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.
To investigate predictors of survival and athletic function in adult horses with infection of a synovial structure. Objective: Increasing duration from contamination to referral, bone or tendon involvement and positive microbial culture decreases short-term survival. Synovitis and/or sepsis at 5 days post-admission and involvement of Staphylococcus spp. decreases long-term athletic function. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Records over 4 years of adult horses with synovial sepsis were reviewed. A two-tailed Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test or t-test was used to examine whether v...
The goal of this work was the development of suitable (real-time) RT-PCR techniques for fast and sensitive diagnosis of EAV and for molecular-epidemiological characterisation of viral strains, as an alternative to virus isolation. To this purpose two conventional RT-PCR methods and one real-time RT-PCR were adapted to detect the broadest possible spectrum of viral strains. Several dilutions with Bucyrus strain showed a 100-fold higher sensitivity of real-time RT-PCR and heminested RT-PCR compared to simple RT-PCR. Making use of 11 cell culture supernatants of different EAV isolates and 7 semen...
To assess injury patterns attributable to horse kicks, to raise the issue of preventive measures, and to evaluate the role of modern accident and emergency department computer software. Methods: Data analysis using a new kind of full electronic medical record. Results: Seventeen kicked equestrians were unmounted at the time of injury. Eight of seventeen patients sustained contusions of the extremities, the back, and the trunk. In nine patients an isolated facial injury was diagnosed. Five of nine patients needed referrals to the department of plastic surgery because of the complexity of the fa...
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...
Ho HSM, Ho ENM, Wong WT.Estra-4,9-diene-3,17-dione (dienedione) is an anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) sold as a bodybuilding supplement. It is prohibited in both human and equine sports. With no report of 4,9-diene configuration in endogenous steroids, dienedione has long been considered a synthetic AAS. Nevertheless, the reoccurring detection of dienedione in colt (entire male horse) urine samples lead to the investigation of its possible endogenous nature in horses. This paper describes (i) the detection of naturally occurring dienedione in colts, (ii) the conjugation study of dienedione and (iii) the population ...
Leduc L, Underwood C, Stefanovski D, Hurcombe S, Navas de Solis C.To assess whether remote assistance is beneficial to the accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examinations during equine emergency evaluations. Methods: Adult horses presenting to a tertiary care large animal emergency service for respiratory or gastrointestinal clinical signs. Methods: Prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical study. Cases were assigned to receive POCUS with remote assistance ("POCUS-R" group) or POCUS with no assistance ("POCUS" group). Accuracy of diagnosis, duration of sonograms and survival to discharge were the objective outcomes compared between groups. Perc...
Holmes JC, Arojojoye AS, Awuah SG, Eisenberg R, Fenger CK, Maylin GA, Brewer K, Tobin T.Detomidine, 5-[(2,3-dimethylphenyl)methyl]-1H-imidazole, is a tranquilizer/sedative/analgesic widely used in equine medicine and regulated by several different analyte concentrations of detomidine and its hydroxydetomidine and carboxydetomidine metabolites in plasma and urine. Accurate regulatory quantitation of detomidine at low picogram/mL concentrations requires the availability of a stable isotope internal standard of detomidine; however, to the best of our knowledge, no certified deuterated internal standard of detomidine is commercially available and its synthesis has not been reported. ...
Chen J, Yablon A, Metaxas C, Guedin M, Hu J, Conover K, Simpson M, Ralston SL, Krishnamurthy K, Pelczer I.: There are a few very specific inflammation biomarkers in blood, namely lipoprotein NMe signals of protein clusters (GlycA and GlycB) and a composite resonance of phospholipids (SPC). The relative integrals of these resonances provide clear indication of the unique metabolic changes associated with disease, specifically inflammatory conditions, often related to serious diseases such as cancer or COVID-19 infection. Relatively complicated, yet very efficient experimental methods have been introduced recently (DIRE, JEDI) to suppress the rest of the spectrum, thus allowing measurement of these ...
Zhang Y, Guo X, Yu M, Sun L, Qu Y, Guo K, Hu Z, Liu D, Zhang H, Wang X.Host ANP32 family proteins are crucial for maintaining the activity of influenza RNA polymerase and play an important role in the cross-species transmission of influenza viruses. To date, the molecular properties of equine ANP32 (eqANP32) protein are poorly understood, particularly the mechanisms that affect equine influenza virus (EIV) RNA polymerase activity. Here, we found that there are six alternative splicing variants of equine ANP32A (eqANP32A) with different levels of expression. Further studies showed that these six splicing variants of eqANP32A supported the activity of EIV RNA polym...
Akinniyi OO, Afolabi DO, Mshelia PW, Olakojo TA, Oyenekan IO, Adah O, Osunkoya D, Olaogun SC, Jeremiah OT, Omobowale TO.Dental age estimation in horses is very important in the context of quality healthcare, breeding programs, and welfare management. However, information on the most suitable dental age estimation methods for Nigerian local horses is not available in the literature. We evaluated and compared dental age estimates based on six dental age estimation methods with known chronological ages of Nigerian local horses to establish the most accurate techniques for this population. A cross-sectional study of 180 Nigerian local horses was conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria. Six dental age estimation methods (erupt...
Pigé C, Vaughan B, Reesink HL.To describe principles of ultrasound-guided injection techniques for intralesional delivery of regenerative orthobiologics into equine tendon and ligament core lesions. Unassigned: A university-owned horse and equine cadaver forelimbs. Unassigned: A reproducible protocol for ultrasound-guided injection is demonstrated with the superficial digital flexor tendon used as an example. Following diagnosis of the lesion, the horse should be sedated and the affected limb desensitized with perineural anesthesia. The lesion is identified ultrasonographically in transverse and longitudinal planes, marked...
Crowell CN, Handlos GC, Discepolo DR, Roeder M, Perry EB.Palatability research in horses has primarily been conducted in mature, non-lactating horses and has typically investigated gustatory rather than aromatic preference. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the gustatory and aromatic preferences of nursing foals. Methods: Stock-type mare (13.25 ± 4.40 years) and foal (6 ± 3 weeks) pairings (n = 4) were utilized in multi-preference testing for treatments including apple, anise, peppermint and control (no palatant). Mares and foals were placed in assigned split stalls for 1800 seconds and provided unrestricted access to a...
Błaszczak A, Olczak K, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Tomczyk-Wrona I, Musiał AD, Grzegorczyk J, Długosz B, Szmatoła T, Ropka-Molik K.Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a prevalent allergic skin disease in horses that significantly affects animal welfare and shows evidence of genetic predisposition. Objective: Understanding the genetic basis of IBH can improve management and breeding strategies. The Equine80K BeadChip microarray was used to identify genomic regions associated with the occurrence of IBH in Hucul horses. Methods: Hair samples were collected from 127 Hucul horses, including both affected individuals and controls. DNA was extracted and genotyped. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed to identif...
Hart KJ, Hegarty MJ, Hart EH.It is more evident that horse health is linked to the gastrointestinal tract and microbial community structure (MCS) as affected by diet. There are many marketed feeds available to enhance nutrition for horses, however the effects of these feeds on hindgut MCS are largely unknown. Objective: The aim was to test the effect of a complementary forage feed (FF) on the fermentation profile and MCS in contrasting basal diets. Methods: A 2×2 factorial design was used to assess the effect of basal diet, forage only (FOR) or forage/concentrate (MIX), and presence/absence of FF on fermentation paramete...
Mochal-King C, Strunk R, Paul L.Resveratrol is a compound found in multiple plants and there is evidence for its use as a supplement in horses, particularly through protection of chondrocytes. Previous studies on the clinical efficacy of resveratrol supplementation in horses have reported limited benefits. To date, there is no pharmacokinetic data of resveratrol in horses but the bioavailability of resveratrol in other species is poor. In this crossover study, the plasma concentrations of two forms of resveratrol were examined. Each horse received via nasogastric tube, either a single dose of resveratrol phospholipid or a st...
Freccero F, Padalino B, Carstens A, Raidal SL.Point of care ultrasonographic (POCUS) assessment of the equine abdomen is now readily available to the equine practitioner using hand-held ultrasound transducers. Commonly used medications may alter the sonographic appearance or function of the small intestine, caecum or colon. Objective: To demonstrate qualitative and quantitative effects of xylazine sedation on intestinal motility of healthy horses using hand-held, wi-fi ultrasound transducers and validate POCUS methodology by determination of intra- and interobserver agreement. Methods: Double-blind cross-over study of eight healthy horses...
Bustamante CC, Pereira PAM, Fernandes CC, Canola PA, Doria RGS, Costa MC, Valadão CAA.Starch overload induces dysbiosis primarily through a reduction in cecal pH. This study aimed to evaluate the cecal microbiota following excessive starch intake, with or without the administration of an intracecal buffering solution. We hypothesized that the buffering solution would mitigate changes in the intestinal microbiota and associated clinical signs. Ten horses were randomly assigned to two groups, each receiving distinct treatments (Group I: saline solution [WSa] and starch-buffer [SB]; Group II: buffer-water [WB] and starch-saline [SSa]). Following starch overload (17.6 g/kg body wei...
Sévin C, Duquesne F, Copin S, Raguenet V, Guy M, Wilhelm A, Gassilloud B, Moreau P, Petry S.A retrospective review of equine necropsies performed at the Normandy Laboratory for Animal Health, French Agency for food, environmental and occupational health and safety (1996-2022) unexpectedly reported Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in equine samples using API 20NE, prompting a re-evaluation of bacterial identification. Of 27 strains, 25 were cultivable, and re-examined using API 20NE, API 20E, MALDI-TOF, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and Vibrio-specific PCR assays. API 20NE confirmed the original (erroneous) identifications; all Vibrio-specific PCR assays ...
Souza MG, Mota Melo L, Martinez RE, Teague SR, Beck RL.In vitro fertilization (IVF) in horses has emerged as a valuable assisted reproductive technology, yet the impact of embryo cryopreservation on pregnancy outcomes when utilizing this technique remains unclear. This study reports pregnancy outcomes following transfer of conventional equine IVF embryos, with both fresh and vitrified-warmed embryos. Conventional IVF (cIVF) was used to produce 40 embryos, which were transferred to recipient mares, pregnancy diagnosis was performed at 6 days post-transfer followed by embryonic heartbeat detection between day 25 and 30 of gestation. Observed pregnan...
Cuervo-Arango J, Stout TAE, Claes AN.This retrospective study compared the relationship between embryonic vesicle diameter at first pregnancy diagnosis and early embryonic loss (EEL) across three pregnancy types: artificially inseminated broodmares (AI; n = 263), recipients carrying in vivo-derived flushed embryos (IVD-F; n = 312), and recipients carrying in vitro-produced embryos by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVP-ICSI; n = 161). Vesicle diameter was recorded at Day 12 post-ovulation in AI, Day 4 post-embryo transfer (ET) for IVD-F, and Day 7 post-ET for IVP-ICSI pregnancies. Mean (±SD) vesicle diameters and E...
Kuwano A, Kusano K, Mita H, Tamura N, Tokushige H, Iimori M, Kurimoto S, Kawabata M, Ueno M, Okada Y, Kamiya K, Tanaka K.Pathological hoof-wall cavities unrelated to nailing (so called "Gidoh" in Japan) often occur in the feet of horses. In 2001, in facilities managed by the Japan Racing Association (JRA), Gidoh was found to occur most frequently in the toe of the fore-hoof, with no gender predilection, and was more prevalent in older horses. However, it remains unclear whether this trend has continued in recent years, which pathological type of Gidoh predominates, and whether there are differences in prevalence among seasons. Therefore, in spring (April) and autumn (October) of 2020, we surveyed all racehorses ...
Radke S, Finley E.This article provides an overview of several agricultural and industrial toxicants that are most likely to be encountered by horses. Overviews include brief backgrounds of the agents in question, potential sources of intoxication, mechanisms of action, clinical signs, lesions, diagnostic considerations, and treatment options.
Abraham AJ, Duvall ES, Doughty CE, Riond B, Ortmann S, Terranova M, le Roux E, Clauss M.The assimilation, retention, and release of nutrients by animals fundamentally shapes their physiology and contributions to ecological processes (e.g., zoogeochemistry). Yet, information on the transit of nutrients through the bodies of large mammals remains scarce. Here, we examined how sodium (Na), a key element for animal health and ecosystem functioning, travels differently through fecal and urinary systems of cows (Bos taurus) and horses (Equus ferus caballus). We provided a large dose of Na and compared its timing of release in feces and urine to that of nonabsorbable markers. Na excreti...
Pirkani Z, Araghi-Sooreh A, Kamalinejad F.We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of in horses in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran a region known for its wildlife interactions. Unassigned: The study was conducted in March 2016 across four cities in West Azerbaijan: Urmia, Chaldoran, Sardasht, and Khoy, Iran. A total of 184 equines, ranging from three to over ten years of age, were randomly sampled. Blood samples were collected and were analyzed using the ID Screen® Indirect Multi-species ELISA to detect antibodies. Unassigned: Of the 184 serum samples, 4 (4.3%) from northern counties and 2 (2.2%) from southern counties tested positi...
van Erck-Westergren E, O'Connor S, Stewart BD, Dubois G, Morton J, Hinchcliff KW, Ter Woort F.The frequency, characteristics, and relationship with performance of arrhythmias occurring during high-intensity exercise in Thoroughbred racehorses remain poorly understood. Objective: Describe the frequency, characteristics, and association with subsequent race performance of arrhythmias occurring during intense exercise. Methods: Seventy-one racehorses competing in races sanctioned by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Methods: Risk-based case-control study. Single-lead ECGs were recorded during high-intensity trials using wearable devices. Ectopic depolarizations identified during warm-up, maximal...
Hagenbach M, Bierau J, Rott P, Röcken M, Staszyk C.The aim of this study was to display clinically relevant anatomical structures of the carpal region in healthy horses with the help of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).Twenty-eight forelimbs from 15 adult horses without orthopedic diseases were examined. Following native CBCT examination a mixture of hyperattenuating contrast medium with blue epoxy resin dye was injected in the antebrachiocarpal joint and middle carpal joint and contrast-enhanced CBCT scans were also acquired. Subsequently, the limbs were frozen and sawed in different planes corresponding to selected CBCT planes (dorsal, s...
Ursini T, Villagomez A, Dooley M, George LS, Levine D.To describe and demonstrate subjective and objective techniques for assessing the quality and passive range of motion (ROM) of the distal forelimb and hind limb joints of the horse. Special attention will be given to the tarsus, carpus, and fetlock joints, as these sites are most prone to injury and/or pathology and thus most clinically relevant. Unassigned: Adult horses undergoing distal limb joint ROM assessment for clinical diagnostic or treatment monitoring purposes. Unassigned: First, subjective techniques for assessing distal limb joint motion and end-feel as well as general guidelines f...
Maleas G, Hargitaiova K.To macroscopically characterize and compare the open Metzenbaum (FOM) and ultrasound-guided (FUG) plantar fasciotomy techniques for decompression of the hindlimb proximal suspensory ligament (PSL), and to determine whether either approach induces intraligamentous splitting (ILS). Methods: Cadaveric experimental study. Methods: Paired hindlimbs from 10 adult horses with no history of hindlimb lameness. Methods: Each horse contributed one limb to FOM and the contralateral to FUG. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon, and incision measurements were obtained by a blinded examiner. Ski...
Miller GP, Cornille JL, Hanning R, Lee AKK, Uhl EW, Osborn ML.Lameness is often associated with degenerative joint disease (DJD). Current therapies focus on minimizing pain or treating specific lesions but generally do not address the pathomechanical forces that are the root cause of degeneration. Treatments based on specific, whole-body therapies are becoming common in humans with DJD, but are still not routinely applied in equine cases. Designing targeted therapies for horses requires recognizing habitual postures and movements that are pathological. An important but often missing component for understanding movement postures is accurate and manipulata...
Clarysse M, Leps A, Haspeslagh M, Schauvliege S, Martens A, Vlaminck L.To assess long-term outcome, complications, and return to function in horses with maxillofacial fractures. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: A total of 30 horses with skull fractures (2020-2024). Methods: Clinical records were reviewed for signalment, fracture characteristics, imaging, treatment, and hospitalization. Long-term outcome was obtained via structured owner questionnaires addressing healing, complications, cosmetic appearance, and performance. Descriptive statistics were applied. Results: A total of 29 of 30 horses received treatment (25 surgical, 4 conservative);...
