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.
Franken P, van den Hoven R, Sasse HH, Koeman JP, Goedegebuure SD.The case of a three-year-old mare is reported, in which clinical examination revealed the presence of haemorrhagic diathesis as a result of disseminated intravascular coagulation. The animal also showed severe lameness which was due to involvement of the long bones. The diagnosis was only established after death.
Dees WL, Sorensen AM, Kemp WM, McArthur NH.Immunohistochemical localization of the decapeptide gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in neural structures in the pony brain and infundibulum (INF) was conducted at the light-microscopic level. This procedure utilized an antiserum generated against GnRH conjugated to bovine serum albumin. In the rostral INF, GnRH was distributed mainly in the external layer, with greatest concentrations adjacent to the long capillary loops of the hypophyseal portal system. The intermediate portion of the INF contained the hormone throughout the external layer, especially in the dorsolateral regions just ve...
Gingerich DA, Auer JA, Fackelman GE.A single intra-articular injection of 20 or 40 mg of purified hyaluronic acid of rooster comb origin resulted in restoration of normal joint function in horses with experimentally induced osteoarthritis. The functional improvement, measured by pressure sensitive force plate techniques, was detectable within one week after treatment and persisted throughout a four week experimental period despite continued use of the joints. The response was dose dependent in that injection of 0 (saline), 5 or 10 mg hyaluronic acid per joint space resulted in no significant change in joint function while dosage...
Dietz HH.25 horses were subjected to the D(+)-xylose absorption test. 1 gram of D(+)-xylose/kg bw. was administered orally. Based upon the shape of the absorption curves the 25 patients were divided into four groups. Group 1 11 patients with a normal absorption curve (Figure 3) Group 2 5 patients with a flat absorption curve (Figure 4) Group 3 3 patients with a flat absorption curve (Figure 5) Group 4 7 patients with an intermediary type of absorption curve (Figure 6). Administration of sodium chloride in equimolar concentrations did not improve the absorption of D(+)-xylose. 73 per cent of the horses ...
Dal Canto MC, Rabinowitz SG.Arboviruses are important pathogens for both animals and humans. Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus (VEEV) is an arbovirus whose pathogenicity for grey matter structures has been previously studied. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to describe extensive inflammation and demyelination in spinal cord white matter of mice infected with VEEV. To probe a possible immunepathogenesis of white matter alterations in this infection, nude mice and heterozygous controls were similarly infected. Whereas controls still showed inflammatory demyelination, nude mice showed no white matte...
Doig PA, McKnight JD, Miller RB.The results of a study on endometrial biopsies obtained from 700 infertile mares are reported. Infiltrative endometritis was present in 51% consisting of a combination of an acute and chronic cellular response in 6%, mild chronic infiltrations in 35% and moderate to severe chronic infiltrations in 10%. Demonstrable endometrial fibrosis was found in 88% of the mares with the majority having mild (51%) or moderate (35%) changes. The age of the mares and the average number of years barren gradually increased with the severity of endometrial fibrosis, as did the combined incidence of fetal loss (e...
Munk Z, Dusek J.The fertility problems were studied in the herd of the English Thoroughbred horse on the Napajedla stud farm. Breeding records for the period from 1880 to 1972 were used as the starting data. The survey comprised 32 stallions. The relationship between fertility and the number of matings was calculated by the chi 2 quantity. The calculated values are highly variable. However, it is generally seen in most of the stallions that the number of matings per heat (i. e. one or several matings) had no significant influence on the pregnancy of mares and on the fertility values of the stallions. A higher...
Pascoe RR.The effect on the fertility of mares during two outbreaks of equine coital exanthema have been described. Conception was not prevented, nor was pregnancy terminated in mares showing active lesions of coital exanthema. Normal pregnancy rates occurred in mares served during active infection of the stallions. Origin of the disease was not determined.
Irwin DH, Howell DW.An easy diagnostic technique for recognising fibrotic myopathy and scarring in the caudal popliteal area is described. A simplified corrective surgical technique is offered and discussed briefly. Some aspects of haematomas are reviewed.
Littlejohn A, Bowles F.Radiometer Blood Micro-system 2 was used in studies designed to, (a) compare the mean blood gas and acid-base values of 38 normal horses and 20 horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), (b) determine the means and standard deviations of blood gas and acid-base values of Thoroughbred horses in training, and (c) investigate the relationships between clinical data, blood gas values, intracardiac and pulmonary arterial pressures in subjects with COPD. There were significant differences between the mean values for partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), arterial carbon dioxide (...
Blue MG.The objective of this study was to investigate an hypothesis that chromosome anomalies are an important cause of prenatal loss in the mare. An attempt was made to analyse, cytogenetically, a series of 26 equine abortuses. Cell cultures were prepared from a range of tissues, but failed to grow, and chromosome analysis was therefore not possible for any of these specimens. Consequently, a study was made of the metaphase chromosomes prepared from 22 equine embryos after their surgical removal from mares' uteri. The karyotypes prepared for each specimen were normal. The current findings are discus...
Derksen FJ, Robinson NE, Stick JA.A surgical technique is described for preparation of chronic cervical vagal loops in ponies. Vagal blockade was induced by circulating methanol (-2 C) through coils which enclosed the loops. Vagal blockade increased tidal volume, heart rate, and systemic blood pressure and decreased respiratory rate. Atropine, given at a dose of 0.04 mg/kg IV, increased heart rate and systemic pressure but did not alter respiratory variables, indicating that vagal cooling caused both afferent and efferent blockade. The effects of vagal blockade were rapidly reversed when refrigerated coils were removed.
Brown MP, Stover SM, Kelly RH, Farver TB, Knight HD.Six adult mares were given a single intravenous injection of oxytetracycline HCl (50 mg/ml) at a dosage of 5 mg/kg. Serum, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, and urine oxytetracycline concentrations were measured serially over a 48-h period. The highest measured serum oxytetracycline concentration was 8.01 mcg/ml at 1/2 h. Oxytetracycline was detected in synovial fluid and peritoneal fluid, which obtained mean peak oxytetracycline concentrations of 4.43 mcg/ml and 4.20 mcg/ml, at 1/2 h and 1 h, respectively. These concentrations steadily declined in parallel with serum concentrations and were n...
Milde AK.The objective of this study was to establish whether the carpal joints in horses are subject to development of arthrosis to a larger extent than previously assumed. Furthermore, an attempt has been made to clarify whether clinical diagnostical resources presently available are sufficient for accurate evaluation of the status in carpus. The present results show that an analysis of the synovia fluid is of little value in case of chronica arthrosis in carpus. Histilogical examination of the synovia membrane has been of limited value in this cases as it has not been possible to arrive at a definit...
Shapland JE, Garner HE, Hatfield DG.Clenbuterol, a bronchospasmolytic agent (beta 2 agonist) was studied in terms of its hemodynamic and airflow response in eight, healthy horses. Four animals were instrumented to record intrapleural pressure and air flow, these were used to compute pulmonary resistance, peak flow rates, and tidal volumes. Four animals were instrumented to record pulmonary arterial pressure, carotid arterial pressure, cardiac output, and arterial gas tensions. After control values were recorded, clenbuterol (0.8 microgram/kg) was intravenously administered to each horse in each experiment group. Following clenbu...
Pienaar JG, Kellerman TS, Marasas WF.Four outbreaks of leukoencephalomalacia in horses in widely separated areas in South Africa are reported. The clinical signs and pathological lesions observed in each outbreak are briefly described. Mouldy home-grown maize from which Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg (= F. moniliforme Sheldon) was isolated in every instance, was involved in the outbreaks. Clinical signs and pathological lesions were identical to those seen in experimentally produced cases of F. verticillioides poisoning in horses.
Owen RA, Haywood S, Kelly DF.A four-year-old shire mare with haematuria, colic, terminal weight loss and an abdominal mass had a large unilateral renal adenocarcinoma. Clinical signs were monitored for 11 months. Increased serum copper concentrations were measured on two occasions. Hypercupraemia is discussed as a possible paraneoplastic change.
Viljoen A, Saulez MN, Carstens A, Gummow B.Clinical use of diagnostic ultrasound at point-of-care or emergency situations, although common, has not been well documented in veterinary medicine. Medical records of after-hour emergency equine admissions during a 10-year period were reviewed and horses that received ultrasound scans were identified. Data sheets for each ultrasound scan performed during emergency clinical evaluation were collected and reviewed. Data extracted included anatomical region imaged, body system affected, documented ultrasonographic diagnosis and final diagnosis. Six hundred and nine records were available of whic...
Strzemienski PJ, Benson CE, Acland HM, Kenney RM.Two groups of 3 mares were inoculated with Haemophilus equigenitalis or Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the 1st day of estrus. Uterine flushing samples were recovered on day 3 of estrus and day 8 after ovulation for each cycle. Mares were killed 22, 25, and 30 days after inoculation with P aeruginosa and 45, 46, and 49 days after inoculation with H equigenitalis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was recovered from the uterus of 2 mares 48 hours after inoculation. Although the initial flushing sample of 1 of these 2 mares had an increased total protein concentration, there appeared to be little difference betw...
Zientara S, Sailleau C.The authors briefly review the clinical forms of equine rhinopneumonitis and indicate changes in the nomenclature of equine herpesviral infections. The value of restriction profiles for epidemiological studies is described, taking as an example the strains of virus isolated in France. A technique is given for preparing molecular probes, as well as the application of these probes in direct diagnosis from biological specimens.
Schauer SN, Briant C, Ottogalli M, Decourt C, Handel IG, Donadeu FX.This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that supplementation of growing follicles with LH during the early spring transitional period would promote the development of steroidogenically active, dominant follicles with the ability to respond to an ovulatory dose of hCG. Mares during early transition were randomly assigned to receive a subovulatory dose of equine LH (in the form of a purified equine pituitary fraction) or saline (transitional control; n = 7 mares per group) following ablation of all follicles >15 mm. Treatments were administered intravenously every 12 h from the day th...
Muir WW, Sams RA, Ashcraft S.The haemodynamic, respiratory and behavioural effects and pharmacokinetics of methocarbamol were studied in eight healthy, adult horses after intravenous (i.v.) and oral administration of large dosages. Heart rate, cardiac output, mean pulmonary arterial blood pressure, systolic, diastolic and mean aortic blood pressure, respiratory rate and arterial blood gases did not change after either i.v. (30 mg/kg bodyweight [bwt]) or oral (50 and 100 mg/kg bwt) dosages of methocarbamol. Mild to moderate depression was observed in five of eight horses administered i.v. methocarbamol, and in all horses a...
Gill KK, Kroeger EA.Equine airway smooth muscle is innervated by vagal efferents and, in addition, displays spontaneous mechanical activity. The preparation thus appears to contain at least two discrete excitable components, the cholinergic neural elements and the smooth muscle membrane. Indomethacin (INDO), a cyclooxygenase (CO) inhibitor, exerts a considerable potentiation of function in this preparation. The latter may be effected indirectly, through loss of the inhibitory effect of endogenous prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on neural acetylcholine release and through direct effects on smooth muscle of the generally a...
De Lahunta A.This is a review of the more common diseases of the spinal cord and various areas of the brain of horses. The results of a two and one-half year study of spinal cord disease are emphasized. After a description of the lesion the salient clinical signs are described and the features that differentiate them from other similar diseases. In the seminar, films of case and slides of lesions will be shown to document these diseases.
Schweizer C, Ramseyer A, Gerber V, Christen G, Burger D, Wohlfender FD.Racetrack injuries are of welfare concern and the prevention of injuries is an important goal in many racing jurisdictions. Over the years this has led to more detailed recording of clinical events on racecourses. However, risk factor analyses of clinical events at race meetings have not been previously reported for Switzerland. Objective: To identify discipline-specific factors that influence the occurrence of clinical events during race meetings with the ultimate aim of improving the monitoring and safety of racetracks in Switzerland and optimising racehorse welfare. Methods: Retrospective s...
La Rosa L, Twele L, Duchateau L, Gasthuys F, Kästner SB, Schauvliege S.A bolus of 50 mg kg MgSO (treatment Mg) or the same volume of saline (treatment S) was infused over 15 minutes in 5 adult healthy horses. T0 was the end of the infusion. Physiological parameters were recorded throughout the study period. Measurements of electrical, thermal, and mechanical nociceptive thresholds were performed at the pelvic limbs at baseline (before T0), and at specific timepoints. Blood samples were taken at fixed timepoints before, during and until 12 hours after the infusion. For statistical analysis, the 95% confidence intervals (CI's) for the differences in nociceptive th...
Cranley JJ.A survey of 1141 horses and ponies, for the presence of hydatid infection, was carried out at an export meat plant near Bristol. Lesions were attributed carefully by morphological, histological and immunological examinations and assessed by flame cell activity. All available detail concerning the animals was recorded. The surveys in the literature were assessed for the criteria on which their figures were based and were compared with the findings of this present survey. Attention was drawn to the apparent discord between the results of some surveys and others.
Kouba V.This analysis of global veterinary personnel was based on the available quantitative data reported by individual countries to international organisations. The analysis begins with a time series of globally reported numbers of veterinarians, starting in the year 1959 (140,391). In 2000 this number reached 691,379. Of this total, 27.77% of veterinarians were working as government officials, 15.38% were working in laboratories, universities and training institutions and 46.33% were working as private practitioners. The ratio of veterinarians to technicians was 1:0.63. The global average of resour...
van Niekerk HP, Couvaras S.The possibility of including sodium hydroxide-treated lucerne hay as a constituent in rations for horses was investigated by measuring its effect on the performance and certain bloodcomponents of growing foals. As no adverse effects were found it is concluded that further investigation is necessary to see whether the inclusion of low grade-treated roughages in the ration of horses would be of economic significance.
Zhao J, Marghitu DB, Schumacher J.Tranquilization of horses with acepromazine has been used to suppress erratic head movements and increase the accuracy of a lameness examination. Some equine clinicians believe that tranquilization with acepromazine will make lameness more evident by causing the horse to focus on adjusting its gait to avoid limb pain rather than its surroundings. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acepromazine on the Lyapunov exponents of lame horses. Ten lame horses were trotted in a straight line for a minimum of 25 strides. Kinematic data created by head movement were analyzed. Nonlinear...
Foreman JH.Metabolic causes of exercise intolerance can be subtle and difficult to document in horses. Because of increased metabolic rate in exercising muscle, most metabolic causes of exercise intolerance are clinically manifested by muscle abnormalities such as ER. Newer causes of ER are being documented by current research and are summarized in the article on muscular causes of equine exercise intolerance. Endocrine causes of exercise intolerance have been poorly documented, but recent work has shown the detrimental effects of hypothyroidism on exercise tolerance in horses. Many metabolic manifestati...
Fuentealba NA, Sguazza GH, Eöry ML, Valera AR, Pecoraro MR, Galosi CM.Equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) infection has a significant economic impact on equine production, causing abortion, respiratory disease, neonatal death and neurological disorders. The identification of specific EHV-1 genes related to virulence and pathogenicity has been the aim of several research groups. The purpose of the present study was to analyze different genomic regions of Argentinean EHV-1 strains and to determine their possible relationship with virulence or clinical signs. Twenty-five EHV-1 Argentinean isolates recovered from different clinical cases between 1979 and 2007 and two refere...
