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.
Frolov VA, Derx H, Riguer P.Guinea pigs were sensitized by three subcutaneous injections of 0.1 ml native horse serum at 2-day intervals, 21 days after the third injection the animals developed marked sensitization to this antigen which was manifested by anaphylactic reaction to the subcutaneous challenge with this antigen. At this time, the myocardium of the sensitized animals showed signs of extra- and intracellular oedema, a sharp increase in the number of lysosomes, damage of their membranes, 2 1/2 months after sensitization the animals showed no anaphylactic reaction to the challenge dose of the antigen. There were ...
Sherman J, Mitchell WR, Martin SW, Thorsen J, Ingram DG.The outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infections in horses at Standardbred racetracks were investigated over a three year period. The most serious epidemics of respiratory disease occurred in the winter and spring seasons. Both influenza viruses and equine herpesvirus 1 were shown to be present in the horse population. The herpesvirus was associated with respiratory disease particularly in the winter but the equine influenza viruses apparently were responsible for the major epidemics of respiratory disease at these tracks. Younger horses, two or three years of age, were particularly suscept...
Seeger K, Thurow H, Haede W, Knapp E.A simple enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the measurement of progesterone is described. Antibody against 11-OH-hemisuccinate-BSA is bound to polystyrene tubes. 11-OH-hemisuccinyl-beta-D-galactosidase is used as enzyme-coupled antigen and methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside as substrate. Concentrations down to 0.156 ng/ml plasm or amounts of 93 pg/tube are detectable. Probit analysis gave a linear relationship between log concentration and percentage of binding. A comparison of EIA and radioimmunoassay gave a correlation coefficient of 0.81. The assay is sufficiently sensitive to estimate progest...
Ellis DR.Eighteen cases of fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones in Thoroughbred foals are described. Most of the fractures were in foals under 2 months old and all but one occurred in the forelegs. The bones commonly fractured when the foal galloped to exhaustion trying to keep up with its dam in the paddock. The types of fracture varied but a simple fracture of the medial sesamoid was most frequent and the majority were towards the base of the bone. Six foals sustained a fracture of more than one sesamoid bone and one foal fractured all 4 proximal sesamoid bones in its front legs. Treatment includ...
Hershman L, Douglas RH.Two experiments were performed to deterine the critical time at which the equine blastocyst must be present within the uterus of the mare to prevent regression of the corpus luteum, and thus establish the critical time for the maternal recognition of pregnancy. A non-surgical blastocyst collection technique was developed to study this relationship between the blastocyst and the maternal ovary. Results from these experiments demonstrated that the cyclic life-span of the corpus luteum is not affected by the presence of the blastocyst within the mare's uterus until after Day 14 after ovulation. L...
Day FT, Crowhurst RC, Simpson DJ, Greenwood RE, Ellis DR, Eaton-Evans W.An outbreak of contagious equine metritis occurred in Newmarket in 1977. This survey records the effect on fertility of 20 of the stallions which were infected. Swabbing of mares since then has detected 37 carrier mares harbouring the organism, most frequently in the clitoral area. This swabbing programme reduced the incidence of new cases in 1978 to 3 mares and 1 stallion.
Trommershausen-Smith A, Hughes JP, Neely DP.Gonadal dysgenesis in the mare is associated with several different karyotypes, including sex chromosome aneuploidy (63,X; 63,X/64,XX; 63,X/64,XY or 65,XXX), the normal male complement (64,XY) and autosomal deletion (64,XX?del2q-). The 63,X is the most common karyotype found in gonadal dysgenesis. Aneuploid cases probably represent spontaneous chromosome non-disjunction during oogenesis, spermatogenesis or early embryonic development. Cases with XY or autosomal deletion may be inherited defects or of spontaneous origin.
Karasek M, Marek K, Kunert-Radek J.The influence of gonadotropic hormones on the ultrastructure of rat pinealocytesin short-term organ culture was studied. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), as well as pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG), caused a marked activation of pinealocytes. An hypothesis is discussed implying the presence of a feedback mechanism between the pineal organ and the hypothalamo-hypophysial system.
Parry DA, Craig AS, Barnes GR.A study has been made of the ultrastructural organization of the collagen fibrils and elastic fibres in tendons and ligaments from horses of ages ranging from 2 months premature to 19 years. Diameter distributions of the collagen fibrils in the common digital extensor tendon, the superficial flexor tendon and the suspensory ligament are unimodal in the foetal tissue and at birth, and at these stages of development the three collagenous tissues are virtually indistinguishable. However, at maturity, the ligament and flexor tendon have bimodal distributions similar to that found for rat-tail tend...
Jörg A, Portmann P, Fellay G, Dreyer JL, Meyer J.An improved and short method is described for the isolation of intact eosinophilic leukocytes from horse blood with high yield (1--1.5 g/20 l). Viability and purity of the preparations were verified by light and electron microscopy and by the trypan blue exclusion test. Isolated eosinophils were 98--100% pure, intact and viable, and they could be shown to phagocytise immune-complexes.
Anderson BG, Anderson WD.The use of methyl methacrylate corrosion-casts has made it possible to examine the intracranial microvasculature on a three-dimensional scale with the scanning electron microscope. By this means we have compared regions of four cerebral and cerebellar arteries among three domestic animal species. The results of this study suggest that there are from one to three different levels of interarteriolar anastomosis between branches of the same or adjacent vessels. In the horse and ox anastomoses were demonstrated (1) at the level of the precapillary arterioles, (2) along the arterioles, and (3) betw...
Bhavnani BR, Woolever CA.A mixture of [4,8,12-14C]farnesyl pyrophosphate and [3H]dehydroepiandrosterone was injected into a horse fetus im during laparotomy, after which maternal urine was collected for 6 days. Steroid conjugates in the urine were extracted with Amberlite XAD-2 resin, hydrolyzed, and separated into phenolic and neutral fractions. Estrone, 17 alpha-estradiol, equilin [3-hydroxy-1,3,5(10),7-estratetraen-17-one], and 17 alpha-dihydroequilin [1,3,4(10),7-estratetraene-3,17 alpha-diol] were isolated from the phenolic fraction and their radiochemical purities were established. Only estrone and 17 alpha-estr...
Hemeida NA, Sack WO, McEntee K.Dutculi efferentes were studied by microdissection and histologic methods in 2 boar, 6 goat, 5 ram, 25 bull, and 19 stallion epididymides. On the basis of the present findings and the data of others and relating them to the total number of specimens examined in each species, an estimate (narrow range) was made of the minimal-maximal numbers of efferent ductules as follows: dog 13 to 15; cat 14 to 17; boar 14 to 16; goat 18 to 19; ram 17 to 20; bull 13 to 16; and stallion 14 to 17. The histologic appearance of the efferent ductules of the bull, including measurements of their diameter, lumen, a...
Bester RC, Coetzer JA.A case of granulomatous enteritis in a 2 year-old Thoroughbred colt is reported. Clinically the horse showed chronic wasting and subcutaneous oedema of the ventral parts of the body and legs. Grossly the wall of the jejunum and ileum was uniformly thickened. Microscopically the lamina propria, submucosa and the tunica muscalaris of the small intestine were infiltrated with lymphocytes, plasma cells, epithelioid cells and occasional multinucleated giant cells. The granulomatous reaction was most marked in the muscular layers of the gut wall.
Hendrikse J, van der Holst W, Best AP.Examination of 539 ejaculates of stallions of various breeds showed that approximately 60 per cent of the spermatozoa were completely normal morphologically. Of these morphologically normal spermatozoa, 13 per cent were dead. The total proportion of live spermatozoa was 75 per cent, 32 per cent being obviously abnormal (22 per cent of live and 10 per cent of dead spermatozoa). Separated heads (normal as well as abnormal) were significantly more common among dead spermatozoa. Protoplasmic droplets (both at the neck and at the end of the middle piece) were mainly present in live spermatozoa. As ...
Lotstra RJ, van den Broek J, Power T, Marr CM, Wijnberg ID.Atrial fibrillation is a common equine arrhythmia. Quinidine alone, or with digoxin are common treatments. Studies on outcome in Warmblood populations in which duration of the AF is often unknown are limited. Objective: To identify the factors that are associated with the success of full treatment cardioversion with oral medication, and establish whether there are differences in these factors between institutions. Methods: Retrospective case series using patient records of Equine University Clinic of Utrecht University and Rossdales Equine Hospital, Newmarket. Methods: Forty-nine horses treate...
La CelluleJanuary 1, 1977
Volume 72, Issue 1-2 5-25
Meuleman A, Latteur B.The topography of Cochliatoxum periachtum is studied. The cuticle is very thick. The digestive, nuclear and excretory systems are located in the ectoplasm, they are not surrounded by the mesoplasm. The endoplasm is very large, it contains vegetable inclusions. By the features of its topography, this species is similar to some species belonging to the Family Ophryoscolescidae and, especially, to Eudiplodinium giganteum.
Flota-Burgos GJ, Rosado-Aguilar JA, Rojas-Becerril R, Rodríguez-Vivas RI, Trinidad-Martínez I.Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major impediment to breeding and exploitation of horses. Traditional control of GIN has generated resistance to main anthelmintics, including ivermectin. An analysis of five ranches with a history of IVM use was done to determine the efficacy and resistance of GIN to IVM treatment in horses from the Mexican southeast. Predesigned questionnaires were applied to collect information on previous treatment protocols. The fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was applied to determine resistance. Before IVM application, a McMaster test was used to diagnose GIN ...
Bindler D, Koch C, Gendron K, Ferguson SJ, Kaposi AD, Papp M, Bodó G.Mechanical evaluation of a novel screw position used for repair in a type III distal phalanx fracture model and assessment of solar canal penetration (SCP). Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Disarticulated equine hooves (n = 24) and 24 isolated distal phalanges. Methods: Hooves/distal phalanges cut in a sagittal plane were repaired with 1 of 2 different cortical screw placements in lag fashion. In group 1 (conventional screw placement), the screw was inserted halfway between the proximal border of the solar canal (SC) and the subchondral bone surface on a line parallel to the dorsal co...
Bernath CM, Valet S, Rossignol F, Weisse B, Fürst AE, Kümmerle JM. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of reducing the bone to cast distance on the resistance of the pin to cyclic loading in equine transfixation pin casts. Methods: Eleven pairs of cadaveric equine third metacarpal bones were prepared and one 6.3/8.0 mm transfixation pin was placed in standard fashion 10 mm proximal to the distal physeal scar into each bone. One metacarpus of each pair was tested with a distance of 10 mm (10 mm group) and the contralateral metacarpus with a distance of 20 mm (20 mm group) between the outer cortex of the bone and the fixation of t...
Divers TJ, Warner A, Vaala WE, Whitlock RH, Acland HA, Mansmann RA, Palmer JE.Eight foals, 2 to 5 days of age, with similar clinical signs and laboratory and pathologic findings, died from hepatic failure. The predominant clinical signs were depression and icterus. Abnormally high values were found for plasma ammonia content, aromatic-to-branch-chain amino acid ratio, total serum bilirubin content, gamma glutamyl transferase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and PCV; partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time were prolonged. Some foals had high sorbitol dehydrogenase activity. These laboratory findings were suggestive of subacute hepatic disease and failure...
Bannai H, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Nemoto M, Yamanaka T, Sugiura T, Maeda K, Matsumura T.An immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass response against equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection was investigated in horses that were naïve to EHV-1/4 and those that had previously been exposed to EHV-4. The IgG subclass response was determined by an ELISA using EHV-1-specific recombinant gG protein as an antigen. In most horses naïve to EHV-1/4, IgGa, IgGb, and IgG(T) were induced after experimental infection with EHV-1. In contrast, a subclass response dominated by IgGa and IgGb, with no apparent increase in IgG(T), was observed after EHV-1 infection in horses previously infected with EHV-4...
Werner HW.For an equine practice to offer therapeutic farriery as a professional service, that service must be founded in individual competence and cooperation between veterinarian and farrier. Inadequate farriery education and experience may result in substandard or even contraindicated therapeutic farriery prescriptions and farrier care. Within continuing education for equine practitioners, excellent opportunities to advance one's understanding of and clinical competence in therapeutic farriery are increasingly available. It is the obligation of the veterinarian to acquire and maintain a working under...
Zapata GL, Britos RM, Pintos ME, Dreizzen E, Lausada NB, Arauz S.The objective of this paper was to determine the physiological values of urea nitrogen and creatinine in tears, and to compare the results with those obtained from serum. Thirty healthy thoroughbred horses were included in the study. Tear fluid samples were obtained using a glass capillary tube placed in lower conjunctival cul-de-sac. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein. Tear and serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels were quantitatively analyzed by an enzymatic colorimetric method. Urea nitrogen values were 4.22+/-1.84 mmol/l in tears and 4.44+/-1.78 mmol/l in serum, whereas cre...
Frewein J, Buff E.In the anatomical literature there are inconsistencies in the description of the levatores costarum muscles in man and in the domestic animals, and their innervation either by the dorsal or the ventral branches of the thoracic nerves. Therefore we studied the form, structure and, with the aid of the dissecting microscope, the innervation of these muscles in 7 dogs, 8 cats, 5 horses and 12 pigs. In the dog, cat and horse, mm. levatores costarum are present from the second to the last rib. In the pig, these muscles are present from the second to the 15th rib, even in individuals with 16 pairs of...
Hallauer C.1. Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is an immunologically-medicated disease. Immune complexes formed in blood and tissues are responsible for most symptoms and lesions (anemia, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, glomerulonephritis, etc.). In addition, a state of cellular hypersensitivity of the delayed type is involved in the pathogenesis. 2. Periodical attacks of pyrexia and clinical illness in the presence of immunity are caused by antigenically-modified variants of virus. By means of immunosuppressive treatments similar relapses of fever associated with the appearance of new virus variants can be...
Moussa M, Duchamp G, Mahla R, Bruyas JF, Daels PF.Equine embryos have been successfully transferred after 24h cooled storage in Ham's F-10. The aim of this study was to compare the viability of equine embryos in vitro and in vivo after 6 and 24h cooled storage using three media and to examine the relationship between embryo size and viability after 24h cooled storage. In Experiment 1, the viability of embryos was evaluated using DAPI-staining after 0, 6 or 24h in Ham's F-10, 24h in Emcare embryo holding solution (EHS) or 24h in ViGro holding plus (VHP) (n=10/group). The mean number of dead cells was similar for embryos stored in Ham's F-10, E...
Fernandez CJ, Scott DW, Erb HN.A retrospective study was performed on skin biopsy specimens from horses and cats having eosinophilic granulomas with 'collagen degeneration', eosinophilic skin diseases without 'collagen degeneration' and pyogranulomas without 'collagen degeneration'. Neither the appearance of collagen fibres nor the dominant polymorphonuclear cells, as seen in H & E-stained sections, were predictive of Masson's trichrome findings. Hence, a Masson's trichrome staining abnormality of collagen fibres was no more likely to be present in lesions with 'collagen degeneration' than in those lesions without 'collagen...
van Niekerk FE, van Niekerk CH.Pregnant Anglo-Arab and Thoroughbred mares (n = 24) were divided randomly according to age and breed into 4 groups of 6 mares each from approximately 6 weeks before their expected foaling date. Diets received by the 4 groups varied in essential amino-acid and total protein contents. Serum progestagen, FSH and LH concentrations were determined from the day of parturition until foal heat and during the 1st oestrous cycle following foal heat. Serum progestagen, FSH and LH concentrations did not differ between the treatment groups. Progestagen concentrations were high (mean = 7.0: 5.2-16.4 ng/ml) ...
Wong DM, Vo DT, Alcott CJ, Peterson AD, Brockus CW, Hsu WH.Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has received increased attention in equine critical care but there is minimal information of AVP concentration in foals. The clinical usefulness of measuring AVP in ill foals depends on knowledge of age-related changes in AVP concentrations in healthy foals. Objective: Plasma AVP concentrations will be significantly different when measured from birth to 3 months of age in healthy foals. Methods: Thirteen healthy university-owned foals. Methods: Prospective, observational study. Blood was collected from healthy foals at birth and 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56, and 8...
Valverde A, Boyd CJ, Dyson DH, Pascoe PJ.Dantrolene, a drug used in the prevention and treatment of malignant hyperthermia, was believed responsible for prolonged postanesthetic recumbency in a horse. Prophylactically, dantrolene was given orally before induction of anesthesia. Dantrolene has been recommended for use in horses at risk of developing postanesthetic myopathy. Side effects, including ataxia, may result from dantrolene administration.
