Treatments for horses encompasses a range of medical and therapeutic interventions aimed at maintaining or restoring equine health. This field involves the use of pharmaceuticals, surgical procedures, and alternative therapies to address various conditions affecting horses. Common treatments include the administration of anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and vaccines, as well as physical therapies and nutritional management. Research in this area focuses on evaluating the efficacy, safety, and outcomes of different treatment modalities. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methods, advancements, and clinical outcomes associated with equine treatment practices.
McMullen RJ, Gilger BC.To determine ocular dimensions (A- and B-scan ultrasound) and corneal curvature (radius of corneal diameter determined in B-scan ultrasound) in the equine eye and to calculate the appropriate dioptric power for a posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) necessary to achieve emmetropia in the eyes of horses undergoing lens extraction. Methods: Fourteen clinically normal adult horses of various breeds. Additionally, for comparison, one American Miniature colt foal, and one 2.5-year-old Shire gelding were examined. Methods: B-scan ultrasound was performed on one eye from each horse. One eye from ...
Schaaf KL, Kannegieter NJ, Lovell DK.A Thoroughbred horse with bilateral laryngeal dysfunction was treated by placement of a long term tracheal cannula in order to restore full athletic function. The horse initially presented with right-sided arytenoid dysfunction that was considered to be due to a congenital malformation of the laryngeal cartilage. This was corrected by a right-sided laryngoplasty and ventriculectomy. The horse re-presented 1 year later with idiopathic left laryngeal hemiplegia. The decision was made to place a long-term tracheal cannula due to the low success rate and high complication rate associated with othe...
Edwards RB, Lu Y, Uthamanthil RK, Bogdanske JJ, Muir P, Athanasiou KA, Markel MD.The purpose of this study was to develop a long-term model of cartilage injury that could be used to compare the effects of radiofrequency energy (RFE) and mechanical debridement as a treatment. Methods: Partial thickness fibrillation of patellar cartilage was created in 16 mature ponies. Three months after the initial surgery all injured patellae were randomly selected to receive one of the four treatments (n = 8/treatment): (1) control, (2) mechanical debridement with a motorized shaver, (3) TAC-CII RFE probe, and (4) CoVac 50 RFE probe. The ponies were euthanized 22 months after treatment. ...
Patton KM, Peek SF, Valentine BA.A 17-year-old Quarter horse mare was referred to Cornell University for postmortem examination after 72 hours of encephalopathy that consisted of depression, mania, and blindness. A plasma sample and cerebral spinal fluid demonstrated hyperammonemia. Gross necropsy examination findings included the following: mild icterus, a transmural mass in the glandular portion of the gastric fundus, multiple masses throughout the liver, and a large tumor thrombus in the portal vein. Microscopically, the gastric mass, hepatic masses, and portal vein thrombus were composed of similar neoplastic epithelial c...
Frisbie DD, Morisset S, Ho CP, Rodkey WG, Steadman JR, McIlwraith CW.Microfracture of full-thickness articular defects has been shown to significantly enhance the amount of repair tissue. However, there is a suggestion that leaving calcified cartilage inhibits this repair response. Objective: Removal of the calcified cartilage with retention of subchondral bone enhances the amount of attachment of the repair tissue compared with retention of the calcified cartilage layer. Methods: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: There were 1-cm(2) articular cartilage defects made in 12 skeletally mature horses on the axial weightbearing portion of both medial femoral cond...
Eades SC, Stokes AM, Moore RM.To evaluate changes in digital vascular function in horses with carbohydrate overload (CHO)-induced laminitis and determine the effects of an endothelin (ET) receptor antagonist and nitroglycerin on laminitis-associated vascular dysfunction. Methods: 20 adult horses without abnormalities of the digit. Methods: Hemodynamic variables were recorded before (baseline) and hourly after all horses were administered a CHO ration via nasogastric tube. In 4 groups of 5 horses each, saline (0.9% NaCl) solution or ET receptor antagonist (10(5)M in digital blood) was administered into the digital arterial ...
Lescun TB, Vasey JR, Ward MP, Adams SB.OBJECTIVE-To determine clinical findings, complications, and outcome of septic synovitis in which continuous intrasynovial antimicrobial infusion (CIAI) was used for local antimicrobial delivery in horses. DESIGN-Retrospective case series. Animals-22 adult horses and 9 foals (horses7 days) in nature, 15 had been refractory to standard treatments, and 13 synovial infections had associated osteomyelitis. Mean duration from infection to initiation of CIAI was 19.7 days, and mean duration of CIAI was 6.1 days. Temporary discharge from the catheter site at the time of removal was evident in 8 horse...
Sanz MG, Sampson SN, Schneider RK, Gavin PR, Baszler TV.CASE DESCRIPTION-A 4-year-old Quarter Horse stallion was evaluated because of a 10-month history of moderate (grade 3/5) left forelimb lameness (detectable during trotting over a smooth, hard surface). CLINICAL FINDINGS-No abnormalities were detected in either forelimb via palpation or application of hoof testers; however, lameness was eliminated after administration of a palmar digital nerve block in the left forelimb. Whereas radiography and ultrasonography did not identify any left forelimb foot abnormalities, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed a circumscribed soft tissue mass in the ...
Meagher DT, Latimer FG, Sutter WW, Saville WJ.OBJECTIVE-To determine clinical findings and outcome in horses treated by means of a balloon constant rate infusion system. DESIGN-Retrospective case series. ANIMALS-23 horses. PROCEDURES-Medical records of horses examined at The Ohio State University veterinary teaching hospital from 2002 to 2005 that had septic arthritis, septic tenosynovitis, or penetration of a synovial structure and in which treatment involved a balloon constant rate infusion system were searched. Information pertaining to signalment, history, physical examination findings, clinicopathologic data, treatment, and duration ...
Natalini CC, Polydoro Ada S, Linardi RL.To evaluate the effects of subarachnoidally administered hyperbaric morphine, buprenorphine, and methadone on avoidance threshold to noxious electrical stimulation of the perineal, sacral, lumbar, and thoracic regions in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were assigned to receive subarachnoid administration of hyperbaric morphine (0.01 mg/kg), buprenorphine (0.001 mg/kg), methadone (0.01 mg/kg), or 10% dextrose solution in equal volumes (5 mL). Electrical stimulation was applied every 10 minutes for 60 minutes and every 30 minutes for 120 minutes after subarachnoid inject...
Barrett EL, Talbot AM, Driver AJ, Barr FJ, Barr AR.An alternative technique of radiographing the pelvis in the standing horse is required, to avoid the risks associated with general anaesthesia. Objective: That lateral oblique radiography in the standing horse would be a useful technique in the investigation of pelvic injury. Objective: To describe the technique of lateral oblique pelvic radiography in the standing horse and demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of this technique. Methods: A technique for lateral oblique radiography in the standing horse was devised and retrospective review made of radiographic findings in 18 clinical cas...
Handler J, Schönlieb S, Hoppen HO, Aurich C.In the present study, we investigated the effects of reproductive status, size of follicles and plasma progesterone concentrations of mares at PRID insertion on the efficacy of the treatment, estrous cycle patterns, plasma concentrations of progesterone and LH. The progesterone-releasing device (PRID) was administered intravaginally to 28 Haflinger mares for 11 days at different reproductive stages: anestrus (n=6), estrus (n=11) and diestrus (n=11). Plasma concentrations of progesterone at insertion (Day 1) of PRID differed among treatment groups (anestrus: 0.2-0.6 ng mL(-1), estrus: 0.2-0.5 a...
Gastal EL, Gastal MO, Ginther OJ.A duplex grey-scale and colour-Doppler ultrasound instrument was used to study the changes in the wall of the preovulatory follicle in mares. When the follicle reached > or =35 mm (hour 0), mares were randomized into control (n = 16) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-treated (n = 16) groups. The hCG treatment was given at hour 0. Scanning was done every 12 h until hour 36, every hour between hours 36 and 48, and every 12 h thereafter until ovulation. Blood was sampled every 12 h for oestradiol assay. During the period 0-24 h post-treatment, oestradiol concentrations decreased in the hC...
Morresey PR, Mackay RJ.To measure serum polymyxin B concentration after single and repeated IV infusions in horses. Methods: 5 healthy horses. Methods: In study 1, 1 mg (6,000 U) of polymyxin B/kg was given IV and blood samples were collected for 24 hours. In study 2, 1 mg of polymyxin B/kg was given IV every 8 hours for 5 treatments and blood samples were collected until 24 hours after the last dose. Polymyxin B concentration was measured as the ability to suppress nitrite production by murine macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide and interferon-alpha. Urine was collected prior to the first drug infusion a...
Symonds KD, MacAllister CG, Erkert RS, Payton ME.To evaluate the musculoskeletal analgesic effect of etodolac administered PO every 12 or 24 hours in chronically lame horses by use of force plate analysis. Methods: 22 horses with navicular syndrome. Methods: Horses received etodolac (23 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; n = 7), etodolac (23 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h; 8), or corn syrup (20 mL, PO, q 24 h; control treatment; 7) for 3 days. Combined forelimb peak vertical ground reaction force (PVF) was measured via force plate analysis before the first treatment (baseline) and at 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after the last treatment. Differences in mean PVF (mPVF) betwee...
Fjordbakk CT, Kenney DG, Rodriguez-Palacios A, Keller S, Stalker M.An inflammatory aural polyp was identified in a 1-year-old standardbred filly, which presented with otorrhea and head rubbing. The polyp was removed by traction-avulsion, and the filly showed no subsequent signs of otorrhea. Aural polyps have not been reported in horses, but they are commonly seen in companion animals and humans. Un polype auditif inflammatoire a été identifié chez une pouliche Standardbred d’un an présentée pour otorrhée et frottage de tête. Le polype a été retiré par traction-avulsion et la pouliche n’a pas manifesté de signes subséquents d’otorrhée. Les ...
Olsén L, Ingvast-Larsson C, Larsson P, Broström H, Bondesson U, Sundqvist M, Tjälve H.The pharmacokinetics and the effects on inhibition of histamine-induced cutaneous wheal formation of the histamine H1-antagonist fexofenadine were studied in horse. The effect of ivermectin pretreatment on the pharmacokinetics of fexofenadine was also examined. After intravenous infusion of fexofenadine at 0.7 mg/kg bw the mean terminal half-life was 2.4 h (range: 2.0-2.7 h), the apparent volume of distribution 0.8 L/kg (0.5-0.9 L/kg), and the total body clearance 0.8 L/h/kg (0.6-1.2 L/h/kg). After oral administration of fexofenadine at 10 mg/kg bw bioavailability was 2.6% (1.9-2.9%). Ivermect...
De Clercq D, Baert K, Croubels S, van Loon G, Maes A, Tavernier R, Deprez P, De Backer P.To determine the clinical effects and pharmacokinetics of amiodarone after single doses of 5 mg/kg administered orally or intravenously. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: In a cross over study, clinical signs and electrocardiographic variables were monitored and plasma and urine samples were collected. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used to determine the percentage of protein binding and to measure plasma and urine concentrations of amiodarone and the active metabolite desethylamiodarone. Results: No adverse clinical signs were observed. After IV administration, m...
Rayner SG, Van Zyl N.To assess the effectiveness of topical mitomycin C application as an alternative adjunctive therapy to CO2 laser ablation in the treatment of equine ocular squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: A retrospective clinical study of eight client owned horses in which 10 affected eyes were treated for ocular squamous cell carcinoma over a 17 month period. (March 2003 to August 2004). Methods: Each horse was given a general anaesthetic to allow CO2 laser ablation of the lesion(s). Mitomycin C at a concentration of 0.4 mg/mL was then applied intraoperatively to the affected areas for 1 or 5 minutes. Posto...
Durham AE.Five ponies and one donkey with hyperlipaemia that occurred secondarily to a variety of primary clinical conditions were treated with lipid-free partial parenteral nutrition comprising equal volumes of 50 per cent glucose and 15 per cent amino acids. The infusion supplied energy and protein at rates of 2.6 kJ/kg per hour and 34.3 mg/kg per hour, respectively. In all six cases there was a prompt and sustained decrease in serum concentrations of triglyceride. In four of the six cases a good response to treatment of the primary condition was also seen and the subjects were discharged successfully...
Thomas E, Thomas V, Wilhelm C.Cefquinome is known for its use as an antibacterial drug in cattle and pigs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of cefquinome against equine pathogenic bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cefquinome was determined for a total of 205 strains, which had recently been isolated in Europe from diseased horses (respiratory infection, foal septicaemia). The bactericidal activity was tested against 19 strains using the time killing method. The post-antibiotic effect (PAE) and post-antibiotic sub-MIC effect (PA SME) were determined against 12 stra...
Lin YL, Moolenaar H, van Weeren PR, van de Lest CH.To determine effects of microcurrent electrical tissue stimulation (METS) on equine tenocytes cultured from the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT). Methods: SDFTs were collected from 20 horses at slaughter. Methods: Tenocytes were isolated following outgrowth from explants and grown in 48-well plates. Four methods of delivering current to the tenocytes with a METS device were tested. Once the optimal method was selected, current consisting of 0 (negative control), 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mA was applied to cells (8 wells/current intensity) once daily for 8 minutes. Cells were treated ...
Scheck JL.A stallion was presented for surgical treatment of limbal squamous cell carcinoma. Excision with a conjunctival pedicle flap was done to prevent ocular invasion and preserve vision. A complication was the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, which was not converted to sinus rhythm due to the potential complication of treatment with quinidine sulfate. Traitement d’un carcinome épidermoïde oculaire chez un étalon atteint de fibrillation auriculaire. Un étalon a été présenté pour une chirurgie d’un carcinome épidermoïde limbique. Après l’excision, un lambeau à pédicule conjonctiva...
Wettstein D, Moens Y, Jaeggin-Schmucker N, Böhm SH, Rothen HU, Mosing M, Kästner SB, Schatzmann U.To evaluate pulmonary and cardiovascular effects of a recruitment maneuver (RM) combined with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during total intravenous anesthesia in ponies. Methods: 6 healthy adult Shetland ponies. Methods: After premedication with detomidine (10 microg/kg, IV), anesthesia was induced with climazolam (0.06 mg/kg, IV) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg, IV) and maintained with a constant rate infusion of detomidine (0.024 mg/kg/h), climazolam (0.036 mg/kg/h), and ketamine (2.4 mg/kg/h). The RM was preceded by an incremental PEEP titration and followed by a decremental PEEP titrati...
Natalini CC, Linardi RL.To evaluate the effects of epidural administration of hydromorphone on avoidance threshold to noxious electrical stimulation of the perineal, sacral, lumbar, and thoracic regions in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were assigned to receive hydromorphone (0.04 mg/kg) or a control solution (20 mL of sterile water) administered epidurally into in the first intercoccygeal space. Treatments were administered at time intervals of > or = 7 days. Electrical stimulation was applied for 6 hours after epidural injection over the dermatomes of the perineal, sacral, lumbar, and t...
Swor TM, Watkins JR, Bahr A, Epstein KL, Honnas CM.Previous olecranon fracture reports contain a small proportion of type 5 fractures, mostly treated with conservative therapy. Objective: To evaluate the clinical details and outcome of type 5 olecranon fractures in a large group of horses treated by tension band plate fixation and to compare results with other treatment methods. Methods: Medical records of 97 cases, including 32 (33%) classified as type 5, were reviewed. Subject details, history, radiographic findings, treatment and follow-up results (2-146 months post operatively) were recorded. Results: Treatment included open reduction and ...
Moorman VJ, Jann HW.A 2-day-old Thoroughbred intact female was presented for a large subcutaneous swelling in the right inguinal region. Surgical repair was performed using a double layer polypropylene mesh. To the authors' knowledge, there have been no previous reports of surgical repair of congenital body wall hernias with polypropylene mesh in foals. Une femelle pur sang intacte âgée de deux jours est présentée pour de l’enflure sous-cutanée importante dans la région inguinale droite. Une réparation chirurgicale est réalisée en utilisant une double couche de maille de polypropylène. À la connaiss...
Bolt DM, Burba DJ.A pregnant 9-year-old Peruvian Paso mare was evaluated because of a fracture involving the left radius. On examination, grade IV/V lameness of the left forelimb was observed; radiography of the limb revealed a longitudinal oblique displaced fracture that extended from the caudal cortex of the radial mid-diaphysis into the humeroradial joint. To minimize the development of degenerative joint disease in the humeroradial joint, repair with internal fixation was recommended. A dynamic compression plate was applied to the cranial aspect of the radius; three 2-mm stainless steel cable cerclages were...
McKibbin LS, Paraschak DM.Bone spavin, splint, and fractured splint bone injuries have been treated with varying methodologies at Wheatley Hall Farm Equine Clinic. Cryosurgery is the most successful. With cryosurgery the small, pain-producing afferent C fibers are destroyed, and painful neuromas do not return. Injured sites were cryosurgically treated with liquid nitrogen for a double freeze-thaw period of 45 sec. 5 sec, 45 sec. Before and after treatment comparisons were conducted on study standardbreds. In all three injury groups, results showed that the standardbreds tended to race as well or with improved times and...
Bras GE, Kersjes AW.Comparative studies were done on healing of the wound following laparotomy through the ventral wall of the abdomen (paramedian incision or in the linea alba) in seventy horses and following surgical treatment of umbilical hernia in eighty-five (young) horses, in which perlon, (chromic) catgut, stainless steel wire and polyglycollic acid were used as suture material. Though with some reserve, as the study was concerned with the comparison of findings in clinical cases in which a number of conditions may vary, it is concluded that steel wire and polyglycollic acid are preferable to perlon and (c...