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.
Bracamonte JL, Anderson SL, Hendrick S, Barber SM, Deutscher D, Sumner D.To compare bursting strength, construction time, and anastomotic dimensions of 4 jejunoileal anastomotic techniques. Methods: Experimental ex vivo study. Methods: Adult horses (n = 12). Methods: Jejunoileal anastomoses were constructed from harvested ileal and distal jejunal segments using a single-layer Lembert technique (1HS), double-layer simple continuous/Cushing technique (2HS), stapled side-to-side technique (SS), or stapled functional end-to-end technique (FEE). Anastomotic construction time was recorded. Bursting pressures (BP), bursting wall tension (BWT), percentage of mean anastomot...
Barr L, Getgood A, Guehring H, Rushton N, Henson FM.The aim of this in vitro study was to ascertain the effect of recombinant human Fibroblast Growth Factor-18 (rhFGF18) on the repair response of mechanically damaged articular cartilage. Articular cartilage discs were harvested from healthy mature horses (n = 4) and subjected to single impact load (SIL). The impacted explants, together with unimpacted controls were cultured in modified DMEM ± 200 ng/ml rhFGF18 for up to 30 days. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release into the media was measured using the dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) assay. Aggrecan neopepitope CS846, collagen type II synth...
Farias LD, Azevedo Mda S, Trost ME, De La Côrte FD, Irigoyen LF, de Vargas AC.The objective of this study was to describe the first report involving a case of equine acute myonecrosis caused by C. novyi type A with an emphasis on clinical signs, the pathological and bacteriological analysis, and molecular identification of the microorganisms as the key of the definitive diagnosis.
Christophersen MT, Dupont N, Berg-Sørensen KS, Konnerup C, Pihl TH, Andersen PH.Outcomes of colic treatment are of great interest to clinicians, horse owners and insurers. One commonly used criterion of success is the overall short-term survival rate. This is used as to compare treatments and to measure quality of veterinary care, but may be biased by demographic or social factors such as attitudes towards animal suffering and euthanasia. The aims of this study were to 1) describe and analyse characteristics in horses with signs of colic referred to the University Hospital for Large Animals (UHLA), University of Copenhagen, Denmark over a 10-year period and 2) to compare ...
Clayton HM, Stubbs NC, Lavagnino M.Trotting over poles is frequently used therapeutically to restore swing phase ranges of joint motion. It is not known whether ground reaction forces (GRFs) increase as the swing phase limbs are lifted higher to clear the poles. Higher GRFs might be painful or jeopardise healing of musculoskeletal injuries. Objective: To measure stance phase kinematics and GRFs in the forelimbs and hindlimbs of horses trotting on level ground, over low poles and over high poles, and to test the hypothesis that trotting over poles is associated with increases in peak GRFs and impulses in the supporting hindlimb ...
Paradowska-Dogan A, Fernandez A, Bergmann M, Kretzer K, Mallidis C, Vieweg M, Waliszewski P, Zitzmann M, Weidner W, Steger K, Kliesch S.Highly compacted sperm DNA in protamine toroids and a minor fraction of nucleohistones are prerequisites for the efficient transmission of the paternal genome into the oocyte at fertilization. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether protamines might serve as a prognostic factor for stallion fertility. In situ hybridization detected specific expression of P1 mRNA in the cytoplasm of stage I to VII spermatids, whereas comparable immunohistochemical stainings showed that protein expression was delayed till elongating spermatids in differentiation stages III to VIII. No staining was de...
Gilsenan WF, Getman LM, Parente EJ, Johnson AL.To report headshaking and presumptive trigeminal neuritis as a potential complication after paranasal sinus surgery in horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses (n = 5) that developed headshaking within 45 days of paranasal sinus surgery. Methods: Medical records (2007-2010) of horses that had been evaluated for headshaking after paranasal sinus surgery were reviewed. Results: Of 5 horses that developed headshaking within 45 days of paranasal sinus surgery, resolution occurred after treatment in 2 horses. One horse was euthanatized because clinical signs associated with h...
McClellan NR, Santschi EM, Hurcombe SD, Litsky AS.To (1) develop a model of cyclical adduction force on an abducted left arytenoid cartilage that mimics swallowing or coughing; (2) determine if arytenoid abduction by a clamp before knot tying will improve the maintenance of abduction under cyclical adduction testing. Methods: Experimental. Methods: Cadaveric equine larynges (n = 14). Methods: Left laryngoplasty performed using a single suture of #5 Ethibond with (n = 7) and without (n = 7) abducting the arytenoid with a clamp before knot tying. Each laryngoplasty was loaded cyclically from 2 to 26 N at 0.5 Hz for 5000 cycles i...
Barton AK, Cehak A, Rohn K, Ohnesorge B.To determine outcome after transendoscopic laser fenestration of the median septum and removal of the salpingopharyngeal fold of the guttural pouch on nasopharyngeal obstruction caused by poll flexion in Warmblood horses. Methods: Clinical study. Methods: Horses (n = 9). Methods: Nine horses with a history of performance insufficiency and respiratory noise during poll flexion were examined. On endoscopy, an often asymmetric dorsoventral obstruction of the nasopharynx occurred during poll flexion. Left lateral radiographs were taken in neutral, extended, and flexed head positions showed that me...
Barrett EJ, Munsterman AS, Hanson RR, Jackson RL.To compare in vitro strength and failure characteristics of a tendon implant against a 3 loop pulley suture pattern for equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) laceration repair. Methods: Experimental. Methods: Cadaveric equine forelimb SDFT (n = 16). Methods: One tendon of each of 8 pair of SDFT was randomly selected for repair with either the 3-loop pulley (3LP) suture pattern using 2 polydioxanone or with 4 stainless steel suture and anchor implants (SA). Ultimate load to failure, mode of failure, gap at failure, and load to 2 mm gap were obtained using a materials testing sys...
Blanke A, Fischer ML, Fuchs M, Schusser GF.Since there is a lack of information about the normal appearance or pathological findings of the equine external ear canal (EEEC) and tympanic membrane (TM), we aimed to find a practical way to perform the otoscopic examination in standing, sedated horses. Therefore, we worked with common veterinary video endoscopes, which are normally used for gastroscopy or bronchoscopy. Both ears each of 38 randomly selected, chemically restrained horses were otoscopically examined. 33 of those horses had no history or signs of potentially ear-associated diseases. However, two horses with vestibular disease...
Boyko AR, Brooks SA, Behan-Braman A, Castelhano M, Corey E, Oliveira KC, Swinburne JE, Todhunter RJ, Zhang Z, Ainsworth DM, Robinson NE.Equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) is a bilateral mononeuropathy with an unknown pathogenesis that significantly affects performance in Thoroughbreds. A genetic contribution to the pathogenesis of RLN is suggested by the higher prevalence of the condition in offspring of RLN-affected than unaffected stallions. To better understand RLN pathogenesis and its genetic basis, we performed a genome-wide association (GWAS) of 282 RLN-affected and 268 control Thoroughbreds. Results: We found a significant association of RLN with the LCORL/NCAPG locus on ECA3 previously shown to affect body siz...
Giese C, Gerber V, Howald M, Bachmann I, Burger D.In order to investigate stress responses of horses in walkers with and without electricity, 12 horses were trained during 3 weeks in a horse walker with and without the use of electricity (3.7 kV). To evaluate the stress response, cortisol levels in the blood were measured, the heart rate was monitored using the Polar® system and the behaviour was evaluated. Neither the cortisol levels nor the heart rates showed any relevant statistically significant difference between horses moved in the horse walker with or without the use of electricity. The highest cortisol levels and heart rates were rec...
Britz E, Spier SJ, Kass PH, Edman JM, Foley JE.Equine infection with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis can manifest in several forms, including external or internal abscesses. The objective of this study was to phenotype clinical isolates of C. pseudotuberculosis and to investigate the relationship between lesion location and extent of lesions in the animals from which they were collected. One hundred and seventy-one C. pseudotuberculosis biovar equi isolates were collected from horses presenting to the University of California Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital and two other sources in the period between September 1996 and December 201...
Marqués FJ, Waldner C, Reed S, Autet F, Corbeil L, Campbell J.The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether rider experience influences the assessment and grading of lameness in horses based on under-saddle gait analysis. Thirteen adult sports horses in active training were included in the study. After a baseline lameness and neurologic examination by the principal investigators, horses were videotaped while being ridden by an experienced and a less experienced rider. A 3-minute video was made for each horse and rider and 26 videos were randomly ordered and compiled on a DVD. Veterinarians with different levels of experience in evaluatin...
Westerman TL, Poulsen KP, Schlipf JW, Valentine BA.A 14-year-old Morgan gelding was presented for progressive weakness and muscle atrophy. The horse was initially diagnosed with equine protozoal myelitis based on history, physical examination, and laboratory diagnostics. Despite therapy, the horse declined clinically and was euthanized. Necropsy revealed a rare form of neurotropic lymphoma, described in this report. Lymphome de cellules-B riches en cellules-T neurotropes chez un hongre Morgan âgé de 14 ans. Un hongre Morgan âgé de 14 ans a été présenté pour une faiblesse progressive et une atrophie musculaire. On a d’abord diagnostiq...
Anderson SL, Bracamonte JL, Hendrick S.The objective of this study was to compare the bursting strength (BS) and mode of failure (MF) of ventral midline (VM) celiotomies closed with USP 7 polydioxanone (7PD) in 1 or 2 simple continuous sections. A bursting strength model, consisting of inserting and inflating a 200-L polyurethane bladder through a 25-cm VM celiotomy, was used on 15 fresh equine cadavers. Celiotomies were closed using 7PD in 2 separate sections (4 knots), 2 continuous sections (3 knots), or a single section (2 knots) using a simple continuous pattern. The horses' signalment, body weight, number of total knots, MF, a...
Borde L, Amory H, Grulke S, Leroux AA, Houben RM, Detilleux J, Sandersen CC.To assess the prognostic value of echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular (LV) function in horses with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: Veterinary teaching hospital. Methods: Forty-one horses admitted for colic with clinical evidence of SIRS. Methods: All horses underwent Doppler echocardiographic examination on admission. LV echocardiographic parameters, including pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging parameters, were compared between nonsurvivors (n = 29) and horses that survived to discharge (n = 12). Results: With comp...
Carmichael SP, Davenport DL, Kearney PA, Bernard AC.The purpose of this study is to determine whether discrepant patterns of horse-related trauma exist in mounted vs. unmounted equestrians from a single Level I trauma center to guide awareness of injury prevention. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from the University of Kentucky Trauma Registry for patients admitted with horse-related injuries between January 2003 and December 2007 (n=284). Injuries incurred while mounted were compared with those incurred while unmounted. Results: Of 284 patients, 145 (51%) subjects were male with an average age of 37.2 years (S.D. 17.2). Most injurie...
Martig S, Chen W, Lee PV, Whitton RC.Musculoskeletal injuries are a common cause of lost training days and wastage in racehorses. Many bone injuries are a consequence of repeated high loading during fast work, resulting in chronic damage accumulation and material fatigue of bone. The highest joint loads occur in the fetlock, which is also the most common site of subchondral bone injury in racehorses. Microcracks in the subchondral bone at sites where intra-articular fractures and palmar osteochondral disease occur are similar to the fatigue damage detected experimentally after repeated loading of bone. Fatigue is a process that h...
Haeger-Eugensson M, Ferm M, Elfman L.The interest in equestrian sports has increased substantially during the last decades, resulting in increased number of horse facilities around urban areas. In Sweden, new guidelines for safe distance have been decided based on the size of the horse facility (e.g., number of horses) and local conditions, such as topography and meteorology. There is therefore an increasing need to estimate dispersion of horse allergens to be used, for example, in the planning processes for new residential areas in the vicinity of horse facilities. The aim of this study was to develop a method for calculating sh...
Murphy BA, Wagner AL, McGlynn OF, Kharazyan F, Browne JA, Elliott JA.Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated 24-h oscillations that coordinate numerous aspects of mammalian physiology, metabolism and behaviour. The existence of a molecular circadian clock in equine skeletal muscle has previously been demonstrated. This study investigates how the circadian 24-h expression of exercise-relevant genes in skeletal muscle is influenced by a regular exercise regime. Mid-gluteal, percutaneous muscle biopsies were obtained over a 24-h period from six Thoroughbred mares before and after an 8-week exercise programme. Real-time qPCR assays were used to assess the expr...
Di Francesco P, Cajon P, Desterke C, Perron Lepage MF, Lataillade JJ, Kadri T, Lepage OM.To assess the clinical value and safety of the application of allogeneic equine oral mucosa mesenchymal stromal cells (OM-MSCs) to wounds. Animals. 8 healthy adult horses without front limb skin lesions or musculoskeletal disease. Procedures. Stem cells were isolated from the oral mucosa of a donor horse. Horses were subjected to the creation of eight full-thickness cutaneous wounds, two on each distal forelimb (FL) and two on both sides of the thorax (TH). Each wound was subjected to one out of four treatments: no medication (T1), hyaluronic acid- (HA-) gel containing OM-MSC (T2), HA-gel cont...
McConaghy FF, Davis RE, Reppas GP, Rawlinson R J, McClintock SA, Hutchins DR, Hodgson DR.Treatment options for equine sarcoids are briefly reviewed and the results of a retrospective study of 63 cases of equine sarcoid (66 lesions) treated by clinicians from the Rural Veterinary Centre, Camden, Australia from 1975 to 1993 presented. Five different treatments were employed in the management of these 66 lesions, including surgical excision alone or in combination with cryotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and tumour transfer to a subcutaneous site on the neck. The majority of cases were treated with surgical excision alone (18/66), excision followed by cryotherapy (31/66) and imm...
Levine DG, Aitken MR.Physeal fractures are common musculoskeletal injuries in foals and should be included as a differential diagnosis for the lame or nonweightbearing foal. Careful evaluation of the patient, including precise radiographic assessment, is paramount in determining the options for treatment. Prognosis mostly depends on the patient's age, weight, and fracture location and configuration.
Higler MH, Brommer H, L'Ami JJ, de Grauw JC, Nielen M, van Weeren PR, Laverty S, Barneveld A, Back W.Multiple in vitro studies assessing articular tissues have indicated that glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate may possess anti-inflammatory effects, but little is known of their clinical effects in vivo. Many old horses have stiff joints, which is likely to be attributable to inflammation and therapy with these nutraceutical compounds could improve joint function. Objective: To assess the clinical effects of a mixed supplement on the improvement of stiff gait in aged horses. Methods: Randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled study. Methods: A group of 24 geriatric equids (age 29 ± 4 years; mea...
Pratt GW.A discussion is presented of contributing factors to the injury to the foreleg of the Thoroughbred racehorse. The critical part of the step is taken to be the first 10-20 ms after ground contact as the hoof slides forward and stops. Large nonaxial loads associated with the deceleration of the hoof are shown to arise. Results of accelerometer measurements on the hoof of a horse running at racing speed are presented as well as mechanical properties of the racing surface. The mechanical properties of the track surface, the type of shoe, and the degree of fatigue of the horse all work together to ...
Gerber V, Kaiser-Thom S, Oesch S.Equine pastern dermatitis (EPD) is a nonspecific cutaneous reaction pattern on the distal extremities, typically in the palmar/plantar area of the pastern. Although EPD is commonly seen in equine practice and can be a debilitating condition, peer-reviewed original studies on many aspects of this multifactorial syndrome are still scarce. This narrative review aims to give an overview of the clinical presentation (forms of EPD and clinical scores and differential diagnoses), risk factors, and therapeutic approaches. The emphasis is on intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors as most of the original ...
Hollis AR.Sarcoids are the most common cutaneous neoplasm of the horse, arising as a result of a neoplastic proliferation of fibroblasts associated with infection with bovine papillomavirus, most notably types 1 and 2. Although they do not metastasise, they are locally invasive and aggressive, and can lead to important welfare concerns, interfere with tack and therefore impede athleticism, and undoubtedly lead to a reduction in the value of affected horses. This review discusses the evidence behind the most commonly used treatments for equine sarcoids. The most commonly used treatments are discussed. No...
Allen WR, Rowson LE.Surgical and non-surgical methods used for the recovery and transfer of fertilized horse eggs are described. Sixteen of the twenty-three zygotes recovered surgically between Days 1 to 6 after ovulation from thirty donor mares were transferred surgically to synchronized recipients; seven pregnancies resulted. Seven of the eleven zygotes recovered non-surgically between Days 6 to 8 after ovulation from twenty-eight donor mares were transferred non-surgically to synchronized recipients; five pregnancies resulted.
Nostell KE, Essén-Gustavsson B, Bröjer JT.The branched chain amino acid leucine is a potent stimulator of insulin secretion. Used in combination with glucose it can increase the insulin response and the post exercise re-synthesis of glycogen in man. Decreased plasma amino acid concentrations have been reported after intravenous or per oral administration of leucine in man as well as after a single per oral dose in horses. In man, a negative correlation between the insulin response and the concentrations of isoleucine, valine and methionine have been shown but results from horses are lacking. This study aims to determine the effect of ...
Hudson NP, Merritt AM.Equine gastrointestinal motility is a central issue in cases of equine colic, post operative convalescence and alimentary conditions encountered in practice. There are significant syndromes of intestinal dysmotility in the horse such as obstructive disorders and post operative ileus that are still poorly understood. This review describes the various areas of research that aim to elucidate the pathogenesis of intestinal hypo- or hypermotility by research methods, which include studies at the cellular level, and those that employ in vitro or in vivo techniques of evaluating the physiology and me...
Ilomuanya M, Uboh C, Ciallella J, Li X, Liu Y, Ifudu N, Azubuike C, Igwilo C.Treatment of racehorses with bicarbonate solutions to manage acidosis and muscle cramps prior to competition is banned in Pennsylvania (PA). Use of excess bicarbonate in horses causes diarrhea, requiring treatment with an antibiotic such as metronidazole (MTNZ). At present no method exists for detecting MTNZ in equine plasma. Thus, a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the detection, quantification and confirmation of MTNZ was developed. Methods: The analyte was recovered from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction using methyl tert-butyl ether and separated on an ...
de la Rebière G, Franck T, Deby-Dupont G, Salciccia A, Grulke S, Péters F, Serteyn D.As heparins are sometimes used to prevent equine laminitis, the interactions between equine neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO), unfractionated (UFH) and fractionated low molecular weight (LMWH) heparins and digital endothelium have been investigated. The effects of the heparins on purified equine MPO activity were tested by immunocapture followed by enzymatic detection. Endothelium-MPO interactions were assessed by measuring total and active MPO uptake by arterial and venous digital endothelial cells in culture with or without the addition of heparins. A dose-dependent MPO inhibition by UFH and ...
Senior M.To review information on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of post-anaesthetic pulmonary oedema in horses. Methods: Pubmed 1970-present, personal files.
Steinbach TJ, Reischauer A, Kunkemöller I, Mense MG.A neonatal foal was presented with a 6.5-cm pedunculated mass arising from the upper deciduous incisors. The distal end was soft and covered by haired skin, whereas the proximal end was firm, covered with mucosal epithelium, and at the point of transection contained a fully developed tooth. Microscopically, the mass was covered by epidermis and mucosal epithelium and the remaining portion of the mass consisted of mature collagen, nonneoplastic fat and smooth muscle, and a single tooth within a bony socket. The mass is consistent with an oral choristoma and has features similar to those describ...
Rossier Y, Divers TJ, Sweeney RW.The urinary GGT/urinary creatinine (uGGT/uCR) ratio was measured on Days 1, 3 and 10 in 4 adult, healthy horses; in 6 adult, healthy horses treated with gentamicin at recommended dosages and 9 adult horses treated for pleuropneumonia with gentamicin at recommended dosages. Plasma creatinine and gentamicin trough concentrations were measured on the same days. The uGGT/uCr ratio was higher in the normal horses (mean +/- s.d. 22.85 +/- 13.69) than previously reported normal values (10.5 +/- 6.8) (Adams and McClure 1985). Analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to compare the ratio in ...