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.
Wadsworth AB, Sickles GM.IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT THE PNEUMOCOCCUS MULTIPLYING IN THE TISSUES OF THE IMMUNIZED ANIMAL (HORSE) BECOMES ATTENUATED: loses, in varying degrees, its virulence, capacity of capsule formation, susceptibility to phagocytosis, and type specificity. The antigenic activity as an immunizing agent and the production of "soluble specific substance" are also altered. In some instances, the typical pneumococcus characteristics may be quickly restored by one or two passages through a susceptible animal (mouse). In others, virulence is not recovered and the organism remains atypical. Whether these changes...
Jungeblut CW.1. A flocculation reaction has been described which occurs between alcoholic extracts of pneumococci and antipneumococcus serum. 2. The reaction appears to be species-specific. It is not strictly type-specific, as slight or moderate cross-reactions occurred between Type I serums and Type II and Type III extracts. 3. The flocculating power of the serum from five horses undergoing immunization with pneumococcus, Type I, did not develop to any extent before the end of the 4th or 5th month. 4. In the case of two of these horses in which it was possible to carry out parallel tests on a larger numbe...
Olitsky PK, Kligler IJ.With the methods which have been described we have separated an exotoxin and an endotoxin from cultures of the Shiga dysenteric bacillus. The study of the nature and effect of the poison of this microorganism is thus simplified. The two toxins are physically and biologically distinct. The exotoxin is relatively heat-labile, arises in the early period of growth, and yields an antiexotoxic immune serum. The endotoxin, on the other hand, is heat-stable, is formed in the later period of growth, and is not neutralized by the antiexotoxic serum. The exotoxin exhibits a specific affinity for the cent...
Jones FS.The lower nasal mucosa and the pharynx of thirty eastern and twenty-three western horses have been examined for streptococci. Eight of the eastern horses carried non-hemolytic streptococci on the nasal mucosa. From the pharynx of six, non-hepiolytic streptococci were cultivated. The throats of eighteen contained strains of the hemolytic type. The nasal mucosa of the eastern horses failed to show hemolytic streptococci. Eight western horses carried non-hemolytic streptococci in the nasal passage; eight also harbored the hemolytic type. Twenty-two strains were isolated from the pharynx. Eleven w...
Amoss HL, Marsh P.Experiments were made for the purpose of testing the reaction of protection against infection as a measure of potency of antimeningococcic serum. The results of the experiments were extremely variable and bore no relation to the quality of the sera as determined by the period of immunization of the horses from which they were obtained, or the indications of efficiency based upon their employment in human cases of epidemic meningitis. The results also failed entirely to conform to the agglutination titer of the sera tested and to be affected by the different type forms of the meningococci. We r...
Wadsworth AB, Kirkbride MB.Horses immunized to Type I pneumococci developed serum, 0.1 cc. of which protected against 0.5 cc. of a virulent culture, 0.000001 cc. of which killed mice in less than 40 hours. Protective tests of serum from horses immunized to Type II organisms varied, 0.1 cc. protecting, however, in certain instances against 0.1 and 0.01 cc. of virulent homologous culture. Types I and II sera obtained in our experiments with culture sediment and whole culture did not vary markedly for a given type and corresponded closely in their protective titer with samples of sera received from The Rockefeller Institut...
Inada R, Ido Y, Hoki R, Ito H, Wani H.Horses immunized with cultures of Spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae yield an immune serum having therapeutic properties. With rare exceptions the serum destroys completely the spirochetes contained in the circulating blood. The development of antibodies is promoted by the serum injections. The number of spirochetes in the organs is reduced by the treatment. Secondary manifestations due to the serum are slight and disappear promptly. The ultimate effects of the serum treatment on the symptoms and final outcome of the disease have still to be determined.
Wollstein M.The parameningococci of Dopter are culturally indistinguishable from true or normal meningococci, but serologically they exhibit differences as regards agglutination, opsonization, and complement deviation. Because of the variations and irregularities of serum reactions existing among otherwise normal strains of meningococci it does not seem either possible or desirable to separate the parameningococci into a strictly definite class. It appears desirable to consider them as constituting a special strain among meningococci not, however, wholly consistent in itself. The distinctions in serum rea...
Gibson RB, Banzhaf EJ.Gravimetric determinations were recorded for the total and several individual proteins (in the sodium oxalate plasma) fractioned with ammonium sulphate and sodium chloride. At precipitation, the plasma salt mixture had been diluted to a final volume of ten times the amount of plasma employed. Coagulations were on aliquot portions of filtrates, and the individual protein constituents (except serumalbumin) were calculated by difference. The eleven horses had been subjected to simultaneous immunization against diphtheria and tetanus toxins, each horse being subsequently continued on the toxin to ...
Smith T.The foregoing and earlier data taken together demonstrate that an active immunity lasting several years can be produced in guinea-pigs, by the injection of toxin-antitoxin mixtures which have no recognizable harmful effect either immediate or remote. They also show, what might have been anticipated, that under the same conditions mixtures which produce local lesions and which, therefore, contain an excess of toxin produce a much higher degree of immunity than the neutral mixtures, and that an excess of antitoxin reduces the possibility of producing an active immunity, and may extinguish it alt...
Hubbert WR.1. Better results in the production of diphtheria antitoxin can be obtained with greater experience in the selection of the most suitable type of horses to be used. Young animals are usually to be preferred. Over one-half of all such horses can be made to yield 300-unit serum, while a third will yield (5)oo-unit serum. 2. High-test horses require a shorter time to immunize and will yield a potent serum for a longer period than will low-test horses. 3. The period of usefulness of an antitoxin horse is short, and on an average endures only a few months. 4. A horse having attained a maximal antit...
Meistro F, Ralletti MV, Rinnovati R, Spadari A.Subtle locomotor asymmetries are common in horses and may go unnoticed during routine pre-race clinical inspections, particularly when based solely on subjective evaluation. This study aimed to describe vertical head and pelvic movement asymmetries in racehorses that passed official pre-race inspections at a traditional racing event. Twenty-four horses were analysed using a markerless AI-based gait analysis system while trotting in-hand and during lungeing in both directions. Asymmetry parameters (HDmin, HDmax, PDmin, and PDmax) were extracted from video recordings, with values ≥0.5 consider...
Kiełbik P, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O.Iron is unquestionably an essential element of physical performance for horses, just as it is for many other animals, including humans. Although post-exercise equine iron deficiency is not a common problem, recent studies showed that equine athletes may be considered a model for human exercise physiology. Sports anemia among human athletes is a common nutritional issue and remains one reason for poor physical fitness. Thus, this study area needs comprehensive knowledge since iron homeostasis changes in equine athletes remain unrecognized. The current review aims to summarize studies describing...
Mellish M, Burns J, Elce Y, Stull JW.Donkeys (Equus asinus) in East Africa are recognised as working with poorly designed harnesses and carts. The donkey cart used in regions of Africa, specifically Meru County, Kenya, appears to place the cart's weight solely on the donkey's mid-cervical region. The ventral area of the neck is vulnerable to external pressure on the trachea, which is superficially located. Objective: To compare the presence and severity of endoscopic abnormalities in the upper airway and trachea of Meru County working cart donkeys compared to pack donkeys. To determine associations between endoscopic and physical...
Graham AE, Carslake HB, Malalana F.Evidence for optimal location of subpalpebral lavage (SPL) systems is lacking. Objective: To compare the rate and types of complications with SPL systems located in central upper- compared with medial lower-eyelid in hospitalised patients. Methods: Prospective, randomised treatment trial. Methods: Horses admitted for ophthalmic treatment using an SPL system from February 2015 to January 2024 were included if ocular pathology did not necessitate SPL system placement in a specific location. Coin toss was used to determine location. SPL systems were monitored at least daily, and complications wer...
Santos L, Werfel K, Ferlini-Agne G.Accurate measurement of haemoglobin concentration is crucial for monitoring the oxygen-carrying capacity in anaesthetised horses. This prospective study aimed to determine the agreement in haemoglobin concentration in anaesthetised horses using the SpHb pulse co-oximeter, an Epoc® blood gas analyser, and values derived from packed cell volume (PCV), which served as the reference method in this study. The study included 34 horses undergoing elective surgeries. Blood samples were collected from each horse and divided for analysis using the microhaematocrit method to estimate haemoglobin concent...
Rossi HS, Mykkänen AK, Teppo AM, Junnila JJT, Hyytiäinen HK.Pneumonia is a common condition in young, hospitalized foals, causing accumulation of inflammatory secretions to the airways. In humans, respiratory physiotherapy is commonly used as a supplementary treatment for pneumonia with varying results regarding its efficacy, but the efficacy in foals has not been assessed to date. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of respiratory physiotherapy as a supplementary therapy method for young foals with pneumonia. Methods: A total of 44 foals with pneumonia aged under a month were used. The prospective intervention group receivi...
Tian Y, Su Y, Jiang X, Su L, Zhang B, Lv F.The zoonotic pathogen subspecies (SEZ) frequently colonizes equines harmlessly but can occasionally cause disease or cross species barriers. Currently, growing evidence suggests SEZ can lead to severe clinical manifestations in horses and other animals, posing a threat to human and companion animal health. In this study, we sequenced the complete genome of the SEZ strain HT321, a novel sequence type 420 isolated from a donkey with a respiratory infection in China. Subsequently, we conducted comparative genomics, core genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (cgSNP), phylogenetic analysis multi...
Munoz Moran JA.This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular (IA) injections of a combination of platelet rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) on joint effusion following arthroscopic removal of OCD in the tarso-crural joint (TCJ) in young Andalusian horses. Methods: Forty Andalusian horses diagnosed with OCD of the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia (DIRT) were included in the study. Horses enrolled in this study had persisting synovial effusion after arthroscopic removal of OCD in the TCJ. A subjective semi-quantitative effusion score was adopted in the study to define the ...
Clarysse M, Bertier P, Verpaele S, Madsen AM, Vlaminck L.Equine dental disorders, such as sharp enamel points and focal overgrowths, are common in horses and are often treated with motorized dental grinding tools. These tools, while effective, produce dust and aerosols that may pose health risks to veterinarians and nearby individuals. This study aimed to assess the health risks associated with dental dust and aerosols generated during equine odontoplasty. Using a realistic setup, air concentrations of inhalable and respirable dust, crystalline silica, and airborne microorganisms and endotoxins were measured in 12 groups of horses undergoing odontop...
de Preux M, Precht C, Becker R, Stieglitz L, Easley J, Koch C.Trigeminal-mediated headshaking is a neuropathic disorder in horses, characterized by signs of regional pain similar to trigeminal neuralgia in humans. The injection of glycerol into the trigeminal cistern to ablate pain-conducting nerve fibers within the trigeminal ganglion -known as glycerol rhizotomy- is a well-established treatment in human medicine. This study compares two approaches to the equine trigeminal cistern using a navigation system for guiding needle placement, a previously described ventral and a newly developed transmandibular lateral approach. The surgical accuracy and risk o...
van Spijk JN, Junge HK, Eberhardt C, Wolf N, Vogt D, Zscherpe P, Herger E, Straub M, Schwarzwald CC.Echocardiographic evaluation of right heart (RH) size and function in horses is challenging and relies on subjective assessment. Objective: Evaluate inter- and intra-rater agreement of subjective assessment of RH size, RH function, and the presence of pulmonary hypertension (PHT) in horses. Assess subjective RH changes with and without PHT and the influence of observer experience. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 30) and horses with Doppler measurements suggesting the presence or absence of PHT (n = 30 each). Methods: Nine standard echocardiographic recordings were analyzed by experienced ...
Knudsen AR, Marsh JS, Pye JL.To describe reproductive performance in Thoroughbred broodmares post-large colon resection and to compare to performance post-colopexy. Methods: A single-institution retrospective study. Methods: A total of 29 client-owned horses: post-large colon resection (LCR) n = 19, post-colopexy: n = 10. Methods: Thoroughbred broodmares that survived until discharge following LCR (Group R) or colopexy (Group P) between 2006 and 2023 were included. Clinical data were collected from clinical records. Breeding and foaling data were collected from the Australian and New Zealand Studbooks. Statistical...
de Souza Lima E, de Oliveira Filho RB, Malta KC, Pires IC, Rosa DS, Chideroli RT, Aburjaile FF, de Jesus Sousa T, Ramos RTJ, Góes-Neto A....Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is a bacterium that causes significant economic damage to farmers, mainly in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil. In this context, only biovar ovis has been reported, and it is widespread in small ruminants. However, this report describes the first equine case in Brazil attributable to a biovar equi. Clinically, it is the causative agent of ulcerative lymphangitis, mastitis, necrotic and ulcerative dermatitis. A Quarter Horse from the semiarid Northeast presented ulcerative lymphangitis. Culture, nitrate reduction test, MALDI-TOF, and whole-genome sequ...
Zamith Cunha R, Gobbo F, Morini M, Zannoni A, Mainardi C, D'arpe L, Gramenzi A, Chiocchetti R.A growing body of evidence indicates that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is essential for controlling the homeostasis of the skin and that the ECS is modified in the presence of skin disease. It is plausible to expect that the lamellar junction of the hoof expresses cannabinoid receptors and that their expression could be affected by lamellar disease. The goal of this study was to characterise the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and type 2 (CB2R) and the G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) within the dermo-epidermal junction of the hooves of healthy and laminitic horses. The expression ...
Firdausy LW, Fikri F, Wicaksono AP, Çalışkan H, Purnama MTE.Trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease with significant implications for animal health and rural livelihoods in Indonesia. Despite surveillance efforts, comprehensive national-level estimates of its prevalence in domesticated animals remain lacking. This study aimed to synthesize the pooled prevalence of trypanosomiasis across Indonesian provinces, identify contributing factors, and assess trends over time using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Unassigned: A systematic search was conducted in seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Cochrane...
Guayaquil G, Chávez C, Enríquez S, Arrivillaga-Henríquez J, Vaca F, Eleizalde MC, Mendoza M, Pedelini L, Martínez-Fresneda M, Uzcanga GL....Trypanosoma evansi, a protozoan parasite of the Trypanozoon subgenus, infects domestic and wild animals, and occasionally humans, worldwide. Despite its significant impact on livestock production, epidemiological studies and molecular analyses of T. evansi based on variant surface glycoproteins (VSG) remain limited in South America. We report the first molecular identification of T. evansi in two localities in the Ecuadorian Amazon and provide phylogenetic and structural analyses of the VSG RoTat 1.2 fragment. Using a retrospective biobank approach, we analyzed DNA from blood samples of dogs a...
Kerley BS, Harris P, Jacquay E, Askins M, McClendon M, Adams AA.Feeding small meals (∼1 g/kg BW DM basis) providing >10% nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC; starch + water soluble carbohydrate; WSC) has resulted in an augmented insulin response (AIR) in insulin dysregulated (ID) horses, but it's unclear if AIR reflects NSC content or the g NSC/kg BW/meal. Objective: The insulinemic responses of ID (n = 7) and non-insulin dysregulated (NID; n = 8) horses fed four feeds (A = 6.8% NSC; B = 14.9% NSC; C = 35.5% NSC; D = 44.6% NSC) at three levels of NSC intake (0.06, 0.11-0.12 and 0.17-0.18 g/kg BW) were evaluated in a randomized Latin square design across two...
Payette-Stroman A, Ross Y, Ma X, Boutelle C, Holschbach C, Blanton JD, Wallace R.Rabies in livestock in the United States (US) poses a significant public health concern due to the potential for human exposure and economic losses to producers. Understanding the epidemiology of rabies in livestock supports broader One Health goals by enhancing early detection of viral incursions and protecting both animal and human health. This study assessed the epidemiology of rabies in livestock in the US from 2012 to 2021 using surveillance data reported to the National Rabies Surveillance System. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to estimate economic losses, including livestock value...
Furukawa R, Tozaki T, Kawate K, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Takahashi Y, Fukui E, Kakoi H.Gene doping, which entails the administration of transgenes, poses a serious threat to the integrity of equine sports and also raises both ethical and regulatory concerns. Current methods used for the detection of such doping often necessitate the extraction of DNA from plasma, which can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. To overcome this limitation, we developed a direct chamber digital PCR (cdPCR) method that enables transgene detection in equine plasma without the need for DNA purification. Using the equine erythropoietin (EPO) transgene as a model, we validated the assay by analysing ...
Akinniyi OO, Lawal TR, Rufai N, Jolayemi KO, Amaje J.African horse sickness (AHS) is endemic in Nigeria. Despite this, little is known about the perspective of horse handlers in Nigeria regarding AHS. The study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of horse handlers in Southwest Nigeria regarding AHS. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted, which involved convenient sampling of 131 horse handlers in Lagos and Oyo States by February - April 2024. The pre-validated questionnaires were administered via face-to-face interviews, covering demographics, knowledge of AHS transmission, clinical signs, prevention and cont...
Couto G, Grippo A, Ismer A, Hoogewijs M, Pedro B, Vasconcelos L, Santos G, Wilsher S.Vitrified in vitro-produced embryos can be successfully warmed in isotonic media at room temperature (RT; 22°C). However, this protocol has not been reported for in vivo embryos, which are more challenging to vitrify and warm. Study objectives were to see if vitrified in vivo embryos warmed in RT isotonic medium gave equivalent pregnancy rates to stepwise serial dilution warming, and if embryo size influenced the results. One hundred and seventeen embryos were divided into groups by size (G1:≤ 300 μm, n = 59; G2:> 300-400 μm, n = 33; G3:> 400-500 μm, n = ...
Hernández-Avilés C.Sperm quality analysis using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) systems and fluorescence-based techniques has become common in the animal reproduction industry, particularly for large animals (i.e., bovine, porcine, equine). In this chapter, the methods commonly utilized in the author's laboratory to examine sperm motion characteristics via CASA and plasma membrane intactness by flow cytometry will be described. These include methods to properly dilute fresh (stallions, bulls, boars), cool-stored (stallions, boars), or frozen/thawed (stallions, bulls, boars) sperm for assessment of sperm ...
Tumber MR, Burke MK.Lameness in horses resulting from foot pathology is very common. When investigating the cause of a lameness localised to the foot, the first step is most frequently radiographic imaging. Therefore, being able to identify normal anatomy and recognise pathology on radiographs is important for a veterinary medicine student to learn. Computer-aided learning (CAL) is becoming increasingly utilised in the teaching of students on medicine-related courses, especially post-COVID where online learning has been continued in hybridisation with in-person teaching.In this study, a low-cost CAL module was cr...
Mikaiel T, Waller A, Foote A, Cardwell JM, Mitchell J, Priestnall SL.Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is a commensal opportunistic bacterium associated with outbreaks of equine respiratory disease alongside a diverse range of diseases in various species. The closely related Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi) is the causative agent of 'strangles', the most frequently diagnosed contagious equine disease. Despite differing clinical signs, the two subspecies share approximately 97 % DNA homology and respectively present serious equine health and welfare concerns. Currently there are few PCR assays targeting unique regions of...
Aziz KJ, Issa NA, Mikaeel FB, Ismael SS.This study investigated the prevalence, intensity, and associated risk factors of Parascaris equorum (P. equorum) infection in equids using both parasitological and molecular methods. Data on age, sex, body condition, and housing conditions were systematically collected to evaluate their influence on infection risk. Fecal samples from 294 equines (148 horses, 47 mules, 63 donkeys, and 36 ponies) were examined microscopically using direct wet-mount and flotation techniques, with infection intensity quantified using the McMaster technique to determine eggs per gram (EPG). Molecular confirmation ...
Perkins GA, Wagner B, Rollins A, Sfraga H, Pearson E, Cercone M.To apply equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) antibody testing in nasal swabs and serum in nonclinical horses during a naturally occurring outbreak of (EHV-1). Previous experimental EHV-1 challenge studies showed stable serum anti-EHV-1 antibody concentrations paired with rapidly increasing nasal mucosal antibodies (mucAbs) prevent EHV-1 infection, viral shedding, and cell-associated viremia. From this, we hypothesized that EHV-1 antibody testing can confirm exposure in non-clinical horses during an outbreak. Unassigned: 2 horses with neurological signs from 1 farm were admitted to an equine hosp...
Kamm JL, Odegaard J, Gaida J, King N.This tutorial aims to illustrate and instruct on the technique of punch skin grafting in the horse. Unassigned: A 10-year-old paint gelding with a 9 X 6-cm chronic granulating wound to the left forelimb was utilized for this tutorial. Unassigned: The chronic wound was debrided with sharp dissection, and the limb was pressure bandaged overnight. Twenty-four hours later, the horse was sedated for punch skin grafting. The ventral pectoral region was aseptically prepared for skin harvest and locally anesthetized. An 8-mm biopsy punch was used to harvest the grafts. The subcutaneous tissue was then...
Yeomans A, Hampson R, Razemba T.Special considerations for donkeys undergoing castration compared with horses include the presence of large scrotal vessels, larger testicular artery and vein and the consequential increased risk of post-operative haemorrhage which necessitates spermatic cord ligation. Objective: This retrospective study compares haemorrhagic complication rates between two methods of spermatic cord ligation in donkeys castrated in rural Malawi. Methods: All donkeys presenting to Veterinary Education Malawi / Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals rural large animal outreach clinics for castrat...
Espinosa-López EM, Ortiz-Guisado B, Diez de Castro E, Durham A, Aguilera-Tejero E, Gómez-Baena G.Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a multifactorial endocrine disorder characterized by obesity, insulin dysregulation (ID), and an increase in the risk of laminitis, a painful condition that can lead to euthanasia in severe cases. Diagnosing EMS is challenging and often relies on clinical history including obesity, difficulty in losing weight, and recurring episodes of laminitis. The gold standard for laboratory support of an EMS diagnosis is the identification of ID, with basal insulin being the simplest and most accessible method, especially in a field setting. However, various factors such...
Ruspi BD, Bramlage LR, Ruggles AJ, Slone SA.To report the rate of survival, rate of return to racing, and quality of racing performance following surgical fixation of medial condylar fractures. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 150 Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses surgically treated for medial condylar fracture (100 lag screw fixation, 50 plate fixation). Methods: Medical records, radiographs, and racing databases (2000-2020) were reviewed to collect signalment, fracture characteristics, fixation methods, survival rate, and complication rate. Change in racing performance was assessed using Wilcoxon rank sum tests...
