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.
Shaffer SK, Garcia TC, Stover SM, Fyhrie DP.Medial proximal sesamoid bones (PSBs) from Thoroughbred racehorses that did (Case) or did not (Control) experience unilateral biaxial PSB fracture were evaluated for bone volume fraction (BVF), apparent mineral density (AMD), tissue mineral density (TMD), and microdamage in Case fractured, Case contralateral limb intact, and Control bones. A majority of Case bones had a subchondral lesion with high microdamage density, and low BVF, AMD, and TMD. Lesion microdamage and densitometric measures were associated with training history by robust linear regression. Exercise intensity was negatively rel...
Onzere CK, Fry LM, Bishop RP, Da Silva M, Madsen-Bouterse SA, Bastos RG, Knowles DP, Suarez CE.Theileria equi is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that causes severe hemolytic anaemia in most equid species. Similar to other apicomplexan parasites, T. equi contains rhoptries whose contents have been implicated in host cell invasion and formation of the parasitophorous vacuole that is crucial for survival of the species within cells. Despite their importance, the composition of T. equi rhoptries and their role(s) in host cell invasion remain unexplored. To gain insight into these issues, we evaluated the expression, immunogenicity, and functional roles of two T. equi rhoptry-as...
Dockalova H, Baholet D, Batik A, Zeman L, Horky P.Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) provides several possible benefits for horses, namely anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects. Silybin exerts also pronounced effects on energy metabolism, that could be useful for sport horses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of milk thistle seed cakes (in the form of a granulated mixture with barley) on blood biochemical parameters (total protein, albumin, bilirubin, urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, LDH, the total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, TAG, BHB, NEFA, creatine kinase, l...
Dorrego A, Serres C, Cruz-Lopez F.Taylorella equigenitalis has long been recognised as a causative agent of contagious equine metritis, but practitioners may be less familiar with Taylorella asinigenitalis, which has been identified more recently. Here, Abel Dorrego, Consuelo Serres and Fatima Cruz-Lopez of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid describe T asinigenitalis and report the findings of a survey they carried out in donkeys in Spain.
Constant C, Zderic I, Arens D, Pugliese B, Gehweiler D, Gueorguiev-Rüegg B, Zeiter S.To determine the influence of screw head diameter on equine condylar fracture fixation with 5.5 mm cortical screws. Methods: Ex vivo, biomechanical study, blinded, matched-pair design. Methods: Fifteen pairs of equine third metacarpal (MC3) bones. Methods: Lateral condylar fractures were simulated by parasagittal osteotomies and repaired pairwise by 2 × 5.5 mm cortical screws of 8 mm (standard) or 10 mm (modified) head diameter. Interfragmentary compression at maximum screw insertion torque was measured. The instrumented specimens were pairwise stratified for biomechanical testing u...
Faramarzi B, Nelson S, Dong F.Imbalances and altered kinetics of the hoof result in lameness in horses. Previously, studies have focused on the midstance phase of a gait, hence, available information on the impact phase is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the effect of hoof trimming on the fore and hindhooves at the impact phase of the walk. Our objective was to compare the kinetic variables of force (N), contact area (cm), contact pressure (kPa), and peak contact pressure (kPa) before and after hoof trimming. Nine Arabian horses were walked straight over a pressure plate to collect the above kinetic variables for b...
Ott EC, Cavinder CA, Wang S, Smith T, Lemley CO, Dinh TTN.Oxidative stress caused by routine physical stressors may negatively impact the performance of equine athletes; thus, the present study identifies oxidative biomarkers in the blood plasma of exercising horses. Stock-type horses were subject to a standardized moderate-intensity exercise protocol 3 times per week for 8 wk. Exercise protocol followed NRC guidelines consisting of 30% walk, 55% trot, and 15% canter, with a target heart rate (HR) of 90 BPM. Blood plasma was collected in wk 1, 2, 7, and 8 immediately before and 0, 30, 60, and 90 min after exercise and analyzed for total antioxidant...
Mureşan A, Mureşan C, Siteavu M, Avram E, Bochynska D, Taulescu M.Equine herpesviruses are important pathogens causing significant economic loss in equine and asinine populations. EHV-1/4 strains are mainly associated with respiratory distress. The aim of this study is to report the first EHV 4-associated respiratory disease in donkeys in Romania. Thirty-seven of three hundred jennies in an ecological donkey farm in southwest Romania started initially showing signs of severe upper respiratory tract disease, with ten concomitant late abortions/neonatal deaths and three neurological cases. There were nine fatalities. Pathological examination was performed, and...
Lucas RG, Rodríguez-Hurtado I, Álvarez CT, Ortiz G.Equine back pain can potentially initiate an unstable intervertebral situation that results in atrophy and dysfunction of the epaxial muscles even after back pain has resolved. Several physiotherapy approaches are advocated to promote the strengthening of the multifidus muscle. This study aimed to asses and compare the effect of dynamic mobilization exercises (DME) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in 8 adult horses (4 individuals by group) to increase the cross-sectional area (CSA) of this muscle after a 7-weeks period treatment. The epaxial muscles of NMES group were electrical...
Yocom AF, O'Fallon ES, Gustafson DL, Contino EK.Cannabidiol (CBD) products are widely marketed to horse owners, trainers, and veterinarians and are readily available to the consumer despite minimal pharmacokinetic or safety data being available. The objectives of this study were to determine the plasma pharmacokinetics, short-term safety, and synovial fluid levels of CBD following oral administration in horses. A prospective, randomized, controlled study design was used. Twelve horses were administered sunflower lecithin oil-based CBD at either 1 mg/kg (Group 1) or 3 mg/kg (Group 2) for a 24-hour pharmacokinetic study. Horses then received ...
Ramos MM, Nabeiro M.Balance is the basis for all body movements, and is influenced by sensory systems: visual, vestibular and proprioceptive. Therefore, the loss of any of these systems, as in the case of visual impairment (VI), may carry important consequences for body balance and, thus, motor development. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the static and dynamic balance of a participant with VI and autism characteristics. application of the Berg and Tinetti's Balance Scale, pre- and post-equine assisted services interventions. The study is a qualitative and descriptive case study. The data f...
Pfau T, Bolt DM, Fiske-Jackson A, Gerdes C, Hoenecke K, Lynch L, Perrier M, Smith RKW.Diagnostic analgesia and lunging are parts of the equine lameness examination, aiding veterinarians in localizing the anatomical region(s) causing pain-related movement deficits. Expectation bias of visual assessment and complex movement asymmetry changes in lame horses on the lunge highlight the need to investigate data-driven approaches for optimally integrating quantitative gait data into veterinary decision-making to remove bias. A retrospective analysis was conducted with inertial sensor movement symmetry data before/after diagnostic analgesia relative to subjective judgement of efficacy ...
Fraczkowska K, Zak-Bochenek A, Siwinska N, Rypula K, Ploneczka-Janeczko K.From a clinical point of view, knowledge of the commensal microbial flora of the conjunctival sac in healthy individuals proves to be of great importance. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and the composition of normal ocular microflora of healthy donkeys. Fourteen clinically healthy donkeys () participated in the study. After prior ophthalmological examination, which showed no abnormalities, a conjunctival swab was taken from each donkey from the right and left eye. Species-specific identification was based on a morphological assessment of bacterial colonies stained with the Gr...
Porcello A, Gonzalez-Fernandez P, Jordan O, Allémann E.Hyaluronic acid (HA) constitutes a versatile chemical framework for the development of osteoarthritis pain treatment by means of injection in the joints, so-called viscosupplementation. Without appropriate physico-chemical tuning, such preparations are inherently hindered by prompt in vivo degradation, mediated by hyaluronidases and oxidative stress. To prolong hydrogel residence time and confer optimized product functionality, novel thermoresponsive nanoforming HA derivatives were proposed and characterized. Combined use of sulfo-dibenzocyclooctyne-PEG4-amine linkers and poly(N-isopropylacryl...
Peyrecave-Capo X, Saulnier N, Maddens S, Gremillet B, Desjardins I.Human autologous serum (AS) and umbilical cord serum (UCS) both contain growth and neurotrophic factors that promote corneal healing. Unassigned: Our objectives were to compare equine AS and UCS cytokine and growth factor profiles and to assess the safety and clinical feasibility of the therapeutic use of UCS eye drops in cases of spontaneous complex ulcers. Unassigned: Prospective clinical trial. Unassigned: Vitamin A insulin growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, interferon-γ, an...
Magalhaes HB, Canisso IF.This study aimed to establish normal ranges and determine variables affecting the duration of gestation, placental and fetal eyeball measurements in donkeys. Jennies (n = 121) were submitted to transrectal ultrasonography at 15-day-intervals from 120 days of gestation until parturition. During each examination, variables assessed included: the combined thickness of uterus and placenta (CTUP), fetal eyeball diameter, amniotic membrane thickness, allantoic and amniotic fluids echogenicity, and chorioallantois edema. Parametric data were analyzed with t-test, linear regression, mixed models, AN...
Da Silva-Álvarez E, Gaitskell-Phillips G, Ortiz-Rodríguez JM, Serres C, García-Rodríguez B, Gutiérrez-Cepeda L, Martín-Cano FE, Echegaray A....This study aimed to assess if Ecotext, a new software for evaluation of testicular echotexture, is a good method for diagnosis of stallions with testicular dysfunction (TD). Relationships between Ecotext parameters and sperm motility and production, testicular volume, and testicular blood flow were also studied. Ecotext provides a total of six echotexture parameters: Ecotext 1 (black pixels), 2 (white pixels) and 3 (grey pixels), and another 3 parameters related to hypoechogenic areas: Ecotext tubular density (ETD), Ecotext tubular diameter (ETd), and Ecotext tubular area (ETA). Stallions (n ...
Pagliara E, Pasinato A, Valazza A, Riccio B, Cantatore F, Terzini M, Putame G, Parrilli A, Sartori M, Fini M, Zanetti EM, Bertuglia A.A catastrophic fracture of the radial carpal bone experienced by a racehorse during a Palio race was analyzed. Computational modelling of the carpal joint at the point of failure informed by live data was generated using a multibody code for dynamics simulation. The circuit design in a turn, the speed of the animal and the surface characteristics were considered in the model. A macroscopic examination of the cartilage, micro-CT and histology were performed on the radio-carpal joint of the limb that sustained the fracture. The model predicted the points of contact forces generated at the level ...
Raizner NT, Gedon NKY, Zablotski Y, Kania SA, Kühnle HF, Kühnle C, Mueller RS.Equine pastern dermatitis (EPD) is a common multifactorial clinical syndrome in horses. Treatment can be difficult; pathogenesis and triggering factors cannot always be determined. Objective: To assess risk factors for developing EPD in a large group of horses kept under the same conditions and to analyse whether or not a spot-on containing essential fatty acids and antimicrobial agents is able to prevent the development of EPD or accelerate the healing process. Methods: Each year 50 young, privately owned, warmblood horses were prospectively included. Methods: All horses were examined weekly ...
Cormier AC, Chalmers G, Zamudio R, Mulvey MR, Mather AE, Boerlin P.Conserved IncI1 and IncHI1 plasmids carrying blaCTX-M-1 have been found circulating in chickens and horses from continental Europe, respectively. In Canada, blaCTX-M-1 is overwhelmingly the most common blaCTX-M variant found in Escherichia coli from chicken and horses and can be recovered at lower frequencies in swine, cattle, and dogs. Whole-genome sequencing has identified a large genetic diversity of isolates carrying this variant, warranting further investigations into the plasmids carrying this gene. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the genetic profiles of blaCTX-M-1...
Hopster K, Watkins AR, Hurcombe SD.To compare the antinociceptive effects of morphine administered via cervical epidural catheter to intravenously administered morphine using a thermal threshold (TT) testing model in healthy adult horses. Methods: Prospective, randomized, blinded experimental study. Methods: A total of six university-owned adult horses. Methods: Horses were instrumented with a cervical (C1-C2) epidural catheter and TT testing device with probes at withers and thoracic limb coronary bands. All horses underwent three TT testing cycles including cervical epidural morphine administration (treatment EpiM; 0.1 mg kg-...
Gavriliuc S, Reza S, Jeong C, Getachew F, McLoughlin PD, Poissant J.The development of high-throughput sequencing has prompted a transition in wildlife genetics from using microsatellites toward sets of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, genotyping large numbers of targeted SNPs using non-invasive samples remains challenging due to relatively large DNA input requirements. Recently, target enrichment has emerged as a promising approach requiring little template DNA. We assessed the efficacy of Tecan Genomics' Allegro Targeted Genotyping (ATG) for generating genome-wide SNP data in feral horses using DNA isolated from fecal swabs. Total and host-sp...
Simões J, Batista M, Tilley P.Severe equine asthma is a chronic respiratory disease of adult horses, occurring when genetically susceptible individuals are exposed to environmental aeroallergens. This results in airway inflammation, mucus accumulation and bronchial constriction. Although several studies aimed at evaluating the genetic and immune pathways associated with the disease, the results reported are inconsistent. Furthermore, the complexity and heterogeneity of this disease bears great similarity to what is described for human asthma. Currently available studies identified two chromosome regions (ECA13 and ECA15) a...
Atuman YJ, Kudi CA, Abdu PA, Okubanjo OO, Wungak Y, Ularamu HG, Abubakar A.Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an arthropod-borne zoonotic disease responsible for severe outbreaks in livestock and humans with concomitant economic losses in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The study, therefore, investigated the seroprevalence of the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) among wild and domestic animals. Blood samples were collected between 2013 and 2015 from 106 wild animals, 300 cattle (), and 200 horses (), respectively, in Yankari Game Reserve (YGR) and Sumu Wildlife Park (SWP) in Bauchi state, Nigeria. Harvested sera from blood were evaluated for the presence of anti-RVFV IgM...
Lee K, Pusterla N, Barnum SM, Lee DH, Martínez-López B.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a highly contagious pathogen of equids, and a well-known burden in global equine health. EIV H3N8 variants seasonally emerged and resulted in EIV outbreaks in the United States and worldwide. The present study evaluated the pattern of cross-regional EIV H3N8 spread and evolutionary characteristics at US and global scales using Bayesian phylogeography with balanced subsampling based on regional horse population size. A total of 297 haemagglutinin (HA) sequences of global EIV H3N8 were collected from 1963 to 2019 and subsampled to global subset (n = 67), raw US ...
Tokawa PKA, Brossi PM, Baccarin RYA.This systematic review aims to compile and present information of studies evaluating the effectiveness of autologous conditioned serum (ACS) in the healing of tendon, ligament and articular lesions in humans and horses. A systematic search of articles using Medline, PubMed, Embase, Bireme and Google Scholar was conducted up to August 2020. Studies regarding ACS' use in human orthopedic lesions were included if classified as RCTs, cohort and case-controls. All studies regarding this therapy in equine medicine were included given their scarcity. Pre-clinical experimental studies were selected if...
Spencer KM, Podico G, Megahed AA, Jones KL, Bittar JHJ, Canisso IF.This study aimed to assess the ovulatory response of deslorelin acetate during the fall and the response to PGF2α 8 d post-ovulation. One hundred estrous cycles from 22 mares kept in 40° latitude were evaluated. Mares were checked by transrectal ultrasonography until a preovulatory follicle was detected and ovulation induced with deslorelin acetate. Ovulation was confirmed by ultrasonography performed at 24, 36 h post-induction and then repeated at 2-h intervals post-induction. Serum progesterone concentrations and luteal tissue area were determined daily to assess CL function. A dose of P...
Azizi S, Masoudi H.Colic is a clinical syndrome and has been defined as a visceral abdominal pain and/or acute abdominal disease. It is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in horses. The most common forms of colics are related to gastrointestinal tract in nature and most often linked to colonic disturbances. However, colics are not well understood in donkeys compared to those of in horses and the literature is poor regarding bowel strangulating obstruction in donkeys. This report described the clinical signs and post-mortem necropsy findings of an abdominal colic due to the left colon volvulus following a ...
Ostlund EN.Two viruses, EHV-1 and EHV-4, are now known to be responsible for disease conditions formerly considered caused by "equine rhinopneumonitis virus." Although these viruses share several laboratory and clinical features, they differ in epidemiology and pathogenic potential. EHV-4 is primarily associated with clinical respiratory disease, whereas EHV-1 is more frequently isolated from aborted fetuses, sickly foals, and neurologic cases. Both viruses frequently establish latent infections, but the relevance of latency to clinical disease is unclear. Diagnosis based on identification of the pathoge...
Moore BR, Krakowka S, Robertson JT, Cummins JM.Cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), including phenotypic analysis of lymphocytes, was performed on 32 Standardbreds with poor race performance and endoscopic examination findings characteristic of inflammatory airway disease (IAD). Nucleated cell counts in BALF from IAD-affected horses were higher than those in control horses; the cytologic profile of BALF in affected horses included mixed inflammation, characterized by mild neutrophilia, lymphocytosis, and monocytosis. Eosinophil and mast cell counts were not higher in the IAD-affected group, compared with those in t...
Maddox TW, Williams NJ, Clegg PD, O'Donnell AJ, Dawson S, Pinchbeck GL.The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria represents a considerable problem for human and veterinary medicine, causing complications in the treatment of infections. Resistance in Escherichia coli from horses has been documented in commensal and pathogenic strains, but little information exists regarding the prevalence of such bacteria in hospitalised horses or associated risk factors. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted of 103 horses admitted to a referral equine hospital for more than 48 h, with faecal samples collected on hospital admission and subsequently ever...
Ringer SK, Portier KG, Fourel I, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R.To elaborate constant rate infusion (CRI) protocols for xylazine (X) and xylazine/butorphanol (XB) which will result in constant sedation and steady xylazine plasma concentrations. Methods: Blinded randomized experimental study. Methods: Ten adult research horses. Methods: Part I: After normal height of head above ground (HHAG = 100%) was determined, a loading dose of xylazine (1 mg kg(-1) ) with butorphanol (XB: 18 μg kg(-1) ) or saline (X: equal volume) was given slowly intravenously (IV). Immediately afterwards, a CRI of butorphanol (XB: 25 μg kg(-1) hour(-1)) or saline (X) was administer...
Decloedt A, Van Steenkiste G, Vera L, Buhl R, van Loon G.Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinically relevant arrhythmia in horses, with a reported prevalence up to 2.5%. The pathophysiology has mainly been investigated in experimental animal models and human medicine, with limited studies in horses. Atrial fibrillation results from the interplay between electrical triggers and a susceptible substrate. Triggers consist of atrial premature depolarizations due to altered automaticity or triggered activity, or local (micro)reentry. The arrhythmia is promoted by atrial myocardial ion channel alterations, Ca2+ handling alterations, structural ...
Moore CP, Collins BK, Fales WH.Seventy-three aerobic bacterial isolates were cultured from 64 eyes of 63 horses with infectious keratitis. Forty-two (58%) of the organisms isolated initially were gram-positive (g+, 10 genera) and 31 (42%) were gram-negative (g-, 5 genera). After local antimicrobial treatment, repeat cultures from samples obtained from 15 eyes of hospitalized horses yielded 21 secondary bacterial isolates. Staphylococci spp and Streptococci spp were the most common g(+) isolates and accounted for 79% of g(+) organisms isolated initially. Antibiograms revealed ticarcillin to be the most efficacious antibiotic...
Kasashima Y, Smith RK, Birch HL, Takahashi T, Kusano K, Goodship AE.Most skeletal tissues are thought to adapt to the mechanical environment they experience. While this has been demonstrated for muscle and bone, previous studies in the mature horse have failed to demonstrate adaptation in the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), which suffers a high frequency of injury. This study tested the hypothesis that imposed exercise during growth would result in an increase in SDFT cross-sectional area (CSA). Fourteen Thoroughbred foals were divided into 2 sex-matched groups. A control group received 4 h pasture exercise and an exercise group had the same amount o...
Rotter Sopasakis V, Wickelgren R, Sukonina V, Brantsing C, Svala E, Hansson E, Enerbäck S, Lindahl A, Skiöldebrand E.Chondrocytes are responsible for remodeling and maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the cartilage extracellular matrix. Because of the absence of a vascular supply, chondrocytes survive in a relatively hypoxic environment and thus have limited regenerative capacity during conditions of cellular stress associated with inflammation and matrix degradation, such as osteoarthritis (OA). Glucose is essential to sustain chondrocyte metabolism and is a precursor for key matrix components. In this study, we investigated the importance of glucose as a fuel source for matrix repair dur...
McLean AK, Navas González FJ, Canisso IF.Donkeys and mules often are misunderstood because of their behavioral differences compared with horses. Working with these animals requires more patience and ability to notice the slightest changes in behavior to diagnose disease. Mules and donkeys form strong bonds and trust with familiar people and other equids. Training mules and hinnies from an early age is key to modifying behavior and acceptance of unfamiliar people. Reproductive behavior is different from that of horses and requires more patience when collecting jacks. Practitioners working with mules and donkeys should take a methodolo...
Marsh RJ, Fraunfelder FT, McGill JI.The clinical differentiation of corneal epithelial lesions due to herpes simplex or herpes zoster may be confusing. Practical clinical tests, including the use of topical ocular stains, are useful to differentiate corneal epithelial lesions caused by these two viruses. Two distinctive types of zoster corneal epithelial disease may be seen; an early dendritic form, and a delayed form characterized by corneal mucus plaques that may take a dendriform pattern. These plaques are composed of mucus that is adherent to swollen, degenerating epithelial cells. The clinical differentiation between these ...
Chao TI, Grosche J, Friedrich KJ, Biedermann B, Francke M, Pannicke T, Reichelt W, Wulst M, Mühle C, Pritz-Hohmeier S, Kuhrt H, Faude F, Drommer W....Müller cells from 22 mammalian species were subjected to morphological and electrophysiological studies. In the 'midperiphery' of retinae immunocytochemically labeled for vimentin, estimates of Müller cell densities per unit retinal surface area, and of neuron-to-(Müller) glia indices were performed. Müller cell densities were strikingly similar among the species studied (around 8000-11,000 mm-2) with the extremes of the horse ( or = 20,000 mm-2). By contrast, the number of neurons per Müller cell varied widely, being clustered at 6-8 (in retinae with many cones), at about 16, and at up t...
Wang AL, Kern T.Melanocytic neoplasms in veterinary species occur in various ophthalmic locations including the eyelid, conjunctiva, cornea, sclera, anterior and posterior uvea, and orbit. Histology usually provides the definitive diagnosis for melanocytic ocular neoplasias. The degree of tissue invasiveness and anaplastic cellular characteristics are more reliable indicators of biological behavior than is mitotic index in most ophthalmic melanocytic tumors. Melanocytic neoplasias of the eyelid are predominantly benign in canines and equines, though in felines, there is the potential for metastasis, especiall...
Kareskoski M, Katila T.Seminal plasma is a mixture of secretions produced in the testes, epididymides and accessory sex glands, and ejaculated as several consecutive fluid fractions. The composition of seminal plasma and the effects on sperm longevity vary between fractions and individual stallions. This review focuses on the sequence of ejaculation, constituents of seminal plasma and their potential use as fertility markers as well as the influence of seminal plasma on spermatozoa during storage.
Mitchell A, Rivas KA, Smith R, Watts AE.Equine superficial digital flexor tendon injury is a well-accepted model of human tendon injury and is routinely treated with local injections of autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Identification of a clinically safe medium for short-term cryopreservation of MSCs prior to cell implantation would streamline laboratory and clinical procedures for autologous regenerative therapies. Veterinary experience with short-term (MSCs prepared after the injury has occurred) cryopreserved MSCs in naturally occurring injury in the horse will be of value to human practitioners. Methods: Equine bone mar...
Gugnani HC.Entomophthoromycosis due to Conidiobolus coronatus is a granulomatous infection characterized by lesions that originate in the inferior turbinate, spread through ostia and foramina to involve the facial and subcutaneous tissues and paranasal sinuses. The majority of the cases have been described from areas of tropical rainforest in West Africa, agricultural and outdoor workers (aged 20-60 years) being the ones most frequently affected. The fungus is common in soil and decaying vegetation. Infection probably occurs by implantation of the spores of the fungus in nasal mucosa. C. incongruus is a ...
Grossman JA, Kulund DN, Miller CW, Winn HR, Hodge RH.In a prospective study involving 110 injured equestrians, there were no noteworthy correlations between age, sex, or experience of the amateur riders and injury occurrence. Tack failure caused several injuries. Among fox hunters the incidence was related only to frequency of hunts. The most common severe injury was to the head, associated with lack of headgear. Fewer than 20% of the 110 riders used a protective helmet. There were four renal contusions and one bladder laceration. The most frequent injuries were fractures of the upper extremities. Wearing a good-quality protective helmet and che...
Léon A, Castagnet S, Maillard K, Paillot R, Giard JC.The present study described the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in equine pathogens isolated from 2016 to 2019. A collection of 7806 bacterial isolates were analysed for their in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility using the disk diffusion method. The most frequently isolated pathogens were group C Streptococci (27.0%), Escherichia coli (18.0%), Staphylococcus aureus (6.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.4%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2.3%) and Enterobacter spp. (2.1%). The majority of these pathogens were isolated from the genital tract (45.1%, n = 3522). With the implementation of two French n...
Williams JM, Randle H, Marlin D.COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020; the United Kingdom (UK) implemented quarantine measures shortly afterward, resulting in rapid changes in how owners managed and interacted with their horses. This study provides a rapid analysis of the initial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the management of UK leisure and competition horses. A 17 question online survey was distributed via equestrian social media sites to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on horse and yard management and on human-horse interactions. Frequency analysis combined with Chi-squared and thematic analyses i...
Craven J, Bjørn H, Henriksen SA, Nansen P, Larsen M, Lendal S.This study reports on the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in strongyles of horses in Denmark. Of 5 methods used for the calculation of faecal egg count reduction (FECR) the method recommended by the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology, for the detection of resistance in sheep was the most sensitive procedure for detecting resistance. Using this method benzimidazole resistance was detected on 33 of 42 farms (79%) examined. Pyrantel was tested on 15 farms and FECR tests indicate resistance on 3 (30%) farms. On 2 farms on which resistance to pyrantel was detecte...
Gildea S, Quinlivan M, Murphy BA, Cullinane A.Previous studies in experimental ponies using interferon gamma (IFN-γ) as a marker for cell mediated immune (CMI) response demonstrated an increase in IFN-γ gene expression following vaccination with an ISCOM subunit, a canarypox recombinant and more recently, an inactivated whole virus vaccine. The objective of this study was to carry out an independent comparison of both humoral antibody and CMI responses elicited following vaccination with all these vaccine presentation systems. Antibody response of 44 Thoroughbred weanlings was monitored for three weeks following the second dose of prima...
McGorum BC, Dixon PM, Halliwell RE.Eight control and 8 asymptomatic COPD-affected horses were given, on separate occasions, inhalation challenges with extracts of Micropolyspora faeni, Aspergillus fumigatus and Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. All horses were also given nebulised phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) challenges and 'natural challenges' (NCs), i.e. exposure to hay and straw, as control challenges. Responses were assessed by clinical, pulmonary mechanics, arterial blood gas tensions, arterial blood pH and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytological examinations. PBS challenges had no effect on control or COPD-affected horses, ...
Graf von Schweinitz D.Infrared thermographic imaging (ITI) is the most sensitive objective imaging currently available for the detection of back disease in horses. It is, however, only a physiological study primarily of vasomotor tone overlying other superficial tissue factors. Interpretation requires extreme care in imaging protocol and in understanding the significance of altered sympathetic nervous tone and the sympathetic distribution. Most discussions on back pain have centered on nociception and inflammatory events. ITI provides information and localization for more significant than diagnosing areas of hot sp...
Radiography and ultrasonography are the most used techniques in veterinary clinical practice, due to organizational, managerial and, mostly, economic reasons. However, in the last decades, Computed tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and, to a lesser extent, Nuclear Medicine (MN) are increasingly used. As we said in the previous article, all the Diagnostic Imaging techniques are actually "indispensable" in Veterinary Medicine, where many patients do not show any symptoms.This second part describes Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance (MRI) and Nuclear Medicine techniques ...
Ortega J, Daft B, Assis RA, Kinde H, Anthenill L, Odani J, Uzal FA.Omphalitis and the resulting septicemia contribute to perinatal mortality in several animal species. In foals, the most important causes of omphalitis are Escherichia coli and Streptococcus zooepidemicus. However to date, no information has been published about the role of Clostridium sordellii in these infections. In this paper, we describe 8 cases of perinatal mortality in foals associated with internal umbilical remnant infection by C. sordellii. The foals studied were between 12 and 21 days old at the time of death, and various breeds were represented in the group. Five of the foals were m...
Raidal SL, Bailey GD, Love DN.To evaluate the effect of transportation on lower respiratory tract contamination and peripheral blood neutrophil function in horses and to compare results from transported horses with those obtained in earlier experiments from horses confined with heads elevated. Methods: A prospective study. Methods: Six horses were transported by road for 12 h. Clinical and haematological examination, transtracheal aspiration and cell function studies were conducted before and after transportation. Results obtained after transportation were compared to pre-transportation values. Results: After transportatio...
Schaffer PA, Wobeser B, Martin LE, Dennis MM, Duncan CG.To identify epidemiological trends in cutaneous neoplasms affecting equids in central North America and compare them with previously reported trends. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 3,351 cutaneous biopsy specimens from 3,272 equids with a neoplastic diagnosis. Methods: Diagnostic reports from 2 diagnostic laboratories (Colorado State University and Prairie Diagnostic Services Inc) were reviewed for frequency of specific lesions and epidemiological trends. Variables included in analyses (if known) were age, sex, breed, geographic location, date of diagnosis, location of neoplasm o...
Rambags BP, Krijtenburg PJ, Drie HF, Lazzari G, Galli C, Pearson PL, Colenbrander B, Stout TA.Chromosomal aberrations are often listed as a significant cause of early embryonic death in the mare, despite the absence of any concrete evidence for their involvement. The current study aimed to validate fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) probes to label specific equine chromosomes (ECA2 and ECA4) in interphase nuclei and thereby determine whether numerical chromosome abnormalities occur in horse embryos produced either in vivo (n = 22) or in vitro (IVP: n = 20). Overall, 75% of 36,720 and 88% of 2,978 nuclei in the in vivo developed and IVP embryos were analyzable. Using a scoring sys...
Park AW, Wood JL, Daly JM, Newton JR, Glass K, Henley W, Mumford JA, Grenfell BT.We assess the effects of strain heterology (strains that are immunologically similar but not identical) on equine influenza in a vaccinated population. Using data relating to individual animals, for both homologous and heterologous vaccinees, we estimate distributions for the latent and infectious periods, quantify the risk of becoming infected in terms of the quantity of cross-reactive antibodies to a key surface protein of the virus (haemagglutinin) and estimate the probability of excreting virus (i.e. becoming infectious) given that infection has occurred. The data suggest that the infectio...
