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.
Roberts MC, Sutton RH, Lovell DK.A 13-year-old Standardbred stallion presented with a unilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge and airway obstruction was found to have an extensive cryptococcal nasal granuloma. Treatment was not attempted. The stallion was destroyed 26 months later having completed 2 successful breeding seasons. The granuloma had gradually increased in size and almost completely occupied the left nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. It was characterised histologically by fibrous and myxomatous tissue and masses of yeasts. A cryptococcal granuloma found within the wall of the jejunum could represent evidence of ...
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.Activity of 15 compounds, given alone or in mixtures [butamisole, cambendazole, caviphos, febantel (alone or with trichlorfon), fenbendazole, ivermectin, levamisole-piperazine, oxfendazole, oxibendazole, pyrantel pamoate (alone or with piperazine-carbon disulfide complex), thiabendazole (alone or with piperazine or with trichlorfon), tioxidazole, and trichlorfon], against Thelazia lacrymalis was evaluated in 102 equids. Determination of activity was based on comparison of infection rate in treated animals examined at necropsy with infection rate of dead equids in our contemporary surveys. None...
McGuirk SM, Muir WW, Sams RA.A pharmacokinetic study was made, using 7 healthy adult horses (weighing between 400 and 560 kg) given quinidine gluconate IV and quinidine sulfate orally. The apparent volume of distribution of quinidine base was 3.10 +/- 0.79 L/kg, total body clearance was 5.49 +/- 2.40 ml/minute/kg, and plasma half-life was 6.65 +/- 3.00 hours. The systemic availability of quinidine sulfate after oral administration of a 10 mg/kg dose was 48.5 +/- 20.4%. Oral administrations of quinidine sulfate in doses of 10 mg/kg and 10 g produced peak plasma concentrations of 0.79 microgram/ml at 146 minutes and 1.47 mi...
Rose RJ.Three of the standard radiographic views of the navicular bone were assessed in normal horses and horses with navicular disease to determine the most effective radiographic positioning. Using the upright pedal view, a pastern angulation of 20 degrees from the vertical produced the optimum result when radiographs were taken using a grid. The best result using the high coronary view was obtained with an anode-film distance of 1 1000 mm, and a tube-head angle of 50 degrees from the vertical. When the special navicular view described by Morgan was examined, the most satisfactory projection was obt...
Fackelman GE, von Rechenberg B, Fetter AW.The need for early postoperative weight bearing following fracture repair in the horse has led to investigation of various means of expediting the healing process. Bone grafting represents one means of accomplishing this, and the transplantation of autologous tissues has proven to be most useful in equine orthopedics. Acid-decalcified, frozen, allogeneic bone for grafting is easy to prepare, readily contoured, osteogenic, and elicits no obvious immune or rejection response. The most compelling reason for the use of the substance is the elimination of the need of a harvesting operation on a pat...
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.Antiparasitic activity of a micronized formulation of the benzothiazole compound, tioxidazole, at the dose rate of 11 mg/kg, was evaluated by the critical test method. Drug was given by stomach to 3 horses and on feed to 3 horses. Excellent removal activity was found for Strongylus vulgaris (100%) in 5 naturally infected horses, S edentatus (91% to 100%) in 5 horses, small strongyles (88% to 99%) in 6 horses, immature Oxyuris equi (100%) in 5 horses, and Parascaris equorum (100%) in 5 horses (a 6th horse had 10 small specimens present at necropsy). There was no measurable activity against bots...
Dutta SK, Bumgardner MK, Scott JC, Myrup AC.Various methods of separation and identification of major equine leukocyte populations and subpopulations were used. The purity of T and B lymphocytes separated in Sephadex anti-equine F(ab')2 columns was 87% to 99% and 83% of 97%, respectively. The purity of T lymphocytes separated in nylon-wool columns was 89% to 98%. Preparations of B lymphocytes separated in glass-bead columns were 68% to 79% pure. The presence (or absence) of surface immunoglobulin by immunofluorescence was the most consistent and reliable method for the identification of B or T lymphocytes, respectively. However, the ery...
Snow DH, Baxter P, Whiting B.The pharmacokinetics of meclofenamic acid were studied in Thoroughbred horses and in ponies. After intravenous (i.v.) administration of either 2 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg sodium meclofenamate the elimination half-life was of the order of 0.9 h while the volume of distribution was found to be 0.128 litre/kg. Elimination was in accordance with a one-compartment model. Following oral administration of either meclofenamic acid (4 mg/kg) or sodium meclofenamate (4 mg/kg) a much longer terminal half-life than that calculated for Kel from i.v. data was found. This anomaly indicated that the 'flip-flop' phenom...
Rondeau M, Rouleau M.Using semen from bull, boar and stallion as well as different spectrophotometers, we established the calibration curves relating the optical density of a sperm sample to the sperm count obtained on the hemacytometer. The results show that, for a given spectrophotometer, the calibration curve is not characteristic of the animal species we studied. The differences in size of the spermatozoa are probably too small to account for the anticipated specificity of the calibration curve. Furthermore, the fact that different dilution rates must be used, because of the vastly different concentrations of ...
Rommel FA, Sahu SP.Intrauterine inoculation of pony mares with the bacterium that is the causative agent of contagious equine metritis (CEM) resulted in clinical disease. A humoral immune response could be detected by agglutination and complement fixation (CF), and in some cases precipitating antibody was found by immunodiffusion tests. Agglutinating antibody was the most reliable serological indicator of overt infection and was detected in 8 ot 28 mares after initial intrauterine inoculation of 3-4 x 10(5) bacteria. Seventy percent of mares given a second inoculation and all mares given a third inoculation of 3...
Sarkar DK, Smith GC, Fink G.We have investigated the effect of manipulating central catecholamines on the timing of puberty (as assessed by vaginal opening) in female rats and the surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) induced by pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) in immature female rats. Manipulation of the catecholamines was carried out with either 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) administered with or without either desipramine (DMI) or pargyline, or alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MPT). The neonatal administration of 6-OHDA delayed puberty, an effect which was potentiated by pretreat...
Strigazzi A, Bianchi M.The dimensional distributions of the adipocytes in Equus caballus in many subjects and in many regions have been studied: such distributions turn out to be in good approximation galtonian ones. Furthermore, all the logarithm populations of the cell diameters have significantly the same variance. The used statistical methods (ANOVA two way with replications, and TUKEY -test) indicate an extremely significant different among the various regions (the smallest cells are in the supra-orbital fossa, the greatest ones are in the abdominal subserous floor).
Cougouille-Gauffreteau B, Jussiaux M, Trillaud C.The androgenization of a more belonging to a social group where it held a stable hierarchic rank, or a mare recently admitted to this group, increases their status in the hierarchic order and the position acquired is subsequently maintained; in some cases, they continue to rise in the hierarchic order long after the injections of male hormones has been stopped. Some elements of the social behaviour of a stallion appear during the treatment; these elements may persist long after the mares have regained their female hormone balance, corroborated by the establishment of a standard pregnancy.
Pointelli E, Santa-maria MA, Caretta G.A total of 1267 microfungi, including 35 Myxomycetes, were recorded from the fecal samples of the 60 horses; of these 395 were found on 20 saddle-horse feces, 363 on 20 race-horses and 509 on 20 working horses. Eighty two species representing 53 genera were recorded; of these 7 were Zygomycetes, 18 Ascomycetes, 1 Basidiomycetes and 25 Fungi Imperfecti: 2 Myxomycetes. Common coprophilous fungi are in decreasing order Pilobolus kleinii, Saccobolus depauperatus, Mucor hiemalis, Lasiobolus ciliatus, Podospora curvula, Petriella guttulata, M. circinelloides, Coprinus radiatus, Dictyostelium mucoroi...
Allison MJ, Cook HM.Rates of oxalate degradation by microbes in gastrointestinal contents from rabbits, guinea pigs, swine and a horse increased after additional of oxalate to diets. A similar response was previously observed with ruminal microbes from cattle and sheep. Bacterial that utilize oxalate for growth appear to be selected by increased levels of dietary oxalate.
Maher MA, Ahmad IM.The current study was performed on ten adult Egyptian donkeys of both sexes for anatomical and radiographic studies in addition to six other donkeys for enzymatic, biochemical and statistical analysis. The aim was to illustrate the normal hepatic arterial and biliary distribution using different anatomic techniques and radiographic imaging besides, establishing an accurate laboratory profile specific for donkeys that used as standard indicators for hepatobiliary dysfunction. The right branch of the hepatic artery in donkey forms a curved arch erupting five branches, unlike the left branch that...
Craig AM, Blythe LL, Rowe KE, Lassen ED, Walker LL.An oral vitamin E absorption test used in human beings was modified for use in horses. The most appropriate techniques with which to measure gastrointestinal tract absorption of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) in horses were developed. Vitamin E was administered orally, and serum values of alpha-tocopherol were measured by use of high-performance liquid chromatography at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours after vitamin E administration. Variables included comparison of 2 dosages (45 and 90 IU/kg of body weight), routes of administration, and absorption dynamics of 3 preparations of dl-alpha-tocopherol....
Guo X, Sugita S.Four cell types including the bipolar, amacrine, horizontal and Muller cells were investigated quantitatively in the inner nuclear layer of the retina in the horse. Cells were identified on the basis of the morphology and distribution of processes leaving from their somata, cytological features and positional features. The average percentages of the above 4 cell types were 44%, 24%, 1% and 29%, respectively. The average total cell densities in the inner nuclear layer in the visual streak, the nasal and temporal regions, the dorsal and ventral regions of the retina were also estimated. It is ex...
Yarbrough TB, Voss E, Herrgesell EJ, Shaw M.To report the clinical signs and management of 4 foals with persistent frenulum of the epiglottis. Methods: Case report. Methods: Four newborn foals. Methods: Foals were admitted with a complaint of oronasal reflux after nursing. Variable systemic signs of aspiration pneumonia were evident. Nasal endoscopy confirmed persistent dorsal displacement of the soft palate. Persistent frenulum of the epiglottis, confirmed by oral endoscopic examination, was transected. Results: After surgery, all foals had the epiglottis positioned normally, dorsal to the soft palate. Clinical signs of oronasal reflux...
Pala S, Hänninen NE, Mohammadi A, Ebrahimi M, Te Moller NCR, Brommer H, René van Weeren P, Mäkelä JTA, Korhonen RK, Afara IO, Töyräs J....The aim of this study is to assess whether articular cartilage changes in an equine model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), induced by surgical creation of standard (blunt) grooves, and very subtle sharp grooves, could be detected with ex vivo T relaxation time mapping utilizing three-dimensional (3D) readout sequence with zero echo time. Grooves were made on the articular surfaces of the middle carpal and radiocarpal joints of nine mature Shetland ponies and osteochondral samples were harvested at 39 weeks after being euthanized under respective ethical permissions. T relaxation times ...
Lapin DR, Ginther OJ.A crude equine pituitary ethanol extract (EE) was used to induce single and miltiple ovulations in seasonally anovulatory pony mares 3-15 years of age. 12 mares were injected daily for 14 days with EE; 6 of the EE-treated mares were also treated with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and 6 control mares received saline vehicle only. In a 2nd experiment designed to determine if EE treatment could induce multiple ovulations in seasonally ovulatory mares, 7 mares were treated during diestrus, 7 mares were treated beginning on Day 1 of estrus, and 7 remained untreated. The results of experiment ...
Sergeant ES, Cowled BD, Bingham P.This observational study was undertaken in order to evaluate the diagnostic specificity of the blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bELISA) for serum antibodies to influenza A virus nucleoprotein during the equine influenza (EI) outbreak response in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007. Using data collected during the outbreak response, bELISA testing data were collated for assumed uninfected horses from areas where EI infection was never recorded. Diagnostic specificity of the bELISA used during the EI response was high, but varied significantly between some regions, although the reason...
Sanclemente JL, Rivera-Velez SM, Horohov DW, Dasgupta N, Sanz MG.Foals that develop pulmonary ultrasonographic lesions on Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) endemic farms are treated with antibiotics because those at risk of developing clinical pneumonia (~20%) cannot be recognised early. Candidate biomarkers identified using metabolomics may aid targeted treatment strategies against R. equi. Objective: (1) To describe how foal ageing affects their plasma metabolome (birth to 8 weeks) and (2) to establish the effects that experimental infection with Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) has on foal metabolome. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Nine healthy newborn foals...
Sasaki N, Morita Y, Moriyama T, Yamada H.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the canine cranial cruciate ligament repair system on laryngeal hemiplegia in heavy draft horses. Twenty-four heavy draft horses diagnosed with grade 4 laryngeal hemiplegia were allocated to either the prosthetic laryngoplasty (PL) group (n=14) or a canine cranial cruciate ligament repair system (CCCLRS) group (n=10). Right to left angle quotients (RLQs) of abductions of the arytenoid cartilages were endoscopically evaluated before and after surgery. Post-operative RLQs in the CCCLRS group were significantly lower than those of the PL gro...
Eades SC, Moore JN.Changes in lateral cecal arterial blood flow, mean internal carotid arterial pressure, and heart rate caused by nasogastric administration of fenoldopam (3, 6, and 9 mg/kg of body weight), a selective agonist of dopaminergic receptors, were recorded in 7 healthy horses. Cecal arterial blood flow was significantly increased within 30 minutes after administration of fenoldopam at all 3 dosages, with the peak increases from baseline (67.8 +/- 17.5 ml/min) being 125 +/- 28, 120 +/- 22, and 153 +/- 32 ml/min for 3, 6, and 9 mg/kg, respectively. Although carotid arterial pressure did not change sign...
Firth EC.The signs observed in 6 cases of peripheral vestibular disease included incoordination, head tilt and nystagmus. The intensity of the signs varied greatly with duration of the disease, and in 3 cases facial paralysis was also present. Tympanosclerosis was demonstrable in all cases subject to radiology. Trauma was the causative factor in most cases. The causes of, and relationships between, vestibular dysfunction and concomitant facial paralysis are discussed. The exact etiology of the tympanosclerosis is unknown.
Cantor GH, Palmer GH, Fenwick BW.The concentrations of several post mortem aqueous humour chemical constituents were compared with ante mortem serum chemical values in the horse. Urea nitrogen and creatinine values in post mortem aqueous humour were good predictors of ante mortem serum values. Aqueous humour urea nitrogen increased only slightly and creatinine did not change significantly for up to 24 h after death. Formulae were derived for calculating estimated ante mortem serum urea nitrogen and creatinine from aqueous humour values obtained after death. These results from normal horses identify analytes that are accurate ...
Schönberg A, Caldas EM, Sampaio MB, Costa E, Plank SJ.IN the State of Bahia (Brazil) the leptospirin produced in Germany for experimental use by the Institute for Veterinary Medicine, Federal Health Office, Berlin, was administered to humans and animals in order to diagnose leptospirosis in collaboration with this Institute. The results were compared with the microscopic agglutination reaction. The total number of test persons or animals was 268; this group included 81 human patients. 60 heads of cattle, 50 goats, 40 pigs, 25 horses, and 12 dogs. All were tested serologically and simultaneously the intracutaneous test was carried out. This test w...
Walmsley EA, Jackson M, Wells-Smith L, Whitton RC.Subchondral bone injury at the palmar/plantar aspect of the condyles of the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone (MC/MT3) commonly causes lameness and poor performance in racehorses. Injury occurs due to repetitive loading, the magnitude of which may be influenced by the position of the distal phalanx relative to the ground surface, i.e. the solar angle. The association of solar angle and injury at the palmar/plantar condyles of distal MC/MT3 therefore warrants investigation. Objective: Investigate the relationship between solar angle and radiopharmaceutical uptake at the palmar/plantar aspect of ...
Otcenásek M, Mátl J, Vítovec J, Vladík P, Wohlman J.A case of maduromycotic mycetoma (eumycetoma) in seven years old draught horse is described. The disease was localized in anal region and healed after surgical treatment. Attention is drawn to the necessity of distinguishing three types of mycosis in horses, characterized by the origin of tumor lesions - mycetomas, hyphomycosis and entomophthoromycosis - and information was gathered on their etiology and geographical occurrence. On the basis of the morphology of fungal elements traced in inflammated changed tissues and with regard to the existing findings on the origin of eumycetoma in animals...
Held JP, Daniel GB.The effect of flunixin meglumine on renal function was studied in 6 healthy horses by use of nonimaging nuclear medicine techniques. Effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and effective renal blood flow (ERBF) were determined by plasma clearance of 131I-orthoiodohippuric acid before and after administration of flunixin meglumine. Mean ERPF and ERBF was 6.03 ml/min/kg and 10.7 ml/min/kg, respectively, before treatment and was 5.7 ml/min/kg and 9.7 ml/min/kg, respectively, after treatment. Although ERPF and ERBF decreased after flunixin meglumine administration, the difference was not statistically ...
