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.
Miller MA, Kottler SJ, Ramos-Vara JA, Johnson PJ, Ganjam VK, Evans TJ.Response to 3-methylindole (3MI) varies among species. Mice recover from 3MI-induced bronchiolar epithelial injury but sustain persistent olfactory mucosal injury with scarring and epithelial metaplasia. In contrast, 3MI induces obliterative bronchiolitis in horses and ponies, but olfactory mucosal injury has not been reported. To evaluate the effect of 3MI on equine olfactory mucosa, ponies were dosed orally with 100 mg 3MI/kg (n = 9) or corn oil vehicle (n = 6). All ponies treated with 3MI developed obliterative bronchiolitis with mild olfactory injury. By 3 days after 3MI dosing, olfactory ...
Bacciarini LN, Boerlin P, Straub R, Frey J, Gröne A.Clostridia-associated intestinal disease in horses was generally reported to be due to infection with Clostridium perfringens type A, which harbors the cpa-encoded alpha-toxin. A recent study demonstrated a high incidence of beta2-toxigenic C. perfringens in horses suffering or dying from typhlocolitis, suggesting that this novel type of C. perfringens might play an important role in typhlocolitis and possibly other equine intestinal diseases. A retrospective study was conducted to assess the presence of the beta2-toxin in tissues of the equine gastrointestinal tract. Monospecific polyclonal a...
Lee JY, Kang TY, Lee YD, Shin TK.The binding specificities of various lectins, such as the Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and the Bandeiraea simplicifolia BS-1 (Isolectin B4), Triticum vulgaris (WGA), Arachis hypogaea (PNA), and Ulex europaeus (UEA-I) lectins, were studied in the vomeronasal organ of the horse. The microvilli of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium were positive for DBA, SBA, Isolectin B4, WGA, PNA, and UEA-I. The receptor cells showed intense reactivity for DBA and WGA. Lectins were not detected in the supporting cells or basal cells. The Jacobson's glands were positive for WGA a...
Ha TY, Ahn MJ, Lee YD, Yang JH, Kim HS, Shin TK.Lectins are glycoproteins of plant and animal origin that have the ability to bind specific carbohydrate residues of cell glycoconjugates, particularly in terminal positions. In this study, the binding of lectins, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), Bandeiraea simplicifolia BS-1 (isolectin B4), Triticum vulgaris (WGA), Arachis hypogaea (PNA), and Ulex europaeus (UEA-I), was studied in the reproductive systems of male thoroughbred horses.DBA was detected in the stereocilia of the caput and corpus epididymis, and in the vas deferens. It was weakly detected in connective...
Shin JA, Yang YH, Kim HS, Yun YM, Lee KK.The study was carried out to investigate the genetic polymorphism of the serum proteins of horses in Cheju. They were assigned to three groups; 45 Cheju native horses(CNH), 60 Cheju racing horses(CRH) and 60 Thoroughbreds(TB). We analyzed the phenotypes and gene frequencies of serum proteins which were albumin (Alb), vitamin-D binding protein(GC), esterase (ES), A1B glycoprotein(A1B) and transferrin(TF) loci using horizontal polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (HPAGE). All of the loci, except A1B in TB, showed polymorphisms and different allelic and phenotypic frequencies in all three groups. E...
Ginther OJ, Beg MA, Donadeu FX, Bergfelt DR.Diameter deviation is a distinctive change in growth rates among the follicles of a wave, heralding the formation of a dominant follicle and subordinate follicles. When the follicles are about 5mm in cattle and 13 mm in horses, the wave-stimulating FSH surge reaches peak concentrations. Follicle and FSH manipulation studies in both species have shown that the declining portion of the surge before the beginning of deviation is a function of multiple growing follicles that require the decreasing FSH. During this time, all follicles of the wave have the potential for future dominance. Deviation b...
Henninger W, Frame EM, Willmann M, Simhofer H, Malleczek D, Kneissl SM, Mayrhofer E.Sinusitis is a common disorder in horses and may result from trauma, dental diseases, or space-occupying lesions. Radiography can only provide a limited amount of information. Computed tomography (CT) has been documented as an alternative imaging method. Eighteen horses (mostly Warmblood) with signs of chronic sinusitis were examined preoperatively with CT to assist in diagnosis of the underlying cause. There was a group of common CT features in horses with dental disease and sinusitis. The first molar was the most frequently affected maxillary cheek tooth. Hypoattenuation of the cementum, des...
Erichsen C, Eksell P, Widström C, Roethlisberger Holm K, Johnston C, Lord P.Scintigraphic evaluation of the spinous processes of the equine spine has been done by subjective evaluation of radiotracer uptake in clinically abnormal horses. To determine the range of variation in asymptomatic riding horses, 33 normal horses were examined. Two 60 degrees oblique views of the thoracic and lumbar spine were evaluated subjectively, and a semi quantitative method based on standardized regions of interest in each spinous process in T10-L3 was also applied. A ratio between each spinous process and a reference area (Rib 15 or 16) was calculated. The effects of two different color...
Dimsoski P.To describe the development and performance of the new horse genotyping kit. Methods: Highly discriminatory 17-Plex horse genotyping kit was designed by adding the fifth dye to the StockMarks kit for genotyping horses and taking advantage of the new instrument platforms. This was accomplished by using a new set of five fluorescent dyes developed by Applied Biosystems (DS-31), with four of the dyes used to label the forward amplification primers (6-FAM, VIC, NED, and PET) in each primer set. Results: The new equine kit contained five extra loci (ASB17, LEX3, HMS1, CA425, and ASB23) in addition ...
Li F, Craigo JK, Howe L, Steckbeck JD, Cook S, Issel C, Montelaro RC.Previous evaluations of inactivated whole-virus and envelope subunit vaccines to equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) have revealed a broad spectrum of efficacy ranging from highly type-specific protection to severe enhancement of viral replication and disease in experimentally immunized equids. Among experimental animal lentivirus vaccines, immunizations with live attenuated viral strains have proven most effective, but the vaccine efficacy has been shown to be highly dependent on the nature and severity of the vaccine virus attenuation. We describe here for the first time the characterizati...
Banet-Noach C, Malkinson M, Brill A, Samina I, Yadin H, Weisman Y, Pokamunski S, King R, Deubel V, Stram Y.In November 1997, an outbreak of a neuroparalytic disease caused by West Nile (WN) virus was diagnosed in young goose flocks. Domestic geese were similarly affected in the late summer and fall of 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. WN viruses were also isolated from migratory and wild birds and horses in 1998-2001. A 1278 bp sequence of the envelope gene of 24 Israeli WN virus isolates was compared with those of seven isolates from Africa, Europe and New York. As a result, the Israeli isolates could then be grouped into two clusters. The 15 avian and three equine from 1997-2001 in the first cluster of ...
Ferrucci F, Zucca E, Croci C, Di Fabio V, Ferro E.The severity of the erosive and ulcerative lesions of the squamous gastric mucosa in 10 standardbred racehorses in training was classified according to a standard scoring system. Each horse was then treated orally for 30 days with 50 g/100 kg bodyweight daily of a pectin-lecithin complex mixed into the feed. At the end of the period of treatment, the gastric lesions were re-evaluated gastroscopically and the scores were compared with those assigned at the previous evaluation. In three of the horses the gastric ulcerations had healed completely, and in six others the lesions had improved signif...
Khosravi AR, Mahmoudi M.Between 1994 and 1998, a total of 790 feather, hair and skin specimens from a variety of animals with suspected dermatophytoses were studied, of which 248 (31.4%) yielded dermatophytes. The most frequent dermatophytes isolated were Microsporum canis (38.3%), Trichophyton verrucosum (31.8%), T. mentagrophytes (13.3%) and M. gypseum (7.7%). There was a significantly higher proportion of positive cultures from cats (54.8%) than dogs (8.2%), and M. canis was the most common species isolated (87.2 and 50% respectively). Trichophyton verrucosum was the most frequent causative agent of dermatophytose...
Wille KH, Schnorr B.Arterioles, precapillary sphincters, capillary endothelium, and pericytes probably regulate the blood flow in the intestinal microvascular bed similar to other regions of the body because of their equipment with contractile filaments. Only throttle veins with their arrangement of pools and their characteristics probably exert influence on the hemodynamic qualities of the blood flow in the intestinal mucosa.
Park AW, Wood JL, Newton JR, Daly J, Mumford JA, Grenfell BT.A stochastic model of equine influenza (EI) is constructed to assess the risk of an outbreak in a Thoroughbred population at a typical flat race training yard. The model is parameterised using data from equine challenge experiments conducted by the Animal Health Trust (relating to the latent and infectious period of animals) and also published data on previous epidemics (to estimate the transmission rate for equine influenza). Using 89 ponies, an empirical relationship between pre-challenge antibody and the probability of becoming infectious is established using logistic regression. Changes in...
Mendoza L, Mandy W, Glass R.The immunotherapeutic properties of a new Pythium insidiosum-vaccine formulation (PIV), was evaluated in 18 horses and 6 dogs with proven pythiosis from different enzootic areas in the United States. All injected horses but one responded with a weak (=29 mm, n=3), a mild (30-90 mm, n=7) or a strong (=100 mm, n=7) inflammatory reactions at the site of injection. Three equines with weak or negative reactions at the injection site were not cured. Seven equines with strong reactions at their injection sites, however, were cured. Six of the eight horses with mild reactions were also cured. The rema...
Hidaka C, Goodrich LR, Chen CT, Warren RF, Crystal RG, Nixon AJ.Cartilage has a limited capacity to heal. Although chondrocyte transplantation is a useful therapeutic strategy, the repair process can be lengthy. Previously we have shown that over expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) in chondrocytes by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer leads to increased matrix synthesis and cartilage-like tissue formation in vitro. In this context we hypothesized that implantation of genetically modified chondrocytes expressing BMP-7 would accelerate the formation of hyaline-like repair tissue in an equine model of cartilage defect repair. Methods: Chondrocyt...
Skedros JG, Dayton MR, Sybrowsky CL, Bloebaum RD, Bachus KN.It has been hypothesized that a major objective of morphological adaptation in limb-bone diaphyses is the achievement of uniform regional safety factors between discrete cortical locations (e.g. between cranial and caudal cortices at mid-diaphysis). This hypothesis has been tested, and appears to be supported in the diaphyses of ovine and equine radii. The present study more rigorously examined this question using the equine third metacarpal (MC3), which has had functionally generated intracortical strains estimated by a sophisticated finite element model. Mechanical properties of multiple mid...
Epe C, Kings M, Stoye M, Böer M.Wild equids maintained in large enclosures may suffer from helminth diseases because common hygiene practices have only limited effects on parasite populations. Weekly monitoring of helminth prevalences and pasture infestation was performed for 1 yr in several extensive maintenance systems of two wildlife parks with similar climates to determine when veterinary intervention to control parasites would be useful. We also sought evidence of natural immunogenic reactions among herds of Chapman zebras (Equus quagga antiquorum), Przewalski's horses (Equus przewalskii) and dwarf donkeys (Equus asinus...
Blitvich BJ, Bowen RA, Marlenee NL, Hall RA, Bunning ML, Beaty BJ.We evaluated the ability of epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to detect West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies in domestic mammals. Sera were collected from experimentally infected horses, cats, and pigs at regular intervals and screened in ELISAs and plaque reduction neutralization tests. The diagnostic efficacies of these techniques were similar.
Grulke S, Deby-Dupont G, Gangl M, Franck T, Deby C, Serteyn D.Shock is accompanied by generalised splanchnic hypoperfusion, and splanchnic organs like the pancreas can be damaged, as shown in animal experimental models and in humans, by the presence of high plasma concentrations of trypsin and other pancreatic enzymes. In order to design a radioimmunoassay technique (RIA) for the measurement of equine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI) in biological fluids, trypsin was purified (with purity > or = 96%) from the equine pancreas by extraction in an acid medium, ammonium sulfate precipitations, gel filtration chromatography and, after activation of tryp...
Kuhnert P, Berthoud H, Christensen H, Bisgaard M, Frey J.Equine Actinobacillus species were analysed phylogenetically by 16S rRNA gene (rrs) sequencing focusing on the species Actinobacillus equuli, which has recently been subdivided into the non-haemolytic A. equuli subsp. equuli and the haemolytic A. equuli subsp. haemolyticus. In parallel we determined the profile for RTX toxin genes of the sample of strains by PCR testing for the presence of the A. equuli haemolysin gene aqx, and the toxin genes apxI, apxII, apxIII and apxIV, which are known in porcine pathogens such as Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Actinobacillus suis. The rrs-based phylo...
Swain JM, Licka T, Rhind SM, Hudson NP.A seven-year-old standardbred gelding developed marked signs of colic associated with an acute small intestinal obstruction. Surgical exploration revealed three intramural, circumferential constricting lesions in the small intestine, the two most severe of which were in the jejunum and were resected. The horse was euthanased owing to postoperative complications. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of idiopathic multifocal eosinophilic enteritis.
Thomas GW, Bell SC, Phythian C, Taylor P, Knottenbelt DC, Carter SD.Fell pony foals are affected by a congenital fatal immunodeficiency that commonly leads to anaemia and lymphopenia. Previous work has shown that the foals' circulating subpopulations of CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes are unaffected. In this study it was shown that the mean population of B lymphocytes in 10 affected foals was less than 10 per cent of that in normal foals.
Père MC.Several general features of nutrient uptake and utilisation by foetuses are similar among mammalian species. Nevertheless, there are also differences linked mainly to differences in placental permeability. Glucose and lactate are the main energetic substrates of the foetus. In normal conditions, the oxidation of carbohydrates accounts for about 75, 60 and 50% of oxygen uptake in the foetal pig, foal and lamb, respectively, and acetate accounts for about 10% in ruminants. Acidic amino acids are synthesised by the foetus, whereas neutral and basic amino acids are transported from the placenta. A...
Nollet H, Van Ham L, Deprez P, Vanderstraeten G.Transcranial magnetic stimulation is rapidly developing as a powerful, non-invasive tool for studying the descending motor tracts in humans. The applications of the test in animals are for the moment restricted to small animals. However, this non-invasive, sensitive and painless technique appears promising as a test of motor tract function in horses where the neurological examination is mainly restricted to clinical evaluation and some ancillary tests, such as radiography, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and electromyography. In this review, we want to discuss the history, basic principles, techn...
Tomlinson JE, Redding WR, Sage A.Ultrasonographic examination of the tarsus was performed on four clinically and radiographically normal limbs of adult horses. Particular attention was paid to the articular cartilage surfaces of the trochlear ridges of the talus and the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia. Two separate measurements of articular cartilage thickness were acquired from a longitudinal view at each site. Anatomy was confirmed with post mortem dissection. Ultrasonography was found to be a practical method for imaging the articular cartilage over the trochlear ridges of the talus and distal intermediate ridge of ...
Hinrichs K, Cochran SL, Schelling SH, Steckel RR.A granulosa-theca cell tumor was found in an ovary that had an ovulation fossa and normal ovarian tissue. The ovary was removed from a mare with a history of ovarian enlargement and behavioral changes. The affected ovary had a multicystic appearance on ultrasonographic examination performed before surgery, and an ovulation fossa was not palpable on examination per rectum. However, during surgery, the affected ovary was found to be within normal size limits, with an enlargement on 1 pole, and to contain an ovulation fossa. Atrophy of the infundibulum of the affected ovary helped to confirm the ...
Morreale RJ, Wilkie DA, Gemensky-Metzler AJ, Weisbrode SE, Willis MA.To determine the acute histologic effects of semiconductor diode laser transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCP) on the normal equine eye. Methods: Part 1: eight eyes of four horses. Part 2: 10 eyes of five horses. Methods: Part 1: TSCP was performed on four eyes at 4 mm and four eyes at 6 mm posterior to the limbus with 15 sites treated in four quadrants at 1800 mW for 1500 ms. The globes were sectioned transversely or sagitally to examine all quadrants and histologic sections were taken every 1 mm for the entire globe. Part 2: Based on the results from Part 1, TSCP was performed at 20 sites ...
Voss JL, Sullivan JJ, Pickett BW, Parker WG, Burwash LD, Larson LL.Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of HCG on duration of oestrus, dioestrus, the length of the oestrous cycle, the time of ovulation and fertility in non-lactating mares. In the first experiment, the injection of HCG was repeated for three successive cycles. Mares injected with 2000 i.u. HCG on Day 2 of oestrus during their first cycle had a shorter oestrus and ovulated sooner than untreated control mares, but in the third cycle, treated mares had a longer oestrus and ovulated longer after the onset of oestrus than controls. In the second experiment, one intramuscular inje...
Pickles K.Horses with trigeminal mediated headshaking (TMHS) have a decreased activation threshold of the trigeminal nerve and clinical signs are suspected to be a manifestation of trigeminal neuralgia. Electrical nerve stimulation (ENS) is used for management of neuralgia in humans and appears to work via gate control theory. Use of an equine specific percutaneous ENS program in over 130 TMHS horses has resulted in approximately 50% success return to previous work. Electroacupuncture may also be useful in the management TMHS. Optimization of ENS procedures for TMHS is likely to require a greater unders...
Boy MG, Zhang C, Antczak DF, Hamir AN, Whitlock RH.A 10-month-old Arabian foal was evaluated for a suspected immunoglobulin (Ig) M deficiency. Decreased to nondetectable concentrations of IgM, IgA, and IgG (T), and a normal concentration of IgG, were present. Results of in vitro testing of the blood lymphocyte blastogenesis showed a weak response to the B-cell mitogen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), but normal responses to T-cell mitogens. Results of postmortem examination showed synovitis of the left tibiotarsal and both scapulohumeral joints. Atrophy and edema of the lymph nodes and lymphocyte depletion in the thymus and spleen were seen. A subac...
Rose RJ, Allen JR, Brock KA, Clark CR, Hodgson DR, Stewart JH.Five standardbred geldings received intravenous clenbuterol hydrochloride and saline in a crossover experiment to evaluate the effects of clenbuterol on certain cardiorespiratory parameters during and after treadmill exercise. The exercise test consisted of four steps. Step 1 at a speed of 76 m per minute, step 2 at 129 m per minute, step 3 at 190 m per minute and step 4 at 236 m per minute. The duration of each step was two minutes, except step 4 which was four minutes. The treadmill was set at a grade of 19 per cent. Before exercise, 30 minutes after clenbuterol or saline administration, art...
Ferreira C, Palhares MS, de Melo UP, Chiarini-Garcia H, Maranhão RPA, Gheller VA, Leme FOP.To determine the effect of the inclusion method on the histomorphometric evaluation of the gastrointestinal mucosa of horses, jejunum samples were collected using flank laparotomy. Sixteen mixed breed healthy adult horses, including four males and 12 females, aged 4-14 years with an average body weight of 248.40 ± 2.28 kg, were used. Jejunal biopsies were collected and analyzed by light microscopy using two methods: group 1 comprised biopsies fixed using 10% neutral formalin and embedded in paraffin; biopsies in group 2 were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.2, follo...
Foreman JH, Bayly WM, Grant BD, Gollnick PD.Ten healthy sedentary male Thoroughbreds with previous race training experience were studied for 14 weeks. Horses were trained for 9 weeks, using a program designed after those used commonly in the United States. Horses were trained conventionally by slow trotting (250 m/min) for 2 weeks and galloping (390 to 450 m/min) for 4 weeks, followed by 3 weeks of galloping (440 to 480 m/min) and intermittent sprinting exercises (breezes) at distances between 600 and 1,000 m (900 to 950 m/min). The horses were then pasture rested for 5 weeks. A standardized exercise test (SET) involving an 800-m gallop...
Blue MG.In a retrospective study of selected cases, abdominal colic in 30 horses was attributed to enterolith obstructions of the large intestine. Obstructions caused by "true" enteroliths were confined to horses more than four years old. Prominent clinical features were recurrent mild abdominal pain, inappetance, gaseous distension and minimal intestinal motility. The various aspects of the clinical syndrome, including diagnostic problems and clinical management, are discussed. Most obstructing enteroliths were found near the beginning of the small colon and most horses contained only a single major ...
Ponthier J, Franck T, Detilleux J, Mottart E, Serteyn D, Deleuze S.Despite improvement of techniques, semen of 20% of stallions remains unfreezable. Recent studies focused on the impact of reactive oxygen species and oxidant enzymes on semen characteristics. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a pro-oxidant enzyme contained in and released by neutrophils during degranulation or after cell lysis. It is responsible for the formation of hypochlorous acid, a strong oxidant agent, which could damage spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between MPO concentration and characteristics of frozen semen from stallions. Thirty-five straws from different s...
Gronert GA, Fung DL, Jones JH, Shafer SL, Hildebrand SV, Disbrow EA.We investigated the effects of body size on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the renally cleared muscle relaxant metocurine. We hypothesized that pharmacokinetics of the drug would change allometrically in proportion to physiological time [infinity Mb0.25, where Mb is body mass] and that pharmacodynamics would be independent of size because of the highly conserved structure of the acetylcholine receptor. Metocurine effects during general anesthesia were examined in 17 rats, 8 cats, 6 dogs, 5 pigs, 7 sheep, and 12 horses. Allometric analysis demonstrated size dependence for pharmaco...
Nagel C, Aurich J, Palm F, Aurich C.Heart rate (HR) is an important parameter of fetal well-being. In horses, HR and heart rate variability (HRV) can be determined by fetomaternal electrocardiography (ECG) from mid-pregnancy to foaling. Normal values for physiological parameters in larger breeds are often used as reference values in ponies. However, HR increases with decreasing size of the animal and in ponies is higher than in warmblood horses. It is not known if fetal HR is affected by breed and if values obtained in larger breeds can be used to assess Shetland fetuses. We have determined fetomaternal beat-to-beat (RR) interva...
Everett JB, Schumacher J, Doherty TJ, Black RA, Amelse LL, Krawczel P, Coetzee JF, Whitlock BK.OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of stacked wedge pads and chains applied to the forefeet of Tennessee Walking Horses on behavioral and biochemical indicators of pain, stress, and inflamation. ANIMALS 20 Tennessee Walking Horses. PROCEDURES Horses were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups: keg shoes (control; n = 10) or stacked wedge pads and exercise with chains (10). Ten days before treatment application, an accelerometer was attached at the left metatarsus of each horse to record daily activity. Horses were exercised for 20 minutes daily, beginning on day -7. On day 0, exercise ceased,...
Benton HP, Esquivel AV, Rice AD, Giri SN.Pirfenidone is under investigation as an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agent in several organs including lung. Since important features of arthritic conditions include inflammation and long-term damage to articular cartilage, we have investigated whether PD can suppress chondrocyte responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin 1 (IL-1); modulators that induce a cascade of inflammatory responses that lead to articular joint tissue damage. PD (0 - 5microM) showed no effect on cell number or viability when incubated with high density primary equine chondrocyte cultures for...
Rech R, Barros C.This article focuses on the gross examination of the brain and spinal cord and outlines the main lesions and neuroanatomic location related to neurologic diseases in horses.
Tull TM, Woodie JB, Ruggles AJ, Reimer JR, Embertson RM, Hopper SA, Bramlage LR.Few studies have evaluated the athletic prognosis of foals affected by gastrocnemius disruption. Objective: To examine the diagnosis and management of gastrocnemius disruption in Thoroughbred (TB) foals, determine short-term survival rate and assess future racing performance. The hypothesis was that Thoroughbred foals with gastrocnemius disruption are able to perform as racehorses comparably to their age matched maternal siblings. Methods: The medical records of foals diagnosed with gastrocnemius muscle disruption were reviewed. Information on training and racing was acquired from published wo...
Inoue Y, Matsui A, Asai Y, Aoki F, Yoshimoto K, Matsui T, Yano H.We studied the response of biochemical markers of bone metabolism to exercise intensity in horses. Four horses were walked on a mechanical walker for one week (pre-exercise). Then they performed low-speed exercise on a high-speed treadmill in the first week and medium-speed exercise in the second week and high-speed exercise in the third week of training. We measured two indices of bone resorption, serum hydroxyproline concentration and the urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine ratio, and serum osteocalcin (OC) concentration as an index of bone formation. Both indices of bone resorption gradual...
Wilkes EJA, Cowling A, Woodgate RG, Hughes KJ.Faecal egg counts (FEC) are used widely for monitoring of parasite infection in animals, treatment decision-making and estimation of anthelmintic efficacy. When a single count or sample mean is used as a point estimate of the expectation of the egg distribution over some time interval, the variability in the egg density is not accounted for. Although variability, including quantifying sources, of egg count data has been described, the spatiotemporal distribution of nematode eggs in faeces is not well understood. We believe that statistical inference about the mean egg count for treatment decis...
Derisoud E, Auclair-Ronzaud J, Palmer E, Robles M, Chavatte-Palmer P.Although puberty can occur as early as 14-15months of age, depending on breed and use, the reproductive career of mares may continue to advanced ages. Once mares are used as broodmares, they will usually produce foals once a year until they become unfertile, and their productivity can be enhanced and/or prolonged through embryo technologies. There is a general consensus that old mares are less fertile, but maternal age and parity are confounding factors because nulliparous mares are usually younger and older mares are multiparous in most studies. This review shows that age critically affects c...
Poth MKM, McKemie DS, Traynham M, Kass PH, Knych HK.The metabolism and pharmacokinetics of intravenous (i.v.) morphine in the horse have been described; however, administration of therapeutic doses has also been associated with neuroexcitation and adverse gastrointestinal effects. In this study, we hypothesized that oral administration would lead to comparable concentrations of morphine and its presumed active metabolite, morphine 6-glucuronide (M6G) without the adverse effects associated with i.v. administration. Eight horses were administered a single i.v. dose of 0.2 mg/kg morphine and oral doses of 0.2, 0.6, and 0.8 mg/kg of morphine in a...
Grubbs ST, Amodie D, Rulli D, Wulster-Radcliffe M, Reinemeyer C, Yazwinski T, Tucker C, Hutchens D, Smith L, Patterson D.The safety and efficacy of 2% moxidectin/12.5% praziquantel oral gel administered at a rate of 0.4 mg moxidectin and 2.5 mg praziquantel/kg was studied in client-owned horses under field use conditions. Four hundred horses (300 treated with moxidectin/praziquantel oral gel and 100 treated with vehicle) were enrolled, feces were collected, and eggs were counted. Investigators as well as horse owners were masked to treatment assignment. No adverse reactions to treatment were observed in any horses. Moxidectin/praziquantel gel reduced Anoplocephala spp by more than 99% and provided a significant ...
Jenson PW, Gaughan EM, Lillich JD, Bryant JE.To determine clinical findings in and outcome of horses with fractures of the second or fourth metacarpal or metatarsal bone that underwent segmental ostectomy, leaving the proximal and distal portions of the bone undisturbed. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 17 horses. Methods: Medical records were reviewed, and information on signalment, affected bone, lesion type, surgical procedure, amount of bone removed, and surgical and postsurgical complications was obtained. Follow-up information was obtained through telephone conversations with owners, trainers, and referring veterinarian...
Kuwamura M, Iwaki M, Yamate J, Kotani T, Sakuma S, Yamashita A.A 9-year-old male horse showed emaciation, weakness and trembling and was euthanatized. Histopathological examinations revealed loss, swelling and chromatolysis of motor neurons throughout the spinal ventral horns, axonal degeneration of the ventral spinal roots. Eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions were distributed in degenerated spinal ventral neurons. Ultrastructurally, the inclusions consisted of aggregations of granular dense material and a few vesicles. They reacted positively with polyclonal antibody against ubiquitin. The present case was diagnosed as equine motor neuron disease, which ...
Lam K, Pumphrey SA.Uveal cysts can lead to undesirable behaviors and poor performance in horses. Transcorneal laser ablation has been proposed as a safe and effective treatment for uveal cysts suspected of causing behavioral changes but outcomes have been reported in only a small number of horses. In this retrospective study, records were identified for horses who had undergone transcorneal cyst ablation using a diode laser. Information was collected regarding signalment, behavioral or performance issues reported prior to the procedure, and complications. Owners were contacted to provide follow-up information re...
Di Salvo A, Busechian S, Zappulla F, Marchesi MC, Pieramati C, Orvieto S, Boveri M, Predieri PG, Rueca F, Della Rocca G.A new formulation of omeprazole in gastro-resistant granules was tested with regard to its pharmacokinetics and tolerability. Twenty-four horses were randomly divided into three groups (8 horses/group) and treated, according a parallel study design, as follows: Group A untreated (control group), Group B received 4 mg/kg of omeprazole, and Group C received 12 mg/kg of omeprazole, both of which were treated orally once a day for 90 days. Blood samples, taken from Group B subjects during the 1st and the 29th day of treatment at pre-established time points, were used to determine the concentrat...
