Veterinary research in horses encompasses the study of diseases, health management, and medical treatments specific to equine species. This field investigates various aspects of horse health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. Researchers focus on understanding the pathophysiology of equine ailments, developing diagnostic tools, and evaluating therapeutic interventions. The study of horse health also involves examining preventive measures such as vaccination protocols and nutritional management to promote overall well-being. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse areas of veterinary science related to horses, providing insights into disease mechanisms, treatment strategies, and advancements in equine healthcare.
Sabnis SG, Gunson DE, Antonovych TT.Seven horses ranging from three to 15 years of age had nephrotic syndrome; at necropsy, renal tissue of all seven horses had the morphologic lesions of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis). Homogeneous eosinophilic material which filled the glomerular capillary lumina was found in five horses. Ultrastructurally, this material primarily consisted of electron-dense deposits with a fibrillar pattern in five horses and in one horse, rhomboid crystalline deposits which resembled deposits seen in human cryoglobulinemia. The association of mesangioprolif...
Eysker M, Jansen J, Mirck MH.Inhibited early third stage larvae of Cyathostominae were found in the digested mucosa of the large intestine of 12 yearling, female Shetland ponies, which were used in two grazing experiments. The ponies were killed in late autumn. In some ponies the inhibited larvae were very abundant and in most animals the majority of the Cyathostominae populations consisted of these early third stage larvae, suggesting that the phenomenon has an epidemiological significance.
Ricketts SW, Greet TR, Glyn PJ, Ginnett CD, McAllister EP, McCaig J, Skinner PH, Webbon PM, Frape DL, Smith GR.An outbreak of pharyngeal and limb paresis involving four horses and nine ponies in the south east of England is described. Nine of the animals died or were destroyed on humane grounds. The clinical features suggested a diagnosis of botulism and mouse innoculation tests confirmed the presence of type B toxin in the serum of one case. All animals were fed big bale silage. It is describe how, in plastic wrapped silage manufacture, conditions of fermentation may be inadequate to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulism. Examination of a sample of silage fed to the affected horses suggested that...
Miller PJ, Holmes JR.Beat-to-beat variation in the amplitude of the QRS waveform from 13 horses with second degree partial atrioventricular block was examined using an orthogonal lead (X,Y,Z) system. The peak positive deflections (XR, YR and ZR) and peak negative deflections (XQS, YS and ZQ) were regressed against PR and RR intervals. XQS was used to indicate that the peak negative deflection in X could have been a Q or S wave. XR and YR were directly related to PR (P less than 0.001) and XQS and YS were inversely related to PR (P less than 0.001). YR was also directly related to RR (P less than 0.001) but not so ...
Hines MT.The continued study of immunology and its relationship to diseases of the eye will hopefully give some insight into the pathogenic mechanisms of certain ocular diseases of many species, including the horse. It may lead to a better understanding of equine recurrent uveitis, a disease that has remained an enigma for years and that now appears to be an immunologic hypersensitivity response to a number of varied antigens. The precise mechanism of the inflammation is still unclear, and the immunologic response may be variable or mixed depending upon the inciting antigen. Other ophthalmic diseases i...
Drudge JH, Lyons ET, Tolliver SC.Four controlled tests (experiments A, B, C, and D) were conducted in naturally infected yearling equids to evaluate activity of ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg IM) against migrating Strongylus vulgaris and S edentatus in mesenteric arteries and ventral abdominal wall, respectively. Data were also obtained on activity against other internal parasites of the gastrointestinal tract and eyeworms. The type and number of equids in the experiments were as follows: experiment A-3 ponies, 2 treated and 1 non-treated; experiment B-4 mixed-bred horses, 2 treated and 2 nontreated; experiment C-5 mixed-bred horses, ...
Studdert MJ, Fitzpatrick DR, Horner GW, Westbury HA, Gleeson LJ.Representative strains of EHV isolated from an aborted foetus and from a horse with rhinopneumonitis in New Zealand had restriction endonuclease DNA fingerprints typical of those usually associated with these syndromes elsewhere and now designated EHV1 and 4 respectively. EHV1 was isolated from the brain and spinal cord of a 4-year-old gelding that died of myeloencephalitis. A mare on the same farm, at about the same time as the gelding developed myeloencephalitis, aborted and EHV1 was isolated from the tissues of the aborted foetus. Restriction endonuclease DNA fingerprints of the viruses iso...
van Wuijckhuise-Sjouke LA.Determination of the plasma fibrinogen concentration was found to be particularly useful in detecting inflammatory diseases. The highest levels were observed in inflammatory lesions of serous surfaces and in endocarditis. Plasma fibrinogen levels correlated with the severity of the disease: levels of 1,000 mg per 100 ml or more reflected a prognosis ranging from poor to bad.
Widders PR, Stokes CR, David JS, Bourne FJ.IgG, IgA, IgM and albumin concentrations were measured in serum, follicular fluid and oviductal, uterine and intestinal secretions of the horse. Follicular protein concentrations were found to be dependent on serum concentration and molecular size. Of the immunoglobulins only IgG was detectable in oviductal secretions, but IgG:albumin ratios did not differ significantly from those in serum. IgG, IgA and IgM were measured in uterine secretions, with IgG predominant. Serum transudation into uterine secretions was minimal. In intestinal secretions, IgA levels were slightly higher than IgG, with a...
Jollès J, Donda A, Amiguet P, Jollès P.Mare lactotransferrin has been purified and analyzed. Its molecular mass is 81 kDa. A 28 amino acid long N-terminal sequence was established and a first series of comparisons with other transferrins was performed.
Makhaeva GF, Shataeva GA, Iankovskaia VL, Fetisov VI, Loshadkin NA.The interaction of human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase, horse serum butyrylcholinesterase and rat liver carboxylesterase with insecticides (RO)2P(O)SCH(COOEt)SP(O)(OR)2 (I) and (RO)2P(O)SCH(COOEt)OP(S)(OR)2 (II) was studied. The type I and II compounds were not hydrolyzed by carboxylesterase and inhibited the esterases irreversibly. A complex pattern of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase by these compounds was caused by kinetically-manifested formation of an enzyme-inhibitor complex. The compounds I and II were more selective towards butyrylcholinesterase than towa...
Leith GS, Ginther OJ.Intrauterine mobility patterns of the embryonic vesicle were characterized on Days 9 to 17 after ovulation in pony mares using real-time ultrasonography (n=5 or 7 mares per day). The location of the vesicle was determined by dividing the uterus into right horn, left horn, and body. Each uterine horn was further divided into three approximately equal portions (cranial third, middle third, caudal third), yielding seven segments (body plus three portions of each horn). Location of the vesicle within the uterus was recorded every five minutes for two consecutive hours (25 location determinations p...
Dorr TE, Higgins RJ, Dangler CA, Madigan JE, Witham CL.Three cases of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis were diagnosed over a 12-month period in horses that had never left the state of California. These cases suggest that the disease is enzootic in California.
Radhakrishnan S, Lorenzutti AM, Araos JD, Martin-Flores M.Oscillometric blood pressure monitoring may be a practical tool for short procedures or those performed outside of the operating room. Oscillometric and direct blood pressure values in 30 juvenile and adult horses in a clinical setting using mixed effect models were compared. The limits of agreement and percentage errors were also calculated. We evaluated the sensitivity and false positive rate for the oscillometric method to trigger an intervention for treating blood pressure [direct mean arterial pressure (MAP) < 70 mmHg]. Oscillometric MAP and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) differed f...
van Ittersum AR, van Buiten A.Mares with a large vulvar orifice have an increased risk of pneumovagina, which is associated with reduced fertility. Treatment is by means of the Caslick operation, by which size of the vulvar orifice is reduced. Factors that influence the occurrence of pneumovagina are the age and fertility status of the mare. In this study the risk factors for pneumovagina and the effect of the Caslick operation on fertility were investigated. In 1994, 1995, and 1996 a total of 967 mares were sent for service at a stud. Of these mares, 116 underwent a Caslick operation. The operated mares were older than th...
Ricketts SW, Rossdale PD.Endometrial biopsy samples before and after treatment were obtained from 10 mares naturally infected and one Pony mare experimentally infected with Contagious Equine Metritis in 1977. The histopathological features were a short-lived polymorphonuclear cell infiltration of the luminal epithelium and stroma followed by a very early and marked mononuclear cell infiltration of the stroma, including many plasma cells. The luminal epithelium responded with cellular proliferation which may have reflected a regenerative response. Following the initial acute response, intercellular basal vacuoles conta...
Walencik-Łata A, Kozłowska B, Mietelski JW, Szufa K, Freire FD, Souza SO.This study aimed at assessing the incorporation of radionuclides in animals in the proximity of the uranium mine in Caetité, Brazil. In 2014, samples of bovine and equine teeth and skull bones were collected and their contents of natural and artificial isotopes were assessed using nuclear spectrometry techniques. Gamma ray emission from Ra and K isotopes was determined using high-purity germanium (HPGe) spectrometry, Sr radioactivity was measured with liquid scintillation, and U, Th, Po and Pu radioactivity was assessed with alpha-spectrometry. Prior to the measurements, sample dissolutions a...
Vitale V, Nocera I, van Galen G, Sgorbini M, Conte G, Aliboni B, Verwilghen D.Transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonography using alcohol saturation is used in the diagnostic workup of a variety of conditions in horses. The duration of the examination and the amount of alcohol used in each case may vary depending on several factors. The aim of this study is to describe the breath alcohol test results obtained by veterinarians performing abdominal ultrasound on horses. Six volunteers were enrolled, after written consent, and a Standardbred mare was used for the whole study protocol. Each operator performed a total of 6 ultrasounds by pouring the ethanol solution from a jar or...
Vollmerhaus B, Knospe C, Roos H.Phylogenetic research on the teeth of equidae beginning with dagger Hyracotherium ('Eohippus') will be summarized, subdivided into its components, analysed in a new way and finally interpreted according to several theories of evolution. In this context, specific cells (ameloblasts, odontoblasts, cementoblasts) are discussed and valued according to Preuss (1987) as active carriers of the evolution of teeth.
Drummond WH, Sanchez IR, Kosch PC, Webb AI.Adult ponies develop pulmonary hypertension at altitude (Bisgard, Orr and Will 1975), but the neonatal response to acute hypoxaemia is unknown. Seven foals aged five days were instrumented with a systemic and a Swan-Ganz pulmonary artery catheter while anesthetised and intubated. Cardiac index, pulmonary (PAP) and systemic (SAP) vascular pressures were measured as the foals breathed gas mixtures with FI02 of 8 to 94 per cent. Because foramen ovale or ductus arteriosus shunts might have altered thermodilution cardiac index measurements in the stressed foals, the ratio, PAP/SAP was calculated to...
Miyakoshi D, Senba H, Shikichi M, Maeda M, Shibata R, Misumi K.This study aimed to evaluate the influence of radiographic abnormalities of 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses that were listed at in-training sales in Japan, on whether they started to race or not at 2-3 years of age. Radiographs of 850 2-year-old Thoroughbreds in the in-training sales repository from 2007 to 2010 were reviewed, and 26 categories of radiographic abnormalities were found. Forty-three horses (5.1%, 43/850) did not start a race at 2-3 years of age. In accordance with the racing results for this age category, as determined by Fisher's exact test and multiple logistic regression analy...
Greenaway EC, Cunningham FM, Goode NT.Phorbol esters, which activate protein kinase C (PKC), stimulate equine eosinophil superoxide production and adherence. After showing that superoxide production could be inhibited by the nonselective PKC inhibitors, staurosporine and bisindolymaleimide I, the PKC isotypes in equine eosinophils were characterized, because evidence suggests that individual isotypes may play distinct roles in regulating eosinophil function. Western blots demonstrated that equine eosinophils expressed PKC alpha, beta, delta, epsilon, iota, and zeta. However, unlike the equine neutrophil, the majority of the PKC wa...
Cowles RR, Mitchell JS.As equine practices move forward in the 21st century, we feel increasing pressure to manage our businesses like business people. This requires outside expertise, in-house business-trained managers, and continuing education on various aspects of practice life. Aside from the AAEP, several other organizations are providing continuing education in management, including the Association of Veterinary Practice Managers, the Veterinary Management Institute offered at Purdue University Krannert Graduate School of Management, the American Animal Hospital Association through (The Virginia-Maryland Regio...
Mukaiya R, Kimura T, Ochiai K, Wada R, Umemura T.Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection was demonstrated in the lung tissue of seven aborted fetuses by immunohistochemical labelling and polymerase chain reaction. The placentas of the fetuses were also examined by non-isotopic in-situ hybridization for the EHV-1 glycoprotein B (gB) gene. Positive hybridization signals were observed in the cytoplasm of trophoblasts, especially in microcotyledons, of all seven placentas, and in villous epithelium of the allantochorion of six placentas. Despite the presence of EHV-1 RNA, EHV-1 antigens were not detected in placentas by immunohistochemical examin...
Han H, Mao C, Chen N, Lan X, Chen H, Lei C, Dang R.Kit gene is a genetic determinant of horse white coat color which has been a highly valued trait in horses for at least 2,000 years. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Kit are of importance due to their strong associations with melanoblast survival during embryonic development. In this study, a mutation analysis of all 21 Kit exons in 14 Chinese domestic horse breeds revealed six SNPs (g.91214T>G, g.143245T>G, g.164297C>T, g.170189C>T, g.171356C>G, and g.171471G>A), which located in 5'-UTR region, intron 6, exon 15, exon 20, intron 20, and exon 21 of the equine Kit gene, respectively. S...
Tew WP, Hackett RP.Synovial fluids from 72 equine joints were examined for the presence of cartilage debris, and these findings were compared to findings from visual inspection of the articular cartilage surfaces at necropsy. Synovial fluids from 25 joints with visual cartilage damage contained one or more large particles of articular cartilage. Cartilage fragments were not found in synovial fluids from 42 of the 47 apparently normal joints; thus, a correlation may exist between cartilage debris in the synovial fluid and lesions of the articular surfaces.
Woods WE, Chay S, Houston T, Blake JW, Tobin T.The efficacy of testing for illegal drugs in race horses was surveyed by evaluating 27 questionnaires received from 28 racing jurisdictions polled. Large variations in the number of samples tested and drugs detected were reported. Some jurisdictions reported only illegal medications, whereas others also reported permitted medications. To facilitate comparison, stimulants, depressants, local anesthetics, narcotic analgesics, and tranquilizers were classified as hard drugs. Other drugs, which are legal in some jurisdictions, were classified as soft. To evaluate the efficacy of testing, positive ...
Edens LM, Crisman MV, Toth TE, Ahmed SA, Murray MJ.The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop a technique to analyze the in vitro cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes from adult horses against equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infected allogenic equine dermal fibroblasts (EDF); (2) evaluate the ability of a 72-h in vitro incubation with interleukin-2 (IL-2) to enhance the lymphocytic cytolytic activity against EHV-1 infected EDF; (3) compare the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes isolated from pregnant mares and non-pregnant mares against EHV-1 infected EDF; (4) ascertain if any correlations existed between the percent cytotoxicity and percentag...
Christley RM, Rose RJ, Hodgson DR, Reid SW, Evans S, Bailey C, Hodgson JL.This study evaluated a questionnaire investigating the attitudes and behaviours of veterinarians regarding the cause, diagnosis and treatment of lower respiratory-tract disease in racehorses. The questionnaire was sent to all non-student members (648) of the Australian Equine Veterinary Association: two mailings and a single telephone contact (each separated by four weeks). Subsequent phases were only administered to those who had not responded to earlier phases. In total, 467 (72.1%) of the 648 mailed questionnaires were returned. Of these, 354 were usable. The remaining 113 respondents gave ...
