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Topic:Equine Health
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.
Architecture and the division of labor in the extensor carpi radialis muscle of horses. The extensor carpi radialis muscle of the horse is deceptive at first appearance. It has a fusiform shape similar to other forearm extensor muscles. The fiber arrangement also appears long and relatively parallel. However, it may contain two or more compartments that correlate with differing functional roles. Histochemical and immunocytochemical analysis of proximal and distal regions of the muscle (n = 9) demonstrate that the proximal portion of the muscle is composed of a mean of 13% type I, presumed slow twitch, and 61% type IIb, presumed fast twitch fibers. In contrast, the distal compartm...
Electrically induced blink reflex in horses. The electrically induced blink reflex was studied electromyographically in 21 healthy adult, detomidine-sedated horses. Using surface electrodes, the supraorbital nerve was electrically stimulated at the supraorbital foramen. The responses were recorded from the ipsilateral and contralateral orbicularis oculi muscles with concentric needle electrodes inserted in the lateral aspect of the ventral eyelids. Ipsilateral and contralateral recordings were made on successive stimulations of the same side of the face, maintaining a constant stimulus intensity. The electromyographically recorded respon...
Structural features of mammalian gonadotropins. There are two species for which both pituitary and placental gonadotropins are readily available, humans and horses. The human gonadotropins are better characterized than equine gonadotropins. Nevertheless, the latter are very interesting because they provide exceptions to some of the general structure-function principles derived from studies on human and other mammalian gonadotropins. For example, separate genes encode the hLH beta and hCG beta subunits while a single gene encodes eLH beta and eCG beta. Thus, eCG and eLH differ only in their oligosaccharide moieties and eLH is the only LH tha...
cDNA cloning and sequencing reveal the major horse allergen Equ c1 to be a glycoprotein member of the lipocalin superfamily. The gene encoding the major horse allergen, designated Equus caballus allergen 1 (Equ c1), was cloned from total cDNA of sublingual salivary glands by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using synthetic degenerate oligonucleotides deduced from N-terminal and internal peptide sequences of the glycosylated hair dandruff protein. A recombinant form of the protein, with a polyhistidine tail, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. The recombinant protein is able to induce a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction in rat, and it behave...
Primary structure of stallion seminal plasma protein HSP-7, a zona-pellucida-binding protein of the spermadhesin family. The primary-structure of HSP-7, a 14-kDa protein isolated from stallion seminal plasma, has been determined, HSP-7 belongs to the spermadhesin protein family, shares 98% sequence identity with the boar seminal plasma protein AWN, and, like its boar homolog, displays zona-pellucida-binding activity. Despite these conserved structural and functional features, the equine and porcine spermadhesins differ in their topography on spermatozoa.
Fibronectin concentrations correlate with ovarian follicular size and estradiol values in equine follicular fluid. The amounts of total protein, albumin, fibronectin, alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M), immunoglobulin G, ceruloplasmin and antithrombin were determined in fluids collected from 53 preovulatory equine follicles and compared with the contents of estradiol-17 beta, progesterone and androstenedione, with follicle size and the amounts of the equivalent proteins in normal equine plasma. The concentration of fibronectin and the fibronectin/albumin ratios increased significantly with follicle size and with follicular estradiol levels. The alpha 2-M levels and alpha 2-M/albumin ratios correlated with f...
Exercise intolerance in endurance horses. Endurance competition requires synchronism and development of metabolic and musculoskeletal systems. An understanding of the existence of performance-limiting factors may permit the detection of exercise intolerance that could lead to performance failure, fatigue, and exhaustion. New concepts for assessment of fitness have increased the understanding of individual capacities and deficiencies and the interaction of the different systems involved in exercise.
Cardiopulmonary and gastrointestinal motility effects of xylazine/ketamine-induced anesthesia in horses previously treated with glycopyrrolate. To assess the usefulness of glycopyrrolate (GLY) in preventing the decrease in cardiac index (CI) usually caused by xylazine (XYL)/ketamine (KET)-induced anesthesia in horses. Methods: 6 healthy horses. Methods: Horses were treated with saline solution or 2.5 micrograms of GLY/kg of body weight, administered i.v. 15 minutes later, XYL (1 mg/kg) was administered i.v., followed 5 minutes later by KET (2 mg/kg) administration. The horses were positioned in left lateral recumbency, insufflated with 15 L of oxygen/min, and maintained for 30 minutes on the infusion of 0.05 mg of XYL and 0.1 mg of KE...
Upper respiratory causes of exercise intolerance. The respiratory system is a frequent cause of exercise intolerance in performance horses. Labored breathing, fatigue during performance, and prolonged recovery after exercise are common complaints. Inadequate fitness level and diseases of the cardiovascular system are differential diagnoses that share these complaints and should be ruled out. Generation of increased airway noise is a clinical sign that implicates the upper respiratory system. A careful history from the owner and endoscopy of the upper airway are the most useful diagnostic tools. Endoscopy during exercise on a treadmill is indi...
Testing methods for exercise intolerance in horses. The many testing methods available and the increasing sophistication of diagnostic equipment have enhanced greatly our capabilities to diagnose causes of exercise intolerance in the equine athlete during the last several years. High-speed treadmill examination has become the focus of this form of evaluation. Not all clinicians perform or have access to high-speed treadmill examinations. Testing methods that require the use of the high-speed treadmill, as well as methods that do not, are discussed.
Pharmacokinetics of flunixin meglumine in healthy foals less than twenty-four hours old. To determine pharmacokinetic variables that describe the disposition of flunixin after i.v. administration of flunixin meglumine to foals < 24 hours old. Methods: 6 healthy foals, 2 males and 4 females (mean age, 11.6 hours; range, 6 to 22.5 hours). Methods: Flunixin (as flunixin meglumine) was administered to foals at a dosage of 1.1 mg/kg of body weight. Flunixin concentration in plasma samples was analyzed, using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Concentration versus time profiles were analyzed according to standard pharmacokinetic techniques. Blood samples were obtained from foals by j...
Study on the gastrointestinal parasite fauna of ponies in northern Germany. Quantitative faecal and post-mortem examinations of 16 ponies, 1 to 2 1/2 years of age, originating from 3 farms in northern Germany were performed in February 1995 to determine the prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites in these animals. A total of 33 species of metazoan parasites was recovered: three tapeworm species (Anoplocephala perfoliata, A. magna, Paranoplocephala mamillana), Strongylus vulgaris, S. edentatus, small strongyles (including four Triodontophorus spp., Craterostomum acuticaudatum and 19 cyathostome species), Oxyuris equi, Parascaris equorum, Habronema majus ...
The effect of inflammation on the disposition of phenylbutazone in thoroughbred horses. The effect of inflammation on the disposition of phenylbutazone (PBZ) was investigated in Thoroughbred horses. An initial study (n = 5) in which PBZ (8.8 mg/kg) was injected intravenously twice, 5 weeks apart, suggested that the administration of PBZ would not affect the plasma kinetics of a subsequent dose. Two other groups of horses were given PBZ at either 8.8 mg/kg (n = 5) or 4.4 mg/kg (n = 4). Soft tissue inflammation was then induced by the injection of Freud's adjuvant and the administration of PBZ was repeated at a dose level equivalent to, but five weeks later than, the initial dose. ...
[Course of blood levels of calcium, inorganic phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone and calcidiol (25-OH-D3) in one and two year old thoroughbred horses]. The present study was aimed to determine the contents of calcium, inorganic phosphate, parathormon, 25-OH-D3 and the activity of alkaline phosphatase in the plasma of one- and two-years-old thoroughbred horses. Data were obtained monthly from 44 one-year-old thoroughbred of 4 different studs from May during grazing-season and from October during stable-, resp. training-season up to april of the following year. Calcium, inorganic phosphate and the activity of alkaline phosphatase were measured with a photometric method and the concentration of PTH and 25-OH-D3 were determined with a radioimmuno...
Modified apparatus for collection of free-flow urine from mares. An apparatus for collection of free-flow urine from female horses is described. This apparatus is a modification of a similar device described previously. It allows the collection of voided urine from adult female horses without confining them to metabolic stables or resorting to invasive procedures like bladder catheterisation. It is relatively easy to use after a short adaptation period.
Cardiovascular and respiratory effects of detomidine in isoflurane-anaesthetised horses. Anaesthesia was induced in horses (n = 6) with a mixture of thiopentone and guaiphenesin and maintained by mechanical ventilation with a mixture of oxygen, air and isoflurane. Inspiratory and end-expiratory concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide and isoflurane were measured. Electrocardiography was used to evaluate heart rate and rhythm. Mean systemic arterial pressure (SAPm), pulmonary artery pressure (PAPm), right atrial pressure (RAPm) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were measured directly. Cardiac output was determined using the thermodilution method. Microcirculation in th...
Use of statistical models to evaluate racing performance in thoroughbreds. To develop a statistical model to evaluate the influence of specific parameters on racing performance in Thoroughbreds. Methods: Survey. Methods: Racing records of Thoroughbreds performing in Louisiana from 1981 to 1985. Methods: Race results for 20 randomly selected days from 5 racetracks during 5 years were analyzed, using regression analysis. Results: The most influential parameter was distance raced. There were significant differences in racing performance among horses at different tracks. At the tracks examined, fast racing surfaces resulted in significantly faster finish times than good ...
Cardio-respiratory and plasma lactate responses to exercise with low draught resistances in standardbred trotters. Five Standardbred trotters performed treadmill exercise with incrementally increasing trotting velocities for 2 min intervals in three different tests until fatigue. Each test was performed with draught loads of either 10, 20 or 30 kilopond (kp). Each trotting interval was followed by 2 min periods at a walk without draught load. Recordings were made of heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), plasma lactate (PLA) and stride frequency (SF) at the end of each trotting interval. The HR increased to average values of 191 +/- 10,203 +/- 10 and 214 +/- 7 bpm and PLA increased to 3.8 +/- 0.7, 7.3 +/-...
Evaluation of young or unproven horses for potential exercise intolerance. The determination of poor performance in the young or unproven horse can be a difficult experience for the practitioner. This article describes an incremental exercise test that may be helpful in determining the cause of poor performance in horses when a complete physical examination and a lameness examination fail to elucidate the causes of poor performance. Included are values from normal yearling and 2-year-old horses that have undergone the incremental exercise test.
Lower respiratory tract disease. Lower respiratory tract disease is an important source of poor performance and exercise intolerance in racehorses and middle-aged sport horses. Horses that perform high-intensity exercise are predisposed to development of infectious and noninfectious respiratory disease. Diagnostic aids for investigation of lower respiratory tract disease include thorough thoracic auscultation with rebreathing, endoscopic examination, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and thoracic radiographic examination. The therapeutic approach for horses with lower respiratory tract diseases often can be directed by cytologic ...
Direct detection of equine herpesvirus DNA in tissues of aborted equine fetuses. Restriction endonuclease analysis of equine herpesviruses 1 (EHV-1) and 4 has been investigated using cultured cells infected with these viruses. The DNA cleavage patterns of these viruses were observed in the intracellular DNA after digestion with Eco RI and electrophoresis. This procedure was applied to the diagnosis of equine herpesvirus infection in aborted equine fetuses. The characteristic Eco RI restriction pattern of EHV-1 DNA was directly detectable in the emulsion of lungs collected from aborted equine fetuses.
Separation of equine IgG subclasses (IgGa, IgGb and IgG(T)) using their differential binding characteristics for staphylococcal protein A and streptococcal protein G. Equine IgG possesses four well-defined subisotypes, designated IgGa, IgGb, IgGc and IgG(T) on the basis of their increasing anodal mobility in electrophoresis. However, the preparation of IgGa and IgGb reference proteins has not previously been reported. Certain bacterial cell wall proteins, termed protein A and protein G, have been used for purification of IgG subisotypes from the serum of domestic animals which, combined with other techniques utilising differences in the physico-chemical properties of the proteins, has allowed the purification of Ig isotypes. This paper describes purificatio...
Measurement of cardiac output by transoesophageal Doppler echocardiography in anaesthetized horses: comparison with thermodilution. In order to determine if transoesophageal Doppler echocardiography could be used to estimate cardiac output in anaesthetized horses, we have compared the technique with estimations of cardiac output by thermodilution in eight healthy adult thoroughbreds. Measurements of aortic blood flow velocity were made by high pulse repetition frequency (HPRF) and continuous wave (CW) Doppler echocardiography from a 3.5-MHz transoesophageal probe. Cardiac output was increased during the study by administration of dobutamine, providing a range of cardiac output measurements by thermodilution from 15.0 to 64...
[Observations of Setaria equina (Nematoda: Setariidae) with the optical microscope and scanning electron microscope]. Adults of S. equina (Spirurida, Setariidae), 1 male and 2 females, collected from vaginal sac of stallion, were studied by soanning electron microscopy (SEM). The amphids, cephalic and cervical papillae, peribuccal ring, fine transverse bands and bosses of the cuticle, as well as caudal papillae were visualized clearly at this examination. The results of the present survey contribute towards the identification of S. equina, improve the definition of the characters which are demonstrated by common light microscopy and give the exact number of male caudal papillae including the lateral cloacal r...
Skeletal origins of exercise intolerance in horses. Skeletal origins of exercise intolerance and performance failure can reside in multiple tissues. Diagnosis of injury that results in an ability to continue to exercise, yet inefficiently do so, requires familiarity with evaluation of subtle lameness and often with the specific demands of the different equine sports. Imaging is usually vital to diagnosis development and understanding of lesion influences on locomotion. Therapy is lesion dependent. Return to competitive exercise and performance is dictated by an understanding of skeletal tissue response to injury, rational progressive treatment,...
Myoglobin content and oxygen diffusion: model analysis of horse and steer muscle. We test the hypothesis that myoglobin is important for O2 supply near the oxidative capacity of muscle. This hypothesis is evaluated with a simple model that incorporates the properties of heart and skeletal muscle tissue taken from steers and horses exercising at their maximum O2 consumption rate. These tissue samples allowed us to set the bounds on oxidative demand and O2 flux from red blood cells to the core of the muscle fiber, to estimate the blood and tissue capacities for O2 diffusion, and to define the capillary blood PO2 driving this O2 flux. A model combining blood convection with ti...
