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.
Jeffcott LB.The survey comprised 443 horses, referred to the clinical department of the Equine Research Station, with a history of a thoracolumbar (TL) complaint. A wide range of lesions were capable of producing back problems and more than one condition or site of injury was found in 75 animals (17 per cent). There were 103 horses (19.7 per cent) with no evidence of damage to the TL spine or its associated structures. In 66 of these cases, clinical signs were attributed to a variety of hindlimb lamenesses and, in 37, no specific diagnosis could be made. Soft tissue injury was diagnosed in 203 cases (38.8...
Dodman NH.Drugs and drug combinations currently in use for chemical restraint of the horse are discussed with a view to establishing their likely usefulness to the practising veterinary surgeon. Acepromazine maleate and xylazine hydrochloride are considered to be the most useful tranquillisers in spite of their limitations. A xylazine-methadone sequence is described for more profound chemical restraint and the possible future role of ketamine and glyceryl guaiacolate in combination with other agents to produce recumbency is discussed.
Parry BW, Gay CC, McCarthy MA.Eighteen horses were used to investigate the influence of head position on arterial blood pressure, measured indirectly at the coccygeal artery. Head height significantly altered systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure, such that head-lowering decreased and head-raising increased all variables.
Benson TJ, Nerem RM, Pedley TJ.Time dependent wall shear rates cannot be directly or accurately measured in arteries using presently available techniques. Here a simple method is presented for calculating them from a single measured velocity waveform (either centreline or cross-sectionally averaged velocity). The method involves only Fourier analysis and the application of given formulae, and it is expected to be approximately valid in any segment of artery which has no branches or sharp curves for a distance of several diameters. It is shown, however, that a frequency response of 30 Hz is required in the velocity measuring...
Pemberton DH, Thomas KW, Terry MJ.The prevalence of hypogammaglobulinaemia in 82 young foals was determined. Twelve foals were considered clinically abnormal at birth and ten died within two weeks. All of these foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic. Seven (10%) of the other 70 apparently normal foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic despite having suckled normally. Three of these foals developed significant disease and one died at one month of age. Rapid detection of foals with low serum immunoglobulin levels was achieved by adapting the zinc sulphate turbidity test to partially evacuated blood collection tubes. This permitted test to ...
Crichlow EC, Yoshida K, Wallace K.Over a period of 4 months, in winter, the mean concentration of airborne particles in the ambient air of a riding stable was 0.41 mg/m3. This value was significantly higher than that found outdoors (0.04 mg/m3). During the day, levels of airborne particles were highest when stalls were cleaned and soiled bedding from the previous night replenished, and lowest when all stable activities had ceased. Fine particles, capable of entering the pulmonary alveoli, constituted 30 to 40 per cent of the total mass concentration of airborne particles.
Brouwer GJ, Hall LW, Kuchel TR.The effects of combining large doses of xylazine (1.1 mg per kg intravenously) with ketamine, methohexitone and thiopentone were studied in four experimental ponies. Onset of anaesthesia was more delayed after ketamine than after the barbiturates. Assessment of smoothness of induction and recovery indicated that all three combinations were effective and acceptable. Injection of xylazine was followed by atrioventricular (A-V) block which could be prevented by the prior administration of atropine. Blood pressure was well maintained with all three combinations of drugs. Arterial oxygen tension de...
Irwin DH, Howell DW.Several indications for swimming horses are recalled. A satisfactory pool and the technique for its use are described. Some observations on the effect on swimming are offered.
McDonald GK.A six year old Percheron mare was presented with a history of spontaneous unilateral epistaxis of 24 hours duration. The blood one stage prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times were markedly prolonged. A diagnosis of moldy sweetclover poisoning was made on the basis of the history and clinical and laboratory findings. A single whole blood transfusion and four daily intravenous injections of vitamin K(3) proved to be a successful treatment.
Sahu SP, Dardiri AH.Uterine, cervical, and clitoral specimens on swabs from pony mares infected with contagious equine equine metritis (CEM) bacteria were streaked on agar plates. Colonies of CEM bacteria were observed under CO2 incubation in 2 days on Eugon chocolate agar and Eugon blood agar plates. The diameter of the colonies varied from 0.2 mm to 1 mm in 2 days which increased to 0.3 mm to 2.0 mm on day 4. The colonies on Eugon chocolate agar plates on days 2 to 4 were shiny, brown, round, and convex, and easily glided when pushed with a loop. The diameter of the colonies on chocolate and blood agar plates m...
Valdez H, Clark RG, Hanselka DV.Flexible medical grade carbon fiber was surgically implanted in tenectomized or lacerated superficial and deep digital flexor tendons of 13 horses (7 clinical cases and 6 experimental), ranging in age from 15 months to 10 years and weighing 300 to 500 kg. The 6 experimental horses were euthanatized at 30-, 45-, 60-, and 90-day intervals for gross and histologic evaluation of the results. Three of the experimental horses served as their own controls. Of the 7 clinically affected horses, 3 were euthanatized because they developed laminitis or the wound failed to heal. The remaining 4 horses in t...
Beacham BE, Cooper PH, Buchanan CS, Weary PE.We describe four patients with panniculitis attributable to a combination of cold exposure and equestrian activities. All were young, healthy women who rode horses for at least two consecutive hours per day throughout the winter. Initially, several small, erythematosus, pruritic papules appeared on the superior-lateral portions of one or both thighs. During one week, the lesions progressed to indurated, red-to-violaceous,tender plaques and nodules. Studies for cryofibrinogens and cryoglobulins were negative. The histologic picture was that of a panniculitis with prominent inflammation of veins...
Archer M.The pasture needs for horses as compared to those for farm livestock are reviewed. The differing preferences of various types of grasses and other plants, and the patterns of grazing seen on"horse-sick" pastures, are discussed. Suggestions for practical management include frequent collection and removal of droppings, the use of grazing by cattle, adequate rest from horses and the application of cattle manure. Methods for controlling weeds and renovating horse-sick paddocks are discussed and compared to ploughing up. Finally, the place of fertilisers is considered for use on pastures for horses...
Taylor NR.A case of balanoposthitis involving injury to a yearling colt's penis and prepuce is described. Details are given of the Vennerhalm or reefing operation which was used to relieve the penile prolapse and paraphimosis accompanying the condition.
Thompson AC, Mochal-King C.Hypoparathyroidism is an uncommon endocrine disorder in the horse characterized by a transient or permanent parathyroid hormone insufficiency. Hypoparathyroidism is associated with hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, primarily presenting with clinical signs consistent with hypocalcemia. This case report describes clinical presentation and treatment of a horse with severe hypocalcemia due to primary hypoparathyroidism. A 17-year-old, 542 kg Quarter Horse gelding presented for shaking and tremors. Significant findings include generalized muscle fasciculations, synchronous diaphragmatic flutter, ...
Menard L, Marcoux M, Halle G.A case of unilateral front leg lameness with bone changes in the pedal bone suggestive of osteodystrophia fibrosa cystica is reported in an eight year old crossbred gelding. The changes were diagnosed at postmortem examination. The known possible causes are briefly reviewed.
Menzies-Gow NJ, Patterson-Kane JC, McGowan CM.The clinical signs of chronic nodular panniculitis in a three-year-old mare were consistent with a diagnosis of sterile nodular panniculitis, but the mare had histopathological signs of both generalised steatitis and sterile nodular panniculitis. The mare was deficient in vitamin E and selenium.
Salvadori MC, Rieser EM, Ribeiro Neto LM, Nascimento ES.The seeds of Guaraná are rich in xanthines and are used for the preparation of guaraná powder which is very commonly given to horses as a 'tonic' in Brazil. In this paper, the xanthine content of guaraná powder was determined, in addition to its clearance time in horses. Thin-layer chromatography was used as a screening procedure and high-performance liquid chromatography was performed to quantify the drugs in both the powder and urine samples. The guaraná powder was found to contain 2.16, 1.10 and 36.78 mg g-1 of theobromine (TB), theophylline (TP) and caffeine (CF), respectively, and in ...
Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.A Dutch Warmblood yearling stallion was referred for skin lesions, oedema and diarrhoea. At rectal palpation a cecocolonic intussusception was diagnosed, that might have been present for at least one week. A short literature review of cecocolonic intussusception is given.