Topic:Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that is essential for various physiological processes in horses, including bone development, muscle function, and nerve transmission. It is a critical component of the equine diet and is involved in maintaining skeletal integrity and supporting metabolic functions. Calcium levels in horses are regulated through dietary intake, absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, and hormonal control mechanisms involving the parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. Imbalances in calcium levels can lead to health issues such as metabolic bone disease or hypocalcemia. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the metabolism, dietary requirements, and health implications of calcium in equine nutrition and physiology.
The Effect of a Seaweed-Derived Calcium Supplement on Gastric Juice pH in the Horse. Low gastric pH for extended periods of time can increase the risk of gastric ulceration in horses. Therefore, nutritional interventions that buffer stomach acid may be helpful to decrease ulcer risk. The objective of this trial was to evaluate whether the incorporation of calcified Lithothamnion corallioides and Phymatolithon calcareum (Calmin; Celtic Sea Minerals, Cork, Ireland) into an equine ration would buffer equine gastric juice. Nine mature, Thoroughbred-cross horses, including 6 geldings and 3 mares (524 ± 49 kg) were housed in stalls and fed 2 kg/day of a texturized concentrate (Pu...
Agreement of 2 electrolyte analyzers for identifying electrolyte and acid-base disorders in sick horses. Use of different analyzers to measure electrolytes in the same horse can lead to different interpretation of acid-base balance when using the simplified strong ion difference (sSID) approach. Objective: Investigate the level of agreement between 2 analyzers in determining electrolytes concentrations, sSID variables, and acid-base disorders in sick horses. Methods: One hundred twenty-four hospitalized horses. Methods: Retrospective study using paired samples. Electrolytes were measured using a Beckman Coulter AU480 Chemistry analyzer (PBMA) and a Nova Biomedical Stat Profile (WBGA), respectivel...
Purification of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from horse gluteal muscle. We have analyzed protein expression and enzyme activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-transporting ATPase (SERCA) in horse gluteal muscle. Horses exhibit a high incidence of recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis, with myosolic Ca2+ proposed, but yet to be established, as the underlying cause. To better assess Ca2+ regulatory mechanisms, we developed an improved protocol for isolating sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles from horse skeletal muscle, based on mechanical homogenization and optimized parameters for differential centrifugation. Immunoblotting identified the peak subcellular fract...
Optimal activation methods for maximizing the concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor-BB and transforming growth factor-β1 in equine platelet-rich plasma. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has been widely applied in various medical fields including humans and horses. This study aimed to establish an optimal activation method to stably and reproducibly maximize the concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) contained in equine PRP. Autologous PRP was prepared from 11 Thoroughbreds. For the activation test, PRP was activated by either a single freeze-thaw cycle (Fr) or adding calcium and autologous serum containing thrombin (Ca). PDGF-BB and TGF-β1 concentrations in Fr, Ca, nonactiv...
Serum concentrations, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling, and effects of dexamethasone on inflammatory mediators following intravenous and oral administration to exercised horses. Corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatory drugs and as such are commonly administered to performance and racehorses. The objectives of the current study were to describe blood and urine concentrations and the pharmacokinetics and effects on cortisol and inflammatory mediator concentrations, following intravenous and oral administration to 12 exercised horses. Horses received an intravenous administration of 40 mg of dexamethasone sodium phosphate and 20 mg of dexamethasone tablets with a 4 week washout in between administrations. Blood and urine samples were collected prior to and for up to...
Pharmacokinetics of magnesium and its effects on clinical variables following experimentally induced hypermagnesemia. The objectives of this study were to describe pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes as a result of a single intravenous administration of magnesium sulfate (MgSO ) to healthy horses. MgSO is a magnesium salt that has been used to calm horses in equestrian competition and is difficult to regulate because magnesium is an essential constituent of all mammals. Six healthy adult female horses were administered a single intravenous dose of MgSO at 60 mg/kg of body weight over 5 min. Blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected, and cardiovascular parameters were monitor...
Ultrasonography and Surgical Treatment of an Unusual Case of Urethral Calculus in an Arabian Horse. This case report records an obstructive urolithiasis due to a large calcium carbonate urethral stone in an 11-year-old Arabian stallion. The stallion had colicky pain, anuria, and reduction in food and water intakes. Palpation of the penis revealed rhythmic contractions of the urethra, a hard mass in the penile urethra at the level of the ischial arch, and a dilated urethra proximal to the mass. Rectal examination revealed a distended and turgid urinary bladder. Passing a urethral catheter revealed a complete urethral obstruction at the level of the ischial arch. Ultrasonography revealed a cal...
Equine saliva components during mastication, and in vivo pH changes in the oral biofilm of sound and carious tooth surfaces after sucrose exposure. The role of saliva composition and dietary sugar in development of infundibular caries in equine cheek teeth is not fully understood. This study analysed electrolyte and urea concentrations in saliva in relation to different forage and measured pH changes after sucrose application in vivo in sound and carious cheek teeth. Results: Forage type had no effect on the equine saliva electrolyte concentrations, which varied considerably both intra- and inter-individually. Chewing resulted in increased values for all electrolytes except bicarbonate. Compared with stimulated human saliva, horse saliva ...
Behavioral and Cardiopulmonary Effects of a Constant Rate Infusion of Remifentanil-Xylazine for Sedation in Horses. Xylazine and remifentanil in constant rate infusion (CRI) could be used for sedation in horses without adverse effects. The objective was to evaluate behavioral and cardiopulmonary effects of an intravenous (IV) infusion of xylazine and remifentanil for sedation in horses. Xylazine (0.8 mg/kg IV) followed after 3 minutes by a CRI of xylazine and remifentanil (0.65 mg/kg/h and 6 μg/kg/h, respectively) was administered in 10 healthy horses for 60 minutes. Sedation, ataxia, and cardiopulmonary, hematological, and blood gases variables were evaluated. Heart rate decreased significantly durin...
Calcium Electroporation of Equine Sarcoids. Sarcoids are common equine skin tumors where the risk of recurrence after treatment is high, and better treatment options are warranted. Calcium electroporation is a novel anti-cancer treatment where lethally high calcium concentrations are introduced into the cells by electroporation, a method where short high-voltage pulses induce transient permeabilization of the cell membrane. This study investigated the safety and long-term response of calcium electroporation on sarcoids. Thirty-two sarcoids in eight horses were included. The study suggested that calcium electroporation is a safe and feas...
Evaluation of the Element point-of-care blood gas analyzer for use in horses. To compare the Element point-of-care (POC) portable blood gas analyzer with a laboratory-based bench-top reference analyzer using whole blood samples obtained from horses presenting to a referral center with various disorders in order to determine agreement between these analyzers. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: The study was conducted at a university teaching hospital at moderate altitude. Methods: One hundred paired samples from 80 horses >1 year of age were collected after obtaining informed client consent. Fifty paired samples were from patients admitted for elective pro...
Furosemide administration results in a transient alteration in calcium balance in mature horses. Previous research documented that furosemide negatively impacted calcium balance for 3 days but did not determine when calcium balance returned to baseline. This study hypothesized that furosemide's impact on calcium would return to control values before 7 days post-administration. Ten mature geldings were assigned to either control (CON, n = 5) or treatment (FUR, n = 5) for the first of two 8-day total collections in crossover design. Treatment horses received one administration of furosemide (1 mg/kg, IV). A 10% sample of pooled faeces and urine from each day was kept. Calcium concent...
Enterolithiasis in horses: analysis of 15 cases treated surgically in Saudi Arabia. The equine colic, which is caused by the presence of enteroliths that are most often found in the small or large colon, is typical for certain geographical regions (dry and hot climate). A diet rich in alfalfa is one of the highest risk factors. The earliest symptoms include weight loss and repeated episodes of colic pain. To present the results of operative treatment of 15 horses with enteroliths in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Fifteen purebred Arabian horses in Saudi Arabia, aged between 2 and 18 years, were treated. Decision about the surgery was based on clinical exam, ultrasound and rectal exa...
Long-Term in Vivo Performance of Low-Temperature 3D-Printed Bioceramics in an Equine Model. Bone has great self-healing capacity, but above a certain critical size, bone defects will not heal spontaneously, requiring intervention to achieve full healing. Among the synthetic calcium phosphate (CaP) bone replacement materials, brushite (CaHPO·2HO)-based materials are of particular interest because of their degree of solubility and the related high potential to promote bone regeneration after dissolution. They can be produced tailor-made using modern three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Although this type of implant has been widely tested in vitro, there are only limited in vivo...
Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to Assess Essential and Performance-Enhancing Metals in the Urine of Racehorses. Recently, an increased tendency to use various metals has been observed in the sports competition fields. Many of these metals and their organic complexes reportedly have good pharmacologic, therapeutic and performance-enhancement uses; they are banned or recommended as controlled medications in competitive sports. The objective of this research was to determine the concentration of pharmacologically relevant metals in urine samples collected from racehorses at various sport events, develop a method and assess the concentrations of above metals using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometr...
Digestibility of diets containing calcium salts of fatty acids or soybean oil in horses. Calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFAs) frequently are fed to ruminants, but their fate in the equine digestive system is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare Enertia s/f, a proprietary CSFAs, and soybean (SB) oil with respect to impact on apparent total tract nutrient digestion and cecal fermentation parameters in horses. Eight cecally cannulated Quarter Horses were used in a crossover design in which horses consumed a diet for 32 d consisting of 1.5% body weight (BW) (as-fed) smooth bromegrass hay and 0.5% BW (as-fed) pelleted concentrate containing 4.9% CSFAs or 4.1% SB oil. Fecal...
[Retained placenta in mares – an analysis of 121 cases]. The aim of this study was to analyze data concerning history, clinical course, and prognosis of retained fetal membranes in mares. Methods: Patient records of 121 hospitalized mares with retained placenta were evaluated. In 82 cases, additional blood examinations were performed and analyzed. Results: There was no significant correlation between age, parity or course of parturition and retained placenta. Eighty-one mares (66.9 %) were presented solely with retained fetal membranes, 40 mares (33.1 %) had additional diseases at presentation, most commonly injuries of the labia, followed by perine...
Omeprazole Reduces Calcium Digestibility in Thoroughbred Horses. Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole reduce nutrient digestibility in humans. This study determined the effect of omeprazole on the digestibility of diets containing limestone or marine-derived calcium (BMC) and to assess changes in blood parameters associated with gastric acid production and calcium status in horses. Thoroughbreds were used to evaluate the digestibility of diets containing different calcium sources with or without omeprazole over four 21-day periods. Each 21-day period had a 15-day diet adaptation phase followed by a 6-day collection phase, consisting of a 5-day total fe...
Cryotolerance of Stallion Spermatozoa Relies on Aquaglyceroporins rather than Orthodox Aquaporins. Aquaporins (AQPs), a family of ubiquitous water channels divided into orthodox AQPs, aquaglyceroporins (GLPs), and superAQPs, are present in stallion spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to elucidate the functional relevance of each group of AQPs during stallion sperm cryopreservation through the use of three different inhibitors: acetazolamide (AC), phloretin (PHL) and propanediol (PDO). Sperm quality and function parameters were evaluated in the presence or absence of each inhibitor in fresh and frozen-thawed samples. In the presence of AC, different parameters were altered ( < 0.05), b...
Effects of Different Freezing Protocols on Motility, Viability, Mitochondrial Membrane Potential, Intracellular Calcium Level, and DNA Integrity of Cryopreserved Equine Epididymal Sperm. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different freezing procedures on sperm motion, viability, the acrosome status, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular calcium content, and DNA integrity on epididymal stallion sperm. Therefore, the sperm of 10 healthy stallions was harvested by retrograde flushing after testectomy, diluted with a semen extender containing defined milk proteins and a freezing extender containing egg yolk and glycerol and frozen according to 4 different protocols, using a programmable freezer and a floating rack performing a slow (processe...
Dataset concerning haematological and biochemical parameters changes in show jumping horses subjected to exercise and plasmapheresis session. This article presents data on the effect of plasmapheresis on clinical, haematological and biochemical parameters in horses following exercise and after a plasmapheresis session. This blood filtration technique was realised on six jumping horses (plasmapheresis group) that underwent three consecutive days of graded physical exercise. The control group (n = 6) went through the same exercise but was not subjected to the plasmapheresis session. Blood was sampled before and after each exercise, also at the beginning and the end of plasmapheresis session. The presented data was obtained by measur...
Influence of Long-Term Furosemide Use on Bone Mineral Content, Bone Metabolism Markers, and Water Weight Loss in Horses. Furosemide is used to reduce the incidence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in racehorses. Previous research suggests furosemide negatively impacts calcium balance, which may have long-term implications for bone health. Eleven healthy horses, either control (CON, n = 5) or treatment (FUR, n = 6), were used to test furosemide's effects on bone mineral content (BMC), bone metabolism biomarkers, and weight loss after administration. Treatment horses received IV furosemide at 1 mg⋅kg BW once weekly for seven weeks, and blood was collected before and at 24 hours after administration f...
Sperm mitochondrial regulation in motility and fertility in horses. The biological nature of age-related declines in fertility in males of any species, including stallions, has been elusive. In horses, the economic costs to the breeding industry are frequently extensive. Mitochondrial function in ejaculated sperm, which is essential for sperm motility, is reflected by adenosine triphosphate production, mitochondrial oxidative efficiency and production of reactive oxygen species, and that this balance may become compromised in ageing stallions and during the process of cryopreservation. This presentation will focus on mitochondrial integrity and function as an ...
Effect of a commercial anionic dietary supplement on urinary pH and concentrations of electrolytes and pH in blood of horses. To compare urine urinary pH, blood pH and concentration of electrolytes in blood of healthy horses fed an anionic salt supplement to achieve diets with a dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) of -40 or 0 mEq/kg DM, with horses a fed a diet with a DCAD of 85 mEq/kg DM. Eight healthy horses received each of three diets in a randomised crossover design. Diets consisted of grass hay and concentrate feed, with a varying amount of an anionic supplement to achieve a DCAD of 85 (control), 0 or -40 mEq/kg DM. They were fed for 14 days each with a washout period of 7 days between. Urine pH was m...
Plasmapheresis Effect on Hematological and Biochemical Parameters in Athletic Horses Subjected to Exercise. To evaluate the effect of plasmapheresis on clinical, hematological, and biochemical parameters after exercise, a plasmapheresis session was realized on six jumping horses (plasmapheresis group) that underwent three consecutive days of physical graded exercise. The control group (n = 6) went through the same exercise but not subjected to the plasmapheresis session. Seventeen milliliters of plasma/kg of body weight was harvested from each horse. The procedure was well tolerated by the horses. The plasmapheresis leads to a significant increase of the hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell, whit...
Aging Markers in Equine Red Blood Cells. Detection of hematopoietic activity in horses is a challenge due to the lack of cells carrying reticulocyte markers such as RNA remnants or CD71 in the circulation. In this study, we fractionated equine red cells according to their density and analyzed the cells forming low (L), medium (M), and high (H) density fractions for markers of aging such as membrane loss, oxidation, and alterations in the intracellular free Ca levels. Cells forming L and M fraction were highly heterogeneous in projected areas and shapes, and had higher propensity to swell in response to hypo-osmotic challenge than the...
Apparent Digestibility of Nutrients, Blood Parameters and Body Development of Dewormed and Not Dewormed Weanlings. Weanlings undergo rapid body development in the first year of life and, in this period, are more susceptible to helminth infection that can impair their growth. The objective of this study was to compare the apparent digestibility of nutrients, blood parameters, and body development of deworming and not deworming weanlings. Fourteen Mangalarga Marchador weanling colts, on a farm in Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, were divided into two groups: dewormed (D) and not dewormed (ND) groups. The weanlings were kept separately for 3 months in two pastures of Cynodon nlemfuensis cv. African Star Grass....
Hematochemical Patterns in Follicular Fluid and Blood Stream in Cycling Mares: A Comparative Note. The aim of this study was to verify the existence of possible cross-talk between biochemical contents of follicular fluid (FF) and systemic concentrations according to the follicular development of the metabolites: glucose (GLU), lactate (LACT), cholesterol (CHOL), triglycerides (TG), total bilirubin (T BIL), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (CREAT); enzymatic activities: gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST); electrolytes: calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), potassium (K), ...
Determination of reference intervals for equine arterial blood-gas, acid-base and electrolyte analysis. To establish reference intervals for arterial blood-gas (ABG), acid-base and electrolyte values from a healthy equine population. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: A total of 139 client-owned, systemically healthy horses, 1 year of age and older, presented for elective surgical procedures. Methods: Blood samples were collected anaerobically from the transverse facial or common carotid artery of horses breathing room air, prior to administration of preanaesthetic medication. Samples were analysed immediately, without correction for body temperature, using an automated bench-top an...
Comparison of Foaling Prediction Technologies in Periparturient Standardbred Mares. The ability to predict impending foaling is invaluable, as attending foaling improves mare and foal outcome during parturition; therefore, a comparison of foaling prediction technologies is warranted. The purpose of this study was to compare technologies to predict foaling. Forty Standardbred mares were monitored daily for parturition. Prefoaling mammary secretion was collected daily and evaluated using a: calcium titration method (Ca titration), calcium and magnesium strip (Ca and Mg), handheld digital pH device (pH digital), pH strip, and refractometer (Brix). In addition, a birth monitoring...