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.
Houben RMAC, Meersschaert C, Hendrickx G, Pitel PH, Amory H.Serological screening tests for Lyme borreliosis have poor specificity, with potential for misdiagnosis and unnecessary antimicrobial treatment. Objective: To evaluate the impact of Lyme borreliosis seroprevalence and serologic test characteristics on the probability of obtaining a false-positive result and impact on antimicrobial use. Methods: Cross-sectional serological survey and modelling. Methods: Sera from 303 horses in southern Belgium were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Apparent seroprevalence was derived from serological data and a Bayesian estimate of true ser...
Lacitignola L, Imperante A, De Siena R, Acquafredda C, Trisciuzzi R, Stabile M, Confalonieri E, Crovace AM, Staffieri F.Cryptorchidectomy is the most commonly performed laparoscopic procedure in horses. However, its use for the extraction of an abdominal testis has disadvantages such as loss of a resected testis from grasp and fragmentation of the specimen because of the excessive tension required for extraction through a thick body wall. The ring wound retractor laparoscopic port system was recently used in human and small animal surgery to perform laparoscopic-assisted procedures and retrieve large specimens from the abdomen. In the present case, the wound retractor was placed as the ventral port in the right...
Durham AE, Clarke BR, Potier JFN, Hammarstrand R, Malone GL.Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is commonly investigated using plasma ACTH concentrations but problems exist with currently available diagnostic thresholds. Objective: To derive temporally specific diagnostic thresholds for equine plasma ACTH concentration to be used alongside clinical judgement in each individual week of the year and appropriate for the degree of clinical suspicion in any given case. Furthermore, to apply these thresholds to compare the prevalence of high and low ACTH in two subgroups of animals with high and low clinical suspicion of PPID. Methods: A retrospecti...
Alonso JM, Esper CS, Pantoja JCF, Rosa GDS, Giampietro RR, Dos Santos B, Guerra ST, Ribeiro MG, Takahira RK, Watanabe MJ, Alves ALG, Rodrigues CA....Difference in blood and peritoneal glucose (DBPG) is used in clinical practice to support a diagnosis of septic peritonitis in horses. It is inexpensive, easy and rapid to perform. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the DBPG to differentiate between septic and non-septic peritonitis in horses. Blood and peritoneal fluids were harvested from suspected animals. Plasma and peritoneal glucose levels, total nucleated cell count, direct microscopic and microbiological examinations of the peritoneal fluid were evaluated. Using DBPG levels, the animals were classified into two group...
Han Y, Tang C, Liao Q, Li Z, Deng L.Serum and plasma are commonly used in clinical practice considering the widely accepted fact that the "normal" protein expression pattern of a healthy animal changes under disease conditions. We herein used a label-free mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics approach to characterize the serum proteome of donkeys. A total of 277 unique proteins were identified from 2,388 unique peptides. Gene ontology analyses showed that the most frequent processes were related to metabolic activities and biological regulation, response to stimulus, and immune system processes. The main annotated area...
Alvarez IJ, Fort M, Pasucci J, Moreno F, Gimenez H, Näslund K, Hägglund S, Zohari S, Valarcher JF.Influenza D virus (IDV) is considered a new agent involved in bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Based on seroprevalence studies or isolation from clinical samples, this virus has been detected on several continents and in several animal species, including cattle, pigs, camel, horses, and goats. We used an indirect in-house ELISA to detect anti-IDV antibodies in 165 serum samples from bulls on 116 farms in the province of La Pampa, Argentina. Eighty-five of 116 (73%) farms had at least 1 positive animal, and 112 of 165 (68%) of the analyzed samples were positive. There were no significant diffe...
Peters BC, Fields BE, Erdman EA.Objective: The use of equine movement as a therapy tool in a plan of care, or hippotherapy, has grown considerably over the past three decades. However, there is little evidence of safety rates and related practice patterns to guide key stakeholders such as clients, therapists, the health care team, and third-party payers. The purpose of this article is to describe the safety and practice patterns of contemporary use of hippotherapy. Design: A survey was distributed to occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and speech-language pathology clinicians who incorporate hippotherapy into t...
Jin C, Cherian RM, Liu J, Playà -Albinyana H, Galli C, Karlsson NG, Breimer ME, Holgersson J.Animal bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV) are used to replace defective valves in patients with valvular heart disease. Especially young BHV recipients may experience a structural valve deterioration caused by an immune reaction in which α-Gal and Neu5Gc are potential target antigens. The expression of these and other carbohydrate antigens in animal tissues used for production of BHV was explored. Protein lysates of porcine aortic and pulmonary valves, and porcine, bovine and equine pericardia were analyzed by Western blotting using anti-carbohydrate antibodies and lectins. N-glycans were relea...
Mocchi M, Dotti S, Bue MD, Villa R, Bari E, Perteghella S, Torre ML, Grolli S.Regenerative medicine aims to restore the normal function of diseased or damaged cells, tissues, and organs using a set of different approaches, including cell-based therapies. In the veterinary field, regenerative medicine is strongly related to the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which belong to the body repair system and are defined as multipotent progenitor cells, able to self-replicate and to differentiate into different cell types. This review aims to take stock of what is known about the MSCs and their use in the veterinary medicine focusing on clinical reports on dogs and hors...
Rodriguez Galarza RM, McMullen RJ.To describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging results, and treatment outcomes of a series of presumed spontaneous Descemet's membrane detachments (DMD), ruptures, or separations (DMRS) in the adult horse. Methods: Ten adult horses of various breeds with DMD or DMRS. Methods: Descemet's membrane detachments/DMRS were diagnosed via slit lamp biomicroscopy, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), and/or optical coherence tomography (OCT). Penetrating keratoplasty (PK) with heterologous corneal donor tissue (n = 1), superficial lamellar keratectomy, and Gundersen inlay flaps alone (GF, n =Â...
Pearson G, Connor M, Keen J, Reardon R, Waran N.Working as an equine veterinarian carries a high risk of occupational injury, with the behavior of the horse frequently reported as a cause for these injuries. Risk of injury is one reason cited by undergraduate veterinary students that would prevent them from entering large animal practice, and newly graduated veterinarians have been shown to be at increased risk of sustaining an occupational injury compared with more experienced colleagues. A cohort of pre-final-year undergraduate veterinary students were given a 45-minute lecture on learning theory and its application in equine practice, co...
Tenzin T, Lhamo K, Rai PB, Tshering D, Jamtsho P, Namgyal J, Wangdi T, Letho S, Rai T, Jamtsho S, Dorji C, Rinchen S, Lungten L, Wangmo K, Lungten L....Rabies kills approximately 59,000 people each year worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of rabies is important for instituting rapid containment measures and for advising the exposed people for postexposure treatment. The application of a rapid diagnostic tests in the field can greatly enhance disease surveillance and diagnostic activities, especially in resource poor settings. In this study, a total of 179 brain tissue samples collected from different rabies suspect animal species (113 dogs, 50 cattle, 10 cats, 3 goats, 2 horses, and 1 bear) were selected and tested using both rapid immuno...
Morris TB, Lumsden JM, Dunlop CI, Locke V, Sommerauer S, Hurcombe SDA.The nociceptive blockade of locoregional anesthesia prior to surgical stimulation can decrease anesthetic agent requirement and thereby potential dose-dependent side effects. The use of an ipsilateral second and third cervical spinal nerve locoregional anesthetic block for prosthetic laryngoplasty in the anesthetized horses has yet to be described. Anesthetic records of 20 horses receiving locoregional anesthesia prior to laryngoplasty were reviewed and compared to 20 horses of a similar patient cohort not receiving locoregional anesthesia. Non-blocked horses were 11 times more likely to requi...
Gabriel CR, Marta P.A two-month-old, Spanish breed, foal was referred with right hind limb lameness of two weeks duration. Clinical examinations confirmed a complex combination of lesions within the lateral femorotibial joint, including a subchondral bone cyst in the lateral femoral condyle, a severe popliteal tendonitis, and a delayed cartilage detachment of the lateral femoral condyle. Because of the complex association of these lesions, poor prognosis for an athletic career was given to the owner. Four years later, the filly is pasture sound. Lesions of the popliteal tendon in the horse are uncommon. The popli...
Zakari FO, Avazi DO, Ayo JO.The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the depth of insertion and environmental parameters on the rectal temperature (RT) in donkeys during the hot-dry season in a tropical savannah zone of Nigeria. The experimental subjects were comprised of thirty donkeys divided into three groups based on age: group I, 10 foals (40.67 ± 2.20 kg; 1.50 ± 0.02 months); group II, 10 yearlings (91.53 ± 0.54 kg; 1.51 ± 0.01 years); and group III, 10 adults (140 ± 0.71 kg; 8.03 ± 0.06 years). Each group was divided into 5 male and 5 female donkeys. Measurements of the RT were ...
Santistevan L, Easley J, Ruple A, Monck S, Randall E, Wininger F, Packer RA.Optical neuronavigation-guided intracranial surgery has become increasingly common in veterinary medicine, but its use has not yet been described in horses. Objective: To determine the feasibility of optical neuronavigation-guided intracranial biopsy procedures in the horse, compare the use of the standard fiducial array and anatomic landmarks for patient registration, and evaluate surgeon experience. Methods: Six equine cadaver heads. Methods: Computed tomography images of each specimen were acquired, with the fiducial array rigidly secured to the frontal bone. Six targets were selected in ea...
Haussler KK, Wilde SR, Davis MS, Hess AM, McIlwraith CW.Rehabilitation of tendon injuries in horses often involves cryotherapy to reduce inflammation and occasionally tissue heating to increase collagen extensibility. The application of alternating cold and hot (ie contrast therapy) is widely used in human physical therapy; however, its utility in equine rehabilitation is largely unknown. Objective: The objectives of this study were to (a) assess if the equipment could achieve therapeutic tissue temperatures (40°C) at different tissue depths relative to the digital flexor tendons and (b) evaluate the time-temperature profiles during serial heating...
Kinnison T, Cardwell JM.Inflammatory airway disease (IAD) is a commonly diagnosed but variably defined syndrome of equine lower airway inflammation. The most recent American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) consensus statement, informed by research evidence, recommends a case definition based on clinical signs (poor performance or occasional coughing of at least 3 weeks duration), increased endoscopically-visible tracheal mucus, and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology, and proposes that the condition should be termed 'mild-moderate equine asthma' (mEA). In British Thoroughbred racehorses, research to date ...
Koch DW, Barrett MF, Jackman BR, MacDonald D, Goodrich LR.Aims: To compare the outcome, in terms of lameness score or return to athletic function, of horses with acute vs. chronic digital lameness that underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the distal limb and to compare the proportion of horses that received intra-articular therapy of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint and pattern of diagnostic analgesia in these groups. Methods: This is a retrospective study of horses (n = 95) with acute (≤12 weeks; n = 46) or chronic (>12 weeks; n = 49) digital lameness that underwent MRI of the distal limb from 2009-2016, at two equine re...
de Grauw J, van Loon T.To compare the effects of two different doses of butorphanol combined with detomidine administered intravenously (IV) on quality of sedation, degree of ataxia and anaesthetic induction in horses. Methods: Randomized, blinded, clinical study. Methods: A total of 40 client-owned healthy warmblood horses scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. Methods: Horses were randomly allocated to be administered 8 μg kg-1 detomidine IV plus either 20 or 50 μg kg-1 butorphanol IV, with the principal investigator blinded to group allocation. Head height was measured before drug injection a...
Stewart HL, Werpy NM, McIlwraith CW, Kawcak CE.To describe the effects of distal limb immobilization and remobilization in the equine metacarpophalangeal joint. Methods: Randomized, prospective experimental study. Methods: Eight healthy, skeletally mature horses. Methods: One forelimb of each horse was immobilized in a fiberglass cast for 8 weeks; this was followed by 12 weeks of a treadmill-based training program after the cast had been removed. Clinical examinations, radiography, computed tomography (CT), nuclear scintigraphy, MRI, and histomorphometry were used to examine the third metacarpal (MC3), proximal phalanx, proximal sesamo...
Welch-Huston B, Durward-Akhurst S, Norton E, Ellingson L, Rendahl A, McCue M.Cardiac arrhythmias are commonly auscultated during routine physical examinations in horses and determining the underlying electrical abnormality using an ECG is important. The most commonly used device is a three-lead base apex system (Televet), however few practitioners carry this for routine visits. With recognition of the utility of smartphone-based ECGs in humans, dogs and ruminants, the AliveCor single-lead bipolar smartphone-based ECG has gained popularity. The objective of this study was to determine if AliveCor and Televet ECG measurements were comparable in healthy horses using multi...
Hesselkilde E, Linz D, Saljic A, Carstensen H, Kutieleh R, Jespersen T, Sanders P, Buhl R.Three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping is of potential interest in equine cardiology to identify arrhythmia mechanisms, characterise electroanatomical substrates and guide ablation strategies. Objective: To describe three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping in standing horses. Methods: Research methodology, proof of concept study. Methods: Four Standardbred horses (2 geldings, 2 mares, median age 4.5 [4-9]Â years, mean bodyweight 485 [440-550]Â kg) were sedated and placed in stocks. Via the jugular vein, a high-density multipolar grid catheter (Advisorâ„¢ HD Grid Mapping Catheter with E...
Bastos CM, Rocha F, Cerqueira Â, Terroso D, Sequeira C, Tilley P.Clays are natural ingredients used to prepare therapeutic cataplasms suitable for topical application. The knowledge about these formulations and their preparations to be applied on humans and animals has been orally transmitted since ancient times. Several empirical methods using clays have demonstrated fast and effective results in the reduction of the inflammatory response and the formation of edemas in horse limbs. The use of traditional and alternative medicine, such as pelotherapy, is now becoming more popular in veterinarian medical practice, alone or combined with other therapies in ho...
Novello G, Podico G, Segabinazzi LGTM, Lima FS, Canisso IF.The objective of this study was to compare semen parameters and embryo recovery rates of cooled stallion semen extended with INRA 96 or BotuSemen Gold. In experiment 1, 45 ejaculates from nine mature stallions were collected, assessed, and equally split between both extenders and then extended to 50 million sperm/mL. Then, the extended semen was stored in three passive cooling containers (Equitainer, Equine Express II, and BotuFlex) for 48 hours. In experiment 2, the same ejaculates extended in experiment 1 were cushion-centrifuged, the supernatant was discarded, and the pellets were resuspend...
Samy A, Elmetwally M, El-Khodery SA.The aim of the present study was to establish appropriate doses for both lidocaine hydrochloride (Hcl) and mepivacaine in intravenous regional analgesia (IVRA) and to assess their intraoperative and postoperative analgesic effects in horses with distal limb surgeries. A total of 55 draft horses were included in the present study. Six clinically healthy horses were selected randomly for establishing the doses of lidocaine Hcl and mepivacaine in IVRA in horse limbs. After selection, 32 horses suffered from various distal limb surgical affections were randomly allocated into three groups: thiopen...
Eberhardt C, Mitchell KJ, Schwarzwald CC.The mechanical function of the left atrium (LA) plays a pivotal role in modulation of left ventricular filling. Assessment of LA function might be a clinically useful prognostic tool for horses with mitral regurgitation or atrial fibrillation. However, the most accurate, reliable, and clinically useful methods to assess LA myocardial function are yet to be determined. The objective of this study was to describe the methods for quantification of LA wall motion using two-dimensional speckle tracking (2DST) echocardiography in healthy Warmblood horses to quantify measurement variability, to calcu...
Dai F, Leach M, MacRae AM, Minero M, Costa ED.The Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) is a facial-expression-based pain coding system that enables a range of acute painful conditions in horses to be effectively identified. Using valid assessment methods to identify pain in horses is of a clear importance; however, the reliability of the assessment is highly dependent on the assessors' ability to use it. Training of new assessors plays a critical role in underpinning reliability. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a 30-minute standardised training program on HGS is effective at improving the agreement between observers with no horse experi...
Data in briefApril 30, 2020
Volume 30 105644 doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.105644
Pascoletti G, Pressanto MC, Putame G, Terzini M, Franceschini G, Zanetti EM.A number of applications in the surgical practice are based on tensile sutures aimed to keep soft tissues in place and compensate the exit of neuropathies, prolapses or general tissue relaxation. Long-term behaviour of these constructs need to be carefully examined in order to define tensile forces to be applied and to compare different suture anchors. Data here reported refer to equine laryngoplasties, where a suitable loading system has been designed in order to be able to test sutures in-sito, applying known forces ("On-site testing of sutured organs: an experimental set up to cyclically ti...
Nuttall HE, Ravenhill PJ.Equine dental disease remains a widespread affliction in domestic horses, with the potential to cause significant welfare problems. This retrospective study aimed to increase understanding of this aspect of equine health by examining dental records of 932 horses, taken from a 1-year period of first-opinion practice in south-western England and southern Wales. Three grossly-identifiable dental diseases were analysed: equine periodontal disease, diastemata and peripheral caries. The prevalence of active periodontal disease, diastemata and peripheral caries were 13.9%, 8.7% and 8.2%, respectively...
Parks A.The list of possible diagnoses derived from matching anatomic structures or tissues to pathologic processes is inevitably broad in nature. Understanding and observation of distal limb function, conformation, and balance is the basis of identifying where the greatest abnormal stresses within the distal limb are likely to occur. This is key to focusing the diagnostic process and, in some instances, to treating the horse when a definitive diagnosis cannot be achieved.
Colbath AC, Patipa L, Berghaus RD, Parks AH.Incisional complications following exploratory celiotomy increase morbidity, extend hospitalisation and increase cost. Retrospective studies seek to identify risk factors and measures for prevention of surgical site infection. The relatively high incidence of incisional complications following exploratory laparotomy necessitates identification of ideal surgical closure methods. Objective: The study sought to identify the incidence of incisional drainage within our hospital population, and to identify risk factors for incisional complications while determining surgical practices that reduce the...
Hoerdemann M, Smith RL, Hosgood G.To establish and compare the onset and duration of action of 2 local anesthetics based on objective lameness and skin sensitivity assessment. Methods: Interventional crossover experimental trial with balanced randomization. Methods: Eight horses. Methods: Reversible forelimb lameness was induced in 8 horses. A palmar digital nerve block (PDNB) was applied with mepivacaine or lidocaine (both 2%). Quantitative lameness and skin sensitivity data were collected with an inertial sensor system and a force gauge, respectively. The times to lameness resolution/skin desensitization (T1), consistent lam...
Stout TA, Colenbrander B.There are a number of situations in which it is desirable to suppress part or all of the reproductive endocrine system in a horse, notably the competing animal whose tractability during training, or performance during competition, is compromised by the expression of sexual or aggressive behavior. The current therapeutic approaches to reproductive endocrine suppression include gonadectomy and progestagen administration, where the former carries surgical risks and entails irreversible loss of breeding potential, and effective progestagen therapy requires frequent administration for extended peri...
Epstein KL.Although primary coagulopathies are rare in horses, changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis are commonly associated with inflammatory diseases. A clear understanding of the pathophysiology of normal and abnormal hemostasis is required to be able to choose and interpret diagnostic tests evaluating coagulation and fibrinolysis. After diagnosis, treatment of the underlying disease must occur regardless of whether clinical manifestations (excessive bleeding or thrombosis) of the coagulopathy are present or not. Specific treatment may be initiated if there are clinical signs of coagulopathy.
Zavoshti FR, Andrews FM.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is an umbrella term used to describe ulcers in the nonglandular squamous and glandular mucosa, terminal esophagus, and proximal duodenum. Gastric ulcers in the squamous and glandular regions occur more often than esophageal or duodenal ulcers and likely have a different pathogenesis. At present, omeprazole is accepted globally as the best pharmacologic therapy for both regions of the stomach; however, the addition of coating agents and synthetic prostaglandins could add to its effectiveness in treatment of EGUS. Dietary and environmental management are nece...
Love EJ, Taylor PM, Clark C, Whay HR, Murrell J.In the UK butorphanol has a marketing authorisation for administration to horses for sedation in combination with detomidine, and at a higher dose (0.1 mg/kg bwt), for the alleviation of pain. There is only a limited number of clinical studies designed to examine the analgesic effects of butorphanol administration following surgery. Objective: To investigate the effect of premedication with butorphanol on post operative pain following castration under general anaesthesia in ponies. Objective: Ponies receiving butorphanol would experience less pain after castration than ponies that did not rece...
Smith MR, Wright IM, Smith RK.Clinical lesions of the deep digital flexor tendon and navicular bone are being reported with increasing frequency. However, the role of direct visualisation by navicular bursoscopy in the diagnosis and management of such injuries has not been explored. Objective: Navicular bursoscopy: 1) corroborates information obtained from other, noninvasive imaging modalities; 2) allows direct visualisation of lesions unidentified by other diagnostic modalities; 3) provides further information on morphology of lesions; and 4) permits minimally invasive surgical access to lesions. Methods: The case records...
Ferris RA.Infectious endometritis is among the leading causes of subfertility in the mare. However, the best way to reliably diagnose these cases of infectious endometritis can be confusing to the veterinary practitioner. The goal of this article is to describe how to perform various sample collection techniques, what analyses can be performed on these samples, and how to interpret the results of these analysis. Additionally, future technologies will be presented that are not currently used in equine reproduction practice.
Gilboa Y, Helmer A. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, is currently one of the most common diagnoses given to children. Children with ADHD have a unique cognitive profile that involves difficulties in executive functions (EFs) and in the self-management system of the brain, and are at higher risk for educational failure, social and emotional difficulties, and high risk behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of self-management intervention for attention and executive functions using equine-assisted occupatio...
Gazzeri R, Neroni M, Alfieri A, Galarza M, Faiola A, Esposito S, Giordano M.Numerous materials have been used to replace defects in the dura mater as result of neurosurgical and spinal procedures. Tissudura is a biomatrix made of cross-linked equine collagen fibrils, mainly of the interstitial type I. The specially engineered dura-like layered structure provides a non porous primary water tight structure, is transparent and allows verification of the efficacy of cerebral hemostasis. Methods: A consecutive series of patients between 18 years and 75 years of age were prospectively enrolled from three separate European institutions between May 2007 and February 2008. All...
Millis DL, Bergh A.Light therapy, or photobiomodulation, is a collective name for methods where tissue is irradiated with different types of light, with the aim of stimulating healing. Despite being frequently used, there is no consensus regarding the optimal treatment protocols for light therapy, nor its clinical efficacy. A systematic literature review was conducted, searching the relevant literature regarding light therapy in three databases, published between 1980-2020. The risk of bias in each article was evaluated. Forty-five articles met the inclusion criteria; 24 articles were regarding dogs, 1 was regar...
Dixon PM, McGorum BC, Railton DI, Hawe C, Tremaine WH, Pickles K, McCann J.Examination of the long-term histories and clinical findings was performed in 351 horses suffering from recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) to examine for possible evidence of progression of this disorder. Fifty-two out of 351 cases (15%) had evidence of progression of the degree of laryngeal dysfunction over a median period of 12 months (range 1.5-48 months) with the onset of progression occurring at median age 7 years. In 30 cases, there was both endoscopic (median deterioration of 3 endoscopic grades; range 1-5 grades) and clinical evidence, with 29 (97%) of these horses concurrently devel...
Chan CP, Wan TS, Watkins KL, Pelsers MM, Van der Voort D, Tang FP, Lam KH, Mill J, Yuan Y, Lehmann M, Hempel A, Sanderson JE, Glatz JF, Renneberg R.Fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) holds promise for early detection of tissue injury. This small protein (15kD) appears earlier in the blood than large proteins after cell damage. Combined its characteristics of high concentration tissue contents and low normal plasma values provide the possibility of a rapid rise above the respective reference values, and thus an early indication of the appearance of tissue injury. A general review was presented on the current status of different types of FABP for the detection of tissue injury in patients with myocardial injury, brain injury and also in athl...
Marshall AE.The brain stem auditory-evoked response (BAER) was measured in 10 horses and 7 ponies under conditions suitable for clinical diagnostic testing. Latencies of 5 vertex-positive peaks and interpeak latency and amplitude ratio on the 1st and 4th peaks were determined. Data from horses and ponies were analyzed separately and were compared. The stimulus was a click (n = 3,000) ranging from 10- to 90-dB hearing level (HL). Neither horses nor ponies responded with a BAER at 10 dB nor did they give reliable responses at less than 50 dB. The 2nd of the BAER waves appeared in the record at lower stimulu...
Post EM, Singer ER, Clegg PD, Smith RK, Cripps PJ.Wounds to the plantar aspect of the tarsus present a diagnostic and treatment challenge. This study was undertaken to describe specific features of traumatic wounds involving the calcaneal bursa, with a view to determining which clinical examination findings and diagnostic tests results could provide reliable indicators of prognosis. Objective: To report clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, treatment and outcome of 24 cases of septic calcaneal bursitis; and to determine the importance of the involvement of specific anatomical structures in relation to the prognosis for survival and retu...
Rawlinson JT, Earley E.Dental therapies for equid incisor and canine teeth have modernized significantly over the last 2 decades. Basic principles in incisor reduction have become more conservative, and extraction procedures more exacting. Periodontal and endodontic treatments are described to save teeth that would have succumbed to extraction in the past. Pathologic impacts on treatment decisions for equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis are significant, and veterinarians and owners need to be aware of treatment options and outcomes. Easy access to equid incisor and canine teeth offers a variety...
Davidson HJ, Blanchard GL, Wheeler CA, Render JA.Intraocular melanoma was diagnosed in a 13-year-old horse. Secondary clinical findings included keratitis, cataract, and glaucoma. The eye was enucleated. Follow-up information did not give an indication of metastatic disease.
Shaw SD, Norman TE, Arnold CE, Coleman MC.The objective of this case series was to characterize the population, case presentations, and outcomes of 28 equids diagnosed with cleft palate over a 25-year period. The incidence of cleft palate was 0.04%. The median age at presentation was 2 mo (range: 1 d to 3 y). Fifty percent of the animals were < 2 mo old, 21% were ≥ 2 mo but < 1 y old, and 29% were 1 y of age or older. Males and females were nearly equally represented. Short-term outcomes included euthanasia in 50%, surgical repair in 11%, supportive care in 4%, and no treatment in 32% of cases; 46% of the animals survived to d...
Haussler KK, Martin CE, Hill AE.Spinal mobilisation and spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) are being applied to horses; however, there are limited objective measures of their effects on spinal mobility or stiffness in actively ridden horses. Objective: To quantify passive spinal movements induced during dorsoventral mobilisation of the trunk and to identify any potential effects of SMT on measures of spinal mobility within the thoracolumbar region in standing horses. We hypothesise that displacement amplitudes will be significantly increased across vertebral levels after SMT, compared to spinal mobilisation only within the co...
Olsen E, Pedersen TL, Robinson R, Haubro Andersen P.Arterial blood pressure (BP) is a relevant clinical parameter that can be measured in standing conscious horses to assess tissue perfusion or pain. However, there are no validated oscillometric noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) devices for use in horses. Methods: Seven healthy horses from a teaching and research herd. Objective: To evaluate the accuracy and precision of systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in conscious horses obtained with an oscillometric NIBP device when compared to invasively measured arterial BP. Methods: An ...
Bollig ER, Granick JL, Webb TL, Ward C, Beaudoin AL.Antimicrobials are critical for medicine, but the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the effectiveness of these valuable drugs. In USA, there are no national- or state-level programs or policies in place to track antibiotic use (AU) in dogs, cats, and horses, despite acknowledgement of this sector's importance to both the AMR problem and its solution. AU measurement is a key part of antibiotic stewardship and AMR prevention. This study aimed to fill existing gaps in the veterinary professions' knowledge of antibiotic prescribing in small animals and horses. To address this aim...
Divers TJ.Organ thrombosis and laminitis are life-threatening complications in horses with acute gastrointestinal disease, especially those diseases that cause disruption of the protective mucosal barrier. Prevention of these complications should be a high priority when treating horses with gastrointestinal diseases because even with proper and intensive treatments, laminitis or organ thrombosis may not be curative. Preventative therapy should include expedient and appropriate treatment of the primary disease, normalization of tissue perfusion and oxygenation, and inhibition of gut-derived toxins or the...
Price J, Marques JM, Welsh EM, Waran NK.This preliminary study investigated the attitudes, and evaluated the current practice of a sample of the veterinary profession in the UK in relation to the management of pain in horses. In June 2001, a questionnaire was posted to 260 veterinarians in specialised equine practice, and 140 veterinarians in general practice with a significant equine caseload. There was a 25 per cent response rate to the questionnaire, which recorded information about the availability and prescription of analgesic drugs, the factors influencing the selection of analgesics and their administration, and estimates of ...
Goodrich EL, Behling-Kelly E.Given the stoic nature of donkeys and their hybrids, it is important to consider the significance of diagnostic testing modalities that can provide objective health status information beyond the basic physical examination findings. However, clinical pathology assays are also fraught with significant limitations because the results for donkeys, mules, and hinnies can be difficult to interpret, and transference of data from the horse is not always applicable. This article presents considerations for sample collection, storage, analysis, and interpretation strategies for clinical pathology testin...
Poller C, Hopster K, Rohn K, Kästner SB.The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of contact heat thermal stimulation in horses at different body sites and under different environmental conditions and different test situations. Five warm-blood horses were equipped with the thermal probe located on the skin of nostril (N), withers (W) or coronary band (C). Skin temperature and reaction temperature (thermal threshold) at each location were measured and percent thermal excursion (% TE = 100 * (threshold temperature - skin temperature)/(cut-out temperature - skin temperature) was calculated. Environmental conditions were ...