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.
Laan TT, van Nieuwstadt RA, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Breukink HJ.Equine pulmonary disease and especially the terminology of lower airway disease have been subject to discussion. Besides established terms such as 'Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease' (COPD) and Chronic bronchitis, the term 'small airway disease' (SAD) has been introduced, for respiratory disease with inflammation in the lower airways in combination with exercise intolerance. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) enables the practitioner to diagnose SAD in an early stage when there are no other signs such as coughing or exudate in the trachea. The BAL fluid is microscopically examined after centrifu...
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...
Kershaw O, von Oppen T, Glitz F, Deegen E, Ludwig H, Borchers K.The prevalence of EHV-2 in 27 horses with keratoconjunctivitis and 21 clinically healthy horses of different ages and stocks were analyzed. We demonstrated that EHV-2 was present in 12 keratoconjunctivitis cases as shown by nested PCR on ocular swabs. This is statistically more often than in the control group, where only two ocular swabs were EHV-2 positive. Cocultivation was successful on peripheral blood leukocytes of healthy and diseased horses but not on swabs. We isolated ten EHV-2 strains from diseased and nine from control horses, whereas 16 isolates showed different restriction enzyme ...
Brommer H, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Forty-three Dutch Warmblood foals were divided at random into 3 rearing groups immediately after birth: a box-rest group, a box-rest with exercise group, and a pasture group. All stabled foals (box-rest and exercise groups) were fed freshly cut grass harvested from the same pastures on which the pasture group foals were grazing. Blood samples were obtained monthly for CBC and biochemical analyses. At 1-3 months of age, the foals at pasture were active but the foals in the box-rest and exercise groups were listless. Mean hemoglobin concentrations, PCVs, blood iron concentrations, and saturation...
Wooding FB, Morgan G, Fowden AL, Allen WR.Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) production by the fetally derived endometrial cups appears to be necessary for the establishment and maintenance of normal equine pregnancy. Starting at about the 27th day of pregnancy, an equatorial band of trophectodermal cells on the surface of the spherical conceptus forms the chorionic girdle. This girdle consists initially of flat trophectodermal epithelium which corrugates into folds as the cells proliferate. The folds are then pressed against the uterine epithelium by expansion of the conceptus. The cells on the apices of the folds become binucleate ...
Murray RC, Birch HL, Lakhani K, Goodship AE.It was hypothesized that cartilage macro-molecular characteristics are influenced by exercise intensity and by location within a joint. Objective: To determine the macromolecular characteristics of carpal articular cartilage at common and uncommon sites of pathology in horses undergoing high or low intensity exercise, and to compare this composition between exercise groups. Methods: Twelve horses (19.3+/-0.9 years) were assigned to exercise groups. Each group underwent 19 weeks high-intensity treadmill training (N=6) or low-intensity exercise (N=6). Dorsal and palmar test sites were identified...
Schara M, Nemec M, Falnoga I, Kobal AB, Kveder M, Svetek J.The action of mercuric chloride and methyl mercuric chloride on the membrane lateral domain organization of bovine, equine, and canine erythrocytes was studied. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of spin-labeled erythrocytes were analyzed with respect to their lateral domain structure. Continuous alteration of the membrane domain populations revealed that mercuric compounds affect the membrane via the evolution of toxic events in the cells.
Latimer FG, Colitz CM, Campbell NB, Papich MG.To determine the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in horses. Methods: 6 clinically normal adult horses. Methods: Fluconazole (10 mg/kg of body weight) was administered intravenously or orally with 2 weeks between treatments. Plasma fluconazole concentrations were determined prior to and 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 minutes and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours after administration. A long-term oral dosing regimen was designed in which all horses received a loading dose of fluconazole (14 mg/kg) followed by 5 mg/kg every 24 hours for 10 days. Fluconazole concentrations were determined i...
Mlekoday JA, Mickelson JR, Valberg SJ, Horton JH, Gallant EM, Thompson LV.To determine whether the basis for recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) in Thoroughbreds lies in an alteration in the activation and regulation of the myofibrillar contractile apparatus by ionized calcium. Methods: 4 Thoroughbred mares with RER and 4 clinically normal (control) Thoroughbreds. Methods: Single chemically-skinned type-I (slow-twitch) and type-II (fast-twitch) muscle fibers were obtained from punch biopsy specimens, mounted to a force transducer, and the tensions that developed in response to a series of calcium concentrations were measured. In addition, myofibril preparation...
Meershoek LS, van den Bogert AJ, Schamhardt HC.To describe a method to calculate flexor tendon forces on the basis of inverse dynamic analysis and an in vitro model of the equine forelimb and to quantify parameters for the model. Methods: 38 forelimbs of 23 horses that each had an estimated body mass of > or = 500 kg. Methods: Longitudinal limb sections were used to determine the lines of action of the tendons. Additionally, limb and tendon loading experiments were performed to determine mechanical properties of the flexor tendons. Results: The study quantified the parameters for a pulley model to describe the lines of action. Furthermo...
Cherdchutham W, Becker CK, Spek ER, Voorhout WF, van Weeren PR.To determine the effects of exercise on collagen fibril diameter distribution in the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of foals. Methods: 43 Dutch Warmblood foals. Methods: From 1 week until 5 months of age, group-1 foals (n = 14) were housed in stalls and not exercised, group-2 foals (14) were housed in stalls but were exercised, and group-3 foals (15) were maintained at pasture. Biopsy specimens were collected from the SDFT at 2 months, and 8 foals in each group were euthanatized at 5 months. Remaining foals were housed together in a loose stall and paddock until euthanatized at 11 mo...
Dahlgren LA, Nixon AJ, Brower-Toland BD.To investigate effects of beta-aminopropionitrile and a combination of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and beta-aminopropionitrile on metabolism of equine tendon fibroblasts. Methods: Flexor tendon explants from 3 horses. Methods: Explants received 1 of 4 treatments (control, IGF-I, beta-aminopropionitrile, and IGF-I/beta-aminopropionitrile) for 10 days, and message expression for collagen types I and III was assessed by use of in situ hybridization. Histologic findings, new protein production, and quantitative determinations of glycosaminoglycan, DNA, and de novo collagen synthesis were ma...
Bony S, Durix A, Leblond A, Jaussaud P.The toxicokinetics of ergovaline (an ergopeptine mycotoxin present in some grasses infected with endophytic fungus of the genus Neotyphodium) were studied after intravenous administration of a single dose of 15 microg/kg bwt in four gelding horses. Plasma ergovaline concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, and the kinetic data were described by a three-compartment model. The elimination half-life and the total clearance of ergovaline were found to be 56.83 +/- 13.48 min and 0.020 +/- 0.004 L/min x kg, respectively. According to the toxicological data previously r...
Suominen MM, Tulamo RM, Anttila MO, Sankari SM, Király K, Lapveteläinen T, Helminen HJ.To evaluate the effects of intra-articular (IA) injections of bufexamac in horses, focusing particularly on the effects of bufexamac on articular cartilage. Methods: 20 Standardbreds. Methods: Horses were randomly allocated into 4 groups consisting of 5 horses each, and 20, 60, or 100 mg of bufexamac or 1 ml of sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control) was injected into 1 intercarpal joint at weekly intervals for 6 treatments (days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35). Clinical signs and results of hematologic, serum biochemical, and synovial fluid (SF) analyses and radiography were used to evaluate ...
Kirschvink N, Bureau F, Art T, Lekeux P.The 8-epi-PGF2alpha is a marker of oxidative stress which is increased in lungs of asthmatic humans and heaves-susceptible horses. 8-Epi-PGF2alpha has also been demonstrated to be an in vitro and in vivo bronchoconstrictor in humans and rodents. We hypothesised that inhaled 8-epi-PGF2alpha was a bronchoconstrictor in healthy and heaves-susceptible horses in clinical remission. The effect on ventilatory mechanics of nebulised 8-epi-PGF2alpha was compared to that of PGF2alpha and U46619, a thromboxane A2 agonist. Pulmonary resistance (R(L)) and dynamic compliance (Cdyn) were assessed in six heal...
Meershoek LS, Lanovaz JL.To test the sensitivity to measurement and modeling errors of a method for noninvasive calculation of flexor tendon forces in the equine forelimb and to calculate tendon forces for Dutch Warmblood horses during trotting. Methods: A normative set of kinematic and ground-reaction force (GRF) data obtained from horses during trotting in another study. Methods: Forces in the flexor tendons were calculated from the data set before and after addition of fixed relative and absolute errors. Amount of error was based on normal accuracy of the variables. A similar analysis was performed for a measure of...
Kitamura H, Okumura M, Sato F, Kimoto K, Kohama M, Hashimoto Y, Tagami M, Iwanaga T.Our previous study established protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), a ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase, as a specific cytochemical marker of synovial lining cells (type B synoviocytes) in the horse joint. The present study aimed to detect PGP 9.5 in the synovial fluid and shows that PGP 9.5 is a valuable marker of osteoarthritis in the horse. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed rich and consistent localization of PGP 9.5 immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm of synovial lining cells in the normal horse joint. Western blot analysis of synovial fluid from normal joints could detect a significant ban...
Harman J, Ward M.Equine Cushing's syndrome, a relatively common and complex condition, is difficult to treat with conventional medicine. Cushing's syndrome involves a hyperplasia or adenoma of the anterior pituitary gland. Biochemical alterations include increased endogenous cortisol, insulin resistance, elevated adrenocorticotrophic hormone, and decreased thyroid hormone levels. Symptoms include hirsutism with no loss of the winter coat in summer, refractory laminitis, weight problems (over- or underweight), polyuria/polydipsia (Pu/Pd), frequent infections, lowered immunity to intestinal parasites, decreased ...
Rodríguez H, Torres C, Valdés X, Guerra H, Pastor LM, Maccallini G, Bustos-Obregón E.In the female genital tract, spermatozoa must undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction prior to fertilization. A number of factors may induce physiological acrosome reaction assayed in vitro. The aims of this study are to determine the inductive effect of the preovulatory follicular fluid on the sperm acrosomal status in the equine, once some characteristics of the follicular fluid during folliculogenesis had been evaluated. The spermatozoa were obtained from cauda epididymes of adult stallion. Follicular fluid was taken from mare ovarian follicles classified according to their diameter. In ...
Ostlund EN, Crom RL, Pedersen DD, Johnson DJ, Williams WO, Schmitt BJ.After the 1999 outbreak of West Nile (WN) encephalitis in New York horses, a case definition was developed that specified the clinical signs, coupled with laboratory test results, required to classify cases of WN encephalitis in equines as either probable or confirmed. In 2000, 60 horses from seven states met the criteria for a confirmed case. The cumulative experience from clinical observations and diagnostic testing during the 1999 and 2000 outbreaks of WN encephalitis in horses will contribute to further refinement of diagnostic criteria.
Faye D, Pereira de Almeida PJ, Goossens B, Osaer S, Ndao M, Berkvens D, Speybroeck N, Nieberding F, Geerts S.In a study of the prevalence and incidence of trypanosomosis in horses and donkeys in two regions of the Gambia, surveys were carried out at Niamina east and Bansang south with a high and low to moderate tsetse challenge, respectively. Eleven horses and 67 donkeys were sampled monthly from August 1997 to September 1998. Blood samples were examined for trypanosomes using the buffy-coat (BC) method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Three primer sets were used, specific for either Trypanosoma vivax (TVW), Trypanosoma congolense (GOL) or Trypanosoma brucei (ORPHON5J). The BC results showed that...
Martin-Downum K, Yazwinski T, Tucker C, Fincher M, Ralph J, Hamilton J.Commercial preparations of fenbendazole (Safe-Guard, Intervet), ivermectin (Eqvalan, Merial) or moxidectin (Quest, Fort Dodge) were administered once to horses scheduled for routine parasiticide treatment. In total, 93 horses from six cooperating farms were used in the study. Computer generated, random allocation of horses to treatment group was conducted at each farm. Fecal egg counts were determined for all horses on trial days 0, 56, 84 and 112, with corresponding calendar dates that were unique to each farm. Only strongyle egg counts from animals which were positive at day 0 were used for ...
Nicolaiewsky TB, Richter MF, Lunge VR, Cunha CW, Delagostin O, Ikuta N, Fonseca AS, da Silva SS, Ozaki LS.We describe a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Babesia equi in equine infected erythrocytes using oligonucleotides designed on the published sequence of a B. equi merozoite antigen gene (ema-1). A 102bp DNA fragment is specifically amplified from B. equi but not from Babesia caballi, Babesia bovis or Babesia bigemina DNA. In a mock infection we were able to detect down to six infected cells in 10(8) equine erythrocytes or to detect the parasite in blood with an equivalent parasitemia of 0.000006%. Furthermore, gene polymorphism was found by performing a PCR-RFLP (PCR...
Wagner B, Siebenkotten G, Radbruch A, Leibold W.IgE is the dominant immunoglobulin isotype involved in type I hypersensitivities in mammals. The heavy chain constant region domains of equine IgE are encoded by a single gene, the Cvarepsilon gene. By restriction analysis of cDNA from 15 unrelated horses, we have now identified two Cvarepsilon alleles, characterised by a Sma I restriction fragment length polymorphism, which we designated Cvarepsilon(a) and Cvarepsilon(b). Sequence analysis of both, Cvarepsilon(a) and Cvarepsilon(b) cDNA, showed in addition two single base exchanges resulting in two amino acid substitutions. Both sequences hav...
Takai S, Henton MM, Picard JA, Guthrie AJ, Fukushi H, Sugimoto C.The prevalence of virulent Rhodococcus equi in soil isolates from two horse farms in South Africa and nine clinical isolates from six foals, a foal foetus, a dog, and a monkey was investigated. The isolates were tested for the presence of virulence plasmid DNA and 15- to 17-kDa antigens by immunoblotting. Rhodococcus equi was isolated from almost all of the soil samples obtained from the two farms with 5.0 x 10(1) to 3.3 x 10(4) colony forming units per gram of soil. Virulent R. equi was isolated from three soil samples from one of the farms and appeared in 3.8% (three of 80 isolates), but not...
Trock SC, Meade BJ, Glaser AL, Ostlund EN, Lanciotti RS, Cropp BC, Kulasekera V, Kramer LD, Komar N.West Nile (WN) virus was identified in the Western Hemisphere in 1999. Along with human encephalitis cases, 20 equine cases of WN virus were detected in 1999 and 23 equine cases in 2000 in New York. During both years, the equine cases occurred after human cases in New York had been identified.
Johnson DJ, Ostlund EN, Pedersen DD, Schmitt BJ.A traditional single-stage reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure is effective in determining West Nile (WN) virus in avian tissue and infected cell cultures. However, the procedure lacks the sensitivity to detect WN virus in equine tissue. We describe an RT-nested PCR (RT-nPCR) procedure that identifies the North American strain of WN virus directly in equine and avian tissues.
Moiseeva SA, Postnikova GB.The influence of Cu2+ concentration, pH, and ionic strength of the solution as well as redox-inactive zinc ions on the rate of oxidation of sperm whale, horse, and pig oxymyoglobins (oxy-Mb) by copper ions has been studied. These myoglobins have homologous spatial structures and equal redox potentials but differ in the number of histidines located on the surface of the proteins. It was shown that oxy-Mb can be oxidized in the presence of Cu2+ through two distinct pathways depending on which histidine binds the reagent and how stable the complex is. A slow pH-dependent catalytic process is obse...
Legnani S, Zini E, Roccabianca P, Funiciello B, Zanna G.Dermoscopy is a diagnostic tool that has been introduced into small animal dermatology for the evaluation of hair and the skin surface. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the use of this technique on horses and the dermoscopic appearance of equine hair and skin have yet to be reported. Objective: To assess the feasibility of dermoscopy, and to describe hair and skin surface features of healthy warmblood horses. Methods: Thirty four client-owned, healthy adult horses. Methods: Six body regions (head, neck, dorsal thorax, ventral thorax, croup and mane) were examined with a smartphone-attach...
McReynolds CB, Yang J, Guedes A, Morisseau C, Garcia R, Knych H, Tearney C, Hamamoto B, Hwang SH, Wagner K, Hammock BD.There are few novel therapeutic options available for companion animals, and medications rely heavily on repurposed drugs developed for other species. Considering the diversity of species and breeds in companion animal medicine, comprehensive PK exposures in the companion animal patient is often lacking. The purpose of this paper was to assess the pharmacokinetics after oral and intravenous dosing in domesticated animal species (dogs, cats, and horses) of a novel soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, EC1728, being developed for the treatment of pain in animals. Results: Intravenous and oral adm...
Estola T, Neuvonen E.In 1974, a very extensive influenza/A/equi 2 epidemic broke out in the Finnish horse population. To study the efficacy of influenza vaccinations a questionnaire was sent after the epidemic to all Finnish veterinarians. The answer material was selected to contain only stables which had had clinically typical cases. The material consisted 234 unvaccinated and 629 vaccinated horses. In the latter group 466 horses were vaccinated adequately. The results of the study showed that of the unvaccinated horses 212 (91%) and of the adequately vaccinated horses only 42 (9.4%) contracted clinically typical...
Panu R, Bo Minelli L, Sanna L, Zedda M, Acone F, Gazza F, Palmieri G.The retractor clitoridis muscle originates from the coccygeal vertebrae in the cow, ewe, goat and mare, and from the anal musculature in the sow. It terminates at the base of the clitoris. In all the species considered, a vegetative innervation was found. This was represented by isolated or grouped ganglion cells. Nervous sensitive supply was also present. This was represented by Pacinian, Pacinian-like and Golgi-Mazzoni's corpuscles, and by Krauses's end bulbs. A notable difference was found in the amount and type of these receptors. They were numerous in the sow, ewe and goat, and rare in th...
King JM, Roth L, Haschek WM.Focal myocardial necrosis secondary to neural lesions was diagnosed in 2 dogs and 1 horse. In each case, the neural lesions were traumatic in origin. Spinal cord injury was evident in 1 dog; brain damage was evident in the other dog and presumably in the horse. Retrospective analysis of necropsy material showed that many species were affected, without apparent age or sex predisposition. Central nervous system injury resulting from trauma, infection or space-occupying lesions was associated with acute myocardial necrosis in all cases. The myocardial necrosis was rarely fatal; however, it did ca...
Jolly RD, Dalefield RR.The lipopigments are a heterogenous group of pigments whose pathogenesis and terminology is confused. Whereas there is epidemiological and observational evidence that ceroid is derived from degeneration and peroxidation of unsaturated lipid, the assumption that all so-called lipopigments are similarly formed, is questioned. In particular, recent studies have distanced the pathogenesis of the pigment found in the ceroid-lipofuscinoses from that perceived for ceroid. The importance of protein rather than lipid in the pathogenesis of the pigment of ceroid-lipofuscinosis and of age pigment from th...
Galbraith EA, McKellar QA.Flunixin was highly protein bound in the serum of dogs (92.2 per cent), goats (84.8 per cent) and horses (86.9 per cent). Meclofenamic acid was also highly protein bound, although there were larger differences between the extent of the binding in dogs (90.3 per cent), goats (84.7 per cent) and horses (99.8 per cent). Both flunixin and meclofenamic acid were potent inhibitors of the in vitro generation of thromboxane (Tx) B2 in blood. Flunixin inhibited the generation of TxB2 by 50 per cent of the maximum response (IC50) in dog, goat and horse blood at concentrations of 0.10, 0.02 and 0.04 micr...
Lopes KFC, Delai RM, Fazoli KGZ, Rey LMR, Lopes-Mori FMR, Benitez ADN, Borges Neto A, Bernardes JC, Caldart ET, Mitsuka-Breganó R, Navarro IT....The presence of DNA and anti- spp. antibodies in the serum of 112 healthy horses was investigated by evaluating the physical examination, from a rural society located in the north central region of Paraná. The antigens of , , and were used to perform the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, where it was possible to detect the reaction in 27.67% of the samples. These were also subjected to the real-time quantitative PCR, which confirmed the presence of spp. DNA in 67.34% of the tested samples. The results show that the tested animals were previously exposed to the protozoan. Thus, the...
Keys GJ, Berry DB, Pleasant RS, Jones JC, Freeman LE.To describe the vascular distribution pattern of contrast medium during intraosseous regional perfusion (IORP) of the distal portion of the equine forelimb. Methods: 13 cadaveric forelimbs from 12 horses without forelimb diseases. Methods: Serial lateromedial radiographic views were taken of the distal portion of 10 heparinized cadaveric forelimbs at 0, 1, 2, 6, 15, and 30 minutes during IORP of the third metacarpal bone (MCIII) by use of iodinated contrast medium and a tourniquet placed over the proximal portion of MCIII. Vascular regions of interest (ROI) were created for each radiograph. Re...
Richard F, Martinat N, Remy JJ, Salesse R, Combarnous Y.Among all mammalian FSH receptors (FSH-R; including donkey (dk) FSH-R), only horse (hs) FSH-R does not bind hsLH/chorionic gonadotrophin (CG). In order to delineate the structural origin of hsFSH-R specificity precisely, we have cloned dkFSH-R cDNA from donkey testis mRNA by RT-PCR. Transiently expressed dkFSH-R endowed COS-7 cells with both hsLH/CG- and FSH-binding activity, as well as FSH-induced cAMP production. The deduced dkFSH-R amino acid sequence shares 96% identity with the hsFSH-R: notably, in the hormone-binding domain, the specificity of hsFSH-R may be ascribed to only four diverge...
Saint-Dizier M, Foulon-Gauze F, Lecompte F, Combarnous Y, Chopineau M.Pituitary equine luteinizing hormone (eLH) and fetal chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) have identical polypeptidic chains, but different linked carbohydrates. In equine tissues, eCG and eLH bind only to the LH/CG receptor (eLH/CG-R) and have no FSH activity. However, radio-receptor assays on equine luteal or testicular tissues have shown that eCG binds to the eLH/CG-R with only 2-4% of the binding activity of eLH. In order to study the structure-function relationship of eLH and eCG in a homologous system, we undertook the cloning and functional expression of the eLH/CG-R. Based on sequence homolog...
Shiels IA, Sanderson SD, Taylor SM.To develop an in vitro model of uveitis based on an ex situ perfused eye to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of new pharmacological products. Methods: Eyes were removed from more than 60 dogs and 9 horses immediately after euthanasia and perfused with nutrient medium through the lateral long ciliary artery. Perfused eyes produced aqueous humour, and perfusion pressure was adjusted to obtain an intraocular pressure in the physiological range. When the eyes were treated with histamine, a complement C5a analogue peptide and hydrogen peroxide, typical signs of uveitis were produced. These i...
Taira T, Fujinaga T, Tamura K, Izumi M, Itoh H, Tsunoda N, Yamashita K, Okumura M, Mizuno S.Equine alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1AG) was isolated from equine serum by successive ammonium precipitation, anion- and cation-exchange chromatographies, and gel filtration. Purified equine alpha 1AG had a molecular weight of 46,000 +/- 1,000, and contained 31.4% carbohydrate. Gel isoelectric focusing revealed an isoelectric point range of 2.8 to 3.7. With immunoelectrophoresis, it was found that alpha 1AG migrated to the alpha 1-globulin region. Single radial immunodiffusion was used for quantitative measurement of alpha 1AG in equine serum. In clinically normal foals, serum alpha 1AG wa...
Muhonen S, Philippeau C, Julliand V.Horses are herbivores, and their hindgut functions as a fluid reservoir as forage fibre properties have great impact on the water content of digesta and the milieu in the ecosystem. Our objective was to compare the effect of grass fibre maturity and legume forage on the water-holding capacity (WHC) and viscosity of the equine hindgut and the body weight (BW) and fluid balance of horses. Three diets: concentrate and late harvested grass haylage (35:65 energy ratio) (C); early and late harvested grass haylage (80:20) (G); lucerne and late harvested grass haylage (80:20) (L) were fed to six caecu...
Smith BL, Jones JH, Carlson GP, Pascoe JR.It has been hypothesised that horses have a preference for facing backward in a trailer during road transport in order to minimise shifts of body weight due to accelerations and decelerations. To determine if horses have preferences for facing forward vs. backward in a horse trailer, the authors analysed the percentages of time horses spent in different body positions and directions while standing in a moving or parked horse trailer. Body positions and directions of 8 Thoroughbred geldings were videotaped while horses were transported singly and untethered in a 4-horse stock trailer over a 32 ...
Irwin DH, Howell DW.The clinical and laboratory findings of illness in a 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly are described. The treatment employed, including unilateral nephrectomy, and the macro- and microscopic findings in the diseases kidney are presented and this rare case is discussed briefly.
Parrilla Hernández S, Franck T, Munaut C, Feyereisen É, Piret J, Farnir F, Reigner F, Barrière P, Deleuze S.Myeloperoxidase (MPO), as a marker of neutrophil activation, has been associated with equine endometritis. However, in absence of inflammation, MPO is constantly detected in the uterine lumen of estrous mares. The aim of this study was to characterize MPO in the uterus of mares under physiological conditions as a first step to better understand the role of this enzyme in equine reproduction. Total and active MPO concentrations were determined, by ELISA and SIEFED assay, respectively, in low-volume lavages from mares in estrus ( = 26), diestrus ( = 18) and anestrus ( = 8) in absence of endometr...
Butler WF, Pousty I.Disc material from horse, ox, sheep, pig, dog and cat was stained by the Alcian-blue-critical electrolyte concentration technique and with the standard and two-step periodic acid Schiff methods. The effects of pretreatment with hyaluronidase and with chondroitinase was also evaluated. There appears to be a small increase in total cellular glycosaminoglycan content with age in all species: cellular material of high molecular weight however only increases in aged animals. The degree of sulphation of cellular glycosaminoglycans does not vary with age or with position in the disc.
Sedgwick AD, Lees P, Dawson J, May SA.The migration of leucocytes to sites of acute and chronic inflammation is an event of central importance to the maintenance of inflammatory processes; extravascular leucocytes are responsible for generating chemical mediators of inflammation and the phagocytosis of particulate matter. They may also be involved in the conversion of acute to chronic inflammatory lesions. Leucocytes are attracted to sites of tissue injury by a range of chemoattractants. This paper describes the development of a method for separating on Percoll gradients purified populations of equine polymorphonuclear and mononuc...
Theurillat R, Sandbaumhüter FA, Gittel C, Larenza Menzies MP, Braun C, Thormann W.An enantioselective assay for the determination of methadone and its main metabolite 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine in equine plasma based on capillary electrophoresis with highly sulfated γ-cyclodextrin as chiral selector and electrokinetic analyte injection is described. The assay is based on liquid/liquid extraction of the analytes at alkaline pH from 0.1 mL plasma followed by electrokinetic sample injection of the analytes from the extract across a buffer plug without chiral selector. Separation occurs cationically at normal polarity in a pH 3 phosphate buffer containin...
Wood T, Weckman TJ, Henry PA, Chang SL, Blake JW, Tobin T.Our investigation of the urine of grazing horses at the University of Kentucky shows that the mean pH level is about 7.9, and if their diet is supplemented with grain, it is about 7.4. There appears to be no significant effect of time of day or year on urine pH levels in horses. However, horses taken from pasture and supplemented with grain in a stalled environment show a slight decrease in urine pH. Additionally, we investigated the effects of storage on pH levels. Equine urine samples appear to be quite stable with regard to pH for 48h, but then show a marked increase. Urine pH can have a gr...
Han SW, Cho YK, Rim JM, Kang JG, Choi KS, Chae JS. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging zoonotic tick-borne disease in East Asia caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV). It is to investigate the presence of SFTSV RNA and antibodies in horses from a slaughterhouse and equestrian centers in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A prevalence study of SFTSV-specific RNA and antibodies was designed from 889 horses in the ROK. Serum samples were collected from horses at a slaughterhouse and equestrian centers from 2018 to 2020. To detect the presence of SFTSV, RNA was extracted from the serum samples, and a nested reverse transcriptio...
Sahu A, Dhanze H, Singh V, Mehta D, Gupta M, Singh M, Vinod VK, Gulati BR.Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a re-emerging mosquito borne disease, for which equines are most susceptible amongst all animals. Detection of specific immunoglobulin 'M' (IgM) is considered as an ideal way to diagnose recent JE virus infection in equines due to low virus load and short-term viremia. The present study was undertaken to develop a sensitive and specific recombinant NS1 protein based indirect IgM-ELISA and IgM capture (MAC) ELISA to diagnose recent infection of JEV in equines. Indirect IgM ELISA was standardized with relative diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 88.5%...
Squires EL, McKinnon AO, Carnevale EM, Morris R, Nett TM.For embryos collected from mares 7 days after ovulation, embryo recovery for single-ovulating mares was 53% compared to 106% for double-ovulating mares. Pregnancy rates 50 days after surgical transfer were 68 and 129%, respectively. Concentrations of LH were similar during the periovulatory period for cycles which included single or double ovulations. Horse pituitary extract given for 5.5 days resulted in greater than or equal to 2 ovulations (mean 3.8) in 26 of 28 mares and 2.0 embryos were recovered per donor compared to 0.65 for controls. Non-surgical pregnancy rates for embryos collected f...
