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.
McGavin MD, Fadok VA.Skin biopsy for histologic, immunofluorescent, parasitologic, and bacteriologic examination is a common procedure, but for maximum effectiveness the clinician must realize the importance of precautions to select the correct stage of lesion of different diseases; avoiding creating artifacts during removal and fixation; and give full details of history, clinical diagnosis, and differential diagnoses on the laboratory request sheet. Pathology reports describing the subtleties of histologic changes are difficult to write, particularly if the lesions are not specific. Overly long histologic reports...
Sullivan M, Burrell MH, McCandlish IA.A nine-and-a-half-year-old three quarters thoroughbred gelding was presented with unilateral epistaxis. The cause was a destructive, progressive haematoma in the left maxillary sinus. In all previous reports of progressive haematomata in the equine nasal cavity, the site of origin has been the ethmoidal labyrinth. Surgical removal of the progressive haematoma resulted in an apparent cure.
Bousfield GR, Ward DN.A method has been developed for the purification of equine lutropin (eLH) and equine follitropin (eFSH) from horse pituitary glands which attains high yields of both hormones in contrast to previous methods that were devoted to one or the other with inferior recovery of the hormones. Two-pass chromatography over CM-Sephadex was used to separate eLH from eFSH. Subsequent steps employing QAE (quaternary amino-ethyl)-Sephadex chromatography and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200 produced highly purified hormone preparations. Yields of purified eLH and eFSH were 110 and 60 mg/kg of frozen pituitari...
Mullaney TP, Brown CM, Watson GL, Brandt LA.An apparently new and emerging fatal hepatic disease affecting foals is described. Characteristics included evidence of hepatic failure, marked biliary hyperplasia, hepatocellular necrosis and occasionally fibrosis. Generally, the features of the disease appear to differ markedly from other hepatic diseases of neonatal foals.
Turner AS, Trotter GW.The case histories of 18 horses with hindlimb lameness attributed to fibrotic myopathy were reviewed. In 14 horses, the problem developed after trauma. In 5 others, it developed secondary to intramuscular injections. Other causes of the lameness were surgery, exertional injuries, and purpura hemorrhagica. Eleven of the horses were treated by resection of scar tissue or by semitendinosus myotenotomy. Postoperative complications included pressure necrosis under quill sutures (9 horses), acute disruption of the skin incision (2 horses), dehiscence of the wound during healing (2 horses), and prolo...
Stewart KA, Genetzky RM.Weight loss, poor growth and dysphagia occurred in a young stallion with some teeth missing, and soft, discolored and/or deformed deciduous incisors, premolars and molars. At necropsy, permanent teeth sites were filled with yellow, gelatinous material. Clinical signs suggested fluorosis but laboratory findings did not confirm the diagnosis.
Turner AS, White N, Ismay J.Thirty-five horses with a history of crib biting or wind sucking were treated with a modification of the Forssell procedure. The technique involved bilateral neurectomy of the ventral branch of the accessory nerve combined with excision of a portion of the omohyoideus, sternohyoideus, and sternothyroideus muscles. Twenty horses became free of the vice, while in 11 there was a noticeable reduction in frequency of the vice. Four horses returned to crib biting/wind sucking at the same intensity as before surgery. The observation time following each operation was at least 12 months. Complications ...
Sellers AF, Lowe JE, Rendano VT.Transmission of intestinal content with respect to wall position and intraluminal pressure was studied using implanted catheters in portions of the haustrated left ventral colon and nonhaustrated pelvic flexure and left dorsal colon in 3 conscious, standing, and feeding ponies. Wall position and content movement was studied in 1 noncatheterized conscious pony that was standing and eating. When coordinated wall movements involving greater than or equal to 30 cm of adjacent colon were seen, point-to-point content movement accompanied intraluminal pressure peaks occurring in the same direction. N...
Coggins L.Presently available data continue to support the idea that once a horse is infected with equine infectious anemia virus it remains infected indefinitely. Infection may not always be demonstrated by inoculation of plasma, serum, or whole blood transfusions into susceptible recipients, but transfusions of fresh whole blood will be infective in at least 95% of the horses testing positive in the agar gel immunodiffusion test. For detection of infectivity in a small percentage of inapparent carriers, it appears necessary to inoculate washed leukocytes collected over a period of time.
Valberg SJ, McKinnon AO.Five horses with fatal clostridial cellulitis are described. The characteristic findings were the rapid development of a crepitant swelling with an associated toxemia, which in four cases followed intramuscular injections. The clinical features, diagnostic techniques and pathogenesis are discussed. The importance of an early diagnosis is emphasized.
Pearson JE, Knowles RC.In 1972 the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) established requirements that horses which had immunodiffusion antibody against equine infectious anemia could not be transported interstate. Forty-two states had regulations requiring that horses have a negative equine infectious anemia immunodiffusion test before movement. In order to standardize immunodiffusion testing, it was stipulated in the 1972 regulations that tests must be performed in approved laboratories. The approved laboratories were required to have personnel trained in the immunodiffusion test procedure, to follow the standard pr...
Kalhoro AB, Rex MA.Twenty-one horses undergoing clinical surgery and diagnostic procedures received 15% glyceryl guaiacolate followed by a rapid intravenous injection of a thiobarbiturate for induction of anaesthesia. Premedication was with atropine and acepromazine. Induction was smooth and free from problems apart from transient apnoea in some horses. Maintenance of anaesthesia was with oxygen and halothane administered by means of a closed circle system with soda-lime absorber and with the vaporiser out of circuit. During the period immediately following induction, the heart rate increased and the respiratory...
Owen RA, Marsh JA, Hallett FR, Lumsden JH, Johnson J.Methylprednisolone acetate was injected repeatedly into both intercarpal joints of a horse that had a 3rd carpal bone fracture in 1 limb. Synovial fluid from intercarpal and radiocarpal joints of both limbs were obtained serially for study. Arthropathy developed in the fractured joint following prolonged corticosteroid therapy and exercise. In the corticosteroid-injected normal joint, the hyaluronic acid concentration initially decreased, then increased. A depletion in cartilage matrix was seen at necropsy, 175 days after onset of treatment. Determination of total protein content in synovial f...
Thurmon JC, Steffey EP, Zinkl JG, Woliner M, Howland D.Xylazine given IV at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/kg to mares caused a significant (P less than 0.05) dose-related increase in serum glucose concentration and urine volume. Serum glucose concentrations as much as 150 mg/dl were recorded in mares after they were given the largest xylazine dose. The greatest urine volume, similar to changes in peak glucose concentration, always occurred during the first hour after dosing with xylazine and averaged 1.82, 3.93, and 5.68 ml/kg/hour after the 0.5-, 1.0-, and 1.5-mg/kg doses, respectively, were given. Urine osmolality and specific gravity were signi...
Silberzahn P, Rashed F, Zwain I, Leymarie P.An homogenate from cortical tissue of mare adrenals was incubated in the presence of tritiated pregnenolone. The (3H) androstenedione and the (3H) testosterone synthesized during the incubation were extracted, purified, and co-crystallized to constant specific activity in the presence of unlabeled carriers. The rate of conversion of pregnenolone to androstenedione and testosterone was of the order of 5 and 0.15 per cent respectively. The high ratio of (3H) androstenedione to (3H) testosterone observed in this study suggests that androstenedione is the main androgen produced by mare adrenals. I...
Reef VB, Dyson SS, Beech J.Three horses with equine lymphosarcoma were examined because of clinical signs including chronic weight loss, respiratory distress, peripheral edema, and chronic colic. Clinicopathologic findings included evidence of an immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia also was diagnosed in 1 of the horses and suspected in another. One horse died in spite of treatment, 1 died 5 hours after surgical removal of a tumor encircling the jejunum, and 1 was euthanatized because of deteriorating condition. Necropsy of each horse revealed extensive neoplastic infiltration of peripheral...
Pipers FS, Zent W, Holder R, Asbury A.Ultrasonographic detection of pregnancy was performed in 952 Thoroughbred mares. Characteristic images were obtained between 12 and 55 days after breeding. Twins in the same uterine horn as well as twins in opposite horns were imaged, and for the first few months of gestation appeared similar to single pregnancies. Growth curves as a function of time were developed, utilizing horizontal diameters of the blastocysts versus breeding dates. Comparisons between horizontal and vertical diameters demonstrated no appreciable differences when observed as a group. Growth curves derived from twins did n...
Henderson LL, Warren JC.Estradiol 17 alpha-dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.148) and estradiol 17 beta-dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.62) from horse placenta have been purified to homogeneity. Both enzymes are localized in the microsomal fraction and are solubilized in 1.5% sodium cholate. The 17 alpha- and 17 beta-dehydrogenases are separated by selective elution from hydroxylapatite with 0.5 and 1.0 M potassium phosphate, respectively. Subsequent purification is achieved by two affinity-absorption steps using reactive blue 2-agarose and estriol hemisuccinate-Sepharose. Homogeneous estradiol 17 alpha-dehydrogenase has a specific ac...
Nolan AM, Hall LW.The effects of four intravenous combinations, xylazine (0.7 mg/kg)/methadone (0.1 mg/kg), xylazine (0.7 mg/kg)/buprenorphine (0.004 and 0.006 mg/kg) and acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg)/buprenorphine (0.006 mg/kg) on arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood gases were studied in four experimental ponies. With xylazine/buprenorphine and xylazine/methadone onset of sedation was rapid and obvious and although no surgical or diagnostic procedures were carried out, sedation was judged to be satisfactory for the next 30 to 40 minutes. Onset of sedation after ...
Moore BR, Moore RM.Clinical examination of the equine patient with acute abdominal pain should identify the affected body system and yield a provisional diagnosis. Determination of signalment, history, physical examination, and basic laboratory tests should assist in classification of the gastrointestinal disorder and direct the therapeutic plan. Determination of the definitive diagnosis of abdominal pain based on clinical examination is not crucial. For a successful outcome, efforts should be directed toward early recognition of the need for surgery and treatment of cardiovascular compromise in horses with seve...
Sweeney CR, Sweeney RW, Raker CW, Freeman DE.A 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly had a pharyngeal abscess causing obstruction of the upper respiratory tract. Diagnosis was made by a combination of endoscopy, biopsy, cytology, and radiography. Treatment with antimicrobials and analgesics resulted in successful resolution of the abscess.