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.
Scrivani PV, Levine JM, Holmes NL, Furr M, Divers TJ, Cohen ND.Different examiners or the same examiner were observed at different times producing slightly different results when obtaining cervical-vertebral ratios. If the difference is substantial, then measurement variability would have an important impact of radiographic interpretation. Objective: To quantify agreement and repeatability of these measurements. Methods: An observer agreement study was performed using 75 horses. Measurements were made at C3-4 and C6-7 by a board-certified radiologist and an imaging resident. Intra- and interobserver agreement was quantified using Bland-Altman plots. Repea...
Canola PA, Perotta JH, Laskoski LM, Escobar A, Melo e Silva CA, Canola JC, Johnson PJ, Valadão CA.Standing surgical procedures are being employed to an ever-greater extent in horses. Pneumoperitoneum during abdominal surgery might adversely affect the work of breathing. Objective: To determine whether development of pneumoperitoneum during abdominal surgery adversely influences the work of breathing. Methods: Eight healthy mature horses were equipped with carotid artery and thoracic vena cava catheters and an intraluminal manometry system. The following measurements were obtained before and at +5, +10, +15 and +30 min following establishment of pneumoperitoneum by paralumbar puncture using...
Liu Y, Uboh CE, Soma LR, Li X, Guan F, You Y, Rudy JA, Chen JW.In 2008, Pennsylvania (PA) became the first State in the USA to ban and enforce the ban on the use of anabolic and androgenic steroids (AAS) in equine athletes by using plasma for analysis. To enforce the ban, a rapid and high-throughput method for analysis of 60 AAS in equine plasma was developed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Analytes were recovered from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using methyl tert-butyl ether, separated on a reversed-phase C₁₈ column and analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM)...
Mendez-Angulo JL, Mudge MC, Vilar-Saavedra P, Stingle N, Couto CG.To evaluate the use of citrated recalcified (nonactivated) thromboelastography (TEG) in healthy horses and horses with colitis and suspected coagulopathies. Methods: Prospective, observational study conducted between October 2007 and June 2009. Methods: Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Methods: Forty-five healthy adult horses and 12 sick adult horses with colitis and prolonged prothrombin time (PT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Methods: None. Results: Whole blood was collected on admission. Coagulation profile (PT, aPTT, platelet count, and fibrinogen concentration) and citrate...
Oosterlinck M, Pille F, Back W, Dewulf J, Gasthuys F.The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between fore- and hind-hoof contact area and limb loading. Data from a previous study on forelimb loading and symmetry were compared with data on hindlimb kinetics, and the fore- and hind-hoof contact area at the walk and trot was evaluated. Five sound ponies, selected for symmetrical feet, were walked and trotted over a pressure plate embedded in a custom-made runway. The hindlimb peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) were found to be significantly lower than in the forelimb, whereas their high symmetry ratios (>95%) did n...
Doré M.Cyclooxygenase (COX; also known as prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase) is a key enzyme in the biochemical pathway leading to the synthesis of prostaglandins. A large amount of epidemiological and experimental evidence supports a role for COX-2, the inducible form of the enzyme, in human tumorigenesis, notably in colorectal cancer. COX-2 mediates this role through the production of PGE(2) that acts to inhibit apoptosis, promote cell proliferation, stimulate angiogenesis, and decrease immunity. Similarly, COX-2 is believed to be involved in the oncogenesis of some cancers in domestic animals. H...
Panzani D, Zicchino I, Taras A, Marmorini P, Crisci A, Rota A, Camillo F.Artificial photoperiod treatment is currently the best method to hasten the first ovulation of the breeding season in winter anoestrus mares. However, this is not easy to apply in large herds of mares and, to be effective, has to be planned in the northern hemisphere in December at the latest. Pharmacological treatments have been proposed as alternatives: GnRH agonists, progesterone or its synthetic agonist Altrenogest, and dopamino-antagonists, as pherphenazine, domperidone or sulpiride. Dopamino-antagonists protocols, beginning at a given day of the year, gave controversial results in terms ...
Viana D, Blanco J, Tormo-Más MA, Selva L, Guinane CM, Baselga R, Corpa J, Lasa I, Novick RP, Fitzgerald JR, Penadés JR.Staphylococci adapt specifically to various animal hosts by genetically determined mechanisms that are not well understood. One such adaptation involves the ability to coagulate host plasma, by which strains isolated from ruminants or horses can be differentiated from closely related human strains. Here, we report first that this differential coagulation activity is due to animal-specific alleles of the von Willebrand factor-binding protein (vWbp) gene, vwb, and second that these vwb alleles are carried by highly mobile pathogenicity islands, SaPIs. Although all Staphylococcus aureus possess c...
Respondek F, Myers K, Smith TL, Wagner A, Geor RJ.Obesity and insulin resistance are risk factors for laminitis in horses and ponies, and diet can play an important role in modulating these risk factors. Dietary supplementation with prebiotic fibers, such as short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS), has resulted in improvement of insulin sensitivity in obese dogs and rodents. Thus, we hypothesized that scFOS may reduce insulin resistance in obese horses and designed a study to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with scFOS on insulin sensitivity. Eight mature Arabian geldings (BW = 523.0 ± 56.5 kg) with an average BCS of 8 were...
Robin CA, Wylie CE, Wood JL, Newton JR.Detailed knowledge of horse populations can better facilitate effective control of equine diseases. Preliminary studies were undertaken to ascertain the type of information held on the UK's National Equine Database (NED) and to determine the geographical resolution at which mandatorily recorded owner addresses might be a suitable proxy for predicting horse locations. Results indicated that relatively few UK passport-issuing organisations requested details of where horses were kept in addition to owner address details. Examination of data on 1440 horses held on an Animal Health Trust syndromic ...
Nagy A, Dyson S.Detailed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological appearances of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (AL-DDFT) have not been documented previously in detail. Objective: To: 1) describe anatomical connections between the AL-DDFT and adjacent structures; 2) describe high-field and low-field MRI and histological appearances of the AL-DDFT in the forelimb of horses with no carpal or proximal metacarpal pain; and 3) assess the relationship between age, breed, gender, height, weight and MRI findings. Methods: Ten forelimbs were dissected to determine anatomical relation...
Garrett KS, Woodie JB, Embertson RM.Assessment of arytenoid movement has traditionally been performed using upper airway (UA) endoscopy. However, recent work suggests that laryngeal ultrasonography may provide additional complementary information. Objective: To determine the value of laryngeal ultrasonography for the diagnosis of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in the horse. Objective: Horses with abnormal arytenoid movement (AM) during treadmill UA endoscopy would have increased echogenicity of the left cricoarytenoideus lateralis muscle (CALM) and smaller left CALM and vocalis size while horses with normal AM during treadmill U...
Fowlie JG, Arnoczky SP, Stick JA, Pease AP.By study of the translocation and deformation of equine menisci throughout the range of motion, it may be possible to identify potential mechanical factors in the pathogenesis of injury to the cranial horn of the medial meniscus. Objective: To quantitatively document meniscal translocation and deformation using radiographic and MR imaging, and to evaluate for potential variation between the medial and lateral menisci. Methods: Radiographic markers were embedded in the periphery of the menisci in 6 cadaver stifles. Proximal-distal radiographs were taken at 15° intervals ranging from full flexi...
Donofrio G, Capocefalo A, Franceschi V, Morini G, Del Bue M, Conti V, Cavirani S, Grolli S.Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells have been shown to have multiple lineage differentiation properties and to be suitable for tissues regeneration in many degenerative processes. Their use has been proposed for the therapy of joint diseases and tendon injuries in the horse. In the present report the genetic manipulation of Equine Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells has been investigated. Results: Equine Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells were successfully virally transduced as well as transiently and stably transfected with appropriate parameters, without detrimental effect on their differentiation properties...
Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Collins SS, Ionita M, Kuzmina TA, Rossano M.Efficacy of ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MOX) against small strongyles was evaluated in horses (n=363) in field tests on 14 farms in Central Kentucky between 2007 and 2009. Most of the horses were yearlings but a few were weanlings and mares. The number of horses treated with IVM was 255 and those treated with MOX was 108. Horses on six farms were allotted into two groups. One group was treated with each of the two drugs, whereas horses on the other eight farms were treated with only one of the two drugs--IVM on six farms and MOX on two farms. Strongyle eggs per gram of feces (EPGs) compar...
Park SB, Seo MS, Kang JG, Chae JS, Kang KS.Amniotic fluid (AF) is a well-known source of stem cells. However, there have been no reports regarding equine AF stem cells. We have isolated equine AF-derived multipotent stem cells (MSC) (eAF-MSC) and show that these cells exhibit self-renewal ability and multilineage differentiation. Methods: AF was obtained from thoroughbred mares and mononuclear cells (MNC) were isolated by Ficoll-Paque density gradient. We measured the cumulative population doubling level (CPDL) and characterized the immunophenotype by flow cytometry. To investigate differentiation ability, a trilineage differentiation ...
Revold T, Larsen S, Ihler CF.Less than a third of Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotters (NSCTs) have started racing as three year olds since the year 2000 despite the fact that large sums are paid out as price-money in the three year season. Recruitment races are arranged by the Norwegian Trotting Association (NTA) to stimulate early training. The management of young horses varies considerably and a large majority is reared by amateurs. The aim of the present study was to identify predictors of early race starts in young NSCT horses under field conditions. Methods: Of the 801 registered NSCT horses born in 2005, 144 were...
Cawdell-Smith AJ, Scrivener CJ, Bryden WL.Invasion of the flowering heads of grasses by Claviceps spp. can produce sclerotia (ergots) containing several toxins. Ingestion of these toxins, through the consumption of paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum), can induce a range of clinical symptoms, including staggers. Cattle are the most commonly affected species, but although sheep and horses have been reported affected there are no published descriptions of paspalum staggers in horses. We describe two occurrences of paspalum staggers, the first in three Australian Stockhorse foals and the second in mature Standardbred horses. All three foals pre...
Venter M, Swanepoel R.West Nile virus (WNV) is widely distributed in South Africa, but since a few cases of neurological disease have been reported from this region, endemic lineage 2 strains were postulated to be of low virulence. Several cases of nonfatal encephalitis in humans as well as fatal cases in a foal, dog, and ostrich chicks have, however, been associated with lineage 2 WNV in South Africa. The pathogenesis of lineage 2 WNV strains was investigated using mouse neuroinvasive experiments, gene expression experiments, and genome sequence comparisons which indicated that lineage 2 strains that are highly pa...
Van Galen G, Amory H, Busschers E, Cassart D, De Bruijn M, Gerber V, Keen J, Lefere L, Pitel CM, Marr C, Müller JM, Pineau X, Saegerman C....Atypical myopathy is an acute, severe rhabdomyolysis occurring in grazing horses. In the beginning of October 2009, a new outbreak occurred in several European countries. Geographic, demographic and clinical data of the reported cases in the month October 2009 are described. Results: The survival rate in this outbreak was 25%. The most frequently observed clinical signs were congested mucous membranes, dyspnea, tachycardia, depression, weakness, stiffness, recumbency, trembling, sweating, and myoglobinuria. Nonsurvivors were significantly more likely to be recumbent than survivors. Prognostic ...
Slough TL, Rispoli LA, Carnevale EM, Niswender GD, Bruemmer JE.A biopsy procedure was developed to enable repeated sampling of a single equine corpus luteum (CL) over the course of an estrous cycle. The tissue collected was utilized in characterizing mRNA abundance for genes involved in luteal formation, function, and regression in the cyclic mare. Serial biopsies of CL in cyclic mares (2.7 to 27.5 mg per biopsy) were collected using an ultrasound-guided transvaginal technique. Biopsies were collected from each mare on d 2 and 5 (d 0 = ovulation) of the estrous cycle, and every other day from d 12 through luteolysis. Samples were obtained from 4 mares wit...
Rola J, Larska M, Rola JG, Belák S, Autorino GL.The aim of the study was to determine the situation of equine arteritis virus (EAV) infections in hucul horses. A total of 176 horses (154 mares and 22 stallions) from the biggest hucul horse stud in Poland were tested. Antibodies against EAV were detected in 97 (55.1%) horses. The EAV seroprevalence among mares was 53.2% while in stallions - 68.2%. The percentage of positive mares increased with their age, thus amongst the mares of less than 2 years of age the percentage was 32.5%, while in the group of 3-5 years old increased to 59.4% and in the mares in the age of 6-10 years and older than ...
Gilger BC, Wilkie DA, Clode AB, McMullen RJ, Utter ME, Komaromy AM, Brooks DE, Salmon JH.To determine the long-term efficacy, complications, and duration of effect of a cyclosporine (CsA) suprachoroidal implant (CSI) in horses with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU). Methods: Horses with ERU were treated with a 6-mm diameter, 25 mg, reservoir matrix CsA implant in the deep sclera adjacent to the suprachoroidal space. Horses with follow-up >1 year were examined for frequency of uveitis episodes, complications, and vision at last recheck. Results: Data from 151 eyes of 133 horses from the USA and Europe that had CsA devices implanted for ERU were reviewed. Follow-up time ranged from 13 ...
Guest DJ, Smith MR, Allen WR.Injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is common in racing and sport horses and poor tendon regeneration leads to high reinjury rates. Autologous mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are being used clinically to improve tendon regeneration but they have some practical limitations. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) may overcome these limitations but their fate following injection into the damaged SDFT is unknown. Objective: To inject MSCs and ESCs into distinct areas of damage in the SDFT and monitor their survival over a 3 month period. Methods: MSCs and ESCs expressing different reporte...
Blanton JD, Palmer D, Rupprecht CE.During 2009, 49 states and Puerto Rico reported 6,690 rabid animals and 4 human rabies cases to the CDC, representing a 2.2% decrease from the 6,841 rabid animals and 2 human cases reported in 2008. Approximately 92% of reported rabid animals were wildlife. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,327 (34.8%) raccoons, 1,625 (24.3%) bats, 1,603 (24.0%) skunks, 504 (75%) foxes, 300 (4.5%) cats, 81 (1.2%) dogs, and 74 (1.1%) cattle. Compared with 2008, numbers of rabid raccoons and bats that were reported decreased, whereas numbers of rabid skunks, foxes, cats, cattle...
Dugdale AH, Curtis GC, Cripps P, Harris PA, Argo CM.Increased prevalence of obesity among UK horses and ponies demands evidence-based advice to promote weight loss. Objective: Restriction of dry matter intake (DMI) to 1% of body mass (BM, 67% [corrected] of predicted maintenance digestible energy [DE] requirements) would promote weight loss without compromise to health. Methods: Five mature (mean ± s.e. 10 ± 2 years), overweight/obese pony mares (BM, 257 ± 20 kg: body condition score [BCS] 6.8/9 ± 0.5) were studied over 12 weeks. Animals were individually housed. Daily provision of a chaff-based, complete diet (measured DE, 8.5 MJ/kg DM) wa...
Gilger BC, Histed J, Pate DO, Clode AB, McMullen RJ.This case report describes the clinical, diagnostic, computed tomography findings, and surgical treatment of a 2-year-old Morgan filly with bilateral, proximal, and distal anomalous nasolacrimal duct openings.
Frisbie DD, Mc Ilwraith CW, Arthur RM, Blea J, Baker VA, Billinghurst RC.Biomarkers have shown some in vivo promise for the detection of musculoskeletal injuries, but further study to assess biomarker levels in clinical orthopaedic disease is required. Objective: To assess 7 serum biomarkers for the detection of musculoskeletal injuries. Methods: Two- and 3-year-old racehorses were entered into the study (n = 238). Exit criteria were lack of training for >30 days, or completion of 10 study months. Data from horses with solitary musculoskeletal injuries and completion of >2 months were analysed. Musculoskeletal injury was considered intra-articular fragmentation (IA...
Handler J, Königshofer M, Kindahl H, Schams D, Aurich C.We conducted the present study to establish a standardized method for cervical stimulation without affecting the endometrium, and to investigate the effect on estrous cycle pattern and concentrations of progesterone, oxytocin and PGF2alpha-metabolite of cervical dilatation in the mare. Six healthy Haflinger mares underwent three different treatments (control, insertion, dilatation) on Days 5 and 7 of the cycles in different orders according to a Latin square design. During dilatation, the balloon of the catheter was inflated stepwise every 30s with warm physiological saline to a maximum of 50 ...
Herrera M, Herrera JM, Cantatore S, Aguilar J, Felipe A, Fumuso E.Uterine acute post-breeding inflammation is a physiological tissue response to the entry of exogenous elements, with persistent endometritis being the main pathology responsible for subfertility in the mare (Equus ferus caballus; Linnaeus, 1758). Mares can be classified as susceptible or resistant to endometritis according to their ability to remove intrauterine fluid within 48 hr after experimental inoculation. Endometrial biopsy is a technique that is commonly used to establish the degree of lesions that can affect the fertility of the mare. Endometrial histomorphometry is an objective and ...
Bienert A, Bartmann CP, von Oppen T, Poppe C, Schiemann V, Deegen E.Isofluorane is a modern, only slightly depressive inhalation anaesthetic with excellent pharmacologic characteristics in use in equine medicine. In contrast to halothane, isofluorane is hardly broken down in the liver, but is eliminated by the lung. It low solubility in blood permits excellent control of anaesthesia. However, due to its swift elimination from the organism there is heightened risk of premature recovery from isofluorane anaesthesia. In this study the recovery phases of 96 horses were monitored for its duration and the animals' physical coordination. The horses were divided into ...
Straticò P, Razzuoli E, Hattab J, Guerri G, Celani G, Palozzo A, Bonanni D, Fruscione F, Varasano V, Petrizzi L, Marruchella G.A 7-year-old Friesian stallion with a history of oesophageal stenosis, weight loss, inappetence, and recurrent hyperthermia was referred for gastroscopy. The stomach mucosa surrounding the oesophageal opening showed a large, necrotic, and ulcerated mass. On post-mortem examination, a very large, cauliflower-like neoplasm was seen, affecting non-glandular gastric mucosa. Nodular lesions were observed, scattered on the omentum, the spleen, and the liver. Microscopic findings allowed the diagnosis of gastric squamous cell carcinoma with abdominal metastasis. Biomolecular investigations demonstrat...
Dabareiner RM, White NA.A 9-year-old Thoroughbred was evaluated for clinical signs of acute abdominal pain. During laparotomy, a rent in the diaphragm and herniation of the small intestine into the thoracic cavity were detected. Because edges of the rent were smooth and fibrous, which suggested the defect was chronic, the abdomen was closed without repairing the rent. After recurrence of clinical signs, a second laparotomy was performed, during which the intestines were found to have reherniated. The diaphragmatic rent was repaired, using a polypropylene mesh secured with stainless steel staples. The horse recovered ...
Schams D, Papkoff H.Highly purified pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) can be prepared from crude commercial preparations of PMSG by chromatography on sulfoethyl-Sephadex C-50 and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The preparation was examined by disc electrophoresis and gel filtration and found to be of high purity. Amino acid analysis shows similarities to pituitary gonadotropins. The PMSG contains a high content of proline and cystine and low amounts of the aromatic amino acids. Phenylalanine is the major amino terminal amino acid. The carbohydrate content totals 45% of which 10% is the content of sialic a...
Wentink GH.The dynamics of the hind limbs of the horse and dog at walk are compared. The kinematics were studied by electromyography of animals walking on a moving belt, and by cinephotography in horses walking on the ground and in dogs walking on a moving belt and on the ground.
This study reveals that: 1) the retraction of the hoof or foot relative to the hip at the end of the support phase is less in the horse than in the dog; 2) the change in the sense of the movements of the hind limb segments at the end of the support phase and at the beginning of the swing phase occurs earlier in the horse (55...
Smith MRW, Corletto FC, Wright IM.Thirty years have elapsed since the last published review of outcome following fracture of the proximal phalanx in Thoroughbred racehorses in the UK and contemporary results are needed to be able to advise of expected outcome. Objective: Collect and analyse outcome data following repair of fractures of the proximal phalanx in Thoroughbred racehorses in the UK. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Case records of all Thoroughbred racehorses admitted to Newmarket Equine Hospital for evaluation of a parasagittal fracture of the proximal phalanx during a 5 years period were reviewed. Follo...
Bracun A, Ellis AD, Hall C.Ophthalmic examination in the horse is generally limited to crude assessment of vision and screening for ocular lesions. The refractive state of equine eyes and the potential impact on vision and performance requires further investigation. Objective: To assess the refractive state of a large, mixed-breed sample of horses and ponies in the United Kingdom (UK). Methods: The refractive state of both eyes of 333 horses and ponies was determined by streak retinoscopy, and the effect of age, height, gender, breed and management regime on the refractive state assessed. Results: Emmetropia was found i...
van der Kolk JH, Fouché N, Gross JJ, Gerber V, Bruckmaier RM.In this review, we address the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis with special emphasis on the comparison between the bovine and equine species. The pars intermedia of the pituitary gland is particularly well developed in horses and cattle. However, its function is not well appreciated in cattle yet. The Wulzen's cone of the adenohypophysis is a special feature of ruminants. Total basal cortisol concentration is much higher in horses than that in cows with similar free cortisol fractions. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) concentrations in equine pituitary veno...
Carluccio A, De Amicis I, Panzani S, Tosi U, Faustini M, Veronesi MC.No knowledge regarding the peripartum changes in mammary secretions in the jenny are presently available in literature. In the mare, instead, several studies report the role of these changes as indicators of foetal readiness for birth and impending parturition. This experiment was designed to determine calcium, sodium, potassium concentrations, and the value of sodium/potassium ratio in mammary fluids during prepartum in the jenny. Samples were daily collected by hand milking, after mammary gland size increased noticeably, from 17 Martina Franca jennies. Prepartum mammary secretions were analy...
Romagnoli N, Zannoni A, Bernardini C, Gobbetti T, Bombardi C, Rambaldi AM, Morini M, Dondi F, Rinnovati R, Lambertini C, Spadari A.Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR) is a G-protein-coupled receptor for trypsin and mast cell tryptase; it is highly expressed at the intestinal level with multiple functions, such as epithelial permeability and intestinal motility. The aim of the study was to evaluate the distribution and expression of proteinase-activated receptor 2 in the small intestine during herniation through epiploic foramen. In this prospective clinical study, eight horses admitted for colic and which underwent exploratory laparotomy were considered. During surgery, the jejunum or the ileum was sampled by enterectom...
Bergström K, Grönlund U.Detection of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in horses in Sweden has increased attention on infection control (IC) in equine hospitals. This study established baseline data on IC programmes within such settings, evaluated compliance with some IC procedures before and after an education intervention, and examined barriers to compliance.The study was carried out between 2008 and 2011 in four Swedish equine hospitals. Data on current IC of each hospital, purchase data on hand sanitisers and disposable gloves per patient, and direct observations of compliance with...
Schumacher J, Honnas C, Smith B.Primary paranasal sinusitis complicated by inspissated exudate within the ventral conchal sinus was diagnosed in five horses. Clinical signs included a unilateral, foul-smelling, mucopurulent nasal exudate of 2 to 7 months' duration. Two of the horses had partial nasal obstruction from distortion of the ventral concha. Radiographs of the skull showed a mass of soft tissue density dorsal to the roots of the superior third and fourth or fourth and fifth cheek teeth. Treatment included bone flap maxillary sinusotomy with exposure of the ventral nasal concha and removal of inspissated exudate. Res...
Carroll JF, Schmidtmann ET.The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), was the only ixodid tick found feeding on horses in Montgomery County, Md., from May to August. Average tick burdens were low (less than one tick per horse per week), but >80% of 33 horses examined weekly were exposed to tick feeding during the summer. Of the 98 ticks collected, 78% were attached to the tail and 12% were present in the mane. Host-seeking adult D. variabilis were active on vegetation in pastures from May to early August, with most specimens along hedgerows, woods margins, and horse paths.
Hamond C, Martins G, Bremont S, Medeiros MA, Bourhy P, Lilenbaum W.The purpose of the present study was to detect the presence of DNA of pathogenic Leptospira sp. in vaginal fluids of mares regarding a possible role of the sexual transmission. A total of 134 breeding mares from four troops were studied and sampling was conducted from vaginal fluids and urine for culture and PCR; and blood for serology. From the 134 serum samples tested, 59 (44%) were seroreactive, and serovar Bratislava was the most frequent (54.2%). None positive culture was obtained, but leptospiral DNA was detected by PCR (lipL32 gene) in 45 (33.5%) urine samples and 43 (32%) vaginal fluid...
Zhao G, Wu K, Cui L, Zhao L, Liu Y, Tan X, Zhou H.Three media were evaluated for their ability to support in vitro maturation of donkey (Equus asinus) oocytes and their development after parthenogenetic activation. The basal medium for Medium 1 (M1) and Medium 2 (M2) was M199 and DMEM/F12 respectively, whereas, Medium 3 (M3) consisted of equal parts (v/v) of M199 and DMEM/F12. All three media were supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal calf serum, 0.01 units/mL porcine FSH, 0.01 units/mL equine LH, 200 ng/mL insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-I), 10 μl/mL insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS), 0.1 mg/mL taurine, 0.1 mg/mL L-cysteine, 0.05 mg/mL L-glut...
Walker VA, Dyson SJ, Murray RC.Development of core muscle strength is important for training and during rehabilitation following injury. A Pessoa training aid (PTA) is a system of ropes and pulleys which is commonly used during equine training and rehabilitation, but there is limited information on its effectiveness. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of the PTA on the temporal, linear and angular kinematics of the working trot. Influence of testing order on effect of a PTA was assessed in four horses. Twelve riding horses were lunged at working trot on a 16 m diameter circle without (WO) and with a PTA ...
Kawcak CE, Trotter GW, Powers BE, Park RD, Turner AS.The purpose of this study was to compare bone healing induced by equine demineralized bone matrix (DBM) to autogenous cancellous bone graft (ACB) or no graft (control) in a rib-defect model in horses. Methods: The osteogenic properties of ACB and DBM were evaluated in bilateral 19-mm circular defects created in the outer cortex of the 6th and 8th ribs of each horse. Methods: Eight mature horses. Methods: Three rib defects in each horse were randomly treated with each of the 3 treatment groups, and the fourth rib defect received a random treatment. Rib sections, including the defects, were harv...
Wang J, Xue J, Kong J, Li J, Zhang S, Cao X.The pharmacokinetic properties of vitacoxib have not been established completely; current dosage recommendations are based on clinical experiences. The primary objective of this study was to describe plasma concentrations and characterize the pharmacokinetics of vitacoxib formulation following oral administrations in horses. Also, the effect of the state of stomach contents on the absorption of vitacoxib was investigated in fed/fasted horses. Blood samples were collected prior to and at various times up to 72 hr post-administration. Drug concentrations were measured using ultra high-performan...
Grimes JA, Wallace ML, Schmiedt CW, Parks AH.To compare surgical models for teaching enterotomies to students. Methods: Prospective, randomized study. Methods: Second-year veterinary students (n = 59) and faculty surgeons/surgery residents (n = 19). Methods: Participants performed an enterotomy on each of 3 models (equine cadaver intestine, SurgiReal small intestine simulator, and SynDaver canine bowel) and completed a survey comparing them to either an enterotomy on an anesthetized pig (students) or intestinal surgery experience (faculty/residents). Surveys results were compiled and analyzed. Results: Both student and faculty/resident g...
Ousey JC, Palmer L, Cash RS, Grimes KJ, Fletcher AP, Barrelet A, Foote AK, Manning FM, Ricketts SW.Standard bacteriological methods for identifying Taylorella equigenitalis in cervical smears are time consuming. Therefore, a more rapid real-time PCR assay was evaluated for its suitability in screening swabs. Objective: To compare the results of a commercially available real-time PCR assay with routine microbiological culture for the identification of T. equigenitalis, the causative organism of contagious equine metritis, in equine genital swab samples, under 'field trial' conditions. Methods: Routine prebreeding genital swabs (n=2072) collected from Thoroughbred mares and stallions during 2...
Hibbs CD, Barrett PM, Dees DD.To determine intraocular pressure (IOP) reference intervals in eyes of healthy miniature donkeys (Equus africanus asinus) via rebound and applanation tonometry. Methods: Complete ophthalmic and physical examinations were performed by board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists. Inclusion criteria for animals participating in this study were dictated by the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) reference interval guidelines. Intraocular pressure estimates (TonoVet® and TonoPen XL® ) were obtained in both eyes. Forty animals (San Angelo group) received intramuscular xylazi...
Costa MHDS, Medeiros PR, Melo UP, de Souza RF, da Silva GEL, Ferreira C, de Assis DB, da Silva LP, de Brito EL.Horse owners are crucial in recognizing colic because they are responsible for identifying the signs of colic and deciding whether to seek veterinary intervention. Common reasons for delayed response to clinical issues include lack of understanding or knowledge of the subject and difficulty in recognizing subtle clinical signs of abdominal pain. Examining horse owners' basic knowledge of colic, their motivations, obstacles in seeking veterinary care, and their responses to the various clinical symptoms manifested during colic will identify current knowledge gaps and decision-making barriers. T...
Murch KM.Clinical findings, surgical repair and postsurgical care of a unilateral fracture of the mandible of a bull and of a bilateral mandibular fracture in a horse are described. Compression plating limited the pain suffered by the animals and resulted in a quick return to function of the mandibles.
Inoue J, Cerbito WA, Oguri N, Matsuzawa T, Sato K.The serum concentrations of testosterone and oestrogens were determined in stallions classified as geldings, normal (according to age) or infertile (azoospermic). There were significant differences in testosterone and oestrogen levels between the groups. Normal concentrations of testosterone and total oestrogens were attained after 16 months of age. Castrated and immature horses ( 4 years). The results suggest that serum levels of testosterone and total oestrogens may provide a sensitive index of the endocrine function of the testis in male horses.
Terblanche HM, Maree L.Plasma progesterone was determined with the aid of a competitive protein-binding assay in mares during the oestrous cycle, early pregnancy (45--60 days) and later pregnancy (2--10 months). Progesterone levels were low during oestrus (less than 1 ng per ml) (3,18 nmol/l) and reached high levels (often in excess of 10 ng per ml) (31.8 nmol/l) within 3--4 days after ovulation. The high luteal levels were maintained for approximately 5--8 days and then declined sharply over a period of approximately 24--48 hours to reach low levels at the subsequent oestrus period. In mares conceiving after servic...
van den Hoven R, Bauer A, Hackl S, Zickl M, Spona J, Zentek J.The time-dependent changes in intramuscular amino acid (AA) levels caused by exercise and by feeding a protein/AA supplement were analysed in nine horses. Horses were submitted to a total of four standardized exercise tests (SETs). Amino acid concentrations were determined prior to, immediately after, 4 and 18 h after exercise. The experiment was subdivided into two consecutive periods of 3 weeks. In each period two SETs were performed. In the second period, horses were given a protein/AA supplement within 1 h after exercise. Significant changes in mean plasma AA levels similar to previous stu...
