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.
Guo X, Sugita S.Topography of ganglion cells in the retina of the horse (Thoroughbred) was analyzed in the wholemount retina stained with cresyl violet, and a total number of ganglion cells were estimated. Sizes of ganglion cells were also measured and size spectra were analysed. The main results showed that: (1) a common point in 4 wholemount retinae, based on cell densities and retinal locations, was that a retina could be divided into 5 regions, namely visual streak, nasal, temporal, dorsal and ventral region to the visual streak. A maximum cell density of 4,000 cells/mm2 was found in the visual streak. An...
de Clercq T, Verschooten F, Ysebaert M.A collection of 69 isolated navicular bones, normal or affected with navicular disease, was examined radiographically using dorsopalmar, lateromedial and palmaroproximal-palmarodistal views. Radiographic findings on each view were recorded. A radiographic diagnosis of normality or navicular disease was made, first on each view separately and afterwards based on the combination of the 3 views. Forty-four navicular bones were considered radiographically normal and 25 navicular bones had distinct signs of radiographic navicular disease. The dorsopalmar and the lateromedial views of each navicular...
Tarello W.A report from England has suggested that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome exists in equines and constitutes an emerging veterinary problem. Preliminary epidemiological studies seem to confirm the zoonotic implications of CFS. An arsenical drug, sodium thiacetarsamide, was administered to four horses with a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), already treated unsuccessfully with different medications. The CFS-like lethargy, with accompanying symptoms and signs, of the four animals obtained a complete remission after intravenous treatment with this drug at low dosage (0.1 mg/kg/day). No adverse ...
Hubbell JA, Hinchcliff KW, Schmall LM, Muir WW, Robertson JT, Sams RA.To determine the anesthetic, cardiorespiratory, and metabolic effects of 4 IV anesthetic regimens in Thoroughbred horses recuperating from a brief period of maximal exercise. Methods: 6 adult Thoroughbreds. Methods: Horses were preconditioned by exercising them on a treadmill. Each horse ran 4 simulated races, with a minimum of 14 days between races. Races were run at a treadmill speed that caused horses to exercise at 120% of their maximal oxygen consumption. Horses ran until fatigued or for a maximum of 2 minutes. Two minutes after exercise, horses received a combination of xylazine hydrochl...
Neild DM, Chaves MG, Flores M, Miragaya MH, Gonzalez E, Agüero A.The hypo-osmotic test has been used successfully on equine semen and was considered to be a simple and accessible method which could be a useful addition to routine equine semen analysis. It was therefore of interest to determine whether the hypo-osmotic test is significantly correlated to proposed criteria of fertility. The stallions were divided into two groups on the basis of threshold levels of fertility. A significant difference (P<0.05) was found between the two groups for the following parameters: progressive motility, morphologically normal spermatozoa, percentage of swelling with t...
Strand E, Martin GS, Haynes PF, McClure JR, Vice JD.To compare racing performance before and after prosthetic laryngoplasty for treatment of laryngeal neuropathy in inexperienced and experienced Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 52 Thoroughbred racehorses treated with prosthetic laryngoplasty for laryngeal neuropathy. Methods: Lifetime race records were analyzed by use of a verified regression model. Individual race records and hospital records were also reviewed. Results: Experienced horses had a decline in performance, as measured by performance index, earnings percentage, and mean prediction error, during the 6-...
van den Wollenberg L, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Since it has become possible to make an ante-mortem diagnosis of gastric ulceration in horses by means of endoscopy, interest in the presence and treatment of this syndrome has increased. Several endoscopic surveys have indicated that the frequency of gastric ulceration in Thoroughbreds in training is fairly high. Less is known about other breeds and horses that are kept under different (training) conditions. The equine stomach is covered by two different kinds of mucous membranes: squamous and glandular. These two areas differ from one another in the incidence and aetiology of ulceration and,...
Meiswinkel R, Baylis M, Labuschagne K.The stabling of horses at night reportedly offers protection from African horse sickness and the most significant vector of the disease, Culicoides imicola Kieffer, has been shown to be exophilic. In certain high-lying regions of South Africa, however, C. bolitinos Meiswinkel, may be the major vector of the disease but its entry behaviour into stables is unknown. Accordingly, in the eastern Free State province of South Africa, light trap catches of C. bolitinos inside stables and outside, were compared. Two horse-baited stables, one traditional, and one modern, were used and combinations of st...
MacLeay JM, Valberg SJ, Pagan JD, Xue JL, De La Corte FD, Roberts J.To determine the effects of 3 rations (low grain, fat, high grain) on plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity and lactate concentration in Thoroughbred horses with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER). Methods: 5 Thoroughbreds with RER and 3 healthy Thoroughbreds (control horses). Methods: Rations were formulated to meet (low-grain and fat rations) or exceed (high-grain ration) daily energy requirements. Each ration was fed to horses in a crossover design for 3 weeks. Horses were exercised on a treadmill Monday through Friday; maximum speed on Monday and Friday was 11 m/s (6% slope), on Tues...
Shearman JP, Hopkins WG.To evaluate the reliability of 2 time-trial protocols, 1 that involved use of a pacemaker and 1 that did not, for assessing performance of Standardbred racehorses. Methods: 3- to 7-year-old Standardbred maiden pacers. Methods: 11 Standardbred pacers were used to determine the reliability of a time-trial protocol that involved use of a galloping pacemaker. All tests were performed by a single driver. Horses were paced for an initial 1,600 m then raced and timed for the final 800 m. They were retested 9 days later. Twenty-two horses were used to determine the reliability of a time-trial protocol...
Yasuda R, Kawano J, Onda H, Takagi M, Shimizu A, Anzai T.To determine patterns of methicillin-resistant staphylococci isolated from apparently healthy horses. Methods: 44 horses from 8 riding clubs in Japan. Methods: Methicill in-resistant staphylococci were isolated from the skin or nares, using a selective medium containing a beta-(symboric) lactam antibiotic, ceftizoxime. Clonality of isolates was determined by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Detection of mecA, mecl, and mecR1 genes was accomplished by use of polymerase chain reactions. Results: Of the 44 horses, 13 (29.5%) yielded 15 isolates of methicillin-resistant staphylococci. The ...
Patterson-Kane JC, Tramontin RR, Giles RC, Harrison LR.A 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding with a history of acute onset of hematuria was presented for necropsy. Transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder with intra-abdominal dissemination was diagnosed. Tumor masses were observed on the splenic capsule and surrounding the distal abdominal aorta. Tumor cells showed diffuse cytoplasmic reactivity for cytokeratin but were negative for epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, tumor-associated glycoprotein 72, and vimentin.
Del Piero F, Wilkins PA, Timoney PJ, Kadushin J, Vogelbacker H, Lee JW, Berkowitz SJ, La Perle KM.A case of fatal nonneurological equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) infection in a yearling filly is described. Gross lesions included extensive pulmonary edema, prominent laryngeal lymphoid follicles, and congestion and edema of the dorsal third ventricle choroid plexus. Histologically, there was vasculitis, hemorrhage, and edema in the lungs and dorsal third ventricle choroid plexus as well as mild intestinal crypt necrosis with occasional intranuclear inclusion bodies. The perivascular and vascular inflammatory infiltrates were comprised mainly of T lymphocytes and macrophages. EHV-1 antigen was i...
Dowling BA, Dart AJ, Hodgson DR.A 2-week-old Miniature Horse foal was referred for evaluation and treatment of a luxated right tarsometatarsal joint. Treatment consisted of closed reduction and internal fixation using two partially threaded Steinmann pins placed in normograde fashion through the tuber calcis into the proximal third metatarsus. Traumatic luxation has been reported to occur in the tarsocrural, proximal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints within the equine tarsus. Treatment for luxation of the distal intertarsal joint has not been documented. The treatment method most commonly suggested for tarsal luxation i...
Rahm C, Ito K, Auer J.To compare acute fixation stability and insertion effort of cortex bone screws with and without a shaft inserted in lag fashion in equine metacarpal (metatarsal, MC(T)III) bone. Methods: Screw types with independent variables of screw diameter (4.5 or 5.5 mm) and shaft type (without shaft, with 20-mm shaft, or with 25-mm shaft) were studied. Bone specimens cut from distal equine MC(T)III condyles were used. After screw insertion in lag fashion into 2 bone blocks with an instrumented device, shear tests were conducted in a mechanical testing machine. Outcome variables of peak insertion torque, ...
McCue PM, Hendrickson DA, Hess MB.To develop a technique for laparoscopic tubal (oviductal) ligation and to evaluate pregnancy rates for mares that ovulated ipsilateral or contralateral to the ligated oviduct. Methods: Randomized prospective clinical trial comparing pregnancy rates after unilateral laparoscopic tubal ligation. Methods: Twelve mares of light horse breeds. Methods: One oviduct in each of 6 mares was surgically ligated with a laparoscopic technique; 6 other mares served as nonligated controls. Mares with unilateral tubal ligations (UTL) were inseminated with 500 million progressively motile sperm during 1 cycle w...
Booth TM, Clegg PD.An 8-year-old show-jumper gelding was referred for examination as a result of a purchase dispute for reported back pain. Clinical examination identified back pain and atrophy of the left semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles, but no lameness. Standing pelvic radiography demonstrated a chronic nonunion fracture of the left ischium, the clinical significance of which was uncertain. The apparent back pain was thought to be probably unrelated to the pelvic lesion. We conclude that chronic ischial fracture in the horse can lead to specific atrophy of the semimembranosus and semitendinosus musc...
Carnevale EM, Maclellan LJ, Coutinho da Silva MA, Scott TJ, Squires EL.This study was designed to test 3 approaches for insemination and transfer of oocytes to recipient mares. Oocytes were recovered transvaginally from naturally cycling donor mares 24 to 26 h after an intravenous injection of 2500 IU of hCG when follicles reached 35 mm in diameter. Multiple oocytes (1 to 4) were transferred surgically into the oviducts of 4 or 5 recipient mares per group. Three groups of transfers were compared: 1) transfer of oocytes cultured in vitro for 12 to 14 h postcollection with insemination of the recipient 2 h postsurgery; 2) transfer of oocytes into the oviduct within...
Carnevale EM, Ramirez RJ, Squires EL, Alvarenga MA, Vanderwall DK, McCue PM.In the present study, 638 embryo transfers conducted over 3 yr were retrospectively examined to determine which factors (recipient, embryo and transfer) significantly influenced pregnancy and embryo loss rates and to determine how rates could be improved. On Day 7 or 8 after ovulation, embryos (fresh or cooled/transported) were transferred by surgical or nonsurgical techniques into recipients ovulating from 5 to 9 d before transfer. At 12 and 50 d of gestation (Day 0 = day of ovulation), pregnancy rates were 65.7% (419 of 638) and 55.5% (354 of 638). Pregnancy rates on Day 50 were significantl...
Schuback K, Essén-Gustavsson B, Persson SG.The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of creatine (Cr) supplementation on muscle metabolic response in connection with a maximal treadmill exercise test, known to cause a marked anaerobic metabolic response and adenine nucleotide degradation. First, 6 Standardbred trotters performed a standardised maximal exercise test until fatigue (baseline test). The test used was an inclined incremental treadmill test in which the speed was increased by 1 m/s, starting at 7 m/s, every 60 s until the horse could no longer keep pace with the treadmill. After this baseline test, the horse...
Newton JR, Verheyen K, Talbot NC, Timoney JF, Wood JL, Lakhani KH, Chanter N.Previous use of repeated nasopharyngeal swabbing and culture of Streptococcus equi showed that healthy carriers developed in more than 50% of 'strangles' outbreaks. The guttural pouches were the only detectable site of S. equi colonisation on endoscopic examination of horses during one of these outbreaks and S. equi was sometimes not detected by culture of nasopharyngeal swabs from carriers for up to 2 or 3 months before nasal shedding resumed sporadically. A more sensitive way of detecting S. equi on swabs from established guttural pouch carriers was therefore required. Conveniently selected ...
Parviainen AK, Trim CM.This retrospective study was initiated to identify complications of anaesthesia occurring during ocular surgery. Records of 74 horses anaesthetised for eye enucleation, 65 horses anaesthetised for surgery of the eye and adnexa, and 51 horses anaesthetised for splint bone excision were reviewed. Fifty-three percent of the horses anaesthetised for eye enucleation moved during surgery which was significantly more frequent than in the other groups (P = 0.001). The incidence of moving was significantly reduced by use of an anaesthetic gas analyser for monitoring (P = 0.001). Transient hypertension ...
Verheyen K, Newton JR, Talbot NC, de Brauwere MN, Chanter N.Three protracted outbreaks of strangles were investigated using endoscopic examination and a total of 14 asymptomatic carriers of Streptococcus equi were identified of which 13 showed evidence of carriage in the guttural pouch. Treatment was initiated to eliminate S. equi colonisation since these animals posed an infectious risk to susceptible horses. Two further horses were referred to us with severe guttural pouch pathology and from which S. equi was cultured, and treatment of these cases is also described. Treatment in the first instance was directed towards removal of gross guttural pouch ...
Brama PA, Tekoppele JM, Bank RA, Barneveld A, Firth EC, van Weeren PR.In order to assess the influence of strenuous exercise on collagen characteristics of articular cartilage, the response of the collagen network was studied in seven 2-year-old Thoroughbreds subjected to strenuous exercise compared to 7 nontrained individuals. After 13 weeks, the animals were subjected to euthanasia, fetlock joints of the forelimbs were scored macroscopically after Indian Ink staining, and articular cartilage from different locations of the articular surface of the proximal first phalanx was sampled and analysed for water content, collagen content, hydroxylysine content and amo...
Zamora CS, Vitums A, Foreman JH, Bayly WM, Weidner JP.On the basis of clinical and laboratory examinations, a ventricular septal defect or a variant of the tetralogy of Fallot was suspected in a 3-year-old filly with a history of poor growth rate and exercise intolerance. The filly was euthanatized and found to have a 3-chambered heart (cor triloculare biatriatum). The heart had 2 normally formed atria and a large common ventricle into which the right and left atrioventricular orifices opened and from which the aorta arose. There was a small separate chamber from which the pulmonary trunk originated. This chamber communicated with the common vent...
Kuwano A, Niwa H, Arai K.To establish a new system to isolate keratolytic bacteria from the hoof wall cavity () of a racehorse, we invented the horn powder agar-translucency (HoPAT) test and horn zymography (HZ). Using routine bacteriological techniques and these methods, we isolated five strains of keratolytic soil bacteria, which were then identified by means of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing analysis. The findings from the study on the horse suggested that Brevibacterium luteolum played the main role in the local fragility of the hoof, eventually forming a in coordination with four other strains of kerat...
Yoshimura S, Barber SM, Tucker ML, Bracamonte JL, Mund SJK, Thomas KL.To describe a new technique to repair a sinocutaneous fistula with a masseter muscle transposition flap. Methods: Case report. Methods: One 13-year-old thoroughbred stallion. Methods: One 13-year-old stallion with a 3.5 × 6-cm sinocutaneous fistula over the right caudal maxillary sinus was treated with a transpositional masseter muscle flap. This repair consisted of a commercial wound matrix dressing placed directly over the hole in the maxilla and secured with suture material; a cancellous bone graft collected from the right tuber coxa placed on the dressing; and a portion of the superfi...
van der Burg LJ, Muller I, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.The horse milking industry is expanding in The Netherlands and Flanders. Horse milk has become popular due to its (supposed) health-enhancing properties. A horse-milking farm is not a common client for the Dutch veterinarian. When giving advice in this circumstance it should be recognised that these horses are production animals and that their milk is for human consumption. A review of the literature is given together with the results of an extensive enquiry amongst 13 horse-milking farms in The Netherlands and Flanders.
Hanson RR, Todhunter RJ.Abdominal wall hernia was detected in 4 pregnant mares. Antemortem diagnosis of the specific abdominal wall lesion was difficult. Ventral deviation of the abdomen, associated abdominal wall edema, and pain indicated rupture of the prepubic tendon. Three mares examined at necropsy did not have a rupture of the prepubic tendon but did have herniation of the abdominal wall. Abdominal pain was severe and was compounded by incarceration or entrapment of viscus.
Brown MP, Gronwall R, Gossman TB, Houston AE.Six healthy foals, from 4 to 6 days of age, were given a single IM injection of sodium cephapirin (250 mg/ml) at a rate of 20 mg/kg of body weight. Serum concentrations of cephapirin were measured serially over an 8-hour period. The mean peak serum concentration was 21.2 micrograms/ml at 10 minutes. The overall elimination rate constant was 1.06/hr and the elimination half-life was 0.70 hour. The apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 1.06 L/kg and plasma clearance was 1,105 ml/hr/kg.
Fussell D, Bizikova P, Breuhaus B, Harris RA, Moore AR, Chen L, Linder KE.Bullous amyloidosis is a rare disease in humans that has not been described in a veterinary species in the peer-reviewed literature. The human disease is characterised by haemorrhagic vesicles and bullae on the skin and mucosae, which form due to amyloid deposition. Objective: To describe the clinical features, laboratory analysis and histopathological features of an unique presentation of bullous disease in a horse. Methods: A 17-year-old thoroughbred mare presented for weight loss and severe oral cavity ulcers. Methods: Investigations involved haematological evaluation, chemistry profiles, g...
Datt SC, Usenik EA.Physical signs and blood changes were studied in horses with artificially produced obstructions of the duodenum and the small colon and simulated volvulus of the ileum. Horses with obstruction of the duodenum had the most violent physical signs and the shortest survival time. Blood changes were an initial rise in pH followed by acidosis, hyperkalemia and a decrease in HCO3 minus, Na+ and C1 minus. Obstruction of the small colon resulted in mild physical signs. The blood parameters recorded were normal. Simulated volvulus resulted in continuous colic. Blood changes were acidosis and hyperkalemi...
Moreau P.A healthy group of loyal clients is of the utmost importance for a healthy practice.Knowing the clients’ expectations and making every effort to exceed them when clients meet with the veterinarian or visit the clinic will result in continued client satisfaction. Clients will show loyalty to a veterinarian when they perceive that the care provided to them suits them and their animal and exceeds their expectations.