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.
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...
Nyaga PN, Wiggins AD, Priester WA.Three hundred and sixty cases of diagnosed equine influenza reported to the Veterinary
Medical Data Program (VMDP) of the National Cancer Institute, U.S.A., were tested for the
independent effects of age, breed and sex, relative to a reference clinic-hospital population of 84,562
equine patients. Horses of age category 2-6 months showed a significant risk above unity for
infection with equine influenza virus whereas, horses in age category 7-10 yr showed a significant,
low and sparing risk. Horses under two months or over 10 years, as well as those in ages from 6
months to 7 yr had non-s...
Clayton HM, Duncan JL, Dargie JD.The mechanisms involved in the pathophysiological disturbances associated with the presence of mature Parascaris equorum in the small intestine were investigated with radioisotopic techniques. The results suggested that, compared with worm-free controls, infected foals had a reduction in gut motility, an increase in the body solids ratio, a lowering of the body pool of albumin and a decreased ability to incorporate dietary methionine into plasma protein.
Gronwall R, Engelking LR, Noonan N.Biliary excretion of bilirubin, including the conjugate composition, was studied during feeding and during a 2.5-day fast of three pony mares with chronic external biliary (T-tube) fistulas. Fasting bilirubin excretion (1.96 +/- 0.74 microgram/min/kg of body weight), after establishing a new steady state, was not different from excretion during feeding (1.99 +/- 0.45 microgram/min/kg). Hyperbilirubinemia of fasting resulted from a reduced removal of plasma bilirubin rather than from an increased input of bilirubin into the plasma. Relative plasma excretion of the individual conjugate fractions...
Meuten DJ, Kociba G, Threlfall WR, Nogode LA.Serum alkaline phosphatase was measured in ten mares during various stages of gestation. No significant change in serum alkaline phosphatase activity was detected during pregnancy. These data suggest that interpretation of serum alkaline phosphatase in horses can be made independently of their pregnancy status.
Orsini JA, Taylor JI.Enflurane, a new volatile anesthetic agent, was compared with halothane as components of a commonly used clinical anesthetic regime in the pony. Enflurane provides satisfactory general anesthesia when administered at a maintenance concentration of approximately 1.5-2.5%, in combination with a 1:1 nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture. With both agents cardiac rhythm and pulse were stable, however significant arterial hypotension occurred, especially during and following induction, being anesthetic concentration dependent. Hypoventilation was induced by both agents, there being no significant quantitati...
Murphy JR, McPherson EA, Dixon PM.The effects of the bronchodilator drugs, atropine, isoprenaline and terbutaline, on normal horses and on horses affected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), were assessed by pulmonary function tests and clinical examination. Normal horses were not affected but COPD horses responded by a marked decrease in intrathoracic pressure, a decrease in respiratory rate, an initial decrease followed by an increase in arterial oxygen partial pressure and clinical improvement after treatment with all 3 drugs. These changes were temporary.
Kings MA, de Weck AL.Pharmacological histamine releasing agents, such as compound 48/80, poly-L-lysine, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH; beta 1-24 available commercially as Synacthen), catecholamines, purine bases, etc., are well known to induce histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells and mast cells of other species; and to a lesser extent from peripheral blood leucocytes. It is reported in this paper that several of these potent histamine-releasing agents induce little or no histamine release from horse leucocytes. In particular the calcium ionophore A 23187 induced no histamine release. On the other ...
Macleod AJ, Drummond O.Foetal and new born bovine sera, horse serum, human serum and human plasma, and protein solutions prepared from the by-products of human plasma fractionation have been analysed. Foetal bovine sera were found to have lower total protein (g/l) and % of gamma-globulin than the other sera studied while the potassium (mmol/1) was higher. Protease inhibitors could be detected in all specimens tested.
Eustachiewicz R, Flieger S, Boratyński Z, Sławomirski J.The material for the study was taken from 2 spinal cords of sexually mature horses. Preparations obtained from this material were stained according to Nissl and with the use of cresyl violet. The nucleus dorsalis of the horse extends from the 8th cervical neuromere to the 3rd lumbar neuromere of the spinal cord. The cells which form this nucleus lie in the grey matter of the spinal cord, dorsolaterally of the central canal. The nucleus dorsalis is made out of large and medium-size round and oval cells. The characteristic feature of the structure and configuration of this nucleus in the horse i...
Turner WH, Pickard DJ.A new haemolysin from Staphylococcus aureus produced opaque zones of haemolysis on horse blood agar but did not lyse equine erythrocytes suspended in phosphate-buffered saline. The haemolysin was not neutralized by normal rabbit serum and was distinct from alpha-, beta- and delta-haemolysins as well as human leucocidin. Partially purified preparations produced erythema when injected intradermally into rabbit skin.
Eberhardt C, Gerhards H.The three tests (EQUI Z-Test, AGLUTINADE FOAL IMMUNITY, CITE Foal IgG-Test) were evaluated for their accuracy and usefulness in the field. Single radial immunodiffusion was used as reference method. All tests were easily and rapid to perform and results were obtained within a few minutes. It was easy to get the results of the CITE Foal IgG-Test, but use of the EQUI Z-Test and the FOAL AGLUTINADE IMMUNITY-Test needed some practice to get correct results. Results obtained by the CITE Foal IgG-Test correlated to single radial immunodiffusion in 94%, those obtained by FOAL AGLUTINADE IMMUNITY-Test...
Akkus T, Korkmaz Ö, Emre B, Zonturlu AK, Yaprakci Ö.This study was carried out to determine the time-dependent changes in the ultrasonographic image of the ovary with computer-assisted analysis programs at certain intervals after ovulation and to determine whether computer-assisted analysis programs and ovulation programs can be managed in cases where the ovulation time is unknown. The study included 40 purebred Arab mares. The study was subdivided into 4 different time periods of 6 (Group 1), 12 (Group 2), 18 (Group 3) and 24 (Group 4) hours following ovulation. In addition, after ovulation and ultrasonographic examination, natural inseminatio...
Lanci A, Mariella J, Ellero N, Canisso IF, Dondi F, Castagnetti C.This study aimed to determine alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations in amniotic fluid, plasma of mares and respective foals: carrying normal pregnancies and delivering healthy foals (n = 20; Group 1); carrying apparently normal pregnancies and delivering sick foals (n = 15; Group 2); carrying high-risk pregnancies and delivering sick foals (n = 14; Group 3). High-risk pregnancy was defined by a history of premature udder development/lactation or increased of the combined thickness of the uterus and placenta, or vulvar discharge and/or mares' systemic illness. Sick foals were affected by...
Vercauteren G, van der Heyden S, Lefère L, Chiers K, Laevens H, Ducatelle R.This report concerns 2 horses that suffered typical clinical signs of atypical myopathy (AM) and equine grass sickness (EGS) concurrently. Clinical details and pathological lesions of the cases are described. EGS and AM are relatively rare diseases and the concurrency of the diseases in the same animals is therefore considered unlikely to be a coincidence. However, it is not suggested that the evidence shows a common aetiology but rather the existence of common predisposing causes.
Reed RA, Epstein KL, Bramski JH, Diehl KA, Ryan CA.To determine the effect of xylazine on intracranial pressure (ICP) in standing compared to isoflurane-anesthetized horses. Methods: Prospective, crossover study design. Methods: University Teaching Hospital. Methods: Six adult horses donated to the University. Horses were determined to be healthy via physical examination, complete blood count, and neurological evaluation. Methods: Horses were anesthetized, maintained on isoflurane in oxygen in left lateral recumbency, and ventilated to normocapnia. Horses were instrumented for intraparenchymal measurement of ICP, invasive blood pressure, pulse...
Song JW, Na KS, Tae SH, Kim YK.During the last two decades, Borna disease virus (BDV) has received much attention as a possible zoonotic agent, particularly as a cause of psychiatric disease. Although several studies have shown that BDV is present in Asia, BDV has not been detected in Korea. This study was designed to further investigate the presence of BDV infection in Korea. Methods: Blood samples were taken from 39 race horses and 48 jockeys. Antibody to BDV was detected by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test and RNA of BDV by real time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR). Results: No evidence of BDV was detected i...
This section includes clinical conditions which have unique characteristics which make them unsuitable for inclusion in the first six sections. The clinical description, aetiology and histopathologic findings of the unusual ear lesion, aural plaques, are described. Dermatoses complicated by, or caused by, photosensitivity are discussed in regards to their aetiology and pathogenesis as well as clinical features. The suggestion that photosensitization plays a role in the development of the lesions seen in pastern leukocytoclastic vasculitis is made. This section ends with an in depth discussion ...
Van Hoogmoed L, Snyder JR.Four horses were evaluated for clinical signs consistent with small intestinal disease. During exploratory surgery, primary hematomas in the mesentery were found in 2 horses. The third horse developed a hematoma secondary to a mesenteric rent, whereas in the fourth horse, a hematoma developed secondary to strangulation of the bowel by a mesenteric lipoma. Two horses were euthanatized at surgery, because the extensive nature of the hematoma precluded ligation and there was substantial risk of continued hemorrhage postoperatively. The remaining horses recovered from surgery but developed complic...
Bouchard PR, Fortna CH, Rowland PH, Lewis RM.Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a morphologic designation for tumors of varied histogenesis. Most GCTs in human beings are derived from Schwann cells, and rat meningeal GCTs are believed to originate in the neural crest. Three equine pulmonary GCTs from aged horses were studied immunohistochemically with primary antibodies directed against vimentin, cytokeratins (AE1/AE3), S-100, Leu 7, desmin, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) using a steptavidin-biotin procedure. All three tumors stained similarly with strong and diffuse staining of neoplastic cells for vimentin and S-100 and negative staining ...
Garza F, Thompson DL, St George RL, Reville-Moroz SI.Eight long-term ovariectomized pony mares were treated with either dihydrotestosterone (DHT) benzoate (400 micrograms/kg body weight) in safflower oil or an equivalent amount of oil every other day for 21 d to determine the effects of DHT on follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations in blood samples drawn once daily and after administration of three successive injections of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). The GnRH injections were given at 4-h intervals on the day following the last DHT or oil injection. Treatment with DHT benzoate did not alter (P gr...
Tsogtgerel M, Murase H, Moriyama H, Sato F, Nambo Y.Late-term fetal loss in horses is a major problem in the horse-breeding industry globally. Abnormal pregnancies should be diagnosed as early as possible to prevent abortions and other gestational problems. According to our previous longitudinal study in healthy pregnant mares, the plasma activin A concentration increases as pregnancy progresses. The aim of the present study was to compare plasma activin A concentrations in healthy pregnant Thoroughbred mares (n=40) with those in pregnant mares that suffered fetal loss or showed abnormal symptoms (n=30) during late gestation. This field study f...
Mobarak MS, Ryan MF.Light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy were employed to provide further data on the putative origins of the immunogenic secretory-excretory product (ESP) of Strongylus vulgaris (Looss 1900). The sharply delineated but superficial attachment to the equine caecum by the mouth leaves behind an oval area devoid of epithelial cells. Attachment does not extend deeply enough to reach the muscularis mucosa layer of the equine intestine. The progressive digestion of the ingested plug of tissue (epithelial cells, blood cells and mucous) was visualized. The coelomocytes, floating cells and...
