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.
Ranking G.This research article presents an initial investigation into the disease called “Surra,” which significantly affects horses and mules in India, leading to high mortality rates and considerable economic loss. The […]
Klinck M, Lovett A, Sykes B.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) refers to mucosal gastric disease in horses, including equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) and equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD), which present as two distinct disease entities differing in pathophysiology and approach to disease management. Both diseases are a source of pain in affected horses, partly explaining why EGUS continues to receive substantial attention in the equine medical, welfare and equitation research sectors. There is a complex interplay between EGUS and a variety of physical and psychological stressors. Horses with EGUS are often...
Muresu Ibba GM, Poeta A, De Lorenzi G, Pupillo G, D'Annunzio G, Pezzarossi A, Bisceglia I, Mangone L.Melanomas are dermal-epidermal and subcutaneous tumors commonly found in horses, especially those with grey coats. This study aimed to characterize melanomas in slaughtered horses by analyzing their distribution according to sex, age, and nationality, and to describe the veterinary inspection interventions required at slaughterhouses based on lymph node involvement and distant metastases in a province of northern Italy. Between January and December 2024, 182 grey horses were examined, and 28 cases of melanoma were identified (15% of grey horses) with an average age of 14 years: 8 males (mean a...
Gernhardt J, Böttcher P, Eule JC, Mählmann K, Müller E, Lischer CJ.To describe surgical repair of an orbital wall fracture communicating with the caudal maxillary sinus using a three dimensional (3D)-printed, patient-specific implant (PSI). Methods: Case report. Methods: A 25-year-old Haflinger mare (370 kg). Methods: The mare presented with severe chemosis and emphysema of the left upper and lower eyelid of 2-weeks duration due to a fracture of the ventral floor and inner wall of the left orbit that communicated with the caudal maxillary sinus. Computed tomographic (CT) data were used to design a PSI replicating the inner surface of the unfractured orbit. ...
Brink P, Schumacher J, Ducharme NG, Caniglia CJ, Caruso MA, Ortved K.To describe the technique of and complications associated with excising the nasal septum of horses with the horse standing and to report the outcome of horses undergoing this procedure. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of Twelve horses affected with disease of the nasal septum. Methods: The septum of each horse was excised with the horse sedated. All horses underwent rhinotomy, and six also underwent laryngotomy, to position three loops of obstetrical wire used to make three of four septal incisions. The sites of laryngotomy and rhinotomy were desensitized by infiltrating local a...
Khalid E, Tartor YH, Ammar AM, Abdelaziz R, Mahmmod Y, Abdelkhalek A.Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health issue requiring a coordinated response. This study investigated for the first time the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance phenotypes of bacteria causing infections in Arabian horses, and the potential of bacteriophage therapy for wound treatment. One hundred clinical samples from infected Arabian horses, presenting respiratory disorders, diarrhea, abortion, wound, and ocular infection, were examined using direct sample multiplex PCR and phenotypic methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the recovered isolates was performed using pane...
A Mangalarga Marchador mare was referred to treatment with a history of poisoning with evident tachyarrhythmia detected on cardiac auscultation. The electrocardiogram was performed and detected occurrences of paroxysmal monomorphic ventricular bigeminy (pMVB), pMVB with pairs of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) (pMVBPC), and paroxysmal monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (pMVT). In all cases, incomplete atrioventricular dissociation and coupling variation are observed. These characteristics, associated with non-reduction of successive subsequent coupling intervals and the absence of ty...
Miguel EL, Carneiro MFL, Griffo ALC, Baatsch Nascimento F, Dória RGS, Corrêa RR, Celeghini ECC.Vaginal varicosities in mares are rarely reported, although considered relatively common. Clinical recognition can be challenging, especially during early pregnancy, due to the intermittent nature of the bleeding. This report aims to describe the diagnostic approach, clinical evolution, and treatment of a case of vaginal varicosity in a pregnant mare, emphasizing a practical and minimally invasive method. A 9-year-old Brazilian Sport Horse mare with intermittent vaginal hemorrhage underwent clinical evaluation, showing no abnormalities. Vaginoscopy with a rigid endoscope revealed varicose vein...
Vainio KME, Määttänen MK, Mykkänen AK, Huupponen AK, Niinistö KE.Iatrogenic aspiration pneumonia is rarely reported in horses, with most cases involving lipoid pneumonia from accidental mineral oil administration. Objective: Our aim is to describe horses with iatrogenic aspiration, highlighting clinical findings, treatment, outcomes, and prognostic differences based on the aspirated material. Methods: Management of 6 horses treated at the University of Helsinki Equine hospital due to iatrogenic aspiration between 2018 and 2023 are reported. Results: Of the six horses, three survived, two of whom regained full athletic function. Survivors received water, or ...
Rimayanti R, Khairullah AR, Mustofa I, Utomo B, Lestari TD, Utama S, Akintunde AO, Mulyati S, Hernawati T, Dawood AQ, Riady G, Khan IU, Rasad SD.... is a protozoan parasite that causes the sexually transmitted disease known as "dourine" in horses. This chronic illness is directly spread from one animal to another during mating. Doflein proposed the name in 1901. Despite being distributed worldwide, the broad use of artificial insemination technology over the past three decades has resulted in only a few cases being documented. The condition is typically fatal and is characterized by gradual emaciation, nervous system involvement, and edematous lesions of the genitals. The incubation period between exposure and the onset of clinical sympt...
Thorn CA, Wilson DV, Wang S, Horne WA.Standing sedation is a safe and cost-effective alternative to general anesthesia in horses, but challenges include achieving adequate drug effect to block the stimulus response without inducing ataxia or recumbency. A benefit of midazolam has been reported in equine dental procedures. Seeking synergy, a combination of lower doses of several pharmacologic agents, including midazolam, may improve the quality of sedation while minimizing adverse effects. Bispectral index (BIS) correlates with sedation scores in human ICU patients, but the correlation between sedation scores and BIS has not been e...
Piecuch A, Szterk A.This review highlights the role of β-glucans-specifically β(1 → 3), β(1 → 6), and β(1 → 4)-glucans-as water-soluble dietary fibres in animal nutrition and health. Sourced from yeast, plants, seaweed, and mushrooms, β-glucans differ in structure depending on origin, which affects their solubility and biological activity. Recent studies emphasize their therapeutic potential in horses, particularly for managing gastric ulcers, viral infections, immune dysfunction, and poor performance. The review summarizes data on effective dosages, formulations, and sources of β-glucans tailor...
Kyle-LaBell E, Andersson A, Baughman B.Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCE) was diagnosed in a 15-year-old pony mare by histopathologic examination of the spinal cord. The horse was euthanized and submitted for necropsy following focal seizures and lateral recumbency for approximately 12 h. Histopathology of spinal cord segments C5-C7 revealed severe ischemic myelomalacia with intravascular amorphous material that stained positive with Alcian Blue, consistent with cartilaginous matrix. These features in addition to the acute onset of clinical signs are characteristic for FCE. This case report describes the clinical and histo...
Racine J, Ungermann A, Blatter M, von Plato G, Rijkenhuizen ABM.To describe a modified two-portal tenoscopic technique for proximal manica flexoria (MF) resection designed to preserve the mesotendons (MTs) of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT). Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: Client-owned horses (n = 30). Methods: MF resection was performed in four steps: (1) Transection of the lateral attachment of the MF to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), staying abaxial to the lateral MT; (2) transection of the medial attachment of the MF to the SDFT between the flexor tendons from distal to proximal until reaching the level of the med...
McPeek JL, Menarim B, Sponseller B, McClendon M, Adam EN, Adams AA, Slone S, Page AE.Subjective lameness evaluations are critical components of equine musculoskeletal health assessments. Objective approaches can supplement diagnosis and may be preferred for specific cases and scientific purposes. Objective: Evaluate agreements between subjective evaluation of two veterinarians and standard clinical interpretations from outputs of an AI-based smartphone application (Sleip; AI-SPA), the inertial measurement unit (IMU) system Equinosis Q Lameness Locator (LL), and the IMU system Equisym (ES). Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Twenty-five research horses (10-30 years) were e...
Saberinia A, Ozmaei S, Anoushepour A.Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva caused by infectious or non-infectious factors. Infectious conjunctivitis comes in two forms: viral and bacterial. Bacterial conjunctivitis is commonly caused by organisms such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, with the severity of the disease influenced by the specific bacterial species involved. Because both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are highly contagious, preventive measures are essential to reduce transmission-especially to the unaffected eye. Objective: To evaluate the tear film osmolality in horses with bacterial conjunctiv...
McCrae P, Spong H, Moorehead J, Pearson W.A smart textile device has been developed for the recording of electrocardiograms (ECGs) in horses; however, the utility of this device for long-duration heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring and detection of physiological arrhythmias is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate a smart textile device for HRV over long durations (6 h) in resting horses. ECGs were recorded simultaneously via the Myant Skiin Equine textile device and a reference device (Televet 100) in 12 horses. ECGs were evaluated by a blinded observer for arrhythmias, and HRV metrics were calculated. ...
Stokes C, Natalini CC, Wills R, Eddy A, Mochal-King C, O'Shea C, Fontenot RL.To evaluate the analgesic properties and adverse effects of liposomal bupivacaine administered via caudal epidural in horses. Methods: Pharmacodynamic study. Methods: A total of 10 healthy adult horses. Methods: Liposomal bupivacaine (10 mL; 1.3%) was administered into the caudal epidural space via an indwelling epidural catheter inserted to a length of 15 cm. Mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing with pressure algometry was used to measure analgesia at four anatomic locations for 72 h following injection. Physical examinations (including rectal temperature, heart rate, respirat...
Lepage H, de Chaisemartin C, Spadaro Rosselo A, Leroy H, Lepage O.To describe and report clinical outcomes after transcutaneous guttural pouch (GP) catheterization (TGPC) in standing horses. Methods: Ex vivo study and case series. Methods: One cadaver head, records of 10 normal horses and 14 horses treated with TGPC. Methods: Relevant anatomical landmarks were determined through dissection of one cadaveric specimen and 10 normal radiographic studies. Records of horses diagnosed with empyema or mycosis and treated with standing TGPC were reviewed for complications that occurred during or after the operation. Results: Ex vivo and radiological studies identifie...
Martin-Pelaez S, Orsolini M, Verstraete M, de la Fuente A, Takahashi K, Meyers S, Dini P.Equine in vitro embryo production (IVP) offers a valuable opportunity to enhance the efficient utilization of genetically and economically valuable horses. In cases of subfertility, sudden death, emergency euthanasia, or limited sperm availability, IVP becomes the only viable option to produce offspring. Due to steadily improving success rates, IVP has become one of the most sought-after assisted reproductive techniques. The rising global demand has created a clear need for veterinarians and stallion owners to provide IVP-suitable sperm, where the selection of intact sperm for intracytoplasmic...
Melanie Catanchin CS, Bell J, Labens R, Quinn CT.Detomidine hydrochloride is an alpha adrenoceptor agonist that is commonly used in equine practice to provide sedation and analgesia for horses undergoing standing procedures. Reported effects following intravenous administration of detomidine in horses include bradycardia, bradyarrhythmias, transient hypertension, sweating, piloerection and dose-dependent sedation, ataxia and analgesia. This case report describes a novel response characterised by tachycardia and profound muscle tremors following the administration of intravenous detomidine to a horse undergoing a standing procedure.
Varandas M, Lozano J, Agrícola R, Gomes L, Rosa T, Magalhães M, Lamas L, Rinaldi L, Oliveira M, Paz-Silva A, Madeira de Carvalho L.The diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) strongyle infections in equids is still mainly performed using quantitative coprological techniques, like the McMaster (McM), but more sensitive and precise techniques, like FLOTAC (FL) and Mini-FLOTAC (MF), have been proposed over the past 20 years. The present study aimed to compare the analytical performance of these three methods in the diagnosis of strongyle infections in horses. Between October 2023 and June 2024, 32 fecal samples were processed using the McM, FL and MF techniques to identify strongyles' eggs, estimate their shedding (eggs per gram ...
Tainturier D, Tainturier B, Michaud S, Briand-Amirat L, Topie E, Moreno D.A total of 147 mares of different breeds (110 were sport or race horses, often very valuable) have been monitored over 5 years from 2012 to 2016. When at or near term, the mares were monitored in order to induce foaling, by checking the mammary development by palpation, analysing the colour and consistency of the precolostrum, estimating the calcium and antibodies concentrations in the precolostrum and by measuring the plasmatic progestagens concentration every day at 6 p.m. At the end of gestation, it has been observed that the progestagens rate levelled off (the top concentration varies from...
Derar D, Ali A, Al-Sobayil F, Refaai W.Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) represent the most common ovarian neoplasms in mares, yet data on their epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical outcomes in Arabian horses are limited. Understanding their prevalence and diagnostic features is crucial for improving fertility management in this breed. Unassigned: Clinical records from 807 Arabian mares housed on 35 stud farms in central Saudi Arabia were retrospectively reviewed to determine the prevalence of GCT and potential risk factors, including age, parity, and anabolic steroid use. Twenty-four confirmed cases were further investigated using ...
Jonkhart M, Serra Bragança FM, Smit IH, Brommer H, Suskens JJM.Flexion tests are commonly used in equine locomotion examinations to identify underlying locomotor issues, yet their neuromuscular effects remain poorly understood. Response variability raises concerns about their clinical value in lameness assessments and pre-purchase evaluations. Objective: Primarily, to investigate the effect of full-limb flexion tests on static (flexed position) and dynamic (subsequent trot-up) muscle activity. Secondarily, to assess their effect on locomotion asymmetry during trotting. Methods: In vivo experiments. Methods: Sixteen warmblood horses were randomly assigned ...
Honnas DH, Fiske-Jackson AR, Fulkerson CV, Wilhite DR.An injury of a tendon or ligament of the equine foot is frequently a cause of lameness. The optimal radiographic projections delineating the entheses of five commonly injured tendons and ligaments of the foot should be described. Methods: The entheses of the collateral ligaments of the distal interphalangeal joint, the collateral sesamoidean ligaments of the navicular bone, the deep digital flexor tendon, the common digital extensor tendon and the distal sesamoidean impar ligament were isolated from a thoracic foot of three cadavers. Three standard radiographic projections (60-degree, dorsopro...
Willems T, Dias ABM, Dedecker L, Matamalas SS, De Lange L, de Beauregard T.Nephrosplenic space entrapment (NSE) has reported recurrence rates of 8%‒23%, and closure of the nephrosplenic space (NSS) has been shown to lower the incidence. Described techniques for nephrosplenic space closure (NSC) with concurrent left dorsal displacement (LDD) of the colon at the time of surgery consist of reducing the displaced colon prior to closure. Methods: A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the medical records of horse undergoing NSC between 2017 and 2024. A total of 18 horses with LDD at time of NSC and 21 without displacement at time of NSC were evaluated. Short- a...
Curry O, Everett A, Pearson G, Dwyer C, Duncan J.Despite the availability of several equine pain assessment tools, their use in equine veterinary practice appears limited compared to small animal practice. This study explores potential barriers to equine pain assessment, as reported by staff at a single UK equine teaching hospital. Methods: Nine hospital staff members were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Key themes were identified through reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Participants acknowledged the importance of pain assessment, yet highlighted limitations in current methods and their inconsistent use. Key challenges inc...
White J, Thompson K, van den Berg D, O'Neill G, Mendez DH, Talwar J, Degeling C, Forsythe R, Durrheim DN.With more than 60% of emerging infectious diseases being zoonotic, we apply a One Health lens that connects human, animal, and environmental dimensions of the response to a Hendra virus (HeV) event. One Health promotes collaboration among health professionals, veterinarians, environmental scientists, and policymakers to strengthen health infrastructure and improve responses to complex health threats. HeV is an uncommon high-consequence and potentially fatal zoonotic disease endemic to parts of Australia. Previous research has largely focused on the uptake of preparedness measures by veterinari...
Frey K, Perlini M, Reed R.Intravenous (IV) contrast administration during computed tomography (CT) of the equine head is routinely performed to delineate the extent of disease and differentiate between vascular and nonvascular tissue. Current equine scan protocols are extrapolated from human and canine studies. There have been no prospective equine studies describing the optimal time to image the patient after administration of contrast or the optimal site of contrast administration. Therefore, the current postcontrast times to scan and sites of contrast administration may not be appropriate for use in horses. The obje...
Southwood LL, Long A, Perez J, Daniel S, Bittinger K, Aitken M, Redding L.Based on human studies, surgical antimicrobial (AMD) prophylaxis (SAP) beyond 24 h is unnecessary and potentially detrimental. Objective: To compare clinical and microbiological outcomes in patients receiving 24- or 72-h of SAP for colic surgery. Methods: Prospective randomised clinical trial. Methods: Horses that recovered from colic surgery were considered. Exclusion criteria were (1) age <2 years; (2) Miniature Horses, pony, and draught breeds; (3) azotaemia; (4) recent hospitalisation, colic surgery, or AMDs; (5) local AMD administration. Eligible horses were randomly assigned to recei...
