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.
Lord CC, Venter GJ, Mellor PS, Paweska JT, Woolhouse ME.African horse sickness (AHS) and equine encephalosis (EE) viruses are endemic to southern Africa. AHS virus causes severe epidemics when introduced to naive equine populations, resulting in severe restrictions on the movement of equines between AHS-positive and negative countries. Recent zoning of South Africa has created an AHS-free zone to facilitate equine movement, but the transmission dynamics of these viruses are not fully understood. Here, we present further analyses of serosurveys of donkeys in South Africa conducted in 1983-5 and in 1993-5. Age-prevalence data are used to derive estim...
Spiro I.A 16-hour-old foal was referred for evaluation of hematuria. A pansystolic heart murmur and left thoracic thrill were detected; laboratory diagnostics and ultrasonography identified a complex congenital heart defect. The diagnosis was confirmed at postmortem.
Kisthardt KK, Schumacher J, Finn-Bodner ST, Carson-Dunkerley S, Williams MA.Case records of 7 horses diagnosed with pyelonephritis were reviewed to determine common features that might aid in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this disease. All 7 horses had been admitted for evaluation of hematuria. During cystoscopy of 5 horses, hemorrhage was observed from one or both ureters. Renal biopsy of 1 horse, laboratory analysis of ureteral discharge of 2 horses, and renal ultrasonography of all horses indicated that pyelonephritis was the cause of hemorrhage. Sonographic renal changes included decreased length, increased echogenicity, abnormal outline, loss of corticom...
Gokbulut C, Nolan AM, McKellar QA.Oxibendazole (OBZ) was administered to eight horses at an oral dose of 10 mg kg(-1) bodyweight each. Parent OBZ could only be detected in plasma at the 0.5 and 1.0 hours post administration sampling times and the mean maximum plasma concentration was 0.008 microg ml(-1). Parent OBZ was detected in faeces between 12 and 72 hours after administration and the highest dry faecal concentration was detected at 24 hours. An unidentified metabolite was detected in plasma between 0.5 and 72 hours. The unidentified metabolite in the plasma of treated horses corresponded to the second eluted metabolite i...
Davis JL, Gardner SY, Jones SL, Schwabenton BA, Papich MG.The properties of azithromycin suggest that it may be an alternative to erythromycin for treatment of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals. To investigate this possibility, the disposition of azithromycin in plasma, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), and alveolar cells was examined after a single administration in foals. Azithromycin suspension was administered orally (p.o.) at a dose of 10 mg/kg to five healthy 2-3-month-old foals. Two weeks later, azithromycin for injection was administered by intravenous (i.v.) infusion at a dose of 5 mg/kg to the same foals. Plasma samples were collected a...
Donadeu FX, Thompson DL.Sixteen seasonally anovulatory mares were randomly allotted to two groups and injected daily with either sulpiride (1 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle from 14 January to 14 February. Sulpiride administration increased daily plasma prolactin concentrations (P < 0.05), although the prolactin response during the 6 h following sulpiride injections decreased markedly from the 1st to the 6th day of treatment (treatment by day, P < 0.0001). Plasma concentrations of LH and FSH were not affected by treatment (P > 0.1). Injection of GnRH and TRH on 15 February showed that the response of plasma prolactin t...
Nell A, James SA, Bond CJ, Hunt B, Herrtage ME.This study aimed to investigate the distribution of Malassezia species yeasts on the skin of healthy horses. Acetate tape samples were obtained from the lip, axilla, interbulbar region, groin and anus of 12 healthy horses. The samples were stained and examined microscopically and sites harbouring yeast-like organisms were identified. Contact plates were applied to the skin at these sites and cultured at 26 degrees C and 32 degrees C. No growth was obtained on horse blood, Sabouraud's dextrose or modified Dixon's agar. A pure growth of a Malassezia-type organism was obtained on Sabouraud's dext...
Tortonese DJ, Gregory SJ, Eagle RC, Sneddon CL, Young CL, Townsend J.The intrahypophysial mechanisms involved in the control of gonadotrophin secretion remain unclear. In the horse, a divergent pattern of gonadotrophins is observed at different stages of the reproductive cycle in response to a single secretagogue (gonadotrophin-releasing hormone), and dramatic changes in fertility take place throughout the year in response to photoperiod. This species thus provides a useful model to investigate the regulation of fertility directly at the level of the hypophysis. A series of studies were undertaken to examine the cytological arrangements and heterogeneity of gon...
Armstrong S, Lees P.Chondrocytes and synoviocytes harvested from the joints of healthy horses were maintained in tissue culture. Production of the cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the effects of addition of carprofen (racemate and R and S enantiomers) were determined. Lipopolysaccharide failed to stimulate TNF-alpha activity in both cell types but concentrations of IL-1 and IL-6 were both increased in a concentration and time-related manner. Both carprofen enantiomers and the racemic mixture attenuated th...
Nagase N, Sasaki A, Yamashita K, Shimizu A, Wakita Y, Kitai S, Kawano J.From April 1999 to December 2000, a survey was made on the distribution of Staphylococcus species on the skin of 7 kinds of animals and humans. Staphylococci were isolated from 12 (100%) of 12 pigs, 17 (89.5%) of 19 horses, 30 (100%) of 30 cows, 73 (90.1%) of 81 chickens, 10 (40%) of 25 dogs, 23 (76.7%) of 30 laboratory mice, 20 (52.6%) of 38 pigeons, and 80 (88.9%) of 90 human beings. The predominant staphylococci isolated from a variety of animal species were novobiocin-resistant species, S. xylosus and S. sciuri regardless of the animal host species. The novobiocin-resistant species includi...
Allen WR, Stewart F.A tough, elastic glycoprotein capsule envelops the equine blastocyst between Days 6 and 23 after ovulation. It maintains the spherical configuration of, and provides physical support for, the embryo as it traverses the entire uterine lumen during Days 6-17, propelled by myometrial contractions that are stimulated by pulsatile release of prostaglandin F2alpha and prostaglandin E2. The capsule also accumulates constituents of the exocrine secretions of the endometrial glands ('uterine milk') as nutrients for the mobile embryo as it releases its antiluteolytic maternal recognition-of-pregnancy si...
Earle CG, Kington HA, Coles GC.A telephone survey was conducted of the methods used to control parasitic worms at 106 thoroughbred training yards. Most of the horses were allowed access to grass and were therefore at risk of infection. The control methods relied primarily on the use of anthelmintics and appeared reasonably successful because only 44 per cent of trainers reported observing clinical signs of nematode infections. They dosed their horses frequently, 40 per cent treating every four to six weeks and 25 per cent treating every seven to eight weeks. New arrivals on yards were usually treated with anthelmintic but t...
Knoll U, Strauhs P, Schusser G, Ungemach FR.Olsalazine sodium (Dipentum*) has been used therapeutically against inflammatory bowel disease in human medicine as an alternative to sulphasalazine over the past 20 years. Bacteria in the colon split this prodrug into two molecules of the locally effective 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). Considering the potential therapeutic use in equine colitis, the pharmacokinetics of olsalazine (OLZ) after single oral administration to six horses at a dosage of 30 mg/kg was investigated. Plasma concentrations of OLZ, 5-ASA, and its main metabolite N-acetyl-5-aminosalicylic acid (Ac-5-ASA) were analysed by ...
Erkert RS, Macallister CG.Isoxsuprine hydrochloride has been suggested for use in horses for treatment of navicular syndrome and laminitis. The drug has been shown to be a beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist with beta-adrenoreceptor agonistic properties, with both characteristics contributing to vasodilation and uterine relaxation. In addition, the drug is capable of decreasing blood viscosity and platelet aggregation. Studies have shown i.v. isoxsuprine to have a plasma half-life of <3 h with a large apparent volume of distribution. Cardiovascular effects resolve rapidly following i.v. administration, but are absent wit...
Irby LR, Norland JE, Westfall JA, Sullivan MA.We developed a forage allocation model using a deterministic, linear optimization module in a commercially available spreadsheet package to help resource managers in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP), North Dakota determine optimum numbers of four ungulate species, bison (Bison bison), elk (Cervus elaphus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and feral horses, in the Park. TRNP staff actively managed bison, elk, and feral horse numbers within bounds suggested by our model from 1983 to 1996. During this period, we measured vegetation at 8 grassland and 12 wooded sites at 1-3 year intervals t...
Kidd JA, Slone DE.The medical records of 80 horses treated for left laryngeal hemiplegia by prosthetic laryngoplasty, ventriculectomy and vocal cordectomy were examined, first to compare the subjective and objective success rates for groups of horses of different ages and used for different purposes, and secondly, to compare the efficacy of including vocal cordectomy in the surgical protocol with published success rates for laryngoplasty and ventriculectomy alone. Subjectively, 70 per cent of the horses were said to have had a successful surgical outcome. The success rate for thoroughbred racehorses (66 per cen...
Galuppo LD, Stover SM, Aldridge A, Hewes C, Taylor KT.To compare monotonic mechanical properties of gap-ostectomized third metacarpal bones (MC3) stabilized with an MP35N interlocking nail system with contralateral intact bones. Methods: Twenty-four pairs of cadaveric equine MC3s. Methods: Third metacarpal bones were divided into 4 mechanical testing groups (6 pairs per group): compression, palmarodorsal (PD) and mediolateral (ML) 4-point bending, and torsion. One MC3 from each pair was randomly selected as an intact specimen, and the contralateral gap ostectomized bone was stabilized with a 4-hole, 14-mm-diameter, 250-mm-long, MP35N intramedulla...
Theoret CL, Barber SM, Moyana TN, Gordon JR.To determine whether transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and -beta3 expression differs between equine limb wounds healing normally and those healing with experimentally induced exuberant granulation tissue (EGT). Methods: Six wounds were created on the lateral aspect of both metacarpi of each horse; one forelimb was untreated, and the other was bandaged to stimulate the development of EGT. Sequential wound biopsies allowed comparison of growth factor expression between the two types of wound. Methods: Four horses (2 to 4 years of age; 350 to 420 kg). Methods: Wounds were assessed grossly, h...
Theoret CL, Barber SM, Gordon JR.To describe the localization of immunoreactive transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 in both normal skin and full-thickness dermal wounds of the limb and the thorax of the horse. Methods: Six full-thickness excisional wounds were created on the lateral aspect of one metacarpal region and on the midthoracic area of each horse. Sequentially collected tissue specimens from wound margins were assessed for TGF-beta1 expression by immunohistochemistry. Methods: Four horses (2 to 4 years of age). Methods: A neutralizing monoclonal anti-human TGF-beta1 antibody was used to detect the spatial expressi...
Judy CE, Galuppo LD.To describe a technique for endoscope-assisted disruption and removal of urinary calculi using a holmium:YAG laser in sedated, standing horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Six horses with urinary calculi. Methods: A holmium:YAG laser was used to disrupt naturally occurring urinary calculi in horses (4 geldings, 1 stallion, 1 mare). Ischial urethrotomy was performed in male horses to provide a portal for the endoscope and laser fiber. Calculus fragments were removed by a combination of lavage, transendoscopic basket snare removal, forceps, and digital manipulation. Ischial urethrotom...
Goodrich LR, Nixon AJ, Fubini SL, Ducharme NG, Fortier LA, Warnick LD, Ludders JW.To determine whether preoperative epidural administration of morphine and detomidine would decrease postoperative lameness after bilateral stifle arthroscopy in horses. Methods: Prospective clinical controlled study. Methods: Eight adult horses that had bilateral arthroscopic procedures, including drilling of cartilage and subchondral bone within the femoropatellar joints. Methods: Horses were randomly separated into 2 groups. Preoperatively, 4 horses were administered a combination of epidural morphine (0.2 mg/kg) and detomidine (30 microg/kg), and 4 horses were administered an equivalent vol...
Galuppo LD, Stover SM, Jensen DG.To compare bone fragment compression and the mechanical pushout strength and stiffness of 6.5-mm Acutrak Plus (AP) and 4.5-mm AO cortical (AO) bone screws after stabilization of a simulated equine third metacarpal (MC3) bone complete lateral condylar fracture. Methods: In vitro biomechanical paired study of screw insertion variables, bone fragment compression, and screw pushout tests using a bone screw stabilized simulated lateral condylar fracture model. Methods: Six pairs of cadaveric equine MC3s. Methods: Metacarpi were placed in a fixture and centered on a biaxial load cell in a materials ...
Andrea CR, Stover SM, Galuppo LD, Taylor KT, Rakestraw PC.To compare screw insertion characteristics and pullout mechanical properties between self-tapping (ST) and non-self-tapping (NST) AO 4.5-mm cortical bone screws in adult equine third metacarpal bone (MC3). Methods: In vitro biomechanical experiment. Methods: Seven pairs of adult equine MC3. Methods: Bicortical holes were drilled transversely in proximal metaphyseal, diaphyseal, and distal metaphyseal locations of paired MC3. NST screws were inserted in pre-tapped holes in 3 sites of one bone pair, and ST screws were inserted in non-tapped holes of contralateral MC3. Tapping and screw insertion...
Elce YA, Richardson DW.To report a technique for, and outcome after, arthroscopic removal of dorsoproximal chip fractures of a proximal phalanx in standing horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 104 horses, 1 to 13 years of age, with a dorsoproximal chip fracture of a proximal phalanx. Methods: Horses were restrained in standing stocks and sedated with intravenous xylazine, detomidine, or a combination of both drugs. Local analgesia was achieved with 2% mepivacaine administered intra-articularly and by subcutaneous infiltration in a crescent-shaped block dorsal to the fetlock. Sterile drapes were ...
Traub-Dargatz JL, George JL, Dargatz DA, Morley PS, Southwood LL, Tillotson K.To determine current practices regarding use of antimicrobials in equine patients undergoing surgery because of colic at veterinary teaching hospitals. Methods: Survey. Methods: Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons performing equine surgery at veterinary teaching hospitals in the United States. Methods: A Web-based questionnaire was developed, and 85 surgeons were asked to participate. The first part of the survey requested demographic information and information about total number of colic surgeries performed at the hospital, number of colic surgeries performed by the res...
Bruemmer JE, Brady HA, Blanchard TL.The effects of a single or double regimen of exogenous progesterone and estradiol-17beta (P/E, total dose 300 mg P/20 mg E) were investigated in 50 postparturient Quarter Horse mares. In Trial 1, at 1 and 24 h after foaling, mares were injected with progesterone (150 mg) and estradiol-17beta (10 mg) (n = 7) or 0.9% NaCl (control, n = 13). In Trial 2, within 12 h after foaling, mares were injected with progesterone (300 mg) and estradiol-17beta (20 mg) (n = 13) or 0.9% NaCl (control, n = 17). Mares were examined daily by palpation per rectum and transrectal ultrasonography to determine the day ...
Sevinga M, Hesselink JW, Barkema HW.Because the incidence of retained placenta in Friesian mares is estimated to be high, and no reports have been published on the reproductive performance of Friesian mares after retained placenta, we studied postpartum reproductive performance in Friesian brood mares with (n = 54) and without (n = 50) retained placenta. We defined a retained placenta as the failure to expel all fetal membranes within 3 h after the delivery of a foal. We subdivided the group of mares with retained placenta into mares in which the placenta had been removed manually (n = 30) and mares in which it had not (n = 24)....
Costa HM, Silva AV, Guimarães MP.This paper describes some morphological aspects of Cylicocyclus brevicapsulatus (Ihle, 1920) (Nematoda: Cyathostominae) from Equus caballus in Brazil. The worms were studied using an optical microscope (measurements and illustrations) and a scanning electron microscope for a more detailed examination of the external morphology. The buccal capsule is very short, with a very thin wall, and the dorsal gutter is absent. Other morphological aspects are described including measurement of the spicules and gubernaculum.
Ata EB, Zaghawa A, Ghazy AA, Elsify A, Abdelrahman K, Kasem S, Nayel M.Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is an important pathogen, which infects horses worldwide with high morbidity but low mortality rates. The respiratory disorders and abortions are the most common indicators. Ab4p (an abortigenic and paralytic virus) is one of the most important and virulent strains. The development and functional characterization of the open reading frame-68 (ORF68) negative EHV-1 Ab4p mutants and an assessment of their roles in the infection at the cellular level were the main targets of the current study. Escherichia coli DH10β containing the Ab4p bacterial artificial chromosome...
Ahern BJ, Lukas E, Lam K, Wilke E, Bertin FR, Van Eps A, Franklin S.To evaluate a prototype dynamic laryngoplasty system (DLPS) in a static airflow model. Methods: Experimental. Methods: Ten equine larynges. Methods: The right arytenoid was fixed in abduction in all specimens. A left-sided laryngoplasty was performed with No. 2 Fiberwire and a FASTakII anchor. Each larynx was tested in a static airflow model. The system was adjusted to a flow rate of 55 L/s and prelaryngeal pressure of 12 mm Hg prior to testing in maximal arytenoid abduction. In phase 1, the left suture was loosened, shortened, and tested in 3-mm steps from 0 to 30 mm. In phase 2, the su...
Taylor PM.Some metabolic and endocrine effects of hypercapnia were studied in six ponies during halothane anaesthesia with neuromuscular blockade and controlled ventilation. Each was anaesthetised twice, once with a 40-minute-period of hypercapnia (10 kPa) and once when normocapnia (5.3 kPa) was maintained throughout two hour's anaesthesia. Routine cardiovascular monitoring was performed and blood samples were taken for assay of cortisol, insulin, glucose, lactate, muscle and liver enzymes and total protein. Anaesthesia induced hypotension and lacticacidaemia which were slightly ameliorated during hyper...
Hood DM, Stephens KA, Bowen MJ.Phenoxybenzamine, an alpha adrenergic antagonist, was administered IV to 6 clinically normal horses, 5 horses with experimentally induced diarrhea, and 7 horses with naturally-occurring diarrhea. It was established that a total of 2 mg of phenoxybenzamine/kg of body weight given in divided doses resulted in alpha adrenergic blockage of approximately 72 hours' duration, tranquilization, and mild constipation in the normal horse. The 5 experimental cases of diarrhea were involved in a laminitis research protocol in which laminitis was induced by oral carbohydrate overload. In all 5 of those case...
Cushing TL.A 4-year-old crossbred Quarterhorse mare was submitted to the Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Center for necropsy examination with a chronic history of inappetence, weight loss and lethargy. Prior to death the horse had developed mild diarrhoea and began showing evidence of colic. Necropsy examination revealed a markedly enlarged heart due predominantly to marked dilation of the right atrium, tortuous congested mesenteric blood vessels, marked ascites, pleural effusion and pulmonary oedema. Further examination of the heart showed the endocardium of the left side of the heart, including the mitra...
Durando MM, Birks EK, Hussey SB, Lunn DP.Myocarditis is thought to occur secondary to equine influenza virus (EIV) infections in horses, but there is a lack of published evidence. Objective: We proposed that EIV challenge infection in ponies would cause myocardial damage, detectable by increases in plasma cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations. Methods: Twenty-nine influenza-naïve yearling ponies: 23 were part of an influenza vaccine study (11 unvaccinated and 12 vaccinated), and were challenged with 10⁸ EID₅₀ EIV A/eq/Kentucky/91 6 months after vaccination. Six age-matched healthy and unvaccinated ponies concurrently housed...
Trim CM, Adams JG, Cowgill LM, Ward SL.The purpose of this survey was to identify complications occurring in horses with colic during anaesthesia and recovery from anaesthesia; and to determine any relationships between these complications and drugs used for induction or maintenance of anaesthesia. Two hundred and thirty nine horses were anaesthetised on a total of 250 occasions for colic surgery between January 1985 and May 1987. Of these, 189 recovered from 200 anaesthetic episodes. Most horses received xylazine and guaifenesin with either thiobarbiturate (68 per cent) or ketamine (24 per cent) and anaesthesia was maintained with...
Hunt RJ, Hay W, Collatos C, Welles E.Two adult horses had colic attributable to spermatic cord torsion and strangulation of abdominally retained neoplastic testes. Both horses had caudal abdominal soft tissue masses palpable per rectum. One horse was treated successfully by surgical removal of the testis, and the other was euthanatized without treatment. Histopathologic diagnosis of the involved testes was testicular seminoma. Spermatic cord torsion of an abdominally retained testis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of signs of abdominal pain in cryptorchid stallions, especially those with a palpable caudal abdom...
Barber SM.A 2 month old quarter horse colt had multiple skeletal abnormalities of the left fore limb, including two supernumerary metacarpal bones, two supernumerary carpal bones, abnormal carpal bone development, and a valgus deformity originating at the carpal joint. The largest supernumerary metacarpal bone was removed completely, a portion of the smaller supernumerary metacarpal bone was removed, and the leg was placed in a tube cast. Surgical treatment improved the clinical appearance and prevented further injury to the limb. The carpal joint width remained increased but the carpal valgus deformity...
Ewart SL, Robinson NE.This review highlights the critical importance of phenotype definition in the understanding of the pathogenesis of respiratory disease in horses. The general approach to genetic studies is discussed and comparative studies of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) conditions, such as asthma, described in the context of learning more about equivalent equine conditions. The availability of methods to study genetic tests have previously relied on DNA sequence knowledge from man, laboratory and domesticated animals, but recent data from the horse genome sequence are now available. This should facilita...
Tallmadge RL, Stokol T, Gould-Earley MJ, Earley E, Secor EJ, Matychak MB, Felippe MJ.Fell Pony syndrome (FPS) is a fatal immunodeficiency that occurs in foals of the Fell Pony breed. Affected foals present with severe anemia, B cell lymphopenia, and opportunistic infections. Our objective was to conduct a prospective study of potential FPS-affected Fell Pony foals to establish clinical, immunological, and molecular parameters at birth and in the first few weeks of life. Complete blood counts, peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotyping, and serum immunoglobulin concentrations were determined for 3 FPS-affected foals, 49 unaffected foals, and 6 adult horses. In addition, cytology o...
Schneider RK, Tucker RL, Habegger SR, Brown J, Leathers CW.To determine clinical signs, diagnostic findings, and outcome for horses with desmitis of the straight sesamoidean ligament (SSL) near its insertion on the middle phalanx. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 9 horses. Methods: Medical records were reviewed, and information on signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic findings, and treatment was obtained. Follow-up information was obtained through telephone conversations with owners. Results: In all horses, the diagnosis was made by use of high-resolution ultrasonography. Seven horses had moderate lameness on initial examination; lamen...
Morris DD, Whitlock RH.Equine antiserum to core lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was evaluated in a double-blind prospective study for therapeutic benefit in suspected septicemia in neonatal foals. Forty foals younger than 7 days of age were included in the study by satisfaction of clinical and laboratory criteria, suggestive of gram-negative septicemia. Twenty-two foals were treated with core LPS antiserum (plasma produced from horses which were hyperimmunized with rough gram-negative mutant bacterin) and 18 foals received "nonimmune" plasma (from horses prior to immunization against core LPS). All foals received antimicro...
Green SL.Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease of livestock that results in vesicles and ulcerations on the teats, oral mucosa, tongue, and coronary bands. All three main serotypes of the VS virus can infect the horse. Although VS does not have a major impact on the equine industry, it is clinically identical to the other more economically devastating vesicular diseases of cattle and swine and can produce influenza-like symptoms in humans. VS in horses is reportable, as are all vesicular diseases of livestock.
Grimm AL, Schoon HA, Schöniger S.Equine endometritis eosinophilica (EE) is rarely described and its diagnostic criteria are not defined. The aim of this study was to characterize histological features of EE. A data base (1995-2013) was searched for biopsies with increased eosinophils. This study included all biopsies with this diagnosis and representative biopsies without this record. The definition of equine EE was based on criteria for EE in women and the results of the determination of physiological numbers of eosinophils within the equine endometrium. EE was diagnosed in 55 mares. Biopsies of 10 mares contained eosinophil...
Garrett KS, Woodie JB, Cook JL, Williams NM.A foal was examined for abnormal upper airway noise. Endoscopically, there were narrowed nasal passages and an extralumenal mass of the cranial trachea. Using ultrasonography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the larynx and cranial cervical trachea, irregular margins of the laryngeal cartilages and first tracheal ring containing areas consistent with fluid were identified. In MR images, a widened nasal septum was seen that contained material consistent with fluid. Postmortem examination confirmed the diagnosis of nasal septal, laryngeal, and cranial cervical tracheal cyst-like lesions. Th...
Reinemeyer CR, Hutchens DE, Eckblad WP, Marchiondo AA, Shugart JI.Dose confirmation studies of the cestocidal activity of pyrantel pamoate paste were conducted at two sites in North America during 2001. Horses with naturally-acquired cestode infections were identified by detection of typical Anoplocephala spp. eggs in feces collected between 7 and 92 days prior to treatment. Twenty and 22 horses were enrolled at Site 1 (Urbana, IL) and Site 2 (Knoxville, TN), respectively. Candidate horses were acclimated to study conditions for 14 days, ranked by length of interval since coprologic confirmation, and allocated randomly to one of two treatment groups: (T1) py...
Gabrie A, Detilleux J, Jolly S, Reginster J-Y , Collin B, Dessy-Doizé C.Navicular bones from the four limbs of 95 horses, classified in 9 categories, were studied. The effects of age on navicular bone morphometry and histomorphometry were estimated, after adjustment of the data to even out the effects of front and rear limbs, morphometrical type, sex, weight, and size. All the external measurements of the navicular bone decreased significantly with increasing age. From the histomorphometrical data, cortical bone volume decreased with age in most horses, whereas cancellous bone volume and, in particular, the marrow spaces increased. The increase in the cancellous b...
Bennett RC, Taylor PM, Brearley JC, Johnson CB, Luna SP.This prospective clinical study compared the physiological effects of two commonly used anaesthetic induction techniques in horses maintained with halothane. One hundred horses admitted for elective surgery were randomly allocated to receive either guaiphenesin (to effect) and thiopentone (5 mg/kg), or detomidine (20 microg/kg) and ketamine (2 mg/kg) for the induction of anaesthesia after acepromazine premedication. Anaesthesia was maintained with halothane in oxygen. There were no significant differences in breed, age, sex, weight, type of surgery and duration of anaesthesia between the group...
Hébert L, Bidaud P, Goux D, Benachour A, Laugier C, Petry S.Lysozyme is an important and widespread component of the innate immune response that constitutes the first line of defense against bacterial pathogens. The bactericidal effect of this enzyme relies on its capacity to hydrolyze the bacterial cell wall and also on a nonenzymatic mechanism involving its cationic antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) properties, which leads to membrane permeabilization. In this paper, we report our findings on the lysozyme resistance ability of Rhodococcus equi, a pulmonary pathogen of young foals and, more recently, of immunocompromised patients, whose pathogenic capacity...
Ohta M, Bannai H, Kambayashi Y, Tamura N, Tsujimura K, Yamayoshi S, Kawaoka Y, Nemoto M.Keeping vaccine strains up to date is the key to controlling equine influenza (EI). Viruses generated by reverse genetics (RG) are likely to be effective for quickly updating a vaccine strain. Objective: To evaluate the growth properties of an RG virus in embryonated chicken eggs, and to evaluate antibody responses to a formalin-inactivated vaccine derived from the RG virus in Thoroughbred horses. Methods: In vitro and in vivo experiments. Methods: Wild-type (WT) viruses (A/equine/Ibaraki/1/2007) or RG viruses (consisting of haemagglutinin [HA] and neuraminidase genes derived from A/equine/Iba...
McEntee MF.Thirty equine cutaneous mastocytomas were examined histologically and two were studied ultrastructurally. Lesions were characterized by distinct sheets of well-differentiated mast cells with variable degrees of eosinophil infiltration, collagen degeneration, necrosis, granulomatous inflammation and fibrosis. Twenty-two of 25 growths did not recur for up to 6 years after surgical excision, two recurred at the surgical site and one spontaneously regressed less than 3 months after obtaining a biopsy sample. Equine cutaneous mastocytoma is a benign proliferative lesion which seldom recurs after ex...
Abo-Aziza FAM, Hendawy SHM, Abdullah HHAM, El Namaky A, Laidoudi Y, Mediannikov O.Equine filariosis (EF) is a neglected vector-borne disease caused by nematode species belonging to the Onchocercidae and Setariidae families. Aside from their zoonotic potential, some species are responsible for serious health problems in equids worldwide, leading to significant economic difficulties. Here, we molecularly investigated equine blood samples (320 horses and 109 donkeys from Egypt) and four adult worms isolated from the peritoneal cavity of 5 out of the 94 slaughtered donkeys. In addition, quantitative enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISAs) targeting circulating cytokines were used t...
Sweeney RW, Reef VB, Reimer JM.Nine horses with (naturally acquired) congestive heart failure were treated with 2.2 micrograms of digoxin/kg of body weight by the IV route, followed by 11 micrograms/kg administered orally every 12 hours thereafter. Furosemide was administered IV concurrently with IV administered digoxin every 12 hours. Serum concentration of digoxin was measured after the first (IV) and seventh (orally administered) dose. After IV administration, digoxin disposition was described by a 2-compartment model, with a rapid distribution phase (t1/2 alpha = 0.17 hour), followed by a slower elimination phase (beta ...