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.
Köhne M, Ille N, Erber R, Adib Razavi MS, Walter I, Aurich C.Progestin concentration in plasma during the early luteal phase is crucial for endometrial function and conceptus development. We hypothesized that periovulatory gonadotrophin treatment via support of luteal function affects endometrial gene expression in horses. Effect of age was analyzed as well. Shetland mares (n = 8, age 4-25 years) were assigned to the following treatments during five consecutive cycles in alternating order following a cross-over design: treatment hCG/-: preovulatory injection of hCG, but no gonadotrophin injection at detection of ovulation, treatment -/hCG: no preovulat...
Colbath AC, Wittenburg LA, Gold JR, McIlwraith CW, Moorman VJ.To determine the effect of intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with a combination of mepivacaine hydrochloride and amikacin sulfate on synovial fluid amikacin sulfate concentration, antimicrobial activity, and mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT). Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Healthy adult horses (n=9). Methods: One IVRLP treatment was randomly administered by cephalic vein of each limb: amikacin alone (1 g amikacin in 60 mL saline) or amikacin with mepivacaine (1 g amikacin and 500 mg mepivacaine in 60 mL saline). Opposite treatments were repeated after a 24 hour wash-out p...
Karme A, Rannikko J, Kallonen A, Clauss M, Fortelius M.Different diets wear teeth in different ways and generate distinguishable wear and microwear patterns that have long been the basis of palaeodiet reconstructions. Little experimental research has been performed to study them together. Here, we show that an artificial mechanical masticator, a chewing machine, occluding real horse teeth in continuous simulated chewing (of 100 000 chewing cycles) is capable of replicating microscopic wear features and gross wear on teeth that resemble wear in specimens collected from nature. Simulating pure attrition (chewing without food) and four plant material...
Banse HE, Holbrook TC, Frank N, McFarlane D.Local (skeletal muscle and adipose) and systemic inflammation are implicated in the development of obesity-associated insulin resistance in humans. In horses, obesity is neither strongly nor consistently associated with systemic inflammation. The role of skeletal muscle inflammation in the development of insulin dysregulation (insulin resistance or hyperinsulinemia) remains to be determined. We hypothesized that skeletal muscle inflammation is related to obesity-associated hyperinsulinemia in horses. Thirty-five light-breed horses with body condition scores (BCSs) of 3/9 to 9/9 were studied, i...
Muñoz PM, Ferrusola CO, Lopez LA, Del Petre C, Garcia MA, de Paz Cabello P, Anel L, Peña FJ.Stallion-to-stallion variability in the quality of cryopreserved ejaculates postthaw affects the commercial acceptability of frozen semen and thus is a major constraint for the equine industry. In recent years, the molecular mechanisms associated with sperm damage during cryopreservation have become better understood. Identification of the freezability of the ejaculates before the freezing process is initiated will have a major impact on the equine industry. We studied three markers of oxidative stress in sperm, including 8-iso-PGF2alpha, 8-OH guanosine, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE); the prese...
Finley A, Gohari IM, Parreira VR, Abrahams M, Staempfli HR, Prescott JF.NetF-producing Clostridium perfringens have recently been identified as a cause of necrotizing enteritis in neonatal foals, but little is known about its prevalence in clinically normal foals. Foals (n = 88) ranging in age from < 1 wk to 2 to 4 mo (median age 2 to 4 wk) on 8 horse-breeding farms in Ontario were examined on 1 or 2 occasions for the presence of C. perfringens. Of the foals that tested positive, 5 isolates (n = 675) were examined for the netF and enterotoxin (cpe) genes. Colonization by C. perfringens was most marked in foals < 1 wk of age [4.85 ± 2.70 log10 colony-forming...
Mira J, Herman M, Zakia LS, Olivo G, Araujo JP, Borges AS, Oliveira-Filho JP.Aural plaques can be found on the inner surfaces of one or both ears of horses. Despite their low malignancy, these lesions can sometimes cause discomfort and sensitivity in horses, and a loss in commercial value due to their aesthetic effect. There has been a study describing the epidemiological features and the clinical prevalence of equine aural plaques in Brazil. Objective: To determine the clinical prevalence and selected associated factors of aural plaques. Methods: In the study, 891 horses were assessed for aural plaques. The sample group had a median age of 5 years and comprised both s...
Nieto JE, Trela J, Stanley SD, Yamout S, Snyder JR.The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of amikacin and penicillin G sodium when administered in combination as an intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) to horses. Seven healthy adult horses underwent an IVRLP in the cephalic vein with 2 g of amikacin sulfate and 10 mill IU of penicillin G sodium diluted to 60 mL in 0.9% saline. A pneumatic tourniquet set at 450 mmHg was left in place for 30 min. Synovial fluid was collected from the metacarpophalangeal joint 35 min and 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after infusion of the antimicrobials. Concentrations of amikacin and penicillin ...
Horseman SV, Buller H, Mullan S, Knowles TG, Barr AR, Whay HR.Investigating how those responsible for the care of nonhuman animals understand the concept of animal welfare is important for animal welfare improvement. In-depth interviews with 31 equine stakeholders were used to explore their perceptions and understanding of welfare. The results showed the stakeholders understood the concept of welfare in 4 ways. Firstly, welfare was understood in terms of the provision of resources-for example, food. Secondly, a "horse-centered" understanding of welfare was articulated; this understanding included the horses' mental state and was linked to natural behavio...
Acosta H, Rondón-Mercado R, Avilán L, Concepción JL.Trypanosoma evansi is a widely-distributed haemoflagellated parasite of veterinary importance that infects a variety of mammals including horses, mules, camels, buffalos, cattle and deer. It is the causal agent of a trypanosomiasis known as Surra which produces epidemics of great economic importance in Africa, Asia and South America. The main pathology includes an enlarged spleen with hypertrophy of lymphoid follicles, congested lungs, neuronal degeneration and meningoencephalitis, where migration of the parasites from the blood to the tissues is essential. Most cells, including pathogenic cel...
Panagiotopoulou O, Rankin JW, Gatesy SM, Hutchinson JR.Horse racing is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has raised welfare concerns due to injured and euthanized animals. Whilst the cause of musculoskeletal injuries that lead to horse morbidity and mortality is multifactorial, pre-existing pathologies, increased speeds and substrate of the racecourse are likely contributors to foot disease. Horse hooves have the ability to naturally deform during locomotion and dissipate locomotor stresses, yet farriery approaches are utilised to increase performance and protect hooves from wear. Previous studies have assessed the effect of different shoe desi...
Albanese V, Hanson RR, McMaster MA, Koehler JW, Caldwell FJ.To evaluate use of a knotless suture for laparoscopic closure of the equine nephrosplenic space. Methods: Experimental in vivo study. Methods: Normal horses without previous history of abdominal surgery (n=8). Methods: The nephrosplenic space was closed under laparoscopic visualization using a unidirectional, barbed 0 metric absorbable suture (copolymer of glycolic acid and trimethylene carbonate). Intracorporeal suturing of the nephrosplenic space was performed in a cranial-to-caudal direction in a simple continuous fashion. Repeat evaluation was performed laparoscopically in 2 horses and by ...
Carmalt JL, Johanssen B, Waldner C.To compare the performance of horses with intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (IDDSP) treated surgically with a control group and to determine whether there was a difference in postoperative performance between horses treated with a staphylectomy or a tie-forward procedure. Methods: A retrospective observational study. Methods: Swedish Warmblood trotting horses (Standardbreds) with endoscopically confirmed IDDSP (n=56) and control horses (n=48) with endoscopically normal upper airways tested using overground endoscopy identified from medical records. Methods: Generalized estima...
Dalla Costa E, Dai F, Lebelt D, Scholz P, Barbieri S, Canali E, Minero M.A truthful snapshot of horse welfare conditions is a prerequisite for predicting the impact of any actions intended to improve the quality of life of horses. This can be achieved when welfare information, gathered by different assessors in diverse geographical areas, is valid, comparable and collected in a harmonized way. This paper aims to present the first outcomes of the Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) approach: the results of on-farm assessment and a reliable and harmonized data collection system. A total of 355 sport and leisure horses, stabled in 40 facilities in Italy and in Germany, w...
Ma J, Zhang Z, Yao Q, Su C, Yin X, Wang X.Rev, an important accessory protein of equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV), induces the nuclear export of incompletely spliced viral mRNAs. Rev is translated from the tat-rev mRNA through leaky scanning of the tat CUG. In this study, the function of the Kozak sequence at the beginning of the rev ORF was investigated. Deletion or attenuation of the Kozak sequence resulted in expression of an N-terminal 11 aa-truncated Rev in addition to WT Rev. Truncated Rev displayed weaker promotion of Gag expression and processing than WT Rev. Furthermore, EIAV rescued from an infectious molecular clon...
Kim DH, Chung YS, Park YK, Yang SJ, Lim SK, Park YH, Park KT.Antimicrobial-resistant (AR) enterococci have emerged as leading nosocomial pathogens. Transmission of AR Enterococci from animals to humans has been demonstrated. However, there is limited information on the transmission of enterococci from horses to humans. To address this issue, we characterized 260 enterococci isolated from horse-associated samples in Korea in 2013 based on their AR profiles and virulence traits. AR profiling revealed an average ratio of AR enterococci of 23.8%. Seven isolates (2.7%) were multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis. Most tetracycline-resistant enterococci ha...
Vieira TS, Vieira RF, Krawczak FS, Soares HS, Guimarães AM, Barros-Filho IR, Marcondes M, Labruna MB, Biondo AW, Vidotto O.Although well established in dogs, Ehrlichia sp. infection has been scarcely reported in horses. The aim was to perform a comprehensive serological and molecular survey for the detection of Ehrlichia spp. in carthorses from Southern Brazil. Blood samples from 190 carthorses from Paraná State were sampled. Horses were also tested for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Anti-Ehrlichia sp. antibodies were detected by a commercial rapid ELISA, and immunofluorescence antibody assays (IFA) with E. chaffeensis and E. canis as crude antigens. The molecular and phylogenetic analysis of...
Kennedy R, Lappin DF, Dixon PM, Bennett D, Riggio MP.Equine periodontitis is a common and painful condition. However, the disease often goes unnoticed by owners and is thus a major welfare concern. The aetiopathogenesis of the condition remains poorly understood and has been investigated in few studies. The innate immune system is known to play an important role in human periodontitis, but its role in equine periodontitis has not been examined. Objective: To quantify the messenger (m)RNA levels of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cytokines in gingival tissue from orally healthy horses and those affected by periodontitis. Methods: Observational stu...
Afonso T, Giguère S, Rapoport G, Brown SA, Coleman AE.Benazepril has been shown to inhibit circulating angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in horses but the optimal dosage is unknown. Objective: To determine the lowest tested dose of benazepril that results in ≥75% attenuation in the response of arterial blood pressure (BP) to exogenous angiotensin I (ANG-I) administration. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: A total of 5 healthy horses were instrumented for the direct measurement of BP. Each horse received 4 intragastric doses of benazepril (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/kg bwt) with a washout period of 7 days between doses. Prior ...
Berruex F, Gerber V, Wohlfender FD, Burger D, Koch C.The progression of equine sarcoids (ES) is notoriously unpredictable. Making a choice for the appropriate treatment is challenging when dealing with milder manifestations of ES. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical course of ES in young horses. Methods: A cohort of 61 ES-affected three-year-old Franches-Montagnes horses and a breed-, age- and geographically matched control group of 75 ES-free peers were examined twice over a period of 5-7 years. Owners and caretakers were queried, using a standardized questionnaire. Results: More than half of the 38/61 (62%) horses...
Lee J, Park JH, Min JY.The non-structural protein of influenza A virus (NS1A protein) is a multifunctional protein that antagonizes host antiviral responses and contributes to efficient viral replication during infection. However, most of its functions have been elucidated by generating recombinant viruses expressing mutated NS1 proteins that do not exist in nature. Recently, the novel H3N8 A/Equine/Kyonggi/SA1/2011 (KG11) influenza virus was isolated in Korea from horses showing respiratory disease symptoms. KG11 virus contains a naturally truncated NS gene segment with the truncation in the NS1A coding region, res...
Tagliabue S, Figarolli BM, D'Incau M, Foschi G, Gennero MS, Giordani R, Giordani R, Natale A, Papa P, Ponti N, Scaltrito D, Spadari L, Vesco G....Nowadays, leptospirosis is a re‑emerging widespread infectious disease often underestimate worldwide. The National Reference Centre for Leptospirosis (NRCL), at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Brescia (Italy), with the cooperation of all the other Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (IIZZSS), evaluated the distribution of such important zoonosis in Italy. Serological data obtained between 2010‑2011 by each laboratory were collected by the NRCL and discussed. Serum samples collected from 43,935 animal specimens were analysed by the Microsco...
Sant C, d'Abadie R, Pargass I, Basu AK, Asgarali Z, Charles RA, Georges KC.Equine piroplasmosis caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi is endemic in Trinidad and Tobago. Transmission occurs by ticks of the family Ixodidae. T. equi can also be transmitted transplacentally; however transplacental transmission of B. caballi is unknown. This study aims to investigate transplacental transmission of equine piroplasmosis from thoroughbred mares naturally infected via the tick vector. Whole blood and serum samples were collected from 117 mares in the fifth month of pregnancy. Blood samples were also collected from each of their foals (89 in total) within the first 36h ...
Karagianni AE, Kapetanovic R, Summers KM, McGorum BC, Hume DA, Pirie RS.Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the first line of defence against pathogens in the lungs of all mammalian species and thus may constitute appropriate therapeutic target cells in the treatment and prevention of opportunistic airway infections. Therefore, acquiring a better understanding of equine macrophage biology is of paramount importance in addressing this issue in relation to the horse. Objective: To compare the transcriptome of equine AMs with that of equine peritoneal macrophages (PMs) and to investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on equine AM. Methods: Gene expression study o...
Creton B, Pageat P, Robejean M, Lafont-Lecuelle C, Cozzi A.Hematophagous insects can be vectors of pathogens and cause significant economic loss in zootechnical production. Among biting insects, many dipteran species feed on horse blood. The black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) group, is responsible for several disorders in horses and inflicts painful bites that lead to undesirable behaviours in horses, particularly when bites occur in sensitive areas such as the inner ear. A field study was conducted in a French equestrian center during which a semiochemical was applied on horses' ears to assess repellent efficacy against simulid infestation. During the f...
Souto EPF, Maia LA, Olinda RG, Galiza GJN, Kommers GD, Miranda-Neto EG, Dantas AFM, Riet-Correa F.Two cases of nasal pythiosis are reported in horses from the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. From January 1986 to December 2015, the Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Federal University of Campina Grande received 830 equine samples, 156 (18.79%) of which were diagnosed with pythiosis. Of these, two horses (1.28%), a male and a female adult cross-breed, had lesions in the nasal cavity. Both horses had access to water reservoirs. Clinically, they had swelling in the rhinofacial region and a serosanguineous nasal discharge. Macroscopically, in case 1, the lesion affected the nasal vestibul...
Cian F, Whiteoak S, Stewart J.A 12-year-old British Warmblood mare was examined by the referring veterinarian for evaluation of a cutaneous lesion on the dorsal thorax to the right of the midline. Cytologic examination of fine-needle aspirates from the mass was supportive of a giant cell tumor of soft parts (GCTSP). Laser surgical excision and postoperative methyl aminolevulinate (MAL) photodynamic therapy (PDT) were performed. Histologic examination of the mass confirmed the cytologic diagnosis. At 8 months from surgery, no evidence of recurrence has been observed. Giant cell tumors of soft parts are rare cutaneous neopla...
Düttmann C, Flores B, Kadoch Z N, Bermúdez C S.We document the species of ticks that parasitize livestock in Nicaragua. The study was based on tick collection on cattle and horses from 437 farms in nine departments. Of 4841 animals examined (4481 cows and 360 horses), 3299 were parasitized, which represent 68 % of the bovines and 67 % of the equines in study: 59 cows and 25 horses were parasitized by more than one species. In addition, 280 specimens of the entomological museum in León were examined. The ticks found on cattle were Rhipicephalus microplus (75.2 % of the ticks collected), Amblyomma mixtum (20.8 %), A. parvum (2.6 %), A....
Farah Z, Fan H, Liu Z, He JQ.Correct selection of an appropriate animal mode to closely mimic human extremity diseases or to exhibit desirable phenotypes of limb regeneration is the first critical step for all scientists in biomedical and regenerative researches. The commonly-used animals in limb regeneration and repairing studies, such as axolotl, mice, and rats, are discussed in the review and other models including cockroaches, dogs, and horses are also mentioned. The review weighs the general advantages, disadvantages, and precedent uses of each model in the context of limb and peripheral injury and subsequent regener...
Williams TL, Archer J.Pseudothrombocytopenia secondary to platelet clumping is a common cause of preanalytic error for platelet counts in dogs, cats, and horses. In human beings, it is suggested that prewarming blood samples to 37°C prior to hematology analysis will reduce platelet clumping. Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of prewarming EDTA blood samples to 37°C on measured platelet counts and other hematologic variables. Methods: The EDTA blood samples from dogs, cats and horses submitted to the clinical pathology laboratory at the University of Cambridge were included. Complete b...
Effa K, Rosenbom S, Han J, Dessie T, Beja-Pereira A.Matrilineal genetic diversity and relationship were investigated among eight morphologically identified native Ethiopian horse populations using polymorphisms in 46 mtDNA D-loop sequences (454 base pairs). The horse populations identified were Abyssinian, Bale, Borana, Horro, Kafa, Kundido feral horses, Ogaden and Selale. Mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequences were characterized by 15 variable sites that defined five different haplotypes. All genetic diversity estimates, including Reynolds' linearized genetic distance, genetic differentiation () and nucleotide sequence divergence (), revealed a lo...
Dukti SA, Perkins S, Murphy J, Barr B, Boston R, Southwood LL, Bernard W.Prevalence of gastric ulcerations differs widely according to breed and circumstances of management. Further study of the biological variables involved is required in order to identify more exactly the reasons for the reported range. Objective: The objectives of this present study, which do not appear to have been addressed previously in the literature, were 1) the prevalence of gastric ulceration in horses with abdominal pain. 2) difference in prevalence in horses responding to medical therapy and those requiring surgical intervention. 3) whether gastric ulceration is associated with any part...
Rouse BT, Ingram DG.Thirty-six samples of colostrum and milk were collected from ponies at various intervals after parturition. Levels of total protein and immunoglobulins IgG and IgG(T) were determined. In samples collected in the first 3 hours , the total protein concentration was approximately twice that of serum protein and the immunoglobulins IgG and IgG(T) accounted for 30 per cent and 10 per cent respectively of this protein. The ratio of IgG to IgG(T) was similar to that in serum. After suckling, a marked decline in both total protein and immunoglobulin concentration occurred. In addition, the relative co...
Herrler A, Pell JM, Allen WR, Beier HM, Stewart F.Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) promotes early embryonic development in several species. In the rabbit, IGF-I binds to the embryonic coats from Day 3 of development onward by a 38-kDa protein that is probably insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3). In the present study, ligand, Western, and Northern blot analyses were used to demonstrate the presence of IGF-I-binding activity, several immunoreactive IGFBP3 proteins, and IGFBP3 mRNA in horse conceptuses with particularly large amounts of immunoreactive IGFBP3 in the conceptus capsule. In addition, immunoprecipitation of radi...
Edwards RA, Hermans H, Veraa S.Headshaking is a common problem in horses. The etiology is unknown but thought to involve sensory input from branches of the trigeminal nerve, some of which are within the infraorbital canal. The objective of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to describe the CT anatomy and variations of the infraorbital canal in horses with local disease processes and normal horses, and to examine associations between those findings and headshaking. Computed tomography scans were reviewed and morphological changes of the infraorbital canal were described. Presence of changes was then tested for asso...
Acosta TJ, Gastal EL, Gastal MO, Beg MA, Ginther OJ.Diameter deviation during a follicular wave is characterized by the continued growth of the developing dominant follicle and reduced growth and regression of the subordinate follicles. This study considered the hypothesis that reduced blood flow in the future largest subordinate follicle precedes the beginning of diameter deviation. The hypothesis was tested by quantifying the daily changes in blood-flow velocities and blood-flow area within the wall of follicles before and during diameter deviation in mares (n = 7). The blood-flow end points were quantified daily by transrectal color Doppler ...
Olsén L, Ingvast-Larsson C, Larsson P, Broström H, Bondesson U, Sundqvist M, Tjälve H.The pharmacokinetics and the effects on inhibition of histamine-induced cutaneous wheal formation of the histamine H1-antagonist fexofenadine were studied in horse. The effect of ivermectin pretreatment on the pharmacokinetics of fexofenadine was also examined. After intravenous infusion of fexofenadine at 0.7 mg/kg bw the mean terminal half-life was 2.4 h (range: 2.0-2.7 h), the apparent volume of distribution 0.8 L/kg (0.5-0.9 L/kg), and the total body clearance 0.8 L/h/kg (0.6-1.2 L/h/kg). After oral administration of fexofenadine at 10 mg/kg bw bioavailability was 2.6% (1.9-2.9%). Ivermect...
Sentsui H, Kono Y.Horse erythrocytes treated with equine infectious anemia virus hemagglutinin were found to be lysed after incubation with fresh horse serum at 37 degrees C. Fresh guinea pig serum induced more efficient hemolysis than horse serum. Direct immunofluorescence test revealed the adsorption of complement factors on the surface of the erythrocytes. Calcium and magnesium ions were necessary for the hemolysis to take place. Antibody against equine infectious anemia virus enhanced the virus-induced complement-mediated hemolysis. These observations indicated that the classical pathway of complement activ...
Rudolf Vegas A, Hamdi M, Podico G, Bollwein H, Fröhlich T, Canisso IF, Bauersachs S, Almiñana C.In contrast to other domestic mammals, the embryo-derived signal(s) leading to maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) are still unknow in the mare. We hypothesize that these embryonic signals could be packed into uterine extracellular vesicles (uEVs), acting as multi-signal messengers between the conceptus and the maternal tract, and contributing to MRP. To unveil these signals, the RNA and protein cargos of uEVs isolated from uterine lavages collected from pregnant mares (P; day 10, 11, 12 and 13 after ovulation) and cyclic control mares (C; day 10 and 13 after ovulation) were analyzed. Our ...
Gray ME.Infanticide by adult males occurs in a variety of species. While infanticidal attacks have been documented in several equid species in captivity, it has never been witnessed in free-roaming feral horses. I report an infanticide attempt by a free-living feral stallion on a recently born female foal. The stallion picked up the foal by the shoulders, tossed it around twice and bit in on the neck several times. The dam of the foal charged the stallion and successfully protected her foal from additional attacks. The foal survived the attack and later weaned successfully. The stallion recently took ...
House C, Mikiciuk PE, Berninger ML.Five serological methods of diagnosing African horse sickness were evaluated, using a battery of serum samples from experimental horses vaccinated and challenged with each serotype of African horse sickness virus (AHSV1 through AHSV9): agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA), complement fixation (CF), virus neutralization (VN), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The 5 tests were also compared using a panel of field samples, convalescent equine sera with antibodies to domestic equine viral diseases, and sera from horses awaiting export. The ELISA describ...
Park MJ, Lee J, Byeon JS, Jeong DU, Gu NY, Cho IS, Cha SH.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are useful candidates for tissue engineering and cell therapy fields. We optimize culture conditions of equine adipose tissue-derived MSCs (eAD-MSCs) for treatment of horse fractures. To investigate enhancing properties of three-dimensional (3D) culture system in eAD-MSCs, we performed various sized spheroid formation and determined changes in gene expression levels to obtain different sized spheroid for cell therapy. eAD-MSCs were successfully isolated from horse tailhead. Using hanging drop method, spheroid formation was generated for three days. Quantitative re...
van der Merwe D, van den Wollenberg L, van Hees-Valkenborg J, de Haan T, van der Drift S, Vandendriessche V.Analysis of hair to gain insight into the trace mineral status and exposure to toxic heavy metals of horses is attractive because hair is an easily accessible sample material. To investigate the potential value of hair analysis in horses for determination of trace mineral and heavy metal concentrations, we analyzed mane hair and liver samples from 62 horses presented for slaughter at a facility in the Netherlands that receives horses from all regions of the country. Hair samples were cleaned in warm water. After acid digestion of hair and liver specimens, we quantified, with inductively couple...
Mejdell CM, Jørgensen GH, Rehn T, Fremstad K, Keeling L, Bøe KE.The risk of injuries is of major concern when keeping horses in groups and there is a need for a system to record external injuries in a standardised and simple way. The objective of this study, therefore, was to develop and validate a system for injury recording in horses and to test its reliability and feasibility under field conditions. Methods: Injuries were classified into five categories according to severity. The scoring system was tested for intra- and inter-observer agreement as well as agreement with a 'golden standard' (diagnosis established by a veterinarian). The scoring was done ...
Mortensen CJ, Choi YH, Ing NH, Kraemer DC, Vogelsang MM, Hinrichs K.Heat above homeothermy can be detrimental to embryonic development, and cells may produce heat shock proteins to try to mitigate these effects. The authors examined the developmental competence of equine oocytes after a single heat exposure (42 degrees C, 2 or 4 h) during early or late stages of in vitro maturation. Rates of nuclear maturation, cleavage after intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and advanced embryonic development (morula or blastocyst) were compared to those for unexposed controls. Concentrations of heat shock protein 70 (HSPA1A) mRNA were determined by real-time RT-PCR in result...
Adolph S, Schedlbauer C, Blaue D, Schöniger A, Gittel C, Brehm W, Fuhrmann H, Vervuert I.Fatty acids, as key components of cellular membranes and complex lipids, may play a central role in endocrine signalling and the function of adipose tissue and liver. Thus, the lipid fatty acid composition may play a role in health status in the equine. This study aimed to investigate the fatty acid composition of different tissues and liver lipid classes by comparing Warmblood horses and Shetland ponies under defined conditions. We hypothesized that ponies show different lipid patterns than horses in adipose tissue, liver and plasma. Six Warmblood horses and six Shetland ponies were housed an...
Diel de Amorim M, Montanholi Y, Morrison M, Lopez Rodriguez M, Card C.The ability to predict impending foaling is invaluable, as attending foaling improves mare and foal outcome during parturition; therefore, a comparison of foaling prediction technologies is warranted. The purpose of this study was to compare technologies to predict foaling. Forty Standardbred mares were monitored daily for parturition. Prefoaling mammary secretion was collected daily and evaluated using a: calcium titration method (Ca titration), calcium and magnesium strip (Ca and Mg), handheld digital pH device (pH digital), pH strip, and refractometer (Brix). In addition, a birth monitoring...
Moreno SA, Concepción JL, Nava M, Molinari J.In Venezuela, horses are indispensable for extensive cattle raising, and extensive cattle raising prevails in all regions. This determines the numerical relationship between horses and cattle (r = 0.93) to be relatively constant nationwide. At regional level, the average extension of cattle ranches varies greatly. However, in relation to the area covered by pastures, the numbers of horses (r = 0.95) and cattle (r = 0.93) are relatively uniform nationwide. Water buffalo occupy small fractions of the territory; therefore, their numbers are related to the area of pastures less strongl...
Prange T, Carr EA, Stick JA, Garcia-Pereira FL, Patterson JS, Derksen FJ.A 3-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presented with a history of neurological signs, including incoordination in his hindlimbs, of about 7 months' duration. On initial examination, the horse exhibited ataxia and paresis in all limbs with more severe deficits in the hindlimbs. Cervical radiographs displayed severe osteoarthritis of the articular processes between C5 and C6. On subsequent cervical myelography the dorsal contrast column was reduced by 90% at the level of the intervertebral space between C5 and C6. Cervical vertebral canal endoscopy, including epidural (epiduroscopy) and subarachnoid...
Zholobenko A, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Modriansky M, Serteyn D, Franck T.A recent study showed that silymarin, a standardized extract of S. marianum might be used in the prevention of equine laminitis. We investigated the effects of quercetin and some compounds found in silymarin (silybin, taxifolin and dehydrosilybin) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and myeloperoxidase (MPO) release by stimulated equine neutrophils (PMNs) and on MPO activity. All compounds (tested between 100 nm and 100 μm) inhibited superoxide anion production by stimulated PMNs in a dose-dependent manner. Dehydrosilybin and quercetin inhibited superoxide production and MPO release...
Brehm W, Burk J, Delling U.Stem cells in the form of mesenchymal stromal cells derived from various sources have been identified to have the potential of supporting the therapy of joint disease in the horse, and preliminary data has been published about the clinical application of stem cells in horses suffering from clinical joint disease. Furthermore, the horse is recognized to be the ideal large animal model for the preclinical study of cell therapy in joints. The advantage of this species in this respect is the size of the joints, which makes surgical applications practically feasible in analogy to human surgery. Add...
Cooke CG, Gibb Z, Harnett JE.Probiotic bacteria are used widely as nutritional supplements and treatment interventions in the management of livestock and companion animals. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence reporting on the safety, tolerability and efficacy of probiotic bacteria use in horses. An online search of five databases for studies reporting on the use of probiotic bacteria use in horses which were either healthy or had a gastrointestinal or extraintestinal disease was conducted. A total of 18 articles were eligible for full review. No clear benefits were identified to support supplementa...
Tomberg C, Petagna M, de Selliers de Moranville LA.Facial micro-expressions are facial expressions expressed briefly (less than 500 ms) and involuntarily. Described only in humans, we investigated whether micro-expressions could also be expressed by non-human animal species. Using the Equine Facial action coding system (EquiFACS), an objective tool based on facial muscles actions, we demonstrated that a non-human species, Equus caballus, is expressing facial micro-expressions in a social context. The AU17, AD38 and AD1 were selectively modulated as micro-expression-but not as standard facial expression (all durations included)-in presence of ...
Chang HJ, Jung YG, Park YS, O SH, Kim DH, Kim CW.The horse riding simulator (HRS) reportedly has a beneficial effect on motor function and balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, by itself, the HRS is not a sufficient source of challenge and motivation for children. To address this issue, we combined the HRS with virtual reality (VR) to promote somatosensory stimulation and motivation. Sixteen children (ages: 5-17 years) with CP and presenting Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-IV were enrolled in the study. Using a head-mounted display and controllers, interventions were carried out over 30-min period...
Walker JA, Timoney JF.Streptococcus equi causes equine strangles, a purulent lymphadenopathy of the head and neck. An avirulent, non-encapsulated strain (Pinnacle) has been used widely in North America as an intranasal vaccine. The aim of the study was to create a specific mutation of the hyaluronate synthase (hasA) gene in Pinnacle to permanently abolish the production of capsule and provide an easily recognisable genetic marker. An internal fragment of hasA was generated by PCR and cloned into pTW100 (Microscience, UK). An encapsulated revertant of Pinnacle was then transformed with the recombinant plasmid by ele...
Kannegieter NJ, Frogley A, Crispe E, Kirkland PD.As part of the control measures of the equine influenza (EI) outbreak, in addition to the strategic use of vaccination to provide buffer zones around infected populations, approval was obtained to vaccinate Thoroughbred racing horses. We review the clinical expression of the disease and virus excretion in a population of racehorses that were exposed to EI approximately 7 days after administration of a single dose of the canarypox-vectored recombinant compared with a similar unvaccinated population of horses at a nearby racetrack. Although this study was undertaken opportunistically and under t...
Flock M, Karlström A, Lannergård J, Guss B, Flock JI.A mouse model resembling Streptococcus equi subspecies equi infection in the horse, strangles, was used to assess the protective effect of vaccination with selected recombinant proteins from S. equi subsp. equi. After challenge the infection was monitored by weight loss and by nasal colonisation with S. equi subsp. equi. Vaccination with a collagen-binding protein (CNE) and a collagen-like protein (SclC) resulted in protective antibodies, whereas a novel fibronectin-binding protein (FNEB) did not. Co-administration of CNE with EAG, a poorly immunogenic alpha2-macroglobulin-, albumin- and immun...
Ryan M, Gildea S, Walsh C, Cullinane A.More knowledge of equine influenza (EI) vaccine usage in training yards and the factors that influence serological response to vaccination are required to determine evidence-based vaccination strategies. Objective: The aim of this study was to ascertain the vaccination history of a population of Thoroughbred racehorses and identify factors that impacted on their antibody titres against EI. Methods: Observational field study. Methods: The study population consisted of 102 vaccinated Thoroughbred horses in training on a single premises. The vaccination histories recorded in their official passpo...
Rampin A, Skoufos I, Raghunath M, Tzora A, Diakakis N, Prassinos N, Zeugolis DI.The absence of a native extracellular matrix and the use of xenogeneic sera are often associated with rapid tenocyte function losses during in vitro culture. Herein, we assessed the influence of different sera (equine serum and foetal bovine serum) on equine tenocyte morphology, viability, metabolic activity, proliferation and protein synthesis as a function of tissue-specific extracellular matrix deposition (induced via macromolecular crowding), aging (passages 3, 6, 9) and time in culture (days 3, 5, 7). In comparison to cells at passage 3, at day 3, in foetal bovine serum and without macrom...
