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.
Stowe HD.The effects of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2% potassium, as K2CO3, in a purified diet were studied in orphaned foals of mixed breeding ranging in age from 11 to 57 days. Observations regarding feed intake, rate of gain, packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte counts (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), leukocyte counts (WBC), and serum Na, K and Fe were made. Consumption of the 0.2% K diet after 8 days was inadequate to support growth. The foals consumed the 1.0 and 1.2% K diet at significantly higher rates (28.8 and 27.5 g/kg foal per day, respectively) than the 0.4% K diet. Rates of gain of foals fed 0.4...
Heydrick FP, Comer JF, Wachter RF.Phospholipid analyses of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus showed that virus propagated in L-cell monolayers had a higher sphingomyelin content and a lower phosphatidylcholine content than virus grown in chick fibroblast monolayers. Virus of L-cell origin also was found to possess greater thermal stability than virus derived from the chick fibroblast cell.
Wilson DV, Rondenay Y, Shance PU.To characterize the acute cardiopulmonary effects of severe hemorrhage in anesthetized horses. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: Three geldings and six mares, aged 14.4 ± 2.7 years, weighing 486 ± 41 kg (range: 425-550 kg). Methods: Horses were anesthetized using xylazine, guaifenesin, ketamine and halothane or isoflurane. Cardiovascular variables, hematocrit, total solids, capillary refill time (CRT) and color of mucous membranes were measured as blood was collected from the carotid artery into sterile plastic bags. Arterial blood gas analysis was also performed. Results: Th...
Kristinsson J, Thordarson TH, Johannesson T.The pharmacokinetics of lignocaine was studied in four Icelandic horses after infiltration anaesthesia. A total of 240 mg of the drug was injected on either side of the left foreleg, over the medial and lateral branches of the palmar nerve. Blood samples were collected up to seven hours after injection and the concentrations of the drug in plasma were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results showed that lignocaine was rapidly absorbed. A mean maximum concentration of 232 ng/ml was observed after 20 minutes. In three of the horses the decline in the plasma concentration o...
Monclin SJ, Farnir F, Grauwels M.Tetracaine hydrochloride (THCl) has been reported to cause irritation in dogs. In man, some topical anaesthetics have been shown to disrupt the tear film. Tear break-up time (TBUT) is a useful test allowing an assessment of the quality of the precorneal tear film. Only one TBUT value has been reported in horses with no information on the technique used. Objective: To provide a method for performing the TBUT in horses and to report any side effects of a single application of THCl in clinically normal horses, particularly on the stability of the tear film. Methods: In Study 1, one drop of 0.5 or...
Katila T.In this review, effects of the composition of the inseminate on uterine response and pregnancy rates in mares are discussed. The inseminate can differ for volume, sperm concentration, total sperm numbers, presence, absence, or proportion of seminal plasma, and extender composition. Semen can be used as fresh, cooled, or frozen. The site of semen deposition also plays a role; semen is deposited either into the uterine body (standard artificial insemination (AI)) or into the tip of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the preovulatory follicle (deep AI) using the hysterocopical or transrectally guide...
Kovár J.Changes in the concentration of lactate in the blood are described as a response to gradated physical strain, consisting of 1140 m of walk, 2 x 1000 m of trot, and 3 x x 5000 m of gallop in seven horses in thirteen experiments. The dependence of lactate concentration on speed in different track sections was examined and the aerobic and anaerobic stages of metabolism were clearly differentiated. It appears realistic on the basis of the onset and course of anaerobic metabolism to work out tests for evaluating the physical capacities and training abilities of horses.
Brown MP, Gronwall RR, Houston AE.Four healthy adult mares were each given a single injection of sodium cefoxitin (20 mg/kg of body weight, IV), and serum cefoxitin concentrations were measured serially during a 6-hour period. The mean elimination rate constant was 1.08/hour and the elimination half-life was 0.82 hour. The apparent volume of distribution (at steady state) and the clearance of the drug were estimated at 0.12 L/kg and 259 ml/hr/kg, respectively. Each mare and 2 additional mares were then given 4 consecutive IM injections of sodium cefoxitin (400 mg/ml) at a dosage of 20 mg/kg. Cefoxitin concentrations in serum, ...
Araújo AC, Salvadori MC, Velletri ME, Camargo MM.The possibility of false negative results from TLC when a diuretic is administered concomitantly with flunixin was studied. Samples were subjected to solvent extraction from acidic aqueous solutions; duplicate samples were also subjected to alkaline hydrolysis at pH 12.5. The internal standard was flufenamic acid. The quantification of flunixin was performed by HPLC and the results confirmed by GC/MS. The data show that furosemide influences the urinary concentration of flunixin.
Thorpe CT, Marlin DJ, Franklin SH, Colborne GR.Changes in shape of the equine thorax during locomotion are not well defined, although it has been shown recently that the transverse hemi-diameter changes its dimension by up to 80mm on the side of the trailing forelimb during gallop, despite minimal change in thoracic circumference. The aim of this project was to analyse transverse and dorso-ventral changes in shape of the thorax simultaneously, and to determine if leading limb, treadmill slope and speed have an effect on these shape changes. Reflective markers were placed on the horse's hemi-thorax and movement of the markers was recorded u...
McDonnell AM, Watson ED.Four pony mares were used in a cross-over study to investigate the effect of different treatments on experimentally-induced endometritis. The mares were treated with progesterone to facilitate establishment of uterine infections. They received an intrauterine infusion of Streptococcus zooepidemicus 5 days after the start of progesterone therapy. Five days later, they were treated by intrauterine infusions of 2 g ampicillin in 50 ml sterile water or by sterile water without antibiotic for 3 consecutive days. Prior to infusion of Strep. zooepidemicus, no bacteria were cultured from the uteri of ...
Emmerich IU.In 2016, only one newly developed active pharmaceutical ingredient for horses and food-producing animals was released on the German market for veterinary drug products. The immunomodulator Pegbovigrastim is now available as an injection solution for cattle (Imrestor). Four established veterinary active pharmaceutical ingredients are available for further species: the ectoparasitic Amitraz (Apitraz) from the triazapentadiene group was additionally authorized for honeybees, the expectorant Bromhexine (Exflow Vet) for chickens, turkeys and ducks and the macrolide antibiotic Gamithromycin (Zactran...
Gordon S, Bolwell C, Rogers C, Guthrie A, Magunda F, Hove P.A study of the prevalence of African horse sickness in horses was conducted, using records from two private equine practices in Harare for the period 1998-2004. Results indicated a higher prevalence of the disease in horses in Zimbabwe in the late rainy season (March - May). Age of the horse was found to be a significant risk factor, with foals or yearlings appearing to be 1.80 times more likely to contract the disease compared with horses older than two years. The case fatality rate in foals or yearlings was also higher than in older age groups, but this difference was not significant. The va...
Hurtig MB, Livesey MA.Two horses were examined because of chronic lameness, which followed arthroscopy in one case, and tendon sheath lavage in a second case. Clinical investigations linked both cases to the use of irrigating fluids containing preservatives. The clinical signs were reproduced in a Shetland pony by injection and lavage of the carpal joints with the same fluid. Lameness was slow in onset and accompanied by profound periarticular fibrosis. Postmortem examination confirmed the presence of a severe, erosive, noninfectious arthritis that may have an immune-mediated component. Clinicians should read produ...
Ellis JS, Mama KR, Rao S, Sadler RA, Marinkovich M, Clancy MM, Howard LL, Lamberski N, Kinney ME.Przewalski's horses () are an endangered equid species. Anesthesia administered by remote delivery is often needed to provide medical care. Behavioral and physiologic parameters were prospectively compared in 14 horses (8 females and 6 males, 3-18 yr) after a single-dart or staged two-dart anesthesia induction protocol with intramuscular medetomidine (0.06 mg/kg), butorphanol (0.05 mg/kg), thiafentanil (0.02 mg/kg), and ketamine (1 mg/kg). Seven horses were randomly assigned to receive all drugs in a single dart, and the other seven to receive medetomidine and butorphanol 10 min prior to thiaf...
