Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
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.
Ventriculocordectomy reduces respiratory noise in horses with laryngeal hemiplegia. Show and performance horse with laryngeal hemiplegia (LH) often present for excessive respiratory noise rather than significant exercise intolerance. Therefore, the goal of surgery in these horses is to reduce respiratory noise but there are no quantitative studies evaluating the effect of any upper-airway surgery in LH-affected horses. Objective: To determine whether bilateral ventriculocordectomy (VC) reduces respiratory noise in exercising horses with laryngeal hemiplegia. Methods: Six Standardbred horses with normal upper airways were used in this study. Respiratory sounds and inspiratory ...
The course of some bone remodelling plasma metabolites in healthy horses and in horses offered a calcium-deficient diet. An inquiry was carried out to assess the concentrations of plasma metabolites related to bone remodelling in 21 saddle horses of Warmblood breed aged 4-26 years, five draught horses of Ardennes breed aged 4-10 years, and 10 Ardennes foals aged 9-11 months. They were fed according to normal feeding practice in Belgium. The changes in some bone remodelling plasma metabolite concentrations were studied when an unbalanced diet was offered and later corrected for four Warmblood horses. Bone formation was evaluated by bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), total alkaline phosphatase (TALP) and osteocalci...
Effects of oat processing on the glycaemic and insulin responses in horses. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different oat processing techniques on the plasma glucose and insulin response in horses. In a cross-over design, six horses (ages 4-15 years, mean body weight+/-SD: 450+/-37 kg) were fed in random order: untreated oats, finely ground, steam-flaked and popped oats. The total oat intake varied between 1.05-1.5 kg/day, and the amount of diet was adjusted to a starch content of 630 g starch per day and horse (1.2-1.5 g starch/kg BW/day). During the stabilization period of 10 days, horses additionally received 6 kg grass hay. Following this adapt...
Comparison of opioid and alpha-2 adrenergic receptor binding in horse and dog brain using radioligand autoradiography. To test the hypothesis that the distribution, density, and subtype of opioid and alpha (alpha)-2 adrenergic receptors within the central nervous system (CNS) are significantly different between horse and dog. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: Three dogs (3 years of age) and three horses (2-5 years of age). Animals were opioid- and alpha-2 agonist-free at the time of euthanasia. Methods: Brain tissue was obtained at 126 days post-surgery from dogs and 72 days post-surgery from horses. The brains were removed, sectioned coronally into 1-cm slabs, frozen in methylbutane, which was...
Preliminary evaluation of a behaviour-based system for assessment of post-operative pain in horses following arthroscopic surgery. To develop a method for objective assessment of equine post-operative pain. Methods: Prospective nonblinded clinical study. Methods: Twelve adult horses: Group 1 (G1, n = 6), admitted for arthroscopy (under general anaesthesia, with multimodal analgesia); Group 2 (G2, n = 6), 'pain free' controls. Methods: Horses were filmed continuously (CVI, time-lapse video recorder) over 72 hours, from 24 hours pre-surgery (PS) to 48 hours post-recovery (PR) (G1), and over 24 hours (G2). Activity budgets were determined from 24 to 0 hours PS, 0-24 and 24-48 hours PR (G1) and for 24 hours (G2). Using direct...
Effects of monoamines formed in the cecum of horses on equine digital blood vessels and platelets. To determine in vitro vasoactive potency of monoamines formed in the cecum and found in the systemic circulation of horses. Methods: Segments of digital blood vessels obtained from 6 healthy mixed-breed horses and ponies euthanatized at an abattoir and platelets isolated from 4 healthy ponies. Methods: Paired rings of digital artery and vein from the same horse were examined, and isometric tension was recorded. Concentration-response curves for tryptamine (TRP), tyramine (TYR), phenylethylamine (PEA), isoamylamine (IAA), and isobutylamine (IBA) were obtained. Vasoconstrictor mechanisms were in...
Significant exercise-related changes in the serum levels of two biomarkers of collagen metabolism in young horses. To identify metabolic biomarkers that can be evaluated in serum for monitoring the effects of exercise on skeletal development in mammals. Methods: Sera of foals from three groups (box-stall rest, pasture and training) were serially collected over the first 5 months of life and assayed for eight biomarkers of cartilage and bone metabolism. Sub-populations from each group were sampled for an additional 6 months of identical exercise. Results: When expressed as a percentage of baseline values, lower serum levels of the carboxy-terminal propeptides of type II collagen (CPII), and higher serum lev...
West Nile virus activity–United States, September 4-10, 2003. This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET as of 3 a.m., Mountain Daylight Time, September 10, 2003.
Effects of feeding a blend of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on feed intake, serum chemistry, and hematology of horses, and the efficacy of a polymeric glucomannan mycotoxin adsorbent. The feeding of Fusarium mycotoxin-contaminated grains adversely affects the performance of swine and poultry. Very little information is available, however, on adverse effects associated with feeding these mycotoxin-contaminated grains on the performance of horses. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding a blend of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on feed intake, serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations, serum chemistry, and hematology of horses. A polymeric glucomannan mycotoxin adsorbent (GM polymer) was also tested for efficacy in preventing F...
Grazing of spotted locoweed (Astragalus lentiginosus) by cattle and horses in Arizona. Spotted locoweed (Astragalus lentiginosus var. diphysus) is a toxic, perennial plant that may, if sufficient precipitation occurs, dominate the herbaceous vegetation of pinyon-juniper woodlands on the Colorado Plateau. Six cow/calf pairs and four horses grazed a 20-ha pasture with dense patches of locoweed in eastern Arizona during spring 1998. Locoweed density was 0.7 plants/m2 in the pasture. Locoweed averaged 30.4% NDF and 18.4% CP. Concentrations of the locoweed toxin, swainsonine, fluctuated from 1.25 to 2 mg/g in locoweed. Horses ate more (P < 0.01) bites of locoweed than did cows (15...
Characterization of RNA elements that regulate gag-pol ribosomal frameshifting in equine infectious anemia virus. Synthesis of Gag-Pol polyproteins of retroviruses requires ribosomes to shift translational reading frame once or twice in a -1 direction to read through the stop codon in the gag reading frame. It is generally believed that a slippery sequence and a downstream RNA structure are required for the programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting. However, the mechanism regulating the Gag-Pol frameshifting remains poorly understood. In this report, we have defined specific mRNA elements required for sufficient ribosomal frameshifting in equine anemia infectious virus (EIAV) by using full-length provirus rep...
In vivo effects of an intrafollicular injection of insulin-like growth factor 1 on the mechanism of follicle deviation in heifers and mares. In cattle and mares, free insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is higher in the future dominant follicle (F1) than in the future largest subordinate follicle (F2) before deviation in diameter or selection is manifested between the two follicles. The effect of IGF-1 on other follicular-fluid factors and on the destiny of F2 were studied in two experiments in each species, using a total of 40 heifers and 42 mares. An injection of IGF-1 was made into F2 at the expected beginning of deviation (heifers, F1 >or= 8.5 mm; mares, F1 >or= 20.0 mm; Hour 0). In heifers, follicular fluid was taken fr...
Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced by experimental endotoxemia in horse. Cellular activation and functional cell surface markers were evaluated during experimentally-induced endotoxemia in healthy horses. Eight healthy adult horses were infused a low dose of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli O26: B6, 30 ng/kg of body weight, IV) and five control horses were given an equivalent volume of sterile saline solution. Venous blood samples were collected for flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and to measure plasma endotoxin concentrations. Clinical signs of endotoxemia were recorded at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 min, 1, 2, 3, 4...
Use of a rigid-type polyethylene T-cannula, silicone tubing, and adhesion netting for surgical cannulation of ileum of the horse. A rigid-type of polyethylene T-cannula was fitted into the anterior ileum of six horses in order to improve the cannulation techniques. A piece of polyethylene net was fastened onto the intestinal wall around the cannula to prevent dislodgment of the cannula by promoting a secure adhesion between the ileum and the abdominal wall. The cannula barrel sheathed with silicone tubing was exteriorized through a stab incision at the lateral ventral wall on the transverse line of the second lumber vertebra, and a flange was screwed onto the barrel. The feeding regime gradually increased concentrate wit...
Successful non-surgical transfer of horse embryos to mule recipients. Mules, hybrids resulting from the mating of a horse mare (Equus caballus, 2n = 64) to a Jack donkey (E. asinus, 2n = 62), are generally infertile. Five horse embryos were transferred non-surgically to two cyclic and one acyclic recipient mules. In the mares and cycling mules, oestrus and ovulation were induced with, respectively, d-cloprostenol and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). The acyclic mule, on the other hand, received oestradiol benzoate when the embryo donor was showing oestrus and progesterone after the donor had ovulated and until pregnancy diagnosis. Non-surgical embryo collect...
Schirmer tear test results in normal horses and ponies: effect of age, season, environment, sex, time of day and placement of strips. Tear production was evaluated in 39 horses and 29 ponies using Schirmer tear test strips to determine whether diurnal or weekly fluctuations occur, whether location of strip placement has an effect, if values are the same for both eyes in an animal and whether sex, age, stabling vs. pasture and winter vs. summer had an effect. There was no test in which the raw score was less than 10 mm, although there were many occasions where tear wetting exceeded 35 mm. Analysis of the raw (continuous) scores by linear regression provided no evidence that signalment, housing or season or location of strip p...
Automated plasmapheresis compared with other plasma collection methods in the horse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasmapheresis as a method for plasma extraction in comparison with centrifugation or gravity sedimentation. The study was designed as a cross over trial with six Freiberger horses undergoing plasma donation by plasmapheresis followed by whole-blood donation and subsequent plasma production 4 weeks later. Automated plasmapheresis and whole-blood donation were well tolerated in all horses. The plasmapheresis method achieved an almost complete removal of erythrocytes and leucocytes from plasma at all flow rates. After blood bag centrifugation, significan...
Comparative disposition kinetics and plasma protein binding of gentamicin sulphate in three juvenile animal species. The pharmacokinetics of gentamicin was studied in lambs, calves and foals, respectively after single intravenous (i.v.) injections of 5 mg kg(-1) body weight. The plasma concentration-time curves of gentamicin sulphate were best fitted to follow a two-compartment open model in calves and foals and a three-compartment open model in lambs. Gentamicin showed high plasma level at 5 min post-injection. Then its concentration decreased gradually until its minimum detectable level at 10 and 12 h post-injection in foals and calves, respectively, was reached. In contrast, the plasma concentrations were...
Luteal function in mares following administration of oxytocin, cloprostenol or saline on day 0, 1 or 2 post-ovulation. Mares (n = 30) were treated in the post-ovulatory period with saline, oxytocin, or cloprostenol (Clo). Dose, administration frequency and treatment day (Day 0, 1 or 2 post-ovulation) were evaluated. Interovulatory interval of control cycles was 22.7 (+/-0.36) days with a range of 20.6 (+/-1.44) to 23.8 (+/-1.39) days among all treatment groups. Mares treated with two micro-doses of cloprostenol on Day 2 post-ovulation had the shortest interovulatory interval. This group also had the lowest mean circulating progesterone concentrations on Days 3-7 and 13, and was the slowest group to reach conce...
Effect of administering oxytocin or cloprostenol in the periovulatory period on pregnancy outcome and luteal function in mares. Mares (n = 37) were treated from 4h after breeding through 2 days post-ovulation with oxytocin or cloprostenol. Oxytocin (20 units i.m.) was administered every 6 h and cloprostenol (250 mcg i.m.) daily. Luteal function was impaired for several days following treatment, however, lower progesterone levels among cloprostenol treated mares in this study did not result in decreased pregnancies. Pregnancy outcome at 15 days post-ovulation was not different between the oxytocin (13/18) and cloprostenol (13/19) treatment groups, respectively (P = 0.80). The results of this study indicate cloprostenol ...
Effect of capacitation of stallion sperm with polyvinylalcohol or bovine serum albumin on penetration of bovine zona-free or partially zona-removed equine oocytes. Experiments were conducted to study effects of macromolecules on stallion sperm capacitation and fertilization as determined by penetration of bovine zona-free and equine partially zona-removed oocytes. Stallion sperm were capacitated in TYH medium (modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate) supplemented with either 1 mg/mL of polyvinylalcohol (PVA) or 4 mg/mL of BSA. Capacitation was induced with 8 bromoadenosine cyclic monophosphate (8BrcAMP; 0.5 mM) alone or in combination with 0.1 microM of ionomycin. Intraspecies gametes were co-incubated in TYH/PVA or TYH/BSA for 18 to 20 h. For zona-free bovine...
Association between the MHC gene region and variation of serum IgE levels against specific mould allergens in the horse. To investigate whether the equine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene region influences the production of mould-specific immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE), alleles of the equine leukocyte antigen (ELA-A) locus and three microsatellite markers (UM-011, HTG-05 and HMS-42) located on the same chromosome as the equine MHC were determined in 448 Lipizzan horses. Statistical analyses based on composite models, showed significant associations of the ELA-A and UM-011 loci with IgE titres against the recombinant Aspergillus fumigatus 7 antigen (rAsp f 7). UM-011 was also significantly associate...
Effect of hypothyroidism on kinetics of metabolism of very-low-density lipoprotein in mares. To compare kinetics of the metabolism of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) apolipoprotein B (apoB) before and after thyroidectomy in mares. Methods: 5 healthy adult mares. Methods: Thyroidectomy was performed in euthyroid mares. Kinetics of VLDL apoB metabolism were measured before and after thyroidectomy by use of a bolus IV injection of 5,5,5-2H3 (98%) leucine (5 mg/kg) and subsequent isolation of labeled amino acid from plasma and VLDL. Labeled leucine was quantified by use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Production rate (PR), delay time, and fractional catabolic rate (FCR) were ...
The real response of bone to exercise. This review presents findings made in studies of large mammalian bones, especially from racehorse training experiments (2-8 years old, third metacarpal, tarsal) and human autopsy orthopaedic femoral implant retrievals and other human biopsy and autopsy cases. Samples were cleaned to analyse mineralized matrix in three dimensions, or poly methyl-methacrylate embedded and micromilled to delete topography and study the superficial c. 0.5-microm two-dimensional section using quantitative backscattered electron imaging. With experimental implant studies in rabbits, observations were also made in vi...
Thyroid function in mature horses ingesting endophyte-infected fescue seed. To determine whether ingestion of fescue seed infected with the endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum would alter thyroid function in adult horses. Methods: Original study. Methods: 4 adult mares that were not pregnant and 6 adult geldings. Methods: Thyrotropin releasing hormone stimulation tests were performed while horses received a standard diet and after infected seed (2.3 kg/d [5 lb/d]) had been fed for 1 and 2 months. Serum prolactin concentrations were measured to verify endophyte absorption. Results: Serum prolactin concentrations indicated that at least 8 of 10 horses absorbed the endop...
