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Topic:Equine Diseases
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.
The anti-inflammatory effect of exogenous lactoferrin on breeding-induced endometritis when administered post-breeding in susceptible mares. The deposition of semen into the uterus of the horse induces a transient innate immune response that lasts 24-36 h in the normal mare. There exists a subset of mares that are unable to resolve this inflammation in a timely manner, and are classified as susceptible to the disease of persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE). Lactoferrin is a protein of interest as a potential therapeutic for this persistent inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties. The addition of human recombinant lactoferrin (hrLF) to the insemination dose was previously shown to suppress ...
Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in healthy equine superficial digital flexor tendon: A study of the local inflammatory response. The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is a structure frequently affected by injuries in high-performance athletic horses, and there are limited therapeutic options. Regenerative medicine has evolved significantly in treating different illnesses. However, understanding the cellular behaviour during mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation in healthy tissues is not fully known yet. To address the inflammatory response induced by allogeneic MSC transplantation, this study evaluated the local inflammatory response after the application of allogeneic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal ste...
Risk factors for race-day fatality in flat racing Thoroughbreds in Great Britain (2000 to 2013). A key focus of the racing industry is to reduce the number of race-day events where horses die suddenly or are euthanased due to catastrophic injury. The objective of this study was therefore to determine risk factors for race-day fatalities in Thoroughbred racehorses, using a cohort of all horses participating in flat racing in Great Britain between 2000 and 2013. Horse-, race- and course-level data were collected and combined with all race-day fatalities, recorded by racecourse veterinarians in a central database. Associations between exposure variables and fatality were assessed using logis...
Prevalence of twin foaling and blood chimaerism in purebred Spanish horses. Twin foaling is associated with chimaerism in several domestic species and is recognised in horses. In this study, 21,097 purebred Spanish (Pura Raza Español) horse births from the 2015 to 2016 breeding season were investigated for chimaerism. Twin foaled and chimaeric individuals were assessed on the basis of foaling records, short-tandem repeat (STR) parentage test results and a sex-linked STR-based technique. Fourteen twin pregnancies with 23 twin foals born alive were identified (0.066% twin foaling prevalence), including five blood chimaeric cases (21.7%; overall prevalence 0.011%), sugg...
Endemic, exotic and novel apicomplexan parasites detected during a national study of ticks from companion animals in Australia. Apicomplexan tick-borne pathogens that cause disease in companion animals include species of Babesia Starcovici, 1893, Cytauxzoon Neitz & Thomas, 1948, Hepatozoon Miller, 1908 and Theileria Bettencourt, Franca & Borges, 1907. The only apicomplexan tick-borne disease of companion animals that is known to occur in Australia is babesiosis, caused by Babesia canis vogeli Reichenow, 1937 and Babesia gibsoni Patton, 1910. However, no molecular investigations have widely investigated members of Apicomplexa Levine, 1980 in Australian ticks that parasitise dogs, cats or horses, until this prese...
Effects of stanozolol on normal and IL-1β-stimulated equine chondrocytes in vitro. Intra-articular administration of stanozolol has shown promising results by improving the clinical management of lameness associated with naturally-occurring osteoarthritis (OA) in horses, and by decreasing osteophyte formation and subchondral bone reaction in sheep following surgically induced OA. However, there is limited evidence on the anti-inflammatory and modulatory properties of stanozolol on articular tissues. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of stanozolol on chondrocyte viability and gene expression in normal equine chondrocytes and an inflammatory in vit...
Measurement variability of right atrial and ventricular monophasic action potential and refractory period measurements in the standing non-sedated horse. In human and veterinary medicine, monophasic action potential (MAP) analysis and determination of local refractory periods by contact electrode technique gives valuable information about local cardiac electrophysiological properties. It is used to investigate dysrhythmias and the impact of drugs on the myocardium. Precise measurement of total MAP duration is difficult, therefore the MAP duration is usually determined at a repolarization level of 90% (APD90). Until now, no studies are published about the feasibility of this technique in the standing non-sedated horse. In 6 healthy Warmblood hor...
Concepts and challenges in the use of mesenchymal stem cells as a treatment for cartilage damage in the horse. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of joint disease affecting humans and horses, is characterized by the advance and decline of cartilage and loss of function of the affected joint. The progression of OA is steadily accompanied with biochemical events, which interfere with the cytokines and proteolytic enzymes responsible for progress of the disease. Recently, regenerative therapies have been used with an assumption that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess the potential to prevent the advancement of cartilage damage and potentially regenerate the injured tissue with an ultimate goal o...
Streptococcus equi: breaking its strangles-hold. , head of bacteriology at the AHT, describes the causative agent of strangles in horses, and discusses progress with the latest research aimed at improving vaccines against this global disease.
Correlation between fecal egg count, presence of Strongylus vulgaris, and body score of feral horses on Fort Polk, Louisiana. Approximately 700 feral horses, dubbed "trespass horses" by the United States Army, occupy Fort Polk, Louisiana and the surrounding Kisatchie National Forest. These horses are considered a nuisance and hazard, and the military is seeking to remove the horses via adoption. The aim of this research was to evaluate the fecal egg count (FEC), body condition score (BCS), and the presence of Strongylus vulgaris within this previously unstudied horse population prior to removal. The feral horse data was compared to domestic horses living on a single farm in the same area. A modified McMaster FEC, Hen...
Practical Fluid Therapy and Treatment Modalities for Field Conditions for Horses and Foals with Gastrointestinal Problems. With advances in technology and owner education, field management in equine veterinary medicine continues to evolve. Equine gastrointestinal disease is one of the most common types of emergencies evaluated by equine practitioners, and many of these patients can be effectively managed in the field. Although the equine veterinarian must make numerous decisions, fluid therapy, pain management, and antimicrobial use are 3 of the major choices that must be addressed when initiating field treatment of equine gastrointestinal disease. This article addresses the practical use of these 3 treatment cate...
Advances in Diagnostics and Treatments in Horses and Foals with Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) primarily describes ulceration in the terminal esophagus, nonglandular squamous mucosa, glandular mucosa of the stomach, and proximal duodenum. EGUS is common in all breeds and ages of horses and foals. This article focuses on the current terminology for EGUS, etiologies and pathogenesis for lesions in the nonglandular and glandular stomach, diagnosis, and a comprehensive approach to the treatment and prevention of EGUS in adult horses and foals.
A retrospective cohort study investigating risk factors for the failure of Thoroughbred racehorses to return to racing after superficial digital flexor tendon injury. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to investigate risk factors for the failure of Thoroughbred racehorses to return to racing after an injury of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT). Successful return was defined as the completion of five or more races after SDFT injury. The official Japan Racing Association (JRA) medical records of racehorses with a core-type SDFT injury were reviewed for clinical variables related to the characteristics of the horse and the severity of SDFT injuries at the time of diagnosis. Data on racing outcomes were obtained from the official JRA racing d...
Roles of the 5′ Untranslated Region of Nonprimate Hepacivirus in Translation Initiation and Viral Replication. The 5' untranslated region (UTR) of hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is composed of four domains (I, II, III, and IV) and a pseudoknot, is essential for translation and viral replication. Equine nonprimate hepacivirus (EHcV) harbors a 5' UTR consisting of a large 5'-terminal domain (I); three additional domains (I', II, and III), which are homologous to domains I, II, and III, respectively, of HCV; and a pseudoknot, in the order listed. In this study, we investigated the roles of the EHcV 5' UTR in translation and viral replication. The internal ribosome entry site (IRES) activity of the EHcV 5'...
Equine feed contamination and toxicology. Feed as a cause of poisoning in horses can occur on small or large scales. It is challenging to work up cases of suspected feed contamination, but there are resources available to veterinarians and owners. Feed contamination can be chemical or biological. This article focuses on and provides examples of chemical feed contamination including misformulation, adulteration, and natural contaminants. Additionally, recommendations for feed sampling and diagnostic submission, including legal documentation, are included.
EquiMoves: A Wireless Networked Inertial Measurement System for Objective Examination of Horse Gait. In this paper, we describe and validate the EquiMoves system, which aims to support equine veterinarians in assessing lameness and gait performance in horses. The system works by capturing horse motion from up to eight synchronized wireless inertial measurement units. It can be used in various equine gait modes, and analyzes both upper-body and limb movements. The validation against an optical motion capture system is based on a Bland-Altman analysis that illustrates the agreement between the two systems. The sagittal kinematic results (protraction, retraction, and sagittal range of motion) sh...
Label-free analysis of physiological hyaluronan size distribution with a solid-state nanopore sensor. Hyaluronan (or hyaluronic acid, HA) is a ubiquitous molecule that plays critical roles in numerous physiological functions in vivo, including tissue hydration, inflammation, and joint lubrication. Both the abundance and size distribution of HA in biological fluids are recognized as robust indicators of various pathologies and disease progressions. However, such analyses remain challenging because conventional methods are not sufficiently sensitive, have limited dynamic range, and/or are only semi-quantitative. Here we demonstrate label-free detection and molecular weight discrimination of HA w...
Structure-Function relationships of equine menisci. Meniscal pathologies are among the most common injuries of the femorotibial joint in both human and equine patients. Pathological forces and ensuing injuries of the cranial horn of the equine medial meniscus are considered analogous to those observed in the human posterior medial horn. Biomechanical properties of human menisci are site- and depth- specific. However, the influence of equine meniscus topography and composition on its biomechanical properties is yet unknown. A better understanding of equine meniscus composition and biomechanics could advance not only veterinary therapies for meni...
Polymer-mineral scaffold augments in vivo equine multipotent stromal cell osteogenesis. Use of bioscaffolds to direct osteogenic differentiation of adult multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) without exogenous proteins is a contemporary approach to bone regeneration. Identification of in vivo osteogenic contributions of exogenous MSCs on bioscaffolds after long-term implantation is vital to understanding cell persistence and effect duration. This study was designed to quantify in vivo equine MSC osteogenesis on synthetic polymer scaffolds with distinct mineral combinations 9 weeks after implantation in a murine model. Cryopreserved, passage (P)1, equine bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSC)...
Cardiac electrophysiological adaptations in the equine athlete-Restitution analysis of electrocardiographic features. Exercising horses uniquely accommodate 7-8-fold increases in heart rate (HR). The present experiments for the first time analysed the related adaptations in action potential (AP) restitution properties recorded by in vivo telemetric electrocardiography from Thoroughbred horses. The horses were subjected to a period of acceleration from walk to canter. The QRS durations, and QT and TQ intervals yielded AP conduction velocities, AP durations (APDs) and diastolic intervals respectively. From these, indices of active, λ = QT/(QRS duration), and resting, λ0 = TQ/(QRS duration), AP wavelengths wer...
The ghrelin paradox in the control of equine chondrocyte function: The good and the bad. Increasing evidence suggests a role for ghrelin in the control of articular inflammatory diseases like osteoarthritis (OA). In the present study we examined the ability of ghrelin to counteract LPS-induced necrosis and apoptosis of chondrocytes and the involvement of GH secretagogue receptor (GHS-R)1a in the protective action of ghrelin. The effects of ghrelin (10-10 mol/L) on equine primary cultured chondrocytes viability and necrosis in basal conditions and under LPS treatment (100 ng/ml) were detected by using both acridine orange/propidium iodide staining and annexin-5/propidium iodide...
Serological Evidence of Orthopoxvirus Circulation Among Equids, Southeast Brazil. Since 1999 (VACV) outbreaks involving bovines and humans have been reported in Brazil; this zoonosis is known as Bovine Vaccinia (BV) and is mainly an occupational disease of milkers. It was only in 2008 (and then again in 2011 and 2014) however, that VACV was found causing natural infections in Brazilian equids. These reports involved only equids, no infected humans or bovines were identified, and the sources of infections remain unknown up to date. The peculiarities of Equine Vaccinia outbreaks (e.g., absence of human infection), the frequently shared environments, and fomites by equids and...
Epidemiology of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: A systematic literature review of clinical presentation, disease prevalence and risk factors. Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is caused by an age-related degenerative disease of dopaminergic neurones. Despite its importance in equine practice, available information regarding its epidemiology is limited. This systematic review aimed to assess published literature to evaluate available evidence regarding the clinical presentation, prevalence and risk factors for PPID in horses and ponies. Electronic database searches were undertaken using a range of terms, and English language publications published prior to August 2016 were included. Both authors independently reviewed scre...
African horse sickness virus (AHSV) with a deletion of 77 amino acids in NS3/NS3a protein is not virulent and a safe promising AHS Disabled Infectious Single Animal (DISA) vaccine platform. African horse sickness virus (AHSV) is a virus species in the genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae. Currently, nine serotypes have been defined showing limited cross neutralization. AHSV is transmitted by species of Culicoides biting midges and causes African Horse Sickness (AHS) in equids with a mortality up to 95% in naïve domestic horses. AHS has become a serious threat for countries outside Africa, since endemic Culicoides species in moderate climates are competent vectors of closely related bluetongue virus. AHS outbreaks cause huge economic losses in developing countries. In the dev...
Macroscopic characteristics of the umbilical cord in Standardbred, Thoroughbred and Warmblood horses. The umbilical cord (UC), the connection between mother and fetus via the umbilical vessels, carries nutrients and oxygenated blood to the fetus through the umbilical vein and removes deoxygenated blood and waste products via the umbilical arteries. It is designed to protect blood flow to the fetus during pregnancy. In equine medicine, only a few studies have described the UC, and most of these involved Thoroughbreds. The present study describes and compares the macroscopic features of the equine umbilical cord in three different breeds and in relation to the foal's gender. In addition, a possi...
