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.
Hippotherapy (HT) is a rehabilitative tool inducing psychological and motor improvements using human-horse interaction. HT provides sensory stimulation to the rider through the rhythmic and repetitive movements of the horse, facilitating communication between patients and healthcare professionals, favoring the establishment of a therapeutic alliance. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effects of HT treatment on cognitive-behavioral processes in neurodevelopmental disorders. We screened studies published between 2002 and 2020 on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Sciences databases...
Kowalik S, Wiśniewska A, Kędzierski W, Janczarek I.Skeletal muscle is considered to be the largest endocrine organ determining the maintenance of energy homeostasis. Adaptive changes in skeletal muscles in response to physical exercise influence the production as well as secretion of myokines, which are bioactive factors that play a crucial role in energy expenditure processes. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of two different types of exercise on the circulating level of two of these, myostatin and irisin, in trained horses. Twenty purebred Arabian horses were involved in the study: 10 three-year-old horses trained on the ra...
Okada CTC, Kaps M, Perez Quesada J, Gautier C, Aurich J, Aurich C.Spontaneous prolongation of the luteal phase has been described in horses, but the underlying causes are still unclear. The present study investigated details of gonadotrophin and progestogen secretion in pregnant mares (n = 11) with or without experimentally reduced early postovulatory luteal function. From days 0 to 3 after ovulation, they were treated with the prostaglandin F (PGF) analogue cloprostenol or left untreated. After conceptus collection on day 34, they were assigned to the opposite treatment. Mares were affiliated to the group primary corpus luteum (n = 6) or diestrous corpus lu...
Raś A, Otrocka-Domagała I, Raś-Noryńska M.Genital malignant neoplasms in mares are relatively rare. The treatment involve surgical removal of the tumour masses, chemotherapy or both. Methods: Two elderly warmblood mares, aged 16 and 20 were presented in University Clinic with the lumpy lesions at the region of perineum and left labia. Surgical removals of tumour masses were performed on standing animals. Removed tissues were subjected to histopathological examination which confirmed SCC. Conclusions: Clinical and ultrasound examination of reproductive organs in both mares showed no inflammatory or neoplastic changes. Both mares healed...
Sembratowicz I, Zięba G, Cholewinska E, Czech A.This study compared the effect of two dietary vegetable oils on plasma biochemical indices, haematological parameters, and redox status of horses. Forty riding horses (20 mares and 20 stallions) of the Malopolski breed were divided equally into two groups that were similar in terms of age, sex, and body weight (on average 530 ± 30 kg). The horses received soybean oil (SO) or flaxseed oil (FO) in the amount of 25 mL per 100 kg BW/day. After 60 days, blood was collected for biochemical and haematological analyses. The results show that horses receiving FO as compared to the SO group had signifi...
Hisey EA, Hermans H, Lounsberry ZT, Avila F, Grahn RA, Knickelbein KE, Duward-Akhurst SA, McCue ME, Kalbfleisch TS, Lassaline ME, Back W, Bellone RR.Distichiasis, an ocular disorder in which aberrant cilia (eyelashes) grow from the opening of the Meibomian glands of the eyelid, has been reported in Friesian horses. These misplaced cilia can cause discomfort, chronic keratitis, and corneal ulceration, potentially impacting vision due to corneal fibrosis, or, if secondary infection occurs, may lead to loss of the eye. Friesian horses represent the vast majority of reported cases of equine distichiasis, and as the breed is known to be affected with inherited monogenic disorders, this condition was hypothesized to be a simply inherited Mendeli...
A human-animal relationship can be developed through subsequent interactions, affected by the positive or negative emotional valence of the proceeding one. Horses implement a process of categorization to classify humans with whom they interact as positive, negative, or neutral stimuli by evaluating the kind of approach and the nature of the contact. In these terms, human-animal interactions are emotionally charged events, eliciting specific emotional states in both subjects involved. Although the human-horse relationship has been mainly investigated through behavioral analysis, physiological i...
Haseler CJ, Jarvis GE, McGovern KF.Intrasynovial corticosteroid injections are commonly used in the treatment of equine orthopaedic disease, but corticosteroid administration is widely considered a risk factor for the development of laminitis. Despite a list of putative mechanisms and a number of case reports of steroid-induced laminitis, no case-control or cohort studies investigating the association between use of intrasynovial corticosteroids and acute laminitis have been published. Objective: To quantify the risk of laminitis posed by intrasynovial triamcinolone acetonide (TA) administration in a mixed population of horses....
Hernández-Avilés C, Ramírez-Agámez L, Love CC, Friedrich M, Pearson M, Kelley DE, Beckham AMN, Teague SR, LaCaze KA, Brinsko SP, Varner DD.Under in vitro conditions, stallion sperm might preferentially use energy substrates that primarily undergo mitochondrial metabolism. The present study sought to determine the effects of glucose, pyruvate, lactate, or their combinations on the quality of stallion sperm subjected to cooled storage at different temperatures, when using a skim milk-based semen extender. In Experiment 1, no substrate (Control), glucose (40 mM; Glu-40), pyruvate (2 mM, 19.8 mM; Pyr-2, Pyr-19), lactate (2 mM, 19.8 mM; Lac-2, Lac-19, respectively), or their combinations (G/P/L-2 or G/P/L-19, respectively) were ...
Kil N, Ertelt K, Auer U.Changes in behaviour are often caused by painful conditions. Therefore, the assessment of behaviour is important for the recognition of pain, but also for the assessment of quality of life. Automated detection of movement and the behaviour of a horse in the box stall should represent a significant advancement. In this study, videos of horses in an animal hospital were recorded using an action camera and a time-lapse mode. These videos were processed using the convolutional neural network Loopy for automated prediction of body parts. Development of the model was carried out in several steps, in...
Bescoby SR, Davis SA, Sherriff M, Ireland AJ.Routine equine odontoplasty is performed by both Veterinary Surgeons and Equine Dental Technicians. The production of aerosolised particulates from motorised equipment has been well documented in human orthodontics but has yet to be investigated in the veterinary industry. Objective: To assess the size, quantity and composition of particulates produced during routine motorised odontoplasty and to model their deposition in the human respiratory tree. Methods: Analytic observational study. Methods: Fifteen-minute routine motorised odontoplasties were performed on cadaver heads with monitoring eq...
Zhu Y, Jiang W, Holyoak R, Liu B, Li J.The objective of this study was to investigate the oral microbial composition of the donkey and whether basic dental treatment, such as dental floating, would make a difference to the oral microbial environment in donkeys with dental diseases using high-throughput bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Oral swab samples were collected from 14 donkeys with various dental abnormalities on day 0 (before treatment) and day 20 (twenty days after treatment). It is the first report focusing on the oral microbiome in donkeys with dental diseases and the impact of common dental procedures thereon. Identif...
Maskato Y, Dugdale AHA, Singer ER, Kelmer G, Sutton GA.Assessment of the severity of pain in colic cases is subjective. The Equine Acute Abdominal Pain Scale (EAAPS), previously validated using film clips of horses with colic, was tested for feasibility and revalidated in both medical and surgical colic cases in Israel and the UK. Feasibility qualities evaluated were quickness and ease-of-use. Pain in 231 horses, presented for colic, was assessed by 35 participants; 26 in the UK and 9 in Israel. Without prior training, participants assessed the severity of pain using two scales; the EAAPS and a visual analogue scale (VAS). Convergent validity comp...
Foote BC, Smith JD, Allbaugh RA, Sebbag L.Determine the immediate post-operative effects of MicroPulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-TSCPC) in healthy equine eyes. Methods: Ten adult horses. Methods: MP-TSCPC was performed on sedated horses in 12 eyes (4 groups) using the following parameters (power, duration, duty cycle): (1) 2000 mW, 180 seconds, 31.3%; (2) 3000 mW, 180 seconds, 31.3%; (3) 3000 mW, 270 seconds, 31.3%; and (4) 3000 mW, 270 seconds, 50%. Three additional eyes were left untreated (control). Eyes were monitored clinically until euthanasia (mean = 3 hours post-procedure). Histologic sections were asse...
Resano-Zuazu M.A 24-year-old horse was presented with a clinical history of anaemia, large intestine impaction and hind limb weakness. Loss of body weight was also reported. Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels were low and piroplasmosis test was negative. Nasogastric intubation with laxative agents was performed and 50 ml of a red blood-cell-supplement was given daily during a month. An assessment following Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) principles was performed after the last episode of large intestine impaction. A swollen, pale and wet tongue was observed. A superficial, weak pulse combined p...
Yuen KY, Gibson JS, Hinrichsen S, Medina-Torres CE, Bertin FR, Stewart AJ.Prudent use of antimicrobials is paramount to slow the development of resistance and for successful treatment. The use of cumulative antibiograms will allow evidence-based antimicrobial selection with consideration of local resistance patterns. We generated a "first-isolate-per-patient" cumulative antibiogram for a regional equine referral hospital. Bacterial organisms cultured from horses between 2011 and 2018, sample origin, antimicrobial susceptibilities, and multidrug-resistant (MDR) status were tabulated. Of 1,176 samples, 50% were culture positive. Overall, 93 of 374 (25%) were MDR. Of t...
Berthoud D, Schwarzwald CC.Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular (LV) size and function using area-based indices and volumetric estimates is not well established in horses. Objective: To report reference intervals and measurement variability for uni-, 2-, and 3-dimensional echocardiographic indices of LV size and systolic function in Warmblood horses and to provide proof of concept for allometric scaling of variables to body weight. Unidimensional indices were to be compared to area-based indices and LV volume estimates to establish their clinical use. Methods: Thirty healthy Warmblood horses and 70 Warmblood...
Kendall A, Nyström S, Ekman S, Hultén LM, Lindahl A, Hansson E, Skiöldebrand E.Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin with many functions. In humans, it is involved in inflammation, nerve growth, apoptosis and pain signalling. Increased concentrations of NGF in synovial fluid has been shown in humans and dogs with osteoarthritis. Despite osteoarthritis being a common problem in horses, no studies have previously been published on NGF in the equine joint. The aim of this study was to quantify NGF in equine synovial fluid from healthy joints, acutely inflamed septic joints and joints with structural changes associated with osteoarthritis. A secondary aim was to identi...
Massie SL, Bezugley RJ, McDonald KJ, Leguillette R.The prevalence and severity of cardiac arrhythmias in healthy racehorses undergoing competition is not well defined. The aim was to characterize arrhythmias in Thoroughbreds participating in official Chuckwagon races and to determine normal beat-to-beat (R-R) variability during supramaximal exercise. Electrocardiograph (ECG) recordings were obtained during pre-race, race, and active-recovery from 82 clinically healthy Thoroughbreds. ECG recordings were analyzed for arrhythmias and mean percent R-R deviation. Plasma lactate and high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTnT) were also measured. Fifty-two E...
Park IK, Lee JY, Suk MH, Yoo S, Seo YG, Oh JK, Kwon JY. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have an impaired cardiac autonomic function. Attenuated heart rate recovery (HRR), which is a valuable prognostic parameter for autonomic nervous system, is known to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, only few studies have observed the effects of exercise on the cardiac autonomic function in children with CP. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of equine-assisted activity (EAA) program on cardiac autonomic function in children with CP. A single-blinded, parallel, two-arm pilo...
Cavalero TMS, Segabinazzi LGTM, Scheeren VFDC, Freitas-Dell'Aqua CP, Papa FO.The present study compared the quality of sperm collected by artificial vagina or pharmacologically induced ejaculation from a 10-year-old thoroughbred stallion with seminal vesiculitis. The pharmacological protocol involved intravenous administration of detomidine (0.01 mg/kg) and oxytocin (20 IU) and successfully induced ejaculation in all attempts of semen collection. Sperm motility, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity (PMAI), reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) percentage, and bacterial profiles of fresh and cooled semen (5°C for 24 hr) were eval...
Panzani D, Quaresma M, Fanelli D, Camillo F, Moroni R, Rota A, Martins-Bessa A, Nóvoa M, Catalán J, Canisso IF, Conte G, Mirò J.Due to the long courtship needed to attain excitation and erection, donkey semen collection can take up to 90 min. ProstaglandinF2α (PGF2α) has been reported to hasten the onset of erection and ejaculation in domesticated mammals, presumably by inducing smooth muscle contractions in the internal genitalia. However, while it has been anecdotally used in donkeys, it has yet to be critically evaluated. This study aimed to compare behavioral and semen parameters in Catalan, Balearic, Amiata, and Miranda jacks treated with the PGF2α analogue cloprostenol sodium immediately prior to exposure to a...
Samol MA, Uzal FA, Hill AE, Arthur RM, Stover SM.Tibial fractures cause ~3% of racehorse deaths. Pre-existing stress fractures have been associated with multiple racing and training fractures, but not complete tibial fractures. Objective: To describe racehorse tibial fractures and compare signalment and exercise histories of affected and control racehorses. Methods: Retrospective analysis of necropsy reports. Methods: Racehorses that had a complete tibial fracture (1990-2018) were retrospectively reviewed. Signalment and exercise histories of affected horses were compared to 1) racehorses that died because of non-tibial musculoskeletal injur...
Lambertini C, Zannoni A, Romagnoli N, Bombardi C, Morini M, Dondi F, Bernardini C, Forni M, Rinnovati R, Spadari A.Large colon volvulus in horses is associated with a poor prognosis, especially when ischemic-reperfusion injury of the affected intestinal tract develops. Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and expression of PAR2 in colonic pelvic flexure of horses spontaneously affected by large colon volvulus (CVH group). Eight horses admitted for severe abdominal colon volvolus and which underwent surgery were included. Colon samples were collected after enter...
Myćka G, Musiał AD, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Piórkowska K, Ropka-Molik K.The gene encodes peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1, the first enzyme in the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, which could be significant for organisms exposed to long periods of starvation and harsh living conditions. We hypothesized that variations within , revealed by RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq), might be based on adaptation to living conditions and had resulted from selection pressure. There were five different horse breeds used in this study, representing various utility types: Arabian, Thoroughbred, Polish Konik, draft horses, and Hucul. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located i...
Folly AJ, Waller ESL, McCracken F, McElhinney LM, Roberts H, Johnson N.West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that can cause neurological disease in both humans and horses. Due to the movement of competent vectors and viraemic hosts, WNV has repeatedly emerged globally and more recently in western Europe. Within the UK, WNV is a notifiable disease in horses, and vaccines against the virus are commercially available. However, there has been no investigation into the seroprevalence of WNV in the UK equine population to determine the extent of vaccination or to provide evidence of recent infection. Methods: Equine serum samples were obtained from the A...
Hanafi AL, Reed RA, Trenholme HN, Sakai DM, Ryan CA, Barletta M, Quandt JE, Knych HK.To describe the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of meperidine after IM and subcutaneous administration in horses. Methods: prospective, randomized, blinded, crossover trial. Methods: Six adult horses weighing 494 ± 33 kg. Methods: Treatments included meperidine 1 mg/kg IM with saline 6 mL subcutaneously, meperidine 1 mg/kg subcutaneously with saline 6 mL IM, and saline 6 mL subcutaneously and 6 mL IM, with a 7-day washout between treatments. Plasma meperidine concentrations and pharmacodynamic values (thermal and mechanical thresholds, physiological variables, fecal production) were c...
Menarim BC, Gillis KH, Oliver A, Ngo Y, Werre SR, Barrett SH, Rodgerson DH, Dahlgren LA.Synovitis is a major component of osteoarthritis and is driven primarily by macrophages. Synovial macrophages are crucial for joint homeostasis (M2-like phenotype), but induce inflammation (M1-like) when regulatory functions become overwhelmed. Macrophage phenotypes in synovium from osteoarthritic and healthy joints are poorly characterized; however, comparative knowledge of their phenotypes during health and disease is paramount for developing targeted treatments. This study compared patterns of macrophage activation in healthy and osteoarthritic equine synovium and correlated histology with ...
Wood W, Alm K, Benjamin J, Thomas L, Anderson D, Pohl L, Kane M. To recommend (1) the adoption of optimal terminology for referring to services in the United States that incorporate horses and other equines to benefit people, and (2) the discontinuation of especially problematic terminology. A diverse multidisciplinary consortium of individuals, including representatives of relevant national organizations, participated in an inclusive, systematic, and comprehensive 2-year consensus-building process. Twelve specific types of services were identified that relate to one of three broad areas of professional work: therapy, learning, or horsemanship. Related t...
Rodriguez J, Maserati M, Robilotta T, Augusto G, Alonso MA, Redoan M, Tibary A, Fleury P.Field collection of oocytes in mares using transvaginal follicular aspiration (TVA) for embryo production has the potential to revolutionate the equine industry. Protocols for TVA in specialized laboratory settings have been described in the scientific literature since the early 1980s. The objective of this study was to determine the success rate of TVA oocytes recovery under ambulatory conditions. A secondary goal of this study was to determine if TVA is associated with any health complications when performed by recently trained practitioners in the field. Follicles (n = 296) from 66 adult c...
Evers F, Garcia JL, Navarro IT, Zulpo DL, Nino Bde S, Ewald MP, Pagliari S, Almeida JC, Freire RL.This study aimed to investigate anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and to isolate the parasite from the brains of horses processed at slaughterhouses in Brazil. We collected brain and blood samples from 398 horses of various ages, from six Brazilian states. Serum samples were evaluated by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT cut-off titre ≥ 1:64), and brains were submitted to mouse bioassay. Among the 398 horses, positivity for T. gondii was identified in 46 (11.6%) by IFAT and in 14 (3.5%) by mouse bioassay. In 12 of those 14 bioassays, mice were positive only by IFAT (cut-off titre ≥ ...
Vaccaro C, Busetto R, Bernardini D, Anselmi C, Zotti A.To evaluate the precision and accuracy of assessing bone mineral density (BMD) by use of mean gray value (MGV) on digitalized and digital images of conventional and digital radiographs, respectively, of ex vivo bovine and equine bone specimens in relation to the gold-standard technique of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Methods: Left and right metatarsal bones from 11 beef cattle and right femurs from 2 horses. Methods: Bovine specimens were imaged by use of conventional radiography, whereas equine specimens were imaged by use of computed radiography (digital radiography). Each specim...
Dorado J, Acha D, Ortiz I, Gálvez MJ, Carrasco JJ, Gómez-Arrones V, Calero-Carretero R, Hidalgo M.The main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of two commercially available liquid stallion semen extenders for the preservation of Andalusian donkey semen at 5°C for up to 72h, and to evaluate the effect of amino acid addition on sperm quality of cooled donkey semen. In addition, this study investigated the effect of seasons on semen characteristics of Andalusian jackasses. Throughout a year, 50 ejaculates were collected from ten adult donkeys and a complete semen evaluation was performed immediately after collection. In Experiment 1, semen samples (n=32) were pooled, divided into ...
Lindsay AM, Zhang M, Mitchell Z, Holden MTG, Waller AS, Sutcliffe IC, Black GW.Streptococcus equi causes equine 'strangles'. Hyaluronate lyases, which degrade connective tissue hyaluronan and chondroitins, are thought to facilitate streptococcal invasion of the host. However, prophage-encoded hyaluronate lyases are hyaluronan-specific and are thought to be primarily involved in the degradation of the hyaluronan capsule of streptococci during bacteriophage infection. To understand the role of prophage-encoded hyaluronate lyases further, we have biochemically characterized such a hyaluronate lyase, SEQ2045 from S. equi, and have shown that it is produced during equine infe...
Santos RG, Hurtado R, Gomes LGR, Profeta R, Rifici C, Attili AR, Spier SJ, Mazzullo G, Morais-Rodrigues F, Gomide ACP, Brenig B, Gala-García A....Bacteria of the genusGlutamicibacterare considered ubiquitous because they can be found in soil, water and air. They have already been isolated from different habitats, including different types of soil, clinical samples, cheese and plants. Glutamicibacter creatinolyticus is a Gram-positive bacterium important to various biotechnological processes, however, as a pathogen it is associated to urinary tract infections and bacteremia. Recently,Glutamicibacter creatinolyticusLGCM 259 was isolated from a mare, which displayed several diffuse subcutaneous nodules with heavy vascularization. In this s...
Hainisch EK, Brandt S, Shafti-Keramat S, Van den Hoven R, Kirnbauer R.Infection with bovine papillomaviruses types 1 and 2 (BPV-1, BPV-2) can lead to the development of therapy-resistant skin tumours termed sarcoids and possibly other skin diseases in equids. Although sarcoids seriously compromise the welfare of affected animals and cause considerable economic losses, no prophylactic vaccine is available to prevent this common disease. In several animal species and man, immunisation with papillomavirus-like particles (VLP) has been shown to protect efficiently from papillomaviral infection. Objective: BPV-1 L1 VLPs may constitute a safe and highly immunogenic va...
Pavone S, Veronesi F, Genchi C, Fioretti DP, Brianti E, Mandara MT.In this study, pathological changes caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata in the ileocecal junction were investigated in 31 regularly slaughtered mixed-breed horses of both sexes. Our results showed a significant relationship between parasite burden and grading of histopathological lesions in the mucosa and submucosa. Hypertrophy of the circular muscle layer was found in infected horses. Moreover, enteric nervous system evaluation showed a significant injury of intestinal nervous elements in the horses with moderate to high parasitism expressed as an increase of degenerative-regressive changes in...
Hui A, Altan E, Slovis N, Fletcher C, Deng X, Delwart E.Circoviruses infect vertebrates where they can result in a wide range of disease signs or in asymptomatic infections. Using viral metagenomics we analyzed a pool of five sera from four healthy and one sick horse. Sequences from parvovirus-H, equus anellovirus, and distantly related to mammalian circoviruses were recognized. PCR identified the circovirus reads as originating from a pregnant mare with fever and hepatitis. That horse's serum was also positive by real time PCR for equine parvovirus H and negative for the flavivirus equine hepacivirus. The complete circular genome of equine circovi...
Williams CA, Lamprecht ED.Most herbs and functional foods have not been scientifically tested; this is especially true for the horse. This paper reviews some of the literature pertinent to herbal supplementation in horses and other species. Common supplements like Echinacea, garlic, ginger, ginseng, and yucca are not regulated, and few studies have investigated safe, efficacious doses. Ginseng has been found to exert an inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Equine studies have tested the anti-inflammatory effects of a single dose of ginger, post-exercise. Echinacea has been re...
Reis JL, de Carvalho EC, Nogueira RH, Lemos LS, Mendoza L.Three cases of equine subcutaneous pythiosis with dissemination to the internal organs were investigated. The subcutaneous lesions were observed on the mammary gland, nostrils and limbs of the infected horses. Histopathological analysis of the infected tissues revealed a strong eosinophilic reaction, with macrophages, mast cells and giant cells. Sparsely septated hyphal filaments of 4-6 microm diameter were identified in the center of the eosinophilic areas. Specific fluorescent antibody against Pythium insidiosum confirmed the hyphae in the infected tissues in three examined horses. In one of...
Pohlin F, Brabender K, Fluch G, Stalder G, Petit T, Walzer C. Ecosystems with seasonal fluctuations in climate and food availability present physiological challenges to resident mammals and may cause "stress." The two predominant physiological responses to stressors are (1) the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and (2) the modulation of the autonomic nervous system. To date, the primary indicator for "stress" in wildlife- and zoo animal research are glucocorticoid levels. By measuring the autonomic regulation of cardiac activity, particularly the vagal tone, heart rate variability (HRV) is presently emerging as a suitable indicator o...
Taddei N, Stefani M, Magherini F, Chiti F, Modesti A, Raugei G, Ramponi G.Asn41, Thr42, and Thr46 are invariant residues in both muscle and erythrocyte acylphosphatases isolated so far. Horse muscle acylphosphatase solution structure suggests their close spatial relationship to Arg23, the main substrate binding site. The catalytic and structural role of such residues, as well as their influence on muscle acylphosphatase stability, was investigated by preparing several gene mutants (Thr42Ala, Thr46Ala, Asn41Ala, Asn41Ser, and Asn41Gln) by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The mutated genes were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the mutant enzymes were...
Nicholson AM, Trumble TN, Merritt KA, Brown MP.To determine the effects of horse age, osteochondral injury, and joint type on a synthesis biomarker and 3 degradative biomarkers of type II collagen in Thoroughbreds. Methods: Healthy rested adult (3- to 12-year-old) Thoroughbreds (n = 19), yearling (1- to 2-year-old) Thoroughbreds (40), and Thoroughbred racehorses (2 to 7 years old) undergoing arthroscopic surgery for removal of osteochondral fragments that resulted from training or racing (41). Methods: Samples of blood and metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, or carpal joint synovial fluid (SF) were collected from all horses. Commerci...
Lee MC, Seonwoo H, Jang KJ, Pandey S, Lim J, Park S, Kim JE, Choung YH, Garg P, Chung JH.Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a representative substance that induces bone regeneration. Our research team extracted nanohydroxyapatite (EH) from natural resources, especially equine bones, and developed it as a molecular biological tool. Polyethylenimine (PEI) was used to coat the EH to develop a gene carrier. To verify that PEI is well coated in the EH, we first observed the morphology and dispersity of PEI-coated EH (pEH) by electron microscopy. The pEH particles were well distributed, while only the EH particles were not distributed and aggregated. Then, the existence of nitrogen elements of PEI ...
van Galen G, Leblond A, Tritz P, Martinelle L, Pronost S, Saegerman C.Diagnosis of equine herpesvirus-1 associated myeloencephalopathy (EHM) can be troublesome, but early recognition and knowledge of risk factors are essential for prevention and control. The objectives for this study are to (1) describe EHM in France, (2) improve clinical recognition, (3) identify risk factors. Through epidemiosurveillance of acute neurological cases (all considered to be potentially infectious cases) in France (2008-2011), 26 EHM cases were identified and 29 EHM negative control cases. EHM cases were described and compared to controls with univariate, multivariate and classific...
Fadok VA, Greiner EC.Forty-four seasonally pruritic horses and 21 asymptomatic horses in Florida, USA, were tested for insect, grass and mould hypersensitivity by intradermal injection of allergenic extracts. The affected horses ranged in age from 10 months to over 30 years and included a variety of breeds. Affected horses reacted to varying dilutions of extracts made from Culicoides, mosquitoes, horse flies and black flies. Reactions to Culicoides were more intense than those caused by injection of antigens from other arthropods. Mild pruritus existed from the end of February until the end of June when the condit...
Powell K.A promising new horse vaccine may reignite enthusiasm for DNA vaccine technology in designing prophylactics against infectious disease. Kendall Powell reports.
Alves Ada S, Melo AL, Amorim MV, Borges AM, Gaíva E Silva L, Martins TF, Labruna MB, Aguiar DM, Pacheco RC.The aim of the study was to evaluate exposure of equids to rickettsial agents (Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii', Rickettsia rhipicephali, and Rickettsia bellii) and rickettsial infection in ticks of a Pantanal region of Brazil. Sera of 547 equids (500 horses and 47 donkeys) were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence assay. In total, 665 adults and 106 nymphal pools of Amblyomma cajennense F. sensu lato, 10 Dermacentor nitens Neumann ticks, and 88 larval pools of Amblyomma sp. were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Overall, 337 (61.6%) eq...
Rivero JL, Ruz MC, Serrano AL, Diz AM.Twenty adult (5 to 14 years old) sedentary stallions of several breeds (8 Andalusians, 7 Arabians and 5 Anglo-Arabians) were endurance-trained for 3 months. Duplicate biopsies from 2 different depths (20 mm, superficial sampling site; 60 mm, deep sampling site) of the gluteus medius muscle were collected before and after training and after 3 months of detraining. Few significant changes in muscle fibre type composition were recorded in response to training. The percentage of type I fibres in the deep sampling site of the muscle in Andalusian horses and of type IIB oxidative fibres in the super...
Onmaz AC, Beutel RG, Schneeberg K, Pavaloiu AN, Komarek A, van den Hoven R.Most diseases of horses with zoonotic importance are transmitted by arthropods. The vectors belong to two very distantly related groups, the chelicerate Ixodidae (Acari = ticks) and the hexapod Diptera (true flies). Almost all relevant species are predestined for transmitting pathogens by their blood-sucking habits. Especially species of Diptera, one of the megadiverse orders of holometabolan insects (ca. 150.000 spp.), affect the health status and performance of horses during the grazing period in summer. The severity of pathological effect depends on the pathogen, but also on the group of ve...
Richt JA, Grabner A, Herzog S.Borna disease is a sporadically occurring, progressive viral polioencephalomyelitis that primarily affects horses and sheep. The etiological agent, Borna disease virus (BDV), is an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus that has been classified in the new virus family Bornaviridae within the order Mononegavirales. Serological evidence of BDV infection has been found in an increasing number of countries throughout the world. After an incubation period lasting a few weeks to several months, BDV infection can cause locomotor and sensory dysfunction followed by paralysis and death. Borna disease is ...
Buckley P, Dunn T, More SJ.Pony Club is one of the leading junior equestrian organisations in the world, and was established to teach young people the many aspects of horsemanship. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the health and performance of Pony Club horses from the perspective of their owners. In-depth interviews were conducted with Pony Club members at two sites in Australia, and topics relating to participants' background with horses, horse attributes valued by participants, horse health and performance, and Pony Club-related matters. The in-depth interviews were taped, transcribed and analyse...
Baumann C, Daly CM, McDonnell SM, Viveiros MM, De La Fuente R.Pairing of the sex chromosomes during mammalian meiosis is characterized by the formation of a unique heterochromatin structure at the XY body. The mechanisms underlying the formation of this nuclear domain are reportedly highly conserved from marsupials to mammals. In this study, we demonstrate that in contrast to all eutherian species studied to date, partial synapsis of the heterologous sex chromosomes during pachytene stage in the horse is not associated with the formation of a typical macrochromatin domain at the XY body. While phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX) and macroH2A1.2 are pres...
Aguilar-Lazcano CA, Espinosa-Curiel IE, Ríos-Martínez JA, Madera-Ramírez FA, Pérez-Espinosa H.The development of technology, such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, has significantly advanced many fields of study. Animal research is no exception, as these technologies have enabled data collection through various sensing devices. Advanced computer systems equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities can process these data, allowing researchers to identify significant behaviors related to the detection of illnesses, discerning the emotional state of the animals, and even recognizing individual animal identities. This review includes articles in the English langu...
Baselgia S, Doherr MG, Mellor P, Torsteinsdottir S, Jermann T, Zurbriggen A, Jungi T, Marti E.Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an IgE-mediated allergic dermatitis caused by bites of Culicoides and Simulium species, and improved means of diagnosis are required. Objective: The cellular antigen simulation test (CAST) with C. nubeculosus and S. vittatum extracts was assessed in a population of IBH-affected and healthy horses. Variations in test results over a one year period and possible cross-reactivity between different insect extracts was studied. Methods: A total of 314 mature horses were studied using the CAST. Influence of severity of clinical signs, gender and age were evaluate...
Kristensen L, Buhl R, Nostell K, Bak L, Petersen E, Lindholm M, Jacobsen S.The purpose of the study was to investigate whether acute strenuous exercise (1600- to 2500-m race) would elicit an acute phase response (APR) in Standardbred trotters. Blood levels of several inflammatory markers [serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, fibrinogen, white blood cell count (WBC), and iron], muscle enzymes [creatinine kinase (CK) and aspartate transaminase (AST)], and hemoglobin were assessed in 58 Standardbred trotters before and after racing. Hemoglobin levels increased and iron levels decreased 12 to 14 h after racing and haptoglobin concentrations, white blood cell counts, and i...
Venugopal CS, Eades S, Holmes EP, Beadle RE.One of the causes of equine laminitis is hyperinsulinaemia, which may be associated with endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance of vessels. Objective: Insulin resistance can be induced in palmar digital vessels by continued exposure to insulin in vitro. The objective was to evaluate this in vitro model for future studies. Methods: Palmar digital vessel segments were collected immediately after euthanasia from horses with normal insulin/glucose blood values. Four arterial and 4 venous rings (3 mm wide) were prepared and each ring mounted in a tissue bath, containing Tyrode's solution at...
