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.
Degenerative joint disease is one of the main causes of equine early retirement from pleasure riding or a performance career. The disease is initially triggered by an abnormal loading of normal cartilage or a normal loading of abnormal cartilage. This primary insult is accompanied with joint inflammation, which leads to further progressive degeneration of the articular cartilage and changes in the surrounding tissues. Therefore, in search for an effective treatment, 75 adult horses with early signs of degenerative fetlock joint disease were enrolled in a randomized, multicenter, double-blinded...
The primer set for 16S rDNA amplified an amplicon of about 1500 bp in length for three strains of Taylorella equigenitalis (NCTC11184(T), Kentucky188 and EQ59). Sequence differences of the 16S rDNA among the six sequences, including three reference sequences, occurred at only a few nucleotide positions and thus, an extremely high sequence similarity of the 16S rDNA was first demonstrated among the six sequences. In addition, the primer set for 16S-23S rDNA internal spacer region (ISR) amplified two amplicons about 1300 bp and 1200 bp in length for the three strains. The ISRs were estimated to ...
Equine coronavirus (ECoV) leads to outbreaks with variable morbidity and mortality. Few previous reports of risk factors for infection are available in the literature. Unassigned: To describe unique clinical findings and risk factors for infection and development of clinical disease. Unassigned: 135 horses on a farm affected by ECoV outbreak. Unassigned: Retrospective cohort study. Data obtained included age, breed, gender, activity level, housing, and feed at the onset of the outbreak. Factors were evaluated for assessment of risk of infection using simple logistic regression or Fisher's exac...
Balantidium coli is a ciliated protozoan that inhabits the large intestine of swine, man, rodents, and nonhuman primates. Frequently this organism is associated with enteric diseases in man and nonhuman primates, with rare manifestations of disease in swine and other mammalian species. This report describes a case of B. coli-induced enteric disease in a 15-yr-old, mare, Finnish Horse after an acute onset of colic. Severe hemorrhagic and eosinophilic colitis with intense infiltration of intralesional B. coli-like ciliated protozoan were found histologically.
Warm-season grasses (WSG) incorporated into traditional cool-season rotational grazing systems to increase summer yields are typically established in monoculture in separate pasture areas. Few studies have evaluated alternative interseeded establishment of WSG, despite potential benefits for improving biodiversity and land-use efficiency. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of establishment method (monoculture vs. interseeded) on crabgrass pasture forage yield, nutritive value, and preference under equine grazing. Three adult standardbred mares grazed two main plots on two ...
Mares were inseminated with motile spermatozoa suspended in 30-150 microliters Tyrode's medium directly onto the uterotubal papilla at the anterior tip of the uterine horn, ipsilateral to the ovary containing a dominant preovulatory follicle of > or = 35 mm in diameter, by means of a fine gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) catheter passed through the working channel of a strobed light videoendoscope. Insemination of 10, 8, 25, 14, 11 and 10 mares with, respectively, 10.0, 5.0, 1.0, 0.5, 0.1 or 0.001 x 10(6) motile spermatozoa resulted in conception rates of, respectively, 60, 75, 64, 29,...
The goal of this research was to evaluate the ability of the genotyping information available in the Brazilian Criollo Horse Stud Book to describe the genetic variability of the breed and the exclusion probability determined in comparative tests. Altogether, two softwares were used in the analyses of the available genotypes: Cervus 3.0.3 and Genepop 4.0. Eight microsatellite markers totaled 109 alleles, with an average of 13.6 +/- 0.6 alleles per locus. Large differences between expected and observed heterozygosity were ubiquitous (0.821 +/- 0.07 and 0.470 +/- 0.17, respectively). Although the...
Although equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) is a relatively uncommon manifestation of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection, it can cause devastating losses during outbreaks. Antemortem diagnosis of EHM relies mainly on the molecular detection of EHV-1 in nasal secretions and blood. Management of horses affected by EHM is aimed at supportive nursing and nutritional care, at reducing central nervous system inflammation and preventing thromboembolic sequelae. Horses exhibiting sudden and severe neurologic signs consistent with a diagnosis of EHM pose a definite risk to the surrounding...
Within the veterinary world, data regarding the surgical management of hypospadias is lacking. Reports within equines have documented resective phallectomy procedures rather than urethral reconstruction. This case report documents the first ever urethroplasty for an equine hypospadias, performed by a consultant paediatric surgeon. The urethroplasty was achieved by applying the same surgical principles mastered from paediatric urology to a horse. The indication for surgery was contact dermatitis of the hind-leg, which impaired the thoroughbred foal's racing potential. Methods: A single stage ur...
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an emerging problem in horses; however, the epidemiology of infection and colonization is poorly understood. This study evaluated factors associated with MRSA colonization at the time of admission to a veterinary teaching hospital. A case-control study evaluating historical factors was performed. Previous colonization of the horse, previous identification of colonized horses on the farm, antimicrobial administration within 30 days, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, and admission to a service other than the surgical service were...
Episodic collapse in horses has equine welfare and human safety implications. There are, however, no published case series describing this syndrome. Objective: To characterize the cause and outcomes for horses referred for investigation of episodic collapse. Methods: Twenty-five horses referred for investigation of single or multiple episodes of collapse. Methods: Retrospective study. Clinical records from the Dick Vet Equine Hospital, University of Edinburgh from November 1995 to July 2009 were searched using the following keywords: collapse, collapsing, fall, syncope. Collapse was defined as...
Eight mares with third-degree rectovestibular lacerations were treated by a two-stage surgical technique. The rectovestibular shelf was corrected with three parallel 'circular' continuous suture rows distributed along the longitudinal axis of the vagina, and the perineal body was reconstructed with three divergent simple continuous rows. Primary healing of the first-stage surgery occurred in all the mares. Seven of the mares completed the two-stage surgery and primary healing occurred in all of them. One of them returned to endurance racing competition and one was lost to follow-up. The other ...
Respiratory diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the horses of all ages including foals. There is limited understanding of the expression of immune molecules such as tetraspanins and surfactant proteins (SP) and the regulation of the immune responses in the lungs of the foals. Therefore, the expression of CD9, SP-A and SP-D in foal lungs was examined. Results: Lungs from one day old (n = 6) and 30 days old (n = 5) foals were examined for the expression of CD9, SP-A, and SP-D with immunohistology and Western blots. Western blot data showed significant increase in the...
Osteochondrosis (OC) develops in growing horses due to disturbed differentiation and maturation of cartilage, particularly at the predilection sites of the fetlock, hock and stifle joints. Horses with osteochondrotic lesions are at a high risk of developing orthopaedic problems later in life. This article briefly reviews the published heritability estimates for OC and offers perspectives for selection in the horse industry. Heritabilities for OC in Warmblood and Standardbred horses have been estimated at 0.1-0.4 in animal threshold models. Whole genome scans using microsatellites have identifi...
This study presents the validation of two recently described pain scales, the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Composite Pain Assessment (EQUUS-COMPASS) and the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-FAP), in horses with acute colic. A follow-up cohort study of 46 adult horses (n = 23 with acute colic; n = 23 healthy control horses) was performed for validation and refinement of the constructed scales. Both pain scales showed statistically significant differences between horses with colic and healthy control horses, and between horses with colic that co...
A 25-year-old pony mare was presented to the clinic with preliminarily reported severe acute colic. The pony during the previous week had shown inappetence, apathy and fever of unknown origin. Clinical examination and placement of a gastric tube were indicative of a secondary gastric dilation. Rectal exploration found moderate caecal meteorism with a tensed and painful medial taenia as well as a dilated and fluid-filled small intestine. In addition, a solid, mobile, non-painful structure of approximately 10 cm diameter was palpated ventrally. A hyperechogenic mass close to the caecum was detec...
Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), a respiratory and reproductive disease of equids. There has been significant recent progress in understanding the molecular biology of EAV and the pathogenesis of its infection in horses. In particular, the use of contemporary genomic techniques, along with the development and reverse genetic manipulation of infectious cDNA clones of several strains of EAV, has generated significant novel information regarding the basic molecular biology of the virus. Therefore, the objective of this review is to summarize cur...
To evaluate the effect of hippotherapy (physical therapy utilizing the movement of a horse) on muscle activity in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Pretest/post-test control group. Methods: Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (TROT), Tucson, AZ. Methods: Fifteen (15) children ranging from 4 to 12 years of age diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Children meeting inclusion criteria were randomized to either 8 minutes of hippotherapy or 8 minutes astride a stationary barrel. Methods: Remote surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activity of the trunk and upper...
Initial treatment of colic is aimed at maintaining hydration and acid-base balance, controlling pain and reestablishing peristalsis. A poor response to medical treatment in the first 12-18 hours suggests the need for laparotomy. Other indications for surgery include: rising pulse rate, exceeding 60/minute for several hours; congested mucosae; delayed capillary refill; silent abdomen; gastric reflux; distended or displaced loops of bowel on rectal examination; intractable pain; and adverse laboratory findings. Postoperative care should consist of hand-walking for 30 days, followed by confinemen...
To evaluate the effect of four recumbent body positions on intraocular pressure (IOP) in anesthetized normal horses. Methods: Ten nonglaucomatous adult horses. Methods: Intraocular pressure was measured with a rebound tonometer in both eyes of standing sedated horses (baseline), then under general anesthesia during four randomized recumbent body positions, including Trendelenburg (Tr; 15-degree head down), reverse Trendelenburg (RTr; 15-degree head up), dorsal, and lateral; only the superior eye was measured in lateral positions. The mean of 3 IOP readings was taken at each position, allowing ...
There is a paucity of information regarding the association between common disorders and outcome over time in a large population of ill equine neonates. Objective: To describe the relative frequency of neonatal disorders in a large population of foals admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, to determine the disorders and factors associated with nonsurvival and determine if the outcome of ill neonatal foals has improved over time. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Cases were selected from equine neonatal (≤14 days of age) admissions between 1982 and 2008. Multivariable logistic regre...
To compare ocular structures of Quarter Horses homozygous for hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) with those of Quarter Horses not affected by HERDA (control horses) and to determine the frequency of new corneal ulcers for horses with and without HERDA during a 4-year period. Methods: Cohort study of ocular structures and retrospective case series of horses with and without HERDA. Methods: The cohort portion of the study involved 10 Quarter Horses with HERDA and 10 Quarter Horses without HERDA; the retrospective case series involved 28 horses with HERDA and 291 horses without HE...
To document morphologic changes that occur in equine intestinal serosa after experimentally induced ischemia and subsequent reperfusion (jejunum, ascending colon) or after intraluminal distention and decompression (jejunum). Methods: Morphologic effects of ischemia-reperfusion or intraluminal distention-decompression determined on the serosal layer of the equine jejunum. The large colon serosa was evaluated after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods: Seven adult horses. Methods: After induction of general anesthesia and ventral median celiotomy, ischemia was created by arteriovenous (AVO) and ...
This Opinion piece is offered as a cursory overview of sperm development, function, and transport through the eyes of an equine veterinarian. My professional background is predominantly clinical in nature, but my fascination with sperm function and preservation has led to a fairly sizeable review of the scientific literature over the years in hopes of extracting laboratory findings that have application to my daily activities in the clinical arena. Spermatozoa are quite unique among cellular types with regard to both form and function, and represent the only endogenously derived cell type that...
This article provides an overview of initial assessment and management of common emergency presentations in donkeys and mules. The principles are similar to those in horses (and ponies), but clinicians must be aware of differences in recognition of signs of pain/disease, approach to handling, pharmacology of some drugs, and subtle differences in the physiology and local anatomy in donkeys and mules. The epidemiology of common disease presentations will vary between pet/companion or working/farmed donkeys and mules. Regular dental checks, deworming, vaccination, and monitoring of behavior and q...
Equine recurrent uveitis serves as a spontaneous model for human autoimmune uveitis. Unpredictable relapses and ongoing inflammation in the eyes of diseased horses as well as in humans lead to destruction of the retina and finally result in blindness. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to inflammation and retinal degeneration are not well understood. An initial screening for differentially regulated proteins in sera of uveitic cases compared to healthy controls revealed an increase of the alternative pathway complement component factor B in ERU cases. To determine the activation status ...
Ducrocq M, Kamus L, Richard H, Beauchamp G, Janvier V, Laverty S.Stifle osteoarthritis (OA) lesions are most common in the medial femorotibial (MFT) compartment. Their characterisation and mapping will inform equine veterinarians towards an accurate diagnosis of OA. Objective: Investigate and map micro-CT (μCT) changes in the hyaline articular cartilage (HAC) in the medial femoral condyle (MFC) and medial tibial plateau (MTP). Methods: Ex vivo cadaveric. Methods: Stifles (n = 7 OA and 17 control [CO]) were retrieved from a tissue bank. The MFC and MFT were imaged with μCT. Regions of interest (ROIs) were cranial (MFCcr; MTPcr) and caudal (MFCca; MTPca...
Trostle SS, Santos MAPD, Stephens PR.To retrospectively report the historical and clinical findings, diagnostics, treatment, and outcome of horses with penetrating wood foreign bodies (PWFBs) of the coronary band. Methods: 15 client-owned horses. Methods: Horses had varying degrees of lameness and soft tissue swelling of the coronary band and pastern region. A defect in the coronary band was identified, but the actual wood foreign body was not always readily visualized. Results: Medical records of horses diagnosed with PWFBs of the coronary band between 2004 and 2023 were reviewed. Information retrieved from the medical records i...
Trostle SS, Kearney EM, Medoff M, Devaney S.To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of a fragmented, migrating acupuncture needle near the palmar proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) of a horse. Methods: A 9-year-old Warmblood cross mare. Unassigned: The mare presented for evaluation of a linear metallic foreign body on the palmar lateral aspect of the PIPJ following acupuncture treatment. The mare had a pinpoint puncture wound and sensitivity to palpation over the lateral aspect of the PIPJ region. The referring veterinarian performed radiographs and found a linear metallic foreign body near the lateral palmar ...
Soliman R, Yousef M, Gelil SA, Aboul-Ella H.Strangles is a highly contagious disease of the equine upper respiratory tract caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies. Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi) and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) was isolated, as local, hot, and field strains, from horses clinically suffering from respiratory distress. The isolated Streptococci were identified using bacteriological and molecular techniques. Four formulations of inactivated S. equi vaccines were developed and evaluated. The first formulation was prepared using the S. equi isolates, adjuvanted with MONTANIDE GEL adjuv...
Atwa AS, Gomaa L, Elmenofy W, Amer HM, Ahmed BM.Equine influenza (EI) is a transmissible viral respiratory sickness of the family. Two viruses, H7N7 and H3N8 caused EI; however, H7N7 has not been detected for decades. H3N8 has circulated and bifurcated into Eurasian and American lineages. The latter subsequently diversified into Kentucky, South America, and Florida sub-lineages. Florida clade 1 (FC1) and Florida clade 2 (FC2) strains are the only circulating EI viruses (EIVs) in the meantime. Immunization is considered the major means for the prevention and control of EI infection. Using disparate technologies and platforms, several vaccin...
Linnegar B, Kerlin DH, Eby P, Kemsley P, McCallum H, Peel AJ.To identify the size and distribution of the horse population in the Northern Rivers Region of NSW, including changes from 2007 to 2021, to better understand populations at risk of Hendra virus transmission. Methods: Census data from the 2007 Equine Influenza (EI) outbreak were compared with data collected annually by New South Wales Local Land Services (LLS) (2011-2021), and with field observations via road line transects (2021). Results: The horse populations reported to LLS in 2011 (3000 horses; 0.77 horses/km) was 145% larger than that reported during the EI outbreak in 2007 (1225 horses; ...
Hassanien RT, Thieulent CJ, Carossino M, Li G, Balasuriya UBR.(1) Background: equid alphaherpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is a highly contagious viral pathogen prevalent in most horse populations worldwide. Genome-editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 have become powerful tools for precise RNA-guided genome modifications; (2) Methods: we designed single guide RNAs (sgRNA) to target three essential (ORF30, ORF31, and ORF7) and one non-essential (ORF74) EHV-1 genes and determine their effect on viral replication dynamics ; (3) Results: we demonstrated that sgRNAs targeting essential lytic genes reduced EHV-1 replication, whereas those targeting ORF74 had a negligi...
Faghihzadeh Gorji F, Sadr S, Eshrati H, Borji H.Worldwide, equines are affected by equine filariosis, an endemic vector-borne disease caused by heterogenous parasitic nematodes. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of filarial infection among horses in the North and Northeast of Iran. Between October 2021 and July 2022, 145 equine blood samples were investigated, of which 49 cases were from the northeast and 96 were from the north of Iran. Blood samples were taken for microfilariae using Knott's method. Out of 145 blood samples, only 2 cases (1.37%) from northern Iran were positive for microfilaria of , and no po...
Fournier AK, French M, Letson EA, Hanson J, Berry TD, Cronin S.This study examined human-animal symbiosis in an animal-assisted intervention through observations of animal maintenance behaviors. The rise of psychotherapy, learning, and recreation incorporating animals warrants exploration of the welfare of the animals involved in these interventions. The analysis of welfare in multispecies engagements can be discussed in terms of symbiosis. Regarding an intervention's animal provider (e.g., therapy horse) and human recipient (psychotherapy client), the balance of cost and benefit is important. Research describing human and animal during interventions is ...
Schilling M, Dunkel B, Floyd T, Hicks D, Nunez A, Steinbach F, Folly AJ, Johnson N.We report fatal West Nile virus (WNV) infection in a 7-year-old mare returning to the United Kingdom from Spain. Case timeline and clustering of virus sequence with recent WNV isolates suggest that transmission occurred in Andalusía, Spain. Our findings highlight the importance of vaccination for horses traveling to WNV-endemic regions.
Nowicka B, Torres A, Polkowska I, Jackow-Nowicka J, Przewozny M, Jackow-Malinowska J.Chronic tendon and ligament diseases are commonly encountered in both athletic humans and animals, especially horses. Distal limb diseases, including suspensory ligament (SL) pathology due to anatomical, histological, and biomechanical properties, can be considered a model for tendon and ligament pathologies in humans. The appropriate selection of therapy is often crucial in optimising the healing process. One decisive factor influencing the possibility of returning to pre-disease training levels appears to be the utilisation of physical activity, including controlled movement, during the reha...
Stegelmeier BL, Davis TZ.Many toxic plants are unpalatable to horses and are not eaten when alternative forage is available. However, when such plants contaminate prepared or baled feed and forage, herd competition and improved palatability can alter acceptance and thereby cause equine plant poisonings. Dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing plants; cocklebur; Salvia reflexa; kleingrass, switchgrass, and other saponin-containing grasses; jimson weed, black henbane, and other tropane alkaloid-containing plants; lantana; Cassia spp and other myotoxic plants; castor bean; cyanogenic glycoside-containing plants; thiamin...
Cutarelli A, Buonavoglia A, Fusco G, Pellicanò R, Napoletano M, Brandt S, Roperto S.Sarcoids are benign and locally aggressive skin lesions that commonly affect horses and other equid species. Sarcoids are generally considered to be caused by bovine delta-papillomaviruses (δPVs) types 1 and 2 (BPV1 and BPV2, respectively). Moreover, while bovine δPV types 13 and 14 (BPV13 and BPV14, respectively) are also suspected to induce sarcoids, information regarding this possibility and the occurrence of multiple bovine δPV infections in sarcoids is scarce. This study aimed, for the first time, to assess BPV1, BPV2, BPV13, and BPV14 infections and co-infections in equine sarcoid sam...
Christofi E, Hoopes J, El-Hage C, Coffin J, Riley T, Cumming B.Since their arrival in the 1700s, horses have played a significant role in shaping the identity of rural and remote communities. However, Indigenous perspectives on the historical role of horses in communities have been largely underrepresented. In remote regions, where access to veterinary and medical services is limited, interactions between people and free-roaming horses present a potential risk for zoonotic disease transmission. This review identifies potential pathways for the transmission of equine zoonoses in rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, aiming to ...
Taguchi T, Lopez MJ, Aoun R, Helber L.Over the last few decades, cell and cell-based therapies emerged as treatment options for equine tendinopathy and desmopathy. The objective of this study was to critically evaluate outcomes following treatment of equine tendinopathy or desmopathy with adult multipotent stromal/stem cells (MSCs). Unassigned: The PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for "equine/horse," "tendon/tendinopathy/tendonitis/ligament/ligamentopathy/desmopathy/desmitis," "stem/stromal/mesenchymal/multipotent," and "cell" from January 2001 to June 2025. Studies were identified according to PRISMA guidelines, ...
Leduc L, St-Jean G, Lavoie JP.Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed for the treatment of equine asthma, despite limited evidence supporting their use. Tracheal wash (TW) bacterial culture results are known to influence antimicrobial prescription decisions. Objective: To determine whether a positive TW bacterial culture in horses with asthma is associated with bronchial infection or colonisation, increased bronchial remodelling and airway inflammation by evaluating the presence of bacteria and airway remodelling in endobronchial biopsies, as well as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology and tracheal mucus scores. Me...
Kovács BA, Topál J, Gergely A.The relationship between horses and humans is often described as cooperative and affective, yet empirical studies on horse-rider bond remain scarce. Previous findings on horse-human relationships yielded conflicting results on whether and how horses show bonding like behaviour toward their owners. Objective: We tested whether horses show partner-specific approach and proximity toward their primary rider compared with an unfamiliar experimenter in an adapted Strange Situation Test, and whether the rider's presence was associated with behavioural patterns indicative of safe haven and secure base...
Alsakini KAMH, Al-Ammiri HH, Touma MM.A prevalent contagious pathogenic parasite that can lead to major health issues is . Unassigned: The present study aimed to detect the parasitic immune response and the existence of genomic DNA in the blood of a -positive equine. Unassigned: Thirty serum samples from horses suspected of having toxoplasmosis were collected from the Al-Rusafa neighborhood in Baghdad. To quantitatively investigate toxoplasma antibody levels in horse serum, an ELISA was used to evaluate immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels. Conventional (PCR) was used to identify DNA. Unassigned: The blood levels of IgG immunoglobulin i...
Yerlikaya Z, Miranda-CasoLuengo R, Jahns H, Byrne O, Meijer WG, Mulcahy G, Walshe N.Cyathostomins are the most prevalent and currently considered the most pathogenic gastrointestinal nematodes in horses. Their life cycle includes an encystment phase within the large intestinal mucosa, where up to 90 % of the total worm burden resides. Clinical disease ranges from chronic protein-losing enteropathy to acute, sometimes fatal, typhlocolitis. Despite their significance, the ecological interplay between cyathostomins, the host immune response, and the gut microbiota remains poorly understood. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate these interactions at the mucos...
Thompson JR, Barcalow S, Stark A, Scoggin KE, Conley AJ, Loux SC.Luteinizing hormone (LH) plays a pivotal role in equine reproductive physiology, yet its measurement has traditionally relied on radioimmunoassays (RIA), which present safety, accessibility, and regulatory challenges. This study evaluates the use of a commercially available pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as an alternative for quantifying circulating LH in horses. Given the 100% peptide identity between equine LH and PMSG, we hypothesized that the PMSG ELISA would detect LH with high specificity and sensitivity. Blood samples from healthy, cycl...
Sunderland KA, Affolter VK, Cassano JM, Berryhill EH, Morgan JM.To determine the main causes of death in aged horses residing at a retirement facility in California. Unassigned: A retrospective cross-sectional study design was utilized to evaluate signalment, medical history, and necropsy reports of horses aged 20 years or older at death and housed at a single retirement facility. All cases underwent a standard post mortem evaluation from 2010 through 2020 by the University of California-Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Euthanasia decisions were made by the retirement facility staff in consultation with a veterinarian. The m...
de Araujo EAB, Papa FO, de Oliveira Baldini PH, de Paula Freitas-Dell'Aqua C, de Oliveira SN, Silva LFMC, Junior LRPA, Rodrigues LT, Monteiro GA.Despite advances in the method, equine semen cryopreservation still leads to a marked decline in sperm quality, partly attributed to oxidative stress, which motivates the search for lipophilic antioxidants capable of stabilizing the plasma membrane during cooling and freezing. This study performed three experiments to evaluate butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as an additive to commercial skim milk-based (Botu-Sêmen) and egg yolk-based (Botu-Crio) extenders. In Experiment 1, a dose-response curve (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM) was performed using stallion semen to assess toxicity and establish a safe ...
Basso RM, Cerri FM, Braga PRC, Silva ROS, de Araújo Júnior JP, Oliveira-Filho JP, Pantoja JCF, Ribeiro MG, Arroyo LG, Borges AS.Diarrhea is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in foals. Our hypothesis is that foals with diarrhea have a greater prevalence of ≥2 organisms causing coinfections. We investigated the major microorganisms associated with diarrhea in 200 foals up to 1-y-old (100 diarrheic and 100 non-diarrheic). Fecal samples were analyzed by real-time PCR (rtPCR) for the detection of and toxin genes and , (genotyping for toxin-encoding genes), spp., , , , , , and spp. Rotavirus A and coronavirus were detected using reverse-transcription rtPCR. Fecal bacterial culture was also performed for ...
Leith GS, Hallam L, Englar RE.The ninth standard of accreditation as outlined by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) mandates that all accredited colleges of veterinary medicine must provide instruction in medicine and surgery, including principles of practice, hands-on experiences with diagnostic methods, and interpretation of clinical findings. In equine practice, diagnostic imaging is used as a first-line diagnostic approach and is an integral part of pre-purchase and lameness examinations. Accuracy and consistency of radiographic interpretation relies heavily upon procedural te...
Verstraete MH, Kuijpers F, Holl W, Norris J, van Heule M, Martin-Pelaez S, Heard C, Uribe-Salazar J, Armien A, Conley A, De Spiegelaere W....The endometrium is a hormonally responsive tissue that undergoes cyclic remodeling. Although endometrial organoids have been established in several species, detailed characterization remains limited. Here, we assessed the structural and molecular fidelity of equine endometrial organoids across reproductive cycle stages and during extended culture. Organoids were generated from biopsies collected during estrus and diestrus and analyzed using histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and bulk- and single-cell RNA sequencing. Organoids formed polarized cystic structures composed of co...
Brooks L, Ryan M, McCosham E, Loganathan D.In 2009, levamisole was identified as a source for several aminorex positives reported in postrace equine samples in Canada. Since then, unexplained detections of aminorex continue to be identified in equine samples where there is no evidence to link these detections to a levamisole administration. Previous studies identified a compound named barbarin in some species of plants from the Brassicaceae family and suggested that barbarin may be a possible precursor for aminorex. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the link between barbarin and aminorex and (2) identify other biomar...
Shimizu Y, Sugai-Bannai M, Saito K, Hirano-Kodaira M, Leung GN.Somapacitan, a long-acting growth hormone derivative, and recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) are protein-based drugs generally used to treat growth disorders and GH deficiency in humans. Due to their potential to enhance the horse performance, the use of these drugs is prohibited at-all-times by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities for horseracing and the Fédération Equestre Internationale for equestrian sports. In this study, we developed a test method for the identification and differentiation of somapacitan and rhGH in equine plasma by using liquid chromatography h...
Steel R, Timms M, Bamford N, Spence R, Sillence M.Previous liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) methods for the detection of insulin and other similar peptide hormones in equine plasma relied on the use of antibody affinity extraction. As a result, these methods were not suitable for routine high-throughput analysis. A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method incorporating size exclusion as well as reversed-phase interactions allows the selective extraction of peptide hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), insulin and their synthetic analogues from equine plasma with approximately 80% extraction efficiencies. This extracti...
