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Topic:Animal Study
Animal studies involving horses encompass a wide range of research activities aimed at understanding various aspects of equine biology, behavior, health, and management. These studies can include investigations into equine physiology, nutrition, reproduction, and disease processes. Research often involves controlled experiments or observational studies to gather data on how horses respond to different interventions, environments, or management practices. This topic includes peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore methodologies, findings, and implications of animal studies in equine science, contributing to the broader understanding of horse welfare and management.
Oral probiotic administration attenuates postexercise inflammation in horses. Probiotics are commonly incorporated into equine diets to impart health and performance benefits; however, peer-reviewed evidence supporting their efficacy in horses is limited. Interestingly, bacteria from the Bacillus genus are gaining interest for their unique ability to impact metabolic, immune, and inflammatory pathways. The objective of this trial was to evaluate a selection of Bacilli for their role in altering the inflammatory response in horses to exercise. Eighteen horses were utilized in a randomized cross-over trial. Horses were randomly assigned to one of 6 starting treatments inc...
Differences in pulmonary function measured by oscillometry between horses with mild-moderate equine asthma and healthy controls. The diagnosis of mild-moderate equine asthma (MEA) can be confirmed by airway endoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALf) cytology, and lung function evaluation by indirect pleural pressure measurement. Oscillometry is a promising pulmonary function test method, but its ability to detect subclinical airway obstruction has been questioned. Objective: To evaluate the differences in lung function measured by oscillometry between healthy and MEA-affected horses. Methods: Prospective case-control clinical study. Methods: Thirty-seven horses were divided into healthy and MEA groups, based on hist...
Transient efficacy of buparvaquone against Theileria haneyi in chronically infected horses. Theileria haneyi is one of the three known causative agents of equine piroplasmosis. While imidocarb is generally effective in the clearance of the highly pathogenic Theileria equi, it is ineffective in the treatment of T. haneyi. Moreover, co-infection with T. haneyi has been shown to impede the successful treatment of T. equi. Furthermore, tulathromycin and diclazuril have demonstrated inefficacy in eradicating T. haneyi. The absence of an effective therapeutic agent against this parasite represents a significant obstacle in managing equine piroplasmosis. Methods: To address this issue, we e...
In vivo comparative study of hemp straw exposure and cannabidiol oil administration in horse urine. The non-psychoactive cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) are available on the market in different forms, mostly for their anti-inflammatory and potential analgesic properties. These substances are prohibited during equine competitions. CBD and CBDA are naturally present in hemp straw, commonly used as a bedding substitute for wheat straw. Unfortunately, horses can eat it, which therefore could lead to a possible risk of positive findings for CBD/CBDA in biological samples after doping control tests. The goals of this study were, first, to provide recommendations on the...
Pharmacokinetics and Alterations in Glucose and Insulin Levels After a Single Dose of Canagliflozin in Healthy Icelandic Horses. Canagliflozin (CFZ) is a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor that has shown promising results as a drug for the treatment of insulin dysregulation in horses. Even though CFZ is used clinically, no pharmacokinetic data has previously been published. In this study, the pharmacokinetics of CFZ after administration of a single oral dose of 1.8 mg/kg in eight healthy Icelandic horses was examined. Additionally, the effect of treatment on glucose and insulin levels in response to a graded glucose infusion was investigated. Plasma samples for CFZ quantification were taken at 0, 0.33, 0.66, 1, ...
Lipofuscin accumulates in ganglionic neurons in chronic equine dysautonomia. Lipofuscin is a complex mixture of highly oxidized, cross-linked macromolecules that accumulates in neurons with age and some neurodegenerative diseases. Equine dysautonomia (ED) is a polyneuropathy that mainly affects autonomic and enteric nervous systems, resulting in alimentary tract dysfunction. Our main aim was to determine whether neuronal lipofuscin increased with increasing duration of ED. We investigated the prevalence of lipofuscin in cranial cervical ganglia of horses with acute (AED), subacute (SED), and chronic ED (CED), young controls (of similar age to ED cases), and aged contro...
Effects of intra-articular anesthesia of the tarsometatarsal joint on skin sensation of the distal limb in horses. To determine with mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing whether distal limb skin sensation is affected by intra-articular anesthesia of the tarsometatarsal joint (TMTJ). Unassigned: This was a prospective cohort study. Ten client-owned horses that had intra-articular TMTJ anesthesia were included in the study. The MNT was measured at 6 sites on the distal limb at 3 time points: before anesthesia (T0) and at 10 min (T10) and 30 min (T30) post-injection. Linear mixed-model analyses were done, with the significance level set at P < 0.05. Unassigned: There was an increase in MNT (P = 0.00...
Inhalational anaesthetic agent consumption within a multidisciplinary veterinary teaching hospital: an environmental audit. Inhalational anaesthetic agents are routinely used in veterinary anaesthesia practices, yet their consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. We conducted a 55-day observational study at a veterinary teaching hospital in Switzerland, monitoring isoflurane and sevoflurane consumption across small, equine and farm animal clinics and analysed the resulting environmental impact. Results revealed that in total, 9.36 L of isoflurane and 1.27 L of sevoflurane were used to anaesthetise 409 animals across 1,489 h. Consumption rates varied among species...
The Effects of Intra-Articular Triamcinolone and Autologous Protein Solution on Metabolic Parameters in Horses. Intra-articular corticosteroids are a popular treatment choice for joint-associated pain and inflammation in horses despite recent work on the metabolic effects of these drugs. The goal of this project was to compare metabolic effects between intra-articular (IA) triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and an autologous protein solution (APS). Five mixed-breed geldings (4-9 years) were utilized for this project. Three identical and consecutive 28-day treatment blocks were used, with metacarpophalangeal IA treatments consisting of equal volumes of saline, a commercially available APS, or 9 mg of TA. Regul...
Transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells in stallions. Spermatogonial stem cells originate from gonocytes and undergo self-renewal and differentiation to generate mature spermatozoa via spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubules of the testis in male mammals. Owing to the unique capacity of these cells, the spermatogonial stem cell transplantation technique, which enables the restoration of male fertility by transfer of germlines between donor and recipient males, has been developed. Thus, spermatogonial stem cell transplantation can be used as an important next-generation reproductive and breeding tool in livestock production. However, in large ...
Evaluating the IL-6 Family of Cytokines Throughout Equine Gestation. The interleukin (IL)-6 family of cytokines is grouped by a common receptor subunit (gp130), but functions in distinct but overlapping physiological activities, including regulation of acute phase reaction and the balance between effector and regulatory T cell populations-both of which play a role in successful pregnancy maturation. Methods: Here, we aim to assess the expression profiles of members of the IL-6 cytokine family throughout equine gestation. To do so, RNA Sequencing was performed on chorioallantois and endometrium of mares at 120, 180, 300, and 330 days of gestation (n = 4/stage), ...
Horses can learn to identify joy and sadness against other basic emotions from human facial expressions. Recently, horses and other domestic mammals have been shown to perceive and react to human emotional signals, with most studies focusing on joy and anger. In this study, we tested whether horses can learn to identify human joyful and sad expressions against other emotions. We used a touchscreen-based automated device that presented pairs of human portraits and distributed pellets when the horse touched the rewarded face. Six horses were trained to touch the sad face and 5 the joyful face. By the end of training, horses' performances at the group level were significantly higher than chance leve...
Use of excised ovaries for oocyte recovery by ultrasound guided follicular aspiration – Validation of an experimental model for research purposes in live mares ovum pick up. Ovum pick-up (OPU) by transvaginal ultrasound guided follicle aspiration in mares is a common assisted reproductive technique used for oocyte recovery and in vitro production of horse embryos. There has been relatively little research into the factors influencing oocyte recovery in OPU from live mares. The objective of this study was to compare oocyte recovery and morphology of ultrasound-guided follicle puncture and aspiration in live mares and in postmortem excised ovaries, in order to validate an experimental model for research purposes of the efficiency of OPU in mares. Data from OPU perfo...
Astaxanthin Supplementation Does Not Alter Training-Related Changes in Inflammatory Cytokine Profile in Arabian Racing Horses. This study aimed to evaluate the oral supplementation of astaxanthin (ATX) on inflammatory markers in 3-year-old Arabian racehorses. Despite the recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of ATX observed in vitro in rodent models and in human athletes, the effects in equine subjects remain unknown. This study involved a controlled trial with 14 horses receiving either ATX (six horses) or a placebo (eight horses), monitored over four months of race training. Inflammatory cytokines: TNFα, IFNγ, IL-6, IL-10, and prostaglandin E (PGE), were measured monthly to assess the impact of A...
Influence of climatic changes on respiratory health in a teaching herd of outdoor-housed horses. Horses maintained outdoors may experience a lower-allergenic environment compared to their stabled counterparts. This study hypothesizes that climatic changes in southern Brazil can influence respiratory status. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the lower airways of 17 horses from a teaching herd in southern Brazil, maintained outdoors, during winter, spring, and summer. Except for one mare with a history of severe asthma, all horses were considered healthy and underwent a physical examination. Airway endoscopic evaluation included scoring for tracheal mucus (0-5) and bronchial septum thic...
Fungal aerosol and particulate matter in horse stables in Poland. Horses stay in different types of stables; especially during the cold season, they stay inside for most of the day. A stable is also a place where many people spend quite a lot of time either as employees who care for and train horses or as equine enthusiasts. Keeping horses in stables causes their constant exposure to high concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and molds in the air inside these facilities. The study was conducted in Udórz Stud Farm located in the southern region of Poland. It was carried out in two different types of stables: three runners and two box stables. The study c...
Time budgets and weight shifting as indicators of pain in hospitalized horses. Pain assessment in horses presents a significant challenge due to their nonverbal nature and their tendency to conceal signs of discomfort in the presence of potential threats, including humans. Therefore, this study aimed to identify pain-associated behaviors amenable to automated AI-based detection in video recordings. Additionally, it sought to determine correlations between pain intensity and behavioral and postural parameters by analyzing factors such as time budgets, weight shifting, and unstable resting. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the development of AI-based quantitative tools f...
Methanogenic patterns in the gut microbiome are associated with survival in a population of feral horses. Gut microbiomes are widely hypothesised to influence host fitness and have been experimentally shown to affect host health and phenotypes under laboratory conditions. However, the extent to which they do so in free-living animal populations and the proximate mechanisms involved remain open questions. In this study, using long-term, individual-based life history and shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing data (2394 fecal samples from 794 individuals collected between 2013-2019), we quantify relationships between gut microbiome variation and survival in a feral population of horses under natural...
Inertial sensor data of horses from four breeds at walk and trot in hand on a straight line. Horses have been used and bred for centuries for their movements. However, specific breeds are expected to have different movement capabilities. We have measured 425 horses from four different breeds at walk and trot on a straight line using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system (EquiMoves®). This article describes how the data was collected, filtered and analysed to provide a useable dataset of 28 movement variables. It provides a full protocol for field measurements and requirements for adequate trials for analysis. Intra-class correlation coefficient estimates are also provided to asse...
Trunk kinematics and limb movement of horses walking backwards and forwards in hand and lifting a single limb. Equine physiotherapy commonly includes basic exercises such as walking backward (BW) and voluntary lifting of single limbs (SLL), but trunk movements during these have not been studied. In order to compare the trunk kinematics during BW and SLL with forward walking (FW), nine horses were measured in FW, BW and during SLL triggered by tactile cue. Kinematics were obtained from skin markers captured by ten high-speed video cameras. Trunk angles were calculated in sagittal and horizontal planes from withers, dorsal to spinous processes of the 16th thoracic vertebra (T16), 2nd and 4th sacral verte...
Natural grazing by horses and cattle promotes bird diversity in a restored European alluvial grassland. A challenge in grassland conservation is to maintain both the openness and the heterogeneity of the habitat to support the diversity of their animal communities, including birds-a taxon that is known to be sensitive to disturbance. An increasingly used management tool in European grassland conservation, especially in rewilding projects, is grazing by large herbivores such as horses and cattle. These grazers are believed to create and maintain patchy landscapes that promote diversity and richness of other species, but their influence on birds is often debated by conservationists, who raise conc...
Use of a poll-mounted accelerometer for quantification and characterisation of equine trigeminal-mediated headshaking. Equine trigeminal-mediated (TGM) headshaking (HS) is a neuropathic facial pain syndrome characterised by varying intensity and frequencies of head movements and signs of nasal irritation. An accurate method for quantification and/or characterisation of HS severity is lacking. Objective: To develop and validate an objective measure of TGMHS. Methods: Prospective case control study. Methods: Horses presenting for investigation of HS were recruited alongside those presenting for forelimb lameness (LAME) and pre-purchase examination as well as healthy controls (CONTROL). Head movement data were co...
Automated recognition of emotional states of horses from facial expressions. Animal affective computing is an emerging new field, which has so far mainly focused on pain, while other emotional states remain uncharted territories, especially in horses. This study is the first to develop AI models to automatically recognize horse emotional states from facial expressions using data collected in a controlled experiment. We explore two types of pipelines: a deep learning one which takes as input video footage, and a machine learning one which takes as input EquiFACS annotations. The former outperforms the latter, with 76% accuracy in separating between four emotional states...
Allergen-specific immunoglobulin-Es for dermatitis in the Japanese native Noma horses. Noma horses are native Japanese horses. Health checkups revealed that many Noma horses developed dermatitis during summer, which subsided in winter. Seasonal development and signs of itching, suggestive of allergic dermatitis, were observed. In this study, allergen-specific IgE was measured using blood samples collected from 15 Noma horses in summer and winter to identify allergens highly associated with dermatitis. The presence of dermatitis in the subject individuals was recorded during blood sample collection. White blood cell and eosinophil counts, serum total IgE concentration, and serum ...
Concentration of Marbofloxacin in equine subcutaneous tissue fluid after subcutaneous administration in encapsulated microparticles. Surgical-site infections (SSIs) at implant sites in horses are sometimes difficult to control with systemic antimicrobials. Because one of the likely reasons is insufficient antimicrobial concentrations, there is a need to increase these concentrations in and around the infected tissue. Marbofloxacin (MAR)-encapsulated microparticles (MAR-MPs) made of biodegradable poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid are capable of sustained release in vitro. We examined the concentration of MAR in the subcutaneous tissue fluid at sites where MAR-MPs had been administered. On day 0, six 3- × 4-cm subcutaneous pock...
Cytokines and chemokines skin gene expression in correlation with immune cells in blood and severity in equine insect bite hypersensitivity. Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is the most frequent skin allergy of horses and is highly debilitating, especially in the chronic phase. IBH is caused by IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to culicoides midge bites and an imbalanced immune response that reduces the welfare of affected horses. Unassigned: In the present study, we investigated the pathological mechanisms of IBH, aiming to understand the immune cell modulation in acute allergic skin lesions of IBH horses with the goal of finding possible biomarkers for a diagnostic approach to monitor treatment success. Unassigned: By qPC...
Polyclonal Peptide Antisera. Polyclonal antibodies are relatively easy to produce and may supplement monoclonal antibodies for some applications or even have some advantages.The choice of species for production of (peptide) antisera is based on practical considerations, including availability of immunogen (vaccine) and animals. Two major factors govern the production of antisera: the nature of adaptive immune responses, which take place over days/weeks and ethical guidelines for animal welfare.Here, simple procedures for immunization of mice, rabbits, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and chickens are presented.
Ultrasound findings in 34 newborn foals with uroperitoneum. Uroperitoneum is a typical disease of the newborn foal, which occurs rarely but regularly. Ultrasonography is considered the most important imaging method for diagnosing this disease. Thus far, only one older case series comprising 31 foals suffering from uroperitoneum has systematically listed results of ultrasound examinations. Objective: This paper presents the findings of an ultrasonographic examination of 34 foals with uroperitoneum in order to inform future interpretation of ultrasonographic data in suspected uroperitoneum cases. Methods: Ultrasonographic data of 34 neonatal foals up to ...
Detection of nonsteroidal and steroidal selective androgen receptor modulators in equine hair after oral administrations. This paper describes the detections of nonsteroidal and steroidal selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), namely, RAD140 and YK-11, in mane hair collected from horses having been orally administered with the respective drugs. SARMs are potent anabolic agents with a high potential of misuse in horseracing and equestrian sports, and the misuses of RAD140 and YK-11 in human sports have been reported. To better control the misuse of RAD140 and YK-11 in horses, two separate oral administration studies of RAD140 (0.3 mg/kg daily for 3 days) and YK-11 (0.2 mg/kg daily for 3 days) were pre...
A prospective study of the proteome of equine pre-implantation embryo. The present study was conducted to investigate the global proteome of 8-day-old equine blastocysts. Follicular dynamics of eight adult mares were monitored by ultrasonography and inseminated 24 h after the detection of a preovulatory follicle. Four expanded blastocysts were recovered, pooled, and subjected to protein extraction and mass spectrometry. Protein identification was conducted based on four database searches (PEAKS, Proteome Discoverer software, SearchGUI software, and PepExplorer). Enrichment analysis was performed using g:Profiler, Panther, and String platforms. After the elimina...
