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.
Zeng W, Alpaugh W, Stefanovski D, Schlingmann K, Dobrinski I, Turner RM.The study of spermatogenesis in the horse is challenging because of the absence of an in vitro system that is capable of reproducing efficient spermatogenesis and because of the difficulties and costs associated with performing well-controlled studies in vivo. In an attempt to develop novel methods for the study of equine spermatogenesis, we tested whether cells from enzymatically digested pre-pubertal equine testicular tissue were capable of de novo tissue formation and spermatogenesis following xenografting under the back skin of immunocompromised mice. Testes were obtained from normal pre...
Jacobs CC, Levine DG, Richardson DW.To describe the outcome, clinical findings, and complications associated with the use of the locking compression plate (LCP) for various types of ulnar fractures in horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Client owned horses (n = 18). Methods: Medical records, radiographs, and follow-up for horses having an ulnar fracture repaired using at least 1 LCP were reviewed. Fifteen of 18 horses had fractures of the ulna only, and 3 horses had fractures of the ulna and proximal radius. Results: All 18 horses were discharged from the hospital. Complications occurred in 5 horses; incisio...
Espinosa P, Le Jeune SS, Cenani A, Kass PH, Brosnan RJ.To determine if preoperative and intraoperative physiologic variables, and surgical factors correlate with survival to anesthetic recovery or hospital discharge, repeat celiotomy, and postoperative nasogastric intubation (NGT) in horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy for small intestinal (SI) strangulating lesions. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses that had surgical correction of SI strangulating lesions (n = 258). Methods: Medical records (January 2000-December 2014) of horses that had surgical correction of SI strangulating lesions were reviewed. Data collection inclu...
Payne VK, Mbafor FL, Wabo Pone J, Tchoumboué J.To evaluate the prevalence of infestation of ectoparasites of horses, a total of 894 horses (367 males and 527 females), aged 1-7 years old were examined. Horses were groomed for collection of ectoparasites. Out of the horses examined, 164 came from Fundong, 80 from Acha, 30 from Fongo-Tongo, 30 from Fokoue and 17 from Dschang, all of which were infested with ectoparasites. Five hundred and seventy-three (573) horses came from Banso and 99.48% were infested by ectoparasites. From the results obtained, three species of hard ticks ( and ) and one species of biting lice () were identified. (66%...
Kim HS, Moon HW, Sung HW, Kwon HM.Non-primate hepacivirus (NPHV) corresponds a group of isolates recently characterized in horses and dogs that present similar genomic organization and are closely related to hepatitis C virus. Since canine hapacivirus, NPHV identified in dogs, was first discovered in dogs in the United States, equine hepacivirus (EqHV, NPHV identified in horses) has been identified in horses in several countries. However, no epidemiological studies have investigated EqHV in horses in Korea. In this study, a total of 74 (n=74) serum samples collected from horses in four regions of Korea were tested for EqHV RNA...
Lawless SP, Werner LA, Baker WT, Hunt RJ, Cohen ND.To describe short-term and long-term survival of horses with duodenojejunal mesenteric rents, and to examine the association of selected preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors with survival or colic after discharge, in horses with duodenojejunal mesenteric rents. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses undergoing surgery for correction of small intestinal lesions secondary to duodenojejunal mesenteric rents (n = 38). Methods: Medical records (2006-2014) of horses admitted to a referral hospital in Kentucky were reviewed. Data for preoperative and intraoperative...
Barton AK, Heinemann H, Schenk I, Machnik M, Gehlen H.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of respiratory tract disease (ie, recurrent airway obstruction [RAO]) and mode of inhalation on detectability of inhaled budesonide in equine plasma and urine samples. ANIMALS 16 horses (8 healthy control horses and 8 horses affected by RAO, as determined by results of clinical examination, blood gas analysis, bronchoscopy, and cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid). PROCEDURES 4 horses of each group inhaled budesonide (3 μg/kg) twice daily for 10 days while at rest, and the remaining 4 horses of each group inhaled budesonide during lunging ...
Pusterla N, Tobin T.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is an infectious disease of the central nervous system caused by Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi. Affected horses routinely present with progressive and asymmetrical neurologic deficits. The diagnosis relies on the presence of neurologic signs, ruling out other neurologic disorders, and the detection of intrathecally derived antibodies to either S neurona and/or N hughesi. Recommended treatment is use of an FDA-approved anticoccidial drug formulation. Medical and supportive treatment is provided based on the severity of neurologic deficits and complic...
Ladefoged S, Grulke S, Busoni V, Serteyn D, Salciccia A, Verwilghen D.To describe the management and outcome of limb fractures in small domestic equids treated with a modified Thomas splint-cast combination (MTSCC). Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Client owned horses and donkeys. Methods: Medical records, including radiographs, were reviewed for details of animals diagnosed with a limb fracture and treated by external coaptation using a MTSCC (2001-2012). Follow-up >6 months after discharge was obtained via telephone consultation with owners or veterinarians. Results: Nine horses and 4 donkeys were identified with fractures of the tibial diaphysi...
Mukai K, Hiraga A, Takahashi T, Matsui A, Ohmura H, Aida H, Jones JH.OBJECTIVE To determine whether racehorses undergoing regular exercise at 2 intensities or stall rest during a period of reduced training (detraining) would differentially maintain their cardiopulmonary and oxygen-transport capacities. ANIMALS 27 Thoroughbreds. PROCEDURES Horses trained on a treadmill for 18 weeks underwent a period of detraining for 12 weeks according to 1 of 3 protocols: cantering at 70% of maximal rate of oxygen consumption ([Formula: see text]o) for 3 min/d for 5 d/wk (canter group); walking for 1 h/d for 5 d/wk (walk group); or stall rest (stall group). Standardized treadm...
Boison JO, Dowling P, Matus JL, Kinar J, Johnson R.This study reports the use of two validated LC with tandem MS (MS/MS) methods to study the residue depletion profile of phenylbutazone (PBZ) and its metabolite oxyphenbutazone (OXPBZ) from equine serum, urine, and muscle, kidney, and liver tissues. One LC-MS/MS method, with an LOQ of 1.0 ng/mL for PBZ and 2.0 ng/mL for OXPBZ, was used for the analysis of the two drugs in the biological fluids (equine urine and serum); the other LC-MS/MS method, with an LOQ of 0.5 ng/g for PBZ and OXPBZ, was used for the analysis of the drugs in the equine tissue samples. PBZ was administered intravenously to t...
Ahern BJ, Bayliss IPM, Zedler ST, Getman LM, Richardson DW.To report on a series of 4 horses with supraglenoid tubercle fractures repaired with locking compression plates. Methods: Case series. Methods: Four horses ranging in age from 6 weeks to 20 months and weighing from 121 to 425 kg with supraglenoid tubercle fractures of 1 day to 6 weeks in duration. Methods: Supraglenoid tubercle fractures were reduced and stabilized with transversely positioned locking compression plate(s) with and without additional tension band wiring. Results: All fractures reached bony union. Two postoperative surgical site infections were managed with drainage and antibiot...
Findley JA, Ricci EE, Singer EE.The main aim was to describe the gross and histological appearance of the equine manica flexoria and to identify any differences between the forelimbs and hindlimbs. An additional aim was to relate the findings to diagnostic and surgical anatomy of the manica flexoria. Methods: Measurements of the manica flexoria were made on cadaveric limbs from horses free from pathology within the digital flexor tendon sheath. Histological sections, stained with haematoxylin and eosin and alcian- periodic acid schiff, were evaluated based on three micro-anatomical zones from dorsal to palmar or plantar. The...
Laus F, Fratini M, Paggi E, Faillace V, Spaterna A, Tesei B, Fettucciari K, Bassotti G.Abnormalities of gastrointestinal motility are often a challenge in horses; however, the use of prokinetic drugs in such conditions must be firmly established yet. For this reason we carried out a preliminary study on the effects of prucalopride on intestinal motor activity of horses with gut hypomotility. The effect of prucalopride per os by oral dose syringe (2 mg/100 kg body weight) was assessed by abdominal ultrasound (evaluating duodenal, cecal, and colonic motor activity) in six horses with gut hypomotility. After administration of prucalopride, a significant increase of contractile ...
Kirisawa R, Toishi Y, Akamatsu A, Soejima K, Miyashita T, Tsunoda N.In the spring of 2015, two stallions reared in Farms A and B in Hokkaido in Japan showed symptoms of equine coital exanthema. Equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) was isolated from penis swab samples of both stallions, and the isolates from each stallion in Farms A and B were designated as SS-1 and YS-1 strains, respectively. BamHI restriction profiles of SS-1 and Japanese reference strain Iwate-1 were indistinguishable, but the BamHI-A fragment of YS-1 was larger than those of SS-1 and Iwate-1 by 1.9 kbp because of the lack of two BamHI sites. Nucleotide sequence analyses of glycoprotein G (gG), gB, ...
Russell JW, Hall MS, Kelly GM.A 3-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was presented with a grade 3/5 lameness of the right forelimb and effusion of the extensor carpi radialis tendon sheath (ECRTS). Radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations revealed an osteochondroma on the cranial aspect of the distal radius projecting into the fibrous lining of the ECRTS. An open surgical approach was used to remove the osteochondroma and some of the proliferative synovial tissue. Conclusions: Six months after surgery the clinical signs had resolved and the horse raced successfully.
Toishi Y, Tsunoda N, Kirisawa R.Equine coital exanthema (ECE) has been reported in many countries, but equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) has been isolated only once in Japan. In 2015, symptoms of ECE were found, and EHV-3 was isolated in two stallions. Valacyclovir, an anti-herpesvirus agent, was administered orally. The stallions rested from mating for more than two weeks, causing enormous financial losses because of their high fees. This is the first study in which valacyclovir was administered for ECE. Though valacyclovir treatment did not shorten the duration of healing, the affected area did not expand after administration o...
Diab SS, Poppenga R, Uzal FA.In racehorses, sudden death (SD) associated with exercise poses a serious risk to jockeys and adversely affects racehorse welfare and the public perception of horse racing. In a majority of cases of exercise-associated sudden death (EASD), there are no gross lesions to explain the cause of death, and an examination of the cardiovascular system and a toxicologic screen are warranted. Cases of EASD without gross lesions are often presumed to be sudden cardiac deaths (SCD). We describe an equine SD autopsy protocol, with emphasis on histologic examination of the heart ("cardiac histology protocol...
Endo Y, Ishikawa Y, Arima D, Mae N, Iwamoto Y, Korosue K, Tsuzuki N, Hobo S.To evaluate the effects of single-dose enrofloxacin (ERFX) on fever and blood properties in 68 Thoroughbred racehorses after long-distance transportation, horses were assigned to receive ERFX (5 mg/kg, IV; ERFX group; n=52) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (50 ml, IV; control group; n=16) ≤1 hr before transportation. Horses were transported 1,122 km using commercial vans over the course of approximately 21 hr. Clinical examinations and hematologic analyses were performed before and after transportation. Rectal temperatures, white blood cell counts and serum amyloid A concentration of ERFX grou...
Koenig TR, Mitchell KJ, Schwarzwald CC.Assessment of left ventricular (LV) function by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is not well established in horses with heart disease. Objective: To describe the use of pulsed-wave (PW) TDI for the assessment of LV function, establish reference intervals, investigate effects of mitral regurgitation (MR), aortic regurgitation (AR), and primary myocardial disease (MD), and provide proof of concept for the use of PW TDI in Warmblood horses with heart disease. Methods: Thirty healthy horses, 38 horses with MR, 25 with AR, 8 with MD. Methods: Echocardiograms were retrospectively analyzed. Reference int...
Pasicka E, Tarnawski K, Chrószcz A, Geringer de Oedenberg H.The study was carried out on 126 mares of the Polish Konik horse breed. Mares were bred under a stable system housing and they came from five leading conservation breeding centres. The mares were divided into three age groups: 3-5 years old, 6-9 years old and over 10 years old. Each animal was characterized using 40 morphometric measurements. Discriminant analysis proved the exterior differences of mares in terms of the analysed metric values. It was concluded that the morphotype of modern Polish Konik mares is statistically significantly influenced by the following traits: neck ventral len...
Eggensperger BH, Schwarzwald CC.To assess the influence of 2nd-degree AV blocks (AVB) on RR interval-based heart rate variability (HRV) variables; to investigate the effect of using PP interval time series and of artifact filtering on HRV analyses; to investigate the influence of electrocardiogram (ECG) recording length and time of recording; and to calculate day-to-day variability and reference intervals of HRV variables. Methods: Thirty healthy adult horses. Methods: RR and PP interval time series were extracted from 10-h Holter ECGs and an automated filter was applied to the RR time series (RR). Time-domain HRV variables...
Cravana C, Medica P, Ragonese G, Fazio E.To investigate the effects of training sessions on circulating β-endorphin changes in sport horses before and after competition and to ascertain whether competition would affect this response. Methods: A total of 24 trained jumping horses were randomly assigned to one of two training groups: Group A (competing) and Group B (not competing). To determined plasma β-endorphin concentrations, two pre- and post-competition training weeks at aerobic workout and two competitive show jumping event days at anaerobic workout were measured before, 5 and 30 min after exercise. Exercise intensity is descr...
Mancini F, Nannarone S, Buratta S, Ferrara G, Stabile AM, Vuerich M, Santinelli I, Pistilli A, Chiaradia E.To assess the effects of xylazine and dexmedetomidine on equine chondrocytes, in vitro. Methods: Prospective, experimental study. Methods: Equine articular chondrocytes from five male horses. Methods: Chondrocytes were isolated from healthy equine articular cartilage of the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joints. Cell viability was assessed using the WST-8 assay by exposing chondrocytes to xylazine (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16.6, 25, 50 mg mL) or dexmedetomidine (0.001, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.175, 0.25 mg mL) for 15, 30 and 60 minutes. Based on the results of these tests, cells were treated with xyla...
Szczepanik MP, Wilkołek PM, Adamek ŁR, Pluta M, Gołyński M, Sitkowski W, Kalisz G, Taszkun I, Pomorski ZJ.Non-invasive methods of skin condition assessment include, among others, the evaluation of transepidermal water loss (TEWL). The aim of the study was to examine whether TEWL values depend on horse breed. The study was conducted on four breeds: "Felin" ponies (FP) (n=16), Polish koniks (PK) (n=15), Polish cold-blooded horses (PcbH) (n=11) and Wielkopolska horses (WH) (n=12). It was found that horse breed influences TEWL values. In the neck region, statistically significant differences were found between PK and FP (p=0.006), and PK and WH (p=0.0005). In the lumbar region, there were statisticall...
Wickhorst JP, Sammra O, Hassan AA, Alssashen M, Lämmler C, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Erhard M, Metzner M, Paschertz K, Timke M, Abdulmawjood A.In the present study an Arcanobacterium hippocoleae strain isolated from a uterus swab of an apparently healthy mare could be identified by phenotypic properties, by MALDI-TOF MS analysis and genotypically by investigating the molecular targets 16S rDNA, 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region and the genes encoding the β subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase (rpoB), elongation factor tu (tuf) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gap). The presented data are one of the few reports about the species A. hippocoleae and might help to elucidate the role this species plays in infections of ho...
Qin H, Xiao J, Gao X, Wang H.In contrast to the rapid development of the horse husbandry in China, the ability of horse veterinarians to diagnose diseases has not been improved and only a few domain experts have considerable expertise. At present, many expert systems have been developed for diseases diagnosis, but few for horse diseases diagnosis have been studied in depth. This paper presents the design and development of a computer-aided expert system for diagnosing horse diseases. We suggest an approach for diagnosis of horse diseases based on the analysis of diagnostic characteristics and the experiential knowledge of...
Hood J, McDonald C, Wilson B, McManus P, McGreevy P.Whip use in horseracing is increasingly being questioned on ethical, animal welfare, social sustainability, and legal grounds. Despite this, there is weak evidence for whip use and its regulation by Stewards in Australia. To help address this, we characterised whip rule breaches recorded by Stewards using Stewards Reports and Race Diaries from 2013 and 2016 in New SouthWales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). There were more recorded breaches at Metropolitan (M) than Country (C) or Provincial (P) locations, and by riders of horses that finished first, second, or third than by ri...
Yamaoka TT, Flaherty D, Pawson P, Scott M, Auckburally A.To assess agreement between noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) oscillometrically-derived values from a multiparameter monitor (Datex Ohmeda S/5 Compact) with those obtained by invasive blood pressure (IBP) measurement in anaesthetised horses undergoing elective surgery. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: A total of 40 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were anaesthetised with various anaesthetic protocols (based on clinical requirements). Depending on positioning, cannulation of the facial or lateral metatarsal artery was performed for IBP measurement. The cannula was connected vi...
Current HIV researchMarch 10, 2010
Volume 8, Issue 1 87-93 doi: 10.2174/157016210790416424
Carpenter S, Dobbs D.Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is one of the most divergent members of the lentivirus subfamily of retroviruses and is considered a useful comparative model for molecular studies of lentivirus replication. The Rev protein of EIAV is functionally homologous with other lentiviral Revs and facilitates export of incompletely spliced viral mRNAs through a Crm1-dependent pathway. The trans- and cis-acting elements that mediate EIAV Rev function are similar to, but distinct from, the well-characterized elements in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), the prototypical Rev protein. In addition,...
Shoemaker R, Bailey J, Janzen E, Wilson DG.Castration is one of the most common routine surgical procedures performed in the horse, from which a number of potential complications can arise. We undertook a prospective evaluation of short-term complications associated with castration of draught colts over a 3-year period (1998-2000). Objective: To compare castration complications in a large number of draught foals with previously published literature. Methods: Five hundred and sixty-eight draught colts, age 4 or 5 months, were castrated in field conditions. Foals were observed for complications for 24 h post operatively. Results: There w...
Willis AT, Magdesian KG, Byrne BA, Edman JM.Enterococci have been increasing in prevalence in foal sepsis over the past three decades. There are no published studies in the peer-reviewed literature documenting common sites of infection, antimicrobial susceptibility, or outcome specifically associated with enterococcal infections in foals. Our objectives were to evaluate the sites of origin, antimicrobial susceptibility, and survival outcome to discharge in foals with enterococcal infections compared with foals with sepsis of another bacterial etiology. Seventy-five foals 0-30 days of age with cultures positive for Enterococcus and 170 c...
Beisser AL, McClure S, Wang C, Soring K, Garrison R, Peckham B.To determine the incidence of and compare the types of catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries (CMIs) sustained in Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses during racing at 3 Midwestern racetracks from 2000 to 2006. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: 139 Thoroughbred and 50 Quarter Horse racehorses euthanized because of CMIs. Methods: Veterinary officials from 3 Midwestern racing jurisdictions provided injury reports for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses that sustained CMIs (which required euthanasia) and the total number of race starts for each year. The number of CMIs/1,000 starts was determ...
Zullian C, Menozzi A, Pozzoli C, Poli E, Bertini S.The effects of selective α(2)-agonists (xylazine, detomidine and medetomidine) and antagonists (yohimbine and atipamezole) on in vitro small intestine motility in the horse were evaluated. Samples of equine jejunum were placed in isolated organ baths and drug-induced modifications of motility were measured by means of an isotonic transducer. All tested α(2)-agonists dose-dependently reduced both spontaneous and electrically-evoked phasic contractions. Conversely, α(2)-antagonists were ineffective when tested alone, and showed a heterogeneous and dose-independent ability to inhibit agonist a...
Baron AL, Schoeniger A, Becher P, Baechlein C.In recent years, hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related viruses were identified in several species, including dogs, horses, bats, and rodents. In addition, a novel virus of the genus has been discovered in bovine samples and was termed bovine hepacivirus (BovHepV). Prediction of the BovHepV internal ribosome entry site (IRES) structure revealed strong similarities to the HCV IRES structure comprising domains II, IIIabcde, pseudoknot IIIf, and IV with the initiation codon AUG. Unlike HCV, only one microRNA-122 (miR-122) binding site could be identified in the BovHepV 5' nontranslated region. In this ...
Turner RM, McDonnell SM, Feit EM, Grogan EH, Foglia R.Ultrasonographic fetal eye measures have been used to estimate gestational age of the fetus in light horse mares. However, fetal eye measures have not been published for smaller pony breeds. This study was conducted to develop reference ranges for ultrasonographic measures of fetal eyes in small ponies for the purpose of predicting days before parturition (DBP) when breeding or ovulation dates are unknown. Twenty-three Shetland-type pony mares were studied across one (n = 10) or two (n = 13) gestations in 2004 (18 pregnancies) and 2005 (18 pregnancies). Measurements of fetal eyes were obtained...
Welsh CE, Lewis TW, Blott SC, Mellor DJ, Lam KH, Stewart BD, Parkin TD.A retrospective cohort study of important musculoskeletal conditions of Thoroughbred racehorses was conducted using health records generated over a 15 year period (n=5062, 1296 sires). The prevalence of each condition in the study population was: fracture, 13%; osteoarthritis, 10%; suspensory ligament injury, 10%; and tendon injury, 19%. Linear and logistic sire and animal regression models were built to describe the binary occurrence of these musculoskeletal conditions, and to evaluate the significance of possible environmental risk factors. The heritability of each condition was estimated us...
Da Costa Gómez TM, Radtke CL, Kalscheur VL, Swain CA, Scollay MC, Edwards RB, Santschi EM, Markel MD, Muir P.To determine whether bone microcracks are altered after application of focused and radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) to the equine distal limb. Methods: An ex vivo experimental model. Methods: A contralateral limb specimen was obtained from 11 Thoroughbred racehorses with a unilateral catastrophic injury. Distal limb specimens were also obtained from 5 non-racing horses. Methods: Three separate skin-covered bone segments were obtained from the mid-diaphysis of the metacarpus (MC3) or metatarsus (MT3). Focused (9,000 shockwaves, 0.15 mJ/mm2, 4 Hz) and radial (9,000 shockwaves, 0.1...
McKenzie EC, Valberg SJ, Godden SM, Pagan JD, MacLeay JM, Geor RJ, Carlson GP.To determine the effect of dietary starch, bicarbonate, and fat content on metabolic responses and serum creatine kinase (CK) activity in exercising Thoroughbreds with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER), 5 RER horses were fed 3 isocaloric diets (28.8 Mcal/d [120.5 MJ/d]) for 3 weeks in a crossover design and exercised for 30 minutes on a treadmill 5 days/wk. On the last day of each diet, an incremental standardized exercise test (SET) was performed. The starch diet contained 40% digestible energy (DE) as starch and 5% as fat: the bicarbonate-starch diet was identical but was supplemente...
Levkutová M, Hípiková V, Faitelzon S, Benath G, Paulík S, Levkut M.Infection with the intracellular microsporidium Encephalitozoon cuniculi can cause a serious disease--encephalitozoonosis in various animals and people. Several species of mammals, including the horse, were seem to be potential sources of encephalitozoonosis for animal as well as human hosts. The disease diagnosis is based on clinical signs, pathological findings, and the detection of E. cuniculi or circulating antibodies directed against the parasite. This study investigates the seroconversion to E. cuniculi in horses admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Hebrew University of Je...
van Veggel E, Selberg K, van der Velde-Hoogelander B, Bolas N, Vanderperren K, Bergman HJ. This study aims to evaluate the distribution and severity of bone and soft tissue lesions in the proximal metacarpal region of warmblood horses in lame and control groups. Correlation between lesions and ability to return to work was evaluated in the lame group. This restrospective analysis evaluated 62 horses with MRI examination of the proximal metacarpal region between Sept 2015 and Feb 2021. There were 36 lame limbs and 26 control limbs. The control group included seven contralateral limbs. Proximal suspensory ligament (PSL) size was not different between the lame and control groups. Hy...
Equine piroplasmosis is a disease of equids, caused by tick-borne apicomplexan protozoan pathogens Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, which, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), can be diagnosed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the assays available for the diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis. Data employed were obtained from 1300 blood samples collected between 2012-2014 from asymptomatic and symptomatic equines (horses and donk...
Naylor JM, Yadernuk LM, Pharr JW, Ashburner JS.The ability of clinicians, ie, 10 veterinary students, 10 general practitioners, and 10 board certified internists, to describe and interpret common normal and abnormal heart sounds was assessed. Recordings of heart sounds from 7 horses with a variety of normal and abnormal rhythms, heart sounds, and murmurs were analyzed by digital sonography. The perception of the presence or absence of the heart sounds S1, S2, and S4 was similar for clinicians irrespective of their level of training and was in agreement with the sonographic interpretation on 89, 82, and 78% of occasions, respectively. Howev...
Morsy TA, Salem HS, Haridy FM, Rifaat MM, Abo-Zenadah NY, Adel el-Kadi M.To continue the study on fascioliasis in Tamyia Center, some farm animals were investigated for natural infection with Fasciola species by stool examination. The results showed 40% infection in sheep, 20% in buffalos, 6.7% in donkeys and zero% in horses. The overall percentage of infection was 25.5. The sheep (total dose 1800mg) and the donkey (total dose (4500 mg.) were successfully treated with Mirazid. On the other hand, one buffalo was successfully treated by a total dose 7500mg, the seconds one did not cured, but the eggs deposited per gm markedly decreased.
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Kos Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSAPanel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of essential oil, oleoresin and tincture from Roscoe when used as sensory additives in feed for all animal species. The FEEDAPPanel concludes that the additives under consideration are safe for the target species at the following use levels: (i) ginger essential oil up to the maximum proposed use level of 80 mg/kg for veal calves (milk replacer) and 20 mg/kg complete feed (or 20 mg/L water...
Sherman RA, Morrison S, Ng D.Hoof disease and injuries are common and serious problems for equines. Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) has been used to treat problematic wounds in humans, but has been used only rarely in other animals. US veterinarians who had employed MDT were surveyed to investigate their reasons for the choice of this treatment and their clinical experiences with it. Between 1997 and 2003, 13 horses were treated by eight veterinarians who used MDT to control infection or debride wounds, which could not easily be reached surgically or were not responding to conventional therapy. Seven animals were lame, a...
Li XY, Pape T, Zhang D.Species of Gasterophilus Leach are obligate parasites in domestic and wild equids and responsible for cosmopolitan gasterophilosis. Although with only eight species known so far, they have received considerable attention because of their significant veterinary and economic importance. Surprisingly, we found that G. flavipes (Olivier) is a valid species based on morphological characters from male, female and the egg, after spending half a century as a synonym of G. haemorrhoidalis (Linnaeus). In the present study, G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis and G. inermis (Brauer), which are the three clos...
Weese JS.Because nosocomial and zoonotic diseases are inherent and ever-present risks in veterinary hospitals, proactive policies should be in place to reduce the risk of sporadic cases and outbreaks. Policies should ideally be put in place before disease issues arise, and policies should be effectively conveyed to all relevant personnel. Written policies are required for practical and liability reasons and should be reviewed regularly. Although no infection control program can eliminate disease concerns, proper implementation of barrier precautions and isolation can reduce the exposure of hospitalized...
Coultous RM, Leadon DP, Shiels BR, Sutton D, Weir W.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a notifiable disease in Ireland and a significant concern to domestic and international equine industries. Information regarding EP presence in Ireland is currently limited. This retrospective surveillance study describes a serological and molecular analysis of blood samples submitted to the Irish Equine Centre for EP testing between January 2013 and April 2016. Methods: Following serological testing, seropositive samples were screened using a PCR targeting the 18S ribosomal RNA gene. Amplicon sequences were bioinformatically analysed to identify the parasite speci...
Roudaud M, Allano M, Fairbrother JH, Sauvé F.The goals of this retrospective study were to: determine the frequency of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. (MRS) isolated from horses admitted to an equine veterinary teaching hospital in Quebec from 2008 to 2018, investigate the patterns of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and evaluate the distribution of MRS and methicillin-sensitive Staphyloccocus spp. (MSS) by body site. During this period, 311 Staphylococcus spp. were isolated from 273 horses and 127 of these isolates were submitted to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Of these 127 isolates, 24 (18.9%) were MRS, and among the ...
Young JD, Mason DK, Fincham DA.Na+-dependent system ASC and Na+-independent system asc are characterized by a common selectivity for neutral amino acids of intermediate size such as L-alanine and by their interactions with dibasic amino acids. For system ASC, the positive charge on the dibasic amino acid side chain is considered to occupy the Na+-binding site on the transporter. We report here the use of harmaline (a Na+-site inhibitor in some systems) as a probe of possible structural homology between these two classes of amino acid transporter. Harmaline was found to inhibit human erythrocyte system ASC noncompetitively w...
Cummings KJ, Rodriguez-Rivera LD, Mitchell KJ, Hoelzer K, Wiedmann M, McDonough PL, Altier C, Warnick LD, Perkins GA.Nosocomial salmonellosis continues to pose an important threat to veterinary medical teaching hospitals. The objectives of this study were to describe an outbreak of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg within our hospital and to highlight its unique features, which can be used to help mitigate or prevent nosocomial outbreaks in the future. We retrospectively analyzed data from patients that were fecal culture-positive for Salmonella Oranienburg between January 1, 2006, and June 1, 2011, including historical, clinical, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) data...
Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Piórkowska K, Ropka-Molik K.Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) has become an important issue in modern veterinary medicine and is linked to the common, extremely painful, most-of-the-time performance-terminating hoof laminitis. The growing knowledge in the field of genetic background, inducing environmental factors, diagnosis, treatment and maintenance of affected equines led us to summarise the available information to be used not only for scientific purposes but for fieldwork. In horses, the clinical presentation of EMS includes: obesity or local fat deposition, bilateral lameness or hoof rings attributed to ongoing or pr...
Williams LB, Tessier L, Koenig JB, Koch TG.Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are receiving increased attention for their non-progenitor immunomodulatory potential. Cryopreservation is commonly used for long-term storage of MSC. Post-thaw MSC proliferation is associated with a lag-phase in vitro. How this lag-phase affect MSC immunomodulatory properties is unknown. We hypothesized that in vitro there is no difference in lymphocyte suppression potential between quick-thawed cryopreserved equine cord blood (CB) MSC immediately included in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and same MSC allowed post-thaw culture time prior to inclus...
Holcomb KE, Stull CL, Kass PH.Closure of US equine slaughter facilities in 2007 along with the concomitant economic recession have contributed to a sharp increase in the number of unwanted horses throughout the United States, with estimates totaling 100,000 horses per year. The objective of the study was to obtain comprehensive data regarding nonprofit organizations caring for unwanted horses, along with the characteristics and outcome of horses relinquished to these organizations. Nonprofit organizations that accept relinquished equines were contacted to participate in a 90-question survey. Responding organizations (144 o...
Barta O, Oyekan PP.Lymphocyte transformation test is a powerful tool in laboratory testing of immunologic competence of animals. The impaired function of the lymphocytes or presence of mitogenesis suppressing factors in the patient serum were detected by comparing lymphocyte transformation (expressed as thymidine incorporation) obtained in media containing either autologous, homologous, or fetal calf serum additions. Most valuable results were obtained by using at least two, preferably three, different phytomitogens: concanavalin A (Con A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) at optimal concentr...
Dell'Aquila ME, Cho YS, Minoia P, Traina V, Fusco S, Lacalandra GM, Maritato F.Conventional IVF as well as several assisted microfertilization techniques have shown limited success in the horse. After recent positive results achieved with intracytoplasmic injection of a single spermatozoon (ICSI) in human IVF, we chose to try the method in the horse. We compared conventional IVF to ICSI by fertilization rates of oocytes with compact and expanded cumuli and by developmental potential of the resulting embryos. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were obtained by aspirating the follicular fluid from the ovaries of slaughtered mares. Complexes showing complete cumulus investment...
Pöppel N, Hopster K, Geburek F, Kästner S.To determine the influence of ketamine or xylazine constant rate infusions on isoflurane requirements, cardiovascular parameters and quality of anaesthesia in horses undergoing elective surgery. Methods: Prospective, matched paired clinical trial. Methods: Fifty four adult Warmblood horses. Methods: After premedication with acepromazine, xylazine and butorphanol, anaesthesia was induced with ketamine-midazolam and maintained with isoflurane alone (I), isoflurane with either 1 mg kg(-1) hour(-1) ketamine (IK) or same dose of xylazine (IX). End tidal concentration of isoflurane (Fe'Iso) was ...
Ono K, Inui K, Hasegawa T, Matsuki N, Watanabe H, Takagi S, Hasegawa A, Tomoda I.The change in activities of 3 major antioxidative enzymes in equine erythrocytes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx), and catalase, was investigated in order to evaluate the effect of exercise. Blood samples were obtained from 11 thoroughbred horses before and immediately after vigorous exercise which induced the increase of plasma lipid peroxide (Lpx) concentration from 1.16 +/- 0.40 nmol/ml to 1.29 +/- 0.34 nmol/ml. Following the exercise, the GSHpx activity in erythrocytes was significantly reduced from 69 +/- 10 IU/gHb to 65 +/- 8 IU/gHb, whereas SOD and catalase ac...
