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.
Donahue JM, Timoney PJ, Carleton CL, Marteniuk JV, Sells SF, Meade BJ.This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of Taylorella asinigenitalis in a subset of the donkey population of Michigan and in other equids on farms on which the organism was identified. Other aims were to further characterize the carrier state in terms of persistence and preferred sites of colonization of T. asinigenitalis in the male donkey as well as determine the genotype of any isolates of the organism. Initial testing of 43 donkeys and 1 mule turned up 4 (9.3%) donkeys culture positive for T. asinigenitalis. The 4 culture-positive donkeys resided on 2 farms accommodating a ...
Bolwell CF, Rogers CW, French NP, Firth EC.To quantify the time from the start of training to the first interruption and to identify horse and training risk factors for voluntary interruptions and interruptions due to musculoskeletal injury occurring before the first trial. Methods: A prospective cohort study was used to collect data on the training activity of 2-year-old racehorses, from 14 trainers in the Northern and Central Districts of New Zealand, over two racing seasons (2008/09 and 2009/10). Daily training data were recorded for each horse, including, distances worked at canter (>15 seconds/200 m), three measures of high-spe...
Kwok WH, Ho EN, Leung GN, Tang FP, Wan TS, Wong HN, Yeung JH.1-Testosterone (17β-hydroxy-5α-androst-1-en-3-one), a synthetic anabolic steroid, has been described as one of the most effective muscle-building supplements currently on the market. It has an anabolic potency of 200 as compared to 26 for testosterone. Apart from its abuse in human sports, it can also be a doping agent in racehorses. Metabolic studies on 1-testosterone have only been reported for human in the early seventies, whereas little is known about its metabolic fate in horses. This paper describes the studies of in vitro and in vivo metabolism of 1-testosterone in horses, with the ai...
Fielding CL, Stolba DN.Changes in arterial pressure due to respiratory phases have been used to predict fluid responsiveness in a number of species and pulse pressure variation (PPV) and systolic pressure variation (SPV) are commonly used. The relationship between PPV and SPV has not been described in horses. Objective: To describe and compare PPV and SPV values of horses under general anesthesia. Methods: Twenty-six horses undergoing general anesthesia and receiving mechanical ventilation were enrolled in the study. Recordings of maximal and minimal values of pulse pressure and systolic pressure were calculated eve...
Aresu L, Benali S, Giannuzzi D, Mantovani R, Castagnaro M, Falomo ME.Equine endometriosis is a multifactorial disease considered to be a major cause of equine infertility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of histomorphological grading for biopsy-like samples compared to entire uterine wall samples, to examine the association between the degree of endometriosis with animal age, and to investigate the role of inflammation in endometriosis and the expression of different matrix metalloproteinases in equine endometrium. Histomorphological lesions in 35 uterine samples were examined while comparing biopsy-like samples and entire-wall samples...
Miro J.Ultrasonography has become indispensable in the control of equine reproduction. Mare ovary layers are inverted with respect to other species, with the follicles and corpus luteum found inside the ovary; only large follicles protrude from the organ's surface. This renders the making of diagnoses via rectal palpation of the ovaries very difficult. Ultrasound imaging, however, provides another avenue of examination. Since its first use in 1980, the diagnostic potential of ultrasonography has greatly improved. Colour Doppler ultrasonography can even asses blood flow, allowing for much better monit...
Stout TA.During the past 15 years, embryo transfer (ET) has become increasingly widespread within the sport-horse breeding industry. At present, however, the vast majority (>95%) of horse embryos are transferred fresh or after chilled storage for up to 24 h, whereas cryopreservation is rarely employed despite its obvious potential for simplifying recipient mare management and facilitating long-term storage and international transport of embryos. A number of inter-related factors have contributed to the slow development and implementation of equine embryo cryopreservation, and these include the followin...
Walker H, Chinn E, Holmes S, Barwise-Munro L, Robertson V, Mould R, Bradley S, Shaw DJ, Dixon PM.Cheek teeth (CT) diastemata are now recognised as a clinically significant equine disorder, but their prevalence in the general equine population is unknown. There is also limited information on the signalment of affected horses; the more commonly affected Triadan sites; and the shape and clinical characteristics of CT diastemata. During the 12-month study period (2008 to 2009), standardised records were obtained during routine dental examinations performed by five veterinarians in a first-opinion equine practice. Cheek teeth diastemata were identified in 49.9 per cent of all horses (n=471) of...
Christensen M, Jacobsen S, Ichiyanagi T, Kjelgaard-Hansen M.Major acute phase proteins (APPs) have proven diagnostically useful in dogs, cats and horses with routine use facilitated by commercially available automated heterologous assays. An automated assay applicable across all three species would highly facilitate further dissemination of routine use, and the aim of this study was to validate an automated latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay based on monoclonal anti-human serum amyloid A (SAA) antibodies for measurement of canine, feline and equine SAA. Serum samples from 60 dogs, 40 cats and 40 horses were included. Intra- and inter-assay i...
Rosanowski SM, Rogers CW, Cogger N, Benschop J, Stevenson MA.A survey was conducted to investigate biosecurity practices on non-commercial horse properties, to describe the number of visits by horse professionals and any protocols that visitors were required to follow before interacting with resident horses. Data were collected in November 2009 during a cross-sectional study of non-commercial horse properties, in New Zealand, selected using generalised random-tessellated stratified design and a self-administered postal questionnaire. Data were described and the associations between property-level factors and biosecurity practices were analysed using log...
Hayden SS, Blanchard TL, Brinsko SP, Varner DD, Hinrichs K, Love CC.Placement of sperm deep in the equine uterine horn allows fewer sperm to be inseminated while maintaining acceptable fertility, and has been promoted for use in circumstances when fertility would be expected to be low if standard insemination were used (e.g., semen from a subfertile stallion, or frozen-thawed semen). Two main techniques, transrectally guided (TRG) and hysteroscopic (HYS) insemination, have been developed for this purpose; however, there is some controversy regarding their comparative efficacy. This study was conducted to compare pregnancy rates when mares were inseminated by T...
Durham AC, Pillitteri CA, San Myint M, Valli VE.Lymphoma is the most common malignant neoplasm in the horse. Single case reports and small retrospective studies of equine lymphomas are reported infrequently in the literature. A wide range of clinical presentations, tumor subtypes, and outcomes have been described, and the diversity of the results demonstrates the need to better define lymphomas in horses. As part of an initiative of the Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group, 203 cases of equine lymphoma have been gathered from 8 institutions. Hematoxylin and eosin slides from each case were reviewed and 187 cases were immunophenotyped and c...
Quinteros DD, García-López JM, Abuja GA, Tarkanian M, Maranda LS, Bubeck K, Kowaleski MP.To determine if the mechanical properties (strength and stiffness) of a new prototype 4.5 mm broad locking plate (NP-LP) are comparable with those of a traditional 4.5 mm broad limited-contact self compression plate (LC-SCP), and to compare the bending and torsional properties of the NP-LP and LC-SCP when used in osteotomized equine third metacarpal bones (MC3). Methods: The plates alone were tested in four-point bending single cycle to failure. The MC3-plate constructs were created with mid-diaphyseal osteotomies with a 1 cm gap. Constructs were tested in four-point bending single cycle to fa...
Müller A, Bertram A, Moschos A.Evaluation of the differences in the selenium supply to horses across Europe. Methods: Serum samples from 137,152 horses all over Europe, which had been sent by veterinarians to IDEXX Vet Med Labor between January 1st 2006 and December 31st 2011, were routinely analyzed for the selenium concentration by means of ICP-analytic. Results: The selenium content of the soil appears to play a key role in the selenium supply to horses. Countries closer to the ocean provided a better selenium supply than countries in central Europe. The best selenium supply can be seen in Denmark and in the Netherlands....
Rozanova SL, Rozanova ED, Nardid OA.Experimental data are presented which were obtained under comparative evaluation of influence of different freezing-thawing conditions on antioxidant properties of isolated proteins: human serum albumin, cytochrome c from the horse heart and glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger. The observed protein antioxidant activity alterations are assumed to be a result of protein conformational changes. The character of freezing-thawing influence on the protein antioxidant activity depends on the molecular structure and cooling conditions.
Korosue K, Murase H, Sato F, Ishimaru M, Kotoyori Y, Nambo Y.The object of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of measuring the differences in the values of the serum total protein (DVSTP) concentration of foals and the refractometry index (DVRI) of the milk of dams before and after nursing of the colostrum for assessing failure of passive transfer (FPT) in foals. Serum samples from 31 foals were collected before the first nursing and other 1 to 6 times between 4 and 24 hr after birth. Paired colostrum and milk samples were collected from 14 of their dams at the same time. Serum samples were analyzed for IgG concentration using a single radial imm...
Filby M, Jackson C, Turner M.The horseracing training industry has largely been ignored in terms of active occupational health research. Objective: To provide baseline statistics on the specific nature and type of accidents that occurred in English horseracing stables during 2008. Methods: All 716 training yards/stables registered with the British Horseracing Authority were contacted in April/May 2009 to complete the Racing Injury Accident Statistical Survey. The survey asked respondents to detail all recorded accidents and injuries during 2008. Results: Two hundred and fifty-six yards (36%) provided usable responses. The...
Maciel FB, DeRossi R, Módolo TJ, Pagliosa RC, Leal CR, Delben AA.Deep second-degree burns (DSDb) involve all epidermis layers, including the basal laminae. In general, DSDb heals with extensive areas of scarring. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a source of growth factors, obtained by centrifugation and addition of thrombin and calcium, resulting in a gel. The objective of this study was to monitor the healing of DSDb by sequential biopsies after PRP treatment and evaluating by a scanning electron microscopy. Also, characterize bacterial profile and PRP antibacterial effect in horses' burns. Four horses were placed into two groups, G1 and G2, with the groups r...
Blake KR, Affolter VK, Lowenstine LJ, Vilches-Moure JG, le Jeune SS.A 10-year-old Lipizzaner stallion was evaluated over the course of 1.5 years because of intermittent, recurrent colic. Results: The horse was initially treated medically for gastric ulcers; dietary changes were made, and a deworming protocol was instituted, without resolution of colic episodes. Subsequently, the horse underwent exploratory celiotomy and a large colon volvulus was identified with diffuse colonic wall thickening. A pelvic flexure biopsy sample was submitted for histologic examination, which revealed lymphocytic (CD3-positive T cells) myenteric ganglionitis (MG). The horse develo...
Smith RL, Vernon KL, Kelley DE, Gibbons JR, Mortensen CJ.The advent of embryo transfer has allowed horses to continue to train and compete during the breeding season. However, the associated stress of exercise may be detrimental to reproduction. The objectives of this study were to evaluate differing exercise protocols on reproductive blood flow and embryonic outcomes in mares. Light-horse mares were randomized into control (n = 4), partial-exercised (n = 6), and full-exercised (n = 6) groups. Partial-exercised mares were moderately exercised 30 min daily during the periovulatory period and rested after ovulation for 7 d. Full-exercised mares were e...
Méndez-Angulo JL, Swaab ME, Malone E, Olson EJ, Chalkley MD, Aird B, Ward C.A 12-year-old Quarter horse gelding was presented for evaluation of severe right forelimb lameness, 2 draining tracts over the lateral aspect of the right proximal antebrachium, and weight loss. A presumptive diagnosis of blastomycotic osteomyelitis was established based on radiographs and cytology of the exudate. This diagnosis was confirmed at necropsy. Un hongre Quarter horse âgé de 12 ans a été présenté avec une boiterie grave du membre antérieur droit, 2 faisceaux de drainage sur l’aspect latéral de l’avant-bras droit proximal et une perte de poids. Un diagnostic par infér...
Greve L, Murray R, Dyson S.Recommendations concerning saddle-fit are empirical rather than based on scientific information. A saddle needs to fit the horse in motion, but there has been no investigation of whether the thoracolumbar region changes in dimensions in association with exercise. The objectives of this study were to quantify exercise-induced back dimension changes and to describe the association with work quality, saddle-fit and rider skill. Sixty-three sports horses in regular work were assessed prospectively in a non-random, cross-sectional survey. Thoracolumbar dimensions/symmetries were measured at predete...
Cheney JA, Liou SY, Wheat JD.Abstract
The high incidence of lameness in thoroughbred racehorses in California led to a study which indicated a relationship between track hardness and the percentage of occurrence of lameness. One type of lameness is due to a longitudinal fracture of the foreleg cannon bone (third metacarpal). A study was made to obtain the compressive strength of cannon bonein vitro due to single and cyclical loading, and material properties of bone material in the longitudinal and transverse directions in the bone. A theory for the interaction of bone-marrow fluid with the longitudinal compression predic...
McGovern KF, Bladon BM, Fraser BS, Boston RC.To determine the success of medical management of suspected displacement of the ascending (large) colon in horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses (n = 127) with suspected large colon displacement. Methods: Medical records (January 1998-September 2008) of horses admitted for colic were reviewed. Suspected large colon displacement was diagnosed from clinical examination and in some cases, subsequent surgical examination. Medically managed horses were exercised and administered intravenous fluids and analgesia. Horses with suspected left dorsal displacement (LDD) of the large...
Hassel DM, Schiffman PS, Snyder JR.To characterize the texture, mineralogic features, and chemical features of enteroliths obtained from horses. Methods: Enteroliths from 13 horses with colic. Methods: Enteroliths were harvested from 13 horses that underwent ventral midline celiotomy for treatment of colic or necropsy because of colonic obstruction and rupture caused by enteroliths. Dietary and environmental history were determined via questionnaires or evaluation of medical records. In 7 horses that underwent surgical treatment for enterolithiasis, samples of colonic contents were obtained via an enterotomy in the pelvic flexu...
Sullins KE, Stashak TS, Mero KN.Arteriovenous (ischemic strangulation obstruction, ISO) or venous (hemorrhagic strangulation obstruction, HSO) occlusions were created in the jejunum of 5 anesthetized horses and were left in situ for 1-, 2-, or 3-hour intervals. Segments were evaluated grossly for color, thickness, and motility. The horses were euthanatized, and the degree of mucosal slough, edema, congestion, and hemorrhage was determined histologically. Segments subjected to ISO became dark, but did not contain edema or hemorrhage. Segments subjected to HSO were characterized by progressive congestion, edema, and hemorrhage...
Cassano JM, Marycz K, Horna M, Nogues MP, Morgan JM, Herrmann DB, Galuppo LD, Vapniarsky N.No current treatments available halt osteoarthritis progression in horses or humans. Intra-articular injection of mitochondria is a novel treatment that has the potential to improve cell metabolism and decrease inflammation, but safety of this treatment has yet to be established in the horse. Autologous blood-derived mitochondria isolated using a commercially available kit were injected into the left carpus joint of 3 horses which were monitored for 28 days. Horses received physical examinations, video recorded gait evaluations, joint diameter measurement, synovial fluid collection, and blood ...
Wilkins PA.Lower airway problems of the adult horse are commonly encountered by the practitioner. Particularly susceptible populations include horses transported for any significant distance and young horses grouped together for training and/or competition. This article presents some of the commonly encountered problems of this patient population, including bacterial pneumonia/pleuropneumonia and influenza, and some uncommon ones, including pulmonary edema, pneumothorax/hemothorax, and acuterespiratory distress syndrome. Information is presented that should allow the practitioner to diagnose these proble...
Schwarz B, Brunthaler R, Hahn C, van den Hoven R.Equine grass sickness (EGS) occurs mainly in Great Britain, but has once been reported in Hungary. The stud which was affected by EGS in 2001 had no new cases until 2009/10, when 11 of 60 and five of 12 one- to three-year-old colts died or were euthanased due to EGS. Following a few hours in the high-risk field during the winter of 2010/11 further four cases of acute EGS were noted among these horses. The affected horses showed somewhat different clinical signs compared with the cases reported in Great Britain. Histopathological findings in these horses were consistent with EGS. In most examin...
Hood DM.This article presents the clinical pathology and the involvement of the cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, and immunologic systems in laminitis. The data available on these systems are presented with respect to the disease phase and severity. The nutritional and metabolic alterations realized in the chronically affected horse are also presented. In this discussion, the origins and clinical implications of these systemic findings are discussed.
Sroka L, Müller C, Hass ML, These A, Aboling S, Vervuert I.Senecio jacobaea contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can induce severe hepatic intoxication in horses, either acute when ingested in high amounts or chronic when consumed over a long period. The aim of this study was to determine horses' rejection behaviour towards the presence of Senecio jacobaea in hay when fed ad libitum. We hypothesized that adult horses can sort Senecio jacobaea out of the contaminated hay when hay is fed ad libitum. Six warmblood geldings with a mean (±SD) age of 15 ± 2 years were included. In a randomized study, Senecio jacobaea contaminated hay (5% or 10% con...
Panzani D, Rota A, Pacini M, Vannozzi I, Camillo F.One year old fillies are able to conceive but, usually, not to give birth to a living foal. Although embryo transfer allows the production of foals from mature mares with repeated pregnancy losses, no reports are available on the use of one year old fillies as embryo donors. To evaluate this possibility, eleven 12-16 months old Haflinger mares were inseminated with fresh semen and subjected to embryo recovery. Some of the recovered embryos were non-surgically transferred into synchronized mature recipients. Pregnancies were terminated using PGF2alpha at day 25. Fillies' embryo recovery rate an...
Hiney KM, Potter GD.Although a lot of research has been directed at attempts to improve performance of the equine athlete, many of the studies reviewed herein did not show statistically significant improvements in race times or increased time to fatigue. However, it must be remembered that success in racing performances is not always measured in time, but by comparative lengths or even by a nose. Therefore, improvement in the ability of an individual equine athlete is not always measurable and success is most frequently determined by one animal being better than the others in a particular competition. Therefore, ...
Souza CM, Miotto BA, Bonin CP, Camargo MM.Quantity and variety of environmental antigens, age, diet, vaccine protocols, exercising practice and mucosal cytokine microenvironment are factors that influence serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels. IgA, IgG, IgG(T) and IgM were quantified in 60 horses, which were classified into two groups, 'intensive' or 'relaxed', according to sanitary standards of the facilities and physical exercise to which animals were subjected to. The 'intensive' group presented lower means for all isotypes, but only IgA presented a significant (P < 0.0064) difference when compared to the 'relaxed' group. T...
van der Holst W.Season was shown to markedly influence semen characteristics of stallions in Holland, including ejaculate volume, sperm motility, total number of spermatozoa/ejaculate and the percentage of spermatozoa showing morphological abnormalities. Maintenance of normal stallions in continuous light during the winter months and administration of a vitamin and mineral supplement to sub-fertile stallions before the start of the breeding season appeared to improve spermatogenesis significantly.
Valk N, Davis EW, Blackford JT.A 1-week-old Morgan filly was evaluated because of acute signs of abdominal pain of 7 hours' duration. On admission, physical examination findings were unremarkable; however, radiography of the abdomen revealed slight distention of the small intestine. Signs of abdominal discomfort were detected during several hours of observation. Abnormalities were not evident during gastroscopic evaluation. Therefore, exploratory laparotomy was performed. The only abnormal finding was infarction of the left ovary secondary to a 720 degrees torsion of the mesovarium. The vascular pedicle was ligated and the ...
Gunst S, Del Chicca F, Fürst AE, Kuemmerle JM.There are no reports on the configuration of equine central tarsal bone fractures based on cross-sectional imaging and clinical and radiographic long-term outcome after internal fixation. Objective: To report clinical, radiographic and computed tomographic findings of equine central tarsal bone fractures and to evaluate the long-term outcome of internal fixation. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: All horses diagnosed with a central tarsal bone fracture at our institution in 2009-2013 were included. Computed tomography and internal fixation using lag screw technique was performed in ...
Nemoto M, Nagai M, Tsunemitsu H, Omatsu T, Furuya T, Shirai J, Kondo T, Fujii Y, Todaka R, Katayama K, Mizutani T.Equine group A rotavirus (RVA) G3P[12] and G14P[12] strains cause gastroenteritis in foals worldwide. Both of these strains have been co-circulating in Japan since G14P[12] strains emerged in the late 1990s. Although it is important to comprehensively understand the evolution of RVA strains, whole-genome sequence data on recent equine RVA strains in Japan are lacking. Therefore, in this study, whole-genome analysis of 23 equine RVA isolates from the late 1990s and 2009-2010 and the vaccine strain RVA/Horse-tc/JPN/HO-5/1982/G3P[12] (HO-5) was performed. The G3 strains, including strain HO-5, sh...
Miyaji M, Ueda K, Hata H, Kondo S.Eight Thoroughbred horses were used to examine the effects of grass hay intake on the fiber digestion and the retention time of digesta in the total gastrointestinal tract and the hindgut segments. The horses were randomly assigned to 2 groups and offered 2.0 (high intake [HI]) or 1.3 kg DM/(100 kg BW • d; low intake [LI]) of timothy hay in equal amounts every 3 h for 17 d. The digestibility and total tract mean retention time of digesta (tMRT) in the total gastrointestinal tract were measured from d 11 to d 15. To measure the mean retention time of digesta in each hindgut segment (sMRT), th...