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.
Black JA, Leaf G.1. The effects of cyanogen bromide on horse-heart cytochrome c and horse-heart myoglobin have been investigated. Cytochrome c yielded four fragments, of which two were haemopeptides. The two colourless peptides had amino acid compositions corresponding to those that are expected, on the basis of the sequence proposed for horse-heart cytochrome c by Margoliash, Smith, Kreil & Tuppy (1961), from cleavage at both methionine residues. Of the two haemopeptides, one was isolated and shown to be that derived from cleavage at only one methionine residue, that nearer to the C-terminus of the peptid...
Stewart HL, Kawcak CE, Inscoe CR, Puett C, Lee YZ, Lu J, Zhou OZ, Selberg KT.To describe the technique and assess the diagnostic potential and limitations of tomosynthesis for imaging of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) of equine cadavers; compare the tomosynthesis appearance of pathological lesions with their conventional radiographic, CT, and MRI appearances; and evaluate all imaging findings with gross lesions of a given MCPJ. Methods: Distal portions of 4 forelimbs from 4 equine cadavers. Methods: The MCPJs underwent radiography, tomosynthesis (with a purpose-built benchtop unit), CT, and MRI; thereafter, MCPJs were disarticulated and evaluated for the presence...
Mayhew IG.A technique for the subarachnoid perfusion-fixation of the central nervous system was developed to help identify various significant vascular accidents (SVAs) in the central nervous system (CNS) of 24 neonatal foals submitted for necropsy. SVAs, comprising subarachnoid, parenchymal and nerve root haemorrhages, and oedema and necrosis, occurred in 17 foals, more frequently in the spinal cord than the brain. They occurred as frequently in premature foals as in those born at full term, in foals born dead as in foals born alive, and in foals born following dystocia with an assisted delivery as in ...
Kolm G, Gemeiner M, Deichsel K, Budik S, Aurich J, Aurich C.The failure of clearance mechanisms in the mare's uterus results in persistent inflammation and is considered a major cause of subfertility. Eighteen mares, of which three were susceptible to endometritis and four had been ovariectomised, underwent charcoal clearance testing to evaluate their clearance mechanisms. This consisted of installing 500 mg of charcoal (particle size 4 to 90 microm) added to 50 ml of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) into the uterus. Forty-eight hours later the uterus was flushed out with 0.0012 per cent methylene blue in 50 ml of PBS for determination of the diluting f...
McDonnell SM.Despite the suboptimal aspects of domestic breeding conditions compared with the natural conditions under which their reproductive behavior evolved, most domestic stallions can adapt to management and breeding programs. Most respond adequately or quickly learn to safely abide the restraint and direction of a human handler, and can adapt to changes in methods of breeding for semen collection. If not, the problems can range from inadequate or variable sexual interest and response to overenthusiastic or aggressive response beyond the ability of the handlers to safely direct and control. This arti...
Brinsko SP, Ball BA.The equine oviduct is the site of fertilisation and location of embryonic development during the first 5 or 6 days. It therefore has an important influence on mare fertility. Although histopathological changes have been described previously, there is limited information regarding lymphocyte subtypes present in the mucosa of the normal equine oviduct. Objective: To characterise the distribution of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and B lymphocytes in the equine oviduct from inseminated mares during oestrus and dioestrus, and from noninseminated mares during the immediate post ovulatory period. Methods: Oviduct...
Staufenbiel L, Müller AE, Gehlen H.Objective measurements of the mineral supply in horses are rarely performed. As a result, incorrect elements or an improper amount of elements are provided. The analysis of feces could represent a novel method to evaluate the nutritive supply. The prerequisite is a knowledge of methodological factors influencing the mineral concentration in the fecal samples. Within the scope of this investigation, the effects of different kinds of mineral supply and the influence of the sampling location on the concentration of minerals in equine feces samples were analyzed. Additionally, the methodical error...
Faramarzi B, Hung F, Dong F.Variations in hoof conformation may alter stress distribution, thus predisposing horses to pathologies and lameness; however, experimental studies are scarce. Our objective was to investigate the correlation between midstance hoof kinetics at the walk and hoof conformation in horses. Nine clinically sound, unshod horses were walked over a pressure plate, and force (F), contact area (CA), contact pressure (CP), and peak contact pressure (PCP) were recorded at the dorsal, palmar, medial, and lateral regions, as well as for the whole hoof. By using digital radiography and digital pictures, 55 var...
Bergfelt DR, Adams GP.Two experiments were performed to determine the efficacy of ultrasound-guided transvaginal follicle ablation for synchronizing ovarian function in mares. The experiments were initiated at random stages of the oestrous cycle in control (nonablated) and follicle-ablated mares. On day 0, all follicles > or =10 mm in diameter were punctured, aspirated and curettaged in ablated mares, and, on day 4, two doses of PGF2alpha were administered with a 12 h interval between the doses to both ablated and nonablated (control) mares. In Expt 1, hCG was administered to the ablated mares on the first or se...
Zerpa H, Bailey SR, Berhane Y, Elliott J.Alpha-adrenoceptors mediate contractile responses in equine digital veins (EDVs) and arteries. Vascular smooth muscle alpha(1)-adrenoceptor subtypes have been implicated in a number of conditions, such as acute equine laminitis, and are therapeutic targets for the treatment of this condition. Digital veins, rather than arteries, were investigated in the present study because they have been specifically implicated in the pathophysiology of acute laminitis. The order of potency of a series of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-selective agonists and antagonists was determined in isolated rings of EDVs under ...
Harris PA.An outbreak of muscle stiffness and poor performance among 59 thoroughbreds at a Newmarket flat racing yard was investigated between the beginning of May and the end of June 1986. Over a third of the horses showed signs of muscular stiffness, and 38 had, at one or more of the sampling times, creatine kinase (CK) activities above 200 iu/litre and, or, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities above 300 iu/litre when they were sampled six to eight hours after exercise. The following season, at a similar time and stage of training, only four of 39 horses sampled had CK activities between 200 an...
Meghoufel A, Cloutier G, Crevier-Denoix N, de Guise JA.The fiber bundle density (FBD) calculated from ultrasound B-scan images of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) can serve as an objective measurement to characterize the three metacarpal sites of normal SDFTs, and also to discriminate a healthy SDFT from an injured one. In this paper, we propose a shock filter algorithm for the thinning of hyper-echoic structures observed in B-scan images of the SDFT. This algorithm is further enhanced by applying closing morphological operations on filtered images to facilitate extraction and quantification of fiber bundle fascicles. The mean F...
O'Rielly JL.The IgG concentration of plasma from 13 mares was measured by radial immunodiffusion when fresh and after storage at -4 degrees C and thawing by 3 methods. There was no significant (P > 0.05) reduction in the IgG concentration when plasma was thawed over 6 hours at 22 degrees C (1352.9 +/- 101.6 mg/dL) (mean +/- SEM) compared with the fresh sample (1369.5 +/- 88.1 mg/dL). In contrast, there was a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the IgG concentration of plasma that was rapidly thawed at 57 degrees C over 50 minutes (1142.9 +/- 66.2 mg/dL), or placed in a microwave oven for 20 to 25 minutes ...
Papin J, Stuhtmann G, Martinsson G, Sieme H, Lundeheim N, Ntallaris T, Morrell JM.Removal of seminal plasma facilitates stallion sperm survival during storage, but washing may damage sperm chromatin. Therefore, sperm quality was compared in samples following single-layer centrifugation (SLC) or sperm washing and controls (extension only) in two extenders, INRA82 and INRA96. Ejaculates from six stallions were split among six treatments: SLC, sperm washing, and controls, in INRA82 and INRA96. Sperm motility and acrosome status were evaluated at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours; morphology at 0, 24, 48, 72 hours and chromatin integrity at 0 and 96 hours, with storage at 6°C. Sperm ...
Gläser KE, Davies ME, Jeffcott LB.This study was designed to examine a new role for cysteine proteinases in the process of endochondral ossification. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence and distribution of cathepsin B and cathepsin L in equine articular cartilage during development. Methods: Full-depth cartilage samples from a total of 40 horses (age range: 4 month fetuses to 2 years) were examined and enzymes detected by immunocytochemical localisation. Results: Observations on the presence of cathepsins B and L revealed significant age-related differences, resulting in clear division of th...
Herbach N, Nagel L, Zwick T, Hermanns W.Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors of glucagon-producing cells are extremely rare in domestic animals. In this report, we describe for the first time, to our knowledge, the incidental finding of multiple glucagon-producing neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas of a horse. The animal was euthanized due to severe local infection after tooth extraction. On postmortem examination, multiple white nodules of up to 4 cm in diameter were observed in the pancreas. Histologically, pancreatic nodules had the appearance of neuroendocrine neoplasms with positive immunoreactivity for glucagon, synaptophysin, ...
Lloyd KC, Stover SM, Pascoe JR, Pool RR.A 2.5-cm long, 0.8 mm in diameter catheter was placed percutaneously into the palmarolateral pouch of the antebrachiocarpal joint in 6 clinically normal horses. The catheter was affixed in place for 72 hours. Cytologic analysis was performed on synovial fluid specimens obtained through the catheter at postcatheterization hours (PCH) 0, 24, and 72. The horses were euthanatized at PCH 72, and macroscopic and microscopic examinations were performed on the dorsal portion of the joint capsule and the palmarolateral pouch of the catheterized and contralateral (noncatheterized) joint. Clinical, synov...
Brück I, Anderson GA, Hyland JH.The influence of different maternal plasma progesterone concentrations on embryonic glucose metabolism was studied. Uterine flushes were obtained after treating ovariectomized mares (n = 3) with 0 (control), 100 or 200 mg progesterone daily for 7 d. A group of progesterone-induced proteins (PIP) of Mr approximately 20,000 were identified in flushes from progesterone treatments by SDS-PAGE but were not observed in control flushes. Progesterone-induced proteins were removed from half the pooled flush in each treatment group by Sepharose blue CL-6B. In a 3 x 2 factorial (progesterone treatments, ...
Van Eenoo P, Delbeke FT, Deprez P.Clenbuterol, a beta-adrenergic agonist, is used in the treatment of recurrent airway obstruction in horses. It is prohibited by horse racing authorities, because of its stimulating and growth-promoting properties. However, information on detection times of clenbuterol after administration by nebulization is lacking. In this study, a fast, sensitive quantitative GC-MS(2) method for the detection of clenbuterol in urine was developed. Alkaline liquid-liquid extraction was followed by derivatization to a cyclic methyl boronate derivative and analysis on a Finnigan MAT GCQ instrument. Method valid...
Leeb T.The growing knowledge on physiology, cell biology and biochemistry of the reproductive organs has provided many insights into molecular mechanisms that are required for successful reproduction. Research directed at the investigation of reproduction physiology in domestic animals was hampered in the past by a lack of species-specific genomic information. The genome sequences of dog, cattle and horse have become publicly available in 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively. Although the gene content of mammalian genomes is generally very similar, genes involved in reproduction tend to be less conserved...
Kalemkerian PB, Metz GE, Peral-Garcia P, Echeverria MG, Giovambattista G, Díaz S.Polymorphisms at Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes have been associated with resistance/susceptibility to infectious diseases in domestic animals. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate whether polymorphisms of the DRA gene the Equine Lymphocyte Antigen is associated with susceptibility to Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) infection in horses in Argentina. The equine DRA gene was screened for polymorphisms using Pyrosequencing® Technology which allowed the detection of three ELA-DRA exon 2 alleles. Neither allele frequencies nor genotypic differentiation exhibited any statistical...
Baccarin RY, Martins EA, Hagen SC, Silva LC.A controlled study was designed in order to evaluate the effects of medial patellar desmotomy (MPD), combined with exercise restriction, on clinically and radiographically normal femoropatellar joints, and to identify the patellar instability by radiographic examination. MPD was performed on the right hind limb and the horses were rested for 120 days. Both hind limbs were radiographed before surgery and at 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after MPD, obtaining lateromedial, flexed lateromedial, caudocranial and cranioproximal-craniodistal (skyline) views. The femorotibial and femoropatellar angles ...
Martinuk SD, Bristol F, Murphy BD.Breeding trials were designed to determine the influence of the mare on serum concentrations of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) from Day 39 to Day 104 of gestation. Sires were ranked according to mean eCG concentrations found in the groups of randomly selected mares to which they were mated in 1983. Mares were ranked according to their mean eCG concentrations on Days 55, 71 and 85 of gestation (Day 0 = mating), in 1983 and 1985. In the 1986 breeding season, mares that had pregnancies characterized by high eCG levels were mated to sires previously associated with low eCG concentration pregn...
Guignot F, Ottogalli M, Yvon JM, Magistrini M.The objective of this study was to perform intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on in vitro matured equine oocytes and to improve in vitro embryonic development on Vero cells after activation of the microinjected oocytes with calcium ionophore. After maturation (23 or 40 h, 38.5 degrees C, 5% CO2), the cumulus-oocyte complexes were denuded, centrifuged and all oocytes exhibiting the first polar body were microinjected. ICSI was performed using fresh semen from three fertile stallions. Microinjected oocytes were activated with calcium ionophore A23187 (10 min, 10 microM) and cultured individ...
Wilson WD, Spensley MS, Baggot JD, Hietala SK, Pryor P.The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of ticarcillin and clavulanate were determined after intravenous (i.v.) or intramuscular (i.m.) administration of ticarcillin disodium (50 mg/kg) combined with clavulanate potassium (1.67 mg/kg) to groups of healthy foals at 3 days and 28 days of age. After i.v. administration of the combination to five foals, the disposition kinetics of ticarcillin and clavulanate were best described using a two-compartment open model. Mean plasma elimination-rate constant (beta) and clearance (ClB) for ticarcillin were significantly less (P less than 0.01), and volume...
Hinrichs K, Choi YH.Embryo cryopreservation presents an essential method for banking of valuable genetics. However, in equine species the cryopreservation of embryos is complicated by three interacting factors: (1) the late entry of the embryo into the uterus (~6 days after ovulation); (2) the rapid expansion of the blastocyst; and (3) the formation of the equine embryonic capsule, a glycoprotein membrane that forms between the embryo and zona. Efforts to freeze or vitrify equine expanded blastocysts were initially met with little success. In addition, it was thought that breaching the capsule led to loss of embr...
Brownlow MA, Turner DM, Hutchins DR.An inhalation anaesthetic apparatus for the horse is described and the physiological concepts pertaining to its design presented. The internal diameter of all breathing components is 6.2 cm with no change in cross sectional area throughout the circle system. The soda lime capacity is 25 litres (approximately 20 kg). In the horse, which is apparently predisposed to alveolar hypoventilation during inhalation anaesthesia, it is apparent that adequate anaesthetic apparatus design should be directed towards minimising resistance and dead space and providing maximal and efficient carbon dioxide elim...
Yu MH, Kasem S, Yoshizaki N, Pagamjav O, Yamaguchi T, Ohya K, Fukushi H.EUL47 is a major component of the tegument of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1). To determine its function, we used Red/ET cloning to delete its gene (gene 13) from EHV-1 strain Ab4p inserted into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), yielding Ab4pattBΔ13. We also examined the reverted virus (Ab4pattB13R). Ab4pattBΔ13 replicated in rabbit kidney (RK)-13 cells, indicating that ORF13 is dispensable for virus replication in cell culture. Its intracellular and extracellular titers were about 10- and 100-fold lower than those of the revertant and parent strains, respectively. In addition, the plaqu...
Abraham G, Broddet OE, Ungemach FR.In this study, beta-adrenoceptors of intact equine lymphocytes were identified and subclassified by (-)-[125I]-iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) binding. ICYP binding to intact equine lymphocytes was rapid, saturable (maximal number of binding sites 320 +/- 20 ICYP binding sites/cell, n = 12) and of high affinity (KD value for ICYP 14.4 +/- 1.7 pmol/l, n = 12). Binding was stereospecific as shown by the 10 times greater potency of (-)-propranolol to inhibit binding than its (+)-isomer. Beta-adrenoceptor agonists inhibited ICYP binding with an order of potency: (-)-isoprenaline >(-)-adrenaline >(-...
Van Leeuwen W.Two trotter stud farms were visited on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during 1972 and 1973. A total of 356 mares were bored on these farms during these breeding seasons. There were 194 nursing, 113 barren, and 49 maiden mares. Of the 356 mares, 78 (21.9%) had functional disorders of the ovaries at one time or another. The functional disorders consisted of: 27 anoestrous mares after early embryonic death, 20 with low ovarian activity, 19 with multifollicular ovaries, and 12 mares with persistent corpora lutea. The following therapies were used: (a) 1000 I.U. PMSG i.v. + 10 mg stilboestrol i.m...
Baragli P, Tedeschi D, Gatta D, Martelli F, Sighieri C.The aim of the present study was to test a constant blood withdrawal method (CBWM) to collect blood samples from horses during treadmill exercise. CBWM was performed in 4 Standardbreds and 5 Haflinger horses. A peristaltic pump was used to control blood aspiration from an i.v. catheter via an extension line. Blood was collected using an automatic fractions collector, with a constant delay time between the drawing of blood and sample collection. Blood withdrawal using CBWM was made during a treadmill standardised exercise test (SET). A blood flow of 12 m/min was used and samples collected every...
