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.
Melgaard DT, Korsgaard TS, Thoefner MS, Petersen MR, Pedersen HG.Unwanted behaviour in mares is a commonly presenting problem to the veterinarian. This behaviour may range from the mare being uncooperative or aggressive when handled on the ground, kicking, bucking or rearing when ridden or being aggressive towards other horses. This purpose of the study was to evaluate whether bilateral ovariectomy in mares with unwanted behaviour improved the mare's behaviour and/or rideability from the owner's perspective. The mares were grouped and compared statistically based on their histological classification as having either "normal" or neoplastic ovaries. This stud...
Leung DKK, Wong ASY, Zhou QL, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.A non-target variable Data Independent Acquisition (vDIA) workflow based on accurate mass measurements using a Q Exactive OrbiTrap is presented for the first time for equine doping control testing. The vDIA workflow uses a combination of MS1 events (1 to 2) and multiple vDIA events to cover the analytes of interest. The workflow basically captures a digital image of a sample allowing all relevant MS1 and MS2 data to be recorded. In theory, the workflow can accommodate an unlimited number of analytes as long as they are amenable to the sample extraction protocol and fall within the mass limits ...
Steward SKT, Hassel DM, Martin H, Doddman C, Stewart A, Elzer EJ, Southwood LL.Duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) is an idiopathic and potentially fatal disease of horses characterized by abdominal pain, proximal intestinal inflammation, and subsequent gastric and small intestinal fluid accumulation. Although this disease is known to be costly and life threatening in the equine industry, the severity of clinical signs can vary widely, and an exact etiology has yet to be elucidated. This study looked to identify differences in clinical parameters of horses with DPJ between geographic regions in an effort to corroborate anecdotal reports and support theories of differing ...
King S, Rajko-Nenow P, Ashby M, Frost L, Carpenter S, Batten C.African horse sickness was confirmed in horses in Thailand during March 2020. The virus was determined to belong to serotype 1 and is phylogenetically closely related to isolates from South Africa. This is the first incidence of African horse sickness occurring in South East Asia and of serotype 1 outside of Africa.
Moore-Colyer M, Tuthill P, Bannister I, Daniels S.Traditions and the economic advantage when producing big athletic Thoroughbred (TB) yearlings for sale encourage owners to feed high levels of cereals. Such diets can predispose gastric ulceration and developmental orthopedic diseases, impacting negatively on future careers. This study aimed to (1) determine if an all-fiber creep feed (total mixed fiber ration [TMFR] would sustain equal growth rates in TB foals versus a cereal-based stud cube (SC) and (2) compare pH and lactate produced by SC and TMFR in in vitro foregut and hindgut conditions. Eight TB foals in matched-pairs were fed SC or T...
MacLeod JN, Kalbfleisch TS.The first equine reference genome was completed in 2007 and published in 2009. This major accomplishment has enabled equine science to advance in ways that broadly parallel the transformative impact that genomics has had on many animal species including humans. A conceptual overview of reference genomes, genome annotation, and the major implications for equine science is presented. The relationship between genomic sequencing and the accelerating application of precision P4 medicine is discussed in the context of human and equine patients. Emergent technologies built on the foundation of genomi...
Chapuis RJJ, Ragno VM, Ariza CA, Movasseghi AR, Sayi S, Uehlinger FD, Montgomery JB.In the summer of 2017, 4 horses were diagnosed with septic fibrinous pericarditis at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon. This case series occurred after a significant outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in the province during that spring. Three horses were immediately euthanized, and treatment was attempted in 1 mare. This is the first case series of pericarditis possibly associated with the ingestion of forest tent caterpillars to be reported in western Canada. Although cause-effect is not proven, it is prudent to prevent the ingestion of caterpillars by horses. Key clini...
Tallmadge RL, Antczak DF, Felippe MJB.Host defenses against infection by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites are critical to survival. It has been estimated that upwards of 7% of the coding genes of mammals function in immunity and inflammation. This high level of genomic investment in defense has resulted in an immune system characterized by extraordinary complexity and many levels of redundancy. Because so many genes are involved with immunity, there are many opportunities for mutations to arise that have negative effects. However, redundancy in the mammalian defense system and the adaptive nature of key immune mechanisms bu...
Petersen JL, Coleman SJ.The sequencing and assembly of a reference genome for the horse has been revolutionary for investigation of horse health and performance. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods represent a second revolution in equine genomics. Researchers can align and compare DNA and RNA sequencing data to the reference genome to explore variation that may contribute or be attributed to disease. NGS has also facilitated the translation of research discovery to clinically relevant applications. This article discusses the history and development of NGS, details some of the available sequencing platforms, and ...
Valberg SJ.There are 5 single-gene mutations that are known to cause muscle disease in horses. These mutations alter the amino acid sequence of proteins involved in cell membrane electrical conduction, muscle energy metabolism, muscle contraction, and immunogenicity. The clinical signs depend on the pathway affected. The likelihood that an animal with a mutation will exhibit clinical signs depends on the mode of inheritance, environmental influences, and interactions with other genes. Selection of a genetic test for use in diagnostic or breeding decisions requires a knowledge of clinical signs, mode of i...
Garcia P, Pinètre J, Morel S, Jaubert M, Deruy X, Perot I, Delcourt V, Loup B, Popot MA, Bailly-Chouriberry L.Bisphosphonates are prohibited drugs according to Article 6 of the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). These compounds are used for the treatment of lameness, navicular and bone diseases in horses and are divided into two groups: non-nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate drugs (e.g. clodronic acid) and nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate drugs (e.g. zoledronic acid). Their hydrophilic properties and the high affinity for the bone matrix make the control of their...
Galantino-Homer H, Brooks SA.Laminitis is a devastating disease with diverse etiologies and few, if any, effective treatments. Gene expression and hypothesis-generating genomic studies have provided a fresh look at the key molecular players at crucial timepoints in diverse experimental and naturally affected tissues. We summarize findings to date, and propose a unifying model of the laminitis disease process that includes several pathogenesis concepts shared with other diseases of epidermal and epithelial tissues. The value of these new pathways as potential therapeutic targets is exciting but will require careful future ...
Laamari A, Azzag N, Tennah S, Derdour SY, China B, Boꯚllah R, Ghalmi F.Horses (Equus caballus) are susceptible to tick-borne diseases. Two of them, Lyme borreliosis due to Borrelia burgdorferi and granulocytic anaplasmosis due to Anaplasma phagocytophilum were investigated in Algerian horses. The diseases have been less extensively studied in horses and results pertinent to Algeria have not been published. Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 128 horses. IgG antibodies directed against Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi were detected by an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and ELISA. The potential effects of age, gender, breed,...
Edwards L, Finno CJ.Neurologic disease in horses can be particularly challenging to diagnose and treat. These diseases can result in economic losses, emotional distress to owners, and injury to the horse or handlers. To date, there are 5 neurologic diseases caused by known genetic mutations and several more are suspected to be heritable: lethal white foal syndrome, lavender foal syndrome, cerebellar abiotrophy, occipitoatlantoaxial malformation, and Friesian hydrocephalus. Genetic testing allows owners, breeders, and veterinarians to make informed decisions when selecting dams and sires for breeding or deciding t...
Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH.Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in horses, donkeys and other equids in the past decade. This review will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and public health workers.
Bellone RR.Horses perform in a variety of disciplines that are visually demanding, and any disease impacting the eye has the potential to threaten vision and thus the utility of the horse. Advances in equine genetics have enabled the understanding of some inherited ocular disorders and ocular manifestations and are enabling cross-species comparisons. Genetic testing for multiple congenital ocular anomalies, congenital stationary night blindness, equine recurrent uveitis, and squamous cell carcinoma can identify horses with or at risk for disease and thus can assist in clinical management and breeding dec...
Proverbio D, Perego R, Baggiani L, Ferrucci F, Zucca E, Nobile F, Spada E.A knowledge of the blood groups and alloantibodies present is essential for the safe transfusion of blood products in horses. Pre-transfusion screening and blood typing minimizes the risk of incompatible RBC transfusions and prevents immunization of the recipient against incompatible RBC antigens. The frequencies of blood groups can vary among different breeds. Knowledge of a breed's blood group prevalence can be very useful for identifying the best blood donors during transfusion in clinical practice. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of the Ca blood type in horses from I...
Bażanów BA, Chełmecka E, Romuk E, Stygar DM.Hucul and Arabian horses differ in the physiological constitution and exposition to environmental conditions. Oxidative stress plays a pathogenic role in many diseases and enables further injuries. The objective of this study was to compare the levels of enzymatic and nonenzymatic oxidative stress markers in Hucul horses living in seminatural conditions and in commercially handled Arabian horses. We tested the serum samples for total superoxide dismutase (total SOD), Cu-Zn-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), and Mn-dependent superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity; for lipofuscin (LPS), ceruloplasmi...
Schofs L, Sparo MD, Sánchez Bruni SF.Antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide spread phenomenon that affects both human and veterinary medicine. This issue has led to a "One Health" approach in order to coordinate efforts and set back the development of drug-resistant microbes. In the search for alternatives therapies, bacteriocins or antimicrobial peptides have proven to be effective both in vitro and in vivo for multiples pathogens, even those resistant to many classic antibiotics. Gram-positive bacteriocins have been the most studied to the present. The use of bacteriocins as therapeutically active molecules is limited mainly d...
Bucca S, De Oliveira IRS, Cunanan JC, Vinardell T, Troedsson MHT.Assessment of pregnancy viability in the equine patient is currently based on gestational profiles of limited prognostic value. In recent years Doppler technology has been applied to uterine and umbilical arteries of pregnant mares to monitor fetal responsive haemodynamics, suggestive of compromise. To date, uterine artery Doppler indices failed to provide sufficient evidence of pregnancy viability and the umbilical cord of the equine fetus is inconsistently visualized past 250 days gestation. The objectives of this study were to: i) evaluate intracranial blood flow impedance by Doppler examin...
Socha W, Larska M, Rola J.Susceptibility to long-term persistent infection with Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) in stallions is related with EqCXCL16 gene alleles of the host. In our study EqCXCL16 gene alleles were determined for 63 EAV shedders and 126 non-shedders of various horse breeds. In total, 60 (31.7%) out of 189 tested stallions were identified as carriers of susceptible variants of EqCXCL16 by real time PCR and Sanger sequencing. The presence of susceptible genotype was related to horse breed with the highest percentage in Wielkopolska breed, Polish coldblood and Silesian breed horses. Strong correlation betwe...
Lofgren EA, Rice BMG, Brady CM.Horse welfare is a sensitive topic that often results in a variety of strong feelings when discussed in the horse-owning public. This study used a scenario-based questionnaire in a positive psychology approach to assess the public's feelings and discussions about horse welfare. Results indicated themes in important welfare qualities such as turnout, shelter, and ability to express natural behaviors, as well as a positive discussion about welfare. This study provides future implications for further research techniques in this area as well as communicative strategies surrounding equine welfare p...
Sundman EA, Chigerwe M, Hunyadi LM.Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) and asthma in barrel racing horses is a common disease across the United States. Limited information is available on non-infectious respiratory diseases in this population, the interaction between these two diseases, and the occurrence of both EIPH and asthma in the horse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cytological results of barrel racing horses with EIPH, asthma, or both. A retrospective study was conducted using the medical records of horses that presented with cough and decreased athletic perform...
Tirosh-Levy S, Gottlieb Y, Mazuz ML, Savitsky I, Steinman A.The tick-borne equine hemoparasite, Theileria equi, is endemic in many parts of the world where prevalence may be high, and most infected horses are apparently healthy but serve as life-long carriers. To determine the factors that affect T. equi dynamics, we followed parasitic loads in apparently healthy horses at four time points during one year. A total of 1094 blood samples were collected from 395 horses, along with ticks and demographic and clinical data. Infection and load of T. equi were tested by PCR and qPCR, and for the spring dataset, infection was also tested serologically by IFAT (...
de Preux M, Vidondo B, Koch C.To determine the influence of a purpose-built frame on the accuracy of screw placement during computer-assisted orthopedic surgery (CAOS) of the equine extremity. Methods: Experimental cadaveric study. Methods: Twenty-four paired equine cadaveric limbs obtained from seven horses. Methods: Three 4.5-mm cortex screws were inserted in lag technique in three different planes of orientation in the proximal phalanx (P1) by means of CAOS. In the study group (n = 12 limbs), the tracker was anchored on a purpose-built frame designed to stabilize the extremity. In the control group (n = 12 limbs), a con...
Tomlinson JE, Wolfisberg R, Fahnøe U, Sharma H, Renshaw RW, Nielsen L, Nishiuchi E, Holm C, Dubovi E, Rosenberg BR, Tennant BC, Bukh J, Kapoor A....Pegiviruses frequently cause persistent infection (as defined by >6 months), but unlike most other Flaviviridae members, no apparent clinical disease. Human pegivirus (HPgV, previously GBV-C) is detectable in 1-4% of healthy individuals and another 5-13% are seropositive. Some evidence for infection of bone marrow and spleen exists. Equine pegivirus 1 (EPgV-1) is not linked to disease, whereas another pegivirus, Theiler's disease-associated virus (TDAV), was identified in an outbreak of acute serum hepatitis (Theiler's disease) in horses. Although no subsequent reports link TDAV to disease, an...
Mshelia PW, Kappmeyer L, Johnson WC, Kudi CA, Oluyinka OO, Balogun EO, Richard EE, Onoja E, Sears KP, Ueti MW.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is an infectious, tick-borne disease caused by the hemoprotozoan parasites, Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, and a recently reported new species, T. haneyi. Infections by these apicomplexan parasites limit performance and cause economic losses for the horse industry. Equine piroplasmosis is widespread in the northern regions of Nigeria, where an increasing portion of the animal population is composed of horses. This disease has remained epidemiologically challenging, especially as the movement of horses increases across Nigeria. In this study, blood samples from 300 h...
Verkade ME, Hazeleger E, van de Lest CHA, Back W.Throughout the ages, humans have selected different horse breeds for their locomotor capacities. Consequently, the properties of equine locomotor tissues could have diversified because of the specific requirements of different disciplines. Therefore, this study aimed to compare biochemical properties of tendons in different equine breeds traditionally selected for racing or sports performance. We hypothesised that tendons in racing breeds would have biochemical properties that would increase strength, whereas those in sporting breeds would have more elastic properties. An ex vivo tendon tissue...
Soza-Ossandón P, Rivera D, Tardone R, Riquelme-Neira R, García P, Hamilton-West C, Adell AD, González-Rocha G, Moreno-Switt AI. is a highly infectious microorganism responsible for many outbreaks reported in equine hospitals. Outbreaks are characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates, nosocomial transmission to other patients, zoonotic transmission to hospital personnel, and even closure of facilities. In this study, 545 samples (environmental and hospitalized patients) were collected monthly during a 1-year period from human and animal contact surfaces in an equine hospital that received local and international horses. A total of 22 isolates were obtained from human contact surfaces (e.g., offices and pharmac...
Entenfellner J, Gahan J, Garvey M, Walsh C, Venner M, Cullinane A.The international governing body of equestrian sports requires that horses be vaccinated against equine influenza within 6 months and 21 days of competing. The aim of this study was to compare the antibody response of young sport horses to six-monthly booster vaccination with equine influenza vaccines of different formulations. An inactivated vaccine was allocated to 35 horses and subunit and recombinant vaccines were allocated to 34 horses each. After vaccination, all horses were monitored for evidence of adverse reactions. Whole blood samples were collected at the time of vaccination and on ...
Caffara M, Piva S, Pallaver F, Iacono E, Galuppi R.Fourteen Cryptosporidium isolates from hospitalized foals were genotyped and subtyped using PCR-RFLP analysis of the 18S rDNA. Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium horse genotype were detected in 3 and 11 stool specimens, respectively. Sequences of the gp60 gene of Cryptosporidium horse genotype allowed identification of the subtype family VIaA15G4, defining a novel microsatellite pattern within horse subtype VIa. Cryptosporidium horse genotype has only been described occasionally worldwide and this is the first time it has been identified in foals from Italy.
Veraa S, Voorhout G, Klein WR.Infundibular changes are frequently encountered computed tomographic studies of the equine maxillary cheek teeth but the possible importance of this finding is not known. Infundibular caries is a possible cause for pulpitis and apical infection in some horses. Objective: To study the relationship between the 2 pathologies and the frequency of changes. Methods: The maxillary cheek teeth 108-208, 109-209 and 110-210 of 25 horses were evaluated using computed tomography and both the prevalence of infundibular and apical infection changes as the possible link with apical infection evaluated statis...
Kinnunen S, Laukkanen R, Haldi J, Hanninen O, Atalay M.Endurance training induces changes in autonomic nervous system functions. High intensity training includes the risk of overtraining, in man and horse. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive measurement of the autonomic regulation of the heart rate, which is quick and easy to measure with modern telemetric technology. Objective: Since HRV is affected by changes in the autonomic nervous system, it might be an early stage indicator of poor recovery from a previous bout of exercise or overreaching or overtraining in horses in general. Methods: The aim of the study was to monitor recovery an...
Lavoie JP, Leclere M, Rodrigues N, Lemos KR, Bourzac C, Lefebvre-Lavoie J, Beauchamp G, Albrecht B.Corticosteroids are the most potent drugs for the control of severe equine asthma, but adverse effects limit their chronic systemic administration. Inhaled medications allow for drug delivery directly into the airways, reducing the harmful effects of these drugs. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of inhaled budesonide specifically formulated for the equine use and administered by a novel inhalation device in horses with severe asthma. Methods: Experimental studies in horses with naturally occurring asthma with cross-over, randomised, blinded experimental designs. Methods: In Study 1, budeson...
Black SJ, Lunn DP, Yin C, Hwang M, Lenz SD, Belknap JK.The mechanisms that initiate the pathophysiologic changes in the digital laminae in equine laminitis are poorly understood. Due to the fact that (1) the horse at risk of laminitis has many similarities clinically to the human sepsis patient and (2) our recent finding of marked laminar proinflammatory cytokine expression at the developmental time point of the black walnut extract (BWE) model of laminitis, we tested the possibility that, similar to organ damage in human sepsis, leukocyte emigration is an early event in laminitis. Using immunoperoxidase methods with an anti-equine CD13 monoclonal...
Kaczensky P, Burnik Šturm M, Sablin MV, Voigt CC, Smith S, Ganbaatar O, Balint B, Walzer C, Spasskaya NN.The Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), the only remaining wild horse within the equid family, is one of only a handful of species worldwide that went extinct in the wild, was saved by captive breeding, and has been successfully returned to the wild. However, concerns remain that after multiple generations in captivity the ecology of the Przewalski's horse and / or the ecological conditions in its former range have changed in a way compromising the species' long term survival. We analyzed stable isotope chronologies from tail hair of pre-extinction and reintroduced Przewalski's horse...
Taylor SD, Haldorson GJ, Vaughan B, Pusterla N.Gastric neoplasia of horses is incompletely described. Objective: Provide history, clinical signs, and clinicopathological and pathological findings associated with gastric neoplasia in horses. Methods: Twenty-four horses with gastric neoplasia. Methods: Retrospective study. History, clinical signs, and clinicopathological and pathologic findings in horses diagnosed histologically with gastric neoplasia were reviewed. Results: Horses ranged in age from 9 to 25 years (median 18 years at presentation). There was no apparent breed or sex predisposition. The most common presenting complaints were ...
Nielsen MK, Branan MA, Wiedenheft AM, Digianantonio R, Scare JA, Bellaw JL, Garber LP, Kopral CA, Phillippi-Taylor AM, Traub-Dargatz JL.Equine strongyle parasites are considered ubiquitous in grazing equids across the world, and cyathostomin parasites are known pathogens causing well-described disease complexes in horses. Decades of intensive anthelmintic treatments have led to anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomins, and current recommendations are to lower treatment intensity and base control strategies on fecal egg count surveillance. Little is known about risk factors associated with strongyle parasite egg shedding patterns in the United States equine population, as the most recent national survey was conducted 20 years a...
King TC, Priehs DR, Gum GG, Miller TR.The records of 50 horses with ocular squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) presented to the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital over an 11 year period were reviewed to determine the influence of therapy on the outcome of the case. Follow-up information was obtained for 43 of the 50 cases. The disease was more prevalent in the light horse breeds; however, the draft breeds also were at risk. There was no sex predisposition and the average age was 11.8 years. Tumour recurrence was significant when surgery alone was performed. The eyelid and nictitating membrane were the primary si...
Canisso IF, Carvalho GR, Morel MD, Ker PG, Rodrigues AL, Silva EC, Coutinho Da Silva MA.As mule production is often concentrated in remote areas of the world, a simplified semen cryopreservation protocol is required. Objective: To compare the seminal parameters of cryopreserved donkey semen in lactose-EDTA and lactose-yolk extenders and the fertility rates on horse mares. Methods: TRIAL 1: Sperm total and progressive motility, vigour (scale 0-5), morphology (major and minor defects) and plasma membrane integrity (HOST) were evaluated in 25 ejaculates from 5 donkey jacks immediately after collection (raw), after chilling to 5°C (chilled) and after freezing/thawing. The semen was ...
Paweska JT, Venter GJ.Field-collected Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were fed on horse blood-virus mixtures containing one of the six serotypes of equine encephalosis virus (EEV1 to EEV6). The virus mean titres in the bloodmeals varied between 6.1 and 7.0 log10TCID50/mL. Of 19 Culicoides species assayed after 10 days extrinsic incubation at 23.5 degrees C, five yielded the challenge virus, namely Culicoides (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer (EEV1-6), C. (A.) bolitinos Meiswinkel (EEV1, 2, 4, 6), C. (Meijerehelea) leucostictus Kiefer (EEV1, 2), C. (Culicoides) magnus Colaço (EEV1) and C. (Hoffmania) zuluens...
McGlennon A, Waller A, Verheyen K, Slater J, Grewar J, Aanensen D, Newton R.Previously national surveillance data for monitoring strangles (Streptococcus equi infection) in UK horses was limited. Improved awareness and knowledge of positive diagnoses would permit the optimisation of biosecurity protocols, decreasing the prevalence of strangles. Methods: Seven UK laboratories reported positive strangles diagnoses between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019 based on identifying Streptococcus equi via agent detection assays from field-based practitioner-submitted samples. Associated clinical history and animal signalment were collected where provided, and descriptive ana...
Yoshikawa H, Yasu T, Ueki H, Oyamada T, Oishi H, Anzai T, Oikawa M, Yoshikawa T.To evaluate the possibility that Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S.z) the causative bacterial agent of equine shipping fever pneumonia (ESFP), as well as to investigate its pathogenesis, 10 horses (seven Thoroughbreds and three Anglo-Arab species, ranging from 2-4 years in age) were experimentally inoculated, via an endoscope, into bronchus of the lung lobe with a dose of 30 ml of 1-7 x 10(8) CFU/ml of S.z. After inoculation, autopsy and pathological examinations were sequentially conducted 30 min, 1, 2, 3, 4, 17, 20 hr and 2 weeks later. Pneumonia induced by the intrapulmonary inocul...
McKeever KH, Schurg WA, Jarrett SH, Convertino VA.The purpose of this study was to determine if a chronic hypervolemia would accompany endurance exercise training in the horse. Six mature previously inactive horses were utilized for this study. During the 5-wk experiment, five of the horses were trained for 14 d on a treadmill ergometer at a constant treadmill speed of 5.6 km X hr-1 and a constant grade of 12.5% for graduated lengths of time. One horse was trained by lunging at a trotting pace in a round pen. Following training, plasma volume increased by 4.7 1 (29.1%, P less than 0.05). Although the rate of daily water intake did not change ...
Nieto JE, Dechant JE, Snyder JR.To evaluate single and double layer end-to-end anastomosis in equine jejunum. Methods: Experimental in vitro study. Methods: Mid-jejunal sections from 12 adult horses without gastrointestinal disease. Methods: Jejunal end-to-end anastomoses were performed by a continuous Lembert pattern or a simple continuous pattern oversewn with a Cushing pattern. Jejunal segments were distended with fluid at 1 L/min, and intraluminal pressure at failure, and mode of failure were recorded. Bursting pressure and bursting wall tension were calculated. Anastomosis construction time and degree of luminal reducti...
Barstow A, Bailey J, Campbell J, Harris C, Weller R, Pfau T.Both pleasure and competition horses regularly exercise on surfaces such as tarmac, gravel and turf during 'hacking'. Despite this, there is limited evidence relating to the effect of these surfaces upon foot-surface interaction. Objective: To investigate forelimb foot placement, hoof vibration and movement symmetry in pleasure horses on three commonly encountered hacking surfaces. Methods: Quantitative gait study in a convenience sample. Methods: Six horses regularly partaking in hacking exercise were ridden in walk and trot on all surfaces. Horses were equipped with one hoof-mounted, acceler...
Gacem S, Papas M, Catalan J, Miró J.The accessory sex glands play a major role in the production of seminal plasma, and testicular artery blood flow seems to strongly influence testicular function. However, very little ultrasound imaging of these organs has been undertaken in donkeys. The present work reports the results of such examinations in five jackasses along the year. The accessory glands were inspected by B-mode ultrasound while the testicular artery blood flow was assessed by colour pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound. The testicular artery was examined at pampiniform plexus (PPT), supratesticular area (ST) and capsular arte...
Webbon PM.The results of a survey are presented in which 589 limbs from 206 horses were dissected. In174 of the limbs lesions were found in either the superficial (131) or deep (43) digital flexor tendons. Changes occurring with age were also recorded. The sites of the abnormalities and their macroscopical appearance are described and the value of the results is considered in relation to the diagnosis and the treatment of clinical lesions.
Argyle D, Ellsmore V, Gault EA, Munro AF, Nasir L.To determine the role of telomeres in cellular ageing in equids, we analysed telomere lengths in peripheral blood derived DNA samples from a panel of donkeys (Equus asinus) ranging from 2 to 30 years of age. The average telomere lengths ranged from 7 to 21 kbp and a statistically significant inverse correlation between telomere lengths and donor age was demonstrated. Similarly, telomere lengths in primary fibroblasts isolated from a horse (Equus equus) demonstrated telomeric loss with in vitro ageing when cultured to senescence. We extended this study to evaluate activity of the enzyme telomer...
Riley SC, Gibson AH, Leask R, Mauchline DJ, Pedersen HG, Watson ED.Extensive tissue remodelling is required in equine ovaries for follicle growth and development and also migration of the follicle to the ovulatory fossa, where ovulation occurs. The mechanisms for these processes are largely unexplored. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their endogenous tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) are important for control of breakdown of extracellular matrix during tissue remodelling. The aims of this study were to determine the pattern and sites of secretion of the gelatinases MMP-2 and -9 and TIMPs into follicular fluid during follicle development in mare ovaries. The pred...
Lavoie JP, Pasloske K, Joubert P, Cordeau ME, Mancini J, Girard Y, Friesen RW, Frenette R, Blouin M, Young RN, Hickey G.Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE 4) enzyme inhibitors have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties in various animal disease processes and therefore could be effective drugs for the treatment of equine airway diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of the PDE 4 inhibitor L-826,141 in horses with heaves. In a blinded parallel design, horses with heaves exposed daily to moldy hay were given a placebo for 14 days and then administered either L-826,141 (n = 6; loading dose of 1 mg/kg IV followed by 0.5 mg/kg IV q48h) or dexamethasone (n = 6; 0.04 mg/kg ...
Lindner A, Wäschle S, Sasse HH.The blood lactate concentration (LA) and heart rate (HR) of 10 horses exercising in water on a treadmill were examined. With the water at 10 and 50% of the withers height (WH), the blood LA increased up to mean values around 1.9 mm during the standardized exercise test (SET) until after step 3 of 5 (each step lasted 5 min, speed increasing step by step). Thereafter, blood LA of horses remained constant, while with the water at 80% of WH, the blood LA decreased from the mean peak of 2.16 ± 0.62 mm after the 4th step. The HR of the horses increased to 132 ± 14 beats/min until the 3rd step of S...
TSUJIMURA K, SHIOSE T, YAMANAKA T, NEMOTO M, KONDO T, MATSUMURA T.An equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) mutant, DeltagE, defective in glycoprotein E (gE) was evaluated as a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine. Colostrum-deprived Thoroughbred foals inoculated intranasally (i.n.) or intramuscularly (i.m.) with DeltagE did not exhibit any clinical signs of respiratory disease except for a mild nasal discharge in 1 i.n. inoculated foal on Days 1 and 3 post-infection. In contrast, the intranasal inoculation of foals with the revertant of DeltagE resulted in biphasic pyrexia, mucopurulent nasal discharge and swelling of submandibular lymph nodes. These results indica...
Seo JP, Tanabe T, Tsuzuki N, Haneda S, Yamada K, Furuoka H, Tabata Y, Sasaki N.Osteochondrosis (OC) is a common and clinically important joint disorder in horses. However, repair of the OC region is difficult because of the avascular nature of cartilage. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of bilayer gelatin/β-tricalcium phosphate (GT) sponges loaded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), chondrocytes, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and platelet rich plasma (PRP) for the repair of osteochondral defects of the talus in horses. Full-thickness osteochondral defects were created on both the lateral trochlear ridges of the talus (n = 6). In the test group, a basic ...
Sleutjens J, Cooley AJ, Sampson SN, Wijnberg ID, Back W, van der Kolk JH, Swiderski CE.The impact of cervical pathology on performance is of great importance to the horse industry. Accurate diagnosis of cervical disease with imaging modalities, including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), requires thorough appreciation of normal cervical anatomy. Objective: (1) To describe in detail the anatomy of the equine cervical spine by comparing anatomical sections with corresponding MR and contrast-enhanced CT images in the sagittal, dorsal, and transverse plane. (2) To discuss the ability of MR and contrast-enhanced CT imaging to visualize anatomical structur...
Spaas JH, Chiers K, Bussche L, Burvenich C, Van de Walle GR.The mammary gland is a highly regenerative organ that can undergo multiple cycles of proliferation, lactation, and involution. Based on the facts that (i) mammary stem/progenitor cells (MaSC) are proposed to be the driving forces behind mammary growth and function and (ii) variation exists between mammalian species with regard to physiological and pathological functioning of this organ, we believe that studying MaSC from different mammals is of great comparative interest. Over the years, important data has been gathered on MaSC of men and mice, although knowledge on MaSC in other mammals remai...
Crossett B, Allen WR, Stewart F.Large quantities of an unusual 19 kDa protein (p19) are secreted into the lumen of the uterus of the mare (Equus caballus) during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy. p19 associates strongly with the acellular capsule that surrounds the young horse conceptus and is believed to be important in maintaining pregnancy. Here we report the complete cDNA sequence encoding p19, its expression patterns in horse tissues and a Southern blot analysis of the gene in horse DNA. The predicted amino acid sequence of the p19 cDNA demonstrated a signal peptide of 18 residues and a mature protein of 162 resid...
Kilcoyne I, Nieto JE, Dechant JE.To assess the diagnostic value of plasma and peritoneal fluid procalcitonin concentrations for identification of horses with strangulating intestinal lesions. Methods: 65 horses with signs of colic of intestinal origin and 10 healthy (control) horses. Methods: For each horse, plasma and peritoneal fluid samples were obtained for a CBC and determination of total protein, procalcitonin, and lactate concentrations. Signalment and clinicopathologic findings were compared among control horses and horses with strangulating and nonstrangulating intestinal lesions. Results: Mean ± SD plasma (274.9 ±...
