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.
Holmes JR, Henigan M, Williams RB, Witherington DH.The paper describes five cases of atrial fibrillation detected after racing. In four of them, the arrhythmia disappeared spontaneously within 24 h and they were regarded as paroxysmal in type. In the fifth case, which won its race, the arrhythmia persisted for at least 45 h after racing. It was therefore regarded as an example of persistent atrial fibrillation. It was then treated with quinidine sulphate which restored sinus rhythm. It would seem that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation may be a cause of sudden decrease in racing performance.
Kamerling SG, Dequick DJ, Weckman TJ, Tobin T.Sensitive methods for measuring the analgesic, physiological and behavioural effects of opioids in the horse have recently been developed. Fentanyl, a prototypic mu-opiate receptor agonist, has been previously shown to produce a syndrome characterized by marked analgesia and locomotor stimulation as well as tachycardia, tachypnoea and behavioural arousal. To determine whether other opiate receptors mediate some of the actions of the narcotic analgesics in the horse, an agent with activity at kappa- and to lesser extent mu-receptors was studied using a vigorous experimental protocol. Like fenta...
Whitton DL, Trim CM.Heart block is a relatively common arrhythmia in the adult horse. It may be a normal physiologic phenomenon or it may have pathologic implication. Four foals in which advanced heart block developed during anesthesia were unresponsive to atropine sulfate and supportive treatment alone. Resolution of the heart blocks was achieved after the addition of dopamine hydrochloride to the therapeutic regimen.
Uhlinger C, Johnstone C.A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of benzimidazole (BZ)-resistant small strongyles in horses in a southeastern Pennsylvania practice. Resistant parasites were found in 291 of 342 horses surveyed. Anthelmintic practices and pasture management factors in use for 3 to 6 years did not correlate with the presence of resistant small strongyles. Benzimidazole-resistant small strongyles were recovered in horses that had been treated alternately with BZ and non-BZ products and in horses receiving BZ products as infrequently as twice a year. However, inasmuch as the horses may have been...
Markel MD, Orsini JA, Gentile DG, Freeman DE, Tulleners EP, Harrison IW.Four horses operated on for left dorsal displacement of the large colon (LDDLC) had major intraoperative or postoperative complications. One horse was euthanatized during surgery because of extensive necrosis of the large colon. Three horses that were discharged after surgical correction of LDDLC were readmitted with signs of abdominal pain between 5 weeks and 13 months after surgery. Two horses had recurrence of LDDLC, and the third horse had an omental adhesion attached to and obstructing the pelvic flexure. The displacements were corrected, the adhesion was broken down, and the horses were ...
Brooks DE, McCoy DJ, Martin GS.Uterine rupture was diagnosed in 2 postpartum mares with hemorrhagic vaginal discharge. Both mares had abdominal pain, as evidenced by pawing, kicking at the abdomen, or attempting to roll. Peritoneal fluid analysis was useful in establishing a diagnosis. One mare had many RBC in the peritoneal fluid and was anemic; this mare was managed medically with oxytocin, antibiotics, and blood transfusion. The mare was able to raise her foal to weaning age. The second mare had many RBC, degenerate neutrophils, and intracellular and extracellular bacteria in peritoneal fluid. Surgical repair of the uter...
Gelberg HB, Zachary JF, Everitt JI, Jensen RC, Smetzer DL.We reviewed case records, necropsy reports, and histologic sections from 25 Thoroughbred racehorses that died suddenly at 3 Chicago racetracks. These were young horses ranging in age from 2 to 5 years. There were more females (n = 16) than males (n = 9), and the incidence of death increased slightly in the spring and summer. Twenty-one of the 25 horses died while racing or training. Only 8 of the 25 horses (32%) had lesions sufficient to account for the death. In 6 of those 8 cases, death was caused by massive thoracic or abdominal hemorrhage. The site or nature of the vascular defect in these...
Wagner PC, Grant BD, Kaneps AJ, Watrous BJ.After desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (distal check ligament) had been performed in 40 horses with flexural deformity of the distal interphalangeal joint (contracture of the deep digital flexor tendon), the horses' records were evaluated retrospectively. Information concerning soundness, return to intended purpose, and cosmetic appearance of the limb and hoof was obtained. The condition had been diagnosed and treated in 26 horses before they were one year old (group A, acute) and in 14 horses greater than one year of age (group B, chronic). Nine months to ...
Drudge JH, Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Swerczek TW.Oxibendazole (OBZ; 10 mg/kg of body weight) was administered to ponies at 8-week intervals to control strongylosis in a breeding band of Shetland-type ponies (n = 29 to 50) from October 1978 through September 1984. A similar use of cambendazole (CBZ; 20 mg/kg of body weight) in this band of ponies during the preceding 4-year period resulted in the survival of a CBZ-resistant population (S) of small strongyles. Effectiveness of OBZ treatments was monitored by pre- and posttreatment counts of the number of strongyle eggs per gram of feces (epg) and of the number of strongyle larvae per gram of f...
Coyne CP, Hornof WJ, Kelly AB, O'Brien TR, DeNardo SJ.Equine fibrinogen was isolated and aliquots were stored frozen at -70 C before radiolabeling with 125I (half-life = 60.2 days; gamma = 35 keV, using monochloroiodine reagent. Radioiodination efficiencies were 49% to 53%, resulting in a labeled product with 98% protein-bound activity and 91% clottable radioactivity. In 6 equine in vivo investigations, plasma half-lives of 125I-labeled fibrinogen were from 4.1 to 5.2 days, corresponding to a mean daily plasma elimination rate of approximately 15%.
Lovell DK.Through the study of equine exercise physiology, one can learn more about what happens to the body of the performance horse during all forms of exercise. Better understanding of skeletal, joint, tendon, and ligament adaptations to loading and stress may allow adjustments to be made in training techniques to reduce the incidence of injury. The information obtained from exercise research may also facilitate the investigation of questions such as the following: What makes one horse perform better than another? How can one bring out the optimal performance in each horse? How can one tell when a ho...
Rose RJ, Allen JR.Hematology has been widely used in attempts to provide information about disease states, performance problems, and fitness in performance horses. However, owing to factors such as the temperament of the horse and time of collection and feeding, considerable variation in the hemograms can be found. This article reviews some of the hematologic responses to exercise and training.
Herr S, Huchzermeyer HF, Te Brugge LA, Williamson CC, Roos JA, Schiele GJ.The same techniques may be used in the complement fixation test (CFT) for the serological diagnosis of bovine brucellosis, Johne's disease (paratuberculosis), dourine, equine piroplasmosis and Q fever (caused by Coxiella burnetii). The reproducibility of results is excellent, falling for the most part within the twofold range and never exceeding the fourfold range. Agreement with other laboratories is excellent (i.e. within twofold) in the case of brucellosis and equine piroplasmosis antibody titres. A good correlation between the occurrence of the disease and serological reactions is found on...
Christensen JM, Blythe LL, Craig AM.Phenylbutazone was administered to six Thoroughbred horses in a cross-over study in which the horses received cimetidine pretreatment or no cimetidine pretreatment. Blood samples were collected at various times for 48 h after phenylbutazone administration and the plasma was analysed for phenylbutazone. Cimetidine pretreatment elevated phenylbutazone plasma concentrations during the first 8 h after phenylbutazone administration. The absorption rate, maximum phenylbutazone plasma concentrations and AUC were significantly greater with cimetidine pretreatment. The half-life of phenylbutazone did n...
Paquette B.Equine infectious anemia in Canada was reviewed for the period January 1976 to December 1981. The human and ecological factors prevailing in Canada are deemed instrumental with respect to the evolution of the disease. The natural spread of the disease on a large scale has not been influenced by the Federal program. Reactors with signs of the disease are important for it's propagation. The author underlines the necessity of cooperation with private practising veterinarians to control it.
Brown AE, Hansen PJ, Asbury AC.Uterine flushings collected from mares before and after bacterial-induced inflammation were assayed for ability to opsonize Streptococcus zooepidemicus for phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Opsonization was measured as the peak phagocytic rate of bacteria preincubated with uterine flushings relative to the peak phagocytic rate of unopsonized bacteria. Flushings from four mares with noninfected uteri were unable to opsonize bacteria regardless of whether uteri were flushed at estrus or on day 10 postovulation. In a second experiment, 7 X 10(9) live S. zooepidemicus were inoculated i...
Webb AI, Daniel RT, Miller HS, Kosch PC.The capability of a transconjunctival oxygen monitoring system to provide an accurate and reliable means of observing arterial oxygenation trends was evaluated in 12 horse and pony foals between 5 and 20 days of age. Ten of the foals were anesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen and nitrous oxide, and 2 foals were conscious. Inspired oxygen concentration was manipulated by differing proportions of oxygen and nitrous oxide in the fresh gas supplied to the breathing circuit. With arterial oxygen tension values ranging from less than 20 to greater than 400 mm of Hg, all foals had significant positi...
Nap RC, Wouda W, Firth EC, Dik K, von Dijk P.The case of a horse affected with frontal sinusitis, in which neurological complications occurred following trepanation, is reported. The previous history of the animal as well as the clinical, radiological and pathological findings are discussed.
Garris GI, Scotland K.Cattle, sheep, goats and horses were examined for ticks. Over 95% of Holstein cross-breeds, 28% of sheep (local mixed breeds) and 18% of goats (local mixed breeds) examined from 18 August to 4 September 1983 were infested with the southern cattle tick, Boophilus microplus Canestrini. About 90 and 17% of the horses examined were infested with the tropical horse tick, Anocentor nitens Neumann, and the tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius, respectively. The tropical bont tick was found infesting 10% of cattle in the Gros Islet area of St. Lucia. The tropical bont tick was also found...
Sweeney CR, Beech J, Roby KA.Of tracheobronchial aspirates from 50 clinically healthy Thoroughbred racehorses, 4 (8%) had aerobic bacteria with recognized pathogenicity, 12 (24%) contained transient bacterial isolates, and 37 (74%) had no bacterial growth. Of tracheobronchial aspirates from 36 pastured, nonracing racehorses, 3 (8%) had bacteria with recognized pathogenicity, 23 (64%) contained transient bacteria, and 10 (28%) had no bacterial growth. Anaerobes were not isolated from 12 of 12 pastured horses. Transient bacteria were isolated more often in the pastured horses.
Belonje PC, van Niekerk CH.Attention is drawn to the beneficial effect of improved nutrition during winter and early spring on the ovarian activity of mares. Furthermore, the necessity of an adequate plane of nutrition during early pregnancy to prevent embryonic resorption is stressed.
Saey V, Vandecasteele T, van Loon G, Cornillie P, Ploeg M, Delesalle C, Gröne A, Gielen I, Ducatelle R, Chiers K.Acquired aortopulmonary fistulation is a rare condition in humans. It usually results as a late complication of a true or pseudoaneurysm of the thoracic aorta. It is most commonly associated with trauma or surgery, less commonly with atherosclerosis, inflammation, hypertension or Marfan's syndrome. Aortopulmonary fistulation is also seen as a rare complication of acute aortic dissection. On rare occasions, acquired aortopulmonary fistulation is reported in aged patients without any of the above mentioned triggering factors. Thus, these cases should be considered as idiopathic aortopulmonary fi...
Allen WR, Bracher V.During a 5-year period 65 Pony and 20 Thoroughbred pregnant mares were subjected to videoendoscopic hysteroscopy from 10 to 266 days of gestation. The aims of these examinations were to 1) observe foetal and placental development in vivo (60 Pony and 10 Thoroughbred mares); 2) eliminate one of unicornuate twin conceptuses (9 Thoroughbred mares); 3) recover embryonic foetal and placental tissues non-surgically for experimental purposes (47 Pony mares); 4) induce focal separation of the placenta in late gestation as an experimental model of placentitis (5 pony mares and 1 Thoroughbred mare). It ...
Ehrlich PJ, Dohoo IR, O'Callaghan MW.To document anatomic patterns of scintigraphic uptake and related orthopedic disease associated with racing activity in Standardbred horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 64 Standardbred horses evaluated for lameness. Methods: Medical records at the time of discharge were reviewed, and information regarding signalment; history; results of lameness examination, scintigraphy, and radiography; diagnosis; and treatment were obtained. Results: 274 areas of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake were identified. Scintigrams of 218 limbs (106 forelimbs, 112 hind limbs) were available for revie...
Hertsch B, Teschner D.Objective of the study was to investigate whether a correlation between rotation and/or sinking of the third phalanx (P3) and changes of horn growth on the hoof wall exists. Methods: In 117 hooves of euthanatized or slaughtered horses with chronic laminitis the rotating angle to palmar/plantar and medial/lateral and a sinking of P3 were assessed on radiographs. Defined distances were measured on the dorsal hoof wall as well as in the heel to assess the horn growth of a hoof. On the basis of saw cuts of the hooves, the course of the horn tubes was judged. Results: A rotation angle of approximat...
Moure A, Reichmann P, Gamba HR.The application of the dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) technique, using gadolinium-153 as the photon source, to evaluate the bone mineral density (BMD) of the third metacarpal bone of horses is presented. The radiation detector was implemented with a NaI(TI) scintillator coupled to a 14 stage photomultiplier. A modular mechanical system allows the position of the prototype to be adjusted in relation to the animal. A moveable carrier makes it possible to scan the third metacarpal with a velocity adjustable between 1 and 12 mm s(-1), in steps of 1 mm s(-1), for a total distance of 250 mm. The p...
Trachsel D, Cohausz O, Scharf G, Wehrli Eser M.A 14-year old Swiss warmblood gelding was presented to the equine hospital of the University of Zurich because of therapy-resistant fever. An intermittent lameness suggested the presence of an intravascular aorto-iliac thrombus which was confirmed sonographically. Subsequently, treatment was initiated with Heparin s.c. and continued for 7 months with Phenprocoumon (Marcoumar). The dosage was monitored and adjusted according to the prothrombin time, which was initially measured every week, and later maximally biweekly. The lameness improved and the regression of the thrombus could be followed s...
Schambourg MA, Spriet M, Piccot-Crézollet C, Vaillancourt D.A yearling filly was presented for protrusion of a mass at the vulvar margins. A diagnosis of prolapse of the right uterine horn was made after vaginoscopy, transrectal palpation, and ultrasonography. It was confirmed later by biopsy of the tissue. Recovery was uneventful after easy replacement of the uterine horn. Une pouliche yearling fut présentée pour la protrusion d’une masse au pourtour de la vulve. Un diagnostic de prolapsus de la corne utérine droite fut établi à la suite de la vaginoscopie, de la palpation transrectale et de l’échographie. Le diagnostic fut confirmé par la...
Schumacher J, Brink P.To describe successful surgical treatment of urinary incontinence caused by a ruptured and/or transected urethral sphincter in a mare. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: A 7-year-old, Swedish Warmblood mare with urinary incontinence. Methods: The urethral sphincter, which had been damaged during removal of a cystic urolith, was repaired by apposing the ends of the disrupted urethralis muscle and tunica muscularis. Results: The mare was no longer incontinent after repair of the defect by apposition of the ends of the urethralis muscle and tunica muscularis. Conclusions: Transection and/or ruptu...
A 1.8-year-old maiden Thoroughbred filly, without previous history of mating or reproductive management, was referred for clinical inspection due to the presence of sanguineous vaginal discharge and severe abdominal pain. Transrectal palpation indicated uterine asymmetry, and transrectal ultrasonography revealed a mass near the cervix measuring 8.3 cm in diameter, with heterogeneous echogenicity, a trabeculated center, and a well-defined hyperechoic border. Smaller masses surrounded the larger uterine mass. During the examination, the mare expelled a uterine mass through the vulva. Histologica...
Offord SCJ, Read RM, Pudney CJ, Bathe AP.Diagnosis of sacroiliac region pain is supported by a positive response to sacroiliac region analgesia (SIRA). Varying techniques have been described for SIRA; with clinician preference often dictating method. Potential complications following SIRA include ataxia and recumbency. No study has specifically evaluated the prevalence of complications. To describe the complication prevalence following SIRA in a referral clinic. Retrospective cohort study. Review of records from horses presented to two of the authors at Rossdales, Newmarket, between January 2014 and December 2018, that underwent SIRA...