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Topic:Veterinary Care
Veterinary care in horses encompasses the medical and preventive measures taken to maintain and improve the health and well-being of equine patients. It includes a wide range of practices such as routine health examinations, vaccinations, dental care, parasite control, and management of injuries and diseases. Veterinary care also involves diagnostic procedures, surgical interventions, and therapeutic treatments tailored to the specific needs of horses. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of equine veterinary care, including advancements in diagnostic techniques, treatment protocols, and health management strategies to support the well-being and performance of horses.
Use of Intravitreal Injection of Gentamicin in 71 Horses With Equine Recurrent Uveitis. We report a retrospective evaluation of intravitreal gentamicin (6 mg in 0.3 mL solution) injection in 71 horses with equine recurrent uveitis between 2010 and 2016. Aqueous flare and hyalitis were scored at the baseline in all horses, then at 15, 30, 60, 90, 180, 365, and 730 in 37, 46, 30, 25, 22, 18, and 11 horses, respectively. Forty-two animals had a global score of inflammation (sum of scores for aqueous flare and hyalitis) of zero at the last examination (number of re-examinations per horse ranged from 1 to 5). Among the 29 remaining horses, four were not reassessed after the interven...
Palmar/plantar approach for radiographic-guided injection of the equine distal interphalangeal joint collateral ligament insertion. There are limited radiographic-guided injection techniques of the insertion of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) collateral ligaments. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a palmar/plantar radiographic-guided injection of the collateral ligament insertion in cadavers. Fifty limbs were used to develop the technique and 24 additional limbs were used to evaluate accuracy. An 18 G, 9 cm spinal needle was placed in the depression between the palmar digital neurovascular bundle and arch of the ungular cartilage with dorsodistal advancement towards the distal phalanx collat...
The Effect of Autologous Protein Solution on the Inflammatory Cascade in Stimulated Equine Chondrocytes. Cartilage injury occurs commonly in equine athletes, often precipitating posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Orthobiologics such as autologous conditioned serum (ACS) and autologous protein solution (APS) may be useful in decreasing posttraumatic inflammation, thereby preventing PTOA. The objective of this study was to quantify cytokine concentrations in ACS and APS and evaluate the protective effects of ACS and APS on inflamed chondrocytes cultured . We hypothesized that the combination of platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF) and anti-inflammatory cytokines present in APS would be superior...
First Report of Acute Bilateral Hyphema in a Theileria equi-Infected Kathiawari Horse. Theileria equi is a tickborne hemoparasite that can cause severe illness in equids. In this report, we are describing a condition of acute bilateral hyphema in a 4-month-old Kathiawari filly infected with T. equi. The horse showed clinical signs such as fever, lethargy, icterus, tachycardia, tachypnea, and bilateral hyphema. Laboratory diagnosis revealed anemia and thrombocytopenia. Atypical clinical manifestation of bilateral hyphema, to our knowledge, has never been reported so far in equids infected with T. equi. The diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination of Geimsa-stained blo...
Feasibility of a disposable canister-free negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device for treating open wounds in horses. Wounds are among the most common medical conditions affecting horses and have a major economic impact on the horse industry. Wound healing in horses is distinct to that documented in other species, and often results in delayed healing and extensive scarring, with compromised functional and aesthetic outcomes. To date, there is no conventional method objectively proven to accelerate healing or to successfully prevent complications associated with second intention healing. Several effects of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) may be particularly useful to the management of wounds in horses. ...
Colic Prevention to Avoid Colic Surgery: A Surgeon’s Perspective. Management factors associated with colic, particularly related to stall confinement and nutrition, have been linked to alterations in gastrointestinal mucosal transport, motility, and microbiome, which in turn creates conditions that induce colic. In particular, meal feeding creates large changes in water movement in and out of the colon and alters the microbiome. These conditions may in turn result in colic conditions such as large colon impaction or large colon volvulus. In addition, a range of management and nutritional factors have been found to place horses at risk of select colic conditi...
Associations between pre-injury racing history and tibial and humeral fractures in Australian Thoroughbred racehorses. Long bone fractures in racehorses may present as stress fractures which have a good prognosis, or complete fractures, which often result in a fatal outcome. In order to identify differences in modifiable management practices that may contribute to these outcomes, racing histories of horses with humeral or tibial fractures and of matched controls were examined. A retrospective case-control study of Australian Thoroughbred racehorses diagnosed with a fracture of the humerus or tibia by scintigraphy or at post-mortem between 2002 and 2016 was undertaken. Control horses were matched from the same ...
Welfare Quality of Breeding Horses Under Different Housing Conditions. This paper investigates the effect of different housing conditions on the welfare quality of breeding horses. Using a welfare protocol that included health and behavioral parameters, 330 stallions (kept in tie-stall housing) and 365 broodmares (kept in extensive, mostly free housing) were assessed. The horses were categorized into four welfare categories ("not classified", "acceptable", "enhanced" and "excellent"), according to an individual welfare score calculated for each horse. The prevalence of stallions with dyspnea, tendon and joint swellings, abnormal gait and abnormal hoof horn qualit...
Skin disease in donkeys (Equus asinus): a retrospective study from four veterinary schools. Donkeys are important throughout the world as work animals and occasionally as pets or a meat source. Most descriptions of skin disease in donkeys are reported in small case series, textbooks or review articles. Objective: To document skin diseases and their prevalence in donkeys and to investigate predilections for the most common conditions. Methods: Case populations at four veterinary schools totalling 156 donkeys. Methods: A retrospective study was performed by searching computerized medical records, using the key word "donkey", at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Californi...
Preoperative factors associated with resection and anastomosis in horses presenting with strangulating lesions of the small intestine. To determine if preoperative and intraoperative clinical variables correlate with resection and anastomosis (RA) in horses presenting with strangulating small intestinal (SI) lesions. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy for a strangulating SI lesion (n = 243). Methods: The records of horses undergoing surgical correction for strangulating SI lesions from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2017 were reviewed. Horses were categorized as treated with RA or not treated with RA. Obtained information included history, signalment, clinical findings, d...
Omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid oxymetabolites modulate the inflammatory response of equine recombinant interleukin1β-stimulated equine synoviocytes. Omega-3 fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation may have beneficial effects in certain chronic diseases, potentially including osteoarthritis. Favorable effects are attributed, in part, to downstream pro-resolving oxylipid metabolites. We investigated the role of n-3 PUFA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-derived oxylipids (docosanoids) on equine synoviocyte metabolism. We hypothesized that n-3 PUFA and selected docosanoids would modulate inflammatory mediator gene expression by recombinant equine (re)IL-1β-stimulated synovial fibroblasts. Synoviocyte monolayer cultures were prepared from grossly ...
Equine syndromic surveillance in Colorado using veterinary laboratory testing order data. The Risk Identification Unit (RIU) of the US Dept. of Agriculture's Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) conducts weekly surveillance of national livestock health data and routine coordination with agricultural stakeholders. As part of an initiative to increase the number of species, health issues, and data sources monitored, CEAH epidemiologists are building a surveillance system based on weekly syndromic counts of laboratory test orders in consultation with Colorado State University laboratorians and statistical analysts from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laborator...
Internships under the spotlight. Chloe Roberts, BVA Council recent graduate representative and former equine intern, calls for meaningful change in the conditions endured by many interns.
Anthelmintic efficacy of single active and combination products against commonly occurring parasites in foals. Parasite control in foals is complicated by the concurrent presence of biologically diverse parasites with differing levels of anthelmintic resistance. Several combination anthelmintic products are available for use in horses, but information on their efficacies against important equine parasites is scarce. Two trials were performed in New Zealand during 2008 and 2011 on four different farms with substantially different anthelmintic treatment histories. The first trial evaluated the efficacy of an ivermectin/praziquantel/oxibendazole combination, a single active oxibendazole, and a single-acti...
Therapeutic developments in equine pain management. Many drugs and non-drug modalities are used to manage pain in horses, but evidence regarding efficacy and safety remains limited. This manuscript will first briefly review tried and tested techniques, e.g. the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, in the management of pain. Newer approaches to administering medications such as oral use of detomidine, which was previously only administered by injection, will also be discussed. Finally, introductory information on newer therapies, for example acupuncture and chiropractic manipulation, that the veterinarian may consider for the management...
Being Nice Is Not Enough-Exploring Relationship-Centered Veterinary Care With Structural Equation Modeling. A Quantitative Study on German Pet Owners’ Perception. During the last years, the philosophy of relationship-centered care gained increasing attention in veterinary medicine. Relationship-centered care is based on a joint venture between pet owner and veterinarians and therefore offers the opportunity to satisfy the pet owners' need for participation in medical decision-making and to provide the best care for the patient. Although research on relationship-centered care in the veterinary consultation is still limited, the available findings suggest that the characteristics of relationship-centered care reflect the pet owners' expectations on satisf...
Catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses on racetracks in Gauteng, South Africa. The incidence and types of catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbreds that resulted in euthanasia on selected racetracks in South Africa between 1998 and 2012 were investigated by an observational retrospective investigation. Data from the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa for these racetracks were used to calculate incidence rates in Thoroughbreds (n = 114) that sustained catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries during racing that required immediate euthanasia, based on the diagnosis made by the on-site veterinarian as well as on fetlock radiographs and dissections o...
Use of a 2.5% Cross-Linked Polyacrylamide Hydrogel in the Management of Joint Lameness in a Population of Flat Racing Thoroughbreds: A Pilot Study. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common disease processes effecting equine athletes, causing up to 60% of all lameness. This prospective longitudinal study reports on the effect of treatment of carpal and metacarpophalangeal joint lameness with 2.5% cross-linked polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG). A total of 49 flat-racing Thoroughbreds at a single training facility were included in the study. The results show a significant improvement in lameness grades at weeks 1 (P < .01), 4 (P < .001), 12 (P < .001), and 24 (P < .001) when compared to baseline lameness at week 0. This pilot study ...
Equine Congenital Heart Disease. Congenital heart disease (CHD) represents a small proportion of horses undergoing clinical evaluation; however, both simple and complex defects occur during cardiac development leading to many unique malformations. This article reviews cardiac development and the fetal circulation, describes the morphologic method and the sequential segmental approach to CHD analysis, presents a summary of CHD in horses, and offers an overview of lesions that should be considered during evaluation of horses suspected to have CHD. For many forms of equine CHD, therapies are limited because cardiac interventions...
Health and Body Conditions of Riding School Horses Housed in Groups or Kept in Conventional Tie-Stall/Box Housing. We compared welfare measures of horses among Swedish riding schools (RS) during winter where horses were kept either in group housing ( = 8) or in tie-stalls/boxes ( = 8), Health data for six previous months were obtained for all horses at each RS from their records. Ten horses per RS were examined, with the exception of one where only 8 horses were examined. Health conditions and body condition score (BCS) using the Henneke scale were recorded and management factors were quantified (health check routines, feeding, housing-related risk factors, time outside). RS-recorded health data (for 327 h...
Revisiting predictive biomarkers of musculoskeletal injury in thoroughbred racehorses: longitudinal study in polish population. High prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in racehorses and its impact on horse welfare and racing economics call for improved measures of injury diagnosis and prevention. Serum biomarkers of bone and cartilage metabolism have previously shown promise in prediction of musculoskeletal injuries in horses. This study aimed to re-evaluate usability of the predictive serum biomarkers identified in North American Thoroughbred racehorses in a geographically distinct group of Polish Thoroughbreds. Results: Serum concentrations of bone and cartilage biomarkers: osteocalcin, c-terminal telopeptide of...
An unusual case of giant cell tumor of soft parts in an American Warmblood horse. Fine needle aspiration and tissue biopsy samples were taken from a subcutaneous mass in the cranial stifle region of a 10-yr-old horse. Key cytologic features included numerous mildly to moderately pleomorphic histiocytic cells admixed with mononuclear inflammatory cells, occasional fibroblasts, multinucleated cells, and hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Based on these features, cytologic differentials included granulomatous inflammation with reactive fibroplasia, histiocytic sarcoma, giant cell tumor of soft parts (GCTSPs), and giant cell tumor of bone. The tissue biopsy supported a diagnosis of...
Randomized blinded controlled trial of dipyrone as a treatment for pyrexia in horses. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of dipyrone to control pyrexia in horses with naturally occurring disease under field conditions. ANIMALS 138 horses with pyrexia and various infections evaluated at 14 veterinary sites in 12 states. PROCEDURES In the first (effectiveness) phase of this 2-phase study, horses were randomly assigned 3:1 to receive 1 dose of dipyrone (30 mg/kg [13.6 mg/lb], IV) or an equivalent amount of placebo. Effectiveness was defined as a decrease in rectal temperature ≥ 1.1°C (2°F), compared with the pretreatment value, or a rectal temperature of ≤ 38...
The efficacy and safety of velagliflozin over 16 weeks as a treatment for insulin dysregulation in ponies. A previous six-week (wk) study demonstrated the potential of the sodium-glucose linked transport inhibitor velagliflozin as a novel treatment for equine insulin dysregulation. The present study examined the safety and efficacy of velagliflozin over 16 wk. of treatment, and over 4 wk. of withdrawal. Twenty-four insulin dysregulated ponies were selected, based on their hyper-responsiveness to a diet challenge meal containing 3.8 g non-structural carbohydrates (NSC)/kg bodyweight (BW). Ponies with serum insulin > 90 μIU/mL either 2 or 4 h after feeding were enrolled, and randomly allocated...
Chondrogenic differentiation potential of adult and fetal equine cell types. To determine the chondrogenic potential of cells derived from interzone tissue, the normal progenitor of articular cartilage during fetal development, compared to that of adult bone marrow-derived and adipose-derived mesenchymal cell isolates. The objective of this study was to compare the chondrogenic potential of fetal musculoskeletal progenitor cells to adult cell types, which are currently used therapeutically to facilitate joint cartilage repair in equine clinical practice. The hypothesis tested was that cells derived from interzone tissue have a chondrogenic potential that exceeds that o...
Comparative efficacy of two-dimensional mode and color Doppler sonography in predicting gender of the equine fetus. Ultrasonographic fetal sexing is of utmost economic importance for horse breeders. Relatively, a few studies have been conducted to determine fetal sex in mare using transrectal Doppler ultrasound. This study aimed to compare two sexing techniques, two-dimensional (2D) mode and color Doppler ultrasonography. Methods: The study was conducted on 39 mares under field conditions. Examinations were performed using the ultrasonic model device (Medison SonoAce Pico, South Korea), equipped with real-time 3-7 MHz convex multifrequency transducer. Fetal sex diagnosis was carried out in two periods of pr...
