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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.
Kunjin flaviviral encephalomyelitis in an Arabian gelding in New South Wales, Australia. Flaviviruses, including Kunjin virus, are arboviruses that cause encephalomyelitis in humans and horses. This case report describes an Arabian gelding exhibiting neurological signs of flavivirus encephalomyelitis, the diagnostic investigation and confirmation of an unreported case of Kunjin virus equine encephalomyelitis in Australia.
The proximal aspect of the suspensory ligament in the horse: How precise are ultrasonographic measurements? To evaluate intra- and interobserver variability in ultrasonographic measurements of the proximal aspect of the suspensory ligament (PSL) in the horse. Objective: A minimum difference of ≥20% is required to differentiate reliably between physiological and pathological alterations related to dimensions. Methods: Two operators examined the PSL in all 4 limbs of 14 horses twice using different techniques and different probes with and without standoff pads. Measurements were taken from the longitudinal and transverse images. Inter- and intraoperator variability was evaluated using agreement indi...
Autologous point-of-care cellular therapies variably induce equine mesenchymal stem cell migration, proliferation and cytokine expression. Autologous cellular therapy products including adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF), bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNs), cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMNs) and platelet rich plasma are options for treatment of acute orthopaedic lesions while mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are culture expanded. These products may contribute to healing by secreting matrix proteins or growth factors, but they may also act on endogenous MSCs to facilitate healing. Objective: To determine the effects of cell therapy products on MSCs function in vitro. The hypothesis was that cell therapy products pro...
Periodontal biomechanics: finite element simulations of closing stroke and power stroke in equine cheek teeth. In equine dentistry periodontal diseases, especially periapical inflammation, are frequently occurring problems. Anachoresis is believed to be the most common cause for the development of such disorders. Nevertheless, there is still no substantiated explanation why settlement of pathogen microorganisms occurs in equine periodontal tissues. It is expected that excessive strains and stresses occurring in the periodontal ligament (PDL) during the horse's chewing cycle might be a predisposing factor. In this study this assumption was examined by finite element (FE) analyses on virtual 3-D models o...
The pathogenesis of tendon microdamage in athletes: the horse as a natural model for basic cellular research. The equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is a frequently injured structure that is functionally and clinically equivalent to the human Achilles tendon (AT). Both act as critical energy-storage systems during high-speed locomotion and can accumulate exercise- and age-related microdamage that predisposes to rupture during normal activity. Significant advances in understanding of the biology and pathology of exercise-induced tendon injury have occurred through comparative studies of equine digital tendons with varying functions and injury susceptibilities. Due to the limitations of in-...
Determination of serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations for the diagnosis of granulosa-cell tumours in mares. Endocrinological assays are important for evaluation of mares with granulosa-cell tumours (GCTs), and our research in mares indicates that anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) may be a good biomarker for this type of ovarian tumour. Objective: To evaluate the use of serum AMH concentrations for endocrine diagnosis of GCTs in mares. Methods: Archived serum samples (n = 403) previously assayed for determination of serum inhibin, testosterone and progesterone concentrations (GCT panel) were assayed for serum AMH concentrations using a heterologous enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay previously validated b...
Genetic parameters for racing records in trotters using linear and generalized linear models. Heritability and repeatability and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for trotting race records with linear and generalized linear models using 510,519 records on 17,792 Finnhorses and 513,161 records on 25,536 Standardbred trotters. Heritability and repeatability were estimated for single racing time and earnings traits with linear models, and logarithmic scale was used for racing time and fourth-root scale for earnings to correct for nonnormality. Generalized linear models with a gamma distribution were applied for single racing time and with a multinomial distribution for si...
Anthelmintic metabolism in parasitic helminths: proteomic insights. Anthelmintics are the cornerstone of parasitic helminth control. Surprisingly, understanding of the biochemical pathways used by parasitic helminths to detoxify anthelmintics is fragmented, despite the increasing global threat of anthelmintic resistance within the ruminant and equine industries. Reductionist biochemistry has likely over-estimated the enzymatic role of glutathione transferases in anthelmintic metabolism and neglected the potential role of the cytochrome P-450 superfamily (CYPs). Proteomic technologies offers the opportunity to support genomics, reverse genetics and pharmacokine...
Real time monitoring of propofol blood concentration in ponies anaesthetized with propofol and ketamine. This study examined the pharmacokinetics of propofol by infusion in ponies using an analyser for the rapid measurement of propofol concentrations. The analyser (Pelorus 1000; Sphere Medical Ltd., Cambridge, UK) has a measurement cycle of approximately five minutes. Ten Welsh-cross ponies (weighing 135-300 kg) undergoing minor procedures were studied after premedication with acepromazine 0.03 mg/kg and detomidine 0.015 mg/kg. Anaesthesia was induced with ketamine 2 mg/kg and diazepam 0.03 mg/kg, and maintained with an infusion of propofol at an initial rate of 0.16 mg/kg/min for the first thirt...
Equine pythiosis: report in crossed bred (Criole Venezuelan) horses. Pythium insidiosum is a pathogenic oomycete known since 1890 that causes pythiosis in mammals. In this report, seven P. insidiosum isolates were recovered from Venezuelan horses and were characterized. The strains were recovered from biopsied tissues and kunkers collected from granulomatous masses located on the hind limb and from a nodular lesion in the left upper eyelid, which decrease the ability of the horses to be used for working purposes. The methods used to identify P. insidiosum isolates were based on the production of sporangia and zoospores, histopathology and PCR assay. To further ...
Expansion under hypoxic conditions enhances the chondrogenic potential of equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are widely used in regenerative medicine in horses. Most of the molecular characterisations of BM-MSCs have been made at 20% O(2), a higher oxygen level than the one surrounding the cells inside the bone marrow. The present work compares the lifespan and the tri-lineage potential of equine BM-MSCs expanded in normoxia (20% O(2)) and hypoxia (5% O(2)). No significant differences were found in long-term cultures for osteogenesis and adipogenesis between normoxic and hypoxic expanded BM-MSCs. An up-regulation of the chondrogenesis-related genes...
Time-related Pathological Changes in Horses Experimentally Inoculated with Equine Influenza A Virus. To investigate the pathology of equine influenza, necropsy of 7 horses experimentally infected with equine influenza A virus (EIV) subtype H3N8 was conducted on post-infection days (PID) 2, 3, 7, and 14. Histopathologically, rhinitis or tracheitis including epithelial degeneration or necrosis with loss of ciliated epithelia and a reduction in goblet cell numbers, was observed in the respiratory tracts on PIDs 2 and 3. Epithelial hyperplasia or squamous metaplasia and suppurative bronchopneumonia with proliferation of type II pneumocytes were observed on PIDs 7 and 14. Viral antigen was detecte...
A review of African horse sickness and its implications for Ireland. African horse sickness is an economically highly important non-contagious but infectious Orbivirus disease that is transmitted by various species of Culicoides midges. The equids most severely affected by the virus are horses, ponies, and European donkeys; mules are somewhat less susceptible, and African donkeys and zebra are refractory to the devastating consequences of infection. In recent years, Bluetongue virus, an Orbivirus similar to African horse sickness, which also utilises Culicoides spp. as its vector, has drastically increased its range into previously unaffected regions in norther...
Ileal impaction and jejunal enterotomy in a 4-month-old Arabian filly. A 4-month-old Arabian filly was treated by surgical correction of an ileal impaction. The impaction was resolved through a distal jejunal enterotomy. One-year follow-up showed no post-operative complications secondary to the enterotomy. Jejunal enterotomy may be a surgical option for resolution of an ileal impaction. Une pouliche Arabe âgée de 4 mois a été traitée par la correction chirurgicale d’une surcharge iléale. La surcharge a été résolue par une entérotomie jéjunale distale. Un suivi d’un an n’a pas montré de complications postopératoires suite à l’entérotomie. L...
Contractile responses of isolated equine digital arteries under hypoxic or hyperoxic conditions in vitro: role of reactive oxygen species and Rho kinase. The underlying pathophysiological triggers for equine acute laminitis are unknown, although digital vasoconstriction, ischaemia, hypoxia and reperfusion injury may be involved. The contractile responses of isolated equine digital arteries (EDAs), harvested from the hindlimbs of normal horses postmortem at an abattoir, were studied acutely (up to 3 h) under hyperoxic (95% oxygen, 5% CO2 ) and hypoxic (95% nitrogen, 5% CO2 ) conditions in organ baths. Phenylephrine (PHE; 10(-6) m), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; 10(-7) m) and high potassium (K(+) ; 118 mm) caused contraction in EDAs which was signif...
Presumed case of “stiff-horse syndrome” caused by decreased gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production in an American Paint mare. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) converts glutamic acid into the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Increased serum GAD (auto) antibody concentrations were found in a mare with increased postural musculature tone resulting in stiffness and recumbence. The mare was treated with dexamethasone which resulted in resolution of clinical signs and decreased GAD antibody concentrations. La glutamate décarboxylase (GAD) convertit l’acide glutamique en acide gamma-aminobutyrique (GABA), un inhibiteur des neurotransmetteurs. Des concentrations sériques accrues d’anticorps (a...
A description of the demographic characteristics of the New Zealand non-commercial horse population with data collected using a generalised random-tessellation stratified sampling design. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to determine the demographic characteristics of non-commercial horses in New Zealand. A sampling frame of properties with non-commercial horses was derived from the national farms database, AgriBase™. Horse properties were stratified by property size and a generalised random-tessellated stratified (GRTS) sampling strategy was used to select properties (n=2912) to take part in the survey. The GRTS sampling design allowed for the selection of properties that were spatially balanced relative to the distribution of horse properties throughout the country. Th...
Uterine vascular degeneration is present throughout the uterine wall of multiparous mares. Colinearity between elastosis, endometrial grade, age and parity. Vascular degeneration is present in endometrial vessels of multiparous aged mares. The lesions associated with vascular degeneration consist of enlargement, duplication and splitting of the membrana elastica interna and perivascular deposits of elastin. However, there are no similar data available for deep myometrial vessels and the vascular layer. The objectives of the present study were to characterize the status of vasculature in full-thickness uterine necropsy samples and to correlate these findings to endometrial grade, age, and parity. Elastosis was present in myometrial vessels, as well...
Mechanisms of equine infectious anemia virus escape from neutralizing antibody responses define epitope specificity. Determining mechanisms of viral escape to particular epitopes recognized by virus-neutralizing antibody can facilitate characterization of host-neutralizing antibody responses as type- versus group-specific, and provides necessary information for vaccine development. Our study reveals that a single N-glycan located in the 5' region of the Wyoming wild-type equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) principal neutralizing domain (PND) accounts for the differences in neutralization phenotype observed between PND variants, while variations in charged amino acids within the PND do not appear to play a ...
Contrast-Enhanced Micro-Computed Tomography in Evaluation of Spontaneous Repair of Equine Cartilage. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) has been introduced for the evaluation of cartilage integrity. Furthermore, CECT enables imaging of the structure and density of subchondral bone. In this laboratory study, we investigate the potential of microCECT to simultaneously image cartilage and subchondral bone for the evaluation of tissue healing. Methods: Osteochondral lesions (Ø = 6 mm) were surgically created in equine intercarpal joints (n = 7). After spontaneous healing for 12 months, the horses were sacrificed and osteochondral plugs (Ø = 14 mm), including the repair cartilage and a...
RACK1, a clue to the diagnosis of cutaneous melanomas in horses. Melanocytic proliferations are common in horses but the diagnosis of malignancy is not always straightforward. To improve diagnosis and prognosis, markers of malignancy are needed. Receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) protein may be such a marker. RACK1 was originally found to characterize malignant melanocytic lesions in the Melanoblastoma-bearing Libechov minipig (MeLiM) and, later, in human patients. Our purpose was to investigate the value of RACK1 in the classification of cutaneous melanocytic proliferations in horses. Results: Using immunofluorescence, we report here that both MITF ...
Effects of syringe type and storage conditions on results of equine blood gas and acid-base analysis. To determine effects of syringe type and storage conditions on blood gas and acid-base values for equine blood samples. Methods: Blood samples obtained from 8 healthy horses. Methods: Heparinized jugular venous blood was equilibrated via a tonometer at 37°C with 12% O(2) and 5% CO(2). Aliquots (3 mL) of tonometer-equilibrated blood were collected in random order by use of a glass syringe (GS), general-purpose polypropylene syringe (GPPS), or polypropylene syringe designed for blood gas analysis (PSBGA) and stored in ice water (0°C) or at room temperature (22°C) for 0, 5, 15, 30, 60, or 120 ...
The fractal structure of equine articular cartilage. The naturally occurring structure of articular cartilage has proven to be an effective means for the facilitation of motion and load support in equine and other animal joints. Cartilage has been found to be a complex and dynamic medium, which has led to an incomplete understanding of the nature and operating mechanisms acting within a joint. Although cartilage has biphasic and triphasic properties, it is believed that the performance of equine articular joints is influenced by the surface roughness of the joint cartilage (Ateshian et al., '98; Chan et al., 2011; Yao and Unsworth, '93). Various...
Presence and molecular characterization of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in intestinal compartments of healthy horses. Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens are commonly associated with colitis in equids, but healthy carriers exist. Scarce information is available on the prevalence of Clostridium spp. in gastrointestinal compartments other than faeces in healthy horses, and it is unknown whether faecal samples are representative of proximal compartments. The objectives were to investigate the prevalence of C. difficile and C. perfringens in different intestinal compartments of healthy adult horses and to determine whether faecal samples are representative of colonization in proximal sites and overa...
Effects of cleavage by a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 on gene expression and protein content of versican and aggrecan in the digital laminae of horses with starch gruel-induced laminitis. To determine whether increased gene expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS-4) in laminae of horses with starch gruel-induced laminitis was accompanied by increased enzyme activity and substrate degradation. Methods: Laminae from the forelimb hooves of 8 healthy horses and 17 horses with starch gruel-induced laminitis (6 at onset of fever, 6 at onset of Obel grade 1 lameness, and 5 at onset of Obel grade 3 lameness). Methods: Gene expression was determined by use of cDNA and real-time quantitative PCR assay. Protein expression and processing were ...
Design and validation of a novel learning tool, the “Anato-Rug,” for teaching equine topographical anatomy. Recognition of anatomical landmarks in live animals (and humans) is key for clinical practice, but students often find it difficult to translate knowledge from dissection-based anatomy onto the live animal and struggle to acquire this vital skill. The purpose of this study was to create and evaluate the use of an equine anatomy rug ("Anato-Rug") depicting topographical anatomy and key areas of lung, heart, and gastrointestinal auscultation, which could be used together with a live horse to aid learning of "live animal" anatomy. Over the course of 2 weeks, 38 third year veterinary students were...
Iodixanol density gradient centrifugation for selecting stallion sperm for cold storage and cryopreservation. Density gradient centrifugation can be used for selection of sperm of superior quality and removal of seminal plasma for use in artificial insemination. In this study, the use of two-layer iodixanol density gradient centrifugation was evaluated for processing of stallion semen. The protocol includes centrifugation through a 16% iodixanol top layer of 1.090 g mL(-1) and collection of motile and intact sperm on a 30% iodixanol bottom layer of 1.165 g mL(-1). Sperm recovery and effects on sperm quality were determined during cold storage as well as after cryopreservation and compared with ordinar...
