Pharmacology in horses involves the study and application of drugs and medications to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and conditions in equine species. This field encompasses the understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics specific to horses, including how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the equine body. Commonly studied pharmacological agents in horses include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, sedatives, and anthelmintics. Research in equine pharmacology focuses on determining appropriate dosages, understanding drug interactions, and minimizing adverse effects. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the efficacy, safety, and regulatory aspects of pharmacological interventions in equine veterinary practice.
This article provides an overview of initial assessment and management of common emergency presentations in donkeys and mules. The principles are similar to those in horses (and ponies), but clinicians must be aware of differences in recognition of signs of pain/disease, approach to handling, pharmacology of some drugs, and subtle differences in the physiology and local anatomy in donkeys and mules. The epidemiology of common disease presentations will vary between pet/companion or working/farmed donkeys and mules. Regular dental checks, deworming, vaccination, and monitoring of behavior and q...
Fifteen horses harboring naturally acquired, patent Parascaris equorum and Oxyuris equi infections were equally allotted to 3 treatment groups given (1) injectable vehicle; (2) injectable ivermectin at the dose rate of 200 microgram/kg of body weight; and (3) injectable ivermectin at the rate of 300 microgram/kg. All treatments were given IM in the neck. All animals were killed 14 days after treatment and examined for the targeted nematodes. Regardless of dose rate, ivermectin proved 100% effective in the removal of adult O equi and P equorum infections. Levels of immature P equorum were decre...
The objective of this study was to compare effects of butorphanol (BUT) or buprenorphine (BUP), in combination with detomidine and diazepam, on the sedation quality, surgical conditions, and postoperative pain control after cheek tooth extraction in horses, randomly allocated to 2 treatment groups (BUT: = 20; BUP: = 20). A bolus of detomidine (15 μg/kg, IV) was followed by either BUP (7.5 μg/kg, IV) or BUT (0.05 mg/kg, IV). After 20 min, diazepam (0.01 mg/kg, IV) was administered and sedation was maintained with a detomidine IV infusion (20 μg/kg/h), with rate adjusted based on scores to ...
A review of the literature is given concerning the anatomy and pathophysiology of the equine penis with regard to priapism: a prolonged erection of the penis not associated with sexual arousal. Several treatment options, such as flushing of the corpus cavernosum penis with heparinized saline and the creation of shunt between the corpus cavernosum penis and the corpus spongiosum penis are discussed. Subsequently, a case of priapism in a stallion following the injection of acepromazine, is discussed. The priapism resolved after the corpus cavernosum penis was flushed with the stallion under gene...
Stack A, Schott HC.Adverse drug reactions to trimethoprim-sulphonamide combinations are common in many species, manifesting as gastrointestinal tract disorders, dermatopathies and blood dyscrasias. In this case series, neurological abnormalities in 4 horses being treated with trimethoprim-sulphonamide combinations at normal dosages and in one foal that received an overdose are described. The horses developed hypermetric gait, agitation and erratic behaviour. All signs resolved once medication was withdrawn, and no horse had residual deficits. No other cause for observed neurological deficits could be determined....
Menozzi A, Pozzoli C, Poli E, Dacasto M, Giantin M, Lopparelli RM, Passeri B, Zullian C, Gobbetti T, Bertini S.We investigated the effects of nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors (indomethacin and flunixin meglumine) and selective COX-1 (SC-560) or COX-2 (celecoxib, DUP-398 and NS-697) inhibitors on horse small bowel motility in vitro. At this purpose, samples of equine ileum were put in isolated organ baths for the motility experiments. Nonselective COX inhibitors were devoid of major effects on motility, except for an inhibition of tonic contraction shown by flunixin meglumine. SC-560, selective COX-1 inhibitor, was devoid of significant effects on ileal motility. Selective COX-2 inhibitors r...
López JR, Linares N, Cordovez G, Terzic A.Exertional rhabdomyolysis is a myopathy of unknown pathophysiology. We measured intracellular resting calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) by means of Ca(2+)-selective microelectrodes in intercostal muscle fibers from horses suffering from rhabdomyolysis, and from horses with no evidence of neuromuscular disorder. [Ca2+]i was several-fold higher in muscle fibers from horses suffering from rhabdomyolysis when compared to controls. Treatment of rhabdomyolytic horses with dantrolene, an agent that prevents Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, reduced [Ca2+]i toward control values, and acceler...
Scott Weese J.Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging problem in companion animals, because of difficult-to-treat infections, possible pressure to use antimicrobials that are important in human medicine, and potential zoonotic transmission. The extent and importance of AMR in companion animals are poorly understood, in part because of limited surveillance; however, it is clear that resistance is problematic in many pathogens and commensals, including staphylococci, enterococci, Escherichia coli and Salmonella.
Rinnovati R, Romagnoli N, Gentilini F, Lambertini C, Spadari A.Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) commonly refers to blood products which contain a higher platelet (PLT) concentration as compared to normal plasma. Autologous PRP has been shown to be safe and effective in promoting the natural processes of soft tissue healing or reconstruction in humans and horses. Variability in PLT concentration has been observed in practice between PRP preparations from different patients or from the same individual under different conditions. A change in PLT concentration could modify PRP efficacy in routine applications. The aim of this study was to test the influence of envi...
Muñoz JA, Marcoux M, Picandet V, Theoret CL, Perron MF, Lepage OM.Palatal sclerotherapy using sodium tetradecyl sulfate has been suggested as a treatment for dorsal displacement of the soft palate in young Standardbred horses. The present study evaluated histological and biomechanical changes in the equine soft palate following trans-endoscopic treatment with a low dose of this compound. Two horses were euthanased and examined at 2 weeks and at 1, 2, 4 and 6 months post-sclerotherapy, while two further horses served as untreated controls. The technique was easily performed in all cases without major complications. On histological examination there was no evi...
Richardson LM, Whitfield-Cargile CM, Cohen ND, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Dockery HJ.To determine whether a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) would reduce gastric ulceration and gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation compared with a non-COX selective NSAID. Methods: Randomized block design. Methods: Twenty-five healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 5), phenylbutazone (n = 10), or firocoxib (n = 10) administered daily for 10 days. Gastroscopy was performed on days 0 and 10, and both squamous and glandular ulcers were scored according to established scoring criteria. Fecal samples w...
Heinonen E, Hedenstierna G, Meriläinen P, Högman M, Nyman G.To study the effect of the pulsed delivery of nitric oxide (NO) on pulmonary gas exchange in the anaesthetized horses. Design Prospective, controlled randomized. Methods: Five healthy Standardbred trotters, three geldings and two mares. Methods: The horses were anaesthetized with thiopentone and isoflurane and positioned in dorsal recumbency. Nitric oxide was added as a pulse to the inspired gas during the first half of each inspiration. In three horses the effect of NO on the ventilation-perfusion distribution was also investigated using the multiple inert gas elimination technique. Data w...
Borges LM, Ferreira LA, da Silva LS, de Oliveira RA, Mussi SV, Faria KA, Melo LS, Abud LJ, Costa GL, Soares SF.This study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the efficacy of a 2,6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP) lure to control Dermacentor nitens (Acari: Ixodidae). Slow-release formulations of the pheromone formulated with and without cypermethrin were prepared. Olfactometer bioassays were used to define the best dose of the pheromone and to evaluate the effect of cypermethrin with 2,6-DCP attractiveness. Sexually active males were released 15 cm from 2 cmx1 cm pieces of polypropylene treated with different odors: 2,6-DCP in a liposphere system (1.5, 30 and 300 microg--without cypermethrin and 30...
