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.
Silberzahn P, Zwain I, Martin B.Blood testosterone levels were measured by RIA and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the pregnant mare. They were found to increase from the very beginning of pregnancy, reaching peak values 10 times higher than the basal values at the seventh month and then to return to basal values by the week after parturition. Testosterone binding by plasma proteins was investigated in nonpregnant and pregnant mares throughout gestation. Equilibrium dialysis and gel equilibration methods did not reveal any blood specific testosterone-binding activity at any gestational stage. Hence, blood testosteron...
Burkhardt E, von Saldern F, Huskamp B.On clinical examination, a six-year-old Hassian gray gelding with a history of impaired performance, slight cough, colic, and edema of the ventral abdomen, prepuce and the legs had reduced skin turgor, pale mucous membranes, forced costoabdominal breathing, reduced venous return, enlarged lymph nodes, and splenomegaly. Hematologic findings revealed anemia, leukocytosis and a high percentage of monocytoid leukemic cells. Generalized lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, ascites, hydrothorax, and a diffusely thickened gut wall were found at necropsy. Massive infiltration with monocytoid leukemic cells ...
Koterba AM, Brewer BD, Tarplee FA.In an effort to identify improved methods for diagnosis of infection in the neonatal foal, clinical records from 38 septicaemic foals of less than one week of age were examined for trends in history, physical examination and clinicopathological findings. The survival rate of septicaemic foals, 26 per cent, was markedly less than the rate for all other foal admissions. Blood cultures were valuable in diagnosis and treatment of septicaemia and identified a preponderance of Gram-negative infection. Zinc sulphate turbidity test results were abnormally low in all septicaemic foals tested. The clini...
Fowden AL, Silver M, Ellis L, Ousey J, Rossdale PD.The factors influencing beta cell function in the foetal and neonatal foal have been investigated in chronically catheterised foetal foals and in newborn foals delivered either spontaneously at term or by induction at different gestational ages. Insulin was detected in the foetal plasma from as early as 150 days of gestation (term = 340 days) and during the last third of gestation the foetal beta cells responded to exogenous administration of glucose and arginine and to endogenous variations in the glucose level. Insulin secretion by the foetal beta cells was depressed by anaesthesia and surge...
Lombard CW, Evans M, Martin L, Tehrani J.Twelve newborn pony foals underwent cardiovascular examinations (auscultation, arterial blood pressure measurements, electrocardiograms and M-mode echocardiograms) on their first day of life and then on Days 7, 14, 21, 30, 60 and 90. An age dependent, statistically significant, rapid increase of the arterial blood pressure in the first month was documented together with a slower decrease of the resting heart rate after two and three months of life. Innocent soft systolic murmurs were audible over the left heart base in a large number of the foals. The electrocardiograms showed age dependent in...
Broughton Pipkin F, Ousey JC, Wallace CP, Rossdale PD.Plasma renin substrate concentration was measured in 18, four-day-old pony foals after the administration of the natriuretic agent frusemide. Thirteen foals had been delivered spontaneously; labour had been induced in the remaining five mares. Plasma aldosterone concentration was measured in 12 of the spontaneously delivered foals. Renin substrate concentration had risen sharply within 15 mins (P less than 0.005) and peaked at 1 h. The response was consistently greater in the induced foals. Serum sodium concentration fell rapidly in the induced foals (P less than 0.002 by 60 mins) but was bett...
Miller PJ, Holmes JR.Systolic time intervals (STIs), isovolumic contraction time (ICT) and left ventricular ejection time (LVET) were recorded from seven horses with supraventricular arrhythmia. The STIs were measured over a number of beats (33 to 100) directly from the left ventricular (LV) and aortic (Ao) pressure contours which were recorded simultaneously using two catheter-mounted transducers. ICT was significantly (P less than 0.01) and directly related to beat-by-beat heart rate (HR = 60/pulse interval) and LVET was significantly (P less than 0.01) and inversely related to heart rate in each of five horses....
Stewart JH, Rose RJ, Barko AM.The effect of oxygen administration on blood gas values was examined in six newborn foals from birth to seven days old. Three variables were studied: the effect of increasing age on the ability to elevate arterial oxygen tension (Pao2), the effect of duration of oxygen delivery on Pao2 and the effect of method of administration. The results demonstrated a significant effect of age on the ability to increase Pao2 values, with the highest Pao2 values being found at seven days old. The duration of oxygen administration caused little change in Pao2 values; peak values were reached after 2 mins of ...
Mugg PA, Hill A.The failure of N. gonorrhoeae to grow on isolation media was found to be due to inhibitory substances present in commercially available horse sera. Subsequent investigations indicated that the inhibitory action of the horse serum may have been due to antibodies to N. gonorrhoeae, H. influenzae, H. parainfluenzae and beta hemolytic streptococci. This experience highlights the need for media quality control programmes in laboratories which prepare microbiological culture media.
Allen WR, Pashen RL.The blastomeres of 192- to 8-cell embryos recovered surgically 1-3 days after ovulation from 23 Pony mares were mechanically separated and inserted, in various combinations, into evacuated pig zonae pellucidae to make 27 'half' and 17 'quarter' micromanipulated embryos. These were embedded in agar and cultured in vivo in the ligated oviducts of ewes for 3.5-5 days to allow development to the late morula/early blastocyst stage. Subsequent surgical or non-surgical transfer of 13 'half' and 17 'quarter' embryos to mares resulted in 10 established pregnancies, including 2 monozygotic pairs. Surgic...
Timoney PJ, Geraghty VP, Harrington AM, Dillon PB.A microneutralization test in PK(15) cells was developed to measure the neutralizing antibody response of a group of ponies experimentally challenged with louping ill virus. Viral cytopathic effect was maximal after 6 days of incubation, at which point titration endpoints were clear-cut and readily determinable. The assay compared favorably with the mouse neutralization test for accuracy and ease of performance.
Zavy MT, Vernon MW, Sharp DC, Bazer FW.Comparisons of estrone, 17 beta-estradiol, and plasma progestin concentrations were made in uterine fluid and peripheral blood of nonpregnant and pregnant pony mares. Concentrations of these steroids were also measured within yolk sac fluid from blastocysts on days 12, 14, 16, and 18 of pregnancy to obtain more complete analyses of the uterine environment (uterine fluid plus yolk sac fluid) of early pregnancy. Thirty mares were randomly assigned to six treatment groups (n = 5/group), and uterine fluid and peripheral blood samples were obtained on days 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 postovulation. A...
Rossdale PD, Ousey JC, Silver M, Fowden A.This paper describes criteria used to assess maturity of the newborn foal and their clinical application to field cases of prematurity and dysmaturity. Premature and mature foals may be clearly distinguished by their behavioural and physical characteristics. Measurement of haematological parameters (mean cell volume, total white cell and differential counts), pancreatic beta cell activity (plasma glucose and insulin levels), adrenocortical-medullary function (plasma cortisol, adrenocorticotrophic hormone and catecholamines) and the renin-angiotensin system (plasma renin substrate concentration...
Ousey JC, Dudan F, Rossdale PD.The status of the mare and foetus in relation to readiness for birth was assessed by measurement of the electrolytes sodium, potassium and calcium in mammary secretions pre-partum. Sixteen Thoroughbred mares were allowed to foal spontaneously and the ionic status of their mammary secretions was measured over three to five weeks pre-partum. From these measurements, a scoring system was developed where an ionic score of 35 points or more suggested that the mare was within 24 h of foaling. On the basis of this ionic score, 10 pony mares were induced with either oxytocin or fluprostenol and assess...
Prescott JF, Gannon VP, Kittler G, Hlywka G.Results are presented of antimicrobial disc diffusion susceptibility testing on commonly isolated bacterial pathogens made at the Ontario Veterinary College Diagnostic Bacteriology Laboratory in 1981 and 1982. Nearly 2 000 isolates from horses, cattle, dogs and cats were tested. Comparison of resistance in the same bacterial species isolated from different animal species showed significant differences between some of the same antibiotics.
Taverne MA.For the past few years, two-dimensional diagnostic ultrasound methods have become available to veterinary medicine. In particular, linear-array real-time ultrasound would appear to be a very suitable diagnostic tool in the examination of the female genital organs of domestic mammals. The principles of this technique and the equipment available are described, and particular attention is paid to the method by which a diagnosis of pregnancy may be established in various animal species. In dogs and goats shaving will have to be done before the sound-transmitting/receiving transducer can be placed ...
Miller JR, Blake JW, Tobin T.An electron capturing derivative of apomorphine was prepared by incubating the drug with heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA), triethylamine and heat. Mass spectral analysis suggests that HFBA reacts with both phenolic hydroxyl groups on apomorphine to give a derivative detectable at low picogram levels. This method is sufficiently sensitive for pharmacokinetic studies in the horse and is likely applicable to other dopaminergic analogues of apomorphine.
Teuscher C, Kenney RM, Cummings MR, Catten M.In this study, 2 stallions were immunised with their own spermatozoa to ascertain whether an antisperm autoantibody response could be mounted. The results demonstrated that the stallion can recognise and respond to sperm autoantigens by producing circulating antisperm antibodies, primarily of the IgG class. Such autoantibodies appeared 2-4 weeks after inoculation and persisted for 6-20 weeks. Immunochemical characterisation by western blot identified two major sperm autoantigens, with molecular weights of 70 kD and 62 kD. Control pony stallions immunised with adjuvants alone failed to exhibit ...
Stephen J, Harty M, Hollis A, Yeomans J, Corley K.An 11-year-old mare presented 36 hours after foaling with a ruptured bladder. Uroperitoneum was diagnosed on ultrasound and from the creatinine concentration of the peritoneal fluid. Bladder endoscopy demonstrated tissue necrosis and a rent in the dorsocranial aspect of the bladder. Following stabilisation, including abdominal drainage and lavage, the mare was taken to standing surgery. Under continuous sedation and epidural anaesthesia, and after surgical preparation, a Balfour retractor was placed in the vagina. Using sterile lubricant and moderate force, it was possible to insert a hand int...
Blanco MA, Di Rado FN, Peterson MM.Turfgrass in equine sports has clear advantages over other types of reinforcement but adds complexity to the management. This study investigates factors that influence the turfgrass' surface performance and how the use of a drainage package and a geotextile reinforcement affect quantitative measurements of turfgrass. The measurements are made using affordable, lightweight testing tools that are readily available or easily constructed. Eight boxes with turfgrass over a mix of the arena with peat at a consistent depth were tested for volumetric moisture content (VMC %) with time-domain reflectom...
Schoonover MJ, Whitfield CT, Young JM, Sippel KM, Payton ME.OBJECTIVE To determine effects for 2 IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) protocols involving tiludronate on lameness of horses with navicular syndrome. ANIMALS 15 horses with bilateral forelimb navicular syndrome. PROCEDURES Shoeing and anti-inflammatory injection into the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) of both forelimbs (day 0) were performed on all horses. On day 14, horses received 1 of 3 IVRLPs consisting of 0.1 mg of tiludronate/kg (low-dose tiludronate [LDT]; n = 5), 0.2 mg of tiludronate/kg (high-dose tiludronate [HDT]; 5), or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (placebo; 5); treatments wer...
Kraus BL, Kirker-Head CA, Kraus KH, Jakowski RM, Steckel RR.The vascular and microvascular anatomy of the equine deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) within the digital sheath was studied by injecting the vasculature with either colored latex or barium sulphate for radiographic, microangiographic, histologic, and computed tomographic (CT) evaluation. Consecutive 4-mm thick two-dimensional CT slice data were reconstructed to 3-dimensional volumetric images to enhance spatial evaluation of the blood supply. Gross dissection and angiographic studies identified three major vascular sources. Above the fetlock, the DDFT was supplied by either a branch of the me...
Tryland M.In December 1801, the first vaccination against smallpox in Norway took place. Vaccine material came from Denmark, England, Ireland, and other countries; it was also obtained from a few local cowpox cases. What mattered was the effect, not the origin. Several reports indicate that variola virus itself, the cause of smallpox, was also used for human vaccination after passages through cows and horses. A vaccine institute for production of vaccine in calves was established in Kristiania in 1891. Cowpox was once a rare disease in cattle, but a total of 70,985 bovine cases were reported between 188...
Rapisarda G, Marino F, Ferrara G, Gioffrè F, Galofaro V.Here we present a case of preputial benign fibrous histiocytoma in a 7-year-old mule. This case was treated surgically. Pathologic analysis and diagnosis of these lesions were based on a combination of light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Histologically, the tumour was composed primarily of a storiform pattern of fibroblastic and poligonal cells. In immunohistochemistry, except for consistent immunoreactivity for vimentin, nearly all tumour cells were positive for CD68, S-100 protein, pan-cytokeratin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and desmin. Benign fibrous histiocytoma of the prepuce in mu...
Dória RGS, Freitas SH, Laskoski LM, Arruda LP, Shimano AC.Surgical site infection of abdominal incisions is an important complication after laparotomy with increased risk of incisional hernia formation in horses. This study aims to evaluate the healing process of abdominal incisions and correlate peritonitis with the occurrence of surgical site infection and incisional hernias. Nine horses underwent standardized laparotomy, intestinal exploration, and induced septic peritonitis. Standardized relaparotomy was performed two (n = 3), four (n = 3), and six (n = 3) months later to evaluate the abdominal cavity for adhesions and to collect the sutured v...
Ternisien T, Dunn M, Vachon C, Manguin E, Bonilla AG, Jean D.Three client-owned horses diagnosed with obstructive ureteral stones were referred and treated in a minimally invasive manner by retrograde ureteroscopy in conjunction with electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) or laser Holmium:YAG lithotripsy (HYL). For all 3 horses, additional tests revealed variable degrees of azotemia and ureteral obstruction. Ultrasound examination (2 horses) revealed a loss of cortico-medullary distinction consistent with a chronic nephropathy. Ultrasound-guided biopsy of the right kidney in 1 horse revealed moderate glomerulosclerosis and lymphoplasmacytic nephritis. A sta...
Wilsdorf G, Graf G.Since the early twenties several institutes of the Veterinary College in Berlin were involved in the development of microchemical analyzing methods for doping-alkaloids and clinical studies in doped race horse. This research made it possible to build national acting structures against the abuse of doping in race horses, which soon became a model for similar activities in other countries, for instance Greece, Japan and the United States. Concerning the results of their research, the scientists of the Veterinary College in Berlin have got an enormous part in fighting against doping in race horse...
Gu X, Meleka-Boules M, Chen CL.A capillary electrophoresis technique was developed for the separation of synthetic glucocorticoids and the determination of dexamethasone and flumethasone in horse urine. Pretreatment of the sample using a dexamethasone affinity column resulted in low background that enabled the authors to detect levels as low as 1.1 ng/mL and 2.7 ng/mL for dexamethasone and flumethasone in horse urine, respectively. The developed method was used to detect dexamethasone in horse urine samples after the injection of a therapeutic dose of dexamethasone for up to 12 hr postinjection. The optimum conditions for c...
Whipp SC, Donta ST.Antibody titers to Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) were measured in serum samples collected from mature cows, butcher pigs, mature sows and adult sheep, horses, dogs, cats, turkeys, and chickens. The frequency of LT antitoxin titers was greatest in sows (94%) and less in cows (38%). Titers were higher in swine than in cattle. There were no LT antitoxin titers in serums from sheep, horses, dogs, cats, turkeys, and chickens. It was concluded that LT-producing Escherichia coli are prevalent in the swine population, but much less so in cattle and the other species examined.
Grulke S, Salciccia A, Arévalo Rodríguez JM, Sandersen C, Caudron I, Serteyn D, de la Rebière de Pouyade G.Epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) of small intestine is a severe cause of strangulating small intestinal obstruction (SSI) with long-term survival seeming lower than for other causes of SSI in horses. Different techniques via laparoscopy or laparotomy for epiploic foramen (EF) closure have been developed. This study describes a technique of peroperative mesh closure of the EF in clinical cases and their long-term follow up. In the study period of 5.5 years, 36 horses were admitted to the clinic with EFE. Of these, 17 horses had peroperative mesh closure, with resection anastomosis in 4 cases a...
Broms L, Boije Af Gennäs K, Radmann A, Hedenborg S.Todays' online media landscape facilitates communication on how sports practitioners can develop in their sport. Hence, sports and educational institutions need to recognize the increased role of the individual as "a facilitator of knowledge" through (ICT). For sport organizations and educational institutions to effectively reach out with knowledge and research, they need to know how individuals assess, value, and trust information sources. This article aims to increase the knowledge and understanding of how the traditional culture in equestrianism meets the contemporary media user. It is bas...
Giusto G, Iotti B, Sammartano F, Valazza A, Gandini M.The aim of this study is to compare handsewn and stapled jejunocecal anastomosis with different stomal lengths in terms of anatomical differences. Group 1 underwent a two-layer handsewn jejunocecal side-to-side anastomosis (HS); Group 2 received a stapled jejunocecal side-to-side anastomosis (GIA). Each group was divided into two subgroups (HS80 and HS100, GIA80 and GIA100). Specimens were inflated and CT scanned. The stomal/jejunal area ratio and blind end pouch volume/area were measured and compared. Effective length of the stoma was measured and compared with the initial length. Stomal/jeju...
Sweeney CR, Leary HJ, Ziemer EL, Spencer PA.Water vapor-saturated air was delivered to 12 healthy, housed horses for 2 hours daily for 5 days. Treatment had no effect on tracheal mucus transport rate, bronchoalveolar lavage total and differential cell counts, blood cell counts, or plasma fibrinogen concentration.
Braun JP, Tainturier D, Bézille P, Raviart I, Rico AG.In goat and mare colostrum, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity is relatively low (mean values are, respectively, 900 and 350 U/l). In the serum of newborns before suckling, GGT is also low (less than or equal to 28 U/l in goats and less than or equal to U/l in foals); then in goats GGT is much increased on the 1st day (mean = 127 U/l), and it decreases during the following days. In foals, serum GGT slowly but regularly increases for the first 5 days, then decreases. Such differences can be attributed to intestinal protein absorption capabilities which are selective in newborn foals and u...
