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Topic:Equine Health
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.
An anatomical and histological study of the equine proximal manica flexoria. The main aim was to describe the gross and histological appearance of the equine manica flexoria and to identify any differences between the forelimbs and hindlimbs. An additional aim was to relate the findings to diagnostic and surgical anatomy of the manica flexoria. Methods: Measurements of the manica flexoria were made on cadaveric limbs from horses free from pathology within the digital flexor tendon sheath. Histological sections, stained with haematoxylin and eosin and alcian- periodic acid schiff, were evaluated based on three micro-anatomical zones from dorsal to palmar or plantar. The...
Equine viral arteritis in breeding and sport horses in central Spain. Equine viral arteritis (EVA) may have a high economic impact on breeding stud farms due to the occurrence of EVA-associated abortion outbreaks and the ability of the virus to persist in carrier stallions. While the consequences of EVA in premises with sport horses are usually less severe, the first confirmed outbreak of EVA in Spain occurred in a riding club in Barcelona, but no data on the seroprevalence of EVA in sport horses have been reported in Spain. Given the importance of both Spanish Purebred (SP) breeding horses and sport horses for Spain's equine industry, the aim of this study was ...
Immune-Mediated Muscle Diseases of the Horse. In horses, immune-mediated muscle disorders can arise from an overzealous immune response to concurrent infections or potentially from an inherent immune response to host muscle antigens. Streptococcus equi ss. equi infection or vaccination can result in infarctive purpura hemorrhagica (IPH) in which vascular deposition of IgA-streptococcal M protein complexes produces ischemia and complete focal infarction of skeletal muscle and internal organs. In Quarter Horse-related breeds with immune-mediated myositis, an apparent abnormal immune response to muscle antigens results in upregulation of maj...
Isolation of equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) from equine coital exanthema of two stallions and sero-epidemiology of EHV-3 infection in Japan. In the spring of 2015, two stallions reared in Farms A and B in Hokkaido in Japan showed symptoms of equine coital exanthema. Equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) was isolated from penis swab samples of both stallions, and the isolates from each stallion in Farms A and B were designated as SS-1 and YS-1 strains, respectively. BamHI restriction profiles of SS-1 and Japanese reference strain Iwate-1 were indistinguishable, but the BamHI-A fragment of YS-1 was larger than those of SS-1 and Iwate-1 by 1.9 kbp because of the lack of two BamHI sites. Nucleotide sequence analyses of glycoprotein G (gG), gB, ...
Effects of Single-Dose Prucalopride on Intestinal Hypomotility in Horses: Preliminary Observations. Abnormalities of gastrointestinal motility are often a challenge in horses; however, the use of prokinetic drugs in such conditions must be firmly established yet. For this reason we carried out a preliminary study on the effects of prucalopride on intestinal motor activity of horses with gut hypomotility. The effect of prucalopride per os by oral dose syringe (2 mg/100 kg body weight) was assessed by abdominal ultrasound (evaluating duodenal, cecal, and colonic motor activity) in six horses with gut hypomotility. After administration of prucalopride, a significant increase of contractile ...
Cytokine levels in colostrum and in foals’ serum pre- and post-suckling. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of IL-4, IL-8, IL-13 and IFN-γ in equine colostrum and in foals' serum. Samples were obtained from 14 mares and their healthy foals. Soon after parturition, 10ml of colostrum was collected, filtered, centrifuged and frozen until assayed. Blood samples were obtained from each foal at birth (TO) and again after 24h (T24), after which they were frozen until assayed. Serum IgG was measured at 24h of age with an immunoturbidimetric quantitative method. Cytokine concentration was determined using commercially available ELISA tests. Statistica...
Osteochondroma on the cranial aspect of the distal radial metaphysis causing tenosynovitis of the extensor carpi radialis tendon sheath in a horse. A 3-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was presented with a grade 3/5 lameness of the right forelimb and effusion of the extensor carpi radialis tendon sheath (ECRTS). Radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations revealed an osteochondroma on the cranial aspect of the distal radius projecting into the fibrous lining of the ECRTS. An open surgical approach was used to remove the osteochondroma and some of the proliferative synovial tissue. Conclusions: Six months after surgery the clinical signs had resolved and the horse raced successfully.
Association of low race performance with mtDNA haplogroup L3b of Australian thoroughbred horses. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes the genes for respiratory chain sub-units that determine the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. The aim of this study was to determine if there were any haplogroups and variants in mtDNA that could be associated with athletic performance of Thoroughbred horses. The whole mitochondrial genomes of 53 maternally unrelated Australian Thoroughbred horses were sequenced and an association study was performed with the competition histories of 1123 horses within their maternal lineages. A horse mtDNA phylogenetic tree was constructed based on a t...
Occurrence of equine coital exanthema (ECE) in stallions in Japan and effectiveness of treatment with valacyclovir for ECE. Equine coital exanthema (ECE) has been reported in many countries, but equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) has been isolated only once in Japan. In 2015, symptoms of ECE were found, and EHV-3 was isolated in two stallions. Valacyclovir, an anti-herpesvirus agent, was administered orally. The stallions rested from mating for more than two weeks, causing enormous financial losses because of their high fees. This is the first study in which valacyclovir was administered for ECE. Though valacyclovir treatment did not shorten the duration of healing, the affected area did not expand after administration o...
Molecular characterization of Rhodococcus equi isolates from horses in Poland: pVapA characteristics and plasmid new variant, 85-kb type V. Rhodococcus equi is one of the most significant bacterial pathogens affecting foals up to 6 months of age worldwide. Rhodococcosis is present in Poland however information about molecular characterization of R. equi isolates is scarce. This study describes molecular characterization of Rhodococcus equi infection on 13 horse breeding farms in Poland between 2001 and 2012. Samples were collected by tracheobronchial aspiration from pneumonic foals or during necropsy. The R. equi isolates were genotyped by plasmid profiling and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Results: Totally, 58 R. equi isolat...
Evaluation of a Chemiluminescent Immunoassay for Measurement of Equine Insulin. Many diagnostic tests for insulin dysregulation use reference intervals established with an insulin radioimmunoassay (RIA) that is no longer available. A chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) is commonly used for the measurement of serum insulin concentration in clinical practice but requires further validation, especially at clinically relevant reference intervals. Objective: To evaluate the CLIA for measurement of equine insulin and compare it to the previously validated, but now unavailable RIA. Methods: Equine serum samples (n = 78) from clinical and experimental studies. Methods: In this ex...
Effect of age on heart rate, blood lactate concentration, packed cell volume and hemoglobin to exercise in Jeju crossbreed horses. This study aimed to analyze the on heart rate, blood lactate concentration, packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin (Hb) response after conducting exercise in endurance horses. Methods: A total of 20 healthy 3-9-years-old Jeju crossbreed mares (5.95 ± 2.24 year) of age and 312.65 ± 13.59 kg of weight) currently participating the endurance competition were used. The field tests selected for the experiment was gallop (approximately 8.3 m/s) along the selected 2.5 km course (a natural forest trail, not artificial road; a closed loop course). The horses were divided into three groups...
Diagnosis of resistance alleles in codon 167 of the beta-tubulin (Cya-tbb-1) gene from third-stage larvae of horse cyathostomins. Anthelmintic resistance is a serious problem for the control of equine gastrointestinal nematodes. In the present survey, 173 third stage larvae of cyathostomins were investigated from three different locations for the presence of the resistant genotype at codon 167 of the beta-tubulin gene, as this is the most prevalent mutation. The larvae from the state of Parana (n=67), Sao Paulo (n=54) and Santa Catarina (n=52), showed 61.2; 31.5 and 38.5% of the heterozygous resistant genotype - TTC/TAC, respectively. An unpublished mutation at codon 172 that results in a serine (S) to threonine (T) subs...
Early volumetric changes after vertical augmentation of the atrophic posterior mandible with interpositional block graft versus onlay bone graft: A retrospective radiological study. The aim of this study was to evaluate volumetric and clinical outcomes of atrophic posterior mandibles treated with inlay or onlay bone grafting techniques. Methods: In posterior mandibles, alveolar ridges were treated either with interpositional equine cancellous bone block (inlay group) or with onlay autogenous bone block (onlay group). Bone volumes at baseline and at 4 months after surgery were measured by computed tomography. Results: A total of 20 subjects were enrolled in the present study: 10 in the inlay group and 10 in the onlay group. After surgery, atrophic posterior mandibles showe...
Structure and Innervation of the Equine Supraspinous and Interspinous Ligaments. Pain related to the osseous thoracolumbar spine is common in the equine athlete, with minimal information available regarding soft tissue pathology. The aims of this study were to describe the anatomy of the equine SSL and ISL (supraspinous and interspinous ligaments) in detail and to assess the innervation of the ligaments and their myofascial attachments including the thoracolumbar fascia. Ten equine thoracolumbar spines (T15-L1) were dissected to define structure and anatomy of the SSL, ISL and adjacent myofascial attachments. Morphological evaluation included histology, electron microscopy...
Scleraxis Is Essential for Tendon Differentiation by Equine Embryonic Stem Cells and in Equine Fetal Tenocytes. The transcription factor scleraxis is required for tendon development and is upregulated during embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation into tenocytes. However, its role beyond early embryonic development is not defined. We utilized a short hairpin RNA to knock down scleraxis expression in ESCs and adult and fetal tenocytes. No effect on growth or morphology was observed in two-dimensional cultures. However, scleraxis knockdown in fetal tenocytes significantly reduced COL1A1, COMP, and SOX9 gene expression. Scleraxis knockdown in adult tenocytes had no effect on the expression of these genes...
Sudden death in racehorses: postmortem examination protocol. In racehorses, sudden death (SD) associated with exercise poses a serious risk to jockeys and adversely affects racehorse welfare and the public perception of horse racing. In a majority of cases of exercise-associated sudden death (EASD), there are no gross lesions to explain the cause of death, and an examination of the cardiovascular system and a toxicologic screen are warranted. Cases of EASD without gross lesions are often presumed to be sudden cardiac deaths (SCD). We describe an equine SD autopsy protocol, with emphasis on histologic examination of the heart ("cardiac histology protocol...
A comparison of fecal steroid metabolite concentrations between harem and bachelor stallions in a free-Ranging population of przewalski’s horses (Equus ferus przewalskii). The aim of this study was to determine whether concentrations of reproductive steroid hormone metabolites significantly differed between harem stallions and bachelor stallions in the free ranging group of Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) at the Hortobágy National Park in Hungary. Throughout the study, fecal samples were collected from 21 harem stallions and 15 bachelor stallions and analyzed for immunoreactive estrogen and androgen metabolites. Harem stallions demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of estrogen (P < 0.001) and epi-androsterone (P < 0.001), ...
Deletion of 2.7 kb near HOXD3 in an Arabian horse with occipitoatlantoaxial malformation. In the horse, the term occipitoatlantoaxial malformation (OAAM) is used to describe a developmental defect in which the first cervical vertebra (atlas) resembles the base of the skull (occiput) and the second cervical vertebra (axis) resembles the atlas. Affected individuals demonstrate an abnormal posture and varying degrees of ataxia. The homeobox (HOX) gene cluster is involved in the development of both the axial and appendicular skeleton. Hoxd3-null mice demonstrate a strikingly similar phenotype to Arabian foals with OAAM. Whole-genome sequencing was performed in an OAAM-affected horse (O...
Testosterone serum profile, semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Mangalarga Marchador stallions in a tropical environment. This study was conducted to characterize the daily profile of testosterone secretion and its mean concentrations in the four seasons as well as to evaluate the semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Mangalarga Marchador stallions throughout the year in a tropical region. Three stallions were submitted to semen collections and evaluation of testicular biometry every 14 days along a year. Blood samples were collected once at the middle of each season, in a 20-min interval during 24 hr in order to evaluate the testosterone secretion profiles among seasons. Testosterone concentrations ...
Assessment of tuber coxae bone biopsy in the standing horse. To describe a biopsy technique in standing horses with minimal morbidity that consistently provides a substantial bone biopsy with intact, undamaged architecture. Methods: Experimental, prospective study. Methods: Ten Thoroughbred horses. Methods: Biopsies were obtained from the tuber coxae of 10 sedated, standing horses using an oscillating saw. Bilateral biopsies, separated by 60 days, were evaluated with micro-computed tomography (microCT). The first biopsy was prepared for decalcified histology; the second for undecalcified histology. Both biopsies were evaluated qualitatively for histolog...
Expression of Toll-like receptors 2, 4 and 6 in different cell populations of the equine endometrium. Subfertility in mares is mainly caused by endometrial diseases. Alterations of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are associated with endometrial disorders in women. This study investigated TLRs 2, 4 and 6 in the equine endometrium. Endometria of 21 mares were examined by histology, PCR and immunohistochemistry. Tissues from 2 mares were considered normal. The remaining showed endometritis, endometrosis and/or angiosclerosis. TLRs 2, 4 and 6 were expressed as transcripts and proteins in all endometria. Immunohistochemistry detected TLRs 2, 4 and 6 in mast cells, luminal and glandular epithelial cells,...
Effects of pre-shipping enrofloxacin administration on fever and blood properties in adult Thoroughbred racehorses transported a long distance. To evaluate the effects of single-dose enrofloxacin (ERFX) on fever and blood properties in 68 Thoroughbred racehorses after long-distance transportation, horses were assigned to receive ERFX (5 mg/kg, IV; ERFX group; n=52) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (50 ml, IV; control group; n=16) ≤1 hr before transportation. Horses were transported 1,122 km using commercial vans over the course of approximately 21 hr. Clinical examinations and hematologic analyses were performed before and after transportation. Rectal temperatures, white blood cell counts and serum amyloid A concentration of ERFX grou...
Presence and distribution of yeasts in the reproductive tract in healthy female horses. Yeasts are commensal organisms found in the reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts, and on the skin and other mucosa in mammals. Objective: The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify yeast flora in the caudal reproductive tract in healthy female horses. Methods: Longitudinal study. Methods: A total of 453 samples were collected using double-guarded swabs from the vestibule, clitoral fossa and vagina in 151 horses. All samples were cultured on Sabouraud 4% dextrose agar and incubated at 35°C for 7-10 days. Isolates were identified according to their morphological characteristics a...
Longitudinal changes in serum catecholamines, dopamine, serotonin, ACTH and cortisol in pregnant Spanish mares. Systemic physiological changes required for placental and fetal development during pregnancy are associated with an activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) in women, but this fact has not been investigated in mares. Venous blood samples were taken monthly from 31 successful Spanish mares during the 11months of pregnancy. During the first 4months of pregnancy, adrenaline (AD), dopamine (DOPA) and ACTH increases, whereas 5-hydroxitryptamine (5-HT) decreased, and noradrenaline (NAD) and cortisol (CORT) did not change. Serum NAD increase...
Effects of horseback riding exercise on the relative alpha power spectrum in the elderly. The present study aimed to identify the effects of horseback riding and mechanical horseback riding exercise on the relative α-power spectrum in the elderly. A total of 31 healthy elderly were randomly divided into horseback riding (n=15) and mechanical horseback riding exercise groups (n=16). The horseback riding exercise program was conducted for 25min twice a week for 12 weeks. Two-way repeated analysis of variance was used to identify the changes in measured variables before the exercise program, and after 6 and 12 weeks of the program. The horseback riding exercise group showed an increa...
Morphological description of limbal epithelium: searching for stem cells crypts in the dog, cat, pig, cow, sheep and horse. The cornea provides protection and transparency to the eye, allowing an optimal sharpness view. In some pathological conditions the cornea is able to regenerate thanks to the presence of a stem cells reservoir present at the level of the transition area between cornea and sclera (limbus). Corneal cell therapies in Veterinary Medicine are really limited due to the lacking of knowledge about the anatomy of the limbal area, the putative presence of stem cells and their identification in domestic species. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the main distinctive structural features ...
