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.
Tahoun A, Elnafarawy HK, El-Sharkawy H, Rizk AM, Alorabi M, El-Shehawi AM, Youssef MA, Ibrahim HMM, El-Khodery S.This work aimed to characterize S. aureus isolates from the eyes of healthy and clinically affected equines in the Kafrelsheikh Governorate, Egypt. A total of 110 animals were examined for the presence of S. aureus, which was isolated from 33 animals with ophthalmic lesions and 77 healthy animals. We also investigated the antimicrobial resistance profile, oxacillin resistance mechanism, and the major virulence factors implicated in many studies of the ocular pathology of pathogenic S. aureus. The association between S. aureus eye infections and potential risk factors was also investigated. The...
Jacobs CC, Schnabel LV, McIlwraith CW, Blikslager AT.Orthopaedic disorders are commonly encountered in equine veterinary medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play an important role in the management of many equine orthopaedic disorders. There are multiple NSAIDs available for use in horses, including both non-selective and selective NSAIDS, and the body of literature evaluating the efficacy of these medications, their effects on normal and inflamed musculoskeletal tissues, and their side effects is broad. This review aims to summarise the current literature on the use of NSAIDs for equine orthopaedic disorders and examine...
Bardin AL, Taylor NC, Robert Colborne G.Thoroughbred racehorses are often affected by musculoskeletal injuries, leading to involuntary rest, early retirement or death. Hardness and consistency of the track surface have been implicated as major risk factors for limb injury. The purpose was to test the utility of a preliminary AnyBody musculoskeletal model of the equine forelimb for its responses on two perturbing surfaces. A musculoskeletal model was developed using CT, muscle, tendon and ligament properties, and kinematic data were applied from ridden trials using five Thoroughbred horses. Horses were ridden at trot and canter on a ...
Nichols JL, Robinson JS, Hiney KM, Terry R, Ramsey JW.This study investigated equine nutrition knowledge and educational needs of licensed veterinarians in the United States who were exclusively or predominately equine practitioners. It found veterinarians regard their peers as an important resource of nutritional knowledge, ranking ahead of all other sources except a PhD equine nutritionist. Interestingly, only 21% of veterinarians felt good about their knowledge level in equine nutrition after graduating from veterinary school. Although veterinarians in this study reported equine nutrition to be an area of weakness, 75% had not pursued continui...
Oberhaus EL, Wilson KM, Camp CM, Sones JL.Sulpiride in vegetable shortening (VS) stimulates prolactin in horses for up to 10 days. Although effective, a pharmaceutical grade vehicle is needed for clinical application of sulpiride in horses. Sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), a hydrophobic polymer, may be an alternative to VS. Four in vivo experiments assessed the efficacy of SAIB for delivery of sulpiride, estradiol cypionate (ECP), and estradiol benzoate (EB). The first three studies utilized geldings to compare prolactin and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations between sulpiride delivered in VS and SAIB, and ECP or EB delivered ...
Podstawski P, Samiec M, Skrzyszowska M, Szmatoła T, Semik-Gurgul E, Ropka-Molik K.The equine sarcoid is one of the most common neoplasias in the family. Despite the association of this tumor with the presence of bovine papillomavirus (BPV), the molecular mechanism of this lesion has not been fully understood. The transgenization of equine adult cutaneous fibroblast cells (ACFCs) was accomplished by nucleofection, followed by detection of molecular modifications using high-throughput NGS transcriptome sequencing. The results of the present study confirm that - and -mediated nucleofection strategy significantly affected the transcriptomic alterations, leading to sarcoid-like...
Fingerhut L, Yücel L, Strutzberg-Minder K, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, Ohnesorge B, de Buhr N.Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is a common ocular disease of horses and described as a model for human autoimmune uveitis. This immune-mediated, inflammatory condition progressively destroys the eye, ultimately leading to blindness. Genetic and autoimmune factors, next to infections with Leptospira, are discussed as key factors in the pathogenesis. Furthermore, a release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) by activated neutrophils is involved. NETs are composed of decondensed chromatin and proteins that can immobilize invading pathogens. However, if NETs accumulate, they can contribute to...
Ter Woort F, Dubois G, Tansley G, Didier M, Verdegaal L, Franklin S, Van Erck-Westergren E.Cardiac arrhythmias in exercising horses are the focus of much interest, both in terms of what is considered normal and potential associations with poor performance and sudden cardiac death. One barrier to performing large-scale studies is the lack of an easily applicable device, to allow recording of large numbers of high-quality exercising electrocardiograms (ECGs). The Equimetre is a new wearable device which records a single lead ECG, amongst other parameters. Validation of such wearable devices is essential before further studies are undertaken. Objective: To evaluate the quality of ECG u...
Nadal C, Marsot M, Le Metayer G, Boireau P, Guillot J, Bonnet SI.Caused by two blood parasites, and , equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that poses major health and economic issues for the equine industry. Our objective was to gain insight into the spatio-temporal variations of parasite circulation in France, where the disease is known to be enzootic, but has been the subject of few studies. Seroprevalence was assessed for each parasite thanks to 16,127 equine sera obtained between 1997 and 2003 from all over France and analysed through complement fixation tests. Results indicated that 13.2% (5-27% depending on the region) of horses were seroposi...
Leclere M, Chevalier Z, Dubuc V, Beauchamp G, Bédard C.The amount of thrombin generated reflects the endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), which depends on the balance of pro- and anticoagulant factors. The calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) allows for the direct measurement of thrombin generation during the clotting process. Objective: (1) To describe the results of the CAT assay in horses, (2) to establish intra-assay and intra- and interindividual variation of thrombin generation in healthy horses, and (3) to compare in vitro low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) sensitivity between healthy and sick horses. The hypothesis for the last objectiv...
Henker LC, Lorenzett MP, Piva MM, Wronski JG, de Andrade DGA, Borges AS, Driemeier D, Oliveira-Filho JP, Pavarini SP.Holoprosencephaly is a central nervous system malformation, characterized by incomplete or total lack of division of prosencephalon hemispheres, which is commonly accompanied by craniofacial malformations. A 9-month-gestation aborted American Quarter Horse fetus was submitted for postmortem examination. The fetus lacked haircoat and had severe facial malformations including marked shortening/absence of the maxillary, incisive and nasal bones, bilateral anophthalmia, and pre-maxillary agenesis. The prosencephalon was small and nearly spherical, represented by a single lobe, with no visible sepa...
Thomson K, Eskola K, Eklund M, Suominen K, Määttä M, Junnila J, Nykäsenoja S, Niinistö K, Grönthal T, Rantala M.Extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) are important causative agents for infections in humans and animals. At the Equine Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Helsinki, the first infections caused by ESBL-E were observed at the end of 2011 leading to enhanced infection surveillance. Contact patients were screened for ESBL-E by culturing infection sites and rectal screening. This study was focused on describing the epidemiology and microbiological characteristics of ESBL-E from equine patients of the EVTH during 2011-2014, and analysing putative risk fac...
Ahedor B, Kothalawala H, Kanagaratnam R, Vimalakumar SC, Otgonsuren D, Tuvshintulga B, Batmagnai E, Silva SSP, Sivakumar T, Yokoyama N.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in equids, including horses, donkeys, zebras, and mules. It is globally endemic with significant economic impact on the equine industry. Infected animals may serve as carriers, and they may be a source of infection for ticks, thereby posing a great challenge for disease management. Sri Lanka is a tropical country, where infections by various tick-borne parasites are common among livestock animals. However, infections by T. equi and B. caballi remain unstudied in Sri Lanka. Therefore, in the present s...
Rutkowski M, Krzemińska-Fiedorowicz L, Khachatryan G, Kabacińska J, Tischner M, Suder A, Kulik K, Lenart-Boroń A.Frequent occurrence of microbial resistance to biocides makes it necessary to find alternative antimicrobial substances for modern veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to obtain biodegradable silver nanoparticle-containing (AgNPs) foils synthesized using non-toxic chemicals and evaluation of their activity against bacterial pathogens isolated from oral cavities of cats, dogs and horses. Silver nanoparticle foils were synthesized using sodium alginate, and glucose, maltose and xylose were used as reducing agents. The sizes of AgNPs differed depending on the reducing agent used (xylose...
Steuer AE, Anderson HP, Shepherd T, Clark M, Scare JA, Gravatte HS, Nielsen MK.Horses are host to a plethora of parasites. Knowledge of the seasonality of parasite egg shedding and transmission is important for constructing parasite control programs. However, studies describing these patterns are sparse, and have largely been conducted only in the United Kingdom. This study evaluated strongylid egg shedding patterns and transmission dynamics of Strongylus vulgaris in naturally infected and untreated mares and foals through one calendar year in Kentucky, USA. The study also investigated the existence of a peri-parturient rise (PPR) in strongylid egg counts in foaling mare...
Macauley BL.Incorporating horses into speech-language pathology services is a valid treatment strategy that can be used to help the client achieve their communication and/or swallowing goals. The purpose of this article is to discuss the history and terminology of incorporating horses into rehabilitation, explain theories for why incorporating horses works, and provide clinical applications to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's nine areas of practice with clinical reports.
Nielsen MK, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Kuzmina TA, van Doorn DCK, Meana A, Rehbein S, Elliott T, Reinemeyer CR.This guideline have been developed to assist in the design, execution, and interpretation of studies to assess the efficacy of anthelmintic drugs against internal parasites of equines, including nematodes, cestodes, and larval instars of Gasterophilus spp. The design and execution of critical and controlled studies are outlined, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Unique considerations for specific target parasites are included. Information is also provided on selection of animals, procedures for randomization, housing, feeding, dosage titration, dosage confirmation and field...
Tucker ML, Wilson DG, Reinink SK, Carmalt JL.To characterize the 3-D geometry of the equine larynx replicating laryngeal hemiplegia and 4 surgical interventions by use of CT under steady-state airflow conditions. Secondly, to use fluid mechanic principles of flow through a constriction to establish the relationship between measured airflow geometries with impedance for each surgical procedure. Methods: 10 cadaveric horse larynges. Methods: While CT scans were performed, inhalation during exercise conditions was replicated for each of the following 5 conditions: laryngeal hemiplegia, left laryngoplasty with ventriculocordectomy, left lary...
Rocafort-Ferrer G, Leblond A, Joulié A, René-Martellet M, Sandoz A, Poux V, Pradier S, Barry S, Vial L, Legrand L.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi that is potentially emerging in non-endemic countries. We conducted a descriptive study to investigate EP prevalence and spatial distribution in an endemic region: the Camargue and the Plain of La Crau in France. In spring 2015 and 2016, we carried out sampling at stables (total n = 46) with a history of horses presenting chronic fever or weight loss. Overall, we collected blood from 632 horses, which were also inspected for ticks; these horses had been housed in the target stables for at least 1...
Sellon DC, Sanz M, Kopper JJ, Mattei D.Understanding factors influencing assessment of pain in horses will facilitate communication between veterinarians and horse owners. Objective: To compare estimates of pain experienced by horses as provided by veterinarians and horse owners and to determine factors associated with individuals who perceive horses to be experiencing extreme pain or minimal pain. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Internet-based questionnaires for horse owners and veterinarians included items related to recognition of pain in horses, estimated degree of pain experienced by horses, and demographic informatio...
Bolt DM, Carrier ME, Sheridan KS, Manso-Diaz G, Berner D.Foot imbalance and malalignment of the digits are common in horses. Angle and distance measurements performed on bones, joints and hoof wall on radiographs provide essential guidance for precise corrective trimming and shoeing. This study aimed to investigate, if selected standing low-field magnetic resonance (MR) images can be used to accurately measure dorsopalmar and lateromedial foot conformation parameters in comparison to the radiographic gold standard. Images of 100 horses referred for standing low-field MR examination were selected. Foot conformation angles and distances were measured ...
Pressanto MC, Pascoletti G, Perkins JD, Zanetti EM, Beccati F, Santalucia V, Pepe M.To validate the use of a polyblend tape suture in equine laryngoplasty (PL). Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Thirty-two cadaveric larynges. Methods: Each larynx was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: PL with polyblend tape suture (TigerTape), without (TT) or with a cannula (TTC) in the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage, and PL with polyester suture (Ethibond), without (EB) or with a cannula (EBC). Construct stiffness, total migration, creep, and drift values were measured after 3000 cycles. The specimens were then loaded to failure to assess their residual properties: load a...
Muñoz KA, Szarek M, Manfredi JM, Robertson SA, Hubbell JA, Holcombe SJ.To determine the effects of intravenous ethyl pyruvate, an anti-inflammatory with putative benefits in horses with endotoxemia, on cardiopulmonary variables during anesthesia and the quality of anesthetic recovery. Methods: Randomized, crossover, blinded experimental design. Methods: A total of six healthy Standardbred geldings, aged 13 ± 3 years and weighing 507 ± 66 kg (mean ± standard deviation). Methods: Horses were anesthetized for approximately 90 minutes on two occasions with a minimum of 2 weeks apart using xylazine for sedation, ketamine and diazepam for induction, and isoflurane i...
Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K.Uveitis is a sight-threatening eye disease in equids known worldwide that leads to considerable pain and suffering. By far the most common type of uveitis in Germany and neighboring countries is classical equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), which is caused by chronic intraocular leptospiral infection and is the main cause of infectious uveitis in horses. Other infectious causes are extremely rare and are usually clinically distinguishable from ERU. ERU can be treated very effectively by vitreous cavity lavage (vitrectomy). For proper indications of this demanding surgery, it is necessary to differ...
Ginther OJ.Intrauterine mobility of the fetal-amniotic unit is unique in equids among domestic species. Intrinsic activity begins as head nods on ∼ Day 40 (Day 0 = ovulation) and by Day 60 has progressed into intermittent subtle to vigorous head, neck, limb, and body movements. On Days 60-100, fetal mobility is maximal with traveling of the fetal-amniotic unit throughout an allantoic pool that encompasses the uterine horns, and uterine body. The fetus may be entirely within one uterine horn with the horn entrance closed behind it, and then may work through the entrance into the uterine body. Mobility...
Abd El-Rahman SS, Amer MS, Hassan MH, Fahmy HM, Shamaa AA.Lyophilized equine platelet derived growth factors (LGF) is a novel advanced platelet rich protein growth factor. It has been successfully applied in various fields of regenerative medicine to treat a variety of inflammatory and degenerative musculoskeletal conditions. Our study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intraarticularly injected LGF for the remedy of articular cartilage injury, commonly characterized by progressive pain and loss of joint function in osteoarthritic rabbits. Full-thickness cylindrical cartilage defects were generated in both femoral condylar articular surfaces in twenty...
Boden LA, Charles JA, Slocombe RF, Sandy JR, Finnin PJ, Morton JM, Clarke AF.Racing fatalities are an important welfare concern and a source of
economic loss to racing industries. A fatality can be categorised as
sudden (a death occurring while racing/training or within minutes
of finishing) or as a euthanasia if a horse is destroyed after
incurring a catastrophic injury while racing or training.
Sudden deaths of racehorses have been attributed to
respiratory and cardiovascular disease (Platt 1982; Gelberg et al.
1985; Gunson et al. 1988; Johnson et al. 1994a,b). Respiratory
causes of sudden death include exercise-induced pulmonary
haemorrhage (EIPH) and pre-e...
Butler J, Rydell NW, Balazs EA.Twelve horses with traumatic arthritis were treated with intraarticular injection of hyaluronic acid mixed with cortisone and the results compared with 6 horses treated only with cortisone. There was a significantly better improvement in the group injected with a mixture of hyaluronic acid and cortisone. Further studies have given the same results in traumatic arthritis in horses if hyaluronic acid alone is injected. After injection of hyaluronic acid a large number of granulated monocytes appeared in the synovial fluid, but no inflammatory signs were observed. It is possible that this macroph...
Jacobson CC, Choi YH, Hayden SS, Hinrichs K.Oocytes may be collected from live mares from either the stimulated preovulatory follicle or from all visible immature follicles. We evaluated the yield of mature oocytes, and of blastocysts after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), for both follicle types. In Experiment 1, mares were assigned to Progesterone (1.2g biorelease progesterone weekly) or Control treatments. Transvaginal aspiration of all follicles was performed every 14 d. Overall, 596 follicles were aspirated, with a 54% oocyte recovery rate. There was no difference between treatments in number of follicles punctured (9.0 to ...
Dyson SJ.Lesions of the neck are an uncommon primary cause of pain resulting in either lameness or poor performance but should be considered if local analgesic techniques of the limbs fail to abolish lameness or if there are clinical signs directly referable to the neck such as pain, abnormal neck posture, stiffness, or patchy sweating. Accurate diagnosis requires careful clinical examination, exclusion of other causes of lameness or poor performance, and accurate interpretation of diagnostic imaging findings.
Alvarenga MA, Papa FO, Landim-Alvarenga FC, Medeiros AS.Stallion semen cryopreservation, despite its impact on the horse industry, is not an established technology. During the last years, a number of modifications have been proposed to the freezing process, however, a large population of stallions still have poor semen quality and fertility after frozen-thawed. Glycerol toxicity could be a reason for the variation on stallion sperm freezability. There are limited publications concerning the use of alternative cryoprotectants for equine sperm. Glycerol is contraceptive for some species and other cryoprotectors, such as amides, have been show to be a...
Léon A, Fortier G, Fortier C, Freymuth F, Tapprest J, Leclercq R, Pronost S.The major role of EHV-1 in equine abortion is widely reported in the literature but the contribution of EHV-2, EHV-3, EHV-4 or EHV-5 remains less well documented. The objective of this study is to evaluate the contribution of these five different EHVs to equine abortion in a variety of biological tissues using a consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The test was validated for specificity and sensitivity in horses before screening specimens from 407 foetuses, stillbirths and premature foals collected over a 2.5-year interval. Positive results obtained with this assay were compared to other...
Young LE.Guided M-mode echocardiography was performed in seven 2-year-old Thoroughbreds before commencement of commercial flat-race training, and 18 weeks later, when all horses were either racing regularly (5 horses), or at racing fitness (2 horses). M-mode echocardiography was performed using a 2.5 MHz annular phased array ultrasound transducer and a Vingmed 800 Supervision echocardiograph. Images were obtained from the right hemithorax; a short axis view of the left ventricle (LV) at the level of the chordae tendinae was used to position the M-mode cursor. The following variables were measured: left...
Sullivan S, Hinchcliff K.Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is an important disease of horses that perform high-intensity athletic activity. EIPH is an ongoing concern for the racing industry because of its high prevalence; potential impact on performance; welfare concerns; and use of prophylactic medications, such as furosemide, on race day. During the last 10 years, significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis and risk factors for EIPH and the impact of the disease on performance and career. This article summarizes the most recent advances in EIPH.
Nadal C, Bonnet SI, Marsot M.When studying a vector-borne disease, an eco-epidemiological approach is vital for a comprehensive understanding of how the pathogen circulates amongst populations. Equine piroplasmosis (EP), a tick-borne disease caused by the protozoans Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, is endemic in the Mediterranean basin of Europe and causes both animal health and economic issues for the equine sector. With no vaccine available, defining the episystem of the disease can help to identify which components of the host-pathogen-vector-environment system to target to improve preventive measures. In this syste...
Schneider S, Pfister K, Becher AM, Scheuerle MC.As a consequence of the increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomes, new strategies for equine parasite control are being implemented. To assess the potential risks of these, the occurrence of strongyles was evaluated in a group of 1887 horses. The distribution of fecal egg counts (FECs), the frequency of anthelmintic drug use, and the deworming intervals were also analyzed. Between June 2012 and May 2013, 1887 fecal samples from either selectively or strategically dewormed horses were collected at 195 horse farms all over Germany and analyzed quantitatively with a modified Mc...
Wagner B, Hillegas JM, Antczak DF.Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is secreted by T helper type 2 cells, mast cells, basophils and eosinophils. Detection of IL-4 can contribute the evaluation of cellular immune responses during infectious diseases, immunological disorders or vaccination. We used recombinant equine IL-4 to generate a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to equine IL-4. The mAb detected recombinant IL-4 in mammalian cells transfected with different plasmids containing IL-4 cDNA. After mitogen stimulation of equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells, an intracellular protein was recognized by the new mAb in 1-2% of lymphocytes using fl...
Granados AC, Agís IF.Hippotherapy literally means "therapy with the help of a horse" and is derived from the Greek word hippos, meaning "horse." Hippocrates was the first to describe the benefits of hippotherapy for rehabilitation purposes. Although this therapy has many years of history, few scholars have defined the theoretical bases of hippotherapy and less about how psychologic, physical, social, and educational benefits can be achieved through hippotherapy in children with special needs. Objective: This article is designed from a chronological perspective to provide mental health professionals, educators, and...
Howell PG, Groenewald D, Visage CW, Bosman AM, Coetzer JA, Guthrie AJ.Selected isolates of equine encephalosis virus were shown to have comparable viral protein profiles and to represent seven distinct serotypes, based on cross-neutralization tests. Serotype-specific virus-neutralizing antibody in serum samples from horses confirmed the widespread occurrence of infection. The distribution and prevalence of individual serotypes however, varied considerably. Localised foci with an increased seasonal seroconversion in groups of horses to a specific serotype and the detection of an ongoing low level of infection from other serotypes within the population, confirmed ...
Schreiber CM, Stewart AJ, Kwessi E, Behrend EN, Wright JC, Kemppainen RJ, Busch KA.To determine whether seasonal variations exist in endogenous plasma ACTH, plasma α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), serum cortisol, and serum insulin concentrations and in the results of a dexamethasone suppression test for older, clinically normal geldings in Alabama. Methods: Cohort study. Methods: 15 healthy mixed-breed geldings (median age, 14 years). Methods: Sample collection was repeated monthly for 12 months. Dexamethasone (0.04 mg/kg [0.02 mg/lb], IM) was administered and cortisol concentrations were determined at 15 and 19 hours. Radioimmunoassays were used to measure ACTH, ...
Fines M, Pronost S, Maillard K, Taouji S, Leclercq R.Treatment with a combination of erythromycin and rifampin has considerably improved survival rates of foals and immunocompromised patients suffering from severe pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi. Frequently, because of monotherapy, emergence of rifampin-resistant strains has been responsible for treatment failure. Using consensus oligonucleotides, we have amplified and sequenced the rifampin resistance (Rif(r))-determining regions of 12 rifampin-resistant R. equi strains isolated from three foals and of mutants selected in vitro from R. equi ATCC 3701, a rifampin-susceptible strain. The ded...
Rørvang MV, Ahrendt LP, Christensen JW.Social animals should have plenty of opportunities to learn from conspecifics, but most studies have failed to document social learning in horses. This study investigates whether young Icelandic horses can learn a spatial detour task through observation of a trained demonstrator horse of either the same age (Experiments 1 and 2, n = 22) or older (Experiment 3, n = 24). Observer horses were allowed to observe the demonstrator being led three times through the detour route immediately before being given the opportunity to solve the task themselves. Controls were allowed only to observe the d...
Ciarlet M, I a P, Conner ME, Liprandi F.We have sequenced the genes encoding the inner capsid protein VP6 and the outer capsid glycoprotein VP7 of the subgroup (SG) I equine rotavirus strain H-1 (P9[7], G5). The VP6 and VP7 proteins of the equine rotavirus strain H-1 shared a high degree of sequence and deduced amino acid identity with SG I porcine strains and serotype G5 porcine strains, respectively. Previous sequence analyses of the genes encoding the outer capsid spike protein VP4 and the nonstructural proteins NSP1 and NSP4 of equine H-1 strain also revealed a high degree of sequence and deduced amino acid homology with the pro...
Riccio B, Fraschetto C, Villanueva J, Cantatore F, Bertuglia A.Despite back-pain being a common cause of poor performance in sport horses, a tailored diagnostic workflow and a consolidated therapeutic approach are currently lacking in equine medicine. The aim of the study was to assess the evolution in the veterinarian approach to diagnose and treat back-pain over a 10 years period. To investigate this topic, two surveys were addressed to equine veterinarians working in practice throughout Europe 10 years apart (2006 and 2016). The answers were organized in an Excel dataset and analyzed. There were 47 respondents in 2006 and 168 in 2016, from 8 European C...
Hurley JR, Begg AP.A trial was conducted on a Thoroughbred stud to determine whether or not the administration of anti-Rhodococcus equi hyperimmune plasma would reduce the prevalence of R equi pneumonia (rattles) in foals born in the 1992 horse breeding season. Hyperimmune plasma was administered to 34 foals; another 57 foals were untreated. There was no significant difference in the number of transfused foals developing R equi pneumonia compared with the untreated foals. The time required for recovery from pneumonia between the 2 groups was not significantly different.
Stratford CH, Lester HE, Morgan ER, Pickles KJ, Relf V, McGorum BC, Matthews JB.Anthelmintic resistance in equine gastrointestinal nematodes is a threat to equine health and welfare. Detailed knowledge of anthelmintic use and parasite control methods is a prerequisite to identification of potential risk factors for resistance. Objective: To identify parasite control practices employed by equine owners in Scotland and investigate management factors associated with anthelmintic resistance. Methods: Questionnaire study of equine parasite control in Scotland. Methods: Questionnaires were available electronically, distributed at a conference and mailed to clients. Key areas ex...
Ginther OJ.The nature of selection of the dominant follicle is reviewed by comparing research results between cattle and horses. In both species, emergence of a follicular wave is stimulated by an FSH surge. The surge reaches a peak by the time the follicles attain 4 mm in diameter in cattle and 13 mm in mares. In cattle, all of the growing follicles >/=5 mm contribute to the decline in FSH concentrations. However, the declining FSH concentrations are still needed by the growing follicles. Several days after the peak of the FSH surge and emergence of the wave, the two largest follicles reach means of 8.5...
Perryman LE, McGuire TC, Crawford TB.Sixty-six cases of combined immunodeficiency (CID) in foals were studied to determine the most prevalent causes of infection and death. Lesions of the respiratory system were observed in 59 of the foals and were attributable to infection with equine adenovirus. Pneumocystis carinii, and bacteria. Significant lesions were also observed in liver, pancreas, intestines, heart, and kidneys. Maintenance of foals with CID for experimental purposes is directed at the prevention and control of these secondary infections. Adenovirus can be controlled by administration of horse plasma containing high tit...
Schemann K, Firestone SM, Taylor MR, Toribio JA, Ward MP, Dhand NK.Following the first ever equine influenza outbreak in Australia in 2007, a study was conducted involving 200 horse owners and managers to determine their perceptions about effectiveness of biosecurity measures and the factors associated with these perceptions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with horse owners/managers to obtain information about their perceptions of the effectiveness of biosecurity practices, their sources of information about infection control during the outbreak and their horse industry involvement. Two outcome variables were created from horse owners' responses to a ...
Sule WF, Oluwayelu DO, Adedokun RA, Rufai N, McCracken F, Mansfield KL, Johnson N.To investigate exposure of Nigerian horses to West Nile virus (WNV), we determined the seroprevalence rate of anti-WNV antibody in a cohort of 145 horses. Serum samples were collected from three locations in southwestern Nigeria between October, 2011, and July, 2012. The horses were asymptomatic and unvaccinated against WNV at the time of sampling. All sera were tested using a competition enzyme-linked immmunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by an immunoglobulin M (IgM)-specific ELISA. High rates of anti-WNV antibody prevalence were observed in all locations with a mean level of 90.3% (95% confidence...
Griko YV, Freire E, Privalov G, van Dael H, Privalov PL.The energetics of the temperature-induced unfolding of equine lysozyme was studied calorimetrically and compared with that of two structurally homologous proteins: hen egg white lysozyme and alpha-lactalbumin. The structure of each of these proteins is characterized by the presence of a deep cleft that divides the molecule into two regions called the alpha and beta domains. In equine lysozyme and alpha-lactalbumin the latter domain specifically binds Ca2+. It is shown that, in contrast to hen egg white lysozyme in which the alpha and beta domains unfold as a single cooperative unit, in equine ...
Rendle DI, Rutledge F, Hughes KJ, Heller J, Durham AE.Metformin is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of insulin resistance (IR). In laboratory animals, orally administered metformin reduces intestinal glucose absorption and may therefore affect insulinaemic responses to oral carbohydrate ingestion. Objective: To determine whether pretreatment with metformin reduces plasma glucose concentration and insulin responses following consumption of dextrose in horses. Methods: Therapeutic cross-over study. Methods: Seven healthy Standardbred and Thoroughbred geldings were subjected to an oral dextrose challenge test on 4 occasions: with and ...
Markiewicz-Kęszycka M, Czyżak-Runowska G, Wójtowski J, Jóźwik A, Pankiewicz R, Łęska B, Krzyżewski J, Strzałkowska N, Marchewka J, Bagnicka E.Mares' milk is becoming increasingly popular in Western Europe. This study was thus aimed at investigating the impact of stage of lactation and season on chemical composition, somatic cell count and some physicochemical parameters of mares' colostrum and milk, and at developing a method for the determination of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in mares' milk and to determine its content in fresh and stored milk. Results: The analysis conducted showed an effect of the stage of lactation on contents of selected chemical components and physicochemical parameters of mares' milk. In successive lactation p...
Florin M, Arzdorf M, Linke B, Auer JA.To compare the mechanical properties of 4 stabilization methods for equine long-bone fractures: dynamic compression plate (DCP), limited contact-DCPlate (LC-DCP), locking compression plate (LCP), and the clamp-rod internal fixator (CRIF--formerly VetFix). Methods: In vitro mechanical study. Methods: Bone substitute material (24 tubes) was cut at 20 degrees to the long axis of the tube to simulate an oblique mid-shaft fracture. Methods: Tubes were divided into 4 groups (n=6) and double plated in an orthogonal configuration, with 1 screw of 1 implant being inserted in lag fashion through the "fr...
Hellman S.Enteroid cultures are three-dimensional in vitro models that reflect the cellular composition and architecture of the small intestine. One limitation with the enteroid conformation is the enclosed lumen, making it difficult to expose the apical surface of the epithelium to experimental treatments. The present study was therefore conducted to generate cultures of equine enteroids and to develop methods for culture of enteroid-derived cells on a two-dimensional plane, enabling easy access to the apical surface of the epithelium. Equine enteroids were established from small intestinal crypts with...
