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.
Sharma OP.The concentrations of PGF-2alpha in the peripheral blood of five foaling mares were measured by radioimmunoassay. Low levels of PGF-2alpha were detected as early as 1 week before foaling in two of the mares. These levels increased steadily, reaching a peak (1-74 +/- 0-44 ng/ml) during fetal expulsion. A relatively high PGF-2alpha level was found in samples collected 60 min after foaling.
Grosskopf JF, Smuts EG.Blood was collected from 28 zebra mare (Equus burchellia antiquorum) immediately after being shot in the Kruger National Park. The serum was separated within two hours after collection and then stored at -15 degrees C for later assay. Of these, thirteen selected samples were tested for gonadotrophic activity. The stage of pregnancy was determined from a foetal growth curve. Blood samples from pregnant horse mares were collected by venipuncture. Nine mares were sampled. Seven blood samples at different stages of pregnancy were collected from one mare, four from another and only one sample each ...
Simons MA.The current position of the horse in the United Kingdom is discussed and the attitudes of the horse-owning public are examined. It is suggested that there are welfare, economic and practical advantages to owners and the veterinary profession in a veterinary health scheme for horses. A scheme which has been tried successfully in the field is discussed.
Shinjyo S, Abe H, Masuda M.The carbohydrate composition of horse spleen ferritin was studied. 1 mol of the apoferritin, the protein moiety of ferritin, contains 25 mol of hexose, 3 mol of hexosamine and 10 mol of fucose. Same carbohydrate composition was detected in the apoferritin from iron rich ferritins. These results indicate that horse spleen ferritin is composed of non-identical subunits as regards its carbohydrate composition.
Kolthammer J.In vitro studies have shown that uncoated carbon and carbon coated with an acrylic hydrogel are capable of adsorbing drugs from horse serum at 37 degrees. Increase in the coating weight from 2 to 4% decreased the rate of adsorption but not the total capacity. In vivo data supports the concept of carbon haemoperfusion for use in the treatment of drug overdose.
Turner AS, Mills EJ, Gabel AA.Strain gauges were successfully bonded in vivo to the cranial, caudal, medial, and lateral aspects of the equine radium and tibia and to the dorsal, palmar, or plantar, medial, the lateral aspects of the metacarpus and metatarsus--all in the mid-diaphyseal region. Various activities were investigated, including walking, trotting or pacing, and standing up from anesthesia. The strain patterns showed that each stride produced a characteristic deformation cycle. The strains were measured and the axial loads were calculated as the horse performed certain activities. The tension band side of each b...
The Journal of heredityNovember 1, 1975
Volume 66, Issue 6 318-326 doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a108640
Gardner EJ, Shupe JL, Leone NC, Olson AE.Comparative studies are being conducted on hereditary multiple exostosis in man and the horse. In both, there is an unquestionable inheritance pattern of a typical single, dominant, autosomal gene. Those who carry the gene have a one-half chance of transmitting it to each offspring, whereas, those who do not carry the gene do not transmit this abnormality to their progeny. The lesions are clinically and histologically similar; no persistent chromosomal irregularities have been associated with the abnormality in either man or the horse and no single evidence of malignancy in either man or anima...
Vanderwagen LC, Pearson JL, Franti CE, Tamm EL, Riemann HP, Behymer DE.As a result of the continuing threat of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE), a study was made to determine if revaccination against VEE (TC-83 vaccine) was feasible and if revaccination could be incorporated into other routine vaccination practices. Of the horses given annual vaccination with bivalent western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) and eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) vaccine, 57% retained detectable serum-neutralizing (SN) antiboyd titers for VEE 18 months after the initial VEE vaccination was given. Of horses with no record of WEE-EEE vacinnation, 100% retained detectable...
Ardans A, Walters G.Treatment with 3 formulations of cambendazole (paste, pellets, and suspension) was compared with thiabendazole treatment in 181 Quarter Horses (females and intact and altered males) of different ages in 2 experiments. The mean output of strongyle eggs, as measured by eggs per gram of feces (epg), was reduced by at least 95% by the 3 formulations of cambendazole compared with pretreatment epg and epg in simultaneously nonmedicated horses. Eggs of Parascaris equorum were seen in 19 of the younger horses in experiment I. Parascaris eggs were not seen in postmedication fecal samples from 14 horses...
Watson ED, Sertich PL, Zanecosky HG.Ovulation has been likened to an inflammatory process. Inflammatory cells accumulate in the ovulating follicle, presumably because of chemotactic factors. Chemotactic activity was measured in fluid aspirated from follicles of estrous mares 0, 12, 24, and 36 hours after ultrasonographic detection of a 35-mm follicle and IV treatment with 2,500 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin. Chemotaxis was assessed by measuring directional migration of equine neutrophils under agarose. Follicular fluid acted as a chemoattractant for neutrophils, but there was no significant difference in chemotactic activit...
Pinzón-Osorio CA, Cortés-Beltrán D, Sanchez-Isaza CA, Jiménez-Robayo LM, Lozano-Márquez H, Zambrano-Varón J, Jiménez-Escobar C.A 4-year-old Colombian Creole mare was presented for diagnosis because the external orifice of her cervix was not detectable when a uterine lavage as therapy for uterine fluid accumulation was attempted. Clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation of the genital tract revealed that ovaries were of normal size and showed structures suggestive of regular ovarian activity. However, granular free-floating fluid material distending the uterus was detected by ultrasound. Upon vaginal examination, the normal external cervical morphology was not evident. The vagina ended in a blind bag with a small papil...
Mora-Pereira M, Boone L, Naskou M, Wooldridge A.To evaluate ex vivo angiogenesis of equine arterial rings in response to various growth media. Methods: Facial arteries were dissected from 11 horses post-euthanasia. Equine platelet lysate (ePL) was harvested from 6 horses. Methods: Arteries were exposed to endothelial growth media (EGM) + horse serum (HS) for first sprout (FS), vascular regression (VR), and (basement membrane matrix [Matrigel]) lysis (ML) evaluation. Additional rings supplemented with (1) EGM, (2) EGM + EDTA, (3) endothelial basal media (EBM), (4) EBM + HS, or (5) EBM + human VEGF were compared for vascular network area (VNA...
Crowell-Davis SL, Houpt KA.A thorough behavioral history is essential for adequate assessment of a given case. In reviewing the chief complaint, a description of what actually happened, rather than the owner's interpretation of what happened, is required. Other behavior problems, environment, rearing history, and training need to be reviewed. Sample question sets for some common problems are given.
du Toit N, McGorum BC, Pemberton AD, Brown J, Dacre KJ.Cyathostomins (Cyathostominae) are regarded as the most pathogenic equine nematode worldwide. These nematodes are difficult to control in equine populations due to emerging anthelmintic resistance and evasion of encysted larval cyathostomins to regular modern anthelmintics. Mast cells and their proteinases have been shown to play a role in the mammalian immune response to nematode infections. Involvement of mast cells and mast cell proteinases in the equine immune response to cyathostomin infection is proposed. A technique was established to perform immunohistochemical staining using polyclona...
Gulick BA, Meagher DM.A commercially available polyvinyl chloride intravenous catheter was studied in 9 horses for 3 to 10 days to evaluate the catheter's suitability for use in the horse, to develop a new insertion technique, and to establish a protocol for catheter care. Seven of the animals were clinically normal horses receiving parenteral nutrition; one was a horse with hypocalcemia receiving frequent intravenous injections of calcium gluconate, and one was a clinically normal horse receiving no infusions. The catheter dressings were changed every 48 hours, and an aspirate from the catheter and the catheter ti...
Sobiraj A, Warko G, Lehmann B, Bostedt H.This review of therapeutic results involved 115 foals with delayed viability syndrome (DVS). The foals were up to four days old. It could be shown that prognosis quoad vitam depended very much on the severity of illness, which could be determined primarily by the foals' ability to stand (SA) and secondly by the presence of the suckling reflex (SR). Those foals that were (still) able to stand--while the suckling reflex was/was not present (anymore) (SA+, SR+; SA+, SR-)--had good prospects of recovery regardless of the causal disease. The chances for survival were significantly poorer if the foa...
Bracher V, Steiger R, Huser S.In the present study the breath hydrogen (H2) excretion test was combined with the xylose absorption test in 4 normal horses and 9 clinical patients with chronic diarrhea (n = 3) or chronic weight loss without diarrhea (n = 6). All horses underwent a thorough clinical examination. Laboratory evaluations consisted of haematology and serum biochemistry as well as bacteriological and parasitological examination of feces. In addition, serum electrophoresis and abdominocentesis was performed in all the clinical patients. Gastroscopy was carried out in 6 patients and rectal biopsies were obtained fr...
Grindem CB, Fairley NM, Uhlinger CA, Crane SA.Peritoneal fluid was analysed from 17 foals, aged 13 to 134 days with a mean age of 68 days. Cytologically, the peritoneal fluid was characterised by a mean total cell count of 0.45 x 10(9)/litre (range 0.06 to 1.42 x 10(9)/litre), rare eosinophils, rare cytophagia and variable percentages of neutrophils and mononuclear cells. These data indicate that peritoneal fluid nucleated cell counts over 1.50 x 10(9)/litre in the foal should be interpreted as elevated. Biochemical evaluation revealed a mean biuret protein level of 12 g/litre, mean refractive index protein level of 16 g/litre and urea ni...
Allen BV.Results of blood counts have been analysed in three-year-old racehorses in training comprising 77 colt stayers, 27 colt sprinters, 61 filly stayers and 35 filly sprinters. The distributions of haemoglobin, erythrocyte count and haematocrit were significantly higher in colt stayers compared to the other three groups. In fillies these values were also significantly higher in stayers compared to sprinters. The erythrocyte count was significantly higher in filly stayers compared to colt sprinters but there were no significant differences between haemoglobin or haematocrit values in these groups. N...
Barnett SE, Sellon DC, Hines MT, Seino KK, Knych HK.OBJECTIVE To determine the plasma pharmacokinetics and safety of 1% diclofenac sodium cream applied topically to neonatal foals every 12 hours for 7 days. ANIMALS Twelve 2- to 14-day old healthy Arabian and Arabian-pony cross neonatal foals. PROCEDURES A 1.27-cm strip of cream containing 7.3 mg of diclofenac sodium (n = 6 foals) or an equivalent amount of placebo cream (6 foals) was applied topically to a 5-cm square of shaved skin over the anterolateral aspect of the left tarsometatarsal region every 12 hours for 7 days. Physical examination, CBC, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, gastric endos...
Singh AK, Ashraf M, Granley K, Mishra U, Rao MM, Gordon B.A simple and reproducible column (Clean Screen-DAU, copolymeric bonded-phase silica column) extraction procedure has been described for the screening and confirmation of drugs in horse urine. The recovery of drugs by the column extraction was better than or comparable to the recovery by the liquid-liquid extraction, which is commonly used in the equine analytical laboratories. The column extraction provided broad coverage of drugs, separated extracts into three fractions (acidic/neutral, steroids, basic), produced a cleaner extract, and eliminated the need for special liquid-liquid extraction ...
Moll HD, Howard RD, May KA, Cheramie HS.Two adult Quarter Horse geldings were evaluated for signs of abdominal pain. Both horses had signs of depression and distended small intestines on abdominal palpation per rectum. Abdominal exploratory surgery was performed on both horses. In each instance, small intestine was found to be strangulated by components of the spermatic cord. Both horses were euthanatized because of a poor prognosis. Although not commonly observed, incarceration of intestine by components of the spermatic cord should be considered as a cause of small intestine strangulation in male horses. Early recognition of this ...
Tucker RL, Schneider RK, Sondhof AH, Ragle CA, Tyler JW.Nuclear bone scintigraphy was used to diagnose sacroiliac injury in 12 horses presented for nonspecific rear limb lameness. The most common history was decreased performance and/or a mild chronic rear limb lameness which could not be localised by routine lameness examination. The scintigraphic patterns of the 12 affected horses were compared to 5 normal horses and 10 horses with lameness not related to the pelvic region. Subjective and quantitative evaluation of the bone scans clearly separated the 12 affected horses from the 5 normal horses and the 10 horses with lameness from causes other th...
Huber MJ, Roser JF, Riebold TW, Schmotzer WB, Grubb TL, Crisman RO.Seven pregnant mares underwent general anaesthesia, laparotomy, hysterotomy and removal of a 50-day conceptus. Eversion of the uterine horn through the hysterotomy site allowed direct visualisation and electrosurgical removal of endometrial cup tissue from 5 randomly selected mares (Nos 1-5), while cup tissue in 2 mares (Nos 6 and 7) was left intact. Two pregnant mares served as unoperated controls (Nos 8 and 9). Efforts to re-establish pregnancy were initiated 20 days after surgery. Serum samples collected before surgery and during the post-operative period were analysed for concentration of ...
