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.
BERGERET B, BLASCHKO H.The oxidative deamination of cystamine and homocystamine by mammalian oxidases has been studied. The histaminase of pig kidney oxidizes homocystamine much more slowly than cystamine. The amine oxidase of mammalian liver (guinea-pig, rabbit) oxidizes homocystamine more rapidly than cystamine. Both amines are oxidized by plasma (or serum) of ruminants (ox, sheep, goat) and of the horse. In the enzymatic oxidation of homocystamine both aminogroups are removed; there is no evidence that a ring compound analogous to cystaldimine is accumulating.
DAVIES J, DEMPSEY EW, WISLOCKI GB.A fetal horse ovary at the 6th month of gestation and a fetal ovary and testis at the 9th month have been studied histochemically with special reference to the cytoplasmic lipids of the interstitial cells. At least two lipid fractions appeared to be present, one which was soluble in acetone and was mainly responsible for the positive "plasmal" reaction, and another, insoluble in acetone, which was responsible for the sudanophilic, Ashbel-Seligman and periodic acid-Schiff positive material remaining after acetone extraction. The interstitial cell lipids in the older ovary and testis were also a...
FEEMSTER RF.This research focuses on the first recognized human infection of equine encephalomyelitis, a disease mostly found in horses, which occurred in Massachusetts in the summer of 1938. The study dives […]
BARKHAN P, TOMLIN SC, ARCHER RK.This research article compares the coagulation properties of horse blood to human blood, aiming to explore several previous findings concerning naturally occurring deficiencies in horse plasma and their relevance to […]
KIVALO E, TALANTI S.A good deal of hypothetical evidence has been presented for the view that the antidiuretic and oxytocic hormones are not produced in the posterior lobe of the hypophysis. These hormones appear to originate from a neurosecretory process in the neurosecretory nerve cells of the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei in the hypothalamus and to migrate within the nerve fibers of the supraoptico-hypophysial tract and into the neurohypophysis (Hild, 1951, 1954 a, b and Hild & Zetler, 1951, 1952, 1953 a, b). Here they are stored and if necessary released. Neurosecretory neurons are described in many s...
GOODWIN RF.Graham, Sampson and Hester (1941) observed that hypoglycaemia was a pathognomonic feature in a fatal disease of newborn pigs and subsequently made the important observation that
starvation alone could rapidly produce a similar syndrome (Sampson,
Hester and Graham, 1942). In contrast, Hanawalt and Sampson
(I947a) found that older pigs, weighing between 20 and 40 lb., were
resistant to a long period of starvation (24 and 28 days), the main
development of this resistance occurring during the first week of life
(Hanawalt and Sampson, I947b). Thus starvation from birth was
fatal in less than...
Luan Y, Zhong L, Li C, Yue X, Ye M, Wang J, Zhu Y, Wang Q.Polydactyly was recorded before 100 BCE and attracted widespread interest because of its relationship to limb health and ancestral traits in horses. However, the underlying reasons for the development of polydactyly remain unclear. To search for polydactyly-related genes, we utilize a paternal half-sib family and screen for variants that match the mode of inheritance. Through this screening process, 77 variants in 65 genes are filtered. A missense variant (EqCab3.0 chr4: <107353368> A > G) (rs1138485164) in the 3rd exon of LMBR1 is identified as a source of amino acid sequence variatio...
Zedda M, Babosova R, Gadau S, Lepore G, Succu S, Farina V.Fractures of long bones in limbs are rare traumatic events in horses. This study investigates whether the incidence and types of fractures can be related to the histomorphometric features of the radius and tibia, which experience different biomechanical stresses and exhibit varying incidences and types of fractures. Clinical observations suggest that, in adults, slightly transverse and comminuted fractures are present in the radius, while the tibia shows a higher frequency of longitudinal and spiral fractures. Microscopic observations reveal no apparent distinctive characteristi...
Kopecka A, Novotna T, Svobodova Z, Drabkova Z.This study describes a case of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a horse. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of Senecio ovatus poisoning. A six-year-old 450-kg Irish cob mare was presented to the Equine Clinic of the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno (Czechia) with symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, which progressively worsened with time despite intensive therapy and led to euthanasia. A complex diagnostic and therapeutic approach including the post-mortem patoanatomical and histopathological examination is described here. Regar...
Varner KM, Curtiss AL, Hogan PM, Love K, Dodam JR.In anaesthetised horses, bradycardia secondary to high vagal tone can reduce cardiac output and blood pressure. The use of anticholinergics in horses is limited due to concerns about ileus and abdominal discomfort. This retrospective study sought to determine the prevalence of post-operative abdominal discomfort in healthy horses that received atropine under isoflurane anaesthesia. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of 222 general anaesthesia events between January 2019 and December 2019 was undertaken. Methods: One hundred and eleven horses that received atropine were identified, and 111 cas...
Silva RC, Coelho GJ, Sousa MBF, Caldas CS, Maciel RP, Mezzomo R, Gomes DÍ, Neta ERDS, Tavares FB, Alves KS, Oliveira LRS.In this study, we analyzed the effects of including açaí kernel, in the experimental diets fed to horses on the intake and digestibility of their nutrient and the resultant effects on the behavior of horses. The experiments were conducted in Federal Rural University of Amazonia. Five mares with no defined breeds, were allocated to five treatments (the replacement of Mombaça grass (Megathyrsus maximus) with crushed açaí kernel at 0, 18.75, 37.50, 56.25, and 75% levels of dry matter), in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. The animals were housed in covered stalls with concrete floors, equipp...
Thane K, Sonntag J, Warnken T, Reiche D, Uricchio C, Frank N.Testing for insulin dysregulation (ID) in horses is commonly performed to guide management and therapeutic strategies. Objective: To evaluate a newly developed glycemic pellets challenge (GPC) and compare results to those obtained using the low-dose oral sugar test (OST). Methods: Twenty-four adult horses with unknown insulin status. Methods: A randomized crossover trial was performed. Horses underwent GPC (0.5 g glycemic carbohydrates/kg body weight) and OST (0.15 mL corn syrup/kg body weight) 7 days apart. Feed was withheld before testing and blood samples were collected at T0, T60, T1...
Hobbs SJ, Tatlisulu A, Johnson A, Rowlands SD, Lucey M, Martin JH, Graydon RW, Northrop AJ.The maximum galloping speeds of racehorses during a race are influenced by the functional performance of the ground ('going') amongst other factors. For turf racecourses in Britain, the ground is descriptively classified and numerically quantified on the morning of a race meeting by the clerk of the course and subsequently published to assist decision making. Importantly, this includes deciding whether a horse should or should not run. The going is also assessed and classified during the meeting by racing analysts using the normalized winning times from each race result. Differences between go...
Bishop RC, Kemper AM, Clark LV, Wilkins PA, McCoy AM.Equine gastrointestinal microbial communities vary across the gastrointestinal tract and in response to diet or disease. Understanding the composition and stability of gastric fluid microbiota in healthy horses is a prerequisite to understanding changes associated with the development of disease. The objective of this study was to describe microbial communities in the gastric fluid and feces of healthy horses longitudinally. Horses were maintained on pasture (6 weeks), stabled (5 weeks), then returned to pasture. A consistent forage diet was provided throughout. Native gastric fluid and feces ...
Sala-Ayala L, Cuervo-Arango J, Martinez-Bovi R.The case report discusses the implications of using different volumes of flushing media during embryo flushing (EF) procedures in a single donor mare that experienced multiple unintended pregnancies following negative EF outcomes. The study involved two sets of EF experiments over two years on a non-lactating Spanish purebred mare. The initial experiments (group 1, n=6) used 1L of flushing medium (Ringer´s Lactate), and subsequent tests (group 2, n=5) increased the volume to 2L, to assess whether a larger volume could enhance embryo recovery rates. After every EF procedure, no PGF2α was admi...
Norton AM, Rosanowski SM, O'Brien T.Epiglottic entrapment (EE) is a common cause of poor performance in racing standardbreds (STBs) and thoroughbreds (TBs). There is limited information published on the condition in STB racehorses and limited information on factors associated with return to racing available for either breed. Unassigned: This study investigated and compared the pre surgical findings, post-surgical complications and racing performance in STBs and TBs undergoing surgery for correction of EE. Associations between signalment and pre-surgical findings, and the presence of complications and racing post-surgery were com...
Jargielo MM, Kritchevsky JE, Bertin FR.Pergolide, labeled for the treatment of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, is 90% protein bound and might cause a decrease in blood thyroid hormone concentrations by displacing them from binding proteins. This study investigated the effect of pergolide on the equine thyroid function. Methods: This was an analytic, observational, cohort study. Six horses (17 to 24 years old and 530 to 599 kg) received 1 mg of pergolide mesylate orally once a day from days 1 to 6. Total T4 (tT4) was measured daily from day 0 to 11 (before, during, and after pergolide treatment). Thyrotropin-releasing hormone...
Brys M, Den Hondt S, Saey V, Claerebout E, Chiers K.Various draft horse breeds, especially breeds with abundant feathering on the lower limbs, are known to be susceptible to chorioptic mange. Clinical signs of chorioptic mange encompass intense pruritus leading to self-mutilation and hair loss, thickening of the epidermis, and the formation of hyperkeratotic crusts and scabs. Despite the frequent occurrence and high impact of this condition, treatment options are limited, with a conspicuous absence of registered products formulated for equines, and especially foals. This limited availability of approved products highlights the necessity for alt...
Terlinden A, Jacquet S, Manivong S, Cullier A, Cassé F, Legendre F, Garcia AA, Roullin G, Moldovan F, Sirois P, Banquy X, Galéra P, Audigié F....Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of pain and retirement in athletic horses. Hydro-expansive functionalized nanogels, acting as Drug Delivery Systems, constitute one of the current therapeutic prospects. These nanogels have the potential to combine mechanical benefits through polymers with the biological effect of prolonged release of bioactive molecules. The purpose of this double-blinded randomized tolerance study versus negative control was to evaluate the response of healthy joints to a single injection of the expected efficient dose (further referred to as the trial dose) and overdose of ...
Itoh K, Kikumura N, Maeda T, Hirata S, Ringhofer M.Despite the long history of the horse-human bond, our understanding of the brain and mind of horses remains limited due to the lack of methods to investigate their brain functions. This study introduces a novel methodology for completely non-invasive, multi-channel recording of electroencephalography (EEG) and evoked potentials in awake horses to examine equine auditory cortical processing. The new approach utilizes specially designed brush-shaped active electrodes that facilitate stable signal acquisition through the hair coat by penetrating electrode pins and integrated pre-amplifiers. A 12-...
Rutberg AT, Grams KA.Wildlife managers and the public have expressed considerable interest in the use of contraception to help manage the populations of wild horses and burros (Equus caballus and E. asinus). Field testing has shown that two preparations of the porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine, a simple emulsion (ZonaStat-H) and PZP-22 (which supplements ZonaStat-H with a controlled-release component) effectively prevent pregnancy in individual mares and can substantially reduce population foaling rates. To determine whether some PZP preparations might have secondary effects that harm treated mares or their foa...
Brandi LA, Nunes AT, Faleiros CA, Poleti MD, Oliveira ECM, Schmidt NT, Sousa RLM, Fukumasu H, Balieiro JCC, Brandi RA.Different energy sources are often used in horse diets to enhance health and performance. Understanding how diet impacts the cecal and fecal microbiota is crucial for meeting the nutritional needs of horses. High-throughput sequencing and qPCR were used to compare the fecal and cecal microbiota of five healthy horses receiving three different diets: hay diet (HAY), hay + starch and sugar (SS), and hay + fiber and oil ingredients (FO). Assessment of short-chain fatty acids, pH, and buffer capacity was also performed. The HAY diet was associated with the highest values of fecal pH; the FO and SS...
Seabaugh K, Rao S, Koenig JB, Pezzanite L, Dow S, Koch TG, Russell KA, Mehrpouyan S, Alizadeh AH, Goodrich LR.Synovitis is present before and during osteoarthritis in horses and can result in performance-limiting lameness. Twenty-four horses with lameness localized to the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint or a single joint of the carpus were enrolled in this study. We evaluated the response of intra-articular injection with 10 million activated (aMSC) or non-activated (naMSC) allogeneic equine umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Subjective and objective lameness was assessed on Days 0, 1, 21, and 42. The treatment injection was randomly assigned and performed following th...
Buyck C, Zani DD, Robert M, Gustafsson K.Computed tomography (CT) is increasingly recognized as superior to conventional imaging methods for diagnosing osteomyelitis in foals. However, comprehensive studies in this area are limited. This study aims to report on clinical cases of osteomyelitis in foals, establishing a relationship between CT findings and survival outcomes. Additionally, it compares CT imaging with conventional methods such as radiography and ultrasound. We hypothesized that CT variables would more accurately predict survival than other clinical factors and provide more detailed information about osteomyelitis lesions....
Dahm E.Emma Dahm introduces a new society in the world of showing that aims to give horses that have come back from neglect and abuse a platform to show off their talents and resilience.
Watanabe M, Sato F, Innan H.We investigated the changes in inbreeding levels in Japanese Thoroughbred horses over the past 46 years. Our results show a significant increase in inbreeding over the past 30 years, primarily due to the influence of two sires, Northern Dancer and Sunday Silence. Northern Dancer's bloodline spread gradually through descendants like Northern Taste, leading to a slower increase in the inbreeding coefficient. In contrast, Sunday Silence was directly imported and became a leading sire, causing a rapid increase in his blood proportion and inbreeding coefficient. Our findings suggest that monitoring...
Matsubara T, Fukatsu R, Yamamoto M, Moriya M, Hano K, Nakamura K, Ohba Y, Takasu M.Including Internet of Things (IoT) technology in horse-rearing management can potentially mitigate problems such as human resource shortages and time limitations in performing daily behavior monitoring. In this study, a small and inexpensive activity meter used to monitor dogs and cats (PLUS CYCLE, JARMeC, Kanagawa, Japan) was used to monitor the daily behavior of horses. A study was performed to examine the suitability of the PLUS CYCLE device for monitoring horses and to determine whether it could estimate horse behavior. The device was equipped with an accelerometer and was used to monitor ...
Padalino B, Pellegrini F, Felici M, Zappaterra M, Catella C, Cordisco M, Lorusso E, Cirone F, Pratelli A.Respiratory disorders (RDs) are a common transport-related welfare consequence in horses. This prospective study described the journeys of horses transported to two slaughterhouses in Italy, documented the prevalence of potentially RD-related pathogens, and identified possible predisposing factors. Data were recorded from arrival until 48 h after arrival and included the collection of Deep Nasopharyngeal Swabs (DNS), journey details and welfare assessment of horses (n = 155). PCR was used to quantify the presence of influenza A virus, reovirus, equine herpesvirus type 1 and 4, adenovirus, r...
Allen SE, Taylor S, Given J, Verheyen KL.The British horseracing industry is committed to reducing equine fatalities in jump racing. Race-related fatalities are a major welfare concern and threaten the sport's social licence to operate. Objective: To describe the risk of, and determine risk factors for, fatality in British jump racing. Methods: Retrospective cohort. Methods: Analyses included all starts made in British jump races between January 2010 and April 2023. Available information for each horse, race, racecourse, trainer and jockey was collated and combined with details of all fatalities recorded by official veterinary office...
Ma Y, Liu Y, Li H, Yang K, Yao G.Angular limb deformities (ALDs) are a common skeletal development disorder in newborn foals. This condition affects the growth and development of foals and severely impacts their future athletic performance and economic value, causing significant financial losses to the horse industry. Placentitis, metritis, and severe metabolic diseases during mare pregnancy are significant causes of ALDs in newborn foals. It has been established that intestinal flora disorders can easily lead to inflammatory and metabolic diseases in the host. However, the incidence of ALDs in foals in Zhaosu County, Xinjian...
So YM, Kwok WH, Ching CCW, Wong COL, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are banned substances in both human and equine sports. They are often administered intramuscularly to horses in esterified forms for the purpose of extending their duration of action. As such, the detection of intact esters of endogenous steroids in hair is particularly advantageous, as it can provide unequivocal proof of their external origin. Compared with urine and blood matrices, hair in general allows a longer detection window as long as the administered drug can be incorporated into hair and has not degraded. This can be useful in doping control of equi...
Equine asthma, a prevalent chronic inflammatory condition affecting the equine population, significantly compromises the performance and quality of life in affected horses. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are often the first-line pharmacological intervention due to their potent anti-inflammatory properties. This meta-analysis investigates the clinical efficacy of ICS in treating equine asthma, emphasizing the number needed to treat (NNT) and the likelihood of achieving a clinical response. A comprehensive literature search identified relevant studies comparing ICS with placebo (PCB) controlled t...
Folk KM, White RR, Gleason CB.Cryotherapy is often used to reduce inflammation in acute equine laminitis cases. Certain hoof temperatures have been suggested as effective in minimizing the inflammatory process; however, there is limited evidence on which methods are best at achieving these temperatures. Our objective was to determine how different methods of cryotherapy influence the rate and extent of cooling for the equine hoof wall. Four horses received three hoof cooling treatments and a control (CON; no treatment application) in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Treatments included (1) ice surrounding the hoof in a 5 L fl...
DeBoer M, Rieck T, Johnson L, Redenius H, Martinson K.Horses have become more intensively managed, including the use of hay nets to increase intake time and reduce hay waste, but their impact on health is not well known. The objectives were to compare changes in subluxations, range of motion, and the pain-pressure threshold in the axial skeleton of horses fed hay with (NET) or without (CON) hay nets. In September 2021, 13 adult horses were blocked by bodyweight (BW) and randomly assigned to the NET or CON treatments for one year. After one year, horses switched treatments and the trial concluded in September 2023. Horses were housed in dry lots w...
Kaufman KL, Suagee-Bedore JK, Johnson SE, Ely KM, Ghajar SJ, McIntosh BM.Forage is essential for equine health and performance, but intake of elevated pasture nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) may exacerbate metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the influence of laminitis history on metabolic and morphometric responses in grazing horses. Twelve non-pregnant mares (15 ± 3.4 yrs) were selected based on previous diagnosis of laminitis (PRELAM; n=6) or not (NOLAM; n=6). Horses were maintained on 8.5-ha pasture. Weekly pasture samples were clipped at random for nutrient analysis. Monthly blood samples were collected and analyzed for glucose and insulin c...
Blatter M, Chapman HS, Heinzel-Gutenbrunner M, von Plato G, Rijkenhuizen A.Desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon (AL-SDFT) has been described for the treatment of superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) tendinopathy in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses, and in event horses. To our knowledge, the outcome of this procedure has not been described in a population of warmblood horses. Objective: To report on the outcome of treatment of SDFT tendinopathy in warmblood horses using tenoscopic desmotomy of the main part of the AL-SDFT. Methods: Prospective observational case series. Methods: All 62 horses included in the case ser...
