Equine diseases encompass a wide range of health conditions that can affect horses, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetic conditions. These diseases can impact the overall health, performance, and well-being of horses. Common equine diseases include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, laminitis, and equine metabolic syndrome. Diagnosis and management of these diseases often require a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory testing, and appropriate treatment strategies. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment options for various equine diseases, providing valuable insights for veterinarians and researchers in the field.
Li C, White SH, Warren LK, Wohlgemuth SE.Aging is associated with decreased mitochondrial content and function in skeletal muscle, possibly due to compromised biogenesis and autophagic removal of dysfunctional mitochondria. The aim of this study was to compare markers of mitochondrial content and biogenesis and of autophagy between skeletal muscle from young and aged American Quarter Horses. Citrate synthase protein and mtDNA copy number were decreased in triceps brachii (TB) muscle (P<0.05) from aged horses, suggesting an age-related decline in mitochondrial content. Concomitantly, mRNA expression of PGC-1α and TFAM, regulators ...
Sack A, Daramragchaa U, Chuluunbaatar M, Gonchigoo B, Bazartseren B, Tsogbadrakh N, Gray GC.Horses are critically important for Mongolian herders' livelihoods, providing transportation and food products, and playing important cultural roles. Equine influenza virus (EIV) epizootics have been frequent among Mongolia's horses, with five occurring since 1970. We sought to estimate the prevalence for EIV infection among horses and Bactrian camels with influenza-like illness between national epizootics. In 2016-2017, active surveillance for EIV was periodically performed in four aimags (provinces). Nasal swabs were collected from 680 horses and 131 camels. Seven of the horse swabs were "po...
Van Cleemput J, Poelaert KCK, Laval K, Maes R, Hussey GS, Van den Broeck W, Nauwynck HJ.The respiratory epithelium of humans and animals is frequently exposed to alphaherpesviruses, originating from either external exposure or reactivation from latency. To date, the polarity of alphaherpesvirus infection in the respiratory epithelium and the role of respiratory epithelial integrity herein has not been studied. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV1), a well-known member of the alphaherpesvirus family, was used to infect equine respiratory mucosal explants and primary equine respiratory epithelial cells (EREC), grown at the air-liquid interface. EHV1 binding to and infection of mucosal e...
Hayashi S, Tanaka T, Moriishi K, Hirayama K, Yamada A, Hotta K.Non-primate hepacivirus (NPHV) is recently identified as a closely related homologue of hepatitis C virus. The previous studies showed a high prevalence of NPHV infection among Japanese domestic horses originated from abroad. The historical distribution of NPHV among horses in Japan, therefore, is still unknown. In this study, seroepidemiological study of NPHV was conducted using 335 sera from five breeds of Japanese native horses. These horses are maintained as the pedigree and are reared apart from other horse breeds. The detection of antibodies against NPHV were conducted by western blot an...
Peckle M, Pires MS, Silva CBD, Costa RLD, Vitari GLV, Senra MVX, Dias RJP, Santos HA, Massard CL.Theileria equi is one of the etiologic agents of the equine piroplasmosis. This infectious disease is transmitted by ticks and is a worldwide problem in the international horse movement. The 18S rRNA gene of T. equi is often used for genotyping and phylogenetic purpose. This study aimed to analyze the degree of the heterogeneity of the 18S rRNA gene of T. equi in horses from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The complete T. equi 18S rRNA sequences were obtained from twenty naturally infected horses. The PCR amplicons were cloned and sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses were performed using ...
Rehrl S, Schröder W, Müller C, Staszyk C, Lischer C.Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH) is a painful and progressive dental disease that mainly affects the incisors and canine teeth of aged horses. Diagnosis is based on radiographs to detect early stages of the disease. EOTRH is probably underdiagnosed and its prevalence in Germany unknown. Objective: This study was performed to determine the radiological prevalence of EOTRH in a large horse population in Berlin-Brandenburg, Germany. Methods: Prevalence study. Methods: The study population (142 horses) consisted of all horses 10 years and older that were presented...
Yang H, Xiao Y, Meng F, Sun F, Chen M, Cheng Z, Chen Y, Liu S, Chen H.Equine influenza virus is a major respiratory pathogen in horses. Although both horses and donkeys belong to the genus Equus, donkey infection with influenza viruses is rare. In March 2017, an influenza outbreak occurred in donkeys in Shandong province, China. The causative virus, A/donkey/Shandong/1/2017(H3N8), was isolated from a dead donkey. Genetic analysis indicated that the virus originated from influenza A (H3N8) clade 2 of the Florida sub-lineage that has been circulating in Asian equine populations. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of the HA gene of this causative virus w...
Kucera CR, Stranahan LW, Hughes F, Blikslager AT, Gonzalez LM.Progenitor cells play critical roles in epithelial repair following ischaemic injury. Protein biomarkers have been used to identify intestinal progenitor cell subpopulations. This study aims to determine if a critical number of intestinal progenitor cells can predict tissue viability and survival to discharge of large colon volvulus (LCV) cases. Objective: The objectives were to 1) identify intestinal progenitor cell subpopulations using biomarkers: proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), sex determining region Y box 9 (SOX9), phospho-histone H3 (PHH3) and Ki-67, 2) define cut-off values fo...
Aleman M, Finno CJ, Weich K, Penedo MCT.The carrier status of lavender foal syndrome (LFS), cerebellar abiotrophy (CA), severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and occipitoatlantoaxial malformation (OAAM1) in foals with juvenile idiopathic epilepsy (JIE) is unknown. Objective: To determine the carrier status of LFS, CA, SCID, and OAAM1 in foals with JIE. Methods: Ten foals with JIE. Methods: Archived DNA samples were tested for known genetic mutations causing LFS, CA, SCID, and OAAM1. The inclusion criteria consisted of having been diagnosed with JIE by ruling out other causes of seizures in foals and supported by electroencephalog...
Patterson-Kane JC, Karikoski NP, McGowan CM.Laminitis, one of the most debilitating conditions of all equids, is now known to be the result of several systemic disease entities. This finding, together with other recent developments in the field of laminitis research, have provoked a rethink of our clinical and research strategies for this condition. First, laminitis is now considered to be a clinical syndrome associated with systemic disease (endocrine disease, sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome, SIRS) or altered weight bearing rather than being a discrete disease entity. Next, laminitis associated with endocrine disease ...
Menozzi A, Pozzoli C, Poli E, Colla C, Placenza G, Bertini S.We investigated the effects of different selective α -adrenergic receptor (AR) agonists (detomidine, medetomidine, xylazine, and brimonidine) on the contractions of horse-isolated bronchi induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS) and by carbachol. No effects were observed on the contraction induced by carbachol, while α -AR agonists reduced EFS-evoked contractions in a concentration-related fashion. The rank order of potency (pD ) was brimonidine (7.40 ± 0.20) >medetomidine (7.09 ± 0.24) >detomidine (6.13 ± 0.55) >xylazine (4.59 ± 0.16). The maximal effects (E ) were -56.3% ...
Balasuriya UB, Carossino M.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) are the most economically important members of the family Arteriviridae. EAV and PRRSV cause reproductive and respiratory disease in equids and swine, respectively and constitute a significant economic burden to equine and swine industries around the world. Furthermore, they both cause abortion in pregnant animals and establish persistent infection in their natural hosts, which fosters viral shedding in semen leading to sexual transmission. The primary focus of this article is to provide an update on t...
Elashry MI, Baulig N, Heimann M, Bernhardt C, Wenisch S, Arnhold S.Adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) may be used to cure bone defects after osteogenic differentiation. In this study we tried to optimize osteogenic differentiation for equine ASCs using various concentrations of CaCl in comparison to the standard osteogenic protocol. ASCs were isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue from mixed breed horses. The osteogenic induction protocols were (1) the standard osteogenic medium (OM) composed of dexamethasone, ascorbic acid and β-glycerol phosphate; (2) CaCl based protocol composed of 3, 5 and 7.5mM CaCl. Differentiation and proliferatio...
Nijdam P, Elmas C, Fugazzola MC.A 1-month-old Miniature Shetland colt was presented to the Burg Müggenhausen Equine Clinic. Primary complaints were regurgitation of milk, bilateral white nasal discharge, and weakness. Physical examination, endoscopy of the esophagus, and contrast radiography led to the diagnosis of an esophageal stricture and aspiration pneumonia. Surgical treatment by means of an esophagomyotomy was performed. The foal improved only temporarily and multiple sessions of endoscopic balloon dilation of the esophagus were performed afterwards. 12 months after the final treatment the foal was healthy and had no...
Ferris RA, McCue PM, Borlee GI, Glapa KE, Martin KH, Mangalea MR, Hennet ML, Wolfe LM, Broeckling CD, Borlee BR.Bacteria in a biofilm community have increased tolerance to antimicrobial therapy. To characterize the role of biofilms in equine endometritis, six mares were inoculated with -engineered strains isolated from equine uterine infections. Following establishment of infection, the horses were euthanized and the endometrial surfaces were imaged for luminescence to localize adherent -labeled bacteria. Samples from the endometrium were collected for cytology, histopathology, carbohydrate analysis, and expression of inflammatory cytokine genes. Tissue-adherent bacteria were present in focal areas bet...
Meier AD, de Laat MA, Reiche DB, Pollitt CC, Walsh DM, McGree JM, Sillence MN.The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between laminitis development in ponies and insulin/glucose concentrations in response to the oral glucose test (OGT) and a dietary challenge high in nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs). After undergoing an OGT (1 g dextrose/kg BW in feed), 37 ponies with 2-h serum insulin concentrations ranging from 22 to 1,133 μIU/mL were subjected to a diet challenge period (DCP), consuming 12 g NSC/kg BW/d for up to 18 d. Insulin and glucose responses were measured on day 2 of the DCP. Clinical laminitis was diagnosed by blinded experts and confi...
Naskou MC, Norton NA, Copland IB, Galipeau J, Peroni JF.Platelet lysate (PL) has been extensively used for the laboratory expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in order to avoid fetal bovine serum (FBS) which has been associated with immune-mediated host reactions and transmission of bovine-origin microbial contaminants. Before suggesting the routine use of PL for MSC culture, we wanted to further investigate whether PL alone might trigger inflammatory responses when exposed to reactive white blood cells such as monocytes. Our objectives were to evaluate the inflammatory profile of equine monocytes cultured with equine PL (ePL) and to det...
Pedersen SK, Cribb AE, Read EK, French D, Banse HE.In equids, phenylbutazone at high doses induces gastric disease, primarily in the glandular portion of the stomach. However, the mechanism of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced gastric disease in horses has yet to be determined. While phenylbutazone-associated ulceration is often attributed to a decrease in basal gastric prostaglandins, this has not been demonstrated in the horse. Twelve horses were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 6; 4.4 mg/kg phenylbutazone PO in 20 ml molasses q 12 hr for 7 days) or placebo (n = 6; 20 ml molasses PO q 12 hr for 7 days) groups....
Blikslager A, Gonzalez L.The equine intestinal mucosa is intimately involved in maintaining homeostasis both on a systemic level by controlling extracellular fluid movement and at the local level to maintain barrier function. Horses are particularly susceptible to the clinical syndrome of colic, with the most severe cases involving strangulating obstruction that induces ischemia. Because of the mucosal vascular architecture, the mucosal epithelium is particularly susceptible to ischemic injury. The potential for reperfusion injury has been investigated and found to play a minimal role. However, inflammation does affec...
Morgenthaler C, Diribarne M, Capitan A, Legendre R, Saintilan R, Gilles M, Esquerré D, Juras R, Khanshour A, Schibler L, Cothran G.Curly horses present a variety of curl phenotypes that are associated with various degrees of curliness of coat, mane, tail and ear hairs. Their origin is still a matter of debate and several genetic hypotheses have been formulated to explain the diversity in phenotype, including the combination of autosomal dominant and recessive alleles. Our purpose was to map the autosomal dominant curly hair locus and identify the causal variant using genome-wide association study (GWAS) and whole-genome sequencing approaches. Results: A GWAS was performed using a Bayesian sparse linear mixed model, based ...
Tomich LM, Pieper JB, Stern AW.Dermoscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic technique that allows visualization of structures of the superficial dermis not visible with the naked eye. Objective: To assess the usefulness and applicability of dermoscopy for evaluation of healthy equine skin. Methods: Twelve healthy horses from a research herd. Methods: Five regions (cheek, lateral neck, dorsum, flank and abdomen) were examined with contact dermoscopy using both nonpolarized and polarized light at both 17-fold and 24-fold magnification. These findings were compared to histological features of skin biopsies cut both longitudinally an...
Nedland H, Wollman J, Sreenivasan C, Quast M, Singrey A, Fawcett L, Christopher-Hennings J, Nelson E, Kaushik RS, Wang D, Li F.Influenza D virus (IDV) is a newly described influenza type of the Orthomyxoviridae virus family that was first isolated from diseased swine in 2011 and has subsequently been detected in cattle around the world in 2014. In addition, serological evidence for IDV infection in humans has been recently established. Despite all the progress, the full range of susceptible hosts for this novel virus has yet to be determined, but includes swine, bovine, small ruminants and human. This study was designed to determine if equine is a possible host to this newly emerging influenza virus. Three hundred and...
Mendoza L, Franck T, Lejeune JP, Caudron I, Detilleux J, Deliège B, Serteyn D.Osteochondrosis (OC) disease appears to be multifactorial in origin, including skeletal growth rates, nutrition, endocrinological factors, exercise, biomechanics, and other environmental factors. Endocrinological and metabolic factors seem to have an important role in the pathogeny of OC like the Wnt signaling pathway. One of the regulators in the Wnt signaling pathway is the sclerostin glycoprotein. The aim of this study was to investigate the sclerostin blood concentration according to the evolution of the disease, the environment, and the age but also its use as a possible biomarker for OC ...
Singh S, Jindal AK, Pilania RK.Kawasaki disease (KD) is a medium vessel vasculitis with predilection for coronary arteries. Due to lack of a reliable confirmatory laboratory test, the diagnosis of KD is based on a constellation of clinical findings that appear in a typical temporal sequence. These diagnostic criteria have been modified from time to time and the most recent guidelines have been proposed by the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2017. However, several children may have incomplete or atypical forms of KD and the diagnosis can often be difficult, especially in infants and young children. In this review, we hav...
Qi T, Wang X.Reverse genetics is one of the most powerful tools in modern virology. Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the prototype member of the Equartevirus. In this study, a new reverse genetics system for the recovery of equine arteritis virus from a cDNA plasmid, which contains viral cDNA sequence flanked by hammerhead ribozyme (HamRz) and hepatitis delta virus ribozyme (HdvRz) sequences in both terminals of the viral genome, was developed by optimization of the promoter and terminator regions. Cellular RNA polymerase II drove the transcription of the viral genome. The results showed that the rescued vi...
Rose BV, Firth M, Morris B, Roach JM, Wathes DC, Verheyen KLP, de Mestre AM.Therapeutic practices in equine reproductive medicine have dramatically evolved over the last 20 years but current usage is not described. The aims of this study were to provide a description of medication use and clinical findings of reproductive examinations alongside measures of reproductive efficiency in thoroughbreds. A prospective cohort study was conducted in the 2013 and 2014 breeding seasons. Mare and stallion details, information on veterinary interventions and findings of reproductive ultrasound scans were collected using questionnaires and entered into a custom-designed Microsoft A...
Dong J, Bao H, Mang L.Rhinoestrus sp. (Diptera: Oestridae) is an economically important parasite that can cause severe nasal myiasis in equids and can also affect humans. The ultrastructure of all Rhinoestrus sp. larval instars from Mongolian horse was examined by light and scanning electron microscopy to characterize the features of Rhinoestrus. The structure of the anterior region, posterior region, and the spines of the third segment was analyzed for 10 specimens in each larval stage. Additionally, 34 third-instar (L3) larvae of Rhinoestrus sp. from Mongolian horse were subjected to molecular characterization by...
Lazić S, Lupulović D, Gaudaire D, Petrovic T, Lazić G, Hans A.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is responsible for infections in equids. It can spread easily within the horse population and has a major impact on the horse breeding industry. No EAV outbreak has ever been reported in Serbia. To determine whether EAV is nonetheless circulating there, especially in the Vojvodina region, 340 horse serum samples were subjected to serology testing to detect EAV antibodies. In parallel, semen samples from three seropositive stallions were collected to evaluate their EAV status, using RT-qPCR and virus isolation on cell culture. Results: Horse sera with EAV antibodies...
Jones JH, Carlson GP.The metabolic power required for sustained exercise in the horse is proportional to running speed. Moderately fast speeds require substantial energy expenditure and result in the generation of a massive metabolic heat load. Quantitative estimates of energy expenditure and heat production of horses at various running speeds were developed using empirically derived data from treadmill studies. Total metabolic power represents the sum of aerobic power indicated by the rate of oxygen consumption and net anaerobic power indicated by the rate of plasma lactate accumulation. These data were applied t...
Orr N, Hill EW, Gu J, Govindarajan P, Conroy J, van Grevenhof EM, Ducro BJ, van Arendonk JA, Knaap JH, van Weeren PR, Machugh DE, Ennis S, Brama PA.Equine osteochondrosis is a developmental joint disease that is a significant source of morbidity affecting multiple breeds of horse. The genetic variants underlying osteochondrosis susceptibility have not been established. Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide association study of osteochondrosis using 90 cases and 111 controls from a population of Dutch Warmblood horses. We report putative associations between osteochondrosis and loci on chromosome 3 (BIEC2-808543; P = 5.03 × 10(-7) ) and chromosome 10 (BIEC2-121323; P = 2.62 × 10(-7) ).
Tenbroeck C, Hurst EW, Traub E.Equine encephalomyelitis of the eastern type is a disease of the late summer and fall and cases are found in greatest numbers near salt marshes. The epidemiological findings are against its transmission by contact and favor the view that it is insect borne. Although virus can be demonstrated in the blood of infected horses it is present for a relatively short time, and the possibility that the disease is not primarily an infection of horses but that it is transmitted to them from another host is considered.
Puchalski SM.Advances in equine computed tomography have been made as a result of improvements in software and hardware and an increasing body of knowledge. Contrast media can be administered intravascularly or intrathecally. Contrast media is useful to differentiate between tissues of similar density. Equine computed tomography can be used for many different clinical conditions, including lameness diagnosis, fracture identification and characterization, preoperative planning, and characterization of skull diseases.
Mason TA, Bourke JM.The careers of many Thoroughbred racehorses
are marred or terminated prematurely by unsoundness which develop when racing as two year
olds. Common problems are sore-shins, carpitis,
splints, sesamoiditis, sesamoid fractures and
sprained joints and tendons. There appears to
be no recorded information on the incidence of
these conditions or of overall wastage in two year old Thoroughbreds but the results of personal
observations and communications with practising
veterinarians suggest that the incidence of unsoundnesses and relate these to skeletal maturity
Australia. This is probably d...
Cotchin E.Published figures from veterinary schools indicate that tumours may account for about 1 to 3 per cent of surgical cases. In this paper an account is given of clinical and pathological aspects of the tumours that are most likely to be encountered in practice, either as visibly or palpably detectable masses of tissue, or as internal tumours responsible for clinical signs. Amongst the common and important tumours dealt with, the most prominent are "equine sarcoid", squamous-cell carcinoma (of eye region and of glans penis), granulosa-cell tumours and melanomas. Well over a hundred references prov...
Nomura M, Hosaka Y, Kasashima Y, Ueda H, Takehana K, Kuwano A, Arai K.The DNA microarray analysis for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-related mRNA expression in equine superficial digital flexor tendinitis indicated that mRNA level of MMP-13 was apparently up-regulated in the tendinitis as compared to normal tendon. In situ hybridization also revealed that fibroblastic cells proliferated in the granulation tissue generated in the tendinitis actively expressed MMP-13 mRNA. On the other hand, in normal tendon, a few fibroblastic cells and vascular components lied in the endotenon barely expressed its mRNA, but other cellular components in the tendon bundle were not...
Johnston RH, Kamstra LD, Kohler PH.A CONDITION known as “foal heat” scours often develops in young foals during the mare's first estrum, which usually commences about 9 days post-partum. Various causative factors that have been suggested, although not scientifically established, include: (1) Changes in milk composition during the heat period (Henry and Morrison, 1923; Linton, 1931; Holmes and Lindquist, 1947; Doll, 1956), (2) ingestation of genital discharge (Sohnie, 1910; Udall, 1943; Siegmond, 1961), (3) ingestation of straw, feces, grass and other foreign matter (Udall, 1943) and (4) overloading of the foal's digestive t...
Ijaz A, Ducharme R.Stallion semen was diluted in five different extenders (dimitro-poulus onze (Dimitro's), Kenney's modified tryode (Kenney's), modified INRA82 (INRA82), egg yolk-citrate-taurine (Citrate) and EZ-Mixin) and evaluated for motility after cooling and storage at 5 degrees C for 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. EZ-Mixin extender was used as control while 70 and 100 mM of taurine were added to Dimitro's, Kenney's and INRA82 to study its effect under conditions of storage at 5 degrees C and varying processing modifications. Motility in INRA82 was 57.0, 58.4, 61.1, and 56.1% after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respective...
Pusterla N, Vannucci FA, Mapes SM, Nogradi N, Collier JR, Hill JA, Difrancesco M, White AM, Akana NK, Simonek G, Gebhart CJ.To determine the efficacy of an avirulent Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine in preventing proliferative enteropathy in weanling foals. Methods: 12 healthy weanling foals. Methods: Foals were randomly assigned to a vaccinated, nonvaccinated, or control group. Vaccinated foals received an avirulent porcine L intracellularis frozen-thawed vaccine intrarectally 60 and 30 days prior to experimental challenge. On day 1, vaccinated and nonvaccinated foals were challenged via nasogastric intubation with a virulent heterologous isolate of L intracellularis. Control foals were not challenged. Clinical ob...
Haussler KK.Joint mobilization and manipulation provide important diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for addressing musculoskeletal issues in veterinary medicine. Soft tissue and joint mobilization are used to assess the quality and quantity of joint range of motion and as a primary means of treating musculoskeletal disorders. Spinal manipulation was shown to be effective for reducing pain, improving flexibility, reducing muscle tone, and improving symmetry of spinal kinematics in horses. Because of potential misuse and safety issues, joint mobilization and manipulative therapies should be provided onl...
Simonsen U, Prieto D, Hernández M, Sáenz de Tejada I, García-Sacristán A.To study the influence of alpha-adrenergic stimuli on non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) neurogenic relaxation in isolated horse penile resistance arteries. Methods: Deep intracavernous penile arteries with an internal lumen diameter of 200-500 microns., isolated from the corpus cavernosum of young horses, were mounted in microvascular myographs for isometric tension recording and electrical field stimulation (EFS) of autonomic nerve terminals. Results: In the presence of guanethidine (10(-5) M) and atropine (10(-7) M) tone of the arteries was raised by the thromboxane analogue, U46619. EFS...