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.
Traub-Dargatz JL.Bacterial pneumonia in the horse often occurs secondary to viral respiratory infection; however, primary infections can occur. A diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia is made on the basis of history, physical examination, and laboratory and radiographic findings. Treatment consists of appropriate antimicrobial therapy for at least 7 to 10 days; further therapy may be needed in more severe cases. Prevention of bacterial pneumonia includes attempting to prevent viral respiratory infections and appropriate management to prevent stress to the respiratory tract.
Hardy J.Upper airway obstruction may result from nasal, pharyngeal, or tracheal diseases. In the young horse, a relatively severe obstruction usually is present before clinical signs are evident. This article reviews the clinical manifestations, diagnostic features, treatment, and outcome of commonly encountered conditions of the nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, and trachea in young horses.
Staempfli HR, Townsend HG, Prescott JF.Clinical and hematological changes observed on presentation of 47 horses referred to the Ontario Veterinary College with acute idiopathic colitis were analyzed for their prognostic features. Cases of acute enterocolitis were characterized by fever, dehydration, abnormalities of serum electrolyte concentrations, azotemia, hypoalbuminemia, and increased serum concentrations of muscle enzymes. Severely dehydrated horses were seven times more likely to die or be euthanized than those that were not dehydrated. Other factors associated with failure to survive included the following: increased hemato...
Dean PW.Abnormalities of the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, and trachea result in respiratory noise and exercise intolerance. Clinical features of common upper respiratory conditions of performance horses are reviewed with emphasis on diagnosis, treatment, and risk factors that affect the outcome of surgical treatment.
Schmotzer WB, Riebold TW, Rowe KE, Scott EA.The steady-state response characteristics of a pulse oximeter were evaluated on intestinal segments of seven clinically normal halothane-anesthetized horses. Arterial oxygen tension greater than 200 mm of Hg, end tidal carbon dioxide from 30 to 35 mm of Hg, and systemic mean arterial pressure greater than 70 mm of Hg were maintained throughout the recording periods. Values for percentage of pulse oximeter oxygen saturation, pulsatile blood flow, and percentage of signal strength were recorded from jejunum, ileum, cecum, left ventral colon, left dorsal colon, and descending colon. Probe placeme...
Bello TR.A controlled test was done in 30 naturally infected ponies to evaluate the antiparasitic activity of the dienbendazole analog VET 220-S given alone or with trichlorfon (TCF) by nasogastric intubation. Six ponies were nontreated; 6 were given VET 220-S (5.0 mg/kg); 6 were given TCF (40 mg/kg); 6 were given VET 220-S (2.5 mg/kg) and TCF (40 mg/kg); and 6 were given VET 220-S (5.0 mg/kg) and TCF (40 mg/kg). All ponies were euthanatized and necropsied 7 or 8 days after treatment. Draschia megastoma, Oxyuris equi, Strongylus vulgaris, S edentatus, and small strongyles were removed efficaciously by ...
Zentek J.In this case report on myopathies in 6 saddle-horses, a combined dietary vitamin E and selenium deficiency is presumed. Other disorders, such as exertional myopathy ("Monday morning disease") due to excessive energy intake or ionophore intoxication could be excluded by calculating the energy supply or by a simple colour test. The selenium requirement of horses is estimated to 0.1-0.2 mg/kg dry matter (Meyer 1986). If natural feed compounds are low in selenium, adequate amounts of this trace element can be supplied by means of supplemental feeds, sodium selenite (20 mg/500 kg BW/week) or bruise...
Imai Y, Kurosawa H, Fujiwara T, Fukuchi S, Matsuo K, Kawada M, Ohtsuka G.Successful palliative repair of aortic atresia and hypoplastic aortic arch associated with tricuspid atresia in a neonate is described. The repair consisted of reconstruction of the hypoplastic aortic arch with an equine pericardial patch, division of the patient ductus arteriosus, connection of the pulmonary artery to the aorta, implantation of the proximal part of the ascending aorta into the main pulmonary artery, and anastomosis of a polytetrafluoroethylene graft 5 mm in diameter between the right ventricular outflow tract and the central pulmonary artery, which was transferred anteriorly ...
Tate LP.The advantages and disadvantages of various surgical lasers are discussed. Included are aspects of laser safety, anesthesia and analgesia considerations for laser surgery, and diagnostic considerations. Horses with lesions such as ethmoid hematomas, nasal polyps, and lymphoid masses are ideal candidates for laser treatment. Other conditions that are suitably treated with lasers, such as dorsal displacement of the soft palate and entrapment of the epiglottis, are described.
Hunt RJ, Allen D, Mueller PO.Heterotopic polyodontia is typically associated with a sinus and a fistulous tract with a secreting membrane which extends to an ectopic tooth attached to the temporal bone. Recommendations for treatment include complete excision of the tract, the dental component, and the lining of the alveolar socket. Iatrogenic cerebral trauma was encountered during surgical extraction of an ectopic tooth. At post-mortem examination a second ectopic tooth was found compressing the right side of the cerebellum.
Rossier Y, Sweeney CR, Ziemer EL.Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 22 horses with pneumonia or pleuropneumonia. All horses had clinical evidence of pneumonia or pleuropneumonia on the basis of physical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, tracheobronchial aspirate or post-mortem findings. Results of lavage fluid analysis were normal in 9 horses, equivocal in 3 horses, and abnormal in 10 horses. Abnormal lavage fluid had increased total cell count, increased relative and absolute neutrophil counts, degenerative neutrophils, and decreased relative and absolute macrophage and lymphocyte counts.
Bracher V, von Fellenberg R, Winder CN, Gruenig G, Hermann M, Kraehenmann A.The incidence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Switzerland was determined in three groups of horses selected at random. Group A (97 horses) and Group B (93 horses) had no history of respiratory disease, but Group C (113 horses) had a history of lower respiratory tract disease. All horses were examined by auscultation of the respiratory tract under forced breathing, endoscopic examination of the upper and lower respiratory tract, arterial blood gas analysis at rest and cytological examination of respiratory secretions (RS). Fifty-four per cent of the horses in Group A and 54.8...
Carrigan M, Cosgrove P, Kirkland P, Sabine M.Thirty-three of the 44 mares on a Thoroughbred stud in New South Wales aborted or lost foals within one day of birth. Gross pathological and histological changes were in keeping with Equid herpesvirus I (EHV-1) abortion. In the six foals that underwent virological examination, EHV was isolated and typed as EHV-1 by restriction endonuclease analysis. EHV-1 abortion had not occurred previously on this stud and the source of the infection was not identified.
Cox VS, Weber AF, de Lima A.A complete left cranial vena cava (LCVC) was found in a normal horse. The LCVC was well developed, but there was a complete absence of the right cranial vena cava. The azygous vein was normally distributed on the right side of the thoracic vertebral bodies but passed ventral to the aortic arch to empty into the cranial vena cava on the left close to the origin of the aortic arch. The LCVC passed over the dorsal aspect of the left atrium to reach the coronary sulcus on the caudal aspect of the heart. The LCVC opened into the right atrium via a 5 cm diameter orifice (orifice of coronary sinus). ...
Regan PJ, Roberts JO, Feldberg L, Roberts AH.An estimated 3.5 million people ride horses in the United Kingdom (Cannon, 1989). Injuries consequent to falls are common (Edixhoven et al., 1981), but those sustained while leading horses are less well recognized. In eight cases inappropriate grip of the reins or halter rope while leading a horse or pony resulted in an avulsion injury to a finger or thumb. It is suggested that people at risk be informed of such injuries.
Goulden BE, Barnes GR, Quinlan TJ.This research presents a unique case of laryngospasm in a horse, a condition that is often observed in cats and other domestic animals, but rarely reported in horses. Traditional methodologies […]
Laber G.A case of Fasciola hepática infection in a horse in Austria is reported. Faeces became negative for P. hepática eggs after the horse was given niclofolan orally at 300 mg. per kg. body-weight.
This research article provides an update on equine disease surveillance in the UK, collated from various diagnostic laboratories and veterinary practices, and highlights potential biases in the data due to […]
Valdez H, Rook JS.A 10-year-old gelding was operated on for a depression fracture involving the frontal, lacrimal, and nasal bones. The fracture had been sustained 4 months prior to surgery and was healed. Fluorocarbon polymer and carbon fiber was implanted subperiosteally to reconstruct the defect, giving the animal a more cosmetic appearance.
Rothwell TL, Merritt GC, Middleton DJ, Rose RJ.The research article describes the possibility of a horse affected by pemphigus foliaceus, a type of uncommon skin disease that is normally observed in humans, characterized by shallow erosions, scales, […]