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.
The Journal of physiologyJune 1, 1966
Volume 184, Issue 3 646-656 doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007937
Alexander F.1. Saliva flowed from the horse's parotid duct only during mastication.2. The surface-active local anaesthetic administered by mouth inhibited salivary secretion.3. Salivary secretion was stimulated by pilocarpine and inhibited by atropine.4. The volume and composition of saliva secreted in 24 hr from one parotid duct was determined.5. The concentration of sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride and bicarbonate depended upon the rate of flow. The highest concentrations of these electrolytes were observed during periods of high flow rates.6. Horse parotid saliva contained a high concentration of c...
Eberly VE, Tyler WS, Gillespie JR.EBERLY, V. E., W. S. TYLER, AND J. R. GILLESPIE. Cardio-vascular parameters in emphysematous and control horses. J. Appl. Physiol. 2 1 (3) : 883-889. I 966.—Horses with clinical signs of chronic pulmonary emphysema were demonstrated to have heart rates, total peripheral vascular resistance, pulmonary vascular resistance, and mean pulmonary artery blood pres-sure highly significantly greater than normal. They also had a highly significant decrease in central blood volume, stroke volume, stroke index, and left ventricular work. Cardiac out-put was significantly lower than in control (normal) h...
Pintore MD, Cantile C.A full-term male foal born in a farm holidays in Maremma (Tuscany, Italy) was euthanized shortly after birth due to the presence of several malformations. The rostral maxilla and the nasal septum were deviated to the right (wry nose), and a severe cervico-thoracic scoliosis and anus atresia were evident. Necropsy revealed ileum atresia and agenesis of the right kidney. The brain showed an incomplete separation of the hemispheres of the rostral third of the forebrain and the olfactory bulbs and tracts were absent (olfactory aplasia). A diagnosis of semilobar holoprosencephaly (HPE) was achieved...
Ludewig E, Rowan C, Schieder K, Frank B.The aim of this review is to describe the steps of constructing exposure tables for use of digital detector systems (DRx) in equine practice. Introductory, selected underlying technical aspects of digital radiography are illustrated. Unlike screen-film radiography (SFR), DRx have a uniform signal response of the detector over a large dose range. This enables generation of diagnostic images from exposures that were previously nondiagnostic on SFR, thus reducing retakes. However, with decreasing detector entrance dose, image noise increasingly hampers the image quality. Conversely, unlike the bl...
Martens RJ, Malone PS, Brust DM.Oral lactose tolerance tests were evaluated in 25 healthy foals (principals) assigned to 4 groups of approximately 1 week, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks of age. Lactose monohydrate (1 g/kg of body weight [in a 20% water solution]) was administered via nasogastric tube after a 4-hour fast. Plasma glucose concentrations were monitored before dosing (0 minutes) and sequentially for 300 minutes. Six control foals were given a volume of water equivalent to the volume of lactose monohydrate administered to principal foals. After oral lactose loading, mean plasma glucose concentrations of all princi...
Colla S, Seabaugh KA, Zanotto GM, Selberg K.Techniques for local anesthesia of the tibial (TN) and superficial and deep fibular nerves (FNs) in horses are well established. Ultrasound-guided perineural blocks can identify the nerve location, reduce the anesthetic volume needed and avoid needle misplacement. The aim of this research was to compare the success of blind perineural injection technique (BLIND) to ultrasound-guided technique (USG). Fifteen equine cadaver hindlimbs were divided into two groups. Perineural injection of the TN and FNs was performed using a mixed solution of radiopaque contrast, saline and food dye. BLIND (n = ...
Zeyner A, Hoffmeister C, Einspanier A, Gottschalk J, Lengwenat O, Illies M.Quarter Horses are particularly susceptible to polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM). Nutritional therapy and possibly prophylaxis includes fat-supplemented diets whilst starch supply should be kept to a minimum. Objective: To investigate the glycaemic and insulinaemic response of clinically normal Quarter Horses to concentrates high in fat and low in starch. Methods: Twelve Quarter Horses were studied. The precondition for inclusion in the study population was that the horses had not shown clinical signs of myopathy. The Quarter Horses were fed according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design haylag...
Kingsmill VJ, Gray C, Boyde A.To address possible differences in the resorbability of cranial and postcranial bone, slices of equine frontal bone and leg (first phalanx or third metacarpus) were seeded with embryonic chick bone cells and cultured for 20-24h. After removing the cells and drying the specimens, the areas and volumes of more than 800 resorption pits in each set were measured using a video-rate reflection confocal microscope system. Relative mineralization densities were determined by quantitative electron backscattering analysis. The mean mineralization density was greater in the leg bone, but the mean depths ...
Iida A, Saito H, Amao A, Fujita T, Kato A, Ueda F.A nutritional supplement containing salacinol (NSS) was administered to Thoroughbred foals daily beginning 21 days after birth, and clinical signs and intestinal microbiota were analyzed. The average number of days for which foals exhibited a fever between 21 and 110 days after birth was determined. The number of days was significantly reduced, by approximately 1/3, in the NSS group compared with the control group. Furthermore, improved weight gain was observed in the NSS group compared with the control group. By analyzing the intestinal microbiota, it was determined that the ratio of Clostrid...
Clayton HM, Duncan JL, Gilbert GA.Over a period of several years the use of pyrantel embonate in the control of helminth infections on three equine establishments was monitored by the examination of faecal samples collected immediately before each anthelmintic treatment. With a monthly interval between treatments for three years the faecal egg output of the horses remained at a very low level. One one establishment this was maintained when the treatment interval was extended to one-and-a-half months after treating monthly for two years. If a treatment interval of one-and-a-half months was used continuously for a number of year...
Norton AM, McGilp D, Vasey JR.A 4-month old, 200 kg, grey warmblood colt presented for a firm, non painful mass on the distal medial aspect of the left third metatarsus. Excisional biopsy revealed a diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma. Equine haemangiosarcoma is uncommon and only limited reports of successful treatment are available. The prognosis for survival is therefore considered to be poor. After two separate incidences of recurrence with incomplete excision of the tumour, intralesional treatment with cisplatin without excision or debulking was performed on three separate occasions. Intralesional cisplatin injection was p...
Kakoi H, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Hirosawa Y, Tanaka S, Nagata SI.To confirm the positive conversion of antibodies against erythrocyte antigens in horses, possible blood transfusion donor horses selected from draft horse populations were periodically monitored with an indirect antiglobulin (Coombs) test for approximately 3 years. In this study, 19 horses (16 females and 3 males) were investigated, and five mares showed alloantibodies during the monitoring period. Four mares were typically pregnant when positive conversion was detected, whereas no particular cause of conversion could be observed for one mare based on its clinical records. In the analyzed hors...
Lumsden JM, Caron JP, Stickle RL.Bilateral radiographically persistent proximal third metatarsal physes and concurrent cuboidal bone immaturity were identified in a foal. Repair of a Salter type-II fracture of the left proximal third metatarsal physis was accomplished by use of lag screw fixation. A 6-day-old Arabian foal, intended for use as a show horse, was referred because of severe unilateral hind limb lameness and valgus deformity. A Salter type-II fracture of the proximal portion of the third metacarpal bone was identified radiographically and repaired by use of cancellous lag screws. The fractured limb was further sup...
Buzzetti AP, Nothaft IT, Paganela JC, Franzan BC, Braga GI, Barreira APB, de Lima LR, de Almeida FQ.This study aimed to perform ultrasonographic evaluation of the digital flexor tendons of jumping horses undergoing complementary training on a treadmill. Fifteen Brazilian Sport horses were divided into two groups: Group I with 7 animals in physical training complementary to the standard training at the Brazilian Army's Riding School; and Group II with 8 animals in standard training used in the Brazilian Army's Riding School. Complementary training was performed on a treadmill on an inclined plane. Ultrasonographic images were taken at the beginning and at the end of training. The left thoraci...
Anderson GF, Landsheft B.Performance horses should be thoroughly examined before sale to detect any defects that could render them unsuitable for the purchaser's intended use. With the horse in its stall, the eyes, nasolacrimal puncta, external ear canals and mouth are examined, the rectal temperature measured and the heart, lungs, trachea and sinuses auscultated. Moving the horse out of the stall, the head, parotid glands, mandibular lymph nodes, larynx, neck muscles, jugular veins and cervical vertebrae are inspected. The scapula, point of the shoulder, withers, tuber sacrale and point of the hip are palpated, after...
Browne NS, Scarratt WK, Robertson J.A 10-year-old Andalusian mare was presented for evaluation of weight loss, increasing periods of recumbency, and swelling of the lower limbs. Radiographs revealed severe palisading to solid periosteal new bone formation in numerous locations. Necropsy revealed a metastatic malignant adenocarcinoma of ovarian origin with secondary hypertrophic osteopathy. Une jument d’Andalousie âgée de 10 ans a été présentée pour évaluation à la suite d’une perte de poids, de périodes croissantes de décubitus et d’enflure dans les membres inférieurs. Les radiographies ont révélé des lésio...
Fitzgerald SD, Braselton WE.Diagnostic evaluation of a mildly ataxic young gelding Quarterhorse included a contrast myelogram. Unfortunately, sodium diatrizoate was inappropriately administered by intrathecal injection resulting in severe unrelenting seizure activity and necessitated the destruction of the animal. The contrast agent was identified by analyzing cerebrospinal fluid by high-performance liquid chromatography and confirmed with probe mass spectrometric analysis. This contrast agent is highly ionic, has high osmolarity, and also blocks neurotransmission at specific receptors; for these reasons it is contraindi...
Willink DL, Smeenk LA, van Oyen PW, de Kruif A.Data from the literature and own data for 67 twin pregnancies were used to establish the factors essential to the decision on how to treat twins at different gestational ages. Spontaneous (natural) reduction was compared with manual embryo reduction. Manual embryo reduction is always indicated when a twin is diagnosed before day 16 after ovulation. Thereafter, the type of fixation is the main determinant. Manual embryo reduction is always first choice for bilateral and unilateral non adjacent embryos and must be applied as early as possible. The change of natural reduction up to day 30, is hig...
Trolldenier H, Klarmann D, Krabisch P, Rohde J, Steiner A, Verspohl J.368 streptococcal strains from udder secretions of cattle (Sc. agalactiae, Sc. dysgalactiae, Sc. uberis) and 191 streptococcal isolates from horse specimens (Sc. equi ssp. zooepidemicus, Sc. equi ssp. equi) originating from different agricultural regions in Germany (Lower Saxony, in particular the region of Weser-Ems, Bavaria, Altmark) were investigated for their sensitivity to 4 beta-lactam antibiotics (benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, oxacillin, cefotaxime). Two different test methods were applied: the agar diffusion test for determination of the diameter of the zone of inhibition and the E-tes...
Prutton AM, Lenaghan HAH, Baillie S.Simulation in veterinary education is an important means of providing a safe, welfare-friendly way for students to hone their skills prior to performing procedures on live animals. Students may not get many chances to practice passing a nasogastric tube and checking for reflux in live horses during clinical rotations and extra-mural studies. A low-cost equine nasogastric intubation model was created at the University of Surrey, allowing students to practice passing a tube and checking for reflux. Thirty-two equine veterinarians evaluated the model for realism, and its potential usefulness in t...
Bogard F, Bouchet B, Murer S, Filliard JR, Beaumont F, Polidori G.Cold therapy is commonly used to relieve pain and inflammation and to aid in muscle recovery after exercise in human medicine. A number of applications have also been observed in veterinary practice. In this article, a critical evaluation of equine protocol applied with a new commercial concept of equine whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) was made. With this new concept of WBC, the protocol usually utilized for relieving pain and discomfort in humans has been extended to horses. The investigations described herein focus on the reduction of horse skin temperature when applying human WBC protocols...
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...
Schumacher J, Crossland LE.Primary paranasal sinusitis, complicated by inspissated purulent exudate in a ventral conchal sinus, was diagnosed in 3 horses. Partial nasal obstruction, caused by axial deviation of the ventral concha, was detected endoscopically in 2 of the horses. A mass, dorsal to the maxillary molars, was detected via a lateral radiographic view of the skull of 3 horses and on the dorsoventral view of 1 of the horses. Inspissated purulent exudate was removed from the ventral conchal sinus of the horses via trephination of the conchofrontal sinus and penetration of the caudal wall of the ventral conchal s...
Tobin T, Blake JW, Tai CY, Arnett S.Rapid intravenous injection of 1 g of procaine hydrochloride in Thoroughbred mares produced variable signs of central nervous system excitation for as long as 4 minutes. Plasma concentrations of procaine were similarly variable and transient, decreasing with a half-life of approximately 25 minutes. In vitro, plasma from freshly collected equine blood hydrolyzed procaine with a half-life of approximately 7.5 minutes. This hydrolysis was apparently due to plasma esterases. Penicillin, when added free or complexed as procaine-penicillin, did not protect procaine against hydrolysis by these plasma...
Kraus BM, Richardson DW, Nunamaker DM, Ross MW.To report the outcome of surgical treatment of comminuted fractures of the proximal phalanx in horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 64 horses. Methods: Medical records and radiographs were reviewed to obtain information regarding signalment, fracture classification, and treatment. Follow-up information was obtained by telephone conversation or evaluation of production records. Results: Thirty-eight horses had moderately comminuted fractures of the proximal phalanx. Two horses were euthanatized immediately. Fractures of the proximal phalanx in 36 horses were repaired with open reducti...
McCarthy PH.A description is given of 75 features present in the normal tarsus of the standing horse which are apparent due to visible skin contours overlying them. Depending on whether or not the pelvic limb is supporting full weight or resting, some contours alter their configuration. Therefore the contour of each underlying feature is described separately for each stance of the limb. It is considered that visual inspection and identification of the apparent superficial features of the normal equine tarsus form the basis of orientation and clinical inspection. Furthermore, these features provide referen...
ter Braake F.The medical records of 71 horses with sepic arthritis, bursitis, or tenosynovitis, treated between 1996 and 2001 at Dierenkliniek Enmeloord, were reviewed. A total number of 81 joints, tendon sheaths and bursae were treated (21 tarsi, 17 digital tendon sheaths, 14 metacarpo/metatarso-phalangeal joints, 12 stifles, 6 carpi, 4 coffin joints, 2 navicular bursae, 1 elbow joint, 1 proximal-interphalangeal joint, 1 tarsal sheath, 1 bursa calcanei subtendineum). The aetiology in 42 cases was a penetrating wound (group 1), in 4 cases an intra-articular injection, and in 2 cases arthroscopic surgery (g...
Reubel GH, Studdert MJ.We report the first nucleotide sequence data on equine adenovirus 2 (EAdV2) which corroborate on the molecular level that EAdV2 is distinct from equine adenovirus 1 (EAdV1). Based on sequence homology with Eadv1 the hexon gene of Eadv2 was identified. HindIII restriction fragments containing the hexon and eight other viral genes were cloned into the plasmid pUC19 and the nucleotide sequence of the hexon and the 23K proteinase genes completely determined. Amino acid (aa) comparison of sequence fragments with published adenovirus (AdV) proteins identified the genes for the E1B/19K, IVa2, DNA pol...
Engiles JB, Uzal FA, Navarro MA, Reef VB, Bender SJ.Phlegmonous gastritis was diagnosed in 2 yearling fillies that were presented with a 1-wk history of fever, lethargy, and hypoproteinemia, associated with a previous diagnosis of equine proliferative enteropathy based on clinical signs and PCR assay detection of Lawsonia intracellularis in fecal samples. Abdominal ultrasound revealed enlargement of the stomach and expansion of its submucosal layer with hypoechoic fluid, as well as thickened hypomotile small intestinal segments. Given the poor prognosis and poor response to treatment, both horses were euthanized, one on the day of presentation ...
Bedford SJ, McDonnell SM, Tulleners E, King D, Habecker P.A 14-year-old Arabian stallion was examined because of acute hemospermia. The stallion was used in an artificial breeding program and had a 6-year history of low-grade hemospermia and a 4-year history of self-mutilation behavior. During previous examinations, minor irritation of the urethral process was identified as the source of the bleeding. Physical examination revealed a mucosal ulceration in the distal portion of the urethra. Histologic examination of a biopsy specimen from this area revealed low-grade squamous cell carcinoma. The urethral process was excised, and the hemospermia resolve...
Klei TR, French DD, Chapman MR, McClure JR, Dennis VA, Taylor HW, Hutchinson GW.The long-term efficacy of an irradiation attenuated larval (L3) vaccine against Strongylus vulgaris was tested in ponies which were reared on pasture. Prior to foaling, mares were divided into two groups. One group of mares and foals received regular (eight weekly) treatment with ivermectin and the second group remained untreated. Half the foals in each pasture group were vaccinated at eight to ten weeks of age. Foals were weaned at three to four months of age and maintained on separate pastures. At eight to ten months of age, ponies were placed in box stalls and half of each treatment group w...
Lim CK, Hawkins JF, Vanderpool AL, Heng HG, Gillespie Harmon CC, Lenz SD.Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a sequela to osteochondrosis, whereby the cartilage superficial to the site of osteochondrosis fractures and gives rise to osteochondral fragments in the affected joint. In this case, both the radiological and computed tomography findings were supportive of classical severe OCD but the histologic findings were not supportive of the diagnosis of OCD. Methods: A 1 year and 6 months old, Saddlebred, colt was presented for evaluation of chronic cervical pain. Standing laterolateral radiographs revealed an osteochondral fragment with corresponding irregular subc...
