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.
Bourges-Abella N, Raymond-Letron I, Diquelou A, Guillot E, Regnier A, Trumel C.To describe the cells observed in conjunctival brush cytology (CBC) from normal horses and compare these findings with conjunctival structural histology so as to understand which cells are recovered from CBC. Methods: This study was divided into three parts. (1) Conjunctival brush smears were collected from 20 healthy horses on both eyes and a differential count on 300 cells was carried out on May Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) smears. (2) A similar protocol was used for whole eyes from five horses obtained rapidly after death from a slaughterhouse. The eyes were then assessed for conjunctival histolo...
Di Francesco A, Donati M, Mattioli L, Naldi M, Salvatore D, Poglayen G, Cevenini R, Baldelli R.We tested 731 sera from apparently healthy light horses against Chlamydophila pneumoniae, by a microimmuno-fluorescence (MIF) test. To verify cross-reactions with other species of chlamvdiae, all sera with an antibody titre > or = 32 to C. pneumoniae were tested against both C. psittaci and C. abortus. Antibodies to C. pneumoniae were detected in 194 out of 731 (26.5%) samples tested, with antibody titres ranging from 32 to 1024. No antibody titre > or = 32 was detected in sera to C. abortus. Only few sera with a high antibody titre to C. pneumoniae reacted weakly with C. psittaci at the dilut...
Elce YA, Orsini JA, Blikslager AT.To assess expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 in naturally occurring squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and the analogous normal tissues in horses. Methods: Tissue samples collected from 3 conjunctival, 2 vulvar, 4 preputial, and 5 penile SCCs during surgical excision in 14 horses and from corresponding body regions (conjunctiva [n = 5 horses], vulva [2], prepuce [3], and penis [3]) in 5 horses euthanized for reasons unrelated to neoplasia. Methods: Tissue samples were snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 degrees C until analysis. Protein was extracted from the frozen tissues,...
Riggs LM, Franck T, Moore JN, Krunkosky TM, Hurley DJ, Peroni JF, de la Rebière G, Serteyn DA.To compare measurements of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in plasma, laminar tissues, and skin obtained from control horses and horses given black walnut heartwood extract (BWHE). Methods: 22 healthy 5- to 15-year-old horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to 4 groups as follows: a control group given water (n = 5) and 3 experimental groups given BWHE (17) via nasogastric intubation. Experimental groups consisted of 5, 6, and 6 horses that received BWHE and were euthanatized at 1.5, 3, and 12 hours after intubation, respectively. Control horses were euthanatized at 12 hours after intubation. Pl...
Lancaster LS, Bowker RM, Mauer WA.To quantify the density of primary epidermal laminae (PELs) around the solar circumference and evaluate the relationship between regional PEL density and hoof capsule morphology in horses. Methods: Forefeet from nine 3-year-old Quarter Horse cadavers. Methods: Data pertaining to gross features of hoof morphology and PEL variables, including number, density, and distribution patterns around the perimeter of the hoof wall and number of bar PELs, were collected. Tissues of the laminar junction were examined histologically. Results: No significant differences were found between left and right fore...
Brown DL, Anderson M, Cullen JM.Mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver is a rare congenital disorder of biliary tract development. During the necropsy of a late-term equine fetus, a markedly enlarged liver of more than two times normal weight was found. Light microscopic review revealed that the normal hepatic parenchyma had been obliterated, replaced, and expanded by abnormal bile ducts surrounded by abundant, myxoid stroma. The lesion was diagnosed as a mesenchymal hamartoma. Small portions of the liver had bridging septa of fibrosis and proliferations of small-caliber abnormal bile ducts, resembling another congenital biliary...
Postey RC, Appleyard GD, Kidney BA.Immunohistochemical (IHC) testing and electron microscopy have implicated Papillomavirus (PV) as the etiologic agent for equine papillomas and aural plaques, but Equine papillomavirus (EPV) DNA has yet to be demonstrated in these lesions by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The purpose of this study was to evaluate formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from naturally occurring cases of equine papillomas, aural plaques, and sarcoids for the presence of EPV DNA by means of PCR and for the presence of PV antigen by means of IHC testing. We used EPV-specific primers that amplified a region of 3...
Norris JW, Pratt SM, Auh JH, Wilson SJ, Clutter D, Magdesian KG, Ferraro GL, Tablin F.Bleeding in racing horses associated with exercise appears to be multifactorial, and clinical investigation into severe cases rarely occurs. Previously, we reported a severe bleeding diathesis in a Thoroughbred mare. Herein, we describe the cellular physiology of this defect, provide a diagnostic tool for identifying it, and demonstrate that the dysfunction is heritable. Objective: The subject has a heritable defect in platelet secretion that reduces thrombin generation in the absence of additional plasma factors and delays the onset of thrombin production even in the presence of these factors...
Barton MH, Hurley D, Norton N, Heusner G, Costa L, Jones S, Byars D, Watanabe K.Lactoferrin is a colostral glycoprotein with antimicrobial properties. Objective: (1) Serum lactoferrin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations are correlated and increase in healthy foals after ingestion of colostrum; (2) compared to healthy foals, ill foals will have lower lactoferrin concentrations that correlate with their IgG concentration, neutrophil count, the diagnosis of sepsis, and survival; and (3) plasma concentrations of lactoferrin will be less than serum concentrations. Methods: Healthy foals (n = 16), mature horses (n = 10), and ill foals 1-4 days old (n = 111) that were exam...
Singh BR, Chandra M, Agrawal RK, Nagrajan B.The present study on antigenic competition among somatic 'O' antigens of different Salmonella groups (A, B, C1, C2, D and E1) in mares revealed that the immune response to most of the antigens was not (A, B, C2) or little (C1, D) affected by antigenic competition. However, E1 group antigen, which induced high antibody titres (Avg. 12967.3) when given alone, produced almost 3.5 log2 lower antibody titres on giving with other antigens, indicating the antigenic competition among some Salmonella group antigens. The antigenic competition varied for different antigens even of the similar chemical na...
Stock KF, Distl O.Results of mare performance tests in the field (MPT-F) of 10,949 mares, mare performance tests at station (MPT-S) of 1,712 mares, and inspections of horses intended for sale at riding horse auctions (AU) of 4,772 horses were used to investigate genetic correlations between corresponding performance traits. Mare performance tests were held in 1995 to 2004 and auction inspections in 1999 to 2004. Scores on a scale from 0 to 10 were given for gaits under rider (walk, trot, canter), rideability (evaluated by judging commission and test rider), free-jumping (ability, style, total), and character. R...
Lind EO, Kuzmina T, Uggla A, Waller PJ, Höglund J.The objective of the study was to investigate different aspects on the efficacy of three anthelmintics on cyathostomin nematodes of Swedish horses. A faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test was performed on 26 farms. Horses were treated orally with recommended doses of ivermectin, pyrantel pamoate or fenbendazole. Faecal samples were collected on the day of deworming and 7, 14 and 21 days later. No resistance was shown against ivermectin; the FECR was constantly >99%. The effect of pyrantel was assessed as equivocal in 6 farms 14 days after treatment; the mean FECR was 99%. As many as 72% of...
van de Pol C, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Measuring the height at the withers of a pony is one of the requirements of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), before competitors can participate in an official pony event. A pony has to be measured each year until it is eight years old. With and without shoes the height at the withers must be below 149.0cm and 148.0cm, respectively. When a pony exceeds the regulated height, it is excluded from participating in FEI pony competitions. Besides being excluded from competing, the selling price of the pony decreases dramatically, because the animal is then classified as a horse. For th...
Simon EL, Gaughan EM, Epp T, Spire M.To determine the amount of time required for surface temperatures of thoracic and pelvic limbs in horses to return to pre-exercise temperatures after high-speed treadmill exercise, as detected via infrared thermographic imaging. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 6 Thoroughbreds. Methods: All horses had been trained on and conditioned to use of a high-speed treadmill. Baseline thermographic images were obtained 3 days prior to exercise (baseline). Horses were exercised on a treadmill at a walk for 5 minutes, a slow trot (3 m/s) for 5 minutes, a trot (5 to 6 m/s) for 5 minutes, and a slow gal...
Leblond A, Sandoz A, Lefebvre G, Zeller H, Bicout DJ.Geographic information system and remote sensing technologies were used to identify landscape features associated with risk of West Nile virus transmission as defined by the presence of confirmed horse cases. SPOT-4 images of Camargue area were used to generate a map of landscape categories of epidemic foci and the geographic information system was employed to determine the proportion of landscape components surrounding 10 horse case sites and 17 control sites. The spatio-temporal analysis of the cases outbreak gave the best results for a spatial window of 9 km and a temporal window of 18 days...
Abraham G, Kottke C, Ammer H, Dhein S, Ungemach FR.Muscarinic receptors are considered to be of comparable clinical importance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in equines and in humans. At present, data are scarce on the expression and distribution of probable subtypes of these receptors and their signalling pathways in airway segments, including lung parenchyma and bronchial and tracheal epithelium with the underlying smooth muscle in horses. Specific [N-methyl-3H]scopolamine chloride ([3H]NMS) binding to all three tissues was saturable and of high affinity, with KD values ranging between 1.6+/-0.7 and 1.9+/-0.3 nmol/L. [3H]NMS...
Whalley JM, Ruitenberg KM, Sullivan K, Seshadri L, Hansen K, Birch D, Gilkerson JR, Wellington JE.Equine herpesviruses 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) cause equine respiratory disease worldwide. However, only EHV-1 is a cause of abortion and neurological disease, despite the two viruses having all 76 genes in common. In addition EHV-1 has a broader host range in cell culture than EHV-4, as exemplified by the rabbit kidney (RK) cell line that is permissive for EHV-1, but not for EHV-4. Here we describe that when EHV-4 produced in equine cells was inoculated onto RK cells expressing glycoprotein D of EHV-1 (RKgD1), infection developed as clusters of rounded cells, and this infectivity could be pas...
Murphy BA, Vick MM, Sessions DR, Cook RF, Fitzgerald BP.Peripheral clocks receive timing signals from the master mammalian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and function to adaptively anticipate daily changes that influence local physiology. Evidence suggests that peripheral immune activation may act as a resetting signal for circadian clocks in peripheral tissues. We wished to investigate whether acute systemic inflammation could synchronize clock gene expression in equine peripheral blood, a tissue that does not normally oscillate in this species. We report that in vivo administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) results in significan...
Ahmed YA, Tatarczuch L, Pagel CN, Davies HM, Mirams M, Mackie EJ.Post-proliferative chondrocytes in growth cartilage are present in two forms, light and dark cells. These cells undergo hypertrophy and die by a mechanism that is morphologically distinct from apoptosis, but has not been characterized. The aims of the current study were to document the ultrastructural appearance of dying hypertrophic chondrocytes, and to establish a culture system in which the mechanism of their death can be examined. Methods: Growth cartilage from fetal and growing postnatal horses was examined by electron microscopy. Chondrocytes were isolated from epiphyseal cartilage from ...
Güleğen E, Cirak VY.Lice infestations of horses occur mainly during winter months and are characterized by severe pruritus and an unkempt coat. Two lice have been described for equines namely Bovicola (Damalinia) equi and Haemotopinus asini. There is a scarcity of data on the occurrence and prevalence rates of these horse pathogens in Turkey. This paper reports a thoroughbred farm, in which two horses were found to be infested with B. equi. The horses were treated with propoxur and no lice or nymphs could be found after treatment for10 days.
Poulet H, Minke J, Pardo MC, Juillard V, Nordgren B, Audonnet JC.The canarypox vaccine vector (ALVAC) technology has been used to develop and license several vaccines for companion animals and horses in the European Union and USA. ALVAC is a ubiquitous vector with high biosafety since it is non-replicative in mammalians, is genetically and physically stable, and able to induce both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against the expressed transgene product. Specific rules apply for the development and registration of recombinant vector vaccines. The biology of the vector as well as the recombinant virus must be thoroughly documented to allow the risk...
Deaton CM, Deaton L, Jose-Cunilleras E, Vincent TL, Baird AW, Dacre K, Marlin DJ.Equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) has been used as a naturally occurring model of human asthma. However, it is unknown whether there is an early-phase response in RAO. The aim of this study was to determine whether exposure to organic dust induces immediate changes in lung function in RAO-affected horses, which could be mediated by airway mast cells. Six RAO-affected horses in remission and six control horses were challenged with hay-straw dust suspension by nebulization. Total respiratory resistance at 1 Hz, measured by forced oscillation, was increased from 0.62 +/- 0.09 cmH(2)O.l(-1...
Ambache N, Killick SW.1 Graded motor responses were elicited in isolated, desheathed, thin strips of dog, horse, pig and sheep retractor penis (RP) muscles by field stimulation with trains of 0.2 ms pulses at 10 hertz. These twitches were shown to be neurogenic in all four species, by their prompt extinction in tetrodotoxin.2 alpha-Adrenoceptor blocking drugs abolished the contractile response to noradrenaline and to tyramine in all four species.3 Motor transmission was wholly adrenergic in the horse as in the dog RP because phentolamine rapidly abolished the electrically induced twitches in both these species; but...
Kamani J, Bártová E, Kašpárková N, Mohammed SJ, Budíková M, Sedlák K.The protozoan parasites Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, transmitted by ticks, cause equine piroplasmosis, the most prevalent tick-borne disease in equids. Trichinellosis is a worldwide food-borne zoonosis caused by helminth Trichinella spp. that can lead to serious disease in humans, with fatal outcome. Although the infection is rare in horses, it deserves attention due to the increasing use of horse meat as a source of protein for humans. Horse trichinellosis is caused by several Trichinella species, most commonly by T. spiralis. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of ant...
Rudolph W, Remane D, Wissenbach DK, Peters FT.Endophyte fungi (e.g. Epichloë ssp. and Neotyphodium ssp.) in symbiosis with pasture grasses (e.g. Festuca arundinacaea and Lolium perenne) can produce toxic alkaloids, which are suspected to be involved in equine diseases such as fescue toxicosis, ryegrass staggers, and equine fescue oedema. The aim of this study was, therefore, to develop and validate a quantification method for these and related alkaloids: ergocristine, ergocryptine, ergotamine, ergovaline, lolitrem B, lysergic acid, N-acetylloline, N-formylloline, peramine, and paxilline in horse serum. Horse serum samples (1.5mL) were wo...
Viitanen M, Bird J, Smith R, Tulamo RM, May SA.The study hypothesis was that navicular disease is a process analogous to degenerative joint disease, which leads to changes in navicular fibrocartilage and in deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) matrix composition and that the process extends to the adjacent distal interphalangeal joint. The objectives were to compare the biochemical composition of the navicular articular and palmar cartilages from 18 horses with navicular disease with 49 horses with no history of front limb lameness, and to compare navicular fibrocartilage with medial meniscus of the stifle and collateral cartilage of the hoof...
Rowe EL, White NA, Buechner-Maxwell V, Robertson JL, Ward DL.To identify apoptosis in equine intestines and determine whether apoptosis is associated with gastrointestinal tract disease or a specific tissue layer of intestine. Methods: 38 horses that underwent surgery or were euthanatized for small or large intestine obstruction, strangulation, or distension and 9 control horses euthanatized for reasons other than gastrointestinal tract disease or systemic disease. Methods: Specimens were collected at surgery from intestine involved in the primary lesion and distant to the primary lesion site or at necropsy from several sites including the primary lesio...
Kline KH, Bechtel PJ.The purpose of this study was to investigate metabolic changes in equine muscle from birth to 1 yr of age. Duplicate biopsies from the middle portion of the gluteus medius were obtained from a depth of 2 cm beneath the superficial fascia at 1 day, 7 days, 1 mo, 3 mo, 6 mo, and 1 yr of age in 11 quarter horses and at 1 day, 3 mo, 6 mo, and 1 yr of age in 5 Standardbreds. Muscle enzyme activities determined were citrate synthase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, phosphorylase, and lactate dehydrogenase. Percent fast-twitch, fast-twitch high oxidative, and slow-twitch oxidative fiber types were d...
Gehlen H, Ohnesorge B.To describe removal of guttural pouch chondroids through a laser fenestrated mesial septum in a pony with an obstructed pharyngeal ostium of the left guttural pouch. Methods: Case report. Methods: Pony. Methods: Transendoscopic laser neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) fenestration of the mesial guttural pouch septum was made by contact method (bare fiber, 15-25 W, exposure time 4 seconds). Dissected tissue was removed by transendoscopic monopolar electrosurgery (loop electrode, cutting blade) and multiple chondroids of varying size were removed from the left guttural pouch through the ...
Wellman KY, Dixon PM.Thirty-nine equine cheek teeth diagnosed as having anachoretic apical infections and also having occlusal fissure fractures, but without occlusal pulpar exposure, that had been orally extracted without causing occlusal damage and 10 control teeth were used in this study. The teeth were individually imaged by computed tomography, occlusally stained with methylene blue and visually reexamined, then sectioned subocclusally at 5 mm intervals until the fissure fractures could no longer be detected. A limited histological study was then performed on 7 apically infected and 5 control teeth. Standard ...
Von Dollen KA, Jones M, Beachler T, Harris TL, Papich MG, Lyle SK, Bailey CS.The use of antimicrobials for the management of equine uterine disease is commonplace, with antibiotic selection generally based on empirical evidence or in vitro sensitivity results. However, the potential disconnect between these laboratory results and clinical efficacy in the mare raises concern for antibiotic failure and subsequent development of resistant organisms. In this work, we attempt to bridge this gap by using an ex vivo model of the equine postpartum uterus to quantitatively evaluate the antimicrobial activity of two commonly used antibiotic treatments in the mare (ceftiofur an...
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC, Granstrom DE, Stamper S.A study for about a 30-month period was done to compare strongyle control programs, using per os treatments of ivermectin (IVE) paste exclusively or alternation of 4 antiparasitic paste compounds: IVE, oxfendazole (OFZ), oxibendazole (OBZ), or pyrantel pamoate (PRT). Every 8 weeks, 1 group of horses (barn C; n = 14 to 16) was given IVE paste exclusively, and a second group (barn E; n = 16) was given the 4 antiparasitic pastes on an alternating schedule. Worm eggs and larvae per gram of feces (epg and lpg, respectively) values were determined every 2 weeks during the investigation. This study i...
Moine S, Flammer SA, de Jesus Maia-Nussbaumer P, Klopfenstein Bregger MD, Gerber V.This study attempted to determine: (1) if degree of dental malocclusion assigned prior to dental treatment was associated with equine rideability, assessed using a standardized score and (2) if performance dentistry improved this score. Methods: Thirty-eight Franches-Montagnes stallions. Methods: All horses were examined and assigned a dental malocclusion score by a veterinary dentist and randomized into two groups: sham treatment (Group S) and performance dentistry including occlusal equilibration (Group D). The horses were ridden twice before and three times after treatment by a professional...
Balena V, Pradhan SS, Bera BC, Anand T, Sansanwal R, Khetmalis R, Madhwal A, Bernela M, Supriya K, Pavulraj S, Tripathi BN, Virmani N.Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) infection causes significant health problems in equines. The EHV-1 infection leads to abortion storm in mares, respiratory disease and myeloencephalopathy. Despite the wide use of vaccines, the outbreaks of EHV-1 infections keep occurring globally, suggesting the need for the development of improved vaccines. Gene deletion attenuated mutant viruses could be a good candidate for the development of modified live vaccines. Here, we report the generation of mutant EHV-1 by deleting virulence (glycoprotein E & internal repeat 6; IR6) and immune evasive (pUL43 &a...
Dorn CR, Garner HE, Coffman JR, Hahn AW, Tritschler LG.The characteristics of a series of equine laminitis cases were compared with that of other Equidae examined at the University of Missouri Veterinary Hospital and Clinic during May, 1965 through December, 1971. The model age for ponies with laminitis was 7-9 years and for all other cases the model age was 4-6 years. Also the predominant age for mares was 4-6 years and for males was 7-9 years. After controlling for age and breed differences, there were significantly fewer castrated males among the affected males than expected (P small than 0.02), indicating that hormonal factors may play a role ...
Mansour GD, Henry M, Ferreira AM.This study was designed to identify the distribution of type IV collagen, laminin, and fibronectin with an avidin-biotin method in sections of equine endometrial samples, fixed in Bouin's solution and embedded in paraffin wax. Thirty endometrial biopsies were collected at three different stages of the oestrous cycle. The basement membrane of luminal epithelium reacted positively with antibody against type IV collagen. Both type IV collagen and laminin were found in the basement membranes of endometrial glands, and fibronectin occurred diffusely in the interstitial tissue. Blood vessels express...
Meng Q, Li S, Liu L, Xu J, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Shao Y.Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), like other lentiviruses, has a transmembrane glycoprotein with an unusually long cytoplasmic tail (CT). Viral envelope (Env) proteins having CT truncations just downstream the putative membrane-spanning domain (PMSD) are assumed to exist among all wild-type budded virions, and also in some cell-adapted strains. To determine whether CT-truncated Env proteins can cause particularly deleterious effects on the Env expressing cells and/or their neighboring cells, plasmids encoding codon-optimized env gene including full-length (pE863) or CT-truncated (pE686* a...
Muhktar MM, Timoney JF.Streptococcus equi infection in horses is characterised by intense infiltration of lymph nodes by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) suggesting a potent chemotactic response to the organism or its products. Equine PMNs were separated using Ficoll-Hypaque medium and used in an assay of chemotaxis under agarose to study the components of S equi involved in this response. Results showed that complement-derived chemotactic factors generated by activation of the alternative complement pathway were important in chemotactic responses to S equi. Both whole bacteria and peptidoglycan preparations were...
Savini F, Gallina L, Prosperi A, Battilani M, Bettini G, Scagliarini A.BPV-1 is known as the main causative agent of equine sarcoid, but the virus has also been detected in skin and blood of healthy horses. Previous reports demonstrated the presence of E5 variants in sarcoids of donkeys and horses; we investigated whether this genetic variability might be also found in BPV-1, PBMC associated, of sub-clinically infected horses. With this aim, we analyzed the E5 gene of 21 BPV-1 strains from diseased and sub-clinically infected horses. Our analyses lead us to demonstrate that multiple sequence variants can be present in the blood of sub-clinically infected horses, ...
Colbath AC, Kisiday JD, Phillips JN, Goodrich LR.Both bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMDMSCs) and extracorporeal shockwave (ESW) have shown promise for enhancing fracture repair. If exposure of BMDMSCs to ESW enhances osteogenic differentiation, these therapies may be combined in vivo or used as a method for preconditioning BMDMSCs. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of ESW on the osteogenic ability of equine BMDMSCs. We hypothesized that ESW would promote osteogenesis evidenced by increased gene expression, alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) expression, slide morphologic score, and protein expression. BMDMSCs were...
Van Steenkiste G, De Clercq D, Vera L, Decloedt A, van Loon G.Atrial tachycardia including focal atrial tachycardia and macroreentrant atrial tachycardia (atrial flutter), are occasionally found in horses. Diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of these arrhythmias has been inadequately described. Objective: To describe the findings on surface electrocardiography (ECG), intra-atrial electrogram recording and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), the response to treatment by transvenous electrical cardioversion (TVEC), and TDI follow-up, of sustained atrial tachycardia in horses. Methods: Case series. Methods: Records from horses with sustained atrial tachycardia tre...
Eysker M, Mirck MH.The distribution of inhibited early third stage Cyathostominae larvae in different parts of the large intestine of the horse was studied in 20 Shetland ponies necropsied in autumn 1982, 1983 and 1984. The location of the larvae in the large intestinal wall was studied by histological examination of the intestines of the eight ponies from 1984. Inhibited larvae were located predominantly and more or less equally in the caecum and the ventral colon. Generally fewer early L3 were in the dorsal colon. In 1984 a considerable proportion (mean 17%, range 9.7-36.9%) of the inhibited larvae was found i...
Estrada RJ, van Weeren PR, van de Lest CH, Boere J, Reyes M, Ionita JC, Estrada M, Lischer CJ.Even though equine multi-limb tendinopathy models have been reported, it is unknown if fore- and hindlimb tendon healing behave similarly. The aim of this study was to compare the healing process of surgically induced superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) core lesions of fore- and hindlimbs in horses. Methods: Tendon core lesions were surgically induced in the SDFT of both fore- and hindlimbs in eight horses. One randomly assigned forelimb and one randomly assigned hindlimb were injected with saline one and two weeks post-surgery. The healing process was monitored clinically and ultrasonogr...
Norred WP, Voss KA.Fumonisins are secondary metabolites of Fusarium moniliforme , Fusarium proliferatum and several other Fusaria that commonly contaminate corn. Only recently discovered in 1988, these mycotoxins appear to be the causative agents of several toxicoses in animals that result from ingestion of moldy corn or corn-based feeds. The syndromes observed vary considerably among the different species affected and include brain lesions in equids, lung edema in swine, and nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and hepatocellular carcinoma in laboratory rats. There is also evidence that suggests that F. moniliforme a...
Thomas LM, Huntington PJ, Mead LJ, Wingate DL, Rogerson BA, Lew AM.The use of the bacterial expression vector, pGex, to produce an abundant, soluble fusion protein of gp45 from equine infectious anaemia virus is described. Purification of the recombinant protein was achieved by one step affinity chromatography on immobilized glutathione using competitive elution so no harsh conditions were required. This provides a readily available antigen that is defined, plentiful and cheap. Yields of 3.5 mg of purified soluble protein/litre of bacterial culture were obtained. This antigen was found to be suitable for ELISA. Background reactivity to either the glutathione-...
Kumar S, Kanwar S, Bansal V, Sehgal R.Diphtheria toxin has the capacity to block protein synthesis in cultured mammalian cells, and thus causing cell death. This capacity of diphtheria toxin was utilized for in-vitro neutralization test to determine antibody titer, using Vero cells, which have been found to be susceptible to diphtheria toxin. In the present study, a Vero cell assay was standardized and validated for potency estimation of diphtheria antitoxin serum (DATS). The results obtained by Vero cell assay were compared with in-vivo biological assay. High degree of correlation (+0.98) was found between in-vivo biological assa...
Groot MT, Merkx M, Koper MT.The redox properties of horse and yeast cytochrome c electrostatically immobilized on carboxylic acid-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been determined over a broad pH range (pH 3.5-8) in the absence and presence of nitric oxide. Below pH 6, both proteins exhibit comparable midpoint potentials, coverages, and electron-transfer rate constants, which suggests that they are adsorbed on the SAM in a similar fashion. Above pH 6, a sharp decrease in electron-transfer rate constants is observed for immobilized yeast cytochrome c, which is indicative of a change in the electron tunnelin...
Steckel RR, Page EH, Geddes LA, Van Vleet JF.The effect of low-level direct-current stimulation on skin wound healing in the horse was assessed. Self-sustaining electrical circuits with electrodes were implanted subcutaneously in or near the wound. Stimulation by direct current (10 or 20 microA) was used to determine the effect on equine skin healing. The efficacy of electrotherapy was evaluated by sequentially comparing the clinical appearance of the wound and measuring the size of the granulating wound bed. The histologic appearance of the healing stimulated wounds was compared with that in nonstimulated control wounds created on 9 hor...
Herbig LE, Eule JC.The aim of this study was to determine the central corneal thickness (CCT) of healthy equine eyes with high-frequency ultrasound (HF) and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and to measure the axial dimensions with B-mode ultrasound. Additionally, the influence of the age on the measured dimensions of the globe was analyzed. Methods: Fifty warm blood horses (mean age 23.0 ± 21.12 months) were divided into 3 age groups (group 1: 0-6 months; group 2: ≥7-30 months; and group 3: ≥31-78 months). Methods: Corneal measurements were performed with a 22-MHz and a 50-MHz transducer. Crystalline lens thi...
Dahm AM, de Bruin A, Linat A, von Tscharner C, Wyder M, Suter MM.We describe the establishment and characterisation of equine keratinocyte cultures with maintenance of a high proliferative capacity up to the second passage. Improved attachment and growth were obtained by seeding primary cells on equine feeder layers. Subcultured keratinocytes showed optimal growth when seeded on collagen type I. The proliferation rate of cells on this substrate exceeded that seen for cells seeded on equine feeder layers. By immunohistochemistry, epithelial origin and state of differentiation of the equine keratinocytes were determined. They expressed keratin and desmoplakin...
Tozaki T, Ohnuma A, Nakamura K, Hano K, Takasu M, Takahashi Y, Tamura N, Sato F, Shimizu K, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Kakoi H, Hirota KI, Hamilton NA....The creation of genetically modified horses is prohibited in horse racing as it falls under the banner of gene doping. In this study, we developed a test to detect gene editing based on amplicon sequencing using next-generation sequencing (NGS). We designed 1012 amplicons to target 52 genes (481 exons) and 147 single-nucleotide variants (SNVs). NGS analyses showed that 97.7% of the targeted exons were sequenced to sufficient coverage (depth > 50) for calling variants. The targets of artificial editing were defined as homozygous alternative (HomoALT) and compound heterozygous alternative (ALT1/...
Pusterla N, Leutenegger CM, Barnum S, Wademan C, Hodzic E.Equine respiratory viruses remain a leading cause of equine morbidity and mortality, with the resurgence of certain infections, an increasing population of elderly, more susceptible horses, the growth of international equine commerce, and an expansion in geographic distribution of pathogens. The focus of rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases has also shifted recently, with the appearance and increasing importance of nucleic acid amplification-based techniques, primarily polymerase chain reaction (PCR), at the expense of traditional methods such as clinical microbiology. While PCR is fast, rel...
