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.
Ryan AF, Rainey JW.THE disease that forms the subject of this
paper was first described by one of us in 1944
( Rainey, 1944 ).
Observation by us since then. separately
and in consnltation, of ,further calses of t'his
disease has enabled us to correct -0y amplify
the original description. For instance, ye know
now that although young horses have constituted
the bulk of the cases seen by us, old animals
may also suffer. We observed recently an
acute case in a seventeen-year-old gelding.
In our experience only heavy or half-bred
horses have been affected j we have observed
no case among horses of the t...
DE SALES JF, JANSEN J.Xenodiagnosis for habronemosis was 96,6% positive in 87 stud horses at Instituto Oswaldo Cuz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July-November, 1944. The A A. were unable to identify the Habronema larvae obtained from parasitider fly maggots. Measurements and drawings of the larvae are presented.
Bolesławska-Szubartowska J, Kucharczuk M, Skrabska A, Zbysław A, Adamowicz J, Alszko A, Domagalska-Stomska K, Durska M, Dziekcierów A....Pain after giving birth is commonly observed in horses, yet there has not been a specific tool developed for assessing this pain in postpartum mares. The goal was to adapt existing equine pain scales and to preliminarily validate a practical pain scale for use by veterinarians and caregivers after foaling. Methods: The pain scale was developed by adapting items from other pain scales, including established orthopedic and colic equine pain scales, and incorporating caregiver feedback. The final scale includes eight areas for assessing pain: behavior, facial expressions, vital signs, udder exami...
De Zani D, Rabbogliatti V, Rabba S, Auletta L, Longo M, Zani DD.Damage to the osteochondral unit is a common cause of lameness in horses. Published descriptions of MRI findings of osteochondral unit and subchondral damage are currently lacking, and only a few reports describe outcomes in sport horses. The aims of this case series retrospective study were to describe different MRI patterns of osteochondral/subchondral pathology in the fetlock joint using low-field MRI and to provide outcome information. A total of 35 sport horses were included. Data regarding detailed clinical history, treatment and outcome were evaluated. MRI identified a total of 39 bone ...
Graide H, Duysens J, Frank T, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Niesten A, Sandersen C, Ceusters J, Serteyn D.Musculoskeletal pathologies present challenges in athletic horses, often leading to functional impairment. The slow or limited regenerative capacity of bone, joint, and tendon/ligament injuries, coupled with the limitations of conventional treatments, highlights the need for innovative therapies such as ortho-biologics and mesenchymal stem/stroma cells. Traditional 2D cell culture systems with fetal bovine serum (FBS) fail to replicate the complexity of the in vivo environment, whereas 3D cultures more accurately mimic native tissue architecture and cell-cell interactions. This study describes...
da Silva Rocha MB, Avelar BR, Martins Dos Santos GC, Ferreira TP, de Sousa Vieira T, de Oliveira GF, Gomes BT, Klafke GM, Correia TR, Cid YP, Scott FB.The objective of this study was to standardize a stall-trial methodology for horses in order to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of a 1 % fipronil pour-on formulation against Dermacentor nitens. Brazilian pony breed horses were housed in individual stalls within a covered barn and artificially infested with D. nitens larvae on alternate days from day -31 to -1 before treatment. The animals were treated on day 0 with a fipronil 1 % pour-on at a dose of 1 mg/Kg body weight. To determine the therapeutic efficacy, the number of engorged females naturally detached from control and t...
Dantas FTDR, Canisso IF, Feijó LS, de Vasconcelos PMF, Campos ML, Ulanov AV, Li Z, Pizzi GLBL, Nogueira CEW, Curcio BR.Doxycycline is widely used in equine medicine, yet data on its pharmacokinetics and safety during late gestation are scarce. We investigated the pharmacokinetics, fetoplacental diffusion, and safety of compounded oral doxycycline in late-term pregnant mares. In the first experiment, six mares at 300 days of gestation received a single oral dose (10 mg/kg), and plasma concentrations were measured using LC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic analysis using non-compartmental and compartmental models showed rapid absorption, with a mean Cmax of about 6000 ng/mL reached within 0.8 h and a terminal half-life ...
Sellke L, Ludewig E, Handschuh S, Witter K.In a previous study on hoof biometry, we found that mathematical correction of measuring results from radiographs did not lead to complete correspondence to computed tomography (CT) results. The present study investigates this finding by comparing 13 measures of six cadaveric equine digits collected with the following workflows: radiographs with 1 and 2 m focus-object distance (FOD) (Xray 1 m/2 m), computed tomography images in planes defined based on anatomical landmarks (CTw), simulated radiographs based on the tomography dataset (virtual 120-mm slabs, Xray Sim) and measurements based ...
Arevalo-Turrubiarte M, Edling CE, Moller-Levet C, Forbes B, Kemp V, Weir J, Marr C, Lewis R, Jeevaratnam K.The initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation have been associated with physiological alterations in myocardial sleeves of the pulmonary veins (PVs). Gene expression profiles of the myocardial sleeves of the PVs in healthy (n = 3) and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) (n = 6) thoroughbred horses (Equus caballus) were studied. Tissue collected from the left superior PV, adjacent to the left atrium, was analyzed by RNA sequencing. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis demonstrated positive enrichment of gene ontology biological processes related to muscle and endothelial cell development, cell...
A Quarter Horse mare was presented with a history of imidocarb intoxication. During the initial evaluation, the patient presented an initial episode of syncope, in addition to a Grade III/IV diastolic murmur. On the basis of the observed condition, the animal underwent echocardiographic evaluation, in which artifacts were detected and subsequently characterized as air bubbles, restricted to the right cardiac chambers. A diagnosis of venous air embolism resulting from right jugular venocatheterization was made. This is the first reported case of venous air embolism secondary to jugular venocath...
Dobbs EC, Acutt EV, Scharf AM, Manzi TJ, Stefanovski D, Bills KW.To investigate the effects of varied feed consistency and administration of xylazine or N-butylscopolammonium bromide on 3 phases of swallowing and characterize esophageal motility following barium administration via nasoesophageal tube. Unassigned: 8 healthy horses were enrolled for 2.5 consecutive weeks. Horses underwent experimental videofluoroscopic swallow studies before and after sedated and anticholinergic interventions. Esophageal motility was assessed with barium administered via nasoesophageal tube and with barium-admixed feedstuffs of 3 consistencies with increasing viscosity. Phase...
Stapley E, Gillespie-Harmon C, Waxman S, Farr A, Bertin FR.The frequency of comorbidities in horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in first-opinion practice is unknown. It is hypothesized that horses with PPID would have more frequent medical events and be euthanized at a younger age. Unassigned: This was a case-control retrospective study. Medical records ranging from 1996 to 2024 including 132 horses diagnosed with PPID and 274 controls matched by age and breed were reviewed. Variables associated with PPID were evaluated with a Fisher exact or Mann-Whitney U test followed by conditional logistic regression. Results were reported a...
Leibeck R, Lehman J, Birmingham S.Whole-body vibrational therapy (WBV) is well-studied in people, but there is a paucity of research regarding its effect on horses. It is suggested that the use of WBV in horses increases performance, aids in recovery, and stimulates nerves, bones, and muscles in ways that normal exercise does not. Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if frequent WBV therapy sessions affect mechanical nociceptive thresholds based on pressure algometry in horses without clinical signs of lameness or back pain. Methods: The mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) were measured for 5 horses...
Hiblu MA, Ahmed MO.This case report documents the first identified Brucella infection in a 6-year-old male Thoroughbred horse in Libya. The horse exhibited muscle and joint pain, inflammation over the shoulders with a pulpy texture (fistulous withers), stress, fatigue, and potential systemic infection. Its diagnosis was confirmed through serological testing, with agglutination titers of 1/80 for B. melitensis and 1/160 for B. abortus, and a blood culture revealing Gram-negative coccobacilli. After 3 weeks of combination therapy with rifampicin and doxycycline, the inflammation resolved, systemic signs disappeare...
Harpke M, Brangsch H, Melzer F.In Germany, Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) is a persistent problem in equine populations. The often subclinical nature of the disease, which is caused by the bacterium Taylorella equigenitalis, poses a problem for the breeding industry. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the genomic diversity of the pathogen in Germany, as studies on the genome level are lacking. Thus, in this study we sequenced 63 T. equigenitalis isolates from a strain collection and contemporary clinical isolates from before 2007-2024. Most of these isolates came from Icelandic horses in southern Germany. Based...
Parker M, Arnade H, Parker JL, Gordon J, Peroni JF.Investigation of alternative antibiotic therapies is critical for the future of medicine. Platelet lysate (PL) is a blood product that has shown antibiotic potential, which could be used to augment or replace current antibiotics. Objective: To compare the effects of equine PL versus antibiotics on growth of clinically isolated antibiotic resistant bacteria. We hypothesized that PL would exert an antimicrobial effect on equine bacterial isolates resistant to antibiotics. Methods: In vitro experimental study. Platelets were collected via apheresis from nine donor horses and underwent two freeze-...
Briefer-Freymond S, Dalla Costa E, Jolivald A, Bruckmaier RM, Atallah E, Giorgia Riva M, Ijichi C.Personality affects both experience and expression of pain and the welfare impact of castration on horses is poorly understood. Therefore, the current study observed 19 horses to determine: the welfare impact of standard castration on horses; whether individuals consistently vary in their behavioural and emotional responses to pain; the influence of personality on behavioural and physiological responses to pain; whether Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) indicates how individuals feel about painful experiences. Eye temperature (IRT), salivary cortisol, HGS and a pain ethogram were measured at intervals...
Bao Y, Wang T, Adina W, Yao R, Chu H, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Ren W, Zeng Y.This study aimed to investigate how different training outcomes affect the gut microbiota composition in racehorses. Twenty-six Yili horses underwent a 9-month conditioning training regimen under uniform husbandry and management conditions. Post-training, the horses were divided into an excellence group (D. Y group) and a general group (D. P group) based on their athletic performance, with the top 10 performers constituting the D. Y group and the bottom 10 the D. P group. Cardiac morphology and function were quantitatively assessed via echocardiography, and metagenomic sequencing was performed...
Weber LA, Oltmanns H, Chiavaccini L, Pickles KJ, Roberts V, Kloock T, Niebuhr T, Feige K.Trigeminal-mediated headshaking (TMHS) in horses shares clinical features with human trigeminal neuralgia (HTN). Increased levels of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) have been found in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of HTN patients. Inhibition of CGRP in humans has shown promise for pain relief. Data on CGRP in horses affected by TMHS are currently lacking but if quantifiable and validated, could assist in developing new diagnostic and more rational therapeutic approaches. Objective: This study aimed to quantify and correlate CGRP concentrations in the serum and...
Ibrahim L, Cornillie P, Buschmann E, Demeyere M, van Loon G.The coronary sinus (CS) and great cardiac vein (GCV) are crucial in cardiac electrophysiology and can be arrhythmogenic in humans. In horses, CS/GCV catheterisation is increasingly performed for arrhythmia diagnosis and treatment. Improved anatomical understanding of these structures is needed to clarify relationships to surrounding structures. Methods: Postmortem examinations of 64 adult warmblood equine hearts were carried out. Middle cardiac vein and vein of Marshall ostia locations were described. Right atrial myocardial sleeve (MS) length was measured from the CS ostium. In 23 horses, CS/...
Raftery AG, Gummery L, Garcia K, Mohite D, Capewell P, Sutton D.Equine trypanosomiasis is a neglected protozoal disease. Objective: To answer the study question: In equines what are the effects of disease management of trypanosomiasis on disease severity (individual level) and disease prevalence (population level) compared to no intervention? Methods: Systematic review. Methods: Studies were identified that described management of naturally occurring equine trypanosomiasis in any country following 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses' using eight international databases (1980-2022). Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I. D...
Rossi TM, O'Sullivan TL, Greer AL.Competitions are an important source of entertainment and revenue in the horse industry but may contribute to disease introduction and spread. The objectives of this study were to, (i) describe the annual (2016 to 2018) contact networks of Equestrian Canada competitions in Ontario, Canada, and (ii) determine if the networks exhibit characteristics of 'small world' networks. Data on Equestrian Canada registered competitions in the province of Ontario, Canada between 2016 and 2018 were used to create three types of yearly contact networks: competition networks, horse networks, and venue networks...
Palmisano MG, Tukdarian CR, Hopster K, Nolen-Walston RD.This report describes an 8-day-old foal diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) successfully managed using a novel approach of intratracheal oxygen delivery. Methods: An 8-day-old Standardbred filly presented for an acute onset of respiratory distress. Given the acute onset, known risk factors, bilateral diffuse infiltrate on thoracic radiographs, and low PaO:FiO ratio of 170.5, the foal was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Initial treatment consisted of antimicrobial therapy (minocycline and metronidazole), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (flunixin meglum...
Strompfová V, Štempelová L, Bujňáková D, Karahutová L, Gondoľová D, Nagyová M, Siegfried L.In order to develop non-antibiotic therapies to treat dermatological diseases it is urgent to spread knowledge on composition and properties of skin bacteria in healthy animals. Since horses are popular companions of humans, it is necessary to know what risk skin bacteria pose to humans. Therefore the aim of this work was to analyse species composition of staphylococci isolated from skin swabs of 50 healthy horses using MALDI-TOF (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight) spectrometry and to characterize their virulence properties. Swabs were collected from five body areas (n...
Ake AS, Akinniyi OO.Clinical assessment of parameters that give indications of the health status and fitness of horses are very important in equine practice. The study aimed to compare the resting body temperatures at different anatomical sites and resting pulse rates of athletic and non-athletic horses. Eighteen horses were used for the study, comprising ten athletic and eight non-athletic horses. Measurements of environmental parameters, rectal temperature (RT), body surface temperature (BST) and pulse rate were recorded between 9 and 11 am twice with one week interval at the Ibadan Polo Club, Eleyele, Ibadan, ...
Ketphan W, Sato M, Tsujimura K, Mizutani T, Takemae H.Equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV), a member of the Picornaviridae family, is associated with mild to moderate respiratory illness in horses, yet its genomic diversity remains incompletely characterized. In this study, we performed metagenomic analysis on a rectal swab sample from a diarrheic foal confirmed to be positive for rotavirus A. Unexpectedly, we identified a highly divergent ERBV strain with a 9,448-nucleotide genome encoding a 2,721-amino-acid polyprotein. Sequence analysis revealed only 62.5-63.1% identity in the polyprotein and 47.1-49.8% in the VP1 region compared to known ERBV serot...
Jager MC, Luethy D, Shallop S, Cathcart J, Divers TJ, Tan JY, Beasley EM, Johnson P, Leduc L, Smith C, Jamieson CA, Magdesian KG, Van de Walle GR....Equine hepacivirus (EqHV) is closely related to hepatitis C virus (HCV), which causes persistent infection and chronic hepatitis in people. Information on persistent EqHV infection and hepatitis is limited. Objective: To report 19 cases of chronic hepatitis and persistent EqHV infection. Methods: Mixed retrospective and prospective case series. Methods: Inclusion criteria were: (1) chronic hepatitis, defined as persistently increased serum liver biomarkers, increased serum liver biomarkers accompanied by histopathological evidence of chronicity, for example, fibrosis, or both; (2) positive ser...
Risvanli A, Salykov R, Timurkaan N, Seker I, Ekinci E.This study was conducted to examine glandular histological changes in the uterus of Kyrgyz breed mares during the first 6 months of pregnancy. The study used 53 Kyrgyz breed mares; 43 of these were at different stages of pregnancy, while 10 were non-pregnant mares. Uterine samples obtained at the slaughterhouse were evaluated histomorphometrically; endometrial thickness, gland density, gland epithelial height and gland diameter were measured. In conclusion, it was concluded that in Kyrgyz mares, endometrial thickness, glandular epithelial height and diameter increased as pregnancy progressed...
James AL, Vettorato E, Moura RA, Azevedo TMBPR, Mallicote MF, Chiavaccini L.Sedation with α₂-agonists can impair microcirculation and oxygen delivery. This prospective randomized crossover study investigated whether administering acepromazine maleate before detomidine hydrochloride maintains higher peripheral tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) in sedated horses. Eight healthy adult horses randomly received intravenous detomidine (10 μg/kg) either alone (D) or in combination with acepromazine (20 μg/kg; DA), with a one-week washout. Hemoglobin concentration and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂) were measured at baseline. Tissue oxygen saturation, tissue ...
Crossland WL, Aviles-Rosa EO, Perry EB, Crowell C, Webberson E, Brown J, Fassbender J.Our objective was to evaluate the effect of transdermal melatonin on physiological stress biomarkers in horses, with some subjected to transport stress. Sixteen horses were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design assessing treatment (melatonin vs. no melatonin) and transport status (transported vs. non-transported), creating four groups: Control (CON), Transport only (TRS), Melatonin only (MEL), and Melatonin plus Transport (MELTRS). Horses in melatonin groups received 24 mg/day transdermally for 21 days and transported groups underwent a 3-hour trailer ride on day 21. Day 21 blood samples were ...
Sidwell A, Shanklin A, Miller H, Cahoon M, Hole SL, Bianco C, Pereira R.A 3-year-old Connemara X filly was referred to a UK equine hospital for further investigation of unilateral nasal discharge and facial swelling. Diagnostic imaging documented the presence of a heterogenous, soft tissue opacity with areas of focal mineralisation within the right paranasal sinuses, completely obliterating the nasal cavity, in addition to endodontic disease and significant periapical pathology associated with the right permanent fourth premolar (Triadan 108). Subsequent histopathologic examination confirmed the mass as a fibro-inflammatory polyp.
Ellero N, Maggi A, Busoni V, Imposimato I, Castagnetti C, Lanci A, Mariella J, Freccero F.This study aimed to develop a standardized ultrasound (US) protocol using selected thoracic and abdominal acoustic windows, to assess its feasibility and applicability in healthy foals, and to evaluate its usefulness for detecting common thoracic and abdominal conditions in sick foals. The Focused US (FUS) protocol included 12 thoraco-abdominal windows (4 right-side, 3 ventral, 5 left-side) using a curved-array probe. It was applied to cohorts of healthy (n = 17) and sick (n = 23) foals by a veterinary clinician with limited US experience. The FUS showed good feasibility and applicabil...
