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.
Chisholm FR.A prolapsed uterus in a mare and the techniques to successfully replace the organ and prevent complications such as shock, laminitis and metritis are described.
Trout DR, Lohse CL.A foal with a congenital flexure deformity of the right hock was unable to walk because of an abnormally short peroneus tertius (PT) muscle. Tension on the muscle origin and insertions limited the dorsal angle of hock extension to a 70-degrees arc. The intrauterine position of the fetus probably caused the defect. All the PT attachments were dissected in several other limbs, and illustrations made from these dissections were used to study the anatomy and surgical approach. Immediately after resection of the PT muscle, the foal's right hock extended an additional 30 degrees. Two months later, t...
Goldstein MA, Schwark WS, Short CE, White KK.Depression of the cardiopulmonary system of the horse during anesthesia is not an uncommon event. In many situations simple approaches for improving the function of the horse are necessary to avoid loss of life. This study has been completed utilizing an anesthetic approach frequently used in horses and a cardioresuscitative technique which can be utilized by the practicing veterinarian. Severe depression to arrest were produced experimentally and each animal was resuscitated through support of ventilation and circulation.
Magilton JH, Swift CS, Ghoshal NG.The heads of 5 ponies were embalmed and the vessels were double injected with latex. Dissection of these specimens revealed venous pathways (1) from the nasal area to the cavernous sinus and (2) from the parietofrontal region to the ventral petrosal sinus. Thermistors were chronically implanted near the orbital emissary veins of 3 additional ponies. Hot and cold packs were applied alternately to the parietofrontal regions. The temperature near the orbital emissary veins increased during the 5 trials with cold application and decreased during the 5 trials with hot application. The authors were ...
Fackelman GE, von Rechenberg B, Fetter AW.The need for early postoperative weight bearing following fracture repair in the horse has led to investigation of various means of expediting the healing process. Bone grafting represents one means of accomplishing this, and the transplantation of autologous tissues has proven to be most useful in equine orthopedics. Acid-decalcified, frozen, allogeneic bone for grafting is easy to prepare, readily contoured, osteogenic, and elicits no obvious immune or rejection response. The most compelling reason for the use of the substance is the elimination of the need of a harvesting operation on a pat...
Roberts MC, Sutton RH, Lovell DK.A 13-year-old Standardbred stallion presented with a unilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge and airway obstruction was found to have an extensive cryptococcal nasal granuloma. Treatment was not attempted. The stallion was destroyed 26 months later having completed 2 successful breeding seasons. The granuloma had gradually increased in size and almost completely occupied the left nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. It was characterised histologically by fibrous and myxomatous tissue and masses of yeasts. A cryptococcal granuloma found within the wall of the jejunum could represent evidence of ...
Tranquilli WJ, Manohar M, Thurmon JC, Benson GJ, Shawley RV, Feller DL.A technique was developed for the implantation of an electromagnetic flow probe and vascular occluder onto the right and left coronary arteries in the calf and pony. Surgical manipulation was well tolerated in the animals. The subcutaneous housing on the peripheral ends of these devices of the lateral thoracic wall served as a maintenance-free technique for chronic exteriorization of these devices. Implantation onto the coronary arteries required a surgical technique which accomplished the prerequisites for proper flow probe function. A reactive hyperemic response was elicited in each animal b...
Manley SV.The objectives of monitoring are to gain much information as possible about the anesthetized horse and to follow changes in that information, with the ultimate aim of making anesthesia and surgery as safe as possible for the horse. Information necessary to achieve that aim will vary depending on patient category. For example, a young, healthy horse undergoing a short elective procedure can be clinically well monitored by patient signs, electrocardiogram, and indirect blood pressure response. More invasive monitoring is justified and warranted if the health status of the horse is in question. T...
Stick JA, Derksen FJ, Scott EA.Cervical esophagostomy for tube feeding was evaluated in 11 ponies. Minor complications responded to supportive therapy in 8 ponies. Two died of complications, and 1 pony had a permanent fistula because of persistent infection. There was a positive correlation between the duration of tube feeding and the event of closure of the esophageal stoma after the tube was removed. There was no difference in the frequency of complications related to duration of tube feeding. When the distal end of the feeding tube was located in the thoracic portion of the esophagus, instead of in the stomach, tubes wer...
Hekmati P, Schels H.Surgical correction of corneal opacities in horses has rarely been documented in detail and is still reported to be in the experimental stage. For this reason, studies of lamellar keratoplasty were conducted on the equine eye using a modified trephine with an adjustable inside quard for grafting of identical discs from the donor and the recipient cornea. Fourteen transplantations, seven with homografts and seven with heterografts, 15 and 9 mm in diameter, were performed. Sharp-edged, vertical, and regular outlined wound margins of the graft and host are essential for good adaptation and healin...
Jones SA, Whitcomb MB, Vaughan B, Goorchenko G, Busch R, Kilcoyne I, Spriet M.Femoral fractures are often catastrophic in large animals. Radiographic diagnosis is limited by patient size and feasibility, especially in ambulatory settings. Ultrasonography is widely available and may provide an alternative to radiography for definitive diagnosis. 12 large animals (6 horses, 5 cattle, and 1 elephant). Retrospective analysis of large animal patients diagnosed with femoral fracture by use of femoropelvic ultrasonography (2000 to 2019). 5 of 12 cases were ≤ 1 year of age. The remaining 7 cases were 2 to 33 years of age (median, 13 years). All patients developed severe acute...
Simhofer H, Riedelberger K.A 6 year old Haflinger gelding was presented to the reporting clinics with a history of chronic dysuria. A large cystic calculus (12 x 9 x 9 cm) was diagnosed cystoscopically. Lithotripsy was carried out endoscopically in the standing, sedated patient with a Holmium:YAG surgical laser (2100 nm, 0.5-3.5 J/pulse, 3-60 pulses/sec.). The endoscope was inserted into the bladder via perineal urethrostomy. Fragmentation of the urolith was carried out with a laser fiber (core diameter 600 microns) in contact mode. Healing proceeded uneventfully. On follow up examination 8 weeks post surgery, no signs ...
Anderson WI, Picut CA, Georgi ME.Heavy renal infection in a pony with Klosiella equi resulted in moderate diffuse tubular nephrosis and tubular rupture. Multifocal non-suppurative interstitial nephritis was associated with ruptured tubules. Ultrastructural examination of sporoblasts demonstrated both the presence of a bilaminated membrane encasing organisms and nuclear budding. Endogenous corticosteroid production probably led to the development of an immune-compromized state and subsequent extensive parasitic replication.
Carpenter RS, Goodrich LR, Baxter GM, Joyce J, Wallis TW.To report treatment of a comminuted ulnar carpal (UC) bone fracture associated with carpal instability by pancarpal arthrodesis using 2 locking compression plates (LCP). Methods: Case report. Methods: A 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly. Methods: An UC fracture and luxation of the proximal row of carpal bones was diagnosed radiographically. Pancarpal arthrodesis was performed with 2 LCP positioned dorsolaterally and dorsomedially and centered over the carpus through a single skin incision. The filly was maintained in a full limb cast for 15 days, followed by a tube cast for 14 days, and subsequent...
Gehlen H, Loschelder J, Walther M.Euthanasia represents a procedure with high responsibility for veterinarians in equine practice. The procedure should avoid pain and suffering for the horse and be carried out with the least possible stress for the patient and its owner. The presented study investigated the emotional impact of a horse's euthanasia procedure on the owner in order to enable development of future recommendations in improving the management of this procedure in horses. Methods: Questionnaires concerning euthanasia of a horse for horse owners and veterinarians, respectively were developed and sent by mail or publis...
Fischer AT, Yarbrough TY.A technique for retrograde contrast radiography of the distal portions of the intestinal tract of foals was developed and then performed in 25 foals (1 to 30 days old) with colic. Retrograde contrast radiography was shown to be sensitive (100%) and specific (100%) for evaluating obstruction of the small colon or transverse colon. It was slightly less sensitive (86%) and specific (83%) for evaluation of the entire large colon, particularly in older foals. Retrograde contrast radiography provided increased diagnostic capability, compared with that for noncontrast radiography. Retrograde contrast...
Yildiz H, Yildiz B, Arslan K, Ozgür C.In this study we present a geometric model of the ascending colon of the horse, especially the left ventral colon and the right ventral colon, the left dorsal colon and the right dorsal colon and the pelvic flexure. We also present a mathematical model of the cross sections of these ascending colon parts with the exceptions of the pelvic flexure. We show that these cross-sections correspond to the closed algebraic curves known as epitrochoid.
Somm F, Suárez Sánchez-Andrade J, Martens A, Zedler ST, Klopfenstein MD, Boswell JC, Bladon BM, Lischer CJ, Richardson DW, Auer JA, Fürst AE....To report on technical aspects and outcomes after scapulohumeral arthrodesis (SHA) with a locking compression plate (LCP) in small equids. Methods: Retrospective multicenter case series. Methods: Client-owned Shetland Ponies, Miniature Shetlands, and American Miniature Horses (n = 15). Methods: Inclusion criteria were completed SHA with an LCP to treat scapulohumeral osteoarthritis/subluxation and availability of postoperative radiographs. Contributing surgeons completed a questionnaire to collect data. All radiographs were reviewed for this study. Follow-up information was obtained via re-a...
