"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.
Hill WK, Weenink-Van Loon CD.Report on the results of serological studies on the species Leptospira interrogans in cattle (19,607), swine (6,348), dogs (182) and horses (88) from the Netherlands during the period from 1969 to 1974. Living cultures of the serotypes of pomona, icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, guidae (Tarassovi serological group), grippotyphosa and sejroe were used as antigen in the micro-agglutination test. The numerical findings showed that antibodies to serotypes of the species Leptospira interrogans were present in 7.67 per cent of the cattle, 22.21 per cent of the pigs, 36.81 per cent of the dogs and 92.0...
Phillips AW, Woodrooffe JG, Courtenay JS, Whitaker AM, Thomas D, Woiwod AJ.Antibodies to cultured human lymphoblasts were raised in horses using a schedule employing both subcutaneous and intravenous routes of injection. Plasma from groups of horses was pooled and the IgG prepared from each pool was tested extensively for safety and immunosuppressive efficacy in vitro and in vivo. On the basis of the results of skin grafting in monkeys, only globulins derived from the first main bleeds were blended to produce a bulk for clinical use. One early pool of globulin was discarded because when undiluted, it was lethal in monkeys by the intravenous route, and another pool wa...
Scott EA, Thrall DE, Sandler GA.Vascular supply of the equine forelimb was partially disrupted by ligation of the medial palmar and medial palmar digital arteries. Vascular architecture was evaluated before and after ligation by angiography. It was apparent from the present study that existing collaterals or newly formed collaterals, or both, were sufficient to maintain limb viability.
Gleeson LJ, Sullivan ND, Studdert MJ.The inoculation of equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV3) strain 65/61 into the amniotic cavity of a mare 6-7 months pregnant resulted in abortion 11 days later. Following abortion typical lesions of coital exanthema were not observed in the genital tract of the mare, nor was EHV3 isolated from her. Serological evidence, however, indicated that the mare was infected with EHV3 following inoculation. Grossly the foetal disease was characterised by placentitis, focal ulcerative dermatitis, focal necrosis of the lungs and a striking diptheritic gastritis. Histological findings were interstitial pneumoni...
Holowka DA, Cathou RE.IgM antibodies specific for the fluorophore epsiolon-1-dimethylamino-5-naphthalenesulfonyl-L-lysine(DNS-lysine) were elicited in the horse and nurse shark by immunization with a DNS-lysine streptococcal conjugate; the antibodies were purified by specific adsorption with an immunoadsorbent followed by gel filtration to select the IgM class (molecular weight 900 000). About 90% of the equine anti-DNS was IgM.DNS-Lysine, when bound in the combining sites of a population of these anti-DNS IgM antigodies from horse and nurse shark, as well as from pig, exhibited a marked fluorescence enhancement an...
Vandeplassche M, Bouters R, Spincemaille J, Bonte P.Eight cases of severe dropsy of the fetal sacs have been observed in mares. All were in multiparous mares whose ages ranged from five to 20 years and who were 7 1/2 to 10 3/4 months pregnant. Abortion started spontaneously in four cases and had to be induced in the remaining four by manual dilation of the cervix, rupture of the tough allantochorion and the siphoning off of 120 to 220 litres of allantoic fluid. The amnion was normal. Dystocia, due to uterine inertia, occurred in all eight cases, one hydrocephalic fetus needing fetotomy. All fetuses were alive at delivery although four were tera...
Merkt H.The use and techniques of artificial insemination for horses in Germany over the last 30 years is described. Artificial insemination appears to produce pregnancy percentages equal to those from normal breeding methods and its continued availability under veterinary supervision is recommended in conditions where disease, disability or distance debar normal service.
Hekmati P, Schels H.Surgical correction of corneal opacities in horses has rarely been documented in detail and is still reported to be in the experimental stage. For this reason, studies of lamellar keratoplasty were conducted on the equine eye using a modified trephine with an adjustable inside quard for grafting of identical discs from the donor and the recipient cornea. Fourteen transplantations, seven with homografts and seven with heterografts, 15 and 9 mm in diameter, were performed. Sharp-edged, vertical, and regular outlined wound margins of the graft and host are essential for good adaptation and healin...
Nitschelm D, Van der Horst CJ.It has been shown that stimulation of the uterus of mares by the daily taking of biopsies can result in the occurrence of oestrous symptoms. This is accompanied by some follicular growth and a progesterone content in the blood often higher than 1 ng/ml. The following observations suggest that this progesterone originates in the uterus and not in the ovaries: (1) no active corpora lutea appeared to be present in the ovaries after ovariectomy, (2) ovariectomized mares showed the same oestrous symptoms in similar experiments and even mating took place, (3) in the uterine biopsies the concentratio...
Reinertson EL.Thirteen horses and ponies were used to evaluate an anastomotic technique utilizing a modified Gambee suture pattern. The modified Gambee technique was compared with a single-row everting technique and a double-row inverting technique. The double-row inverting technique predisposed to intestinal obstruction and resulted in minimal adhesions. The everting technique predisposed to leakage of intestinal contents and subsequent peritonitis. Adhesions were formed at the site of the anastomosis to such an extent as to jeopardize the proper position of the bowel. The technique did not cause any lumin...
Krahwinkel DJ, Merkley DF, Howard DR.Cryosurgery was used to treat a variety of cancerous and noncancerous diseases in dogs, horses, and cats. Follow-up evaluation on 52 animals revealed an overall "no recurrence" rate of 61%. Among the animals with no recurrence were 12 of 17 with cutaneous lesions and 5 of 8 (horses) with sarcoids. Seven of 10 dogs with anal fistulas healed after cryosurgery, but 2 had recurrence of the disease. Treatment of invasive neoplasms of the oral and nasal cavities was not successful. Side effects and complications were minimal.
Wilson TM, Morrison HA, Palmer NC, Finley GG, van Dreumel AA.The clinical, macroscopic, and microscopic features of 10 isolated cases of myodegeneration in foals were compared. Low values for selenium and vitamin E content were found in the hay and oats from one breeding stable. Serum selenium concentrations in mares at this stable were also low. Creatinine phosphokinase and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activities were increased in 2 young foals at this stable; in 1 of these foals, both enzymatic activities were markedly reduced after treatment with vitamin E and selenium. Nutritional myodegeneration was suggested as a diagnosis in this stabl...
Dinter Z, Klingeborn B.Six cases of paresis occurred in a Swedish stud with 48 mares and a stallion. Complement-fixation tests revealed a recent infection with EHV-1 in most horses of the stud. Serumneutralisation tests showed rapid antibody-titre increases during the course of the disease. This type of antibody response was interpreted as induced by reinfection or, possibly, recurrent infection. Two diseased mares were sacrificed. No virus could be isolated from their central nervous system (CNS), liver or spleen, but there is a presumptive evidence for the presence of an antigen specific to EHV-1 in the CNS and li...
Kelly DF, Watson WJ.An aged Connemara mare had a neurological illness lasting 3 weeks and characterised by episodes of dullness, head-pressing, staggering gait and hyperexcitability. The signs recurred at intervals of 3 to 4 days, with intervening periods of apparent normality. Post-mortem examination revealed an epidermoid cyst on the dorsal surface of the occipital lobe of the left cerebral hemisphere. The cyst was lined by stratified squamous epithelium and contained desquamated keratinised material and blood. The lesion is considered to be a congenital malformation which enlarges and produces space-occupying ...
Rosenfeld G, Reichmann CE, Jaria LJ, Andrade SO.Hematological studies were developed on two mares and twelve adults castrate sheeps of "Ideal" breed. The animals had been on a pasture formed with Brachiaria radicans Napper for one and two months respectively. This experiment was developed in winter time, so the leaves of the graminea had a yellow-green color. Clinical and hematological observations were made weekly. The typical symptoms of intoxication failed to present as observed in the former investigation when the plant was green (3). The hematological exames showed only for ovines a slight anemia, it was also characterized as being mac...
Korkeala H, Stabel-Taucher R, Pekkanen TJ.When 33 horse kidneys were tested for the presence of inhibitory substances by the Bacillus subtilis BGA method at pH 8 and the Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 method, 24 were positive and 9 negative. The pH of the seeded M. luteus test medium changed from pH 6.6 before incubation to 8.7 after 24 hours incubation at 30 degrees C. When the same 33 kidneys were tested by the B. subtilis BGA method, medium pH 6, and 15 of them also by the M. luteus method using a medium buffered to pH 6, all were negative. The cadmium concentration of the 33 horse kidneys was found to be 70.17 +/- 81.28 mg/kg wet we...
Brown CM, Sonea I, Nachreiner RF, Obradovich JE.Using commercially available diagnostic reagents, serum immunoreactive gastrin activity was measured in five normal horses that were starved of food and water for 24 hours. Blood samples were taken every 15 minutes for two hours. The horses were then fed a pelleted diet for 15 minutes and samples were taken every 15 minutes for a further two hours. Three further samples were taken at hourly intervals. The total sampling period was seven hours. Basal immunoreactive gastrin activity was lower than that reported in other mammals, ranging from a mean of 7.0 pg/ml to 13.8 pg/ml. At 30, 60 and 75 mi...
Steinman A, Orgad U, Sutton GA.Wet gangrene developed in all 4 limbs following repair of a rupture in the lower urinary tract in a 2-week-old foal. Dehydration and hypoxemia are suspected as the inciting causes of the necrosis.
Rubio-Martínez LM, Vázquez FJ, Romero A, Ormazábal JR.This paper reports on luxation of the elbow joint without concomitant fracture in a 1-month-old foal. Conservative treatment, with closed reduction and full-limb bandaging, including caudal and lateral splints, seemed successful initially, however, failed to provide enough stability and luxation recurred, and open reduction and surgical placement of prosthetic collateral ligaments was required. Luxation of the elbow joint should be considered when acute non-weight bearing forelimb lameness occurs associated with pain and swelling in the area of the elbow in young foals. Closed reduction failed...
Janvier V, Evrard L, Cerri S, Gougnard A, Busoni V.Ultrasonography and radiography are commonly used for staging of lymphoma in horses, however there is little published information on imaging characteristics for horses with confirmed disease. The purpose of this retrospective, case series study was to describe ultrasonographic and radiographic findings for a group of horses with a confirmed diagnosis of lymphoma. A total of 13 horses were sampled. Lymphadenopathy (8/13), peritoneal effusion (6/13), splenic (6/13), and hepatic (5/13) lesions were the most frequently identified. The predominant splenic and hepatic ultrasonographic lesions were ...
Reinecke RK, Loots LJ, Reinecke PM.Dichlorvos in a special slow release formulation at 31 mg/kg body mass in equines was highly effective against all adult strongyles and Oxyuris equi, Parascaris equorum, Probstmayria vivipara and bots of Gasterophilus spp. It has no effect on 4th stage larvae of Trichonema ssp. nor the stomach worms Draschia megastoma and Habronema spp. Doses of dichlorovos 10 and 20 times the therapeutic dose (310 and 620 mg/kg body mass) caused transient clinical signs but these disappeared 96 hours after dosing.
Hertzsch R, Emmerich IU, Lachenmeier DW, Sproll C, Monakhova YB, Aboling S, Bachmann U, Vervuert I.Opioid alkaloids were identified in the urine of horses during an anti-doping control and in a case of intoxication. In both cases, it was suspected that the horses had ingested poppy-contaminated feed. To verify this suspicion, possible opioid alkaloid sources in Germany were identified through a literature research. Additionally, the contaminated feed was botanically and chemically analysed. The results indicated that both cases were most probably caused by the poppy in the feed. This highlights the previously underestimated risk of an intake of poppy-contaminated feed in horses. Recommendat...
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Dolan M, Cargill C, Martin F, Davenport P, Franks D, Lightfoot J.A bacteriological and serological survey for evidence of contagious equine metritis (CEM) was made during the 1980 breeding season on 3 horse studs in South Australia with a history of previous infection. Swabs from the clitoral sinus and the cervix were cultured for Haemophilus equigenitalis and serum was screened for antibody using the complement fixation test (CFT) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The specificity of both tests was greater than 0.99 but the ELISA was more sensitive in detecting antibody in infected mares. On the evidence presented it was concluded that H. e...
Keller P, Hudders L, Decloedt A.Complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) is increasingly popular in horses. As CAVM usage could have risks, client-veterinarian communication about CAVM is crucial. Objective: Evaluating equine veterinarians' attitude towards CAVM, their CAVM usage and veterinarian-client communication about CAVM. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A telephone survey was conducted among equine veterinarians providing ambulatory care on a daily or weekly basis. The first section of the survey included questions about the veterinarians' attitude towards CAVM and their CAVM usage. The second...
Spriet M, Espinosa-Mur P, Zhang X, Berg E, Bec J, Katzman S, Galuppo L.The combination of F-Sodium Fluoride ( F-NaF) and F-FluoroDeoxyGlucose ( F-FDG) for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the equine foot is appealing for detection of both osseous and soft tissue lesions in a single scan. As the combination of tracers could lead to a loss of information, a sequential approach, consisting in imaging with one tracer prior to injecting the second tracer, might be valuable. The goals of this prospective, methods comparison, exploratory study were to establish the order of tracer injection and timing for imaging. Six research horses were imaged under...
Sojka JE, Levy M.This article outlines strategies on how to approach equine endocrine disorders based on clinical signs and clinical pathologic data. In the 1987 Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice article on evaluating equine endocrine function, Beech stated that the numbers of hormonal assays available to use in horses was limited. Unfortunately, not much has changed since then. With the advent of convenient assay kits for many hormones and cofactors available in human medicine, it is possible to submit samples to laboratories for measurement of a wide range of endogenous substances. Caution...