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.
Keoughan CG, Rodgerson DH, Brown MP.To describe a hand-assisted, laparoscopic technique to remove the left kidney in standing horses. Methods: Prospective evaluation. Methods: Eight horses. Methods: Food was withheld for a minimum of 12 hours. Horses were sedated with detomidine hydrochloride (0.01-0.02 mg/kg, intravenously) and restrained in standing stocks. The left paralumbar fossa was prepared for surgery, and the surgical site was infiltrated with 2% mepivacaine. Hand-assisted, laparoscopic removal of the left kidney was performed through an incision in the center of the paralumbar fossa; the surgeon's hand was used to isol...
Holmes LC, Gaughan EM, Gorondy DA, Hogge S, Spire MF.Infrared thermography is an imaging modality gaining popularity as a diagnostic aid in the evaluation of equine lameness. Anecdotal reports of skin hyperthermia induced by local anesthesia, detected by thermography, have been made; however, no controlled studies have been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of perineural anesthesia on infrared thermographic images of the forelimb digits in normal horses. After environmental acclimation, infrared thermographs were made at intervals of 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 45 min from administration of mepivacaine hydrochloride or pho...
Dyson S, Murray R, Branch M, Harding E.Sacroiliac (SI) joint disease is difficult to diagnose definitively on clinical grounds. Objective: Lameness not attributable to SI joint pain may result in asymmetrical uptake of radiopharmaceutical in the tubera sacrale and SI joints; and that horses with clinical signs suggestive of sacroiliac joint disease would have differences in the ratios of radiopharmaceutical uptake between the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5) and either the tubera sacrale or SI joints compared with normal horses. Objective: To determine whether differences in radiopharmaceutical activity could identify individuals with pr...
Bettschart-Wolfensberger R, Bowen IM, Freeman SL, Weller R, Clarke KW.To search for long-term total i.v. anaesthesia techniques as a potential alternative to inhalation anaesthesia. Objective: To determine cardiopulmonary effects and anaesthesia quality of medetomidine-ketamine anaesthesia induction followed by 4 h of medetomidine-propofol anaesthesia in 6 ponies. Methods: Sedation consisted of 7 microg/kg bwt medetomidine i.v. followed after 10 min by 2 mg/kg bwt i.v. ketamine. Anaesthesia was maintained for 4 h with 3.5 microg/kg bwt/h medetomidine and propofol at minimum infusion dose rates determined by application of supramaximal electrical pain stimuli. Ve...
Dyson S, Murray R.There has been no large study of horses with suspected sacroiliac (SI) joint region pain in which the clinical diagnosis has been supported by either abnormal radiopharmaceutical activity in the SI joint region or by periarticular infiltration of local anaesthetic solution. Objective: To describe the clinical features of horses with SI joint region pain, to document the age, breed, sex, discipline, size and conformation of affected horses and to compare these with the author's (SD) normal case population and to document the results of infiltration of local anaesthetic solution around the SI jo...
López-Sanromán FJ, Cruz JM, Santos M, Mazzini RA, Tabanera A, Tendillo FJ.To evaluate the local analgesic effect of ketamine in a palmar digital nerve block at the base of the proximal sesamoid (abaxial sesamoid block) in horses. Methods: 36 mature healthy Andalusian horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 9 horses each and received an abaxial sesamoid block in a randomly chosen forelimb with 1 of the following: saline (0.9% NaCl) solution, 1% ketamine solution, 2% ketamine solution, or 3% ketamine solution. To determine analgesia, the radiant heat lamp-hoof withdrawal model was used as a noxious thermal stimulus. Before each nerve block, basel...
Oke RA.A 5-year-old quarter horse mare presented with unilateral, severe, chronic forelimb lameness. Radiographs revealed extensive hoof wall separation and capsular rotation of the distal phalanx. Treatment included dorsal hoof wall resection, phenylbutazone, a bar shoe, and stall rest. Whether white line disease or laminitis was the primary lesion remains unclear.
Skarda RT, Muir WW.To compare effects of electroacupuncture and butorphanol on hemodynamic and respiratory variables and rectal analgesia in mares after controlled rectal distention. Methods: 8 healthy mares. Methods: Each horse received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (0.01 mL/kg, IV; control treatment), butorphanol tartrate (0.1 mg/kg, IV), or 2 hours of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints Bladder 21, 25, and 27 on both sides of the vertebral column, Bai hui, and Stomach 36 (right side only). Order of treatments in each mare was randomized. At least 7 days elapsed between treatments. A balloon was inserted in the...
Kettner NU, Parker JE, Watrous BJ.A 2-week-old Morgan filly examined because of lameness of 5 days' duration was found, on the basis of clinical and radiographic findings, to have septic physitis of the distal end of the radius. The foal was treated by means of intraosseous regional perfusion with penicillin and amikacin and systemic administration of antimicrobials. Intraosseous regional perfusion was performed 3 times. The foal was anesthetized for the first episode of intraosseous regional perfusion, but was only sedated for the subsequent 2 episodes. Antimicrobials were administered systemically for 22 days. Foals with sep...
Dyson S, Murray R, Schramme M, Branch M.Foot pain is a common cause of equine lameness and there have been significant limitations of the methods available for the diagnosis of the causes of foot pain (radiography, nuclear scintigraphy and ultrasonography). Until recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the horse has been limited to examination of cadaver limbs. Objective: Our purpose was to 1) describe MRI of the foot in live horses, 2) describe MRI findings in horses with foot pain in which a definitive diagnosis could not be established by alternative means and 3) correlate MRI findings with other methods of clinical investi...
Tomlinson JE, Sage AM, Turner TA.The pelvis is covered with extensive musculature and often presents a challenge in diagnostic imaging. Ultrasonography provides diagnostic information about soft tissue, articular cartilage and bone surfaces, although little information exists about the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the equine sacroiliac region. Objective: To determine the clinical applicability of ultrasonographic examination in horses with sacroiliac pain. Methods: Horses presented to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Teaching Hospital for hindlimb lameness were evaluated and lower limb lameness was ruled out wi...
Tomlinson JE, Sage AM, Turner TA.The pelvis is covered with extensive musculature and often presents a challenge in diagnostic imaging. Ultrasonography provides diagnostic information about soft tissue, articular cartilage and bone surfaces, although little information exists about the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the equine sacroiliac region. Objective: To determine the clinical applicability of ultrasonographic examination in horses with sacroiliac pain. Methods: Horses presented to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Teaching Hospital for hindlimb lameness were evaluated and lower limb lameness was ruled out wi...
Simon JA, Liu JH, Speroff L, Shumel BS, Symons JP.The purpose of this study was to compare the effects on vaginal bleeding patterns of continuous combined hormone replacement therapy with norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol versus conjugated equine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate. Methods: Three hundred fifty-seven postmenopausal women were selected randomly (in a blinded manner) to 12 months of treatment with 1 mg norethindrone acetate/5 microg ethinyl estradiol, placebo, or open-label 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens/2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (conjugated equine estrogens/medroxyprogesterone acetate [CEE/MPA]; ...
Malone ED.Many compounds are being investigated for the control of symptoms of osteoarthritis in people and animals. Ideally, treatment should include analgesia, inflammation control, and chondroprotection. With further progress in this area, combination therapies tailored to the needs of the individual animal should enable us to maximize efficacy and minimize side effects. Only a few of the newer therapies and pharmaceutic agents have been investigated in the horse, however. With more rigorous investigation, they may be determined to be ineffective or unsafe. Meanwhile, as much information should be ga...
Taylor D, Hood DM, Wagner IP.To evaluate the short-term effects of 4 therapeutic shoeing systems on lameness and voluntary limb-load distribution in horses with chronic laminitis. Methods: 10 horses with chronic laminitis. Methods: A clinical trial was conducted that used a concurrent control, crossover design to evaluate the relative effectiveness of a standard flat shoe, fullered egg-bar shoe, heart-bar shoe, and modified equine digital support system to alleviate chronic lameness in horses. Therapeutic success was assessed during a 7-day period by use of subjective (Obel grade and clinical score) and objective (force-p...
Sardari K, Kazemi H, Mohri M.It has been hypothesized that pain originating from the dorsal margin of the sole of the hoof in horses can be attenuated by analgesia of either the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint, or of the navicular bursa (NB). To test this hypothesis, an experimental lameness was induced in the toe region of the left forelimb in six adult horses. After this, both synovial structures were blocked and the effects on the lameness were semi-quantitatively scored. Lameness was induced by creating pressure on the dorsal margin of the sole with the help of set-screws that were screwed into a nut, welded to the...
Ranner W, Gerhards H, Klee W.There is a regularly high proportion of x-ray findings indicating a pathological deterioration of the equine vertebral column which do not correlate with the clinical symptoms. Therefore, palpation remains one of the most important clinical examination methods to determine whether or not a horse is suffering from back pain. The aim of this study was to check the validity of palpation results of horses with an assumed back problem. The palpation results of 167 horses were evaluated in retrospect: If the palpation proceeds under following conditions, positive palpation results agree with an prim...
Price J, Marques JM, Welsh EM, Waran NK.This preliminary study investigated the attitudes, and evaluated the current practice of a sample of the veterinary profession in the UK in relation to the management of pain in horses. In June 2001, a questionnaire was posted to 260 veterinarians in specialised equine practice, and 140 veterinarians in general practice with a significant equine caseload. There was a 25 per cent response rate to the questionnaire, which recorded information about the availability and prescription of analgesic drugs, the factors influencing the selection of analgesics and their administration, and estimates of ...
Spadavecchia C, Spadavecchia L, Andersen OK, Arendt-Nielsen L, Leandri M, Schatzmann U.To evoke and measure the nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) by use of electromyographic recordings and to score the behavioral nociceptive responses to electrical pulses in standing nonsedated horses. Methods: 10 adult horses. Methods: The lateral palmar digital nerve of the forelimb was transcutaneously stimulated, and surface electromyographic responses were recorded from the ulnaris lateralis, extensor carpi radialis, and common digital extensor muscles. Stimuli consisted of a 25-millisecond train of 5 constant-current pulses delivered by a computer-controlled stimulator. The 80- to 250-mi...
Byron CR, Stick JA, Brown JA, Lugo J.A 2-year-old sexually intact male Paint horse weighing 427 kg (940 lb) was admitted for examination and treatment of intermittent non-weight-bearing lameness of the right hind limb of 1 week's duration. Radiography revealed a displaced Salter-Harris type-III fracture of the right femoral condyle with the sagittal component of the fracture line located in the intercondylar space and the transverse component exiting on the medial aspect of the femur. The fracture was repaired with a condylar screw plate designed for repair of femoral condylar fractures in humans. The owner reported by telephone ...
Skarda RT, Tejwani GA, Muir WW.To determine cutaneous analgesia, hemodynamic and respiratory effects, and beta-endorphin concentration in spinal fluid and plasma of horses after acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA). Methods: 8 healthy 10- to 20-year-old mares that weighed between 470 and 600 kg. Methods: Each horse received 2 hours of acupuncture and 2 hours of PAES at acupoints Bladder 18, 23, 25, and 28 on both sides of the vertebral column as well as sham needle placement (control treatment). Each treatment was administered in a random order. At least 7 days elapsed between treatments. Nociceptive cutaneous pain thres...
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...
Olivier A, Wannenburg J, Gottschalk RD, van der Linde MJ, Groeneveld HT.A shoe was designed to combine the advantages of a reverse shoe and an adjustable heart bar shoe in the treatment of chronic laminitis. This reverse even frog pressure (REFP) shoe applies pressure uniformly over a large area of the frog solar surface. Pressure is applied vertically upward parallel to the solar surface of the frog and can be increased or decreased as required. Five clinically healthy horses were humanely euthanased and their dismembered forelimbs used in an in vitro study. Frog pressure was measured by strain gauges applied to the ground surface of the carrying tab portion of t...
Merritt AM, Xie H, Lester GD, Burrow JA, Lorenzo-Figueras M, Mahfoud Z.To evaluate the reliability of a method for inducing colic via small intestinal distention in horses and to examine the analgesic potential of bilateral electroacupuncture (EAP) at the Guan-yuan-shu (similar to BL21) acupoint. Methods: 5 healthy adult horses, each with a gastric cannula. Methods: A polyester balloon connected to an electronic barostat was introduced into the duodenum via the gastric cannula. At 2 specified intervals (before and after commencement of EAP), the balloon was inflated to a barostat-controlled pressure that induced signs of moderate colic. Each inflation was maintai...
Murray RC, Znaor N, Tanner KE, DeBowes RM, Gaughan EM, Goodship AE.Dorsal carpal osteochondral injury is a major cause of lameness in horses undergoing high intensity training. Intra-articular corticosteroid treatment is used commonly to manage exercise-associated articular pain, but its use remains highly controversial in the equine athlete. This project, therefore, aimed to compare the mechanical properties of intra-articular MPA and diluent-treated middle carpal subchondral and cancellous bone in horses undergoing a short-term treadmill exercise programme. It was hypothesised that subchondral and cancellous bone mechanical properties are influenced by intr...
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...
Malone E, Graham L.Choice of an analgesic for gastrointestinal pain requires consideration of the cause of the pain, desired duration of pain relief, need for sedation, and potential side effects and toxicity, particularly in light of other drugs being used and effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It is imperative that close monitoring be continued to ensure that surgical lesions or worsening conditions are detected. Recent research in the field may lead to new drugs, drug combinations, and avenues of treatment that minimize the side effects of these drugs while maximizing their efficacy.
Wolf L.The locomotor system requires normal movement for normal function. Movement restrictions of soft tissues and joints stimulate nociceptive pathways in the corresponding vertebral segment. Reflex-induced alterations of sensory and motor neuron activity within the segment lead to detrimental changes within many of the tissues associated with and distant from the area. Manual therapy is utilized in both diagnosis and treatment of tissue and joint movement restrictions. Early recognition and treatment of dysfunction in the equine athlete prevents permanent pathology and facilitates performance exce...
Morgan SJ, Grosenbaugh DA, Hood DM.The potential pathologic manifestations of chronic laminitis are just as varied, and possibly more so, than the list of possible inciting agents of the disease itself. The extent to which rehabilitation and return to normal function can be attained, cannot always be accurately determined by physical examination. It should be remembered that significant physiologic and pathologic alterations occur in chronic laminitis; thus, even if radiographically the patient returns to a normal appearance, residual morphologic and structural defects are likely to remain.
Nyack B, Morgan JP, Pool R, Meagher D.Osteochondrosis of the shoulder joint in the horse was diagnosed radiographically in 54 shoulders of 38 horses. Clinical signs were those of an intermittent lameness characterized as a swinging leg shoulder lameness with pain elicited by extension, flexion or abduction of the limb. Diagnosis of shoulder lameness was supported by blocking the shoulder joint with local anesthetics. Radiographic changes consisted of: (1) alteration in the contour of the humeral head and glenoid cavity, (2) periarticular osteophyte formation, (3) sclerosis of the subchondral bone, and (4) bone cyst formation. The ...
Espinosa-Mur P, Spriet M, Manso-Diaz G, Arndt S, Perez-Nogues M, Roman JL, Garcia-Mata R, Katzman SA, Galuppo LD.To assess the value of 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) positron emission tomography (PET) for imaging the tarsus and proximal metatarsus and compare it with CT and lameness evaluation. Methods: 25 horses with lameness localized to the tarsal and proximal metatarsal regions that underwent 18F-NaF PET/CT between 2016 and 2021. Methods: 18F-NaF PET and CT images were retrospectively independently evaluated by 3 observers. Standardized uptake values (SUV) were used to characterize 18F-NaF uptake. Correlation between PET and CT findings with subjective and objective maximum (Max-D) and minimum pelvic...
Bowker RM, Sonea IM, Vex KB, Caron JP.Substance P (SP) immunocytochemistry and receptor autoradiography were used to define the innervation of the equine synovial membrane of joints equivalent to the wrist and knuckle of man. SP-immunoreactive fibers were mainly concentrated around blood vessels in the subsynovial layer, although not exclusively, while in the more distal joint, SP fibers were more frequently seen in the synovial surface layer. Iodinated SP receptor autoradiography studies revealed silver grain concentrations in the advential layer of blood vessels associated with the vasa vasorum, on the vascular endothelium and i...
Taylor D, Hood DM, Wagner IP.To evaluate the short-term effects of 4 therapeutic shoeing systems on lameness and voluntary limb-load distribution in horses with chronic laminitis. Methods: 10 horses with chronic laminitis. Methods: A clinical trial was conducted that used a concurrent control, crossover design to evaluate the relative effectiveness of a standard flat shoe, fullered egg-bar shoe, heart-bar shoe, and modified equine digital support system to alleviate chronic lameness in horses. Therapeutic success was assessed during a 7-day period by use of subjective (Obel grade and clinical score) and objective (force-p...
Csik-Salmon J, Blais D, Vaillancourt D, Garon O, Bisaillon A.Loss of rear motor control is the main limiting factor in the use of caudal epidural anesthesia in the horse. In man and laboratory animals, a small dose of an opiate combined with a local anesthetic enhances analgesia without impairing motor function. Thus, the amount of local anesthetic administered may be reduced. Butorphanol is an opiate widely used in horses. It has a good margin of safety and few cardiorespiratory effects. The effects of lidocaine (0.25 mg/kg) and lidocaine-butorphanol (0.25 mg/kg, and 0.04 mg/kg, respectively) were compared in 2 groups of 5 healthy unsedated mares. Hors...
Cagnardi P, Ferraresi C, Zonca A, Pecile A, Ravasio G, Zani DD, Villa R.Tramadol is a synthetic codeine analogue used as an analgesic in human and veterinary medicine. It is not approved for use in horses, but could represent a valid tool for pain treatment in this species. Objective: The serum pharmacokinetic profile and urinary excretion of tramadol and its metabolites (O-desmethyltramadol [M1], N-desmethyltramadol [M2] and N,O-desmethyltramadol [M5]) was investigated in a multidrug anaesthetic and analgesic approach for orchiectomy in horses. The evaluation of the degree of cardiovascular stability, the intraoperative effect and postoperative analgesia obtained...
Ida KK, Sauvage A, Gougnard A, Grauwels M, Serteyn D, Sandersen C.Ponies with tracheal collapse may have an increased anesthetic risk due to airway obstruction during induction and recovery. To our knowledge, there are no anesthetic descriptions of these patients, despite a reported 5.6% incidence and 77% mortality rate. Two Shetland ponies with tracheal collapse, a 12-year-old male (pony 1) and a 27-year-old female (pony 2), were referred for right eye enucleation due to a perforating corneal ulcer and severe recurrent uveitis, respectively. Pony 1 was stressed, had lung stridor and hyperthermia, and developed inspiratory dyspnea with handling. Radiography ...
Williams GE.To determine whether force-plate evaluation of horses with navicular disease would reveal an abnormal gait that persists despite loss of sensation to the palmar foot region, which may predispose such horses to navicular disease. Methods: 17 clinically normal Thoroughbreds and 8 Thoroughbreds with navicular disease. Methods: Data on ground reaction forces were obtained in trotting horses, using a force plate. Force-time curve variables for clinically normal horses were derived from 4 points at the beginning and 4 points at the end of the vertical and craniocaudal horizontal plots. Principal com...
Delli-Rocili MM, Cribb NC, Trout DR, Thomason JJ, Valverde A.To compare the effectiveness of a paravertebral nerve block vs local portal blocks for laparoscopic closure of the nephrosplenic space in standing sedated research horses. Methods: Randomized clinical trial. Methods: Twelve horses were randomly allocated to two groups (n = 6 per group), paravertebral block of nerves T , L , and L or local blocks of the three laparoscopic portals. Methods: Horses were sedated with dexmedetomidine (4 μg/kg IV and constant rate infusion [CRI] of 2.5 μg/kg/h) and morphine (50 μg/kg IV and CRI of 30 μg/kg/h). According to group allocation, 20 mL of either lid...
Schwarzbach SV, Melo CF, Xavier PLP, Roballo KC, Cordeiro YG, Ambrósio CE, Fukumasu H, Carregaro AB.Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the main locomotor disorders in horses. Although nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the first-line treatment for OA, opioids could also be used. In previous studies, opioids showed promising anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of two opioids (morphine and methadone) against inflammation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated synoviocytes by analyzing microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) expression. Synoviocytes were obtained from the joints at...
Keg PR, Schamhardt HC, van Weeren PR, Barneveld A.Controversy exists with respect to the innervation of the suspensory ligament (SL) in the fore limb of the horse. It is uncertain whether this structure is exclusively innervated by branches of the ulnar nerve or also to some extent by median nerve branches. Ground Reaction Forces (GRF) were determined in horses before and after the induction of a tendonitis in the lateral branch of the SL by the injection of collagenase, and before and after a high palmar and an ulnar block respectively. The high palmar block succeeded in bringing all GRF variables back to their original values which the ulna...
Krueger CR, Klohnen A.To describe a technique for surgical correction of nephrosplenic entrapment via standing left flank laparotomy. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n = 3). Methods: Nephrosplenic entrapment was diagnosed by abdominal palpation per rectum in all 3 horses and confirmed by transabdominal ultrasonography in 2 horses. Duration of colic was variable and failed to resolve after medical management, phenylephrine administration, and jogging. With sedation and local analgesia, standing left flank laparotomy using a modified grid approach was performed to correct the entrapment. Follow-up information ...
Tomlinson JE, Sage AM, Turner TA.The pelvis is covered with extensive musculature and often presents a challenge in diagnostic imaging. Ultrasonography provides diagnostic information about soft tissue, articular cartilage and bone surfaces, although little information exists about the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the equine sacroiliac region. Objective: To determine the clinical applicability of ultrasonographic examination in horses with sacroiliac pain. Methods: Horses presented to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Teaching Hospital for hindlimb lameness were evaluated and lower limb lameness was ruled out wi...
Monteiro FDO, Borges LPB, Cardoso TDS, Teixeira PPM, Filho DZ, Sartori VC, Pereira RN, Flores FN, Coelho CMM, Silva MAM, Valadão CAA.This study aimed to describe an animal model for studying equine visceral pain using minimally invasive and video-assisted cecum and ileum instrumentation. The access to the cecum and ileum was affected because of a previous typhlostomy. For video-assisted distention of the cecum and ileum, a distention device, which we developed using an endotracheal Rusch probe, was used, adapted, and coupled to a cuffometer to inflate and measure the pressure of the cuff attached to its distal portion. In a video-assisted manner, the distal portion of the device was introduced into the cecum and ileum, whic...
May A, Gerhards H, Wollanke B.During hospitalization horses may develop gastrointestinal conditions triggered by a stress-associated weak local immune system. The prospective, clinical trial was conducted to find out whether fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations could be determined in hospitalized horses and how they changed during hospitalization and in response to various stressors. Samples were obtained from 110 horses and a control group (n = 14). At arrival in the hospital, horses were categorized into pain grades (1-5), and elective versus strenuous surgery (> 2 hours, traumatic and emergency procedures). Feces...
Bacon EK, Donnelly CG, Bellone RR, Haase B, Finno CJ, Velie BD.The pleiotropic effects of the melanocortin system show promise in overcoming limitations associated with large variations in opioid analgesic effectiveness observed in equine practice. Of particular interest is variation in the melanocortin-1-receptor (MC1R) gene, which dictates pigment type expression through its epistatic interaction with the agouti signalling protein (ASIP) gene. MC1RÂ has previously been implicated in opioid efficacy in other species; however, this relationship is yet to be explored in horses. In this study, analgesic effectiveness was scored (1-3) based on noted response...
Mascaró Triedo CE, Karar S, Abunemeh M, Portier K.Pupillometry is used in humans to monitor pain, nociception and analgesia. This single-center, non-randomized, non-blinded intervention trial, evaluated the effect of nose twitching on the pupil size in awake, sedated, and anesthetized horses. Pupil height (H) and length (L) were measured before (Be) and after (Af) nose twitching in fourteen non-painful adult awake horses (T0). The percentage of variation (PSV) was calculated (PSVTn = [(TnAf-TnBe)/TnBe]*100). Measurements were repeated (Tn) after acepromazine (0.04 mg kg IV) (T1), romifidine (0.04 mg kg IV) (T2), morphine (0.1 mg...
Flores JEM, Terrazas A, Lara Sagahon AV, Aleman M.Parasympathetic tone activity (PTA) in response to nociceptive stimulus in conscious non-sedated horses is unknown. Objective: Study PTA, heart rate (HR), and horse grimace scale (HGS) at rest and during mechanical nociceptive stimulation. Methods: Ninety healthy young adult horses (females, males): 30 each of Friesians, Quarter Horses, and Warmbloods. Methods: Prospective control study. The study consisted of habituation to equipment (Day 1), baseline recordings (Days 2 and 3), and nociceptive testing applying mild pressure to the metacarpus (Day 4). Parasympathetic tone, HR, and HGS were rec...
Ferlini Agne G, Adamson K, McGlinchey L, Kravchuk O, Santos L, Schumacher J.Accuracy of a median nerve block is normally assessed by testing skin sensitivity on the medial and dorsal aspects of fetlock and pastern. The present study evaluated subjective and objective analysis of skin surface temperature obtained with two different infrared (IR) thermography cameras (a high-end [FLIR P640] and a smartphone IR thermography device [FLIR One®]) before and after anaesthesia of the median nerve. Thermographic images were obtained at 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes after performing a median nerve block with 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride. The subjective analysis of thermographic ima...
Amari M, Rabbogliatti V, Ravasio G, Auletta L, Brioschi FA, Riccaboni P, Dell'Aere S, Roccabianca P.Radiofrequency (RF) relieves chronic pain in humans, but it is unexplored in horses affected by chronic lameness. This study aims to describe the technique and the histological effects of ultrasound (US)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of palmar digital nerves (PDNs) in horse's fetlock and pastern, . Unassigned: After assessing the US anatomy of lateral and medial PDNs in fetlock and pastern ( = 10 horses; 20 forelimbs), US-guided RFA was performed on these sites in cadaveric forelimbs ( = 10) applying four different settings with increasing invasiveness ( = 40 total treatmen...
Best ATK, Morgan JM, Burgy CLD, Flynn H, Barter LS, Cassano JM.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of including midazolam to a common equine standing sedation protocol for routine oral examination. Twelve horses underwent two examinations at least seven days apart. Horses were randomly assigned to receive midazolam intravenously (IV) (0.02mg/kg) or a placebo injection of saline (2-2.5mL IV). Five minutes later, detomidine (0.01mg/kg) and butorphanol (0.01mg/kg) were administered IV and horses were placed in standing stocks. A veterinarian blinded to the treatment protocol used a descriptive scoring system to assess degree of ataxia, acceptance of spe...
Laleye BOFV, Seye M, Chiavaccini L.Limited knowledge exists on recognition and treatment of equine abdominal pain in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed at finding indicators for recognizing abdominal pain, evaluating responses to clinical and behavioral changes, and assessing the impact of timely referral on colic outcomes in a suburban region of Senegal. The final goal was to identify factors that may be leveraged to improve the outcome of horses presented for abdominal pain in Senegal. Unassigned: Retrospective, observational cohort study. Unassigned: Data from 26 foals and 40 adult horses referred for acute a...
Sidwell AE, Duz M, Hill B, Freeman S, Hole SL.Dental disease is a common but often under-recognised condition in horses, possibly due to an inability to recognise clinical signs of oral discomfort. Some dental disorders are reportedly more painful than others, but there is no current metric by which dental pain can be objectively assessed. This study aimed to determine whether a facial expression-based pain scale offered an objective and reliable method for assessing dental pain in horses. It was hypothesised that dental disorders affecting the periodontium would produce high pain scores. Twelve horses with dental disease were evaluated f...
Robert MP, Buyck C, Tricaud C, Cousty M, Pujol R.To report a radical surgical technique for perianal melanomas involving the anal margin in standing horses. Methods: Observational retrospective study. Methods: Twenty client-owned horses presented for surgical excision of extensive (≥4 cm) perianal melanomas. Methods: Demographic data, surgical technique, intraoperative, immediate- and late-postoperative complications were reviewed. Results: All horses (median age 15, Q1-Q3 12 to 17.3 years) were operated under standing sedation and epidural anesthesia. Median hospitalization period was 6.5 days (Q1-Q3 5 to 8.3 days). The anal margi...
Jasiński T, Turek B, Kaczorowski M, Brehm W, Skierbiszewska K, Domino M.The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a unique joint that enables mandibular movement. Temporomandibular diseases (TMDs) impair joint function, leading to more or less specific clinical signs. Objective: To compile and disseminate clinical data and research findings from existing publications on equine TMD. Methods: Systematic review. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, literature searches were conducted in PUBMED, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge. The inclusion criteria covered case reports and research articles on equine TMDs. The selected records were grouped considering septic TMJ arthri...
Perrone G, Giampaoli C, Smirnoff AL, Ochoa A, Pareja R, De Simone E.Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common pathology in sport horses, presenting a chronic and recurrent course. Traditional anti-inflammatory treatments provide only temporary clinical improvement and pain relief; however, they have been associated with metabolic disorders in articular cartilage in the medium term. In this study, we generated a llama polyclonal antibody against equine TNF-α, which was used for intra-articular treatment in horses with OA. Treatment effects were assessed through clinical examination and the determination of inflammatory parameters (MMP-2, MMP-9, LDH, and GAGs) in ...
Navarrete-Calvo R, Morgaz J, RuÃz-López P, Gómez-Villamandos RJ, DomÃnguez JM, Quirós-Carmona S, Granados MM.Spectral entropy and bispectral index (BIS) can differentiate between conscious and unconscious levels in horses. This study aimed to determine whether spectral entropy and BIS parameters can distinguish between different end-tidal isoflurane concentrations (EtIso, %), and whether these parameters change when a nociceptive stimulus is applied. Ten clinically healthy horses were anaesthetized using xylazine, diazepam, ketamine, and isoflurane. The following parameters were monitored: EtIso, response entropy (RE), state entropy (SE), RE-SE difference, BIS, and electromyography (EMG). Three EtIso...
Oyaneder L, Lagos N, Dörner C.The present study was conducted to evaluate the safety and the long-lasting anesthetic properties of Neosaxitoxin (NeoSTX) when injected into the intercoccygeal space in standing horses. A group of eighteen (n = 18) healthy client-owned mature crossbreed horses were enrolled in this study. Caudal epidural injection was ascertained by two methods, the "hanging drop" technique and radiographs. Horses were allocated into three groups (n = 6) each group receiving different dosages of NeoSTX. To assess the onset of action and duration of anesthesia, six horses received 20 μg in 2 mL, six 20Â...
Fikri F, Purnomo A, Maslamama ST, Purnama MTE.In the past 20 years, acupuncture has been utilized as an alternative therapy for equine laminitis despite a lack of clinical evidence to support its effectiveness. Information from previous studies needs to be evaluated holistically to verify the effectiveness of acupuncture. This meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for laminitis in horses. Unassigned: A total of 7 studies out of 145 were selected in the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest databases using the keywords "equine laminitis," "acupuncture," "horses," and "la...
