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.
A clinical evaluation of a new, purified, heat-treated equine rabies immunoglobulin (PHT-Erig), F(ab')2 preparation, was carried out in Thailand and in the Philippines-two countries where rabies is endemic. An initial prospective, randomised, controlled trial (Study 1), compared the safety and pharmacokinetics (serum concentrations of rabies antibodies) after administration either of PHT-Erig or of a commercially-available, equine rabies immune globulin (Erig PMC). A second trial (Study 2) simulated post-exposure rabies prophylaxis by using a reference cell culture vaccine, the purified Vero-c...
Vesicular stomatitis is an infrequent yet important vesicular disease of cattle, horses, and swine. Periodic outbreaks of this disease in the United States have caused economic losses in cattle herds because of decreased production, movement restrictions, and trade embargoes. Vesicular stomatitis causes clinical signs indistinguishable from those of foot-and-mouth disease. It is of utmost importance that appropriate samples are collected from clinical cases of vesicular disease in cattle and swine so a rapid laboratory diagnosis can be made.
To determine the causes of horse-related injuries in a rural western community. Methods: Prospective identification of persons with horse-related injuries and retrospective interviews with patients or witnesses to determine causes. Methods: A small rural community in Alberta where the western style of riding predominates. Methods: All patients presenting to two family medicine clinics or to the Sundre General Hospital emergency department. Methods: Factors contributing to the injury as recalled by patients or witnesses, and characteristics of the persons, horses, and injuries. Results: Two thi...
Four horses were evaluated because of hind limb lameness. Two had a distinct gait abnormality at the walk characterized by lateral rotation of the point of the calcaneus and medial rotation of the toe during the stance phase. Nuclear scintigraphy revealed a focal area of intense radioisotope uptake in the caudodistal aspect of the femur in all 4 horses, and 3 of the horses had a corresponding proliferative reaction on the caudodistal cortex of the femur on radiographs. In all 4 horses, a diagnosis of injury to the origin of the gastrocnemius muscle was made. Three of the horses returned to ath...
The research article describes the treatment, recovery process, and prognosis of a 2-month old Quarter Horse, who suffered from severe lameness in the left forelimb due to an avulsion-type fracture […]
Two closed horse herds (Old Lot 4 and Field 24), infected since 1966 with Population B small strongyles resistant to thiabendazole (TBZ) and phenothiazine (PTZ), were terminated in February, March, and May, 2005. At necropsy, only the large endoparasites were identified and counted. The number of horses on pasture was 14 (239 days of age to 23 years old) for Old Lot 4 and two (3 to 20 years old) for Field 24. The time of the last antiparasitic treatment, relative to the year (2005) of necropsy, was 26 years for Old Lot 4 and 9 years for Field 24 horses. Gasterophilus intestinalis third instars...
Fifteen horses harboring naturally acquired, patent Parascaris equorum and Oxyuris equi infections were equally allotted to 3 treatment groups given (1) injectable vehicle; (2) injectable ivermectin at the dose rate of 200 microgram/kg of body weight; and (3) injectable ivermectin at the rate of 300 microgram/kg. All treatments were given IM in the neck. All animals were killed 14 days after treatment and examined for the targeted nematodes. Regardless of dose rate, ivermectin proved 100% effective in the removal of adult O equi and P equorum infections. Levels of immature P equorum were decre...
A breed known for its versatility, the American Quarter Horse (QH), is increasingly bred for performance in specific disciplines. The impact of selective breeding on the diversity and structure of the QH breed was evaluated using pedigree analysis and genome-wide SNP data from horses representing 6 performance groups (halter, western pleasure, reining, working cow, cutting, and racing). Genotype data (36 037 single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) from 36 Thoroughbreds were also evaluated with those from the 132 performing QHs to evaluate the Thoroughbred's influence on QH diversity. Results s...
Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) and its familial basis in Warmblood horses is incompletely understood. Objective: To describe the case details, clinical signs and management of ER-affected Warmblood horses from a family with a high prevalence of ER, to determine if histopathological signs of polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) and the glycogen synthase (GYS1) mutation are associated with ER in this family, and to investigate potential risk factors for development of ER. Methods: A family consisting of a sire with ER and 71 of his descendants was investigated. History of episodes of ER, husba...
Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a marker of equine cryptorchidism, is detectable in intact and cryptorchid stallions but not in geldings because it is secreted from Sertoli cells. A 4-year-old uncastrated Thoroughbred racehorse had no visible testes; therefore, the horse was considered a bilateral cryptorchidism. However, the serum AMH was undetectable (<0.08 ng/ml). Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulating test result indicated that the horse was a gelding. The results of sex chromosomal analysis and sequence analysis of SRY gene suggested that the horse was a genetically-intac...
Equine recurrent uveitis serves as a spontaneous model for human autoimmune uveitis. Unpredictable relapses and ongoing inflammation in the eyes of diseased horses as well as in humans lead to destruction of the retina and finally result in blindness. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to inflammation and retinal degeneration are not well understood. An initial screening for differentially regulated proteins in sera of uveitic cases compared to healthy controls revealed an increase of the alternative pathway complement component factor B in ERU cases. To determine the activation status ...
The objective of this study was to graft autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at the site of surgical repair of a soft palate defect in an adult horse in an attempt to improve wound healing and to investigate whether the transplanted MSCs would integrate into the soft palate structure and participate in regeneration. Bone marrow was collected from an adult horse with a full-thickness soft palate defect. The MSCs were isolated, cultured in monolayers, and labeled with 5-bromo-2-desoxymidine (BrdU) and chloromethylbenzamido-DiI-derived (cm-DiI) before transplantation. The soft palate defect ...
A 4-month-old Thoroughbred filly presented for abdominal pain was diagnosed with a T-shaped malformation of the ventral colon at exploratory laparotomy. Following resection and anastomosis of the large colon, no further episodes of abdominal pain occurred during a 12-month follow-up. Acute dehiscence of the linea alba occurred as a complication of the initial laparotomy, but was successfully managed following additional surgical repair. T-shaped malformation of the ventral colon has not previously been reported and is considered a congenital malformation of mesocolon formation.
A review of the literature is given concerning the anatomy and pathophysiology of the equine penis with regard to priapism: a prolonged erection of the penis not associated with sexual arousal. Several treatment options, such as flushing of the corpus cavernosum penis with heparinized saline and the creation of shunt between the corpus cavernosum penis and the corpus spongiosum penis are discussed. Subsequently, a case of priapism in a stallion following the injection of acepromazine, is discussed. The priapism resolved after the corpus cavernosum penis was flushed with the stallion under gene...
Christofi E, Hoopes J, El-Hage C, Coffin J, Riley T, Cumming B.Since their arrival in the 1700s, horses have played a significant role in shaping the identity of rural and remote communities. However, Indigenous perspectives on the historical role of horses in communities have been largely underrepresented. In remote regions, where access to veterinary and medical services is limited, interactions between people and free-roaming horses present a potential risk for zoonotic disease transmission. This review identifies potential pathways for the transmission of equine zoonoses in rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, aiming to ...
Taguchi T, Lopez MJ, Aoun R, Helber L.Over the last few decades, cell and cell-based therapies emerged as treatment options for equine tendinopathy and desmopathy. The objective of this study was to critically evaluate outcomes following treatment of equine tendinopathy or desmopathy with adult multipotent stromal/stem cells (MSCs). Unassigned: The PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for "equine/horse," "tendon/tendinopathy/tendonitis/ligament/ligamentopathy/desmopathy/desmitis," "stem/stromal/mesenchymal/multipotent," and "cell" from January 2001 to June 2025. Studies were identified according to PRISMA guidelines, ...
Leduc L, St-Jean G, Lavoie JP.Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed for the treatment of equine asthma, despite limited evidence supporting their use. Tracheal wash (TW) bacterial culture results are known to influence antimicrobial prescription decisions. Objective: To determine whether a positive TW bacterial culture in horses with asthma is associated with bronchial infection or colonisation, increased bronchial remodelling and airway inflammation by evaluating the presence of bacteria and airway remodelling in endobronchial biopsies, as well as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology and tracheal mucus scores. Me...
Kovács BA, Topál J, Gergely A.The relationship between horses and humans is often described as cooperative and affective, yet empirical studies on horse-rider bond remain scarce. Previous findings on horse-human relationships yielded conflicting results on whether and how horses show bonding like behaviour toward their owners. Objective: We tested whether horses show partner-specific approach and proximity toward their primary rider compared with an unfamiliar experimenter in an adapted Strange Situation Test, and whether the rider's presence was associated with behavioural patterns indicative of safe haven and secure base...
Alsakini KAMH, Al-Ammiri HH, Touma MM.A prevalent contagious pathogenic parasite that can lead to major health issues is . Unassigned: The present study aimed to detect the parasitic immune response and the existence of genomic DNA in the blood of a -positive equine. Unassigned: Thirty serum samples from horses suspected of having toxoplasmosis were collected from the Al-Rusafa neighborhood in Baghdad. To quantitatively investigate toxoplasma antibody levels in horse serum, an ELISA was used to evaluate immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels. Conventional (PCR) was used to identify DNA. Unassigned: The blood levels of IgG immunoglobulin i...
Yerlikaya Z, Miranda-CasoLuengo R, Jahns H, Byrne O, Meijer WG, Mulcahy G, Walshe N.Cyathostomins are the most prevalent and currently considered the most pathogenic gastrointestinal nematodes in horses. Their life cycle includes an encystment phase within the large intestinal mucosa, where up to 90 % of the total worm burden resides. Clinical disease ranges from chronic protein-losing enteropathy to acute, sometimes fatal, typhlocolitis. Despite their significance, the ecological interplay between cyathostomins, the host immune response, and the gut microbiota remains poorly understood. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate these interactions at the mucos...
Thompson JR, Barcalow S, Stark A, Scoggin KE, Conley AJ, Loux SC.Luteinizing hormone (LH) plays a pivotal role in equine reproductive physiology, yet its measurement has traditionally relied on radioimmunoassays (RIA), which present safety, accessibility, and regulatory challenges. This study evaluates the use of a commercially available pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as an alternative for quantifying circulating LH in horses. Given the 100% peptide identity between equine LH and PMSG, we hypothesized that the PMSG ELISA would detect LH with high specificity and sensitivity. Blood samples from healthy, cycl...
Sunderland KA, Affolter VK, Cassano JM, Berryhill EH, Morgan JM.To determine the main causes of death in aged horses residing at a retirement facility in California. Unassigned: A retrospective cross-sectional study design was utilized to evaluate signalment, medical history, and necropsy reports of horses aged 20 years or older at death and housed at a single retirement facility. All cases underwent a standard post mortem evaluation from 2010 through 2020 by the University of California-Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Euthanasia decisions were made by the retirement facility staff in consultation with a veterinarian. The m...
de Araujo EAB, Papa FO, de Oliveira Baldini PH, de Paula Freitas-Dell'Aqua C, de Oliveira SN, Silva LFMC, Junior LRPA, Rodrigues LT, Monteiro GA.Despite advances in the method, equine semen cryopreservation still leads to a marked decline in sperm quality, partly attributed to oxidative stress, which motivates the search for lipophilic antioxidants capable of stabilizing the plasma membrane during cooling and freezing. This study performed three experiments to evaluate butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as an additive to commercial skim milk-based (Botu-Sêmen) and egg yolk-based (Botu-Crio) extenders. In Experiment 1, a dose-response curve (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM) was performed using stallion semen to assess toxicity and establish a safe ...
Basso RM, Cerri FM, Braga PRC, Silva ROS, de Araújo Júnior JP, Oliveira-Filho JP, Pantoja JCF, Ribeiro MG, Arroyo LG, Borges AS.Diarrhea is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in foals. Our hypothesis is that foals with diarrhea have a greater prevalence of ≥2 organisms causing coinfections. We investigated the major microorganisms associated with diarrhea in 200 foals up to 1-y-old (100 diarrheic and 100 non-diarrheic). Fecal samples were analyzed by real-time PCR (rtPCR) for the detection of and toxin genes and , (genotyping for toxin-encoding genes), spp., , , , , , and spp. Rotavirus A and coronavirus were detected using reverse-transcription rtPCR. Fecal bacterial culture was also performed for ...
Leith GS, Hallam L, Englar RE.The ninth standard of accreditation as outlined by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) mandates that all accredited colleges of veterinary medicine must provide instruction in medicine and surgery, including principles of practice, hands-on experiences with diagnostic methods, and interpretation of clinical findings. In equine practice, diagnostic imaging is used as a first-line diagnostic approach and is an integral part of pre-purchase and lameness examinations. Accuracy and consistency of radiographic interpretation relies heavily upon procedural te...
Verstraete MH, Kuijpers F, Holl W, Norris J, van Heule M, Martin-Pelaez S, Heard C, Uribe-Salazar J, Armien A, Conley A, De Spiegelaere W....The endometrium is a hormonally responsive tissue that undergoes cyclic remodeling. Although endometrial organoids have been established in several species, detailed characterization remains limited. Here, we assessed the structural and molecular fidelity of equine endometrial organoids across reproductive cycle stages and during extended culture. Organoids were generated from biopsies collected during estrus and diestrus and analyzed using histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and bulk- and single-cell RNA sequencing. Organoids formed polarized cystic structures composed of co...
Brooks L, Ryan M, McCosham E, Loganathan D.In 2009, levamisole was identified as a source for several aminorex positives reported in postrace equine samples in Canada. Since then, unexplained detections of aminorex continue to be identified in equine samples where there is no evidence to link these detections to a levamisole administration. Previous studies identified a compound named barbarin in some species of plants from the Brassicaceae family and suggested that barbarin may be a possible precursor for aminorex. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the link between barbarin and aminorex and (2) identify other biomar...
Shimizu Y, Sugai-Bannai M, Saito K, Hirano-Kodaira M, Leung GN.Somapacitan, a long-acting growth hormone derivative, and recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) are protein-based drugs generally used to treat growth disorders and GH deficiency in humans. Due to their potential to enhance the horse performance, the use of these drugs is prohibited at-all-times by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities for horseracing and the Fédération Equestre Internationale for equestrian sports. In this study, we developed a test method for the identification and differentiation of somapacitan and rhGH in equine plasma by using liquid chromatography h...
Steel R, Timms M, Bamford N, Spence R, Sillence M.Previous liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) methods for the detection of insulin and other similar peptide hormones in equine plasma relied on the use of antibody affinity extraction. As a result, these methods were not suitable for routine high-throughput analysis. A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method incorporating size exclusion as well as reversed-phase interactions allows the selective extraction of peptide hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), insulin and their synthetic analogues from equine plasma with approximately 80% extraction efficiencies. This extracti...
