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.
McGuire TC, Banks KL, Davis WC.Combined immunodeficiency (CID) is a significant disease in terms of prevalence in Arabian foals and is a useful animal for study of a similar condition in children. Thymuses from all CID foals examined were extremely hypoplastic. Light and electron microscopic examination of thymuses from CID foals, as well as a thymus from an aborted CID fetus, demonstrate that the basic thymic structure is intact, despite a number of dissimilar morphologic appearances. From these data, we inferred that the thymic hypoplasia was caused by a failure of committed lymphocytes from the bone marrow to populate th...
Serrano L, Lees P, Hillidge CJ.Ponies were anaesthetized by administration of the ataractic, azaperone (0 · 2–0 · 8 mg/kg), in combination with the hypnotic, metomidate (3 · 5 mg/kg). Changes in blood biochemistry were measured during and following the course of action of these drugs. In control experiments, azaperone (0 · 4 and 0 · 8 mg/kg) was administered alone to other ponies. There were no significant changes in blood glucose concentration in either circumstance. Blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations and lactate/pyruvate ratio were not altered significantly by azaperone. However, moderate increases in lactat...
Saiatov MKh, Beĭsembaeva RU.Profiles of distribution of non-specific gamma-inhibitors of influenza A2/Victoria/35/72 in donkey and horse sera were established by gel chromatography in Sephadex G-200. High and low molecular inhibitors were found in 19S and 4S serum fractions. Highly purified preparations of a2-macroglobulin, transferrine and albumin were isolated by a combination of methods of salt precipitation, gel chromatography on Sephadex G-100, G-200 and ion exchange on DEAE-Sephadex A-50. Heating sera resulted in a considerable increase of the antiviral activity of a2-macroglobulin and transferrine and a reduction ...
Scherer WF, Ordonez JV, Dickerman RW, Navarro JE.Evidence was sought during 1970-1975 of persistence of equine-virulent Venezuelan encephalitis (VE) virus in regions of Central America that were heavily involved in the epidemic-equine epizootic of 1969. (a) Four sentinel horses were exposed in an arid, upland region of the Atlantic drainage of Guatemala during August-October 1970, but no horse became infected. (b) The epicenter region of the 1969 outbreak, in southwestern Guatemala and southwestern El Salvador, was studied during July 1970-February 1974; no antibody developed in sentinel horses, sentinel hamsters did not die, mosquitoes yiel...
Goto H.The efficacy of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in horses has been described from the effect of mass vaccination on the local prevalence of the disease in horses in each district of Hokkaido, Japan.
Estola T, Neuvonen E.In 1974, a very extensive influenza/A/equi 2 epidemic broke out in the Finnish horse population. To study the efficacy of influenza vaccinations a questionnaire was sent after the epidemic to all Finnish veterinarians. The answer material was selected to contain only stables which had had clinically typical cases. The material consisted 234 unvaccinated and 629 vaccinated horses. In the latter group 466 horses were vaccinated adequately. The results of the study showed that of the unvaccinated horses 212 (91%) and of the adequately vaccinated horses only 42 (9.4%) contracted clinically typical...
Faur YC, Weisburd MH, Wilson ME.NYC medium supplemented with cow blood (NYC-C) and sheep blood (NYC-S) were tested for the growth of N. gonorrhoeae and urogenital mycoplasma in comparison with standard NYC medium which contains horse blood. In situations where horse blood is not available, cow blood could be substituted in NYC standard medium, whereas the use of sheep blood was found unsuitable.
Targowski SP.The present study describes a two step technique for the separation of mononuclear leukocytes or mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocytes from whole equine blood. First, the leukocyte rich plasma was obtained by sedimentation of erythrocytes in the undiluted blood. Subsequently, separation of the different populations of white blood cells was performed by centrifugation with different gradients overlaid with the leukocyte rich plasma. The optimal separation of the mononuclear cells was obtained by the centrifugation of the leukocyte rich plasma overlaying the gradient containing 24 parts o...
Haughey KG, Jones RT.A high frequency of meningeal lesions was found at autopsy in foals dying perinatally. Such lesions are considered an index of injury to the fetal central nervous system, from trauma and/or hypoxia during birth. Their incidence in the sample examined (26 foals) is similar to that observed in the perinatal mortality of lambs and calves.
Cooper MJ.Fluprostenol (ICI 81,008) is a 16-aryloxyprostaglandin, structurally related to PGF2alpha. It is a highly potent luteolytic agent, being effective in thoroughbred mares at a single intramuscular dose of 250 mug and having a wide margin of safety in this species. A total of 941 mares have been treated with fluprostenol in an international trial, for various forms of infertility associated with abnormal persistence of luteal function. These mares were selected for treatment on the basis of clinical examination and 760 (approximately 80 per cent) responded fluprostenol by showing oestrus within s...
d'Abreu F.This research article discusses brain injuries in jockeys, particularly in horse racing. The author recounts the preventive measures taken by the Jockey Club and the Betting Levy Board to protect […]
Muir WW, Skarda RT, Milne DW.An evaluation and comparison of thermodilution technique with dye dilution technique was made in the computation of cardiac output in 39 conscious adult horses (av body wt, 450 kg). Estimation of cardiac output by thermodilution was found to compare favorably with values obtained from dye dilution when a volume of 30 to 40 ml at a temperature of 0 C was used. Difficulties in obtaining accurate thermodilution curves in the horse seem predominantly associated with errors in mixing and observation.
Barban PS, Minaeva VM, Pantiukhina AN, Startseva MG.A comparative study was made of the serological properties and virus-neutralizing activity of antiencephalitis gamma-globulin and Fab-fragments isolated from it by gel-filtration. Horse immunoglobulins against the autumno-summer tick-borne encephalitis virus could be disintegrated with the aid of papaine to monovalent Fab-fragments which (according to the complement fixation reaction, the test of suppression of the complement fixation, and the HAIT) retained the serological activity whose level was compared with that of the serological activity of gamma-globulin. Fab-fragments possessed a mark...
Gopinath G, Ford EJ.The hepatotoxic effect of oral halothane in the horse is increased by pretreatment with phenobarbitone or DDT but not by chlorpromazine. Phenobarbitone and DDT increase the activity of hepatic amidopyrine N-demethylase but chlorpromazine does not. Carbon disulphide protects the liver of the horse against halothane.
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.Experimentally induced infections of Parascaris equorum in worm-free pony foals required 14 to 17 days for migration of the larvae through the liver and lungs, and 79 to 110 days to become gametogenically functional. Treatment of experimentally infected or naturally exposed foals during the parenteral phase of development, using levamisole at 8 mg/kg, a mixture of levamisole at 8 mg/kg plus piperazine at 88 mg base equivalent/kg, or dl-tetramisole at 10 mg/kg, was quite efficacious in (1) reducing the number of P. equorum larvae recovered from the small intestines of the foals at necropsy, or ...
McKay AG, Milne FJ.A project to determine if intraarticular corticosteroid therapy was deleterious to the racing Thoroughbred was carried out in the 1971, 1972, and 1973 racing seasons. Of 22 horses available for follow-up examination, 6 had radiographic evidence of deterioration; 1 of these was destroyed because of probable corticosteroid-induced arthropathy. The remaining 16 horses did not have any evidence of deterioration. One of the 16, a stakes winner, had been given 12 injections into the left front fetlock during the 3-year period. It was concluded that if proper and careful aftercare is adhered to, intr...
Weatherall KM, Boone LH, Munsterman A, Hanson RR.To determine the compressive effect of abdominal bandages after ventral midline celiotomy closure in horses. Methods: Ex vivo, experimental study. Methods: Equine cadavers (n = 18), six per group. Methods: A 20-cm ventral midline celiotomy was created in each of 18 equine cadavers. A 200-L inflatable bladder was placed in the abdomen, and the linea alba was apposed. Horses were randomly assigned to no bandage (C), elastic (E), or Velcro inelastic (I) bandage groups for testing. Circumferential bandages were placed with a subbandage pressure monitoring system over the incision. The bladder was ...
Moore RM, Bertone AL, Muir WW.To evaluate the effect of high-molecular weight (MW) dextran macromolecules on low-flow ischemia and reperfusion of the large colon in horses. Methods: Horses subjected to low-flow ischemia and reperfusion of the large colon were treated with either 0.9 NaCl (group 1, n = 6) or high-MW dextran (group 2, n = 6) solutions. Methods: 12 adults horses. Methods: Horses were subjected to 3 hours' low-flow ischemia followed by 3 hours' reperfusion. A dose of either 0.9% NaCl or a 6% solution of high-MW (250,000) dextran (10 ml/kg of body weight) was administered i.v., 30 minutes prior to reperfusion. ...
Méténier L, Kaminski M.Immunochemical and enzymatic analyses of horse serum carboxylesterase were carried out with respect to the existence of a silent gene. Sera with positive phenotypic expression of esterase, both heterozygotes and presumed homozygotes, were compared with:--sera with positive phenotypic expression but genotypically +/O;--sera with a negative phenotypic expression, i. e. genotypically O/O;--sera of natural +/O "hemi-zygotes": mules (donkey lacking the esterase);--positive sera heated at 60 degrees C;--positive sera after specific inhibition of enzymatic activity. Titration by immunocompetition has...
Hewson J, Johnson R, Arroyo LG, Diaz-Mendez A, Ruiz-López JA, Gu Y, del Castillo JR.Healthy neonatal foals were treated with cefotaxime by bolus (40 mg/kg i.v. q6h for 12 doses; n=10) or by infusion (loading dose of 40 mg/kg i.v. followed by continuous infusion of a total daily dose of 160 mg/kg per 24 h for 3 days; n=5). Population pharmacokinetics was determined, and concentrations in cavity fluids were measured at steady state (72 h). Highest measured serum drug concentration in the bolus group was 88.09 μg/mL and minimum drug concentration (C(min)) was 0.78 μg/mL at 6-h postadministration (immediately before each next dose), whereas infusion resulted in a steady-state c...
Richardson DW, Nunamaker DM, Sigafoos RD.Arthrodesis of the metacarpophalangeal joint was attempted in 9 adult horses, using a new external skeletal fixation device and autogenous cancellous bone graft. Four horses had excellent results, 2 horses had fair results, arthrodesis failed in 2 horses, and 1 horse fractured the third metacarpal bone. The advantages of the technique included minimal surgical trauma to the area of injury, immediate rigid fixation of the metacarpophalangeal joint, and access for treatment of soft-tissue lesions at the site of injury. Although pin loosening and pin-track infection were complications when the de...
Gordon D, Clark-Price S, Keating S, Schaeffer DJ, Lascola KM.This study evaluated the effects of various flow rates and fractions of oxygen on arterial blood gas parameters and on the fraction of inspired oxygen (FO) delivered to the distal trachea. Oxygen was administered to 6 healthy, conscious, standing, adult horses via single nasal cannula positioned within the nasopharynx. Three flow rates (5, 15, 30 L/min) and fractions of oxygen (21, 50, 100%) were delivered for 15 minutes, each in a randomized order. FO was measured at the level of the nares and distal trachea. Adverse reactions were not observed with any flow rate. FO (nares and trachea) and P...
A 25-year-old pony mare was presented to the clinic with preliminarily reported severe acute colic. The pony during the previous week had shown inappetence, apathy and fever of unknown origin. Clinical examination and placement of a gastric tube were indicative of a secondary gastric dilation. Rectal exploration found moderate caecal meteorism with a tensed and painful medial taenia as well as a dilated and fluid-filled small intestine. In addition, a solid, mobile, non-painful structure of approximately 10 cm diameter was palpated ventrally. A hyperechogenic mass close to the caecum was detec...
Powers JD, Powers TE, Varma KJ, Gabel AA, Spurlock SL.Quantification of the clinical manifestations of a disease has been a serious problem particularly as related to clinical trials or drug efficacy studies. Historically, this quantification has been limited to categorizing each patient into one of three or four groups, e.g. worse, no improvement, improved. This problem becomes serious when an investigation utilizes an experimentally induced animal disease model. A health index, which quantifies the clinical state of horses which have an experimentally induced beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, is described. Aspects of experimental design a...
Dodman NH, Waterman AE.The rapid intravenous administration of the butyrophenone tranquilliser, azaperone, at a dose rate of 0.29-0.57 mg/kg body weight resulted in the immediate onset of excitement and ataxia of varying degree in over half the animals. The severity of the reaction appeared to be related to the size of the animal. Other side effects such as salivation, sweating, muscle tremor and vocalisation were also observed. The possible causes of this paradoxical reaction to the tranquilliser are discussed.
Frankeny RL, Johnson PJ, Messer NT, Keegan KG, Corwin LA.A 7-month-old Appaloosa foal had bilateral hind limb lameness and was unable to rise from recumbency without assistance. Lameness could be exacerbated by tarsal flexion and a firm swelling at the distomedial aspect of the tibias was associated with a marked pain response when palpated. Radiography revealed enlargement of the distal tibial metaphysis physis (compared with normal), and radiolucent fissure lines extending proximally from the physis into the metaphysis at its medial aspect. Treatment included rest and dietary adjustment. Although clinical signs initially resolved following treatme...
Pearson EG.Of 41 equids referred to a veterinary teaching hospital in the Pacific northwest because of dyspnea and inspiratory noise, 3 ponies were diagnosed as having liver failure, most likely attributable to pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicosis. Dyspnea appeared to be caused by laryngeal and/or pharyngeal paralysis. It is proposed that this paralysis was a manifestation of hepatic encephalopathy. Although these clinical signs are not common for pyrrolizidine toxicosis, practitioners should be aware of the possibility so that misdiagnosis of other causes of inspiratory dyspnea may not be made.
Sporn A, Berner D, Winter K, Mageed M, Brehm W, Gerlach K.Scintigraphic examination of the thoracic spine is well documented. However, there is limited information about the effects of time on image quality in the period following injection of radionuclide. This study aimed to determine the optimal time point after injection of (99m)Tc-HDP (hydroxymethylene-diphosphonate) to achieve scintigraphic images with the best possible contrast and adequate count rates. Scintigraphic images of the thoracic spine of 21 horses were acquired two, four and six hours after administering (99m)Tc-HDP. Eight regions of interest were drawn in the images, four in the sp...
Stanek C.A retrospective study (1984-1994) was made of 10 cases of septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint in horses aged 7 months to 17 years. In 6 cases a hind limb was affected, in 4 cases a front limb. The arthritis was caused either by a puncture wound in the sole area (8 cases), by a perforating wound in the coronary region (1) or iatrogenic (1). All horses exhibited a severe lameness at the walk. Radiography showed no typical lesions in fresh cases, whilst later an increasing subluxation of the joint was observed followed by periosteal reactions. Therapy included partial resection o...
Jones CJP, Aplin JD, Allen WRT, Wilsher S.From Day 6.5-7 post-conception until its loss around Day 22, the equine embryo is enclosed in a mucinous capsule that prevents direct intercellular interaction between the trophectoderm and uterine epithelium. The embryo is, however, bathed in glycoprotein-rich secretions. In this study, lectin histochemistry was used to characterise the distribution and glycan composition of uterine glycoproteins destined for secretion, and to ascertain the local effect of an embryo on glycosylation in the endometrium. Endometrial biopsies were taken from mares in estrus, on Days 5, 8, 12 and 15 of diestrus, ...
Nasir L, Reid SW.An evolutionary conserved 1.3 kb fragment corresponding to the horse p53 tumour suppressor gene was PCR amplified, cloned and the nucleotide sequence determined. The p53 fragment encoded exons 5 to 9 and the intervening introns. The nucleotide sequence and the predicted aminoacid sequence showed a high level of homology with human and donkey p53 sequences.
