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Topic:Veterinary Care
Veterinary care in horses encompasses the medical and preventive measures taken to maintain and improve the health and well-being of equine patients. It includes a wide range of practices such as routine health examinations, vaccinations, dental care, parasite control, and management of injuries and diseases. Veterinary care also involves diagnostic procedures, surgical interventions, and therapeutic treatments tailored to the specific needs of horses. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of equine veterinary care, including advancements in diagnostic techniques, treatment protocols, and health management strategies to support the well-being and performance of horses.
Seasonal development and survival of equine cyathostome larvae on pasture in south Louisiana. Cyathostome development and survival on pasture in subtropical climates of the US have yet to be completely defined and available data on seasonal transmission are minimal. In an attempt to study this phenomenon, a group of pony mares and their foals was maintained on a naturally contaminated pasture in southern Louisiana. Fecal egg counts (FEC) and numbers of infective third stage larvae (L3) kg(-1) dry herbage were recorded biweekly during two time periods, from January 1986 through December 1988, and September 1996 through October 1997. A FEC rise occurred during the late summer-early autum...
Panel-touch behavior of horses established by an autoshaping procedure. Panel-touch behavior of 3 geldings was successfully established by a response-termination type of autoshaping procedure. An omission or negative contingency introduced after the training of an animal, however, decreased the response rate to a near-zero level.
In vitro and xenogenous capacitation-like changes of fresh, cooled, and cryopreserved stallion sperm as assessed by a chlortetracycline stain. Like the human female, the mare experiences reproductive tract pathology that may sometimes be circumvented by the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). One such technology, gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), may be used in mares that exhibit ovulatory, oviductal, or uterine abnormalities that limit the use of common ARTs, such as embryo transfer. Homologous GIFT has been successfully performed in the horse; however, the logistics, costs, and associated risks of surgically transferring gametes to the oviducts of a recipient mare are considerably high. Use of a less costly speci...
Black walnut induced laminitis. A 5-y-old Paint horse gelding was evaluated for acute laminitis after exposure to black walnut shavings. The gelding's feet were previously soaked in an ice bath continuously for approximately 24 h. Treatment consisted of anti-inflammatory and vasodilator therapy. Serial radiographs revealed progressive palmar deviation of the third phalanx and subsolar abscesses in both forefeet. The gelding developed purulent discharge from the right coronary band and the hoof wall detached circumfrentially. Euthanasia was elected after 54 days. Continual exposure of the gelding's feet to ice water temperatu...
A function for guttural pouches in the horse. Athletic animals must keep their brains cool during exertion because this organ can be damaged irreversibly by hyperthermia. But how horses do this has remained a mystery, as they don't appear to have thermoregulatory dervices like those found in other animals. They do, however, have a unique anatomical arrangement of their internal carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain: these are enveloped by a pair of air-filled guttural pouches. Here we show that horses use their guttural pouches to cool these important arteries during exercise, keeping the brain from overheating.
[Operative removal of a bladder stone by urethro-sphincterotomy in a pony mare]. A case of a cystic calculus in a pony mare is described. In this case an urethro-sphincterostomy accomplished removal of a 362 g calculus with dimensions of 9 x 7 cm without any complications after surgery.
Equine dental disease. Part 3: A long-term study of 400 cases: disorders of wear, traumatic damage and idiopathic fractures, tumours and miscellaneous disorders of the cheek teeth. Of 400 horses referred because of dental disorders, 349 cases were diagnosed as suffering from primary disorders of their cheek teeth. Details of 104 of these cases are presented, including 44 cases with abnormalities of wear, 26 cases with traumatic damage, 24 cases with idiopathic fractures and 10 cases with miscellaneous cheek teeth disorders including oral tumours. The long-term response to treatment was excellent in most cases, even in cases with residual secondary periodontal disease.
Immunity to equine influenza: relationship of vaccine-induced antibody in young Thoroughbred racehorses to protection against field infection with influenza A/equine-2 viruses (H3N8). Field outbreaks of influenza that occurred in vaccinated Thoroughbred racehorses in Newmarket in 1995 and 1996 were investigated by nucleoprotein ELISA and serology. Investigations showed that serum levels of vaccine-induced single radial haemolysis (SRH) antibody correlated closely with protective immunity against equine influenza and were consistent with observations made in previous experimental studies using nebulised aerosol challenge. In the second part of this study, antibody levels stimulated by vaccination were investigated to examine probable protection in high risk groups, such as y...
Application of V200 values for evaluation of training effects in the young thoroughbred under field conditions. The purpose of this investigation was to study, under field conditions, the usefulness of an incremental exercise test to measure V200 (running velocity [V] at heart rate HR[ of 200 beats/min) for evaluation of training effects in the young Thoroughbred. Five to 112 two-year-old Thoroughbreds were used over 4 years to investigate the correlation between HR and V, the influence of the track and rider's weight to V200, reproducibility of V200 and the changes of V200 as training progresses. The high correlation coefficient between HR and V, and V200 were obtained in horses that exercised smoothly...
Repeated administration of frusemide does not offer an advantage over single dosing in attenuating exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension in thoroughbred horses. The objective of the present study was to ascertain whether administration of a second dose of frusemide would attenuate exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension more than a single dose. Right atrial, right ventricular and pulmonary vascular pressures were determined in 7 healthy, sound, exercise-trained Thoroughbred horses at rest and during exercise (14.2 m/s + a 3.5% uphill grade) performed at maximal heart rate (217 +/- 3 beats/min [mean +/- s.e.]). Horses were studied during the following 3 treatments in random order 7 days apart: control (no medication), frusemide single dose (250 mg i.v....
Effect of diet on thoroughbred horses with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis performing a standardised exercise test. Previous studies have associated recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) with a diet high in soluble carbohydrate (CHO). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 3 diets on clinical and metabolic parameters in 5 Thoroughbred horses with RER and 3 healthy Thoroughbreds performing a standardised exercise test (SET). Two diets were formulated to meet energy requirements for the amount of exercise being performed in the form of CHO or fat (21.4 Mcal DE/day). The third diet was formulated to provide 135% of the DE of the other 2 diets in the form of an excessive amount of carboh...
The kinematics of loading and fatigue in the standardbred trotter. The Standardbred trotter must pull a considerable load when racing and, consequently, draught loading is a common method of training in the Standardbred and the effects of loading and fatigue due to loading on the locomotor pattern was the purpose of this investigation. Four mature healthy Standardbred horses trotted with and without a horizontal-pulling loading of 34 kg until the horses were no longer willing to keep pace with the treadmill despite encouragement. Heart rate was monitored every min using a bipolar electrocardiogram. The kinematics for 5 consecutive strides were filmed. Horses ...
The effects of an endurance ride on metabolism and neutrophil function. The effects of an endurance ride on neutrophil functions in endurance-trained horses were evaluated and related to metabolic changes and changes in cortisol concentrations. Blood samples were taken from 7 horses (aged 9-15 years) one day before, and then 30-60 min, 1 day and 8 days after the ride. The race resulted in elevated serum cortisol levels (< 465 nmol/l) and an increased neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio. Immediately post race, the neutrophil ability to engulf yeast was increased. One day after the race, a decrease in leukotriene B4 production (approximately 40%) and in the respiratory b...
Effects of caffeine and promazine hydrochloride on plasma catecholamines in thoroughbreds at rest and during treadmill exercise. Our aim was to investigate plasma catecholamine responses to so-called 'doping' drugs and exercise in Thoroughbreds. Plasma adrenaline (Ad) and noradrenaline (NA) were determined after the administration of caffeine and promazine hydrochloride (PRZ) using a high performance liquid chromatographic method. Caffeine or PRZ was administered i.m. to Thoroughbreds and its effects on plasma catecholamines at rest and during exercise were compared with the saline control. The treadmill exercise was performed 1 h after administration. A dose of 5.0 mg/kg bwt caffeine was found to significantly increase...
Is ventilation during maximal exercise limited by dynamic airway closure? A study was undertaken to find if the reason why horses hypoventilate when running is that they experience expiratory flow limitation due to dynamic airway closure. To test this hypothesis, we measured peak expiratory flows on a Thoroughbred galloping on a treadmill and hypoventilating and compared those flows with the peak dynamically-limited flow that the same horse could achieve during a forced expiratory flow-volume manoeuvre. At the approximate lung volumes at which the horse was ventilating while running, it did not appear to be mechanically limited and appeared to have reserve capacity ...
Time of feeding and fat supplementation affect plasma concentrations of insulin and metabolites during exercise. Six Thoroughbreds were used to evaluate time of feeding on changes in exercise response in horses receiving either a textured feed or a fat-supplemented textured feed. Using a crossover design, 3 horses were fed a fat-supplemented diet while 3 horses received a control ration of textured feed. Horses performed a standardised exercise test (SET) on a high speed treadmill. The SET was performed at 3 different times: 1) following an overnight 12 h fast, 2) 3 h after feeding and 3) 8 h after feeding. The SET consisted of a 2 min walk at 1.4 m/s, 800 m trot at 4.2 m/s, 800 m gallop at 7.7 m/s, 1600...
Oral nitroglycerin paste did not lower pulmonary capillary pressure during treadmill exercise. We hypothesised that 22.5 mg of oral nitroglycerin would cause pulmonary vasodilation and therefore decrease pulmonary capillary pressure in horses during strenuous exercise. Six horses were assigned to exercise twice, once with no medication (control) and once with nitroglycerin (22.5 mg orally) in random order. Horses were exercised for 3 min each at 75, 90 and 100% of maximal heart rate (HRmax) with a 2 min period of walking between each period of exertion. Pulmonary artery and oesophageal pressures were recorded continuously. Subsequent analysis was carried out on the pulmonary arterial pr...
Cardiorespiratory measurements and indices of oxidative stress in exercising COPD horses. The effect of a COPD crisis on arterial blood gases, heart rate, lactate and indices of oxidative stress were investigated before, during and 1 h after a 'run up to fatigue' in 6 COPD horses. They were investigated twice, randomly: once in acute crisis (C) and once in clinical remission (R). Arterial and mixed venous blood samples were collected and analysed for partial pressures in O2 and CO2. The mixed venous blood was also analysed for plasma lactate (LA) and packed cell volume (PCV), as well as for indices of oxidative stress, i.e. reduced glutathione, glutathione disulphide, glutathione r...
Sedation and antisedation as tools in equine lameness examination. A kinematic study was performed to establish the locomotion pattern of horses under detomidine sedation and the effects of antagonization for possible use during lameness examinations in uncooperative horses. The kinematics of 17 Warmblood horses (9 sound, 8 lame with chronic forelimb lameness) were recorded on 2 days using a high-speed video system while trotting (3.9 m/s) on a treadmill. On each day a control measurement was carried out prior to sedation with detomidine (10 micrograms/kg bwt) and repeated recordings at 15, 25, 35, 45 and 60 min after sedation. On the second day, sedation was...
Phytate and phosphorus movements in the digestive tract of horses. This experiment was conducted to study phytate degradation and the effect of dietary phytate level on phosphorus absorption in the gastrointestinal tract of horses. Six Thoroughbred horses were fed diets containing low-phytate diet or high-phytate diet for 5 days. The diets were supplemented with Cr2O3 as an unabsorbable marker. The horses were killed 3 h after the last feeding and digesta in some segments of the intestine were collected. In both dietary groups, the daily passage of phytate phosphorus was decreased in the upper small intestine and in the lower large intestine. The daily passag...
Biomechanical analysis of horse shoeing. Most of the principles of farriery have been derived from practical experience and traditional skills of individual farriers. To date, there has been little done in the way of good science and few publications have appeared to advance the discipline. Therefore, opinions or policies on horse shoeing vary greatly between farriers and members of the veterinary profession. The aim of this workshop was to present the latest information on biomechanical analysis of horse shoeing as it relates to modern day farriery and could have direct benefits for the future of shoeing in performance horses.
Effects of frusemide on electrolyte and acid-base balance during exercise. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of frusemide on the concentration of plasma electrolytes and the relationship between changes in electrolyte concentration and the simultaneous changes in acid-base balance in arterial and venous blood during intense exercise. Five exercise-conditioned Thoroughbred horses were exercised on a high-speed treadmill at a slope of 10% at speeds known to exceed VO2max. Horses participated in 3 randomised exercise trials in which they received either placebo (control), low-dose frusemide (0.5 mg/kg bwt), or high-dose frusemide (1.0 mg/kg) 4 h prior to...
Pathophysiology of dorsal displacement of the soft palate in horses. Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) is an intermittent obstructive upper airway condition that occurs in athletic horses during high-intensity exercise. The pathogenesis of this condition is unknown, but may involve epiglottic hypoplasia, malformation, or neuromuscular dysfunction. In this paper, we report on investigations into the pathophysiology of DDSP. In 3 separate experiments, Standardbred horses were exercised on a high-speed treadmill at speeds corresponding to 50, 75 and 100% of maximum heart rate. The upper airway was evaluated by videoendoscopy and measurement of tracheal...
Blood glucose clearance after feeding and exercise in polysaccharide storage myopathy. Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in Quarter Horses (QH) and QH crosses is a glycogen storage disorder in which blood glucose clearance and insulin sensitivity, following an i.v. or oral glucose challenge, are enhanced. Exercise is known also to enhance glucose uptake into skeletal muscle in many animal species. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effect of exercise on glucose clearance in PSSM and control horses when an oral carbohydrate meal (8 Mcal sweet feed) was fed following either 12 h fasting alone (NEX protocol) or following fasting and a standard exercise pro...
