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.
Adams MN, Turner TA.Forelimbs from 3 anesthetized horses and 16 fresh cadaver horses were used to describe the endoscopic anatomy of the intertubercular bursa and outline the surgical portals that provide the greatest access to structures within the bursa. A lateral arthroscopic portal was made proximal to the deltoid tuberosity of the humerus into the distal bursal recess. A second portal was created proximal to the humeral tubercles that entered the proximal bursal space. These approaches provided consistent viewing and instrument access to the lateral intertuberal groove, the greater and intermediate humeral t...
Brück I, Greve T, Hyttel P.The present study characterised the oocyte-follicular connection (i.e., oocyte fixation site) in Graafian follicles of the mare morphologically. Antral follicles were dissected in toto from ovaries obtained from oestrous, dioestrous and transitional mares after slaughter. The location of the cumulus oophorus complex in relation to the ovulation fossa, the width and density of the blood vessels surrounding the cumulus oophorus complex, the relative dimensions and histological aspects of the cumulus oophorus were investigated. For ultrastructural analysis of the junctional regions, cumulus-oocyt...
Hedges JF, Balasuriya UB, Ahmad S, Timoney PJ, McCollum WH, Yilma T, MacLachlan NJ.Indirect enzyme linked immunosorbant assays (ELISAs) utilizing the three major structural proteins (M, N, and G(L)) of equine arteritis virus (EAV) expressed from recombinant baculoviruses were developed. A large panel of sera collected from uninfected horses, and from animals experimentally and naturally infected with EAV or vaccinated with the modified live virus vaccine against equine viral arteritis, were used to characterize the humoral immune response of horses to the three major EAV structural proteins. The data suggest that the M protein was the major target of the equine antibody resp...
Roels S, Ducatelle R, van De Vijver B, De Kruif A.An 18-month-old cross-bred Fjord pony colt presenting a fibrosarcoma of the prepuce with severe infiltrative growth, was treated by topical application of 5-fluorouracil. Biopsies were taken before and after a treatment period of 2 months. As a control, preputial tissue from a healthy horse was biopsied. Tissue sections were stained immunohistochemically for Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and Proliferation related factor--Ki67 (MIB1). Using computerized quantitative image analysis of these sections, Mitotic index (PCNA), Growth Fraction (Ki67) and total nuclear area percentage of th...
Dyson DH, Pascoe PJ, McDonell WN.The purpose of this study was to determine the heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) effect of glycopyrrolate in anesthetized horses with low HR ( 5 beats/min within 10 min), glycopyrrolate (same dose) was administered. Heart rate increased by > 5 beats/min in 3 out of 9 horses following the initial glycopyrrolate treatment. Overall changes in HR and mean BP were not significantly different, while systolic and diastolic BP increased significantly (P 5 beats/min, which was significant. A significant increase in BP was produced following treatment with 2.5 micrograms/kg BW, but not followi...
Gilroy BJ, Lofstedt J, Pack L, McBurney SR.Sinus cysts are epithelium-lined, fluid-filled cavities that can occur in the paranasal sinuses of horses. Extensive damage to the permanent tooth buds was a significant feature in this case. The sequellae of these abnormalities, although not apparent at the time of presentation, remain an important consideration for prognosis.
Lester G, Clark C, Rice B, Steible-Hartless C, Vetro-Widenhouse T.To examine effect of pre-exercise administration of furosemide (FUR) on mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) during work and RBC concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected 40 minutes after exercise. Methods: 10 adult Thoroughbreds. Methods: A modified 10 X 10 crossover design comprising 10 horses during 10 weeks was used. Each horse received each of 5 treatments twice. Treatment structure included a control plus a 2 X 2 factorial and consisted of the following: A, control; B, FUR, 250 mg, IV, 30 minutes before exercise; C, FUR, 250 mg, IV, 240 minutes before exercise; D, ...
Wunn D, Wardrop KJ, Meyers K, Kramer J, Ragle C.To develop methods to isolate, culture, and characterize equine hoof endothelial cells (EC) and keratinocytes. Methods: Cells harvested from the forelimbs of 8 horses. Methods: EC were obtained via catheters placed in the palmar digital arteries of the disarticulated lower portion of the forelimbs from 4 horses that had been heparinized prior to euthanasia. Phosphate-buffered saline solution was used to remove and discard RBC from blood vessels, and collagenase was used to loosen and flush EC from the vasculature. Hoof keratinocytes were obtained from 4 recently euthanatized horses by use of d...
Doherty TJ, Andrews FM, Abraha TW, Osborne D, Frazier DL.The effect of metoclopramide on gastric emptying of a liquid marker in horses was evaluated by measuring serum concentrations of acetaminophen. Gastric emptying was determined in normal, fasted horses (n = 7), horses given endotoxin intravenously (n = 7), and horses given intravenous metoclopramide plus endotoxin (n = 6). The mean time to reach maximum serum acetaminophen concentration (Tmax), the maximum serum concentration (Cmax), and the area under the serum acetaminophen concentration vs time curve (AUC) were compared among treatment groups. Endotoxin caused a profound delay in gastric emp...
Sayegh AI, Anderson NV, Harding JW, Cerpovicz P, DeBowes RM, Ritter RC, Baker GJ, Reeck G.To purify and characterize pepsinogens in equine gastric mucosa. Methods: Stomachs collected from 2 healthy horses at necropsy. Methods: After collection, stomachs were placed immediately in ice before storage at -48 C. After slow thawing, the mucosa was scraped off while the tissue was immersed in 0.1M potassium phosphate (pH 7.4) at 4 C, then was homogenized. The filtered extract was subjected to anion-exchange chromatography. Fractions that were found to contain pepsin or pepsinogen were further chromatographed. Individual fractions were tested for pepsinogen or pepsin content by monitoring...
Simmons EJ, Bertone AL, Weisbrode SE.To establish an instability model of osteoarthritis (OA) that mimics the early changes of naturally acquired OA. Methods: 6 mature radiographically normal horses. Procedure-The collateral and lateral collateral sesamoidean ligaments were transected in a metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint in each horse. Lameness examinations were performed every 7 days after surgery for 8 weeks. Radiographs were taken immediately before and after desmotomy and 8 weeks after surgery. Eight weeks after surgery, bilateral MCP joints were grossly evaluated, specimens of articular cartilage were harvested for histologi...
MacKay RJ, Clark CK, Logdberg L, Lake P.To determine the efficacy of polymyxin B-dextran 70 (PBD) for treatment of endotoxemic horses. Methods: 15 horses during study 1 and 6 horses during study 2. Methods: 3 groups were used in study 1. Horses in groups 1 and 2 were given 30 ng of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/kg of body weight, IV, over 60 minutes. Horses in group 3 were given saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Beginning 15 minutes before LPS infusion and continuing for 75 minutes, horses in groups 1 and 3 were given PBD, IV. Horses in group 2 were given dextran 70. Blood samples were obtained for hemograms and determination of cytokine, lac...
Vischer CM, Foreman JH, Constable PD, Benson GJ, Kline KH, Freeman DE, Campbell KL, Grubb TL.To investigate hemodynamic effects of thyroidectomy in horses at rest. Methods: 6 healthy aged Quarter Horse mares. Methods: Horses were monitored for 5 months before and 4 weeks after thyroidectomy and for an additional 4 weeks after administration of thyroid hormone supplement (2.5 microg of thyroxine/kg of body weight, PO, q 12 h, and 0.6 microg of triiodothyronine/kg, PO, q 12 h). Responses to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured before and 4 weeks after thyroidectomy. Other variables monitored daily were resting rectal temperature (T), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), an...
Armstrong S, Lees P.To examine effects of carprofen (enantiomers and a racemic mixture) on the metabolism of equine chondrocytes. Methods: Cartilage from clinically normal horses. Methods: Effects of carprofen on proteoglycan neosynthesis, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release and prostaglandin (PG) E2 production by unstimulated chondrocyte monolayers and cartilage explants were examined, as were similar variables in monolayers and explants exposed to carprofen and recombinant human interleukin 1beta (IL-1). Carprofen (enantiomers and racemic mixture) was used alone or along with IL-1 on monolayers and explant cultures...
Kasapi MA, Gosline JM.Small-scale components of the equine hoof wall were tested to determine their mechanical roles in the morphological hierarchy. Macroscale tensile tests conducted on samples of the inner wall tubules and intertubular material showed a sixfold difference in mean initial stiffnesses (0.47 and 0.08 GPa, respectively), indicating that the inner wall tubules stiffen the wall along its longitudinal axis. The similarity in material properties of tubule and intertubular samples from the mid-wall suggests that tubules in this region offer only minor reinforcement along the longitudinal axis. Microscale ...
Lee YH, Clarke KW, Alibhai HI.Clenbuterol (0.8 microg kg(-1) intravenously) was investigated in ponies (small horses) anaesthetised with acepromazine, detomidine and thiopentone, then halothane in oxygen alone (hyperoxic group) or with nitrous oxide (hypoxic group). Following instrumentation, ponies were placed in dorsal recumbency for 60 minutes, clenbuterol (both groups) or a saline control (hyperoxic group) given, and cardiopulmonary parameters monitored for a further 60 minutes. In the hyperoxic group, clenbuterol administration resulted in a transitory (<five minutes) 15 per cent fall in arterial blood pressure and...
East LM, Savage CJ.Neoplasia of the equine gastrointestinal tract and abdominal organs occurs predominantly in geriatric horses, although lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma and a few other neoplasms can be found in young horses. This article discusses diagnostics that can be used in weight-loss situations, suspicious of neoplasia, as well as tumors themselves including clinical signs, diagnostic tools, histopathologic appearance, and management.
Savage CJ.Nomenclature regarding neoplasia of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues in the horse is confusing. This article will clarify terminology, and discuss the individual lymphoproliferative and myeloproliferative disorders recognized in the horse. Diagnostic techniques that are useful in cases in which hematopoietic or lymphoid tissue neoplasia are suspected include histochemical staining profiles, bone marrow aspiration, and bone marrow biopsy.
Schooley EK, Hendrickson DA.Tumors of the musculoskeletal system are rare in horses; however, they must be taken seriously. Diagnosis requires observation of clinical signs, radiographic findings, and histological examination. Veterinarians must realize prognosis is not favorable for most tumors; however, some of these tumors can be treated or at least ameliorated. Tumors discussed in this article include: osteoma and osteosarcoma; osteoblastoma; chondrosarcoma; fibroma and fibrosarcoma; plasma cell myeloma; synovioma; rhabdomyosarcoma and tumors metastatic to the musculoskeletal system.
Théon AP.This article covers the principles and applications of radiation therapy in horses. The goal in treating tumors by irradiation is tumor control with minimum treatment complications. Various treatment techniques are available to achieve this goal. The prognosis depends on many factors such as the extent and location of the tumor, tumor type and tumor cell proliferation. Radiation therapy is a very effective treatment modality for equine tumors but logistical reasons limit its impact in equine oncology.
Traub-Dargatz JL.This article is a review of reports on neoplasia of the equine urinary tract. Clinical signs associated with equine patients with urinary tract neoplasia are summarized along with a description of diagnostic methods used in such patients. The prognosis for treatment of urinary tract neoplasia is guarded. A review of the limited treatments that have been reported to date are also provided in this article.
Scarratt WK, Crisman MV.Tumors of the equine respiratory tract occur infrequently. An accurate diagnosis of neoplasia of the respiratory tract is critical because the prognosis is usually grave. The clinical signs and diagnostic procedures are discussed for tumors of the nasal and paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx/larynx, guttural pouch and thorax including lung, pleura, and thymus.
Ogilvie GK.The importance of paraneoplastic syndromes is often underestimated in the horse. Clinically, paraneoplastic syndromes can cause greater morbidity than the actual physical presence of the malignant tumor. The appearance may be the first sign of a malignancy and may be so severe that appropriate therapy for the underlying cancer is not initiated. This article reviews some of the most common paraneoplastic syndromes that are likely to occur in the horse.
Paradis MR.Neoplasia of the central nervous system (CNS) can be divided into two main categories: nonpituitary CNS neoplasia and pituitary adenomas. Nonpituitary CNS neoplasias are generally compressive in nature, although some are also invasive. The majority of reported CNS tumors are secondary with only a few originating from nervous tissue. Pituitary adenomas predominantly occur in the pars intermedia of the older horse. Clinical signs, diagnostic testing, and possible treatments are discussed.
McCue PM.Granulosa cell tumors of the ovary and SCC and melanoma of the external genitalia are the most common neoplasms in the mare. Tumors of the tubular reproductive tract and the mammary gland are rare.
Goodrich L, Gerber H, Marti E, Antczak DF.Sarcoids, the most common tumor of the horse, are fibroblastic, wart-like skin lesions that show variable manifestations. They are often invasive and recurrent, although they do not fulfill all criteria of malignancy. Due to their anatomic location, these tumors can sometimes cause loss of use of the horse. There is very strong evidence that sarcoids are caused by viruses closely related or identical to bovine papilloma viruses, and genetic studies have shown associations between genes in or near the equine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and susceptibility to sarcoid. Several types of ...
Théon AP.Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for equine tumors. Conservative treatment approaches which preserve function and appearance are increasingly used in clinical practice. This article covers the principles and applications of two conservative treatment modalities including local chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The therapeutic benefit of local chemotherapy is based on the direct drug delivery to tumor tissue, i.e., topical and intratumoral administration of cytotoxic agents in slow release formulation. This treatment modality is very effective for cutaneous tumors and does not result in any p...
Johnson PJ.Cutaneous neoplasia represents a clinical problem with which veterinarians are commonly challenged. This article addresses equine cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell papilloma, melanoma, mastocytosis, and lymphosarcoma. Current concepts regarding the origin, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of each neoplasm is emphasized.
Thompson DL, Garza F, Ashley KB, Wiest JJ.Anestrous lighthorse mares were treated in December with dihydrotestosterone (DHT; 150 micrograms/kg of body weight), progesterone (P; 164 micrograms/kg), both DHT and P (DHT+P), testosterone (T; 150 micrograms/kg), or vehicle (n = 4/group). Daily blood sampling was started on Day 1, and on Day 4 all mares were administered a pretreatment injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and were bled frequently to characterize the responses of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations. Treatment injections were given on Day 4 and then daily through Day 17...
O'Sullivan S, McGowan CM, Junnila J, Hyytiäinen HK.Impinging dorsal spinous processes (IDSP) are typically diagnosed and graded using radiography, during which the effect of the horses' thoracolumbar posture on the interspinous spaces is not commonly considered. Posture can be altered from a spontaneous, relatively extended, or lordotic, position by manual facilitation of thoracic flexion ('thoracic lift'). This study aimed to ascertain if the thoracic vertebral interspinous space distances were increased by using facilitated thoracic flexion to alter the posture in horses diagnosed with IDSP. Seven horses of mixed breed and sex, median age 9....
Oxburgh L, Berg M, Klingeborn B, Emmoth E, Linné T.The antigenic properties of H3N8 equine influenza virus from the Swedish epizootic of 1991 differ from those of A/eq 2/Fontainebleau/79 (representative of the Swedish vaccine strain) in hemagglutination inhibition tests. The amino acid sequence of the hemagglutinin (HA) of an isolate from the 1991 outbreak was deduced from the nucleotide sequence and comparison was made to the A/eq 2/Fontainebleau/79 strain. Twenty-three amino acid substitutions were found, 10 mapping onto areas of the HA known to bind antibodies in human H3 influenza viruses. The amino acid changes together with the serologic...
Van de Water E, Oosterlinck M, Duchateau L, Pille F.The purpose of this study was to determine whether the scil Vet abc Plus(+) (SCIL Animal Care Company, Altorf, France), an impedance hematology analyzer, can accurately quantify and differentiate nucleated blood cells (NBCs) in equine synovial fluid. Synovial fluid samples (n=242) in different stages of experimentally induced inflammation were analyzed with and without hyaluronidase pretreatment and compared to manual hemocytometer counts and smear reviews. No significant effect of hyaluronidase pretreatment was observed. Total nucleated cell counts of the scil Vet abc Plus(+) were significant...
Byers SW, Dowsett KF, Glover TD.Three stallions were bled each hour for 25 h at 28-day intervals throughout 1 year. Testosterone levels were pulsatile. Pulse frequency and pulse amplitude were higher in the summer months than at other times (P less than 0.01). The number of testosterone pulses also varied throughout the day, with the greatest frequency occurring in the afternoon (14.00-17.00 h) and at night (22.00-01.00 h). Mean testosterone levels were highest in the summer (P less than 0.01) but showed a secondary, smaller increase in the autumn. Semen characteristics were assessed from measurements of 222 stallions. Semen...
Yovich JV.Fractures of the distal phalanx are an important cause of lameness referrable to the foot. Depending on the fracture configuration and articular involvement, conservative or surgical treatment may be required. Fractures of the distal phalanx have been divided into six categories based on fracture configuration. Discussion of clinical features, management, and prognosis for horses with distal phalangeal fractures is presented for each fracture type.
Mouguelar H, Díaz T, Borghi D, Quinteros R, Bonino F, Apichela SA, Aguilar JJ.The objectives of this work were to describe some morphometric characteristics and to establish quantitative parameters of different regions of the equine oviductal mucosa from the isthmus, ampullary-isthmic junction (AIJ), and ampulla. Twenty-one mixed-bred mares were used for this study. Mares were selected in the following reproductive phases: anestrus, estrus, and diestrus. The left oviducts were examined with light microscopy, and rights ones were studied through the intraoviductal molds. The isthmus showed the smallest luminal area, mucosal area, epithelial perimeter, and luminal diamete...
Reef VB, Klumpp S, Maxson AD, Sweeney RW.Two-dimensional real-time echocardiographic examination of a 3-year-old Thoroughbred gelding with pleuropneumonia revealed an intact aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva, which was confirmed at postmortem examination. The horse had no clinical signs associated with the aneurysm.
Lindsay FE, Burton FL.Although "urine testing" is said to enable the male equid to assess the sexual status of the mare, there are no reports in the literature of any detailed study of this behavioural response of the stallion. Behavioural response to conspecific urine was studied in two horse stallions and one donkey stallion. The relevant nasopalatine anatomy is described. Events observed during urine testing included head, neck, lip, jaw, tongue movements, penile changes and nasal secretion. Nasal endoscopy indicated that the source of part of the nasal secretion was the secretory glands of the vomeronasal organ...
Stephens KA, Morcom E, Hood DM.A fluorometric assay was used to determine plasma antithrombin III (AT III) activities in 15 healthy adult horses. Nearly all plasma samples had an initial value of greater than 100% thrombin inhibited, so a 1:1 dilution of the prepared samples was performed. Following dilution, the mean value of the animals was 59.17 +/- 7.4% thrombin inhibited. Mares had significantly greater AT III activity than did geldings (P less than 0.01). The results of this study indicate the horse has more AT III activity than did other domestic species in which AT III activity has been reported.
Bentley AP, Barton MH, Lee MD, Norton NA, Moore JN.To determine which antimicrobials that are used to treat neonatal foals with septicemia attributable to Escherichia coli will minimize endotoxin release from bacteria and subsequent activity of inflammatory mediators while maintaining bactericidal efficacy. Methods: Blood samples from 10 healthy foals. Methods: Escherichia coli isolates A and B were isolated from 2 septicemic foals, and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined for 9 antimicrobials. Five of these antimicrobials were tested in vitro at 2 and 20 times their respective MIC. Whole blood or mononuclear cells grown in ...
Danek J.Four clinically normal stallions were infused intravenously with endotoxin (LPS) from Escherichia coli 055:B5 at a dose of 0.3 microg/kg b.w. and four stallions were treated with flunixin meglumine (FM) as a single intravenous injection at a dose of 1.1 mg/kg b.w., 5 min after the infusion of LPS. In response to endotoxin infusion, stallions' reaction was fever (increased rectal and scrotal skin temperature), increased heart rate (HR) and leucopenia. Administration of endotoxin also influenced the level of testosterone (decrease at 3-24 h and increase at 48-72 h after LPS administration) in th...
Wilson SJ, Ward MP.Hendra virus (HeV), a potentially fatal zoonotic disease spread by flying foxes, to date has always infected humans via a spillover event from equine HeV infection. In a theoretical case study, we compared the impacts of two different HeV prevention strategies - vaccination and flying fox roost removal - using a recently developed framework that considers different stakeholder group perspectives. The perspectives of the four selected stakeholder groups regarding intangibles were inferred from public discussions and coverage in the media. For all stakeholder groups, the option to vaccinate hors...
Ing S.A 22-year-old miniature horse gelding was brought to a veterinary clinic with multiple porcupine quills embedded in the face. One quill had perforated through the left caudoventral cornea but did not extend beyond the anterior chamber. The horse was referred to a specialist clinic for removal of the intraocular quill and subsequent primary surgical repair of the corneal wound. Following aggressive medical treatment, the horse retained vision. Piquants de porc-épic oculaires et faciaux chez un cheval miniature. Un cheval hongre miniature de 22 ans a été amené à une clinique vétérinaire a...
Mills PC, Dunnett M, Smith NC.The pharmacokinetics of oral and intravenous allopurinol was studied in five horses and compared with intravenous oxypurinol. The plasma concentration vs. time curves, following intravenous administration of 5 mg/kg, were best described by the biexponential equations Cp = 106.58e(-25.14t) + 159.93e(-10.96t) for allopurinol and Cp = 321.09e(-9.72t) + 82.39e(-0.44t) for oxypurinol, with an elimination half-life (t1/2 beta) of 0.09 h and an area under the curve (AUC) of 19.8 mumol.h/L after intravenous administration, while the t1/2 beta and AUC of oxypurinol were 1.09 h and 231 mumol.h/L, respec...
Gronwall R, Engelking LR, Anwer MS, Erichsen DF, Klentz RD.Surgically placed bile duct cannulas allowed collection of secreted bile from nonanesthetized ponies. UNINTERRUPTED ENTEROPHEPATIC CIRCULATION WAS PERMITTED BETWEEN COLLECTIONS. Deleterious effects of cannulation were not observed. Average bile flow was 18.6 plus or minus 1.72 (standard error) mul/minute/kg, bile acid excretion was 0.179 plus or minus 0.0212 mumole/minute/kg, and bilirubin excretion averaged 1.22 plus or minus 0.136 mug/minute/kg.
Tucker ML, Wilson DG, Bergstrom DJ, Carmalt JL.Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has proven useful in the planning of upper airway surgery in humans, where it is used to anticipate the influence of the surgical procedures on post-operative airflow. This technology has only been reported twice in an equine model, with a limited scope of airflow mechanics situations examined. The reported study sought to widen this application to the variety of procedures used to treat equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN). The first objective of this study was to generate a CFD model of an box model of ten different equine larynges replicating RLN a...
Abu-Seida AM, Shamaa AA.This case report records an obstructive urolithiasis due to a large calcium carbonate urethral stone in an 11-year-old Arabian stallion. The stallion had colicky pain, anuria, and reduction in food and water intakes. Palpation of the penis revealed rhythmic contractions of the urethra, a hard mass in the penile urethra at the level of the ischial arch, and a dilated urethra proximal to the mass. Rectal examination revealed a distended and turgid urinary bladder. Passing a urethral catheter revealed a complete urethral obstruction at the level of the ischial arch. Ultrasonography revealed a cal...
Yocom A, Contino E, Kawcak C.Bisphosphonates are a group of drugs that can reduce bone resorption by incorporating into the crystal structure of exposed hydroxyapatite where they are taken up by osteoclasts. Bisphosphonates have several other mechanisms of action including reducing pain and inflammation and altering macrophage function. There are two types of bisphosphonates-nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous, the latter of which is used in horses. This article provides a literature-based review of the proposed mechanisms of action and therapeutic uses of bisphosphonates including a brief review of bone response to disease. ...
Chhabra MB, Gautam OP.The prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was investigated among equids in 3 localities of north India, using the direct haemagglutination test. Of the 603 animals sampled, titres ranging from 1:8 to 1:512 were found in 71 (11.8 per cent). Specific titres of 1:64 or more were found in 34 (5.6 per cent) sera. The number of positive titres at Babugarh (Uttar Pradesh) was considerably higher than at 2 other localities. Although the likelihood of positive sera appeared to increased with age, the animal's sex appeared to have little influence. Subjects with reproductive disorders or eye ail...
Röcken M, Fürst A, Kummer M, Mosel G, Tschanz T, Lischer CJ.To report use of transendoscopic electrohydraulic shockwave lithotripsy for fragmentation of urinary calculi in horses. Methods: Case series. Methods: Male horses (n = 21). Methods: Fragmentation of cystic calculi (median, 6 cm diameter; range, 4-11 cm diameter) was achieved by transurethral endoscopy in standing sedated horses using an electrohydraulic shockwave fiber introduced through the biopsy channel of an endoscope. The fiber was advanced until it contacted the calculus. Repeated activation of the fiber was used to disrupt the calculus into fragments <1 cm diameter. Visibility within...
Lindsay DS, Dykstra CC, Williams A, Spencer JA, Lenz SD, Palma K, Dubey JP, Blagburn BL.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic syndrome in horses from the Americas and is usually caused by infection with the apicomplexan parasite, Sarcocystis neurona. A horse model of EPM is needed to test the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents and potential vaccines. Five horses that were negative for antibodies to S. neurona in their serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were injected in the subarachnoid space with living merozoites of the SN2 isolate of S. neurona. None of the horses developed clinical disease or died over a 132-day observation period. All five horses develope...
Joyce J, Baxter GM, Sarrafian TL, Stashak TS, Trotter G, Frisbie D.To determine the clinical applications, short and long-term survival, and complications of using transfixation pin casts for treatment of comminuted phalangeal fractures in adult horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 20 horses. Methods: Medical records were reviewed to obtain information regarding signalment, fracture location, treatment methods, complications, and short-term survival (discharge from hospital). Long-term follow-up information was obtained via contact with owners or trainers. Results: 12 fractures were in a hind limb, and 8 were in a forelimb. Fourteen fractures ...