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.
Wilson AM, Seelig TJ, Shield RA, Silverman BW.Foot imbalance is believed to be a common cause of musculoskeletal injury in the horse; its biomechanical effects are, however, poorly understood. Wedges (angle 3.7 and 5 degrees) were attached to modified shoes to elevate one aspect of both front feet of Thoroughbred-type horses. The point of force application during weightbearing was determined at trot using a forceplate system. A total of 8 horses were studied with a minimum of 4 providing data for each wedge condition. The results demonstrated that application of a standard steel horse shoe to a balanced foot has minimal effect on the poin...
Vink-Nooteboom M, Junker K, van den Ingh TS, Dik KJ.Cholesterinic granulomas are tumor-like masses in the choroid plexuses of horses. This report describes the computed tomographic findings in four horses with cholesterinic granulomas, including the clinical and the pathologic features. All four horses had bilateral cholesterinic granulomas in the lateral ventricles. Computed tomographic images clearly delineated the masses, the opacity of the granulomas, and the enhancement pattern after intravenous bolus injection of contrast medium; these factors varied considerably. Additional CT findings were symmetric or asymmetric widening of the lateral...
Hammock PD, Freeman DE, Baker GJ.To examine the efficacy of psyllium mucilloid in evacuating sand from the equine large intestine. Methods: 12 clinically healthy pony geldings. Methods: Twelve ponies were assigned to 2 groups of six each. One group was treated with psyllium and the second was a control group. All ponies had an exploratory celiotomy and 10 g/kg body weight of sand was placed into the cecum. Ponies were fed a grain mixture alone at 1 g/kg (controls), a grain mixture plus psyllium pellets, each at 1 g/kg body weight (3 ponies), or fed a grain mixture and given psyllium powder by nasogastric tube at 1 g/kg body w...
Bailey CJ, Reid SW, Hodgson DR, Bourke JM, Rose RJ.A retrospective case-control study was conducted to identify and quantify risk factors for serious musculoskeletal injury sustained at 4 Australian metropolitan racetracks. During the period of study (August 1988-July 1995) there were 196 cases from flat racing, 52 cases from hurdle racing and 53 cases from steeplechases. The incidences of fatal musculoskeletal injuries per start for flat, hurdle and steeple races were 0.06, 0.63 and 1.43% respectively. Logistic regression identified harder track surfaces, horses being older than age 3 years, one racecourse (Flemington) and jumping races as si...
Lantz KC, Enders AC, Liu IK.In addition to the unique feature of retention of unfertilized ova, the oviducts of mares frequently contain large intraluminal masses with a fibrillar component and some cells. The aim of this study was to identify the cells and examine their relationship to the extracellular components of these masses. Intraluminal masses were examined both in situ and flushed from the oviducts. The nature of the contained cells and their relationship to the fibrils were examined by light microscopy and by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In some mares the large masses distended the oviduct, bu...
Cauvin ER, Munroe GA.Eighteen cases of septic osteitis of the distal phalanx were diagnosed clinically and confirmed at surgery over a 6 year period (1990-1996). Focal bone lysis was the most common radiographic finding. Sequestra were identified in 4 horses, one of which was associated with a fractured plantar process. All the horses were treated surgically with open debridement. The septic process recurred in 4 horses: one was subjected to euthanasia due to navicular bursa infection, secondary to a pathological fracture, the other 3 horses responded to further debridement. A pathological fracture occurred in ano...
Colgan SA, Hecker AT, Kirker-Head CA, Hayes WC.To determine risk of failure of the Synthes 4.5-mm cannulated screw system instrumentation in equine bone and to compare its application with the Synthes 4.5-mm standard cortex screw system. Methods: The maximum insertion torque of the cannulated and standard cortex screw systems were compared with the ultimate torsional strengths of the equipment. Pullout strength and ultimate tensile load of cannulated and standard cortex screws were also determined. Methods: Paired equine cadaver third metacarpal and third carpal bones. Methods: Maximum insertion torque and ultimate torsional strengths were...
Dutton DM, Watkins JP, Walker MA, Honnas CM.To determine outcome for foals with incomplete ossification of the tarsal bones and to determine whether clinical and radiographic abnormalities at the time of initial examination were associated with outcome. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 22 foals. Methods: Information on signalment, history, owner's initial complaint, clinical findings, whether tarsus valgus was evident, and radiographic abnormalities was obtained from medical records. Radiographic lesions were classified as type I (i.e., incomplete ossification with < 30% collapse of the affected bones) or type II (incomplete ossif...
Tudor RA, Bowman KF, Redding WR, Tomlinson JE.A 9-year-old gelding was evaluated because of a 30-day history of mild intermittent left forelimb lameness. The only detectable abnormality was mild atrophy of the musculature of the proximal portion of the left forelimb. The cause of the lameness could not be determined. The horse was discharged from the hospital, but was reexamined 6 weeks later because of worsening of the lameness. At that time, the horse resisted flexion and extension of the left shoulder joint, and results of evaluation of an ultrasound-guided aspirate of fluid from the intertubercular bursa were suggestive of infection. ...
Gray AW, Davies ME, Jeffcott LB.We report on preliminary results of a novel in vitro culture system designed to generate equine osteoclasts in large numbers. Osteoclast generation, as determined by the expression of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and ability to resorb bone, was enhanced in equine bone marrow cultures supplemented with fibroblastic cell (L929) conditioned medium (L929-CM). Bone marrow was collected from a total of 12 horses and ponies and TRAP-positive cells with bone resorbing ability were generated in significant numbers in the last seven. TRAP-positive mononuclear cells appeared after three day...
Semevolos SA, Nixon AJ, Goodrich LR, Ducharme NG.To determine clinical and radiographic findings in and treatment and outcome of large animals with shoulder joint luxations. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 5 horses, 3 goats, 1 calf, 1 sheep, 1 Himalayan tahr, 1 pot-bellied pig, 1 reindeer, and 1 white-tailed deer. Methods: Medical records and radiographs were reviewed to determine signalment, history, physical examination findings, type of luxation, treatment, and outcome. Owners and referring veterinarians were contracted for follow-up information. Results: Goats, sexually intact males, and animals < 1 year old were overrepresente...
Blunden AS, Smith KC, Whitwell KE, Dunn KA.A severe multi-systemic form of equid herpesvirus-1 infection is described in an adult zebra stallion. There was multifocal necrotizing rhinitis, marked hydrothorax and pulmonary oedema, with viral antigen expression in degenerating epithelial cells, local endothelial cells and intravascular leucocytes of the nasal mucosa and lung. Specific localization of EHV-1 infection was seen in the testes and epididymides, including infection of Leydig cells and germinal epithelium, which would have facilitated venereal shedding of virus in life. The case provided a unique opportunity to study hitherto u...
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 ...
Lescun TB, Hawkins JF, Siems JJ.A 6-month-old warmblood filly had traumatic rupture in the gastrocnemius and superficial digital flexor muscles of the left hind limb. A modified Thomas splint-cast combination, which was custom fitted to the limb, was placed to prevent further disruption of the caudal reciprocal apparatus. The external coaptation device was removed after 21 days. The horse developed lesions consistent with osteochondrosis of the femoropatellar articulation within 8 weeks of the initial injury. Examination of the horse 6 months after injury revealed fibrous healing of the muscles and restoration of caudal reci...
Keegan KG, Wilson DA, Wilson DJ, Smith B, Gaughan EM, Pleasant RS, Lillich JD, Kramer J, Howard RD, Bacon-Miller C, Davis EG, May KA, Cheramie HS....To estimate sensitivity and accuracy of subjective evaluation of mild lameness in horses during treadmill locomotion and to correlate subjective evaluation with kinematic analysis. Methods: 19 lame and 5 clinically normal horses. Methods: Lameness was evaluated by subjective score and kinematic analysis before and after palmar digital nerve block (PDNB). Evaluations were made by 6 clinicians and 7 interns or residents. Within- and between-observer agreement analyses (kappa values) were calculated and compared, using a Student's t-test. Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients were cal...
Ehrlich PJ, Seeherman HJ, O'Callaghan MW, Dohoo IR, Brimacombe M.To determine anatomic patterns and clinical importance of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake in bones of horses used for show jumping, hunting, and eventing. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 141 horses evaluated because of lameness. Methods: Medical records were reviewed, and information on results of physical examination, radiography, and scintigraphy were obtained. Scintigrams were evaluated to identify areas of increased radio-pharmaceutical uptake. Results: 834 areas of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake were identified. Scintigraphy of the vertebral column was performed in 78 ho...
Farkas R, Hall MJ.Veterinarians in Hungary were asked to complete a questionnaire on traumatic myiasis; of the 664 veterinarians contacted, 247 replied (37.2 per cent) and of these 209 (84.6 per cent) reported myiasis to be a problem among the livestock they treated. Infestation levels of > 10 per cent of animals were reported in sheep, cattle and horses. The myiasis season lasted from March to November with most cases reported in July and August. Significantly more respondents reported that fly larvae were present deep in wounds rather than superficially, consistent with infestations due to the obligate parasi...
Gilroy BJ, Bellamy J.An unusual case of impaction colic caused by the ingestion of large quantities of gravel. The clinical presentation, surgical findings, and outcome are described.
Soana S, Gnudi G, Bertoni G, Botti P.The aim of this study is to point out the time of appearance of the carpal and tarsal bones in the fetal horse, considering an estimated fetal age, to follow their morphological development through to birth, and to characterize possible abnormal shape and/or delay of their ossification. The right carpal and tarsal region of 140 equine fetuses of both sexes (71 males, 69 females) and different ages (from 70 to 340 days of gestation) were examined radiographically in order to identify the sites of ossification from their earliest appearance. The times of appearance of the sites of ossification o...
Puffer BA, Watkins SC, Montelaro RC.We have identified an interaction between the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) late assembly domain and the cellular AP-2 clathrin-associated adapter protein complex. A YXXL motif within the EIAV Gag late assembly domain was previously characterized as a sequence critical for release of assembling virions. We now show that this YXXL sequence interacts in vitro with the AP-50 subunit of the AP-2 complex, while the functionally interchangeable late assembly domains carried by the Rous sarcoma virus p2b protein and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 p6 protein, which utilize PPPY and PTAPP ...
Queiroz-Neto A, Zamur G, Gonçalves SC, Carregaro AB, Mataqueiro MI, Harkins JD, Tobin T.Amitraz, an acaricide used to control ectoparasites in animals has a complex pharmacological activity, including alpha2-adrenergic agonist action. The purpose of this research was to investigate the possible antinociceptive and/or sedative effect of amitraz in horses. The sedative effect of the intravenous (i.v.) injection of dimethylformamide (DMF, 5 mL, control) or amitraz (0.05, 0.10, 0.15 mg/kg), was investigated on the head ptosis test. The participation of alpha2-adrenergic receptors in the sedative effect provoked by amitraz was studied by dosing yohimbine (0.12 mg/kg, i.v.). To measure...
Bergeron JA, Hendrickson DA, McCue PM.A 25-month-old castrated horse was admitted for evaluation of stallion-like behavior. Twelve months earlier, bilateral cryptorchidism had been diagnosed, and the horse underwent a laparoscopic castration. At that time, the left testis was removed from the abdominal cavity, but the right testis, which was located in the inguinal ring, was left in place to undergo avascular necrosis after laparoscopic cauterization and transection of the testicular vasculature. On physical examination, an apparently clinically normal right testis was palpated within the scrotum. Administration of human chorionic...
Kite GC, Stoneham CA, Veitch NC, Stein BK, Whitwell KE.Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of methanol extracts of Oenanthe crocata roots revealed that oenanthotoxin co-eluted with another major polyalkyne, 2,3-dihydro-oenanthotoxin, using the existing high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method (isocratic elution from C18 with aqueous methanol) for investigating Oenanthe poisoning. Positive ES or APCI gave [(M+H)-H(2)O](+) and its methanol adduct as major ion species for oenanthotoxin, whereas 2,3-dihydro-oenanthotoxin formed [M+H](+) and its methanol adduct. The two polyalkynes could be chromatographically resolved ...
Rijkenhuizen AB, Németh F.The clinical signs, the radiographic appearance, and the treatment of two cases of fracture of the accessory carpal bone are described. The fractures were in the vertical plane. Surgical intervention consisted out of fixation of the fracture with two lag screws. Follow-up information revealed that one horse became sound and returned to complete athletic activity whereas the other horse remained lame. A brief literature review is given and the surgical treatment and the complications are discussed.
Graham-Thiers PM, Kronfeld DS, Kline KA, Sklan DJ.A restricted protein diet supplemented with amino acids and fat may reduce the acidogenic effects of exercise. Twelve Arabian horses were assigned to a 2 x 2 factorial experiment: two fat levels: 0 or 10 g/100 g added corn oil and two crude protein levels: 7.5 g/100 g (supplemented with 0.5% L-lysine and 0.3% L-threonine) or 14.5 g/100 g. The experiment began with a 4-wk diet accommodation period followed by a standard exercise test consisting of six 1-minute sprints at 7 m/s. Horses were interval trained for 11 wk followed by another exercise test with sprints at 10 m/s. Blood samples were ta...
Schultze AE, Sonea I, Bell TG.Although primary malignant pulmonary neoplasia of horses is rarely encountered, this diagnosis was confirmed in 2 horses on the basis of necropsy and histopathologic findings. One horse, with cystic mucinous adenocarcinoma, had respiratory tract and neurologic signs directly attributable to the neoplasm, and a tentative antemortem diagnosis of pulmonary neoplasia was made. The other horse, with anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma, did not have clinical signs of pulmonary neoplasia.
Bornstein S.Two intersex horses were characterized externally by vulva and “enlarged clitoris-hypoplastic penis” and internally by uterus and testicles. Both had a normal female karyotype 64/XX. One of the horses whose body measurements were in accordance with mares of the same breed, showed a distinct stallion behaviour.
Jones DM.A short account of the natural history of the wild Equidae is given as a background to their management in captivity. In general the approach to their husbandry and veterinary care is similar to that for the domestic horse. A mixture of etorphine and acepromazine has been found to be the most effective for handling and conventional methods of anaesthesia can be safely superimposed on these if required. The data collected at Whipsnade on the haematology and biochemistry of these species is summarised in tabular form and an analysis is included of the post-mortem examinations of 105 equine carca...
Munroe GA, Cauvin E.The clinical, radiographic and ultrasonographic findings in a case of a comminuted articular fracture of the accessory carpal bone of a thoroughbred chaser are described, and its surgical treatment and aftercare are detailed. The horse made an uneventful recovery and successfully returned to racing.
Pradella GD, Taschetto PM, Duarte CA, da Silva Azevedo M, Góss GC.Adverse drug reactions in horses are rare. The antimicrobials are in the list of the most common drugs associated with reaction in horses. The aim of this report is to describe the clinical presentation of an adverse drug reaction after the intramuscular administration of ceftiofur hydrochloride. A 5-year-old crioulo broodmare at one day postpartum presented signs of difficulty to walk, positive pulse in the four limbs, and heart rate of 80 beats per minute (bpm), with a history of fighting with another mare. The clinical suspicions were rhabdomyolysis and laminitis. Initially a dose of flunix...