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.
Bailey E.The sera of 390 pregnant Standardbred mares and 409 pregnant Thoroughbred mares were tested for anti-red blood cell (RBC) antibodies. Of the Standardbred mares and Thoroughbred mares, 20% and 10%, respectively, had anti-RBC antibodies detectable in hemolytic or saline agglutination tests. Most of the antibodies were specific for the CA blood-group antigen of horses. Other antibodies were specific for the Aa, Ab, Aa, Ab, Da, Df, Ka, Ua, or Qa blood-group antigens. The occurrence of these antibodies in the serum and colostrum was compared for 268 mares. With 3 exceptions, whenever antibodies wer...
Sønnichsen HV, Kristoffersen J, Falk-Rønne J.Joint mice in the horse is a wellknown condition, but during the last years diagnosed with increasing frequency. Ethiology and prognosis thus become of major interest. 53 cases of mice in the fetlock are examined and divided in 3 groups on the basis of localization and appearance. On one group characterised by a localization in the plantar aspect of the joint and clearly separated from the tuberosites of the first phalanx histological investigations were carried out resulting in the statement that the mice can be the result of osteochondrosis. Surgical intervention in cases with clinical sympt...
Neumann SM, Kainer RA, Severin GA.In the main study, hyperthermia was induced by radio-frequency current to obtain a single, central, corneal lesion in the right eye and 2 separate limbal lesions in the left eye of 13 light horses and 8 ponies. Intracorneal and intralimbal temperature profiles for the procedure were obtained in a separate study from the eyes of a horse and a pony treated in the same manner. After treatment of the principal eyes and 6 sham-treated eyes, clinical observations were conducted for up to 6 months, using indirect ophthalmoscopy, biomicroscopy, and fluorescein staining. Immediately after hyperthermic ...
Slinker BK, Campbell KB, Alexander JE, Klavano PA.The heart rate (HR) response to stepwise changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) produced by methoxamine and sodium nitroprusside was studied in conscious horses, pigs, and calves. The respective steady-state arterial baroreflex sensitivities (delta HR/delta MAP expressed as beats min-1 . mm of Hg-1) were -1.20, -1.21, and -0.39 for decreasing MAP and -0.08, -0.91, and -0.56 for increasing MAP. After parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) blockade with atropine, the reflex sensitivity to decreasing MAP in horses and the pigs decreased to -0.62 and -0.65, respectively (P less than 0.05), whereas ...
Glazier DB, Littledike ET, Evans RD.In 11 crossbred ponies, hyperkalemia was induced by acute intracardiac infusion of a 0.4M solution of potassium chloride. The ECG changes noticed can be assigned to 4 stages: (1) a widening and a lowering of amplitude followed by inversion and final disappearance of the P wave; (2) an increase in the amplitude of the T wave; (3) an increase in the QRS interval, with some irregularity in the ventricular rate; and (4) periods of cardiac arrest that became terminal or were followed by ventricular fibrillation. At plasma potassium values of greater than 7.5 mM/L, the T-wave amplitude and duration ...
Edwards GT.The stomachs of 448 horses from northern England and Wales were examined for Gasterophilus larvae, and 237 (52.7%) were found to be infected with G. intestinalis. Larvae were present in stomachs examined during each month of the year except August. Second instar larvae occurred from September through February and third instars were present from November through July. Adult fly activity began in August as indicated by the presence of eggs on horses. The life-cycle of G. intestinalis in northern England and Wales is outlined from the data presented. The mean instar burdens were 15.7 second and 3...
Campbell TM, Studdert MJ.An inactivated equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV1) vaccine was administered to 4 horses. The horses had virus-neutralizing (VN) antibody titers before they were vaccinated, but developed higher VN antibody titers in response to vaccination. Nonvaccinated control horses did not show increases in VN antibody during the study, indicating that any increase in antibody titer in vaccinated horses was a result of vaccination and not due to an EAdV1 epizootic during the study. Specific EAdV1 in vitro lymphocyte blastogenesis (LB) was evaluated, using lymphocytes from 4 vaccinated and 2 control horses. Ho...
Nickels FA, Sande R.The radiographic and arthroscopic findings in the equine stifle were compared. Survey radiography, contrast arthrography, and arthroscopy were performed on both stifles of 10 horses. Nine of the horses were euthanatized to evaluate the effects of the techniques on the joints. Techniques for double-contrast arthrography and arthroscopy were developed, and the findings were compared. Survey radiography identified only osseous structures. Double-contrast arthrography of the femoropatellar joint demonstrated articular surfaces of the trochlea, patella, and joint capsule. Those of the femorotibial ...
Kane J, Padhye AA, Ajello L.Microsporum equinum was isolated in Ontario, Canada, from five human and two equine cases of ringworm infection. This dermatophyte was previously recovered from North American horses on several occasions, but was considered to be M. canis. We regard M. equinum as distinct from M. canis. It can be differentiated from M. canis by the smaller size of its macroconidia, its failure to perforate hair in vitro, its poor growth and sporulation on bromocresol purple casein dextrose agar, and its incompatibility with Nannizzia otae, the telemorph of M. canis.
Jacobsen K, Gintz T, Reed SM, Newbry J, Bayly WM, Perryman LE, Leid RW.Equine neutrophils (PMN) were isolated to greater than 99% purity by isopyknic sedimentation on coated colloidal silica particles. A cell recovery of 84.7 +/- 4.0%, with a viability of greater than 99%, was observed with this method. The isolated PMN were compared with mixed population of equine peripheral leukocytes with respect to functional integrity by chemiluminescence and bactericidal assays. There was no significant difference (P less than 0.01) observed in either assay between the isolated equine PMN and the mixed-cell populations. The methods used in both the isolation as well as the ...
MacMillan AP, Baskerville A, Hambleton P, Corbel MJ.Five mares, one stallion and a colt foal were inoculated intraconjunctivally with Brucella abortus strain 544. No clinical signs of disease developed except mild pyrexia. Intermittent bacteraemia was detected in the mares but not in the stallion or foal. Antibodies to B abortus became detectable from the second week after inoculation. Titres in the serum agglutination and complement fixation tests declined substantially after six to eight weeks but reactions to the Coombs antiglobulin, 2-mercaptoethanol and immunodiffusion tests were maintained. No consistent changes in biochemical or haematol...
Dintenfass L, Fu-lung L.Nineteen racehorses have been studied for haemorheologic factors as earlier studies showed a definite correlation between physical fitness and these factors in humans. Results included individual values for all viscosity factors, and the arithmetic means, the latter showing 4.70 +/- 0.49 cP for blood viscosity measured at a shear rate of 180 s-1; 1.100 +/- 0.048 cP for plasma viscosity; 1.045 +/- 0.063 for the rigidity of red cells defined by term 'Tk'; 42.2 +/- 4.1% haematocrit; 290 +/- 39 mg per 100 ml for fibrinogen level; and 278 +/- 75 mm h-1 for aggregation of red cells at 37 degrees C (...
Read NG, Trist DG.The uptake of mepacrine by isolated horse polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) was measured using spectrophotofluorimetry. Two phases of uptake were observed, the first, rapid fraction, essentially complete by 10 min, and a second, slow fraction, which was still proceeding after 60 min. The appearance of mepacrine within the PMN was also visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Discrete yellow points of fluorescence were observed in the cytoplasm of PMN within 30 s. These discrete points corresponded both in size and number to the PMN granules. After 5 min, the nuclei showed faint fluorescence whi...
Liu IK, Brown SL, Kuo J, Neeley DP, Feeley JC.Serum tetanus antitoxin (TAT) concentrations were measured in a group of 30 foals from birth to 4 months of age. Five of 30 foals (16.6%) had serum titers less than 0.01 IU of TAT/ml by 1 month of age. At 2 months of age, 17 of 28 foals (60.7%) had titers less than 0.01 IU/ml. By 3 months of age, 22 of 29 (75.5%) foals tested had titers of less than 0.01 IU/ml. At the age of 4 months, 24 of 29 foals (82.1%) had titers of less than 0.01 IU/ml. The TAT given to foals at birth resulted in an immediate increase in titer when circulating antitoxin was absent or minimal. Titers considered protective...
Thompson DL, Reville SI, Derrick DJ.Five mature Quarterhorse mares were bled every 30 min for 25 h on day 50 of pregnancy to determine the short-term mode of secretion of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). Three other mares with persistent endometrial cups after abortion were administered gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH; 1.0 mug/kg of body weight) and were bled immediately prior to and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 min after GnRH. Concentrations of eCG in plasma of pregnant mares were constant over the 24-h period; the variation of each mare's individual values was no greater (P>.05) than the predicted random...
Houghton E, Teale P, Dumasia MC, Wellby JK.The negative ion chemical ionization mass spectra of the MO-TMS derivatives of the corticosteroids prednisolone, betamethasone and dexamethasone have been obtained using capillary column gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The spectra showed abundant diagnostic ions at m/z greater than 300 allowing for clear discrimination between the three steroid derivatives. A capillary column gas chromatographic mass spectrometric method using negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been developed to confirm the presence of the parent steroids in horse urine following the administration of...
Watts DM, LeDuc JW, Bailey CL, Dalrymple JM, Gargan TP.Serological data accumulated during the past decade indicated that a variety of feral and domestic animals of the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia (DelMarVa) Peninsula were infected with Jamestown Canyon (JC) and/or Keystone (KEY) viruses (Bunyaviridae, California serogroup). Neutralizing (N) antibody to JC virus was most prevalent in white-tailed deer, sika deer, cottontail rabbits and horses. KEY virus N antibody was detected most frequently in gray squirrels and domestic goats. N antibody indicative of past infection by one or both viruses also was found in raccoons, horses and humans. JC and/or ...
Parry BW, Anderson GA, Gay CC.The hypotensive effect of acepromazine maleate was related to both the dose and route of administration. The degree and duration of hypotension varied between individual horses. In general, intravenous administration produced a more rapid maximum effect than intramuscular injection and the larger the dose the longer blood pressure remained at low levels. Average systolic pressure (of 6 horses) remained significantly below control values for more than 6 h after an intramuscular injection of 0.05 mg acepromazine maleate/kg body weight. Respiratory rate was markedly decreased, with the duration, ...
Liau MY, Huang RJ, Chen SW.As the conventional hyperimmunization schedule in horses introduced by Tanaka could not produce enough neutralizing antibody against Naja naja atra venom, the mixture of Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-Cobra venom incorporated with adjuvant was used for immunization. The neutralizing antibody produced (30 LD50) seemed to be increased but still not to reach the satisfactory level. By using CMC-Cobratoxin adjuvant mixture as an immunizing agent, highly potent antivenin (220 LD50) was obtained.
Lee JY, Kang TY, Lee YD, Shin TK.The binding specificities of various lectins, such as the Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and the Bandeiraea simplicifolia BS-1 (Isolectin B4), Triticum vulgaris (WGA), Arachis hypogaea (PNA), and Ulex europaeus (UEA-I) lectins, were studied in the vomeronasal organ of the horse. The microvilli of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium were positive for DBA, SBA, Isolectin B4, WGA, PNA, and UEA-I. The receptor cells showed intense reactivity for DBA and WGA. Lectins were not detected in the supporting cells or basal cells. The Jacobson's glands were positive for WGA a...
Kharchenko VA, Kuzmina TA.The fourth larval stage (L4) of Coronocyclus labratus (Looss, 1900) Hartwich, 1986, one of the common species of the Cyathostominae found in equids, is identified and described. The larvae found were identified as C. labratus by finding moulting forms possessing characters of both larval and adult stages. The larvae are similar to those of Cylicocyclus leptostomum (Kotlán, 1920) Foster, 1936, Cyathostomum catinatum Looss, 1900 and Cylicostephanus goldi (Boulenger, 1917) Lichtenfels, 1975. The buccal capsule (BC) wall of the L4 of Cylicocyclus leptostomum is thinner than that of Coronocyclus l...
da Cunha Neto CAV, Badial PR, de Oliveira-Filho JP, de Andrade DGA, Araujo JP, Borges AS.Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) is a genetic disease that alters collagen biosynthesis. Affected horses exhibit fragile, hyperextensible skin, especially over the dorsal region. Although ultraviolet (UV) radiation seems to contribute to the regional distribution of lesions and worsening of clinical signs, the molecular mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Objective: To evaluate the effect of solar radiation on matrix metalloproteinase MMP1, MMP8 and MMP13 gene expression in the dorsal and ventral skin of HERDA-affected and HERDA-unaffected horses [wild-type (WT) horses]....
Avison A.Umbilical hernias are among the most common congenital defects in horses. Complications of umbilical hernias are uncommon, and Richter's hernias are rare. This report describes a case of Richter's hernia in a 3-month-old colt that was presented with signs of acute colic. The foal underwent a herniorrhaphy with intestinal resection and anastomosis. Hernie de Richter chez un poulain âgé de 3 mois — une rare manifestation. Les hernies ombilicales figurent parmi les défauts congénitaux les plus communs chez les chevaux. Les complications des hernies ombilicales sont peu fréquentes et les he...
Yeşilbağ K, Herzog S, Kennerman E, Tuncer P, Schmid S, Kaya G, Thiel HJ.Distribution of Borna disease virus (BDV) infection outside endemic areas has been studied in several countries. We examined serum samples for anti-BDV antibodies in purebred racing horses and other domestic animals in Turkey. In total serum samples of 437 animals including 282 horses, 50 sheep, 25 goats, 50 cattle, and 30 cats were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Anti-BDV antibodies were detected in 4.9% of horses, 12% of sheep, 4% of goats, 14% of cattle and 6.6% of cats. No statistical difference was observed between seroprevalence in Arabic and English purebred horses fr...
Yildiz H, Yildiz B, Arslan K, Ozgür C.In this study we present a geometric model of the ascending colon of the horse, especially the left ventral colon and the right ventral colon, the left dorsal colon and the right dorsal colon and the pelvic flexure. We also present a mathematical model of the cross sections of these ascending colon parts with the exceptions of the pelvic flexure. We show that these cross-sections correspond to the closed algebraic curves known as epitrochoid.
Jaeschke G, Rudolph R.In a review supplementary to prior evaluations further hematological or cytodiagnostic aspects respectively of equine leucosis are discussed. Leukemic nature of the disease is characterized by increased count of normal blood cells or by the presence of morphologically non-differentiated cells in circulating blood or by disorder or loss of function of blood cells respectively. Thrombocytopenia in the most cases is accompanied by anemia, leukemia and tumor cell infiltration in bone marrow. Tumor cells in circulating blood indicate their presence in bone marrow too. In cases of equine leucosis wi...
Hawkins KL.Bilateral salpingitis, hydrosalpinx and oophoritis were diagnosed in a mare with concurrent lymphosarcoma. Salpingitis, hydrosalpinx and oophoritis are rare in the mare (1,2,3,5,8,9,11-13). Bilateral salpingitis is an important cause of infertility in all species and is most often due to ascending infection (3-5,10,11). The source of salpingitis in this mare probably was ascending infection from the uterus after parturition. The apparent infertility of the mare was attributed to debilitation from the lymphosarcoma and multiplicity of genital pathoses.
Shappell KK, Caron JP, Stick JA, Parks AJ.Dorsal displacement of the soft palate associated with dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia was diagnosed in 2 young foals. The displacement appeared to be congenital. Clinical signs associated with the condition were resolved after staphylectomy. Dorsal displacement of the soft palate is usually recognized in adult animals as an upper respiratory tract disease, but may be a contributing factor to dysphagia and lower respiratory tract disease in young animals.
Morris DD, Moore JN.An experiment was designed to determine whether a change in the ability of macrophages to respond to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria was involved in the development of cross-reactive immunity to endotoxemia. The endotoxin-induced production of thromboxane A2(TxA2) and prostacyclin (PGI2) by peritoneal macrophages from horses which were hyperimmunized against the common core region of LPS were compared to those in unimmunized horses. Bacterins used for induction of core LPS immunity were prepared from the J-5 mutant of Escherichia coli 0111:B4, and the R 595 mutant of Salmon...
Dewes HF.Fractures of the central tarsal and/or third tarsal bones involving both limbs of six foals are described. Five of the subjects were born either premature or of twin pregnancies. Fractures occurred in the neonatal period and coincided with disablement. Features of behaviour, posture and gait are described, together with gross radiographic findings, bone ash determination and blood chemistry. Lesions observed on the articular faces of tarsal bones recovered from adult horses may have originated during the neonatal-period.
König HE, Ries R.The ovary of the mare is vascularized by two branches of the A. ovarica, which differ in diameter. They take a characteristic course in this organ. Near the ovulation fossa several branches of 1st and 2nd class leave the A. ovarica to provide the functional structures. These vessels are formed like a corkscrew. At the veins and its ramifications there are sphincter-like structures which support the venous valves. They are of haemodynamic importance for the different phases of the functional structures.