electrocardiographic markers of atrial remodelling in humans. Few studies have investigated their use in animals. The aim of this study was to measure P wave duration and P wave dispersion (Pd) in healthy standardbred horses and investigate variables that might influence these measurements. A 12-lead electrocardiogram was recorded at rest and P wave indices were calculated in 53 horses. A general linear model was used to investigate the main effects: age, bodyweight, sex, resting heart rate, presence of a murmur, exercise status and the number of years r...
Hattori K, Matsuda N, Murakami T, Ito E, Ugawa Y.A 62-year-old man with acute paraplegia was transferred to our hospital. He had flaccid paraplegia and multiple cranial nerve palsies, such as mydriasis of the left pupil, abduction palsy of the left eye, hoarseness and dysphagia, but no meningeal irritation signs. MRI of the spinal canal showed swellings of the conus medullaris and the cauda equine, and also contrast enhancement of the spinal meninges. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed pleocytosis and protein increment. The lymph node was swollen in his right axilla. The biopsy specimen from the right axillary lymph node revealed metastasi...
Fatemi-Nainie S, Anderson LW, Cheevers WP.MC-1 is an equine sarcoid-derived cell line which spontaneously releases a retrovirus possessing genomic sequence homology with an inducible endogenous retrovirus of normal equine cells. A complete characterization of MC-1 tumor cells was undertaken, including morphology, growth kinetics, and saturation density, selective growth in semisolid media, uptake of 2-deoxyglucose, and tumorigenicity in athymic nude mice. MC-1 cells, in contrast to normal equine dermal fibroblasts, exhibit all of the characteristics of malignantly transformed cells.
Visser HE, Diehl KA, Whitley RD, Myrna KE.To compare Schirmer tear test I (STTI) values collected in normal horses with and without an auriculopalpebral nerve block. Methods: Schirmer tear test I values were measured in 20 clinically normal horses (38 eyes) with a median age of 12 years. The order of eyes tested was randomized. Within 24-48 h, at the same time of day, tear measurements were collected again after administration of an auriculopalpebral nerve block. Each block was performed a minimum of 5 min prior to each STT I. A repeated-measures model was used to analyze differences between STT I values in eyes with and without nerve...
Hodgson DR.This article provides an overview of the characteristics of skeletal muscle, with an emphasis on equine skeletal muscle. A discussion of many of the adaptive processes that can occur in this tissue in response to altered states of physical activity is also included.
Gradil C, Joone C, Haire T, Fowler B, Zinchuk J, Davies CJ, Ball B.Fertility control of feral equids is difficult. A 4-month pilot study was conducted with a hormone-free intrauterine device (iUPOD). There was evaluation of i) device retention; ii) contraceptive efficacy; iii) fertility following device removal; iv) effects of device on estrous cycle periodicity and; v) abundance of biofilm on devices after removal from the uterus. The iUPODs were inserted trans-cervically in eight mares at random stages of the estrous cycle. Mares were confined in a paddock with a stallion the following day and remained with the stallion for 120 days. Transabdominal detectio...
Irvine CH, Alexander SL.In an experiment conducted late in the physiological breeding season, 5 stallions were fitted with indwelling pituitary venous cannulae that permitted unobtrusive collection of blood coming from the pituitary and the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal vessels. The next day, blood samples were collected at 5 min intervals for several hours while the stallions were resting. Pulses of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) occurred approximately once per hour. After this, an oestrous mare was brought into contact with each stallion for ...