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.
Altan E, Hui A, Li Y, Pesavento P, AsÃn J, Crossley B, Deng X, Uzal FA, Delwart E.Six foals with interstitial pneumonia of undetermined etiology from Southern California were analyzed by viral metagenomics. Spleen, lung, and colon content samples obtained during necropsy from each animal were pooled, and nucleic acids from virus-like particles enriched for deep sequencing. The recently described equine copiparvovirus named eqcopivirus, as well as three previously uncharacterized viruses, were identified. The complete ORFs genomes of two closely related protoparvoviruses, and of a bocaparvovirus, plus the partial genome of a picornavirus were assembled. The parvoviruses were...
Sundstrom KD, Lineberry MW, Grant AN, Duncan KT, Ientile MM, Little SE.Ticks are common on horses, but recent publications characterizing equine tick infestations in North America are lacking. Methods: To further understand attachment site preferences of common ticks of horses, and to document the seasonality of equine tick infestation in northeastern Oklahoma, horses from eight farms were evaluated twice a month over a 1-year period. Each horse was systematically inspected beginning at the head and moving caudally to the tail. Attachment sites of ticks were recorded and all ticks collected were identified to species and stage. Results: Horses (26 males and 62 fe...
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...
Bachmann M, Glatter M, Bochnia M, Greef JM, Breves G, Zeyner A.For a period of 20 days, 12 horses either received a prebiotic supplementation with fructooligosaccharides and inulin via Jerusalem artichoke meal (JAM) or corncob meal without grains (CMG) as placebo. The horses were euthanized 1 hour postprandial, gastric digesta was sampled from pars nonglandularis (PNG) and pars glandularis (PG), and concentrations of starch, mono- and disaccharides, fructans, d- and l-lactic acid, and short chain fatty acids were analyzed. Concentrations of starch and simple sugars were widely the same in JAM supplemented and not supplemented meals. However, fructans were...
Berreta A, Burbick CR, Alexander T, Kogan C, Kopper JJ.Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that confer a health benefit to the host when administered in adequate amounts, therefore the presence of viable microorganisms is essential. Previous studies reported inconsistencies when comparing contents of probiotics marketed for use in animals with label claims. However, to the author's knowledge the variability of the same product between different lots has yet to be evaluated. The objective of this observational study was to evaluate the content and inter-lot variability of commercial equine probiotic products using culture dependent and in...
Sebastian PS, Benitez-Ibalo AP, Flores FS, Debárbora VN, Martinez EI, Thompson CS, Mangold AJ.To investigate the presence of Theileria equi in an endemic area of equine piroplasmosis 42 horses (Equus caballus) from Corrientes City, Argentina were sampled. Eighty-one percent (34 blood samples) of the analyzed horses were tested positive to the presence of piroplasmid 18S rDNA. All these samples could be identified as T. equi by amplifying the specific EMA-1 (merozoite antigen 1) gene of this species. Phylogenetic analysis of an obtained 18S rDNA complete sequence from one strain resulted in the identification of this sample as T. equi sensu stricto (genotype A). This study presents the ...
Freitas NFQR, Otaka DY, Galvão CC, de Almeida DM, Ferreira MRA, Moreira Júnior C, Hidalgo MMMH, Conceição FR, Salvarani FM.In horses, Clostridium perfringens is associated with acute and fatal enterocolitis, which is caused by a beta toxin (CPB), and myonecrosis, which is caused by an alpha toxin (CPA). Although the most effective way to prevent these diseases is through vaccination, specific clostridial vaccines for horses against C. perfringens are not widely available. The aim of this study was to pioneer the immunization of horses with three different concentrations (100, 200 and 400 µg) of C. perfringens recombinant alpha (rCPA) and beta (rCPB) proteins, as well as to evaluate the humoral immune response ove...
Calero Rodriguez A, de Grauw JC, van Loon JPAM.To determine the effect of fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO) on intrapulmonary shunt fraction as measured by F-shunt in ponies during isoflurane anaesthesia. Methods: Prospective, randomized clinical study. Methods: A group of 23 adult Shetland ponies undergoing a total of 32 anaesthetic procedures. Methods: Ponies were premedicated intravenously (IV) with detomidine (0.01 mg kg) and either morphine (0.1 mg kg) or butorphanol (0.02 mg kg). Anaesthesia was induced with ketamine (2.2 mg kg) and midazolam (0.07 mg kg) administered IV. Ponies were randomly allocated to maintenance of anaesthesia w...
Gastal EL, Pastorello M, Godoi DB, Gastal MO.This comparative study between postpartum lactating (PP Lactating) and non-postpartum cycling (N-PP Cycling) mares aimed to characterize reproductive patterns, types and frequencies of follicular waves, corpus luteum and endometrial echotexture dynamics, and the influence of season and body condition. Mares from each group were paired considering the day of parturition of a PP Lactating mare. The partum-ovulation interval (POI) and the postpartum interovulatory interval (PPIOI) were evaluated for PP Lactating mares, and 2 IOIs were evaluated for N-PP Cycling mares. The following observations w...
Ferreira JRM, Villela SB, Bianconi C, Ormieres M, de Melo GD, Pugliesi G, Gobesso AAO.Different approaches have been used to improve conception rates at foal heat. Omega-3 fatty acids family and derivatives have improved reproductive efficiency in ruminants, but literature lacks studies evaluating these components on equines. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of mare dietary supplementation with microalgae rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during peripartum on follicular dynamics and uterine involution in early post-partum. Eighteen pregnant mares, no particular breed, 410 ± 39.5 kg body weight (BW), and 7.83 ± 2.01 yr old were used. Mares were randomly ass...
De Jonge B, Dufourni A, Oosterlinck M, Chiers K.We report a 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding that had sudden onset lameness of the right forelimb with episodes of lateral decubitus and generalized pain after completion of a normal training session. The clinical signs subsequently became less pronounced with only mild right forelimb lameness. However, after further orthopaedic examination, it developed severe, acute ataxia and paraplegia, the Schiff-Sherrington phenomenon and risus sardonicus. At necropsy, a partial duplication of the cervical spinal cord was identified, consistent with split spinal cord malformation type II or diplomyelia. H...
Hurcombe SD, Roessner HA, Klein CE, Engiles JB, Hopster K.Jejunal vascular ligation is an essential step in performing jejunojejunostomy. Hand sewn ligation is typically used and can increase operative time with long sections of bowel to be removed. Nylon cable ties (NCT) have been used for vascular ligation in horses but are yet to be investigated for application on the mesenteric vasculature of the gastrointestinal tract. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and short-term safety of NCT jejunal mesenteric vessel ligation in healthy horses. Eight healthy adult horses underwent midline celiotomy. A segment of jejunal mesentery was identified (â...
van Veggel E, Selberg K, van der Velde-Hoogelander B, Bolas N, Vanderperren K, Bergman HJ. This study aims to evaluate the distribution and severity of bone and soft tissue lesions in the proximal metacarpal region of warmblood horses in lame and control groups. Correlation between lesions and ability to return to work was evaluated in the lame group. This restrospective analysis evaluated 62 horses with MRI examination of the proximal metacarpal region between Sept 2015 and Feb 2021. There were 36 lame limbs and 26 control limbs. The control group included seven contralateral limbs. Proximal suspensory ligament (PSL) size was not different between the lame and control groups. Hy...
Lindinger MI.The TCO2 (total carbon dioxide) test is performed on the blood of racehorses as a means of combatting the practice of administering alkalizing agents for the purpose of enhancing performance. The purposes of this review are to present an overview of the factors contributing to TCO2 and to review the literature regarding TCO2 in adult Standardbred and Thoroughbred horses to demonstrate the range of variability of TCO2 in horses. Most of the research published on the topic of TCO2 or bicarbonate measurement in racehorses was accessed and reviewed. PubMed and Google Scholar were the primary sear...
Wiebke M, Hensel B, Nitsche-Melkus E, Jung M, Schulze M.This review is part of the Festschrift in honor of Dr. Duane Garner and provides an overview of current techniques for cooled storage of semen from livestock animals. The first part describes the current state of the art of liquid semen preservation in boars, bulls, and stallions, including the diluents, use of additives, processing, temperature, and cooling of semen. The species-specific physiology and varying extents of cold shock sensitivity are taken into consideration. In addition, factors influencing the quality of cooled-stored semen are discussed. Methods, trends, and the most recent a...
Kopper JJ, Willette JA, Kogan CJ, Seguin A, Bolin SR, Schott HC.Rates of detecting ≥1 potential enteric pathogens (PEP) or toxins (PEP-T) in feces, blood, or both of horses ≥6 months of age with enteric disease and impact of multiple detections on outcome of horses with colitis has not been reported. Objective: To determine detection rates of PEP/PEP-T in feces, blood, or both of horses with enteric disease and effect of detecting multiple agents on outcome of horses with colitis. Methods: Thirty-seven hundred fifty-three fecal samples submitted to IDEXX Laboratories and 239 fecal and blood samples submitted to Michigan State University's Veterinary D...
Zehetner V, Cavalleri JV, Klang A, Hofer M, Preining I, Steinborn R, Ramsauer AS.There is strong evidence that equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) is associated with the onset of Theiler's disease, an acute hepatic necrosis, in horses. However, the impact of this virus on other hepatopathies remains unknown. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence and quantify the viral loads of EqPV-H in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded equine and donkey livers with various histopathologic abnormalities. The pathologies included cirrhosis, circulatory disorders of the liver, toxic and metabolic hepatic diseases as well as neoplastic and inflammatory dise...
Huseman C, Walker N, McCorkle DA, Hanselka D, Cater M, Zoller J.The COVID-19 pandemic affected the economic status of all sectors of the global economy including the horse show industry. Reporting the impact of COVID-19 on in-person horse shows and an early assessment of its impact on the economy was the objective of this study. A Qualtrics survey instrument was disseminated to horse show participants through social media pages and email (n = 251). A majority of respondents were females (95.6%) representing a cross-section of the United States (84.0%). Participants reported planning to attend an average of 9.7 (SD = 7.15) in-person horse shows in 2020...
Zanker A, Wöhr AC, Reese S, Erhard M.Veterinary and human medicine are still seeking a conclusive explanation of the function of sleep, including the change in sleep behaviour over the course of an individual's lifetime. In human medicine, sleep disorders and abnormalities in the electroencephalogram are used for prognostic statements, therapeutic means and diagnoses. To facilitate such use in foal medicine, we monitored 10 foals polysomnographically for 48 h. Via 10 attached cup electrodes, brain waves were recorded by electroencephalography, eye movements by electrooculography and muscle activity by electromyography. Wireless ...
Brubaker L, Schroeder K, Sherwood D, Stroud D, Udell MAR.While human benefits of animal-assisted therapy programs have been documented, relatively little research has been conducted on behavioral factors that predict a successful equine-assisted services (EAS) horse. This study compares the behavior of experienced and non-experienced EAS horses as well as horses selected for future EAS work in a series of sociability and temperament tests. No significant differences were found between experienced and non-experienced horses in the sociability measures or for most of the temperament tests; however, significant differences were found between groups in ...
Alsafy MAM, Elbakary RMA, Bassuoni NF.Joint diseases often represent the major part of equine clinician's caseloads. The current study aimed to document the normal anatomy of the donkey shoulder and elbow joints using computed tomography, cadaver sections, and radiography. Seven adult donkeys were used in this study. The current study proved there were no pouches of the donkey shoulder joint. Communication between the joint capsule and bicipital bursa was observed only in two limbs of four used in the present work. The joint was without pericapsular ligaments. The glenohumeral ligament was identified by the thickening of the artic...
Löwen Levy Chalhoub F, Maia de Queiroz-Júnior E, Holanda Duarte B, Eielson Pinheiro de Sá M, Cerqueira Lima P, Carneiro de Oliveira A....In June 2019, a horse with neurological disorder was diagnosed with West Nile virus (WNV) in Boa Viagem, a municipality in the state of Ceará, northeast Brazil. A multi-institutional task force coordinated by the Brazilian Ministry of Health was deployed to the area for case investigation. A total of 513 biological samples from 78 humans, 157 domestic animals and 278 free-ranging wild birds, as well as 853 adult mosquitoes of 22 species were tested for WNV by highly specific serological and/or molecular tests. No active circulation of WNV was detected in vertebrates or mosquitoes by molecular...
Ringhofer M, Trösch M, Lansade L, Yamamoto S.When interacting with humans, domesticated species may respond to communicative gestures, such as pointing. However, it is currently unknown, except for in dogs, if species comprehend the communicative nature of such cues. Here, we investigated whether horses could follow the pointing of a human informant by evaluating the credibility of the information about the food-hiding place provided by the pointing of two informants. Using an object-choice task, we manipulated the attentional state of the two informants during food-hiding events and differentiated their knowledge about the location of t...
Huang H, Zhang K, Zhang B, Liu S, Chu H, Qi Y, Zhang D, Li K.Gasterophilus spp. have been found to be widespread in reintroduced Przewalski's horses in the Kalamaili Nature Reserve (Northwest China). However, data on the annual variation in Gasterophilus infections are lacking. To analyze the epidemiological features and determine the cause of the annual variation in Gasterophilus infections, we treated 110 Przewalski's horses with ivermectin and collected Gasterophilus larvae from fecal samples each winter from 2007 to 2019. All 110 Przewalski's horses studied were found to be infected by Gasterophilus spp., and a total of 141 379 larvae were collected...
Richards B, Sage Jacobson S, James Aquino YS.The introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into health care has been accompanied by uncertainties and regulatory challenges. The establishment of a regulatory framework around AI in health is in its infancy and the way forward is unclear. There are those who argue that this represents a concerning regulatory gap, while others assert that existing regulatory frameworks, policies and guidelines are sufficient. We argue that perhaps the reality is somewhere in between, but that there is a need for engagement with principles and guidelines to inform future regulation. However, this cannot be...
Ghafar A, Abbas G, King J, Jacobson C, Hughes KJ, El-Hage C, Beasley A, Bauquier J, Wilkes EJA, Hurley J, Cudmore L, Carrigan P, Tennent-Brown B....Faecal egg counting techniques (FECT) form the cornerstone for the detection of gastrointestinal parasites in equines. For this purpose, several flotation, centrifugation, image- and artificial intelligence-based techniques are used, with varying levels of performance. This review aimed to critically appraise the literature on the assessment and comparison of various coprological techniques and/or modifications of these techniques used for equines and to identify the knowledge gaps and future research directions. We searched three databases for published scientific studies on the assessment an...
von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Janssen IJI, Ramünke S, Goday C, Borges FA, Koudela B, Niedźwiedź A, Tomczuk K, Studzińska MB, Kornas S, Krücken J.Equines were over decades considered to be infected by two morphologically virtually indistinguishable ascarid species, Parascaris univalens and Parascaris equorum. Reliable species discrimination is only possible using enzyme isoelectric focussing and karyotyping with P. univalens having one and P. equorum two chromosome pairs. However, presumably the complexity of both methods prevented their routine use in nearly all previous studies about prevalence and drug resistance of Parascaris spp. These have barely been performed on the species level although most studies stated presence of one or t...
Viafara JAS, Portilho RV, Maculan R, Souza Júnior JF, Silva CM, Rodrigues PG, El Azzi MS, Souza JC.This study evaluated the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in circulating blood and in the ovarian follicular fluid of mares, after supplementation of the diet with linseed oil. Six Mangalarga Marchador mares, weighing 397.00±31.89 kg, were kept on native pasture, and assigned to the current study. In a switch over design, mares were randomly allocated to receive 150 ml of vegetable oil daily, containing polyunsaturated fatty acids n3 (62.23 g ALA, 20.34 g LA, 2.27 g EPA, 2.32 g DHA), (n=3) or no supplementation (n=3) in two replicates. Blood and follicular fluid samples were taken on t...
Mok CH, MacLeod JN.Within developing synovial joints, interzone and anlagen cells progress through divergent chondrogenic pathways to generate stable articular cartilage and transient hypertrophic anlagen cartilage, respectively. Understanding the comparative cell biology between interzone and anlagen cells may provide novel insights into emergent cell-based therapies to support articular cartilage regeneration. The aim of this study was to assess the kinetics of gene expression profiles in these skeletal cell lines after inducing chondrogenesis in culture. Interzone and anlagen cells from seven equine fetuses w...
Won SY, Kim YC, Kim SK, Jeong BH.Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases and are characterized by the accumulation of abnormal prion protein (PrP) in the brain. During the outbreak of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic in the United Kingdom, prion diseases in several species were reported; however, horse prion disease has not been reported thus far. In previous studies, the shadow of prion protein (Sho) has contributed to an acceleration of conversion from normal prion protein (PrP) to PrP, and the shadow of prion protein gene () polymorphisms have been significantly associated with the susceptibi...
Naylor RJ, Taylor AH, Knowles EJ, Wilford S, Linnenkohl W, Mair TS, Johns IC.Ex vivo evidence suggests that cyclo-oxygenase (COX) 2-preferential inhibitor nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as meloxicam, have a less detrimental effect on intestinal healing than flunixin meglumine (FM). Whether this translates to a beneficial effect in horses with naturally occurring strangulating small intestinal (SSI) lesions is unknown. Objective: To compare the clinical outcome of horses with naturally occurring SSI lesions treated with meloxicam or FM. Methods: Randomised prospective study. Methods: Cases presenting to the Royal Veterinary College Equine Referral H...
Elashry MI, Gegnaw ST, Klymiuk MC, Wenisch S, Arnhold S.Cell-based therapies have become a promising approach to promote tissue regeneration and the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Bone regeneration maintains bone homeostasis, mechanical stability and physical performance. Mechanical stimulation showed to induce stem cell differentiation into the osteogenic fate. However, the effect of various osteogenic protocols on the osteogenic commitment of equine adipose-derived stem cells is not fully elucidated. Here we examined the influence of fluid-based shear stress (FSS) via mechanical rocking to assess whether mechanical stimulation promotes o...
Broeckx S, Borena BM, Zimmerman M, Mariën T, Seys B, Suls M, Duchateau L, Spaas JH.It has been reported that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have homing capacities and immunomodulating effects after an intravenous injection. However, transplanting MSCs in murine tail veins can result in pulmonary reactions and even death of the animals. Unfortunately, only a few intravenous MSC transplantations have been reported in large animal species and these were performed in a limited number of individuals. To assess the safety of MSC transplantations, a large study on 291 recipient horses is reported here. MSCs were isolated from the peripheral blood (PB) of a 4-year-old and 6-year-old ...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil from the leaves of L. (laurel leaf oil), when used as a sensory additive for all animal species. The additive contains up to 4% methyleugenol. The use of the additive at 2 mg/kg complete feed in dogs and cats was considered of low concern. For other long-living and reproductive animals, the use of the additive at 10 mg/kg was considered of concern. For short-living animal...
Marenzoni ML, Coppola G, Maranesi M, Passamonti F, Cappelli K, Capomaccio S, Verini Supplizi A, Thiry E, Coletti M.Equid herpesvirus 5 (EHV-5) infection was detected in a farm in Italy by the use of a semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting glycoprotein B of EHV-5 on nasal swabs and blood samples of clinically healthy and randomly selected Lipizzaner horses (n = 55). Twenty-five horses at the age of 4-17 years and 30 at an age of 1-3 years were sampled once. The association of the infection with these age-groups and the gender of the horses was investigated. The apparent prevalence of EHV-5 infection was significantly different between age-cohorts: it was higher in the younger group of ...
Sato K, Wakai T, Seita Y, Takizawa A, Fissore RA, Ito J, Kashiwazaki N.A sperm-specific phospholipase C (PLC), PLCzeta (PLCζ), is thought to underlie the initiation of calcium ([Ca(2+) ]i ) oscillations that induce egg activation in mammals. In large domestic species, only bovine, porcine and recently equine PLCζ have been cloned, and the physiological functions of these molecules have not been fully characterized. Here, we evaluated the physiological functions of equine PLCζ (ePLCζ) in mouse oocytes. ePLCζ was cloned from testis using RT-PCR. The expression of ePLCζ messenger RNA was confirmed in testis but not in other tissues. Microinjection of ePLCζ co...
Gharekhani J, Yakhchali M, Berahmat R.Knowledge on neosporosis and associated risk factors in different species of animals are so important for designing the control programs and reduce the economic losses globally. This literature review targeted for evaluating the infection rate of in animals in Iran. Until April 2020, all of published documents in the main English and Persian-language databases were searched. A total number of 110 documents (English = 85 and Persian = 25) were extracted. Most of reports were sero-epidemiological studies using ELISA in Iranian cattle population. The range of infection was 3.8-76.2% in ...
Montelaro RC, Robey WG, West MD, Issel CJ, Fischinger PJ.The reported serological relatedness between the major glycoproteins of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV gp120) and equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV gp90) was examined using purified antigens in radioimmunoprecipitation (RIP), radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoblot assays with reference serum from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, an anti-gp120 goat serum and EIAV-infected horse serum. To assess the contributions of glycoprotein oligosaccharide and peptide components to any observed reactivities, antigens treated with endoglycosidase F to remove carbohydrate were assayed...
Schoster A.Probiotics are commonly used in human and veterinary medicine due to their postulated positive effects on overall and specifically gastrointestinal health. Although some beneficial effects have been shown in several human diseases, a general beneficial effect of probiotics is currently not supported. In horses, well-designed studies to date are few, results are conflicting, and the effects of probiotics are questionable. Adverse effects are rare; however, intestinal adverse effects (diarrhea) have been reported in foals. Quality control of over-the-counter probiotics is not tightly regulated, ...
Boxell AC, Gibson KT, Hobbs RP, Thompson RC.To assess the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in horses in Perth. To apply polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the identification of some species of encysted larval cyathostomes. Methods: Between February and September of 2000, the gastrointestinal tracts of 29 horses submitted to a local knackery and Murdoch University Veterinary hospital in Perth were examined post mortem for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites. Methods: The gastrointestinal tract was divided into six sections, which were screened for the presence of parasites such as Gasterophilus sp, Anoplocephala sp and Pa...
Nilsson O, Ljungström BL, Höglund J, Lundquist H, Uggla A.Distal ileum, caecum and proximal colon of 470 horses were examined for helminths during 1 year at an abattoir in central Sweden. The infection levels of the horse tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata, their stage of development, site of attachment and gross pathological lesions caused by the worm were recorded. Faecal samples from 395 of the horses were examined specifically for tapeworm segments and eggs in order to correlate these findings with the numbers in the alimentary canal. In total 65% of the horses were infected with A. perfoliata and the mean intensity of infection was 79 worms per i...
Olivo G, Lucas TM, Borges AS, Silva RO, Lobato FC, Siqueira AK, da Silva Leite D, Brandão PE, Gregori F, de Oliveira-Filho JP, Takai S, Ribeiro MG.Diarrhea is a major clinical problem affecting foals up to 3 months of age. The aim of this study was to identify enteric microorganisms involved in monoinfections and coinfections and the associated virulence factors in healthy and diarrheic foals. Diarrheic (D) ( = 56) and nondiarrheic (ND) foals ( = 60) up to three months of age were studied. Fecal samples were analyzed for identification of infectious agents (microbiological culturing, molecular techniques, and microscopic analyses). (30% versus 25%), spp. (25% versus 7%), (25% versus 25%), type A (21% versus 10%), (20% versus 35%), ...
Mazzola SM, Colombani C, Pizzamiglio G, Cannas S, Palestrini C, Costa ED, Gazzonis AL, Bionda A, Crepaldi P.The satisfaction of leisure horses' behavioral needs has begun to be considered a priority, linked to the awareness that horses kept in single boxes may be deprived of social contact and the possibility to perform natural behaviors. Several factors may influence horses' quality of life also in the paddock, and there are very few data on the effects of those variables on leisure horses' chronic stress, measurable in terms of activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. Therefore, managerial choices faced by owners and stables managers are only based on experience, common sense,...
Leclere M, Costa MC.Gastrointestinal microbiota can be influenced by several factors, including diet and systemic inflammation, and in turn could act as a modulator of the allergic response. Fecal microbiota of horses with asthma has not been described. Objective: Analyze the bacterial fecal microbiota of horses with and without asthma under different environment and diet conditions, during both remission and exacerbation. Methods: Prospective observational study. Feces from 6 asthmatic and 6 healthy horses were collected under 3 different conditions: on pasture, housed indoors receiving good quality hay ("good h...
Lang HM, Schnabel LV, Cassano JM, Fortier LA.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are frequently delivered via needle injection for treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of needle diameter on the viability of MSCs. Methods: Equine bone marrow-derived MSCs from 5 horses were suspended in PBS, and held at room temperature for 7 hours to mimic shipping conditions. Two replicate samples for each needle size (20, 22, 23, or 25-gauge [ga]) were aspirated into a 3 mL syringe and re-injected into the holding vial 3 times, to reproduce the resuspension of cells prior to injection in clinical cases. C...
Jacobson E, Dart AJ, Mondori T, Horadogoda N, Jeffcott LB, Little CB, Smith MM.It is not known how extensively a localised flexor tendon injury affects the entire tendon. This study examined the extent of and relationship between histopathologic and gene expression changes in equine superficial digital flexor tendon after a surgical injury. One forelimb tendon was hemi-transected in six horses, and in three other horses, one tendon underwent a sham operation. After euthanasia at six weeks, transected and control (sham and non-operated contralateral) tendons were regionally sampled (medial and lateral halves each divided into six 3 cm regions) for histologic (scoring and ...
Guy PS, Snow DH.1. Percutaneous needle biopsies were obtained from six limb muscles in six horses before and during a training programme of 10 or 15 weeks designed to involve both aerobic and anaerobic work. In a subsequent detraining period, biopsies were also taken after 5 and 10 weeks. 2. Samples were analysed biochemically for enzyme activity of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aldolase (ALD), citrate synthase (CS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and for glycogen content. Fibre typing was carried out histochemically before and 10 weeks after c...
Orth MW, Peters TL, Hawkins JN.Glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate in many animal and human trials has improved joint health. In vitro studies are beginning to clarify their mode of action. The objective of this research was to: 1) determine at what concentrations glucosamine-HCl (GLN) and/or chondroitin sulphate (CS) would inhibit the cytokine-induced catabolic response in equine articular cartilage explants and 2) to determine if a combination of the 2 was more effective at inhibiting the catabolic response than the individual compounds. Articular cartilage was obtained from carpal joints of horses (age 1-4 years). Carti...
Meyer TS, Fedde MR, Gaughan EM, Langsetmo I, Erickson HH.Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) causes serious economic losses in the horse racing industry. Endoscopic examination indicates that 40-90% of horses exhibit EIPH following sprint exercise, but the limitations of the endoscope prevent diagnosis in many horses. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was utilised to detect red blood cells (RBCs) in the terminal airways in 6 horses. Two lavages were performed at weekly intervals prior to exercise, one within 90 min after exercise, and 5 at weekly intervals after exercise. The horses were exercised strenuously at 12.5-14.6 m/s on a treadmill (3 ...
Harvey JW, Pate MG, Kivipelto J, Asquith RL.Pregnancy and lactation result in increased metabolic demands. Although homeostatic mechanisms function to keep substances in blood at relatively constant levels, some changes in the concentrations of routine clinical chemistry analytes are likely to occur. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine what physiological changes occur in serum clinical biochemistry analytes in pregnant and nursing mares, and to determine whether the changes were substantial enough to warrant separate reference intervals for pregnant or lactating horses. Methods: Forty-two Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, S...
Bosh KA, Powell D, Shelton B, Zent W.To improve efficiency at the farm level, a better understanding of how farm management factors impact reproductive performance is important. Objective: To assess reproductive efficiency and effectiveness among Thoroughbred mares in central Kentucky. Methods: A cohort of 1011 mares on 13 farms in central Kentucky was followed during the 2004 mating and 2005 foaling season. Information on farm level practices was collected via interviews with farm managers. Reproductive records were collected for each mare mated to obtain information on mare characteristics. The influence of mare age and status ...
Allhands RV, Torzilli PA, Kallfelz FA.The diffusion of glucose (180 M.W.), inulin (5,000 M.W.) and dextran (20,000 M.W.) into mature bovine and equine articular cartilage was studied. Concentration profiles were determined using a one-dimensional experimental configuration and the diffusion coefficient and partition coefficient calculated from a theoretical model. Glucose was found to diffuse the fastest, followed by inulin and dextran. The partition coefficient was similarly ordered. The rate of diffusion was found to decrease with increasing diffusion time, indicating a dependence on solute concentration. No time variation was e...
Corbin LJ, Pope J, Sanson J, Antczak DF, Miller D, Sadeghi R, Brooks SA.Novel coat colour phenotypes often emerge during domestication, and there is strong evidence of genetic selection for the two main genes that control base coat colour in horses- and . These genes direct the type of pigment produced, red pheomelanin () or black eumelanin (), as well as the relative concentration and the temporal-spatial distribution of melanin pigment deposits in the skin and hair coat. Here, we describe a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify novel genic regions involved in the determination of the shade of bay. In total, 126 horses from five different breeds were r...
Gramm M, Marksteiner R.Using a dataset of 274 male Thoroughbred racehorses in the United States, we study the effect of age on racing performance. Beyer speed figures, which are uniform measures of racing performance across distance and racing surface, are utilized in this study. A system of equations is estimated to determine quadratic improvement and decline in racing performance. We find that a typical horse's peak racing age is 4.45 years. The rate of improvement from age 2 to 4 1/2 is greater than the rate of decline after age 4 1/2. A typical horse will improve by 10 (horse) lengths in sprints (less than 1 mil...
Rusnak JM, Glass PJ, Weaver SC, Sabourin CL, Glenn AM, Klimstra W, Badorrek CS, Nasar F, Ward LA.Licensure of a vaccine to protect against aerosolized Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) requires use of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Animal Rule to assess vaccine efficacy as human studies are not feasible or ethical. An approach to selecting VEEV challenge strains for use under the Animal Rule was developed, taking into account Department of Defense (DOD) vaccine requirements, FDA Animal Rule guidelines, strain availability, and lessons learned from the generation of filovirus challenge agents within the Filovirus Animal Nonclinical Group (FANG). Initial down-selectio...
Liu IK, Troedsson MH.Diagnosis and treatment of endometritis in the mare has been controversial and mostly empirical. The lack or inability of researchers to establish or develop a model that can serve as a standard or control makes this area of equine reproduction difficult to address scientifically. However, major advances have been made, particularly with the demonstration of the importance of uterine contractility in the elimination of bacteria, fluid, and inflammatory products from the uterus after breeding. This review provides a historical perspective of what has been done, and where we are now, in the appr...
Ataseven VS, Dağalp SB, Güzel M, Başaran Z, Tan MT, Geraghty B.In this report we examined the presence of specific antibodies against equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), and equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) in several equidae, including mules, donkeys, horses. The presence of EHV-1 and EHV-4 in respiratory diseases of equids, and ability of multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening in simultaneous diagnosis of horses acutely infected by EHV-1 and EHV-4 were also investigated. Sera from 504 horses, mules and donkeys sampled were tested for the presence of EHV-1 and EHV-4 specific antibodies. Blood samples taken from 21 symptomatic horses a...
