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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.
Jump Horse Safety: Reconciling Public Debate and Australian Thoroughbred Jump Racing Data, 2012-2014. Thoroughbred jump racing sits in the spotlight of contemporary welfare and ethical debates about horse racing. In Australia, jump racing comprises hurdle and steeplechase races and has ceased in all but two states, Victoria and South Australia. This paper documents the size, geography, composition, and dynamics of Australian jump racing for the 2012, 2013, and 2014 seasons with a focus on debate about risks to horses. We found that the majority of Australian jump racing is regional, based in Victoria, and involves a small group of experienced trainers and jockeys. Australian jump horses are on...
Acute pancreatitis following granulosa cell tumor removal in a mare. Acute pancreatitis is a rare disease in horses and is often associated with gastrointestinal disorders. Accurate diagnosis is challenging due to the presence of nonspecific clinical signs. This case represents the first documentation of acute pancreatitis in a horse following surgery of the reproductive tract. La pancréatite aiguë est une maladie rare chez les chevaux et est souvent associée aux troubles gastro-intestinaux. Un diagnostic exact est difficile en raison de la présence de signes cliniques non spécifiques. Ce cas représente la première fois qu’une pancréatite aiguë est ...
Accuracy and precision of oscillometric blood pressure in standing conscious horses. Arterial blood pressure (BP) is a relevant clinical parameter that can be measured in standing conscious horses to assess tissue perfusion or pain. However, there are no validated oscillometric noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) devices for use in horses. Methods: Seven healthy horses from a teaching and research herd. Objective: To evaluate the accuracy and precision of systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in conscious horses obtained with an oscillometric NIBP device when compared to invasively measured arterial BP. Methods: An ...
The effect of feeding on CO2 production and energy expenditure in ponies measured by indirect calorimetry and the 13C-bicarbonate technique. Energy expenditure (EE) can be estimated based on respiratory gas exchange measurements, traditionally done in respiration chambers by indirect calorimetry (IC). However, the (13)C-bicarbonate technique ((13)C-BT) might be an alternative minimal invasive method for estimation of CO(2) production and EE in the field. In this study, four Shetland ponies were used to explore the effect of feeding on CO(2) production and EE measured simultaneously by IC and (13)C-BT. The ponies were individually housed in respiration chambers and received either a single oral or intravenous (IV) bolus dose of (13)...
A Novel Algorithm for Movement Artifact Removal in ECG Signals Acquired from Wearable Systems Applied to Horses. This study reports on a novel method to detect and reduce the contribution of movement artifact (MA) in electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings gathered from horses in free movement conditions. We propose a model that integrates cardiovascular and movement information to estimate the MA contribution. Specifically, ECG and physical activity are continuously acquired from seven horses through a wearable system. Such a system employs completely integrated textile electrodes to monitor ECG and is also equipped with a triaxial accelerometer for movement monitoring. In the literature, the most used techn...
Trends in antifungal susceptibility and virulence of Candida spp. from the nasolacrimal duct of horses. This was a cross-sectional study to investigate the antifungal susceptibility and production of virulence factors in strains of Candida isolated from the outlet and the lumen of the nasolacrimal duct of horses in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The samples were obtained from 103 horses. Sterile cotton swabs were used to collect the material from the outlet of the nasolacrimal duct and urethral probes, for the instillation of 2 ml of saline solution, were used to collect samples from the lumen of the nasolacrimal duct. A total of 77 Candida isolates were obtained, with C. famata, C. tropicalis, C....
Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Denervated Laryngeal Muscle in a Large Animal Model. Bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVCP) is a life-threatening condition that follows injury to the Recurrent Laryngeal nerve (RLn) and denervation of the intrinsic laryngeal musculature. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) enables restoration and control of a wide variety of motor functions impaired by lower motor neuron lesions. Here we evaluate the effects of FES on the sole arytenoid abductor, the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscle in a large animal model of RLn injury. Ten horses were instrumented with two quadripolar intramuscular electrodes in the left PCA muscle. Following a 12-wee...
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in food and feed on the Belgian market. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are widely distributed plant toxins with species dependent hepatotoxic, carcinogenic, genotoxic and pneumotoxic risks. In a recent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinion, only two data sets from one European country were received for honey, while one feed data set was included. No data are available for food or feed samples from the Belgian market. We developed an LC-MS/MS method, which allowed the detection and quantification of 16 PAs in a broad range of matrices in the sub ng g(-1) range. The method was validated in milk, honey and hay and applied to hon...
Evidence for anthropophily in five species of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from northern Colombia, revealed by molecular identification of bloodmeals. Identification of the bloodmeal sources of phlebotomine sand flies is fundamental to determining which species are anthropophilic and understanding the transmission of Leishmania parasites in natural epidemiological settings. The objective of this study was to identify sand fly bloodmeals in the mixed leishmaniasis focus of the department of Sucre, northern Colombia. In all 141 engorged female sand flies were analyzed, after being captured in intradomiciliary, peridomiciliary and extradomiciliary habitats with Shannon and CDC traps and by active searching in diurnal resting sites. Bloodmeals w...
Radiographic measurements of the hooves of normal ponies. Knowledge of the normal radiographic anatomy of the equine foot and the relationship between the distal phalanx and the hoof capsule is imperative for objective assessment of hoof health. Little information is available for the hooves of ponies. The aim of this study was to establish a database of reference values for normal ponies and to investigate the relationship between the height at the withers and radiographic measurements of the hooves. Radiographic examinations were performed on 81 ponies, ranging from 81.5 to 148.0 cm height at the withers, immediately after foot trimming. Eighteen p...
Brazilian donkeys (Equus asinus) have a low exposure to Neospora spp. Donkeys (Equus asinus) are closely related to horses and are known to be infected by several equine pathogens. Neospora caninum and Neospora hughesi are protozoan parasites that infect horses, but they were not confirmed in donkeys up to this date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of donkeys (Equus asinus) to Neospora spp. using tachyzoites of N. caninum as antigen and employing two common serologic methods, IFAT and immunoblot. Sera from 500 donkeys were obtained from 30 municipalities in Bahia state and tested by IFAT. Two of 500 sera were positive for Neospora spp. by IFAT...
A nonsense mutation in B3GALNT2 is concordant with hydrocephalus in Friesian horses. Hydrocephalus in Friesian horses is a developmental disorder that often results in stillbirth of affected foals and dystocia in dams. The occurrence is probably related to a founder effect and inbreeding in the population. The aim of our study was to find genomic associations, to investigate the mode of inheritance, to allow a DNA test for hydrocephalus in Friesian horses to be developed. In case of a monogenic inheritance we aimed to identify the causal mutation. Results: A genome-wide association study of hydrocephalus in 13 cases and 69 controls using 29,720 SNPs indicated the involvement o...
The complete mitochondrial genome of Oxyuris equi: Comparison with other closely related species and phylogenetic implications. The equine pinworm Oxyuris equi (Nematoda: Oxyuridomorpha) is the most common horse nematode, has a worldwide distribution, and causes major economic losses. In the present study, the complete O. equi mitochondrial (mt) genome was sequenced, and the mt genome structure and organization were compared with those of other closely related pinworm species, Enterobius vermicularis and Wellcomia siamensis. The O. equi mt genome is a 13,641-bp circular DNA molecule that encodes 36 genes (12 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs) and one non-coding region, which is slightly shorter than that ...
Effects of threonine supplementation on whole-body protein synthesis and plasma metabolites in growing and mature horses. Current equine threonine requirement estimates do not account for probable use of threonine to maintain gut health and mucin synthesis. The objective of this study was to determine if threonine supplementation (+Thr) would increase whole-body protein synthesis (WBPS) in weanling colts (Study 1) and adult mares (Study 2). Both studies used a crossover design, where each of six animals was studied twice while receiving the isonitrogenous diets. The basal diets contained lower threonine levels (Basal) than the threonine (+Thr) supplemented diets. Threonine intakes in mg/kg BW/day were as follows:...
Reducing Respiratory Health Risks to Horses and Workers: A Comparison of Two Stall Bedding Materials. Stable air quality and the choice of bedding material are an important health issue both in horses and people working or visiting horse stables. Risks of impaired respiratory health are those that can especially be avoided by improving air quality in the stable. The choice of bedding material is particularly important in cold climate conditions; where horses are kept most of the day and year indoors throughout their life. This study examined the effect of two bedding materials; wood shavings and peat; on stable air quality and health of horses. Ammonia and dust levels were also measured to ass...
A Nordic survey of management practices and owners’ attitudes towards keeping horses in groups. Keeping horses in groups is widely recommended but limited information is available about how this is implemented in practice. The aim of this survey was to describe how horses are kept in the Nordic countries in relation to sex, age, breed, and equestrian discipline and to assess owners' attitudes toward keeping horses in groups. Horse owners in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden were approached using a web-based questionnaire, which was translated into 4 languages and distributed online via equestrian forums, organizations, and social media. The number of respondents was 3,229, taking care...
HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: Glucocorticoid programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and metabolic function: Animal studies from mouse to horse. Adrenal glucocorticoids, such as cortisol, are essential for normal fetal development and for maintaining homeostasis in adults. Developmental studies in humans and other animals have shown that exposure to excess glucocorticoids during critical windows of perinatal development can program permanent changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and metabolic function, with adverse implications for the long-term health of the exposed offspring. The current review compares the programming of postnatal HPA axis function and glucose homeostasis among different species overexposed p...
Samaras and seedlings of Acer pseudoplatanus are potential sources of hypoglycin A intoxication in atypical myopathy without necessarily inducing clinical signs. Ingestion of sycamore seeds (Acer pseudoplatanus) is the likely source of hypoglycin A in atypical myopathy (AM) but ingestion of seedlings in spring might also contribute to intoxication. Objective: To test for hypoglycin A in seeds and seedlings collected on pastures where AM cases were reported and compare its concentration in serum of affected and healthy horses. Methods: Field investigation of clinical cases. Methods: Whenever present, samaras (the winged nuts that each contain one seed) and/or seedlings were collected from pastures of 8 AM cases and 5 unaffected horses from different pre...
The effect of perineural anaesthesia and handler position on limb loading and hoof balance of the vertical ground reaction force in sound horses. The effects of handler position and perineural anaesthesia in sound horses need investigation to facilitate interpretation of pressure plate analysis in lame horses. Objective: To evaluate the effect of handler position and perineural anaesthesia on limb loading and particularly hoof balance in sound horses. Methods: Nonrandomised crossover study. Methods: Six sound horses were walked and trotted over a pressure plate, with the handler on the left and subsequently on the right side, and finally after a bilateral low palmar digital nerve block. One week later this procedure was repeated before ...
Development of a pan-Babesia FRET-qPCR and a survey of livestock from five Caribbean islands. Babesia spp. are tick-borne protozoan hemoparasites and the second most common blood-borne parasites of mammals, in particular domestic animals. We used the Clustal Multiple Alignment program and 18S rRNA gene sequences of 22 Babesia species from GenBank to develop a PCR that could detect a wide variety of Babesia spp. in a single reaction. The pan-Babesia FRET-qPCR we developed reliably detected B. gibsoni, B. canis, B. vogeli, B. microti, B. bovis, and B. divergens under controlled conditions but did not react with closely related species, mainly Hepatozoon americanum, Theileria equi, and To...
Effect of activated protein C in second intention healing of equine distal limb wounds: a preliminary study. To investigate the effect of activated protein C (APC) on second intention healing of distal limb wounds in horses. Methods: In this experimental study of eight Standardbred geldings, six full-thickness skin wounds (2 × 1.5 cm) were created on one metacarpus (biopsy limb) and five similar wounds were created on the contralateral metacarpus (photographed limb). Three wounds on the biopsy limb were treated topically with 190 µg APC on days 1, 3, 6 and 9, while the remaining three wounds were untreated (control). One treated and one control wound were biopsied on days 4, 7 and 11 for hi...
Effects of a docosahexaenoic acid-rich microalgae nutritional product on insulin sensitivity after prolonged dexamethasone treatment in healthy mature horses. To determine effects of a microalgae nutritional product on insulin sensitivity in horses. Methods: 8 healthy mature horses. PROCEDURES :Horses (n = 4/group) received a basal diet without (control diet) or with docosahexaenoic acid-rich microalgae meal (150 g/d) for 49 days (day 0 = first day of diet). On day 28, an isoglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp procedure was performed. Horses then received dexamethasone (0.04 mg/kg/d) for 21 days. On day 49, the clamp procedure was repeated. After a 60-day washout, horses received the alternate diet, and procedures were repeated. Plasma fatty acid, gluco...
Venous Valvular Distribution in the Thoracic and Pelvic Limbs of the Horse. Dysfunction of venous valves can lead to hemodynamic disorders causing venous stasis, which would favour the occurrence of equine laminitis. However, very few studies have investigated venous valves in the horse digit. The purpose of this study was to compare valvular density between thoracic and pelvic limbs and to study the relationship between valvular density of veins and their location, diameter and wall thickness. After dissection, valvular density was calculated based on the number of valves counted in the principal veins of 7 thoracic and 7 pelvic limbs from 7 horses. Our results showe...
An analytical ergonomic risk evaluation of body postures during daily cleaning tasks in horse stables. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a common reason for health problems and sick leave in many professions. A work arena where MSDs have not been sufficiently studied is stable work. Here many heavy and repetitive work tasks are performed manually with old-fashioned working tools. Objective: The aim of this study was to use an analytical approach to identify, evaluate and grade ergonomic problems in physical work performed during daily activities in horse stables and relate these to MSDs among the workers and to the design of the tools. Methods: Three common work tasks were studied to identif...
Risk factors of occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii among horses in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii among horses and its associated risk factors in Alagoas, Brazil. In total, 440 samples from 36 properties in 23 districts of the state of Alagoas were studied, covering the Leste, Agreste and Sertão mesoregions. Risk factors were evaluated through the application of an investigative questionnaire that focused on the productive, reproductive and sanitary management of herds. T. gondii infection were assayed using the immunofluorescence assay (IFA) with a cutoff point of 64; 14.4% (95% CI: 11.0%-17.8%) of - hors...
A Cross-Sectional Study of Horse-Related Injuries in Veterinary and Animal Science Students at an Australian University. Specific estimates of the risk of horse-related injury (HRI) to university students enrolled in veterinary and animal sciences have not been reported. This study aimed to determine the risk of student HRI during their university education, the nature and management of such injuries. A retrospective questionnaire solicited demographic information, data on students' equine experience prior to and during their educational programs, and on HRI during their program of study. Of 260 respondents, 22 (8.5%) reported HRI (27 incidents). Including concurrent injuries the most commonly injured body parts...
