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.
Nematodes and liver fluke in New Zealand. Abstract A general review of the epidemiology, significance and control of nematode parasitism of sheep, goats, cattle and deer in New Zealand, the emergence of anthelmintic resistance and its effects, and the search for parasite control strategies that reduce reliance on anthelmintic use, is provided. The research that has formed the basis for present levels of understanding of this complex and important topic is summarised and sources of further information are indicated. Aspects of nematode infections of horses, pigs, dogs and cats, and the history of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, in ...
World association for the advancement of veterinary parasitology (WAAVP): second edition of guidelines for evaluating the efficacy of equine anthelmintics. These guidelines have been designed to assist in the planning, operation and interpretation of studies which would serve to assess the efficacy of drugs against internal parasites of horses. Although the term anthelmintic is used in the title and text, these guidelines include studies on drug efficacy against larvae of horse bot flies, Gasterophilus spp., which are non-helminth parasites commonly occurring in the stomach of horses. The advantages, disadvantages and application of critical and controlled tests are presented. Information is also provided on selection of animals, housing, feed, d...
Computerized detection of supporting forelimb lameness in the horse using an artificial neural network. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether artificial neural networks could be used to determine equine lameness by computational means only. The integral parts of our approach were the combination of automated signal tracking of horses on a treadmill and the computational power of artificial neural networks (ANN). The motion of 175 horses trotting on a treadmill was recorded using the SELSPOT II system for motion analysis. Two cameras traced infrared (IR) markers on the head and on the left forehoof. The motion of the head was Fourier-transformed and further processed by a multilaye...
Fractures–a preventable hazard of racing thoroughbreds? Fractures are a common cause of loss among Thoroughbred racehorses. A large proportion of these injuries occurs in the absence of a specific traumatic event and show typical characteristics of stress fractures. The fractures show a high degree of consistency in their morphology; they frequently share the same locations as incomplete cracks and they are often associated with pre-existing pathology (periosteal and endosteal new bone formation and intracortical remodelling). Bone is able to adapt to changes in its mechanical environment. Studies of the Thoroughbred racehorse show modification of ...
Advances in cryopreservation of stallion semen in modified INRA82. In the procedure used in this paper, semen was first diluted in INRA82+2% egg yolk (E1) at 37 degrees C. Before or after cooling to 4 degrees C, semen was centrifuged and diluted in E1+2.5% glycerol (E2). Cooled semen was frozen in 0.5-ml straws. Straws were thawed at 37 degrees C for 30s. For fertility trials, frozen ejaculates were used only if total post-thaw motility was above 35%. Most mares were inseminated two times before ovulation with 400 x 10(6) total spermatozoa every 24h. This paper presents post-thaw motility (CASA) and fertility results obtained when some steps of the procedure ...
Advances in cooled semen technology. In the horse industry, milk or milk-based extenders are used routinely for dilution and storage of semen cooled to 4-8 degrees C. Although artificial insemination (AI) with chilled and transported semen has been in use for several years, pregnancy rates are still low and variable related to variable semen quality of stallions. Over the years, a variety of extenders have been proposed for cooling, storage and transport of stallion semen. Fractionation of milk by microfiltration, ultrafiltration, diafiltration and freeze-drying techniques has allowed preparation of purified milk fractions in ord...
Effects of acute intravenous aldosterone administration on Na(+), K(+), and water excretion in the horse. The effect of a temporary increase in plasma aldosterone concentration on Na(+), K(+), and water balance was investigated in four horses. Aldosterone was injected intravenously for 6 h at 20-min intervals (total 5.4 microg/kg body wt). Samples were taken for 24 h before, during, and for 48 h after the treatment. Aldosterone treatment reduced the Na(+) loss via urine and feces by 99 and 72%, respectively, later followed by a marked increase in Na(+) excretion by both pathways. During the first 6 h after the treatment, fecal K(+) excretion was elevated, and the plasma K(+) concentration was lowe...
Sperm-uterine interactions: a review. The uterus of domestic animals, including the horse, has a dual role in the interaction of the uterus and sperm. On one hand, uterine contractions carry sperm toward the oviduct, and on the other hand the uterus eliminates excessive sperm. The selection of sperm for the small numbers of "good" cells that gain access to the oviduct and for the majority of sperm that will be destroyed takes place in the uterus. The sperm-uterine interaction works both ways; sperm and seminal plasma also have several effects on the uterus. Sperm and seminal plasma probably provoke uterine contractions. Sperm indu...
Endocrine and paracrine control of sperm production in stallions. The specific nature and relative contribution of the major hormones involved in regulation of reproductive function of the stallion are not well defined nor have paracrine or autocrine factors been identified. Over the last 12 years, our laboratory has been engaged in characterizing the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis (HPT) in stallions. A number of endocrine factors and mechanisms important for normal reproductive function have been investigated. Studies investigating poor fertility in stallions suggest that a closer look at the testicular level is warranted. For a complete understandi...
Oral imipramine and intravenous xylazine for pharmacologically-induced ex copula ejaculation in stallions. This study is part of ongoing work toward developing pharmacological methods for enhancing and inducing ejaculation in stallions with ejaculatory dysfunction or disabilities that interfere with normal breeding behavior. The objective was to evaluate a treatment regimen involving oral imipramine followed by intravenous xylazine that, in uncontrolled field clinical trials, had shown promise for a higher rate of ejaculation and fewer side effects using a more easily obtained and administered form of imipramine. Eight stallions each underwent eight trials in which treatment consisted of imipramine...
Characterisation of tryptase and a granzyme H-like chymase isolated from equine mastocytoma tissue. Mast cell proteinases are important inflammatory mediators in man and other species, but until now there has been no investigation of the nature of equine mast cell proteinases. These studies describe the purification and characterisation of two proteolytic components from equine mastocytoma tissue, detected using chromogenic substrates for trypsin and chymotrypsin. Following chromatographic purification, the trypsin-like component was found to be equine mast cell tryptase by N-terminal amino acid sequencing, showing a close similarity with human tryptase-beta (85% identity over 20 residues). ...
Elevated extrahepatic expression and secretion of mammary-associated serum amyloid A 3 (M-SAA3) into colostrum. Mammary-associated serum amyloid A 3 (M-SAA3) was secreted at highly elevated levels in bovine, equine and ovine colostrum and found at lower levels in milk 4 days postparturition. N-terminal sequencing of the mature M-SAA3 protein from all the three species revealed a conserved four amino acid motif (TFLK) within the first eight residues. This motif has not been reported to be present in any of the hepatically-produced acute phase SAA (A-SAA) isoforms. Cloning of the bovine M-Saa3 cDNA from mammary gland epithelial cells revealed an open reading frame that encoded a precursor protein of 131 a...
Motion pattern of the toelt of Icelandic horses at different speeds. The toelt of the Icelandic horse is a symmetric 4-beat gait, with alternating single and double support phases. By definition, the duration of the diagonal and ipsilateral stance phases should be similar. The aim of this study was to investigate the stride characteristics of horses ridden at toelt, and to compare these to previous descriptions of this gait. The kinematics of 23 Icelandic horses was measured using the Expert Vision System. Mature and sound horses, used for pleasure riding and/or competitions, were ridden at toelt at 3 different speeds. For each horse, 10 strides were measured a...
Forelimb tendon loading during jump landings and the influence of fence height. Lameness in athletic horses is often caused by forelimb tendon injuries, especially in the interosseus tendon (TI) and superficial digital flexor tendon (SDF), but also in the accessory ligament (AL) of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDF). In an attempt to explain the aetiology of these injuries, the present study investigated the loading of the tendons during landing after a jump. In jumping horses, the highest forces can be expected in the trailing limb during landing. Therefore, landing kinematics and ground reaction forces of the trailing forelimb were measured from 6 horses jumping singl...
Effects of age and recombinant equine somatotropin (eST) administration on immune function in female horses. Aging has been associated with declines in somatotropin and IGF-I levels as well as declines in immune function. To determine the effects of age and whether ST administration could reverse immunosenescence in horses, eight young and eight aged female standardbred horses were given 10 mg/d recombinant equine somatotropin (eST) or vehicle buffer for 49 d. Plasma IGF-I concentrations in both age groups were higher in eST-treated animals (P < 0.001), and higher in young eST-treated mares than in aged eST-treated mares during wk 4 to 7 (P < 0.001). There was a trend toward lower monocyte and ...
Evaluation of the EMG activity of the long back muscle during induced back movements at stance. In this study we investigated the activity of the main back muscle (Musculus longissimus) by surface electromyography (EMG) during induced extension and lateral flexion at stance. Measurements were taken of 15 horses (age 5-20 years, 450-700 kg bwt) without signs of back pain. Reflecting markers were placed on the head, spinous processes of T5, T12, T16, L3 and on 2 of the sacral bones. The surface EMG electrodes were situated on the Musculus longissimus on both sides of the dorsal spinous processes of T12, T16 and L3. In all horses and all movements (extension, lateral flexion to the left and...
Components of variation of surface hoof strain with time. The relative contribution of a number of random and fixed variables to variation in surface strain magnitudes on the hoof capsule was assessed for healthy feet under normal conditions. Principal strains were recorded in vivo from 5 rosette gauges glued around the circumference of the right forefeet of 4 horses on 4 occasions over a 9 month period. Recordings were made at every other trimming and reshoeing. During each session, gauges were positioned with a template for repeatability. Strains were recorded at the trot and canter (at consistent speeds), for straight motion and turns, and before ...
Electromyographic and kinematic indicators of fatigue in horses: a pilot study. Muscle fatigue can be quantified using Fourier analysis of the recorded EMG signal. Median frequency is the frequency at which the Fourier profile is bisected, and this measure typically shifts to smaller values during fatigue. This technique was combined with kinematic analysis to describe the time course of fatigue in horses galloping on an inclined treadmill. It was hypothesised that EMG median frequency would decrease in tandem with changes in kinematic variables through the exercise test. Three fit Thoroughbred horses had retroreflective markers placed on their hooves and withers. Surface...
Body centre of mass movement in the lame horse. The body centre of mass (BCM) is a key factor in the analysis of equine gait, as its position and movement determines the distribution and magnitude of loads on the limbs. Changes in the BCM movement are proposed to be important factors in the lameness management of horses. In this study, changes in the position and the 3-dimensional (3-D) movement of the BCM in horses with induced forelimb lameness were studied using a kinematic, segmental method. The kinematics of 30 markers representing 20 body segments were recorded in 12 horses while trotting (3.9 m/s) on a treadmill using a high speed vi...
Quantification of hoof deformation using optical motion capture. Deformation of the hoof capsule occurs during stance phase as a result of loading by the distal phalanx. The objective of this study was to evaluate optical motion capture as a technique for measuring hoof deformation during locomotion, and to quantify the deformation of the dorsal wall during stance phase. The front left feet of 3 clinically sound horses were used for this study. The hoof wall was cleaned and 9 retroreflective markers were glued to the lateral and dorsal hoof wall, and shoe. Each horse was trotted in a straight line at constant speed while marker positions during stance phase...
Histological characteristics of induced acute peptic injury in equine gastric squamous epithelium. The objective of the study reported here was to characterise the microscopic appearance of peptic-injured equine gastric squamous epithelium in relation to the duration of peptic injury. Erosions and ulcers were induced in equine gastric squamous epithelium using a feed deprivation protocol that results in prolonged increased gastric acidity. Specimens of normal gastric mucosa and mucosa with lesions created after 48 and 96 h of feed deprivation were compared for characteristics associated with angiogenesis and mucosal proliferation. Fifteen mature horses, 9 geldings and 6 mares, age 3-20 year...
Acupuncture for general veterinary practice. Since the International Society of Veterinary Acupuncture (IVAS) was founded in 1974, acupuncture (AP) has received greater acceptance by veterinary professionals throughout the world. This article introduces some important animal diseases that respond well to AP therapy. These include resuscitation of small animals, treatment of anoestrous gilts and sows, bovine reproductive disease, canine vertebral problems and equine backpain, etc. Conventional medicine considers these to be difficult cases to treat. Veterinarians have become more aware of the benefits of AP especially for those diseases, ...
Application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and TaqMan PCR techniques to the detection and identification of Rhodococcus coprophilus in faecal samples. Rhodococcus coprophilus, a natural inhabitant of herbivore faeces, has been suggested as a good indicator of animal (as opposed to human) faecal contamination of aquatic environments. However, conventional detection methods limit its use for this as they require up to 21 days to obtain a result. In this paper an optimised method for extracting R. coprophilus DNA from faecal samples is described. PCR and 5'-nuclease (TaqMan) PCR methods were developed to allow the detection and enumeration of R. coprophilus in faecal samples within 2-3 days. Both PCR methods targeted the 16S rRNA gene, producin...
Traumatic myiasis of horses caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica. A survey was carried out in three stud farms with grazing animals, in order to gather data on the prevalence and clinical manifestation of, and the fly species involved in, traumatic myiasis of horses in Hungary. This parasitic disease was recorded in each farm. On the whole, 9.0% (14) of the inspected horses were infested with fly larvae. The affected horses had one infested lesion only, located at the mucosa of the vulva or the vaginal vestibule. The clinical symptoms depended on the age of infestation. Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was the only myiasis-causing fly species i...
Intradermal testing in healthy horses and horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, recurrent urticaria, or allergic dermatitis. To compare responses to a variety of intradermally injected allergens among healthy horses and horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), recurrent urticaria (RU), and atopic dermatitis-insect hypersensitivity (allergic dermatitis [AD]). Methods: Case-control study. Methods: 86 horses. Methods: Results of intradermal testing for horses with COPD, RU, or AD were compared with results for healthy horses. Results: Compared with healthy horses, horses with COPD, RU, and AD were significantly more likely to have positive (> or = 3+) reactions to intradermal allergens (molds, weeds, t...
