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.
Dowsett KF, Pattie WA.Semen was collected from 222 stallions of 13 breed or colour types in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. A total of 648 collection attempts were made, using an artificial vagina, during 4 consecutive breeding seasons (1974/5 to 1977/8). Modifications were made to the techniques used by previous workers because collections were made at commercial studs using minimal animal restraint. Of all collection attempts, 621 (96%) were successful, while at least one semen sample was collected from each of 216 stallions (97%). There were no significant relationships between stallion collect...
Vaden MF, Purohit RC, McCoy MD, Vaughan JT.Thermographic and radiographic evaluations of the tarsus (hock) were done on 20 Standardbred racehorses before and after exercise at three consecutive 6-week intervals. All horses were from the same stable and given the same care and training under identical schedules and conditions. Normal thermographic patterns were established before and after exercise. These patterns corresponded to the underlying tarsal vasculature. Postexercise thermal patterns indicated a warming trend, and the increases were uniform. Abnormal thermal patterns were more localized and did not conform to the normal underl...
Johnson L, Amann RP, Pickett BW.Spermatozoa from four regions of the epididymis and from ejaculated semen were evaluated for their resistance to cold shock, progressive motility, and structural stability. Spermatozoa were incubated at 38 C and their percentage of eosinophilia was compared with that of spermatozoa cooled to 0 C in 2 minutes, 10 C in 12 minutes, or 4 C in 22 minutes. Spermatozoa motility was estimated visually under phase-contrast microscopy and was recorded by cinematography. Structural stability of spermatozoa incubated in 0.05 M sodium borate buffer, 0.035 M sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 0.002 M dithiothrei...
Perryman LE, McGuire TC, Torbeck RL.The capacity of cells from thymus, liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, peripheral blood, and bone marrow to respond to in vitro phytolectin and allogeneic lymphocyte-stimulation was determined in 16 pony fetuses 61 to 200 days old (gestational age). Phytolectin-responsive cells were detected in the thymus at the 80th gestational day, peripheral blood at 120 days, lymph node at 160 days, and spleen at 200 days. Mixed lymphocyte culture-responsive cells were detected in thymus at 100 days and in the spleen at 200 days (gestational age). Immunoglobulins (Ig) M and IgG were quantitated by radio...
Cappugi G, Manao G, Camici G, Ramponi G.The amino acid sequence of horse muscle acylphosphatase is given in the present paper. The carboxymethylated enzyme consists of a single polypeptide chain of 98 amino acid residues with an acetyl group blocking the NH2 terminus and a tyrosine at the COOH terminus. The calculated molecular weight of the native protein, a mixed disulfide with glutathione, is 11,365. The carboxymethylated protein was cleaved by cyanogen bromide. The three expected fragments were purified; moreover, an additional fragment, derived from a partial failure of cleavage at methionine-24, was purified and characterized....
Buss DD, Asbury AC, Chevalier L.Technical and interpretive limitations of equine fetal electrocardiography were evaluated in recordings obtained from 45 pregnant mares. Technical limitations were related to the small amplitude of the fetal electrocardiogram and the variability in the lead configuration providing the best recording. It was found that recording the fetal electrocardiogram at high sensitivity and high base-line fidelity in several different leads was necessary to obtain satisfactory tracings. Interpretive limitations were related in part to the small amplitude of the fetal electrocardiogram and to the marked va...
Mirck MH.The use of trichlorfon as an anthelmintic in horses has increased since it was combined with mebendazole and febantel, and became commercially available as Telmin-trichlorfon and Rintal-plus respectively. Field studies showed that these combined preparations frequently gave rise to cases of poisoning. Mild to severe colic was observed up to six hours after treatment, diarrhoea and/or anorexia continuing to be present for one to six days after administration. The 'horse weight measurer' introduced by Janssen Pharmaceutica is not sufficiently accurate to prevent overdosage. It is advisable only ...
Otsuka S, Listowsky I, Niitsu Y, Urushizaki I.An intraspecies hybrid apoferritin was assembled by mixing subunits of horse heart ferritin, which consists mainly of H-type subunits, and horse spleen ferritin, in which L-type subunits predominate. Interspecies hybrid apoferritins were reconstituted from subunits of human liver-horse spleen ferritins and from rat liver-horse spleen ferritins. All the hybrid ferritins migrated as single zones with electrophoretic mobilities intermediate between those of the parent ferritins. Isoelectric focusing data and immunological patterns were consistent with the view that the reassembled apoferritins we...
Speirs VC, Christie BA, van Veenendaal JC.Rectal trauma in horses is usually iatrogenic and carries a high mortality. Partial thickness tears heal without surgical assistance. Full thickness tears require surgical repair through the anus or a ventral laparotomy or, if these are not possible because of difficulty in gaining access to the tear in its usual site at the pelvic inlet, a diverting colostomy to allow the rectum to heal is necessary. This paper describes the management of 15 cases of rectal injury, only 3 of which survived. Two of these were partial thickness tears not treated surgically and the third had a temporary divertin...
Yoxall AT.This paper is an introduction to a series of commissioned articles on therapeutic medicine to be published in Equine Veterinary Journal under differing authorship, during the next 2 years. It presents an account of fundamental concepts common to the use of all drugs and introduces some pharmacokinetic principles to which reference will be made in later articles.
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Dusek J, Munk Z.The study was based on the documentation of the Napajedla Stud Farm of the English Thoroughbred horse for 1888-1972. Evaluating the effect of the age of stallions on their fertility (leaving aside the variability of the age of their mothers), such an effect was found to be significant only in four out of the 26 studs evaluated. In 65% of the selected stallions, the correlation coefficients were found to be negative, but without statistical significance. However, the objective of the study was to evaluate stallions and mares parallelly as to their age variability and fertility. The relationship...
Justines G, Sucre H, Alvarez O.Transplacental passage of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, epizootic strain P-676, occurred in four of nine fetuses studied. The mares were infected near term. Virus was recovered in high titer from fetal blood and organs, while no virus was detected in maternal blood but neutralizing antibodies were present. No evidence of in utero infection was found in two fetuses from mares infected with MF-8, another epizootic strain of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.
Adams SB, Fessler JF, Rebar AH.Cytologic examination of serial peritoneal fluid samples of nine experimental ponies was performed during a 72 hour period following laparotomy. Six of the ponies had jejunal infarction induced by occlusion of the corresponding vasculature. Cytologic examination was also performed on the peritoneal fluid of a series of horses with naturally occurring abdominal crises presented to the Large Animal Clinic. A rapid staining technique allowed evaluation of smears within 5 minutes of obtaining the fluid. Alterations in peritoneal fluid of the experimental and clinical cases reflected an acute infla...
Rick MC.Diagnosis, evaluation, and management of the various grades of rectal tears is discussed. Surgical techniques, which include direct closure, diverting colostomies, and placement of temporary rectal liners, are detailed. Also, rectal prolapses and various methods of repair are outlined.
Montavon S.Few scientists predicted the impact that echography would have on the equine breeding industry. The aim of this practical review is to give the practitioner the ability to be familiar with the ovarian echographic exam. He should be able to recognize different stages of estrous cycle in the mare, status of preovulatory follicles and to predict precisely the time of ovulation. Various specific criteria and details regarding the equine echography are studied and illustrated, using the last scientific data published after the Fifth International Symposium on Equine Reproduction in Deauville.
Zaruby JF, Livesey MA, Percy DH.This clinical report describes an 8-year-old Thoroughbred mare that was presented for evaluation of a chronic, unilateral nasal discharge. Findings on physical examination, radiology, and video-endoscopy supported a clinical diagnosis of ethmoidal hematoma. After surgical ablation of the mass a defect was detected in the cribriform plate. At necropsy a 1.5 cm aperture was identified in the left cribriform plate allowing direct communication between the fundus of the nasal cavity and the cranium. Histology of the mass identified tissue consistent with an adenocarcinoma. History of profuse epist...
Lotstra RJ, van den Broek J, Power T, Marr CM, Wijnberg ID.Atrial fibrillation is a common equine arrhythmia. Quinidine alone, or with digoxin are common treatments. Studies on outcome in Warmblood populations in which duration of the AF is often unknown are limited. Objective: To identify the factors that are associated with the success of full treatment cardioversion with oral medication, and establish whether there are differences in these factors between institutions. Methods: Retrospective case series using patient records of Equine University Clinic of Utrecht University and Rossdales Equine Hospital, Newmarket. Methods: Forty-nine horses treate...
Doreau M, Martin-Rosset W, Barlet JP.In an experiment comparing pregnant then lactating mares with dry non-pregnant mares, the changes in plasma components were studied as indicators of the metabolic utilization of energy (glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate), nitrogen (urea, proteins) or minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium). The mares were fed daily 2 kg concentrate and hay ad libitum. Beta-hydroxybutyrate, magnesium and to a lesser extent glucose were the only constituents whose levels were affected within the period starting one month before and ending one month after foaling. The increase in food in...
Harrison IW.Cecal torsion in horses is relatively rare. This clinical report describes cecocolic fold hypoplasia, producing increased cecal mobility, as a predisposing cause of cecal torsion in a horse.