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.
Ford TS, Ross MW, Orsini PG.Three techniques for inducing analgesia of the proximal metacarpal region were evaluated for the frequency of inadvertent injection into the middle carpal and carpometacarpal joints. Using methylene blue solution as a marker dye and 30 fresh cadaver specimens each, three clinicians performed either 30 infiltrations at the origin of the suspensory ligament (method A), 30 palmar and palmar metacarpal nerve blocks at the proximal end of the metacarpus (method B), or 30 palmar and palmar metacarpal nerve blocks at the distal aspect of the accessory carpal bone (method C). The frequency of inadvert...
Stephens PR, Richardson DW, Ross MW, Ford TS.The anatomy of the dorsal pouch of the proximal intertarsal joint (PIJ) and its communication with the tarsocrural joint (TCJ) was studied in 15 pairs of hocks from young and mature horses. The mediolateral length of the TCJ-PIJ fenestration was 14 to 29 mm. The potential volume of the dorsal pouch of the PIJ was 3 to 5 ml, and a recess extended 10 to 28 mm medial to the medial commissure of the TCJ-PIJ fenestration. In a correlated clinical study, osteochondral fragments were identified radiographically within the dorsal pouch (category 1) or dorsal joint capsule (category 2) of the PIJ in 17...
ter Laak EA, Fennema G, Jaartsveld FH.Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) was detected in the Netherlands for the first time in 1987. A total number of five mares (Dutch saddle-horse) were infected in three separate outbreaks. The origin of the infection could not be determined in any of the cases. As the isolates of the causal organism, Taylorella equigenitalis, showed auto-agglutination, diagnosis was difficult. Therefore, an indirect immune fluorescence test as used to diagnose the second isolate. Five strains were isolated, which all were resistant to streptomycin. The prevalence of CEM since 1981 is summarised. The importance of...
Holland RE, Sriranganathan N, DuPont L.Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was isolated from a 3-day-old foal with diarrhea. The isolate was distinguished from nonpathogenic E coli by determining the presence of pili and enterotoxin production. A standard slide agglutination test was performed, using pooled antisera that contained antibodies against K99 and F41 pilus antigens, K87 capsular antigen, and 0101 somatic antigen. Agglutination of the antisera occurred in the presence of the isolate. Piliation was verified by use of negative-contrast electron microscopy. Further, the isolate produced a heat-labile enterotoxin-like antigen th...
Doonan GR, Brown CM, Mullaney TP, Brooks DB, Ulmanis EG, Slanker MR.Several hundred Michigan horses were accidentally exposed to varying levels of monensin. Severity of effects was proportional to the level of feed contamination; sudden death resulted on at least two premises. Acute signs of cardiovascular impairment occurred on one premises having received feed containing over 200 grams of monensin per tonne. Gross and histological postmortem lesions consisted of acute myocardial necrosis. Although only circumstantially confirmed, investigations led to the suspicion that the source of poisoning was a ration formulation error in a feedmill in southwestern Onta...
Parks AH, Guy BL, Rawlings CA, Constantino MJ.A 5-year-old mare was evaluated for lameness and swelling of the right forelimb. Clinical findings, including peripheral edema, venous pulsation, palpable thrill in the cephalic vein, disparate arteriovenous oxygen tension differences between the left and right forelimbs, and Branham sign, were suggestive of arteriovenous fistula. Failure to identify the fistula by angiography was attributed to closure of the shunt during anesthesia. Surgical exploration of the affected limb to identify the shunt also was unsuccessful.
Henry M, Prasse K, White S.Multiple myeloma was diagnosed in a 3-month-old Quarter Horse foal with chronic weight loss, chronic bronchopneumonia, and epistaxis. The foal had pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and monoclonal beta-globulinemia. Bone marrow aspirates contained between 80 and 90% plasma cells.
Sweeney CR, Leary HJ, Ziemer EL, Spencer PA.Water vapor-saturated air was delivered to 12 healthy, housed horses for 2 hours daily for 5 days. Treatment had no effect on tracheal mucus transport rate, bronchoalveolar lavage total and differential cell counts, blood cell counts, or plasma fibrinogen concentration.
Ray AC, Kyle AL, Murphy MJ, Reagor JC.In addition to the 3-striped blister beetles (Epicauta temexa and E occidentalis), other sources of equine cantharidin toxicosis were identified at the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory and included E albida and E attrivittata and the previously incriminated E pardalis and E pennsylvanica. Improved methods for diagnosing cantharidin or blister beetle toxicosis involve partial purification of urine and gastric content extracts, using silica cartridges, followed by analysis, using capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. During a 26-month period, 53 episodes of cantharidin to...
Voss KA, Norred WP, Plattner RD, Bacon CW.Currently there is no convenient bioassay to determine the potential toxicity of corn naturally contaminated with Fusarium moniliforme. A short-term bioassay would be useful for future investigations aimed at isolating as yet unidentified toxins produced by this fungus. Two groups of five male Sprague-Dawley rats were each fed one of two F. moniliforme contaminated corn samples, designated CS-1 and CS-2, that were associated with separate field cases of equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM). A control group, also consisting of five male rats, was fed uncontaminated seed corn. All animals survive...
Hinrichs K, Frazer GS, deGannes RV, Richardson DW, Kenney RM.Serous cystadenoma was diagnosed by histologic examination of a large ovary removed from a 16-year-old Thoroughbred mare with normal estrous cycles. Palpation and ultrasound examination per rectum had revealed an excessive number of follicles in the right ovary. The ovulation fossa was palpable on the right ovary, and the left ovary appeared to have normal activity. Plasma testosterone values were high at the time of examination (0.15 ng/ml), but decreased to normal values (0.09 ng/ml) after removal of the cystadenoma.
Bernard WV, Reef VB, Reimer JM, Humber KA, Orsini JA.Small-intestinal intussusceptions were diagnosed in 3 foals. Cross-sectional ultrasonography through the apex of the intussusceptum revealed a target-like pattern with a thick hypoechoic rim. The thick hypoechoic rim was caused by severe edema of the entering and returning walls of the intussusceptum. At the more proximal portion of the intestines, where parietal edema was less severe, the image appeared as 2 concentric rings and an inner circular area. The outer ring and inner circular area were hypoechoic and represented the returning and the entering wall of the intussusceptum. An additiona...
Edwards DJ, Brownlow MA, Hutchins DR.Urine and blood samples were taken at the same time from normal adult horses presented for routine investigations to establish reference values for a variety of parameters reported to be useful in the clinical evaluation of renal function. Blood biochemical values were consistent with previous studies and had well-defined normal ranges. Parameters representing urine concentration and electrolyte excretion however, varied widely reflecting the ability of the healthy kidney to change the composition of urine in response to differences in environment and management. Percent creatinine clearance r...
Gibson KT, McIlwraith CW, Turner AS, Stashak TS, Aanes WA, Trotter GW.A retrospective study was made of 58 horses with open joint injuries admitted to the veterinary teaching hospital. Twenty-five (43%) were admitted within 24 hours of injury, 15 (26%) were examined 2 to 7 days after injury, and 18 (31%) were evaluated a week or more after the initial injury. The joints of the lower portions of the limbs most commonly were affected, with injuries that varied from puncture wounds to severe lacerations with soft tissue deficits. Diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical signs and results of synovial fluid analysis and radiography. Radiography was found to be an ...
Rossmanith W, Horvath E.After electrophoretic separation in SDS-PAGE structural proteins of the virus of Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) were easily blotted by the semi-dry-blotting method onto nitrocellulose filters. Strips of these filters were used for antibody demonstration, and positive reactions thereof were intensified by a biotin-avidin-peroxidase system. Sensitivity of this system was so high as to allow readable interpretation of bands up to the dilution of 1:6,400 of a strongly positive serum. Frequently this procedure allowed to make a firm diagnostic Western-Blot diagnosis on far weaker equine sera. Inter...
Lofstedt RM, Patel JH.In our experience, altrenogest has not always been able to exert predictable control over the estrous cycle of the mare. Therefore, we examined 12 mares that were treated with altrenogest to identify reasons for its failure to control the estrous cycle. The mares were fed altrenogest for 15 to 20 days and were examined for follicle development, ovulation, and corpus luteum formation during treatment. Through the use of real-time ultrasonography and radioimmunoassay for progesterone, we concluded that altrenogest was unable to suppress the growth of follicles to preovulatory size in some mares,...
Whalley JM, Robertson GR, Scott NA, Hudson GC, Bell CW, Woodworth LM.A gene in equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1; equine abortion virus) equivalent to the gB glycoprotein gene of herpes simplex virus (HSV) has been identified by DNA hybridization and nucleotide sequencing. A 4.3 kbp EHV-1 PstI-ClaI sequence (0.40 to 0.43 map units) contained an open reading frame flanked by appropriate control elements and was capable of encoding a polypeptide of 980 amino acids. This had 50 to 60% identity over a 617 amino acid conserved region with the gB gene products of HSV and three other alphaherpesviruses, and 20 to 30% identity with those of human cytomegalovirus and Epstein-...
Cook BR.Twenty-five years ago Williams and Sweatman suggested that in Great Britain there are two subspecies of Echinococcus granulosus--E. granulosus granulosus and E. granulosus equinus. Echinococcus granulosus granulosus does not mature either in foxes or in horses: E. granulosus equinus will mature in either. The prepatent period of E. granulosus granulosus in the definitive host is about 42 days while that of E. granulosus equinus is about 70 days. Each subspecies has a characteristic morphology. More recently, in the course of seven experiments, dogs, red foxes (Vulpes vulpes crucigera), arctic ...
Collins EA.Four cases of equine lameness were treated with intra-articular polysulphated glycosaminoglycan. Two, two-year-old flat racers were treated conservatively after traumatic injury. They subsequently became lame owing to the formation of new bone and osteophytes. Two older steeplechasers were lame owing to degenerative joint disease. The four horses were treated with intra-articular injections of polysulphated glycosaminoglycans and, after three or four injections, they became clinically sound and were able to continue racing with varying degrees of success.
Santschi EM, Juzwiak JS, Slone DE.Three monorchid colts were admitted for castration as cryptorchids. Two colts each had one normal descended testis, and the third colt had a small testis in the abdomen. Monorchidism was diagnosed at surgery by locating an incomplete epididymis without a testis. After the incomplete epididymis and other testis were removed, the absence of testicular tissue was confirmed by results of a human chorionic gonadotropin response test.
Hong CB, Donahue JM.Abortion caused by Campylobacter fetus subsp fetus was diagnosed in a 7-month-old equine fetus. The fetus was small for its gestational age. Macroscopically, the proximal portion of the small intestine was hemorrhagic and its wall was thick. Histologically, the Brunner glands were distended with neutrophils, and the submucosa was thick, owing to fluid accumulation and/or cellular infiltrates. Curved bacteria were observed in the Brunner glands and intestinal glands. Campylobacter fetus subsp fetus was isolated from stomach contents, liver, and lungs, and was detected by dark-field microscopic ...
Reimer JM, Reef VB, Spencer PA.The medical records of 83 horses with pleuropneumonia and/or pulmonary abscessation, in which thoracic sonography was used, were reviewed. The sonograms of these horses were reviewed retrospectively for free gas echoes within pleural or abscess fluid. Anaerobic infection was confirmed in 27 horses, and gas echoes were observed in 21 horses. There was a significant (P less than 0.001) correlation between the observation of gas echoes and anaerobic infection in horses with pleuropneumonia and/or pulmonary abscessation. A foul odor to the breath or pleural fluid was significantly (P less than 0.0...
Held JP, Prater P, Toal RL, Blackford JT, McCracken M.A 7-year-old stallion with a history of abdominal pain after it fell was examined and found to have a swelling of the right testis and epididymis. Semen evaluation revealed an increase in secondary sperm abnormalities. The stallion was unilaterally castrated. The histologic diagnosis was sperm granuloma, with no evidence of infection. Periductal fibrosis was observed and appeared to have developed before the trauma occurred. The changes seen could be compatible with chronic blockade of efferent ductules, resulting in extravasation of spermatozoa.
Owen RA, Jagger DW, Quan-Taylor R.A caecocaecal intussusception in a pony and a caecocolic intussusception in a horse, both infected with Anoplocephala perfoliata, are described and the relevance of tapeworms in such intestinal disease of horses is reviewed.
Nappert G, Vrins A, Larivière N, Ochoa LN.The research paper looks at the accuracy and reproducibility of the Spencer hemoglobinometer, a device that rapidy determines equine hemoglobin concentration, particularly useful in emergency veterinary situations. Introduction of the […]
Heilkenbrinker T, Kossin C, Scherbarth R, Frerking H.In this paper, fertility relevant parameters which are routinely examined in practice were evaluated on the basis of their correlation to one another and their influence on the foaling rates and incidence of early embryonic death in 175 brood mares of the Hanover breeding stock. The aim was to evaluate the suitability of these parameters for inclusion in a scheme for increasing the precision of predicting the subsequent course of pregnancy, as compared to such prognoses based exclusively on the histological evaluation of the endometrium. After establishing the breeding history and completing a...
Fraser NS, Johnson AK, Wilborn RR, Dujovne GA, Nuehring L.Chlorhexidine gluconate solution is a potent antimicrobial and therefore could be used effectively for treatment of endometritis, but historically this substance has been implicated as irritating to mucous membranes, including the endometrium of the mare. The use of chlorhexidine hydrochloride suspension (Nolvasan Suspension, Zoetis, Florham Park, NJ, USA) was evaluated in the uterus of normal mares to determine if adverse effects on endometrial health were noted. Twelve healthy, adult light breed mares were included in this study. Procedures were approved by the Auburn University Institutiona...
Smyth GB, Taylor EG.A Salter-Harris type-II fracture of the proximal portion of the right femur in a 2-month-old filly was reduced and stabilized with three 6.5-mm-diameter, 100-mm-long cancellous bone screws through a dorsal approach to the right coxofemoral joint. The screws were removed after 11 months because the filly became lame in the affected limb. The surgical wounds dehisced despite preventive measures, most likely because of tightness of skin in the coxal region. Seven years after the original injury, the horse could perform vigorous paddock exercise without any disability. Early internal fixation of p...
Van Amstel SR, Ross M, van den Bergh SS.A case of maduromycosis mycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis is reported. The horse presented with multiple subcutaneous swelling over the right scapula. There were no discharging fistulae present. Macroscopically the lesion contained a black granular material embedded in a granulomatous mass. Microscopically large numbers of microcolonies were present containing segmented hyphae. No typical chlamydospores were observed. Cultures yielded a fungus identified as Madurella mycetomatis. Treatment consisted of surgical excision and local treatment with thiabendazole powder.
Velloso Alvarez A, Boone L, Horzmann K, Hanson RR.To combine laparoscopic techniques with natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (hybrid NOTES) to minimize number and enlargement of paralumbar laparoscopic portals for bilateral ovariectomy in standing, sedated mares. Methods: Case series. Methods: Six horses. Methods: Six mares with palpably normal ovaries were restrained in stocks, sedated, and had caudal epidural anesthesia performed. A 7.5 MHz ultrasound probe was used transvaginally to select placement of vaginotomy. An attempt was made to remove both ovaries with 70 cm esophageal forceps through the vaginotomy, while visualiz...