Equine health encompasses the study and management of diseases, disorders, and overall well-being of horses. It involves understanding various physiological systems, preventive care, and treatment strategies to maintain optimal health in equine populations. Common areas of focus include nutrition, infectious diseases, orthopedic conditions, and reproductive health. Research in equine health aims to advance knowledge on diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, and management practices that improve horse welfare and performance. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine health, offering insights into current findings and advancements in the field.
Kuwano A, Katayama Y, Kasashima Y, Okada K, Reilly JD.In horses with chronic laminitis, an abnormal horny structure called lamellar wedge, is generated between the hoof wall and the laminar epidermis. To be able to manage horses with chronic laminitis correctly, more information about the pathological state of this abnormal horn is required. The aim of this study was to collect and analyze objective morphological data about the abnormal horn in order to understand its morphology and development. In the study, the abnormal horn was grossly visible on the sagittal hoof section from approximately 20 days after the onset of disease. In the histologic...
Giese M, Bahr U, Jakob NJ, Kehm R, Handermann M, Müller H, Vahlenkamp TH, Spiess C, Schneider TH, Schusse G, Darai G.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causative agent of the equine viral arteritis. It is a small RNA virus with a linear, non-segmented plus RNA genome. EAV is a member of the Arteriviridae family that includes porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRSSV), simian haemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV) and lactate dehydrogenase virus (LDV). The viral transmission is via respiratory and reproductive routes. Clinical signs in horses vary, and severe infection can lead to abortions in pregnant mares or neonatal foal death. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of the imm...
Davies Morel MC, Newcombe JR, Holland SJ.In order to assist in the accurate prediction of the timing of parturition in the mare true gestation length, along with the potential effect of a number of factors, was investigated. Data from 433 Thoroughbred foal pregnancies were used. Sequential ultrasonic scanning allowed the true gestation length (fertilisation-parturition) to be ascertained, as apposed to previous work, which used the mating-parturition interval. An average gestation length of 344.1 +/- 0.49 days was evident. Colt foal pregnancies were significantly (P < 0.001) longer (346.2 +/- 0.72) than fillies (342.4 +/- 0.65). Mont...
Devireddy RV, Swanlund DJ, Alghamdi AS, Duoos LA, Troedsson MH, Bischof JC, Roberts KP.The effects of extracellular ice and cryoprotective agents on the measured volumetric shrinkage response and the membrane permeability parameters of equine spermatozoa have been reported previously. The volumetric shrinkage data were obtained using a differential scanning calorimeter technique that was independent of cell shape. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of collection and cooling conditions on the motility and the water transport parameters at subzero temperatures of equine spermatozoa. Stallion semen samples were collected using either a commercial lubricating agent, wh...
Svistunenko DA, Dunne J, Fryer M, Nicholls P, Reeder BJ, Wilson MT, Bigotti MG, Cutruzzolà F, Cooper CE.The reactions of hydrogen peroxide with human methemoglobin, sperm whale metmyoglobin, and horse heart metmyoglobin were studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at 10 K and room temperature. The singlet EPR signal, one of the three signals seen in these systems at 10 K, is characterized by a poorly resolved, but still detectable, hyperfine structure that can be used to assign it to a tyrosyl radical. The singlet is detectable as a quintet at room temperature in methemoglobin with identical spectral features to those of the well characterized tyrosyl radical in photosystem...
Bailey SR, Rycroft A, Elliott J.Acute laminitis can be induced experimentally in horses by the administration of carbohydrate, resulting in fermentation within the cecum and ischemia-reperfusion of the digits. The products of fermentation that trigger acute laminitis are as yet unknown; however, compounds such as amines might play a role due to their potential vasoactive properties. The objectives of this study were to quantify the amines present in equine cecal contents and to use a model of carbohydrate overload in vitro to test the hypothesis that carbohydrate fermentation is associated with increased amine production. Ce...
Gentry LR, Thompson DL, Gentry GT, Davis KA, Godke RA, Cartmill JA.An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of high vs low body condition scores (BCS) produced by restricted feeding on reproductive characteristics, hormonal secretion, and leptin concentrations in mares during the autumnal transition and winter anovulatory period. Mares with BCS of 6.5 to 8.0 were maintained on pasture and/or grass hay, and starting in September, were full fed or restricted to produce BCS of 7.5 to 8.5 (high) or 3.0 to 3.5 (low) by December. All but one mare with high BCS continued to ovulate or have follicular activity during the winter, whereas mares with low BCS...
Lopez AM, Hines MT, Palmer GH, Alperin DC, Hines SA.Rhodococcus equi infects and causes pneumonia in foals between 2 and 4 months of age but does not induce disease in immunocompetent adults, which are immune and remain clinically normal upon challenge. Understanding the protective response against R. equi in adult horses is important in the development of vaccine strategies, since those mechanisms likely reflect the protective phenotype that an effective vaccine would generate in the foal. Twelve adult horses were challenged with virulent R. equi and shown to be protected against clinical disease. Stimulation of cells obtained from bronchoalve...
Medina B, Girard ID, Jacotot E, Julliand V.Eight horses were allotted into pairs consisting of one cecum- and right ventral colon-fistulated animal and one cecum-fistulated animal. They were fed daily at the same level of intake either a high-fiber (HF) or a high-starch (HS) diet without or with 10 g of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae preparation, in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The HS diet provided a starch overload (i.e., 3.4 g starch x kg(-1) BW x meal(-1)) while maintaining a high amount of fiber intake (i.e., dietary NDF/starch ratio was 1.0). A 21-d period of adaptation to the treatments occurred before cecal and colonic contents were...
Parente EJ, Martin BB, Tulleners EP, Ross MW.To evaluate the occurrence of dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) during high-speed treadmill (HSTM) exercise in racehorses, and determine treatment efficacy relative to the endoscopic findings observed during resting and HSTM endoscopic examination. Methods: Retrospective study. Animals-Ninety-two racehorses (74 Thoroughbreds, 18 Standardbreds). Methods: The signalment, history (clinical and race), treatments, and video recordings made during resting and HSTM endoscopy were reviewed in 92 racehorses that developed DDSP during HSTM exercise. Only horses that completed 3 starts before...
Johnson CA, Thompson DL, Cartmill JA.The present experiment characterized the pituitary responsiveness to exogenous GnRH in the first 10 d after ovulation following commercially available deslorelin acetate implantation at the normal dosage for hastening ovulation in mares. Twelve mature, cyclic mares were assessed daily for estrus and three times weekly for ovarian activity starting May 1. Mares achieving a follicle at least 25 mm in diameter or showing signs of estrus were checked daily thereafter for ovarian characteristics. When a follicle >30 mm was detected, mares were administered either a single deslorelin acetate impl...
Carneiro GF, Liu IK, Hyde D, Anderson GB, Lorenzo PL, Ball BA.In vitro fertilization (IVF) is being routinely used in humans and several domestic species, however, limited success has been achieved in the horse. Although immature equine oocytes are capable of completing meiosis in vitro, subsequent fertilization, and embryonic development of those oocytes are questionable. The lack of development of these oocytes could be attributed to an impaired cytoplasmic maturation. In the horse, the study of oocyte cytoplasmic maturation and post-fertilization development has been hindered by the lack of progress in IVF. In mammalian oocytes, migration of cortical ...
McGorum BC, Anderson RA.To test the hypothesis that equine grass sickness may be associated with the ingestion of cyanogenic glycosides from white clover (Trifolium repens), the concentrations of whole blood cyanide, and plasma and urinary thiocyanate, the main metabolite of cyanide, were measured in 12 horses with acute grass sickness and 10 horses with subacute grass sickness, and in 43 control horses, of which 21 were co-grazing with cases of acute grass sickness, 12 grazed pastures where grass sickness had not been reported, and 10 were stabled horses. The healthy horses which grazed with cases of acute grass sic...
Birch HL, Smith TJ, Poulton C, Peiffer D, Goodship AE.Partial rupture occurs most often to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of the forelimb at the mid-metacarpal level. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the mid-metacarpal region of the SDFT has the smallest cross sectional area (CSA) and a similar collagen content to other regions and, therefore, represents a weak point in the tendon. The SDFT was collected from the forelimbs of 9 horses. Each tendon was marked at 7 different levels from the origin of the accessory ligament to the phalangeal region. The CSA, water content and collagen content was measured at each level. The...
Dunnett CE, Marlin DJ, Harris RC.The aim of the present study was to relate changes in muscle oxidative capacity and free fatty acid flux in response to oil supplementation to fuel utilisation during subsequent exercise of varying intensities. Following 10 weeks of oil supplementation there was an increased capacity for fat utilisation during low and moderate intensity exercise as indicated by a lower respiratory exchange ratio (RER) (P<0.05). We suggest that this was contributed to by a parallel increase in the oxidative capacity of muscle as indicated by a significant increase in the activity of muscle citrate synthase (...
Harmegnies NF, Duvivier DH, Vandenput SN, Art T, Lekeux PM, Votion DM.This study aimed to compare exercise-induced pulmonary perfusion redistribution in healthy vs. 'heavey' horses using scintigraphy, a minimally invasive technique. Six healthy (A) and 5 'heavey' horses in remission (B(I)) and during clinical signs of disease (B(II)) were investigated. Dimensions of the exercising pulmonary perfusion (QE) images were expressed in percent of the resting perfusion (QR) images. Computed QE to QR ratios (QE/QR) images enabled the definition of the region more perfused at exercise than at rest (R1). In all groups, exercise induced a major enlargement of the Q image b...
Trottier NL, Nielsen BD, Lang KJ, Ku PK, Schott HC.Six 2-year-old Arabian horses were used to determine whether 60 km prolonged endurance exercise (approximately 4 h) alters amino acid concentrations in serum and muscle, and the time required for serum amino acid concentrations to return to basal resting values. Blood and muscle samples were collected throughout exercise and during a 3 day recovery period. Isoleucine concentration in muscle tended to increase and leucine and valine did not change due to exercise. Serum alanine concentrations did not increase immediately after exercise, but increased at 24, 48 and 72 h postexercise. Serum isole...
Parente EJ, Russau AL, Birks EK.Mild lameness is considered a performance-limiting problem that may escape detection until it worsens, and is considered the primary reason for reduced racing performance. The kinematics changes associated with a lame horse at the trot have been demonstrated previously, but the metabolic cost of these alterations in their gait have not been demonstrated. Six fit Thoroughbred horses with an established VO2max participated in 4 trials using a randomised cross-over design study, separated by 10-14 days. The horses were tested with one of 4 trial conditions: lead forelimb lameness (LL); off-lead f...
Morgan K, Funkquist P, Nyman G.The aim of this study was to study the physiological, especially thermoregulatory, responses during intense exercise in the clipped horse compared to the horse with winter coat. Six Standardbred trotters were studied before and after clipping. They performed an inclined incremental high intensity treadmill exercise test and were monitored during recovery. The clipped horse differed significantly (ANOVA) during exercise as compare to coated: less increase in central venous blood temperature, higher skin surface temperature, greater difference skin to ambient temperature and higher rate of nonev...
McDonough P, Kindig CA, Hildreth TS, Behnke BJ, Erickson HH, Poole DC.Maximal cardiac performance is improved in man during upright compared to supine exercise. Whether cardiac performance in quadrupeds is dependent upon body position is unknown. Therefore, we undertook the present investigation to determine if peak cardiac output (Qpeak) would be influenced by body inclination in the Thoroughbred horse. To test the hypothesis, four Thoroughbred horses performed an incremental exercise protocol (speed increased by 1 m/s/min to fatigue) on both a level (L) and inclined (I: 6 degrees) treadmill. Specifically, we hypothesised that Qpeak would be increased on the in...
Ohmura H, Hiraga A, Matsui A, Aida H, Inoue Y, Asai Y, Jones JH.Yearling horses are typically trained for more than a year before they begin racing; therefore, we questioned how relevant analyses of the initial responses to training are compared to physiological responses that occur over a year of training, and whether young horses with no history of training would respond the same as older horses that had been trained previously. We hypothesised that changes in O2 transport over the last months of a year of training would be different than at the beginning. We trained 5 yearling Thoroughbreds and evaluated metabolism, O2 transport and echocardiograms. Mea...
McKeever KH, Scali R, Geiser S, Kearns CF.The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the training-induced hypervolaemic response seen in the horse is associated with aldosterone-mediated renal mechanisms affecting sodium conservation during the first days of training. Five healthy, Standardbred mares (weight 450-500 kg, age 4-8 years) that were unfit, but accustomed to running on the treadmill, were used to test the hypothesis that repeated submaximal exercise would alter plasma aldosterone (ALDO) concentration and renal excretion of electrolytes in horses within the first 3 days of training. The experiment consisted of...
Pösö AR, Eklund-Uusitalo S, Hyyppä S, Pirilä E.In response to stress, cells synthesise heat shock proteins (HSP) to maintain protein homeostasis. To study whether exercise and training induce expression of HSP72 in the middle gluteal muscle, 10 Finnhorses performed a submaximal 60 min exercise test on a treadmill. Test A was performed after 3 months of training, and the other two tests 2 (B) and 5 (C) weeks later. Blood samples were taken during and after the tests, and biopsy samples before, immediately after and 23 h after each test. HSP72 mRNA was analysed using a digoxigenin-labelled probe. Blood lactate concentration in the 3 tests va...
Birks EK, Shuler KM, Soma LR, Martin BB, Marconato L, Del Piero F, Teleis DC, Schar D, Hessinger AE, Uboh CE.The incidence and severity of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) in the 2 most commonly raced horse breeds, Thoroughbreds (TB) and Standardbreds (STD), were studied, with particular interest in the possible influence of frusemide (F) and/or the breed (or running gait) on EIPH. The appearance of blood within the trachea was semi-quantified using a published 5-point system, with zero assigned when no blood was observed, and numbers 1-4 assigned with increasing amounts of blood. Considering each endoscopic examination as a separate event, approximately 75% of the postrace endoscopic ex...
Dunnett M, Harris RC, Dunnett CE, Harris PA.This study was undertaken as part of a larger investigation into carnosine metabolism and function in the Thoroughbred horse. More specifically, we wished to evaluate plasma carnosine concentration as a potential indicator of muscle carnosine status. In contrast to man, carnosine is present in equine plasma where its presence is consistent with the absence of plasma carnosinase. A significant effect of age on plasma carnosine concentration in resting Thoroughbred horses was observed. Values in horses age 3 years and older were 113-14.1 micromol/l, whereas concentrations in foals and yearlings ...
O'Connor CI, Nielsen BD, Schott HC, Clayton HM.Weight training is commonly used by human athletes to increase strength and fitness. This study was performed to examine the effect of weight-carrying and nutritional supplementation on muscle development and growth in young horses. This study examined the effect of weight-carrying and nutritional supplementation on muscle development and growth. Seventeen horses were divided into 3 groups: controls exercised in a free-flow exerciser, a weight group that performed the same exercise, carrying progressively increasing weight up to 45 kg, and a weight-supplement group, that also received a myo-an...
Kearns CF, McKeever KH, John-Alder H, Abe T, Brechue WF.It has long been known that body mass and, more specifically, lean body mass are strongly correlated with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in man and animals. However, there are no data to date describing this phenomenon in the horse. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between body composition and VO2max in the horse. Twenty-three healthy and unfit Standardbred mares performed an incremental exercise test (GXT) to measure VO2max. Rump fat thickness (RTH), a measure of fat covering, was measured using B-mode ultrasound. Plasma volume, total blood volume and red cell volume w...
Newton JR, Wood JL.In an epidemiological study of risk factors for exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) in young Thoroughbreds in the UK, in which 148 horses contributed 1614 horse-months of data, there were 64 (4%) episodes of endoscopically visible tracheal bleeding and 824 (51%) episodes of increased quantities of haemosiderophages in tracheal washes. There were increases in prevalence and risk of EIPH by both definitions with age from or = 4 years, season of sampling from winter (Nov-Jan) to autumn (Aug-Oct) and several different measures of airway inflammation, including tracheal mucus, neutrophil...
Bertone AL, Reisbig NA, Kilborne AH, Kaido M, Salmanzadeh N, Lovasz R, Sizemore JL, Scheuermann L, Kopp RJ, Zekas LJ, Brokken MT.To assess if injection of allogeneic dental pulp tissue particles would improve lameness in horses with naturally occurring osteoarthritis (OA) or soft tissue (ST) injury. Methods: Prospective, randomized, blinded, and controlled clinical trial and client survey assessment. Methods: Forty lame client-owned horses. Methods: Sterile dental pulp, recovered from otherwise healthy foals that perish during dystocia, was processed under good manufacturing processing to produce mechanically manipulated, unexpanded pulp tissue particles containing viable cells surrounded in extracellular matrix. Forty ...
Posta J, Rudiné Mezei A, Mihók S, Mészáros G.The aim of this study was to analyse the duration of the competitive life of jumping horses in Hungary to assess the potential for genetic evaluation and to get information about the risk factors affecting jumping performance of sport horses. The data set included lifetime performance in jumping competitions for 8475 horses born from 1992 onwards with records between 1996 and 2011 (32.7% were right-censored). Longevity was measured as the number of years spent in the competition. Discrete time survival model included fixed effects of gender, age at first competition, and the time-dependent eff...
DeBenedette V.Horseback riding carries several risks, some of which can be minimized if riders take riding lessons, wear proper headgear and footgear, and remember that they are on top of a large, willful animal.
Köllmann M, Rötting A, Heberling A, Sieme H.The diagnostic and therapeutic options for oviduct disorders in the mare are limited. The current best techniques require exploratory surgery under general anaesthesia or flank laparotomy. Objective: The orthograde flushing of the oviduct for diagnostic or therapeutic options is possible using laparoscopic techniques in the standing sedated mare. Methods: Development of a laparoscopic technique for catheterisation of the infundibulum and flushing of the oviduct (sterile methylene blue solution) in the standing sedated mare was examined in 2 experiments. The first involved a transvaginal laparo...
Cummings JF, de Lahunta A, Timoney JF.Four cases of neuritis of the cauda equina (NCE) were studied by light and electron microscopy. Examination of sacral intradural rootlets revealed inflammatory cell infiltrates and an array of myelinated fiber changes which included myelin stripping by invading mononuclear cells and macrophages, as well as splitting and vesiculation of myelin lamellae without obvious participation by leukocytes. More distally in the extradural roots, there was marked granulomatous inflammation, and demyelinative changes were overshadowed by widespread evidence of irreversible axon damage. In all cases, unusual...
Tang L, Gao Y, Yan L, Jia H, Chu H, Ma X, He L, Wang X, Li K, Hu D, Zhang D.The gut microbiome offers important ecological benefits to the host; however, our understanding of the functional microbiome in relation to wildlife adaptation, especially for translocated endangered species, is lagging. In this study, we adopted a comparative metagenomics approach to test whether the microbiome diverges for translocated and resident species with different adaptive potentials. The composition and function of the microbiome of sympatric Przewalski's horses and Asiatic wild asses in desert steppe were compared for the first time using the metagenomic shotgun sequencing approach....
Furr M.Diagnosis of neuro-inflammatory conditions in the horse can be challenging. Current methods include evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for inflammation and determination of specific antibody status. The antibody index (AI) and Goldman-Witmer coefficient (C-value) can be used to aid in the interpretation. Objective: The null hypothesis to be tested was that the Al and C-values do not change in horses with neuroinflammation. Methods: Twelve horses of various ages (3-17 years) and breeds (Thoroughbred, Thoroughbred cross, draft, and Arabian) were included in the study. Methods: The study was...
Rebhun WC.Corneal squamous cell carcinomas with surface areas of more than 2.0 cm were diagnosed in 26 eyes of 25 horses. The depth of the lesion into the corneal stroma and involvement of the ocular adnexa were important determinants for surgical treatment. Corneal tumors that extended into adjacent palpebral conjunctiva, eyelid, or orbit were not amenable to complete excision, while those that involved only cornea and bulbar conjunctiva were treated surgically by keratectomy and beta radiation. Initial treatment was keratectomy followed by beta radiation on 24 eyes and enucleation of two eyes. Twenty ...
Grant DC, Westropp JL, Shiraki R, Ruby AL.Laser lithotripsy has been used as an alternative to surgical removal of uroliths. Objective: To describe the procedure and efficacy of laser lithotripsy for removal of lower urinary tract uroliths in horses. Additionally, the ultrastructure and the differences in mineralogy and microstructure from 1 successful and 1 unsuccessful laser lithotripsy case are described. Methods: Six client-owned horses with 7 episodes of naturally occurring urocystoliths, urethroliths, or both. Methods: Retrospective study of all horses treated between 2006 and 2008 by laser lithotripsy. All horses were sedated f...
Geelen SN, Jansen WL, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Breukink HJ, Beynen AC.The aim of this study was to establish the dose-response relationship between fat intake and heparin-released plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in horses. Eight mature trotters were fed 4 rations with different fat levels (3.0, 5.0, 7.7, or 10.8% fat in the dry matter) according to a 4 X 4 Latin square design. The experimental rations consisted of hay and different concentrates; the concentrates and hay were given in a 3:1 ratio on an energy basis. Soybean oil was added to the concentrates at the expense of isoenergetic amounts of glucose. Blood samples were taken at the end of each die...
Parker RA, Bladon BM, McGovern K, Smith KC.To describe and discuss previously unreported complications associated with intraosseous perfusion with gentamicin in horses. Methods: Case report. Methods: Ten-year-old Warmblood gelding. Methods: Intraosseous perfusion with gentamicin into the proximal phalanx (P1) was used as part of the treatment regimen for distal interphalangeal joint and navicular bursa synovial sepsis. Although the sepsis responded favorably complications developed at the perfusion site, including persistent osteomyelitis, progressive osteonecrosis, and ultimately pathologic fracture of P1. Results: The progression of ...
Ganjam VK, McLeod C, Klesius PH, Washburn SM, Kwapien R, Brown B, Fazeli MH.The reaction between ovarian hormones and experimental uterine infection (Streptococcus zooepidemicus) was investigated in 3 groups, each containing 6 ovariectomized mares. Group 1 served as controls ('anoestrus'), Group 2 mares were injected with oestrogen ('oestrus') and Group 3 with progesterone ('dioestrus') over a period of 5 weeks. All mares received an intrauterine inoculation of the bacteria 1 week after the start of hormonal treatment, and the results of the challenge were examined by endometrial biopsy and swabs once weekly. At the end of Week 1 no bacteria were recovered from the ma...
Mosichuk AP, Smith JS, Tatarniuk DM, Troy JR, Kreuder AJ.Septic synovitis is a critical orthopedic condition in horses. Early intervention is key, with antibiotic therapy typically initiated prior to culture and susceptibility reports becoming available. The pharmacokinetics of several antibiotics have been studied in horses for use in intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) for septic synovitis, including the carbapenem antibiotic, meropenem. For a variety of factors, some veterinary clinicians may select IVRLP meropenem as therapy for these cases. Meropenem is a vital antibiotic in human medicine, making veterinary use divisive. However, verif...
MacGillivray KC, Graham TD, Parente EJ.A 2-year-old male Thoroughbred was evaluated for multiple firm, raised nodules of the maxilla and mandible that had been present since 6 months of age. The horse was evaluated as a yearling with a final histologic diagnosis of fibrosarcoma. As a 2-year-old, the colt made a loud upper airway sound and was agitated after strenuous exercise. Results of upper airway endoscopy indicated severe narrowing of the nasal passages and pharynx with normal resting function. Radiography revealed multiple circular bony lesions in the mandible, maxilla, multiple long bones, and cervical vertebrae. Biopsy spec...
Infectious causes of myositis are reported relatively uncommonly in horses. Among them, bacterial causes include subsp. , , spp. spp, and . Infection can be spread to muscles via haematogenous or extension from skin lesions. Parasitic myositis has also been documented. In this report, a 12 year-old Italian Quarter Horse mare presented with diffuse subcutaneous nodules and masses ranging from 2 × 3 to 5 × 20 cm in size, and adherent to subcutis and muscles that were first macroscopically and cytologically diagnosed as pyogranulomas. Subsequently, histological, molecular, bacteriological, a...
Rassoli A, Fatouraee N, Guidoin R, Zhang Z, Ravaghi S.Extracting the mechanical behaviors of bioprosthetic aortic valve leaflets is necessary for the appropriate design and manufacture of the prosthetic valves. The goal of this study was to opt a proper tissue for the valve leaflets by comparing the mechanical properties of the equine, porcine, and donkey pericardia with those of the bovine pericardium and human aortic valve leaflets. Methods: After tissue fixation in glutaraldehyde, the mechanical behaviors of the pericardial tissues were experimentally evaluated through computational methods. The relaxation tests were performed along the tissue...
Merkies K, Sudarenko Y, Hodder AJ.Communication within a species is essential for access to resources, alerting to dangers, group facilitation and social bonding; human facial expressions are considered to be an important factor in one’s ability to communicate with others. Evidence has shown that dogs and horses are able to distinguish positive and negative facial expressions by observing photographs of humans, however there is currently no research on how facial expressions from a live human are perceived by horses. This study investigated how ponies distinguish facial expressions presented by live actors. Trained actors (n...
Gharahveysi S, Kashan NE, Gerami A, Torshizi RV.Arab horse is a popular pure breed in Iran and is registered by World Arabian Horse Organization (WAHO). There is no scientific study and research about this breed. In this research 13 conformation traits on a random sample of the Iranian Arab horses studied. The estimate of variance components estimated by Animal Model and Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood (DF-REML) approach and DF-REML software. Heritability of conformation traits is also evaluated. The range of estimated heritability were (0.050 +/- 0.008) neck length and (0.614 +/- 0.087) croup height. Results indicated that, c...
Tomlinson JE, Sage AM, Turner TA, Feeney DA.To map the equine pelvis using ultrasonography, validated by use of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and measurements of frozen cadaver slices. Methods: 6 ponies and 6 horses. Methods: Ultrasonographic examination of the pelvis was performed on 6 clinically normal ponies. Measurements were obtained for imaged structures. Computed tomography, MRI, and measurements of frozen sections were performed after death and used to verify measurements. Linear regression determined the degree of correlation between measurements obtained ultrasonographically and the other modaliti...
Ruggles AJ, Ross MW.Medical records of 28 horses with impaction of the small colon were reviewed; 20 horses were admitted during the winter months. Diagnosis of small-colon impaction was made in 21 horses by rectal examination, and in 7 horses at exploratory celiotomy. Ten horses were treated medically, and 18 were treated surgically. Horses that were treated surgically were more likely to have abdominal distention than were those that responded to medical treatment (P less than 0.025). Signs of greater degree of abdominal pain and higher heart rate were seen in horses treated surgically, but these values were no...
Panzani D, Quaresma M, Fanelli D, Camillo F, Moroni R, Rota A, Martins-Bessa A, Nóvoa M, Catalán J, Canisso IF, Conte G, Mirò J.Due to the long courtship needed to attain excitation and erection, donkey semen collection can take up to 90 min. ProstaglandinF2α (PGF2α) has been reported to hasten the onset of erection and ejaculation in domesticated mammals, presumably by inducing smooth muscle contractions in the internal genitalia. However, while it has been anecdotally used in donkeys, it has yet to be critically evaluated. This study aimed to compare behavioral and semen parameters in Catalan, Balearic, Amiata, and Miranda jacks treated with the PGF2α analogue cloprostenol sodium immediately prior to exposure to a...
Jabusch JR, Bray RP, Deutsch HF.the sequence of the low activity form of equine erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase has been determined. The most common electrophoretic form, designated D, has been found to have five substitutions. Amino acid exchanges in the electrophoretic variants known as A1, A2, B, and T have been found at six other positions. The data do not permit calculation of the number of polymorphic forms of this enzyme. The equine D isozyme and the analogous human enzyme are quite homologous, 211 of their 260 residues, or 81%, being identical.
Guan F, Uboh CE, Soma LR, Birks E, Chen J, You Y, Rudy J, Li X.Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) and darbepoetin alfa (DPO) are protein-based drugs for the treatment of anemia in humans by stimulating erythrocyte production. However, these agents are abused in human and equine sports due to their potential to enhance performance. This paper describes the first method for differentiation and identification of rhEPO and DPO in equine plasma by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method comprised analyte extraction and enrichment by immunoaffinity separation with anti-rhEPO antibodies, dual digestion by trypsin an...
Digby NJ.Experimental studies of endometrial smears from 26 normal mares showed that after a period of sexual rest exceeding 7 days smears were generally free from inflammatory cells. Smears from 9 mares showing signs of persistent endometritis contained inflammatory cells in 91 per cent while bacterial culture was positive in only 45 per cent. Smears were also taken from 242 Thoroughbred mares as a routine procedure in 1977. It was concluded that endometrial cytology provides a better guide to uterine inflammation than bacteriology. The routine clinical use of endometrial cytology is recommended to ai...
Ladefoged S, Grulke S, Busoni V, Serteyn D, Salciccia A, Verwilghen D.To describe the management and outcome of limb fractures in small domestic equids treated with a modified Thomas splint-cast combination (MTSCC). Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Client owned horses and donkeys. Methods: Medical records, including radiographs, were reviewed for details of animals diagnosed with a limb fracture and treated by external coaptation using a MTSCC (2001-2012). Follow-up >6 months after discharge was obtained via telephone consultation with owners or veterinarians. Results: Nine horses and 4 donkeys were identified with fractures of the tibial diaphysi...
McGuire TC, Banks KL, Evans DR, Poppie MJ.Agammaglobulinemia was diagnosed in a 1-year-old Thoroughbred horse on the basis of the following observations: (1) absence of serum immunoglobulins M, A, and G(T); (2) small amounts of serum immunoglobulin G (16 mg/100 ml); (3) absence of specific antibody in the serum of the horse following immunization and challenge exposure to 2 antigens; (4) absence of plasma cells, primary follicles, and germinal centers in a lymph node removed after antigenic stimulation; (5) absence of "natural" serum antibodies to rabbit-erythrocytes which were easily detectable in age-matched control horse serums; an...
Faramarzi B, Salinger A, Kaneps A, Nout-Lomas Y, Greene H, Dong F. The goal of this study was to quantify external and internal anatomical characteristics of the foal foot throughout the first year of age. Digital radiographs and photographs were taken bimonthly of the forefeet of nine Arabian foals, beginning at about 2 weeks of age until 12 months of age. Sixty-eight linear and angular variables were measured using NIH (National Institutes of Health) software. Statistical analyses were performed using piecewise random coefficient model and -values < 0.05 were considered significant. Distinct changes in hoof development were identified betwe...
te Pas MF, Wijnberg ID, Hoekman AJ, de Graaf-Roelfsema E, Keizer HA, van Breda E, Ducro B, van der Kolk JH.Training horses improves athletic capabilities by inducing skeletal muscle-specific and systemic adaptations. However, rest is required to recover from exercise or else overtraining may occur and affect performance and welfare. Biomarkers would be useful to identify early chronic overtraining in animals. The objective of the current study was to investigate skeletal muscle gene expression patterns and underlying biological mechanisms related to training of different intensities and detraining. Untrained 20 month-old Standardbred geldings were exercised at varying intensities (endurance and spr...
