Veterinary practice in relation to horses encompasses the medical care, management, and treatment of equine species. This field involves various aspects of equine health, including preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, surgical interventions, and emergency care. Equine veterinarians employ a range of diagnostic tools and techniques such as physical examinations, imaging, and laboratory tests to assess and monitor horse health. In addition to addressing physical ailments, veterinary practice also includes nutritional management, reproductive health, and performance-related issues. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, advancements, and outcomes in veterinary practices specific to equine health.
MacKay AV, McOnie RC, Riddell LP, Robinson KA.Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) research has prioritized mechanism of action and efficacy. Data regarding frequency of use and clinical opinion are not available. A web-based survey was offered to members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners; 144 responses were obtained. Frequency of ESWT use by respondents was as follows: daily by 8.3% (12/144), at least once weekly by 36.8% (53/144), at least once per month by 22.9% (33/144), less than once per month by 19.4% (28/144), and never by 12.5% (18/144) of respondents. The most common reason for use was to treat ligamentous ...
Sgorbini M, Freccero F, Castagnetti C, Mariella J, Lanci A, Marmorini P, Camillo F.Induction of parturition in horses is still not well accepted due to the potential peripartum complications for mares and newborn foals. We assessed differences after spontaneous and induced parturition with low doses of oxytocin (OX) in 1) incidence of peripartum complications in mares; 2) viability, behavioral, physical, and venous blood gas analyses in foals. In this study 61 mares were included; 45/61 were enrolled in the spontaneous foaling group (SF) and 16/61 in the induced foaling group (IF). In the IF group, when the calcium in mammary secretion reached concentrations of ≥250 ppm, ...
Salciccia A, de la Rebière de Pouyade G, Gougnard A, Detilleux J, Caudron I, Verwilghen D, Serteyn D, Grulke S.(1) Evaluate the occurrence and variables associated with incisional morbidities (IMs) after ventral median laparotomy when using interrupted vertical mattress sutures (IVMS) and (2) determine the occurrence of abdominal bandage-associated complications in horses. Methods: Occurrence of IM and bandage-associated complications were determined after single laparotomies (SL group; n=546 horses) and repeat laparotomies (RL group: multiple laparotomies within four weeks; n=30 horses) in horses that survived ≥7 days postoperatively. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were per...
Gummery L, Jallow S, Raftery AG, Bennet E, Rodgers J, Sutton DGM.Infection of equids with Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) ssp. is of socioeconomic importance across sub-Saharan Africa as the disease often progresses to cause fatal meningoencephalitis. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been developed as a cost-effective molecular diagnostic test and is potentially applicable for use in field-based laboratories. Threshold levels for T. brucei ssp. detection by LAMP were determined using whole equine blood specimens spiked with known concentrations of parasites. Results were compared to OIE antemortem gold standard of T. brucei-PCR (TBR-PCR). Th...
Kopper JJ, Bolger ME, Kogan CJ et al. Outcome and complications in horses administered sterile or non-sterile fluids intravenously. J Vet Intern Med 2019; 33: 2739–2745 DIE INTRAVENöSE VERABREICHUNG VON LöSUNGEN DIENT ZUR ERHALTUNG ODER WIEDERHERSTELLUNG DES FLüSSIGKEITSVOLUMENS IN DEN GEFäßEN UND DER GEWEBEDURCHBLUTUNG. SIE IST ENTSCHEIDEND BEI DER BEHANDLUNG VON PFERDEN MIT ERKRANKUNGEN, DIE EINE HYPOVOLäMIE ZUR FOLGE HABEN. ZU DEN TYPISCHEN INDIKATIONEN GEHöREN EIN HOHER GASTROINTESTINALER WASSERVERLUST, EINE EINGESTELLTE WASSERAUFNAHME BZW. EINE NICHT TOLERIERTE ENTERALE FLüSSIGK...
Golonka P, Kornicka-Garbowska K, Marycz K.Stem cell based therapy are now commonly applied in human and veterinary medical practice especially in orthopaedics. Mesenchymal stromal stem cells isolated from adipose tissue (ASC) are first choice option due to relatively non-invasive and safe procedure of tissue harvesting. However, ASC therapeutic potential strongly rely on patients general health condition, age and life-style. For that reason, to enhance therapeutic potential of cells, they are modified in vitro using different approaches. Previous studies have shown, that ASC treated with resveratrol, herein called SIRT+, are character...
Gergeleit H, Bienert-Zeit A.The objectives of this retrospective study were to describe the prevalence and characteristics of post-operative complications that occur following equine mandibular cheek tooth extractions and to assess for possible associated risk factors. Clinically significant post-extraction complications necessitating repeat referral developed following 20/302 (6.6%) mandibular cheek tooth extractions. Horses developing complications were younger than the overall population having mandibular cheek teeth extractions and the most commonly affected teeth were the Triadan 07 s and 09 s. Alveolar sequestratio...
Giusto G, Gandini M.In equine abdominal surgery, resection and anastomosis of strangulated intestine is a commonly performed procedure. To date, ligatures, vessel sealing devices and the ligate-divide stapler have been described for this use in horses. The objective of this study was to compare the application of haemostatic clips and ligatures to occlude equine mesenteric vessels. Portions of jejunum with ten associated mesenteric vessels were collected from 12 horses at a local abattoir and divided into two groups. Portions of intestine were divided into two sections comprising five vessels each and assigned to...
Corraretti G, Vandeweerd JM, Hontoir F, Vanderperren K, Palmers K. The aim of this study was to describe the anatomy of the nerves supplying the cervical articular process joint and to identify relevant anatomical landmarks that could aid in the ultrasound-guided location and injection of these nerves for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Methods: Twelve cadaveric equine necks were used. Five necks were dissected to study the anatomy of the medial branch of the dorsal ramus of the cervical spinal nerves 3 to 7. Relevant anatomical findings detected during dissections were combined with ultrasonographic images obtained in one other neck. Six additiona...
Cavalero TMS, Segabinazzi LGTM, Scheeren VFC, Canuto LEF, Gobato MLM, Papa FF.A 7-year-old Quarter Horse stallion was admitted at the hospital with a history of ejaculatory failure for 12 months. The stallion revealed no physical or psychological abnormalities, as well as, normal libido and erection. In addition, there were no abnormalities in accessory sex glands or the aorta artery detected by transrectal ultrasonography. Based on clinical findings, the stallion was diagnosed with an idiopathic ejaculatory dysfunction; therefore, alternative attempts of semen collection were performed. Thermal compress on the basis of the stallion's penis, semen collection on the gro...
Kovács G, van Dijke A, Enders-Slegers MJ.The growing field of equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), a subfield of animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP), needs theoretically-based clinical studies. This systematic review examines the existing clinical studies in adult populations on psychodynamic psychotherapy combined with equine-assisted psychotherapy. An electronic database search was divided in two studies to identify publications on 1) EAP combined with psychodynamic psychotherapy and 2) EAP combined to personality problems and traumatization in order to compile studies by population, intervention, outcome and therapeutic assets. St...
Fielding CL, Magdesian KG, Mayer JR.This case report describes 2 endurance horses with non-hepatic hyperammonemia. The animals were competing in a 160-km endurance competition in extreme heat conditions and were presented for obtundation. One of the horses also had evidence of blindness. The blood ammonia concentration was elevated (196 μmol/L and 249 μmol/L) and both horses improved following treatment with intravenous fluids and supportive care. These are the first documented cases of clinical signs presumed to be associated with hyperammonemia in endurance horses. Despite the severity of the clinical presentation, both hors...
Bastos FZ, Barussi FCM, Leite LMB, Jamur VR, Soares AA, Senegaglia AC, Michelotto PV.This study aimed to assess the safety and reproducibility of cell therapy for its use in clinical practice. We performed immunophenotypic characterization of equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMMSCs) by flow cytometry using CD90, CD19, CD14, CD105, CD45, and HLA-DR markers (n = 4); GTG banding cytogenetic analysis (n = 3); and microbiological quality control (n = 4). The immunomodulatory potentials of BMMSCs (n = 4) and its conditioned medium (CM, n = 3) were investigated by in vitro lymphocyte inhibition assay using phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral ...
Schmitt S, Stephan R, Huebschke E, Schaefle D, Merz A, Johler S.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a leading cause of severe infections in humans and animals worldwide. Studies elucidating the population structure, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec types, resistance phenotypes, and virulence gene profiles of animal-associated MRSA are needed to understand spread and transmission. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine 1) clonal complexes and spa types, 2) resistance phenotypes, and 3) virulence/resistance gene profiles of MRSA isolated from animals in Switzerland. Methods: We analyzed 31 presumptive MRSA isolates co...
Couetil L, Cardwell JM, Leguillette R, Mazan M, Richard E, Bienzle D, Bullone M, Gerber V, Ivester K, Lavoie JP, Martin J, Moran G, Niedźwiedź A....The 2019 Havemeyer Workshop brought together researchers and clinicians to discuss the latest information on Equine Asthma and provide future research directions. Current clinical and molecular asthma phenotypes and endotypes in humans were discussed and compared to asthma phenotypes in horses. The role of infectious and non-infectious causes of equine asthma, genetic factors and proposed disease pathophysiology were reviewed. Diagnostic limitations were evident by the limited number of tests and biomarkers available to field practitioners. The participants emphasized the need for more accessi...
Kau S, Failing K, Staszyk C.The angle encompassed between opposing incisors in horses is assumed to decline with age. Previous studies merely consider the overall profile view of clinical crowns presuming a generalized angle, neglecting potential tooth position-dependent differences. Cephalometric measurements from 3D computed tomographic thick-slab reconstructions of single incisors within a global reference frame were used to determine clinical crown interincisal angulation (IIA) of 48 horses. Based on predefined dentoalveolar landmarks, IIA was defined as the angle enclosed by the respective labial axis of the clinica...
Gough SL, Anderson JDC, Dixon JJ.Three-dimensional computed tomographic (CT) evaluation of the cervical vertebral column enables more accurate identification of osseous and soft tissue lesions than traditional latero-lateral radiography. However, examination of the complete cervical vertebral column has been limited by horse size, preventing evaluation of the caudal cervical vertebrae. Objective: To describe a technique to enable CT myelography of the complete cervical spine and describe the findings in 51 horses. Methods: Records of 51 horses presented for evaluation of cervical vertebral lesions. Methods: A retrospective re...
de Preux M, Klopfenstein Bregger MD, Brünisholz HP, Van der Vekens E, Schweizer-Gorgas D, Koch C.To describe clinical applications of computer-assisted orthopedic surgery (CAOS) in horses with a navigation system coupled with a cone beam computed tomography unit. Methods: Retrospective clinical case series. Methods: Thirteen adult horses surgically treated with CAOS. Methods: Medical records were searched for horses that underwent CAOS between 2016 and 2019. Data retrieved included signalment, diagnosis, lameness grade prior to surgery, surgical technique and complications, anesthesia and surgery time, and information pertaining to the perioperative case management and outcome. Results: I...
Freeman SL, Ashton NM, Elce YA, Hammond A, Hollis AR, Quinn G.There are currently no evidence summaries on wounds in the horse. Objective: To develop evidence-based guidelines on wound management in the horse. Methods: Evidence review using the GRADE framework. Methods: Research questions were proposed by a panel of veterinarians, and developed into PICO format. Evidence in the veterinary literature was evaluated using the GRADE evidence-to-decision framework. Searches for human evidence summaries were conducted in the NICE, Cochrane and JBI databases. Final recommendations were based on both veterinary and human evidence. Conclusions: The research quest...
Graves MT, Anderson DE, DeNovo RC.Large animal teaching hospitals often struggle to maintain consistent teaching caseloads, which are affected by seasonal variations, economic pressures, increased abilities of local large animal practices to hospitalize large animals, and client intolerance for the operational needs of an academic mission. Non-academic large animal practices enjoy a more consistent caseload but suffer from a lack of emergency relief and a limited ability to share emergency duties, which may have adverse effects on work-life balance. An academic, on-farm, large animal emergency relief service can combine multip...
Ponthier J, de la Rebière G, Salciccia A, Deleuze S.In mares, endometrial cysts are associated with endometriosis and can cause maternal recognition failure or compromise and delay pregnancy diagnoses. Historical treatments were invasive and had adverse effects on the endometrium. Hysteroscopically guided laser therapy is easy and effective for endometrial cysts resection, with no deleterious effects for the endometrium. A 110 cm long and 1.0 cm wide endoscope is sterilely introduced in the uterus through the open cervix of an estrous mare after vulvar cleaning. The uterus is slowly infused with less than 1 L of physiologic solution and the las...
Melgaard DT, Korsgaard TS, Thoefner MS, Petersen MR, Pedersen HG.Unwanted behaviour in mares is a commonly presenting problem to the veterinarian. This behaviour may range from the mare being uncooperative or aggressive when handled on the ground, kicking, bucking or rearing when ridden or being aggressive towards other horses. This purpose of the study was to evaluate whether bilateral ovariectomy in mares with unwanted behaviour improved the mare's behaviour and/or rideability from the owner's perspective. The mares were grouped and compared statistically based on their histological classification as having either "normal" or neoplastic ovaries. This stud...
Proverbio D, Perego R, Baggiani L, Ferrucci F, Zucca E, Nobile F, Spada E.A knowledge of the blood groups and alloantibodies present is essential for the safe transfusion of blood products in horses. Pre-transfusion screening and blood typing minimizes the risk of incompatible RBC transfusions and prevents immunization of the recipient against incompatible RBC antigens. The frequencies of blood groups can vary among different breeds. Knowledge of a breed's blood group prevalence can be very useful for identifying the best blood donors during transfusion in clinical practice. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of the Ca blood type in horses from I...
de Preux M, Vidondo B, Koch C.To determine the influence of a purpose-built frame on the accuracy of screw placement during computer-assisted orthopedic surgery (CAOS) of the equine extremity. Methods: Experimental cadaveric study. Methods: Twenty-four paired equine cadaveric limbs obtained from seven horses. Methods: Three 4.5-mm cortex screws were inserted in lag technique in three different planes of orientation in the proximal phalanx (P1) by means of CAOS. In the study group (n = 12 limbs), the tracker was anchored on a purpose-built frame designed to stabilize the extremity. In the control group (n = 12 limbs), a con...
Buhl R, Hesselkilde EM, Carstensen H, Fenner MF, Jespersen T, Tfelt-Hansen J, Michael Sattler S.Cardiac arrhythmias in horses are diagnosed by auscultation or electrocardiogram (ECG), which results in a low sensitivity for detecting arrhythmias that occur sporadically. Implantable loop recorders (ILRs) are small ECG devices placed subcutaneously, to automatically detect arrhythmias in human patients. Objective: To test ILRs ability to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses. Furthermore, we hypothesised that anatomical location of the implant site might influence signal quality. Signal quality was evaluated both during exercise and over time. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: In fi...
Leonardi F, Angelone M, Biacca C, Battaglia B, Pecorari L, Conti V, Costa GL, Ramoni R, Grolli S.Keratoma is a nonmalignant horse tumor that grows in the space between the horn of the hoof and the distal phalanx. Keratoma causes lameness in the horse, and surgical excision is the treatment of choice. Four horses underwent removal of a keratoma by complete hoof wall resection. The remaining wound was treated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with a sterile three-dimensional polylactic acid scaffold. The PRP was applied at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 days postoperatively. The surgical site was cleaned with gauzes and swabs soaked in Ringer's lactate solution before applying PRP and the ...
Pujol R, De Fourmestraux C, Symoens A, Branchereau J, Tessier C.Surgical approaches to the kidneys and perirenal structures are uncommonly performed in horses and several complications have been described with the current procedures. Objective: To describe the anatomy of the retroperitoneal perirenal space and investigate a retroperitoneal minimally invasive approach to access the kidney and perirenal structures in horses. Methods: Descriptive, cadaveric study. Methods: Anatomical description of the retroperitoneal space was performed on three equine cadavers and the surgical approach was developed based on these dissections. Ten cadaveric horses underwent...
Meyer GA, Lin HC, Hanson RR, Hayes TL.This study aimed to identify blood serum lidocaine concentrations in the horse which resulted in clinical signs of intoxication, and to document the effects of toxic levels on the cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary systems. Nineteen clinically normal mature horses of mixed breed, age and sex were observed. Lidocaine administration was initiated in each subject with an i.v. loading dose of 1.5 mg/kg bwt and followed by continuous infusion of 0.3 mg/kg bwt/min until clinical signs of intoxication were observed. Intoxication was defined as the development of skeletal muscle tremors. Prior to admi...
Rendle DI, Litchfield E, Heller J, Hughes KJ.There is little published information on whether measurement of plasma ACTH concentration at a single timepoint is a repeatable indicator of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). Objective: To determine whether ultradian or circadian fluctuations in ACTH production influence plasma ACTH concentration in normal horses and horses with PPID. Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: Plasma ACTH concentration in 8 non-PPID horses and 8 horses with PPID was measured at 08.00, 11.00, 14.00 and 17.00 h on 5 nonconsecutive days within a 3 week period. In addition, at 08.30 h on one da...
Hawkins JF, Bowman KF, Roberts MC, Cowen P.Peritonitis was diagnosed in 67 horses between 1985 and 1990: 14 horses developed septic peritonitis after intestinal rupture, 25 horses developed peritonitis after abdominal surgery, and 28 horses had peritonitis not associated with intestinal rupture or abdominal surgery. Forty of 67 horses (59.7%) did not survive. Nonsurvivors had higher heart rates (P = 0.01), RBC count (P = 0.039), serum creatinine concentration (P = 0.036), PCV (P = 0.007), and anion gap (P = 0.005); lower venous blood pH (P = 0.002); and a greater number of bacterial species cultured from peritoneal fluid samples (P = 0...
Ringer SK, Portier K, Torgerson PR, Castagno R, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R.To compare xylazine and romifidine constant rate infusion (CRI) protocols regarding degree of sedation, and effects on postural instability (PI), ataxia during motion (A) and reaction to different stimuli. Methods: Blinded randomized experimental cross-over study. Methods: Ten adult horses. Methods: Degree of sedation was assessed by head height above ground (HHAG). Effects on PI, A and reaction to visual, tactile and acoustic stimulation were assessed by numerical rating scale (NRS) and by visual analogue scale (VAS). After baseline measurements, horses were sedated by intravenous loading dos...
Hultén C, Tulamo RM, Suominen MM, Burvall K, Marhaug G, Forsberg M.A non-competitive chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay for measuring serum amyloid A (SAA) in equine serum was developed. A polyclonal anti-equine-amyloid A antiserum specific for equine SAA was utilized, and the assay was standardized using highly purified equine SAA. An acute phase horse serum was calibrated against the purified SAA and was used as standard when running the assay. Serum SAA concentrations in the range of 3-1210 mg/l could be measured. The reference range of SAA in clinically healthy adult horses was <7 mg/l. The clinical validation of the assay comprised the SAA responses...
Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, White Ii NA, Werpy NM.Currently, there are limited data regarding the long-term outcome of horses with foot pain treated with corrective shoeing, rest and rehabilitation, and intrasynovial anti-inflammatory medication to target lesions detected with MRI. Objective: To report the long-term (≥12 months) outcome of horses with foot lesions following medical therapy. Objective: 1) There is no association between clinical parameters considered and a poor response to therapy. 2) Horses with a deep digital flexor tendinopathy are less likely to respond to medical therapy than horses without a deep digital flexor tendino...
The Lancet. Global healthMay 14, 2022
Volume 10, Issue 6 e862-e872 doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(22)00117-6
Van Hao N, Loan HT, Yen LM, Kestelyn E, Hong DD, Thuy DB, Nguyen NT, Duong HTH, Thuy TTD, Nhat PTH, Khanh PNQ, Dung NTP, Phu NH, Phong NT, Lieu PT....Intramuscular antitoxin is recommended in tetanus treatment, but there are few data comparing human and equine preparations. Tetanus toxin acts within the CNS, where there is limited penetration of peripherally administered antitoxin; thus, intrathecal antitoxin administration might improve clinical outcomes compared with intramuscular injection. In a 2 × 2 factorial trial, all patients aged 16 years or older with a clinical diagnosis of generalised tetanus admitted to the intensive care unit of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were eligible for study entr...
Sutton GA, Ertzman-Ginsburg R, Steinman A, Milgram J.Initial assessment of the mortality rates and prognostic indicators in horses with colic presented to a referral hospital in Israel. Objective: To determine mortality rates and to identify potential prognostic indicators in horses undergoing treatment for colic. Methods: The medical records of 208 colic cases were reviewed and mortality rates calculated including 95% confidence intervals. Mortality rates in surgical cases were calculated separately for strangulating and nonstrangulating lesions as well as for lesions of the large and small intestines. Potential prognostic indicators were ident...
Scantlebury CE, Archer DC, Proudman CJ, Pinchbeck GL.The frequency of recurrent colic in the UK equine general practice population is previously unreported. Elucidating risk factors for recurrent colic could provide a basis for clinical decision making and interventions. Objective: To determine the incidence rate of and risk factors for recurrent colic. Objective: Horse management, prophylactic health care and innate behaviour contribute to the risk of recurrent colic. Methods: A cohort of 127 horses was enrolled at the point of a veterinary-diagnosed medical colic episode. Participating owners completed a baseline and 3 follow-up telephone ques...
Lanci A, Perina F, Donadoni A, Castagnetti C, Mariella J.Dystocia as a prolonged stage II parturition (>30 min) was associated with a higher risk of complications. The hypothesis of the study was that any type of dystocia could affect the foal’s health, even when the stage II was <30 min. Clinical reports on 222 Standardbred mares and their foals hospitalized at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Bologna from 2004 to 2020 were reviewed. Mares were divided into the Eutocia Group (165, eutocic delivery) and the Dystocia Group (57, dystocic delivery). The incidence of dystocia was 4.9%. Stage II was longer in the Dystocia Gro...
Wang L, Luo DK, Pan ZY.The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between glucocorticoid receptors and steroid‑induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SANFH). Healthy New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=16/group); the normal (no treatment), control (horse serum injections) and treatment (horse serum and methylprednisolone injections) groups. Methylprednisolone and horse serum injections were used to establish a SANFH model in rabbits; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathological analysis were used to evaluate the SANFH rabbit model. Total cholesterol an...
Muñoz A, Riber C, Trigo P, Castejón F.Leukemia, i.e., the neoplasia of one or more cell lines of the bone marrow, although less common than in other species, it is also reported in horses. Leukemia can be classified according to the affected cells (myeloproliferative or lymphoproliferative disorders), evolution of clinical signs (acute or chronic) and the presence or lack of abnormal cells in peripheral blood (leukemic, subleukemic and aleukemic leukemia). The main myeloproliferative disorders in horses are malignant histiocytosis and myeloid leukemia, the latter being classified as monocytic and myelomonocytic, granulocytic, prim...
Pickles KJ, Berger J, Davies R, Roser J, Madigan JE.The aim of this study was to investigate the use of a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine in the treatment of headshaking in horses. Fifteen geldings received two doses of the GnRH vaccine four weeks apart. Serum was collected before and after vaccination to measure concentrations of luteinising hormone (LH) (10 horses) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (six horses). Owners recorded the frequency of seven common headshaking behaviours using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before vaccination and at two, four, eight, 12, 16 and 20 weeks after vaccination. Serum LH (P=0.008) and FSH...
Masini A.Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) is an approach in which horses are an integral part of the therapeutic process. This article provides an overview of EAP, including a brief historical perspective, key definitions, and review of pertinent literature. Benefits of the approach are presented, from the standpoint of field observations, client self-reports, and formal research articles. Rather than offer a comprehensive literature review, this article is intended to help non-EAP practitioners become more familiar with the approach.
Hendrickson DA, Wilson DG.This article describes a new technique for laparoscopic cryptorchid castration in standing horses. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: Eight horses aged 11 months to 3 years and weighing between 300 and 643 kg. Methods: Food was withheld for 24 to 36 hours, and then horses were sedated with detomidine HCl (0.02 to 0.03 mg/kg) and butorphanol tartrate (0.02 mg/kg). The paralumbar fossa region was desensitized with 2% mepivacaine in an inverted "L" pattern and caudal epidural anesthesia was administered with either xylazine (0.18 mg/kg diluted to 10 to 15 mL with 0.9% sodium chloride) or a comb...
Latshaw H, Fessler JF, Whistler SJ, Geddes LA.Indirect mean arterial pressure was obtained from the tails of 78 anaesthetised and unanaesthetised normotensive and hypotensive horses. Data were obtained to determine the optimum cuff width in relation to tail circumference. A cuff that is too wide under-estimates and a cuff that is too narrow over-estimates blood pressure. With the optimum cuff width, which is slightly in excess of about one-fifth of the tail circumference, indirect mean blood pressure was obtained consistently in normotensive and hypotensive animals with mean blood pressures of 40 mmHg and frequently in animals with pressu...
Russell J, Matika O, Russell T, Reardon RJ.Osteochondrosis is considered multifactorial in origin, with factors such as nutrition, conformation, body size, trauma and genetics thought to contribute to its pathogenesis. Few studies have investigated the effects of genetic variability of osteochondrosis in Thoroughbreds. Objective: To describe the prevalence and genetic variability of a subset of osteochondrosis lesions in a group of Thoroughbred yearlings. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Radiographs of 1962 Thoroughbred yearlings were retrieved from clinical records obtained between 2005 and 2013. Pedigree information was ...
Niimura Del Barrio MC, David F, Hughes JML, Clifford D, Wilderjans H, Bennett R.The mortality rate of horses undergoing general anaesthesia is high when compared to humans or small animal patients. One of the most critical periods during equine anaesthesia is recovery, as the horse attempts to regain a standing position. This study was performed in a private equine practice in Belgium that uses a purpose-designed one-man (head and tail) rope recovery system to assist the horse during the standing process.The main purpose of the retrospective study was to report and analyse complications and the mortality rate in horses during recovery from anaesthesia using the described ...
May ML, Nolen-Walston RD, Utter ME, Boston RC.During hospitalization, horses typically undergo frequent blood sampling for diagnostic testing and monitoring. The need for numerous samples in hospitalized horses makes acquisition from an intravenous catheter (IVC) both convenient and less stressful to the patient. Objective: We hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in the plasma chemistry and CBC variables from blood samples obtained from a jugular catheter as compared with direct jugular venipuncture. Methods: Fifty adult hospitalized horses; 25 receiving constant rate crystalloid therapy, and 25 receiving low volume ...
Frisbie DD.Osteoarthritis is one of the most economically important diseases facing equine practitioners. The loss of use associated with joint disease is a leading problem in the equine industry. Although osteoarthritis in all species is believed to be a multifactorial disease that is not well understood, significant advances are being made. This article presents areas of research that are relatively well developed but have not made it to commercialization or routine clinical practice and looks at new applications being investigated for peo-ple that may have an equine application.
Hoffman A, Kuehn H, Riedelberger K, Kupcinskas R, Miskovic MB.Respiratory inductance plethysmographic (RIP) and pneumotachographic (Pn) flows were compared dynamically in horses with bronchoconstriction. On a breath-by-breath basis, RIP was normalized to inspiratory volume from Pn, and peak [peak of subtracted final exhalation waveform (SFE(max))] and selected area [integral of subtracted final waveform during first 25% of exhaled volume (SFE(int))] differences between RIP and Pn flows during early expiration were measured in three settings: 1) healthy horses (n = 8) undergoing histamine bronchoprovocation; 2) horses with naturally occurring lower airway...
Nielsen JV, Berg LC, Thoefnert MB, Thomsen PD.Intra-articular facet joint injection is an established diagnostic procedure in human medicine but there are no reports on its reliability in equine practice. Objective: To investigate the accuracy of ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections of the cervical facet joints and to estimate factors influencing the accuracy. Methods: Sixty injections with blue dye were performed on the facet joints between 2nd and 7th cervical vertebra (C2-C7) on horses subjected to euthanasia for nonorthopaedic reasons. The facet joints were subsequently dissected to verify accuracy of deposition. Results: Seve...
Robinson EP, Natalini CC.Intercoccygeal, or caudal, epidural injection of local anesthetics is a convenient method of producing analgesia and local anesthesia of the tail and perineal structures in conscious standing horses. This technique has been further developed to provide long duration analgesia and anesthesia by placement of catheters into the epidural space of horses. More recently, opioid, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, ketamine and other analgesic agents have been administered by caudal epidural injection, providing pain relief in both conscious, standing and anesthetized, recumbent horses. This chapter describ...
Glass K, Watts AE.Despite differences in etiology and diagnostics, the mainstay of therapy in the foal is similar to the adult: local lavage and/or debridement and local antimicrobial therapy. When musculoskeletal infection is concurrent with neonatal sepsis, the prognosis for survival is fair. When musculoskeletal infection is the primary problem, the prognosis is fair to good for survival of synovial, bony, and physeal infections with appropriate and aggressive local therapy. Recent literature may indicate that prognosis for survival and potential athleticism in foals that are treated expediently with local t...
Love CC.The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) was introduced by as a method to determine the susceptibility of sperm DNA to denaturation and how those results related to fertility. This initial study used human sperm and was followed by studies in bulls and boars . This assay was one of the first to introduce the technique of flow cytometry, which has the ability to evaluate specific sperm compartments of large numbers of sperm in a short time, as a methodology to evaluate sperm quality and further define the relationship of sperm quality to fertility. For any assay to be of use clinically, it mu...
Müller TM, Hopster K, Bienert-Zeit A, Rohn K, Kästner SBR.Standing surgery, especially dental procedures, are commonly performed in horses. This leads to an increasing demand for reliable sedation protocols. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to investigate the influence of butorphanol, midazolam or ketamine on romifidine based sedation in horses during cheek tooth removal. Methods: Forty horses presented for tooth extraction were divided in four groups using matched pair randomization. Group R was sedated with romifidine (bolus 0.03 mg/kg, followed by a constant rate infusion (CRI) 0.05 mg/kg/h) and group RB with romifidine (same dose) an...
Rendle DI, Durham AE, Hughes KJ, Lloyd D, Summerhays GE.Five horses with sabulous cystitis were managed for up to three years. They were treated by emptying the bladder through a urinary catheter and saline lavage with cytoscopic guidance to remove residual sabulous material. The cystitis was treated with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory medications, and bethanechol chloride was also administered. Frequent catheterisation and emptying of the bladder was an alternative to regular cystoscopic examination with saline lavage but it resulted in the development of a urethral stricture in one case. Four of the horses returned to work and one was retire...
