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.
Bentley E, Murphy CJ.A thermal cautery technique was used to treat spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs) in 9 eyes of 8 dogs and 2 eyes of 2 horses. Animals were sedated, and a topical anesthetic was applied. A handheld thermal cautery unit was then used to make multiple, small (< or = 1 mm in diameter), superficial burns throughout the affected area. The cautery unit was applied just until the slightest degree of contraction of the collagen fibrils was observed. After the stromal bed of the defect was treated, a rim of epithelium that extended approximately 1 mm around the denuded stroma was ...
Nixon AJ, Schachter BL, Pool RR.To determine the clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, and arthroscopic findings associated with tenosynovitis of the carpal synovial sheath induced by exostoses that originate from the caudal surface of the physeal scar of the distal radius and determine the results of surgical removal of those exostoses in horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 10 horses. Methods: Medical records of horses with effusion in the carpal synovial sheath and lameness evaluated from 1999 to 2003 were examined. Results: All horses had a history of intermittent mild to moderate effusion of the carpal syn...
Adam-Castrillo D, White NA, Donaldson LL, Furr MO.To determine effects on anal pressure of horses after local injection of the external anal sphincter with Clostridium botulinum toxin type B. Methods: 11 healthy adult horses. Methods: Peak and resting anal sphincter pressures were measured with a custom-made rectal probe that was connected to a pressure transducer. Pressures were measured before treatment and after injection with botulinum toxin type B (BTB) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Dose titration with 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,500 U of BTB was completed. Physical changes, behavior, and anal pressure were recorded for each horse. Result...
Tamaki Y, Hirata H, Takabatake N, Bork S, Yokoyama N, Xuan X, Fujisaki K, Igarashi I.A Babesia caballi gene encoding the 134-kDa (BC134) protein was immunoscreened with B. caballi-infected horse serum. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using recombinant BC134 protein could effectively differentiate B. caballi-infected horse sera from Babesia equi-infected or noninfected control horse sera. These results suggest that the recombinant BC134 protein is a potential diagnostic antigen in the detection of B. caballi infection.
Huang X, Xuan X, Xu L, Zhang S, Yokoyama N, Suzuki N, Igarashi I.An immunochromatographic test (BeICT) for the rapid detection of antibodies against Babesia equi was developed. It clearly differentiated B. equi-infected horses from B. caballi-infected and uninfected horses. The agreement with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results was 96.7% in the detection of field sera. The results suggest that BeICT is rapid, simple, reliable, and suitable for use to detect B. equi infection in the field.
McGurrin MK, Arroyo LG, Bienzle D.Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMT) is a sporadic cause of thrombocytopenia in horses for which it is difficult to establish a definitive diagnosis. In this report, we describe 3 horses with severe thrombocytopenia in which flow cytometric analysis of platelets for surface-bound IgG was used in an attempt to substantiate a provisional diagnosis of IMT. A distinct proportion (4.28%, 5.04%, and 7.95%) of platelets with surface-bound IgG was detected in the 3 thrombocytopenic horses, but not in 6 healthy horses (0.03% to 0.15%) or 6 horses with colic (0.00% to 1.21%). These results, in conjunc...
Capik I, Ledecky V, Mihály M.Abnormalities of dental development such as hypoplasia of cementum, oligodontia, polydontia, enamel hypoplasia, brachygnathia, and prognathia are quite common in the horse. Abnormalities of eruption are less common and often associated with trauma. This case report describes the diagnosis and therapy for pre-eruption displacement of the maxillary left third and fourth premolar teeth resulting from previous facial trauma in a 1.5-year-old filly.
Yadernuk LM.A 13-year-old broodmare was referred for weight loss and left facial nerve paralysis. Bilateral temporohyoid osteoarthropathy was diagnosed based on proliferation of the temporohyoid joints and stylohyoid bones on radiographs and guttural pouch endoscopy. The left side was more severely affected. Treatment resulted in little or no improvement.
Murray RC, Dyson SJ, Schramme MC, Branch M, Woods S.Chronic laminitis is a severe disease affecting the equine digit. It was hypothesized that magnetic resonance (MR) imaging would improve visualization of structures within the foot and pathology associated with chronic laminitis. This study aimed to describe the MR imaging findings in chronic laminitis, compare different pulse sequences for visualization of pathology, and to compare MR imaging with standard radiography. Twenty (10 forelimb, 10 hindlimb) cadaver limbs from 10 horses clinically diagnosed with chronic laminitis (group L) and 10 limbs without laminitis (group N) were used. Laterom...
Peyrou M, Higgins R, Lavoie JP.Evolution of bacterial resistance to certain antibacterial agents in horses in a veterinary hospital. A total of 255 antibiograms, conducted according to the Kirby-Bauer method from bacterial isolates collected from horses at the Hôpital Vétérinaire d'Enseignement at the Université de Montréal between 1996 and 1998 were compared with the results obtained about 10 years ago with corresponding bacterial species. A significant increase in the percentage of strains resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SXT), penicilline, tetracycline, and to gentamicin was observed. The percentages ...
Erichsen C, Eksell P, Widström C, Berger M, Holm KR, Johnston C.The sacroiliac region in 33 clinically normal riding horses was examined with scintigraphy to determine the normal scintigraphic appearance, to evaluate a semiquantitative method used to calculate a sacroiliac joint (SI joint) ratio, and to identify factors that affect the scintigraphic appearance of the pelvis. The scintigraphic examination included dorsal views of each SI joint region and one lateral view of the urinary bladder. Two predefined areas (the SI joint and the area between the tuber sacrale and the SI joint) were evaluated subjectively by comparing the intensity in each area to th...
Oikawa M, Ueno T, Yoshikawa H.This report describes the mesenteric arteriolar lesions in a Thoroughbred racehorse with endotoxaemia due to colic. The vascular lesions consisted of a striking loss of medial smooth muscle cells, associated with granular cell debris derived from necrosed muscle cells, plasma insudation, erythrocyte infiltration and the deposition of a fibrinoid substance (fibrinoid degeneration) in the entire arterial wall, possibly produced by the infiltration of blood components through endothelial cell junctions into the arterial wall. The morphology of the mesenteric arteriolar necrosis closely resembled ...
Kimura T, Hasebe R, Mukaiya R, Ochiai K, Wada R, Umemura T.Intrauterine infection with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) has been considered to be the consequence of transplacental transmission of the virus following maternal cell-associated viraemia. In this study the state of EHV-1 gene expression in the placenta of seven naturally aborted equine fetuses was examined. Neither lesions nor viral antigens were detected in the placenta of the fetuses. The amount of infectious virus in the placentas was considerably lower than that in the fetal lungs, which showed pneumonia and typical herpesvirus inclusions. Quantitative dot blot hybridization with probes sp...
Stephen JO, White NA, McCormick WH, Cowles RR, Corley KT.To identify the types of injuries sustained by horses that competed in steeplechase races and determine the prevalence of and risk factors for those injuries. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 2,680 horses that competed in various types of steeplechase races from 1996 through 2000. Methods: Data regarding races; environment; equipment problems; the number of horses that entered, started, and finished races; the number of riders that fell; and the number of horses that were slowed or stopped by the rider, ran off the course, fell, and sustained injuries or physical abnormalities during races...
De Martin I, Theoret CL.To describe immunolocalization of TGF-beta receptors (RI and RII) in normal equine skin and in thoracic or limb wounds, healing normally or with exuberant granulation tissue (EGT). Methods: Group A: six wounds on one metacarpus and one midthoracic area. Group B: six wounds on both metacarpi, one of which was bandaged to stimulate EGT. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect RI and RII expression in wound margins. Methods: Eight horses, randomly assigned to one of two study groups. Methods: Neutralizing polyclonal anti-rabbit RI and RII antibodies were used to detect spatial expression of RI an...
Sutter WW, Hardy J.To describe standing laparoscopic repair of mesoduodenal rent inaccessible by ventral median celiotomy. Methods: Clinical case report. Methods: A 6-year-old Thoroughbred broodmare with a right displacement of the dorsal colon and small intestinal incarceration in a mesoduodenal rent. Methods: Two days after correction of a right dorsal displacement of the ascending colon, small intestinal incarceration, and partial closure of mesoduodenal rent, standing left and right flank laparoscopy was used to explore the abdomen to identify the mesoduodenal defect. The mesenteric rent was repaired from ri...
McClure SR, Van Sickle D, White MR.Extracorporeal shock waves have been used for 30 years to fragment uroliths for nonsurgical treatment for urolithiasis in humans. Applied to bone, shock waves delivered at the appropriate energy and pulse number, can stimulate osteogenesis. In Europe, shock waves are routinely used to treat nonunions in humans despite poor understanding of the mechanism of action. Shock wave therapy has also been used clinically in horses. Preliminary experimental studies indicate that shock wave therapy does not damage soft tissue in the distal aspect of the equine limb and can stimulate osteogenesis througho...
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...
Stepnik MW, Radtke CL, Scollay MC, Oshel PE, Albrecht RM, Santschi EM, Markel MD, Muir P.To examine the fracture failure surfaces from Thoroughbred horses that had sustained a catastrophic condylar fracture. Methods: Bone specimens from the failure surface were obtained from 12 Thoroughbred racehorses with catastrophic injury and 2 non-racing horses with accidental long bone fracture. Methods: Bone specimens from the failure surface of each fracture were incubated with gold microspheres to label microcracks before examination at x50 to x60,000 using scanning electron microscopy. Microcracking at the failure surface was assessed using a visual analog scale. Results: Branching array...
König B, Budras KD.The three superimposing strata of the coronet and the ageing process and decay of the hoof horn were studied in 56 fore hooves of 28 domestic horses of different age and sex. Except for horn clefts at the weight bearing margin, their hooves did not show any signs of pathological changes. Their hooves did not show any signs of pathological changes. The investigation comprised the analysis of the structure and the mechanical-physical measurement of horn hardness. The own results showed that the functional and clinical importance of the three strata of the coronet concerns the absorption and dist...
Plant DR, Kearns CF, McKeever KH, Lynch GS.Clenbuterol is a beta2-adrenoceptor agonist primarily used for treating bronchospasm and alleviating the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the horse. In other species (rats, mice, sheep, and cattle), chronic high doses of clenbuterol (typically in the milligram per kilogram body weight range) has been shown to cause a muscle directed protein anabolic response. Clenbuterol can also modify muscle fibre composition and therefore potentially affect muscle function. This has implications for the performance of exercising horses being treated with therapeutic doses of clenb...
Reiling BA, Marshall TT, Brendemuhl JH, McQuagge JA, Umphrey JE.Students enrolled in an introductory animal science course (ASG 3003) at the University of Florida were surveyed (n = 788) over a 3-yr period to ascertain their current experience and career goals in animal agriculture. Sixty-one percent of the students indicated that they were from an urban background. Only 4% were raised on a farm or ranch where the majority of family income was attributed to production agriculture. Eighty-six percent of the students had minimal or no experience working with large domestic farm animals, but nearly 64% of the students wanted to pursue a career in veterinary m...
Lacombe VA, Hinchcliff KW, Devor ST.To characterize insulin-sensitive glucose-transporter (GLUT-4) protein in equine tissues and determine effects of exercise and glucose administration on content of GLUT-4 protein in equine skeletal muscle. Methods: Tissue samples from 9 horses. Methods: Western blot analyses were performed on crude membrane preparations of equine tissues to characterize GLUT-4. In a crossover, randomized study, horses were strenuously exercised for 3 consecutive days and then administered 13.5% glucose or isotonic saline (0.9% NaCl; control) solution, i.v., at similar infusion rates for 12.1 hours. Samples wer...
Manohar M, Goetz TE, Hassan AS.The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of preexercise NaHCO(3) administration to induce metabolic alkalosis on the arterial oxygenation in racehorses performing maximal exercise. Two sets of experiments, intravenous physiological saline and NaHCO(3) (250 mg/kg i.v.), were carried out on 13 healthy, sound Thoroughbred horses in random order, 7 days apart. Blood-gas variables were examined at rest and during incremental exercise, leading to 120 s of galloping at 14 m/s on a 3.5% uphill grade, which elicited maximal heart rate and induced pulmonary hemorrhage in all 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 ...
Longland AC, Dhanoa MS, Harris PA.Pasture (fresh or conserved as hay/haylage) forms the basis of most equid diets and contains varying amounts (0 to ≥ 200 g kg⁻¹ dry matter (DM) or more) of fructans. Over-consumption of fructan is associated with the onset of laminitis in equids, an agonizing condition that may necessitate euthanasia. To enable appropriate dietary management of animals susceptible to laminitis, it is essential that fructans can be properly quantified in fresh and conserved pasture. For research purposes, fructans are frequently quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), but these methods...
Walker HJ, Evans DL, Slocombe RF, Hodgson JL, Hodgson DR.Intrapulmonary blood causes an inflammatory response. Modifying this inflammatory response may be useful in the treatment of exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of 3 treatments, an oral bronchodilator, inhaled steroid and oral steroid in modifying the cellular response to intrapulmonary blood inoculation. Methods: Experimental design was a randomised block divided into 4 experimental segments of 2 weeks. Eight normal horses were randomly assigned to pairs and treatments. Autologous blood was inoculated into the lungs on 4 occasions over an 8 week ...
Stick JA, Derksen FJ, Scott EA.Cervical esophagostomy for tube feeding was evaluated in 11 ponies. Minor complications responded to supportive therapy in 8 ponies. Two died of complications, and 1 pony had a permanent fistula because of persistent infection. There was a positive correlation between the duration of tube feeding and the event of closure of the esophageal stoma after the tube was removed. There was no difference in the frequency of complications related to duration of tube feeding. When the distal end of the feeding tube was located in the thoracic portion of the esophagus, instead of in the stomach, tubes wer...
Waraksa E, Wójtowicz-Zawadka M, Kwiatkowska D, Jarek A, Małkowska A, Wrzesień R, Namieśnik J.A novel assay for the simultaneous determination of ibuprofen (IBU) and its four probable metabolites, 1-hydroxyibuprofen (1-OH IBU), 2-hydroxyibuprofen (2-OH IBU), 3-hydroxyibuprofen (3-OH IBU) and carboxyibuprofen (CBX IBU) in equine urine samples with the application of Gas Chromatography-Electron Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) has been developed and elaborated. The new approach for sample preparation including minimizing matrix effects by the application of weak cation exchange solid-phase extraction together with strong cation exchange solid-phase extraction has been applied. The...
Hamor RE, Whelan NC.Corneal ulcers are one of the most common ocular disease presentations in the horse. With the use of correct diagnostic techniques and selection of an appropriate treatment regimen, most cases result in a satisfactory outcome. The eye does not respond well to inflammation, and in complicated ulcers, this should be managed aggressively using systemic NSAIDs with a high priority assigned to removing the infectious agent. Care needs to be taken to avoid topical or systemic corticosteroid use for the treatment of equine ocular disease, however, unless the clinician is completely sure that the corn...
Cano A, Galosi CM, Martin Ocampos GP, Ramirez GC, Vera VJ, Villamil LC, Chaparro JG.This paper describes the isolation and characterisation of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) in Colombia. The virus was isolated from a nasal swab and an aborted foetus of a pregnant mare imported from Argentina, with clinical signs of rhinopneumonitis. The new strain was characterised through culture and morphological, serological and immunocytochemical studies. Polymerase chain reaction and DNA restriction maps revealed an EHV-1 1P genome. This is the first report on the isolation and characterisation of EHV-1 in Colombia.
Muñoz JA, Stephen J, Baptiste KE, Lepage OM.The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and complications following lavage and drainage of the lateral compartment (LC) of the equine guttural pouch (GP) using a modified Garm's technique (MGT). In an ex vivo study (study 1), six cadaver heads were examined to assess the anatomical limits of the surgical approach and whether vital structures might be damaged. This was followed by an in vivo study (study 2) in which a lavage/drainage tube was placed for 3 days into each LC of four standing horses using the MGT. In both studies, the procedure offered direct access i...
Wong AS, Ho EN, Wan TS, Lam KK, Stewart BD.Oxyguno (4-chloro-17α-methyl-17β-hydroxy-androst-4-ene-3,11-dione) is a synthetic oral anabolic androgenic steroid commercially available without a prescription. Manufacturers of oxyguno claim that its anabolic effect in metabolic enhancement exceeds that of the classic anabolic steroid testosterone by seven times, but its androgenic side-effects are only twelve percent of testosterone. Like other anabolic androgenic steroids, oxyguno is prohibited in equine sports. The metabolism of oxyguno in either human or horse has not been reported and therefore little is known about its metabolic fate...
Tokushige H, Araki M, Kusano K, Arima D, Ito H, Yamazaki Y, Urayama S, Kambayashi Y, Tateno O, Ohta M.This study compares clinical characteristics between induction with thiopental/guaifenesin and propofol/ketamine in Thoroughbred racehorses anesthetized with sevoflurane and medetomidine. Clinical records of 214 horses that underwent arthroscopic surgery between 2015 and 2016 were retrospectively retrieved. Horses were premedicated with medetomidine and midazolam to sedate at the adequate level for smooth induction, and then induced with either thiopental (4.0 mg/kg) and guaifenesin (100 mg/kg) in Group TG (n=91) or propofol (1.0 mg/kg) and ketamine (1.0 mg/kg) in Group PK (n=123). Anesthesia ...
Hestvik G, Ekman S, Lindberg R.A novel case where onchocercosis was identified as a cause of cervical myelopathy in the horse is described. A 15-year-old Connemara mare was euthanized due to progressive locomotion disturbance. Postmortem examination revealed soft-tissue swelling in the intervertebral joint capsule of C6-7 with narrowing of the vertebral canal. On light microscopy, axonopathy was pronounced in the corresponding segment of the spinal cord. Fibrous tissue and eosinophilic granulomas were found in the joint capsule, together with parasites identified histologically as Onchocerca sp.
Collas C, Dumont B, Delagarde R, Martin-Rosset W, Fleurance G.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...
Bollinger A, Eckert J, Rüttimann B, Becker F.Intermittent claudication (IC) due to arterial occlusive disease was first diagnosed by the French veterinary surgeon Jean-François Bouley jeune in a horse drawing a cabriolet in the streets of Paris as early as 1831. The animal was repeatedly exercised and always started to limp with the hind legs at similar work loads. Autopsy revealed partially thrombosed aneurysm of the abdominal aorta and occlusions of both femoral arteries which were correctly identified as the cause of IC. In 1858 the famous neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot working at the Salpêtrière in Paris first discovered the cond...
Ford TS, Freeman DE, Ross MW, Richardson DW, Martin BB, Madison JB.The case records of 26 horses with ileocecal intussusception over a 7-year period were reviewed to determine clinical features of the disease and response to treatment. The median age of horses with ileocecal intussusception was 1 year and ranged from 2 weeks to 19 years. There was no apparent gender or breed predisposition to this disease. An acute form of ileocecal intussusception was diagnosed in 19 horses with signs of moderate to severe abdominal pain of less than or equal to 24 hours' duration, and a chronic form was diagnosed in 7 horses with signs of intermittent, mild to moderate abdo...
Ruggles AJ, Ross MW, Freeman DE.The frontal, caudal maxillary, and rostral maxillary sinuses of 10 equine cadavers were examined endoscopically, and the findings were confirmed by sinusotomy. Similar endoscopic examinations were performed in five conscious, adult horses by using sedation and local anesthesia. Useful portals of entry for the arthroscope in adult horses were: for the frontal sinus, 60% of the distance in a lateral direction from midline to the medial canthus and 0.5 cm caudal to the medial canthus; for the caudal maxillary sinus, 2 cm rostral and 2 cm ventral to the medial canthus; and for the rostral maxillar...
Claffey EF, Brust K, Hackett RP, Fubini S.To report the surgical management and the short- and long-term follow-up of postcastration spermatic cord infection in horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Twenty-three client-owned horses. Methods: Medical records (2001-2017) of horses that had been surgically treated for spermatic cord stump infection after castration were reviewed. Time from castration to presentation, diagnostic procedures, surgical complications, bacterial culture and ancillary testing, and survival to discharge were collected. Long-term follow-up was obtained by owner survey when possible. Descriptive sta...
Iimori M, Tamura N, Seki K, Kasashima Y.The onset of severe injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is extremely difficult to predict from slight changes in ultrasonographic findings in cases with no apparent clinical signs. This study investigated the relationship between an increased cross-sectional area (CSA) or edema in the subcutaneous tissue around the tendon and the subsequent onset of severe SDFT injury in Thoroughbred racehorses. Horses were classified into three groups based on ultrasound diagnosis (USD) findings: Group A included cases with enlarged tendons; Group B included cases with tendons of normal siz...
Dip RG.Adenosine is a purine nucleoside whose concentration increases during inflammation and hypoxia and the many roles of this molecule are becoming better understood. Increased reactivity to adenosine of the airways of asthmatic but not of normal subjects underlines the role of adenosine in airway inflammation. The identification and pharmacological characterisation of different adenosine receptors have stimulated the search for subtype-specific ligands able to modulate the effects of this molecule in a directed way. Several compounds of different chemical classes have been identified as having po...
Ruby RE, Janes JG.The variety of neurologic diseases which affect horses makes pathologic examination of the nervous system a complex and lengthy process. An understanding of the common causes of neurologic disease, antemortem neurolocalization, and supplementation of the necropsy examination with ancillary testing will help to diagnose a large number of causes of neurologic disease. A general understanding of neuropathology and collaborative relationship with your local pathologists will aid in the definitive diagnosis of neurologic diseases.
Keenan AV, Townsend WM.To describe the clinical use of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) to evaluate equine corneal disease. Methods: Images were obtained using a 50-MHz probe ultrasound biomicroscopy system (Quantel Aviso) and Clear Scan® probe cover. Six horses with corneal disease were evaluated via UBM for lesion size, lesion depth, and continuity of Descemet's membrane. Horses were sedated and received auriculopalpebral nerve blocks and application of topical anesthetic prior to UBM. Results: Ultrasound biomicroscopy was easily performed in all cases. UBM evaluation of three cases of corneo-limbal squamous cell c...
Drumm NJ, Embertson RM, Woodie JB, Ruggles AJ, Hopper SA, Fimmers R, Handler J.Clinical experience has suggested that foaling rates following colic surgery in the pregnant mare are influenced by days of gestation. This premise has not been supported in previous studies. We also aimed to determine the effects of other potential influencing factors. Objective: To determine the influence of age of gestation on foaling rates in pregnant mares following colic surgery and evaluate the relationships between other factors and foaling rates. Methods: Medical records of Thoroughbred mares, which had colic surgery performed from 1993 to 2007 at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, ...
Hernández-Avilés C, Love CC, Serafini R, Teague SR, Varner DD.Commonly marketed semen extenders contain various antibiotic types and concentrations to control bacterial growth from stallion's external genitalia. An experiment was conducted to test the effects of supplemental amikacin disulfate (1,000 μg/mL) + potassium penicillin G (1,000 IU/ML: INRA-AP), or ticarcillin-clavulanate (1,000 μg/mL: INRA-TIM) in the INRA 96 extender, on sperm function and antimicrobial activity, compared with extender without supplemental antibiotics (INRA-C). In freshly extended semen (Time 30m), no differences were observed among the three treatment groups for sperm m...
To T.A 15-year-old thoroughbred non-pregnant mare was presented with ongoing inappropriate lactation. The most likely cause, equine Cushing's disease, was ruled out through biochemical testing. Milk cytology and bacterial culture showed no evidence of mastitis or neoplasia. Idiopathic inappropriate lactation was diagnosed and treatment with pergolide was recommended. Lactation inappropriée chez une jument Pur-sang âgée de 15 ans. Une jument Pur-sang non gravide âgée de 15 ans a été présentée avec une lactation continue inappropriée. La cause la plus probable, la maladie de Cushing, a ét...
Müntener CR, Bruckner L, Gassner B, Stürer A, Demuth DC, Althaus FR, Zwahlen R.We received 190 reports of suspected adverse events (SARs) following the use of veterinary drugs for the year 2006: 118 declarations for veterinary drugs and 72 declarations following the application of immunolgical medicinal products. Most of the 118 declarations relate to the use of antiparasitic drugs (48%) and every second declaration to drug use in dogs. Other drug classes concerned were, in decreasing order, antiinfectives (20%) and drugs used off-label (12%; other target species or other indication). For the vaccines, most of the reactions occurred in dogs (62%) followed by horses (11%)...
Johannisson A, Gröndahl G, Demmers S, Jensen-Waern M.Methodological aspects of flow-cytometric evaluation of the phagocytic properties of equine neutrophils were elucidated. The kinetics of attachment and ingestion were studied, and the phagocytic process was more rapidly completed when serum-opsonized yeast cells were used than with use of IgG-opsonized yeast cells. Trypan blue was successfully used to quench fluorescence of non-ingested yeast cells. There were only minor differences in the kinetics of phagocytosis between quenched and unquenched samples, indicating that attachment is rapidly followed by ingestion. Trypan blue quenching caused ...
King MR, Seabaugh KA, Frisbie DD.Back pain and inflammation of the epaxial musculature is a significant problem in all equine athletes. Treatment of back pain can be challenging and often requires a multimodal approach. In humans, bio-electromagnetic energy regulation therapy (BEMER) has been reported to be effective in pain modulation. With its increased use in people comes a similar robust application in veterinary medicine unfortunately, there is unsubstantiated evidence for this type of therapy in horses. Objectives of this study were to assess analgesic responses and biomechanical outcome variables using a bio-electromag...
We evaluated the influences of workload intensity, bath handling and environmental conditions in the rolling behaviour of horses and mules. For this purpose, animals were observed after being exposed to different levels of workload and the rolling behaviour was recorded and described. During all testing procedures, the weather condition (temperature and humidity) was registered by a Black globe and Wet Bulb apparatus. Horses frequently rolled after intense exercise and after bath handling, independently of the weather condition. Mules frequently rolled after control (no exercise) and intense e...
Edwards GB, Kelly DF, Proudman CJ.Twenty-two horses with colic, referred to the University of Liverpool Equine Hospital (1992-1998), were found at laparotomy to have a partial obstruction of the large colon caused by a segmental mural lesion located in the left dorsal colon. The decision to take the horses to surgery was based on rectal examination findings of secondary impaction and mural oedema of the large colon and turbid peritoneal fluid containing large numbers of neutrophils obtained by paracentesis. The affected segment of colon showed oedema and serosal changes varying from erythema to well-defined necrosis. These pat...
Ireland JL, McGorum BC, Proudman CJ, Newton JR.Without an experimental model of equine grass sickness (EGS), a randomised controlled field trial (RCT) represents the only method of evaluating the efficacy of Clostridium botulinum type C vaccination in preventing naturally occurring disease. Clinical trial feasibility is an important aspect of preliminary work undertaken prior to initiating RCTs, estimating parameters that are important for study design. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting a nationwide RCT of a candidate vaccine for EGS based on responses from a sample of British equine veterinary practi...
Suter A, Schmitt S, Hübschke E, Kowalska M, Hartnack S, Pot S.Bacterial corneal infections are common and potentially blinding diseases in all species. As antibiotic resistance is a growing concern, alternative treatment methods are an important focus of research. Photoactivated chromophore for keratitis-corneal crosslinking (PACK-CXL) is a promising oxygen radical-mediated alternative to antibiotic treatment. The main goal of this study was to assess the anti-bactericidal efficacy on clinical bacterial isolates of the current standard and an accelerated PACK-CXL treatment protocol delivering the same energy dose (5.4 J/cm2). Methods: Clinical bacterial...
