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.
Igwe OJ, Blake JW.The disposition kinetics of pemoline after iv and oral administration of 2.4 mg/kg of the drug were studied. The elimination half-life was 39.4 hr. The mean volume of distribution was 1.5 liters/kg indicating extensive tissue distribution and sequestration for an amphoteric drug. Plasma protein binding determined by in vitro equilibrium dialysis was concentration dependent. The mean binding capacity was found to be 0.80 mu-mol/g, an apparent dissociation constant of 3.73 X 10(-5) molar, and a total plasma protein concentration of 64.7 g/liter. The mean systemic availability by oral administrat...
Ríha J, Minár J, Králík O, Krupa V.The adverse effect of blood-sucking dipterous insects (gadflies, gnats, black flies, midges) was determined and checked, as exerted on the working performance of draft horses working in forests; the possibilities of protecting horses with repellents were studied at the same time. The trial was conducted under field conditions in the territory of the Broumov Forest Establishment in the Náchod and Trutnov districts. A 10% water emulsion of the repellent, diethyltoluamide, was used; the horses were treated with the emulsion in a 24-hour interval. Over the seventy working days from the 1st of Jul...
Matthews AG, Imlah P, McPherson EA.Fc specific anti-human IgE serum induced prolonged reversed cutaneous anaphylaxis (RCA)-like reactions in horse skin. Morphologically and histologically, these reactions resembled passively induced late cutaneous anaphylaxis responses in human skin, but differed from reversed passive Arthus responses induced in horse skin using anti-horse IgG serum. The induction of RCA-like responses in horse skin by anti-human IgE indicates shared Fc antigenic determinants on human IgE and a horse homocytotropic or reagin-like antibody.
Morris DD, Garcia M.Adult horses showed a mild diurnal variation in equine plasma thyroxine (T4) concentrations, but not triiodothyronine (T3). Plasma T4 concentrations tended to be higher between 5 PM and 8 PM than at 8 AM. Increases in plasma T4 and T3 were similar in adult healthy horses given 5, 10, or 20 IU of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The T4 peaked at approximately twice (2.0 +/- 0.4 times) as high as the base line at 6 to 12 hours after the TSH was given. The greatest change from base line T3 occurred at 1 to 3 hours after the TSH was given, but the magnitude of increase was widely variable (4.36 ...
Lane VM, Merritt AM.In 4 healthy horses and 1 Welsh pony, fractional renal excretions of phosphorus (FEp) determined from 9 hourly time collections taken over a 24-hour period were compared to assess whether a single-sample collection would be an accurate indicator of the daily FEp. The mean FEp for each animal varied from 0.115% to 0.302%; the 2 animals with the highest values were significantly different (P less than 0.05) from the 3 with the lowest values. Individual variation within animals was not great, however, because it was calculated that the 24-hour FEp value could be found within +/- 0.087% of the sin...
Rose RJ, Hodgson DR, Leadon DP, Rossdale PD.The effect of intranasal administration of oxygen at a flow rate of 10 litres per minute for 10 minutes, was studied in a total of 19 foals (thoroughbred and pony) aged between 0.5 and 12 hours. Arterial blood samples were collected before and after oxygen administration for the determination of paO2, paCO2, pHa and base excess. The foals were divided into three groups: five spontaneously delivered thoroughbred and pony foals (group 1), seven term induced thoroughbred foals (group 2) and seven induced premature pony foals (group 3). To examine the effect of duration of oxygen administration on...
Van Niekerk CH, Morgenthal JC, Starke CJ.Two thoroughbred mares bearing twins as diagnosed by rectal palpation, were subjected to nutritional stress by drastically reducing the daily ration. This resulted in a marked reduction in plasma progestagen levels and the death of either one or both of the twin embryos.
Prescott JF, Hoover DJ, Dohoo IR.The pharmacokinetic parameters of erythromycin in foals were determined following intravenous administration of 5.0 mg/kg to animals aged 1, 3, 5 and 7 weeks. The distribution of the drug was described by a two-compartment open model, and no significant differences were observed between coefficients on which the parameters were based. Pharmacokinetic values were also determined for four mares given 5.0 mg/kg intravenously and for six 10-12-week-old foals given 20.0 mg/kg intravenously. The half-life of erythromycin for all groups of animals (foals less than 7 weeks, mares, foals 10-12 weeks) w...
Newsholme SJ.Gross, histological and ultrastructural findings are described in 6 natural cases and in 2 experimental cases of African horsesickness. From the gross lesions the cases were divisible into 2 groups which represented the previously described pulmonary and mixed forms of the disease. Histologically, abundance of fibrin and inflammatory cells in oedematous lung suggests that the pulmonary lesion is an exudative pneumonia. Lymphoid depletion and necrosis in germinal centres were consistently present. Electron microscopy failed to demonstrate virus particles or virus-associated structures in the ti...
Thompson DL, Godke RA, Squires EL.Twelve mares fed altrenogest for 14 d were used to study the effects of a single injection of testosterone propionate on concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) during diestrus, and to relate the normal and perturbed patterns of FSH secretion to subsequent estrous characteristics and fertility. Seven of 12 mares received testosterone propionate at 200 micrograms/kg of body weight on d 5 of progestogen feeding. Mares were teased and blood samples were drawn daily; all mares were artificially inseminated at the first estrus after progestogen treatment. Testosterone propionate treatm...
Brimijoin S, Mintz KP, Prendergast FG.Interactions between dansylarginine N-(3-ethyl-1,5-pentanediyl)amide (DAPA) and the cholinesterases were examined by the techniques of enzyme kinetics and fluorescence spectroscopy. When tested with partially purified enzyme preparations, DAPA was a potent inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase (IC50 = 2 x 10(-7) M) but not of acetylcholinesterase (IC50 = 4 x 10(-4) M). For a detailed study of the effects of DAPA on butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), the enzyme was purified to homogeneity from horse serum, with the aid of affinity chromatography on N-methyl acridinium. The kinetics of the inhibition o...
Bonagura JD, Pipers FS.Contrast M-mode echocardiography was utilized to study animals with congenital and acquired cardiac defects. Contrast was produced through the rapid injection of isotonic NaCl solution, the patient's blood, or indocyanine green dye into the circulation. Peripheral vein and intracardiac injections of contrast material were used to document ventricular septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot, atrial septal defect, and mitral valve regurgitation. The technique was safe and useful for both small and large animals.
Stick JA, Derksen FJ, McNitt DL, Chou CC.Esophageal motility was studied in 5 healthy adult horses, using a 4 side-hole catheter assembly continuously perfused with distilled water. Resting pressure and maximal pressures generated during swallowing were measured over the whole length of the esophagus (mean +/- S means = 132.7 +/- 2.31 cm). Four functionally distinct regions of the esophagus were demonstrated: cranial esophageal sphincter, caudal esophageal sphincter, and "fast" and "slow" regions in the body of the esophagus. The resting pressure of the cranial and caudal esophageal sphincters were 171.1 +/- 20.45 (x +/- S means) and...
Richardson DW, Kohn CW.The case records of 22 foals with uroperitoneum were reviewed. The most common cause was a defect in the urinary bladder. A sex predilection for males was apparent. Clinical signs were tachycardia, tachypnea, and abdominal distention. The history pertaining to micturition was variable. Hyponatremia, hypochloremia, and hyperkalemia were marked. A reliable means of diagnosis was considered to be the demonstration of a wide disparity in serum and peritoneal fluid creatinine values. Surgical repair was successful in 11 of 18 cases, although surgical and anesthetic complications were common. Some o...
Brightman AH, Manning JP, Benson GJ, Musselman EE.Schirmer I tear tests were conducted on 14 horses. The test was performed before and after IV administration of xylazine hydrochloride, during maintenance anesthesia with halothane in oxygen, and 3 hours after discontinuation of anesthesia. Xylazine hydrochloride did not decrease tear production from the mean base-line value of 23.94 +/- 5.23 mm/min after its IV administration. Tear production was decreased to mean values of 15.57 +/- 4.29 mm/min at 30 minutes and 13.84 +/- 4.25 mm/min at 60 minutes during the maintenance of halothane anesthesia. Three hours after anesthesia was discontinued, ...
Hackett RP.Nonstrangulated colonic displacement was diagnosed by exploratory celiotomy in 32 horses with acute abdominal pain. Clinical signs progressed slowly and included evidence of mild to moderate abdominal pain, good cardiovascular status, reduced intestinal sounds, and normal peritoneal fluid, and resembled those of colonic impaction. In most horses, rectal palpation supported a diagnosis of colonic obstruction but not a diagnosis of colonic impaction.
White KK.Angular limb deformities in 3 foals were found to originate in the diaphyseal region of the 3rd metacarpal (2) and metatarsal (1) bones. In each case, treatment consisted of wedge ostectomy followed by compression plating. Two foals survived for useful performance; the 3rd was euthanatized because of ischemia of the operated limb. The condition appeared to resemble a similar syndrome in man involving tibial curvature.
Billah MM, Lapetina EG.Stimulation of horse platelets with platelet-activating factor (PAF) induces a rapid degradation of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. Addition of 0.1 microM PAF for 5 sec to platelets prelabeled with 32P induces a 50% loss of [32P]PtdIns(4,5)P2. 32P-Labeled phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate (PtdIns4P) and [32P]phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) also are decreased, albeit at a slower rate. Loss of 32P radioactivity correlates with a net loss of fatty acids from both polyphosphoinositides. Stimulation of platelets with PAF also produces formation of [32P]phosphatidic acid and ...
Endruweit M, Dargel J, Siewe J, Becker I, Sobottke R.Background: Vaulting is the least studied equestrian sports regarding the occurrence of injuries. As its sequences of motion do not compare to riding, vaulting must be assessed separately. Material and Methods: This retrospective, questionnaire-aided survey was aimed to gain insight into the overall frequency of injuries among equestrian vaulters. The second part of the study looked into the knee injuries that occurred. Survey forms were sent to 60 vaulting and equestrian clubs all over Germany, making for a response rate of 63 %. Results: 95 % of 624 responding athletes were female. The p...
Durket E, Kersh K, Dembek K, Riedesel E, Silverstone A, Kraus KH.To determine the influence of plate fixation (locking or dynamic compression) and the site of application (ventral [V] or ventrolateral [VL]) on the resistance to bending of transverse mandibular fractures. Methods: Ex vivo, simple randomized study. Methods: Mandibles harvested from adult equine cadavers (n = 18). Methods: Bilateral osteotomies were created 1 cm caudal to the mental foramen and perpendicular to the long axis of each mandible. Mandibles were fixed with 1 of 3 methods: (1) VL dynamic compression plate (DCP), (2) V-DCP, or (3) VL locking compression plating (LCP). Construct...
Wright IM, Smith MR.Removal of large chip fractures of the carpal bones and the osteochondral deficits that result, have been associated with a worse prognosis than removal of small fragments in similar locations. Objective: Reducing the articular defects by repair of large osteochondral fragments may have advantages over removal. Methods: Horses with osteochondral chip fractures that were of sufficient size and infrastructure to be repaired with small (2.7 mm diameter) AO/ASIF cortex screws were identified and repair effected by arthroscopically guided internal fixation. Results: Thirty-three horses underwent su...
Rogers PA, Fahey GC, Albert WW.Serum amino acid profiles and other serum characteristics of broodmares and their foals wee studied. Compared with mares, foals had significantly higher concentrations of serum leucine, threonine, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, glutamine, proline and tyrosine, glucose, cholesterol, creatinine and phosphorus. Foals had significantly less serum histidine, glycine, cystine, taurine, protein and urea nitrogen. Lysine and/or methionine supplementation of pregnant and lactating broodmare diets were conducted. Changes in serum amino acid profiles caused by dietary amino acid supplemented w...
Rickards KJ, Page CP, Hamblin AS, Goode NT, Cunningham FM.Lymphocytes play an important role in allergic inflammation and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of equine allergic skin and respiratory disease. Targeting intracellular signalling pathways in human lymphocytes has demonstrated a role for both phosphodiesterase and protein kinase C in cell activation. The aim of this study was to measure total cyclic nucleotide hydrolysing phosphodiesterase activity and to identify the phosphodiesterase and protein kinase C isoenzymes present in equine lymphocytes. The functional significance of these isoenzymes was then investigated by examining their...
Clark ES, Collatos C.The effects of intravenous infusion of endotoxin for 30 minutes at a cumulative dosage of 0.03 micrograms/kg on average carotid arterial pressure, and on average arterial pressure, capillary pressure, venous pressure, total vascular resistance, precapillary resistance, postcapillary resistance, and capillary filtration coefficient in the jejunum were compared to the effects of intravenous infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride solution in 6 anesthetized horses. Endotoxin significantly reduced intestinal venous blood flow by inducing vasoconstriction. Increased vascular resistance resulted from incre...
Yurdaydin N, Tekin N, Gülyüz F, Aksu A, Klug E.An Arab broodmare herd of 30 mares age ranging from 4 to 12 years was grouped into 3 groups (group A, B, C) with 10 mares each and exposed to three different methods of cycle synchronisation. Group A mares received two PGF2 alpha injections 14 days apart. Group B mares got additionally 2,500 IU of hCG 5 days after second prostaglandin application. Group C consisted of mares which had foaled in a synchrony of one week and got a PGF2 alpha injection 3 weeks after parturition. All the mares responding to synchronisation were inseminated closely to ovulation detected by serial rectal palpations wi...
Wood AL, Spradbrow PB.Fetal equine fibroblasts exposed to bovine papillomavirus became transformed by the criteria of morphological alterations and the acquisition of an increased life span, although they failed to grow in soft agar. Papillomavirus genome persisted in the transformed fibroblasts and was apparently not integrated with the cellular genome. These findings support the notion that bovine papillomaviruses are involved in the production of equine sarcoids.
Arighi M, Singh A, Bosu WT, Horney FD.Abdominal, inguinal and scrotal testes of horses were examined grossly and by light microscopy. An average of 1.5, 2.3 and 4.6 layers of spermatogenic cells, and mean seminiferous tubule diameters of approximately 66.2, 83.6 and 146.6 micron in the abdominal, inguinal and scrotal testes, respectively, were recorded. The interstitial spaces and the number of interstitial cells (of Leydig) seemed to be increased while spermatogenesis appeared to be arrested in the retained testes. Early spermatocytes were the most mature stages of the spermatogenic cells in the retained testes. An extensive vacu...
Anderson GF.The equine hoof and foot are the most commonly affected anatomic sites of lameness encountered during purchase examination of the performance horse. This article presents a thorough, systematic approach to the clinical evaluation of the hoof and foot relevant to the pre-purchase examination. Normal and abnormal conditions are discussed with reference to their potential effects on future performance and soundness. Proper trimming, balancing, and shoeing principles are emphasized.
Dzongowska-Dzongu T, Kotoński B, Hutny J.Alpha-1,4 leads to 1,4-glucosyltransferase preparations from horse muscles and serum were studied. The enzyme proteins from both tissues are very similar. Both proteins have a molecular weight of 240 000 and consist of four subunits of 60 000 daltons each. pH 5,0 is optimal for the activity. Only substrates with alpha-1, 4-linkages can serve as glucosyl donors for transferase reactions. Km values for both enzymes differ very slightly. At low substrate concentrations the hydrolytic activity can be found in addition to transferase reactions. At the concentration of the substrate higher than 40 m...
Hülsemann F, Flenker U, Machnik M, Schänzer W.Sodium bicarbonate administration to horses prior to competition in order to enhance the buffer capacity of the organism is considered as a doping offence. The analysis of the isotopic composition of urinary bicarbonate/CO(2) (TCO(2)) may help to identify an exogenous bicarbonate source, as technical sodium bicarbonate exhibits elevated delta(13)C values compared with urinary total carbon. The isolation of TCO(2) from 60 equine urine samples as BaCO(3) followed by an isotopic analysis shows a significant variability of delta(13)C for TCO(2) of more than 10 per thousand. The delta(13)C of total...
Salazar I, Rodriguez JI, Cifuentes JM.In accordance with macroscopic and microscopic features of the tarsal joint degeneration in the greyhound dog, the possibility of establishing a direct relation between this process and spavin or bone spavin is proposed. To date this has been considered limited to equine and occasionally bovine stock. This investigation has been carried out on three different levels: macroscopic, radiological and histological and has been completed with the corresponding graphic documentation.