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.
Rubio C, Cubillo MA, Hooghuis H, Sanchez-Vizcaino JM, Diaz-Laviada M, Plateau E, Zientara S, Crucière C, Hamblin C.The mortality rate in susceptible populations of horses during an epizootic of African horse sickness (AHS) may be in excess of 90%. Rapid and reliable assays are therefore essential for the confirmation of clinical diagnoses and to enable control strategies to be implemented without undue delay. One of the major objectives of a recent European Union funded project was the validation of newly developed diagnostic assays which are rapid, sensitive, highly reproducible and inexpensive, for the detection of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) antigens and antibodies. The Laboratorio de Sanidad y ...
el Hasnaoui H, el Harrak M, Tber A, Fikri A, Laghzaoui K, Bikour MH.An indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) technique was used to screen and quantify antibodies against African horse sickness virus (AHSV) in equine sera. Results obtained with the IFA assay were compared directly with those obtained with standard complement fixation (CF) and virus neutralisation (VN) tests using horse sera from experimental studies and samples from the field. Positive fluorescent antibody titres were detected from as early as 7 days after primary vaccination and persisted for at least six months. The IFA technique offers a clear advantage over CF tests, where the antibodies are ...
Meiswinkel R.During the 1996 summer season (January-April) in South Africa an estimated 500 horses died of African horse sickness (AHS); 80% of deaths were due to AHS virus serotypes 2 and 4. Nearly all cases occurred in the northern, north-eastern and central parts of South Africa. This study reports the first attempt to verify the involvement of the biting midge Culicoides imicola in a field outbreak of AHS in southern Africa. In light-trap collections made at 47 sites over 12 weeks, C. imicola comprised 94.2% of 4.78 million Culicoides. Culicoides imicola was the most prevalent of 34 species captured an...
Lord CC, Woolhouse ME, Mellor PS.Factors affecting epidemics of African horse sickness in Spain were studied using a mathematical model. The model examined the likelihood of an epidemic after the introduction of the virus, and the effectiveness of vaccination strategies. Two host species (horses and donkeys) and one vector species (the biting midge Culicoides imicola) were included. A stratified random sampling method (Latin hypercube sampling) was used for sensitivity analysis of the likelihood of an epidemic. Systematic variation of vaccination parameters was used to consider alternative control strategies. In general, when...
Huovilainen A, Ek-Kommonen C.A serological study for antibodies against equine arteritis virus (EAV) in Finland was performed during 1996. All equine sera delivered to the Virology Unit at the National Veterinary and Food Research Institute were tested with a micro-neutralization test, using the Arvac strain as antigen. The study also included imported horses to evaluate EAV circulation in the countries of origin. Nucleocapsid gene sequences of 2 Finnish equine semen isolates were amplified with RT-PCR and sequenced. The genetic relationships of those isolates with strains isolated elsewhere in the world were analyzed. Th...
Archambault D, Laganière G, St-Laurent G.The genetic variation in equine arteritis virus (EAV) nonstructural (NS) protein-encoding open reading frames (ORF) 3 and 4 genes was investigated. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences from seven different EAV isolates (one European, one American and five Canadian isolates) and the Arvac vaccine strain were compared with those of the Bucyrus reference strain. ORF 3 nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities amongst these isolates (including the Arvac vaccine strain) and the Bucyrus reference strain ranged from 85.6 to 98.8%, and 85.3 to 98.2%, respectively, whereas ORF 4 nucleotide a...
Maĭboroda SN.Study of the variability and heritability of sprightliness and exterior characteristics which are the constituent factors of capacity for work of trotting horse breed, permits predicting and planning the direction of selection work in the breed, and determining the efficiency of animals selection according to phenotype. To increase the level of capacity for work of Orloff trotting horse breed, according to the paper data, more consideration should be given to correctness of the exterior, as a biomechanical basis of the horse motion.
Evans TJ, Miller MA, Ganjam VK, Niswender KD, Ellersieck MR, Krause WJ, Youngquist RS.To develop an objective, quantifiable assay for endometrial periglandular fibrosis (EPF) and correlate assay results with histologic and ultrastructural changes in equine endometrial biopsy specimens. Methods: Endometrial biopsy specimens from 70 mares from 3 to 27 years old in estrus. Methods: In a double-blinded study design, endometrial biopsy specimens were graded histologically (modified Kenney classification) for EPF and inflammation. Endometrial periglandular collagen volume fraction (%EPCVF) was determined by light microscopic image analysis of picrosirius red-stained sections. Specime...
Cardwell BE, Fitch GQ, Geisert RD.Progestogens and follicular stimulants have proved reasonably successful for estrus synchronization, but time of ovulation relative to removal of the progestogen is not clearly established. We monitored time of ovulation in ewes following synchronized estrus. Ovaries of 40 Dorset and Rambouillet x Dorset ewes were evaluated during the spring and fall (20/replicate). Ewes were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (n = 20/group): implant-only (I) ewes received a norgestomet implant for 10 d; and implant + PMSG (PI) ewes received a norgestomet implant for 10 d with an i.m. injection o...
Szöke MO, Blais D, Cuvelliez SG, Lavoie JP.To evaluate the cardiovascular and respiratory effects of buprenorphine administered intravenously in clinically normal horses and horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: 5 clinically normal horses and 5 horses with COPD that were in partial clinical remission (period A) or were having an acute attack of airway obstruction (period B). Methods: Pulmonary function testing, arterial blood gas analysis, and arterial blood pressure measurements were performed before and after a single intravenous bolus of buprenorphine (3 microg/kg of body weight). Respiratory rate (f), t...
Kitchen DL, Merritt AM, Burrow JA.To determine gastric secretory responses in horses treated with histamine and to determine the dose of histamine needed to elicit maximal gastric secretion. Methods: 6 adult horses with an indwelling gastric cannula. Methods: Gastric contents were collected in 15-minute periods, and volume, pH, hydrogen ion concentration, hydrogen ion output, sodium concentration, and sodium output were determined. Values were determined without any treatment (baseline), after administration of pyrilamine maleate (1 mg/kg of body weight, i.v., given during a 15-minute period), and during 1-hour infusions of hi...
Fagliari JJ, McClenahan D, Evanson OA, Weiss DJ.To determine whether plasma protein concentrations were altered in ponies with alimentary laminitis. Methods: 12 adult ponies. Methods: Acute laminitis was induced in 6 ponies by oral administration of carbohydrate (85% corn starch, 15% wood flour); the other 6 ponies were used as controls. A physical examination was performed and blood samples were collected immediately before and 4, 8, 12, 24, and 28 hours after administration of carbohydrate. Plasma protein concentrations were determined by means of sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results: 19 plasma proteins rang...
Mama KR, Pascoe PJ, Steffey EP, Kollias-Baker C.To characterize responses associated with two 1-hour total intravenous anesthesia techniques in horses. Methods: 6 mature, healthy mares. Methods: Each horse was anesthetized 3 times. Treatment order was determined by a series of Latin squares. After baseline measurements and instrumentation, horses were given xylazine (XYL) i.v.; anesthesia was induced 5 minutes later with 10% guaifenesin given i.v., then either ketamine (KET) or propofol (PRO) was given i.v. After anesthesia induction, each horse received an infusion of XYL and either KET or a low or high dose of PRO. Cardiopulmonary variabl...
Davison LA, McManus CJ, Fitzgerald BP.In the mare, endogenous opioids have been implicated in the suppression of gonadotropin secretion during seasonal anestrus (AN). The present study tested whether continuation of reproductive activity during the nonbreeding season (NBS) reflects the absence of a seasonal shift in opioid tone compared to what occurs in AN mares. During the NBS, 11 AN and 8 luteal-phase mares received 0.1, 0.05, 0. 025 mg/kg naloxone (NAL) or vehicle on alternate days. Whereas cycling mares responded to all dosages of NAL, AN mares responded only to the higher dosages for FSH, and LH failed to increase at any dos...
McFarlane D, Sellon DC, Gaffney D, Hedgpeth V, Papich M, Gibbs S.To compare hematologic and serum biochemical variables and plasma ACTH concentration between healthy horses 5 to 12 years old and those more than 20 years old. Methods: 30 healthy horses 5 to 12 years old and 30 healthy horses more than 20 years old. Methods: Venous blood was collected from all horses, and CBC and serum biochemical analysis were performed for each horse. Plasma ACTH concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. Student's paired t-test or the Mann-Whitney rank sum test was used to compare values between control and aged horse groups. Results: Compared with values for contro...
Weiss DJ, Evanson OA, McClenahan D, Fagliari J, Walcheck B.To determine whether platelets become activated and form platelet-platelet or platelet-neutrophil aggregates, or both, when subjected to shear. Methods: Blood obtained from 3 Thoroughbreds. Methods: Blood, with PCV adjusted to 32 (low hematocrit) or 60 (high hematocrit)%, was subjected to shear rates of 11.25, 22.5, 45, 90, 225, and 750/s for 3 minutes by use of a cone-plate viscometer. Flow cytometric techniques were used to identify activated platelets, platelet-platelet aggregates, and platelet-neutrophil aggregates. Results: Shear resulted in decreased platelet count, increased mean platel...
Hardy J, Bertone AL, Muir WW.To determine oxygen metabolism, permeability, and blood flow in isolated joints in response to interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) and contribution of innervation. Methods: One metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of 24 adult horses. Methods: The MCP joint was isolated for 6 hours in a pump-perfused, auto-oxygenated, innervated or denervated preparation. Isolated joints were assigned to the following 4 groups: control, control-denervated, inflamed, and inflamed-denervated, and inflammation was induced by intra-articular injection of IL-1beta. Circuit arterial and venous pressures, flows, and blood gas ten...
Daels PF, Albrecht BA, Mohammed HO.The onset of eCG secretion in pregnant mares coincides with an increase in luteal steroid production and a relative shift toward androgen and estrogen synthesis. However, a cause-effect relationship between eCG and the shift in luteal steroidogenesis has not been demonstrated. In this study, we have investigated the effect of eCG on steroid production by the corpus luteum (CL) during equine pregnancy. All mares were supplemented with 44 mg altrenogest (a progestogen) per day on Days 18-50. Increasing doses of eCG were administered on Days 26-28, before the onset of endogenous eCG secretion, to...
Okumura M, Fujinaga T.To establish a sensitive and specific monoclonal antibody (MAB) against equine keratan sulfate (KS) and to develop an enzyme immunoassay for measurement of the concentration of KS in serum and synovial fluid from horses. Methods: 18 synovial fluid and 48 serum samples were obtained from clinically normal horses and horses with arthritis. Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized with chondroitinase-ABC-digested proteoglycan monomer from equine joint cartilage, and MAB were raised, using Sp2/O cells as a fusion partner. A competitive ELISA was optimized, using one of the established MAB, and KS conce...
McClanahan S, Hunter J, Murphy M, Valberg S.Propylene glycol and mineral oil are commonly used in the veterinary profession for treatment of bovine ketosis and equine impactions, respectively. Accidental administration of 6.0 ml propylene glycol/kg of body weight in horses causes severe depression, ataxia and malodorous breath and feces. However, appropriate medical therapy can result in successful treatment of this toxicosis.
Krieger RI, South P, Mendez Trigo A, Flores I.Methomyl (S-methyl-N-((methylcarbamoyl)oxy) thioacetimidate) toxicity was studied in horses using i.v. dosages from 0.01 to 3.0 mg/kg. Doses of 1-3 mg methomyl/kg produced increased GI motility and respirations, facial fasiculations, salivation, lacrimation and convulsions. The only effect at 0.5 mg/kg was increased GI sounds in 1/4 horses. This extensively used crop insecticide had been associated with episodes of morbidity and mortality and led to speculation that it was extremely potent to the horse. This was not supported by these clinical studies.
Fogarty U, Perl D, Good P, Ensley S, Seawright A, Noonan J.A cluster of 6 cases of equine granulomatous enteritis is described. Aluminium was demonstrated in the tissues and lesions of these horses and in the intimal bodies of intestinal vessels. The relationship between granulomatous lesions, aluminium, acidity and invading microorganisms, particularly parasites, is presented and discussed.
Lichtenfels JR, Kharchenko VA, Krecek RC, Gibbons LM.The results of an international collaborative effort to prepare a recommended list of scientific names for the small strongyles (Nematoda: Strongyloidea: Cyathostominea) of horses, donkeys and zebras are reported. Fifty-one valid species are recognized in 13 genera, including Cyathostomum, Coronocyclus, Cylicodontophorus, Cylicocyclus, Cylicostephanus, Skrjabinodentus, Tridentoinfundibulum, Petrovinema, Poteriostomum, Parapoteriostomum, Hsiungia, Cylindropharynx and Caballonema. In addition, 42 other species level names are listed as synonyms of the 51 recognized species or as species inquiren...
Magdesian KG, Hogan PM, Cohen ND, Brumbaugh GW, Bernard WV.To evaluate pharmacokinetics of a high dose of gentamicin administered i.v. or i.m. to horses. Methods: Repeated-measures study. Methods: 6 clinically normal female adult stock-type horses. Methods: All horses were given gentamicin (6.6 mg/kg [3 mg/lb] of body weight), i.v. and i.m., in a two-way cross-over design. Serum gentamicin concentrations were measured during a 24-hour period. Results: Plasma concentration curves were consistent with a two-compartment model. Maximum plasma gentamicin concentrations were 71.9 +/- 15.7 micrograms/ml (0 hours after injection) and 22.0 +/- 4.9 micrograms/m...
Southwood LL, Trotter GW, McIlwraith CW.To determine the outcome of horses after arthroscopic removal of abaxial fracture fragments of the proximal sesamoid bone and association of fracture grade with outcome. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 47 horses. Methods: Information obtained from dorsopalmar and dorsoplantar radiographic views of metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints was used to classify fractures as grade 1 ( 25 mm long) and type 1 (abaxial) and type 2 (apical-abaxial). Outcome was determined by whether the horse returned to its intended use, raced in the same class or higher (racehorses), or performed sa...
Freden GO, Provost PJ, Rand WM.To assess clinical utility of abdominal fluid analysis in predicting outcome, lesion type, and whether medical or surgical treatment is indicated for horses with colic. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 218 horses > 1 year old. Methods: Horses were classified on the basis of age, site of lesion, lesion type (nonstrangulating vs strangulating), type of treatment (medical vs surgical), and outcome (survival vs nonsurvival). Sensitivity and specificity of using age and results of abdominal fluid analysis, individually and in combination, to predict lesion type, type of treatment, and outc...
Menzies-Gow NJ, Young NJ.Enterococcus faecium, a major cause of potentially life-threatening hospital-acquired human infections, can be resistant to several antimicrobials, such that streptogramin quinupristin-dalfopristin (Q/D) is one of the few antibiotics still effective. Consequently use of the streptogramin virginiamycin as an animal growth promoter was banned in the EU in 1999 as some believed this contributed to the emergence of Q/D resistant E. faecium. Virginiamycin is advocated for preventing equine pasture-associated laminitis, but its effect on equine faecal bacterial Q/D resistance has not been determined...
Kropich-Grant JN, Wiley KE, Manyweathers J, Thompson KR, Brookes VJ.Hendra virus disease (HeVD) is an emerging zoonosis in Australia, resulting from the transmission of Hendra virus (HeV) to horses from Pteropus bats. Vaccine uptake for horses is low despite the high case fatality rate of HeVD in both horses and people. We reviewed evidence-based communication interventions to promote and improve HeV vaccine uptake for horses by horse owners and conducted a preliminary evaluation of potential drivers for HeV vaccine uptake using the Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination (BeSD) framework developed by the World Health Organization. Six records were eligi...
Milne DW, Muir WW, Skarda RT.Blood pressure recordings were made from right atrium, right ventricle, pulmonary trunk, and pulmonary arterial "wedge" positions in the standing, resting, adult horse. Similarly, comparisons were made of blood samples collected from these vascular positions, as well as from jugular vein and carotid artery. A consistently lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide and a greater partial pressure of oxygen and pH were found in blood samples from pulmonary arterial wedge than from carotid artery. A technique for safe and rapid collection of pulmonary trunk and pulmonary arterial wedge blood gases, ...
Mittelholzer C, Johansson I, Olsson AK, Ronéus M, Klingeborn B, Belák S.Recovery of infectious Equine arteritis virus (EAV) from the semen of persistently infected Swedish stallions was attempted by classical cell culture isolation and by transfection of extracted total RNA. Whereas virus from semen samples stored for several months at -20 degrees C or from extended semen could only be recovered by transfection of extracted RNA, isolation in cell culture was achieved readily with fresh, unextended semen stored at -70 degrees C or directly used after sampling. In parallel, the viruses were examined in the variable region of the large glycoprotein GP5 by nested RT-P...
Spyrou V, Papanastassopoulou M, Psychas V, Billinis Ch, Koumbati M, Vlemmas J, Koptopoulos G.There appears to be a lack of information concerning responses of mules to natural infection or experimental inoculation with equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). In the present study EIAV was isolated from mules, for the first time, and its pathogenicity in naturally infected and experimentally inoculated animals was investigated. Two naturally infected (A and B) and three EIAV free mules (C, D and E) were used for this purpose. Mule A developed clinical signs, whereas mule B remained asymptomatic until the end of the study. Mules C and D were each inoculated with 10ml of blood from mule A ...
López-Bayghen C, Zozaya H, Ocampo L, Brumbaugh GW, Sumano H.The efficacy of melengestrol acetate (MGA) to shorten the vernal transition of mares by synchronising and accelerating the first ovulation of the year after 60 days of phototherapy was determined by ultrasonographic monitoring. Sixteen mares in late transition were fed two doses of MGA (150 mg/mare/day and 100 mg/mare/day, respectively) for 10 days. A luteolytic dose of prostaglandin was administered to each mare one day after the end of MGA treatment. The presence and duration of oestrus, follicular growth, uterine oedema and presence of ovulation were monitored by ultrasonography and the cer...
Gonzales-Viera O, Fritz H, Mete A.A 7-month-old female mixed breed foal with a 2-day history of recumbency and inability to open its mouth convulsed acutely and died and was submitted for necropsy examination. The foal was thin and large patches of haemorrhage were present throughout the peritoneal wall, the diaphragmatic surfaces and the retroperitoneum. Numerous nematode larvae were visible on the serosal surfaces and penetrated and embedded into the subserosa associated with the haemorrhages. The dorsal portion of the abdominal diaphragm had a partial tear and large numbers of nematodes were within the muscle fibres. Histol...
Dumasia MC, Houghton E, Hyde W, Greulich D, Nelson T, Peterson J.Studies related to the in vivo biotransforrmation and urinary excretion of fenspiride hydrochloride in the horse are described. After oral administration, the drug is metabolised by both phase I functionalisation and phase II conjugation pathways. Following enzymatic deconjugation, fenspiride and its phase I metabolites were isolated from post-administration biofluids using bonded co-polymeric mixed mode solid-phase extraction cartridges to isolate the basic compounds. Following trimethylsilylation (TMS), the parent drug and metabolites were identified by capillary gas chromatography-mass spec...
Biedrzycki A, Markel MD, Brounts SH.To compare the in vitro biomechanical properties of a novel subcuticular stapling device to current methods of abdominal skin closure for equine abdominal surgery. Methods: In vitro randomized, matched design. Methods: Equine ventral median abdominal skin specimens (n = 24 horses). Methods: Subcuticular absorbable staples (SAS), metallic staples (MS), polyglyconate suture (PG), and nylon monofilament (NYL) were applied to longitudinally transected portions of equine ventral midline skin. Loads that resulted in an initial failure point and the ultimate failure load and mechanism were record...
Li JK, Moloney BK, Shupe JL, Gardner EJ, Leone NC, Elsner Y.Genomic DNA polymorphisms obtained by restriction fragment-length polymorphism from healthy horses and horses with hereditary multiple exostoses were analyzed. These DNA were digested by 12 restriction enzymes and were hybridized against 6 isotopically labeled oncogene probes. Hybridization was not detected with the viral oncogene, v-ras, which indicated this oncogene was absent in the equine genome. Oncogenes (c-raf-1, c-fes, c-myb, c-myc, and c-sis) were present and had similar hybridization patterns and signal intensities in DNA from healthy horses and horses with hereditary multiple exosto...
Baker SM, Drummond WH, Lane TJ, Koterba AM.A follow-up study was conducted on 131 foals that were less than 7 days old when admitted to the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital between 1981 and 1983. Of the 71 foals (54%) that survived to be discharged, 39 (55%) were alive at follow-up evaluation, 19 (27%) could not be located, and 13 (18%) had died. The owners of surviving foals were sent questionnaires and 72% responded. The horses were visited and examined, if geographically possible, and an age-matched stablemate or a sibling also was evaluated and used as a control. Thirteen foals (10% of total admitted) died...
Divers TJ, George LW, George JW.Signs of acute hemolytic anemia developed in 4 adult horses from 2 Georgia farms 3 to 4 days after the ingestion of wilted leaves from cut red maple trees (Acer rubrum). Clinical findings included weakness, polypnea, tachycardia, depression, icterus, cyanosis, and brownish discoloration of the blood and urine. Blood changes included methemoglobinemia, free plasma hemoglobin, decreased pcv, and Heinz bodies in erythrocytes. These findings plus hemoglobinuria suggested intravascular hemolysis. Three of the 4 horses diet 5 to 7 days after ingestion of the leaves. Gross pathologic changes included...
Mitten LA, Hinchcliff KW, Pate JL, Kohn CW, McKeever KH.Exertion has an effect on plasma, serum, and/or urine prostanoid concentrations in many species. We investigated the effect of exercise intensity on plasma prostaglandin concentrations during and after exercise in horses. Six Thoroughbreds completed 4 trials: 3 exercise trials (low-, medium-, and high-speed) and 1 nonexercise (control) trial on a high-speed treadmill. Blood samples were collected from a jugular catheter before, during, and after exercise. The PCV and blood lactate, plasma protein, plasma prostacyclin (6-keto-PGF1 alpha), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) conce...
Christen G, Precht C, van der Kolk J, Fouché N, Gerber V.Endocrinopathic laminitis occurs as a consequence of hormonal derangements like pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). The objective of the present study was to assess the occurrence of radiographic changes associated with chronic laminitis in elderly, clinically sound horses. Fifty-one horses were included in the study. Horses were assigned to different age groups, in groups according to their BCS and CNS as well as to groups with different ACTH concentrations in order to assess their risk of chronic laminitis (reported as odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI)). Horses assigne...
Boschwitz JS, Timoney JF.A rapid method for purifying equine C3 which yields milligram quantities of pure C3 is described. Protein from equine plasma was selectively precipitated with polyethylene glycol, and the C3 was purified by anionic and cationic exchange HPLC. The yield from this procedure was 12%. The purified C3 was composed of an alpha chain (118 kD) and a beta chain (68 kD) linked by at least one disulfide bond, and it had an isoelectric point of 4.7. Amino acid analysis indicated a strong conservation of amino acid usage between equine and human C3. The N-terminal sequences of the alpha and beta chains wer...
Karatt TK, Sathiq MA, Laya S, Karakka Kal AK, Subhahar MB, M P MA, Philip M, Graiban FM, Caveney MR.Since 2010, there has been an increasing number of adverse analytical findings related to selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) in competitive sports. It emphasizes the importance of comprehensive doping control analytical procedures that are capable of detecting SARM misuse. Methods: In this study, it is described how LY2452473, a SARM, was metabolized in thoroughbred horses after a single-dose oral administration and in vitro with equine liver microsome preparations. An investigation of the metabolism of LY2452473 in horses' urine, plasma, and hair matrices was carried out during th...
Moore RM, Schneider RK.Arthroscopy was performed in 1 carpal joint unilaterally in 27 horses and either in 2 carpal joints unilaterally or 1 carpal joint bilaterally in 7 horses. All horses were lame, but the cause of lameness could not be determined from radiographs. Twenty-seven carpi did not have radiographically visible abnormalities; the remaining 14 had only mild to moderate lucency or sclerosis of the radial facet of the third carpal bone. The primary abnormalities identified during arthroscopy included a crush fracture of the third carpal bone (7 carpi), an incomplete fracture of the third carpal bone in the...
Lane JK, Cohen JM, Zedler ST, Hollis AR, Southwood LL.To describe a novel surgical technique for management of right dorsal colitis in the horse. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: 14-year-old Warmblood gelding. Methods: The horse was referred for treatment of a stromal abscess and signs of right dorsal colitis. Plasma chemistry revealed marked hypoproteinemia. Abdominal ultrasonographic examination showed a thickened right dorsal colon (RDC). Medical treatment was unsuccessful. With the horse in left lateral recumbency under general anesthesia, an approach to the right side of the abdomen through a 16th rib resection was made. The thoracic cavit...
Ghezelsoflou H, Hamidi P, Gharahveysi S.The Iranian Turkoman horse is considered one of the major categories of Iranian native horses. The aim of this research was to study the genetic and nongenetic factors affecting body conformation traits in Iranian Turkoman horses. For this, measurements were performed on body conformation traits of 121 horses. To study the effect of nongenetic factors, the Lsmeans procedure was used. Variance components and heritability were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood method (REML) and AI-REML convergence algorithm. The standard deviation was estimated to be 7.04 cm for croup depth and 2.08 cm ...
Muylle S, Simoens P, Lauwers H.The distribution of intratubular (peritubular) dentine was studied by scanning electron microscopy in 12 equine incisor teeth. High levels of intratubular dentine were found in the peripheral regions of the dentine. In these areas, a marked asymmetry occurred, as intratubular dentine was predominantly deposited onto the side of the dentinal tubular walls nearest to the dentino-enamel junction. The quantity and asymmetry of intratubular dentine were reduced towards the centre of the tooth. The significance of these variations in the amount and distribution of intratubular dentine between the di...
Okólski A, Babusik P, Tischner M, Lietz W.Comparisons were made between 2 methods of oocyte recovery from the ovarian follicles of slaughtered mares: 500 oocytes (3 per mare) were obtained by aspiration of follicular fluid from ovaries of 162 mares, and 120 oocytes (8 per mare) by isolation and rupture of follicles from ovaries of 14 mares. In the oocytes recovered after rupture of follicles, 89.2% were morphologically unchanged, in comparison to 29.3% obtained by aspiration of follicular fluid. Stallion spermatozoa capacitated in vitro were tested on zona-free hamster oocytes. The stallion spermatozoa were washed in TCM-199 and prein...
Slocombe JO, McCraw BM, Pennock P, Ducharme NG, Baird JD.Twenty pony foals (reared worm free), 6.5 to 10 weeks of age, were inoculated with Strongylus vulgaris and allocated to 5 groups, each with 4 foals. One week after inoculation, 1 group of 4 foals was given oxfendazole (OFZ) at a dosage rate of 10 mg/kg of body weight, another group was given 2 such treatments 48 hours apart, and a 3rd group was given a placebo. All treatments were administered by stomach tube. Three weeks later, foals were euthanatized and necropsied in a test for efficacy against early 4th-stage larvae. Oxfendazole was 80% and 94.9% effective against early 4th-stage S vulgari...
Drudge JH, Lyons ET, Tolliver SC.Critical tests were completed on foals (n = 15) naturally infected with benzimidazole (BZ)-resistant population-B strongyles during the period between 1981 and 1987. Thiabendazole at a dosage of 44 mg/kg was tested in 8 foals, oxfendazole at 10 mg/kg was tested in 4 foals, and phenothiazine at 55 mg/kg, cambendazole at 20 mg/kg, and fenbendazole at 5 mg/kg were tested in 1 foal each. Efficacies of thiabendazole, cambendazole, and fenbendazole against the 5 species of BZ-resistant small strongyles (Cyathostomum catinatum, Cyathostomum coronatum, Cylicocylus nassatus, Cylicostephanus goldi, and ...
Flanagan S, Rowe Á, Duggan V, Markle E, O'Brien M, Barry G.Warmblood Fragile Foal syndrome (WFFS) is an autosomal recessive condition that affects the maturation of collagen in affected foals. Foals affected with the disease typically die or are euthanised shortly after birth. WFFS is caused by a single nucleotide change at position 2032 of the equine PLOD1 gene, causing an impairment of the wild-type enzyme. A commercial test for the causative genetic mutation is currently available from companies operating under licence from Cornell University but it has limitations. This test requires amplification of a region of the PLOD1 gene encompassing the sit...
Yang F, Wu S, Yang W, Yu J, Liu B, Zeng S.To study the effects of exercise on donkey semen parameters, Dezhou donkey (Equus asinus) jackasses (n = 18) were assigned to three groups: control (CN, n = 6), 1-hour exercise (1 h EX, n = 6) and 2-hour exercise (2 h EX, n = 6) groups. They were exercised with a walking machine for 3 days/week for 8 weeks. Semen parameters and reproductive hormones were evaluated weekly. The heart rate, rectal temperature, blood haematology indexes, and the body condition score (BCS) were also measured. Results showed that the ejaculation volume increased while the sperm concentration decreased after ...
