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.
Firth EC.Bilateral neurectomy of the ventral branch of the spinal accessory nerve was performed in an attempt to control windsuckling. There was no permanent improvement in the eight cases described.
Losch K, Heinze W, Mieth K.The formula proposed by RITSCHEL (1973) for calculation of rates of resorption is explained and modified for use of the monocompartment model. Resorption rates were calculated for cattle, calf, horse, and sheep, with reference being made to the example of Mebacid tablets. The most favourable rate of resorption was established for calf.
Gold JH, Schuder JC, Stoeckle H.The defibrillation effectiveness of 4-msec rectangular wave shocks was evaluated using myocardial electrodes with 25-kg dogs and (nominally) 100-kg calves, ponies, and pigs as part of an evaluation of the suitability of these animals as models for automatic implanted defibrillator research. The percent success of defibrillation attempts in dogs ranged from 44% with 4-A, 6-J shocks to 93% with 8-A, 16-J shocks. The success achieved in calves with scaled electrodes was uniformly lower and reached a maximum of 28% with 23-A, 107-J shocks. Pigs defibrillated with scaled electrodes at a success lev...
Coffman JR, Hammond LS, Garner HE, Thawley DG, Selby LA.A COMMON progression of chronic laminitis is ischaemic
necrosis with secondary infection a frequent complication.
For 6 years we have performed a complete blood count
(CBC) on all hospitalised horses (at the University of Missouri
Veterinary Hospital) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Preliminary scrutiny of the results indicated that persistent
elevation of the total white blood cell count (WBC) and
neutrophilia was consistent with poor prognosis in horses
affected with laminitis. Because of these considerations we
decided to perform a retrospective examination of the blood
cell d...
Busija DW, Orr JA, Rankin JH, Liang HK, Wagerle LC.The effect of hyperoxia on cerebral blood flow (CBF) was examined in 12 unanesthetized ponies. CBF was determined using radioactive microspheres, 15 micrometer in diam, durijng inspriation of the following gases: 1) room air (control); 2) 40% I2 in N2; and 3) approximately 100% O2 with 2.2-4.5% CO2 added to maintain isocapnia. CBF did not change from control values during either level of hyperoxia. However, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) increased during 40% O2 (delta 1.0 Torr) and approximately 100% O2 (delta 2.9 Torr). This rise in CSF PCO2, not due to a change in CB...
Ammar AM, Heitmann J, Kirchhoff H.After abortion sera were taken from 58 thoroughbred and other mares of the northwestern part of Germany and investigated by ELISA (enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay) for antibodies against Mycoplasma equirhinis, M. subdolum, M. equigenitalium, M. pulmonis, M. felis, Acholeplasma laidlawii, A. hippikon, and A. equifetale. Reactions at serum dilutions of 1:32 and higher were considered as positive. At serum dilution 1:32 no antibodies were found in 11 sera. The remaining sera showed antibodies against one or more of the mycoplasma antigens investigated. The number of multiple reactions decrease...
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.Critical tests were conducted in 11 naturally infected horses to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of parbendazole. Single doses at the rates of 30, 20, 10, 5, or 2.5 mg/kg of body weight were administered by stomach tube to 1, 4, 2, 2, and 2 horses, respectively. Parbendazole was active against Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi, Strongylus vulgaris, Strongylus edentatus, and small strongyles throughout the range of doses. Generally, small numbers of P equorum were present, but apparently a dose rate higher than 2.5 mg/kg is necessary for complete clearance. Removal of O equi was virtually 100...
Dabernat HJ, Tainturier D, Delmas C, Ferney J, Lareng MB.The cultural, biochemical, antigenic and antibiotic susceptibility characteristics of 17 strains of Haemophilus equigenitalis, the causative organism of contagious equine metritis (CEM), were studied. Biochemical characteristics were investigated using both conventional method and the API ZYM system of enzyme detection. The biochemical profile of the H. equigenitalis strains was unique and differed from the other bacterial species studied under the same experimental conditions (H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae, B. abortus and B. melitensis, P. multocida, A. calcoaceticus). The required X an...
Cheng R, McKibbin L, Roy B, Pomeranz B.It was hypothesized that electroacupuncture releases beta-endorphin and ACTH from the pituitary. Since ACTH induces the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands, blood cortisol level should be enhanced by electroacupuncture. The present result shows that the blood cortisol levels of horses are significantly increased after 30 min of electroacupuncture treatment while the sham treatment (control) shows an insignificant effect.
McGuire TR, Weitkamp LR.The equine transferrin F variant is distinguishable into two types, F1 and F2, on alkaline polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gene frequencies in 63 related Thoroughbreds are 0.39 and 0.19 for TfF1 and TfF2, respectively. In contrast the frequencies for these two alleles in 375 related Standardbreds is 0.00 and 0.59.
Slocombe JO, McCraw BM.Trials were conducted in ponies to evaluate the efficacy of pyrantel pamoate (Strongid-T(R)) and two newer anthelmintics not yet commercially available, nitramisole and avermectin B(1)a, against migrating Strongylus vulgaris larvae. Ponies were removed from their mares within 24-48 hr after birth and reared in isolation, worm free. Between six and 14 weeks of age they were infected with 2000 or 2500 infective S. vulgaris larvae. Subsequently, they were monitored daily for clinical signs until the experiment terminated at 28 days postinfection. All ponies showed increased body temperature and r...
Sahu SP, Pierson RE, Dardiri AH.Actively growing culture of contagious equine metritis (CEM) bacteria or infective exudate (or both) were inoculated intrauterine in pony mares. A direct relationship was observed between (i) appearance and duration of cervicitis and vaginitis and (ii) vaginal exudate. Clinical signs appeared 1 to 3 days after mares were inoculated and lasted 7 to 23 days. In the acute phase of infection, all uterine and cervical samples yielded CEM bacteria. In the asymptomatic stage of infection, CEM bacteria were not isolated from uterine and cervical samples; however, in 33%, 28%, and 20% of the pony mares...
Suarez-Fuentes DG, Tatarniuk DM, Caston SS, Kersh KD, Gillen AM, Hays AM.To compare outcomes after semitendinosus tenotomy performed under standing sedation versus general anesthesia. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 20 horses with fibrotic myopathy of the semitendinosus muscle. Methods: Medical records (2002-2015) of horses undergoing tenotomy of the semitendinosus muscle for the treatment of fibrotic myopathy were reviewed. Signalment, history, affected muscles, restrain method, surgical procedures, and short-term outcome as well as complications were retrieved from records. Long-term outcome (gait and athletic function) was assessed at least 6 months...
Hinchcliff KW, McKeever KH, Muir WW.The systemic haemodynamic and acid-base effects of the administration of phenylbutazone (4.4 mg kg-1 intravenously) to standing and running horses were investigated. Phenylbutazone, or a placebo, was administered to each of six mares either 15 minutes before, or after 30 minutes of a 60-minute submaximal exercise test which elicited heart rates approximately 55 per cent of maximal, and to the same horses at rest. The variables examined included the cardiac output, heart rate, systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures, right atrial and right ventricular pressures, and arterial and mixed venous ...
Skarda RT, Muir WW, Ibrahim AI.The CSF concentrations of mepivacaine in 10 Standardbred horses and of procaine in 10 Holstein cows given the drugs by thoracolumbar subarachnoid injection were determined. Mepivacaine hydrochloride was injected into the horses (502 +/- 60.5 kg) at an average dosage of 30 mg (1.5 ml of 20 mg/ml solution). Analgesia was produced 7.5 +/- 4.3 minutes after injection, extended between spinal cord segments T13 and L3 on both sides of the spinal column, and lasted 47 +/- 18.7 minutes at the T18 dermatome. Procaine hydrochloride was injected into cows (614 +/- 51.5 kg) at a dosage ranging between 75 ...
Hanák J, Chvátal O, Janda J.Sixty seven thoroughbred race horse of various age categories were examined electrocardiographically by bipolar leak-apex of the heart -- withers; length of training corresponded to the age categories. Basic time and voltage criteria of EKG were statistically evaluated according to electrocardiographic curves: TF = 35.1 = %/- 6.82 pulses per min., time P = 0.16 +/- 0.03 sec., PQ = 0.03 +/- 0.04 sec., QRS = 0.12 +/- +/- 0.01 sec., TQc = 0.50 sec., R = 2.83 +/- 0.63 mV, Q = 0.38 +/- 0.31 mV. Repolarization phase of the chamber complex, mainly the T wave, is the most variable component of the who...
Doerffel A, Reinert A, Böttcher D, Winter K, Brehm W, Gittel C.Complications associated with indwelling intravenous catheters vary from minor to severe. Changes in tissue architecture and vein structure may be detectable prior to clinical alterations. The aim of the study was to characterize and compare changes in a catheterized vein and surrounding tissue by clinical and ultrasonographic examination. Microbiological infestation of catheter specimens was assessed. Methods: In this prospective, observational, clinical study 55 horses with an indwelling intravenous catheter have been included. Subsequent to catheter placement, vein and surrounding tissue we...
Ramey D, Rollin B.Veterinarians working with racehorses face unique challenges. No other type of practice expects veterinarians to "correct" such minute deficiencies in performance. Since the actual performance potential of many horses cannot be known, treatments may be targeted at "perceived" deficiencies in performance. Nevertheless, seconds or fractions of a second determine profit and loss and thus the animal's value for the trainer and owner. One or two seconds may ultimately determine whether a horse continues racing or is sold for slaughter. Is a veterinarian who works to maintain or improve racehorse pe...
Hoffmann JR, Geburek F, Hagen J, Büttner K, Cruz AM, Röcken M.Kinetic examinations of horses with induced lameness as well as the effect of perineural anaesthesia in sound horses have shown promise, but clinical studies regarding the effect of diagnostic anaesthesia during the different stance phases are rare. Fourteen horses with unilateral forelimb lameness were examined with the Hoof™ System during trot to assess vertical force distribution (in kg) affecting both front hooves before and after diagnostic anaesthesia during landing, midstance, and breakover. For statistical analysis, a covariance analysis with repeated measurements regarding the limb ...
Listoni AJ, Arruda I, Maia L, Barberini DJ, Martins I, Vasconcellos FC, Landim-Alvarenga FC.Nanotechnology techniques have a prominent role in the current technical and scientific scene. The layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition allows obtaining nanostructures with sophisticated multilayer, using a simple, but versatile technique. This procedure, which is used to coat and functionalize surfaces with nanometer- thick films, has applications in bioengineering, medicine, chemistry, materials and chemical engineering among other areas. Chitosan is a biomaterial, coming from the chitin, a very abundant polymer in nature, which has been recently tested as scaffolds. In this experiment we test th...
Vonaparti A, Lyris E, Panderi I, Koupparis M, Georgakopoulos C.Two simple and rapid LC/MS methods with direct injection analysis were developed and validated for the quantification and identification of hydrocortisone in equine urine using the same sample preparation but different mass spectrometric systems: ion trap mass spectrometry (IT-MS) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS). The main advantage of the proposed methodology is the minimal sample preparation procedure, as particle-free diluted urine samples were directly injected into both LC/MS systems. Desonide was used as internal standard (IS). The linear range was 0.25-2.5 microg ml(-1) for...
van der Velden MA, van der Harst MR.A literature review is given concerning the occurrence, clinical signs and possible treatment of the different types of inguinal herniation in foals. A six-week old filly with a reducible inguinal hernia is described in detail.
Klug E, Sieme H.The equine virus arteritis (EVA) consistently epidemically varying throughout the different breeds of the horse breeding countries is up to now only of lower significance by means of the typical clinical manifestation as well as an abortion causing factor. The susceptibility of the sexual mature stallions against the equine arteritis virus (EAV) causes different infection response which may lead to some restrictions in their use in natural breeding especially in the artificial insemination. In a certain not precisely predictable part of the stallion population EAV infection will cause a transi...
Richa , Grover YP, Charan S.The authors describe a rapid and simple dot immunobinding assay (DIA) for detection and identification of equine herpesvirus-1 antigen in field samples from cases of abortion, stillbirth, perinatal foal mortality and paralysis. The assay employs a nitrocellulose membrane to which antigen is adsorbed as a dot. Antigen is identified as a coloured dot using a procedure based on the principle of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In all, 61 samples were tested by DIA and the test was compared with conventional agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID). With DIA, 44 (72%) samples gave positive result...
Duquesne F, Breuil MF, Hans A, Petry S.The cultural diagnosis of the causal agent of contagious equine metritis (Taylorella equigenitalis) using transport swabs is challenging. Swabs must be placed in Amies charcoal medium, refrigerated during transport, and plated out at the laboratory no later than 48 h after sampling. In this study, the viability of T. equigenitalis strain CIP 79.7T in 11 commercial swab transport systems was initially compared at 1 day and 2 days of storage at ambient (20 ± 3 °C) or refrigerated (5 ± 3 °C) temperature. The four best swab transport systems, systems B, E, F (used as the reference) and K, were...
