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.
Effects of pasture consumption and obesity on insulin dysregulation and adiponectin concentrations in UK native-breed ponies. Insulin dysregulation (ID) and hypoadiponectinaemia (total [adiponectin] <7.9 μg/mL) are risk factors for laminitis. They are sometimes, but not always, associated with obesity. Objective: To investigate the effects of pasture consumption and obesity on ID and circulating total [adiponectin] in ponies. Methods: Longitudinal. Methods: Seven native-breed ponies with normal basal and post-oral sugar test (OST) [insulin] and body condition score (BCS) 4.3-5.5/9 were allowed to graze until they reached BCS 7/9. Ponies were then maintained at BCS 7/9 until completion of the study (week 22). Morph...
Microscopic examination of haemoparasites and the first molecular detection of Theileria equi in horses in Myanmar. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of blood parasites in horses and identify risk factors and molecular detection of piroplasm species (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) of horses in Myanmar. Blood samples (n = 302) were collected from five regions of Myanmar. Blood smears were screened for presence of piroplasms. Samples positive for piroplasms were subjected to molecular identification using primers specific to the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) of piroplasms. The overall prevalence of blood parasites (piroplasms, Trypanosoma spp., and microfilaria of Setaria equina) w...
Evaluation of the Effects of Detomidine on Equine Myoelectrical Activity Using Electrointestinography. To evaluate the effects of detomidine on equine intestinal slow-wave activity and frequency distribution measured by electrointestinography (EIG). Methods: Prospective, experimental study. Methods: University teaching hospital. Methods: A convenience sample of twelve 7- to 21-year-old clinically normal horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to saline control (four horses) or detomidine treatment (eight). After obtaining a 30-min baseline EIG, a saline or detomidine bolus was administered, followed by a constant rate infusion, and another EIG was recorded. Ultrasonographic examinations ...
Circadian Oscillation of Leukocyte Subpopulations and Inflammatory Cytokines over a 24-H Period in Horses. The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of daily rhythms on the immune and inflammatory systems in horses, considering white blood cell count (WBCs), leukocyte subpopulations (neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes), CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocyte populations, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Ten Italian Saddle horses (7-12 years old, body weight 480 ± 30 kg) underwent blood sampling every 4 h over a 24-h period. The COSINOR method was used to identify rhythms and their parameters. A one-way ...
Histological and morphometric changes in cardiac conduction fibers after spontaneous myocardial infarction in horses and dogs. Arrhythmic sudden cardiac death in dogs and horses often results from ventricular arrhythmia secondary to myocardial damage. Despite this, limited data exist on the histomorphometric changes in cardiac conduction fibers (CCFs) and cardiac conduction cells (CCCs) following spontaneous myocardial infarction (MI). This study aimed to characterize morphometric and histological alterations in conduction fibers and their junctions with cardiomyocytes in infarcted hearts of horses and dogs. Unassigned: Ten hearts from horses and 10 from dogs that had died suddenly were examined. Histological and immu...
Minimal disruption of equine gut microbiota by intravenous cephalothin treatment. In horses, the gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and overall health, but antimicrobial administration can disrupt its balance, resulting in dysbiosis, which can cause antibiotic-associated diarrhea. This study assessed the impact of intravenous cephalothin sodium administration on the equine gut microbiota by using microbial amplicon sequencing targeting the 16S-ITS-23S rRNA operon. Fecal samples from 39 clinically normal horses, 16 antibiotic-treated horses (cephalothin, n=5; minocycline, n=5; metronidazole, n=6, each administered for 5 days), and seve...
Intra- and Post-Operative Bacteriological Surveys of Surgical Site in Horses: A Single-Centre Study. Bacterial contamination of the surgical site in horses is a major risk factor for the development of surgical site infections (SSIs), which increase morbidity, mortality, the hospitalisation period, antibiotic use, and management costs. While contamination is a prerequisite for infection, its progression to clinical infection depends on additional factors that compromise host defences. The present study, conducted at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Perugia over an 11-month period, investigated bacterial contamination in 70 surgeries (53 clean and 17 clean-contaminated) at...
Performance of a non-contact veterinary infrared thermometer and reference intervals of equine temperature at different body sites. Evaluating the body temperature of horses () is essential for monitoring their health. Rectal thermometry is the most common method for determining the temperatures of adult horses and foals. However, this method requires restraining the animals for several seconds, and it poses potential risks to both horses and humans. This study compared infrared and rectal thermometry in 126 horses, evaluating age and measurement site influences on body temperature. Horses were divided into three groups: foals (4-12 months), Shetland ponies (8-12 months), and adult horses (2-30 years). Rectal, ocular...
Differences between facilities in horse welfare profiles: slight differences in management/working conditions may be enough. Many studies focus on animal welfare in terms of specific, either behavioural or physiological, indicators or on the impact of a particular management factor. However, an animal's welfare state results from the individual's perception of its general environment, which has consequences at both behavioural and physiological levels. Previous research on horses has shown that different riding schools could be characterised by different emotional/cognitive profiles of horses, in relation sometimes with one single management factor. In the present study, we aimed at determining if such facility-spec...
[New drugs for horses and production animals in 2024]. In 2024, there was no release of a novel pharmaceutical agent for horses and food-producing animals or an extension of existing active ingredients to other animal species on the German veterinary medicinal products market. Formic acid is now available for a new form of treatment, the short-term treatment of honeybees, and clenbuterol is available in a new dosage form, as an oral solution for horses. In the field of immunological veterinary medicinal products, three new vaccines were launched on the German veterinary medicinal products market. For the first time, a vaccine against in cattle, a...
Computed tomographic measurements in 110 front hooves of non-lame Thoroughbred racehorses and Warmblood showjumpers. There are no published reference ranges on computed tomographic (CT) hoof wall and sole measurements. Objective: To establish reference ranges for CT measurements of the hoof wall and sole in non-lame horses, and to investigate associations between measurements and signalment, laterality, and medial or lateral sides. Methods: Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Methods: Soft tissue reconstructions of fan-beam CT studies of 110 front feet of 56 non-lame horses (30 Thoroughbred racehorses, 26 Warmblood showjumpers), performed in non- to semi-weightbearing positions, were analysed. Hoof wall th...
What is the “train track” in the retained equine testis? A 3-year-old Quarter horse stallion with unilateral left cryptorchidism was referred for the absence of the left testis in the scrotal bursa and an enlarged right testis. The ultrasonographic examination revealed the presence of the left testis at the abdominal level. Two small hyperechogenic lines were observed running parallel and resembling a cylindrical cavitary foreign body, within a non-homogeneous area with blurred margins. The testis was removed by laparoscopy and macroscopically, the testis's cut section revealed the presence of two live adult nematodes emerging from 2 mm blood-filled...
Immunoaffinity chromatography for the preparation of equine tetanus immunoglobulin F(ab’)2 for enhanced safety and efficacy. Typically, the antigen-specific antibodies constitute a small fraction-often estimated to be around 2-10 %-of the total IgG in the serum after immunization. This low percentage necessitates the use of purification techniques to enrich the antigen-specific antibodies for therapeutic or research purposes. This study introduces an affinity chromatography column using NHS-activated Sepharose as a matrix and the tetanus toxin subunit C, TeNT-Hc-C869A, as a ligand, enabling the purification of polyclonal antibodies with high specificity. This process improves antitoxin purity to over 95 %, effecti...
A profiling of faecal parasites in horses in Mauritius and resistance to Fenbendazole at one horse-riding stable. Mauritius hosts a population of approximately 900 equids, but no investigations have delved into issues such as the prevalence of equine helminths, anthelmintic usage, and resistance emergence. This study aimed to devise a qualitative and quantitative profile of common helminthic intestinal parasites in equines at eight out of twenty-eight stables (272 horses, 29 % of local population) and to determine whether helminthic intestinal parasites in equines at one stable have developed resistance to Fenbendazole by quantitatively assessing pre-treatment faecal egg counts, post-treatment faecal egg...
Effects of different grain types on nutrient apparent digestibility, glycemic responses, and fecal VFA content in weaned foals. China's equine industry has shifted from traditional rough grazing to modern intensive farming, expanding the roles of horses into eventing, leisure, tourism, and meat and dairy production. Concurrently, equine nutrition has evolved from a forage-based diet to a more diverse regimen incorporating grain supplements to meet the heightened energy demands of intensive farming. However, nutrient digestibility and glycemic response vary considerably based on grain type, starch content, composition, and structural properties. Optimal grain selection is therefore essential for energy supplementation a...
Distribution of Alprazolam Into the Milk of Lactating Mares and Subsequent Absorption by Nursing Foals. Alprazolam is used to facilitate mare-foal bonding in aggressive or anxious postpartum mares. In humans, alprazolam crosses the blood-milk barrier, but the amount transferred into milk is minor and compatible with breastfeeding as the relative infant dose is < 10%. Similar data are not available for horses. The aim of this study was to measure alprazolam in serum and milk of mares (milk: serum ratio) administered alprazolam, and to determine alprazolam serum concentrations in nursing foals to estimate the extent of absorption. This was a prospective observational study involving 7 healthy...
Assessing Cadmium Levels in Horses Imported from the European Union and Slaughtered in Italy. The aim of this study was to evaluate cadmium (Cd) concentrations in horses imported from various European Union countries and slaughtered in Italy. In addition, we assessed the potential correlation between Cd levels in tissues and organs, and Cd-related gross and histological lesions. The animals were divided into six groups based on age and geographical origin. Among the 430 animals examined, gross renal lesions were observed in only two kidney samples from Polish horses, which also had the highest Cd concentrations: 9.1 mg/kg w/w and 8.23 mg/kg w/w, respectively. Further histological a...
Wild horses: Tartar warfare and the history of civilization. In 1644, the Manchus, a Tungusic population from northeast Asia, conquered Ming China, establishing the Qing Empire. Four years later, Crimean Tartar horsemen joined a major uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, gravely destabilizing one of Europe's largest states. These near-simultaneous incursions by ostensibly nomadic, horse-riding 'Tartars' into firearm-defended sedentary states generated extensive historiographical reflection on the role of nomads and their warhorse-centred armies in shaping human history. This article explores how the Jesuit Martino Martini drew on these T...
Exploring the genetic influences on equine analgesic efficacy through genome-wide association analysis of ranked pain responses. Multimodal analgesic administration is a promising strategy for mitigating side effects typically associated with analgesia; nevertheless, variation in analgesic effectiveness still poses a considerable safety concern for both horses and veterinarians. Pharmacogenomic studies have started delving into genetic influences on varying drug effectiveness and related side effects. However, current findings have narrow implications and are limited in their ability to individualize analgesic dosages in horses. Hydromorphone and detomidine were administered to a cohort of 48 horses at standardized time...
Exploring equine behavior: Wearable sensors data and explainable AI for enhanced classification. Understanding equine behavior through advanced monitoring technologies is crucial for improving animal welfare, optimizing training strategies, and enabling early detection of health or stress-related issues. This study integrates wearable sensor data with Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques, particularly SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations), to enhance interpretability in equine behavior classification. The data used in this study were sourced from an open-source dataset, ensuring transparency and reproducibility. Orginally, data were collected from 18 horses using sensor dev...
Sperm Vitrification in Horse and Donkey. Sperm vitrification is a novel-assisted reproductive technique that is increasingly gaining relevance in the last years. This technique allows to cryopreserve sperm from valuable stallions and donkeys without the exposure to permeable cryoprotectants, particularly toxic for the gametes of these species.This chapter aims to describe the current range of methodologies available that are key to ensure sperm quality after vitrification and warming of stallion and donkey sperm.
Cryopreservation of Horse Sperm. Cryopreservation is currently the only strategy for long-term conservation of equine sperm. To get optimal post-thaw sperm survival, carefully following each step of the freezing protocol is crucial. First, one needs to obtain and exhaustively analyze an ejaculate of good sperm quality. Then, the seminal plasma is removed by centrifugation, and the resulting pellet is resuspended in a certain volume of the freezing medium to reach the right sperm concentration. Finally, sperm samples are packaged into 0.5-mL straws, cooled, and frozen using an automatic, controlled-rate freezer. Once the tempe...
Major Salivary Gland Examinations of the Donkey (Equus asinus) Using Sectional Anatomy, Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Visualizing the major salivary glands (MSGs) in domestic mammals using plain radiology and identifying damaged their structures is impossible. To accurately display MSGs, the knowledge of normal sectional imaging anatomy is essential for veterinarians, aiding them significantly in identifying the exact relations and position of MSGs; however, no reports on the MSGs sectional imaging anatomy in this species have been made. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and gross sections of MSGs. Methods: Seven healthy adult donkeys were used ...
Use of the rectus sheath block for perioperative analgesia in three foals undergoing omphalectomy and cystoplasty. Locoregional techniques promote multimodal analgesia and may reduce general anaesthetic requirements. However, there is limited evidence in foals. The rectus sheath block (RSB) is an interfascial plane block previously described in other species such as dogs, cats, pigs, and calves, and recently in foals, which targets desensitization of ventral abdominal midline. This block may provide an efficacious analgesic alternative for ventral celiotomies and umbilical surgeries. This case series reports the use of a bilateral RSB with 0.25-0.3 mL kg-1 bupivacaine (maximum dose of 2 mg kg-1) per hemiab...
Ivermectin performance against equine strongylids: Efficacy, egg reappearance periods, and fecal egg counting method comparison. Equine strongylids are ubiquitous and can cause severe health issues. Anthelmintic resistance is widely common in cyathostomin parasites, and recent studies have documented increasing incidence of resistance to the macrocyclic lactone drug class. Several European countries have implemented prescription-only restrictions of anthelmintic usage by law to reduce anthelmintic treatment intensity and decrease the selection pressure for drug resistance. However, long term outcomes of this approach have not been thoroughly evaluated. The aim was to determine ivermectin efficacy in strongylids by means...
Physiological and behavioral parameters of pain and stress in mares during and after transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration. The use of transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration (TVA) for oocyte collection has become a widely used procedure in horses for embryo production (IVEP). The TVA procedure is characterized by various manipulations, which are physical restraint, perineal preparation, transrectal palpation, insertion of an intravaginal device, and needle punctures. These repeated transvaginal and transovarian punctures have raised concerns about their potential effects on mare welfare. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of TVA manipulations, and especially puncturing, on pain and stress in ma...
Characteristics of Chrysosporium spp. Pathogens Causing Skin Mycoses in Horses. Equine skin mycoses are a significant concern in Kazakhstan's livestock industry due to the country's historical livestock farming practices, the development of equestrian sports, and food traditions. Skin infections are among the most common fungal infections in horses. Emerging pathogens of equine dermatophytosis include keratinophilic Chrysosporium spp., which can degrade and metabolize keratin found in superficial tissues. This, combined with their thermotolerance, contributes to their pathogenicity. In this study, we investigated the biological properties and pathogenicity of two Chrysosp...