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.
Adair HS, Goble DO, Schmidhammer JL, Shires GM.To measure changes in laminar microvascular blood flow (LMBF) over time in healthy horses and horses in the prodromal stage of black walnut-induced laminitis and to determine the effects of glyceryl trinitrate application on LMBF in horses with acute laminitis. Methods: 10 healthy adult horses. Methods: Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to measure LMBF Baseline measurements were obtained, horses were given deionized water via a nasogastric tube, and measurements were obtained hourly for 12 hours. Twenty-four hours later, baseline measurements were again obtained, and horses were given black wal...
Collinder E, Berge GN, Grønvold B, Lindholm A, Midtved T, Norin E.This study investigated the influence of zinc bacitracin on the intestinal flora of horses. The functionally active intestinal flora was examined in 6 horses during treatment with zinc bacitracin. Utilising gas chromatography, spectrophotometry, gel electrophoresis and paper chromatography, samples were analysed on biochemical markers reflecting the action of parts of the intestinal flora. The following 5 flora-related functions were studied in faecal samples and intestinal samples from different sections of the hindgut: conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol and of bilirubin to urobilinogen...
Raisis AL, Young LE, Blissitt KJ, Brearley JC, Meire HB, Taylor PM, Lekeux P.The purpose of this study was to compare the haemodynamic effects of equipotent isoflurane and halothane anaesthesia. Six adult horses were investigated on two separate occasions at least 4 weeks apart. On both occasions anaesthesia was induced by ketamine 2.2 mg/kg bwt given 5 min after i.v. administration 100 microg/kg bwt romifidine. Anaesthesia was maintained either by halothane or isoflurane (end-tidal concentrations 0.9-1.0% and 1.3-1.4%, respectively). Horses were ventilated by intermittent positive pressure to maintain PaCO2 between 40-50 mmHg. Haemodynamic variables were measured usin...
Lakritz J, Wilson WD, Marsh AE, Mihalyi JE.To determine pharmacokinetics and plasma concentrations of erythromycin and related compounds after intragastric administration of erythromycin phosphate and erythromycin estolate to healthy foals. Methods: 11 healthy 2- to 6-month-old foals. Methods: Food was withheld from foals overnight before intragastric administration of erythromycin estolate (25 mg/kg of body weight; n = 8) and erythromycin phosphate (25 mg/kg; 7). Four foals received both drugs with 2 weeks between treatments. Plasma erythromycin concentrations were determined at various times after drug administration by use of high-p...
Benbarek H, Grülke S, Deby-Dupont G, Deby C, Mathy-Hartert M, Caudron I, Dessy-Doize C, Lamy M, Serteyn D.We studied the interactions of isolated equine neutrophils with endothelial cells in culture, mimicking a situation of acute inflammation. Our main purpose was to demonstrate that the supernatant of activated neutrophils was sufficient to damage endothelial cells. Equine endothelial cells (from carotid arteries) were covered either with increased numbers of equine neutrophils stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate, or with the supernatant collected after an in vitro stimulation of the neutrophils. Cytotoxicity was estimated by the release of preincorporated 51Cr, and by light microscopy obser...
Ruitenberg KM, Love DN, Gilkerson JR, Wellington JE, Whalley JM.We have shown previously that equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) glycoprotein D (gD) DNA elicited protective immune responses against EHV-1 challenge in murine respiratory and abortion models of EHV-1 disease. In this study, 20 horses, all with pre-existing antibody to EHV-4 and two with pre-existing antibody to EHV-1, were inoculated intramuscularly with three doses each of 50, 200 or 500microg EHV-1 gD DNA or with 500microg vector DNA. In 8 of 15 horses, inoculation with EHV-1 gD DNA led to elevated gD-specific antibody and nine horses exhibited increased virus neutralising (VN) antibody titres co...
McCann ME, Moore JN, Carrick JB, Barton MH.The effect of intravenous administration of lipid emulsions enriched with omega-3 (n3) and omega-6 (n6) fatty acids on equine monocyte phospholipid fatty acid composition and the synthesis of inflammatory mediators in vitro was evaluated. In a randomized crossover design, horses were infused intravenously with 20% lipid emulsions containing n3 or n6 fatty acids. Monocytes were isolated from the horses before and 0 h, 8 h, 24 h, and 7 days after lipid infusion. Monocyte fatty acid analysis demonstrated incorporation of the parenteral n3 and n6 fatty acids in monocyte phospholipids immediately a...
Lindsay DS, Dubey JP, Kennedy TJ.The present study examined the efficacy of ponazuril in inhibiting merozoite production of Sarcocystis neurona in cell cultures. Ponazuril inhibited merozoite production by more that 90% in cultures of S. neurona treated with 1.0 microg/ml ponazuril and greater than 95% inhibition of merozoite production was observed when infected cultures were treated with 5.0 microg/ml ponazuril. Ponazuril may have promise as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of S. neurona induced equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in horses.
Lindsay DS, Dykstra CC, Williams A, Spencer JA, Lenz SD, Palma K, Dubey JP, Blagburn BL.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic syndrome in horses from the Americas and is usually caused by infection with the apicomplexan parasite, Sarcocystis neurona. A horse model of EPM is needed to test the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents and potential vaccines. Five horses that were negative for antibodies to S. neurona in their serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were injected in the subarachnoid space with living merozoites of the SN2 isolate of S. neurona. None of the horses developed clinical disease or died over a 132-day observation period. All five horses develope...
Ohmura H, Nukada T, Mizuno Y, Yamaya Y, Nakayama T, Amada A.To determine a safe and efficacious dose of flecainide acetate for treating equine atrial fibrillation (Af), the safe dosage level was determined by injecting 1, 2, or 3 mg/kg i.v. of 1% flecainide acetate solution at a rate of 0.2 mg/kg/min to five clinically healthy horses. Clinical signs and the ECG were monitored (HR, PR, QRS, and QT intervals) and blood was taken to measure the plasma flecainide concentration pre- and post-administration. No abnormal signs were observed in the 1- or 2-mg/kg groups, while agitation was observed in three of five horses in the 3-mg/kg group. The QRS, and QT ...
Yasunaga S, Maeda K, Matsumura T, Kondo T, Kai K.A type-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using equine herpesvirus types 1 (EHV-1) and 4 (EHV-4) glycoprotein G was applied for sero-epizootiology of EHV infections in Japan. Recently, an inactivated EHV-1 vaccine has been administered to racehorses for prevention of upper respiratory disease. To examine the effect of the vaccination on the result of the ELISA, 6 horses were experimentally inoculated three times intramuscularly or intranasally with inactivated EHV-1 vaccine. Sera collected from these horses were used to the type-specific ELISA and complement-fixation (CF) test....
Bide RW, Armour SJ, Yee E.The relationship between body weight (BW) and respiratory minute volume (V(m)) was reviewed by collecting a database from the literature. The data were separated into anaesthetized and non-anaesthetized groups. Only young adult terrestrial mammals were included in the final data set. This database is the largest to be reported to date, is the first to separate the anaesthetized and non-anaesthetized groups and is matched to the target population of young, fit adult humans. The data set of non-anaesthetized animals contained 142 studies representing 2616 animals and 18 species from mice at 12 g...
Farmer AA, Farmer AM.This paper presents results of analysis of animal feed and meat (cattle, horse and sheep) products from a metal processing region (Oskemen) in east Kazakhstan. Samples were collected from a range of districts of differing distances from the main source of anthropogenic pollution and with differing underlying metal-containing geologies. Analyses for cadmium, lead and zinc revealed high concentrations in many feed and meat samples. Horse (an important food animal) samples had higher levels of contamination than cattle, which were higher than sheep. For example, mean cadmium concentrations in hor...
Macdonald AA, Chavatte P, Fowden AL.Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the microstructure of the maternal and fetal placenta from 25 pregnant ponies (Equus caballus) throughout the second half of gestation. Samples of placenta, 2-6 cm(2)in area, were collected from the antimesometrial region of the pregnant horn at 105 days (n=1), 165-219 days (n=5), 260 days (n=3), 270-277 days (n=3), 313-337 days (n=11) and immediately after spontaneous delivery at term (n=2). The maternal microcaruncle appears to be created from a clustering of about 16 uterine crypts encapsulated in a connective tissue sheath. There is a gestat...
Enders AC, Liu IK.The free allantois and allantochorion of conceptuses from 17 mares between 20 and 90 days of gestation were examined to determine the manner in which the associated mesodermal derivatives differentiated. It was found that a robust basement membrane developed under the allantoic endoderm, and that this basement membrane was partially isolated from the vascular layer of the allantois by a mesothelial layer and an exocelom-like space. The exocelom-like space persisted until approximately the stage of villous formation, and remnants of the space persisted over larger allantoic vessels even later. ...
Laverty S, Ionescu M, Marcoux M, Bouré L, Doizé B, Poole AR.The etiology and pathophysiology of osteochondrosis remain poorly understood because it is difficult to obtain material from lesions in the early stage of this disease and because there is no satisfactory experimental animal model. We wished to determine whether there are changes in articular cartilage turnover in equine osteochondrosis, which closely resembles the human disease, by assaying cartilage matrix molecules in synovial fluids. We used immunoassays that measure a keratan sulfate epitope and the epitope 846 on the cartilage proteoglycan aggrecan and the C-propeptide of cartilage type-...
Lyons ET, Swerczek TW, Tolliver SC, Bair HD, Drudge JH, Ennis LE.A survey to determine current prevalence of several species of endoparasites in equids (n=350) at necropsy was conducted at the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center in central Kentucky (1995-1999). Thelazia lacrymalis were found in 42% of the 1- to 4-year olds (n=132), which was the only age group examined for these parasites. Five- to 30-year olds (n=157), examined for Onchocerca spp. worms/lesions, had a prevalence of 24%. In > or =1-year olds (n=324), the infection rate for Gasterophilus intestinalis was 12% for second instars and 14% for third instars and for Gasterophilus nasalis was 2%...
Rush BR, Raub ES, Thomsen MM, Davis EG, Matson CJ, Hakala JE.To evaluate clinical response, pulmonary function, and adrenal gland response to incremental doses of beclomethasone dipropionate in horses with recurrent airway obstruction. Methods: Crossover trial. Methods: 8 horses with recurrent airway obstruction. Methods: Horses randomly assigned to 4 groups were treated twice daily via aerosol administration of placebo or 500, 1,000, or 1,500 micrograms of beclomethasone dipropionate in a crossover design with a 10-day minimum washout period. Subjective assessment of airway obstruction, serum cortisol concentration, and maximum change in pleural pressu...
Harkins JD, Karpiesiuk W, Tobin T, Dirikolu L, Lehner AF.Ropivacaine is a local anesthetic that has a high potential for abuse in racing horses. It can be recovered from urine collected after administration as a hydroxylated metabolite following beta-glucuronidase treatment of the urine. Based on these findings, it has been inferred that ropivacaine is present in equine urine as a glucuronide metabolite; however, these metabolites have never been directly identified. Using ESI+/MS/MS, the presence of a [M+H]+ molecular ion of m/z 467 was demonstrated in urine corresponding to the calculated mass of a hydroxyropivacaine glucuronide +1. The abundance ...
Wilmink JM, Stolk PW, van Weeren PR, Barneveld A.Second-intention healing of limb wounds in horses is often problematic. Solcoseryl is a protein-free, standardized dialysate/ultrafiltrate (HD) derived from calf blood, which has been shown to improve healing in both animals and humans. The efficacy of HD in the healing of deep wounds in horses and ponies was investigated. Deep wounds of 20 by 35 mm were created on both metatarsi (skin, subcutis, periosteum) and on both femoral biceps muscles (skin, subcutis, muscle) of five horses and five ponies. The wounds on one side were treated with HD, four times a week during the period that the wounds...
Haines GR, Brown MP, Gronwall RR, Merritt KA.Serum concentrations and pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin were studied in 6 mares after intravenous (IV) and intragastric (IG) administration at a single dose rate of 7.5 mg/kg body weight. In experiment 1, an injectable formulation of enrofloxacin (100 mg/mL) was given IV. At 5 min after injection, mean serum concentration was 9.04 microg/mL and decreased to 0.09 microg/mL by 24 h. Elimination half-life was 5.33 +/- 1.05 h and the area under the serum concentration vs time curve (AUC) was 21.03 +/- 5.19 mg x h/L. In experiment 2, the same injectable formulation was given IG. The mean peak ser...
Zheng YH, Sentsui H, Kono Y, Ikuta K.An attenuated equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), named V26, was previously obtained after 50 passages of the Japanese virulent strain V70 in primary macrophage culture. To clarify the differences between both viruses, their full-length sequences were determined. There were higher mutations in S2 (6.15% amino acid difference) and LTR (10.7% nucleotide difference). The presumed initiation codon of the S2 gene was absent from the sequence of V26. There was a large insertion within the long-terminal repeat (LTR) U3 hypervariable region of V26. In addition, there were minor mutations in gag (1....
Schoenbaum MA, Hall SM, Glock RD, Grant K, Jenny AL, Schiefer TJ, Sciglibaglio P, Whitlock RH.A USDA Early Response Team investigated deaths of several horses and a mule in northern Arizona at the request of local animal health officials. Thirteen animals (12 horses and 1 mule) housed at 5 facilities in a 7.4 square mile area died between August 1998 and January 1999. Clinical signs consisted of muscular weakness that rapidly progressed to lateral recumbency. Ten animals had paresis of the tongue, throat, or lips. Affected animals appeared alert and were interested in eating and drinking, even while recumbent. All 13 animals were euthanatized. Clostridium botulinum type C was isolated ...
Jansson N, Ducharme NG, Hackett RP, Mohammed HO.To examine the effect of cordopexy, laryngoplasty, and cordopexy combined with a modified laryngoplasty on airway mechanics. Methods: Experimental airway mechanics were determined by subjecting equine cadaveric larynges to airflows similar to inspiratory airflow of exercising horses. Methods: Twenty equine larynges. Methods: Using cadaveric larynges, we developed and tested a new technique of arytenoid cartilage abduction. All larynges had the right arytenoid cartilage abducted to mimic the degree of arytenoid abduction that occurs at maximal exertion in live horses. Three surgical techniques ...
Désévaux C, Laverty S, Doizé B.To develop a technique for sternal bone biopsy in standing horses. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Five adult horses. Methods: Horses were restrained in a standing stocks and sedated. The sternal biopsy site, identified by ultrasonographic examination, was clipped and prepared for aseptic surgery and infiltrated with local anesthetic. An electric bone biopsy drill (Osteocore; Institut Straumann AG, CH-4437, Waldenburg, Switzerland)), which yielded 4-mm-diameter bone specimens, was used to obtain sternal biopsies through a small skin incision. Sections (7 microm) of the bone specimens wer...
Altunay H.The fine structure of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Bruch's membrane and choriocapillaris was investigated by light and transmission electron microscopy in both the tapetal and non-tapetal fundus of the horse eye. In all locations, the RPE consisted of a single layer of low cuboidal cells. The epithelial cells were joined laterally by apically located tight junctions. These cells displayed numerous basal infoldings and abundant thin apical processes which enclosed the rod outer segments. The epithelial cell nuclei were large and located basally. Within the epithelial cells, smooth endo...
Viitanen M, Bird J, Maisi P, Smith R, Tulamo RM, May S.As a prerequisite for the identification of navicular disease markers, the concentrations of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), total glycosaminoglycans (GAG), hyaluronan, metalloproteinases (MMP) 2 and 9 and total protein were measured in synovial fluid samples obtained from the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP), the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) and the navicular bursa of 24 horses. Mean GAG, COMP and total protein levels were significantly higher in the DIP joint and in the navicular bursa compared to the MCP joint. Hyaluronan content was lower. MMP -2 activity was present in al...
Cymbaluk NF, Christison GI, Leach DH.Eighteen weanling horses were assigned to two treatments: limited or ad libitum feed intake. Growth and feed utilization were evaluated over a 78-wk period. Ad libitum-fed horses gained 24% more (P less than .05) weight than limit-fed horses. Total BW was distributed into 57% fore and 43% hind weight and did not differ between groups regardless of dietary treatment or age. Net gain and ADG in wither height of ad libitum-fed horses exceeded (P less than .05) that of limit-fed horses over 78 wk. Ad libitum-fed horses consumed 19, 44 and 34% more digestible energy (DE) than indicated in 1978 NRC ...
Karatt TK, Sathiq MA, Laya S, Kal AKK, Subhahar MB, Muhammed Ajeebsanu MP, Philip M, Caveney MR, Graiban FM.Nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are a novel class of compounds that have not yet been clinically approved; however, they appear to have a better anabolic/androgenic ratio than steroids and cause slighter side effects. Sports drug testing laboratories are required to maintain continuously updated doping control analytical methods in light of the widespread misuse of SARMs in elite and amateur sports. This paper describes the metabolic conversion of SARM GSK2881078 in thoroughbred horses following oral administration and in vitro with equine liver microsomes. A liquid...
Best LJ, Alexiades V, Hendrix DVH, Chen T, Ward DA.OBJECTIVE To describe qualitative blinking patterns and determine quantitative kinematic variables of eyelid motion in ophthalmologically normal horses. ANIMALS 10 adult mares. PROCEDURES High-resolution videography was used to film blinking behavior. Videotapes were analyzed for mean blink rate, number of complete versus incomplete blinks, number of unilateral versus bilateral blinks, and subjective descriptions of blinking patterns. One complete blink for each horse was analyzed with image-analysis software to determine the area of corneal coverage as a function of time during the blink and ...
Momozawa Y, Takeuchi Y, Tozaki T, Kikusui T, Hasegawa T, Raudsepp T, Chowdhary BP, Kusunose R, Mori Y.Equine anxiety trait is considered an important temperament in various situations, including riding, training, and daily care. This study examined the polymorphism of the equine serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) gene as a candidate genetic element influencing equine anxiety trait. The sequence of the coding region of this gene was highly homologous with those of other mammals, and four single nucleotide polymorphisms were found by comparing the sequences of ten genetically unrelated thoroughbred horses. Radiation hybrid mapping revealed that this gene was located 26.92 cR from neurofibromin 1 on ...
Reeves MJ, Trotter GW, Kainer RA.The anatomical and functional communications of the synovial sacs of the equine stifle joint were evaluated in 50 stifle joints of 25 horses. Femoropatellar joint (FPJ) sacs were injected with 50 ml of gelatin-based dye and horses were then walked for 50 m. Horses were subsequently killed, the stifle joints dissected and the location of the dye recorded. Twenty-three horses (46 joints) had clinically normal stifle joints and in this group, anatomical communications of the stifle joints were bilaterally symmetrical in each horse. In 15 of these 23 horses (65 per cent), direct anatomical communi...
Gehlen H, Stadler P.Clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examinations were conducted before therapy and 4 days after conversion to normal sinus rhythm in 15 horses with a history of atrial fibrillation of 2-6 months duration. Seven horses showed no other signs of cardiac disease. Four horses suffered additionally from mitral valve insufficiency, while six horses had aortic valve insufficiency, including two of the four horses with mitral valve insufficiency, but none had signs of congestive heart failure. Doppler echocardiographic estimates of various variables were made for assessment of systolic...
Golenz MR, Carlson GP, Madigan JE, Craychee T.Six normal foals between the ages of 2 and 7 days were used in this study to develop a technique for intraosseous infusion in equine neonates. A 14-gauge 1/2-inch needle was placed intraosseously in the right proximal medial one-third aspect of the radius and tibia of each foal. A maximum of 1 L of isotonic fluids was administered intraosseously at these sites. Radiographs were taken at the time of intraosseous needle placement, and at days 10, 30, and 60 following the procedure. The mean time for needle placement was 33 seconds for the tibia and 63 seconds for the radius. The mean fluid flow ...
Rickards KJ, Page CP, Cunningham FM.Heaves is an allergic airway disease in horses characterised by reversible airway obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation associated with a Th(2) response. Cyclic nucleotide-dependent signalling pathways can regulate lymphocyte function. In this study, we examined lymphocyte PDE activity comparing horses with heaves to healthy control animals. Total PDE activity and the effects of isoenzyme selective inhibitors were measured before, 5 and 24 h after the start of a 7 h allergen challenge. Allergen challenge had no effect on either total cAMP PDE activity or its inhibi...
Woods GL, Ginther OJ.The efficacy of an equine pituitary extract for induction of multiple ovulations during the ovulatory season was studied in 112 horse mares in four experiments. Combined for all experiments, 70% of the mares (78/112) had multiple ovulations for an average of 3.0 ovulations per mare. The interval between first and last ovulation was decreased (P<0.01) when human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was included in the treatment regimen (0.0+/-0.0 versus 1.6+/-0.4 days). Ovulation rate was lower (P<0.01) when extract treatment was initiated at day 19 (1.3+/-0.2) than when initiated at day 15 post-...
Ramzan PHL.Some sagittal plane fractures of the equine third carpal bone are difficult to detect with conventional radiographic projections. Objective: To describe a novel radiographic projection for the detection of sagittal plane slab fractures of the equine third carpal bone. Methods: Retrospective study of radiological records. Methods: From a first opinion Thoroughbred racehorse caseload, cases were included for analysis if sagittal fracture of the third carpal bone was evident on a dorsoproximal lateral-palmarodistal medial oblique (DPrL-PDiMO) projection of the distal row of carpal bones and not v...
Scott EA, Snyder SP, Schmotzer WB, Pool R.Probable cause of fracture in a Paint gelding was a congenital bone defect involving the extensor process area of the right and left forelimb distal phalanges. Radiographically and histologically, subchondral bone cysts at the fracture lines were suspected. These cysts were thought to have developed in association with abnormal ossification centers at the extensor process areas of the third phalanx. Partial avulsion of weak extensor processes would then occur from natural forces exerted on these weakened bony prominences via the common digital extensor tendon. Support for osteochondrosis as a ...
Kolding SA, Sørensen JN, Kramer J, McCracken MJ, Reed SK, Keegan KG.Some horses increase in forelimb lameness, measured as vertical head height asymmetry, or differences in maximums and minimums of head heights (HDmax, HDmin), after a palmar digital nerve (PDN) block. The prevalence of this finding, or what it means clinically, has not been reported in peer-reviewed literature. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of increasing head height asymmetry after a PDN block and determine if this is associated with cause of forelimb lameness. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Head height asymmetry, normalised to expected vertical head displacement, from in...
Hultgren BD, Zack PM, Pearson EG, Kaneps AJ.A juvenile granulosa cell tumour is described in a 3-month-old Arabian filly. The 32 X 27 X 27 cm tumour had replaced the right ovary. The neoplasm was composed of multiple nodules of neoplastic granulosa cells which formed microfollicles, macrofillicles and cysts, as well as solid nests and trabeculae. The supporting stroma contained theca cells. Mixing of the neoplastic granulosa cells and theca cells in disorderly fashion was noted. The diagnosis was based on age of occurrence and histological appearance.
Hurtig MB, Fretz PB.The radiocarpal and middle carpal joints of 4 clinically normal horses and 24 necropsy specimens were examined with an arthroscope to describe the topographic anatomy of these joints. The carpal bones of the radiocarpal joint had congruent articular surfaces in extension, but carpal flexion resulted in a stairstep between the radial and intermediate carpal bones. The variable surface anatomy, as well as the restricted synovial space and the technical limitations of the arthroscope, contributed to the need for more than one arthroscopic approach to the radiocarpal joint to ensure a thorough exa...
Léveillé R, Lindsay WA, Biller DS.Ultrasonography was a valuable diagnostic tool for examination of a ruptured peroneus tertius in a horse, because it allowed visualization of the extent of the injury and evaluation of healing prior to return of the horse to athletic activity.
Derksen FJ, Slocombe RF, Robinson NE.In standing sedated ponies, we measured dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn) and pulmonary resistance (RL) during IV infusion of various doses of histamine; this was done in a given pony 3 times at 1-week intervals between experiments. Histamine doses causing a decrease in Cdyn of 50% and 75% and an increase in RL of 300% and 600% (ED50Cdyn, ED75Cdyn, ED300RL and ED600RL, respectively) were interpolated from the histamine dose-response curves. We also measured respiratory frequency, tidal volume, minute ventilation, functional residual capacity, arterial oxygen tension, arterial carbon dioxide tensi...
Cavani F, Fini M, de Terlizzi F, Cadossi M, Ciminelli L, Ortolani S, Cherubini R, De Aloysio D, Giavaresi G, Cadossi R, Canè V.Osteoporosis involves alterations, not only in density, but also in the architectural organisation of the bone; in particular, trabecular orientation, following the skeletal load directions, lends a high degree of stiffness to the whole bone. We investigated the relationship between trabecular orientation, density, stiffness and ultrasound (US) propagation in two orthogonal directions (par. = parallel to, and ort. = orthogonal to the main orientation of the trabeculae) in cylindrical equine bone specimens (thoracic vertebrae) where a preferential orientation is present. A total of 15 cylinders...
Kamphues J, Meyer H.Following feeding of a new delivery of hay (bought in Southern Germany) 3 horses out of a unit of 17 developed colic within a few days one horse died. Post-mortem there was an intensive accumulation of serous or serous-haemorrhagic fluid in the thorax and abdomen. The hay was heavily contaminated by autumn crocus (colchicum autumnale)--about 1.48% of total mass. Other feedstuffs were of good quality and following removal of the affected hay no further cases of colic occurred. The pathological findings also indicated a colchicine intoxication.
Cock G, Darby S, Freeman DE, Gomez DE.Esophageal obstruction is a common disorder in equids usually caused by intraluminal impaction with roughage and/or other feed material. Esophageal obstructions can also be caused by foreign bodies, but they are rarely reported and information regarding diagnosis and management is lacking. This report describes an esophageal obstruction in a donkey caused by a metallic foreign body removed using endoscopic guidance. Recognition of the foreign body facilitated treatment and underscores the importance of imaging in such cases to prevent dislodgement of the object to more aboral sites where acces...
Coyne CP, Hornof WJ, Kelly AB, O'Brien TR, DeNardo SJ.Equine fibrinogen was isolated and aliquots were stored frozen at -70 C before radiolabeling with 125I (half-life = 60.2 days; gamma = 35 keV, using monochloroiodine reagent. Radioiodination efficiencies were 49% to 53%, resulting in a labeled product with 98% protein-bound activity and 91% clottable radioactivity. In 6 equine in vivo investigations, plasma half-lives of 125I-labeled fibrinogen were from 4.1 to 5.2 days, corresponding to a mean daily plasma elimination rate of approximately 15%.
Bowers J, Slocombe RF.To compare the effect of girth materials and commonly used girth tensions on athletic performance of race-horses and to test the length tension properties of commercially available girths. Methods: Seven horses were exercised at speeds to produce 95% of maximal heart rates on 15 occasions using a randomised block design, and girthed with 5 different girths at 3 nominal tensions of 6, 12 or 18 kg. The girths used were a standard elastic race girth, an 'American' elastic race girth, an elastic race girth twice the normal width, a standard canvas race girth and a canvas race girth at twice the no...
Taylor PM.Some metabolic and endocrine effects of hypoxaemia were studied during halothane anaesthesia in six ponies. Each was anaesthetised twice; on one occasion a 20-minute period of hypoxaemia (arterial oxygen tension between 4.4 and 5.8 [mean 5.3] kPa) was imposed during 120 minutes of anaesthesia. On the second occasion arterial oxygen tension was maintained above 17 kPa throughout. Routine cardiovascular monitoring was performed and blood samples were taken to measure haematocrit, cortisol, insulin, glucose and lactate. Anaesthesia was associated with hypotension in both groups (mean ABP 7.0 kPa...
Mo PM, Picard J, Gummow B.Fungi are ubiquitous in the environment and part of the commensal microflora on the conjunctiva of equine eyes. North Queensland, being tropical, presents an ideal environment for fungi growth. When the cornea is injured, fungi can invade the corneal stroma, resulting in keratomycosis. The objectives of this study were to determine the fungal species specific to the eyes of horses in the Townsville region; to investigate the potential risk factors associated with the presence of fungi; and to test their susceptibility to antifungals to create an empirical guide for treatment. The eyes of forty...