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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.
Parameters of the center of pressure displacement on the saddle during hippotherapy on different surfaces. Hippotherapy uses horseback riding movements for therapeutic purposes. In addition to the horse's movement, the choice of equipment and types of floor are also useful in the intervention. The quantification of dynamic parameters that define the interaction of the surface of contact between horse and rider provides insight into how the type of floor surface variations act upon the subject's postural control. Objective: To test whether different types of surfaces promote changes in the amplitude (ACOP) and velocity (VCOP) of the center of pressure (COP) displacement during the rider's contact wi...
An investigation of the equine infectious disease threat represented by the presence of donkeys at mixed equestrian events in Ireland. The number of abandoned or otherwise neglected donkeys has significantly increased in Ireland in the recent past. The real or perceived capacity of the donkey to act as a reservoir of equine infectious disease, and thus pose an increased risk of disease transmission to horses and ponies, may be a factor in this increased abandonment and neglect. The authors here report on a field study exploring the infectious disease transmission threat the donkey poses to the general equine industry in Ireland through an examination of biosecurity standards and the views of horse and donkey exhibitors at nin...
Activation of persistent Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus in mares with subclinical endometritis. Endometritis in horses caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) may be underdiagnosed due to traditional diagnostic methods lacking sensitivity and specificity. We serendipitously identified a bacterial growth medium (bActivate) that appeared capable of inducing growth of dormant S. zooepidemicus, which subsequently allowed detection by standard diagnostics. To assess the effect of bActivate we compared its ability to activate dormant S. zooepidemicus in a group of potentially infected subfertile mares with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). All mares had to test ...
A multicentre, prospective, randomised, blinded clinical trial to compare some perioperative effects of buprenorphine or butorphanol premedication before equine elective general anaesthesia and surgery. Buprenorphine, a μ-agonist opioid, has recently been licensed for equine use, but butorphanol, a κ-agonist opioid, is more commonly used in horses. The effect of the 2 opioids has not previously been compared in a large clinical study. Objective: To compare post operative analgesia and physiological variables in horses undergoing elective surgery following premedication with either buprenorphine or butorphanol in a conventional clinical setting. Methods: Multicentre, prospective, randomised, blinded clinical investigation. Methods: Eighty-nine healthy horses admitted for elective surgery to ...
IMAGING DIAGNOSIS – UNILATERAL TRIGEMINAL NEURITIS MIMICKING PERIPHERAL NERVE SHEATH TUMOR IN A HORSE. A 16-year old Warmblood gelding presented with a nonhealing corneal ulcer and absent corneal sensation in the left eye. A lesion affecting the maxillary and ophthalmic branches of the left trigeminal nerve was suspected. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging identified marked thickening of the ophthalmic and maxillary branches of the left trigeminal nerve. The nerve was iso- to hypointense on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images with heterogeneous enhancement. A peripheral nerve sheath tumor was suspected, however granulomatous neuritis was histopathologically confirmed. These inflammatory changes can...
Learning about equine biosecurity. Equine consultant, Jane Nixon, attended the first equine biosecurity course at the British Racing School in November last year, organised by Whorl Publishing. Here, she reports on some of the issues covered.
A randomized controlled field trial of a novel trimethoprim-sulfadiazine oral suspension for treatment of Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus infection of the lower respiratory tract in horses. To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel trimethoprim-sulfadiazine oral suspension for the treatment of naturally acquired Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus infection in horses. Methods: Randomized, controlled field trial. Methods: 180 horses with S equi subsp zooepidemicus infection. Methods: Horses with lower respiratory tract infections caused by S equi subsp zooepidemicus were treated with a new formulation of combined trimethoprim-sulfadiazine oral suspension at a dosage of 24 mg/kg (10.9 mg/lb) twice daily for 10 days (treatment group) or with an equivalent volume of saline (0.9% Na...
Changes of the hindgut microbiota due to high-starch diet can be associated with behavioral stress response in horses. The digestive system of horses is adapted to a high-fiber diet consumed in small amounts over a long time. However, during training, high-starch and low-fiber diets are usually fed which may induce hindgut microbial disturbances and intestinal pain. These diets can be described as alimentary stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate to what extent changes in behavior are associated with alimentary stress and microbial composition changes of the cecal or colonic ecosystem. Six fistulated horses were used. The alimentary stress was a modification of diet from a high-fiber diet (100...
Ten Years of Equine-related Injuries: Severity and Implications for Emergency Physicians. The size, speed, and unpredictable nature of horses present a significant risk for injury in all equine-related activities. Objective: We sought to examine the mechanism, severity, frequency, body regions affected, surgical requirements, rehabilitation needs, safety equipment utilization, and outcomes of equine-related injured patients. Methods: Records of inpatients who sustained an equine-related injury from 2002-2011 with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes E828 and E906 were retrospectively reviewed for pertinent data. Results: Ninety patients, 70% female, age (m...
Seroprevalence of equine granulocytic anaplasmosis and lyme borreliosis in Canada as determined by a point-of-care enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) and Lyme borreliosis (LB) are an emerging concern in Canada. We estimated the seroprevalence of EGA and equine LB by testing 376 convenience serum samples from 3 provinces using a point-of-care SNAP(®) 4Dx(®) ELISA (IDEXX Laboratories, Westbrook, Maine, USA), and investigated the agreement between the point-of-care ELISA and laboratory-based serologic tests. The estimated seroprevalence for EGA was 0.53% overall (0.49% in Saskatchewan, 0.71% in Manitoba), while the estimated seroprevalence for LB was 1.6% overall (0.49% in Saskatchewan, 2.86% in Manitob...
Detection of equine herpesvirus-4 and physiological stress patterns in young Thoroughbreds consigned to a South African auction sale. The prevalence of equine herpesvirus types-1 and -4 (EHV-1 and -4) in South African Thoroughbreds at auction sales is currently undefined. Commingling of young Thoroughbreds from various populations together with physiological stress related to their transport and confinement at a sales complex, may be associated with shedding and transmission of EHV-1 and -4. This prospective cohort study sampled 90 young Thoroughbreds consigned from eight farms, originating from three provinces representative of the South African Thoroughbred breeding demographic to a sales complex. Nasal swabs for quantitat...
Gastritis, Enteritis, and Colitis in Horses. The gastrointestinal system of horses is affected by a large variety of inflammatory infectious and noninfectious conditions. The most prevalent form of gastritis is associated with ulceration of the pars esophagea. Although the diagnostic techniques for alimentary diseases of horses have improved significantly over the past few years, difficulties still exist in establishing the causes of a significant number of enteric diseases in this species. This problem is compounded by several agents of enteric disease also being found in the intestine of clinically normal horses, which questions the va...
Patterns and durations of journeys by horses transported from the USA to Canada for slaughter. Concern has been expressed over the welfare of horses transported from the USA for slaughter in Canada. United States Department of Agriculture owner/shipper certificates for the year 2009 were analyzed to provide quantitative information on the patterns and durations of these journeys. In 2009, horses from 16 states in the northern USA were transported to 6 equine slaughter plants in Canada. Thirty-two percent of loads were from auction centers, 33% from feedlots, and 35% from horse collection centers. The median duration of the journey was 19 h. Thirty-six percent of horses were transported ...
Molecular dynamic simulations reveal the structural determinants of Fatty Acid binding to oxy-myoglobin. The mechanism(s) by which fatty acids are sequestered and transported in muscle have not been fully elucidated. A potential key player in this process is the protein myoglobin (Mb). Indeed, there is a catalogue of empirical evidence supporting direct interaction of globins with fatty acid metabolites; however, the binding pocket and regulation of the interaction remains to be established. In this study, we employed a computational strategy to elucidate the structural determinants of fatty acids (palmitic & oleic acid) binding to Mb. Sequence analysis and docking simulations with a horse (E...
Musculoskeletal Pathology. The current understanding of pathology as it relates to common diseases of the equine musculoskeletal system is reviewed. Conditions are organized under the fundamental categories of developmental, exercise-induced, infectious, and miscellaneous pathology. The overview of developmental pathology incorporates the new classification system of juvenile osteochondral conditions. Discussion of exercise-induced pathology emphasizes increased understanding of the contribution of cumulative microdamage caused by repetitive cyclic loading. Miscellaneous musculoskeletal pathology focuses on laminitis, w...
Respiratory Disease: Diagnostic Approaches in the Horse. Evaluation of the upper and lower respiratory tract of horses requires strategic selection of possible diagnostic tests based on location of suspected pathologic lesions and purpose of testing and must also include consideration of patient status. This article discusses the various diagnostic modalities that may be applied to the respiratory system of horses under field conditions, indications for use, and aspects of sample collection, handling, and laboratory processing that can impact test results and ultimately a successful diagnosis in cases of respiratory disease.
Toxicology for the Equine Practitioner. A wide variety of toxins cause diseases in the horse and are investigated routinely by veterinarians and veterinary pathologists to identify the cause of illness and death. A complete investigation involves performing a thorough necropsy and requires macroscopic and microscopic examination of lesions and a variety of laboratory testing to obtain an accurate diagnosis. The identification of gross lesions by equine practitioners is often the first step in formulating a diagnostic plan. This article provides a description of selected common toxins producing detectable gross lesions in horses in N...
Skin Diseases in Horses. Skin disease in horses is a common and potentially challenging clinical problem. Information pertaining to skin disease is lacking in horses when compared with that in other companion animal species. Certainly, both horse-specific and location-specific patterns are present, but these can often be confounded by other factors. There are many possible ways in which to organize skin disease; in this article, they are organized based loosely on their most common clinical feature. Space limits the number of conditions that can be described here, and those chosen were seen relatively frequently in a ...
Energy supplementation and herbage allowance effects on daily intake in lactating mares. Little is known about how to manage grazing horses, including the thresholds under which energy supplementation is required. Here we investigated the effects of daily herbage allowance (DHA) and energy supplementation (ES) on daily herbage intake in lactating mares of light breeds grazing high-quality regrowth during summer. Three contrasting DHA, low (LOW), medium (MED), and high (HIGH), that is, 35.0, 52.5, and 70.0 g DM∙kg BW(-1)∙d(-1), respectively, were obtained by adjusting pasture strip width. Eighteen Anglo-Arab and French Saddle lactating mares were either supplemented with 2.6 kg...
HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: Use of mesenchymal stem cells in fracture repair in horses. Equine bone fractures are often catastrophic, potentially fatal, and costly to repair. Traditional methods of healing fractures have limited success, long recovery periods, and a high rate of reinjury. Current research in the equine industry has demonstrated that stem cell therapy is a promising novel therapy to improve fracture healing and reduce the incidence of reinjury; however, reports of success in horses have been variable and limited. Stem cells can be derived from embryonic, fetal, and adult tissue. Based on the ease of collection, opportunity for autologous cells, and proven success ...
Responses of hematological parameters, beta-endorphin, cortisol, reactive oxygen metabolites, and biological antioxidant potential in horses participating in a traditional tournament. Several concerns have been raised over the health of animals used in equestrian games that have their origins in historical or religious events and are currently held in many countries. This study investigated physiological stress response and health status of horses participating in the Sartiglia, a historical horse tournament held in the city of Oristano, Italy, which is principally based on the attempts of masked horsemen at a gallop to run a sword through a hole in a suspended silver star. Blood samples were collected from 21 horses the day before the tournament (D0), during the tournament...
HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: Advances in equine stem cell biology. The Horse Species Symposium titled “Advances in Equine Stem Cell Biology” was held at the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, and Canadian Society of Animal Science in Kansas City, MO, July 20 to 24, 2014. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss recent research findings related to equine stem cell use in chondrocytes, muscle satellite cells, and bone. The symposium comprised 3 invited presentations.
The symposium began with the invited presentation by J. N. MacLeod (University of Kentucky, Lexington), who discussed the ...
Permanent Lateral Deviation and Stenosis of the Cervix in an Infertile Jennet. Congenital abnormalities of the uterus and the cervix are rare in horses, often associated with infertility, despite normal ovarian activity and sexual behaviour. An abnormality of the cervix in a 5-year-old jennet with a history of infertility was described. Clinical and ultrasound examination of the genital tract showed a normal development of the uterus with regular cyclic activity in both the ovaries. Vaginoscopy revealed a normal development of the vagina and a cervix deviated on the left side of the vagina by a thick dorsoventral fold. The lateral deviation was permanent in any stage of ...
Quantification of sodium pentobarbital residues from equine mortality compost piles. Sodium pentobarbital, a euthanasia drug, can persist in animal carcasses following euthanasia and can cause secondary toxicosis to animals that consume the remains. This experiment was conducted to observe the effects of composting on euthanized horse carcass degradation and sodium pentobarbital residues in compost material up to 367 d. Six separate compost bins were constructed on pastureland. Three bins served as the control while 3 served as the treatment. The carbonaceous material, or bulking agent, consisted of hardwood chips mixed with yard waste wetted to approximately 50% moisture cont...
