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Topic:Animal Health
Animal Health encompasses a broad range of topics focused on maintaining and improving the well-being of equine species. This field addresses various aspects of horse care, including disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of health conditions. Key areas of interest include equine nutrition, vaccination protocols, parasite control, dental care, and the management of chronic conditions such as laminitis and colic. Additionally, animal health research in horses investigates the impact of exercise and training on physical health, the role of genetics in disease susceptibility, and the development of new therapeutic approaches. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the latest advancements, challenges, and best practices in preserving and enhancing the health of horses.
Causes and consequences of an unusually male-biased adult sex ratio in an unmanaged feral horse population. The adult sex ratio (ASR) is important within ecology due to its predicted effects on behaviour, demography and evolution, but research examining the causes and consequences of ASR bias have lagged behind the studies of sex ratios at earlier life stages. Although ungulate ASR is relatively well-studied, exceptions to the usual female-biased ASR challenge our understanding of the underlying drivers of biased ASR and provide an opportunity to better understand its consequences. Some feral ungulate populations, including multiple horse populations, exhibit unusually male-biased ASR. For example, ...
Do Metal Shoes Contract Heels?-A Retrospective Study on 114 Horses. Heel contraction is an undesired but common condition in domestic horses. Some authors indicate shoeing as a risk factor. There is a correlation between shoeing and a restriction of heel expansion, but the clinical significance is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of shoeing and other risk factors, such as age, access to paddock, and breed, on heel contraction. This study included 114 horses, 55 of which were barefoot their whole life and 59 had been shod consistently for at least the previous year. The width and length of the frog were measured. Linear mixed-effects models w...
Adjunct Extraction Techniques in Equine Dentistry. Adjunct extraction techniques are used when the shape or integrity of the tooth, the shape or size of the patient's oral cavity, the location of the tooth, or the location of the proximal teeth prevents or complicates standard oral extraction. Techniques described and discussed include partial coronectomy, tooth sectioning, minimally invasive buccotomy, transbuccal screw extraction, and commissurotomy.
Variability analyses of the maternal lineage of horses and donkeys. Equid breeds originating from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa are believed to have genetically contributed to the formation of breeds and ecotypes from Brazil. The country has numerous breeds and ecotypes of horses and donkeys but there are no extensive studies on maternal genetic diversity and their origins. This study reports the results of the first genetic analysis of all horse and donkey breeds/ecotypes from Brazil based on sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region (D-loop) whose main objective was to characterize the genetic variation in these animals. These analyses will ...
Identification of a New Equid Herpesvirus 1 DNA Polymerase (ORF30) Genotype with the Isolation of a C2254/H752 Strain in French Horses Showing no Major Impact on the Strain Behaviour. Equid herpesvirus 1 is one of the most common viral pathogens in the horse population and is associated with respiratory disease, abortion and still-birth, neonatal death and neurological disease. A single point mutation in the DNA polymerase gene (ORF30: A2254G, N752D) has been widely associated with neuropathogenicity of strains, although this association has not been exclusive. This study describes the fortuitous isolation of a strain carrying a new genotype C (H) from an outbreak in France that lasted several weeks in 2018 and involved 82 horses, two of which showed neurological signs of d...
Horse welfare at slaughter: A novel approach to analyse bruised carcasses based on severity, damage patterns and their association with pre-slaughter risk factors. The study presents a novel veterinary forensic approach to analyse the bruising of horse carcasses, based on the nature of the bruises and how they are grouped in certain anatomical areas. Data on pre-slaughter logistics was obtained for 113 journeys with horses that travelled from Mexico and the USA to a Mexican abattoir. We found that carcass bruising was a highly prevalent problem (79% of carcasses had bruising) and was especially problematic in journeys lasting longer than 12 h, independently of the animal's country of origin, sex, age, lairage time or vehicle type. Multivariable logistic...
Characterization of total adenosine deaminase activity (ADA) and its isoenzymes in saliva and serum in health and inflammatory conditions in four different species: an analytical and clinical validation pilot study. Measurement of adenosine deaminase (ADA) can provide information about cell-mediated immunity. This report's objective was to study the enzymatic activity of total ADA (tADA) and its isoenzymes ADA1 and ADA2 in canine, equine, porcine, and bovine serum and saliva and their changes in different inflammatory situations in each species. Besides, an automated method for ADA2 measurement was developed and validated. Results: tADA was present in serum and saliva of healthy animals of the four species. Erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) concentration of 0.47 mM was needed for ADA1 inhibit...
Evaluating Stress in Riding Horses: Part One-Behavior Assessment and Serum Cortisol. Stress can impact the health and well-being of animals negatively. Behavioral and physiological changes, particularly serum cortisol, offer objective and easy-to-use methods of evaluating stress in horses. However, limited studies support a positive relationship between changes in stress-related serum cortisol concentrations and stress-related behaviors in horses. This study assessed differences in stress-related behaviors and serum cortisol concentrations in horses used in a therapeutic riding program (TRH) or university riding program (UNI). Riders were grouped by disability type (TRH) or by...
Effect of Topical 1% Tetracaine Hydrochloride on Intraocular Pressure in Ophthalmologically Normal Horses; a Pilot Study. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical 1% tetracaine hydrochloride on the intraocular pressure (IOP) in ophthalmologically normal horses. Thirty eyes of 15 clinically normal horses were used for this study. The animals were randomly assigned to two groups (treatment and control). Prior to the instillation of 1% tetracaine or placebo, the baseline IOPs (T0) of each animal were recorded in both groups. Then one drop of tetracaine was instilled randomly into one eye of each horse in the treatment group (8 horses). In the control group (7 horses), one drop of artificial tear w...
Relative Traffic Tolerance of Warm-Season Grasses and Suitability for Grazing by Equine. Warm season wear-tolerant turfgrasses, such as those used on golf courses and athletic fields, may be valuable forages on equine operations because of their potential to remain viable during heavy hoof traffic. Crabgrass may also be suitable as it thrives in conditions where other grasses have limited success. The objective of this study was to assess the relative traffic tolerance and nutritional composition of five warm-season (WS) turfgrass cultivars of bermudagrass and zoysiagrass and one WS forage-type crabgrass. All cultivars were established by seed in replicated monoculture plots. Simu...
Comparison of working equid welfare across three regions of Mexico. Factors affecting working equid welfare are wide-ranging and reflect cultural, economic and climatic conditions, the type of work equids are used for, and individual differences in the practices of their handlers. In Mexico working equids are widely used for facilitating agricultural activities, however, welfare issues are common. Objective: To assess working equids across three communities in Mexico, identify predominant welfare problems and document how these problems vary across locations, associated working roles and species type. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: The study combine...
Adipose-Derived Stromal/Stem Cells from Large Animal Models: from Basic to Applied Science. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) isolated from domestic animals fulfill the qualitative criteria of mesenchymal stem cells, including the capacity to differentiate along multiple lineage pathways and to self-renew, as well as immunomodulatory capacities. Recent findings on human diseases derived from studying large animal models, have provided evidence that administration of autologous or allogenic ASCs can improve the process of healing. In a narrow group of large animals used in bioresearch studies, pigs and horses have been shown to be the best suited models for study of the wound healing ...
Subcutaneous neurofibroma as a cause of lameness in a warmblood horse: Neurofibroma in a horse. A neurofibroma was excised from the subcutis on the medial side of the left thigh of a 15-year-old Warmblood gelding, which had shown lameness of the left hind limb. No other source of lameness was found. Two weeks after surgery, the horse was sound at a lameness examination.
Inconsistencies in horse coat color registration: A case study. Grullo is a dun dilution on a black coat that is common in the Campolina horse: an autochthonous Brazilian breed. The aims of this case study were to evaluate inconsistencies in grullo coat color registration and to explain their possible causes. A total of 3,270 grullo Campolina horses were evaluated. To confirm the genetic possibility of having grullo animals, the coat color genotypes of parents were inferred by phenotype and compared with those of progeny. A total of 242 horses that were registered as grullos could not have this coat based on their parents' information. Possible explanation...
Expression of Phosphatonin-Related Genes in Sheep, Dog and Horse Kidneys Using Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR. The aim of this preliminary study was to determine the relative expression of phosphatonin pathway-related genes in normal dog, sheep and horse kidneys and to explore the relationships between the different genes. Kidneys were collected post-mortem from 10 sheep, 10 horses and 8 dogs. RNA was extracted, followed by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction for fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 IIIc (), sodium-phosphate co-transporter () 1 (), (), (), parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (), klotho (), vitamin D receptor (), 1a-hydroxylase () and 24-hydroxylase (). was highly ...
Platelet-rich plasma uterine infusion and pregnancy rate in barren mares with chronic degenerative endometritis. The chronic degenerative endometritis (CDE) is recognised as directly related to age and infertility in the mare. In this study, the 14 days post ovulation (PO) pregnancy rate was assessed in 60 barren mares affected by CDE, submitted to platelet-rich-plasma intrauterine infusion (PRPI) 24 hours PO. Data showed a significant positive effect of PRPI on the chance to become pregnant in mares affected by Kenney I-II CDE. The overall 14 days PO pregnancy rate was 75%. Sixty-nine % of the overall pregnancies was achieved with the 1st PRPI, but an additional 31% was obtained with the 2nd PRPI at the...
Clostridioides difficile carriage in animals and the associated changes in the host fecal microbiota. The relationship between the gut microbiota and Clostridioides difficile, and its role in the severity of C. difficile infection in humans is an area of active research. Intestinal carriage of toxigenic and non-toxigenic C. difficile strains, with and without clinical signs, is reported in animals, however few studies have looked at the risk factors associated with C. difficile carriage and the role of the host gut microbiota. Here, we isolated and characterized C. difficile strains from different animal species (predominantly canines (dogs), felines (cats), and equines (horses)) that were...
A Pilot Serosurvey for Selected Pathogens in Feral Donkeys (Equus asinus). Recent removal and relocation of feral donkeys from vast public lands to more concentrated holding pens, training facilities, and offsite adoption locations raises several health and welfare concerns. Very little is known regarding the common equid pathogens that are circulating within the feral donkey population in and around Death Valley National Park, California, USA. The aim of this study was to utilize serologic assays to assess previous exposure of these donkeys to equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), equine influenza (EIV), West Nile virus (WNV), and (the causative agent of Lyme disease). The...
The prevalence and risk factors of liver fluke infection in Mexican horses, donkeys and mules in tropical and temperate regions. The objective of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of Fasciola hepatica infection in horses, donkeys and mules from different climate regions in two states of Mexico. A total of 594 serum samples were analysed for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with excretory-secretory (E/S) products as the antigen. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of serum IgG ELISA were 100% and 97.2%, respectively. We collected data using a questionnaire. The overall prevalence of the parasite in equids between May 2018 and April 2019 was 13.1...
Cost-effective horse breeding in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia. There is a lack of reliable data in agribusiness regarding the economic efficiency of horse breeding, and this limits its further development. The purpose of this study was to create rational parameters for the development of productive horse breeding as an effective agricultural business, in particular, in relation to farms. Methods: The methods of investigation used were induction and deduction, as well as analytical, statistical, and economic-mathematical analysis. We also used the dynamics of time series, CVP analysis, direct costing, and microeconomic analysis. Data were taken from the Ru...
Effect of heel elevation on breakover phase in horses with laminitis. In a laminitic horse, the maximal loading of the toe region occurs during the breakover phase. To date, no kinetic data demonstrates the effect of supportive orthopaedic therapy in horses with laminitis on breakover phase. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of heel elevation on the breakover phase. Eight horses with acute laminitis treated medically as well as with application of a hoof cast with heel wedge (HCHW) were included in this study. Immediately following cessation of clinical signs of acute laminitis, two measurements using the Hoof™ System were taken: the fi...
Genetic Characterization of Mangalarga Marchador Breed Horses Based on Microsatellite Molecular Markers. The Mangalarga Marchador (MM) horse breed has expressive importance in the Brazilian economy. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate diversity in the MM breed. A database with a total of 3,193 genotyped horses was used (MM, n = 2,829; Andalusian - AND, n = 67; Pure Blood Lusitano - LUS, n = 43; English Thoroughbred - THO, n = 54; Arabian - ARA, n = 99; Campolina - CAM, n = 61; and Mangalarga - MAN, n = 40) for 13 microsatellite. Diversity parameters were estimates, such as mean number of alleles (Nm) and the number of rare alleles (AR), expected heterozygosity (He), F statistics...
Morphological variations of the conduction system in the atrioventricular zone and its clinical relationship in different species. Atrioventricular node is responsible for delaying the passage of the electrical impulse to ventricles in order to protect them from fast depolarizations coming from the atria. The importance of this study is to identify the morphological variations of the components of atrioventricular zone that affect the conduction system and its clinical relationship in different species of mammals. We analyzed ten human hearts, nine from horses, eight from pigs, and five from dogs without a clinical history of cardiac pathologies. Histological section thickness of 5 μm were obtained with a microtome and ...
Toxicological study of bee venom (Apis mellifera mellifera) from different regions of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Samples of Apis mellifera mellifera venom from different hives in two regions of the Buenos Aires province and its pool were analyzed for their lethal potency, myotoxic, defibrinogenating, hemolytic and inflammatory-edematizing activity and for the histological alterations they produce in the heart, lungs, kidneys, skeletal muscle and liver of mice. In vitro studies focused on the venom's hemolytic activity in different systems and species (horse, man, sheep and rabbit), the cytotoxicity in cellular lines, and on the proteolytic and coagulant activity in plasma and fibrinogen. Hemolytic activi...
Genetic diversity, evolution and selection in the major histocompatibility complex DRB and DQB loci in the family Equidae. The mammalian Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a genetic region containing highly polymorphic genes with immunological functions. MHC class I and class II genes encode antigen-presenting molecules expressed on the cell surface. The MHC class II sub-region contains genes expressed in antigen presenting cells. The antigen binding site is encoded by the second exon of genes encoding antigen presenting molecules. The exon 2 sequences of these MHC genes have evolved under the selective pressure of pathogens. Interspecific differences can be observed in the class II sub-region. The family E...
Family aggregation analysis shows a possible heritable background of equine grass sickness (dysautonomia) in a Hungarian stud population. Equine grass sickness (also known as dysautonomia) is a life-threatening polyneuropathic disease affecting horses with approx. 80% mortality. Since its first description over a century ago, several factors, such as the phenotype, intestinal microbiome, environment, management and climate, have been supposed to be associated with the increased risk of dysautonomia. In this retrospective study, we examined the possible involvement of genetic factors. Medical and pedigree datasets regarding 1,233 horses with 49 affected animals born during a 23-year period were used in the analysis. Among the des...
Occurrence of Trypanosoma spp. and piroplasm infections of horses at Obollo-Afor southeastern Nigeria and resistance profiles of trypanosomes to isometamidium and diminazene salts. Epidemiological data on trypanosomosis and piroplasmosis of horses are lacking in southeastern Nigeria. The prevalence of trypanosome and piroplasm infections in horses and resistance profile of isolated trypanosomes to diminazene and isometamidium salts were investigated. For the cross-sectional study of horses billed for slaughter, 304 horses were randomly sampled. Approximately 2 ml of blood was collected into anticoagulant-treated bottles for haematocrit (HCT) determination, direct microscopic examinations, and rat inoculation. Gender, body condition scores (BCS), age groups, and body wei...
