Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Veterinary sciences.
Publisher:
MDPI,
Frequency: Quarterly
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Start Year:2014 -
ISSN:
2306-7381 (Electronic)
2306-7381 (Linking)
2306-7381 (Linking)
Impact Factor
2.4
2022
| NLM ID: | 101680127 |
| (OCoLC): | 905948225 |
| LCCN: | 2015254153 |
| Classification: | W1 |
From Diet to Disease: The Role of the Gut Microbiome and Microbial Metabolites in Horses. The equine gastrointestinal microbiome plays an essential role in digestion, energy metabolism, immune regulation, and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis. Increasing evidence suggests that microbial-derived metabolites provide a functional link between diet, the microbiome, and host physiology. This narrative review summarizes current knowledge on how dietary factors, including structural carbohydrates, non-structural carbohydrates, protein, and lipids, influence microbial function and metabolite production in horses. Relevant publications available up to June 2026 were identified through s...
Intratracheal Leiomyosarcoma in a 13-Year-Old German Riding Pony Mare. A 13-year-old German Riding Pony mare was referred for evaluation of progressive respiratory noise and mixed dyspnoea, which rapidly deteriorated to respiratory distress. Clinical examination revealed marked rattling inspiratory and expiratory tracheal sounds and severe, rattling, vesicular lung sounds. Arterial blood gas analysis demonstrated moderate hypoxaemia (partial pressure of arterial oxygen 76 mmHg at rest). Upper airway endoscopy identified a pink, cauliflower-like pedunculated mass originating from the dorsal tracheal wall approximately 15 cm cranial to the tracheal bifurcation, cau...
A Leptospirosis Outbreak in a Riding Stable in Central Italy. Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease of major concern for both veterinary and public health. In horses, it is associated with equine recurrent uveitis, a painful condition that may lead to blindness and affects approximately 10% of the global horse population. In May 2025, following the occurrence of three uveitis cases in a riding stable in Central Italy, 94 equine blood samples were collected and tested using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for spp. Antibody titres against serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae were detected in 68 horses (72.4%). An on-site investigation was condu...
Limited Effects of High-Intensity Laser Therapy on Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes in Three-Year-Old Arabian Racehorses with Dorsal Metacarpal Disease. Dorsal metacarpal disease (DMD) is a common musculoskeletal injury in young racehorses, and effective non-invasive treatments remain of clinical interest. This study aimed to evaluate whether high-intensity laser therapy (HILT), which was applied as the sole intervention in horses retired from training, reduces the clinical signs of DMD compared with untreated controls. During the 2023-2024 racing seasons, 15 Arabian racehorses diagnosed with DMD were enrolled; 9 received HILT and 6 served as controls without laser therapy. The treatment protocol consisted of five daily HILT sessions followed ...
Electrochemotherapy Following Surgical Cytoreduction for the Treatment of Recurrent Equine Sarcoids: A Retrospective Study of 23 Lesions. Despite the wide range of therapeutic options currently available for equine sarcoids, recurrence of these lesions remains a major clinical challenge. Consequently, the identification of effective strategies for the management of recurrent sarcoids remains an important objective in equine oncology. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of surgical cytoreduction combined with intraoperative electrochemotherapy in horses affected by recurrent equine sarcoids. Medical records of horses treated between July 2018 and August 2025 at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital...
Assessment of Thyroid Hormones Using the Immulite 2000xpi Analyzer in Healthy Donkeys. The Immulite 2000xpi, a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA)-based analyzer, is currently recommended for measuring thyroid hormones (TH) concentrations in equids. However, scarce data are available on TH measurements in donkeys using this technique. Similarly, the effects of factors such as age and gender on TH concentrations have not been assessed with this analyzer. Serum free and total T4 and T3 concentrations were measured in 40 healthy donkeys (6.1 ± 0.8 years old; 8 intact jacks and 32 jennies) and 41 horses (10.7 ± 0.5 years old; 15 stallions and 26 geldings) using the Immulite 2000xp...
A Comprehensive Review of the Equine Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease. Molecular microbiology has revolutionized our understanding of the complex host-associated microbiomes required for normative development and physiology. Horses and other members of the family are particularly reliant on the early maturation and lifelong maintenance of an unusually rich hindgut microbiome for optimal digestion and overall health and performance. Research on the equine gut microbiome has accelerated in the past several years, necessitating a renewed appraisal of the field. The present work is a comprehensive and critical review of the literature regarding the bacterial gastroi...
Behaviour and Movement Activity of Stallions and Geldings in Group Housing. There has been little research on the social behaviour of stallions and geldings kept together in group housing systems. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in behaviour and movement activity between stallions and geldings kept together in group housing. Behavioural observations and GPS measurements were conducted in Germany from July to September 2024 in four mixed groups of horses in Germany. The groups comprised 35 animals, 18 stallions and 17 geldings. The horses were observed for three consecutive days over eight hours per day. No injuries or stereotypic behaviours were o...
Anti-Inflammatory and Metabolic Effects of Fresh Versus Freeze-Dried Platelet-Rich Plasma on Equine Osteoarthritis in an Ex Vivo Cartilage-Synovium Explant Co-Culture System: A Pilot Study. Equine osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of lameness and economic loss in horses. While platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has clinical potential, the biological effects of fresh PRP (F-PRP) and freeze-dried PRP (FD-PRP) remain insufficiently defined. This pilot study compared 25% and 50% F-PRP and FD-PRP in an interleukin-1β-induced equine cartilage-synovium explant co-culture model. PRP treatments reduced inflammatory responses, with significant downregulation of COX-2 and PGE2 expression, and 25% F-PRP showed the most consistent inhibition of nitric oxide production. PRP also significantly redu...
Gross and Histopathologic Comparison of the Distal Third Metacarpal Bone and the Proximal First Phalanx with Sodium Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography Radiopharmaceutical Uptake in Five Horses. Injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint are a major cause of morbidity and catastrophic fracture in racing horses, yet early osseous pathology is often difficult to detect using conventional imaging. This pilot study aimed to correlate sodium fluoride Positron Emission Tomography (F-NaF PET) radiopharmaceutical uptake with gross and histopathologic changes in the distal third metacarpal bone (MC3) and proximal first phalanx (P1). Five horses (three racing Thoroughbreds with fetlock injury and two non-racing controls) underwent ante-mortem F-NaF PET and cone-beam CT imaging (CBCT), followed b...
The Occurrence of Bacterial Infections in Equine Wounds and Abscesses in Horses from 2019 to 2023. Bacterial infections in equine wounds are common and can complicate treatment and healing. This five-year retrospective study examined 2844 samples from wounds and abscesses from horses in Germany (2019-2023), analyzing bacterial prevalence by care setting and geographical region. A total of 4464 bacterial isolates were identified, with β-hemolytic streptococci (20.6%), (15.6%), and (13.0%) being the most common. Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) accounted for 35.9% of isolates. Resistance to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins was detected in 15.2% of isolates. Samples from clinics s...
A Case of Separate os tarsale primum in a Horse. Anatomical variation in the equine tarsus may involve either fusion of the with the or the presence of a separate . The distal row of tarsal bones is therefore of particular anatomical interest, as an independent first tarsal bone has been only sporadically documented in previous studies. In this study, twelve equine tarsal joints were examined using macroscopic and radiographic methods. In eleven specimens, six tarsal bones were identified, whereas in one specimen (1/12, 8.3%), seven tarsal bones were observed due to the presence of an independent with an irregular cuboid shape. Radiograph...
Application of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in Regulation of Ovarian Function and Its Practical Relevance for Fertility and Embryo Production in Cows and Mares. In the female organism, Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced exclusively by granulosa cells, particularly in secondary and early tertiary follicles. The amount of AMH released into the blood is proportional to the total number of follicles present in the ovaries and is therefore used to estimate the ovarian functional reserve. In both cattle and mares, a strong and highly repeatable association has also been demonstrated between AMH concentrations and antral follicle count. Therefore, AMH may serve as a biomarker with broad diagnostic utility in reproductive medicine in these species, as ...
Pilot Study of an Alpha-2-Macroglobulin-Enriched Plasma-Derived Orthobiologic Preparation in Sport Horses with Chronic Degenerative Joint Disease. Chronic joint disease is a major cause of lameness and reduced performance in sport horses and is characterized by persistent synovial inflammation and protease-mediated matrix degradation. This exploratory prospective pilot study investigated clinical outcomes and synovial biomarker changes following intra-articular administration of an α-2-macroglobulin plasma-derived preparation. Twenty client-owned sport horses were observed in the treatment group (n = 10) or a comparison group (n = 10) and monitored for up to 180 days under field conditions. Clinical outcomes were assessed longitudinally...
Recent Advances in Natural Products for Colitis: Mechanisms and Translational Perspectives. Colitis is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disorder characterized by persistent mucosal inflammation, epithelial barrier disruption, oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and gut microbiota imbalance. Although current therapies have improved disease management, their long-term use is still limited by incomplete response, relapse, adverse effects, and high cost. Natural products have attracted increasing attention as promising candidates for colitis intervention because of their structural diversity, broad bioactivity, and multitarget regulatory potential. In veterinary medicine, colitis and...
Association Between Vaquejada Practice and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Muscle Damage in Quarter Horses. Vaquejada (VQ) is a traditional Brazilian sport demanding high performance from Quarter Horse (QH) athletes. This study aimed to identify modifications in hematological, biochemical, inflammatory, and oxidative stress biomarkers associated with VQ training, comparing conditioned and non-conditioned horses. Blood samples were collected at rest from 70 healthy QH horses: 60 athletes (VQ-conditioned athlete group-AG) and 10 sedentary controls (breeding horses-CG). Using Linear Mixed Models alongside comprehensive hematological and biochemical analyses, the study found that AG horses exhibited an ...
Characterization of Capillary Zone Electrophoresis in Horses and Donkeys. There are no capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) comparative studies between horses and donkeys. Our objectives were to compare CZE results between both species, establish reference intervals (Ris), study age- and sex-related changes, determine the prevalence of bisalbuminemia, and correlate spectrophotometric albumin results with those calculated based on two different CZE methods. We performed CZE in 50 healthy horses and 49 healthy donkeys. There were significant differences ( < 0.03) in every protein fraction percentage and concentration (except for the β-globulins percentage) between...
Combined PRP and CCP Therapy Suppresses Inflammation and Protects Cartilage in Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and Cervus and Cucumis polypeptide (CCP) injections in rats with post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA). The model was established by transection of the anterior cruciate ligament, and the animals were subsequently treated with PRP and CCP. Articular cartilage degeneration was assessed through gross morphological observation, histopathological staining, and a standardized scoring system. Concurrently, pain-related behaviors, joint swelling, levels of inflammatory cytokines, and markers associated with extracellular ...
Pharmacokinetics of Ertugliflozin, a Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2 Inhibitor (SGLT2i) in Horses After Enteral Administration. Ertugliflozin is a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor that has demonstrated promise as a treatment for hyperinsulinaemia in horses. Despite the frequent use of ertugliflozin in equine clinical practice, the pharmacokinetics of this drug in horses has not been established. The aim of the present study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of one supratherapeutic dose (0.25 mg/kg) of ertugliflozin in eight horses. Horses were defined as being healthy by physical examination, haematological, blood biochemical and oral sugar test (OST) results. Plasma concentrations of ertugliflozin were qu...
Extraction of Kinematic Parameters and Comparative Study of Endurance Levels in Mongolian Horses. Mongolian horses are an indigenous Chinese breed known for their endurance capacity, yet quantitative descriptions of their gait-related kinematic characteristics remain limited. This pilot exploratory study aimed to describe the kinematics of Mongolian horses during walk, slow trot, and fast trot, and to examine whether selected variables differed between race-result groups in a 12 km endurance race. Forty-six horses were classified into an excellent group and an ordinary group based on the result of a single race. Kinematic data were collected using optical motion capture and three-dimension...
In Vitro Characterization of an Equinized Anti-PD-L1 Antibody for Cancer Immunotherapy in Horses. Horses develop spontaneous tumors, typically in old age. Although local tumor control can be achieved using conventional therapies, systemic therapies are required to treat recurrent and/or metastatic tumors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as anti-PD-L1 antibodies, have been approved for the treatment of various tumor types in humans; however, little is known about the immunosuppressive roles of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in horses, and the therapeutic potential of these inhibitors remains to be elucidated. Previously, we reported that the rat monoclonal anti-PD-L1 antibody 6C11-3A11 cross-rea...
Diagnosis and Surveillance of West Nile Virus Infection in Horses: Current Methods, Challenges, and Future Directions. West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus of growing importance for both human and equine health in Europe. Horses are highly susceptible to neurological disease and, because they share ecological exposure with humans, they represent valuable sentinels for detecting local viral circulation within a One Health framework. However, diagnosis of WNV infection in equines is complicated by the short and low-level viraemia, which limits the sensitivity of molecular assays, and by serological cross-reactivity with related flaviviruses and the confounding effects of vaccination. In this narr...
Physical vs. Behavioral Clinical Signs in Horses with Squamous and Glandular Gastric Ulcers. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome is a highly prevalent condition, yet its clinical diagnosis remains challenging due to the nonspecific nature of many associated signs. The relationship between the anatomical location of gastric ulcers and clinical presentation is still poorly defined. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the association between gastric ulcer location and the clinical signs observed in horses. Medical records of 52 horses diagnosed with gastric ulcers by gastroscopy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical signs were classified as physical, behavioral, or mixed, and ulcer lo...
Finishing Performance, Meat Quality, and Economic Efficiency of Retired Thoroughbred Versus Belgian-Cross Geldings Under an Identical Total Mixed Ration: A Pilot Study. This study evaluated a 181-day finishing system for horses entering the Korean meat chain by comparing retired thoroughbred geldings and Belgian-crossbred geldings under identical management and an ad libitum forage-based total mixed ration. Ten geldings ( = 5 per group) were individually housed, with body weight and feed intake recorded monthly. After slaughter, carcass traits and meat quality grade were assessed, and longissimus thoracis et lumborum samples were analyzed for proximate composition. Belgian-crossbreds consumed more dry matter (18.68 vs. 13.60 kg DM/day), corresponding to 2.3% ...
Assessment of the Welfare of Working Horses: Combining Clinical Evaluations with Indirect Indicators. Assessing the welfare of the working horses is crucial for identifying health and management issues and implementing effective solutions. This study evaluated the welfare of working horses in South Darfur, Sudan, by integrating clinical examination with indirect indicators through owner interviews. A total of 400 horse-owner pairs were included. Most horses (61.7%) worked every day, and 77% of owners reported using whips to encourage movement. Clinical assessment revealed that 29.0% of horses were thin, over half had dirty coats, 50.5% harbored external parasites, 43% had abnormal discharges, ...
Comparison of Ultrasonography, Contrast Radiographic Tenography, Cone-Beam Computed Tomographic Tenography, and Tenoscopy for Lesion Detection Within the Digital Flexor Tendon Sheath of Horses-A Prospective Clinical Trial. Lesions of the tendons and manica flexoria (MF) within the digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) are a common cause for lameness in horses. This prospective study compared and quantified the agreement and disagreement of positive contrast computed tomographic tenography (CTT), positive contrast radiographic tenography (RXT), ultrasonography (US) and tenoscopy for diagnosing naturally occurring lesions within the DFTS, without application of a gold standard. Lesions affecting the deep (DDFT) and/or superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), and/or the MF and/or constriction of the palmar/plantar a...
Gaps Between Awareness and Prevention of West Nile Virus Among Horse Owners in an Endemic Country: A Cross-Sectional Study from Romania. West Nile virus (WNV) circulates endemically in Romania, yet prevention of WNV infection in horses largely depends on owner-driven decisions that require accurate risk perception and veterinary guidance. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out between May and November 2025 to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices (KAP) regarding WNV among 227 horse owners from various Romanian regions. In total, 67.4% of respondents had previously heard of WNV. The main transmission route was correctly identified as mosquito bites by 49.8% of participants, while 32.2% answered "do...
Short- and Long-Term Outcomes in Horses Following Laparoscopic Nephrosplenic Space Ablation. Left dorsal displacement of the large colon (LDDLC) is a common cause of colic in horses and it is frequently associated with recurrent episodes, with significant implications for horse management, athletic performance, and owner satisfaction. Laparoscopic nephrosplenic space (NSS) ablation is a preventive surgical technique aimed at reducing recurrence in horses with a history of medically or surgically treated LDDLC. This retrospective study evaluated 48 horses that underwent laparoscopic NSS ablation in two Italian Veterinary Teaching Hospitals between 2016 and 2024. Short-term outcomes, in...
Molecular Identification and Benzimidazole Resistance Analysis of Cyathostomins in Chinese Grazing Horses. This study investigated the cyathostomin species composition, anthelmintic efficacy, and potential resistance-associated mutations in Chinese grazing horses. Fecal samples were collected from 90 adult horses. Fecal egg counts (FECs) were determined using a modified McMaster method. Third stage larvae (L3) cultured from the eggs were identified to species level by PCR amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2). The main species included and spp. However, differences in the relative abundance of less common species, including and , suggests regional variation. A...
Ultrasonographic Evidence of Synovitis Correlates with Synovial Citrate and TBARS in Equine Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects humans and animals worldwide. Its early diagnosis remains challenging due to subtle clinical signs and late radiographic changes. This study aimed to explore candidate biomarkers associated with spontaneous OA and to investigate their correlation with ultrasonographic scores to support early diagnosis. Clinical, radiographic, and ultrasonographic evaluations were performed on 52 equine metacarpophalangeal joints, with and without OA, allowing joint scoring and classification into osteoarthritis (OAG) and control groups. Synovial ...
