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.
Peat FJ, Kawcak CE.The current understanding of pathology as it relates to common diseases of the equine musculoskeletal system is reviewed. Conditions are organized under the fundamental categories of developmental, exercise-induced, infectious, and miscellaneous pathology. The overview of developmental pathology incorporates the new classification system of juvenile osteochondral conditions. Discussion of exercise-induced pathology emphasizes increased understanding of the contribution of cumulative microdamage caused by repetitive cyclic loading. Miscellaneous musculoskeletal pathology focuses on laminitis, w...
Hewson J, Arroyo LG.Evaluation of the upper and lower respiratory tract of horses requires strategic selection of possible diagnostic tests based on location of suspected pathologic lesions and purpose of testing and must also include consideration of patient status. This article discusses the various diagnostic modalities that may be applied to the respiratory system of horses under field conditions, indications for use, and aspects of sample collection, handling, and laboratory processing that can impact test results and ultimately a successful diagnosis in cases of respiratory disease.
Al-Dissi A.A wide variety of toxins cause diseases in the horse and are investigated routinely by veterinarians and veterinary pathologists to identify the cause of illness and death. A complete investigation involves performing a thorough necropsy and requires macroscopic and microscopic examination of lesions and a variety of laboratory testing to obtain an accurate diagnosis. The identification of gross lesions by equine practitioners is often the first step in formulating a diagnostic plan. This article provides a description of selected common toxins producing detectable gross lesions in horses in N...
Wobeser BK.Skin disease in horses is a common and potentially challenging clinical problem. Information pertaining to skin disease is lacking in horses when compared with that in other companion animal species. Certainly, both horse-specific and location-specific patterns are present, but these can often be confounded by other factors. There are many possible ways in which to organize skin disease; in this article, they are organized based loosely on their most common clinical feature. Space limits the number of conditions that can be described here, and those chosen were seen relatively frequently in a ...
Kwok WH, Leung GN, Wan TS, Curl P, Schiff PJ.Androsta-1,4,6-triene-3,17-dione (ATD) is an irreversible steroidal aromatase inhibitor and is marketed as a supplement. It has been reported to effectively reduce estrogen biosynthesis and significantly increase the levels of endogenous steroids such as dihydrotestosterone and testosterone in human. ATD abuses have been reported in human sports. Its metabolism in human has been studied, and the in vitro metabolic study of ATD in horses has been reported, however, little is known about its biotransformation and elimination in horses. This paper describes the in vitro and in vivo metabolism stu...
Govoni KE.Equine bone fractures are often catastrophic, potentially fatal, and costly to repair. Traditional methods of healing fractures have limited success, long recovery periods, and a high rate of reinjury. Current research in the equine industry has demonstrated that stem cell therapy is a promising novel therapy to improve fracture healing and reduce the incidence of reinjury; however, reports of success in horses have been variable and limited. Stem cells can be derived from embryonic, fetal, and adult tissue. Based on the ease of collection, opportunity for autologous cells, and proven success ...
Pazzola M, Pira E, Sedda G, Vacca GM, Cocco R, Sechi S, Bonelli P, Nicolussi P.Several concerns have been raised over the health of animals used in equestrian games that have their origins in historical or religious events and are currently held in many countries. This study investigated physiological stress response and health status of horses participating in the Sartiglia, a historical horse tournament held in the city of Oristano, Italy, which is principally based on the attempts of masked horsemen at a gallop to run a sword through a hole in a suspended silver star. Blood samples were collected from 21 horses the day before the tournament (D0), during the tournament...
Sumbria D, Singla LD, Sharma A, Bal MS, Kumar S.Multiplex PCR for simultaneous detection of Trypanosoma evansi and Theileria equi in single-step reaction was optimized and employed on 108 equids (99 horses and 9 donkeys/mules) blood samples collected from two agro-climatic zones (Sub-mountain undulating zone and Undulating plain zone) of Punjab to evaluate the status of concurrent infection and associated risk factors. The amplification products of 257 and 709 bp targeting repetitive nucleotide sequence of variable surface glycoproteins of T. evansi and 18S rRNA gene of T. equi, respectively expressed high fidelity of the primer pairs with ...
Rhodin M, Roepstorff L, French A, Keegan KG, Pfau T, Egenvall A.Lungeing is commonly used as part of standard lameness examinations in horses. Knowledge of how lungeing influences motion symmetry in sound horses is needed. Objective: The aim of this study was to objectively evaluate the symmetry of vertical head and pelvic motion during lungeing in a large number of horses with symmetric motion during straight line evaluation. Methods: Cross-sectional prospective study. Methods: A pool of 201 riding horses, all functioning well and considered sound by their owners, were evaluated in trot on a straight line and during lungeing to the left and right. From th...
Coverdale JA, Hoagland T, Berg EL.The Horse Species Symposium titled “Advances in Equine Stem Cell Biology” was held at the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, and Canadian Society of Animal Science in Kansas City, MO, July 20 to 24, 2014. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss recent research findings related to equine stem cell use in chondrocytes, muscle satellite cells, and bone. The symposium comprised 3 invited presentations.
The symposium began with the invited presentation by J. N. MacLeod (University of Kentucky, Lexington), who discussed the ...
Quartuccio M, Marino G, Mannarino C, Cristarella S.Congenital abnormalities of the uterus and the cervix are rare in horses, often associated with infertility, despite normal ovarian activity and sexual behaviour. An abnormality of the cervix in a 5-year-old jennet with a history of infertility was described. Clinical and ultrasound examination of the genital tract showed a normal development of the uterus with regular cyclic activity in both the ovaries. Vaginoscopy revealed a normal development of the vagina and a cervix deviated on the left side of the vagina by a thick dorsoventral fold. The lateral deviation was permanent in any stage of ...
Payne J, Farris R, Parker G, Bonhotal J, Schwarz M.Sodium pentobarbital, a euthanasia drug, can persist in animal carcasses following euthanasia and can cause secondary toxicosis to animals that consume the remains. This experiment was conducted to observe the effects of composting on euthanized horse carcass degradation and sodium pentobarbital residues in compost material up to 367 d. Six separate compost bins were constructed on pastureland. Three bins served as the control while 3 served as the treatment. The carbonaceous material, or bulking agent, consisted of hardwood chips mixed with yard waste wetted to approximately 50% moisture cont...
Aguiar C, Therrien J, Lemire P, Segura M, Smith LC, Theoret CL.Skin trauma in horses often leads to the development of chronic nonhealing wounds that lack a keratinocyte cover, vital for healing. Reports in mouse and man confirm the possibility of generating functional keratinocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), thus presenting myriad potential applications for wound management or treatment of skin disease. Similarly, differentiation of equine iPSC (eiPSC) into a keratinocyte lineage should provide opportunities for the advancement of veterinary regenerative medicine. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop an efficient method fo...
Gottlieb R, Whitcomb MB, Vaughan B, Galuppo LD, Spriet M.Ultrasound is widely used in horses with stifle lameness, yet limited information is available regarding the appearance of normal and injured lateral patellar ligaments (LPL). Objective: To map the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the LPL. To describe the clinical and ultrasonographic features of LPL injuries. Methods: Descriptive study of healthy horses and retrospective case series. Methods: Twelve horses without stifle lameness underwent ultrasonographic examination of bilateral LPLs and ultrasonographic features were recorded. Eighteen horses with LPL injury were identified from 1999 ...
Spinella G, Loprete G, Castagnetti C, Musella V, Antonelli C, Vilar JM, Britti D, Capitani O, Valentini S.The aims of this research were to evaluate mean echogenicity (ME) of the deep and superficial digital flexor tendons (DDFT and SDFT), the interosseous muscle (IM), and the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (ALDDFT) of the metacarpal region in neonatal foals, and determine the effect of sex, side and body weight on this quantitative ultrasonographic evaluation. Thirteen orthopedically sound neonatal foals were examined. Four areas of study (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B) were identified. Transverse scans of the DDFT, SDFT, IM and ALDDFT were obtained, recorded, and analyzed. The most echoge...
Rossi SL, Russell-Lodrigue KE, Killeen SZ, Wang E, Leal G, Bergren NA, Vinet-Oliphant H, Weaver SC, Roy CJ.Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an arbovirus endemic to the Americas that is responsible for severe, sometimes fatal, disease in humans and horses. We previously described an IRES-based VEE vaccine candidate based up the IE serotype that offers complete protection against a lethal subtype IE VEEV challenge in mice. Here we demonstrate the IRES-based vaccine's ability to protect against febrile disease in cynomolgus macaques. Vaccination was well tolerated and elicited robust neutralizing antibody titers noticed as early as day 14. Moreover, complete protection from disease chara...
Majeed QA, Alazemi MS, Henedi AA, Tahrani LM.No doubt, farm animals are essential as a source of milk, protein, and leather and wool ... etc. But, they are always exposed to ecto- and endo-parasites, which cause diseases conditions that may end in death. This study evaluated farm animal parasitosis. Thus, different animal farms were visited to collect fecal samples and data to determine the infection rates with parasites and the relationship between animal management and parasitism in Kuwait. Out of 86, 17, 20, 96 & 52 cattle, sheep, goats, horses and camels examined, 5.5, 17.5, 10, 9.3 and 2.5% respectively were infected with differ...
Chinkangsadarn T, Wilson GJ, Greer RM, Pollitt CC, Bird PS.A cadaver study to estimate the prevalence of dental disorders in horses presented at an abattoir in Queensland, Australia. Methods: Cadaver heads at a Queensland abattoir were examined for the presence of dental abnormalities and categorised into age groups. The prevalence of abnormalities was analysed by binomial observation of observed proportion, Pearson's Chi-square test or Fisher's exact correlation test. Strength of association was evaluated using Cramer's V test. Results: Heads from horses (n=400) estimated to be between 1 and 30 years of age were placed into four age groups. The most ...
Edson D, Field H, McMichael L, Jordan D, Kung N, Mayer D, Smith C.Bats of the genus Pteropus (flying-foxes) are the natural host of Hendra virus (HeV) which periodically causes fatal disease in horses and humans in Australia. The increased urban presence of flying-foxes often provokes negative community sentiments because of reduced social amenity and concerns of HeV exposure risk, and has resulted in calls for the dispersal of urban flying-fox roosts. However, it has been hypothesised that disturbance of urban roosts may result in a stress-mediated increase in HeV infection in flying-foxes, and an increased spillover risk. We sought to examine the impact of...
Emmerich IU.In 2014, no new active pharmaceutical ingredients were released on the German market for horses and food producing animals. One established veterinary active pharmaceutical ingredient is avaibable for an additional species. The analgetic buprenorphine (Buprenodale® Multidose) has additionally been authorized for horses. Furthermore, four new preparations with a new pharmaceutical form, one drug with a new formulation, new galenics and a new indication, respectively, have recently been released to the market. Furthermore, the prostaglandin F2α analoque luprostiol is available again.
Cursons R, Patty O, Steward KF, Waller AS.The differentiation of live attenuated vaccine strains from their progenitor and wild-type counterparts is important for ongoing surveillance of product safety and improved guidelines on their use. We utilised a genome sequencing approach to confirm that two cases of strangles in previously healthy horses that had received the Pinnacle I. N. vaccine (Zoetis) were caused by the vaccine strain. Our data shed new light on the safety of this vaccine and suggest that factors beyond the maturity of the animal's immune system influence the development of adverse reactions.
Giguère S, Berghaus LJ, Lee EA.Studies with facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens have shown that evaluation of the bactericidal activity of antimicrobial agents against intracellular bacteria is more closely associated with in vivo efficacy than traditional in vitro susceptibility testing. The objective of this study was to determine the relative activity of 10 antimicrobial agents against intracellular Rhodococcus equi. Equine monocyte-derived macrophages were infected with virulent R. equi and exposed to erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, rifampin, ceftiofur, gentamicin, enrofloxacin, vancomycin, imipene...
de Laat MA, Robinson MA, Gruntmeir KJ, Liu Y, Soma LR, Lacombe VA.Equine metabolic syndrome is characterized by obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Currently, there is no effective pharmacological treatment for this insidious disease. Glucose uptake is mediated by a family of glucose transporters (GLUT), and is regulated by insulin-dependent and -independent pathways, including 5-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Importantly, the activation of AMPK, by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR) stimulates glucose uptake in both healthy and diabetic humans. However, whether AICAR promotes glucose uptake in horses has not been established. I...
Gracia-Calvo LA, Martín-Cuervo M, Jiménez J, Vieítez V, Argüelles D, Durán ME, Ezquerra J.To develop an experimental standing hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy (HALS) technique, report the associated peri-operative complications and document the short-term surgical outcomes. Results: Five healthy 300-470 kg horses that underwent standing HALS. Spleens of different weights (2.25-7.0 kg) were removed using this technique. The main complication during surgery was difficulty sectioning the gastrosplenic ligament. The postoperative complications included adhesions of the colon to the nephrosplenic ligament stump and incisional discharge in two horses. Conclusions: Standing HALS...
Velie BD, Hamilton NA, Wade CM.Many attempts have been made to improve the well-being of racing Thoroughbreds through improvements in management and veterinary care. However, these attempts are often limited by the industry's ability to regulate a large number of environmental variables and as a result have arguably had limited success in providing long-lasting change for the breed. Objective: To identify heritable durability traits for Thoroughbred horses racing in Australia and Hong Kong. Methods: Heritability analysis of a longitudinal dataset. Methods: Performance data on the Thoroughbred populations racing in Australia...
Negussie H, Gizaw D, Tessema TS, Nauwynck HJ.Although equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) is a sporadic and relatively uncommon manifestation of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), it has the potential for causing devastating outbreaks in horses. Up till now, there were no reported EHM outbreaks in donkeys and mules. This study describes the isolation and molecular characterization of EHV-1 from clinically EHM-affected horses (n = 6), mules (n = 3) and donkeys (n = 82) in Ethiopia during outbreaks from May 2011 to December 2013. The incidence of EHM cases was higher from April to mid-June. EHM in donkeys was more severe and deat...
Andersen C, Tnibar A.Medial patellar ligament splitting (MPLS) has been shown to be a highly effective and minimally invasive treatment for upward fixation of the patella (UFP) in horses. However, long-term follow-up results of this procedure have not previously been reported. Objective: To evaluate the long-term resolution of UFP following MPLS and provide information on complications and recurrence. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Data were collected from horses that underwent MPLS between 1999 and 2013. All cases had a confirmed diagnosis of UFP that had not responded to conservative therapy. Data ...
McLeland S.Uncommon diseases of the equine urinary system span a variety of etiologies and frequently have nonspecific clinical presentations. Because of the infrequency of equine urinary disease and inconsistencies in clinical symptoms, diagnosis and subsequent treatment of urinary disease in this species may be challenging. This article reviews various diseases of the equine urinary system, morphologies, and potential discriminating clinical and clinicopathologic presentations to aid the clinician in determining a definitive diagnosis in practice.
Frank C, Madden DJ, Duncan C.Being able to conduct an equine field necropsy in a safe and proficient manner is a helpful skill for the equine practitioner. Use of a systematic process enables the practitioner to develop a familiarity with normal anatomic positioning and tissue appearance such that abnormalities are quickly identified. This article outlines a systematic necropsy protocol that can be used to investigate mortality events and clinical questions.
To compare ocular structures of Quarter Horses homozygous for hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) with those of Quarter Horses not affected by HERDA (control horses) and to determine the frequency of new corneal ulcers for horses with and without HERDA during a 4-year period. Methods: Cohort study of ocular structures and retrospective case series of horses with and without HERDA. Methods: The cohort portion of the study involved 10 Quarter Horses with HERDA and 10 Quarter Horses without HERDA; the retrospective case series involved 28 horses with HERDA and 291 horses without HE...
Spissu N, Panichi G, Montisci A, Fiore F.West Nile Virus (WNV) is an enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the genus Flavivirus, antigenically related to the Japanese encephalitis complex in the family Flaviviridae. The principal vectors are mosquitoes, in particular Culex spp, and virus amplification seems to occur in susceptible birds that are the principal vertebrate reservoir hosts, whereas humans, horses and other vertebrates are considered incidental or dead-end hosts. The first Italian equine outbreak was reported in late summer of 1998 in Tuscany, in the area surrounding the Fucecchio marshes, where 14 clinical cas...
Liebenberg D, Piketh S, van Hamburg H.Africa horse sickness (AHS) is the most lethal infectious non-contagious horse disease and has accordingly been declared notifiable by the World Organisation for Animal Health. AHS is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and causes considerable losses to the equestrian industry. The effect of diseases in livestock on socio-economic factors is well researched, but the effect of anthropogenic factors on the distribution of a disease is poorly understood. The purpose of the study was to assess Namibian and South African horse owners' perceptions and the effect of horse movement on AHS distribution. A cr...
Tate LP, Blikslager AT, Little ED.Guttural pouch tympanites was diagnosed in eight foals with respiratory stridor and tympanic swelling in the parotid region. Three foals were treated by transendoscopic neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser fenestration of the median septum between the guttural pouches. One foal died of pneumonia, and the other two foals recovered completely, although the fenestration later closed in one foal. Five foals were treated by creating a salpingopharyngeal fistula using transendoscopic laser irradiation; complete resolution of the tympanites occurred. Transendoscopic laser surgery in stand...
Lavoie JP, Pascoe JR, Kurpershoek CJ.We studied the temporal changes in respiratory mechanics associated with xylazine administration (1.1 mg/kg of body weight, IV) in standing horses (experiment 1), and determined the effects of head and neck position (experiment 2) and atropine administration (experiment 3) on the observed changes. Thoroughbred geldings, 3 to 5 years old (5 in experiment 1, 4 in experiments 2 and 3) were used. Flow rates were obtained from a pneumotachograph and a differential transducer attached to a tight-fitting mask. Electronic integration of the flow signal gave tidal volume. Total pulmonary pressure (PL) ...
Galan JE, Timoney JF, Lengemann FW.Passive transfer of mucosal antibody to Streptococcus equi was studied in foals during the first 2 months of life. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibodies were found in sera and nasal secretions of foals shortly after colostrum intake. Titers were highest 2 days after birth; IgG predominated in sera, and IgA predominated in nasal washes. Intragastrically administered 99mTc-labeled IgA was transported from the bloodstream to the nasal mucosa of a newborn foal within a few hours of colostrum intake. Western blot analysis of the specificities of colostral and serum antibodies showed that select...
Wagner AE, Mama KR, Steffey EP, Ferreira TH, Rezende ML.To compare cardiovascular effects of sevoflurane alone and sevoflurane plus an IV infusion of lidocaine in horses. Animals-8 adult horses. Methods: Each horse was anesthetized twice via IV administration of xylazine, diazepam, and ketamine. During 1 anesthetic episode, anesthesia was maintained by administration of sevoflurane in oxygen at 1.0 and 1.5 times the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC). During the other episode, anesthesia was maintained at the same MAC multiples via a reduced concentration of sevoflurane plus an IV infusion of lidocaine. Heart rate, arterial blood pressures, blood...
Ahedor B, Sivakumar T, Valinotti MFR, Otgonsuren D, Yokoyama N, Acosta TJ.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in equids, including horses. EP has a global distribution and often leads to a significant socioeconomic impact on the equine industry. Infected animals remain as carriers and become a source of infection for tick vectors, thereby posing an immense challenge in the disease management. Therefore, detection of these carriers is crucial to assess the risk of transmission and to implement appropriate control measures in endemic countries. Paraguay is a tropical country where various tick-borne diseases a...
Render JA, Common RS, Kennedy FA, Jones MZ, Fyfe JC.Three Quarter Horses, a stillborn filly (horse No. 1), a female fetus aborted at approximately 6 months of gestation (horse No. 2), and a 1-month-old colt that had been weak at birth (horse No. 3), had myopathy characterized histologically by large spherical or ovoid inclusions in skeletal and cardiac myofibers. Smaller inclusions were also found in brain and spinal cord and in some cells of all other tissues examined. These inclusions were basophilic, red-purple after staining with periodic acid-Schiff (both before and after digestion with diastase), and moderately dark blue after staining wi...
Price JS, Jackson B, Eastell R, Goodship AE, Blumsohn A, Wright I, Stoneham S, Lanyon LE, Russell RG.Biochemical markers of bone metabolism were analysed in serum samples obtained from 60 horses with no history of orthopaedic disease (age 3 months-20 years). Serum levels of the carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), a marker of bone formation and the pyridinoline cross linked telopeptide domain of type I collagen (ICTP), a putative marker of bone resorption, were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Serum levels of the bone specific isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase (BALP), another marker of bone formation, were measured by a wheatgerm agglutinin affinity (WGA) method. Total ...
Kammergruber E, Rahn C, Nell B, Gabner S, Egerbacher M.The morphology of the corneal epithelium in two age groups of horses is described. Distribution patterns of proliferation-, differentiation-, stem cell-associated markers and cell junction proteins were assessed. Methods: Corneal samples from 12 horses (six foals and six adult horses) were analyzed after H&E staining and immunohistochemistry using the following antibodies: E-cadherin, β-catenin, Connexin 43 (Cx43), tight junction protein 1 (TJP1), cytokeratin (CK) 14, CK 19, CK 3, CK 10, vimentin, Ki67, p63, nerve growth factor (NGF), ABCG2, and epithelial growth factor receptor. Semiquan...
Delesalle C, van de Walle GR, Nolten C, Ver Donck L, van Hemelrijck A, Drinkenburg W, de Bosschere H, Claes P, Deprez P, Lefere L, Torfs S....Increased plasma (5-HT) concentrations are reported in horses predisposed to develop laminitis and after i.v. infusion of endotoxins. In the equine jejunum contractile 5-HT1A-like receptors show tachyphylaxia upon prolonged activation with 5-HT. Therefore, increased systemic 5-HT release in colic horses could play a possible role in the pathophysiology of ileus. Objective: To investigate possible increased systemic release of 5-HT in colic horses with compromised bowel and to identify the source of 5-HT overload. Methods: Concentrations of 5-HT were determined in plasma and peritoneal fluid (P...
Hyyppä S, Höyhtyä M, Nevalainen M, Pösö AR.Iron is of key importance for aerobic metabolism, and natural feeds of the horse are fairly rich sources of iron. Accordingly, the known incidence of iron deficiency anaemia is apparently rare in performance horses; despite this, iron deficiency in performance horses continues to be of concern to trainers and veterinarians. Effects of exercise on plasma ferritin concentrations were therefore studied in Standardbreds, Finnhorses and half-bred riding horses. Blood samples were taken after a moderate exercise test on a racetrack, a competition exercise test on a treadmill and a race. Even moderat...
Walter J, Klein C, Wehrend A.Mast cells constitute part of the cellular immune system of the genital tract. They play a potential role in cervical remodelling during parturition and are subject to the influence of ovarian steroids. In this study, the influence of oestradiol-17β and progesterone on the distribution of mast cells in equine vaginal, cervical and uterine tissue was evaluated. Genital tracts were retrieved from healthy mares at a local slaughterhouse. The cervix was divided along the longitudinal axis into five equivalent regions from cranial to caudal (R1 to R5). Toluidine blue staining was used for the dete...
Bentz BG, Ealey KA, Morrow J, Claypool PL, Saliki JT.A sampling of equids from the state of Oklahoma produced an estimate of seroprevalence of antibody to Sarcocystis neurona to be about 89.2%. This figure represents the highest currently reported regional seroprevalence of antibody to this organism. Regional differences in seroprevalence were found in the western quadrants of the state relative to the eastern quadrants of the state, with a significantly higher seroprevalence in the eastern regions. Thoroughbreds were found to exhibit a statistically significant lower seroprevalence as a breed group when compared with other breeds sampled.
Rossdale PD, Burguez PN, Cash RS.Blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and plasma cortisol levels were measured before and after (1) the injection of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH1-24) in 8 Thoroughbreds and (2) exercise in 5 Thoroughbreds in training. Plasma cortisol levels were significantly (P less than 0.01) increased within 60 mins of injection of ACTH1-24 and immediately after exercise. The mean neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio altered significantly (P less than 0.01) at 240 mins after ACTH1-24 administration and at 180 mins after a training gallop. A transient lymphocytosis occurred following exercise.
Goulden BE, Anderson LJ.Various physical characteristics of horses affected with laryngeal hemiplegia were studied. Appropriate comparisons were made with the populations from which the affected animals were obtained. Statistical evidence is presented which supports the widely held clinical impression that heavy, young, male animals are most susceptible to the disease.
Kanz P, Krieger S, Drillich M, Iwersen M.Pulse oximetry is a well-established technique in human and veterinary medicine. In farm animals, it could also be a useful tool for the detection of critical conditions relating to oxygen supply and the cardiovascular system. Among other uses, an innovative application could be the monitoring of fetuses during birth. This could help in the early identification of critical situations and support farmers and veterinarians in their decision to start obstetric or life-support interventions. Until now, however, its use in ruminant medicine was still limited to experimental applications. The object...
Flores-Flores G, Velázquez-Cantón E, Boeta M, Zarco L.The effects of repeated cloprostenol administration were compared in mares impregnated by horses and mares impregnated by donkeys in order to assess the role of eCG on the development of pregnancy-associated resistance to the luteolytic and abortifacient effects of PGF2α. Eleven mares impregnated by donkey (mule pregnancy) and 9 mares impregnated by horse (horse pregnancy) were used. Six mares with mule pregnancy and four with horse pregnancy were injected with cloprostenol (0.25 mg) when they were between day 65 and day 75 of pregnancy, and the treatment was repeated 48, 72 and 96 h latter...
Venugopal C, Mariappan N, Holmes E, Kearney M, Beadle R.To determine and compare the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) in pulmonary tissues of horses affected with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and clinically healthy horses, and to evaluate the effectiveness of potential therapeutic agents in reducing ROS and RNS in the tissues of these horses. Objective: We hypothesised that RAO-affected horses would have high levels of reactive species and that the test agents would reduce them. The objectives were as follows: 1) to determine the level of ROS and RNS in pulmonary tissues (bronchial and arterial rings) of RAO-affected and cli...
Marti E, Ehrensperger F, Burger D, Ousey J, Day MJ, Wilson AD.Immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediates the immune response to parasites, but can also cause allergies. In humans maternal IgE is not transferred to cord blood and high levels of cord blood IgE are associated with subsequent allergy. In horses, both maternal IgG and IgE are transferred via colostrum; the IgE levels in the mare's serum, the colostrum and the foal's serum are correlated but the consequences of IgE transfer to foals are not known. By about 6 weeks of age the levels of IgE in foal serum have dropped to a nadir, at 6 months of age the level of IgE has risen only very slightly and is no lon...
Joyce JR, Martin JE, Storts RW, Skow L.The clinical, gross and microscopic ophthalmic lesions of iridial hypoplasia, limbic dermoids and cataracts in a Quarterhorse stallion and a group of its offspring are described. It is proposed that the lesions in the stallion were the result of an independent mutation and that the defects were transmitted to its offspring by an autosomal dominant gene.
Dini P, Bogado Pascottini O, Ducheyne K, Hostens M, Daels P.In the present study, we examined the effect of holding equine oocytes in Syngro embryo holding medium (EHM) overnight at either 4 °C, 17 °C, or 22 °C to 25 °C, on the time to maturation and developmental competence. We also examined the effect of placing denuded oocyte without extruded polar body back in maturation condition on subsequent maturation rate. In experiment 1, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were recovered postmortem and placed in EHM at 22 °C to 25 °C for 18 to 20 hours (OH) or placed directly in maturation (DM). The maturation rate was assessed after 22, 24, or 28 hou...
Schöniger S, Summers BA.Melanocytic tumours are important in horses, especially grey horses. Intradermal common melanocytic naevi, cellular blue naevi and combined cellular blue naevi are subgroups of human melanocytic tumours, which have not been reported in horses. In this study, we describe 20 horses with skin tumours similar to these naevi of humans. These tumours represented individual skin masses in male and female horses of different breeds. Tumours resembling human intradermal common melanocytic naevi were noted in 12 horses aged between 2 and 17 years. Seven horses aged between 4 and 15 years developed cutan...
Murphy D, Reid SW, Love S.To evaluate the effects of age and diet on the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in healthy ponies, OGTTs were performed on 2 groups of British native breed ponies (Group A: 7 foals [6-9 months], Group B: 7 mature individuals [6-13 years]) when maintained on either a high fibre pelleted ration only (Groups A and B) or a hay only diet (Group B). Plasma glucose response, following oral glucose administration, for Group A (basal plasma glucose concentration [Glu0] 4.6 +/- 0.4 mmol/l (mean +/- s.d.) increasing to 11.5 +/- 1.3 mmol/l at 90 min) was significantly different (P < 0.05) from that o...
Chen CL, Sailor JA, Collier J, Wiegand J.Seven mature thoroughbred horses, weighing between 400 and 541 kg, were each injected intra-articularly into three joints with 6 mg/joint of triamcinolone acetonide (Vetalog). The fourth joint, the control, was injected with saline. Synovial fluid was taken from all four legs of the horses on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 15 following the injections. Triamcinolone acetonide was assayed by a radioimmunoassay. Blood was collected at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 h and on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 15 following injection of either triamcinolone or saline. Both cortisol and triamcinolone were as...
Murray RC, Znaor N, Tanner KE, DeBowes RM, Gaughan EM, Goodship AE.Dorsal carpal osteochondral injury is a major cause of lameness in horses undergoing high intensity training. Intra-articular corticosteroid treatment is used commonly to manage exercise-associated articular pain, but its use remains highly controversial in the equine athlete. This project, therefore, aimed to compare the mechanical properties of intra-articular MPA and diluent-treated middle carpal subchondral and cancellous bone in horses undergoing a short-term treadmill exercise programme. It was hypothesised that subchondral and cancellous bone mechanical properties are influenced by intr...
Allen WR, Wilsher S, Morris L, Crowhurst JS, Hillyer MH, Neal HN.Mares are occasionally encountered that consistently fail to conceive when inseminated, naturally or artificially, with fertile stallion semen in the absence of any identifiable pathology of either the structure or function of their reproductive tract. Objective: Temporary blockage of the oviducts by accumulations of naturally occurring oviducal masses may be preventing oviducal transport of the embryo to the uterus. Methods: Mares, with known reproductive histories, that had exhibited inexplicable failure of conception were treated by laparoscopically guided administration of PGE2-laced triac...
Casey MB, Pearson GR, Perkins JD, Tremaine WH.The most prevalent type of equine dental pulpitis due to apical infection is not associated with coronal fractures or periodontal disease. The pathogenesis of this type of pulpitis is not fully understood. Computed tomography (CT) is increasingly used to investigate equine dental disorders. However, gross, tomographic and histopathological changes in equine dental pulpitis have not been compared previously. Objective: To compare gross, CT and histological appearances of sectioned mandibular cheek teeth extracted from horses with clinical signs of pulpitis without coronal fractures or periodont...
Sampson SN, Schneider RK, Tucker RL, Gavin PR, Zubrod CJ, Ho CP.Injury to the oblique and straight distal sesamoidean ligaments is becoming recognized as a more common cause of lameness in horses than was previously thought. The purpose of this study was to review the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of 27 horses affected with desmitis of the oblique and/or straight distal sesamoidean ligament and determine long-term prognosis for horses with this diagnosis. Imaging was performed with horses in right lateral recumbency in a high-field 1 T magnet. All horses had lameness localized to the digit or metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint region ...
