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.
Mambelli LI, Mattos RC, Winter GH, Madeiro DS, Morais BP, Malschitzky E, Miglino MA, Kerkis A, Kerkis I.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to their self-renewal potential and differentiation capacity are useful for tissue regeneration. Immunomodulatory and trophic properties of MSCs were demonstrated suggesting their use as medicinal signaling cells able to positively change local environment in injured tissue. Equine endometrosis is a progressive degenerative disease responsible for glandular alterations and endometrial fibrosis which causes infertility in mares. More precisely, this disease is characterized by phenotypic changes in the expression pattern of selected endometrial proteins. Curren...
Aleman M, Holliday TA, Nieto JE, Williams DC.Brainstem auditory evoked response has been an underused diagnostic modality in horses as evidenced by few reports on the subject. Objective: To describe BAER findings, common clinical signs, and causes of hearing loss in adult horses. Methods: Study group, 76 horses; control group, 8 horses. Methods: Retrospective. BAER records from the Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory were reviewed from the years of 1982 to 2013. Peak latencies, amplitudes, and interpeak intervals were measured when visible. Horses were grouped under disease categories. Descriptive statistics and a posthoc Bonferroni test...
Cummings KJ, Rodriguez-Rivera LD, Mitchell KJ, Hoelzer K, Wiedmann M, McDonough PL, Altier C, Warnick LD, Perkins GA.Nosocomial salmonellosis continues to pose an important threat to veterinary medical teaching hospitals. The objectives of this study were to describe an outbreak of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg within our hospital and to highlight its unique features, which can be used to help mitigate or prevent nosocomial outbreaks in the future. We retrospectively analyzed data from patients that were fecal culture-positive for Salmonella Oranienburg between January 1, 2006, and June 1, 2011, including historical, clinical, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) data...
Saegerman C, Alba-Casals A, GarcÃa-Bocanegra I, Dal Pozzo F, van Galen G.West Nile fever (WNF) is a viral zoonotic infection caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Flaviviridae family. According to a comparative study, the passive surveillance of horses by equine veterinarians appeared to be the most cost-effective system in the European context of WNF. Clinical data issued from a passive epidemiosurveillance network from September 2010 to December 2011 on horses in Spain were statistically compared and used to develop a predictive diagnostic decision tree, both with the aim to improve the early clinical detection of WNF in horses. Although clinical signs wer...
De Briyne N, Atkinson J, Pokludová L, Borriello SP.The Heads of Medicines Agencies and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe undertook a survey to gain an insight into European prescribing of antibiotics for animals, in particular to highlight the diseases for which antibiotics are most commonly said to be prescribed and which different classes, including human critically important antibiotics (CIAs). The survey was completed by 3004 practitioners from 25 European countries. Many older antibiotics (eg, penicillins, tetracyclines) are cited most frequently as the prescribed classes to treat the main food producing species. The frequency of ...
Moore JN, Vandenplas ML.Some veterinarians describe particularly sick horses or neonatal foals as being endotoxemic, whereas others refer to the same animals as having the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This article reviews the basis for the use of each of these terms in equine practice, and highlights the mechanisms underlying the response of the horse's innate immune system to key structural components of the microorganisms that initiate these conditions, including how some of those responses differ from other species. Current approaches used to treat horses with these conditions are summarized, and cauti...
Munsterman AS, Hanson RR.Bullet wounds in horses can cause a wide array of injuries, determined by the type of projectile, the energy of the bullet on entry, and the type of tissue the bullet encounters. Treatment includes identification of all structures involved, debridement of the permanent cavity, and establishing adequate drainage. Bullet wounds should be treated as contaminated, and broad-spectrum antibiotics, including those with an anaerobic spectrum, are indicated. Although musculoskeletal injuries resulting from gunshots are most common in horses, they carry a good prognosis for survival and return to functi...
Epstein KL.Although primary coagulopathies are rare in horses, changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis are commonly associated with inflammatory diseases. A clear understanding of the pathophysiology of normal and abnormal hemostasis is required to be able to choose and interpret diagnostic tests evaluating coagulation and fibrinolysis. After diagnosis, treatment of the underlying disease must occur regardless of whether clinical manifestations (excessive bleeding or thrombosis) of the coagulopathy are present or not. Specific treatment may be initiated if there are clinical signs of coagulopathy.
Oliveira Filho RB, Campos Malta K, Assis Santana VL, Vance Harrop MH, Tancler Stipp D, Friguglietti Brandespim D, Aparecido Mota R....The present study, the first to spatially characterize Leptospira spp. infection among equids in the Brejo Paraibano micro-region of the Paraiba state in the northeast of Brazil, investigated 257 animals in 26 farms properties. Serum samples from 204 horses, 46 mules and seven donkeys were serologically diagnosed using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The distribution of Leptospira spp. was studied by employing specific antigens from 24 different Leptospira serovars. All farms were georeferenced and their distribution visualised on a map of the Brejo Paraibano micro-region. In additio...
Palmer J.Despite advances in neonatal intensive care sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock remain the biggest killers of neonatal foals. Management of this severe syndrome remains difficult, requiring intensive intervention. Key aspects of management include infection control, hemodynamic support, immunomodulatory interventions, and metabolic/endocrine support. Infection control largely consists of early antimicrobial therapy, plasma transfusions, and local therapy for the infected focus. In cases with severe sepsis or septic shock, hemodynamic support with fluids, vasoactive agents, and respiratory s...
Kranenburg LC, Westermann CM, de Sain-van der Velden MG, de Graaf-Roelfsema E, Buyse J, Janssens GP, van den Broek J, van der Kolk JH.Insulin resistance in horses is an emerging field of interest as it is thought to be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of many equine conditions. Objective: The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of long-term oral administration of L-carnitine on insulin sensitivity, glucose disposal, plasma leptin concentrations and acylcarnitine spectrum both in plasma and urine. Methods: Six 3-year-old healthy warmblood geldings were used. In a double blind 2 × 2 Latin square design at a dosage of 100 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day for 28 days the effects of oral supplementat...
Mudge MC.Treatment of acute hemorrhage in the horse involves targeted medical management and also may involve surgical stabilization. This article provides an approach to the initial stabilization and information on available topical hemostats. The practice of blood collection and transfusion is also described, with attention to new information on viability of transfused equine blood, potential negative effects of blood transfusion, and methods of cell salvage.
Ramey D, Rollin B.Veterinarians working with racehorses face unique challenges. No other type of practice expects veterinarians to "correct" such minute deficiencies in performance. Since the actual performance potential of many horses cannot be known, treatments may be targeted at "perceived" deficiencies in performance. Nevertheless, seconds or fractions of a second determine profit and loss and thus the animal's value for the trainer and owner. One or two seconds may ultimately determine whether a horse continues racing or is sold for slaughter. Is a veterinarian who works to maintain or improve racehorse pe...
Gonzalez G, Marshall JF, Morrell J, Robb D, McCauley JW, Perez DR, Parrish CR, Murcia PR.Influenza A viruses (IAVs) can jump species barriers and occasionally cause epidemics, epizootics, pandemics, and panzootics. Characterizing the infection dynamics at the target tissues of natural hosts is central to understanding the mechanisms that control host range, tropism, and virulence. Canine influenza virus (CIV; H3N8) originated after the transfer of an equine influenza virus (EIV) into dogs. Thus, comparing CIV and EIV isolates provides an opportunity to study the determinants of influenza virus emergence. Here we characterize the replication of canine, equine, and human IAVs in the...
Miele A, Dhaliwal K, Du Toit N, Murchison JT, Dhaliwal C, Brooks H, Smith SH, Hirani N, Schwarz T, Haslett C, Wallace WA, McGorum BC.Donkey pulmonary fibrosis (DPF) is a spontaneous syndrome of aged donkeys with a high prevalence (35%). No previous detailed characterization of DPF has been performed. We sought to determine the similarities between DPF and recognized patterns of human pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: Whole lungs were collected from 32 aged donkeys at routine necropsy. Gross examination revealed pulmonary fibrosis in 19 donkeys (DPF cases), whereas 13 (control cases) had grossly normal lungs. Eighteen whole inflated ex vivo lungs (11 DPF cases, seven control cases) were imaged with high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan,...
Ertelt A, Barton AK, Schmitz RR, Gehlen H.This review summarizes similarities and differences between the metabolic syndromes in humans and equines, concerning the anatomy, symptoms, and pathophysiological mechanisms. In particular, it discusses the structure and distribution of adipose tissue and its specific metabolic pathways. Furthermore, this article provides insights and focuses on issues concerning laminitis in horses and cardiovascular diseases in humans, as well as their overlap.
Kaikkonen R, Niinistö K, Sykes B, Anttila M, Sankari S, Raekallio M.Recurrent colic and unexplained weight loss despite good appetite and adequate feeding and management practices are common conditions in the horse. However, little information has been published on the systematic diagnostic evaluation, response to treatment, prognostic factors or outcome of either presentation. The aims of this study were to 1) identify possible prognostic indicators and 2) report the short- and long-term response to treatment with corticosteroid therapy of a variety of horses with a presumptive diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Thirty-six horses with a history of...
McQueen CM, Doan R, Dindot SV, Bourquin JR, Zlatev ZZ, Chaffin MK, Blodgett GP, Ivanov I, Cohen ND.Pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi is a common cause of disease and death in foals. Although agent and environmental factors contribute to the incidence of this disease, the genetic factors influencing the clinical outcomes of R. equi pneumonia are ill-defined. Here, we performed independent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)- and copy number variant (CNV)-based genome-wide association studies to identify genomic loci associated with R. equi pneumonia in foals. Foals at a large Quarter Horse breeding farm were categorized into 3 groups: 1) foals with R. equi pneumonia (clinical group [N = ...
Yamanaka T, Cullinane A, Gildea S, Bannai H, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Matsumura T.The protection induced by an equine influenza (EI) vaccine strain depends on its antigenic relatedness to the challenge virus. Although the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) recommend that both Florida sublineage clade 1 (Fc1) and clade 2 (Fc2) viruses should be included in EI vaccines, Japanese EI vaccines have not, thus far, been updated to include a Fc2 virus. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of antibodies raised against Japanese EI vaccine strains in the neutralisation of recent Fc2 viruses. Methods: Antigenic analysis. Methods: Virus neutralisation tests were performed using a...
Draper AC, Bender JB, Firshman AM, Baird JD, Reed S, Mayhew IG, Valberg SJ.Investigating the epidemiology of shivering in horses. Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterise the signalment, clinical signs and management factors associated with shivering (also known as shivers), a relatively rare, poorly defined movement disorder in horses. Methods: Web-based case series survey and case-control study. Methods: A Web-based survey was used to obtain information from owners, worldwide, who suspected that their horse had shivering. Survey respondents were asked to answer standardised questions and to provide a video of the horse. Authors reviewed the surveys ...
Davis TZ, Stegelmeier BL, Hall JO.Horses are very susceptible to chronic selenosis if grazed on seleniferous forages for a prolonged period. In this study, mane and tail samples from horses that exhibited classical hoof lesions of chronic selenosis were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for selenium (Se) content. The horses had grazed for 6 months, from approximately May 15 until November 15, each year for three grazing seasons in a pasture containing seleniferous forages and water sources with elevated Se concentrations. The segmented hair samples showed a cyclic pattern in Se concentrations in the mane...
Mancini DA, Pereira AS, Mendonça RM, Kawamoto AH, Alves RC, Pinto JR, Mori E, Richtzenhain LJ, Mancini-Filho J.Equines are susceptible to respiratory viruses such as influenza and parainfluenza. Respiratory diseases have adversely impacted economies all over the world. This study was intended to determine the presence of influenza and parainfluenza viruses in unvaccinated horses from some regions of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Blood serum collected from 72 equines of different towns in this state was tested by hemagglutination inhibition test to detect antibodies for both viruses using the corresponding antigens. About 98.6% (71) and 97.2% (70) of the equines responded with antibody protective tit...
Curcio Bda R, Pereira GR, Antunes LI, Boff AN, dos Santos FC, Lucas T, Nogueira CE, Corcini CD, Liu I, Deschamps JC.In vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures are limited by the inability to mature equine oocytes on in vitro methods. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate structural integrity of equine oocytes subjected to vitrification with a synthetic polymer (PVA). Methods: The effect of eGH and its relationship with IGF-I on in vitro maturation (IVM) were evaluated. Compact cumulus oocytes complexes (n=122) were cultured in TCM-199 with eGH, IGF-I or eGH+IGF-I for 30h at 38.5C in air with 5 % CO2. Oocytes were fixed after IVM or subjected to the vitrification protocol. Cryopreserved oocytes were ...
Hu AJ, Bramlage LR.To assess postoperative probability of racing, career longevity, and convalescent time in Thoroughbred racehorses with moderate to severe superficial digital flexor tendonitis (SDFT) in the forelimbs treated by desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon (ie, superior check ligament desmotomy [SCLD]). Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 332 Thoroughbred racehorses with SDFT consecutively treated by means of SCLD. Methods: Medical records and racing records were reviewed to assess return to racing, number of races completed, time to first race, and life...
Jönsson L, Egenvall A, Roepstorff L, Näsholm A, Dalin G, Philipsson J.To determine associations of health status and conformation with competition longevity and lifetime performance in young Swedish Warmblood riding horses. Methods: Cohort study and genetic analysis. Methods: 8,238 horses. Methods: Horses were examined for health, conformation, and performance from 1983 to 2005, when they were 4 to 5 years old, and competition results from 1983 to 2012 were evaluated. Associations between conformation, health, and talent scores of young horses and longevity (years in competition) and lifetime performance were analyzed. Odds ratios of competing later in life amon...
Schale S, Howe D, Yeargan M, Morrow JK, Graves A, Johnson AL.Infection by 2 or more protozoa is linked with increased severity of disease in marine mammals with protozoan encephalitis. Objective: To assess whether horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) caused by Sarcocystis neurona also have evidence of infection with Neospora hughesi or Toxoplasma gondii. We hypothesized that horses with EPM would be more likely than horses with cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM) to be positive for antibodies to multiple protozoan parasites. Methods: One hundred one horses with neurologic disease: 49 with EPM and 52 with CVSM. Methods: Case rev...
Levine DG, Epstein KL, Neelis DA, Ross MW.To determine whether topical application of 1% diclofenac sodium cream would decrease inflammation at sites of IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) in healthy horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses (12 forelimbs). Methods: Bilateral IVRLP with 2.5 g of amikacin sulfate was performed twice in each horse, with 24 hours between each session. Horses were treated with topical 1% diclofenac liposomal cream (treated limbs) or a placebo cream (control limbs). All injection sites were evaluated before the first IVRLP session and 24 hours after the second session by means of ultrasonographic examination ...
Byström A, Clayton HM, Hernlund E, Roepstorff L, Rhodin M, Bragança FS, Engell MT, van Weeren R, Weishaupt MA, Egenvall A.Left-right movement symmetry is a highly desirable characteristic in sport horses. Objective: This study compared movement symmetry in well-trained dressage horses in unridden and unrestrained position and ridden in a dressage frame, and investigated possible associations between gaits. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Seven sound, high-level dressage horses were measured at walk and sitting trot on a treadmill at several speeds under two conditions: with and without rider. Left-right differences in stance duration, stance protraction and retraction based on longitudinal hoof positions, i...
Padjasek M, Qasem B, Cisło-Pakuluk A, Marycz K.Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a selective and reversible immunosuppressant agent that is widely used as a medication for a wide spectrum of diseases in humans such as graft versus host disease, non-infectious uveitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Furthermore, the CsA is used to treat keratoconjunctivitis sicca, chronic superficial keratitis, immune-mediated keratitis and equine recurrent uveitis in animals. The selective activity of Cyclosporine A (CsA) was demonstrated to be an immunomodulation characteristic of T-lymphocyte proliferation and inhibits cytokine gene expres...
Murray RC, Whitton RC, Vedi S, Goodship AE, Lekeux P.Carpal osteochondral injury is frequently observed in strenuously trained horses. It is clear that the integrity of articular cartilage and subchondral bone are intimately related, although there is controversy about which component is the most important. Calcified cartilage provides the mechanical link between soft hyaline cartilage and stiff subchondral bone so it is essential to understand the tissue's response to exercise. Middle carpal calcified and uncalcified (hyaline) cartilage thickness was investigated in horses undergoing high- and low-intensity exercise. Twelve untrained horses (18...
Christmann U, Hancock CL, Poole CM, Emery AL, Poovey JR, Hagg C, Mattson EA, Scarborough JJ, Christopher JS, Dixon AT, Craney DJ, Wood PL.Horses with asthma or osteoarthritis frequently receive ω-3 fatty acid supplements. Docosahexaenoic (DHA; 22:6) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA; 20:5) acids are essential ω-3 fatty acid precursors of anti-inflammatory mediators and components of structural glycerophospholipids (GPL) that act as reservoirs of these fatty acids. Analysis of the incorporation of dietary DHA + EPA into GPL pools in different body compartments has not been undertaken in horses. We undertook a detailed study of dietary supplementation with DHA + EPA in horses and monitored incorporation into DHA- and EPA-contain...
Gomez JH, Schumacher J, Lauten SD, Sartin EA, Hathcock TL, Swaim SF.Three biologic dressings [split-thickness allogeneic skin (STS)], allogeneic peritoneum (P), and xenogenic porcine small intestinal submucosa (PSIS)] were studied to determine their effects on bacterial proliferation, inflammatory reaction, vascularization, and overall healing and to compare the effects of these dressings with the effects of a nonbiologic dressing, a nonadherent synthetic pad (NASP). A medial wound (3 cm in diameter) and 2 lateral wounds (2 cm in diameter) were created at the junction of the proximal and middle thirds of each metacarpus and metatarsus in 5 horses. Each medial ...
Toussaint M, Fievez L, Desmet CJ, Pirottin D, Farnir F, Bureau F, Lekeux P.Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO, also known as equine heaves) is an inflammatory condition caused by exposure of susceptible horses to organic dusts in hay. The immunological processes responsible for the development and the persistence of airway inflammation are still largely unknown. Hypoxia-inducible factor (Hif) is mainly known as a major regulator of energy homeostasis and cellular adaptation to hypoxia. More recently however, Hif also emerged as an essential regulator of innate immune responses. Here, we aimed at investigating the potential involvement of Hif1-α in myeloid cells in ho...
Bell CD, Howard RD, Taylor DS, Voss ED, Werpy NM.To determine clinical outcome following intrathecal injection of the podotrochlear (navicular) bursa for signs of foot pain in horses evaluated via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and evaluate efficacy of corticosteroids administered with or without hyaluronate. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 23 horses. Methods: Data collected included signalment, history, intended use, duration and severity of lameness, results of diagnostic anesthesia, radiographic abnormalities, MRI abnormalities, and outcomes for return to use. Results: MRI was conducted on 23 horses with lameness localized ...
Liccardi G, Dente B, Restani P, Senna G, Falagiani P, Ballabio C, D'Amato G.In this report we describe un unusual case of exclusive allergic sensitization to furry animals, as a possible study model to speculate about different modalities ofsensitization to allergens of common and less common mammalian species. A 27-year-old woman referred in our Allergological Centre for the occurrence of conjunctival and severe respiratory symptoms after contact with several animals such as cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, cows etc. Patient underwent clinical and anamnestic evaluation including a detailed information on the modality of exposure to different furry animals. Skin-prick-tes...
Husted L, Sanchez LC, Baptiste KE, Olsen SN.Risk factors for the development of gastric squamous ulcers include various management procedures, such as intermittent feed deprivation that can occur during weight management regimens or stall and dry lot confinement. Objective: To investigate the effect of intermittent feed deprivation relative to continuous feed intake on proximal intragastric pH, specifically in the region of the squamous mucosa of the lesser curvature. Methods: In 6 horses, pH electrodes were placed just inside of the oesophageal sphincter in the stomach for each of two 72 h protocols (A and B) in a randomised, cross-ove...
Recio P, López PG, Hernández M, Prieto D, Contreras J, GarcÃa-Sacristán A.The involvement of nitric oxide (NO) and the mechanisms mediating neurogenic relaxation were investigated in the horse corpus cavernosum. NADPH-diaphorase activity was expressed in nerve fibres around arteries and muscular bundles in the horse trabecular tissue. Relaxations in response to electrical field stimulation were tetrodotoxin (10(-6) M)-sensitive, indicating their neurogenic origin. The NO synthase inhibitor, L-NO-arginine (L-NO-Arg, 3 x 10(-5) M), abolished the electrically induced relaxations, which were significantly reversed by L-arginine (3 x 10(-3) M). Exogenous NO (10(-6)-10(-3...
Pojprasath T, Lohachit C, Techakumphu M, Stout T, Tharasanit T.Cryopreservation of stallion semen is often associated with poor post-thaw sperm quality. Sugars are among the important components of a freezing extender and act as non-permeating cryoprotectants. This study aimed to compare the quality of stallion sperm frozen with glucose, fructose or sorbitol-containing freezing extenders. Semen was collected from six stallions of proven fertility and cryopreserved using a freezing extender containing different types of monosaccharide sugars (glucose, fructose or sorbitol). After thawing, the semen was examined for sperm motility, viability, acrosome integ...
Mercer MA, McKenzie HC, Byron CR, Pleasant RS, Bogers SH, Council-Troche RM, Werre SR, Burns T, Davis JL.Acetaminophen has been used clinically in horses alone or combined with traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for treatment of musculoskeletal pain in horses. Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of acetaminophen at two doses in horses with mechanically induced lameness compared with phenylbutazone or placebo control. Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Nine healthy mares with mechanical lameness induced via a reversible sole pressure horseshoe model were treated with acetaminophen (20 mg/kg PO; A20), acetaminophen (30 mg/kg PO; A30), phenylbutazone (2.2â...
Mungall BA, Pollitt CC, Collins R.In situ gelatin zymography is a technique, which utilises a gelatin-based emulsion overlay to detect and, more importantly, localise the gelatinase activity in underlying tissue. Gelatinase A [matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)] and gelatinase B [matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9)] are present in equine hoof homogenates and supernatants from cultured hoof explants by SDS-PAGE gelatin zymography, and it has been assumed that the enzymes are derived solely from matrix and epithelia and not from other sources such as leucocytes. Using in situ zymography, gelatinases are shown to be localised with...
Lizarraga I, Castillo-Alcala F.Combinations of α2 -adrenoceptor and opioid agonists are commonly used in equids, but little scientific information is available on donkeys. Objective: To compare the sedative and hypoalgesic effects of xylazine alone or in combination with different dosages of butorphanol in donkeys. Methods: Placebo-controlled, operator-blinded, randomised, crossover, Latin square study. Methods: Six donkeys received intravenous normal saline and normal saline (NS-NS); xylazine (0.5 mg/kg bwt) and normal saline (X-NS); xylazine and 10 μg/kg bwt butorphanol (X-B10); xylazine and 20 μg/kg bwt butorpha...
Oki H, Miyake T, Hasegawa T, Sasaki Y.Tying-up is a condition that primarily affects the muscles of horses. In this study, the heritability of the Tying-up syndrome in the Thoroughbred racehorse was estimated by Bayesian analysis with Gibbs sampling based on the threshold model for binary traits. The data used were the clinical data in racehorses diagnosed by veterinarians of the Racehorse Clinics of Japan Racing Association from 2000 to 2003. The health status of the Tying-up was treated as a binary trait. In the genetic analysis, the effect of changing the amount of the pedigree or inbreeding information on the estimation of her...
Meershoek LS, Lanovaz JL.To test the sensitivity to measurement and modeling errors of a method for noninvasive calculation of flexor tendon forces in the equine forelimb and to calculate tendon forces for Dutch Warmblood horses during trotting. Methods: A normative set of kinematic and ground-reaction force (GRF) data obtained from horses during trotting in another study. Methods: Forces in the flexor tendons were calculated from the data set before and after addition of fixed relative and absolute errors. Amount of error was based on normal accuracy of the variables. A similar analysis was performed for a measure of...
Nolan MB, Bertschinger HJ, Roth R, Crampton M, Martins IS, Fosgate GT, Stout TA, Schulman ML.An important determinant in the selection of any contraceptive agent is the impact on ovarian function, both in the short and longer term. In this study, ovarian activity was monitored in mares immunised with one of the following vaccine formulations; native porcine zona pellucida (pZP), recombinant zona pellucida proteins ZP3 and ZP4 (reZP), pZP and reZP combined or a commercially available anti-GnRH vaccine. The ZP antigens were prepared in an adjuvant formulation consisting of 6% polymeric adjuvant (Montanide™ PetGel A, Seppic, France) and 500 μg polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid - TLR3-...
Agnew ME, Slack J, Stefanovski D, Linton JK, Sertich PL.Variable gestation length in the mare poses a challenge for determination of fetal readiness for birth. The objectives of this study were to describe sonographic characteristics of the fetal GI tract in the late gestation mare and identify changes that occur with progressing fetal maturity. Based on these characteristics, a grading scale modeled after the existing human and canine scoring system was developed. Weekly sonographic examination of the fetus by one observer beginning 2-3 weeks prior to a calculated due date of 330 days was performed. Fetal assessment included; presence of stomach r...
Boesch JM.This article discusses anesthesia for horses with colic from acute gastrointestinal disease. Emphasis is placed on new developments in pre-, intra-, and immediate postoperative management over the last decade, including early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) in the resuscitation of septic patients, the controversy over the optimal fluid type to administer, and the management of complications, such as cardiovascular depression, hypoventilation and hypoxemia, and decreased colloid oncotic pressure (COP). An update on analgesia is also provided; older drugs such as ketamine and lidocaine are increasi...
Paulino PG, Almosny N, Oliveira R, Viscardi V, Müller A, Guimarães A, Baldani C, da Silva C, Peckle M, Massard C, Santos H.This study aims to report the presence of Neorickettsia risticii DNA in blood samples from naturally infected horses in Rio de Janeiro, provide clinicopathological findings related to the infection, and report the phylogenetic diversity of the 16S rDNA of N. risticii in order to evaluate its heterogeneity. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to investigate the presence of N. risticii in samples collected from horses (n = 187). Five positive samples were found in the molecular screening. Hypoalbuminemia and high levels of creatine kinase and lactate dehydro...
Gomez DE, Leclere M, Arroyo LG, Li L, John E, Afonso T, Payette F, Darby S.This study describes the clinicopathological findings, diagnostic approach, treatment, and factors associated with non-survival of diarrheic horses admitted to 4 Canadian university teaching hospitals between 2015 and 2019. A total of 300 horses, ≥1-year-old, with acute diarrhea were included and represented 1.6% (300/18 481; range: 0.7 to 3%) of admissions during that period, 70% of the horses survived to discharge. Testing for enteropathogens was limited to a single fecal culture for Salmonella spp. in most cases. An enteropathogen was identified in 14% (42/300) of the horses, but in the h...
Miller CB, Wilson DA, Keegan KG, Kreeger JM, Adelstein EH, Ganjam VK.To determine if there is a difference in in vitro growth of fibroblasts isolated from the trunk and distal aspect of the limb of horses and ponies. To determine the effects of a corticosteroid and monokine on in vitro growth of fibroblasts isolated from the trunk and distal aspect of the limb of horses and ponies. Methods: Growth of fibroblasts from tissues harvested from the trunk and limb were compared from horse and pony samples grown in control media and control media with triamcinolone or monokine added. Methods: Dermal and subcutaneous tissue from 22 horses and 17 ponies of various ages ...
Scherzer J, Fayrer-Hosken RA, Aceves M, Hurley DJ, Ray LE, Jones L, Heusner GL.We evaluated combinations of two commercial semen extenders and three concentrations of glycerol to determine the combination that yielded the highest post-thaw sperm motility. Methods: A randomised 2 x 3 block design was used. Methods: Semen was collected from four stallions (6 collections per stallion). The sample was diluted with either a dried skim-milk glucose extender (EZ Mixin Original Formula) or a chemically defined, milk-free diluent (INRA 96), and each was used in combination with 2%, 3% or 4% glycerol in standard commercial freezing medium. Sperm motility was assessed by microscopy...
Morris DD, Moore JN, Fischer K, Tarleton RL.A study was performed to determine whether equine macrophages produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity in vitro in response to endotoxin and to study the effects of endotoxin concentration and incubation time on the amount of TNF produced. Equine peritoneal macrophages were isolated and cultured in vitro for 2, 6, 12, or 24 hr in tissue culture media containing 1) no additive (nonstimulated control), 2) endotoxin (0.5 ng/ml, 5 ng/ml, or 5 micrograms/ml), or 3) the calcium ionophore A23187 (0.95 microM). The supernatant media concentrations of TNF activity were determined by an in vitro cyt...
Nagy A, Dyson SJ, Murray JK.Several studies have shown that a considerable proportion of horses are eliminated from endurance rides due to lameness and metabolic problems. Limited information is available on specific veterinary issues in endurance horses and there are no descriptive data on veterinary problems in a large population of endurance horses. The aim of this study was to describe veterinary problems occurring in endurance horses in England and Wales, the regions of the United Kingdom where endurance rides are organised and regulated by Endurance Great Britain (Endurance GB). A comprehensive online self-complete...
