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.
Prekallikrein deficiency in a family of miniature horses. Two sibling miniature horses, a male and a female, had a normal 1-stage prothrombin time and a prolonged activated-partial thromboplastin time (APTT). The addition of as little as 5% of a normal equine plasma pool to the plasma samples of both horses shortened their prolonged APTT to within normal limits. Coagulation factor analysis revealed deficiencies in factor XII (12 and 13 U/dl, control population 77 to 128 U/dl), when determined with a feline factor XII-deficient plasma substrate, but normal concentrations (119 and 96 U/dl) when a human factor XII-deficient plasma substrate was used. De...
Effect of meal schedules and fasting on selected plasma free amino acids in horses. The effects of meal frequency and fasting on selected plasma free amino acids (PFAA) was studied in horses. Six 22-mo-old Quarter Horses were used in a replicated 3 X 3 Latin-square design in which each horse received one meal per day (1M), two meals per day (2M) or six meals per day (6M) for 2 wk. A complete pelleted ration was fed at a rate of 1.75% of body weight daily. The consumption of a meal by the horses fed 1M and 2M daily was followed by an increase (P less than .05) in plasma methionine. The highest levels were observed at 5 h and 3 h in the 1M and 2M treatments, respectively. The h...
Equine laryngeal hemiplegia. Part I. A light microscopic study of peripheral nerves. This light microscopic investigation of 15 Thoroughbred horses provided substantial evidence for the classification of equine laryngeal hemiplegia as a distal axonopathy. Morphologic and morphometric examinations were performed on resin embedded recurrent laryngeal nerves from control, subclinical and clinical laryngeal hemiplegic animals. In the latter group of animals some distal hindlimb nerves were also examined. A distally graded loss of myelinated fibres selectively affecting those of large diameter was demonstrated in both left and right recurrent laryngeal nerves. Morphologic evidence ...
Herniation of the abdominal wall in pregnant mares. Abdominal wall hernia was detected in 4 pregnant mares. Antemortem diagnosis of the specific abdominal wall lesion was difficult. Ventral deviation of the abdomen, associated abdominal wall edema, and pain indicated rupture of the prepubic tendon. Three mares examined at necropsy did not have a rupture of the prepubic tendon but did have herniation of the abdominal wall. Abdominal pain was severe and was compounded by incarceration or entrapment of viscus.
Change in triceps muscle intracompartmental pressure with repositioning and padding of the lowermost thoracic limb of the horse. Triceps intracompartmental pressure was measured in the lowermost limb of the recumbent horse during the initial period of recumbency during elective surgical procedures in 11 horses. Intramuscular pressure, using an IM catheter, was measured with the thoracic limbs in 4 different positions, including (I) table-contact limb unadvanced-unsupported free limb, (II) table-contact limb unadvanced-supported free limb, (III) table-contact limb advanced cranially, unsupported free limb, and (IV) table-contact limb advanced cranially, supported free limb. Pressure was measured in the 4 positions with a...
Career profile of the Canadian Standardbred. III. Influence of temporary absence from racing and season. The objective of the study was to examine the career profile of the average racehorse in order to establish normal values for performance. Records of race performance for a population of 762 horses randomly selected from the 1972 registrations of the Canadian Standardbred Horse Society were summarized and the pattern of racing by year and month from 1974 to 1983 inclusive recorded. Results were analyzed to determine the influence of sex, gait, age, and year of first race (starting year). The transformation log (1 + X) was used to achieve normality where necessary. Of the 762 horses, 507 raced,...
Arterial vs. rectal temperature in ponies: rest, exercise, CO2 inhalation, and thermal stresses. We assessed in ponies the adequacy of using rectal (Tre) rather than arterial temperature (Tar) under conditions common to ventilatory control experiments, i.e., CO2 breathing, thermal stress, and particularly exercise. We were interested in whether, and to what extent, Tar-Tre differences could lead to errors in arterial blood gas corrections. At control environmental temperatures (Ta) of 5 degrees C in the winter and 21 degrees C in the summer, Tar and Tre (37.1 degrees C) did not differ (P greater than 0.05). Elevating winter or summer Ta by 10-18 degrees C for 2-days or lowering summer Ta ...
Recovery and evaluation of embryos from normal and infertile mares. To evaluate embryo transfer as a possible method to circumvent infertility in mares, embryos from 14 normal and 14 infertile mares were collected three times and examined. Fewer flushes (p less than 0.05) from normal than infertile mares (1/42 vs 9/42) contained only abnormal embryos whereas more flushes (p less than 0.05) from normal than infertile mares contained one or more normal embryos (28/42 vs 8/42). More flushes (p less than 0.05) from normal than infertile mares contained embryos (29/42 vs 17/42). The embryo diameters (mm) at either day-7 or day-8 post ovulation were greater (p less ...
Echinococcus granulosus of equine origin from different countries possess uniform morphological characteristics. Echinococcus granulosus of equine origin from different countries possess uniform morphological characteristics. International Journal for Parasitology16: 529–540. Detailed comparative studies on isolates of larval and adult Echinococcus granulosus of equine origin from England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, South Africa and New Zealand demonstrated the morphological uniformity of the equine parasite. The morphological features of the equine strain of E. granulosus were fully characterized and it was found that on the basis of morphology alone, this strain could be differentiated ...
Quantitative buffy coat analysis of blood collected from dogs, cats, and horses. Using quantitative buffy coat analysis (QBCA), rapid and accurate measurements can be made of the erythrocyte PCV, total WBC count, and platelet count, and the leukocyte population can be differentiated into total granulocytes (including quantitation of eosinophils), and lymphocytes and monocytes. The QBCA is performed by placing a blood sample (50 to 111 microliters) into a high-precision-bore microhematocrit tube that contains a freely moving, closely fitting, cylindrical plastic float. After centrifugation for 5 minutes, the buffy coat components separate by density. The plastic cylinder fl...
Preliminary study of tendon biopsy in the horse. A series of experimental tendon biopsies is described. Three biopsies were taken from the lateral digital extensor tendon (LDET) and three from the superficial flexor tendon (SFT). The LDET biopsies resulted in little discomfort whereas the SFT biopsies led to temporary lameness. The tendons were examined histologically up to 99 days after the biopsies were removed. In all of the tendons the defect filled with granulation tissue which subsequently became organised as a longitudinally orientated collagenous scar tissue. In this small series of biopsies the histological effects of the biopsy per...
Detomidine: a new sedative for horses. Detomidine, given intravenously at doses of 5 to 30 (mean 13) micrograms/kg bodyweight (bwt), provided adequate sedation for a variety of clinical procedures in 93 per cent of administrations, and improved the ease of handling in the remaining animals. Side effects of ataxia and bradycardia were minimal at the lower dose rates. Higher doses were required for intramuscular use. In experimental trials 10 and 20 micrograms/kg bwt resulted in deep sedation and also significant hypertension and bradycardia of over 15 mins duration. Current literature on the use of detomidine in horses is reviewed.
Development of a homologous equine relaxin radioimmunoassay. Equine relaxin (eRlx) immunoactivity has previously been measured in the mare during pregnancy using the porcine relaxin (pRlx) RIA (pRlx-RIA). This was not the optimal system for measurement of eRlx because the dose-response curve obtained with equine plasma was not parallel to the pRlx standard curve. A homologous eRlx-RIA has been developed and used to measure relaxin immunoactivity during pregnancy and parturition in the mare. Highly purified eRlx was used for the generation of antiserum in rabbits, preparation of tracer, and as assay standards. A double antibody eRlx RIA (eRlx-RIA) was de...
Equine energetics. I. Relationship between body weight and energy requirements in horses. Energy balance studies using indirect calorimetry were conducted with four mature equids ranging in weight from 125 to 856 kg. Each animal was fed three different levels of intake of the same diet. The amounts of digestible and metabolizable energy required for zero energy balance were determined by calculating regression equations for energy balance against energy intake. It was concluded that the maintenance requirements of equids vary linearly with body weight. No advantage was found for the use of weight for the comparison of equids within the range studied. The digestible energy (DE) requ...
Fracture toughness design in horse hoof keratin. An engineering fracture mechanics approach was applied to the analysis of the fracture resistance of equine hoof-wall. The relationship between fracture toughness and the morphological organization of the keratin hoof tissue was investigated. Fracture toughness was evaluated using the J-integral analysis method which employs the compact tension test geometry. Tensile tests were also conducted to evaluate the effect of the morphological organization on the stress-strain behaviour. Hoof-wall has greatest fracture resistance for cracks running proximally, parallel to the tubular component of the ...
Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XX. Arthropod parasites of the Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra). The arthropod parasite burdens of 14 Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra), shot for survey purposes in the Mountain Zebra National Park in the eastern Cape Province, were determined. Three species of Gasterophilus larvae and 9 ixodid tick species were recovered. Larvae of Gasterophilus pecorum were the most numerous of the fly larvae recovered and Margaropus winthemi was the most abundant tick. Two horses examined in the park were infested with 3 species of Gasterophilus larvae and 7 species of ixodid ticks.
Preliminary characterisation of torovirus-like particles of humans: comparison with Berne virus of horses and Breda virus of calves. Pleomorphic virus-like particles have been observed by electron microscopy in the faeces of children and adults with diarrhoea. Some of these particles were approximately 100 nm in diameter and had a "fringe" of closely applied peplomers approximately 10 nm long; they closely resembled Berne virus of horses and Breda virus of calves, the two representatives of a newly proposed family called the Toroviridae. In one sample a toroidal nucleoprotein-like structure was observed within the particles. For two samples a buoyant density of 1.14 g/ml was determined by centrifugation through a sucrose de...
Active immunization of intact mares against gonadotropin-releasing hormone: differential effects on secretion of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Five lighthorse mares were actively immunized against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) to determine the relative importance of this hypothalamic hormone in the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Five mares immunized against the conjugation protein served as controls. Mares were initially immunized in November and received secondary immunizations 4 wk later, and then at 6-wk intervals until ovariectomy in June. All mares immunized against GnRH exhibited an increase (p less than 0.01) in the binding of tritiated GnRH by plasma, an indication that a...
Fractures of the distal phalanx of the forelimb in eight foals. Fractures of the distal phalanx of the forelimb were diagnosed in 5 colts and 3 fillies ranging in age from 2 weeks to 5 1/2 months at the time of fracture. Three fractures entered the distal interphalangeal joint and 6 fractures (one foal had bilateral fractures) were nonarticular. All foals with articular fractures became sound with conservative treatment. Four of 5 foals with nonarticular fractures became sound with conservative treatment and 1 foal developed separation of the hoof at the coronary band after application of acrylic around the hoof. On the basis of our observations in these f...
Stringhalt in horses: a distal axonopathy. A detailed investigation of the neuropathology of a horse affected with stringhalt was performed. Qualitative and quantitative light and electron microscopy, and single teased fibre preparations of peripheral nerve demonstrated predominantly axonal degeneration, the stage of which was appropriate for the duration of clinical signs. There was selective involvement of large myelinated nerve fibres. A proximal to distal increase in the severity of pathological changes was present in the peripheral nerves. The long left recurrent laryngeal nerve was the most severely affected, followed in order by...
