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.
Hort I.In this study the treatment of a mandibular fracture in a 26 year old Arab horse, the history during the subsequent 4 years and the anatomical post-mortem findings are presented and described.
Robinson RC.Most practitioners will have experienced the
frustration encountered in the treatment of sprains
of the flexor tendons and suspensory ligaments
of racehorses. After apparent recovery, the
damaged structure will often break down again
when the horse returns to hard training. Milne
(1960), Reed (1962), Jubb and Kennedy (1963)
and Hickman (1964) have written detailed ac-
counts of the pathology of tendon injuries and the
mechanism of repair of tendon tissue. These
writers substantiate that when a tendon is
sprained, there is a tearing or rupture of some of
the tendon fibres, varying i...
Gomez DE, Johnson JP.Antimicrobial drug therapy in horses can lead to adverse effects across multiple body systems, with specific age groups, such as foals, at particular risk. Certain antimicrobial drugs, such as penicillins, aminoglycosides, macrolides, tetracyclines, and trimethoprim-sulfonamide combinations, are commonly implicated. This review explores the mechanisms behind these adverse reactions, emphasizing the importance of judicious antimicrobial drug use. This review also underscores the need for a centralized pharmacovigilance system to improve drug safety and adverse event reporting for veterinary med...
Šarkūnas M, Schwahn A, Suleimanova K.The aim of present study was to examine the potency of moxidectin solution (Cydectin 1 %; Zoetis) and commercially available oral moxidectin gel (Equest®; Zoetis) to suppress the excretion of strongyle eggs in horses over a 6-week period. The horses naturally infected with strongyle nematodes (>500 eggs/g of feces) were divided into two comparable groups according age, sex and weight. On day 0 of the study, horses in Group OT (oral treatment; N=5) were dewormed with moxidectin gel (Equest®; Zoetis; 0.4 mg/kg of b.w.) according to the manufacturer's instructions, and horses in Group IT (intra...
Velarde PS, Cummings KJ, LaPointe C, Perkins GA.To assess the use of systemic antimicrobial agents in equine patients and identify areas where their use could be reduced. Unassigned: A retrospective study evaluating the electronic medical records for all equine visits in which systemic antimicrobials were given at a veterinary teaching hospital for 1 year (2021). Negative binomial regression analysis was used to evaluate factors associated with antimicrobial prescription rate. Unassigned: Systemic antimicrobials were prescribed for 33.5% (543 of 1,622) of equine visits. For most visits (89.1%), ≤ 3 antimicrobials were given. The antimicro...
Thane K, Voth R, Klee R, Warnken T, Chukwu V, Frank N.Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are promising treatments to manage hyperinsulinemia in horses with insulin dysregulation (ID). Objective: The SGLT2i velagliflozin decreases insulin concentration in horses with ID. Methods: Privately-owned adult horses (n = 37) with laboratory-confirmed ID (low-dose oral sugar test insulin concentration > 75 μIU/mL). Methods: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Horses received placebo (n = 19) or velagliflozin 0.3 mg/kg PO q24h (n = 18) for 20 weeks (Study Period 1, SP1) immediately followed by a 20-week ope...
Urayama S, Muko R, Muranaka M, Mita H, Ohta M, Matsuda H, Tanaka A.Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) induced by endotoxemia is usually secondary to colitis and is a major cause of high morbidity and mortality in horses. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as flunixin meglumine (FM) and meloxicam (MX), are used to improve clinical outcomes in SIRS/endotoxemia. These NSAIDs suppress tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of FM and MX on TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear ce...
Khan Y, Gautier C, Aurich C, El-Shalofy A.Letrozole is a potent and highly selective third-generation aromatase inhibitor. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of letrozole treatment of non-pregnant mares on estrous cycle characteristics. Cyclic, non-lactating mares (n = 9) were included. After estrus synchronization, mares were monitored to detect ovulation (d0:) of the treatment cycle. Each three mares were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: control, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg body weight letrozole in three consecutive cycles (d7 to d13 of the treatment cycle). Mares were inseminated in the estrus after trea...
Rocha IA, McPeek JL, Hulverson MA, Choi R, Orr K, Sponseller BT, Kennedy T, Ojo KK, Barrett LK, Ruby R, Janes J, Reed SM, Arnold SLM, Van Voorhis WC....To determine the systemic and CNS distribution of bumped-kinase inhibitors (BKIs) in healthy horses, assess potential side effects, and identify a candidate compound for a clinical trial in equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) cases. Unassigned: 9 pharmacokinetic (PK) experiments were conducted from March 2021 through November 2024. Bumped-kinase inhibitors 1708, 1748, and 1841 were screened in Sarcocystis neurona growth assays and IV PKs, followed by investigation of a lead BKI compound by single-dose or multiday oral administration. Serial plasma collections were performed to assess syst...
du Preez S, Lynch B, Lindsay S, Simon O, Ferlini Agne G.To describe the case details of an equine corneal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from the central scar of a previous conjunctival pedicle graft. Methods: An 18-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, showing a progressive increase in diameter, depth, opacity, and pigmentation of a conjunctival pedicle graft scar of the left eye, 34 months after surgery. Methods: Complete ophthalmic examination, standard histologic and immunohistochemical evaluation of an incisional biopsy to formulate a definitive diagnosis. Carbon dioxide (CO) laser photoablation combined with topical mitomycin C treatment. R...
Parmantier S, Kyriazopoulou P, McClendon M, Adams A, Murphy BA.Fifty-two horses aged >15 years, diagnosed with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), and displaying hypertrichosis were recruited via an online survey of PPID horse owners. From mid-December, group T ( = 29) wore Equilume light masks extending photoperiod to 15 h daily, while group C1 ( = 23) remained under natural photoperiod. As 85% (44/52) of recruited study horses received pergolide medication, a second unmedicated PPID research herd (C2; = 17) was recruited and remained under natural photoperiod. Hair coat samples, shedding and body condition scores were collected monthly by own...
Joseph EJ, Love L, Mayakis M, Varner K.Trazodone is administered to hospitalized equine patients to aid in behavioral management, but the effects on the anesthetic recovery period have not been investigated. This study sought to determine if there is an association between trazodone administration and recovery quality, recovery time, need for sedation, or need for reversal agent administration. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in recovery scores, recovery time, additional sedation, or reversal agent administration between horses that received preanesthetic trazodone and horses that did not. Records were reviewed to...
Marcatili M, Kalinovskiy A, Christoph L.To describe the additional information provided by computed tomography (CT) in planning and assisting repair of comminuted fractures of the middle phalanx (MP) in Warmblood horses. Methods: Case series. Methods: Six adult Warmblood horses. Methods: The case records of horses undergoing CT examination prior to internal fixation of comminuted MP fractures were reviewed. All horses underwent radiographic and preoperative CT examination. A standardized fast protocol (SFP) to assess CT images was used. Surgical repair consisted of fracture repair and proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis using...
Bourebaba N, Domagała J, Bourebaba L.Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, disruptions in mitochondrial dynamics and function, and an increased risk of developing laminitis. Recent research has highlighted that reduced levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in the bloodstream are linked to higher susceptibility to obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes, potentially contributing to broader metabolic imbalances. This study aimed to evaluate whether exogenously administered SHBG could protect adipose-derived stem cells from horses affected by EMS (EqASC) against mitochondrial dy...
Klinck M, Lovett A, Sykes B.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) refers to mucosal gastric disease in horses, including equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) and equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD), which present as two distinct disease entities differing in pathophysiology and approach to disease management. Both diseases are a source of pain in affected horses, partly explaining why EGUS continues to receive substantial attention in the equine medical, welfare and equitation research sectors. There is a complex interplay between EGUS and a variety of physical and psychological stressors. Horses with EGUS are often...
Bungărdean D, Pall E, Daradics Z, Popescu M, Tripon MA, Lupșan AF, Crecan CM, Morar IA, Nicolescu A, Bora FD, Marcus I.Musculoskeletal disorders are a major cause of lameness in horses, often necessitating innovative regenerative strategies to restore joint function and improve quality of life. This study investigated the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), ozonized PRP, hyaluronic acid, paracetamol, and polyacrylamide hydrogel (NOLTREX) on the behavior of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from equine synovial fluid. Synovial fluid samples were collected under strict cytological criteria to ensure viability, followed by in vitro expansion and phenotypic characterization of MSCs. Cultures were supplement...
Monteiro MM, de Castro ELA, Pereira AJM, Thiesen R, Thiesen RMC, Salvarani FM.Equine sarcoids are the most common dermatological neoplasm in horses worldwide, associated with bovine papillomavirus (BPV) infection and characterized by high recurrence rates after conventional therapies. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy has historically been used for sarcoid treatment, yet its role in contemporary veterinary oncology remains debated. This narrative review critically examines the immunological mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and limitations of BCG in equine sarcoid therapy, while integrating insights from comparative oncology and One Health perspectives. A syste...
Khalid E, Tartor YH, Ammar AM, Abdelaziz R, Mahmmod Y, Abdelkhalek A.Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health issue requiring a coordinated response. This study investigated for the first time the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance phenotypes of bacteria causing infections in Arabian horses, and the potential of bacteriophage therapy for wound treatment. One hundred clinical samples from infected Arabian horses, presenting respiratory disorders, diarrhea, abortion, wound, and ocular infection, were examined using direct sample multiplex PCR and phenotypic methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the recovered isolates was performed using pane...
Miguel EL, Carneiro MFL, Griffo ALC, Baatsch Nascimento F, Dória RGS, Corrêa RR, Celeghini ECC.Vaginal varicosities in mares are rarely reported, although considered relatively common. Clinical recognition can be challenging, especially during early pregnancy, due to the intermittent nature of the bleeding. This report aims to describe the diagnostic approach, clinical evolution, and treatment of a case of vaginal varicosity in a pregnant mare, emphasizing a practical and minimally invasive method. A 9-year-old Brazilian Sport Horse mare with intermittent vaginal hemorrhage underwent clinical evaluation, showing no abnormalities. Vaginoscopy with a rigid endoscope revealed varicose vein...
Vainio KME, Määttänen MK, Mykkänen AK, Huupponen AK, Niinistö KE.Iatrogenic aspiration pneumonia is rarely reported in horses, with most cases involving lipoid pneumonia from accidental mineral oil administration. Objective: Our aim is to describe horses with iatrogenic aspiration, highlighting clinical findings, treatment, outcomes, and prognostic differences based on the aspirated material. Methods: Management of 6 horses treated at the University of Helsinki Equine hospital due to iatrogenic aspiration between 2018 and 2023 are reported. Results: Of the six horses, three survived, two of whom regained full athletic function. Survivors received water, or ...
Döberl J, Li Z, Furrer R, Jäger MC.Reduced anthelmintic efficacy against small strongyles in horses is a widespread problem, yet recent data is scarce. Objective: This paper aims to investigate the current status of anthelmintic efficacy in the field in Germany, specifically focusing on pyrantel. Methods: The study included 1670 horses for which a total of 1913 dewormings were analysed. Of these, 1682 were performed with pyrantel, 56 with fenbendazole, 162 with macrocyclic lactones and 13 with other compounds (e.g. herbs). The faecal egg count reduction (FECR) was calculated with two methods, the faecal egg count reduction test...
Mainguy-Seers S, Grondin SM, Lavoie JP.Airway dysfunction in severe equine asthma (SEA) often results in early retirement or euthanasia of affected horses. Exercise-induced bronchodilation occurs in horses with SEA after intense treadmill exercise, but the effects of a lighter, field-applicable, training regimen remain largely unexplored. Objective: To evaluate the impact of submaximal aerobic exercise on airway obstruction during exacerbation of SEA. Methods: The preliminary phase explored the effects of a 25-min standardised exercise on the lung function of eight SEA horses. As notable bronchodilation occurred, the results were c...
Thorn CA, Wilson DV, Wang S, Horne WA.Standing sedation is a safe and cost-effective alternative to general anesthesia in horses, but challenges include achieving adequate drug effect to block the stimulus response without inducing ataxia or recumbency. A benefit of midazolam has been reported in equine dental procedures. Seeking synergy, a combination of lower doses of several pharmacologic agents, including midazolam, may improve the quality of sedation while minimizing adverse effects. Bispectral index (BIS) correlates with sedation scores in human ICU patients, but the correlation between sedation scores and BIS has not been e...
Piecuch A, Szterk A.This review highlights the role of β-glucans-specifically β(1 → 3), β(1 → 6), and β(1 → 4)-glucans-as water-soluble dietary fibres in animal nutrition and health. Sourced from yeast, plants, seaweed, and mushrooms, β-glucans differ in structure depending on origin, which affects their solubility and biological activity. Recent studies emphasize their therapeutic potential in horses, particularly for managing gastric ulcers, viral infections, immune dysfunction, and poor performance. The review summarizes data on effective dosages, formulations, and sources of β-glucans tailor...
Guillot M, Mespoulhes-Rivière C, Bousquet-Mélou A, Lacroix MZ, Roques BB, Lallemand EA.Intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) of antibiotics is a therapeutic method used to treat distal limb infections in horses. The objectives of this study were to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters and tolerance of sodium benzylpenicillin (NaBP) administered via IVRLP; to compare the feasibility, tolerance, and efficacy of performing IVRLP on a flexed limb versus a weightbearing limb; and to predict the efficacy of IVRLP using gentamicin or NaBP. A prospective crossover study was conducted with six horses, each undergoing four phases of antibiotic infusion (gentamicin at 2.2 mg/kg ...
Boado A, Pollard D, Dyson S.There are no studies that have investigated factors influencing the outcome of dressage horses with suspensory ligament (SL) branch injuries. The aim was to determine if age, breed, work level, injury severity, anatomical localisation of injury, number of injured branches, periligamentous fibrosis, persistence of power Doppler signal or coexistent osteoarthritis of a metacarpophalangeal (MCP) or metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint influenced the prognosis of 70 dressage horses. Outcome was defined as good (return to pre-injury level of work or higher), poor (return to a lower level of work) or ret...
Haugaard SL, Nissen SD, Schneider MJ, Birk JB, Carstensen H, Hopster-Iversen C, Altıntaş A, Barrès R, Kjøbsted R, Wojtaszewski JFP, Herum KM....High recurrence rates after atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment may be driven by myocardial changes induced by the arrhythmia itself. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind these changes is crucial for developing targeted therapies and improving outcomes. Objective: To characterise the cardiac transcriptome of healthy horses and explore transcriptional changes associated with persistent AF (naturally occurring and tachypacing-induced). Methods: Case-control study. Methods: RNA-sequencing was performed on atrial and ventricular tissue samples collected from six horses with naturally occur...
Lepage H, de Chaisemartin C, Spadaro Rosselo A, Leroy H, Lepage O.To describe and report clinical outcomes after transcutaneous guttural pouch (GP) catheterization (TGPC) in standing horses. Methods: Ex vivo study and case series. Methods: One cadaver head, records of 10 normal horses and 14 horses treated with TGPC. Methods: Relevant anatomical landmarks were determined through dissection of one cadaveric specimen and 10 normal radiographic studies. Records of horses diagnosed with empyema or mycosis and treated with standing TGPC were reviewed for complications that occurred during or after the operation. Results: Ex vivo and radiological studies identifie...
Rhodes AD, McCoy AM, Stewart MC, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD.To evaluate postoperative racing performance of a population of Standardbred racehorses following arthroscopic removal of an osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) lesion of the femoropatellar joint. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 45 client-owned Standardbred racehorses. Methods: OCD lesions were measured and graded using the length of the subchondral bone defect from preoperative radiographs. Postoperative racing results were obtained from the United States Trotting Association, and follow-up owner surveys were conducted. A control group of contemporaneous paternal siblings free o...
Melanie Catanchin CS, Bell J, Labens R, Quinn CT.Detomidine hydrochloride is an alpha adrenoceptor agonist that is commonly used in equine practice to provide sedation and analgesia for horses undergoing standing procedures. Reported effects following intravenous administration of detomidine in horses include bradycardia, bradyarrhythmias, transient hypertension, sweating, piloerection and dose-dependent sedation, ataxia and analgesia. This case report describes a novel response characterised by tachycardia and profound muscle tremors following the administration of intravenous detomidine to a horse undergoing a standing procedure.
Khan MZ, Ji Y, Fan X, Liu Y, Liu W, Wang C.Equine herpesvirus (EHV) infections represent a significant global veterinary and economic challenge affecting both horses and donkeys across all inhabited continents. This narrative review comprehensively examines the nine distinct EHV species (EHV-1 through EHV-9), their taxonomic classification within Alphaherpesvirinae and Gammaherpesvirinae subfamilies, and their diverse host tropism patterns. The complex molecular pathogenesis involves sophisticated viral glycoproteins (gK, gB, gC, gH, gM, gL, gG, gD, gI, gE) that orchestrate cellular invasion, immune evasion, and intercellular transmiss...
Chiavaccini L, Moura RA, Azevedo TMBPR, De Gennaro C, Vettorato E, Romano M, Portela DA.Dexmedetomidine improves pulmonary function in dogs and humans, but evidence in horses is scarce. This study evaluated dexmedetomidine infusion on oxygenation and respiratory mechanics in anesthetized horses. Twenty horses undergoing elective surgery were included in a prospective, non-randomized, observational study. Horses received either lidocaine alone (1.3 mg/kg over 15 min, then 3 mg/kg/hour; LIDO) or combined with dexmedetomidine (1.75 μg/kg over 15 min, then 1.75 μg/kg/hour; DL). Respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, and cardiovascular variables were recorded at baseline, post-loading...
