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.
Dixon PM, McGorum B.Two horses on separate farms developed severe obstructive pulmonary disease in successive years during the early summer months. In both cases clinical remission of the respiratory distress was achieved by moving the animals to different environments. The suggested aetiology for this outdoor chronic respiratory disease is a pulmonary allergy to pollen. Both animals were also shown to suffer from classical chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, i.e., obstructive pulmonary disease in the presence of hay and, or, straw.
Chaffin MK, Ruoff WW, Schmitz DG, Carter GK, Morris EL, Steyn P.The research paper documents a case of Hypertrophic Osteopathy (HO) in a young Arabian horse, where response to treatment and significant regression of the disease following management of an intrathoracic […]
van den Bogert AJ, van Weeren PR, Schamhardt HC.In movement analysis of the horse, large errors result from movements of the skin with respect to the underlying bones. A generally applicable, two-dimensional, method for correction of these skin-movement errors in kinematic data has been developed. It was tested on a kinematic analysis of the hindlimb in a walking pony. The results indicate that without correction for skin-movement errors, misreadings of up to 15 degrees in the knee angle and 30% in the moment arm of the gastrocnemius muscle can be expected.
Sutherland IH.Following the development of a unique claim structure encompassing both nematode and arthropod species, ivermectin was first introduced as a veterinary parasiticide in 1981. For cattle(c), sheep(s), horses(h) and pigs(p) injectable(c,s,p), oral(c,s,h) and topical(c) products are available delivering ivermectin at 200 to 500 micrograms/kg. Efficacy extends to nematodes of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, conjunctival sac and soft tissues. Among the arthropod parasites claims have been established for the biting fly Haematobia irritans(c), the screw-worm Chrysomyia bezziana(c), larva...
Auer DE, Ng JC, Seawright AA.The effect of oxygen derived free radicals (ODFR) upon the specific viscosity of equine synovial fluid was studied. ODFR were generated either by a mixture of ferrous iron and EDTA (Fe/EDTA) or by a mixture of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase (HX/XO). Incubation of the synovial fluid with both free radical generating systems decreased its specific viscosity. When the synovial fluid was incubated with Fe/EDTA the specific viscosity of the synovial fluid was reduced rapidly. By 2 mins, it was 53 +/- 3 per cent of the original specific viscosity and by 30 mins it was reduced to 39 +/- 5 per cent...
Jann HW, Stein LE, Good JK.Size 3-0 polydioxanone was used as a single strand, single braid (3 strands), or double braid (6 strands) to create six suture material-pattern combinations for equine tenorrhaphy: single-strand locking loop, single-braid locking loop, double-braid locking loop, single-strand three-loop pulley, single-braid three-loop pulley, and double-braid three-loop pulley. Maximum load to failure for the single-strand locking loop (46.1 +/- 2.9 newtons [N]) was less than for all other sutures (range, 103-155 N). The load required to form a 2 mm gap between tendon ends was greater for the single-braid thre...
Schulz KS, Simmons TR, Johnson R.An 8-year-old mare was presented to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine Large Animal Clinic for evaluation of anorexia, fever and icterus. The mare had a 5-day history of anorexia, depression and tongue protrusion. Diagnostic procedures included serum hepatic enzyme activities, serum bile acid concentrations, blood ammonia evaluations and hepatic ultrasound and ultrasound guided biopsy. The history, clinical pathology and histopathology in this case supported a probable diagnosis of primary septic cholangiohepatitis.
Pringle JK, Ducharme NG, Baird JD.Ureterovesicular anastomosis resulted in resolution of the clinical signs of urinary incontinence in three horses with unilateral ectopic ureter. Follow-up of two of the horses ten months and three years later indicated no further urinary tract problems; the third horse died four days after surgery from intestinal infarction.Diagnosis can be readily confirmed by antegrade or retrograde ureterography, or endoscopic visualization of the ectopic ureteral openings. Nephrectomy appears indicated in cases of unilateral ectopic ureter with associated ipsilateral urinary tract infection or hydronephro...
Specht TE, Colahan PT.Eleven horses with acute or chronic incomplete cortical fractures of the left or right third metacarpal bone (McIII) were treated with surgical puncture (osteostixis). The fractures were diagnosed by physical examination and radiography. Four to eight holes, 2.7 or 3.5 mm in diameter, were drilled in the fractured bone. Radiographically, the fractures were healed by month 3, and the drill holes were inapparent by month 7. Nine horses (82%) returned to race competition, and two horses were retired, one the result of a surgical complication. The mean time between surgery and the first race was 9...
Waelchli RO, Hässig M, Eggenberger E, Nussbaumer M.A colostrum sample was collected within 24 h after foaling from 27 mares and from 10 other mares a milk sample was collected several weeks post partum. Immunoglobulin G concentrations were determined quantitatively by radial immunodiffusion and semi-quantitatively using a commercial latex agglutination test. Total protein, specific gravity, viscosity and refractive index were determined and their relationships to the immunoglobulin G concentration analysed. All parameters correlated with the immunoglobulin G concentration. The latex agglutination test divided the colostrum samples into three g...
Cornick JL.A 2-year-old Trakehner filly with pulmonary histoplasmosis is presented. Clinical signs included weight loss, intermittent fever, dyspnea and depression. Diagnosis was based on thoracic radiography, transtracheal wash cytology and lung aspirate cytology. A 5-week regimen of Amphotercin-B administered intravenously resulted in clinical recovery and return of the animal to normal activity. A brief review of histoplasmosis in man and animal is included.
Franke D, Maasch HJ, Wahl R, Schultze-Werninghaus G, Bretting H.We investigated five horse epithelial allergen extracts prepared from different qualities of raw material by several biochemical and immunochemical methods. Horse serum albumin and horse serum were used to identify serum-related antigens. We found high similarities as well as marked differences between the extracts. There were strong differences in the protein contents, the protein patterns obtained by isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the total allergenic activities obtained by radioallergosorbent test inhibition assays and the amounts and num...
Baird AN, Taylor JR, Watkins JP.Radiographically, osteolysis of the physis consistent with a septic physitis was observed in 3 foals. The foals were treated with surgical debridement and antimicrobials. Two of the horses were sound for use as adults; the third was euthanatized due to concurrent infectious arthritis and septicemia.
Komosa M, Flisińska-Bojanowska A, Gill J.1. In six foals and their mothers (of Standard breed) diurnal changes in the haemoglobin level, red blood cell number and mean corpuscular haemoglobin during the first 13 weeks of foal life were studied. 2. Studies begun when a foal reached 7 days of age and were repeated every two weeks till 13 weeks of foal life. Blood was taken every 6 hr in foals and every 4 hr in mares. 3. No diurnal rhythmicity in parameters studied either in foals or in mares was found. 4. Decrease of haemoglobin level in lactating mares (14.0-12.5 g/100 ml) without changes in red blood cell number were observed. Mean c...
McCarthy RN, Jeffcott LB, McCartney RN.Ultrasound speed, as measured by a transmission technique in equine cortical bone, was found to vary markedly with the direction of the ultrasound path through the bone. Using bone samples from the mid-site of the third metacarpus of 20 horses, the ultrasound speed was measured as 4125 m s-1 in the longitudinal direction, 3442 m s-1 in the circumferential or transverse direction, and 3428 m s-1 in the radial direction. These results confirm the anisotropic properties of compact bone. Ultrasound speed had a positive linear relationship when compared with bone specific gravity of cortical bone (...
Harris RC, Foster CV.Treadmill exercise in Thoroughbred horses of 2 min duration and increasing intensity resulted in increased formation and accumulation of acetylcarnitine in the working middle gluteal muscle. At high work intensities a plateau in acetylcarnitine formation was reached corresponding to approximately 70% of the total carnitine pool (approx. 30 mmol.kg-1 dry muscle). Formation of acetylcarnitine was mirrored by an equal fall in the free carnitine content, which stabilised, at the highest work intensities, at around 8 mmol.kg-1 dry muscle. Acetylcarnitine and carnitine reached their point of maximum...
van der Velden MA, Rutgers LJ.During a 10 year period, 18 horses were treated surgically because of visceral prolapse after castration. Surgery was successful in six cases of omental prolapse and in eight out of 12 cases of intestinal prolapse. To minimise the risk of visceral prolapse, the authors prefer half-closed castration, with proper ligation of the parietal vaginal tunic, to open castration. If adequate treatment is started promptly, prognosis in cases of visceral prolapse is favourable.
Heath SE, Bell RJ, Chirino-Trejo M, Schuh JC, Harland RJ.Four horses from the same farm developed clinical signs of botulism during the winter months; three of these horses died. One horse survived an initial attack and recovered over a three-week period, but died during a second attack. The horse that survived took six weeks to recover. Clinical and postmortem examination ruled out other causes of disease. Confirmation of the diagnosis was made by isolation of Clostridium botulinum type C toxin from the dirt in the bottom of an oak feedtrough used by all horses, and from the colonic contents of one of the horses that died. To our knowledge, this is...
Jacob RJ, Price R, Bouchey D, Davis T, Borchelt J.This article reviews the findings on temperature sensitivity of equine herpesvirus isolates with an emphasis on equine herpesvirus 3, etiological agent of equine coital exanthema. The hypothesis is presented that the relative apathogenic nature of this herpesvirus may be an indirect result of its inability to synthesize and/or process glycoproteins needed by the virus to produce infectious virions at the normal body temperature of its natural host. It is suggested that equine herpesvirus 3 is the more evolved and naturally attenuated member of the equine herpesviruses.
Allen WE, Newcombe JR.The records of 200 pairs of consecutive pregnancies in mares showed that in 82 per cent of cases the second pregnancy was initially established in the opposite uterine horn to that of the first, irrespective of the parturition to conception interval. This relationship also occurred when the first pregnancy ended in abortion after 140 days but not if it terminated before this time.
Dwyer AE.Ophthalmic problems account for up to 20% of emergencies in equine practice. Presenting problems may involve the periocular region, adnexa, or globe. Practitioners must have the experience to restrain horses with painful ocular conditions and the knowledge of how to perform a thorough eye examination. A range of clinical skills is required for the necessary diagnostic tests such as corneal cytology, ultrasound and tonometry, and common standing surgical procedures such as eyelid repair or instillation of a subpalpebral lavage system. Therapy, which may involve frequent administration of multip...
Brommer H, Schipper P, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.Records of lame horses (2004-2007) with (peri-)synovial pain of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ, n = 53), digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS, n = 20), and distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ, n = 31) were evaluated (n = 104). Cases were grouped according to the following treatments: (1) systemic administration of NSAIDs (n = 40); (2) intrasynovial administration of glucocorticosteroids (n = 30); (3) combination treatment (n = 34). Outcome was defined as successful when the owner reported that the horse had returned to its previous level of performance within a period of up to six months aft...
Sparks HD, Stick JA, Brakenhoff JE, Cramp PA, Spirito MA.3 foals were referred for treatment of tympany of the auditory tube diverticulum (guttural pouch). Results: Bilateral guttural pouch tympany was diagnosed in all 3 foals on the basis of clinical signs and results of radiographic and endoscopic evaluations and gutturocentesis. In each foal, previous medical or surgical interventions or both had failed to correct the problem. Results: Bilateral surgical resection of the plica salpingopharyngeus was performed. Follow-up telephone interviews with owners 8 months to 3 years after surgery revealed that long-term resolution of the tympany had been ac...
Matthews NS.This article briefly reviews physiologic changes that may occur with aging in equine patients. It summarizes anesthetic protocols and problems encountered in a group of older horses (> 20 years old) anesthetized over the previous 10 years in the teaching hospital and makes recommendations for appropriate management of these patients.
Bertone JJ.Often in emergency situations minimal data are collected, decisions are made, manipulations are performed, and therapeutics are administered without the collection of complete data sets that would indicate a detailed history and laboratory analysis. The incomplete clinical analysis may lead to occasional mistakes, but most often expediency is necessary and admirable. This article presents a clinical approach to emergency patients that requires minimal data collection in the face of the need for timely decision development. Medicolegal considerations are addressed briefly.