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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.
Intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Tenerife, Spain. The nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the causative agent of human angiostrongyliasis, the main clinical manifestation of which is eosinophilic meningitis. Although this parasite has been found recently in its definitive rat host in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), showing a widespread distribution over the north-east part of the island, there are no available data regarding which snail and/or slug species are acting as intermediate hosts on this island. Consequently, the objective of this work was to determine the possible role of three mollusc species, Plutonia lamarckii, Cornu aspers...
Cryptorchidectomy in equids: 604 cases (1977-2010). To evaluate the management of equids undergoing cryptorchidectomy at a referral hospital. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 604 client-owned equids. Methods: Medical records of all equids undergoing surgical treatment of cryptorchidism from 1977 to 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Analyses of breed, location of retained testes, accuracy of palpation per rectum for determining the location of retained testes, surgical technique, and postoperative complications were performed. Results: The most frequently affected breed was the Quarter Horse (282/604 [47%]), which was significantly...
Bacterial isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and factors associated with infection and outcome in foals with septic arthritis: 83 cases (1998-2013). To determine clinical characteristics, clinicopathologic data, and bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility results associated with septic arthritis in foals ≤ 180 days old. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 83 foals with septic arthritis. Methods: Medical records at 2 teaching hospitals between 1998 and 2013 were searched to identify those for foals ≤ 180 days old with confirmed infection of ≥ 1 synovial structure. Data extracted from the records included signalment, clinicopathologic information, bacteriologic culture and antimicrobial susceptibility results, and o...
Not just a number: effect of age on fertility, pregnancy and offspring vigour in thoroughbred brood-mares. Advancing age can adversely affect a thoroughbred brood-mare's reproductive efficiency and influence the commercial and athletic potential of her progeny. Causes for the decline in fertility include decreased oocyte and embryo quality, anatomical defects and endometrial degeneration. In addition, evidence exists that as the age of a dam increases, her foals will be at increased risk of morbidity and mortality during the neonatal period. Health issues can have lasting and deleterious effects on surviving foals, including decreased sale value and reduced athletic performance. The purpose of this...
A Critical Analysis of the British Horseracing Authority’s Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing. There is increasing controversy about the use of the whip as a performance aid in Thoroughbred horseracing and its impact on horse welfare. This paper offers a critical analysis of the British Horseracing Authority's (BHA) 2011 Report Responsible Regulation: A Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing. It examines the BHA's process of consultation and use of science and public opinion research through the application of current scientific literature and legal analysis. This analysis suggests that the BHA's findings on the welfare impact and justification for whip use are insufficiently defe...
The foot-surface interaction and its impact on musculoskeletal adaptation and injury risk in the horse. The equine limb has evolved for efficient locomotion and high-speed performance, with adaptations of bone, tendon and muscle. However, the system lacks the ability seen in some species to dynamically adapt to different circumstances. The mechanical interaction of the limb and the ground is influenced by internal and external factors including fore-hind mass distribution, lead limb, moving on a curve, shoeing and surface properties. It is unclear which of the components of limb loading have the largest effect on injury and performance but peak load, impact and vibration all play a role. Factors...
Intraarterial Injection of Iodinated Contrast Medium for Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography of the Equine Head. Minimizing the volume of contrast administered for contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the equine head is desirable for reducing costs and risks of adverse reactions, however evidence-based studies on the effects of varying volumes on image quality are currently lacking. The objective of the current study was to determine whether low-volume intraarterial administration of contrast medium would result in an equivalent image quality and tissue attenuation vs. high-volume intravenous bolus administration. A prospective cross-over experimental design was used in a sample of six horses. A...
Update on disorders and treatment of the guttural pouch. The most common disorders of the equine guttural pouches are empyema, tympany, mycosis, and temporohyoid osteoarthropathy. Diagnosis of these conditions is made primarily by imaging with endoscopy, radiographs, computed tomography, and/or MRI. Medical treatment with anti-inflammatories, antimicrobials, and/or antifungals may be successful in some cases, but many of these disorders necessitate surgical intervention. Direct surgical approaches to the guttural pouch are difficult because of their complex anatomy and relationship with important structures, thus precipitating a move toward minimall...
Update on noninfectious inflammatory diseases of the lower airway. Inflammatory airway disease and recurrent airway obstruction are 2 nonseptic diseases of the equine respiratory system with a shared cause of exposure to particulate matter. They appear to occupy 2 ends of a spectrum of disease, but are differentiated by history, clinical signs, and response to treatment. Diagnosis can be made by sampling of respiratory fluids and lung function testing. Treatment consists of environmental modification and pharmacologic treatment with systemic or inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators.
Update on laryngeal disorders and treatment. Laryngeal disorders are relatively common in the horse, and thorough diagnostic evaluation is essential to make an accurate definitive diagnosis and selection of appropriate treatment. The value of exercising endoscopy must not be overlooked, and the recent development of dynamic (overground) endoscopy is providing new insights into dynamic laryngeal lesions. The focus of this article will be on recently described disorders and treatments or modifications to existing treatments. It summarizes the numerous investigations attempting to perfect the laryngoplasty procedure for treatment of larynge...
The role of sera from equine grass sickness on apoptosis induction in PC12 Tet-off p53 cell line. The pathogenesis of equine grass sickness (EGS) has not fully understood. A better understanding of the exact pathogenesis of diseases can help to make an accurate diagnosis. Previous studies reported some pathological damage of neuronal cells in EGS patients. In this study, primarily cytotoxicity of serum from three clinically EGS-diagnosed horses on PC12 Tet-off (PTO) cells was assessed. Subsequently, the apoptotic tests including cytochrome C release, caspase-3/7 activity measurement and DNA fragmentation assay were conducted to clarify the apoptotic effect of serum from EGS patients. Addit...
Update on interstitial pneumonia. Interstitial pneumonias encompass a wide variety of acute and chronic respiratory diseases and include the specific diseases equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis and acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress. These diseases have been diagnosed in all age groups of horses, and numerous agents have been identified as potential causes of interstitial pneumonia. Despite the varied causes, interstitial pneumonia is uniformly recognized by the severity of respiratory disease and often poor clinical outcome. This article reviews the causal agents that have been associated with the developmen...
Nonstrangulating intestinal infarction associated with Strongylus vulgaris in referred Danish equine cases. Strongylus vulgaris is a pathogenic helminth parasite infecting horses and was once considered to be the primary cause of colic. Migrating larvae cause ischaemia and infarction of intestinal segments. This knowledge is derived from case reports and experimental inoculations of parasite-naïve foals, and it remains unknown to what extent the parasite is associated with different types of colic. Objective: To evaluate the role of S. vulgaris as a risk factor for different types of colic in horses. Methods: A retrospective case-control study among horses referred with abdominal pain to the Univ...
Occurrence of bacteria and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in fetal compartments at parturition; relationships with foal and mare health in the peripartum period. This study investigated the relationship of the health of the newborn foal and (1) number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) in the amniotic fluid, (2) bacteria present in the amniotic fluid and the venous umbilical blood, and (3) bacteria present in the uterus of the newly foaled mare. A further aim was to investigate relationships between the bacteriologic findings in the amniotic fluid, umbilical blood, and uterus postpartum. Samples were taken from 50 Standardbred trotter foaling mares from a well-managed stud in Sweden. Parturition was spontaneous in all cases. Length of pregnancy, p...
A life of cycles. Jonathan Pycock is one of three equine claims consultants with the Veterinary Defence Society. His career in equine reproduction, and lecturing on the same topic, has given him the opportunity to work and travel widely, and ensure his work/life balance stays in sync.
Bilateral renal dysplasia, hydronephrosis, and hydroureter in a septic neonatal foal. A Canadian warmblood foal treated for septic polyarthritis was diagnosed with bilateral congenital renal dysplasia, hydronephrosis, and hydroureter at 2 weeks of age based on abdominal ultrasound and postmortem examination. Intermittent abdominal pain throughout the course of treatment was attributed to hydronephrosis and hydroureter. Un poulain Warmblood canadien traité pour une polyarthrite septique a été diagnostiqué avec de la dysplasie rénale congénitale bilatérale, de l’hydronéphrose et de l’urétérohydrose à l’âge de 2 semaines en se fondant sur une échographie abdomi...
First report of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) in the Italian draft horse. Epitheliogenesis imperfecta in horses was first recognized at the beginning of the 20th century when it was proposed that the disease could have a genetic cause and an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Electron microscopy studies confirmed that the lesions were characterized by a defect in the lamina propria and the disease was therefore reclassified as epidermolysis bullosa. Molecular studies targeted two mutations affecting genes involved in dermal-epidermal junction: an insertion in LAMC2 in Belgians and other draft breeds and one large deletion in LAMA3 in American Saddlebred. Metho...
Myocardial insult and arrhythmias after acute hemorrhage in horses. The objectives of this investigation were to: (1) Determine if acute hemorrhage is associated with increased plasma cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration or cardiac arrhythmias, (2) to describe the types of arrhythmias and their clinical course in horses following acute hemorrhage, (3) to determine the ability of clinical or clinicopathological variables to predict an increase in cTnI concentration and the presence of arrhythmias, and (4) to determine the associations of cTnI and cardiac arrhythmias with outcome. Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: Large animal veterinary teac...
Determination of the unsaturated disaccharides of hyaluronic acid in equine synovial fluid by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an analytical method to determine the presence of hyaluronic acid derived disaccharides in equine synovial fluid. Results: A high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of hyaluronic acid derived unsaturated disaccharides in equine synovial fluid was developed and validated. The method is based on the measurement of unsaturated disaccharides released by digestion of linear hyaluronic acid molecules. The method showed linearity (r(2) = 0.996) over the full working concentration range 0.89-30 mg/l. Relative standard ...
Quantitative motor unit action potential analysis of supraspinatus, infraspinatus, deltoideus and biceps femoris muscles in adult Royal Dutch sport horses. Reference values for quantitative electromyography (QEMG) in shoulder and hindlimb muscles of horses are limited. Objective: To determine normative data on QEMG analysis of supraspinatus (SS), infraspinatus (IS), deltoideus (DT) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles. Methods: Experimental observational study and retrospective case series. Methods: Seven adult healthy Royal Dutch sport horses underwent quantitative motor unit action potential analysis of each muscle using commercial electromyography equipment. Measurements were made according to published methods. One-way ANOVA was used to compare qu...
Mare and foal survival and subsequent fertility of mares treated for uterine torsion. Previous surveys have reported that mare and foal survival after correction of uterine torsion (UT) varies from 60 to 84% and from 30 to 54%, respectively. Furthermore, resolution via a standing flank laparotomy (SFL) has been associated with better foal, but not mare, survival. Objective: To compare the success of SFL with other correction methods (e.g. midline or flank laparotomy under general anaesthesia; correction per vaginam). Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical records. Methods: Data on correction technique, stage of gestation, degree of rotation, survival and subsequent fertili...
Budding equine vets hone their skills and knowledge. One hundred and fifty 'equine enthusiast' veterinary students gathered at Bristol veterinary school's Langford campus earlier this month for a national student equine veterinary symposium. A wide-ranging programme of lectures, practicals and seminars gave participants an opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced equine clinicians in the UK. Lorna Sowerbutts, vice-president of the Bristol Equine Veterinary Society, reports.
The efficacy of ELISA commercial kits for the screening of equine infectious anemia virus infection. The most used and reliable indicator of Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) infection is the detection of its specific antibodies in horse serum. In the present study, the performance of two commercial ELISA tests for the detection of EIAV antibodies as well as the potential advantages of their use as an EIAV infection screening tool were evaluated in 302 horse serum samples. Both ELISA assays showed 100% diagnostic sensitivity, and 92.3-94.3% diagnostic specificity. Discordant results were analyzed by immunoblot. The results showed that both ELISA tests are very efficient at detecting EIAV ...
Enhanced bone healing using collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold implantation in the treatment of a large multiloculated mandibular aneurysmal bone cyst in a thoroughbred filly. An unmet need remains for a bone graft substitute material that is biocompatible, biodegradable and capable of promoting osteogenesis safely in vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of a novel collagen-hydroxyapatite (CHA) bone graft substitute in the clinical treatment of a mandibular bone cyst in a young horse and to assess its potential to enhance repair of the affected bone. A 2 year-old thoroughbred filly, presenting with a multilobulated aneurysmal bone cyst, was treated using the CHA scaffold. Post-operative clinical follow-up was carried out at 2 weeks and 3, 6 and...
