Equus July 2017

Horses of the past I read “America’s Major Horse Breeds Emerge” (Conformation Insights, EQUUS 473) with fascination. I’m amazed at the detail of research Deb Bennett, PhD, has done. However, for all the detail recorded in horse registries, the most unfortunate lack in investigating horses born before the late 19th century is the lack of good photographs. All we have are drawings, prints or paintings, many of which are done in what was regarded as a stylish, graceful form. Artistic tastes showed a preference for light, elongated bodies, very slender legs, thin curvy, almost serpentine necks and very small heads. These characteristics show up in paintings and etchings of many outstanding horses of the 18th and 19th centuries, including several pictured in this article. It is unfortunate that the reliance…

CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. EQUIOXX® (firocoxib) is indicated for the control of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in horses. Firocoxib belongs to the coxib class of non-narcotic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). CONTRAINDICATIONS: Horses with hypersensitivity to firocoxib should not receive EQUIOXX. WARNINGS: EQUIOXX is for use in horses only. Do not use in horses intended for human consumption. Do not use in humans. Store EQUIOXX Tablets out of the reach of dogs, children, and other pets in a secured location in order to prevent accidental ingestion or overdose. Consult a physician in case of accidental human exposure. Horses should undergo a thorough history and physical examination before initiation of NSAID therapy. Appropriate laboratory tests should be…

A study from Utah suggests that young riders who don’t wear helmets are at a much higher risk of sustaining head injuries in the event of an accident. Researchers at the University of Utah Medical Center reviewed the rec ords of 142 children admitted to its pediatric trauma center from 2005 to 2015 for riding- and rodeo-related injuries. Most of the injuries– 83 percent–were associated with riding horses, while 13 percent occurred during bull riding. The data showed that only 28 (19.7 percent) of the injured children were wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. More than half of the young patients brought in for treatment were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), damage to the brain caused by a jolt, bump or other mechanical impact. Overall, the data…

THE EHV-1 VIRUS New research suggests that equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) can persist much longer in water than previously thought, meaning that biosecurity measures taken during an outbreak must include buckets, troughs and natural water sources. EHV-1 is one of five strains of herpesvirus known to affect horses. EHV-1 infection typically results in respiratory disease (rhinopneumonitis), but it can also cause pregnant mares to abort their foals. In rare cases, the virus attacks the central nervous system, producing signs ranging from incoordination to paralysis. This potentially fatal neurological form, technically known as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalitis, is often referred to as “neuro” EHV-1. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research and Freie Universität Berlin decided to investigate the viability of EHV-1 in water after observing interspecies EHV…

A long-acting, injectable form of omeprazole may be available for horses soon, according to an Australian researcher who recently completed an efficacy study of the drug. First developed as a human medicine, omeprazole is used to treat and prevent gastric ulcers in horses. The medication is currently available only in an oral paste formulation that must be administered daily. The new omeprazole formulation is injected intramuscularly every seven days. In addition to less frequent administration, the injectable form of the drug offers other benefits, says Ben Sykes, BVMS, PhD, of the University of Queensland. “The use of an intramuscular formulation bypasses the problems observed in some horses with very low absorption of omeprazole, especially in horses consuming free-choice hay diets---this would be a key advantage,” says Sykes (see “Effects of…

A long-term study from the Czech Republic confirms that horses can inherit a susceptibility to the allergic skin condition known as “sweet itch,” which is technically known as insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH). A reaction to the saliva of culicoides and other biting midges, IBH often causes itchiness so intense that horses rub affected areas hairless or raw. It has long been suspected that IBH is inherited because the problem is more prevalent in particular breeds, such as Icelandic Horses. The Czech study focused on Old Grey Kladruber horses, a native warmblood breed, at the National Stud in Kladruby and 10 private breeding facilities. The same person visually inspected the horses over a period of 13 years, from 1996 to 2009, scoring the severity of any signs of IBH at each…