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.
Gambini A, Jarazo J, Karlanian F, De Stéfano A, Salamone DF.The current limitations for obtaining ovaries from slaughterhouses and the low efficiency of in vivo follicular aspiration necessitate a complete understanding of the variables that affect oocyte developmental competence in the equine. For this reason, we assessed the effect on equine oocyte meiotic competence and the subsequent in vitro cloned embryo development of 1) the time interval between ovary collection and the onset of oocyte in vitro maturation (collection-maturation interval time) and 2) the pregnancy status of the donor mares. To define the collection-maturation interval time, coll...
Todhunter KH, Cawdell-Smith AJ, Bryden WL, Perkins NR, Begg AP.Pregnant mares were experimentally exposed to whole caterpillar or exoskeleton of the Processionary caterpillar (Ochrogaster lunifer) via gavage. Tissues were collected from resulting abortions and near or full-term pregnancies consisting of 13 aborted fetuses, 3 fetuses from treated euthanized mares, membranes of 5 foals, and organs from 3 foals. Three control membranes and 1 control fetus and membranes were examined. Caterpillar setal fragments were present in the allantochorion of the 3 fetuses from the euthanized mares and 11 of 12 aborted fetuses (92%) embedded in the chorion (villi or st...
De Schauwer C, Goossens K, Piepers S, Hoogewijs MK, Govaere JL, Smits K, Meyer E, Van Soom A, Van de Walle GR.Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been extensively studied for their promising capabilities in regenerative medicine. Although bone marrow is the best-known source for isolating equine MSCs, non-invasive alternative sources such as umbilical cord blood (UCB), umbilical cord matrix (UCM), and peripheral blood (PB) have also been reported. Methods: Equine MSCs from three non-invasive alternative sources were isolated from six individual mares (PB) and their foals (UCB and UCM) at parturition. To minimize inter-horse variability, the samples from the three sources were matched within the same...
Ledbetter EC, Irby NL, Schaefer DM.To describe in vivo corneal confocal microscopy of horses with microscopic corneal foreign bodies and to correlate findings with clinical, cytological, and histopathologic evaluations of clinical cases and foreign body morphologies observed in vitro with the confocal microscope. Methods: Five horses with microscopic corneal foreign bodies. Methods: Sedated and anesthetized horses were examined with a modified Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II and Rostock Cornea Module. Confocal microscopy images were compared with images from cytologic and histopathologic corneal samples. To establish microscopic...
Bosshard S, Gerber V.It is often assumed that horses with mild respiratory clinical signs, such as mucous nasal discharge and occasional coughing, have an increased risk of developing recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Objective: Compared to horses without any clinical signs of respiratory disease, those with occasional coughing, mucous nasal discharge, or both have an increased risk of developing signs of RAO (frequent coughing, increased breathing effort, exercise intolerance, or a combination of these) as characterized by the Horse Owner Assessed Respiratory Signs Index (HOARSI 1-4). Methods: Two half-sibling ...
Khoshtariya DE, Dolidze TD, Shushanyan M, van Eldik R.Horse muscle myoglobin (Mb) was tightly immobilized at Au-deposited ~15-Å-thick mixed-type (1:1) alkanethiol SAMs, HS-(CH₂)₁₁-COOH/HS-(CH₂)₁₁-OH, and placed in contact with buffered H₂O or D₂O solutions. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (CV) and a Marcus-equation-based analysis were applied to determine unimolecular standard rate constants and reorganization free energies for electron transfer (ET), under variable-temperature (15-55 °C) and -pressure (0.01-150 MPa) conditions. The CV signal was surprisingly stable and reproducible even after multiple temperature and pressure cycl...
Jacklin BD, Minshall GJ, Wright IM.Surgical management for overriding spinous processes of the thoracolumbar vertebrae (SPs) is often favoured when conservative therapies have failed, pathology is severe, or in competition horses constrained by drug withdrawal periods. Objective: To evaluate whether subtotal (cranial wedge) ostectomy represents an effective treatment for overriding SPs, with short surgery time and low complication rates, maintains the contour of the spine and produces a functionally and cosmetically better outcome than previously reported surgical techniques for management of overriding/impinging SPs. Methods: ...
Oosterlinck M, Royaux E, Back W, Pille F.Thus far, pressure-plate analysis has been limited to measurements on a hard surface, whereas equine athletes routinely perform on a deformable substrate. Objective: To explore pressure-plate analysis on arena footing. Methods: Nonrandomised crossover study using noninvasive techniques. Methods: Five sound, unshod ponies were walked and trotted over a pressure plate in 2 different conditions. In the first session, the plate was covered with only a 5 mm rubber mat, and in the second session, with an additional 50 mm layer of sand and synthetic fibres. Limb loading and timing variables (peak...
Milner PI, Bardell DA, Warner L, Packer MJ, Senior JM, Singer ER, Archer DC.To determine risk factors involved in survival to hospital discharge of cases of synovial sepsis. Objective: Investigate pre-, intra- and post operative factors involved in short-term survival of horses undergoing endoscopic treatment for synovial sepsis. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Clinical data were obtained for horses (>6 months old) undergoing endoscopic surgery as part of management for synovial sepsis over a 7-year period in a single hospital population. Descriptive data were generated for pre-, intra- and post operative variables. Multivariable logistic regression analy...
Mohanty N, Gulati BR, Kumar R, Gera S, Kumar P, Somasundaram RK, Kumar S.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from umbilical cord blood (UCB) in equines have not been well characterized with respect to the expression of pluripotency and mesenchymal markers and for tenogenic differentiation potential in vitro. The plastic adherent fibroblast-like cells isolated from 13 out of 20 UCB samples could proliferate till passage 20. The cells expressed pluripotency markers (OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2) and MSC surface markers (CD90, CD73, and CD105) by RT-PCR, but did not express CD34, CD45, and CD14. On immunocytochemistry, the isolated cells showed expression of CD90 and CD73...
Co C, Vickaryous MK, Koch TG.Ongoing research is aimed at increasing cartilage tissue yield and quality from multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) for the purpose of treating cartilage damage in horses. Low oxygen culture has been shown to enhance chondrogenesis, and novel membrane culture has been proposed to increase tissue yield and homogeneity. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of reduced oxygen and membrane culture during in vitro chondrogenesis of equine cord blood (CB) MSC. Methods: CB-MSC (n = 5 foals) were expanded at 21% oxygen prior to 3-week differentiation in membrane or...
Dadaci M, Gundeslioğlu AO, Ince B, Altuntas Z.Total or subtotal amputation of the external ear related to horse bite is an uncommon situation. In our case, we report successful microsurgical revascularization of almost totally amputated ear of a 75-year-old male patient caused by a horse bite.
Pozza ME, Kaewsakhorn T, Trinarong C, Inpanbutr N, Toribio RE.Vitamin D is essential in calcium and phosphorus regulation, bone physiology, cell proliferation and epithelial integrity. Literature on vitamin D in growing horses is sparse, and the effect of age on vitamin D has not been evaluated in equids in the United States or in tropical countries. The goal of this study was to determine if there was an effect of age on serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations in equids in the US (Ohio/Kentucky) and Thailand (Chiang Rai and Kanchanaburi) during the same time of the year. Blood samples were collected from healthy ponies (n=21) and Thoroughbred foals (n=13), yearli...
van Loon JP, Jonckheer-Sheehy VS, Back W, van Weeren PR, Hellebrekers LJ.Recognition and management of equine pain have been studied extensively in recent decades and this has led to significant advances. However, there is still room for improvement in the ability to identify and treat pain in horses that have undergone emergency gastrointestinal surgery. This study assessed the validity and clinical application of the composite pain scale (CPS) in horses after emergency gastrointestinal surgery. Composite pain scores were determined every 4h over 3 days following emergency gastrointestinal surgery in 48 horses. Inter-observer reliability was determined and another...
Sguazza GH, Fuentealba NA, Tizzano MA, Galosi CM, Pecoraro MR.Equine influenza virus is a leading cause of respiratory disease in horses worldwide. Disease prevention is by vaccination with inactivated whole virus vaccines. Most current influenza vaccines are generated in embryonated hens' eggs. Virions are harvested from allantoic fluid and chemically inactivated. Although this system has served well over the years, the use of eggs as the substrate for vaccine production has several well-recognized disadvantages (cost, egg supply, waste disposal and yield in eggs). The aim of this study was to evaluate a baculovirus system as a potential method for prod...
Dohmen PM, da Costa F, Lopes SV, Vilani R, Bloch O, Konertz W.In the past, successful use of decellularized xenogenic tissue was shown in the pulmonary circulation. This study, however, evaluates a newly developed decellularized equine pericardial patch under high pressure circumstances. Methods: Seven decellularized equine pericardial scaffolds were implanted into the descending aorta of the juvenile sheep. The implanted patches were oversized to evaluate the durability of the decellularized tissue under high surface tension (Law of Laplace). After 4 months of implantation, all decellularized patches were inspected by gross examination, light microscopy...
Bertuglia A, Bullone M, Rossotto F, Gasparini M.There is a substantial paucity of studies concerning musculoskeletal injuries in harness Standardbred racehorses. Specifically, little is known about the epidemiology of exercise-related musculoskeletal injuries. Most studies on this subject involve Thoroughbred racehorses, whose biomechanics and racing speed differ from Standardbred, making comparisons difficult. Here, a population of Standardbred racehorses trained at the same racecourse was studied over four years and a classification system for exercise-related musculoskeletal injuries was designed. The incidence rates of musculoskeletal i...
Bolaños JM, Morán AM, da Silva CM, Dávila MP, Muñoz PM, Aparicio IM, Tapia JA, Ferrusola CO, Peña FJ.To investigate the role of the processed autophagy marker light chain 3 (LC3B) protein in sperm survival in stallion semen processing during cooled storage, split ejaculates were diluted in two different extenders, KMT and INRA 96, and LC3B processing and sperm quality evaluated during incubation at 5°C for five days. After 3 days of incubation there was a drop in total motility in both extenders, although the percentage of progressive motile sperm was greater (P<0.05) in samples extended in INRA96. On Day 5 of cooled storage all sperm parameters decreased significantly independent of the ...
Niemelä T, Virén T, Liukkonen J, Argüelles D, te Moller NC, Puhakka PH, Jurvelin JS, Tulamo RM, Töyräs J.Arthroscopy is widely used in various equine joints for diagnostic and surgical purposes. However, accuracy of defining the extent of cartilage lesions and reproducibility in grading of lesions are not optimal. Therefore, there is a need for new, more quantitative arthroscopic methods. Arthroscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging is a promising tool introduced for quantitative detection of cartilage degeneration and scoring of the severity of chondral lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inter-investigator agreement and inter-method agreement in grading cartilage lesio...
Mack SJ, Kirkby K, Malalana F, McGowan CM.Hereditary muscular disease is well described in racehorses, yet little is known about traumatic muscle disease associated with unaccustomed exercise or training. The objective of the study was to compare sedentary horses, racehorses undergoing training for the first time (unaccustomed exercise), and experienced racehorses during a training season (accustomed exercise) to investigate the effect of exercise and training on serum muscle enzyme activities and other variables. Horses were sampled prior to exercise for serum activities of aspartate amino transferase (AST), creatine kinase and other...
Hughes SB, Quan M, Guthrie A, Schulman M.The insulin-like growth factor system (insulin-like growth factor 1, insulin-like growth factor 2, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor and six insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins) and insulin are essential to muscle metabolism and most aspects of male and female reproduction. Insulin-like growth factor and insulin play important roles in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation and the maintenance of cell differentiation in mammals. In order to better understand the local factors that regulate equine physiology, such as muscle metabolism a...
Singha H, Goyal SK, Malik P, Singh RK.Thermostabilizing effect of heavy water (D2O) or deuterium oxide has been demonstrated previously on several enzymes and vaccines like oral poliovirus vaccine and influenza virus vaccine. In view of the above observations, effect of heavy water on in situ thermostabilization of recombinant p26 protein on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for serodiagnosis of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) infection was investigated in the present study. The carbonate-bicarbonate coating buffer was prepared in 60% and 80% D2O for coating the p26 protein in 96-well ELISA plate and thermal stabilit...
Wolf D, Hermosilla C, Taubert A.Whilst anthelminthic resistance of small strongyles is well documented, anthelmintic failures against infections with Oxyuris equi have scarcely been published so far. We describe two cases of equine oxyurosis and the anthelminthic failure of macrocyclic lactones (moxidectin, ivermectin) resulting in persistent O. equi infections with continuous egg shedding. The horses were kept in two different herds in the federal state of Hessia, Germany. Herd A kept two geldings: an 8-year-old Welsh-Cob-Mix and a 7-year-old Haflinger. Herd B was composed of four animals: 2 Connemara-mares, 31 and 19 years...
Khosravi AR, Nikaein D, Sharifzadeh A, Gharagozlou F.This study was carried out in order to isolate and identify the normal conjunctival fungal flora from Caspian miniature, Thoroughbred, Turkmen and Persian Arab breeds in Tehran, Iran. Methods: A total of seventy-two adult healthy horses were studied. Ocular samples were collected from right and left eyes by using sterile cotton swabs; samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and incubated at 30°C for 7-10 days. Molds and yeasts were identified using macro and micro-morphological and physiological characteristics. Conclusions: Number of fungal colonies per eye varied between 0 and 123 ...
Olaciregui M, Gil L, Montón A, Luño V, Jerez RA, Martí JI.Any event that makes semen collection or mating impossible, such as death, castration, or injury, may terminate a stallion's breeding career. Fortunately, stallion sperm which are capable of fertilization can be harvested from the epididymis, and frozen for future use. However, the fertility of frozen-thawed epididymal sperm has been found to be lower than that of ejaculated sperm. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize the fertility of frozen epididymal stallion sperm by investigating the effects of different cryoprotectants and freezing protocols on sperm quality. Dimethylformamide was test...
Baccarin RY, Rasera L, Machado TS, Michelacci YM.Osteoarthritis (OA) of the metacarpophalangeal joint is the most common articular disease in polo ponies leading to early retirement. A biomarker that would discriminate between pathological and physiological changes secondary to exercise could be helpful in OA prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of polo training on synovial fluid biomarkers of inflammation and cartilage turnover in polo ponies of different skill levels. Synovial fluid samples were collected from metacarpophalangeal joints of polo ponies before and during the polo season (320 d). Nucleated cells, s...
Meier HP.In 1828, the Society of Swiss Veterinarians (GST) raised a prize question in regard to the symptoms, etiology and prophylaxis of polyarthritis in the foal. The treatise of Matthias Anker on this subject was treated with distinction and published in 1830. His statements answered both the questions to the clinical aspects and referred also to epidemiological, pathological, economical and ethical issues as well as husbandry and relations with the breeders. The comprehensive article of Anker in a lucid language and obliging views still finds great interest today, as the septicemia is one of the bi...
Gohari IM, Arroyo L, Macinnes JI, Timoney JF, Parreira VR, Prescott JF.Up to 60% of cases of equine colitis have no known cause. To improve understanding of the causes of acute colitis in horses, we hypothesized that Clostridium perfringens producing enterotoxin (CPE) and/or beta2 toxin (CPB2) are common and important causes of severe colitis in horses and/or that C. perfringens producing an as-yet-undescribed cytotoxin may also cause colitis in horses. Fecal samples from 55 horses (43 adults, 12 foals) with clinical evidence of colitis were evaluated by culture for the presence of Clostridium difficile, C. perfringens, and Salmonella. Feces were also examined by...
Thorpe CT, Riley GP, Birch HL, Clegg PD, Screen HR.Some tendons, such as the human Achilles and equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), act as energy stores, stretching and recoiling to increase efficiency during locomotion. Our previous observations of rotation in response to applied strain in SDFT fascicles suggest a helical structure, which may provide energy-storing tendons with a greater ability to extend and recoil efficiently. Despite this specialization, energy-storing tendons are prone to age-related tendinopathy. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cyclic fatigue loading (FL) on the microstructural strain respo...
Carrasco L, Sánchez C, Gómez-Villamandos JC, Laviada MD, Bautista MJ, Martínez-Torrecuadrada J, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Sierra MA.African horse sickness (AHS) is a disease of equids, characterized by severe pulmonary oedema and caused by an orbivirus. To determine the role of pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) in the development of pulmonary microvascular changes in this disease, five horses were given an intravenous inoculation of 10(6)TCID50of serotype 4 of AHS virus. Viral replication was detected in endothelial cells, PIMs, interstitial macrophages and fibroblasts. Alveolar and interstitial oedema, and changes in pulmonary microvasculature, consisting mainly of the sequestration of neutrophils and the formati...
Dagnachew S, Mohammed S, Dessie B, Tilahun M, Ayele A, Kefyalew H.A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2016 to May 2017 in selected districts of Northwest Ethiopia (Jawi, South Achefer, Dembecha and Jabitehenan) with the aim of determining the prevalence of bovine and equine trypanosomosis, estimating the apparent density of vectors and assessing the effectiveness of control measures of the disease. A total of 1257 animals of which 803 bovine and 454 equine were examined for the determination of prevalence using blood sample collected from ear vein of animals. The buffy coat technique was employed to determine the prevalence and the packed c...
Clarke LL, Argenzio RA, Roberts MC.The effect of meal size and frequency on plasma volume, plasma aldosterone concentration and urinary Na and K clearances was determined in ponies. A daily maintenance ration of hay-grain pellets was provided either as a multiple feeding regimen, ie, 12 equal portions fed at 2-hour intervals, or as single large feedings, ie, half the ration fed every 12 hours at 0800 and 2000 hours. Only the effect of the single morning feeding was studied, using the latter regimen. Serial measurements of plasma volume were made by use of an indicator-dilution technique and indocyanine green (0.15 mg/kg of body...
Yoshimura S, Koziy RV, Dickinson R, Moshynskyy I, McKenzie JA, Simko E, Bracamonte JL.While serum amyloid A (SAA) has been investigated as a potential marker for septic arthritis in horses, no study has reported on whether SAA can be used to detect eradication of joint infection. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether the eradication of joint infection in experimentally induced septic arthritis in horses can be detected using serum and synovial fluid SAA. A total of 17 horses were randomly assigned to 3 groups. A middle carpal joint of each horse was injected with saline (control group, = 3), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (nonseptic synovitis group, = 6)...
Gokbulut C, Aksit D, Santoro M, Roncoroni C, Mariani U, Buono F, Rufrano D, Fagiolo A, Veneziano V.Mebendazole (MBZ) has been licensed for use in horses and donkeys, however there are no data available in the literature regarding its pharmacokinetic disposition and efficacy in donkeys. This study was designed to determine the plasma disposition, milk excretion and anthelmintic efficacy of MBZ in donkeys naturally infected by Cyathostominae. The animals were allocated to three groups, each of six donkeys. One group was untreated control (C-group) and the others were treated using a paste formulation of MBZ administered per os at the manufacturer's recommended horse dosage of 10 mg/kg body we...
Miyamoto A, Nishio A.The vasomotor effects of histamine on isolated bovine and equine basilar arteries were examined. Histamine induced contractions in both these preparations. The maximal response to and pEC50 value for histamine of the equine artery were larger than those of bovine tissue. Similar results were obtained with endothelium-denuded basilar arteries. Diphenhydramine (H1-receptor antagonist) inhibited histamine-induced contractions of the basilar arteries from both species in a concentration-dependent manner and its pA2 values (with 95% confidence limits) were 7.61 (7.39-7.83) and 8.15 (8.01-8.29) for ...
Luciani M, Di Febo T, Orsini M, Krasteva I, Cattaneo A, Podaliri Vulpiani M, Di Pancrazio C, Bachi A, Tittarelli M.The diagnosis of dourine can be difficult because the clinical signs of this disease in horses are similar to those of surra, caused by . Moreover, and are closely related and, so far, they cannot be distinguished using serological tests. In a previous work, the protein pattern recognized by antibodies from dourine-infected horses and the humoral immune response kinetics were investigated by immunoblotting assay; a total of 20 sera from naturally and experimentally infected horses and from healthy animals were tested. Immunoblotting analysis showed that antibodies from infected horses speci...
Williams S, Cooper J, Freeman S.Ultrasonography is an important diagnostic tool in the investigation of abdominal disease in the horse. Several factors may affect the ability to image different structures within the abdomen. The aim of the study was to describe the repeatability of identification of abdominal structures in normal horses using a detailed ultrasonographic examination technique and using a focused, limited preparation technique. Methods: A detailed abdominal ultrasound examination was performed in five normal horses, repeated on five occasions (total of 25 examinations). The abdomen was divided into ten differe...
Monath TP, McLean RG, Cropp CB, Parham GL, Lazuick JS, Calisher CH.Brain tissues were obtained from 5 horses with clinical encephalomyelitis during an epizootic in southwestern Michigan in August-September 1980. These tissues were tested for virus by intracerebral inoculation of suckling mice and by examination of frozen sections and impression smears by the indirect fluorescent antibody (FA) technique. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus was isolated and detected by FA technique in brains of 3 horses which died or were euthanatized within approximately 24 hours of onset of the disease but not from 2 horses at 2 and 3 days after onset. The latter 2 animals...
Crozier JA, Allen VG, Jack NE, Fontenot JP, Cochran MA.Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), low-endophyte (< 5%) tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and caucasian bluestem (Bothriochloa caucasica [Trin.] C.E. Hubbard) were fed as chopped hay to six Arabian geldings (BW 441 kg; SE 2) in intake and digestibility experiments to determine nutritional value for horses at maintenance. Each experimental design was a replicated Latin square. Alfalfa was higher in DM and CP digestibility, IVDMD, apparent absorption of Ca, K, and S, and voluntary intake than the grasses (P < .05). Caucasian bluestem was higher in Zn but was lower in CP, TNC, Mg, P, K,...
Quinn BA, Hayes MA, Waelchli RO, Kennedy MW, Betteridge KJ.During the third week of pregnancy, the equine conceptus is enclosed within a capsule, the glycan composition of which changes at around day 16 (ovulation = day 0) when the conceptus becomes immobilized (fixed) in the uterine lumen. Our objective was to characterize the process of fixation by identifying changes in major capsule-associated proteins. Individual equine conceptuses (n = 55) were collected transcervically by uterine lavage between days 13.5 and 26.5. Major proteins extracted from capsules were compared with those in fluids from the uterus and yolk sac by SDS-PAGE. Until day 14, a ...
Emmons RW, Woodie JD, Laub RL, Oshiro LS.Main Drain virus, which is thought to be transmitted normally among rabbits and various rodents by its natural vector, Culicoides variipennis, was isolated repeatedly from brain tissue of a sick horse from Sacramento County, California, and was implicated as the causative agent. Signs of illness were incoordination and ataxia, stiff neck, head pressing, inability to swallow, fever, and tachycardia.
Shettko DL.As laparoscopic surgery gains popularity, it becomes crucial to understand complications associated with the procedure. The potential complications of laparoscopy include those related to laparoscopy and those related to the surgical procedure. As new applications for laparoscopic surgery emerge, it is important for the surgeon to become familiar with potential complications.
Husulak ML, Manning ST, Meachem MD, Burgess HJ, Epp TY, Montgomery JB.The objective of this study was to observe the outcomes of adding an antimicrobial treatment to a conventional treatment regime in horses with severe equine asthma in a clinical setting. Eleven client-owned horses with a history consistent with severe equine asthma, increased respiratory effort and nostril flaring, ≥ 20% neutrophils on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and a positive tracheal wash (TW) bacterial culture were treated with environmental management, corticosteroids, and bronchodilators. Six horses were also treated with an antimicrobial (principal group), while the other 5 were adm...
Muir WW, Sams R.Eight adult horses were used in a study to determine ketamine's ability to reduce halothane requirement. To obtain steady-state plasma concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 micrograms/ml, loading doses and constant infusions for ketamine were calculated for each horse on the basis of data from other studies in which the pharmacokinetic properties of ketamine were investigated. Blood samples for determination of plasma ketamine concentrations were collected periodically during each experiment. Plasma ketamine concentrations were determined by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectromet...
Tesena P, Kingkaw A, Vongsangnak W, Pitikarn S, Phaonakrop N, Roytrakul S, Kovitvadhi A.Equine melanocytic neoplasm (EMN) is a cutaneous neoplasm and is mostly observed in aged grey horses. This preliminary study aimed to identify potential proteins to differentiate normal, mild and severe EMN from serum proteomic profiling. Serum samples were collected from 25 grey horses assigned to three groups: normal (free of EMN; = 10), mild ( = 6) and severe EMN ( = 9). To explore the differences in proteins between groups, proteomic profiling and analysis were employed. Accordingly, 8241 annotated proteins out of 8725 total proteins were compared between normal and EMN groups and inspect...
Holl HM, Brooks SA, Archer S, Brown K, Malvick J, Penedo MC, Bellone RR.Leopard complex spotting (LP), the result of an incompletely dominant mutation in TRPM1, produces a collection of unique depigmentation patterns in the horse. Although the LP mutation allows for expression of the various patterns, other loci are responsible for modification of the extent of white. Pedigree analysis of families segregating for high levels of patterning indicated a single dominant gene, named Pattern-1 (PATN1), as a major modifier of LP. Linkage analysis in two half-sibling families segregating for PATN1 identified a 15-Mb region on ECA3p that warranted further investigation. Wh...
Haussler KK, Stover SM, Willits NH.To describe the incidence and types of gross osseous developmental variations and ages of physeal closure in the caudal portion of the thoracic and lumbosacral spine and the pelvis in a sample of Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Thoroughbred racehorses (n = 36) that died or were euthanatized at California racetracks between October 1993 and July 1994. Methods: Lumbosacropelvic specimens were collected, and all soft tissues were removed. The osseous specimens were visually examined. Results: Only 22 (61%) specimens had the expected number of 6 lumbar and 5 sacral vertebrae. Eight (22%) specime...
González O, González E, Sánchez C, Pinto J, González I, Enríquez O, Martínez R, Filgueira G, White A.The effects of exercise stress on erythrocyte beta-adrenergic receptor characteristics and plasma concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline and thyroid hormones were studied in Thoroughbred racehorses during rest and after exercise. Five minutes after a maximal speed race of 1200 +/- 200 m (mean +/- s.d.), both plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations increased with respect to basal values (from 2.48 +/- 0.15 to 3.83 +/- 0.27 and from 2.13 +/- 0.11 to 3.53 +/- 0.27 nmol/l respectively). The increment of adrenaline was greater in high performance (HP) as compared to low performance ...
McQueen CM, Whitfield-Cargile CM, Konganti K, Blodgett GP, Dindot SV, Cohen ND.Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) is an intracellular bacterium that affects young foals and immuno-compromised individuals causing severe pneumonia. Currently, the genetic mechanisms that confer susceptibility and/or resistance to R. equi are not fully understood. Previously, using a SNP-based genome-wide association study, we identified a region on equine chromosome 26 associated with culture-confirmed clinical pneumonia. To better characterize this region and understand the function of the SNP located within TRPM2 that was associated with R. equi pneumonia, we performed RNA-Seq on 12 horses repres...
Wilkins RJ, Fairfax TP, Davies ME, Muzyamba MC, Gibson JS.Ca2+ homeostasis in articular chondrocytes affects synthesis and degradation of the cartilage matrix, as well as other cellular functions, thereby contributing to joint integrity. Although it will be affected by mechanical loading, the sensitivity of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in equine articular chondrocytes to many stimuli remains unknown. Objective: An improved understanding of Ca2+ homeostasis in equine articular chondrocytes, and how it is altered during joint loading and pathology, will be important in understanding how joints respond to mechanical loads. Methods: [Ca2+]i...
Ben-Shlomo G, Plummer C, Barrie K, Brooks D. The goal of this work is to study the dark adaptation curve of the normal horse electroretinogram (ERG). Methods: The electroretinographic responses were recorded from six healthy female ponies using a contact lens electrode and a mini-Ganzfeld electroretinographic unit. The horses were sedated intravenously with detomidine, an auriculopalpebral nerve block was then performed, and the pupil was fully dilated. The ERG was recorded in response to a low intensity light stimulus (30 mcd.s/m(2) ) that was given at times (T) T = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min of dark adapt...
Thomson JR, McPherson EA.The therapy of equine chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) essentially entails minimising the horse's exposure to the aetiological antigens which are predominantly thermophilic actinomycetes and moulds occurring in hay and straw. This can be achieved, for example, by keeping affected horses permanently out of doors, or when stabled, using shredded paper, wood shavings or peat moss as bedding and feeding a complete cubed diet. There should be no supplementary hay feeding apart from dust-free vacuum-packed hay. Applying such measures generally allows horses to become asymptomatic in seve...
Nagamine CM, Castro F, Buchanan B, Schumacher J, Craig LE.Spirochetes were identified histologically in canker (proliferative pododermatitis) in 3 horses. The data suggest that spirochetes may contribute to the pathology of equine chronic foot diseases similar to the manner in which they contribute to the pathology of bovine papillomatous digital dermatitis and contagious ovine digital dermatitis.
Weber JM, Parkhouse WS, Dobson GP, Harman JC, Snow DH, Hochachka PW.Plasma lactate turnover rate of Thoroughbred racehorses was measured by bolus injection of [U-14C]lactate at rest and two levels of submaximal treadmill exercise (3-4 m/s trot, 6% incline, and 6.5 m/s horizontal canter). Our goals were 1) to determine the relative effects of changes in cardiac output and in plasma lactate concentration on turnover rate [using cardiac output data from Weber et al. (28)] and 2) to assess the importance of lactate as a metabolic fuel in a trained animal athlete. Lactate turnover rates were 9.3 mumol.min-1.kg-1 (rest), 75.9 mumol.min-1.kg-1 at the beginning of the...
Pleasant RS, Moll HD, Ley WB, Lessard P, Warnick LD.To determine if intra-articular anesthesia of the distal interphalangeal joint could alleviate lameness associated with the navicular bursa in horses. Methods: Experimental investigation. Methods: Six clinically normal horses. Methods: Lameness was induced in each horse by injecting either the left or right front navicular bursa with 5 mg of amphotericin-B. Forty-eight hours later each horse was videotaped walking and trotting before, and 5, 30, and 60 minutes after injecting the distal interphalangeal joint of the treated limb with 5 mL of 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride. All video recordings we...
Seki Y, Seimiya YM, Yaegashi G, Kumagai S, Sentsui H, Nishimori T, Ishihara R.During the period from 2001 to the following year, progenital diseases had been epidemic among the draft stallions and mares pastured together in Iwate Prefecture, the northeastern district of Japan. A stallion and 8 of 31 mares were affected in 2001, and 1 of 2 stallions and 10 of 36 mares in 2002. The clinical symptoms consisted of the formation of papules, pustules, ulcers and scabs on the progenital skin and mucosa in stallions and mares. In 2002, Equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV3) was isolated from 2 mares and the glycoprotein G gene of the virus detected from a stallion and 4 mares by polymeras...
Stauffer S, Cordner B, Dixon J, Witte T.The aim of this preliminary proof-of-concept study was to evaluate and compare the success and complication rate of infiltration of the maxillary nerve of cadaver heads using previously described surface landmarks, standard ultrasound and a novel needle guidance positioning ultrasound system (SonixGPS). Methods: Prospective, anatomical, method-comparison study. Methods: Thirty-eight equine cadaver heads. Methods: Twenty-six veterinary students performed the three methods consecutively on cadaver heads using an 18 gauge, 8.9 cm spinal needle and 0.5 mL iodinated contrast medium. Computed tomog...
