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.
Zoonoses and public healthDecember 23, 2009
Volume 57, Issue 3 211-219 doi: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2009.01303.x
Calistri P, Giovannini A, Savini G, Monaco F, Bonfanti L, Ceolin C, Terregino C, Tamba M, Cordioli P, Lelli R.After 10 years, West Nile virus (WNV) re-emerged in Italy in August 2008. As on 31 December 2008, the infection affected eight Provinces in three Regions (Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy), where a total of 794 cases of WNV infection in 251 equine stables were detected on the basis of the clinical signs and as a result of a serological screening in horses living in the area. Only 4.0% (32/794) of the serologically positive animals showed clinical signs, and the 32 clinical cases were reported in 18 different farms. The observed case-fatality rate was 15.6% (5/32). The confirmed clinical cases ...
DeAssis JB, DeLaat DM, Peixoto MG, Bergmann JA, Fonseca CG, Carvalho MR.One hundred and fifteen unrelated Mangalarga Marchador horses were sampled from three geographically distinct regions of Minas Gerais State, Brazil (South, Southeast, and Northeast) and tested for 10 microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity and population structure parameters were estimated with ARLEQUIN 3.0, CERVUS 2.0, POPGENE 1.31, GENEPOP on the web, STRUCTURE 2.0, and SPAGEDI 1.2 software packages. Under Hardy-Weinberg assumptions, seven markers were at equilibrium (LEX014, LEX017, LEX019, SGCV23, TKY321, VHL20, and VIASH39), while two (ASB3 and LEX031) presented significant homozygote exce...
Payne RJ, Lean MS, Greet TR.Between October 2000 and January 2007, 24 horses were presented with suspected squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the third eyelid. The hospital's medical records were analysed retrospectively to gain data about the cases, and telephone follow-up was obtained from the owners and referring veterinary surgeons. The resected third eyelid was submitted for histological examination in 21 cases; in the other three cases the tissue was not submitted at the owners' request, for economic reasons. SCC was confirmed in 16 of these 21 cases, three cases were diagnosed histologically as lymphoid hyperplasia,...
DeCarbo WT, Feldner BM, Hyer CF.Equine pericardium xenograft is now widely used to augment Achilles tendon repair. In this article, we describe the case of a postoperative complication in a healthy 37-year-old male who underwent primary repair, augmented with equine pericardium, of his acutely ruptured Achilles tendon. At 4 months postoperative, an indurated and fluctuant subcutaneous soft tissue reaction was noted at the repair site. Further questioning led the patient to recall having an allergy to horses, although it had been a very long time since he had experienced any symptoms related to the allergy and, as such, he fa...
Veronesi MC, Tosi U, Villani M, Govoni N, Faustini M, Kindahl H, Madej A, Carluccio A.This experiment was designed to determine the effects of sexual stimulation on plasma concentrations of oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (VP), 15-ketodihydro-PGF(2alpha) (PG-metabolite), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), estrone sulfate (ES), and cortisol (C) in stallions. Semen samples were collected from 14 light horse stallions (Equus caballus) of proven fertility using a Missouri model artificial vagina. Blood samples were collected at 15, 12, 9, 6, and 3 min before estrous mare exposure, at erection, at ejaculation, and at 3, 6, and 9 min after ejaculation. Afterwards, blood sampling ...
Filipović N, Stojević Z, Prvanović N, Tucek Z.Pregnancy and lactation are periods of significant influence on bone metabolism that has not been investigated in equines. To examine the influence of late pregnancy and lactation on bone metabolism in mares, the changes in the blood serum/plasma total calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphates (Pi), pyridinoline (Pyd) and 17beta-estradiol (E2) concentration and the bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) activity were investigated. The samples were taken from 11 mares on 60+/-10 and 20+/-10 days before foaling, and 20+/-10 and 60+/-10 days after foaling. The concentration/activity of Ca, Pi, Pyd and BAP incr...
Acosta-Jamett G, Cleaveland S, Cunningham AA, Bronsvoort BM, Craig PS.Cyst echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most important zoonosis in Chile, where studies have focussed mainly in moist southern regions. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in livestock and humans in the semiarid Coquimbo region in north-central Chile. A review of all surgical cases of CE in humans reported in the Elqui, Limarí and Choapa provinces in Coquimbo region for the period comprising 1995-2006 was obtained. In addition, a retrospective study of CE covering condemnation records from slaughterhouses of these provinces from the same pe...
Steffey EP, Brosnan RJ, Galuppo LD, Mama KR, Imai A, Maxwell LK, Cole CA, Stanley SD.To characterize the behavior of horses recovering in the Anderson Sling Suspension System after 4 hours of desflurane anesthesia and postdesflurane intravenous (IV) administration of propofol and xylazine. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Healthy horses (n=6), mean+/-SEM age 12.3+/-1.8 years; mean weight 556+/-27 kg. Methods: Each horse was anesthetized with xylazine, diazepam, and ketamine IV and anesthesia was maintained with desflurane in O(2). At the end of 4 hours of desflurane, each horse was positioned in the sling suspension system and administered propofol-xylazine IV. Recovery e...
Belda E, Blissitt KJ, Duncan JC, Laredo FG, Escobar Gil de Montes M, Clutton RE.To record the bispectral index (BIS) when horses moved during either halothane or sevoflurane anaesthesia and when they made volitional movements during recovery from these anaesthetics. Methods: Randomized prospective clinical study. Methods: Twenty-five client-owned horses undergoing surgery aged 8.8 (+/- 5.3; 1-19) years (mean +/- SD; range). Methods: Baseline BIS values were recorded before pre-anaesthetic medication (BIS(B)) and during anaesthesia (BIS(A)) maintained with halothane (group H; n = 12) or sevoflurane (group S; n =13) at approximately 0.8-0.9 x minimum alveolar concentrations...
Panizzi L, Barber SM, Lang HM, Carmalt JL.To describe signalment, clinical, and radiographic changes associated with carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (CMC-OA) and to report long-term outcome. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n=33) with CMC-OA. Methods: Medical records (1992-2007) of horses diagnosed with CMC-OA were reviewed and signalment, clinical, and radiographic findings retrieved. Owners were contacted for information on the impact of lameness on intended use, response to treatment, progression of lameness, outcome, and owner satisfaction with response to treatment. Results: CMC-OA identified in 39 limbs, occurred predominan...
Munsterman AS, Hanson RR.To develop a direct method for measuring intra-abdominal pressures in the standing horse, identify a reference interval for direct intra-abdominal pressures, compare these pressures to indirect intra-abdominal pressures measured from the bladder, and determine the optimal bladder infusion volume for indirect pressure measurement. Methods: Prospective, experimental study. Methods: A university-based equine research facility. Methods: Ten healthy adult horses, 5 males and 5 females. Methods: Direct intra-abdominal pressures were measured through an intraperitoneal cannula and zeroed at the heigh...
Robinson E, Carmalt JL.To report inguinal herniation of the ascending colon in a Standardbred colt. Methods: Case report. Methods: A 6-month-old Standardbred colt. Methods: The colt underwent surgical exploration of the hernia with large colon resection and anastomosis. Results: A successful large colon resection and anastomosis was completed, however, the colt was euthanatized at the end of surgery upon owner request. Conclusions: Although uncommon, indirect inguinal herniation of the ascending colon can occur in young horses.
Houghton E, Maynard S.This chapter reviews drug and medication control in equestrian sports and addresses the rules of racing, the technological advances that have been made in drug detection and the importance of metabolism studies in the development of effective drug surveillance programmes. Typical approaches to screening and confirmatory analysis are discussed, as are the quality processes that underpin these procedures. The chapter also addresses four specific topics relevant to equestrian sports: substances controlled by threshold values, the approach adopted recently by European racing authorities to control...
Lang HM, Panizzi L, Allen AL, Woodbury MR, Barber SM.To evaluate 3 drilling techniques for arthrodesis of the equine carpometacarpal (CMC) joint. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Cadaveric equine forelimbs (n=15). Methods: Limbs were divided into 3 groups (5 limbs each) to evaluate 3 drilling techniques: (1) use of a 4.5 mm drill bit inserted into the joint through 4 entry points and moved in a fanning motion; (2) a 5.5 mm drill bit inserted through 2 entry points to create 3 nonfanned drill tracts (3 drill technique); and (3) a 4.5 mm drill bit used in a 3 drill technique. The CMC joint was disarticulated after drilling, and cartilage and ...
Barber SM, Panizzi L, Lang HM.To evaluate arthrodesis as a treatment for carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis (CMC-OA). Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n=12) with CMC-OA. Methods: Arthrodesis was facilitated by insertion and fanning of a drill bit into the CMC joint at several (3-5) locations in 15 limbs. Follow-up radiographs were obtained for 7 horses (9 limbs). Outcome was determined by telephone survey of owners based on postoperative pain, return to use, appearance of the limb, and success of treatment. Results: Postoperative pain was slight or moderate in 10 of 12 (83%) horses during the first 30 days, and 11 ...
Ludders JW, Palos HM, Erb HN, Lamb SV, Vincent SE, Gleed RD.To determine if horses before undergoing anesthesia for surgical correction of colic would have lower plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentrations than healthy horses undergoing anesthesia for arthroscopic surgery, and would not increase their plasma AVP concentrations in response to anesthesia and surgery. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: University teaching hospital. Methods: Fourteen horses with colic and 8 healthy horses. Methods: Horses with colic underwent anesthesia and surgery for alleviation of colic, and healthy horses underwent anesthesia and surgery for arthroscopy...
Barakzai SZ, Boden LA, Dixon PM.To evaluate the effect of laryngoplasty (LP) on race performance in longer distance (National Hunt) Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Case-control study. Methods: National Hunt Thoroughbred racehorses (n=71) and race-matched controls (n=126). Methods: Race records for National Hunt racehorses that had LP and ventriculocordectomy were analyzed and racing performance was compared with race-matched controls. Results: Sixty-three of 71 cases were matched with controls. Postoperatively, 78% of cases raced, 47% improved their individual performance and cases were as likely to start in 1 or 3 races a...
Theoret C.Horses are predisposed to traumatic wounds that can be labor intensive and expensive to manage. Skin has a considerable potential for efficient and functional repair however, while cutaneous repair is a regenerative process in the fetus, this capability declines in late gestation as inflammation and scarring alter the outcome of healing. The historical gold standard for replacement of lost skin is the autologous skin graft. However, the horse's lack of redundant donor skin limits the practicality of full-thickness grafting to smaller wounds; moreover, graft failure is relatively common in equi...
Iff I, Mosing M, Lechner T, Moens Y.To determine the usefulness of an acoustic device to confirm correct placement of extradural needles in horses. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: Twelve adult healthy horses weighing between 434 and 640 kg. Methods: Horses were sedated, placed in stocks and subjected to caudal extradural anaesthesia using lidocaine 2%. For extradural puncture an 18 gauge Tuohy needle connected to an acoustic device via an electronic pressure transducer was used. This device allowed recording of the extradural pressure profile and the transformation of pressure changes into an audible signal. Ex...
Barakzai SZ, Boden LA, Dixon PM.To (1) assess the degree of arytenoid cartilage abduction lost after laryngoplasty (LP) in Thoroughbred National Hunt racehorses and (2) to correlate postoperative racing performance with degree of arytenoid abduction after LP. Methods: Case series. Methods: National Hunt Thoroughbred racehorses (n=68). Methods: Grade of postoperative arytenoid abduction for National Hunt racehorses that had LP with ventriculocordectomy was assessed at 1 day, 6 days, and 6 weeks after LP. Race records were analyzed to ascertain if there was correlation between the degree of arytenoid cartilage abduction and va...
Kutasi O, Horvath A, Harnos A, Szenci O.We characterized the kinetics of postnatal equine lung using sequential thoracic radiography. The aim was to establish the earliest time when normal foals have clear, radiolucent lung fields, and to characterize the pattern of this clearance. Both right-to-left and left-to-right thoracic radiographs were acquired in lateral recumbency at peak inspiration within the first 30 min after birth and thereafter at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Radiographs were interpreted by three observers. The overall assessment of radiographic lung clearance was followed by the evaluation of individual l...
Schramme M, Kerekes Z, Hunter S, Nagy K, Pease A.Fibrocartilage degeneration is the earliest pathologic finding in navicular disease but remains difficult to detect, even with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. We hypothesized that injection of the navicular bursa with saline would improve accuracy of MR imaging evaluation of palmar fibrocartilage. Thoracic limbs were collected from 11 horses within 6 h of death. Imaging was performed with a 1.5 T magnet using sagittal 2D proton density and transverse 3D FLASH sequences with fat saturation. For the purpose of determining sensitivity and specificity of the MR images, fibrocartilage was classifi...
Smith AJ, Felstead CW, Lawson JS, Weller R.Radiography is the most commonly applied imaging modality in equine practice and forms an essential part of the diagnostic work-up of lame horses. Radiographic signs of musculoskeletal pathology are frequently localized at sites of soft tissue attachment, which are often not clearly visible on radiographs. Different lesions carry different prognoses and require a variety of treatments, and a good knowledge of the position of the synovial structures in the distal limb of the horse is essential for practitioners in the interpretation of radiographs. This study describes a new technique for creat...
Nagy A, Dyson S.While low-field magnetic resonance (MR) images can provide useful information in the investigation of proximal metacarpal region pain, an in-depth knowledge of anatomy and comparison with more detailed high-field images are essential to understand the meaning of different signal intensities within tissues. This anatomic description is based on low-field and high-field MR examination of 30 cadaver metacarpal regions of mature horses with no history of carpal or proximal metacarpal pain. Normal MR anatomy is described and is illustrated by high-field and low-field MR images in transverse, sagitt...
Van Soom A, Wrathall AE, Herrler A, Nauwynck HJ.Although the transfer of embryos is much less likely to result in disease transmission than the transport of live animals, the sanitary risks associated with embryo transfer continue to be the subject of both scientific investigations and adaptations of national and international legislation. Therefore, the implications are important for veterinary practitioners and livestock breeders. In vivo-derived and in vitro-produced embryos are widely used in cattle and embryos from other species, such as sheep, goats, pigs and horses, are also currently being transferred in fairly significant numbers. ...
Moorman VJ, Marshall JF, Devine DV, Payton M, Jann HW, Bahr R.Radiographic diagnosis of equine bone disease using digital radiography is prevalent in veterinary practice. However, the diagnostic quality of digital vs. conventional radiography has not been compared systematically. We hypothesized that digital radiography would be superior to film-screen radiography for detection of subtle lesions of the equine third metacarpal bone. Twenty-four third metacarpal bones were collected from horses euthanized for reasons other than orthopedic disease. Bones were dissected free of soft tissue and computed tomography was performed to ensure that no osseous abnor...
Koho NM, Väihkönen LK, Pösö AR.The lactate transport activity of red blood cells (RBC) varies widely among different species; in equine RBC, the activity of the main lactate carrier, H+-monocarboxylate co-transporter (MCT), is distributed bimodally. The influence of lactate transport activity is measurable in vivo; after maximal exercise, the RBC lactate concentration in horses with high (HT) lactate transport activity is higher than in those with low (LT) activity. To study the expression of MCT in HT and LT horses, blood samples were taken from 10 horses at rest and after submaximal exercise. Blood and plasma lactate conc...
Pouyet M, Bonilla AG.To describe the technique to perform diagnostic standing scapulohumeral joint needle arthroscopy with a 1.2-mm-diameter arthroscope in horses. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Eight thoracic limbs in phase 1 and six horses in phase 2. Methods: In phase 1, the feasibility of the technique was evaluated by using a craniolateral arthroscopic approach. An evaluation of the visible structures of the scapulohumeral joint was performed with both a needle arthroscope and a 4-mm-diameter arthroscope. In phase 2, the technique was performed in six healthy sedated horses to validate the technique in...
Koivunen AL, Maisi P, Fang W, Sandholm M.To clarify the role of proteolytic enzymes in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in horses, and to investigate new possibilities for treatment of this disease by interfering in the proteolytic process. Methods: Effect of antiproteolytic activity of selected protease inhibitors on tracheal aspirates was studied in vitro, and the inhibition profiles were compared with those of purified proteases. Methods: Respiratory tract secretions with antiproteolytic activity from 9 horses with COPD. Methods: Caseinolytic agar-diffusion assay. Results: The protease-inhibition pr...
Beech J.This article discusses the history and signalment, clinical signs, differential diagnosis, pathology, etiology and pathogenesis, and treatment and prevention of equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy.
Hoffman RM, Kronfeld DS, Cooper WL, Harris PA.The glucose tolerance test in the horse may be used to determine metabolic responses to diet, disease, or physiologic state. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of reproductive stage (gestation and lactation) and supplemental dietary energy source (sugar and starch [SS] or fiber and fat [FF]) on glucose metabolism in grazing mares using an oral glucose tolerance test. Twelve mares, six on each supplement, were examined on three occasions: one in the third trimester of pregnancy, the second in early lactation, and the third in late lactation. During each test, venous samples...
McCluskey BJ, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Creekmore L, Schiltz J.Vesicular stomatitis is a viral disease primarily affecting horses and cattle when it occurs in the United States. Outbreaks in the southwestern United States occur sporadically, with initial cases typically occurring in Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona and subsequent cases occurring in a northward progression. The viruses causing vesicular stomatitis can be transmitted by direct contact of lesioned animals with other susceptible animals, but transmission is primarily through arthropod vectors. In 2012, an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis in the United States occurred that was caused by Vesicular...
Taylor PM.Information on the equine stress response to anaesthesia and surgery is sparse but offers a promising approach to elucidating the high anaesthetic risk in this species. Previous work has shown that halothane anaesthesia induces substantial metabolic and endocrine changes. This paper reports the effects of barbiturate anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone in six ponies and no further agents were given. They stood within 30 mins. On another occasion, these animals, and three further ponies, were anaesthetised with pentobarbitone and anaesthesia was maintained for 2 h. No surgery ...
Yamanaka T, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Hobo S, Matsumura T.We investigated the efficacy of the oral administration of oseltamivir phosphate (OP) in horses experimentally infected with equine influenza A virus (H3N8). Nine horses were divided into three horses each of control, treatment and prophylaxis groups. An administration protocol for the treatment group (2 mg/kg of body weight, twice a day for five days) was started immediately after the onset of pyrexia (above 38.9 degrees C). An administration protocol for the prophylaxis group (2 mg/kg of body weight, once a day for five days) was started on a day before viral inoculation. In the treatment gr...
Ek N, Braend M.Comparisons of Pr protein amounts in horse sera have been performed using .’s (1965) immunodiffusion technique. Relative values against a chosen standard of 100 % were determined for a total of 435 horses. There was considerable variation between horses, the highest Pr value being 125 and the lowest 50 % of the standard. In animals of the same Pr phenotype the mean Pr values were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in foals than in mares. In Norwegian Trotter horses the Pr value of Pr NN animals was significantly higher than that of Pr SS phenotypes, whereas the mean Pr values of Pr SS was sig...
Jones CJP, Allen WRT, Wilsher S.In this study, we compare glycosylation at the fetomaternal interface in 3 equine species: horse, donkey and zebra, all of which can interbreed to produce hybrids, to assess their glycan similarities and differences. Methods: Sections cut from 3 specimens of horse (Equus caballus) placenta (50, 200 and 280 days gestation), one donkey (Equus asinus) placenta (65 cm crown-rump length) and 5 specimens of zebra (Equus quagga) placentae (81-239 days gestation) were stained with a panel of 24 biotinylated lectins using an avidin-peroxidase revealing system. Results: There were only slight quantitat...
Legere RM, Taylor DR, Davis JL, Bello K, Parker C, Judd RL, Wooldridge AA.Chronic insulin dysregulation is challenging to manage with pharmaceuticals in horses. Pioglitazone improves insulin sensitivity in humans, and the pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone have been evaluated in horses. The objectives of this study were to assess the pharmacodynamic effects of oral pioglitazone on morphometric parameters, hepatic enzyme activity and function, adipokines, and enteroinsular response to oral sugar. A prospective pilot study was performed using fifteen adult equids (8 ponies, 7 horses) to evaluate the effects of short-term pioglitazone administration (2 mg/kg PO q 24 hou...
Sahu SP, Dardiri AH.Uterine, cervical, and clitoral specimens on swabs from pony mares infected with contagious equine equine metritis (CEM) bacteria were streaked on agar plates. Colonies of CEM bacteria were observed under CO2 incubation in 2 days on Eugon chocolate agar and Eugon blood agar plates. The diameter of the colonies varied from 0.2 mm to 1 mm in 2 days which increased to 0.3 mm to 2.0 mm on day 4. The colonies on Eugon chocolate agar plates on days 2 to 4 were shiny, brown, round, and convex, and easily glided when pushed with a loop. The diameter of the colonies on chocolate and blood agar plates m...
White NA, Suarez M.Triceps intracompartmental pressure was measured in the lowermost limb of the recumbent horse during the initial period of recumbency during elective surgical procedures in 11 horses. Intramuscular pressure, using an IM catheter, was measured with the thoracic limbs in 4 different positions, including (I) table-contact limb unadvanced-unsupported free limb, (II) table-contact limb unadvanced-supported free limb, (III) table-contact limb advanced cranially, unsupported free limb, and (IV) table-contact limb advanced cranially, supported free limb. Pressure was measured in the 4 positions with a...
Williams R, Du Plessis DH, Van Wyngaardt W.Group-reactive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed to selectively detect antibodies to African horsesickness virus (AHSV) and equine encephalosis virus (EEV), 2 orbiviruses that infect equids. In indirect ELISA, guinea pig antisera to all known AHSV or EEV serotypes recognized immobilized AHSV serotype 3 or EEV Cascara, respectively. Antisera from naturally infected animals did not cross-react with their respective heterologous viruses. The ELISA was used in parallel with the complement fixation (CF) and agar gel immunodiffusion tests to detect antibodies in sera from an...
Fraschetto C, Dancot M, Vandersmissen M, Denoix JM, Coudry V.To describe type and distribution of tarsal collateral ligament (CL) injuries and to assess the long-term outcome in horses treated conservatively. Methods: 78 horses (median age, 7 years [IQR, 4 to 9.75 years]) of different breeds and disciplines. Methods: Retrospective analysis (2000 through 2020) of horses with tarsal CL lesions diagnosed on ultrasound. The resting time, ability to return to work, and performance level after the injury were compared between horses having a single ligament (group S) or multiple ligaments (group M) affected and according to the case severity. Results: Most of...
Javsicas LH, Giguère S, Freeman DE, Rodgerson DH, Slovis NM.To determine outcome after medical or surgical treatment of postpartum mares with confirmed or presumptive uterine tears. Methods: Case series. Methods: Postpartum mares were included if foaling had occurred within 7 days and uterine tear was confirmed surgically or, in medically treated mares, by palpation or presumed based on peritonitis. Information (age, breed; physical examination, laboratory and abdominocentesis findings; treatment, survival rates, length of hospital stay, treatments costs, and breeding performance after discharge) was obtained from the medical records (1990-2007). The i...
Trumble TN, Scarbrough AB, Brown MP.To investigate the effects of exercise and osteochondral (OC) injury on type II collagen degradation products (collagenase cleavage neoepitope commercially known as C2C) in synovial fluid (SF) from Thoroughbred (TB) racehorses and to compare these results with radiographic and arthroscopic scores of severity of joint injury. Methods: Metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) and carpal SF was obtained from (1) 20 normal rested horses, (2) the same horses after 5 to 6 months of race training, and (3) 27 horses with OC injury from racing. For group 3, radiographic and arthroscopic scores...
Peter VG, O'Keeffe TA, Smith LCR, Schweizer-Gorgas D. To investigate the racing performance of Thoroughbred horses with osseous cyst-like lesions (OCLLs) in the distal phalanx causing lameness and treated conservatively. To assess horses' ability to race and perform after radiographic identification of OCLL in the distal phalanx of Thoroughbred horses with lameness at the time of detection and undergoing conservative treatment. Retrospective case control study. The clinical database of one equine clinic was reviewed in a 10-year period for Thoroughbreds showing lameness localized to the foot and a radiographic diagnosis of OCLL in the distal ...
Kopper JJ, Kogan CJ, Cook VL, Schott HC.The objective of this study was to determine whether there was an association between type of colloid administered and survival of horses with enterocolitis (N = 92). A retrospective review of medical records of horses with enterocolitis treated with plasma or hetastarch (HES) between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2011 was performed. Data collected included signalment, outcome, physical and clinicopathologic findings, and volume and type of colloid administered. Sixty-nine horses (75%) were treated with plasma and 23 horses (25%) were treated with HES. After accounting for confounding varia...
Irvine CH, Alexander SL.We used our unique nonsurgical technique for collecting pituitary venous (pit) blood to study GnRH, FSH, and LH secretion patterns in midluteal phase mares. This method does not perturb endocrine function and allows continuous monitoring of GnRH and gonadotropin (Gn) secretion, determination of the amount of GnRH perfusing gonadotropes, and direct measurements of the amounts of Gn secreted. In a total of 80 h of 5-min sampling in four mares, eight Gn peaks occurred; however, more frequent sampling was needed to define secretory events precisely. Therefore, pit blood was collected continuously ...
Barton AK, Shety T, Klier J, Geis S, Einspanier R, Gehlen H.Inhalation of immunostimulatory bacterial DNA segments (cytosine-phosphate-guanosine-oligodeoxynucleotides, CpG-ODN) normalizes clinical and cytologic parameters in severe equine asthma. We hypothesized that CpG-ODN inhalation also reduces the misbalance of elastinolytic activity in asthmatic horses. Methods: Twenty asthmatic horses diagnosed by clinical examinations using a scoring system were included. All horses inhaled CpG-ODNs for 14 days in 2-day intervals. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2/-9) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1/-2) concentrations were measured in tracheal ...
Lemirre T, Santschi E, Girard C, Fogarty U, Chapuis L, Richard H, Beauchamp G, Laverty S.The juvenile equine medial femoral condyle (MFC) is frequently affected with radiographic changes (sclerosis and subchondral lucencies) that arise at a similar site to juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD) in children. There is little information on maturation of the MFC. To describe the normal development of the equine MFC osteochondral unit from birth to 2 years. Unassigned: Micro CT, histology and immunohistochemistry were performed on healthy equine MFCs (n = 29) at sites where lesions occur. Parameters assessed included: cartilage thickness; the epiphyseal growth plate cartilage org...
Seahorn TL, Carter GK, Martens JG, Crandell RA, Martin MT, Scrutchfield WL, Cummins JM, Martens RJ.The immunotherapeutic effect of low-dose human alpha interferon on viral shedding and clinical disease was evaluated in horses inoculated with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). Eighteen clinically healthy weanling horses, 5 to 7 months old, were allotted to 3 equal groups. Two groups were treated orally with human alpha-2a interferon (0.22 or 2.2 U/kg of body weight), on days 2 and 1 before inoculation with EHV-1, the day of inoculation, and again on postinoculation day 1. The horses of the remaining group were given a placebo orally on the same days. The horses were monitored daily for changes in...
Caglar E, Sandalli N.An epidemiological survey was carried among pony and horseback riding children in nine pony and horseback riding clubs, Istanbul. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental trauma in young pony and horse riders. A total of 214 children were interviewed to determine the occurrence of dental trauma during pony and horseback riding. Some 2.3% of participants (n = 5) had already been affected by dental and orofacial trauma. Horse riders experienced dental and/or orofacial trauma significantly more than the pony riders. Results revealed that these children's awareness...
Williams S, Tucker CA, Green MJ, Freeman SL.Management regimes have been identified as risk factors for equine intestinal motility disorders. However, it is not known how management factors affect gastrointestinal motility. Objective: Large intestinal motility was similar in horses on a stabled and a pastured management regime. Objective: To investigate the effect of 2 different management regimes on large intestinal motility assessed with ultrasonography. Methods: A within-subjects crossover design was used to compare large intestinal motility between a stabled and a pastured regime in 16 working horses. Group A was managed under a sta...
