Congenital diseases of the equine head.
Abstract: Many questions concerning heritability arise when a veterinarian is asked to supervise and treat disease of congenital origin. Genetic counseling, ethics, and legality are often confronted in discussions between animal health professionals and laymen in animal industry. Guidelines have been offered as in the 1984 statement of the Judicial Council of the American Veterinary Medical Association: "Performance of surgical procedures in all species for the purpose of concealing genetic defects in animals to be shown, raced, bred, or sold as breeding animals is unethical. However, should the health or welfare of the individual patient require correction of such genetic defects, it is recommended that the patient be rendered incapable of reproduction." The Australian Veterinary Law, Ethics, Etiquette and Convention declares it fraud to alter a defect for sale purposes and unethical for a veterinarian to perform such treatments. It is permissible to correct defects causing discomfort or inconvenience, but the veterinarian is required to advise appropriate breeding counseling. Genetic counseling has progressed significantly in human medicine. This has been supported by better diagnostic methods for genetic disorders, greater acceptance of preventive measures, and extended screening programs to identify carriers of specific abnormal genes or chromosomal aberrations. Congenital diseases in veterinary medicine are constantly under investigation. The veterinary practitioner must continue to operate with an appreciation of the incomplete understanding of most of these abnormalities and act in accordance with personal ethical judgment and the guidance of the American Veterinary Medical Association when treating the affected individual animal patient.
Publication Date: 1993-04-01 PubMed ID: 8472207DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30417-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This article examines the ethics and practices surrounding treatment of congenital diseases in horses, exploring issues related to the concealment of genetic defects for competition and trading purposes, as well as the role of the veterinary professional in providing genetic counseling and autism.
Introduction and Background
- The research begins with an introduction to the ethical quandaries often faced by veterinarians when dealing with congenital diseases, or conditions present from birth, in horses.
- The article references national veterinary guidelines, such as the stances of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Australian Veterinary Law, Ethics, Etiquette and Convention, to illustrate how these dilemmas are codified in veterinary practice standards around the world.
Ethics of Altering Genetic Defects
- One of the primary issues explored is the ethicality of performing surgical procedures to conceal genetic defects in animals that are bred for show, racing, or trading. Both mentioned codes of conduct highlight that such practices are unethical and fraudulent.
- However, it is recognized that if the health or wellbeing of the horse is in danger due to a genetic defect, it’s not only ethical, but recommended, to correct the flaw, on the condition the treated animal is thereafter incapable of reproduction.
Role of Genetic Counseling
- Another notable aspect that the research delves into is the role of genetic counseling in veterinary medicine.
- With growing advancements in the field, coupled with better means to diagnose genetic disorders and an increased acceptance of preventive measures, it is becoming more important for veterinarians to provide appropriate breeding advice to help prevent further propagation of such defects.
Unresolved Questions in Treating Congenital Diseases
- The paper also underscores the gaps in our understanding of congenital diseases in veterinary medicine, stating that investigations are ongoing.
- Despite the incompleteness of current knowledge, veterinarians are urged to draw on their personal ethical judgment and the guidance of professional associations when treating individual animal patients.
Cite This Article
APA
Gaughan EM, DeBowes RM.
(1993).
Congenital diseases of the equine head.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 9(1), 93-110.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30417-0 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan.
MeSH Terms
- Ameloblastoma / congenital
- Ameloblastoma / veterinary
- Animals
- Choanal Atresia / diagnosis
- Choanal Atresia / surgery
- Choanal Atresia / veterinary
- Cleft Palate / surgery
- Cleft Palate / veterinary
- Cysts / congenital
- Cysts / veterinary
- Dentigerous Cyst / congenital
- Dentigerous Cyst / veterinary
- Female
- Head / abnormalities
- Horse Diseases / congenital
- Horses
- Male
- Mandible / abnormalities
- Nasal Septum / abnormalities
- Odontogenic Tumors / congenital
- Odontogenic Tumors / veterinary
- Paranasal Sinus Diseases / congenital
- Paranasal Sinus Diseases / veterinary
- Pharyngeal Diseases / congenital
- Pharyngeal Diseases / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Bourke JM, Fontenot N, Holliday C. Septal deviation in the nose of the longest faced crocodylian: A description of nasal anatomy and airflow in the Indian gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) with comments on acoustics. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022 Oct;305(10):2883-2903.
- Domanska-Kruppa N, Venner M, Bienert-Zeit A. Cephalometric Study of the Overjet Development in Warmblood Foals. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:431.
- Theoret CL, Grahn BH, Fretz PB. Incomplete nasomaxillary dysplasia in a foal. Can Vet J 1997 Jul;38(7):445-7.
- Yoshida S, Takeyama A, Tagami M, Gao Y, Tsogtgerel M, Kobayashi Y, Watanabe K, Nambo Y. A case of a newborn Kiso native pony diagnosed with a median hard cleft palate and urachal hypoplasia. J Equine Sci 2025;36(1):25-31.
- Shaw SD, Norman TE, Arnold CE, Coleman MC. Clinical characteristics of horses and foals diagnosed with cleft palate in a referral population: 28 cases (1988-2011). Can Vet J 2015 Jul;56(7):756-60.
- Wray JD, Doust RT, Fraser McConnell, Dennis RT, Blunden AS. Retrobulbar teratoma causing exophthalmos in a cat. J Feline Med Surg 2008 Apr;10(2):175-80.
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