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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.
A preliminary study of the effects of handling type on horses’ emotional reactivity and the human-horse relationship. Handling is a crucial component of the human-horse relationship. Here, we report data from an experiment conducted to assess and compare the effect of two training methods. Two groups of six Welsh mares were trained during four sessions of 50 min, one handled with traditional exercises (halter leading, grooming/brushing, lifting feet, lunging and pseudo-saddling (using only girth and saddle pad) and the second group with natural horsemanship exercises (desensitization, yielding to body pressure, lunging and free-lunging). Emotional reactivity (ER) and the human-horse relationship (HHR) were as...
Laparoscopic mesh incisional hernioplasty in five horses. To report a technique for incisional hernioplasty in horses using laparoscopic placement of a prosthetic mesh. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n=5) with ventral median abdominal incisional hernia. Methods: A telescope and 2 instrument portals were established bilaterally, lateral to and distant from the hernia margins. After exposure of the internal rectus sheath by removal of retroperitoneal fat with endoscopic scissors and monopolar cautery, a prosthetic mesh was introduced into the abdomen and secured intraperitoneally using transfascial sutures with or without supplemental endoscopi...
Animal-related injuries: epidemiological and meteorological features. This is a retrospective and registry-based descriptive study including animal- related injuries represented by the most crowded Emergency Department (ED) in Eastern Turkey over a period of two years. Animal-related injuries were 0.2% of all ED admittances; dominant in males and were high in summer. 68% of the subjects were exposed to mammalians. Most prominent injuries were dog bites (30%), horse (22%) and livestock-related injuries (12%). Hospitalization was significantly higher in mammalian animal injuries compared to non-mammalian injuries. The highest hospitalization rate was measured for ...
Use of epidurally derived evoked potentials for quantification of caudal nociception in ponies. To determine whether epidurally derived evoked potentials (EPs) can be used to reliably assess nociception and antinociception in ponies. Methods: 7 ponies. Methods: EPs and electromyograms (EMGs) from the quadriceps femoris muscles were recorded simultaneously, following electrical stimulation applied to the distal portion of the hind limb. The effect of increasing stimulus intensity, conduction velocities of the stimulated nerves, effect of epidurally applied methadone, and effect of systemically administered propofol were evaluated. Results: In the EP and EMG waveforms, 2 distinct complexes...
Evaluation of pain and inflammation associated with hot iron branding and microchip transponder injection in horses. To compare effects of hot iron branding and microchip transponder injection regarding aversive behavioral reactions indicative of pain and inflammation in horses. Methods: 7 adult horses. Methods: In a randomized controlled clinical crossover study, behavioral reactions to hot iron branding and microchip transponder injection were scored by 4 observers. Local and systemic inflammation including allodynia were assessed and compared by use of physiologic and biochemical responses obtained repeatedly for the 168-hour study period. Serum cortisol concentration was measured repeatedly throughout th...
Clinical dental examinations of 357 donkeys in the UK. Part 1: prevalence of dental disorders. Dental disorders have a high prevalence in older donkeys and horses, but the nature and pathogenesis of many of these disorders have yet to be established. Objective: The identification and determination of the prevalence of important dental disorders in different age groups in a large single population of donkeys, to establish a better understanding of the nature and pathogenesis of these disorders. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed on the donkey population at The Donkey Sanctuary with detailed oral examinations of 357 donkeys within 7 different age groups (age range ...
Characterization of equine and other vertebrate TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 genes. Toll-like receptors 3, 7, and 8 (TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8) were studied in the genomes of the domestic horse and several other mammals. The messenger RNA sequences and exon/intron structures of these TLR genes were determined. An equine bacterial artificial chromosome clone containing the TLR3 gene was assigned by fluorescent in situ hybridization to the horse chromosomal location ECA27q16-q17 and this map location was confirmed using an equine radiation hybrid panel. Direct sequencing revealed 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding regions of the equine TLR 3, 7, and 8 genes. Of these p...
Bone biomarkers and risk of fracture in two- and three-year-old Thoroughbreds. The aim of this study was to determine whether bone biomarkers (osteocalcin, PICP, ICTP and CTX-I) could be used to identify 2- and 3-year-olds at increased risk of fracture in the subsequent flat racing season. It was concluded that these bone biomarkers cannot be used to identify 2- and 3-year-olds that sustain a fracture. Whether bone biomarkers have better predictive value in older horses or when measured serially in the same animal remains to be determined.
Dispersion of horse allergen from stables and areas with horses into homes. To protect susceptible subjects from exposure to horse allergen, a Swedish national report recommended a distance of at least 500 m between homes and stables and other areas with horses. The aim of this project was to study indoor and outdoor levels of horse allergen in relation to distance from stables and horse tracks. Methods: Indoor and outdoor samples were collected with Petri dishes at 49 sites in different housing areas and near to a track for trotting horses. In the apartments, Petri dishes were placed on a bookshelf in the living room at a height of approximately 1.5 m. Outdoors, cage...
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolated from the airways of animals with chronic respiratory disease. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is a nonfermentative bacterium, which is naturally resistant against a panel of commonly-used antibiotics. It is frequently isolated from humans with chronic respiratory disease, e.g. cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In veterinary medicine S. maltophilia is perceived to be a mere coloniser. We herewith report 7 strains of S. maltophilia isolated from animals, of which 5 strains were harvested from 3 horses, a dog and a cat with chronic respiratory disease. The dog isolate showed resistance to trimethoprim / sulphamethoxazol...
Impact of immunization against SpyCEP during invasive disease with two streptococcal species: Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus equi. Currently there is no licensed vaccine against the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. The highly conserved IL-8 cleaving S. pyogenes cell envelope proteinase SpyCEP is surface expressed and is a potential vaccine candidate. A recombinant N-terminal part of SpyCEP (CEP) was expressed and purified. AntiCEP antibodies were found to neutralize the IL-8 cleaving activity of SpyCEP. CEP-immunized mice had reduced bacterial dissemination from focal S. pyogenes intramuscular infection and intranasal infection. We also identified a functional SpyCEP-homolog protease SeCEP, expressed by the equine p...
alpha-Lipoic acid modulates thiol antioxidant defenses and attenuates exercise-induced oxidative stress in standardbred trotters. Several micronutrient supplementation strategies are used to cope with oxidative stress, although their benefits have recently been questioned. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of DL-alpha-lipoic acid (LA) in response to acute exercise and during recovery in horses. Six standardbred trotters were tested on the treadmill before and after 5-week LA supplementation (25 mg/kg body weight/day). According to electron paramagnetic resonance measurements, strenuous aerobic exercise increased significantly free radical formation in the gluteus medius muscle, which was prevented b...
Silvopastoralism and autochthonous equine livestock: analysis of the infection by endoparasites. Two groups of autochthonous Pura Raza Galega (PRG) horses, one comprising 483 animals under a silvopasturing regime, and the other comprising 72 PRG horses managed in farms, were used to analyse the effect of silvopasture on infection by endoparasites. Results were considered according to the age and the sex of the horses. Faecal samples were individually collected from each animal and analysed by the coprological flotation, sedimentation and migration techniques. Coprocultures were also done to identify the main strongylid genera affecting the horses. Eggs from the gastrointestinal nematoda P...
Exercise-induced up-regulation of MMP-1 and IL-8 genes in endurance horses. The stress response is a critical factor in the training of equine athletes; it is important for performance and for protection of the animal against physio-pathological disorders.In this study, the molecular mechanisms involved in the response to acute and strenuous exercise were investigated using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Results: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect modifications in transcription levels of the genes for matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and interleukin 8 (IL-8), which were derived from previous genome-wide expression analysis. Signific...
Animal poisoning in Europe. Part 2: Companion animals. This is the second in a series of three review articles on animal poisoning in Europe and focuses on cases in pet animals and horses in five European countries (Belgium, France, Greece, Italy and Spain) reported over the last decade. In the participating countries, dogs were the most commonly poisoned species, particularly younger animals. The majority of cases in companion animals resulted from exposure to insecticides, although rodenticides (especially anticoagulants and strychnine) posed a significant risk. In all five countries, horses and cats appeared to be more susceptible to plant toxi...
Evaluation of a modified thrombelastography assay initiated with recombinant human tissue factor in clinically healthy horses. Thrombelastography (TEG) is used to evaluate the viscoelastic properties of blood during clotting and provides a global assessment of hemostasis and clot lysis. TEG analysis initiated with recombinant human tissue factor (TF) has not been evaluated in clinically healthy horses. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether TEG results are affected by the time elapsed between sampling and analysis (storage time) of equine blood samples and to establish a preliminary equine reference interval for a modified TEG assay, using recombinant human TF to initiate coagulation. Methods: C...
Interspecies transmission of equine influenza virus (H3N8) to dogs by close contact with experimentally infected horses. In horse populations, influenza A virus subtype H3N8 (equine influenza virus, EIV) is a very important pathogen that leads to acute respiratory disease. Recently, EIV has emerged in dogs, and has become widespread among the canine population in the United States. The interspecies transmission route had thus far remained unclear. Here, we tested whether the interspecies transmission of EIV to dogs could occur as a result of close contact with experimentally EIV-infected horses. Three pairs consisting of an EIV-infected horse and a healthy dog were kept together in individual stalls for 15 conse...
Effect of blood lactate-guided conditioning of horses with exercises of differing durations and intensities on heart rate and biochemical blood variables. The velocity at which blood lactate concentration ([LA]) of 4 mmol/L is reached (v(4)) is widely used to determine fitness, but there are few published data on using [LA] as a guide for the exercise speed for training in horses. In this study, the effect of 3 conditioning programs with [LA] guided exercise speeds on v(4), v(200) (speed at a heart rate of 200 beats/min), blood [LA], plasma FFA ([FFA]), and alanine concentrations ([alanine]), before and after exercise, as well as heart rate during exercise, of horses was examined. Six 2-yr-old Haflinger stallions underwent an initial treadmill-b...
Human facial discrimination in horses: can they tell us apart? The human-horse relationship has a long evolutionary history. Horses continue to play a pivotal role in the lives of humans and it is common for humans to think their horses recognize them by face. If a horse can distinguish his/her human companion from other humans, then evolution has supplied the horse with a very adaptive cognitive ability. The current study used operant conditioning trials to examine whether horses could discriminate photographed human faces and transfer this facial recognition ability a novel setting. The results indicated the horses (a) learned to discriminate photograph...
Traumatic perforation of the trachea in two horses caused by orotracheal intubation. Two of 348 horses that underwent gastrointestinal surgery under general anaesthesia developed perforations in their tracheas caused by the endotracheal tube. In one case the damage was probably caused when the horse was being moved from the induction room for surgery and excessive traction was exerted on the tube when the anaesthetic machine was moved too far ahead of the horse. The trachea of the other horse may have been damaged when it was intubated.
Trypanosoma vivax displays a clonal population structure. African animal trypanosomiasis, or Nagana, is a debilitating and economically costly disease with a major impact on animal health in sub-Saharan Africa. Trypanosoma vivax, one of the principal trypanosome species responsible for the disease, infects a wide host range including cattle, goats, horses and donkeys and is transmitted both cyclically by tsetse flies and mechanically by other biting flies, resulting in a distribution covering large swathes of South America and much of sub-Saharan Africa. While there is evidence for mating in some of the related trypanosome species, Trypanosoma brucei...
Use of serial laminar tissue collection via biopsy in conscious healthy horses. To determine the feasibility of performing serial laminar and skin biopsies on sedated horses and whether sampling affected adjacent tissues. Methods: 6 horses. Methods: Laminar tissues were harvested via biopsy through the hoof wall from healthy conscious horses via sedation and regional anesthesia. Eight specimens were collected at 4 time points during 24 hours from a single foot. Laminar biopsy specimens were harvested with a 6-mm-diameter biopsy punch after burring through the horny corium to the stratum medium. Skin biopsy specimens were collected from an area proximal to the coronary ban...
Effect of bandaging on second intention healing of wounds of the distal limb in horses. To evaluate the effect of a non-occlusive dressing incorporated in a 3-layer bandage on second intention healing of wounds of the distal portion of the limb. Methods: Untreated wounds in 33 adult horses used in four studies using the same wound-healing model conducted over 5 years. Methods: Standardised, full-thickness wounds were made in the skin overlying the dorsomedial aspect of the mid-metacarpus; 17 horses were bandaged with a non-occlusive dressing covered by gauze-coated cotton wool that was compressed with adhesive tape; 16 horses were left unbandaged. Wounds were photographed weekly ...
Auricular chondrosis in a horse. A 4-year-old crossbred, Welsh Mountain Pony gelding was presented with multiple, thick, round, raised, 3 to 8 mm diameter nodular lesions on the medial aspects of both ears. The nodules did not involve the epidermis and were observed to develop over several months. Punch biopsies were taken and histopathological examination returned a diagnosis of auricular chondrosis. Neither auricular chondrosis nor auricular chondritis has been reported in horses, although it has been recorded in cats, dogs, laboratory animals and humans.
Effect of gastric ulceration on physiologic responses to exercise in horses. To develop a protocol to induce and maintain gastric ulceration in horses and to determine whether gastric ulceration affects physiologic indices of performance during high-speed treadmill exercise. Methods: 20 healthy Thoroughbreds. Methods: Each horse was acclimatized to treadmill exercise during a 2-week period. Subsequently, baseline data were collected (day 0) and each horse began an incrementally increasing exercise training program (days 1 through 56). Beginning on day 14, horses were administered omeprazole (4 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h until day 56) or no drug (10 horses/group) and underwent a...
