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.
Pratt GW, O'Connor JT.The force plate can measure a wide range of effects in the horse. The same instrument can record forces from more than a ton in the galloping animal to 25 g associated with the action of the heart. In all probability, the force plate will develop into a valuable clinical instrument.
The Journal of heredityNovember 1, 1976
Volume 67, Issue 6 361-367 doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a108753
Eldridge F, Blazak WF.Karyotypes of the horse with 64 chromosomes, the ass with 62 chromosomes, and the mule with 63 chromosomes are presented. The chromosome complements of each species and their mule hybrid are analyzed and compared.
Stefanini S, Chiancone E, Vecchini P, Antonini E.Iron uptake and micelle formation in ferritin and apoferritin have been followed both spectrophotometrically and by means of sedimentation velocity experiments. Information was thus obtained on the molecular weight distribution of the reconstitution product. To achieve incorporation 'native' ferritin (whole ferritin as purified from horse spleen), 'native' apoferritin (apoferritin prepared by fractionation of ferritin preparations) and 'reduced' apoferritin (apoferritin prepared by reduction of ferritin by dithionite or ascorbic acid) have been incubated with ferrous salts in the presence of o...
Nitschelm D, van der Horst CJ.It appeared that in mares suffering from endometritis the concentrations of pregnenolone, of the compound "5.4", and of progesterone in the blood during the first 2 days of the heat period were significantly higher than in normal cycling mares, in which the concentrations of all steroids were less than or equal to 1 ng/ml. In five endometritis mares the "5.4" and progesterone concentrations decreased after the first days of the heat period, and at about two days before ovulation the values were comparable to those of normal cycling mares. Eight mares suffering from a severe endometritis did no...
Eales FA.Saffan was injected intravenously on 41 occasions in 11 horses and ponies to investigate its possible use in clinical equine anaesthesia. The optimum dose for induction was 1-90 mg per kg. This dose was divided into two halves, the first half given in five seconds and the second half, containing suxamethonium chloride 0.1 mg per kg, in the next 10 seconds. Induction was associated with excitement for up to 30 secs after the assumption of recumbency. At this dose rate anaesthesia lasted five to eight minutes. Muscle relaxation was poor. Recovery was associated with marked tactile and audible hy...
Cartoni GP, Montanaro M.The results and the improvement of the analytical procedures adopted for the control of doping in horses will be reported. This control has been systematically carried out in Italy for about 10 years in the laboratories of Italian Federation of Sport and Medicine in which the biological samples for the control of doping in various sport activities (football, cycling, athletics etc.) are also examined. In this way it is possible to use the same instruments for all these similar problems and compare the results. The analytical procedure is based on the following steps: 1) Extraction of the sampl...
Robinson NE, Scott JB, Dabney JM, Jones GA.Digital vascular pressures, blood flow, and vascular resistances were measured in 11 control ponies and in 8 animals (7 ponies and 1 horse) affected with laminitis created by feeding a high starch ration. Animals with laminitis had increased digital blood flow, increased arterial, small vein, and large vein pressures, and decreased vascular resistances. Comparison of digital lymph flow rates and protein concentrations in animals with laminitis and control animals revealed no differences. Digital vascular responses of the 2 groups to acetylcholine, epinephrine, histamine, or serotonin also did ...
Thompson DB, Spradborw PB, Studdert M.Some details of the clinical and postmortem findings of an Arab foal that died as a consequence of adenoviral pneumonia superimposed on a combined immunodeficiency disease are provided. The foal was the 17th in a series of similar deaths that occurred on a farm since 1959. An adenovirus, which by haemagglutination inhibition and serum neutralisation tests was antigenically similar to 2 other equine adenoviruses isolated in Australia, was isolated from a nasal swab taken from the foal when it was 23 days of age.
Hillidge CJ.The effects of the analeptic agent, Dopram (doxapram hydrochloride) were investigated in 2 ponies during Immobilon - induced neuroleptanalgesia. Although Dopram was demonstrated to exert a degree of respiratory stimulation, this was concluded to provide no overall advantage. The etorphine-induced hypoxic hypoxia was only partially reversed, and there was additional cardiovascular stimulation, in contrast to the previously reported tendency for arterial blood pressure to return towards conscious control values during the course of action of Immobilon.
Speirs VC, Reynolds WT.The diagnosis and successful surgical treatment of a diaphragmatic hernia in a 12 weeks old standardbred foal are described. The clinical syndrome in horses generally is contrasted with that seen in the foal described in this paper. Some of the factors contributing to the clinical signs are discussed.
Tobin T, Blake JW, Sturma L, Arnett S.Procaine added to whole equine blood or diluted plasma was hydrolyzed with half times of approximately 9 and 12 minutes, respectively, at 37 C. This hydrolytic activity was sensitive to heating and physostigmine, but did not affect procainamide. At pharmacologic concentrations of procaine, the rate of the hydrolytic reaction depended directly on the concentrations of plasma or procaine in the system and was less in whole blood than in plasma. These properties are consistent with hydrolysis being due to plasma esterases operating at less than saturating procaine concentrations. These esterases ...
Snow DH, Guy PS.The use of the technique of percutaneous needle biopsy in obtaining skeletal muscle samples in the horse is described. The biochemical, ultrastructural and histochemical investigations that can be carried out on this biopsy specimen are outlined. Analyses performed on the specimen may be used to obtain information on racing potential and state of fitness. These studies on normal horses will provide information for future investigations into the structural and biochemical alterations in muscle disorders in the equine.
Falco MJ, Whitwell K, Palmer AC.Sixty-seven TB horses in Britain suffering from clinical wobbler disease were divided into 5 groups, based on the presence or absence of pathological lesions and their nature. These groups were compared genetically with a control group of 67 TBs known not to exhibit signs of wobbling. Though analysed for both simple and complex modes of inheritance no evidence of a genetic basis was found in any group. The high breed incidence in TBs may be real or apparent. Considerably more male than female wobblers are reported. Other forms of possibly inherited ataxia in equidae are reviewed and reference ...
Reed L, MacNicol JL, Charchoglyan A, Brewer D, Murrant C, Pearson W.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a botanical-based equine nutraceutical on contractility of gastric smooth muscle in vitro. Gastric ulcers are prevalent in performance horses and negatively impact horse welfare. Gastric hypermotility has been positively associated with the development of gastric ulceration in nonequine species, and reduction of hypermotility may be protective against their development. Stomachs from 12 pigs processed for food at a provincially inspected abattoir were collected within 1 hour of slaughter. Explants of nonglandular gastric tissue were p...
Dik KJ.The radiological interpretation of periosteal new bone formation in the horse induced by trauma is described and illustrated by some casereports. The better the margins of the new bone can be defined the lesser the activity. The greater the density of the new bone, the longer the duration of time since injury.
Derksen FJ, Robinson NE, Berney CE.The dose of aerosol pirbuterol that could be administered safely to ponies (weight approximately 200 kg) was determined by observation for sweating, trembling and excitement and measurement of heart and respiratory rates during cumulative administration of the drug. Sweating, trembling and excitement were first observed following a dose of 2,400 micrograms and became more severe at 3,200 micrograms. These effects were accompanied by an increase in heart rate but not a change in respiratory rate. When 3200 micrograms was administered without prior administration of lower doses, side effects wer...
Bostedt H, Sieme H, Bartmann CP, Handler J, Sobiraj A, Wehrend A.This review describes stepwise the recto-manual and transrectal ultrasonographic evidence of early pregnancy detection in the horse. The morphological and physiological conditions in the individual phases of early pregnancy are presented in correlation to the potential clinical findings. The importance of embryonic and early foetal losses is presented. Communication and documentation of findings are also addressed. The final section is devoted to the evaluation of the examination effort. In this regard, it is emphasized that the gynaecological examination for the evaluation of the pregnancy st...
Kumar S, Rakha NK, Goyal L, Goel P, Kumar R, Kumar A, Kumar S.Theileria equi merozoite surface antigens have been an important candidate for development of diagnostics. We developed ELISA based on EMA-1 recombinant antigen, so as to widen our diagnostic confidence in detection of antibodies against T. equi in sero-surveillance studies. The 547 bp EMA-1 gene fragment encoding high hydrophilic antigenic region was expressed with glutathione-S-transferase tag in prokaryotic system and purified protein (43 kDa) was used for development of ELISA (EMA-1t/ELISA). The EMA-1t/ELISA clearly differentiated T. equi-infected from Babesia caballi-infected horse sera o...
Wilson DV, Suslak L, Soma LR.Cardiovascular effects and pulmonary gas exchange were compared during conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and interrupted high-frequency, positive-pressure ventilation (IHFPPV) in 6 anesthetized ponies in dorsal recumbency. When the peak airway pressure (Paw) was held constant at control values attained during CMV (18 to 20 cm of H2O), and the ventilator frequency of IHFPPV was varied over the range, 2.5 to 12.5 Hz, significant (P less than 0.05) changes from control values were observed only in the ratio of dead-space volume to tidal volume (VD/VT) and in the respiratory minute volume ...
Brosnan RJ, Steffey EP, Esteller-Vico A, Vaughan B, Liu IK.Digital perfusion pressure (DPP) equals mean arterial pressure (MAP) at the hoof coronet minus digital interstitial pressure (DIP) within the hoof. To test whether lamellar blood flow (LBF) changes proportionately to DPP, anesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane in six horses to target a MAP of 60 mmHg. Arterial, venous, and hoof interstitial pressures were measured in each pelvic limb. LBF was measured using fluorescent microspheres during dobutamine infusions targeting either 60 (low), 80 (medium), or 100 (high) mmHg MAP. Following euthanasia, hoof lamina was collected for micro...
Misheff MM, Stover SM, Pool RR.Unicortical corticocancellous bone biopsy specimens 4.5 mm and 6.5 mm in diameter were obtained without long-term complications from the 12th rib in eight standing horses. However, the bone specimens were unsuitable for histologic or histomorphometric evaluation. In in vitro comparisons of biopsy specimens 6.5 mm and 12 mm in diameter, and of unicortical and transcortical biopsy specimens, 12 mm transcortical specimens yielded the most cancellous bone. Transcortical bone biopsy specimens 12 mm in diameter were obtained from eight horses by using power-assisted trephination. The surgical proced...
Linardi RL, Stokes AM, Barker SA, Short C, Hosgood G, Natalini CC.Methadone hydrochloride is a synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist with potent analgesic properties. Oral methadone has been successfully used in human medicine and may overcome some limitations of other analgesics in equine species for producing analgesia with minimal adverse effects. However, there are no studies describing the pharmacokinetics (PK) of oral opioids in horses. The aim of this study was to describe the PK of orally administered methadone (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) and physical effects in 12 healthy adult horses. Serum methadone concentrations were measured by gas chromatography/m...
Comino F, Röcken M, Gorvy D.To describe a 2-step surgical procedure combining standing laparoscopy with a conventional inguinal approach to treat deep intra-abdominal funiculitis (extended septic funiculitis) after castration. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Twelve client-owned horses. Methods: Medical records of horses treated for extended septic funiculitis with the 2-step surgical procedure were reviewed. Data collected included the initial castration technique, number of surgical interventions for septic funiculitis prior to presentation, clinical signs, diagnostic and surgical procedure, and short-term ...
Carnevale EM.Methods for the collection and transfer of equine oocytes have been developed, and uses of these techniques have resulted in new clinical and research possibilities. Because oocyte transfer avoids reproductive problems associated with the oviduct, uterus, and cervix, pregnancies can be produced from many mares that cannot carry a pregnancy or produce embryos. Oocytes for clinical transfers are usually collected from preovulatory follicles and cultured for a short interval or transferred directly into a recipient's oviduct. For oocyte transfer, the recipient is inseminated within the uterus. A ...
Hines KK, Fitzgerald BP, Loy RG.Changes in the pattern of LH and FSH in serum were studied in 6 mares foaling during the summer. Samples were collected frequently (every 15 min) for 24 h twice before foaling, -33 +/- 2 and -12 +/- 2 days, and for 12 h after foaling, on Day 0 and Day 4. Simultaneous pulses of FSH and LH were observed before foaling (r2 = 0.99). Before foaling, gonadotrophin pulses were infrequent (6 in 264 h of observation). On the day of foaling, LH and FSH pulse frequency increased (P less than 0.005) with 2-4 pulses per mare. The amplitudes of pulses of LH and FSH were higher before parturition than for th...
Stutsel M, Gimeno M, Young A, Bell JW, Horadagoda N.A 2-year-old Standardbred gelding was referred for a mass on the palmaromedial right front pastern which was accompanied by progressively worsening lameness. The mass was firm to palpation and covered by normal skin. Ultrasonographically, a smooth encapsulated mass was present, medial to the flexor tendons and palmar to the neurovascular bundle. Because of a poor prognosis for future athletic performance without surgical or chemotherapeutic intervention and economic constraints preventing further diagnostics and treatment, the horse was euthanised. Post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging, histo...
