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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.
Regulation of mitogen- and TCGF-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis by prostaglandins and supernatant from equine embryos and endometrium. Immunosuppressive substances which interfere with lymphocyte blastogenesis are released in vitro by embryos and endometrium from mares in early pregnancy. Immunosuppression was not evident when tissues were cultured in the presence of indomethacin (a prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitor). Various prostaglandins (PGs) were added to equine lymphocytes and lymphocyte proliferation was measured after the addition of concanavalin A (Con A) or phytohaemagglutinin A (PHA). PGE2 and PGF2 alpha inhibited Con A-induced blastogenesis down to final concentrations of 1.8 x 10(-9) M and 1.3 x 10(-6) M, respect...
Bovine laminitis: clinical aspects, pathology and pathogenesis with reference to acute equine laminitis. This review deals with the features of clinical and subclinical laminitis in cattle. Prominent clinical signs of acute laminitis are a tender gait and arched back. The sole horn reveals red and yellowish discolourations within five days. In subacute and chronic cases clinical signs are less severe. In chronic laminitis the shape of the claws is altered. Laminitis is frequently followed by sole ulceration and white zone lesions. Blood tests showed no significant changes for laminitic animals. Arteriographic studies of claws affected by laminitis indicated that blood vessels had narrowed lumens....
A comparison of injectable anesthetic combinations in horses. Six combinations of injectable anesthetic agents were administered to six adult horses in a Latin square design. The drug combinations were xylazine-ketamine, xylazine-butorphanol-ketamine, xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam, xylazine-butorphanol-tiletamine-zolazepam, detomidine-ketamine, and detomidine-butorphanol-ketamine. Measured variables were heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, arterial pH (pHa), PaCO2, PaO2, recumbency time, and number of attempts necessary to stand. Quality of induction and recovery, muscle relaxation, and response to stimulus were evaluated subjectively....
Changes in some haematological and metabolic indices in young horses during the first year of jump-training. Effects of an 18 min exercise test, on three separate occasions during a one year jump-training programme, was studied in seven horses. Determinations were carried out on venous blood for packed cell volume, haemoglobin, total protein, lactate and pyruvate, glucose, free fatty acids, insulin, glucagon, blood gases, bicarbonate, pH, aldolase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine amino-transferase. Exercise caused a slight increase in lactate and pyruvate, total protein, aldolase, alanine aminotransferase, pO2, bicarbonate and pH. Glucose, free fatty acids and pCO2 levels decreased. Training c...
In vitro responses of distal airways in horses with recurrent airway obstruction. Distal airway segments (ID, 3 to 4 mm; length, 5 mm) from 2 groups of horses were isolated and suspended in tissue baths filled with Krebs solution, aerated with 5% CO2 in oxygen and maintained at 37 degrees C. Responses to exogenous acetylcholine, isoproterenol, or electrical field stimulation were compared. Control horses (n = 30) had no history of recurrent airway obstruction, whereas principal horses (n = 15) had recurrent airway obstruction and were studied during an acute episode of airway obstruction. Although the distal airways contracted in response to the cumulative half-logarithmic ...
Isolation of equine herpesvirus-1 mutants in the presence of (S)-9-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)adenine: demonstration of resistance in vitro and in vivo. The compound (S)-9-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)adenine (HPMPA) had been previously shown to be highly effective in treatment of EHV-1 in a murine model for the equine disease. This paper describes the isolation of a series of mutants resistant to the drug. Resistance was demonstrated in cell culture and one mutant was tested in a murine model. The resistant mutant was pathogenic for mice; infectious virus was recovered from respiratory tissues and blood at levels similar to the parental virus. However, the mutant showed a significant degree of resistance in vivo, thus proving the viru...
Distribution of leucocyte antigens in Icelandic horses affected with summer eczema compared to non-affected horses. Three hundred and three horses, exported from Iceland to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland or Germany were tested for their distribution of leucocyte antigens. One hundred and thirty-six horses were affected with summer eczema. The panel of sera recognised the internationally accepted ELA-specificities A 1 to A10, and the nine work shop specificities W 11 to W 15 and W 18 to W 21. Also, some local specificities, characterised in Switzerland (Be I, Be III, Be 8, Be 25, Be 26, Be 27), and two non major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-linked antigens (Ely 1:1, Ely 2) were included. Only one a...
Injuries caused by animals. Injuries caused by animals and treated at the University Hospital of Umeå were analysed. Dogs caused nearly one-half of the injuries, while horses caused one-third of the injuries and the highest number of fractures. The 'cost' of treatment and sickness benefit was fairly evenly distributed between horse-, cattle-, and dog-related injuries. The average 'cost' per injured person was, however, highest in those injured in cattle accidents and moose-car collisions. The impact of animal-related injuries on the health care and social security systems was similar to occupational accidents and car ac...
Interleukin-1-like activity in synovial fluids and sera of horses with arthritis. Synovial fluid samples of horses with osteoarthritis were investigated to detect interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity which could contribute to the disease pathogenesis. Of the 32 samples tested, 12 (37.5 per cent) showed an augmented phytohaemagglutinin induced proliferation of C3H/HeJ mouse thymocytes. Positive results were also seen in horses with infected arthritis, osteochondritis, traumatic arthritis and undefined synovial effusions. Normal synovial fluid and sera from all groups failed to show any detectable IL-1 activity. Fractionation of synovial fluid showed that the IL-1 activity was in th...
Viscoelastic shear properties of the equine medial meniscus. Recent studies have shown that the meniscus is highly anisotropic in tension and that its compressive creep behavior can be modeled using biphasic theory. In this study, an alternative approach is used, where viscoelastic shear properties of the meniscal fibrocartilage are measured to determine the anisotropy and inhomogeneity of this tissue with respect to specimen location and fiber orientation. Medial menisci were obtained from eight skeletally-mature horses. Nine test specimens were taken from the circumferential midsubstance of each meniscus, at three circumferential and three axial posit...
Evidence for non-siderophore-mediated acquisition of transferrin-bound iron by Pasteurella multocida. Two clinical isolates of Pasteurella multocida associated with bovine pneumonia were examined for iron acquisition. Both isolates were capable of obtaining iron for growth from bovine but not from human, avian, equine or porcine transferrin. This correlated with specific binding of bovine transferrin by iron-limited cells or isolated membranes. No siderophore was detected in the strains by a general screening assay. In response to iron-limited conditions, a number of high molecular mass iron-regulated outer membrane proteins were produced including an 82 kDa receptor protein which was affinity...
[LDH and CK isoenzyme patterns in the blood plasma of horses with elevated CK, LDH and AST activities]. The distribution of LDH and CK isoenzymes in blood plasma of ten clinically sound Thoroughbreds with reasonable performance and without elevated clinico-chemical blood variables (reference group) was compared with 57 Thoroughbreds, which had histories of mild locomotor disturbances and/or poor performance and had elevated CK, LDH and/or AST activities (trial group). The trial group was subdivided according to the number of altered blood variables and in the groups with two as well as three altered blood variables also according to the extent of alteration of the total CK activity. The pattern ...
Affinity purification and sequence determination of equine relaxin. Relaxin, a polypeptide hormone normally associated with pregnancy, has been purified from many species, and the sequence determined for a growing number. Equine relaxin has been previously purified by acetone extraction, gel filtration, and ion exchange chromatographies. In an attempt to develop a more rapid and efficient method for relaxin purification, the use of affinity chromatography coupled with HPLC was explored. Monoclonal antibodies were raised against highly purified equine relaxin; large quantities of antibody were obtained by ascites production and attached to a solid phase support...
[GGT activity in the blood serum of newborn foals after the absorption of a non-species specific colostrum preparation]. Eight vital, new-born foals were additionally administered a non-species-specific colostrum-substitute via stomach-tube within the first 18 hours of their life. The substitute had been made of cattle-colostrum. These foals as well as a control-group of eight foals constantly had free access to maternal colostrum. Object of measurement was GGT-activity in the blood-serum. The increase of GGT-activity within the first 24 hours after birth was very low in the control-group (up to 25 U/l), and very high in the tested animals (418 +/- 182 U/l). Obviously there is a direct connection between this ri...
Desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor muscle in equine cadaver limbs. Effects of longitudinal compression before and after transection of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor (SDF) muscle were measured in eight equine cadaver forelimbs. When compression was increased from 890 N to 3115 N, the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and carpal joints hyperextended 20 degrees and 4 degrees, respectively, and strain in the SDF and deep digital flexor tendons was increased 3.5% and 1.4%, respectively. The accessory ligament did not elongate. Immediately after transection of the accessory ligament at 3115 N load, a 2.8 mm gap formed between the transected ends ...
A comparison of two techniques for arthrocentesis of the equine metacarpophalangeal joint. Because arthrocentesis of the metacarpophalangeal joint through the proximal palmar pouch may induce synovial haemorrhage, this study evaluated arthrocentesis through the lateral collateral sesamoidean ligament. The proximal palmar pouch and collateral sesamoidean ligament approaches were used in contralateral forelimbs to obtain paired initial synovial fluid samples from 16 horses 12 to 15 h before being killed. Synovial fluid samples also were collected from the same joints at necropsy and the subcutis, synovium and articular cartilage were evaluated. Metacarpophalangeal joint arthrocentesis...
Mechanical properties of the isolated equine trachea. In order to study the in vitro mechanical properties of the equine trachea submitted to the compressive pressures observed in vivo, the pressure-volume relationship was determined in intra- and extra-thoracic tracheal segments taken post mortem from 29 healthy horses (one to 15 years old; 352 to 651 kg). At the same time, the cross-sectional lumen area (X-SA) at the mid-point of the segment was measured using a slit-lamp transillumination and photographic measurement by endoscopy. The tracheal specific compliance (Cs) as well as the relative changes in X-SA and in the sagittal and transverse d...
Prevalence of serum precipitating antibodies in horses to fungal and thermophilic actinomycete antigens: effects of environmental challenge. Sera from 54 two- to three-year-old Thoroughbred horses from an English racing stable were examined for precipitins to antigen extracts prepared from 18 species of moulds (fungi and thermophilic actinomycetes) isolated from the same stable. Twenty-seven horses exhibited serum precipitins to one or more antigens; sixteen of the mould antigens elicited positive reactions in sera from one or more horses. Significantly more precipitins occurred in sera of those horses stabled in a barn than among those stabled in individual boxes. This indicated a possible association between type of housing, leve...
Stimulus generalization, discrimination learning, and peak shift in horses. Using horses, we investigated three aspects of the stimulus control of lever-pressing behavior: stimulus generalization, discrimination learning, and peak shift. Nine solid black circles, ranging in size from 0.5 in. to 4.5 in. (1.3 cm to 11.4 cm) served as stimuli. Each horse was shaped, using successive approximations, to press a rat lever with its lip in the presence of a positive stimulus, the 2.5-in. (6.4-cm) circle. Shaping proceeded quickly and was comparable to that of other laboratory organisms. After responding was maintained on a variable-interval 30-s schedule, stimulus generalizat...
Ultrasonographic evaluation of fetlock annular ligament constriction in the horse. The diagnosis of restriction of free movement of the flexor tendons through the fetlock canal usually rests on the characteristic clinical appearance of this condition, or airtendography. In a series of seven normal Warmblood horses and 16 diseased horses of various breeds, the efficacy of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of this condition was determined. In normal limbs, the annular ligament is a very thin structure usually not visible on sonograms. In diseased limbs, ultrasonography outlined flexor tendon injury, distension and thickening of the digital sheath, peritendovaginal tissue prolif...
Use of phenytoin to treat horses with Australian stringhalt. Five horses with Australian stringhalt were treated with 15 mg/kg phenytoin orally for 2 weeks. During the second week of the trial, 3 of the horses were given an additional dose of 10 mg/kg phenytoin. The response to treatment was clinically assessed by grading the severity of the gait abnormality at the walk, trot, turning and backing twice daily. There was a significant (P less than 0.05) improvement in the gait abnormality when pre-treatment values were compared with the mean of the last 3 assessments before treatment stopped. When reassessed 2 weeks after treatment ceased, there remained ...
Pulmonary gas exchange correlated to clinical signs and lung pathology in horses with chronic bronchiolitis. Eight horses (mean weight 438 kg) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were studied for clinical signs, ventilation/perfusion relationships (VA/Q) and lung morphology. Four horses were killed and necropsied after the study. In horses with COPD, minute ventilation was almost twice as high as normal, whereas PaO2 was significantly decreased. Cardiac output was normal, but pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were significantly increased. The VA/Q distribution was abnormal with an increased scatter of VA/Q ratios. However, shunt (VA/Q = 0) was increased in one ...
Effects of exploratory laparotomy on plasma and peritoneal coagulation/fibrinolysis in horses. Plasma and peritoneal fluid samples were collected before and after surgery from 6 horses undergoing a ventral midline exploratory laparotomy and from 6 anesthetized control horses. Coagulation/fibrinolytic components measured in the plasma and peritoneal fluid of these horses included the functional activity of antithrombin III, alpha-2 antiplasmin, plasminogen, and protein C, and the concentrations of fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products. Peritoneal fluid antithrombin III, fibrin degradation products, and plasminogen values were significantly increased after surgery (over time) in prin...
Use of DNA fingerprinting in paternity analysis of closely-related Exmoor ponies. DNA fingerprinting techniques were used to try to resolve the parentage of an Exmoor pony foal. Three young Exmoor ponies, one female and two males, shared a paddock and the female subsequently became pregnant. The two possible sires were three-quarter siblings and were also half-siblings to the dam. Southern hybridisation of Exmoor pony DNA with human mini-satellite probes resolved the disputed parentage in spite of the fact that there was a 70 per cent band share between the individuals involved. Colt M6 was 2.06 times more likely to be the father than an uncle, and Colt M3 was 477 times mor...
[A horse with Cushing’s disease]. A thirteen-year-old Dutch warmblooded mare was referred to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine because of a sinusitis. She was thin with a potbellied appearance. Her coat was dull with long wavy hair. Unilateral (left) purulent nasal discharge was evident. A cbc revealed leucopenia (3.9 G.L.-1) and plasma biochemical analysis revealed a plasma glucose concentration of 10.1 mmol.L-1. Thermostable alkaline phosphatase (at 65 degrees C during 2 minutes) could not be demonstrated. Basal plasma cortisol concentration was lowered (114 nmol.L-1) and basal plasma ACTH concentration was highly elevated ...
Concentrations of amino acids in the plasma of neonatal foals with septicemia. Concentrations of amino acids in the plasma of 13 neonatal foals with septicemia were compared with the concentrations of amino acids in the plasma of 13 age-matched neonatal foals without septicemia. Analysis of the results revealed significantly lower concentrations of arginine, citrulline, isoleucine, proline, threonine, and valine in the plasma of foals with septicemia. The ratio of the plasma concentrations of the branched chain amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) to the aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine and tyrosine), was also significantly lower in the foals with septicemia....
