Veterinary procedures in horses encompass a range of medical and surgical interventions performed to diagnose, treat, and manage equine health conditions. These procedures are designed to address various health issues, from routine care to emergency interventions. Common veterinary procedures include vaccinations, dental care, lameness evaluations, reproductive services, and surgical interventions such as colic surgery or fracture repair. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, outcomes, and advancements in veterinary procedures for horses, providing insights into their application and efficacy in equine medicine.
Vargas J.To describe the application of water treadmill exercise for equine fitness and/or rehabilitation in a scientific and clinically reasonable manner. Unassigned: Horses owned by Spy Coast Farm were used for video content. Unassigned: A literature review was performed and compiled in this brief video to provide veterinarians with a comprehensive, evidence-based guide for implementing water treadmill exercise within fitness and rehabilitation programs. Unassigned: Equine water treadmill exercise is an aerobic modality that increases distal limb flexion and range of motion, with no reported adverse ...
Cramp P.From average school reports to a surgical residency in the USA and running a 17-vet practice, this is the unplanned route Phil Cramp took to finding a career he loves.
Mendoza Flores JE, Terrazas A, Lara Sagahon AV, Aleman M.Parasympathetic tone activity (PTA) and its association with behavior in conscious versus anesthesia in horses are unknown. Objective: To study PTA, heart rate (HR), minimum alveolar concentration (MAC), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during castration under anesthesia. To study PTA, HR, Horse Grimace Scale (HGS), locomotor activity (LA), and behavior in conscious horses before and after castration. Methods: Pilot study including seven healthy adult horses. After habituation (days 1, 2, and 3), PTAm, HR, HGS, LA, and behavior were investigated during pre-surgery (days 4-, 5-, and one-hour pr...
Carvalho BVL, de Souza MCN, Avanza MFB, Teixeira RBC, Silva JRB, da Silva Cardoso T, Novais LGES, de Oliveira Monteiro FD, Viana RB, Monteiro BM....Access to the equine cecum is required for various therapeutic and experimental procedures, including decompression, fluid therapy, and transfaunation. Traditional approaches via laparotomy are highly invasive. This study aimed to describe a minimally invasive, laparoscopically assisted technique for cecal cannulation in standing horses. Unassigned: Seven horses underwent the procedure under sedation and paravertebral anesthesia. Two right flank accesses were created: a 10-mm laparoscopic port for visualization and a 2-cm minilaparotomy for cecal exteriorization. A Foley catheter was inserted ...
Dersch K, Kreuder A, Wang C, Troy J.Surgical site infections (SSI) are a common postoperative complication of equine orthopedic surgery and often increase morbidity and mortality. Objective: This study aimed to determine if covering surgical instruments during surgery decreased bacterial environmental air contamination during early opening of surgical packs (EOSP). The authors hypothesized that covering instruments with sterile surgical towels would reduce the total number of bacterial colonies to which the instruments were exposed. Methods: Blood agar plates (BAP) were allocated into two groups (non-covered vs. covered with a s...
Cantarelli C, Cribb NC, Delli-Rocili M, Brisson B, Zur Linden A, Caswell JL.Long-term assessment of nephrosplenic space (NSS) closure and comparisons with ultrasonography and rectal palpation are lacking. The objective was to evaluate NSS closure in 12 research horses 5 y following laparoscopic ablation, using a novel adhesion scoring system, and to assess whether rectal examination and ultrasonographic findings could predict adhesion adequacy. The NSS was examined rectal palpation and ultrasonography prior to surgery, and at 30 d and 5 y after surgery. Ultrasonographic measurements of the distances between the renal fascia and spleen were recorded. The NSS adhesions...
Bourassi S, Jack H, Florczyk A.A 4-year-old Arabian cross paint mare was referred for evaluation of chronic mucopurulent discharge and epiphora of the left eye. Ophthalmic and radiographic evaluations confirmed distal nasolacrimal duct atresia with absence of the nasolacrimal orifice. Initial minimally invasive treatments, including guidewire-assisted catheterization and diode laser photoablation, were unsuccessful. Definitive treatment was achieved using a Fogarty arterial embolectomy catheter under standing sedation. Controlled balloon inflation and deflation enabled progressive dilation of the obstructed duct, and a surg...
Oliveira LLV, Caldas MCAR, Marval LME, Marval CA, Carvalho JGS, Matos JJRT, Malacarne BD, Paz CFR.A 2-year-old mixed-breed mare was examined at the property due to swelling and fistula on the right mandible. Oral examination and radiographs revealed the presence of an apical abscess involving the 410 tooth. The tooth was extracted entirely and confirmed radiographically. One year later, the owner reported a reoccurrence of clinical signs. A new radiographic evaluation revealed a radiopaque area in the alveolar socket of the 410 tooth filled with spongy-looking bone. An extraoral approach to the alveolar socket was performed, and the content removed had the appearance of a dental element.
Ysebaert MP, Johnson J, Marie U, Campos A, Verchrerin A, Ducharme NG, Rossignol F, Luedke LK.To compare the biomechanical stability of a novel arytenoid implant (tie-bolt, TB) with a suture anchor (SA) and standard laryngoplasty using suture alone (control) in equine larynges. Methods: Randomized ex vivo controlled experimental study. Methods: Thirty equine cadaver larynges. Methods: Larynges were randomly assigned to TB, SA, or control groups (n = 10 each). The force of abduction was measured for each construct, then constructs underwent cyclic loading (5-50 N for 3000 cycles) to assess elongation, followed by load-to-failure testing to assess ultimate load, displacement, stiffn...
Campos Schweitzer A, Vercherin A, Rossignol F.To report successful stabilization of three cervical fracture types with articular involvement using different ventral cervical intervertebral fusion constructs. Methods: A 9-year-old French sport pony gelding, a 5-year-old Anglo-Arabian gelding and a 2-year-old French Warmblood mare. Methods: Short case series. Methods: Ventral cervical intervertebral fusion was performed in three cervical fracture cases: A vertebral body, a vertebral arch and a unilateral facet joint fracture. Selected implants for this purpose were an 11-hole 4.5/5.0 LCP, a three-dimensional (3D)-printed titanium cervical i...
Wenzel CJ, Mochal-King CA, Eddy AL, Bowser JE, Wills RW, Jumper WI, Claude A, Swiderski CE.The aim of this retrospective clinical study was to assess surgical duration and surgical and post-operative complications associated with Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) and lung biopsy in horses with severe Equine Pasture Asthma (EPA) and paired control horses. Twelve horses (6 EPA-affected, 6 control) were sex, age and breed matched. Twenty-four thoracic surgeries were performed. Surgery of each matched pair (EPA-affected and healthy) was performed during asthma exacerbation (summer) and remission (winter). Surgical times were shorter with uncomplicated thoracoscopy (85 min) and...
Medina-Bautista F, Nocera I, Sánchez de Medina A, Di Franco C, Briganti A, Morgaz J, Granados MDM.The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the ultrasound-guided thoracolumbar erector spinae plane (TL-ESP) block in standing horses. A total of 24 injections ( = 12) were performed at the L1 level using either 0.1 mL/kg of saline solution (SS group) or 2% lidocaine (LID group). The block feasibility was assessed based on needle visualization and injection time, while efficacy was evaluated through craniocaudal and dorsoventral (DV) spread using the pinprick technique over 270 min. Desensitization was observed at least once in 100% of horses in the LID group a...
Agrícola R, Ribeiro G, Borges J, Carvalho L, Roquet I, Carvalho LM, Prazeres J.Duodenal pathologies are underreported in equine medicine, probably not due to little occurrence, but due to the limitations of current diagnostic techniques. The aim of this report is to describe a novel duodenoscopic approach, that allows a complete visualization of a region inaccessible via standard techniques. Gastroduodenoscopy was performed in a clinical setting in 60 adult horses referred to us due to complaints suspected to be related to gastroduodenal diseases. The initial steps of the procedure were performed using previously published techniques. Once the video-endoscope reached the...
Sanchez-Arjona R, Lopez Cruz C, Hague BA, Jayawickrama J, Kamm JL.To evaluate the outcomes of diode laser-facilitated (DLF) ankylosis using different surgical techniques to treat distal tarsal osteoarthritis (OA) in horses. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: A total of 64 client-owned horses with distal tarsal OA treated with DLF ankylosis between 2011 and 2021 in a referral hospital were included. Methods: DLF ankylosis techniques included: intra-articular diode laser (L), diode laser with periarticular drilling (L + D) and diode laser with cuboidal bone fenestration (L + F). Horses requiring a second surgery formed a fourth group (T). Ou...
Smith R, Perkins E, Pinchbeck G, Ireland J.Poor pain management in horses is a welfare concern. The 'diagnosis' of pain cannot be separated from the broader set of interactions through which it emerges. The interactions that take place during veterinary consultations shape the ways in which, or whether, pain management is discussed. Objective: To understand owners' and veterinarians' decision making in relation to chronic pain and its management. Methods: Qualitative ethnographic study. Methods: Data were collected from four veterinary practices in Great Britain between May 2023 and April 2024. Around 200 h of ethnographic observatio...
Croll TP, Swanson BZ.Early in the 1900s, a Philadelphia Horse Dentist apparently had a jolly sense of humor. A business card with a fun reverse is evidence of that. In 1876 Peter J. Haley, Sr. founded a veterinary horse parlor business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his sons Peter Jr. Haley and James Raymond Haley carried their father's work forward, after his death.
Buschmann E, Easton-Jones C, Van Steenkiste G, De Wilde H, Roberts V, Durando M, Decloedt A, Marr C, van Loon G.Accessory pathways (APs) are muscular bundles directly connecting the atria and ventricles, bypassing the atrioventricular (AV) node-His-Purkinje system. Anterograde conduction along the AP results in ventricular preexcitation. A retrograde conducting AP allows ventriculo-atrial (VA) conduction, creating a reentry circuit that mediates orthodromic atrioventricular reentry tachycardia (OAVRT). This condition is well described in humans and small animals, but has not been reported previously in horses. Objective: Describe clinical and electrocardiographic findings of horses with retrograde AP co...
Bacon EK, Finno CJ, Donnelly CG, Haase B, Knych HK, Velie BD.Clinical assessments of equine sedation typically rely on subjective observations, the accuracy of which is paramount to the safety of equine veterinary procedures. Methods: To assess the degree in which subjective clinical sedative evaluations reflect pharmacokinetic measurements of equine drug metabolism, xylazine hydrochloride, an alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonist, was administered to 36 horses of varying breed and age at a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg body weight. Subjective clinical parameters were scored at 5-, 15-, 30-, 45- and 60-minutes post xylazine administration and included responsiveness to ...
Stucki G, Valet S, Fuerst AE, Weisse B, Jackson MA.The aim of this study was to compare the strength (load at failure) and the number of cycles to failure of 3.5- and 4.0-mm cortical screw-bone constructs for repair of navicular bone fractures in horses.This was an in vitro biomechanical study that used a four-point bending apparatus to determine the load at failure of 3.5- and 4.0-mm cortical screw-bone constructs subjected to static and cyclic loading.In static testing, pairwise comparison of 4.0-mm cortical screw-bone constructs demonstrated significantly greater strength (mean increase: +16%, = 0.0135) compared with those in the 3.5-m...
Kamm JL, Odegaard J, Gaida J, King N.This tutorial aims to illustrate and instruct on the technique of punch skin grafting in the horse. Unassigned: A 10-year-old paint gelding with a 9 X 6-cm chronic granulating wound to the left forelimb was utilized for this tutorial. Unassigned: The chronic wound was debrided with sharp dissection, and the limb was pressure bandaged overnight. Twenty-four hours later, the horse was sedated for punch skin grafting. The ventral pectoral region was aseptically prepared for skin harvest and locally anesthetized. An 8-mm biopsy punch was used to harvest the grafts. The subcutaneous tissue was then...
Yeomans A, Hampson R, Razemba T.Special considerations for donkeys undergoing castration compared with horses include the presence of large scrotal vessels, larger testicular artery and vein and the consequential increased risk of post-operative haemorrhage which necessitates spermatic cord ligation. Objective: This retrospective study compares haemorrhagic complication rates between two methods of spermatic cord ligation in donkeys castrated in rural Malawi. Methods: All donkeys presenting to Veterinary Education Malawi / Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals rural large animal outreach clinics for castrat...
Pál Z, Tuska P, Vásárhelyi G, Hangody L, Hurtig M, Kaposi AD, Bodó G.To evaluate the clinical application of equine mosaic arthroplasty for joint surface repair, including outcomes and complications. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: A total of 31 horses diagnosed with subchondral bone cysts (SBCs) in the femoral condyle (22/31), distal metacarpus (7/31), or metatarsus (2/31). Methods: Medical records of horses that underwent autologous or allogeneic osteochondral graft transplantation were reviewed. Follow-up lasted at least 12 months. Success was determined in terms of improvements in lameness and post-surgical athletic performance, classified...
Santos L, Werfel K, Ferlini-Agne G.Accurate measurement of haemoglobin concentration is crucial for monitoring the oxygen-carrying capacity in anaesthetised horses. This prospective study aimed to determine the agreement in haemoglobin concentration in anaesthetised horses using the SpHb pulse co-oximeter, an Epoc® blood gas analyser, and values derived from packed cell volume (PCV), which served as the reference method in this study. The study included 34 horses undergoing elective surgeries. Blood samples were collected from each horse and divided for analysis using the microhaematocrit method to estimate haemoglobin concent...
Tually P, Currie G.While the establishment and operation of an equine nuclear medicine department share several principles with those of human nuclear medicine departments, they require an additional skill set to ensure safe and effective operation. This article explores the practical aspects of equine nuclear medicine facility location and design and details important considerations for safe and practical operation. Key considerations associated with the differences in physical and radiation safety and imaging approaches are explored. Specific adaptations of γ-camera gantries to allow either planar imaging or ...
Baldwin CM, Gillen A.To evaluate three different jejunal transection angles for end-to-end jejunojejunostomies, comparing construction time, lumen size, and suture number. Methods: Ex vivo cadaver study. Methods: Eight euthanized horses each had three mid-jejunal specimens harvested. Methods: Jejunal segments were assigned to one of three groups (A30, A45, and A60) and transected at 30, 45, or 60°, respectively. Following transection, a standardized handsewn single-layer interrupted modified Lembert anastomosis was performed, and construction time and number of sutures placed were recorded. Anastomotic index (AI)...
Tay A, McMaster M.Equine tendon lacerations are not uncommon secondary to traumatic wounds and degloving lacerations. These wounds are often contaminated and, therefore, basic principles of wound assessment and management are critical to identify the extent of an injury. Ancillary tools to aid physical examination include radiography, ultrasonography, and synoviocentesis (eg, if involving a joint and/or tendon sheath). Prolonged convalescence period, continued external coaptation, and controlled exercise are mainstays of treatment following tenorrhaphy. A poor prognosis for return to full athletic function is e...
Hellige M, Geburek F.Diagnostic imaging is an important part of the diagnostic approach in equine spinal ataxia especially with the cervical spine being commonly involved. The spinal cord may be affected by a variety of conditions including cervical vertebral malformations, osteoarthritis of the articular process joints or less commonly neoplasia. Advanced imaging techniques such as myelography are more accurate in diagnosing spinal cord compression and may be performed under general anesthesia in neutral, flexed and extended positions of the cervical spine. The use of ultrasound is non-invasive and allows ultraso...
Pelli A, Schütrumpf L, Büttner J, Blomeyer S, Gerlach K, Troillet A.Feeding disorders in horses may have various underlying causes. A thorough clinical examination of the oral cavity is essential for clarification and is often supplemented by imaging techniques such as oral endoscopy, radiography, and computed tomography (CT) of the head. Sonographic examinations of the head and oral cavity are less commonly described diagnostic methods for the investigation of feeding disorders. This case report describes 2 horses presented to the clinic due to impaired feed intake. In both cases the radiographic examination of the head did not reveal any abnormalities relate...
de Preux M, Precht C, Becker R, Stieglitz L, Easley J, Koch C.Trigeminal-mediated headshaking is a neuropathic disorder in horses, characterized by signs of regional pain similar to trigeminal neuralgia in humans. The injection of glycerol into the trigeminal cistern to ablate pain-conducting nerve fibers within the trigeminal ganglion -known as glycerol rhizotomy- is a well-established treatment in human medicine. This study compares two approaches to the equine trigeminal cistern using a navigation system for guiding needle placement, a previously described ventral and a newly developed transmandibular lateral approach. The surgical accuracy and risk o...
Foucaud M, Haegeman L, Kadic D, Vinardell T, Mariën T, Declercq J.To describe a direct arthroscopic approach of the distal pouch of the palmar/plantar recess of the fetlock to facilitate fragment removal, highlighting its advantages over previously described arthroscopic methods for the fetlock. Additionally, to evaluate and present a retrospective case series. Methods: Ex vivo and retrospective clinical study. Methods: A total of 25 fetlocks in 23 horses. Methods: A direct approach to the distal pouch of the palmar/plantar recess of the fetlock was developed on five cadaveric limbs. Arthroscopic anatomy and landmarks were examined. The approach was clinical...
Coles GC, Bauer C, Borgsteede FH, Geerts S, Klei TR, Taylor MA, Waller PJ.Methods have been described to assist in the detection of anthelmintic resistance in strongylid nematodes of ruminants, horses and pigs. Two tests are recommended, an in vivo test, the faecal egg count reduction test for use in infected animals, and an in vitro test, the egg hatch test for detection of benzimidazole resistance in nematodes that hatch shortly after embryonation. Anaerobic storage for submission of faecal samples from the field for use in the in vitro test is of value and the procedure is described. The tests should enable comparable data to be obtained in surveys in all parts o...
Dalla Costa E, Minero M, Lebelt D, Stucke D, Canali E, Leach MC.The assessment of pain is critical for the welfare of horses, in particular when pain is induced by common management procedures such as castration. Existing pain assessment methods have several limitations, which reduce the applicability in everyday life. Assessment of facial expression changes, as a novel means of pain scoring, may offer numerous advantages and overcome some of these limitations. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a standardised pain scale based on facial expressions in horses (Horse Grimace Scale [HGS]). Results: Forty stallions were assigned to one of ...
Couëtil LL, Cardwell JM, Gerber V, Lavoie JP, Léguillette R, Richard EA.The purpose of this manuscript is to revise and update the previous consensus statement on inflammatory airway disease (IAD) in horses. Since 2007, a large number of scientific articles have been published on the topic and these new findings have led to a significant evolution of our understanding of IAD.
Webb JG, Chandavimol M, Thompson CR, Ricci DR, Carere RG, Munt BI, Buller CE, Pasupati S, Lichtenstein S.Percutaneous aortic valve implantation by an antegrade transvenous approach has been described but is problematic. Retrograde prosthetic aortic valve implantation via the femoral artery has potential advantages. Percutaneous prosthetic aortic valve implantation via the femoral arterial approach is described and the initial experience reported. Results: The valve prosthesis is constructed from a stainless steel stent with an attached trileaflet equine pericardial valve and a fabric cuff. After routine aortic balloon valvuloplasty, a 22F or 24F sheath is advanced from the femoral artery to the a...
Fortier LA, Potter HG, Rickey EJ, Schnabel LV, Foo LF, Chong LR, Stokol T, Cheetham J, Nixon AJ.The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of treatment with bone marrow aspirate concentrate, a simple, one-step, autogenous, and arthroscopically applicable method, with the outcomes of microfracture with regard to the repair of full-thickness cartilage defects in an equine model. Methods: Extensive (15-mm-diameter) full-thickness cartilage defects were created on the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur in twelve horses. Bone marrow was aspirated from the sternum and centrifuged to generate the bone marrow concentrate. The defects were treated with bone marrow concentrate and mic...
De Briyne N, Atkinson J, Pokludová L, Borriello SP.The Heads of Medicines Agencies and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe undertook a survey to gain an insight into European prescribing of antibiotics for animals, in particular to highlight the diseases for which antibiotics are most commonly said to be prescribed and which different classes, including human critically important antibiotics (CIAs). The survey was completed by 3004 practitioners from 25 European countries. Many older antibiotics (eg, penicillins, tetracyclines) are cited most frequently as the prescribed classes to treat the main food producing species. The frequency of ...
Keegan KG, Dent EV, Wilson DA, Janicek J, Kramer J, Lacarrubba A, Walsh DM, Cassells MW, Esther TM, Schiltz P, Frees KE, Wilhite CL, Clark JM....Previous studies have suggested that agreement between equine veterinarians subjectively evaluating lameness in horses is low. These studies were limited to small numbers of horses, evaluating movement on the treadmill or to evaluating previously-recorded videotape. Objective: To estimate agreement between equine practitioners performing lameness evaluations in horses in the live, over ground setting. Methods: 131 mature horses were evaluated for lameness by 2-5 clinicians (mean 3.2) with a weighted-average of 18.7 years of experience. Clinicians graded each limb using the AAEP lameness scale ...
Asplin KE, Sillence MN, Pollitt CC, McGowan CM.The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of prolonged administration of insulin, whilst maintaining normal glucose concentrations, on hoof lamellar integrity in vivo on healthy ponies with no known history of laminitis or insulin resistance. Nine clinically healthy, unrelated ponies were randomly allocated to either a treatment group (n =5; 5.9+/-1.7 years) or control group (n =4; 7.0+/-2.8 years). The treatment group received insulin via a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique modified and prolonged for up to 72 h. Control ponies were infused with an equivalent volume of...
Frisbie DD, Morisset S, Ho CP, Rodkey WG, Steadman JR, McIlwraith CW.Microfracture of full-thickness articular defects has been shown to significantly enhance the amount of repair tissue. However, there is a suggestion that leaving calcified cartilage inhibits this repair response. Objective: Removal of the calcified cartilage with retention of subchondral bone enhances the amount of attachment of the repair tissue compared with retention of the calcified cartilage layer. Methods: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: There were 1-cm(2) articular cartilage defects made in 12 skeletally mature horses on the axial weightbearing portion of both medial femoral cond...
Goodrich LR, Hidaka C, Robbins PD, Evans CH, Nixon AJ.Gene therapy with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increases matrix production and enhances chondrocyte proliferation and survival in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine whether arthroscopically-grafted chondrocytes genetically modified by an adenovirus vector encoding equine IGF-1 (AdIGF-1) would have a beneficial effect on cartilage healing in an equine femoropatellar joint model. A total of 16 horses underwent arthroscopic repair of a single 15 mm cartilage defect in each femoropatellar joint. One joint received 2 x 10(7) AdIGF-1 modified chondrocytes and the contralateral...
Kaplan RM, Denwood MJ, Nielsen MK, Thamsborg SM, Torgerson PR, Gilleard JS, Dobson RJ, Vercruysse J, Levecke B.The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) remains the method of choice for establishing the efficacy of anthelmintic compounds in the field, including the diagnosis of anthelmintic resistance. We present a guideline for improving the standardization and performance of the FECRT that has four sections. In the first section, we address the major issues relevant to experimental design, choice of faecal egg count (FEC) method, statistical analysis, and interpretation of the FECRT results. In the second section, we make a series of general recommendations that are applicable across all animals ad...
Ferris DJ, Frisbie DD, Kisiday JD, McIlwraith CW, Hague BA, Major MD, Schneider RK, Zubrod CJ, Kawcak CE, Goodrich LR.To report outcome of horses with femorotibial lesions (meniscal, cartilage or ligamentous) treated with surgery and intra-articular administration of autologous bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Methods: Prospective case series. Methods: Horses (n = 33). Methods: Inclusion criteria included horses that had lameness localized to the stifle by diagnostic anesthesia, exploratory stifle arthroscopy and subsequent intra-articular administration of autologous BMSCs. Case details and follow-up were gathered from medical records, owner, trainer or veterinarian. Outcome was defined as...
Metallinos DL, Bowling AT, Rine J.Lethal White Foal Syndrome is a disease associated with horse breeds that register white coat spotting patterns. Breedings between particular spotted horses, generally described as frame overo, produce some foals that, in contrast to their parents, are all white or nearly all white and die shortly after birth of severe intestinal blockage. These foals have aganglionosis characterized by a lack of submucosal and myenteric ganglia from the distal small intestine to the large intestine, similar to human Hirschsprung Disease. Some sporadic and familial cases of Hirschsprung Disease are due to muta...
Harr KE, Flatland B, Nabity M, Freeman KP.As all laboratory equipment ages and contains components that may degrade with time, initial and periodically scheduled performance assessment is required to verify accurate and precise results over the life of the instrument. As veterinary patients may present to general practitioners and then to referral hospitals (both of which may each perform in-clinic laboratory analyses using different instruments), and given that general practitioners may send samples to reference laboratories, there is a need for comparability of results across instruments and methods. Allowable total error (TEa ) is ...
Kurien BT, Everds NE, Scofield RH.Animal urine collection is a vital part of veterinary practice for ascertaining animal health and in scientific investigations for assessing the results of experimental manipulations. Untainted animal urine collection is very challenging, especially with small rodents, and is an almost impossible task under conditions of microgravity. The fundamental aspects of urine collection are: (1) ease of collection, (2) quality of sample, (3) prevention of contamination, (4) severity of procedures used, (5) levels of pain caused to the animal and (6) refinement of methods to reduce stress, pain or distr...
Marędziak M, Marycz K, Lewandowski D, Siudzińska A, Śmieszek A.The aim of this work study was to evaluate the cytophysiological activity of equine adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) cultured under conditions of static magnetic field. Investigated cells were exposed to a static magnetic field (MF) with the intensity of 0.5 T. In order to investigate the effects of magnetic field on stem cell signaling, the localization and density and content of microvesicles (MVs) as well as morphology, ultrastructure, and proliferation rate of equine ASCs were evaluated. Results showed that potential of equine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells was accelerated when ma...
de Grauw JC, van Loon JP.Accurate recognition and quantification of pain in horses is imperative for adequate pain management. The past decade has seen a much needed surge in formal development of systematic pain assessment tools for the objective monitoring of pain in equine patients. This narrative review describes parameters that can be used to detect pain in horses, provides an overview of the various pain scales developed (visual analogue scales, simple descriptive scales, numerical rating scales, time budget analysis, composite pain scales and grimace scales), and highlights their strengths and weaknesses for po...
Kasashima Y, Takahashi T, Smith RK, Goodship AE, Kuwano A, Ueno T, Hirano S.Overstrain injuries to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and suspensory ligament (SI) are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries which contribute to the considerable wastage of racing Thoroughbreds. Many epidemiological studies have demonstrated the prevalence of and risk factors for tendon injury when racing but have not included those injuries sustained during training. However, since tendon injury during training is seen commonly in clinical practice, it is appropriate to determine the overall prevalence of tendon injury sustained during both training and racing. Objectiv...
Richardson LE, Dudhia J, Clegg PD, Smith R.Stem cells have evoked considerable excitement in the animal-owning public because of the promise that stem cell technology could deliver tissue regeneration for injuries for which natural repair mechanisms do not deliver functional recovery and for which current therapeutic strategies have minimal effectiveness. This review focuses on the current use of stem cells within veterinary medicine, whose practitioners have used mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), recovered from either bone marrow or adipose tissue, in clinical cases primarily to treat strain-induced tendon injury in the horse. The backgr...
Hoynowski SM, Fry MM, Gardner BM, Leming MT, Tucker JR, Black L, Sand T, Mitchell KE.Stem cells are being evaluated in numerous human clinical trials and are commercially used in veterinary medicine to treat horses and dogs. Stem cell differentiation, homing to disease sites, growth and cytokine factor modulation, and low antigenicity contribute to their therapeutic success. Bone marrow and adipose tissue are the two most common sources of adult-derived stem cells in animals. We report on the existence of an alternative source of primitive, multipotent stem cells from the equine umbilical cord cellular matrix (Wharton's jelly). Equine umbilical cord matrix (EUCM) cells can be ...
Robin CA, Ireland JL, Wylie CE, Collins SN, Verheyen KL, Newton JR.Few data are available on the prevalence of obesity in the general equine population of Great Britain (GB), and its associated risk factors. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of owner-reported obesity in veterinary-registered horses and ponies in GB, and identify factors associated with obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of horse/pony owners in GB was undertaken using a postal questionnaire. Methods: Thirty veterinary practices randomly selected horse/pony owners to complete a self-administered postal questionnaire. Owners estimated body condition score using a modified Carroll and...
Serra Bragança FM, Rhodin M, van Weeren PR.Quantitative gait analysis has the potential to offer objective and unbiased gait information that can assist clinical decision-making. In recent years, a growing number of gait analysis systems have come onto the market, highlighting the demand for such technology in equine orthopaedics. However, it is imperative that the measured variables which are used as outcome parameters are supported by scientific evidence and that the interpretation of such measurements is backed by a proper understanding of the biomechanical principles of equine locomotion. This review, which is based on studies on e...
Golafshan N, Vorndran E, Zaharievski S, Brommer H, Kadumudi FB, Dolatshahi-Pirouz A, Gbureck U, van Weeren R, Castilho M, Malda J.One of the important challenges in bone tissue engineering is the development of biodegradable bone substitutes with appropriate mechanical and biological properties for the treatment of larger defects and those with complex shapes. Recently, magnesium phosphate (MgP) doped with biologically active ions like strontium (Sr) have shown to significantly enhance bone formation when compared with the standard calcium phosphate-based ceramics. However, such materials can hardly be shaped into large and complex geometries and more importantly lack the adequate mechanical properties for the treatment ...
Saputra S, Jordan D, Worthing KA, Norris JM, Wong HS, Abraham R, Trott DJ, Abraham S.Methicillin-resistant coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) have become increasingly recognised as opportunistic pathogens that limit therapeutic options in companion animals. The frequency of methicillin resistance amongst clinical isolates on an Australia-wide level is unknown. This study determined antimicrobial susceptibility patterns for CoPS isolated from clinical infections in companion animals (dogs, cats and horses) as part of the first nation-wide survey on antimicrobial resistance in animal pathogens in Australia for a one-year period (January 2013 to January 2014). Clinical Staph...
Wood W, Alm K, Benjamin J, Thomas L, Anderson D, Pohl L, Kane M. To recommend (1) the adoption of optimal terminology for referring to services in the United States that incorporate horses and other equines to benefit people, and (2) the discontinuation of especially problematic terminology. A diverse multidisciplinary consortium of individuals, including representatives of relevant national organizations, participated in an inclusive, systematic, and comprehensive 2-year consensus-building process. Twelve specific types of services were identified that relate to one of three broad areas of professional work: therapy, learning, or horsemanship. Related t...
Rekant SI, Lyons MA, Pacheco JM, Arzt J, Rodriguez LL.Abnormal body temperature is a major indicator of disease; infrared thermography (IRT) can assess changes in body surface temperature quickly and remotely. This technology can be applied to a myriad of diseases of various etiologies across a wide range of host species in veterinary medicine. It is used to monitor the physiologic status of individual animals, such as measuring feed efficiency or diagnosing pregnancy. Infrared thermography has applications in the assessment of animal welfare, and has been used to detect soring in horses and monitor stress responses. This review addresses the var...
Galli C, Duchi R, Colleoni S, Lagutina I, Lazzari G.Assisted reproductive techniques developed for cattle in the last 25 years, like ovum pick up (OPU), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and somatic cell nuclear transfer, have been transferred and adapted to buffalo and horses. The successful clinical applications of these techniques require both the clinical skills specific to each animal species and an experienced laboratory team to support the in vitro phase of the work. In cattle, OPU can be considered a consolidated technology that is rapidly outpacing conventional superovulation for embryo transfer. In buffalo, OPU represents the ...
