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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.
Traceability of Equidae: a population in motion. The accelerated speed of animal transport and the existence of complex and intricate movement systems have created an equine population in motion. This ease in the international movement of horses has an impact on the risk of introduction or spread of disease, specifically in relation to competition horses. Facilitating trade in Equidae, whilst simultaneously safeguarding the health status of the receiving country is a major challenge. To date, the international regulatory bodies are prepared to consider movement of registered horses as a relatively 'low risk' occurrence and thereby apply the ...
The influence of lameness on equine stride length consistency. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of orthopaedic pain on the variation of stride length as a kinematic system-parameter in 21 horses with forelimb lameness. Data were collected while the horses were trotting on a treadmill during a minimum of 12 motion cycles, both before and after intra-articular or perineural anaesthesia. Stride length was assessed for each motion cycle, and the mean and standard deviation were calculated for each condition. Forelimb lameness was documented as percentage of asymmetry of vertical head movement. With significant decrease of forelimb lameness af...
Aortic root disease in four horses. Clinical findings in 4 horses with aortic root disease are described. Three of the horses had aneurysms of the right aortic sinus, and in 2 of the 3, the aneurysm ruptured, creating a fistula between the aorta and right ventricle. One of these horses had had a murmur since birth, and the aortic sinus aneurysm may have been a congenital anomaly. In a second horse, the aneurysm may have been an acquired condition that developed secondary to chronic aortic regurgitation. Another horse had a large subendocardial hematoma associated with dissection of blood from the aorta to the interventricular se...
Enhanced survival of lung granulocytes in an animal model of asthma: evidence for a role of GM-CSF activated STAT5 signalling pathway. As granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mediated delay of granulocyte apoptosis contributes to the accumulation of inflammatory cells at the site of inflammation in many diseases, we sought to determine whether asthma is also associated with a GM-CSF dependent increase in lung granulocyte survival. Moreover, because GM-CSF mediates its effects through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5), we also investigated the potential role of STAT5 in allergic inflammation. Methods: Blood granulocytes were recovered from six healthy and six heaves a...
Influence of insulin-like growth factor-I and its interaction with gonadotropins, estradiol, and fetal calf serum on in vitro maturation and parthenogenic development in equine oocytes. The effects of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and its interaction with gonadotropins, estradiol, and fetal calf serum (FCS) on in vitro maturation (IVM) of equine oocytes were investigated in this study. We also examined the role of IGF-I in the presence or absence of gonadotropins, estradiol, and FCS in parthenogenic cleavage after oocyte activation with calcium ionophore combined with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP), using cleavage rate as a measure of cytoplasmic maturation. Only equine cumulus-oocyte complexes with compact cumulus and homogenous ooplasm (n = 817) were used. In experim...
Evidence of Borna disease virus genome detection in French domestic animals and in foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Borna disease virus (BDV) is an enveloped, non-segmented negative-stranded RNA virus which belongs to the Bornaviridae family. BDV is an aetiological agent of encephalitis in horses, sheep and several other vertebrate species. In order to extend our knowledge about the presence of BDV in France, a study based on BDV RNA detection by RT-nested-PCR was done with 196 animal tissues: 171 brain samples collected from different animal species (75 horses, 59 foxes, 31 cattle, 4 dogs, 1 sheep, 1 roe deer) and 25 horse blood samples. An RNA internal standard molecule was constructed and was co-amplifie...
Characterisation of the enzymatic 4-O-acetylation of sialic acids in microsomes from equine submandibular glands. Microsomes prepared from equine submandibular glands and incubated with tritium-labelled AcCoA incorporated acid-insoluble radioactivity in a manner dependent on time, protein, membrane integrity and AcCoA concentration, with incorporation being optimal at 37 degrees C and pH 6.6. Under the experimental conditions used a K(M) of 32.1 microM for AcCoA and a V(max) of 1.2 pmol/mg protein x min was obtained. The incorporation of acid-insoluble radioactivity was also inhibited by CoA in a competitive manner (K(i)=240 microM), as well as by para-chloromercuribenzoate, 3'-dephospho-CoA, 5'-IDP, 5'-A...
Derivation and characterization of a live attenuated equine influenza vaccine virus. To develop and characterize a cold-adapted live attenuated equine-2 influenza virus effective as an intranasal vaccine. Methods: 8 ponies approximately 18 months of age. Methods: A wild-type equine-2 virus, A/Equine/Kentucky/1/91 (H3N8), was serially passaged in embryonated chicken eggs at temperatures gradually reduced in a stepwise manner from 34 C to 30 C to 28 C to 26 C. At different passages, infected allantoic fluids were tested for the ability of progeny virus to replicate in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells at 34 C and 39.5 C. Virus clones that replicated at 26 C in eggs and at 3...
Borna disease: virus-induced neurobehavioral disease pathogenesis. Studies of the pathogenesis of neurobehavioral diseases following Borna disease virus infections have been increasing rapidly over the past ten years. Recent major advances have included a report of vertical transmission of the virus in its natural host, the horse, and a report of isolation of a novel variant, No/98, in that same species. In rats infected neonatally with the Borna disease virus that lack blood-borne inflammation in the brain, evidence of an "endogenous" brain inflammatory response is abundant, with elevated expression of cytokine and chemokine mRNA. Infection in these rats is ...
Congenital hypotrichosis in a Percheron draught horse. A blue roan Percheron foal was born with poorly circumscribed patchy alopecia of the trunk and legs. Teeth and hoof development were normal. Alopecia was progressive, becoming almost complete by 1 year of age. Histopathological findings in a skin biopsy obtained at 7 months of age were consistent with severe follicular hypoplasia. Sebaceous glands, epitrichial sweat glands and arrector pilae muscles were normal. The horse is alive and otherwise well at 6 years of age, although adult stature is considered small for this breed. The clinical history and histopathological findings are most consist...
Equine nuclear scintigraphy. Indications, uses, and techniques. The demand for advanced and correlative imaging methods in equine medicine is growing. Scintigraphy can provide unique information about the physiologic status of an animal that cannot be discerned by other imaging modalities.
Dispersion of horse allergen in the ambient air, detected with sandwich ELISA. The objective was to establish an ELISA to detect horse allergen in ambient air and settled dust. Methods: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced against extracts of horse antigen. Two mAbs were selected and used in a sandwich ELISA. By the aid of portable pumps, air samples were collected in one stable and in the ambient air surrounding this stable. Furthermore, settled dust was collected by wiping spots with pieces of fabric, at sites within 500 m of the stable. Results: Extracts of horsehair could be extensively diluted and still be positive. Extracts of cat and dog allergen failed to b...
Inter-breed differences in equine forelimb kinematics at the walk. Linear, temporal and angular biokinematic characteristics of the forelimb at the walk in different breeds were determined, highlighting inter-breed differences. Twenty-three healthy stallions were used: ten Andalusians (AN), seven Arabs (AR) and six Anglo-Arabs (AA). Height at the withers was significantly different between groups (P < 0.001). Six trials per horse were recorded using a levelled video camera (sampling frame rate 25 frames/s), digitized and analysed using a semi-automatic movement analysis system. No statistically significant differences in speeds were recorded between breeds (P...
Repair of collateral ligament instability in 2 foals by using suture anchors. Instability of the collateral ligaments of the carpal or metacarpophalangeal joint occurred in 2 foals. The instability was repaired using commercial suture anchors. In foals, commercial suture anchors combined with external coaptation can be used successfully to repair collateral ligament instability of the carpus or the metacarpophalangeal joint.
A comparison of the effects of local analgesic solution in the navicular bursa of horses with lameness caused by solar toe or solar heel pain. We hypothesised that analgesia of the navicular bursa is not selective for the navicular apparatus; and that solar pain in some horses can be temporarily abolished or attenuated by analgesia of the navicular bursa. To test this hypothesis, we caused lameness in horses by inducing pain in the dorsal margin or the angles of the sole and then evaluated the ability of a local analgesic solution administered into the navicular bursa to attenuate lameness. The response of horses with solar pain in the dorsal or palmar aspect of the foot to 3.5 ml local analgesic solution administered into the navicu...
Recovery from transport and acclimatisation of competition horses in a hot humid environment. The aims of the present field-based study were to investigate changes in fit horses undergoing acclimatisation to a hot humid environment and to provide data on which to base recommendations for safe transport and acclimatisation. Six horses (age 7-12 years) were flown from Europe to Atlanta and underwent a 16 day period of acclimatisation. Exercise conditions during acclimatisation (wet bulb globe temperature index 27.6+/-0.0 [mean +/- s.e.]) were more thermally stressful compared with the European climate from which the horses had come (22.0+/-1.8, P<0.001). Following the flight, weight l...
Joint moments in the distal forelimbs of jumping horses during landing. Tendon injuries are an important problem in athletic horses and are probably caused by excessive loading of the tendons during demanding activities. As a first step towards understanding these injuries, the tendon loading was quantified during jump landings. Kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected from the leading and trailing forelimbs of 6 experienced jumping horses. Joint moments were calculated using inverse dynamic analysis. It was found that the variation of movement and loading patterns was small, both within and between horses. The peak flexor joint moments in the coffin a...
Effect of insemination time of frozen semen on incidence of uterine fluid in mares. Ninety five mares were inseminated with frozen semen either within 12 h before ovulation or within 8 h after ovulation. The effect of preovulatory versus postovulatory insemination (AI) on the subsequent detection of uterine fluid was studied. The overall pregnancy rate was 43% and this was not significantly influenced by preovulatory or postovulatory insemination. When mares were first examined 12 h after AI, 18 of 52 mares (35%) had accumulated uterine fluid. However, when mares were first examined 18 to 24 h after AI, only 6 of 43 mares (14%) had uterine fluid. Presence of intrauterine flui...
Synthetic peptide-based electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for anti-Borna disease virus p40 and p24 antibodies in rat and horse serum. Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic pathogen that infects a wide variety of vertebrates. We have developed a new electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) for the detection of antibodies to BDV, using three synthetic peptides corresponding to the amino acid residues 3-20 and 338-358 of p40 and 59-79 of p24 peptide of BDV. Using the ECLIA, we examined serum samples for the presence of anti-BDV antibodies in 20 rats (experimentally BDV-infected and uninfected) and 38 horses (13 US horses, experimentally infected and uninfected, and 25 Japanese horses, feral and domestic). The ECLIA, pe...
Management of horses showing stereotypic behaviour, owner perception and the implications for welfare. A telephone survey was conducted of 100 racing stables, 100 riding schools and 100 competition establishments (8,427 horses in total) to determine what management practices were being applied to horses showing stereotypic behaviour, and to determine the underlying reasons for them by assessing the perceptions and opinions of the people working with the horses. The results indicated that horse owners are concerned about stereotypic behaviour, first, because it reduces the performance of the animal (31, 30 and 27 per cent of the owners of racing stables, riding schools and competition establishm...
Intravenous pentoxifylline does not enhance the pulmonary haemodynamic efficacy of frusemide in strenuously exercising thoroughbred horses. The present study was carried out to examine whether pentoxifylline administration to horses premedicated with frusemide would attenuate the exercise-induced pulmonary arterial, capillary and venous hypertension to a greater extent than frusemide alone, thereby affecting the occurrence of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Using established techniques, we determined right heart and pulmonary vascular pressures in 6 healthy, sound Thoroughbred horses at rest and during exercise performed at maximal heart rate at a workload of 14 m/s on 3.5% uphill grade in the control (no medication...
