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.
Pollard D, Wylie CE, Verheyen KLP, Newton JR.Use of owner-reported data could further epidemiological knowledge of equine laminitis. However, owner recognition of laminitis has not previously been assessed. Objective: The primary objective was to establish whether cases of owner-suspected laminitis would be confirmed as laminitis by the attending veterinary surgeon. Secondary objectives were to compare owner- and veterinary-reported information from veterinary-confirmed cases of equine laminitis. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty-five British veterinary practices were invited to submit laminitis reporting forms (LRFs) for a...
Mosing M, Auer U, MacFarlane P, Bardell D, Schramel JP, Böhm SH, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R, Waldmann AD.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on regional distribution of ventilation and dead space in anaesthetized horses. Methods: Randomized, experimental, crossover study. Methods: A total of eight healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were anaesthetized twice with isoflurane in 50% oxygen and medetomidine as continuous infusion in dorsal recumbency, and administered in random order either CPAP (8 cmHO) or NO CPAP for 3 hours. Electrical impedance tomography (and volumetric capnography (VCap) measurements were performed every 30 minutes. L...
Wylie CE, McManus P, McDonald C, Jorgensen S, McGreevy P.Monitoring racehorse fatality and associated jockey falls provides benchmarks for intervention strategies. The aims of this study were to describe the incidence of and reasons for fatalities in Thoroughbred horses during flat races in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and to describe reported jockey falls and injuries associated with racehorse fatalities. A cohort study identified all racehorse fatalities reported through Racing NSW for the 2009-2010 to 2013-2014 racing seasons. Risks of racehorse fatality, fatal musculoskeletal injury, spontaneous death (a...
Zak A, Siwinska N, Slowikowska M, Borowicz H, Kubiak K, Hildebrand J, Popiolek M, Niedzwiedz A.There are no available studies describing the possible resistance of strongyles to ivermectin in horses in Poland. One hundred seventy three horses from nine stud farms from South-Western Poland were studied. The effectiveness of ivermectin was studied on the 14th day after ivermectin administration using the fecal egg count reduction test, and a long-term observation of the egg reappearance period was carried out. The fecal study was carried out using a modified McMaster method, which typically detects 20 eggs per gram of stool. The results were subjected to statistical analysis that enabled ...
Espinosa P, Nieto JE, Estell KE, Kass PH, Aleman M.Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) is a cause of neurological disease in horses that is characterised by facial and vestibulocochlear nerve deficits. Studies reporting and comparing survival following medical or surgical treatment of THO are lacking. Objective: To compare survival and prognosis in horses with THO treated medically or surgically, and to report surgical complications. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: The medical records of horses diagnosed with THO were retrieved, and data on signalment, clinical signs and duration, corneal ulceration and bilateral occurrence were recorde...
Edwards RA, Riley CB, Howe L, Burrows EA, Riley KT, Frellstedt L.To investigate the efficacy of an alcohol gel-based hand antisepsis protocol compared with a traditional chlorhexidine-based protocol under conditions of routine clinical contamination, and following heavy faecal contamination. Methods: Twelve adult participants were recruited and on four separate days completed a hand sanitation protocol using a chlorhexidine scrub or an alcohol-based gel, with hands that were grossly clean but contaminated or with faecal contamination. Bacterial samples were obtained from participants' hands before sanitation, immediately after and then 2 hours later. All sa...
Bonelli F, Sgorbini M, Meucci V, Sighieri C, Baragli P.Low intensity exercise increases insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and decreases its plasma concentration. In this study, plasma insulin and glucose concentrations were evaluated 5min before and 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 60min after an IV bolus of glucose in 12 Thoroughbreds before and after 1 month of submaximal aquatraining exercise, monitored using heart rate and blood lactate. Plasma glucose concentrations were evaluated using a colorimetric enzymatic method, and plasma insulin concentrations with a solid-phase radioimmunoassay method. Pre-training plasma glucose concentrati...
Duz M, Marshall JF, Parkin T.The use of electronic medical records (EMRs) offers opportunity for clinical epidemiological research. With large EMR databases, automated analysis processes are necessary but require thorough validation before they can be routinely used. Objective: The aim of this study was to validate a computer-assisted technique using commercially available content analysis software (SimStat-WordStat v.6 (SS/WS), Provalis Research) for mining free-text EMRs. Methods: The dataset used for the validation process included life-long EMRs from 335 patients (17,563 rows of data), selected at random from a larger...
Lulla V, Losada A, Lecollinet S, Kerviel A, Lilin T, Sailleau C, Beck C, Zientara S, Roy P.African horse sickness virus (AHSV) is an orbivirus, a member of the Reoviridae family. Nine different serotypes have been described so far. AHSV is vectored by Culicoides spp. to equids, causing high mortality, particularly in horses, with considerable economic impacts. For development of a safe attenuated vaccine, we previously established an efficient reverse genetics (RG) system to generate Entry Competent Replication-Abortive (ECRA) virus strains, for all nine serotypes and demonstrated the vaccine potential of these strains in type I interferon receptor (IFNAR)-knockout mice. Here, we ev...
Wallner B, Palmieri N, Vogl C, Rigler D, Bozlak E, Druml T, Jagannathan V, Leeb T, Fries R, Tetens J, Thaller G, Metzger J, Distl O, Lindgren G....The Y chromosome directly reflects male genealogies, but the extremely low Y chromosome sequence diversity in horses has prevented the reconstruction of stallion genealogies [1, 2]. Here, we resolve the first Y chromosome genealogy of modern horses by screening 1.46 Mb of the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) in 52 horses from 21 breeds. Based on highly accurate pedigree data, we estimated the de novo mutation rate of the horse MSY and showed that various modern horse Y chromosome lineages split much later than the domestication of the species. Apart from few private northern Euro...
Secombe CJ, Tan RHH, Perara DI, Byrne DP, Watts SP, Wearn JG.Longitudinal evaluation of plasma endogenous ACTH concentration in clinically normal horses has not been investigated in the Southern Hemisphere. Objective: To longitudinally determine monthly upper reference limits for plasma ACTH in 2 disparate Australian geographic locations and to examine whether location affected the circannual rhythm of endogenous ACTH in the 2 groups of horses over a 12-month period. Methods: Clinically normal horses <20 years of age from 4 properties (institutional herd and client owned animals) in Perth (n = 40) and Townsville (n = 41) were included in the study. M...
Boyle AG, Rankin SC, D￮ LA, Morris D.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is recognized as a cause of nosocomial infections in both human and veterinary medicine. Studies that examine the nasopharynx and guttural pouches of the horse as carriage sites for MRSA have not been reported. Objective: MRSA colonizes the nasopharynx and guttural pouch of horses. To determine the prevalence of MRSA in equine nasopharyngeal wash (NPW) and guttural pouch lavage (GPL) samples in a field population of horses. Methods: One hundred seventy-eight samples (123 NPW and 55 GPL) from 108 horses. Methods: Prospective study. Samples were...
Bredtmann CM, Krücken J, Murugaiyan J, Kuzmina T, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G.Human and animal health is globally affected by a variety of parasitic helminths. The impact of co-infections and development of anthelmintic resistance requires improved diagnostic tools, especially for parasitic nematodes e.g., to identify resistant species or attribute pathological effects to individual species or particular species combinations. In horses, co-infection with cyathostomins is rather a rule than an exception with typically 5 to 15 species (out of more than 40 described) per individual host. In cyathostomins, reliable morphological species differentiation is currently limited ...
Spugnini EP, Bolaffio C, Scacco L, Baldi A.A twenty-year-old female saddle horse was referred for evaluation of a seven month, non-healing erosive lesion of the right hind hoof with proliferation and bleeding of the underlying soft tissues. This lesion had been twice surgically treated as a canker but rapidly recurred. Histological examination of the second excision revealed a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. At presentation, the horse was mildly depressed, lame and partially non-weight-bearing on the right hind leg, which exhibited a 10 x 10 cm erosive and proliferative lesion remodeling the hoof. After completing staging ...
Guarino C, Asbie S, Rohde J, Glaser A, Wagner B.Borrelia burgdorferi can induce Lyme disease. Approved Lyme vaccines for horses are currently not available. In an effort to protect horses, veterinarians are using Lyme vaccines licensed for dogs. However, data to assess the response of horses to, or determine the efficacy of this off-label vaccine use are missing. Here, antibodies against outer surface protein A (OspA), OspC, and OspF were quantified in diagnostic serum submissions from horses with a history of vaccination with canine Lyme vaccines. The results suggested that many horses respond with low and often short-lasting antibody resp...
Zetterström SM, Johansson BC, Carmalt JL.OBJECTIVE To evaluate clinical and tenoscopic findings in a large group of horses undergoing surgery of the carpal flexor sheath (CFS) and determine whether any of the presurgical clinical signs were associated with tenoscopic findings. ANIMALS 242 horses that had undergone diagnostic and therapeutic tenoscopy of the CFS because of aseptic tenosynovitis. PROCEDURES Medical and tenoscopic video records (when available) of 242 horses undergoing tenoscopy of the CFS at a single equine clinic between January 2005 and June 2014 were reviewed. Tenoscopic findings were categorized as present or absen...
Laabassi F, Hue E, Fortier C, Morilland E, Legrand L, Hans A, Pronost S.An episode of acute equine respiratory infection was reported in western Algeria (Tiaret province) between February and March 2011, affecting a large population of horses. Nasal swabs (n=100) were taken from horses aged between 1 and 27 years, presenting with cough and mucopurulent nasal discharge. The prevalence of equine respiratory virus infections was examined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). One, or more, of four equine respiratory viruses were detected in the nasal swabs of 90 of 100 horses (90%) and the detection rate of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), equine herp...
Hill JA, Cassano JM, Goodale MB, Fortier LA.OBJECTIVE To determine whether major histocompatability complex (MHC) class II expression in equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) changes with exposure to a proinflammatory environment reflective of an inflamed joint. SAMPLE Cryopreserved bone marrow-derived MSCs from 12 horses and cartilage and synovium samples from 1 horse euthanized for reasons other than lameness. PROCEDURES In part 1 of a 3-part study, the suitability of a quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) assay for measurement of MHC class II expression in MSCs following stimulation with interferon (IFN)-γ was assessed. I...
Carmalt JL, Johansson BC, Zetterström SM, McOnie RC.OBJECTIVE To determine factors affecting race speed in Swedish Standardbred horses undergoing surgery of the carpal flexor sheath (CFS), to investigate whether preoperative racing speed was associated with specific intraoperative findings and whether horses returned to racing, and to compare the performance of horses undergoing surgery of the CFS with that of age- and sex-matched control horses. ANIMALS 149 Swedish Standardbred trotters undergoing surgery of the CFS and 274 age- and sex-matched control horses. PROCEDURES Medical records of CFS horses were examined. Racing data for CFS and cont...
Verdegaal EJMM, Delesalle C, Caraguel CGB, Folwell LE, McWhorter TJ, Howarth GS, Franklin SH.OBJECTIVE To evaluate use of a telemetric gastrointestinal (GI) pill to continuously monitor GI temperature in horses at rest and during exercise and to compare time profiles of GI temperature and rectal temperature. ANIMALS 8 Standardbred horses. PROCEDURES Accuracy and precision of the GI pill and a rectal probe were determined in vitro by comparing temperature measurements with values obtained by a certified resistance temperature detector (RTD) in water baths at various temperatures (37°, 39°, and 41°C). Subsequently, both GI and rectal temperature were recorded in vivo in 8 horses over...
Tirosh-Levy S, Gürbilek SE, Tel OY, Keskin O, Steinman A.Rhodococcus equi is a common cause of pneumonia in foals and has extensive clinical, economic and possibly zoonotic consequences. This bacterium survives well in the environment and may be considered as normal flora of adult horses. Certain strains of this bacterium are extremely virulent in foals, and early identification and intervention is crucial for prognosis. Rhodococcus equi is endemic in many parts of the world and occasionally isolated in Israel. This study was designed to evaluate R. equi seroprevalence in adult horses in Israel to indirectly indicate the potential level of exposure ...
Vieitez V, Gómez de Segura IÁ, Martin-Cuervo M, Gracia LA, Ezquerra LJ.Lipid emulsion has been reported to be effective for the treatment of local anaesthetic overdoses in rats, dogs and man. Objective: To describe the successful treatment of cardiovascular lidocaine toxicity in a foal with intravenous lipid administration. Methods: Observational study: case report. Methods: An 8-month-old Arabian cross foal was anaesthetised for removal of the right alar fold and nasal plate. Anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in oxygen and lidocaine administered with a loading dose followed by a continuous rate infusion (CRI). The anaesthetic period was uneventful and 3...
Dube S, Chionuma H, Matoq A, Alshiekh-Nasany R, Abbott L, Poiesz BJ, Dube DK.In order to better understand the training and athletic activity of horses, we must have complete understanding of the isoform diversity of various myofibrillar protein genes like tropomyosin. Tropomyosin (TPM), a coiled-coil dimeric protein, is a component of thin filament in striated muscles. In mammals, four TPM genes (TPM1, TPM2, TPM3, and TPM4) generate a multitude of TPM isoforms via alternate splicing and/or using different promoters. Unfortunately, our knowledge of TPM isoform diversity in the horse is very limited. Hence, we undertook a comprehensive exploratory study of various TPM i...
Valberg SJ, Nicholson AM, Lewis SS, Reardon RA, Finno CJ.To report a novel exertional myopathy, myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) in Warmblood (WB) horses. Objective: To 1) describe the distinctive clinical and myopathic features of MFM in Warmblood horses and 2) investigate the potential inheritance of MFM in a Warmblood family. Methods: Retrospective selection of MFM cases and prospective evaluation of a Warmblood family. Methods: Retrospectively, muscle biopsies were selected from Warmblood horses diagnosed with MFM and clinical histories obtained (n = 10). Prospectively, muscle biopsies were obtained from controls (n = 8) and a three generation WB...
Pinto-Bravo P, Galvão A, Rebordão MR, Amaral A, Ramilo D, Silva E, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A, Alexandre-Pires G, Roberto da Costa R, Skarzynski DJ....The oviduct plays important roles in the early reproductive process. The aim of this study was to evaluate gene transcription and protein expression of progesterone receptor (PGR), estrogen receptors 1 (ESR1) and 2 (ESR2); oxytocin receptor (OXTR); prostaglandin F2α synthase (AKR1C3), and prostaglandin E2 synthase (Ptges) in mare oviduct in different estrous cycle stages. Estradiol (E), progesterone (P), oxytocin (OXT), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) effect on in vitro PGE and prostaglandin F2α (PGF) secretion by equine oviduct explants or by oviductal epithelial cells (OECs) were also ...
Abo-Aziza FAM, Hendawy SHM, Namaky AHE, Ashry HM.The aim of this study was to investigate the early diagnosis of strongyle infection based on early changes in Th1 and Th2 cytokines beside the diagnostic accuracy values and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blotting profiles using prepared strongyles antigens. Methods: A total of 73 donkeys had a mean age of 4-32 years old were parasitologically examined for strongyle infection. The early changes in Th1 and Th2 cytokines were determined, and the diagnostic accuracy values and SDS-PAGE and western blotting profiles were performed using prepared st...
Kološ F, Bodeček Š, Žert Z.To describe and report preliminary outcomes of a contralateral trans-nasal endoscopic laser fenestration of the conchae for endoscopic examination and treatment of paranasal sinuses in horses. Methods: Cadaveric experimental and prospective clinical study. Methods: Normal cadaveric equine heads (n = 7) and equine patients (horses n = 7, donkey n = 1) diagnosed with sinusitis. Methods: Ex vivo: a video-endoscope containing a diode laser fiber in the working canal was passed through the nostril and retroflexed in the nasopharynx toward the contralateral conchae. Ventral or dorsal con...
McGlinchey L, Hurley MJ, Riggs CM, Rosanowski SM.Few studies have described incidences of proximal limb and pelvic fracture (PLPF) in Thoroughbred racehorses occurring on race day and during training. Information regarding clinical presentations and future racing careers in cases of PLPF is limited. Objective: To describe the incidence, clinical presentation and outcome of PLPF sustained by horses in racing and training at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) between 2003 and 2014. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Horses with PLPF confirmed by nuclear scintigraphy, ultrasonography, radiography or post-mortem examination were identif...
Jiménez-Aristizabal RF, López C, Álvarez ME, Giraldo C, Prades M, Carmona JU.To compare the temporal release (over three weeks) of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) from two platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) preparations from equine blood obtained at either 240g/8min or 416g/10min. Whole blood from 10 horses was used to obtain PRF clots by two different centrifugation protocols. After 1h of rest, PRF clots were deposited in wells with culture medium, which was changed at 6h, 24h and then every 48h to 21days. Cytokines and GFs...
Nemoto M, Tsujimura K, Yamanaka T, Kondo T, Matsumura T.Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel method for the rapid and sensitive detection of DNA without the need for expensive equipment. In the present study, LAMP assays were developed for the specific detection of Equid herpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4, respectively) and for the differentiation of glycoprotein E (gE)-deleted EHV-1 (DeltagE) strain, a candidate strain for a live vaccine, from field EHV-1 strains. Specific primer sets were designed for the gC and gE genes of EHV-1 and for the gC gene of EHV-4. The analytical sensitivities of the LAMP assays were compared with...
Stanley RL, Goodship AE, Edwards B, Firth EC, Patterson-Kane JC.The injury-prone, energy-storing equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of the mature performance horse has a limited ability to respond to exercise in contrast with the noninjury-prone, anatomically opposing common digital extensor tendon (CDET). Previous studies have indicated low levels of cellular activity in the mature SDFT, but in foal tendons the tenocytes may still have the ability to adapt positively to increased exercise. Objective: To measure tenocyte densities and types in histological sections from the SDFT and CDET of horses from controlled long-term, short-term and foal...
Stewart AJ, Cuming RS.Fungal respiratory disease is a rare occurrence in horses. Fungal organisms are ubiquitous in the equine environment; however, there is a geographic predisposition for disease development, with fungal respiratory infections seen more commonly by practitioners working in tropical or subtropical environments. Diagnosis and treatment of fungal respiratory infections pose a challenge for the equine practitioner, and the prognosis for complete resolution of infection is often guarded; however, new antifungal medications are likely to improve treatment success. This article summarizes the available ...
Guan F, Uboh CE, Soma LR, Luo Y, Rudy J, Tobin T.Anabolic androgenic steroids are related to the male sex hormones and are abused in equine sports. In an effort to deter the abuse of anabolic steroids, a sensitive LC-MS/MS method was developed for detection, quantification and confirmation of eight major anabolic steroids (testosterone, normethandrolone, nandrolone, boldenone, methandrostenolone, tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), trenbolone, and stanozolol) in equine plasma. Formation of solvent adduct ions of the analytes was observed under electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions, and desolvation of the solvent adduct ions by source collision-in...
Tsang AS, Dart AJ, Sole-Guitart A, Dart CM, Perkins NR, Jeffcott LB.To compare the effect of application of manuka honey with unique manuka factor (UMF) 5 or 20 with a generic multifloral honey on equine wound healing variables. Methods: Two full-thickness skin wounds (2.5 × 2.5 cm) were created on the metatarsus of both hindlimbs of eight Standardbred horses. The wounds on each horse were assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: UMF20 (UMF20) and UMF5 (UMF5) manuka honey; generic multifloral honey (GH); and a saline control. Bandages were changed daily for 12 days, after which treatment was stopped and the bandages were removed. Wound area was measured on day ...
Whitfield-Cargile CM, Cohen ND, Suchodolski J, Chaffin MK, McQueen CM, Arnold CE, Dowd SE, Blodgett GP.In equids, susceptibility to disease caused by Rhodococcus equi occurs almost exclusively in foals. This distribution might be attributable to the age-dependent maturation of immunity following birth undergone by mammalian neonates that renders them especially susceptible to infectious diseases. Expansion and diversification of the neonatal microbiome contribute to development of immunity in the gut. Moreover, diminished diversity of the gastrointestinal microbiome has been associated with risk of infections and immune dysregulation. We thus hypothesized that varying composition or reduced div...
Cook VL, Hassel DM.This article presents an overview of key factors that should alert the practitioner toward referral of a colic patient to a facility capable of surgical exploration or intensive medical management. Discussion includes a review of important aspects of colic history, signalment, physical examination findings, and diagnostic test results that indicate that a more serious medical or surgical condition exists, and advanced therapy is necessary.
Lykkjen S, Olsen HF, Dolvik NI, Grøndahl AM, Røed KH, Klemetsdal G.The pathogenesis of osteochondrosis (OC) and palmar/plantar first phalanx osteochondral fragments (POFs) is multifactorial, but specific knowledge of heritability is limited. Objective: To improve the precision of heritability estimates and to estimate the genetic correlation between tarsocrural OC and POFs in Standardbred trotters. Further aims were to examine whether the prevalence of OC/POFs was different in the American and French lineages that have contributed to the Norwegian population, and if the prevalence was affected by heterozygosity. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: C...
Thiemann AK, Sullivan RJE.A review of common gastrointestinal disorders of donkeys and mules is presented. Clinically relevant aspects of donkey behavior, anatomy, and physiology are highlighted. Diagnosis, management, and treatment of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract from stomach to rectum, including liver and pancreas, are discussed.
Spence KL, Cardwell JM, Slater J, Rosanowski SM.The potential for an exotic disease incursion is a significant concern for the United Kingdom (UK) equine industry. Horse owners' perceptions of, and attitudes towards, exotic diseases can influence decisions to adopt disease preparedness strategies. The objectives of this study were to describe horse owners' 1) perceptions of the term 'exotic disease', and 2) attitudes towards their risk of being affected by an exotic disease. In order to address these objectives, qualitative content analysis was undertaken on data collected using two open-ended survey questions. Results: Horse owners (n =...
Lepage OM, Piccot-Crézollet C.There have been no previously published large case series describing short- and long-term outcome of transarterial coil embolisation (TCE) in horses with guttural pouch mycosis (GPM). Objective: To describe the clinical and surgical features of horses with GPM presented at the Veterinary School of Lyon during a 28 month period; and to evaluate immediate to long-term results of TCE as a treatment. Methods: Medical records of all horses with GPM treated with TCE between February 1999 and July 2002 were analysed. To be included in the study, no other surgical or medical treatment for the mycosis ...
Ward MP.Since first being detected in New York in 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) has spread throughout the United States and more than 20,000 cases of equine WNV encephalomyelitis have been reported. A spatial model of disease occurrence was developed, using data from an outbreak of serologically confirmed disease in an unvaccinated population of horses at 108 locations in northern Indiana between 3 August and 17 October 2002. Daily maximum temperature data were recorded at meteorological stations surrounding the study area. The distribution of the total number of degree-days elapsing between July 4 and ...
Anderson GS, Belton P, Jahren E, Lange H, Kleider N.Immunotherapy was used to treat horses in British Columbia for Culicoides hypersensitivity. This is a severe, chronic, recurrent allergic disease of horses that results in severe irritation, large lesions, hair loss and secondary infection in the ventral midline, mane, and proximal region of the tail. A crude Culicoides extract was injected subcutaneously, in increasing doses, into 10 horses that were affected severely by the disease. Weekly doses reduced the clinical signs in 9 of the 10 horses in the 1st yr. Eight horses were treated with a maintenance dose during a 2nd yr. After the 2nd yr,...
Grøndahl AM, Engeland A.The tarsocrural, metacarpophalangeal, and metatarsophalangeal joints of 753 Standardbred yearlings were radiographed. On the basis of radiographic findings, the horses were allotted into 4 groups. Group-1 horses had osteochondrosis in the tarsocrural joints. Group-2 horses had palmar/plantar bony fragments in the metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal joints. Group-3 horses had radiographic changes in the metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal joint region, such as bony fragments located at the dorsoproximal end of the proximal phalanx, osteochondrosis of the sagittal ridge of the third metacarpus/met...
Salem SE, Abd El-Ghany AM, Hamad MH, Abdelaal AM, Elsheikh HA, Hamid AA, Saud MA, Daniels SP, Ras R.Anthelmintic resistance is commonly reported in horse populations in developed countries, but evidence in some working horse populations is either lacking or inconclusive. Objective: To estimate prevalence of GI nematode infections in working horses in Egypt and to evaluate strongyle resistance to ivermectin, doramectin and fenbendazole. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Faecal egg count was performed on 644 working horses from 2 provinces in Egypt. A short questionnaire about horse signalment and worming history was completed for each horse. Horses identified with ≥50 strongyle type ...
Dykgraaf S, Dechant JE, Johns JL, Christopher MM, Bolt DM, Snyder JR.To determine the effect of intrathecal amikacin administration and repeated tenovaginocentesis on the total nucleated cell count (TNCC), total protein (TP) concentration and cytologic characteristics of synovial fluid of the equine digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS). Methods: Randomized, cross-over experimental design. Methods: Adult horses (n=8). Methods: Synovial fluid was aseptically collected from the DFTS and either 1 mL amikacin sulfate (250 mg/mL) or lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) was injected into the DFTS. Serial synovial fluid samples were obtained at 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours. ...
Grosche A, Morton AJ, Graham AS, Sanchez LC, Blikslager AT, Polyak MM, Freeman DE.Ultrastructural changes in the epithelium can provide information on early changes in barrier properties, repair and inflammation in equine colon after ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R). Objective: To describe the morphology and ultrastructure of the epithelium in equine large colonic mucosa after I/R, and the response of inflammatory cells to injury. Methods: Ischaemia was induced for 1 h followed by 4 h of reperfusion in a 40 cm segment of the pelvic flexure in 6 horses. Mucosal biopsies before and after ischaemia, and after 1, 2 and 4 h of reperfusion were fixed in glutaraldehyde/paraformalde...
Norton JL, Dallap BL, Johnston JK, Palmer JE, Sertich PL, Boston R, Wilkins PA.The period between the onset of dystocia and its resolution has an important bearing on fetal outcome. There are few published data on which to base decisions regarding optimum management of cases in practice. Objective: To evaluate and compare the effects of a coordinated dystocia management protocol (CDMP) with that of a previous protocol of random management on time to resolution and outcome in both an emergency dystocia referral population of mares (referred emergency cases: EM) and in a population of mares residing in hospital due to high risk pregnancy (HRP) concerns that then experience...
Torbert BJ, Klei TR, Lichtenfels JR, Chapman MR.Ponies reared with minimal or no exposure to anthelmintics were surveyed for intestinal helminths in order to estimate prevalence and intensity of parasite populations unaltered by frequent exposure to anthelmintics. Thirty-seven mixed breed ponies of varying ages were examined. Thirty-four species of nematodes and 2 species of cestodes were found. Twenty-four of the nematode species (including 1 new species) were in the subfamily Cyathostominae (small strongyles). Eighty-seven percent of the total burden of adult small strongyles in the large intestine was composed of 10 species. By comparing...
Causey RC.Uterine infections are a major cause of infertility, but the role of mucus in equine uterine defense is not well understood. Mucociliary currents play an important role in protecting mucous membranes, including the upper and lower respiratory tracts of mammals, and are required for feeding and oxygenation of many aquatic invertebrates. Although phagocytosis has long been considered the first line of uterine defense in the mare, there are concerns about its efficacy in the uterine lumen. Additional local defenses, such as mucociliary currents, have therefore been proposed. The uterine epitheliu...
Crivellari B, Raisis A, Hosgood G, Waldmann AD, Murphy D, Mosing M.This study explores the application of electric impedance tomography (EIT) to estimate tidal volume (VT) by measuring impedance change per breath (∆Z). Seventeen healthy horses were anaesthetised and mechanically ventilated for elective procedures requiring dorsal recumbency. Spirometric VT (VT) and ∆Z were recorded periodically; up to six times throughout anaesthesia. Part 1 assessed these variables at incremental delivered VT of 10, 12 and 15 mL/kg. Part 2 estimated VT (VT) in litres from ∆Z at three additional measurement points using a line of best fit obtained from Part 1. During pa...
McMichael M, Smith SA, McConachie EL, Lascola K, Wilkins PA.In several species, there is a strong correlation between indicators of red cell mass (RCM) and thromboelastometry results. The horse has a reliable, temporary, polycythemia in response to phenylephrine infusion. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of an in-vivo increase in circulating RCM on thromboelastometry results in an equine model of transient polycythemia. Six healthy research horses had whole blood thromboelastometry with contact activator and tissue factor initiation after recalcification of citrated samples. Additional samples were frozen for thrombin-antithrombin (TAT). Compl...
Ho EN, Chan GH, Wan TS, Curl P, Riggs CM, Hurley MJ, Sykes D.Cobalt is a well-established inducer of hypoxia-like responses, which can cause gene modulation at the hypoxia inducible factor pathway to induce erythropoietin transcription. Cobalt salts are orally active, inexpensive, and easily accessible. It is an attractive blood doping agent for enhancing aerobic performance. Indeed, recent intelligence and investigations have confirmed cobalt was being abused in equine sports. In this paper, population surveys of total cobalt in raceday samples were conducted using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Urinary threshold of 75 ng/mL a...
Carmalt JL, Bell CD, Tatarniuk DM, Suri SS, Singh B, Waldner C.To investigate the relationship between inflammatory responses of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint in clinically normal horses. Methods: 7 mature horses. Methods: In each horse, 1 TMJ and 1 MCP joint were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.0025 μg). The contralateral TMJ and MCP joint were injected with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Synovial fluid samples were collected from all 4 joints over 24 hours after injection. Concentrations of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β, and total protein were measured via immun...
Baker JM, Bamford AI, Antczak DF.Maternal immune recognition of the developing conceptus in equine pregnancy is characterized by the strongest and most consistent alloantibody response described in any species, a response directed almost exclusively against paternal MHC class I Ags. This work investigated the cellular immune response to paternal MHC Ags in pregnant and nonpregnant horses and donkeys, and in horses carrying interspecies hybrid mule conceptuses. We observed profound decreases in classical, MHC-restricted, CTL activity to allogeneic paternal cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes from both horse mares and donkey ...
Williams A, Christley RM, McKane SA, Roberts VL, Clegg PD, Williams NJ.The aim of this study was to determine whether hospitalisation of horses leads to increased antimicrobial resistance in equine faecal Escherichia coli isolates. E. coli were cultured from faecal samples of horses on admission and after 7 days of hospitalisation; antimicrobial susceptibility was determined for eight antimicrobial agents. Resistance profiles of E. coli isolates were grouped into clusters, which were analysed to determine resistance patterns. Resistance to 7/8 antimicrobial agents and multi-drug resistance (MDR; resistance to ≥3 antimicrobial classes) were significantly higher ...
