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.
HENNING MW.1. Two outbreaks of infectious equine abortions are reported; both
with a very high abortion incidence.
2. In the majority of the abortions studied the foetal organs were found
to be extensively invaded by S. abortus-equi but in others this organism
could not be recovered from the foetus or after-birth.
3. Both donkey and horse mares were found to be susceptible, donkeys
being on the whole more resistant than horses.
4. Abortion was successfully produced in both horse and donkey mares
by means of (a) the oral administration of minced abortus-equi infected
foetal organs (4 cas...
Loy J, Sornalingam K, Cawley A, Scrivener C, Keledjian J, Noble GK.Altrenogest is a synthetic progestogen widely used in equine reproductive management. Adverse effects to altrenogest have been reported in people with cutaneous exposure reported as the highest exposure pathway. Despite these reports, there has been no quantitative research to determine the capacity for altrenogest to be absorbed through skin. This study aimed to determine if cutaneous application of oral altrenogest results in systemic absorption in mares and to evaluate the influence of application site. A randomized, two-period, two-treatment crossover study was undertaken in eight mares. M...
Gordon S, Pusterla N, Finno CJ, Young A, Martínez-López B.Equine alphaherpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is a highly contagious virus that can cause the neurological form, equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Understanding transmission-related risk factors is crucial for improving prevention strategies and guiding effective control measures. In this study, we collected data from 63 horses that had previously participated in the February 2022 winter horse show season at the Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) (26 cases and 37 controls) to identify host and management factors associated with EHV-1 infection and/or EHM development during the February 202...
Zhang C, Cai E, Ma Y, Zhong G, Gao Y, Wu Y, Liu B, Li J.This study investigated the cyathostomin species composition, anthelmintic efficacy, and potential resistance-associated mutations in Chinese grazing horses. Fecal samples were collected from 90 adult horses. Fecal egg counts (FECs) were determined using a modified McMaster method. Third stage larvae (L3) cultured from the eggs were identified to species level by PCR amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2). The main species included and spp. However, differences in the relative abundance of less common species, including and , suggests regional variation. A...
Cerullo A, Scilimati N, Di Nicola MR, Colla L, Mazza S, Bertoletti A, Nannarone S, Gialletti R.Left dorsal displacement of the large colon (LDDLC) is a common cause of colic in horses and it is frequently associated with recurrent episodes, with significant implications for horse management, athletic performance, and owner satisfaction. Laparoscopic nephrosplenic space (NSS) ablation is a preventive surgical technique aimed at reducing recurrence in horses with a history of medically or surgically treated LDDLC. This retrospective study evaluated 48 horses that underwent laparoscopic NSS ablation in two Italian Veterinary Teaching Hospitals between 2016 and 2024. Short-term outcomes, in...
Slavik K, Underwood C, Lowndes C, Skelton G, van Eps A.To examine the effects of botulinum toxin inoculation into the deep digital flexor (DDF) muscle on foot biomechanics. Unassigned: 6 healthy horses were injected with botulinum toxin in the DDF of 1 forelimb. The opposite forelimb was untreated. Ground reaction forces (GRF) were measured using a pressure sensor in regions of interest, including the dorsal hoof wall (toe). The location of the center of pressure (COP) was measured relative to the dorsal hoof wall during static standing and at peak stance during walking. Repeat measurements 3, 7, 14, 28, and 42 days after injection were compared t...
Migliorisi A.The goal of this article is to provide the equine practitioners with a framework for a diagnostic algorithm for the patient presented with possible seizures/epilepsy. Using a comparative approach, a review of companion animal and human research is provided with the intention of expanding our current knowledge on seizure/epilepsy, as well as diagnostic and treatment strategies for equine patients.
Ivester K, Couetil L, Arora D, Wilkes R, Thimmapuram J.Fungal exposure is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma in horses, but the importance of specific fungi is unknown. Geographic variation in equine asthmatic endotypes is suspected and might be related to different fungal exposures due to different climatological and geographical conditions. This study had two objectives: evaluate the effect of the ecoregion upon BALF inflammatory cells and fungal community composition in horses with asthma and evaluate the effect of BALF fungal community composition upon the likelihood of neutrophilic, mastocytic and eosinophilic inflammation in t...
Hein M, Volkmann N, Probst J, Kemper N, Venner M.This retrospective report investigated whether starting racehorses' training and racing early is associated with a less successful and a shorter racing career. The data of 600 Thoroughbred racehorses from the German Racehorse Association's archiving programme were evaluated. The horses were classified into three groups regarding their different ages when starting training and racing: early training (16-24 months old)/early racing (two years old); early training/late racing (>two years old); and late training (25-30 months). Statistical models investigated effects on the horses' length of caree...
Cabaret J, Guerrero Molina C, Martínez-Ortiz-de Montellano C, Alcala Canto Y.Faecal egg counts (FECs) are used to assess the intensity of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in herbivores. FEC distribution is aggregated, meaning that approximately 20% of animals harbour 80% of infections. In times of escalating anthelmintic resistance, it may be necessary to restrict treatment to the animals with the heaviest infections. This strategy is called targeted selective treatment (TST) and is relevant to GIN, for example. The difficulty lies in identifying which animals to treat. One solution is to select potentially at-risk animals based on age (for example, treating ...
Henderson AR, Valverde A, Côté N, Sanchez A, Arroyo LG, Gu Y, Johnson R.To compare cardiopulmonary variables and recovery scores in isoflurane-anesthetized horses undergoing arthroscopy using two different intravenous (IV) lidocaine constant rate infusions (CRIs; 50 or 100 μg kg minute) under intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) or spontaneous ventilation (SV). Methods: Prospective, randomized, clinical study. Methods: A group of 30 client-owned horses, 8-156 months old (range), with body masses of 280-550 kg. Methods: Anesthesia protocol consisted of xylazine, ketamine and diazepam, and maintenance with isoflurane and a CRI of dexmedetomidine. All g...
Keller J, Hassenstein MJ, Jung K, Geburek F.Ground reaction forces are accepted as gold standard for objective assessment of weightbearing lameness but measurements at the hoof are limited to experimental devices. This study aimed to evaluate whether innovative instrumented hoof boots (IHBs) could detect and monitor lameness in horses during diagnostic anaesthesia. Twenty-six horses referred for lameness examination (15 front limbs, 17 hindlimbs) were equipped with IHBs and body mounted inertial sensors. Data were collected simultaneously before and after diagnostic anaesthesia until objectively considered positive. Recorded IHB data i...
Nout-Lomas YS, Story MR.Equine head and neck disorders can present with a wide range of clinical manifestations, depending on the structures involved and disease process. Important components of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, ophthalmological, neurological, and musculoskeletal systems are contained within the head and neck, and clinical signs of disorders will result in expected clinical signs. However, clinical manifestations of disease are sometimes subtle, and when not recognized can lead to behavioral changes including undesired behaviors and poor sleep. Recognizing behavioral phenotypes of horses with proble...
Barrantes Murillo DF, Camillo G, Souza Serrano B, Almeida Luciano LP, Castilho Bichara GV, Chaves Vás CA, Furlan Gouvêa FH, Brandini Nespoli PE....Facial abnormalities and brain defects in aborted equine fetuses are rarely reported, and the causes that predispose the occurrence of this condition are difficult to identify. This work reports the morphological and tomographic findings of a case of cryptophthalmia, microphthalmia, oronasal malformation, and hydrocephalus in an aborted equine fetus with umbilical cord torsion in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, from a primiparous Quarter Horse female, with 7 months of gestational age. The occurrence of miscarriage was associated with compromised maternal-fetal blood flow due to umbilical cor...
Armangau M, Lurier T, Josson A.Offspring Sex Ratio (OSR) at birth in mammals is generally assumed to follow a 1:1 male-to-female distribution, yet deviations in OSR have been observed and may be influenced by maternal and paternal factors. In this study we have focused on the effect of paternal factors (stallion age and breed) and breeding methods on the OSR. Using a retrospective dataset of 251,783 foal births recorded in France between 2015 and 2024, we applied generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the effects of these variables on the likelihood of producing a female foal. Stallion identity was included as a random...
The ability of spermatozoa to withstand cryopreservation differs between stallions. While the underlying mechanisms of these differences are not fully understood, seminal plasma (SP) may play a crucial role in modulating sperm cryotolerance. Seminal plasma contains a heterogeneous population of extracellular vesicles (sEVs), nanometer-sized membrane particles that can transfer biomolecules to sperm modulating their function. This study aimed to isolate and characterize two sized-sEV subsets-small (S-) and large (L-)-from stallion SP, and to evaluate their involvement in sperm freezability. Sem...
Watson W, MacKay JRD, Dwyer C.This study aims to improve the welfare and management of recreational horses by identifying how different management styles affect horse health and behaviour. We examined the management styles of recreational horse owners in the UK and Ireland, focusing on social interaction (friends), access to suitable forage (forage), and unrestricted movement (freedom). We collected 1,501 survey responses, distributed via social media, and summarised the characteristics and management choices of the respondents. Using the Divisive ANAlysis cluster package in R, three distinct management styles were identif...
Terlinden A, Jacquet S, Manivong S, Coudry V, Tallaj A, Cullier A, Legendre F, Garcia AA, Moldovan F, Sirois P, Banquy X, Galéra P, Audigié F....Intra-articular drug delivery systems (DDS) are emerging as promising therapies for osteoarthritis (OA), yet their efficacy in spontaneous clinical cases remains largely untested. This uncontrolled, descriptive pilot study was designed to provide a proof of concept for the feasibility, safety, and preliminary clinical effects of intra-articular administration in sport horses with naturally occurring OA. The study involved a peptide-functionalized nanogel composed of chitosan and hyaluronic acid, delivering endothelin type A (BQ-123) and bradykinin B1 (R-954) receptor antagonists, which have pr...
Lopez Cruz C, Gonzalez LM, McKinney-Aguirre CA, Hepworth-Warren KL, Roessner HA, Burke M, Fogle CA.To describe the methodology used to identify the contributors to a perceived sudden increase in exploratory celiotomy surgical site infections (SSI) and complications at the North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (NCSU VTH) between 2019 and 2020 and evaluate the effect of the designed intervention up to 4 years after its implementation. Methods: Case-control retrospective study over a five-year period. Methods: A total of 448 horses that underwent exploratory celiotomy for the treatment of acute abdominal pain were included. Methods: Medical records of horses that under...
Loublier C, Taminiau B, Seidel L, Moula N, Tano C, Cesarini C, Costa M, Lecoq L, Daube G, Amory H.Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and probiotics are used in equine practice. Understanding veterinarians' perceptions and practices is crucial for effective implementation. Objective: (1) Evaluate the prevalence, usage patterns and perceived effectiveness of probiotics and FMT among equine veterinarians in France and Belgium. (2) Assess their knowledge, practices and influencing factors across demographics and settings. (3) Explore links between FMT protocols and treatment satisfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An online survey collected demographic data and responses o...
Häussling MPP, Steinberg T, Büttner K, Hannig C, Hannig M, Lemke L, Zierau O, Staszyk C.Destructive lesions of the peripheral and infundibular cementum are increasingly recognized in equine dentistry. While similarities to human caries have been noted, current evidence does not conclusively support this classification. This study aims to assess the prevalence, distribution, and potential risk factors associated with these lesions in a defined horse population. Unassigned: A total of 114 horses from northern Germany underwent standardized oral examination between 2021 and 2023. Clinical data on peripheral and infundibular lesions, diastemata, and influencing factors such as age an...
Minamijima Y, Kuroda T, Maeda Y, Narita S, Yamashita S, Yamada M.Medetomidine, an α₂-adrenergic agonist, is widely used as a sedative in horses. While its pharmacological effects are established, limited data exist on elimination of its metabolites, 3'-hydroxy medetomidine (HMD) and 3'-carboxy medetomidine (CMD), which are of regulatory interest. HMD is currently targeted in plasma and urine under International Screening Limits (ISLs) established by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). In this study, seven Thoroughbreds received 6.3 μg/kg of medetomidine intravenously. Blood and urine were collected for 96 h and analyzed b...
Whitlock F, Grewar J, Newton R.The epidemiology of equine influenza (EI) in the United Kingdom has not been systematically described since the 2019 epidemic. Objective: To summarise UK EI surveillance (2020-2024), quantify outbreak seasonality and assess movement-related sources. Methods: Retrospective observational analysis of national surveillance and horse importation data. Methods: Epidemiological data for laboratory-confirmed EI cases in the United Kingdom were collated. Outbreaks (EI-infected premises) were defined as one or more laboratory-confirmed cases on the same premises within a 4-week period. Monthly outbreak ...
Normélia P Morais A, Gastal GDA, Aguiar FLN, Hyde KA, Gastal MO, Lima LF, Ñaupas LVS, Flávia B Silva A, Becerra VAB, Gheno L, Curcio BR....Understanding how to effectively isolate a large number of healthy follicles is essential for increasing success rates in ARTs, such as in vitro culture and cryopreservation. Late secondary (preantral) and early tertiary (antral) follicles isolated from the intermediary portion of equine ovarian tissue sliced at two different thicknesses (0.25 mm vs. 0.50 mm) were characterized according to regional distribution (dorsal, medial, and ventral), morphofunctional features, and epigenetic profiles. After isolation via microdissection, follicles were evaluated for membrane integrity (trypan blue), v...
van den Brom-Spierenburg AJ, Siegers EW, Westermann CM, Vernooij JCM, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Theelen MJP.In hospitalized foals, limited data are available on the utility of sequential measurement of SAA concentrations and the value of these data in a clinical setting. Objective: To determine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in ill neonatal foals at multiple timepoints during hospitalization, and to evaluate a potential association with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status, blood culture (BC) result, and survival. Methods: Hospitalized ill foals (n = 90, ≤ 14 days). Methods: In this retrospective study, foals were classified based on SIRS criteria: "SIRS" or "NonSIRS," ...
Tyson KN, Couetil LL, Ivester KM, Murray L, Mukhopadhyay A, Marmolejo JF, Jannasch A.Nebulization of injectable dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP; 0.01 mg/kg) to horses with severe equine asthma (SEA) was previously found to be ineffective. Horses with SEA have marked bronchoconstriction that decreases peripheral lung deposition of nebulized drugs. Administration of a bronchodilator immediately before nebulizing dexamethasone may improve efficacy. Objective: Evaluate the therapeutic effects and optimal dose of nebulized DSP after nebulized albuterol in horses with SEA. Methods: Seven horses with SEA from a research herd. Methods: In this masked randomized crossover trial, h...
de Luna Paiva TD, de Melo Lopes AR, Silva ÁJC, Figueiredo MAF, da Cunha Nogueira SS, Nogueira-Filho SLG.Medical ozone is used in various treatments due to its oxidising properties. Objective: We aimed in this study to evaluate the impact of intrarectal ozone therapy on haematological and biochemical parameters, as well as the pain induced by the procedure in sport horses. Methods: In vivo experiment with 12 Quarter Horses (3 males and 9 females) used as their own controls to assess the effects of ozone therapy. Methods: Blood samples were collected before treatment (Control), 24 h after ozone therapy (24 h post-treatment), and 7 days after the last day of ozone therapy (7 days post-treatment). ...
Fernández-Villa C, Miranda M, Rigueira L, Martinez L, Villanueva B, Freire S, López-Alonso M.Serum mineral concentrations are key indicators of nutritional status, metabolic function and health in horses; however, contemporary reference intervals (RI) derived from large, well-characterised populations remain scarce. Objective: To establish serum RI for macro- and microminerals in clinically healthy horses in Northwestern Spain and to evaluate the influence of sex, age, breed and diet on mineral status. Methods: Blood samples were collected from clinically healthy horses (n = 211), and serum concentrations of essential macrominerals (calcium [Ca]; phosphorous [P]; magnesium [Mg]; sodiu...
Rogers CM, Ledbetter EC, Reid AM, Scott EM, Knickelbein KE.Use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) in horses is becoming common. The safety and morphologic impact on the normal equine cornea have not been investigated, and the mechanism of its efficacy is unknown. Objective: To investigate the morphologic effects and safety of in vivo PDT on healthy equine corneas. Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Six university-owned horses underwent unilateral corneal PDT with intrastromal infracyanine green (EmunDo®) and photoactivation with an 810 nm diode laser (500 mW for 2.5 min = 75 Joules). Compl...
Dörsam K, Nischang V, Büttner K, Fey K, Werz O, Jordan PM.Equine asthma (EA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower respiratory tract in horses, which is mainly triggered by dusty hay. EA is becoming increasingly acknowledged as a valuable animal model for studying human asthma. Research on the pathogenesis of EA has primarily focused on the associated cells and cytokines involved. However, the role of inflammation-related lipid mediators (LM) in the development and progression of equine asthma remains elusive. LMs are categorized into pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid (AA)-derived leukotrienes (LTs) and prostaglandins (PGs), as well as infla...
