Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Age Factors
Age factors in horses encompass a range of physiological and developmental changes that occur as horses mature from foals to adults and eventually into their senior years. These factors include variations in metabolic rate, immune function, and musculoskeletal development, which can influence a horse's health, performance, and nutritional needs. Age-related changes can also affect how horses respond to medications, recover from injuries, and maintain overall vitality. Researchers study these aspects to understand better how age impacts equine health and management. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the effects of age on equine physiology, health management, and disease susceptibility.
Equestrian trauma: injury patterns vary among age groups. Patients with equestrian injuries were identified in the trauma registry from 2004 to 2007. We a priori divided patients into three groups: 0 to 18 years, 19 to 49 years, and 50 years old or older. There were 284 patients identified with equestrian-related trauma. Injury Severity Score for the three major age categories 0 to 18 years, 19 to 49 years, and 50 years or older, were 3.47, 5.09, and 6.27, respectively. The most common body region injured among all patients was the head (26.1%). The most common injuries by age group were: 0 to 18 years, upper extremity fractures; 19 to 49 year olds, ...
Presence of respiratory viruses in equines in Brazil. Equines are susceptible to respiratory viruses such as influenza and parainfluenza. Respiratory diseases have adversely impacted economies all over the world. This study was intended to determine the presence of influenza and parainfluenza viruses in unvaccinated horses from some regions of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Blood serum collected from 72 equines of different towns in this state was tested by hemagglutination inhibition test to detect antibodies for both viruses using the corresponding antigens. About 98.6% (71) and 97.2% (70) of the equines responded with antibody protective tit...
Racing performance of Thoroughbreds with superficial digital flexor tendonitis treated with desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon: 332 cases (1989-2003). To assess postoperative probability of racing, career longevity, and convalescent time in Thoroughbred racehorses with moderate to severe superficial digital flexor tendonitis (SDFT) in the forelimbs treated by desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon (ie, superior check ligament desmotomy [SCLD]). Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 332 Thoroughbred racehorses with SDFT consecutively treated by means of SCLD. Methods: Medical records and racing records were reviewed to assess return to racing, number of races completed, time to first race, and life...
Reproducibility and feasibility of acoustoelastography in the superficial digital flexor tendons of clinically normal horses. To evaluate the feasibility and repeatability of in vivo measurement of stiffness gradients by means of acoustoelastography in the superficial digital flexor tendons (SDFTs) of clinically normal horses. Methods: 15 clinically normal horses. Methods: For each horse, stiffness gradient index and dispersion values for SDFTs in both forelimbs were evaluated in longitudinal orientation by use of acoustoelastography at 3 sites (5, 10, and 15 cm distal to the accessory carpal bone) by 2 observers; for each observer, data were acquired twice per site. The left forelimb was always scanned before the ri...
Retrospective evaluation of phacoemulsification and aspiration in 41 horses (46 eyes): visual outcomes vs. age, intraocular lens, and uveitis status. To determine the effect of age at the time of surgery, intraocular lens (IOL) placement, and presence of chronic uveitis on visual outcome after phacoemulsification and aspiration (PA) of cataracts in horses. Methods: Records of 41 horses (46 eyes) receiving unilateral or bilateral PA. Methods: Retrospective analysis of horses receiving unilateral or bilateral PA at the NCSU-VTH (35 horses, 39 eyes) and in Northern Italy (six horses, seven eyes) was performed. Visual status at last follow-up was compared to age at the time of surgery, IOL status, and presence of chronic uveitis preoperatively....
Visual outcomes of phacoemulsification cataract surgery in horses: 1990-2013. To evaluate the long-term visual outcome of phacoemulsification lens extraction surgery in foals and horses and identify any unique postoperative complications that affect the visual outcome. Methods: This is a retrospective medical records study of phacoemulsification cataract surgery in 95 foals and horses from 1990 to 2013. Results: Cataracts were removed by phacoemulsification from 111 eyes of 95 horses ranging in age from 22 days to 26 years (average 8.0 ± 5.7 years). Forty-four of the 95 animals were foals (46.3%). Sixteen horses or foals had surgery bilaterally. One hundred and two eye...
Hoof renewal time from birth of Thoroughbred foals. A circumferential ring in the hoof horn of foals occurs at birth and grows down to the distal border as the fetal hoof is replaced. Horn growth and complete hoof capsule renewal have not been measured in Thoroughbred foals but the determination of time of hoof renewal may allow accurate predictions of healing time to be made in cases of hoof lesions. The objective of this study was to measure the time taken for the fetal hoof of newborn foals to grow to the distal border and be replaced by hoof grown since birth. The age of the foal in days on the day that routine hoof trimming removed the hoo...
Serum selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity and selenium content in testes of Polish Konik horses from selenium–deficient area in North-Western Poland. The aim of this study was to determine serum selenium concentrations in Polish Konik horses residing in the Odra Delta Nature Park (Poland) and to evaluate the activity of glutathione peroxidase and Se content in testes of this horse breed. In over 95% of cases, serum Se concentration was below the optimal range, and none of the horses examined was deficient in this trace element. The lack of Se deficiency in the animals examined suggests however, that the Polish Konik horses have a natural ability to the optimal use of nutrients available in their life area. Testicular content of Se and GSHPx...
Sex-associated differences in pancreatic β cell function in healthy preweaning pony foals. Pancreatic β cells are responsive to a range of stimuli during early post natal life in healthy pony foals. However, little is known about whether these responses are sex-linked. Objective: To determine pancreatic β cell responses to the insulin secretagogues, glucose, arginine and tolbutamide, in fillies and colts during the first 3 months after birth. Methods: In vivo experiment examining sex differences in pancreatic β cell function in foals. Methods: Female (n = 8) and male (n = 5) pony foals were infused i.v. with glucose (0.5 g/kg bwt 40% dextrose), arginine (100 mg/kg bwt) or tol...
Three-dimensional anatomy of the equine sternum. The sternum is a frequently used anatomical site to obtain bone marrow for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in equine medicine and surgery. For a safe and reproducible aspiration of sternal bone marrow, a reliable anatomical description of the sternum is mandatory. However, the anatomical literature provides very heterogeneous information concerning the structure and number of sternebrae. Isolated sterna (horses of different ages) underwent clinical computed tomography, and single sternebrae were scanned by microcomputed tomography. Data sets were analysed in detail, the dimensions of each ...
Microstructural changes in cartilage and bone related to repetitive overloading in an equine athlete model. The palmar aspect of the third metacarpal (MC3) condyle of equine athletes is known to be subjected to repetitive overloading that can lead to the accumulation of joint tissue damage, degeneration, and stress fractures, some of which result in catastrophic failure. However, there is still a need to understand at a detailed microstructural level how this damage progresses in the context of the wider joint tissue complex, i.e. the articular surface, the hyaline and calcified cartilage, and the subchondral bone. MC3 bones from non-fractured joints were obtained from the right forelimbs of 16 Thor...
Prevalence and risk factors for hyperinsulinaemia in ponies in Queensland, Australia. To determine the prevalence of hyperinsulinaemia in a population of ponies in Queensland, Australia, and identify associated factors. Methods: Breeders or traders of ponies within a 100 km radius of Gatton, Queensland, were recruited for study using an internet database. Clinical and management details were obtained, including body condition score, fat deposition and history or evidence of laminitis. Blood samples were analysed for serum insulin and triglyceride concentrations and plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and leptin concentrations following short-term removal from pasture and...
Effects of age and macrophage lineage on intracellular survival and cytokine induction after infection with Rhodococcus equi. Rhodococcus equi, a facultative intracellular pathogen of macrophages, causes life-threatening pneumonia in foals and in people with underlying immune deficiencies. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that macrophage lineage and age would affect intracellular survival of R. equi and cytokine induction after infection. Monocyte-derived and bronchoalveolar macrophages from 10 adult horses and from 10 foals (sampled at 1-3 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 5 months of age) were infected ex vivo with virulent R. equi. Intracellular R. equi were quantified and mRNA expression of IL-1β, ...
Stage-dependent DAZL localization in stallion germ cells. Deleted in azoospermia-like (DAZL) is used as a germ cell marker in several species, including mice, rats, pigs, rhesus monkeys, bulls, and humans. Our objectives with this study were to investigate DAZL expression in stallion germ cells by using immunofluorescence, immunocytochemistry, and western blotting, and to determine the effects of reproductive stage and breeding season on the DAZL-positive cell population in seminiferous tubule cross sections. Testes were obtained during routine castration procedures at a large animal clinic and routine field service castration. The reproductive stage...
The sinonasal communication in the horse: examinations using computerized three-dimensional reformatted renderings of computed-tomography datasets. Sinusitis is a common disease in the horse. In human medicine it is described, that obstruction of the sinonasal communication plays a major role in the development of sinusitis. To get spatial sense of the equine specific communication ways between the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses, heads of 19 horses, aged 2 to 26 years, were analyzed using three-dimensional (3D) reformatted renderings of CT-datasets. Three-dimensional models were generated following manual and semi-automated segmentation. Before segmentation, the two-dimensional (2D) CT-images were verified against corresponding fr...
Genetic parameters for chronic progressive lymphedema in Belgian Draught Horses. Genetic parameters for chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL)-associated traits in Belgian Draught Horses were estimated, using a multitrait animal model. Clinical scores of CPL in the four limbs/horse (CPLclin ), skinfold thickness and hair samples (hair diameter) were studied. Due to CPLclin uncertainty in younger horses (progressive CPL character), a restricted data set (D_3+) was formed, excluding records from horses under 3 years from the complete data set (D_full). Age, gender, coat colour and limb hair pigmentation were included as fixed, permanent environment and date of recording as ra...
A retinoscopic survey of 333 horses and ponies in the UK. Ophthalmic examination in the horse is generally limited to crude assessment of vision and screening for ocular lesions. The refractive state of equine eyes and the potential impact on vision and performance requires further investigation. Objective: To assess the refractive state of a large, mixed-breed sample of horses and ponies in the United Kingdom (UK). Methods: The refractive state of both eyes of 333 horses and ponies was determined by streak retinoscopy, and the effect of age, height, gender, breed and management regime on the refractive state assessed. Results: Emmetropia was found i...
The influence of various confounding factors on mechanical nociceptive thresholds in the donkey. To evaluate a mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing device in the donkey, and to investigate the influence of potential confounders on MNTs generated. Methods: Prospective, randomised. Methods: Sixteen castrated male donkeys aged 4-9 years, weighing 105-170 kg. Methods: Mechanical nociceptive thresholds were measured using an actuator with three pins placed on the dorsal aspect of the distal limb, connected to a force meter. The pins (surface area 15 mm(2) ) were extruded onto the limb by pressurising an air-filled syringe, until the MNT force (when foot-lift was observed) or 25 N (cu...
The range and prevalence of clinical signs and conformation associated with lameness in working draught donkeys in Pakistan. Lameness is prevalent in working donkeys and has major welfare implications; however, a detailed study of the associated clinical signs is lacking. Objective: To describe the range and prevalence of clinical signs and conformation associated with lameness in working draught donkeys. Methods: Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study. Methods: Data were collected from 102 working draught donkeys in Pakistan. A lameness assessment adapted for working donkeys was used to record clinical signs of lameness, gait, limb conformation and pain responses in the feet, limbs and spine using observ...
Age effects on blood gas, spirometry, airway reactivity, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology in clinically healthy horses. Despite the increasing number of geriatric horses attended by veterinarians, there is a lack of understanding of aging-related changes on the respiratory system of horses. Objective: To identify aging-related changes on the respiratory function and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology of horses. Methods: Fifteen healthy young adult (2-11 years) and 16 healthy aged (≥20 years) horses. Methods: The respiratory system was examined by measurement of arterial blood gases (ABG), use of respiratory inductive plethysmography (RIP) for assessment of breathing pattern and ventilatory paramet...
A comparison of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in equine bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and peripheral blood. An imbalance in various cytokine mRNA expression in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in horses suffering from recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) has been demonstrated; however, the natural variation of cytokine expression in healthy horses has yet to be described. The objectives of this study were to: (1) identify age-related differences in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in BAL and PBMC, (2) compare the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines between BAL and PBMC, and (3) evaluate the relationship between BAL pro-inflammatory cytokine ex...
Sperm abnormalities in post-thawed semen of Tunisian Arab stallions. The study was undertaken in order to evaluate sperm morphology features of post-thawed semen of Tunisian Arab stallions. Forty two ejaculates was collected and frozen, during years 2009 and 2010, from 9 stallions aged between 9 to 24 years. After thawing, sperm morphology was studied after eosin-nigrosin stain. The percentages of abnormal head, mid piece, flagella, sperm with droplets and the total abnormal sperm were determined. Analysis of variance was carried out using SAS software. The results showed that all sperm morphology features varied among ejaculates within stallion and among stall...
Effects of body condition and leptin on the reproductive performance of Lusitano mares on extensive systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of body condition (BC), BC changes, and plasma leptin concentrations on the reproductive performance of Lusitano broodmares on extensive systems. Data from 119 mares (ranging from 4 to 22 years of age) were collected over a period of four consecutive breeding seasons. Each case was considered as one foaled mare bred in 1 year. Body condition changes at conception (ΔBCScon) showed a strong effect on fertility at the first two postpartum estrous cycles and a significant interaction with body condition score at conception (BCScon) was observed...
Characterisation of the faecal bacterial community in adult and elderly horses fed a high fibre, high oil or high starch diet using 454 pyrosequencing. Faecal samples were collected from seventeen animals, each fed three different diets (high fibre, high fibre with a starch rich supplement and high fibre with an oil rich supplement). DNA was extracted and the V1-V2 regions of 16SrDNA were 454-pyrosequenced to investigate the faecal microbiome of the horse. The effect of age was also considered by comparing mature (8 horses aged 5-12) versus elderly horses (9 horses aged 19-28). A reduction in diversity was found in the elderly horse group. Significant differences between diets were found at an OTU level (52 OTUs at corrected Q<0.1). The ma...
Prevalence of cutaneous pathological conditions and factors associated with the presence of skin wounds in working equids in tropical regions of Veracruz, Mexico. A wide spectrum of welfare issues is encountered on working equids. The objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the prevalence of cutaneous lesions in working equids in tropical regions of the North-Central of Veracruz State, Mexico, (ii) to identify the most prevalent cutaneous pathological conditions in this population of working equids, and (iii) to identify risk factors associated to the presence of work-related skin wounds. A number of 467 working equids presented for treatment at Donkey Sanctuary Mobile Clinic Program - National Autonomous University of Mexico from seven differen...
Advancing maternal age predisposes to mitochondrial damage and loss during maturation of equine oocytes in vitro. In many mammalian species, reproductive success decreases with maternal age. One proposed contributor to this age-related decrease in fertility is a reduction in the quantity or functionality of mitochondria in oocytes. This study examined whether maternal age or (in vitro maturation). IVM affect the quantity of mitochondria in equine oocytes. Oocytes were collected from the ovaries of slaughtered mares categorized as young (<12 years) or aged (≥12 years) and either denuded and prepared for analysis immediately (not-IVM) or matured in vitro for 30 hours before preparation (IVM). The m...
Comparison of primary vaccination regimes for equine influenza: working towards an evidence-based regime. Vaccination is crucial to the control of equine influenza (EI). The study was conducted in an effort to lay the groundwork for achieving international harmonisation of regulatory requirements based on scientific evidence of performance of different vaccination regimes. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of 3 different primary vaccination regimes: vaccination with the minimal intervals permitted by the racing authorities; vaccination in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and vaccination with the longest intervals permitted by the racing authorities. Methods: Randomised, prosp...
Epidemiology and Genetic Characterization of H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus Responsible for Clinical Disease in Algeria in 2011. An outbreak of equine influenza (EI) was reported in Algeria between May and July, 2011. The outbreak started in Tiaret, in west province of Algeria, and spread to the other parts of the country affecting almost 900 horses in many provinces. The population studied was composed of 325 horses from different groups of age. Clinical sign expression was age dependent. Indeed, a morbidity rate of 14.9% was observed in horses under 15 months old and a rate of 4.95% in horses over 8 years old. Interestingly, the morbidity rate raised sharply to reach 100% in horses aged between 18 months and 7 yea...
Comparison of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses of foals and adult horses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Equine neonates have reduced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared to adult horses after administration of killed vaccines. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that newborn foals can mount strong immune responses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Methods: Healthy 4-day-old foals (n=7), 4-month-old foals (n=7) and adult horses (n=6) were vaccinated once with live M. bovis BCG. Age-matched animals (n=5 per group) were used as unvaccinated controls. Relative vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations and whole blood mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and ...
