Pain management in horses involves various strategies and interventions designed to alleviate discomfort and improve the well-being of equine patients. It encompasses pharmacological approaches, such as the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and other analgesics, as well as non-pharmacological methods like physical therapy, acupuncture, and environmental modifications. Effective pain management aims to address both acute and chronic pain conditions, which can result from injuries, surgeries, or diseases such as laminitis and arthritis. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, efficacy, and safety of different pain management techniques in horses, contributing to the understanding and advancement of equine veterinary care.
Hopster K, Watkins AR, Hurcombe SD.To compare the antinociceptive effects of morphine administered via cervical epidural catheter to intravenously administered morphine using a thermal threshold (TT) testing model in healthy adult horses. Methods: Prospective, randomized, blinded experimental study. Methods: A total of six university-owned adult horses. Methods: Horses were instrumented with a cervical (C1-C2) epidural catheter and TT testing device with probes at withers and thoracic limb coronary bands. All horses underwent three TT testing cycles including cervical epidural morphine administration (treatment EpiM; 0.1 mg kg-...
Azizi S, Masoudi H.Colic is a clinical syndrome and has been defined as a visceral abdominal pain and/or acute abdominal disease. It is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in horses. The most common forms of colics are related to gastrointestinal tract in nature and most often linked to colonic disturbances. However, colics are not well understood in donkeys compared to those of in horses and the literature is poor regarding bowel strangulating obstruction in donkeys. This report described the clinical signs and post-mortem necropsy findings of an abdominal colic due to the left colon volvulus following a ...
Dyson S, Pollard D.The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) was applied to 1010 competition starts at British Eventing (BE) 90, 100 and Novice one-day events and compared with performance. The overall median RHpE score was 4/24 (IQR 2,6; range 0,12). There were moderate positive correlations between RHpE scores and dressage penalties (Spearman’s rho = 0.508, 0.468, 0.491, all p < 0.001 for BE 90, 100 and Novice, respectively). There were weak positive correlations between RHpE scores and final placings (Spearman’s rho = 0.157, p = 0.033, BE90; rho = 0.263, p < 0.001, BE 100; rho = 0.123, p = 0.035, Novice). In ...
Sellon DC, Sanz M, Kopper JJ.Little is known about the acquisition and use of equine analgesic drugs by horse owners in the United States (US). Objective: To determine factors associated with possession of analgesic drugs by horse owners in the US or with analgesic drug acquisition from sources noncompliant with a valid veterinarian-client-patient (VCPR) relationship. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An internet-based questionnaire included items related to experiences with horses and equine analgesic drugs. Factors associated with possession of ≥5 types of analgesic drugs and with the acquisition of drugs from...
Lanci A, Benedetti B, Freccero F, Castagnetti C, Mariella J, van Loon JPAM, Padalino B.Prompt pain management is crucial in horses; however, tools to assess pain are limited. This study aimed to develop and pilot a composite scale for pain estimation in foals. The "Foal Composite Pain Scale" (FCPS) was developed based on literature and authors' expertise. The FCPS consisted of 11 facial expressions, 4 behavioural items, and 5 physical items. Thirty-five pain-free foals (Control Group) and 15 foals experiencing pain (Pain Group) were used. Foals were video-recorded at different time points: the Control Group only at inclusion (C), while the Pain Group at inclusion (T1), after an ...
Jacobs CC, Schnabel LV, McIlwraith CW, Blikslager AT.Orthopaedic disorders are commonly encountered in equine veterinary medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play an important role in the management of many equine orthopaedic disorders. There are multiple NSAIDs available for use in horses, including both non-selective and selective NSAIDS, and the body of literature evaluating the efficacy of these medications, their effects on normal and inflamed musculoskeletal tissues, and their side effects is broad. This review aims to summarise the current literature on the use of NSAIDs for equine orthopaedic disorders and examine...
Sellon DC, Sanz M, Kopper JJ, Mattei D.Understanding factors influencing assessment of pain in horses will facilitate communication between veterinarians and horse owners. Objective: To compare estimates of pain experienced by horses as provided by veterinarians and horse owners and to determine factors associated with individuals who perceive horses to be experiencing extreme pain or minimal pain. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Internet-based questionnaires for horse owners and veterinarians included items related to recognition of pain in horses, estimated degree of pain experienced by horses, and demographic informatio...
Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K.Uveitis is a sight-threatening eye disease in equids known worldwide that leads to considerable pain and suffering. By far the most common type of uveitis in Germany and neighboring countries is classical equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), which is caused by chronic intraocular leptospiral infection and is the main cause of infectious uveitis in horses. Other infectious causes are extremely rare and are usually clinically distinguishable from ERU. ERU can be treated very effectively by vitreous cavity lavage (vitrectomy). For proper indications of this demanding surgery, it is necessary to differ...
Moorman VJ, Pezzanite LM, Griffenhagen GM.To compare the efficacy and duration of action for perineural analgesia with liposomal bupivacaine (LB) versus bupivacaine hydrochloride (BHCl) in a sole-pressure induced model of forelimb lameness in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult research horses. Methods: In 1 randomly assigned forelimb, grade 3/5 lameness was induced by use of a sole-pressure lameness model. Objective lameness (vector sum [VS]) was determined with an inertial sensor system at 0, 1, 6, and 24 hours after lameness induction to evaluate the model. Mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) and objective lameness (VS and force ...
King MR, Seabaugh KA, Frisbie DD.Back pain and inflammation of the epaxial musculature is a significant problem in all equine athletes. Treatment of back pain can be challenging and often requires a multimodal approach. In humans, bio-electromagnetic energy regulation therapy (BEMER) has been reported to be effective in pain modulation. With its increased use in people comes a similar robust application in veterinary medicine unfortunately, there is unsubstantiated evidence for this type of therapy in horses. Objectives of this study were to assess analgesic responses and biomechanical outcome variables using a bio-electromag...
Aleman M, Sheldon SA, Jospin G, Coil D, Stratton-Phelps M, Eisen J.Trigeminal-mediated headshaking (TMHS) in horses is a form of neuropathic pain of undetermined cause that often results in euthanasia. The role of microbiota in TMHS has not been investigated in diseased horses. To investigate if gastrointestinal microbiota in the cecum is different in horses with TMHS compared to a control population, during a summer season with clinical manifestations of disease. Ten castrated horses: five with TMHS and five neurologically normal controls. All horses were sourced from our institution and kept under the same husbandry and dietary conditions. All horses were f...
Schroeder EL, Gardner AK, Mudge MC.Cecal or colonic gas tympany of any cause may result in increased intraabdominal pressure, causing a significant decrease in venous return and cardiac output. Trocarization of the large colon or cecum in the event of large intestinal tympany may resolve gas distension and accompanying increased intraabdominal pressures sufficiently enough to promote resolution of a displaced large colon. Furthermore, trocarization of the medical colic may decrease morbidity and mortality associated with severe intraabdominal hypertension. Methods: This how-to description details the technique of transcutaneous...
Beck AA, Paz LB, Frank MI, Engelmann AM, Krause A, Côrte FD.Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) is a promising alternative for patients suffering from chronic joint pain. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a single injection of BoNT-A would produce adverse effects on clinical parameters and synovial parameters as well as lameness. One randomly selected radiocarpal joint was treated with 50 U of BoNT-A in eight horses, and the contralateral joint received saline solution. All horses received injections at day 0 and were re-evaluated twice daily for 7 days for heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), mucous membrane colo...
Boorman S, DeGraves F, Schumacher J, Hanson RR, Boone LH.To compare a 2% lidocaine solution containing 5 μg/ml (1:200 000) epinephrine with 2% mepivacaine for reducing lameness in horses after use in proximal nerve blocks. Methods: Experimental randomized crossover. Methods: Six adult horses with naturally occurring forelimb lameness. Methods: Horses were evaluated using an inertial gait sensor system. Lameness was measured as a vector sum (VS). Following baseline lameness examination, median and ulnar nerve blocks were performed with lidocaine/epinephrine (0.5 mg epinephrine added to 50 ml of 2% lidocaine immediately prior to administration)...
Wise IK, Klöppel H, Leece EA.Ketamine-based total intravenous anaesthesia techniques are commonly used in equine practice for ponies requiring short procedures such as castration in field conditions. When a longer duration of recumbency than provided by the initial dose of anaesthetic agents is required, administration of supplementary 'top-up' doses of anaesthetic agents is required. Ideally, a single dose of anaesthetic agents would reliably achieve a longer duration of action whilst maintaining adequate anaesthetic, surgical and recovery qualities. Objective: This prospective, randomised and blinded study aimed to comp...
Hawkins A, Chapman L, Meter M, Smith RK.To report the diagnostic features and clinical outcome of horses with digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) synoviocoeles treated tenoscopically under ultrasonographic guidance. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Client-owned horses (n = 10). Methods: Medical records were searched for horses with lameness localized to the region of the DFTS and clinical evidence of a fluid-filled mass (synoviocoele) associated with the DFTS. Diagnostic imaging and surgical findings, together with long-term outcome, were reported. Results: Lameness and synoviocoeles were unilateral (5 forelimbs, 5 hin...
Houck EL, Papich MG, Delk KW.Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) frequently develop painful conditions, such as traumatic injuries or osteoarthritis, necessitating the administration of pain-relieving medications. One of the preferred treatments is the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone because of the availability of oral formulations and the familiarity of its use in horses. For the main study, a single oral dose of phenylbutazone at 2 mg/kg was administered to healthy adult rhinoceros (n = 33) housed at six North American zoological institutions. Each rhinoceros had up to four blood ...
Story MR, Nout-Lomas YS, Aboellail TA, Selberg KT, Barrett MF, Mcllwraith CW, Haussler KK. Dangerous behavior is considered an undesired trait, often attributed to poor training or bad-tempered horses. Unfortunately, horses with progressive signs of dangerous behavior are often euthanized due to concerns for rider safety and limitations in performance. However, this dangerous behavior may actually originate from chronic axial skeleton pain. This case series describes the medical histories and clinical presentations of horses presented for performance limitations and dangerous behavior judged to be related to intractable axial skeleton pain. Fourteen horses that developed severe pe...
Nichols CL, Doherty TJ, Schumacher J, Jones PD, Sun X.To determine whether palmar digital nerve (PDN) blockade in horses with a combination of dexmedetomidine and mepivacaine would block the response to mechanical force applied to the digit longer than would anesthetizing these nerves with mepivacaine alone or dexmedetomidine alone. Methods: 8 mares with no signs of lameness. Methods: In a randomized, crossover, blinded, experimental study, both PDNs of the same forelimb of each horse were anesthetized by perineural injection with either 30 mg mepivacaine alone, 250 µg of dexmedetomidine alone, or 30 mg mepivacaine combined with 250 µg of dexme...
Jaafar SE, Al-Bayti AAH, Abdullah SI.High-power laser therapy has been used as a treatment to cure sports injuries; however, there are no controlled standardized studies on its efficacy. Moreover, high-power laser therapy has been applied for the sport horses field. This study aimed to investigate whether high-power laser therapy can cure tendon disorders and reduce the pain in tendon lesions in injured horses and also to examine the effect of laser therapy on injured horses. This retroactive experiential clinical research was performed on50 racing horses between 5 and 15 years old. They were diagnosed with neither superficial di...
Mühlemann S, Leandri M, Risberg ÅI, Spadavecchia C.The nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) is used to investigate nociception in horses. The NWR threshold is a classical model endpoint. The aims of this study were to determine NWR tolerance and to compare threshold and tolerance reflexes in horses. In 12 horses, the NWR was evoked through electrical stimulation of the digital nerve and recorded via electromyography from the deltoid. Behavioral reactions were scored from 0 to 5 (tolerance). First, the individual NWR threshold was defined, then stimulation intensity was increased to tolerance. The median NWR threshold was 7.0 mA, whereas NWR tol...
Hernández-Avalos I, Mota-Rojas D, Mendoza-Flores JE, Casas-Alvarado A, Flores-Padilla K, Miranda-Cortes AE, Torres-Bernal F, Gómez-Prado J....Pain and anxiety are two of the most important concerns in clinical veterinary medicine because they arise as consequences of multiple factors that can severely affect animal welfare. The aim of the present review was to provide a description and interpretation of the physiological and behavioral alterations associated with pain and anxiety in equines. To this end, we conducted an extensive review of diverse sources on the topic. The article begins by describing the neurophysiological pathway of pain, followed by a discussion of the importance of the limbic system in responses to pain and anxi...
de Melo UP, Ferreira C.Back pain and diseases of the spine are considered significant problems in equine sports and veterinary medicine. This article reports a multimodal approach to the treatment of equine back pain using ozonized platelet rich plasma (PRP), dynamic mobilization exercises, and therapeutic shoeing in 15 horses involved in the vaquejada discipline. Fifteen American Quarter Horses of both sexes engaged in vaquejada in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, with a mean age of 8.61 ? 1.73 years were examined at a training center for lower performance diagnostics or back pain. A complete clinical exam...
Tucker R, Parker RA, Meredith LE, Hughes TK, Foote AK.To describe the surgical removal of intra-articular loose bodies (LBs) from the cervical articular process joints (APJs) in five horses and to describe the outcome of the surgery. Methods: Short case series. Methods: Five client-owned horses with naturally occurring LBs within the cervical APJs. Methods: Medical records were reviewed of horses that were diagnosed with LBs of the cervical APJs on computed tomography (CT), where the LBs were subsequently removed surgically. Details of case selection and surgical technique were reviewed along with postoperative complications and clinical outcome....
Loomes K, Louro LF.The recovery phase after equine general anaesthesia (GA) is a time of considerable risk and therefore has been the subject of extensive research over the last 20Â years. Various pharmacological interventions have been developed and studied with the objective of improving recovery quality and reducing anaesthetic-related mortality and morbidity. Nevertheless, some controversy remains regarding the influence of anaesthetic protocol choice on recovery quality from GA and its implications for recovery-related mortality and morbidity. A systematic review of the literature investigating the influenc...
Rabba S, Grulke S, Verwilghen D, Evrard L, Busoni V.Ultrasonography is routinely used to achieve the diagnosis of equine suspensory ligament desmopathy. In human medicine, power Doppler ultrasonography has also been found to be useful for the diagnosis of tendon/ligament injuries. The aim of this prospective, pilot study was to assess the presence or absence of power Doppler signal in suspensory ligament branches and compare B-mode findings with power Doppler findings in suspensory ligament branches of lame and non-lame limbs. Thirteen horses were used (eight lame horses, with lameness related to pain in the suspensory ligament branches, and fi...
Macgregor J, Graf von Schweinitz D.Myofascial trigger points are commonly described in humans, and many studies have shown abnormal spontaneous electrical activity, spike activity and local twitch responses at these sites. Myofascial trigger points have only rarely been described in horses, and studies of their electrophysiological characteristics have not previously been published. The objective of this study was to explore the electromyographic (EMG) and other characteristics of myofascial trigger points in equine muscle, and to compare them with normal muscle tissue. Methods: Four horses with chronic pain signs and impaired ...
Jochle W, Moore JN, Brown J, Baker GJ, Lowe JE, Fubini S, Reeves MJ, Watkins JP, White NA.Detomidine hydrochloride, butorphanol tartrate, flunixin meglumine and xylazine hydrochloride were evaluated in a blind multi-centre clinical trial in 152 horses with abdominal pain. The drugs were administered as follows: detomidine 20 or 40 micrograms/kg bodyweight (bwt); butorphanol 0.1 mg/kg bwt; flunixin meglumine 1.0 mg/kg bwt; xylazine hydrochloride 0.5 mg/kg bwt. Each centre compared responses to the two doses of detomidine with those to one of the other analgesics. The drugs were administered intravenously (i.v.) after clinical assessment of the degree of sweating, kicking, pawing, he...
Gozalo-Marcilla M, Luna SP, Crosignani N, Filho JNP, Possebon FS, Pelligand L, Taylor PM.To evaluate intravenous (IV) detomidine with methadone in horses to identify a combination which provides sedation and antinociception without adverse effects. Methods: Randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded, crossover. Methods: A group of eight adult healthy horses aged (mean ± standard deviation) 7 ± 2 years and 372 ± 27 kg. Methods: A total of six treatments were administered IV: saline (SAL); detomidine (5 μg kg; DET); methadone (0.2 mg kg; MET) alone or combined with detomidine [2.5 (MLD), 5 (MMD) or 10 (MHD) μg kg]. Thermal, mechanical and electrical nociceptive thresholds were mea...
Espinosa-Mur P, Phillips KL, Galuppo LD, DeRouen A, Benoit P, Anderson E, Shaw K, Puchalski S, Peters D, Kass PH, Spriet M.Cervical osteoarthritis (OA) has been documented as a potential source of pain and poor performance in sport horses. Objective: To assess the prevalence of cervical OA in a population of Warmblood jumpers and its correlation with age, level of performance, neck pain and mobility. Methods: Descriptive observational study. Methods: Warmblood jumpers free of lameness or neurological disorders were selected. Cervical pain and range of motion of the neck were subjectively assessed. Left to right lateral views were taken at C3-C4, C4-C5, C5-C6 and C6-C7. The presence of OA at the cervical articular ...
Shilo Y, Britzi M, Eytan B, Lifschitz T, Soback S, Steinman A.Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic drug that has been used clinically for the last two decades to treat moderate to moderately severe pain in humans. The present study investigated tramadol administration in horses by intravenous, intramuscular, oral as immediate-release and oral as sustained-release dosage-form routes. Seven horses were used in a four-way crossover study design in which racemic tramadol was administered at 2 mg/kg by each route of administration. Altogether, 23 blood samples were collected between 0 and 2880 min. The concentration of tramadol and its M1 metabolite were ...
Barreto da Rocha P, Driessen B, McDonnell SM, Hopster K, Zarucco L, Gozalo-Marcilla M, Hopster-Iversen C, Esteves Trindade PH, Gonzaga da Rocha TK....Proper pain therapy requires adequate pain assessment. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Unesp-Botucatu horse acute pain scale (UHAPS), the Orthopedic Composite Pain Scale (CPS) and unidimensional scales in horses admitted for orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. Forty-two horses were assessed and videotaped before surgery, up to 4 hours postoperatively, up to 3 hours after analgesic treatment, and 24 hours postoperatively (168 video clips). After six evaluators viewing each edited video clip twice in random order at a 20-day interval, they chose whether analgesia would b...
Taylor PM, Crosignani N, Lopes C, Rosa AC, Luna SP, Puoli Filho JN.To examine the relationship between probe tip size and force readings of mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MTs) to identify appropriate probes for horses. Methods: Randomized, crossover study. Methods: Eight adult, mixed-breed horses aged 5-10 years, weighing 268-460 kg. Methods: Four probe configurations (PCs) were used in random sequence: 1.0 mm diameter (SHARP); 3.2 mm (BLUNT); spring-mounted 1.0 mm (SPRING), and 3 × 2.5 mm (3PIN). A remote-controlled unit on the horse increased force (1.2 N second(-1)) in a pneumatic actuator on the metacarpus. Mean MT for each PC was calculated from 10 ...
Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Haubro Andersen P, Holm Forsström K, Rhodin M.Quantitative gait analysis has revealed that a large proportion of horses in training, perceived as free from lameness by their owners, show movement asymmetries of equal magnitude to horses with mild clinical lameness. Whether these movement asymmetries are related to orthopaedic pain and/or pathology has yet to be further investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether movement asymmetries in riding horses in training are affected by anti-inflammatory treatment with meloxicam. In a crossover design, horses were treated with meloxicam or placebo for four days res...
Van hoogmoed LM, Snyder JR.Thermography is a non-contact, non-invasive technique that detects surface heat emitted as infrared radiation. Because skin temperature reflects the status of underlying tissue metabolism and blood circulation, abnormal thermal patterns can signify areas of superficial inflammation. The objective of this study was to determine if thermography could detect the injection of analgesic and neurolytic agents and surgical palmar digital neurectomy. Procedures evaluated include injection of the lumbar region, suspensory ligaments, tibial nerve, palmar digital nerves, and palmar digital neurectomy. Th...
Dabareiner RM, Cohen ND, Carter GK, Nunn S, Moyer W.To identify types of musculoskeletal problems associated with lameness or poor performance in horses used for barrel racing. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 118 horses. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for information on signalment, history, physical and lameness examination findings, diagnostic tests performed, diagnosis, and treatment. Results: Most horses were examined because of lameness (n = 72 [61%]) rather than poor performance (46 [39%]), but owner complaint was not significantly associated with age or body weight of the horse. The most common performance change was ...
Sánchez-Aparicio P, Florán B, RodrÃguez Velázquez D, Ibancovichi JA, Varela Guerrero JA, Recillas S.Osteoarticular equine disease is a common cause of malady; in general, its therapy is supported on steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Nevertheless, many side effects may develop when these drugs are administered. Nowadays, the use of new alternatives for this pathology attention is demanded; in that sense, cannabinoid CB2 agonists may represent a novel alternative. Cannabinoid belongs to a group of molecules known by their psychoactive properties; they are synthetized by the Cannabis sativa plant, better known as marijuana. The aim of this study was to contribute to understand the ...
Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, White Ii NA, Werpy NM.Currently, there are limited data regarding the long-term outcome of horses with foot pain treated with corrective shoeing, rest and rehabilitation, and intrasynovial anti-inflammatory medication to target lesions detected with MRI. Objective: To report the long-term (≥12 months) outcome of horses with foot lesions following medical therapy. Objective: 1) There is no association between clinical parameters considered and a poor response to therapy. 2) Horses with a deep digital flexor tendinopathy are less likely to respond to medical therapy than horses without a deep digital flexor tendino...
Roelvink ME, Goossens L, Kalsbeek HC, Wensing T.The analgesic and spasmolytic effects of dipyrone (Novalgin) (2500 mg/100 kg bodyweight) hyoscine-N-butylbromide (Buscopan) (20 mg/100 kg bodyweight) and a combination of both drugs were evaluated in a balloon-induced model of colic, using five ponies with caecal fistulae. The drugs were given intravenously and 0.9 per cent sodium chloride solution (5 ml/100 kg bodyweight) was used as a control. The physiological saline solution and dipyrone had no effect on caecal contractions. After the injection of hyoscine-N-butylbromide and the drug combination caecal contractions ceased within 30 seconds...
Grulke S, Olle E, Detilleux J, Gangl M, Caudron I, Serteyn D.A retrospective study evaluated 200 surgical colic cases. A gravity score (GS) based on four clinical parameters estimating intestinal obstruction (rectal palpation, borborygmi, abdominal distension, pain) and classified into three categories was established and tested to determine if it could evaluate prognosis. A shock score (SS) based on six parameters was also attributed to each case. The overall survival rate was 54%. The statistical analysis showed a significant (P < 0.01) difference in the survival rate in the different categories of the GS, as well as in the categories of the SS. A ...
Corletto F, Raisis AA, Brearley JC.The aim of this study was to compare two different alpha2 agonist-opioid combinations in ponies undergoing field castration. Methods: Prospective double-blind randomized clinical trial. Methods: Fifty-four ponies undergoing field castration. Methods: The ponies were randomly allocated to receive one of three different pre-anaesthetic medications [intravenous (IV) romifidine 100 microg kg(-1) and butorphanol 50 micro kg(-1); romifidine 100 microg kg(-1) and morphine 0.1 mg kg(-1) IV, or romifidine 100 microg kg(-1) and saline IV] before induction of anaesthesia with ketamine 2.2 mg kg(-1) IV. F...
Lopes C, Luna SP, Rosa AC, Quarterone C, Crosignani N, Taylor PM, Pantoja JC, Puoli JN.To investigate two protocols to provide antinociception in horses. Objective: To evaluate the antinociceptive effects of intravenous methadone combined with detomidine or acepromazine in adult horses. Methods: Randomised, blinded, crossover study. Methods: Mechanical, thermal and electrical stimuli were applied to the dorsal left and right metacarpus and coronary band of the left thoracic limb, respectively. A thermal stimulus was applied caudal to the withers. The horses were treated with saline (C), a combination of methadone (0.2 mg/kg bwt) and detomidine (10 μg/kg bwt) (MD) or methadone...
Beccati F, Pepe M, Santinelli I, Gialletti R, Di Meo A, Romero JM.Abnormalities of the ventral lamina of the sixth cervical vertebra (AVL-C6) are thought to exert abnormal stress on the articular process joints (APJs) of the cervicothoracic junction. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between AVL-C6 and radiographic findings in the caudal cervical area and between clinical signs of neck pain and ataxia and radiographic findings. Methods: Medical records of horses subjected to cervical radiography were reviewed. Horses were classified into those with neck pain (group C), those with ataxia (group A) and healthy horses (group H). Presence o...
Figueiredo JP, Muir WW, Sams R.To compare the cardiorespiratory, gastrointestinal, analgesic, and behavioral effects between IV and IM administration of morphine in conscious horses with no signs of pain. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (IM or IV) or morphine sulfate (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg, IM or IV) in a randomized, masked crossover study design. The following variables were measured before and for 360 minutes after drug administration: heart and respiratory rates; systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures; rectal temperature; arterial pH and blood gas variabl...
Dixon PM, Ceen S, Barnett T, O'Leary JM, Parkin TD, Barakzai S.Cheek teeth diastemata are a common cause of painful periodontal disease in horses, but there is limited objective information on their treatment. Objective: To assess the long-term response to diastema widening in clinically affected horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Medical records from cases of cheek teeth diastemata treated by diastema widening referred to the University of Edinburgh Equine Hospital from 2008 to 2011 were analysed. Results: During this period, 302 horses were diagnosed with clinically significant cheek teeth diastemata, of which 202, median age 11 years, with ...
Urayama S, Tanaka A, Kusano K, Sato H, Nagashima T, Fukuda I, Fujisawa C, Matsuda H.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as flunixin meglumine have been used to treat signs of systemic inflammatory conditions, but it is also known to have the side effect to small intestine mucosa. It may be considered to be due to inhibition of both cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2. On the other hand, meloxicam is widely used in equine clinical practice and an effective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with the preferential inhibitory effect on COX-2. However, it has not yet been evaluated in equine systemic inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of meloxicam a...
Ricardi G, Dyson SJ.Eight horses had forelimb lameness which was considered unrelated to primary forelimb pain, but was associated with radiographic abnormalities of one or more cervical vertebrae. There was no evidence of ataxia or weakness. The degree and character of the forelimb lameness varied between horses. In 4 horses, selective local analgesic techniques were used to rule out lameness associated with pain in the forelimb. In the other 4 horses, radiographic examination of the cervical region was performed on the basis of forelimb lameness seen in conjunction with neck stiffness and/or neck pain. Three ho...
Landa L, Trojan V, Demlova R, Jurica J, Hrib R.In connection with the use of cannabinoids for therapeutic purposes in human medicine, there is increased attention for their use in veterinary medicine, particularly by the owners of companion animals and horses. Therefore, veterinarians are expected to face this interest and have the corresponding knowledge on these substances. Presently, it is not possible to use medical marijuana (in terms of the dried cannabis flowers) for veterinary purposes in many countries, but there is increasing evidence that isolated cannabinoids also have beneficial effects (namely cannabidiol - CBD)...
Grubb TL, Riebold TW, Huber MJ.Caudal epidural analgesia was achieved in 6 adult horses on 3 successive occasions at weekly intervals by injection of lidocaine, xylazine, and a combination of lidocaine/xylazine through indwelling epidural catheters. Analgesia was defined as a lack of response to pinprick and hemostat pressure in the skin of the perineal area. A significant (P < 0.05) difference was not found for time of onset of analgesia between lidocaine (4.3 +/- 0.8 minutes, mean +/- SEM) and the lidocaine/xylazine combination (5.3 +/- 1.3 minutes). Time to onset of analgesia after administration of xylazine was signi...
Dönselmann Im Sande P, Hopster K, Kästner S.Various opioids are available for use in equine medicine. Studies directly comparing their analgesic effects and side effects are rare. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the antinociceptive effect and the duration of analgesia of two different doses of morphine, butorphanol and levomethadone in horses. Methods: Eight adult, healthy horses were used for this randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded cross-over trail. Each horse received placebo (P = 0.9% saline) and morphine (M = 0.1 mg/kg; M = 0.2 mg/kg), butorphanol (B = 0.1 mg/kg; B = 0.2 mg/kg) and levomethadone (L...
Robinson EP, Natalini CC.Intercoccygeal, or caudal, epidural injection of local anesthetics is a convenient method of producing analgesia and local anesthesia of the tail and perineal structures in conscious standing horses. This technique has been further developed to provide long duration analgesia and anesthesia by placement of catheters into the epidural space of horses. More recently, opioid, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, ketamine and other analgesic agents have been administered by caudal epidural injection, providing pain relief in both conscious, standing and anesthetized, recumbent horses. This chapter describ...
Gardner SY, Reef VB, Spencer PA.Medical records of 46 horses with jugular vein thrombophlebitis that were evaluated ultrasonographically were reviewed. The ultrasonographic appearance of the thrombus within the jugular vein was classified as noncavitating if it had uniform low to medium amplitude echoes, or as cavitating if it was heterogenous with anechoic to hypoechoic areas representing fluid or necrotic areas within the thrombus, and/or hyperechoic areas representing gas. Signs of pain on palpation of the affected vein (P less than 0.001), heat over the vein (P = 0.001), and swelling of the vein (P less than 0.05) were s...
