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.
Dixon PM.LARYNGEAL paralysis is a common, usually subclinical
disease in horses (Cole 1946; Gunn 1972). More severely
affected animals, clinically termed roarers, are frequently
alleged to have reduced exercise tolerance (Argyle 1933; Cook
1965). This could most readily be attributed to exercise related
hypoxaemia caused by a reduced airflow and/or airflow
turbulence at the reduced rima glottidis. It could also be
conjectured that a rider would demand less of a horse making
loud and possibly distressing respiratory noises. Although
there has been much recent research into the pathology of
equ...
Chapman DI, Close PM, Moss MS, Snow DH.A radioimmunological method was used as a screening procedure to determine the period of detection or "clearance time", for the horse, of therapeutic doses of the synthetic anabolic steroid nandrolone phenylpropionate. Seven horses, either at rest or being exercised, were given a course of weekly intramuscular injections of the steroid. On the separate occasion, some of the horses were given a single intramuscular injection of the same compound. The weekly injections maintained a high plasma concentration of nandrolone and/or metabolites. The mean (+/- sd) period of detection in plasma of thes...
Poskus E, Peña C, Pérez AR, Vita N, Heinrich JJ, Paladini AC.The immunological behavior of sera from hypopituitary patients treated with human GH (hGH) has been studied by homologous and heterologous RIAs using 125I-labeled hormones. Along with antibodies against hGH, antibodies exhibiting antibovine and antiequine GH (anti-bGH and anti-eGH, respectively) activities were also found. Displacement experiments showed that hGH was an effective competitor of 125 I-labeled hGH, whereas bGH and eGH were quite inefficient. Conversely, when the tracer was 125I-labeled bGH, both bGH and eGH were good displacers, while the human hormone was poor. The values of the...
Fricker C, Riek W, Hugelshofer J.The digital arteries of 10 horses suffering from navicular disease, and 7 horses from a control group, were examined angiographically. The horses from the disease group showed complete or partial occlusion of the digital arteries in all cases. In the control group of 7 healthy horses, isolated vessel obstructions were also found but these were limited to narrowing of part of an artery only. Histological investigations showed that total occlusion of a vessel involved an organised thrombus but that partial occlusion generally involved changes to the vascular wall, similar to those caused by enda...
Heitmann J, Kirchhoff H, Chercheletzi C, Jonas E, Deegen E.Acholeplasmas were detected in five of 96 feces samples from clinically normal horses. Three of the five strains isolated were identified as A. equifetale, one as A. hippikon, and one was serologically identical with the Acholeplasma strain 881.
Snow DH, Munro CD, Nimmo MA.The effects of 7 weekly injections of the anabolic steroid nandrolone phenylpropionate (400 mg) were investigated in 4 healthy, mature geldings. Measurement of body weight, nitrogen retention and plasma urea failed to demonstrate a consistent anabolic effects. Examination of biopsies from the semitendinosus and biceps femoris muscles showed no alteration in water content or glycogen concentration with treatment. Similarly no changes were found in the activities of 6 muscle enzymes. However, a significant increase in the proportion of fast twitch low oxidative fibres of the biceps femoris was o...
Bumgardner MK, Dutta SK, Campbell DL, Myrup AC.Six pony foals, free of detectable serum neutralization (SN) antibody against equine herpesvirus type 1 by the standard virus-neutralization (VN) test, were inoculated with equine herpesvirus type 1. The ponies showed typical clinical signs of respiratory tract disease and developed a transient leukopenia, involving lymphocytes as well as neutrophils. The leukopenia reached its lowest point on postinoculation days (PID) 3 to 5 and then returned to base-line values by PID 8 to 10. On quantitation of lymphocyte subpopulations, T and B lymphocytes were decreased during the onset of leukopenia and...
Ford EJ, Evans J.1. Total entry, irreversible loss and recycling rates of glucose were measured in four non-pregnant female Shetland ponies before and after a 24 h fast by the continuous intravenous infusion of a mixture of [U-14C]glucose and [2-3H]glucose. 2. The post-fasting fall in the concentration of glucose and the rise in the concentration of ketones in plasma were not significant. 3. After fasting the total entry rate fell from 1.44 +/- 0.11 (n4) to 1.19 +/- 0.12 mg/min per kg body-weight (P less than 0.01) and irreversible loss fell from 1.36 +/- 0.10 (n4) to 1.05 +/- 0.10 mg/min per kg body-weight (P...
Ostblom L, Lund C, Melsen F.A histological investigation of navicular bones from 8 horses with navicular disease was carried out to investigate the aetiology of the radiological findings. Two of the horses were double labelled with tetracycline before slaughter in order to assess the vitality of the diseased navicular bone. The examinations revealed no evidence of loss of vitality in the diseased bone areas or in surrounding tissues. A very high rate of remodelling indicated by resorption and formation of bone was present in all cases. This was shown microscopically by the high number of osteoclasts and osteoblasts prese...
Fregin GF.Eleven-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded from 50 Thoroughbred (TB) and 50 Standard bred (SB) horses at rest with 40 tracings being selected from each group for more complete analysis. Incomplete atrioventricular block with dropped beats commonly reported in mature horses was recorded only in the TB (15%), while wandering of the atrial pacemaker (WAP) thought also to be associated with variations in tone of the autonomic nervous system was detected almost equally in both breeds (30%). In some horses (12.5%), the initial component of the P wave (P1) did not vary as seen with WAP but h...
Slocombe RF, Todhunter RJ, Stick JA.A qualitative and quantitative study was made of 2 adult horses to determine the effect of specimen preparation and the influence of anatomically separate regions on the microscopic structure of the esophagus. The effects of 3 fixative solutions (formalin, Bouin's fixative and Karnovsky's fixative) and 4 histologic staining procedures (hematoxylin and eosin, Gomori's trichrome, Laidlow's reticulum, and orcein-elastin) were compared. Density-dependent image analysis was used to compare the relative contributions of elastic and reticular fibers in esophageal connective tissue for each region. Cr...
Eyre P, Gaviller P, Thorsen J.Groups of guinea-pigs were vaccinated with equine influenza A-1 virus and helically-cut tracheal strips were subsequently contracted to carbachol (EC50) and relaxed to isoprenaline at 3, 5 and 10 days post-vaccination. Tracheas from another group were contracted to phenylephrine in the presence of propranolol. Compared to controls, responses to isoprenaline in virus-infected tracheas were significantly potentiated at days 3 and 10. Virus infection significantly inhibited tracheal responsiveness to phenylephrine. It appears that enhancement of isoprenaline may be caused by diminished reactivity...
Parodi PW.Milk triglycerides from the echidna, koala, Tammar wallaby, guinea pig, dog, cat, Weddell seal, horse, pig and cow were subjected to fatty acid and stereospecific analysis to determine the positional distribution of the fatty acids in the triglycerides. The samples presented a wide range of fatty acids, most of which varied in content among species. The compositions of the acids at the 3 positions also varied among species, reflecting the content of these acids in the triglycerides. However, there was a general similarity in fatty acid positional distribution patterns for all the species with ...
Klein JP, Forster HV, Bisgard GE, Kaminski RP, Pan LG, Hamilton LH.The purpose of these studies was to gain insight into mechanisms regulating pulmonary ventilation (VE), arterial CO2 partial pressure (PaCO2), and arterial pH (pHa) in ponies when inspired CO2 partial pressure (PICO2) is above normal. Ponies were studied four times daily each weekday for 2 wk in an environmental chamber. Each study consisted of a 15-min control period (PICO2 = 0.7 Torr) followed by a 15- to 30-min experimental period during which PICO2 in the chamber was 0.7, 7, 14, 21, 28, or 42 Torr (PIO2 = 147 Torr throughout). Between 11 and 15 min of each period, four 3-ml samples of arte...
Brown MP, Stover SM, Kelly RH, Farver TB.Ten healthy adult mares were given a single intramuscular dose (2.2 mg/kg) of gentamicin sulfate. Over a 48-h period, gentamicin concentrations were measured serially in the serum of all ten mares and in synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, and urine of six of the mares. The mean peak serum gentamicin concentration was 5.73 micrograms/ml at 1 h. Gentamicin was detected in synovial fluid and peritoneal fluid, with mean peak gentamicin concentrations of 2.41 micrograms/ml and 3.92 micrograms/ml, respectively, observed at 2 h. These concentrations declined in parallel with serum concentrations and w...
Moudgal NR, Papkoff H.The ability of equine luteinizing hormone (eLH) to promote follicular growth and maturation in hypophysectomized rats has been assessed. A single injection of equine LH has been shown to promote the growth of a large number of antral and preovulatory follicles. In addition, equine LH markedly increased serum estrogen levels and uterine weight. Furthermore, equine LH, like equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG; PMSG) was able to significantly enhance the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into ovarian DNA, an activity shown to be specific to hormones having follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) activity....
Miller RI, Campbell RS.During a clinical study of equine phycomycosis in tropical northern Australia 3 specific forms of phycomycosis were identified. Of 266 cases diagnosed in 5 different laboratories, hyphomycosis caused by Hyphomyces destruens was responsible for 76.7%, basidiobolomycosis caused by Basidiobolus haptosporus for 18.0%, and entomophthoramycosis caused by Conidiobolus coronatus for 5.3%. Most cases of hyphomycosis were observed between March and July, that is after the monsoonal wet summer, but were calculated from clinical histories to originate in the wet season between November and May. Basidiobol...
Mizobe M, Kondo F, Toyoshima C, Kumamoto K, Terada T, Nasu H.A rapid method was developed to analyze delta-bilirubin (B delta), diconjugated bilirubin (DCB), monoconjugated bilirubin (MCB), and unconjugated bilirubin (Bu) by direct injection of sera using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an internal-surface reversed-phase silica support (ISRP) column. Sharp bilirubin peaks were obtained using a simple mobile phase of acetonitrile: 0.5 M Tris-HCl buffer (20:80, v/v, pH 7.2). A variable-wavelength detector set at 450 nm, 0.01 absorbance unit full scale (AUFS), and a recorder set at 4 mm/min were used for detection. Peaks for B delta, DCB...
Koterba AM, Drummond WH.Provision of adequate nutritional support to the sick neonatal foal is a vital part of intensive care; frequently, however, it is very difficult to accomplish. In this article, current recommendations concerning both enteral and parenteral nutrition are discussed.
Takeda A, Tanaka H, Shinohara T, Ohtake I.A sample preparation method for mass chromatographic detection of doping drugs from horse plasma is described. Bond Elut Certify (1 g/6 ml) is used for the extraction of 4 ml of horse plasma. Fractionation is performed with 6 ml of CHCl3-Me2CO (8:2) and 5 ml of 1% TEA-MeOH according to its property. Simple and effective clean-up based on non-aqueous partitioning is adopted to remove co-eluted contaminants in both acid and basic fractions. Two kinds of 1-(N,N-diisopropylamino)-n-alkanes are co-injected with the sample into the GC-MS system for the calculation of the retention index. Total recov...
Corda M, Pellegrini M, Rinaldi A.Diamine oxidase was prepared from horse kidney by a procedure involving heat denaturation at 50 degrees C, ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography on hydroxyapatite and on G-200 Sephadex columns. This procedure gave about 1000 fold purification over the crude kidney cortex homogenate. The enzyme preparations thus obtained are stable only at high ionic strength. The effect on enzyme activity of salt concentration and various stabilizing agents have been investigated. The horse kidney diamine oxidase is irreversibly inhibited by carbonyl reagents and shows substrate specificity quite simi...
Soraci AL, Mestorino ON, Errecalde JO.The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of cefoperazone (CPZ) were studied following intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) administration of single doses (30 mg/kg) to horses. Concentrations in serum, urine and synovial fluid samples were measured following IV administration. CPZ concentrations in serum, synovial fluid and spongy bone samples were measured following IM administration. After IV administration a rapid distribution phase (t1/2 (alpha): 4.22 +/- 2.73 min) was followed by a slower elimination phase (t1/2(beta) 0.77 +/- 0.19 h). The apparent volume of distribution was 0.68 +/- 0....
Costa F, Brunsting J, Corrêa F.This case report describes a 16-year-old jumping stallion that had a marked swelling over the left antebrachial area along with substantial lameness after a fall. The horse was weight bearing but lame (4/5; AAEP scale) at the walk with marked enlargement in the caudal aspect of the antebrachial region. After a static musculoskeletal examination, radiography and ultrasonography the horse was diagnosed with flexor muscle myopathy and presumptive extremity compartment syndrome. Following medical treatment, the horse improved clinically over several days. Six-months post injury the horse showed fl...
Okumura M, Fujinaga T.The role of keratan sulphate (KS) as a metabolic marker of cartilage was evaluated using an in vitro model of equine articular cartilage. Articular cartilage was harvested from clinically healthy 6-month-old foals (n = 3). Chondrocytes were centrifuged and cultured as pellets. Chondrocyte pellets were stimulated by insulin-like growth factor-I alpha (IGF-I alpha) or interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) for 2 weeks. The concentrations of sulphated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and KS in the culture media were measured by a 1,9-dimethyl-methylene blue (DMMB) colorimetric assay and an inhibition enzyme-li...
Lizarraga I, Panizzi L, Gieseg MA, Riley CB, Chambers JP.To evaluate thermal nociceptive thresholds (TNTs) before and after inducing a standardized radiocarpal bone osteochondral fracture (OCF) in horses. Methods: Prospective, controlled, randomized, masked study. Methods: A group of 10 Thoroughbred fillies aged 2 years. Methods: Skin temperature and TNTs were measured on the skin over the triceps brachii muscle in both the thoracic limbs before (week 0) and weekly (weeks 1-8) after unilateral arthroscopic induction of a radiocarpal OCF (n = 4) or sham surgery (n = 6) followed by a standardized exercise programme. The contralateral, non-operated t...
Doerksen T, Bird E, Henningson J, Palinski R.Here, we report the near-complete genome sequences of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) serotype Indiana isolates from the 2020 U.S. outbreak. The sequences were obtained from swabs collected from Kansas horses in July and August. The four genome sequences help improve our understanding of VSV outbreak dynamics in the United States.
Stoller N, Christen G, Graubner C.In the present study phone interviews on working hours, salary, professional satisfaction and other topics were carried out with 30 equine veterinarians. None of the participants had more than five years of work experience. The gross annual wages ranged from CHF 36'400 to CHF 91'500. The study participants worked 42 to 93 hours per week. Only 13% were moderately satisfied with the job, the remaining participants were satisfied to highly satisfied. Sixty percent of the study participants were dissatisfied with their wages and wished to be paid according to the Swiss Veterinary Association (GST...
Soma LR, Uboh CE, You Y, Guan F, McDonnell S.Pennsylvania (PA) State Racing Commissions regulate the endogenous androgenic steroid, testosterone (TES), in racing intact males (RIM) by quantification of TES in post-race samples. Post-race plasma samples (2209) collected between March 2008 and November 2010 were analyzed for TES, nandrolone (NAN), and other anabolic steroids (ABS). Of the 2209 plasma samples, 2098 had quantifiable TES ≥ 25 pg/mL. Plasma (mean ± SD) concentrations of TES and NAN in RIM were 329.2 ± 266.4 and 96.0 ± 67.8 pg/mL, respectively. Only 64.6% of RIM had quantifiable concentration of NAN, and there was no relat...
Martens A, Haardt H.Laparoscopy can be valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of specific types of colic in horses. Most commonly, it is used for horses with chronic recurrent colic for further diagnosis, such as by taking biopsies or to perform treatment. Laparoscopy is also often used for prevention of colic, for example, by closing the nephrosplenic space or epiploic foramen. There are fewer indications for laparoscopy in acute colic, though in some cases the technique can be useful for diagnosis, after which the procedure is converted to a hand-assisted laparoscopy. However, manipulation of the intestine is ...
Ekici S, Ozmen O.The active roles of microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) in gene regulation have made miRNAs a key point for the scientific world in the study of physiological processes. Although saliva includes the largest number of miRNAs, there is no miRNA study in saliva on horses has been found. Our study is the first study on miRNAs isolation from saliva in horses. In the present study, saliva was studied in Arabian racehorses to better understand the molecular mechanisms of expression levels that are effective in lipid metabolism of miRNAs and their target genes during the race. Identification of lipid meta...
Powell RJ, du Toit N, Burden FA, Dixon PM.There is limited information on the gross tracheal morphology of donkeys with or without tracheal abnormalities. Objective: To: 1) examine the morphology of tracheas of donkeys with and without clinical and/or post mortem evidence of tracheal obstruction; 2) record the cross-sectional dimensions and shapes of tracheal rings at fixed sites; and 3) document prevalence, sites and characteristics of detected tracheal abnormalities. Methods: The tracheas of 75, predominantly aged (median age 30 years, range 7-48 years) donkeys that died or were subjected to euthanasia on humane grounds were examine...
Aberle ED, Judge MD, Kirkham WW, Page EH, Crawford BH.Frozen sections of equine musculus semitendinosus were examined for myosin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-tetrazolium reductase (NADH-TR), using standard histochemical procedures, and the proportions of the various fiber types and average fiber sectional size were determined. With ATPase staining, approximately 70% of the fibers were classified as alpha fibers (ATPase positive), and 30%, as beta fibers (ATPase negative). In addition, 2 populations of alpha fibers could be readily distinguished on the basis of the intensity of the ATPase reaction...
Karasek M, Cozzi B.Previous studies on the ultrastructure of the horse pineal gland did not report the presence of "synaptic" ribbons, functionally enigmatic pinealocyte organelles regularly occurring in other mammalian species. The aim of the present study was to reinvestigate the horse pinealocyte in this respect. Careful investigations here reported allowed detection of "synaptic" ribbons in the pinealocytes of all the examined animals, although in a relatively low number (5.4 +/- 2.0 per 20,000 microns 2 of pineal tissue; mean +/- SD). The ultrastructure of "synaptic" ribbons in pinealocytes of the horse res...
