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.
Powell DM, Lawrence LM, Fitzgerald BP, Danielsen K, Parker A, Siciliano P, Crum A.The metabolic effects of short-term feed restriction and dietary calorie source were studied in horses receiving high-roughage or high-concentrate diets. Four Thoroughbred geldings were assigned to four treatment groups in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment. The four treatments were 1) a nutritionally adequate high-roughage ration (70% roughage, 30% concentrate; AHR), 2) a nutritionally adequate high-concentrate ration (40% roughage, 60% concentrate; AHC), 3) 70% of the intake of the AHR diet (RHR), and 4) 70% of the intake of the AHC diet (RHC). Diets AHR and AHC were designed to meet the calori...
Doyle PS, White NA.To determine clinical, scintigraphic, radiographic, and arthroscopic findings and results of treatment in horses with lameness attributable to subtle osteochondral lesions of the shoulder joint. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 15 horses. Methods: Medical records were reviewed, and results of physical examination, scintigraphy, radiography, arthroscopy, and treatment were recorded. Results: Severity of lameness ranged from grade 1 to 4. Response to shoulder flexion or extension was variable. Twelve horses had a narrow upright foot. Intra-articular anesthesia of the shoulder joint localiz...
Neild DM, Chaves MG, Flores M, Miragaya MH, Gonzalez E, Agüero A.The hypo-osmotic test has been used successfully on equine semen and was considered to be a simple and accessible method which could be a useful addition to routine equine semen analysis. It was therefore of interest to determine whether the hypo-osmotic test is significantly correlated to proposed criteria of fertility. The stallions were divided into two groups on the basis of threshold levels of fertility. A significant difference (P<0.05) was found between the two groups for the following parameters: progressive motility, morphologically normal spermatozoa, percentage of swelling with t...
Morrow KL, Park RD, Spurgeon TL, Stashak TS, Arceneaux B.The head from three horses euthanized due to diseases unrelated to the head and neck was imaged using computed tomography (CT). Gross cross-sectional slices of equine head #1 and skeleton of equine head #2 were compared with the CT images of the three equine heads to identify normal structures of the cranium, brain, paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, and teeth. Labeled transverse CT images of the equine head are presented sequentially as a reference for normal anatomy.
de Clercq T, Verschooten F, Ysebaert M.A collection of 69 isolated navicular bones, normal or affected with navicular disease, was examined radiographically using dorsopalmar, lateromedial and palmaroproximal-palmarodistal views. Radiographic findings on each view were recorded. A radiographic diagnosis of normality or navicular disease was made, first on each view separately and afterwards based on the combination of the 3 views. Forty-four navicular bones were considered radiographically normal and 25 navicular bones had distinct signs of radiographic navicular disease. The dorsopalmar and the lateromedial views of each navicular...
Godard S, Vaiman A, Schibler L, Mariat D, Vaiman D, Cribiu EP, Guérin G.The purpose of this study was to increase the number of genes assigned by in situ hybridization to equine chromosomes and thus the number of links for comparative mapping with other species. Forty-four new sequences were added to the horse cytogenetic map by FISH mapping of BAC clones containing genes (35) or ESTs (9). Three approaches were developed: use of horse BAC clones screened with (i) horse EST primers, (ii) interspecific consensus intraexonic primers, and (iii) use of goat BAC containing genes previously localized on goat chromosomes. Present data suggest that the second approach is t...
Corcoran BM, Mayhew IG, Hahn CN, Prince DR.To determine the distribution of nerve fibers containing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and intermediate neurofilaments in nasal mucosa of horses. Methods: 6 horses without evidence of nasal disease. Methods: Full-thickness nasal tissue specimens were obtained from the rostral portion of the nasal septum at necropsy, and fluorescence immunohistochemistry was performed to assess mucosal distribution of nerve fibers. Results: Nerve fibers with CGRP-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-Li) formed a dense subepithelial network, and a large num...
Slack J, Risdahl JM, Valberg SJ, Murphy MJ, Schram BR, Lunn DP.To determine the effects of dexamethasone on development of IgG subclass responses following vaccination of healthy horses. Methods: 11 mature Thoroughbreds. Methods: Horses received 2 IM injections at 2-week intervals of a vaccine containing inactivated infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine viral diarrhea, and parainfluenza-3 viral antigens and were then randomly assigned to 2 groups. Six horses received dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg of body weight, IM) twice weekly for 8 weeks starting the day of the first vaccination. Five control horses received an equivalent volume of saline (0.9% NaCl) so...
Hopper SA, Schneider RK, Johnson CH, Ratzlaff MH, White KK.To compare transfixation and standard full-limb casts for prevention of in vitro displacement of a mid-diaphyseal third metacarpal osteotomy site in horses. Methods: 6 forelimbs from 6 horses euthanatized for reasons not related to the musculoskeletal system. Methods: A 30 degrees osteotomy was performed in the mid-diaphysis of the third metacarpal bone. Two 4.5-mm cortical bone screws were placed across the osteotomy site to maintain alignment during casting. Two 6.35-mm Steinmann pins were placed from a lateral-to-medial direction in the distal aspect of the radius. A full-limb cast that inc...
Tarello W.A report from England has suggested that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome exists in equines and constitutes an emerging veterinary problem. Preliminary epidemiological studies seem to confirm the zoonotic implications of CFS. An arsenical drug, sodium thiacetarsamide, was administered to four horses with a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), already treated unsuccessfully with different medications. The CFS-like lethargy, with accompanying symptoms and signs, of the four animals obtained a complete remission after intravenous treatment with this drug at low dosage (0.1 mg/kg/day). No adverse ...
Hubbell JA, Hinchcliff KW, Schmall LM, Muir WW, Robertson JT, Sams RA.To determine the anesthetic, cardiorespiratory, and metabolic effects of 4 IV anesthetic regimens in Thoroughbred horses recuperating from a brief period of maximal exercise. Methods: 6 adult Thoroughbreds. Methods: Horses were preconditioned by exercising them on a treadmill. Each horse ran 4 simulated races, with a minimum of 14 days between races. Races were run at a treadmill speed that caused horses to exercise at 120% of their maximal oxygen consumption. Horses ran until fatigued or for a maximum of 2 minutes. Two minutes after exercise, horses received a combination of xylazine hydrochl...
Gradil CM, Ball BA.Pentoxifylline was evaluated as a method to increase motility of cryopreserved equine spermatozoa. In a preliminary experiment, pentoxifylline (3.5 mM or 7.0 mM) was added to extended semen that was chilled to 4 degrees C. Motility was evaluated at 8-h intervals for 48 h. The addition of 3.5 or 7.0 mM pentoxifylline appeared to increase the motility of chilled spermatozoa compared to controls. Based on these results, similar concentrations of pentoxifylline were added to semen either before or after cryopreservation. The addition of pentoxifylline (3.5 or 7.0 mM) to semen before cryopreservati...
Abraham-Peskir JV, Chantler E, Uggerhøj E.We have investigated fresh and cryopreserved bovine and equine spermatozoa using light and transmission soft X-ray microscopy. Spermatozoa were examined, in the presence or absence of semen, after using Percoll gradient centrifugation and re-suspending in medium. X-ray microscopy provided high resolution (30 nm) transmission images of whole cells in solution with high contrast, while retaining the simple preparation techniques used in light microscopy. We demonstrated translucent, membrane-bound vesicles in the acrosomal and midpiece regions that were similar in size and we noted their inciden...
Nieto JE, Snyder JR, Kollias-Baker C, Stanley S.To determine effects of cisapride and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on the jejunum of horses. Methods: Jejunal muscle strips from 8 horses. Methods: Muscle strips were suspended in isolated muscle baths. Isometric stress responses to 5-HT and cisapride, with and without specific antagonists, were determined. Results: Muscle strips incubated with atropine and tetrodotoxin responded to 5-HT and cisapride with an increase in contractile force. The 5-HT caused a concentration-dependent increase in contractile amplitude, with a maximum response (Emax) of 1,151+/-214 g/cm2 and a molar concentration tha...
Kriz NG, Hodgson DR, Rose RJ.To investigate the effects of deconditioning on cardiac dimensions and indices of cardiac function in horses. Methods: Thirteen 3-to 4-year-old Standardbred geldings. Methods: All horses had echocardiographic measurements performed at the conclusion of 9 months of intense training and at weeks 1.5, 4, 8, and 12 of deconditioning. Direct echocardiographic measurements included interventricular septal thickness, left ventricular internal dimensions, left ventricular freewall thickness, left atrial dimension, aortic diameter, diameter of the pulmonary artery, slopes of the mitral valve, heart rat...
Keller M, Krehon S, Stanek C, Rosengarten R.Specimens of hoof horn from 187 horses were examined for a possible relationship between clinically affected hooves and the occurrence of pathogenic fungi. Specimens were taken from the coronary band and from the stratum externum and medium of the coronary horn and transferred on to Sabouraud dextrose agar, with and without cycloheximide, and incubated at 28 degrees C. Dermatophytes and mould fungi were identified by their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. The 732 isolates could be assigned to 26 species of moulds, two different species of the dermatophyte Microsporum and three diff...
Guo X, Sugita S.Topography of ganglion cells in the retina of the horse (Thoroughbred) was analyzed in the wholemount retina stained with cresyl violet, and a total number of ganglion cells were estimated. Sizes of ganglion cells were also measured and size spectra were analysed. The main results showed that: (1) a common point in 4 wholemount retinae, based on cell densities and retinal locations, was that a retina could be divided into 5 regions, namely visual streak, nasal, temporal, dorsal and ventral region to the visual streak. A maximum cell density of 4,000 cells/mm2 was found in the visual streak. An...
Natalini CC, Robinson EP.To evaluate and compare effects of epidurally administered morphine, alfentanil, butorphanol, tramadol, and U50488H on avoidance threshold to noxious electrical stimulation over the dermatomes of the perineal, sacral, lumbar, and thoracic regions in horses. Methods: 5 healthy adult horses. Methods: Using a Latin square complete repeated-measures design, horses were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 6 treatments (morphine, alfentanil, butorphanol, tramadol, U50488H, or sterile water) at intervals of at least 7 days. Agents were injected epidurally at the first intercoccygeal epidural space, and...
Pietra M, Guglielmini C, Forni M, Cinotti S.The viscosity of the mucus, its DNA concentration and the size range of the DNA were determined on tracheobronchial samples from 11 horses with lower airway diseases before and after incubation with recombinant human deoxyribonuclease (rhDNase). The horses were divided into two groups on the basis of the cytology of the samples: group A (five horses) with more than 60 per cent neutrophils and group B (six horses) with fewer than 50 per cent neutrophils. The mean mucus viscosity and DNA concentration in the preincubation samples were significantly higher in group A than in group B, and there wa...
Rodgerson DH, Belknap JK, Fontaine GL, Kroll DL.To develop methods to isolate, culture, and characterize smooth muscle cells (SMC) from equine palmar digital arteries. Methods: Segments of the medial or lateral palmar digital arteries from the forelimbs of 6 horses. Methods: To obtain smooth muscle explants, arterial segments were incised longitudinally. The tunica intima was gently scraped from the underlying tunica media, and explants were obtained from the tunica media. Approximately 18 to 24 explants were obtained from each palmar digital arterial segment. A substrate-attached technique was used to initiate primary culture of SMCCulture...
Stradaioli G, Sylla L, Zelli R, Verini Supplizi A, Chiodi P, Arduini A, Monaci M.The reproductive characteristics and seminal carnitine and acetylcarnitine content as well as carnitine acetyltransferase activity of young Maremmano stallions (n=25) are reported. The stallions were subjected to semen collection in November and January; in each trial two ejaculates were collected 1h apart. The total motile morphologically normal spermatozoa (TMMNS) and the progressively motile spermatozoa at collection and during storage at +4 degrees C were evaluated. Seminal L-carnitine (LC), acetylcarnitine (AC), pyruvate and lactate were measured using spectrophotometric methods, whereas ...
Omer MK, Skjerve E, Holstad G, Woldehiwet Z, Macmillan AP.Samples from 2427 cattle, 661 goats, 104 sheep, 98 camels and 82 horses were screened for brucella infections by the Rose Bengal Test and positive reactors confirmed by the complement fixation test. In cattle, the highest individual seroprevalence was in dairy herds kept under the intensive husbandry system, with an individual prevalence of 8.2% and unit (herd) seroprevalence of 35.9%. This was followed by the pastoral husbandry system in the Western Lowlands with 5.0% individual but a higher unit (vaccination site) prevalence of 46.1%. The lowest was in the mixed crop-livestock system in the ...
Bulone V, Rademaker GJ, Pergantis S, Krogstad-Johnsen T, Smestad-Paulsen B, Thomas-Oates J.Separation of horse dander allergens using two-dimensional PAGE resulted in the identification of 16 proteins that react with allergic patient sera. A sensitive method has been developed for analysing the structures of the glycan chains of individual glycoprotein allergens transferred to blots following two-dimensional PAGE, and has allowed the structural identification of the glycan chains of the most abundant isoforms of Equ c 1, a glycosylated horse dander major allergen. The method involves separation of the allergens by two-dimensional PAGE, transfer to polyvinylidene difluoride membranes...
Poyet JL, Srinivasula SM, Alnemri ES.vCLAP, the E10 gene product of equine herpesvirus-2, is a caspase-recruitment domain (CARD)-containing protein that has been shown to induce both apoptosis and NF-kappaB activation in mammalian cells. vCLAP has a cellular counterpart, Bcl10/cCLAP, which is also an activator of apoptosis and NF-kappaB. Recent studies demonstrated that vCLAP activates NF-kappaB through an IkappaB kinase (IKK)-dependent pathway, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this report, we demonstrate that vCLAP associates stably with the IKK complex through direct binding to the C-terminal region of IKKgamma....
van den Wollenberg L, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Since it has become possible to make an ante-mortem diagnosis of gastric ulceration in horses by means of endoscopy, interest in the presence and treatment of this syndrome has increased. Several endoscopic surveys have indicated that the frequency of gastric ulceration in Thoroughbreds in training is fairly high. Less is known about other breeds and horses that are kept under different (training) conditions. The equine stomach is covered by two different kinds of mucous membranes: squamous and glandular. These two areas differ from one another in the incidence and aetiology of ulceration and,...
Wasfi IA, Abdel Hadi AA, Elghazali M, Boni NS, Alkatheeri NA, Barezaig IM, Al Muharami AM, Hamid AM.The pharmacokinetics of tripelennamine (T) was compared in horses (n = 6) and camels (n = 5) following intravenous (i.v.) administration of a dose of 0.5 mg/kg body weight. Furthermore, the metabolism and urinary detection time was studied in camels. The data obtained (median and range in brackets) in camels and horses, respectively, were as follows: the terminal elimination half-lives were 2.39 (1.91-6.54) and 2.08 (1.31-5.65) h, total body clearances were 0.97 (0.82-1.42) and 0.84 (0.64-1.17)L/h/kg. The volumes of distribution at steady state were 2.87 (1.59-6.67) and 1.69 (1.18-3.50) L/kg, ...
CLARKE EG.This research article explores the topic of doping racehorses, looking at the history of the practice, the reasons for it, various methods used, and the substances utilized. It also presents […]
van de Lest CH, Brama PA, van Weeren PR.This study aimed at the determination of the influence of exercise on the levels of a number of bone morphogenic enzymes in subchondral bone and at the comparison of these data with other (subchondral) bone-related parameters that have been investigated in the same experimental population.Forty-three foals were reared until weaning at 5 months of age under similar conditions, except for the type and amount of exercise. Fifteen foals remained at pasture (Pasture group and also control group), 14 foals were kept in box stalls (Box group) and 14 foals were kept in the same box stalls but were sub...
Parkinson KC, Vanderwall DK, Rigas J, Sweat A.The objective of this study was to determine if intramuscular administration of 60 units of oxytocin once daily for 29 days, regardless of when treatment was initiated during the estrous cycle (i.e., without monitoring estrous behavior and/or detecting ovulation), would induce prolonged corpus luteum (CL) function in cycling mares. Mares were randomly assigned to two groups: (1) saline-treated control (n = 7) and (2) oxytocin-treated (n = 9) subjects. Control mares received 3 cc of saline, and oxytocin-treated mares received 60 units (3 cc) of oxytocin intramuscularly for 29 consecutive d...
Hintz HF.Interest in mycotoxins and mycotoxicosis in humans and animals has greatly increased in recent years. Horses have long been considered very susceptible to molds. The signs, treatment, and prevention of several conditions, such as leukoencephalomalacia, aflatoxicosis, ergotism, fescue toxicity, slobbering disease, ryegrass staggers, and moldy sweet clover disease, are discussed.
Brum AM, Thomas AD, Sabeur K, Ball BA.To evaluate Coomassie blue staining of the acrosome of equine and canine spermatozoa. Methods: Spermatozoa of 5 mixed-breed male dogs and 3 Thoroughbred stallions. Methods: Various proportions of intact and acrosome-damaged spermatozoa were fixed in 2% phosphate-buffered formaldehyde or 4% paraformaldehyde, smeared onto glass slides, and stained with Coomassie blue stain. Acrosomal status (damaged vs intact) was also assessed by use of flow cytometry after staining with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA) and propidium iodide. Comparisons were made between...
Moore RW, Redmond HE, Katada M, Wallace M.A continuous-passage horse leukocyte culture [V.B. 40, abst. 4672] was susceptible to the virus of equine infectious anaemia, as determined by cyto-pathic effect and viral titre. Ultrafiltration studies indicated that the virus was less than 32 mμ in diameter, which agrees with previous reports. Susceptible horses developed clinical signs and lesions of the disease when they were inoculated with both unfiltered and ultrafiltered culture virus.
Flisińska-Bojanowska A, Gill J, Grzelkowska K.In the blood of 11 foals and their lactating mothers (Standardbred) diurnal changes in the cortisol level, neutrophil number and lysozyme activity were studied during the first 13 weeks of life. The investigations began when a foal reached 7 days of age and were repeated every two weeks till 13 weeks of age. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein every 4 hours for one day. Experiments were repeated in two following years. In the first year 6 mares and 6 foals born by these mares were examined, and in the second year--5 of the mares from the first year and the 5 new foals borne by them....
Bowker RM, Linder K, Sonea IM, Holland RE.The sensory innervation of the navicular bone (os sesamoideum distale) and its suspensory ligaments [ligamenta sesamoidea collateralia (CSL) and ligamentum sesamoideum distale impar or distal sesamoidean impar (DS-impar) ligament] and the navicular bursa (podotrochlearis) was examined in the neonatal foal using immunocytochemistry. With antisera raised to substance P (SP) and human calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), immunoreactive nerves were demonstrated to innervate the CSL and navicular bursa. Within CSL, and SP- and CGRP-like nerves were present in the synovial lining of the navicular...
Tozaki T, Ohnuma A, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Kakoi H, Hirota KI, Kusano K, Nagata SI.One method of gene doping in horseracing is administering of exogenous genetic materials, known as transgenes. Several polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods have been developed for detecting transgenes with high sensitivity and specificity. However, novel designs for reference materials (RMs) and/or positive template controls (PTCs) are necessary for simultaneous analysis of multiple transgene targets. In this study, we designed and developed a novel RM for simultaneously detecting multiple targets via microfluidic quantitative PCR (MFQPCR). Twelve equine genes were selected as targets...
Sumbria D, Singla LD, Kaur P.In the Indian sub-continent, equine piroplasmosis (EP) is an imperative tick-borne disease of equids predominately caused by obligatory intra-erythrocytic protozoa Theileria equi. Present exploration is the first epidemiological survey report based on Indirect Immunofluorescence Antibody test (IFAT). A total of 120 equines (98 horses and 22 donkeys/mules) from five districts of two main agro-climatic zones of Punjab were screened. The overall prevalence was 58.33%, with western plane zone at higher infection risk for T. equi (74.50%, OR = 7.45, 95% CI = 62.24-85.76); followed by wester...
Palm F, Nagel C, Bruckmaier RM, Aurich JE, Aurich C.Colostrum (COL) contains cytokines and growth factors that may enhance intestinal development in neonates. The hypothesis of this study was that besides providing immunoglobulins, COL is important for intestinal function and meconium release in foals. Newborn foals were either fed COL (n = 5) or an equal amount of milk replacer (MR, n = 7) during the first 24 hours of life. To ensure passive immunity, all foals received 1 L plasma. Postnatal development, meconium release, intestinal motility, white blood cell count, insulin-like growth factor 1, and intestinal absorptive function (xylose absor...
Keenan DM.Two horses were alternately galloped and cantered at 48 h intervals in a cross over trial. Galloping produced a rise in plasma lactic and uric acids. The lactic acid decreased in concentration whereas the uric acid increased in the hour after exercise. Plasma phosphate levels were depressed 1 h after galloping. There was no significant variation in these parameters after cantering. Possible reasons for these changes are discussed.
Mantovani R, Guzzo N, Sartori C, Bailoni L.This study aimed at evaluating in vivo performance, growth parameters, intakes, dressing percentage, and blood parameters in Italian Heavy Draft Horse (IHDH) weanlings fed 2 CP levels up to the 2 typical ages of slaughter. Forty-one weanlings were grouped in 8 pens according to sex, age, and BW. After a transition period, animals were randomly assigned to 2 isoenergetic diets containing different CP levels: 10.6 and 11.2% CP in DM for low protein (LP) and 13.2 and 14.7% CP in DM for high protein (HP) diets in the first and second phase, respectively. About half of the animals (n = 22) were sla...
Jackman BR, Baxter GM.A 1-year-old Appaloosa stallion had a mass on the right rostral hemimandible. The mass was firm, did not cause signs of pain, and was identified as a bone cyst by radiography and biopsy. Surgical correction included curettage of the cystic cavity and grafting the defect with both cortical and cancellous bone. By 5 months, the cystic cavity was ossifying; continued remodeling with an increase in bone density was apparent 22 months after surgery.
De La Corte FD, Valberg SJ, Mickelson JR, Hower-Moritz M.Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in Quarter Horses (QH) and QH crosses is a glycogen storage disorder in which blood glucose clearance and insulin sensitivity, following an i.v. or oral glucose challenge, are enhanced. Exercise is known also to enhance glucose uptake into skeletal muscle in many animal species. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effect of exercise on glucose clearance in PSSM and control horses when an oral carbohydrate meal (8 Mcal sweet feed) was fed following either 12 h fasting alone (NEX protocol) or following fasting and a standard exercise pro...
Rumpler MJ, Colahan P, Sams RA.A simple LC/MSMS method has been developed and fully validated to determine concentrations and characterize the concentration vs. time course of methocarbamol (MCBL) and guaifenesin (GGE) in plasma after a single intravenous dose and multiple oral dose administrations of MCBL to conditioned Thoroughbred horses. The plasma concentration-time profiles for MCBL after a single intravenous dose of 15 mg/kg of MCBL were best described by a three-compartment model. Mean extrapolated peak (C0 ) plasma concentrations were 23.2 (± 5.93) μg/mL. Terminal half-life, volume of distribution at steady-state...
Roberts MC.The ability of the horse to digest and absorb soluble carbohydrates was assessed using a series of oral disaccharide tolerance tests followed in the same animals by tolerance tests with the constituent monosaccharides. In horses older than three years, lactose did not produce an increase in the plasma glucose levels but induced the passing of soft faeces, indicating that adult horses are lactose intolerant. Horses of all ages could absorb the glucose: galactose mixture without any change in the faeces. The tolerance is due to a failure to hydrolyse lactose and does not involve the monosacchari...
Hackett RP, Ducharme NG, Gleed RD, Erb HN, Mitchell LM, Soderholm LV.We hypothesised that 22.5 mg of oral nitroglycerin would cause pulmonary vasodilation and therefore decrease pulmonary capillary pressure in horses during strenuous exercise. Six horses were assigned to exercise twice, once with no medication (control) and once with nitroglycerin (22.5 mg orally) in random order. Horses were exercised for 3 min each at 75, 90 and 100% of maximal heart rate (HRmax) with a 2 min period of walking between each period of exertion. Pulmonary artery and oesophageal pressures were recorded continuously. Subsequent analysis was carried out on the pulmonary arterial pr...
Les CM, Stover SM, Taylor KT, Keyak JH, Willits NH.The objective of this study was to examine several simple ex vivo loading conditions for the equine metacarpus, and to evaluate their ability to reproduce the mid-diaphyseal bone surface strain distributions previously reported in vivo at the walk and trot. Distributed axial compressive loads, and 9 different axial compressive point loads at -7.5 kN and -15 kN were applied to metacarpal-distal carpal bone preparations from 6 Thoroughbred horses, aged 1-5 years. The resulting dorsal, medial, palmar, and lateral mid-diaphyseal bone surface axial and shear strains were compared with previously re...
Schumacher J, Brumbaugh GW, Honnas CM, Tarpley RJ.Full-thickness, circular, cutaneous wounds (5 cm in diameter) were created on the distal portion of the forelimbs of 6 horses. One wound on each horse was treated with 6 full-thickness punch grafts that were obtained from the horse's neck with a 6-mm skin biopsy punch and inserted in the graft sites on day 14 after wounding. The wound on the contralateral limb was not grafted. A combination of ticarcillin disodium and clavulanate potassium was applied to the wounds when bandages were changed to control bacterial infection. Areas of each wound were measured on days 1, 7, 9, 11, 13 through 15, 1...
Muylle E, Oyaert W.Summary
Epicardial potential measurements were made in 21 horses. Unipolar and bipolar electrograms were recorded from numerous sites on both the right and left ventricular surface. Unlike the situation in man and dog, the earliest epicardial breakthrough of excitation was present in two areas on the left ventricular surface.
Activation of the largest parts of the ventricular surfaces occurred in a very short period of time. No fronts of activation could be demonstrated. Only in some basal parts isochrones could be drawn: the extreme basal areas were the last to be depolarised. A possibl...
He Y, Nadeau J, Reed S, Hoagland T, Bushmich S, Aborn S, Jones AK, Martin D.Our objective was to determine the influence of season (winter, spring, summer, and fall) on travel patterns, hoof growth, and longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) height and fat thickness between 13th and 14th ribs in 16 horses aged <4 years (eight males and eight females) of Morgan, Quarter Horse, and Moriesian breeds. Real-time ultrasound images of LM height and fat thickness as well as measures of hoof growth were obtained at the end of each season. Global positioning system tracking was conducted for four randomly selected days and one storm day in each season. Data were analyzed using a linear...
Smith RE, Williams IA, Kingsbury ET.Serologic testing for leptospiral antibody was conducted with the macroscopic agglutination test on 1,346 equine serum samples. These were collected from clinically normal horses in 123 purebred herds in the Northeast. Sixty-eight samples (5%) from the population tested reacted at significant levels (1:40 or higher) to one or more of the 5 serotype antigens used. These reactors were from 38 (31%) of the herds tested. Reactions to serotype pomona predominated in 25 (72%) of these 38 herds. Smaller numbers of herds had reactors to canicola, icterohemorrhagiae and grippotyphosa. No significant re...
Ali S, Sugimoto C, Matsuda M, Sugiura T, Kanemaru T, Onuma M, Kamada M.Proteins of Babesia equi piroplasms were characterized. The piroplasms of B. equi were purified by lysis of infected horse erythrocytes with N2 gas cavitation followed by separation in Percoll density-gradient centrifugation. The relative molecular weights (Mr) of major proteins separated by two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were 18, 28, 30, 41, 43, 54, 66.5, and 96 kDa. Immunoblot analysis using serum from an experimentally infected horse revealed six immunodominant proteins of 15, 18, 28, 30, 41, and 96 kDa. Two immunodominant proteins of 18 and 28 kDa...
Strong M, Dart AJ, Malikides N, Hodgson DR.This research article discusses monorchidism in horses, a rare condition presenting a complete absence of one testicle. It outlines two case studies, involving a 2-year-old Thoroughbred colt and a 3-year-old […]