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Topic:Equine Medicine
Equine Medicine encompasses the study and application of medical practices specifically related to the health and well-being of horses. This field involves the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders affecting equine species. It covers a wide range of topics, including internal medicine, surgery, reproduction, and pharmacology. Research in equine medicine often focuses on understanding the physiological and pathological processes unique to horses, as well as developing effective therapeutic interventions. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of equine medicine, providing insights into the latest advancements and methodologies in the care and management of horse health.
Repeatability and test-retest reliability of thermal and pressure pain threshold testing in healthy thoroughbred horses. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) has been used in horses to assess nociceptive responsiveness but its broader clinical application is limited by variability across anatomical sites, environmental conditions, operator technique, and behavioral endpoints. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, within-session repeatability, and test-retest reliability of thermal threshold (TT) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) testing in healthy Thoroughbred horses. Unassigned: Eleven adult Thoroughbred horses (4 mares, 7 geldings; median [IQR] age 6 [5-6] years; body weight 558 ± 47 kg) underwent...
Effects of flow-controlled expiration on oxygenation and early recovery in horses undergoing general anaesthesia. FLow-controlled EXpiration (FLEX) has been shown to significantly enhance oxygenation in horses under clinical and experimental conditions. Objective: To compare pulmonary gas exchange during early recovery following general anaesthesia in horses ventilated with FLEX compared with conventional intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) and to assess recovery characteristics between ventilation modes. Methods: Randomised, crossover in vivo experiments. Methods: Six adult horses underwent two 2-h anaesthetic episodes in a randomised crossover design (FLEX vs. IPPV), separated by a two-wee...
Spatiotemporal dynamics of equine group formation reveal the gradual emergence of social cohesion. Stable social relationships are essential for horse welfare, yet domestic management often involves regrouping unfamiliar individuals, potentially causing social stress. Fine-scale dynamics of social integration remain poorly quantified due to limitations of observational sampling. Using ultra-wideband real-time positioning, we tracked the development of spatial and social relationships in two newly formed equine groups (n = 19) over 2-12 months. Inter-individual distances decreased significantly, with time spent within 3 m of conspecifics increasing from 1.2 to 27.3% within two months, d...
Correction: Phenylbutazone concentrations in synovial fluid following administration via intravenous regional limb perfusion in the forelimbs of six adult horses. [This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1810077.].
Using a wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) patch adapted for 7-day monitoring in the horse. Arrhythmias can cause poor performance and sudden death in horses. Long-term (>24 h) electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring has been used to identify arrhythmias in humans and is superior to short-term monitoring for transient arrhythmia detection. Televet is the current equine gold-standard ECG device. The Cardea SOLO™ (CS) is a single-use monitor with automated ECG analysis software allowing ECG monitoring for 7 days. Objective: Our objective was to validate the performance of the CS compared to the Televet. Methods: Method validation. Methods: ECGs were performed on 12 healthy horses s...
Orchiectomy in horses: closed technique and primary closure of the incision. To provide a video tutorial on how to perform equine castrations using the closed technique and primary closure of the skin. Unassigned: Intact male horses presented to equine veterinary hospitals for castration. Unassigned: The closed castration technique was performed with incisions over the inguinal rings and primary closure. Unassigned: This technique is associated with minimal complications, decreased edema, less pain, lower infection rates, and faster healing. Unassigned: The technique presented in this video tutorial provides a quick and safe method for removing descended as well as non...
Vietnam’s Horse Sector: A Comprehensive Review of History, Production Systems, Health Challenges, and Research Priorities. Horses in Vietnam have a long historical presence and continue to hold economic, socio-cultural, and medicinal importance across diverse regions. Despite these roles, comprehensive scientific information on equine development, including health and disease patterns, reproductive performance, genetic resources, and biomedical applications, remains limited and fragmented. In this review, we summarize existing knowledge on equine populations, production systems, and their development in Vietnam, as well as their roles in cultural practices, livelihoods, and traditional medicine. We then identify m...
A point-based laminitis risk scoring system and machine learning framework for prediction of laminitis in horses. Laminitis is a painful and potentially life-threatening inflammatory condition of the equine hoof, and its detection remains a major challenge in veterinary practice. Although several risk factors have been reported, the prediction of the onset of laminitis in a subclinical stage using routine clinical data is still limited. This study aims to address this gap by developing an interpretable machine learning (ML) framework for the prediction of the risk of laminitis in horses. A point-based risk scoring system was first constructed using multivariate logistic regression to quantify the contribu...
Straight sesamoidean ligament desmopathy commonly occurs with proximal interphalangeal joint osteoarthritis. Proximal interphalangeal joint osteoarthritis (PIPJ OA) is a common cause of poor performance in the equine athlete; however, the supporting soft tissue structures surrounding the joint are seldom evaluated. Straight sesamoidean ligament injuries have been previously hypothesised to be concomitant with PIPJ OA; however, the frequency of these lesions coinciding with PIPJ OA has not been fully investigated. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of straight sesamoidean ligament desmopathy (SSLD) in horses presenting with PIPJ OA. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: Horses presenti...
Improving Inclusivity in the Curriculum via the Introduction of an Equine Industry-Specific Language eGlossary. The equine veterinary profession is frequently considered inaccessible to veterinary students who have had limited exposure to the equine industry. One of the perceived reasons for this inaccessibility is the use of what is often coined "horsey" language within the industry. If a student has limited experience of the equine industry, there is a potential language barrier to teaching, which may result in poor engagement with equine teaching and placements. The aim of this Teaching Tip is to describe the development and evaluation of a new teaching resource designed to demystify equine industry-...
Comparative clinical and thermographic responses to dexamethasone and saline solution mesotherapy in horses with spinal disorders. Back pain and spinal dysfunction in horses are multifactorial conditions frequently associated with musculoskeletal alterations that may impair mobility, performance, and welfare. Mesotherapy has emerged as a minimally invasive adjunctive approach for managing musculoskeletal disorders; however, comparative clinical responses to different intradermal protocols in equine spinal conditions remain insufficiently investigated. The present study aims to compare the clinical and thermographic responses of two mesotherapy protocols in horses diagnosed with cervical or thoracolumbar spinal disorders. ...
Inertial measurement units are comparable to motion capture for measuring intersegmental spinal angular velocities in horses. To compare inertial measurement unit (IMU)-derived intersegmental spinal motion data with measurements obtained from a marker-based motion-capture system. Unassigned: 4 horses were instrumented with custom marker clusters incorporating a 3-D-printed base designed to secure the IMU, ensuring both systems recorded data from the same anatomical location and orientation. A total of 3,737 paired time points across 37 gait cycles were analyzed. Agreement in intersegmental angular velocities across 3 planes of motion was evaluated using Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficients. U...
Diagnostic criteria for equine thoracolumbar myofascial pain syndrome: A foundational study. Diagnostic criteria for myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) are well established in humans but remain underexplored in horses. This study aimed to identify which MPS clinical signs were present in the equine thoracolumbar region, assess internal coherence among clinical indicators, and explore the diagnostic relevance of owner-reported behavioural, signalment, management, and clinical variables. A population of 120 horses underwent a static physical assessment of the thoracolumbar region. Owner-reported horse behaviours were collected through a questionnaire. Taut band, hypersensitive spot, local t...
Jejunocecostomy in horses-a review of its unique complexities. Jejunocecostomy (JC), or jejunocecal anastomosis, is arguably the most controversial surgical procedure in equine small intestinal surgery. It is also the only option for resection and anastomosis for a third of small intestinal strangulating lesions in horses. Critics of the procedure identify its low survival and high complication rates as reasons to avoid its use. This review is intended to highlight findings of recent research and clinical studies that validate use of the JC, and to provide some insights into technical aspects of the procedure that might improve its survival rates. Jejunoc...
Physiological Evaluation of Quarter Horses Undergoing Five-Month Taming Focused on Hippotherapy. Preparing horses for hippotherapy programs requires management approaches that prioritize animal welfare and facilitate adaptation to novel stimuli. This study monitored physiological responses during the implementation of a progressive taming protocol for Quarter Horses intended for hippotherapy. Seven animals were monitored over a five-month period, including an acclimation phase and three taming stages. Continuous heart rate, plasma cortisol concentration, and ocular infrared thermography were assessed before and after exercise. Baseline ( = 0.0466) and minimum ( = 0.0095) heart rate values...
Validation of a smart textile electrocardiographic monitoring device in racehorses during high-speed exercise. Exercise-associated cardiac arrhythmias may contribute to poor performance and sudden cardiac death in horses. Widespread monitoring is limited by device availability and suitability for field use. Objective: To (1) compare electrocardiographic (ECG) quality from a smart textile system (Myant Skiin Equine) with a reference device (Televet II) during exercise, and (2) evaluate whether arrhythmia detection with Myant Skiin Equine is comparable to the Televet II. Methods: Prospective blinded clinical study. Methods: Fifty racehorses (25 Thoroughbreds, 25 Standardbreds) underwent up to three high-...
Screening Equine Skin and Mucous Membranes for Carriage of Coagulase-Positive Staphylococci. Commensal populations of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. (CoPS) in healthy horses are not well-defined. Objective: To determine the point prevalence, anatomical distribution, antimicrobial susceptibility and genomic characteristics of CoPS in healthy horses. Methods: One-hundred and fifty privately owned, systemically healthy horses from seven facilities were enrolled in this study. Methods: Horses were sampled from the nares, buccal mucosa and three skin sites. Isolates were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and antimicrobial...
Effect of exercise-related nasopharyngeal disorders on upper airway function in racehorses. Exercise-related upper respiratory tract (URT) disorders are frequently diagnosed in racehorses. Treatment recommendations are routinely based on subjective assessment of clinical evaluation and exercising endoscopy findings. Objective: To objectively investigate how palatal instability (PI), intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (iDDSP), alar fold collapse (AFC), and nasopharyngeal collapse (NPC) affect upper airway function during exercise in racehorses. Methods: Observational study with case-control comparisons. Methods: Inspiratory and expiratory tracheal pressures (cmHO) wer...
Smartphone-Based Technologies in Equine Sports Medicine: Supporting Athlete Management-A Review. Equine sports medicine is increasingly oriented toward objective, field-based monitoring systems that support both performance optimization and welfare assessment. In this context, smartphone-based technologies have emerged as accessible tools capable of integrating data acquisition, processing, and interpretation within a single platform. This narrative review aims to examine the role of smartphones in equine sports medicine, focusing on their function as standalone sensing devices and as gateways for wearable and external sensor systems. The analysis is based on a structured synthesis of cur...
Detecting and measuring respiratory events in horses during exercise with a microphone: deep learning vs. standard signal processing. Monitoring respiration parameters such as respiratory rate could be beneficial to understand the impact of training on equine health and performance and ultimately improve equine welfare. In this work, we compare deep learning-based methods to an adapted signal processing method to automatically detect cyclic respiratory events and extract the dynamic respiratory rate from microphone recordings during high-intensity exercise in Standardbred trotters. Results: Our deep learning models are able to detect exhalation sounds (median F1 score of 0.94) in noisy microphone signals and show promising r...
Outcome of keratoma removal using different surgical techniques, including a modified partial hoof wall resection: A retrospective study (2004-2025). Keratomas are diseases of the equine hoof that can be associated with intermittent lameness and/or recurrent foot abscesses. Different surgical techniques for keratoma removal have been described. The aim of this retrospective study was to report the short- and long-term postoperative complications after keratoma removal using different surgical techniques: complete hoof wall resection (CR), partial hoof wall resection (PR) and a modified version of PR (MPR). The medical records of horses diagnosed with keratoma and space occupying lesion (SOL) of the hoof wall (2004-2025) at a Veterinary Teac...
Meta-Analysis and Physiologically-Based Modeling of the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Dexamethasone in Horses. Dexamethasone (DEX) is widely used in equine practice for its potent anti-inflammatory effects and diverse studies have examined its pharmacology in horses. We integrated all available pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data from 12 studies to quantify DEX disposition and endocrine effects in horses. Methods: DEX concentrations in blood, urine and synovial fluid, plus cortisol (CTS) and glucose (GLU) in plasma, following various administration routes (intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), intra-articular, oral) were available from original studies or digitized from literature. A mi...
Circulating Elements in the Bloodstream of Growing Foals: Focus on Heavy Metals and Bone Remodeling Across Growth Stages. Bone tissue undergoes continuous remodelling throughout the life of the individual, and growth is the most impacting phase. In fact, tightly coordinated processes of resorption, synthesis, and mineralization of the bone matrix under systemic hormonal, biomechanical, and metabolic control occur for variable periods of time across species. The horse is a fast-growing animal and for this reason identified as precocial. It was hypothesized that blood serum levels of minerals in growing foals at different stages of accretion may vary over time. This investigation aimed to assess the dynamics of cir...
Polygenic Prediction of Equestrian Sport Discipline Among Horses Bred for Jumping and Dressage. Horses bred for different equestrian sports vary in physical, physiological and behavioural requirements. Characterising genetic markers associated with discipline provides an opportunity to improve identification of horses best suited to either jumping or dressage. Using a composite selection signals test, genomic regions under positive selection in German warmblood horses divergent for discipline were identified that contained lead SNPs proximal to or within genes with functions relevant to the requirements for jumping and dressage. Dressage genes function in tortuosity of movement (GRM5) an...
Gross and Histopathologic Comparison of the Distal Third Metacarpal Bone and the Proximal First Phalanx with Sodium Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography Radiopharmaceutical Uptake in Five Horses. Injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint are a major cause of morbidity and catastrophic fracture in racing horses, yet early osseous pathology is often difficult to detect using conventional imaging. This pilot study aimed to correlate sodium fluoride Positron Emission Tomography (F-NaF PET) radiopharmaceutical uptake with gross and histopathologic changes in the distal third metacarpal bone (MC3) and proximal first phalanx (P1). Five horses (three racing Thoroughbreds with fetlock injury and two non-racing controls) underwent ante-mortem F-NaF PET and cone-beam CT imaging (CBCT), followed b...
Differences in Stride Characteristics Between Lead and Wheel Horses in Competitive Chuckwagon Racing. In Chuckwagon racing, teams of four Thoroughbreds with two lead horses in front and two wheel horses directly behind pull a 600 kg wagon around a racetrack. Our study focuses on stride parameters that have previously retrospectively predicted impending injuries. We hypothesize that in aid of the initiation of the tight figure-of-eight turn at the start of the race, the more agile lead horses gallop with higher stride frequency (SF) and reduced stride length (SL), and that differences are exacerbated in the initial accelerative race segments. Methods: Speed, SF, and SL were quantified with glob...
Phage Therapy for a Refractory and Multidrug-resistant Equine Surgical Site Infection. A 14-year-old American Quarter Horse mare developed a refractory deep surgical site infection following emergency celiotomy for acute right dorsal large colon displacement with 180° volvulus. Initial cultures revealed a high-burden polymicrobial infection with and , associated with delayed healing, and later followed by multidrug-resistant , further limiting therapeutic options. Phage therapy was initiated using a customized lytic phage cocktail administered topically on a daily basis over a 35-day period, with cocktail composition guided by daily wound culture results. Phage therapy markedl...
Mastication characterization of horses fed bermudagrass hay in a two-part field study. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) is a common forage in the southeastern United States but remains controversial in equine diets due to reported associations with impaction colic. Reduced fiber digestibility has been proposed as a contributing factor, however differences in mastication of fine-stemmed bermudagrass hay have not been studied and may play a role in digestive disturbances. Objective: To compare chewing characteristics, including chews per unit weight and chews per minute, in horses consuming bermudagrass hay compared to other common hay types. Methods: Two studies were conducted....
