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Topic:Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary medicine for horses encompasses the study and application of medical practices to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases in equine species. This field involves a comprehensive understanding of equine anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. Veterinary practitioners employ a range of diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions to address health issues in horses, including lameness, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory conditions, and infectious diseases. Preventative care, such as vaccination and deworming programs, is also a significant aspect of equine veterinary medicine. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of veterinary medicine as it pertains to horses, including advancements in diagnostic techniques, treatment protocols, and preventive health strategies.
Scrotal heat stress induces altered sperm chromatin structure associated with a decrease in protamine disulfide bonding in the stallion. A variety of testicular insults can induce changes in the structure of spermatozoal chromatin, resulting in spermatozoal DNA that is more susceptible to acid-induced denaturation. The degree of change in the DNA can be measured using the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). The SCSA measures the relative amounts of single- and double-stranded DNA after staining with the metachromatic dye, acridine orange. Here we used a stallion model (n = 4) to study the effects of scrotal heat stress on spermatozoal DNA. This model was created by insulating stallion testes for 48 h and collecting sperm da...
Characteristics and risk factors for failure of horses with acute diarrhea to survive: 122 cases (1990-1996). To characterize horses with acute diarrhea and determine risk factors for failure to survive. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 122 adult horses admitted for acute diarrhea at the teaching hospital between Jan 1, 1990 and Dec 31, 1996. Methods: Medical records of horses with acute diarrhea were reviewed to abstract information regarding signalment, history, physical examination, clinicopathologic testing, treatment, and outcome. Results: 91 of 122 (74.6%) horses lived and were discharged from the hospital. Horses with history of administration of antimicrobials for a problem preceding dia...
A technique for magnetic resonance imaging of equine cadaver specimens. We tested an adaptation of a technique for performing magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of human cadaver limbs in the horse. The forelimbs from a normal horse were collected, frozen, and sealed with a paraffin-polymer combination prior to imaging with either a high- or midfield magnetic resonance scanner. Each forelimb was defrosted, scanned, and refrozen on two separate occasions. A five-point scale was used to evaluate the quality of each set of sagittal and transverse, T1-weighted images of each digit. There was no difference in image quality between first and second scans of either specimen ...
Ultrasonography of the equine shoulder: technique and normal appearance. This study was intended to document normal ultrasonographic appearance of the equine shoulder and anatomic landmarks useful in clinical imaging. Both forelimbs of five equine cadavers and both forelimbs of six live adult horses were used. To facilitate understanding of the images, a zoning system assigned to the biceps brachii and to the infraspinatus tendon was developed. Ultrasonography was performed with a real-time B-mode semiportable sector scanner using 7.5- and 5-MHz transducers. On one cadaver limb, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed using a system at 1.5 Tesla, T1-weighted...
The urinary elimination profiles of diazepam and its metabolites, nordiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam, in the equine after a 10-mg intramuscular dose. A method for the extraction of diazepam and its metabolites (nordiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam) from equine urine and serum and their quantitation and confirmation by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry is presented. Valium, a formulation of diazepam, was administered at a dose of 10 mg intramuscularly to four standard-bred mares. Diazepam is extensively metabolized in the horse to nordiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam. Diazepam urinary concentrations were found to be less than 6 ng/mL. Nordiazepam was found to be mainly in its glucuronide-conjugated form and was measured out to a...
Quantitative measurement of equine cytokine mRNA expression by polymerase chain reaction using target-specific standard curves. Quantification of cytokine mRNA using reverse transcription coupled with the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has become a corner stone of the study of cytokine regulation. Quantitative competitive RT-PCR (QCRT-PCR) is commonly accepted as a reliable method for quantifying differences in mRNA levels but is both labor- and reagent-intensive. A noncompetitive polymerase chain reaction method that utilizes cytokine-specific, plasmid-derived, standard curves was developed for the quantification of equine cytokine mRNA. The assay can be performed on minute samples of cellular material, utilizes s...
Transmission studies of Hendra virus (equine morbillivirus) in fruit bats, horses and cats. To determine the infectivity and transmissibility of Hendra virus (HeV). Methods: A disease transmission study using fruit bats, horses and cats. Methods: Eight grey-headed fruit bats (Pteropus poliocephalus) were inoculated and housed in contact with three uninfected bats and two uninfected horses. In a second experiment, four horses were inoculated by subcutaneous injection and intranasal inoculation and housed in contact with three uninfected horses and six uninfected cats. In a third experiment, 12 cats were inoculated and housed in contact with three uninfected horses. Two surviving horse...
A field survey on the distribution of strongyle infections of horses in Sweden and factors affecting faecal egg counts. Faecal egg counts were performed during the first quarter of 1995 on samples from 1183 horses of varying breeds, ages and gender on 110 farms in 3 regions of Sweden. The majority of the horses had been treated with ivermectin or pyrantel when stabled the previous autumn. The risk of reinfection with strongyles between treatment and sampling was therefore considered to be minimal. Consequently, the results reflect primarily the occurrence of worms originating from inhibited strongyle larvae refractory to anthelmintic treatment. A total of 922 (78%) individuals were found to shed strongyle eggs,...
Post operative performance of racing Standardbreds treated arthroscopically for carpal chip fractures: 176 cases (1986-1993). A retrospective study of 176 Standardbred horses that had arthroscopic surgery for carpal chip fractures over a 7 year period was done in order to determine fracture location and post operative performance. Chip fractures of the proximal third carpal bone and the distal radiocarpal bone occurred with equal frequency (49.2 and 49.6% respectively), and chip fractures involving the antebrachiocarpal joint were rare. Trotters had significantly more third carpal bone lesions than radiocarpal bone lesions when compared to pacers (P = 0.0304). Seventy-four per cent of horses made at least one start f...
Calcified cartilage morphometry and its relation to subchondral bone remodeling in equine arthrosis. The calcified layer of articular cartilage is known to be affected by age and mechanical factors that may play a role in the development of arthrosis. Because these factors are also related to subchondral remodeling and sclerosis, a morphometric study was carried out in fluorochrome-labeled animals to determine whether the level of subchondral remodeling affected the thickness of the calcified cartilage layer and its irregularity and vascularity at the interface with subchondral bone. These parameters were also studied at a site of increased mechanical stress. The area and thickness of the cal...
Endoscopy of the navicular bursa: a new technique for the treatment of contaminated and septic bursae. A technique for evaluation of the navicular bursa using a 4 mm 25 degrees inclined view arthroscope is described. This allows examination of the palmar/plantar surface of the navicular bone, the insertions of the navicular suspensory, T and impar ligaments, the bursal synovium and the dorsal surface of the deep digital flexor tendon. The technique was used in 16 horses with punctures of the navicular bursa. Procedures facilitated by the technique were bursal lavage, removal of pannus, synovial resection and debridement of lesions on the palmar/plantar surface of the bone and in the deep digita...
Differences in second-intention wound healing between horses and ponies: macroscopic aspects. Second-intention healing of deep wounds was studied in 5 horses and 5 ponies. Standardised wounds were created on the distal limbs and hind quarters. Wounds on the metatarsi extended onto the metatarsal bone; the depth of the wounds in the femoral biceps muscle was 18 mm. The wound margins were marked by tattoos. Photographs were taken at weekly intervals to determine the wound area. The relative contribution of contraction and epithelialisation to wound closure was quantified by means of the tattoos. Swelling of the limbs was measured; and regularity and aspect of the granulation tissue were ...
Skeletal muscle metabolic response to exercise in horses with ‘tying-up’ due to polysaccharide storage myopathy. Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) is a distinct cause of exertional rhabdomyolysis in Quarter Horses that results in glycogen and abnormal polysaccharide accumulation. The purpose of this study was to determine if excessive glycogen storage in PSSM is due to a glycolytic defect that impairs utilisation of this substrate during exercise. Muscle biopsies, blood lactates and serum CK were obtained 1) at rest from 5 PSSM Quarter Horses, 4 normal Quarter Horses (QH controls) and 6 Thoroughbreds with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (TB RER) and 2) after a maximal treadmill exercise test in ...
The effect of orthopaedic shoeing on the force exerted by the deep digital flexor tendon on the navicular bone in horses. This study quantifies both the intended effect of orthopaedic shoeing to decrease the load on the navicular bone and the eventual undesired effects on gait performance. The compressive force exerted by the deep digital flexor tendon on the navicular bone and on the quality of the trot and redistribution of forces over the flexor tendons and the suspensory ligament were studied as a function of orthopaedic shoeing in 12 sound Dutch Warmblood horses. A modified CODA-3 gait analysis system and a force plate were used to quantify objectively the load on the lower limb. The quality of the trot was ...
Tenosynovitis associated with longitudinal tears of the digital flexor tendons in horses: a report of 20 cases. The paper describes a series of cases with longitudinal tears in the superficial or deep digital flexor tendons within the digital flexor tendon sheath. This appears to be a previously unreported condition. Twenty cases are described, one horse was affected bilaterally. Nineteen defects involved the deep digital flexor tendon and in 2 horses the manica flexoria of the superficial digital flexor tendon was torn. All affected horses were lame and there was marked distension of the digital flexor tendon sheaths. Ultrasonography revealed nonspecific signs of chronic tenosynovitis but not the cause...
Effects of inhaled dry powder ipratropium bromide on recovery from exercise of horses with COPD. The present study evaluated ventilatory, cardiovascular and metabolic parameters during recovery from strenuous exercise in horses suffering from a crisis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to determine whether ipratropium dry powder inhalation (DPI) before exercise has an effect on these parameters. When 6 saddle horses, affected with COPD, developed airway obstruction, they inhaled placebo and ipratropium (2400 microg/horse), the order being randomly chosen. Pulmonary function tests were then recorded 15 min after inhalation. Following these tests, the horses underwent a str...
Tubular structures associated with Babesia caballi in equine erythrocytes in vitro. In-vitro-propagated Babesia caballi parasites were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Many small pores were observed over the entire surface of infected erythrocytes on scanning electron microscopy, and on transmission electron microscopy these small pores were found to be openings of tubular structures. By the examination of a number of infected cells the tubular structures were found to be connected with the parasite, and this observation might indicate that the tubular structures arose the edge of the parasite and terminated at an Invagination on the surface of the e...
Quantitation of equine cytokine mRNA expression by reverse transcription-competitive polymerase chain reaction. A reverse transcription-competitive polymerase chain reaction (RT-cPCR) method was developed to quantitate equine interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 p35, IL-12 p40, interferon-gamma (INF-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and beta-actin mRNA expression. Using primers based on equine-specific sequences, these cytokines could be detected in concanavalin A-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The specificity of the amplified product was confirmed by sequencing. For each cytokine, the assay was made quantitative by generating competitor ...
Detection of Trichinella infection in slaughter horses by ELISA and western blot analysis. In order to determine the presence of Trichinella infections in horses slaughtered at an abattoir in Mexico, 147 serum samples were examined by two immunoenzymatic methods. Specific antibodies were detected by ELISA in 7% of the serum samples at a dilution 1:400 and in 10% at lower dilutions (1:20, 1:40) using Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (ML) excretory/secretory (E/S) products. Serum samples from four naturally infected horses (confirmed by direct methods) gave negative O.D. values in an ELISA at a 1:400 dilution and only two of them were positive at a 1:20 and 1:40 dilutions. Serum sam...
A lectin binding analysis of glycosylation patterns during development of the equine placenta. The glycosylation of the equine interhaemal barrier and areola was studied throughout the period of gestation. Placentae of 35, 37, 50, 119, 152, 200, 280 and 300 days gestation were investigated, using semithin plastic embedded sections and a panel of 15 biotinylated lectins with an avidin-peroxidase revealing system. Glycosylation of the trophoblast and maternal epithelium showed the most change during the first 50 days of gestation, being associated with the initial stages of adhesion and attachment. In the trophoblast, non-bisected tri/tetraantennary complex N-glycan was only evident after...
Equine herpesvirus type 1 infects dendritic cells in vitro: stimulation of T lymphocyte proliferation and cytotoxicity by infected dendritic cells. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disease, abortion and myeloencephalopathy in horses. As with other herpesviruses, cell-mediated immunity is considered important for both recovery and protection. Although virus-specific T-cell proliferation and cytotoxicity can be detected following in vivo infection, little is known about the role of antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs) in these processes. Peripheral blood DCs were shown to express the viral glycoprotein gB perinuclearly following exposure to EHV-1 in vitro, demonstrating EHV-1 replication within them. Co...
Suckling behaviour does not measure milk intake in horses, Equus caballus. Studies of parental investment in mammals have frequently used suckling behaviour to estimate energy transfer from mother to offspring, and consequently to measure maternal input. Such studies assume that the more an offspring sucks, the more milk it will receive. This assumption has been questioned, and a review of the literature found little support for it. To test if suckling behaviour provided an accurate index of milk or energy intake we used a radioactive isotope technique to label the milk of thoroughbred mares and to measure milk transfer to foals. We found no significant linear relati...
Equine laminitis basement membrane pathology: loss of type IV collagen, type VII collagen and laminin immunostaining. Disintegration of the basement membrane (BM) of the equine hoof lamellae and failure of the BM to remain attached to the basal cells of the secondary epidermal lamellae (SEL) is one of the earliest pathological events to occur in acute laminitis. Changes in the lamellar basement membrane were investigated by immunolabelling the key structural components of the BM, type IV collagen, type VII collagen and laminin in the lamellar BM of horses 48 h after the induction of laminitis. Lamellar tissues were harvested from 2 normal horses and 2 horses with acute laminitis. Immunostaining with antibody ...
Variation in surface strain on the equine hoof wall at the midstep with shoeing, gait, substrate, direction of travel, and hoof shape. Objectives were to examine the deformation of the healthy equine front hoof during locomotion, by recording strains on its outer surface, and to test whether its mechanical behaviour is significantly altered under different locomotory conditions and variation in hoof shape. Strains were recorded in vivo from 5 rosette gauges around the circumference of the right forehooves of 12 horses. The magnitudes and orientations of principal strains at the midstep were compared statistically for different conditions of shoeing (shod vs. unshod), gait (walk vs. trot), substrate (treadmill vs. ground), and...
Tubule density of the stratum medium of horse hoof. The number of tubules/mm2 (tubule density) of horse hoof horn was quantified in samples taken from the left forefeet of 8 randomly selected slaughterhouse horses in order to establish the normal tubule density characteristics at the midline dead centre (MDC) for the stratum medium of horse hoof. In the past the measurement of tubule distribution within the hoof has lacked objectivity. The horse hoof tubule density results are compared to a recent objective study carried out on pony hoof. A similar 4 zone pattern of tubule density was observed, although the precise zonal boundaries and tubule d...
