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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.
Genetic studies of neuraxonal dystrophy in the Morgan. A naturally occurring disease condition, neuraxonal dystrophy, was identified in 27 male and 15 female Morgans, many of which were closely related. Five-generation pedigrees were constructed for 33 of these horses and were compared with those for 29 randomly selected age- and sex-matched Morgans. Their mean coefficient of inbreeding was not statistically different (P greater than 0.1, 1 tailed t test; P less than 0.001, median test). Breeding of 2 severely affected and 2 normal stallions to 2 severely affected, 3 mildly affected, and 6 normal mares produced 10 mildly affected, 8 suspect affect...
Relationship of age and season and consumption of Senecio vulgaris to LH/hCG receptors in the stallion testis. Testes were obtained from 70 colts and stallions and were pooled according to age (4 months to 23 years) to determine the relationship of age to LH/hCG receptor kinetics. The receptor concentration (Rt) increased from 0.069 x 10(-11) M/mg crude membrane fraction (CMF) for the 4-14-month pools to 0.464 x 10(-11) M for the 2-3-year-old pools. A 10-fold increase in testicular size also occurred, and so the total number of receptors per testis was significantly increased. A further increase to 1.237 x 10(-11) M/mg CMF was observed for stallions older than 5 years. No differences in binding affinit...
Dietary molybdenum as a putative copper antagonist in the horse. Four horses were stabled and fed a diet of hay ad libitum, and 2 kg oats per animal per day, for a month. The basic diet was then supplemented with molybdenum, at a rate of 20 mg/kg dry matter for 4.5 months. For one month of this period the diet was supplemented also with sulphur at a rate of 1.2 g/kg dry matter. Analyses of jugular blood samples, obtained at intervals varying between two and 20 days, showed no evidence of a decline in total plasma copper or of an increased proportion of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) insoluble copper in plasma over this period. In separate studies, two other hor...
The effects of ammonium sulfate and acid on horse and human serum butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8). 1. Results of laboratory experiments which compared horse and human serum butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) with respect to their acid inactivation and ammonium sulfate protection show: 2. Horse serum butyrylcholinesterase is more resistant to inactivation at pH 3.0 than human serum butyrylcholinesterase. 3. The loss of activity at pH 3.0 for both horse and human butyrylcholinesterase does not follow first order kinetics. 4. Both human and horse serum butyrylcholinesterase are protected from pH 3.0 inactivation by ammonium sulfate concentrations up to 33% saturation (1.37 M).
Cardiovascular and respiratory measurements in awake and isoflurane-anesthetized horses. Circulatory and respiratory function was monitored in nonmedicated, spontaneously breathing horses (n = 7) immediately before, during, and 1 hour after 85 +/- 4.1 (X +/- SEM) minutes of constant 1.57% isoflurane in O2 anesthesia. Comparison of values during anesthesia with those obtained while horses were awake revealed a significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in arterial blood pressure that was related to a slight, but insignificant, decrease in cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance. Although isoflurane anesthesia and recumbency resulted in a significant (P less than 0.05) decrea...
[The morphology and innervation of the levator muscles of the ribs in the dog, cat, horse, and pig]. In the anatomical literature there are inconsistencies in the description of the levatores costarum muscles in man and in the domestic animals, and their innervation either by the dorsal or the ventral branches of the thoracic nerves. Therefore we studied the form, structure and, with the aid of the dissecting microscope, the innervation of these muscles in 7 dogs, 8 cats, 5 horses and 12 pigs. In the dog, cat and horse, mm. levatores costarum are present from the second to the last rib. In the pig, these muscles are present from the second to the 15th rib, even in individuals with 16 pairs of...
Patterns of oxytocin secretion during the oestrous cycle of the mare. From a group of 11 cyclic mares, blood samples were collected at 3-min intervals for 2 h and at 15-min intervals for an additional 6 h during four stages of the oestrous cycle. Mean plasma oxytocin concentrations (pg/ml, LSM +/- se) were greater on Day 15 after ovulation (169.9 +/- 17.6) than on Day 0 (82.6 +/- 17.6; P less than 0.01), Day 3 (97.2 +/- 20.4, P less than 0.01) and Day 7 after ovulation (104.0 +/- 25.0, P less than 0.05). Oxytocin was secreted in a pulsatile manner throughout the oestrous cycle, with short (0-29 min), medium (30-89 min) and long (greater than 90 min) duration rhy...
[Histogenesis of granulation tissue in wound healing by second intention in horses and cattle]. An experiment in comparative developmental aspect was carried out with 5 horses and 5 cattle having a total of 60 skin and muscular wounds. Light microscopic studies on hematoxylin-eosin stained preparations revealed that the dystrophic changes in the underlying tissues were more strongly manifested in horses. This had to be taken into consideration in the surgical treatment of wounds with this animal species. The basic differences comprised the better manifested leukocytic reaction in horses and the more strongly expressed processes of growth and differentiation on the part of the connective ...
Effect of pulsatile gonadotrophin release on mean serum LH and FSH in peri-parturient mares. Changes in the pattern of LH and FSH in serum were studied in 6 mares foaling during the summer. Samples were collected frequently (every 15 min) for 24 h twice before foaling, -33 +/- 2 and -12 +/- 2 days, and for 12 h after foaling, on Day 0 and Day 4. Simultaneous pulses of FSH and LH were observed before foaling (r2 = 0.99). Before foaling, gonadotrophin pulses were infrequent (6 in 264 h of observation). On the day of foaling, LH and FSH pulse frequency increased (P less than 0.005) with 2-4 pulses per mare. The amplitudes of pulses of LH and FSH were higher before parturition than for th...
Equine half sibs with an unbalanced X;15 translocation or trisomy 28. Two unrelated chromosome abnormalities were found in equine half sibs. The proposita, Case 1, which was short in stature and infertile, had a de novo unbalanced X;15 translocation involving loss of Xp. Replication studies indicated that the translocated X was preferentially late replicating and that this late replication spread variably into the autosomal segment. Case 2, a half brother of the proposita, was short in stature, had cryptorchidism, and was trisomic for chromosome 28. Cytogenetic analysis of the dam, the sire of Case 1, and two other phenotypically normal half sibs revealed normal...
Reproductive patterns in cyclic and pregnant thyroidectomized mares. Three Quarter-horse mares were thyroidectomized at about 1.5 years of age. Three similar intact mares served as controls. The study continued through two breeding seasons. The thyroidectomized mares were lethargic, rear limbs were oedematous and hair coats were coarse. They displayed a tranquil oestrous behaviour when exposed to a stallion and were only mildly antagonistic when not in oestrus. Length of oestrous cycles varied but most often they were 19-24 days long. Duration of oestrus (mean +/- s.e.m.) for the control and thyroidectomized mares was 12.9 +/- 2.9 and 11.7 +/- 2.2 days respecti...
Laterality in the gallop gait of horses. Bilateral asymmetry in gallop stride limb contact patterns of four Quarter Horse fillies was documented by high-speed cinematography. Horses were filmed with rider by two cameras simultaneously while galloping along a straightaway. Even though signaled for each gallop lead an equivalent number of times, horses frequently switched leads, selecting the left lead nearly twice as often as the right. Velocities and stride lengths were greater for the left lead than the right, but stride frequencies did not differ between leads. Velocity effects were partitioned out in limb contact data analysis to ...
Alimentary lymphomas in the horse. A series of 9 cases of primary diffuse alimentary lymphoma of the equine small intestine is described. Clinically, the principal effects were attributable to malabsorption and disordered alimentary function and several cases had severe anaemia; in four this was of the haemolytic type. Hypoalbuminaemia and elevated gamma globulin levels were often present. The neoplasms were confined mainly to the small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes, sometimes with some involvement of other lymph nodes as well. The large bowel was affected in one horse, but none of the cases showed detectable invasion of...
Horse plasma ceruloplasmin molecular weight and subunit analysis. Ceruloplasmin is a blue copper-containing serum glycoprotein with oxidase activity. It as been proposed that the physiological function of ceruloplasmin involves the oxidation of ferrous iron and its incorporation into apotransferrin. There are several reports demonstrating that ceruloplasmin is made up of multiple chains. Ryden has questioned the multichain structure of ceruloplasmin from human, pig, horse and rabbit sera, arguing that the dissociation observed by previous workers could be attributed to cleavage of labile bands in the protein by enzymatic contaminants present in commercial pr...
Reproductive characteristics of spontaneous single and double ovulating mares and superovulated mares. For embryos collected from mares 7 days after ovulation, embryo recovery for single-ovulating mares was 53% compared to 106% for double-ovulating mares. Pregnancy rates 50 days after surgical transfer were 68 and 129%, respectively. Concentrations of LH were similar during the periovulatory period for cycles which included single or double ovulations. Horse pituitary extract given for 5.5 days resulted in greater than or equal to 2 ovulations (mean 3.8) in 26 of 28 mares and 2.0 embryos were recovered per donor compared to 0.65 for controls. Non-surgical pregnancy rates for embryos collected f...
The optics of comparative ophthalmoscopy. One factor peculiar to the practice of comparative ophthalmoscopy is the very large variation in ocular size of the animals examined, a factor which is ignored in current textbook treatments of the subject. We have computed values of lateral magnification, axial magnification, angular field of view and linear field of view for 19 species of terrestrial vertebrates. The dimensional value of a 1 diopter change in direct ophthalmoscopic focus was also determined. The anterior focal length of the eye in air and the vitreal refractive index were the intrinsic optical parameters of the animal's eye ...
Surgical management of chronic laminitis in horses: 13 cases (1983-1985). Thirteen horses with chronic refractory laminitis were evaluated and treated. In each horse, deep digital flexor tenotomy was performed on all affected limbs at the level of the midpastern. Five horses returned to limited athletic endeavors, 6 horses improved and were comfortable on pasture, 1 horse improved clinically, but was euthanatized for economic reasons, and 1 horse improved, but deteriorated 9 months after surgery and was euthanatized. Results of this study indicated that deep digital flexor tenotomy at the level of the midpastern can be used effectively as a salvage procedure in hors...
[Avulsion fracture of the tendon of origin of the long extensor muscle of the toe in a horse and a cat]. An avulsion fracture of the tendon of origin of the extensor digitorum longus muscle is reported in a horse and a cat. This avulsion fracture was due to injury in both animals. There was a striking similarity of radiographic findings in these animals, with involvement of the lateral trochlear ridge and lateral condyle of the femur. The horse was slaughtered because of a poor prognosis as a riding-horse. Fixation of the avulsed fragment with two Kirschner wires resulted in complete recovery in the cat.
Progesterone therapy in mares with abnormal oestrous cycles. In two studies in Holland and France a total of 41 mares found either to be in anoestrus or showing continuous oestrous behaviour during the early part of the covering season were treated with a progesterone releasing intravaginal device. Of the 32 mares in the first study, 24 ovulated after treatment and 11 became pregnant to a covering at the induced oestrus. In the second study all but one of the nine mares showed oestrus, seven ovulated and six became pregnant at the post treatment oestrus. By the end of the covering season 15 of the 21 mares treated for anoestrus and seven of the 11 mares...
Erythrocyte agglutination associated with heparin treatment in three horses. In vitro erythrocyte agglutination developed in 3 hospitalized horses receiving heparin treatment. The agglutination caused artifactual decreases in erythrocyte counts and increases in mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values. Treatment of cell suspensions with trypsin eliminated the agglutination and the changes in erythrocyte count and MCV. Similar abnormalities in erythrocyte counts and MCV have been reported in healthy horses treated with heparin and have been cited as evidence of hemolysis and regenerative anemia.
Identification of uroliths by infrared spectroscopy. Wet chemical tests have deficiencies when applied to mixtures containing silica, which are common in the uroliths of some domestic animals. Consequently, the applicability of an infrared spectroscopic method was tested on 104 uroliths obtained from cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs, a chicken and a rabbit during diagnostic investigations. The following components were satisfactorily identified: silica, calcium oxalate, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, magnesium ammonium phosphate, magnesium phosphate and urates. The infrared characteristics of these compounds and their mixtures are...
Aggressive behavior problems. Accurate diagnosis of the cause of aggression in horses is essential to determining the appropriate course of action. The affective forms of aggression include fear-induced, pain-induced, intermale, dominance, protective, maternal, learned, and redirected aggressions. Non-affective aggression includes play and sex-related forms. Irritable aggression and hypertestosteronism in mares are medical problems, whereas genetic factors, brain dysfunction, and self-mutilation are also concerns.
Software for analysis of equine ground reaction force data. Software for analysis of force plate recordings of the horse at normal walk is described. The data of a number of stance phases are averaged to obtain a representative tracing of that horse. The amplitudes of a number of characteristic peaks in the force-time curves are used to compare left and right front limbs and left and right hind limbs. The averaged tracings are plotted, default on the line printer or, via separate program, on a high quality pen plotter. A version of the program applicable for analysis of human force plate recordings, is available.
Maternal behavior. Parturition in mares is rapid and is followed by a brief period of sensitivity to imprinting on a foal. There is large individual variation in normal maternal style, but normal mothers actively defend their foal, remain near the foal when it is sleeping, tolerate or assist nursing, and do not injure their own foal. Disturbance of a mare and foal during the early imprinting period can predispose a mare to rejection of her foal; therefore, it should be avoided. There are a variety of forms of foal rejection and numerous etiologies. Therefore, each case should be evaluated individually.
Principles of learning. This article discusses some general principles of learning as well as possible constraints and how such principles can apply to horses. A brief review is presented of experiments that were designed to assess learning in horses. The use of behavior modification techniques to treat behavior problems in horses is discussed and several examples of the use of these techniques are provided.
Rest behavior. Behavioral and physiologic characteristics of sleep are described, with special attention paid to equids. Temporal organization of sleep and environmental influences upon this behavior in horses are reviewed. Anatomic and biochemical bases and function of sleep are discussed briefly.
