"Horses" is a broad topic that encompasses various aspects of equine biology, behavior, and management. This category includes studies on the anatomy, physiology, and genetics of horses, as well as their behavior, nutrition, and care. Research in this area may also cover the historical and cultural significance of horses, their roles in agriculture, sport, and therapy, and the challenges associated with their conservation and welfare. The page aggregates peer-reviewed research articles and scholarly studies that explore the multifaceted relationships between humans and horses, examining both scientific and socio-economic perspectives.
Palmer SE, Passmore JL.Thirty-nine unilateral cryptorchid horses were castrated, using a midline scrotal ablation technique. This approach was satisfactory to access both inguinal rings, to eliminate the need for 2 incisions, and to allow for completion of the surgery by primary closure. These horses recovered from surgery with few complications, returned to work promptly, and had excellent cosmetic results.
Ziemer EL, Parker HR, Carlson GP, Smith BP, Ishizaki G.An 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare and a 2-year-old Quarter Horse colt with clinical diagnoses of renal tubular acidosis (RTA) were donated to the University of California Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. A series of diagnostic tests was performed in an attempt to characterize the type and cause of RTA in these horses. Endogenous creatinine clearance and sodium sulfanilate clearance were within reference ranges; thus, no abnormality of glomerular function was detected. To assess renal tubular function in response to acid loading, each horse was given 0.1 g of NH4Cl/kg of body weight via na...
Horenstein AL, Glait HM, Koss A.A monoclonal anti-equine infectious anemia virus (anti-EIAV) antibody (1B15) has been generated by fusion of X63 Ag 8.653 myeloma cells and spleen cells from mice hypersensitized with viral antigen p29. Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis indicated that antibody 1B15 is of the IgG class. The specificity of the immune reaction for p29 was confirmed by cross-over immunoelectrophoresis and disc-gel electrophoresis. MAb 1B15 was used to devise a solid-phase 'capture' RIA for EIAV-p29 antigen. The antigen, bound by 1B15 adsorbed onto wells of flexible microtitre plates, was detected using a rabbi...
Bowman KF, Sweeney CL, Tate LP.A medial condylar fracture of the third metatarsal bone in a 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly was repaired successfully by use of compression bone plating. At discharge from the hospital, thickening of the metatarsus was evident, and proliferative changes were associated with the site of bone plate application. It was expected that these changes would limit the filly's use as a racehorse, and a return to training was not recommended. Especially in horses that may return to racing, use of compression bone plating initially should not replace stall rest or lag screw fixation treatment of this type ...
Schumacher J, Hanrahan L.An excessively long ileal stump, the result of a previous jejunocecostomy, had intussuscepted into the cecum and subsequently obstructed the cecocolic orifice of a 12-year-old Quarter Horse mare. Clinical signs were dehydration, ileus, and endotoxemia. The diagnosis was made at necropsy.
Szymanski CM.Enlargement of the left eye, corneal opacification, and blindness were clinical signs of a teratoid medulloepithelioma in a 5-year-old Standardbred mare. Diagnosis was made on histologic examination of the enucleated eye. Medulloepitheliomas are congenital intraocular tumors arising from primitive ciliary body epithelium. Their development is rare in domestic animals.
De Cock AW, Mendoza L, Padhye AA, Ajello L, Kaufman L.Pythium insidiosum sp. nov., the etiologic agent of pythiosis, a cosmopolitan disease of horses, cattle, and dogs, is described and illustrated.
Moll HD, Slone DE, Humburg JM, Jagar JE.Three horses and three ponies were treated for traumatic luxation of the proximal intertarsal or tarsometatarsal joint. In each case, there were fractures of one or more tarsal bones. Three of the animals had disruption of one of the collateral ligaments. Five animals were treated by closed reduction and external coaptation. One pony was treated by open curettage, a cancellous bone graft, and cast immobilization. No internal fixation was used in any of these animals. From this series of cases, it would appear that closed reduction and external coaption alone is adequate treatment for most case...
Amann JF, Smith RM, Ganjam VK, Paull WK, McClure RC, Green EM, Garner HE.The distribution of cells that stain positive for beta-endorphin and ACTH immunoreactivity was studied in the pars intermedia (PI) of the hypophysis in 3 healthy horses and 2 healthy ponies. Serial sections treated with commercial antibodies generated against beta-endorphin or ACTH were processed for immunocytochemical studies, using the avidin biotin immunoperoxidase-complex method. Distribution patterns of cells reacting with antibodies were similar in cells from all equids. Cells immunostained for ACTH were numerous and widely distributed in the PI. Cells immunopositive for ACTH probably co...
Stick JA, Chou CC, Derksen FJ, Arden WA.Isolated jejunal segments were perfused at a constant blood flow rate to determine simultaneously the effects of xylazine on intestinal vascular resistance, motility, compliance, and oxygen consumption in 12 anesthetized ponies. Xylazine was infused into the artery perfusing the intestinal segment (group 1), or into the jugular vein as a single IV bolus (group 2), or 3 times as IV boluses repeated at 10-minute intervals (group 3). Dose-response curves in group 1 indicated a biphasic response to the drug with vasoconstriction, increased motility, and increased oxygen consumption at lower doses ...
Grandy JL, Steffey EP, Hodgson DS, Woliner MJ.The effect of halothane-induced hypotension on the development of postanesthetic myopathy was studied, using 6 healthy adult horses. Horses were anesthetized with halothane in oxygen for 3.5 hours on each of 2 occasions. Intermittent positive-pressure ventilation was used to maintain PaCO2 of 45 to 55 mm of Hg throughout both anesthetic exposures. By regulating the inspired halothane concentration, a mean arterial blood pressure of 85 to 95 mm of Hg (normotension) was maintained throughout the 1st anesthetic exposure, and a mean arterial blood pressure of 55 to 65 mm of Hg (hypotension) was ma...
Hansen PJ, Hoggard MP, Rathwell AC.The ability of stallion seminal plasma to modify phagocytosis of spermatozoa and Streptococcus zooepidemicus was examined. Phagocytosis was monitored indirectly as the H2O2 produced by peripheral blood leukocytes after addition of spermatozoa or bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide production after addition of ejaculated spermatozoa was greater (P less than 0.01) than after addition of epididymal sperm. Furthermore, pre-incubation of epididymal sperm with 6.25-50% seminal plasma caused a dose-dependent increase in subsequent H2O2 production by leukocytes (P less than 0.05). In addition, equine serum wa...
Brownlie SE.The Chiltern Box is a small electrocardiograph designed for home monitoring of human patients. Its veterinary application has been investigated in the dog, the cat and the horse. It has been useful in the diagnosis of previously undiagnosed dysrhythmias in dogs showing signs of exercise intolerance and syncope.
Eckersall PD, Harvey MJ.A commerical kit designed to measure the concentration of progesterone in bovine plasma using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been assessed for measuring progesterone in the plasma of horses, sheep and dogs. Without validation, an immunoassay developed for progesterone in one species should not be used to measure progesterone in the plasma of other species. The kit was assessed by using the criteria of parallelism to a standard curve, the recovery of added progesterone, the correlation with an established radioimmunoassay and the detection of physiological change for each of t...
Ducharme NG, Burton JH, van Dreumel AA, Horney FD, Baird JD, Arighi M.The nutritional implications and adaptive processes resulting from resection of 75% of the length of the large colon in ponies were investigated. Ten ponies in good physical condition were divided into two groups: six in the experimental group and four in the control group. During the sixth postoperative month, two digestibility studies were conducted, and phosphate fractional renal excretion and serum biochemical profiles were determined in both groups. The ponies (N = 10) were euthanized six months postoperatively, and gross and histopathological examinations were performed. Results of the s...
Bertone AL, Stashak TS, Sullins KE, Ralston SL.Ten normal horses had approximately 95% of the length of the large colon resected with a side-to-side anastomosis between right ventral and right dorsal colon performed with surgical stapling equipment. Four horses died shortly after surgery of colitis (1 horse) or failure of the TA 90 transection staple line (3 horses). Another horse died 4 months after surgery from disseminated streptococcal infection but had recovered well from the colon resection. Five horses survived long term (18 months) with no clinical evidence of adverse effects of the resection. Surviving horses had weight loss and s...
Bernoco M, Liu IK, Wuest-Ehlert CJ, Miller ME, Bowers J.Chemotactic and phagocytic responsiveness of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) from 11 foals were analysed immediately after birth (pre-colostral) and at different times after colostrum ingestion. The number of foal PMNLs per microscopic field that had migrated through the filter in chemotaxis and the number of yeast particles ingested per foal PMNL in phagocytosis were significantly lower when tested with foal plasma before colostrum ingestion (chemotaxis, 2.0 +/- 0.55 (s.e.m.); phagocytosis, 0.98 +/- 0.352) than in tests 4 or more days after colostrum ingestion (chemotaxi...
van Gurp M, Schamhardt HC, Crowe A.A model consisting of a spring loaded by a time-dependent mass is presented simulating the vertical and longitudinal horizontal ground reaction force patterns obtained from the hindlimb of a walking horse.
Lowe JE, Foote RH, Baldwin BH, Hillman RB, Kallfelz FA.Three Quarter-horse mares were thyroidectomized at about 1.5 years of age. Three similar intact mares served as controls. The study continued through two breeding seasons. The thyroidectomized mares were lethargic, rear limbs were oedematous and hair coats were coarse. They displayed a tranquil oestrous behaviour when exposed to a stallion and were only mildly antagonistic when not in oestrus. Length of oestrous cycles varied but most often they were 19-24 days long. Duration of oestrus (mean +/- s.e.m.) for the control and thyroidectomized mares was 12.9 +/- 2.9 and 11.7 +/- 2.2 days respecti...
Moore JN, Mahaffey EA, Zboran M.Heparin was administered subcutaneously 2 times a day for 4 days to 5 horses. An additional group of 5 horses was used as time-matched controls. Significant decreases in PCV, erythrocyte count, and hemoglobin concentration were observed during heparin therapy. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of the heparin-treated horses increased to a peak value of 66.1 fl on the last day of treatment. Erythrocyte creatine concentration and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity increased moderately during the treatment. These data indicated that the rapid, profound increase in MCV during heparin therap...
Reif JS, Webb PA, Monath TP, Emerson JK, Poland JD, Kemp GE, Cholas G.In 1982-1983, an epizootic of vesicular stomatitis occurred in the western United States. Veterinarians, research workers, and regulatory personnel who were exposed to vesicular stomatitis virus were examined for patterns of human infection and prevalence of vesicular stomatitis New Jersey serotype neutralizing antibody. Insight into the mechanism of transmission was sought by comparing activities of antibody-positive and antibody-negative persons. A statistically significant risk factor was a history of infected animals sneezing in the face of serosurvey participants. Elevated odds ratios wer...
Marsan C, Goff AK, Sirois J, Betteridge KJ.Horse conceptuses were recovered non-surgically at Day 12-Day 15 and were dissociated with collagenase. Separation of the cells on a 31.8% Percoll gradient gave two bands of cells and indirect evidence suggests that the low density cells (LDC) are endoderm and the higher density cells (HDC) are trophectoderm. Each band was incubated for 24 h in Minimum Essential Medium and concentrations of oestradiol and progesterone in the medium were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The LDC secreted predominately progesterone (log oestradiol/progesterone = -0.994 +/- 0.141; N = 15) whereas the HDC secret...
Platt H.A series of 9 cases of primary diffuse alimentary lymphoma of the equine small intestine is described. Clinically, the principal effects were attributable to malabsorption and disordered alimentary function and several cases had severe anaemia; in four this was of the haemolytic type. Hypoalbuminaemia and elevated gamma globulin levels were often present. The neoplasms were confined mainly to the small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes, sometimes with some involvement of other lymph nodes as well. The large bowel was affected in one horse, but none of the cases showed detectable invasion of...
Miller CL, Todhunter R.Osteochondrosis affecting the acetabula in horses is rarely reported. Osteochondrosis dissecans in foals only a few weeks old is also an uncommon finding. Lesions compatible with osteochondrosis dissecans in the acetabulum were found to be the cause of a chronic coxofemoral lameness in a 3-week-old Arabian filly. The history, physical examination findings, joint fluid analysis, gross pathologic and histopathologic findings are described.
Watson ED, Stokes CR, David JS, Bourne FJ, Ricketts SW.Intrauterine infusion of 1 per cent oyster glycogen solution was used to induce acute endometritis in four genitally normal mares. Numbers of viable neutrophils recovered in uterine washings had increased by 1 h after infusion and remained elevated for at least 72 h. There was a significant correlation between numbers of viable neutrophils and total protein concentrations and between prostaglandin (PG)F and PGE2 concentrations in washings. There was also a significant relationship between concentrations of 15-keto-13, 14-dihydro PGF2 alpha in plasma and PGF in washings. Intrauterine concentrat...
Cooley AJ, Reinhard MK, Gross TL, Fadok VA, Levy M.Widespread cutaneous papules in a yearling Standardbred filly were attributed by light and electron microscopic examination to molluscum contagiosum. Concomitant granulomatous enteritis, suspected clinically due to protein-losing enteropathy, was verified histopathologically. An associated altered altered immune response is suggested as the reason for the widespread poxvirus infection.
Murphy CJ, Howland HC.One factor peculiar to the practice of comparative ophthalmoscopy is the very large variation in ocular size of the animals examined, a factor which is ignored in current textbook treatments of the subject. We have computed values of lateral magnification, axial magnification, angular field of view and linear field of view for 19 species of terrestrial vertebrates. The dimensional value of a 1 diopter change in direct ophthalmoscopic focus was also determined. The anterior focal length of the eye in air and the vitreal refractive index were the intrinsic optical parameters of the animal's eye ...
Sweeney CR, Tomasic M, Russell GE.The effect of inhaled nitric oxide on pulmonary mechanics was studied in normal standing horses with histamine-induced bronchoconstriction. The respiratory health status of 6 normal horses was established on the basis of history, clinical and bronchoalveolar lavage examination. Intrathoracic pressures were estimated using distal oesophageal pressures. Respiratory gas flows were measured using a heated pneumotachograph. Pulmonary mechanics variables were determined from these measurements on a breath by breath basis. Bronchoconstriction was induced by nebulizing a 0.75% w/v solution of histamin...
Ortolani F, Nannarone S, Sforna M, Gialletti R, Giglia G, Mandara MT.A 10-year-old Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (KWPN, Netherlands-based organization for registration of the Dutch Warmblood horses) mare was evaluated three times over four months because of recurrent colic. At every referral, a physical examination revealed a small colon impaction, which partially responded to food deprivation and oral administration of water and magnesium sulphate. Due to the recurrent nature of the small colon impaction, several differential diagnoses were considered: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic salmonellosis and myenteric ganglionopathies. At f...
Peitzmeier MD, Koontz ZD, Lynch TM, Hughes FE, Slone DE.This retrospective study provides long-term results of medial patellar ligament (MPL) desmoplasty in horses with intermittent upward fixation of the patella (UFP) that were treated at a single referral hospital over a 7-year period. Follow-up interviews were conducted with owners, trainers, or referring veterinarians using a standardized questionnaire. Overall, 71% of horses returned to their intended use with only 18% at a higher level. Recurrence of UFP was noted in 33% of cases. Satisfaction with the procedure was generally low, with only 50% of owners being completely satisfied. Further in...
Derham AM, Johnson JP, Kearney CM, O'Leary JM.This case report demonstrates the use of a 10-hole 2.7-mm locking compression plate (LCP) to repair a depressed, comminuted fracture of the zygomatic process of the frontal bone, in a foal. LCP fixation resulted in excellent cosmesis. The use of LCP fixation in this region has not been previously described.
Smith MR, Wright IM.A minimally invasive arthroscopic technique for removal of fractures of the lateral malleolus of the tibia is considered to be beneficial but data to this effect are required. Objective: Arthroscopic removal of fractures of the lateral malleolus of the tibia is technically feasible, provides a comprehensive evaluation of the tarsocrural joint and enables removal of remote comminuted fragments and disrupted short collateral ligaments. The technique is associated with low patient morbidity, requires only short periods of hospitalisation and affords a good prognosis to affected horses. Methods: T...
Beech J.The emphasis of this article is on the clinical application of drugs in therapy for treatment of disorders of the lower respiratory tract. Medications discussed include those used to enhance clearance of secretions and those employed to prevent and/or alleviate bronchoconstriction. Antimicrobial agents and respiratory stimulants are briefly mentioned.
Hu D, Tang Y, Wang C, Qi Y, Ente M, Li X, Zhang D, Li K, Chu H.The microbiota and its metabolites play an important role in regulating the host metabolism and immunity. However, the underlying mechanism is still not well studied. Thus, we conducted the LC-MS/MS analysis and RNA-seq analysis on with and without horse botfly infestation to determine the metabolites produced by intestinal microbiota in feces and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the immune response in blood and attempted to link them together. The results showed that parasite infection could change the composition of microbial metabolites. These identified metabolites could b...
Witherington DH.The post-race heart rates have been recorded in 1,000 Thoroughbreds following Flat, Hurdle and Steeplechase races in varying climatic conditions and on 54 different British racecourses. The post-race deceleration of the heart rate, under racecourse conditions, was marked by an apparent three-phase recovery period. Reference is made to the normal heart sounds and to the relationship between the heart and respiratory rates.
Stieger-Vanegas SM, Kippenes-Skogmo H, Nilsson E.An enostosis-like lesion was diagnosed in the left femur of a Swedish Warmblood horse that had a left hindlimb lameness of 3 weeks duration. With scintigraphy using technetium 99m-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (99mTc-HDP) a marked regional focal increase in radioactivity was identified in the medullary cavity of the left femur. Radiographically there was a corresponding focal increase in bone opacity in the middiaphysis of the left femur. Histopathologically, a 5cm area of bone matrix was present in the diaphysis of the left femur and confirmed as an enostosis-like lesion. Enostosis-like lesi...
Lloyd KC, Kelly AB, Dunlop CI.A foal born 3 weeks prematurely was treated for respiratory distress, using a combination of oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilatory assistance. Clinical response and arterial blood gas tensions were monitored regularly. Continuous positive-airway pressure and intermittent positive-pressure ventilation administered via a nasotracheal tube were effective in improving arterial oxygenation and ventilatory function.
Martins EA, Silva LC, Baccarin RY.The objective of this study was to evaluate, through ultrasonography, the effect of medial patellar desmotomy. Middle patellar desmitis, enthesophytes in the patella, and irregularities in the cartilage of the femoral trochlear groove were observed. Medial patellar desmotomy leads to lesions in the stifle, and restriction of movement does not prevent these lesions from occurring. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer, par échographie, l’effet d’une desmotomie du ligament médial de la rotule. Une desmite du ligament médial de la rotule, des enthésophytes dans la rotule et de...
Smith DF.The pathophysiology, diagnostic evaluation and medical management of the horse with intestinal obstruction is outlined. Emphasis is on early and accurate determination of the need for surgery and on providing optimal preoperative medical support.
Smyth GB, Duran S, Ravis W, Clark CR.Histamine type II (H2) antagonists inhibit gastric acid secretion and are useful in treating gastric and duodenal ulcer disease. To provide some information on the pharmacokinetics of the H2 antagonist cimetidine, adult horses were given 3.3 mg/kg cimetidine intravenously (iv) or 3.3 and 10 mg/kg orally. Plasma cimetidine concentrations after 3.3 mg/kg orally were too low to measure. Following 3.3 mg/kg iv, cimetidine displayed two-compartment characteristics with a t1/2 of 0.083 +/- 0.039 h and t1/2 of 2.23 +/- 0.64 h. The total body clearance was 0.443 +/- 0.160 litre/h/kg and the mean resid...
Dusek J, Munk Z.In a set of mares of English Thoroughbred horse of the Napajedla stock the gravidity length in the time period from 1880 to 1972 was evaluated. The variability of the gravidity length was evaluated in sets which were put together by combination of two age groups with a division of the studied time period into ten-year stages. Variance and sample means of the gravidity lengths in these sub-groups are significantly different in the period under study. In order to eliminate the action of non-genetic influences qualifying the variability of the gravidity length, and to increase the objectivity of ...
Altmeyer P, Holzmann H, Stöhr L, Koch HJ.White horses are subject to age-dependent coat depigmentation. They are dark gray or black at birth and lose their coloring between their second and fourth year. Beginning at about age 10 their coat takes on a characteristic silver-gray coloring. The purpose of this paper was to find out to what extent the endogenic alpha-MSH level changes with the change in pigmentation. alpha-MSH plasma levels were determined by radioimmunologic analysis in 3 age groups of white Camarque horses: age group 1 consisted of dark horses with a mean age of 1.2 years and a mean alpha-MSH level of 106.4 pg/ml +/- 18...
Bayly WM, Grant BD, Modransky PD.Arterial blood samples were collected during maximal exercise over 1.6 km in a thoroughbred horse with left laryngeal hemiplegia. Acid-base and blood gas measurements were performed on each sample and compared to the results from samples which were similarly collected 48 hours after laryngoplasty surgery was performed. Before surgery, the PaO2 was 53.2 mm Hg and the PaCO2 was 58.1 mm Hg after 1.6 km. After surgery, the corresponding results were 83.6 mm Hg (PaO2) and 39.0 mm Hg (PaCO2). There was no significant difference in the times taken for each gallop. The exercise intolerance associated ...
Neuhauser S, Gösele P, Handler J.During the peripartal period, interpretation of basic clinical signs may be challenging. In the present study, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and body temperature (BT) were evaluated in healthy mares of different breed types and compared to reference values for adult horses from the literature. Methods: During daily physical exams of periparturient mares, the HR, RR and BT were evaluated. Differences according to the horse's size were investigated and in large breeds, the influence of dystocia or retained placenta was analysed. Results: During the last weeks before parturition (a. p.),...
McKenzie RA, Gartner RJ, Blaney BJ, Glanville RJ.A supplement system for the control of equine nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (NSH) was evaluated on 4 farms in the Arcadia Valley of the Queensland brigalow region. Thirty-three local stock horses (of which 13 had clinical NSH and 7 were recent introductions) were grazed on buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) for the 6 months from September 1979 to February 1980. Each horse was fed 1.0 kg of a mixture of ground limestone plus dicalcium phosphate (1:2) in 1.5 kg molasses each week. The pasture was hazardous during this time (total oxalate content above 0.5% and calcium: oxalate ratio be...
Leung GN, Tang FP, Wan TS, Wong CH, Lam KK, Stewart BD.This paper describes the application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for in vitro and in vivo studies of 6-OXO in horses, with a special aim to identify the most appropriate target metabolite to be monitored for controlling the administration of 6-OXO in racehorses. In vitro studies of 6-OXO were performed using horse liver microsomes. The major biotransformation observed was reduction of one keto group at the C3 or C6 positions. Three in vitro metabolites, namely 6alpha-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (M1), 3alpha-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-6,17-dione (M2a) and 3beta-hydroxyandrost-...
Fazio F, Assenza A, Crisafulli G, Piccione G, Caola G.The aim of this study was to determine the daily rhythms in the blood serum of homocysteine in horses. Ten thoroughbred horses, five athletic (trained for 1 h, 6 days a week) and five sedentary, were used. Blood samples were collected on each subject every 4 h for two days by means of the jugular vein. On each individual sample, the serum concentration of homocysteine was assessed. The results obtained during the experimental period indicated the existence of a daily rhythm of serum homocysteine in sedentary and athletic horses. They also demonstrated that in horses, physical exercise influenc...