Topic:Comparative Study
Comparative studies in equine research involve the systematic analysis of different horse breeds, management practices, or physiological responses to identify variations and similarities. These studies are instrumental in understanding how different factors influence health, performance, and behavior in horses. Common areas of comparison include genetic traits, nutritional requirements, disease resistance, and response to training. By evaluating these differences, researchers can develop targeted strategies for breeding, healthcare, and training. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that focus on the methodologies, findings, and implications of comparative studies in the context of equine science.
Evaluation of the treatment of equine glandular gastric disease with either long-acting-injectable or oral omeprazole. Equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) is common in domesticated horses and can be challenging to treat. Oral omeprazole (ORLO) is used widely but the clinical response is frequently poor. Objective: To compare rates of EGGD healing and improvement between ORLO and a long-acting injectable omeprazole preparation (LAIO). Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: The case records and gastroscopy images of horses presenting to masked for peer review over a 12-month period were reviewed, with images blindly assessed by one of the authors. Treatment responses to 4 mg/kg LAIO administered eve...
The Effects of Prostaglandin E2 Treatment on the Secretory Function of Mare Corpus Luteum Depends on the Site of Application: An in vivo Study. We examined the effect of prostaglandin (PG) E on the secretory function of equine corpus luteum (CL), according to the application site: intra-CL injection vs. an intrauterine (intra-U) administration. Moreover, the effect of intra-CL injection vs. intra-U administration of both luteotropic factors: PGE and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as a positive control, on CL function was additionally compared. Mares were assigned to the groups ( = 6 per group): (1) an intra-CL saline injection (control); (2) an intra-CL injection of PGE (5 mg/ml); (3) an intra-CL injection of hCG (1,500 IU/ml); (4...
Markers of equine placental differentiation: insights from gene expression studies. Development and the subsequent function of the fetal membranes of the equine placenta require both complex and precise regulation of gene expression. Advancements in recent years in bioinformatic techniques have allowed more extensive analyses into gene expression than ever before. This review starts by combining publically available transcriptomic data sets obtained from a range of embryonic, placental and maternal tissues, with previous knowledge of equine placental development and physiology, to gain insights into key gene families relevant to placentation in the horse. Covering the whole o...
Maternal effect on first-year growth of Hokkaido native foals kept outdoors all year round. In this study, we investigated maternal effects on the growth of Hokkaido native horses kept outdoors throughout the year. We used the data on body weight (BW), height at withers (HW), heart girth (HG), and cannon circumference (CC) of 517 foals during the first year of life to (1) examine the growth patterns by comparing six linear mixed models and (2) analyze the maternal effect on BW, HW, HG, and CC for each month by estimating variance components. The segmented polynomial third-order regression equation was selected as the best model for all the traits. The estimated proportion of variance...
Radiographic changes of the proximal third metatarsal bone do not predict presence or severity of proximal suspensory desmopathy in a predominately Quarter Horse population. Comparison of radiography to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help objectively assess the value and limitations of radiographs in orthopaedic disease processes. The tarsus and proximal suspensory origin of the metatarsus are commonly imaged regions for lameness. The knowledge gained by comparison between imaging modalities will aid in improving accuracy of radiographic interpretation. Objective: To compare the radiographic and MRI findings of the proximal third metatarsal bone (MTIII) and proximal suspensory ligament using MRI as the gold standard. Methods: Retrospective observational stud...
Assessment of thrombin generation in horses using a calibrated automated thrombogram. The amount of thrombin generated reflects the endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), which depends on the balance of pro- and anticoagulant factors. The calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) allows for the direct measurement of thrombin generation during the clotting process. Objective: (1) To describe the results of the CAT assay in horses, (2) to establish intra-assay and intra- and interindividual variation of thrombin generation in healthy horses, and (3) to compare in vitro low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) sensitivity between healthy and sick horses. The hypothesis for the last objectiv...
Parasite dynamics in untreated horses through one calendar year. Horses are host to a plethora of parasites. Knowledge of the seasonality of parasite egg shedding and transmission is important for constructing parasite control programs. However, studies describing these patterns are sparse, and have largely been conducted only in the United Kingdom. This study evaluated strongylid egg shedding patterns and transmission dynamics of Strongylus vulgaris in naturally infected and untreated mares and foals through one calendar year in Kentucky, USA. The study also investigated the existence of a peri-parturient rise (PPR) in strongylid egg counts in foaling mare...
Ex vivo biomechanical evaluation of polyester and polyblend suture techniques to perform equine laryngoplasty. To validate the use of a polyblend tape suture in equine laryngoplasty (PL). Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Thirty-two cadaveric larynges. Methods: Each larynx was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: PL with polyblend tape suture (TigerTape), without (TT) or with a cannula (TTC) in the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage, and PL with polyester suture (Ethibond), without (EB) or with a cannula (EBC). Construct stiffness, total migration, creep, and drift values were measured after 3000 cycles. The specimens were then loaded to failure to assess their residual properties: load a...
Measurement accuracy of foot conformation parameters on low-field magnetic resonance images in horses. Foot imbalance and malalignment of the digits are common in horses. Angle and distance measurements performed on bones, joints and hoof wall on radiographs provide essential guidance for precise corrective trimming and shoeing. This study aimed to investigate, if selected standing low-field magnetic resonance (MR) images can be used to accurately measure dorsopalmar and lateromedial foot conformation parameters in comparison to the radiographic gold standard. Images of 100 horses referred for standing low-field MR examination were selected. Foot conformation angles and distances were measured ...
On the Description of Equine Somatic Growth Using Nonlinear Functions. A better knowledge of the growth of horses can facilitate sounder intervention in their health control, nutrition and management. This study compared five growth functions with either diminishing returns (monomolecular and Michaelis-Menten) or asymptotic sigmoidal (Gompertz, Richards and Lopez) behavior for describing the growth curves of horses, based on the relationship between a given somatic growth trait (body weight, withers height, or body weight to withers height ratio) and age. Data used in this study were those available in the literature for quarter horse males and thoroughbred foals...
First reported case of fragile foal syndrome type 1 in the Thoroughbred caused by PLOD1 c.2032G>A. Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome Type 1 (WFFS) is an autosomal recessive disorder reported previously only in warmbloods and thought to be caused by a variant in the gene procollagen-lysine,2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 1 (PLOD1, c.2032G>A, p.Gly678Arg). Given the presentation of this Thoroughbred case, we hypothesised that a similar genetic mechanism caused this phenotype. Objective: To describe the pathological and genetic findings on a foal presenting to a veterinary practice in the UK with skin lesions similar to other Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, including those documented for warmbloods with W...
Endometrial and luteal responses to a prostaglandin F2alpha pulse: a comparison between heifers and mares†. In heifers and mares, multiple pulses of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF) are generally associated with complete luteal regression. Although PGF pulses occur before and during luteolysis, little is known about the role of minor PGF pulses during preluteolysis on subsequent luteal and endometrial PGF production that may initiate luteolysis. Heifers (n = 7/group) and mares (n = 6/group) were treated with a single minor dose of PGF (3.0 and 0.5 mg, respectively) during mid-luteal phase (12 and 10 days postovulation respectively). After treatment, a transient decrease in progesterone (P4) con...
Effect of Topically Applied 0.5% Apraclonidine Versus 0.5% Timolol Maleate on Intraocular Pressure of Healthy Horses. This study aims to assess the effect of topical 0.5% apraclonidine on Intraocular pressure (IOP) in horses and compare the effects of timolol maleate 0.5% with 0.5% apraclonidine in the equine eye. Twenty healthy female thoroughbred horses were used. Horses were divided into two groups. Ten horses received single dose of 0.2 mL of 0.5% apraclonidine in one randomly selected eye and the contralateral eye received single dose of 0.2 mL of artificial tears. In the second group, 10 horses received single dose of 0.2 mL of 0.5% timolol maleate in one eye and the opposite eye received single dose of...
Therapeutic Potential of Metabolites from Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Mare’s Milk in the Treatment of Dysbiosis. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that forms ulcerations in the mucous membrane of the colon and rectum, in which gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. Agents modulating microbial dysbiosis caused by colitis can help in the remission of this disease. The current study describes the potential therapeutic effects of active metabolites from Lactobacillus rhamnosus and mare's milk which have potential therapeutic values on the intestinal microbiota and proinflammatory cytokines. The analysis of the V1-V3 16S rDNA site revealed significant changes in the intesti...
Local embryo-mediated changes in endometrial gene expression during embryo mobility in mares. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) are involved in equine embryo mobility throughout the uterus on Days 11-15 (ovulation = Day 0). On a day (Day 12) of maximal embryo mobility in pregnant mares (n = 13) and before luteolysis in nonbred mares (n = 10), gene expressions were compared between the uterine horns that did and did not contain the mobile embryo and between pregnant and nonbred mares. A cytobrush was used to collect an endometrial sample from the middle of each uterine horn. In nonbred mares, there was no difference for any of the considered gene expressions ...
Bias Associated with Peripheral Non-Invasive Compared to Invasive Arterial Blood Pressure Monitoring in Healthy Anaesthetised and Standing Horses Using the Bionet BM7Vet. To compare arterial blood pressure (ABP) measured invasively (IBP) to ABP measured non-invasively (NIBP) via oscillometry in healthy anaesthetised and standing horses using the Bionet BM7Vet. Fourteen horses were anaesthetised for elective procedures (anaesthetised group) and 10 horses were enrolled for standing blood pressure manipulation (standing group). In both groups, IBP and NIBP-corrected to heart level were measured every 3 min using the Bionet BM7Vet. The overall mean difference (bias), standard deviation and limits of agreement (LOA) were calculated for paired IBP and NIBP systolic (...
Liposomal bupivacaine provides longer duration analgesia than bupivacaine hydrochloride in an adjustable sole-pressure model of equine lameness. To compare the efficacy and duration of action for perineural analgesia with liposomal bupivacaine (LB) versus bupivacaine hydrochloride (BHCl) in a sole-pressure induced model of forelimb lameness in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult research horses. Methods: In 1 randomly assigned forelimb, grade 3/5 lameness was induced by use of a sole-pressure lameness model. Objective lameness (vector sum [VS]) was determined with an inertial sensor system at 0, 1, 6, and 24 hours after lameness induction to evaluate the model. Mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) and objective lameness (VS and force ...
Corneal thickness and anterior chamber depth of the normal adult horse as measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy. To determine corneal thickness (CT) and axial anterior chamber depth (ACD) using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in normal adult horses. To compare corneal thickness measurements between UBM and ultrasonic pachymetry. Methods: Sixty eyes of 30 healthy adult horses aged 8-24 years. Methods: Ultrasonic pachymetry (velocity of 1640 m/s) was utilized to obtain measurements of the central, superior, temporal, inferior, and nasal cornea. Triplicate images of the same corneal locations were acquired using UBM (50 MHz). Images of the axial anterior chamber were used to measure ACD. Intraocular pres...
Successive approximation of horses to their first work on a treadmill: The effect of previous loading into a trailer. A horse learning about the entrance to narrow, cage-shaped places may be challenging both for the horses as well as for the owners. For some behaviors, such as loading into a trailer or climbing onto a treadmill, the final behavioral goal can be achieved by working towards it in stages. This study compared the successive approximation of horses to their first work on a treadmill with horses hardly ever loaded (HE L) and regularly loaded (R L) into a trailer. Fourteen horses were divided into two groups (HE L n = 7 and R L n = 7) based on their experiences of entering into a trailer. Al...
Current Use of Equine Laparoscopy in Urogenital Disorders: A Scoping Review of the Literature from 2000 to 2021. (1) Background: Laparoscopic surgery replaced traditional invasive techniques for the treatment of common urogenital disorders in equids. The aim of this review is to evaluate applications and the development of urogenital laparoscopy from 2001 to 2021. (2) Methods: A scoping review of literature was undertaken according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for scoping reviews on three databases (NCBI-PubMed, Web of Science-Thompson Reuters, and SciVerse Scopus). (3) Results: A total of 452 papers were identified. After duplicate removal...
Perinatal Stress in Immature Foals May Lead to Subclinical Adrenocortical Dysregulation in Adult Horses: Pilot Study. The persistent endocrinological effects of perinatal stress due to gestational immaturity in horses are unknown, although effects have been reported in other livestock species. This pilot study tested the hypothesis that persistent adrenocortical dysregulation is present in horses that were gestationally immature at birth by assessing the salivary cortisol response to exogenous ACTH. Case horses (n = 10) were recruited with histories of gestation length < 315 d or dysmaturity observable through neonatal signs. Positive controls (n = 7) and negative controls (n = 5) were recruited wher...
Genome-Wide Association Analyses of Osteochondrosis in Belgian Warmbloods Reveal Candidate Genes Associated With Chondrocyte Development. Osteochondrosis (OC) is an important skeletal disease causing profound welfare concerns in horses. Although numerous studies have explored the genetics underlying OC in various breeds, the Belgian Warmblood (BW) remains unstudied despite having a concerning prevalence of 32.0%. As a result, this study aimed to conduct genome-wide association (GWA) analyses to identify candidate variants associated with OC in BWs. To achieve this, blood samples and radiographs were collected from 407 Belgian Warmbloods registered to one of two BW studbooks (Belgisch Warmbloedpaard and Zangersheide), and genotyp...
Use of the SpO2/FiO2 Diagram to Assess Gas Exchange in Horses Under General Anaesthesia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the SpO/FiO diagram in estimating gas exchange in horses under general anaesthesia. In this prospective, controlled clinical study were included 10 horses under general anaesthesia. FiO was progressively reduced with the following steps: 0.6, 0.4, 0.3 and 0.21; SpO was recorded at each step. An arterial blood sample was collected at the steps of 1.0 and 0.21, to calculate intrapulmonary shunt with the Fshunt formula. The Fshunt value calculated at 0.21 FiO was defined as "Fshunt 0.21", the one calculated at 1.0 FiO as "Fshunt 1.0". The FiO ...
Incidence of superficial abdominal organ identification is similar using high-frequency linear (transrectal) and low-frequency curvilinear (abdominal) transducers in clinically healthy horses: A pilot study. Abdominal organ displacement is a potentially life-threatening condition in horses. Primary care veterinarians commonly make referral decisions based on a combination of clinical and ultrasonographic findings. However, published studies describing the effects of transducer on identifying abdominal organ locations in horses are currently lacking. The objective of this prospective, methods comparison, pilot study was to compare organ identification using a high-frequency linear (transrectal) transducer and a low-frequency curvilinear (abdominal) transducer for transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonog...
Past, present and future of ICSI in livestock species. During the past 2 decades, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has become a routine technique for clinical applications in humans. The widespread use among domestic species, however, has been limited to horses. In horses, ICSI is used to reproduce elite individuals and, as well as in humans, to mitigate or even circumvent reproductive barriers. Failures in superovulation and conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) have been the main reason for the use of this technology in horses. In pigs, ICSI has been successfully used to produce transgenic animals. A series of factors have resulted in...
Conservation of vaccine antigen sequences encoded by sequenced strains of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi. Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S equi) is the cause of Strangles, one of the most prevalent diseases of horses worldwide. Variation within the immunodominant SeM protein has been documented, but a new eight-component fusion protein vaccine, Strangvac, does not contain live S equi or SeM and conservation of the antigens it contains have not been reported. Objective: To define the diversity of the eight Strangvac antigens across a diverse S equi population. Methods: Genomic description. Methods: Antigen sequences from the genomes of 759 S equi isolates from 19 countries, recovered between 1...
A comprehensive and comparative proteomic analysis of horse serum proteins in colitis. Equine colitis is a diarrhoeal disease caused by inflammation of the large bowel and can potentially be life-threatening due to its rapid progression. Pathogenesis is multifactorial and pathophysiology is highly complicated, therefore, reliable diagnostic biomarkers are needed in the veterinary field. Objective: Serum is one of the most commonly used diagnostic tools in equine clinical investigation. To discover diagnostic or prognostic protein markers for colitis in horse serum, comprehensive and comparative proteomic analysis was conducted using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry...
Stance Phase Detection by Inertial Measurement Unit Placed on the Metacarpus of Horses Trotting on Hard and Soft Straight Lines and Circles. The development of on-board technologies has enabled the development of quantification systems to monitor equine locomotion parameters. Their relevance among others relies on their ability to determine specific locomotor events such as foot-on and heel-off events. The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of different methods for an automatic gait events detection from inertial measurement units (IMUs). IMUs were positioned on the cannon bone, hooves, and withers of seven horses trotting on hard and soft straight lines and circles. Longitudinal acceleration and angular velocity a...
Effects of Equine-Assistant Activity on Gross Motor Coordination in Children Aged 8 to 10 Years. Generally, adequate motor coordination (MC) ability is one among the critical factors for the overall development of children. In this paper, we have thoroughly analyzed the effects of equine-assistant activity (EAA) training on MC in children. For this purpose, MC test, specifically for children, was used to the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK), and a total of 100 children, particularly those in 8 to 10 age, were equally separated into equine-assistant activity group (EAAG) and control group (CG), respectively. The EAAG group has attended a 14-week EAA training program, while the CG...