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.
Madigan JE, Haggettt EF, Pickles KJ, Conley A, Stanley S, Moeller B, Toth B, Aleman M.Increased plasma progestagen concentrations have been reported in foals with neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS). These steroids may cross the blood-brain barrier and have dampening effects in the central nervous system. Objective: To evaluate if the infusion of a progesterone derivative (allopregnanolone) in a healthy neonatal foal would induce clinical signs compatible with NMS. Methods: A healthy neonatal foal from a healthy mare with a normal gestation (length, no complications), birth and placenta was infused with allopregnanolone to observe its neurobehavioural effects. Heparinised blo...
Foote AK, Ricketts SW, Whitwell KE.Significant progress has been made in understanding and monitoring the causes of equine abortion over past decades. However, not all in utero pathology results in abortion. It has long been recognised that some in utero pathology, such as twinning or chronic placentitis, can result in the birth of live but growth-retarded foals and there is historical evidence that birth weight may influence future athletic performance. Clinical experience (e.g. from twins) and experimental studies (pony-Thoroughbred embryo transfer) have highlighted the importance of reduced functional placental area in limit...
de Solis CN, Palmer JE, Boston RC, Reef VB.Recognising the presence of a necrotising component of the gastrointestinal disease may be clinically useful in ill equine neonates. Objective: To study the importance of abdominal sonograms in neonatal foals suffering from gastrointestinal conditions and to describe the clinical features of necrotising gastrointestinal disease. Objective: There is a subgroup of neonates with sonographically detectable pneumatosis intestinalis (PI), reflecting a necrotising disease. Methods: Records of foals aged < or = 7 days hospitalised from 2005 to 2009 with signs of gastrointestinal disease were evaluated...
Whittaker S, Sullivan S, Auen S, Parkin TD, Marr CM.Although low birthweight is a risk factor for neonatal illness, the impact of high birthweight on the health of foals and mares, and on the foals' long-term athletic capability, is unknown. Objective: To investigate whether: 1) foals that are excessively heavy are associated with an increased prevalence of maternal illness in the first month post partum and reproductive dysfunction in the following season; 2) excessively light or heavy foals are at an increased risk of illness in the first month of life; and 3) birthweight is associated with racing success. Methods: Veterinary records from 230...
Becvarova I, Buechner-Maxwell V.The nutrition and nutritional status of the mare, as well as foal's nutrient intake from colostrum, milk and creep feed, are critical factors that are known to influence the growth period of the foal. Long-term effects of mare and foal nutrition are not well recognised or understood in the horse but may have the greatest impact on the animal's health and use when mature. Both under- and overfeeding can negatively influence important characteristics such as bone development and neurological function The risk of developing debilitating diseases such as metabolic syndrome may also be increased by...
Fowden AL, Forhead AJ, Ousey JC.In adapting to life ex utero, the foal encounters a number of physiological challenges. It has to assume the nutritional, respiratory and excretory functions of the placenta and activate full regulatory control over its own internal environment for the first time. To achieve this, there must be structural and functional changes to a wide range of tissues including several endocrine glands. In most species, including the horse, these maturational changes begin in late gestation and continue into the first few days of neonatal life. Consequently, during this perinatal period, there are major cha...
Elfenbein JR, Sanchez LC.Gastric ulcer disease is reported to be a significant cause of morbidity in foals, but the prevalence of ulcers in this population has not recently been evaluated. Objective: To determine the prevalence of gastric and duodenal ulceration in nonsurviving foals, and the association of ulceration with the body system of primary diagnosis. Secondary objectives were to evaluate a potential association between age and ulcer prevalence and to evaluate the use of antacid medication in the neonatal hospital population during the study years. Methods: Necropsy records were searched for all equine access...
LeBlanc MM, Giguère S, Lester GD, Brauer K, Paccamonti DL.Ascending placentitis results in premature birth and high foal mortality. By understanding how placentitis induces premature delivery, it may be possible to develop diagnostic markers and to delay premature delivery pharmacologically, thereby decreasing perinatal foal mortality. Objective: To identify relationships between bacterial infection, inflammation and premature parturition in mares with experimentally induced placentitis. Methods: Experiment 1: Concentrations of allantoic fluid prostaglandins (PGs) F2alpha and E2 were measured in 8 mares after intracervical inoculation with Streptococ...
Slack J, Durandot MM, Belcher CN, Collins N, Palmer L, Ousey J, Birks EK, Marr CM.The repeatability of various echocardiographic measurements is unknown. Objective: To determine the intraoperator, intraobserver and interoperator variability of echocardiographic measures in healthy foals. Methods: Echocardiographic examinations were carried out on 6 healthy foals by 3 experienced echocardiographers. Intraoperator variability was determined by having a single echocardiographer obtain and measure images from 6 foals scanned on 3 consecutive days. Interoperator and intraobserver variability were determined by having 3 echocardiographers each obtain images from an additional 6 s...
Ousey JC, Fowden AL.Prostaglandins play an essential role during the perinatal period in the mare. Prostaglandin concentrations are low for the majority of pregnancy due to the regulatory action of progestagens on those enzymes responsible for metabolism of prostaglandins. Towards term, prostaglandin concentrations gradually increase, closely associated with upregulation of the fetal hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, stimulation of the prostaglandin synthesising enzyme PGHS-2 and changes in the ratio of progestagens and oestrogens. Recent evidence in the mare indicates that proinflammatory cytokines are key med...
Jellyman JK, Allen VL, Forhead AJ, Holdstock NB, Fowden AL.The effects of overexposure to glucocorticoids during early life of the foal on the subsequent HPA programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are unknown. Objective: To test the hypotheses that excess glucocorticoid exposure in early life subsequently increases both basal plasma concentrations of cortisol and the adrenocortical responsiveness to exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Methods: Foals received either saline (0.9% NaCl, n = 9) or long-acting ACTH (0.125 mg i.m. b.i.d., n = 6) for 5 days from Day 1 to increase endogenous cortisol concentrations. Long-term indwell...
Smiet E, Haritova A, Heil BA, Fink-Gremmels J, Wijnberg ID.To compare the pharmacokinetics of the fourth generation cephalosporin, cefquinome, in neonatal foals, 6-week-old foals and mature New Forest ponies in order to recommend appropriate dosage regimens for use of this drug. Methods: Cefquinome was administered i.v. at 1 mg/kg bwt twice a day (q. 12 h), 1 mg/kg bwt 3 times a day (q. 8 h) or 4.5 mg/kg bwt q. 12 h to each age group (n = 6). Plasma cefquinome concentrations were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Both foal age groups had comparable pharmacokinetic data e...
McCue PM, Ferris RA.An understanding of the normal events of foaling, causes of dystocia and clinical outcomes is important for equine practitioners. Objective: The goals of the present study were to: 1) evaluate factors that influence gestation length; 2) report duration of Stage II labour; 3) determine the frequency of dystocia and premature placental separation; and 4) determine the relationship between problems at foaling and foal survival. Methods: Foaling records of 1047 mare births were evaluated. Results: The average gestation length was 342.7 days [corrected] +/- 0.4 days, with no effect of mare age or b...
Jose-Cunilleras E, Viu J, Corradini I, Armengou L, Cesarini C, Monreal L.Nutritional support in critically ill neonatal foals is of great importance given their high metabolic rate and minimal stores of energy and protein. Nutrient requirements of healthy growing foals have been estimated based on daily milk intake; however, little is known about the resting energy expenditure (REE) of sick foals. Objective: To determine REE in critically ill neonatal foals (sepsis and/or hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy [HIE] and compare this with REE in control foals. Methods: Critically ill newborn foals admitted to the Fundació Hospital Clinic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma...
Wilsher S, Allen WR.The development of the equine placenta involves a series of stage-specific events which ensure that the fetus is nourished throughout its 11 months of gestation. Initially, placental exchange to the developing embryo is histotrophic, via the yolk sac but, as the allantochorion develops and microcotyledons form, haemotrophic nutrition plays the major role in sustaining the increasing demands of the growing fetus. This review describes the development of the allantochorionic placenta of the mare and discusses some of the factors that influence its growth, size and functions and, hence, its contr...
Ollivett TL, Divers TJ, Cushing T, Priest H, Dawson DR, Peters R, Stokol T.Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in foals is rare and treatment has not been documented. This paper describes the clinical, haematological and ultrasonographic findings as well as attempted treatment of SAP in two 5-day-old Appaloosa fillies. Clinical signs, including colic, diarrhoea and coma, may be mistaken for sepsis or neonatal encephalopathy. Hyperlipaemic serum and peritoneal fluid, and elevated serum and peritoneal fluid amylase and lipase activities aided the diagnosis. Severe acute pancreatitis should be included as a differential in an acutely ill foal with diarrhoea, colic, cerebral...
Corley KT, Corley MM.Many Thoroughbred foals are intended to be sold at public auction. The impact of disease conditions necessitating hospital treatment as a foal on future sales performance is unknown. Objective: To determine whether Thoroughbred horses that were treated in a hospital before age 125 days and presented to public auction sell for a different mean price than controls. Methods: Foals aged < 125 days, treated at a hospital in Ireland in 2007 or 2008 and presented for sale to a public auction recorded on a publicly accessible database were selected for inclusion in the study. The sales outcome of thes...
Holcombe SJ, Hurcombe SD, Barr BS, Schott HC.Dysphagia due to pharyngeal dysfunction occurs in human neonates and is associated with prematurity and hypoxic episodes. This syndrome probably occurs in neonatal foals but has not been reported. Objective: The objectives of this study were to describe 1) a series of neonatal foals with dysphagia due to pharyngeal dysfunction; 2) the progression, treatment and resolution of the dysphagia; 3) the comorbidities; and 4) the prognosis for life and athleticism for affected foals. Methods: Records from 3 referral equine hospitals were reviewed from neonatal foals with dysphagia of pharyngeal origin...
Viu J, Monreal L, Jose-Cunilleras E, Cesarini C, Añor S, Armengou L.Bacterial meningoencephalitis is a severe complication in septic foals and there is scarce and often unclear information in the equine literature. Objective: To report the most frequent clinical signs, clinicopathological findings, causative agents, treatments given and outcome of a group of foals with confirmed bacterial meningoencephalitis. Methods: Foals aged < 6 months of age admitted to the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (2004-2009) with confirmed bacterial meningoencephalitis were retrospectively included in the study Diagnosis of bacterial meningoencephalitis was made by cerebrospina...
Ousey JC, Kölling M, Newton R, Wright M, Allen WR.Aged mares with endometrosis suffer higher rates of pregnancy loss than young mares, due to poor placental development. Reduced uterine blood supply may be one contributory factor. Objective: To measure uterine artery (UA) blood flow and other Doppler indices throughout pregnancy and compare placental and foal development in young mares and aged mares. Methods: Thoroughbred mares were grouped according to age and endometrial biopsy score: 1) 6 young mares (mean age 7.3 years, Category ); 2) 6 aged mares (mean age 18.3 years, Category II). Vascular pathology was nil or mild except in one aged m...
Haggett EF, Foote AK, Head MJ, McGladdery AJ, Powell SE.A 4-week-old Thoroughbred filly foal with a history of sepsis was evaluated for right hindlimb lameness. Bilateral femoropatellar and femorotibial joint effusions were detected. Ultrasonography and radiography of the right stifle revealed signs of joint collapse and periarticular swelling. Computed tomography revealed abnormalities in the bone density of the medial femoral condyle of the right hindlimb and lateral femoral condyle of the left hindlimb. Euthanasia was recommended based on the severity of the lesions. Gross and microscopic examinations revealed extensive separation of the articul...
Borchers A, Wilkins PA, Marsh PM, Axon JE, Read J, Castagnetti C, Pantaleon L, Clark C, Qura'n L, Belgrave R, Trachsel D, Levy M, Bedenice D....Admission L-lactate concentration is a useful and commonly measured biomarker not previously prospectively evaluated in a large multicentre study of critically ill neonatal foals. Objective: To evaluate overall outcome and the association of survival and L-lactate concentration at admission ([LAC]ADMIT) by periparturient history, presenting complaint and clinicians' major diagnosis for ill neonatal foals. Methods: Thirteen university and private equine referral hospitals enrolled 643 foals over the 2008 foaling season. Case details, historical, clinical and clinicopathological data were entere...
Holdstock NB, Allen VL, Fowden AL.During the switch from parenteral to enteral nutrition at birth, endocrine glands such as the pancreas must assume a glucoregulatory role for the first time if the neonate is to survive the transition to extrauterine life. Objective: To determine the adaptations in pancreatic endocrine function during the neonatal period in term pony foals delivered by different methods. Methods: By measuring insulin and glucagon concentrations, pancreatic alpha and beta cell responses to exogenous glucose (0.5 g/kg bwt) and arginine (100 mg/kg bwt) and to endogenous muzzling for 90 min were determined periodi...
Himler M, Hurcombe SD, Griffin A, Barsnick RJ, Rathgeber RA, MacGillivray KC, Toribio RE.Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis dysfunction is associated with morbidity and mortality in critically ill people. To date, investigations of HPT axis in critically ill foals are limited. Objective: To document the occurrence of low thyroid hormone concentrations (presumptive nonthyroidal illness syndrome; NTIS) in critically ill newborn foals and investigate whether NTIS is associated with severity of disease and outcome. Objective: NTIS occurs frequently in foals with sepsis and is associated with sepsis score and outcome. Reverse T3 (rT3) concentrations will be increased in septic f...
Pisano MB, Seco MP, Ré VE, Farías AA, Contigiani MS, Tenorio A.Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) complex belongs to alphavirus genus in the family Togaviridae. Several species of this complex are pathogenic to humans. VEE infections can produce severe or mild disease, and many cases remain undiagnosed. A specific and sensitive reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-Nested PCR) method was developed for the detection of all VEE subtypes, including Rio Negro Virus (RNV) (subtype VI), which circulates only in Argentina. Degenerated primers were designed and thermal cycling parameters were standardized. This technique is suitable for rap...
McGowan TW, Pinchbeck GP, McGowan CM.Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is an ageing-related neurodegenerative disorder. The prevalence and risk factors for PPID using seasonally adjusted basal adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations in aged horses have not been previously reported. Objective: To determine the prevalence, risk factors and clinical signs predictive for PPID in a population of horses aged ≥ 15 years in Queensland, Australia. Methods: Owner-reported data was obtained using a postal questionnaire distributed to an equestrian group. A subgroup of surveyed owners were visited and a veterina...
Funk RA, Wooldridge AA, Stewart AJ, Behrend EN, Kemppainen RJ, Zhong Q, Johnson AK.Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is an increasingly recognized problem in adult horses. Affected horses are often obese and predisposed to the development of laminitis, especially in the spring and summer months. In addition, in the summer and fall months, increases in endogenous insulin concentrations, a marker of EMS, have been reported. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate seasonal changes in results of the combined glucose-insulin tolerance test (CGIT), a diagnostic test for EMS. Methods: Nine healthy, aged horses with no history of laminitis and no clinical signs of EMS. Me...
Dzięgiel B, Adaszek L, Winiarczyk M, García-Bocanegra I, Carbonero A, Dębiak P, Winiarczyk S.The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene fragment nucleotide sequences for Anaplasma phagocytophilum strains detected in the blood of horses from various parts of Europe. The study comprised 234 horses that had had contact with ticks. Using PCR, the genetic material of A. phagocytophilum was identified in the blood of 42 animals. The sequences of the 16S RNA gene amplicons that were obtained from our A. phagocytophilum isolates had 100 % similarity with each other and 96.4-100 % similarity with Anaplasma spp. sequences selected from those available i...
Perrocheau M, Boutreux V, Chadi S, Mata X, Decaunes P, Raudsepp T, Durkin K, Incarnato D, Iannuzzi L, Lear TL, Hirota K, Hasegawa T, Zhu B, de Jong P....A medium-density map of the horse genome (Equus caballus) was constructed using genes evenly distributed over the human genome. Three hundred and twenty-three exonic primer pairs were used to screen the INRA and the CHORI-241 equine BAC libraries by polymerase chain reaction and by filter hybridization respectively. Two hundred and thirty-seven BACs containing equine gene orthologues, confirmed by sequencing, were isolated. The BACs were localized to horse chromosomes by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Overall, 165 genes were assigned to the equine genomic map by radiation hybrid (RH...
Mifune H, Suzuki S, Noda Y, Mohri S, Mochizuki K.In the pig, cattle and horse, the right and left atria and ventricles were examined by immunohistochemistry, and the right atrial and auricular cardiocytes were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, ANP-granules in the cardiocytes were analyzed by ultrastructural morphometry. Immunohistochemically, the most intensely ANP-reacted cardiocytes were localized in the right auricle, particularly more prominent in the pig and cattle than in the horse. Ultrastructurally, ANP-granules were located principally in the perinuclear region associated with the Golgi apparatus and throughout ...
Bosch G, Klein WR.To determine the usefulness and clinical outcome of a combined procedure of superficial keratectomy and cryosurgery as a treatment for limbal neoplasms in horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Thirteen horses with 14 limbal tumors. Methods: Medical records of all patients with limbal tumors, referred to the Department of Equine Sciences of Utrecht University between 1995 and 2002, were retrieved. Patient data were analyzed with respect to signalment, tumor surface area and histologic diagnosis. Surgery, performed under general anesthesia, included surgical debulking of the tumor follo...
Russell JW, Russell TM, Vasey JR, Hall MS.To evaluate a treatment protocol whereby superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendonitis in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses was treated with autologous bone marrow aspirate (ABMA) obtained from the sternebrae. This treatment was combined with desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the SDF tendon (DAL-SDFT) in selected cases. Medical records of 105 horses treated using the reported protocol were reviewed. Signalment, history and details of treatment were recorded. Racing records were reviewed and performance recorded. Of Thoroughbreds, 82 per cent had one or more starts within the follow-u...
Dyson S, Murray R, Branch M, Harding E.Sacroiliac (SI) joint disease is difficult to diagnose definitively on clinical grounds. Objective: Lameness not attributable to SI joint pain may result in asymmetrical uptake of radiopharmaceutical in the tubera sacrale and SI joints; and that horses with clinical signs suggestive of sacroiliac joint disease would have differences in the ratios of radiopharmaceutical uptake between the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5) and either the tubera sacrale or SI joints compared with normal horses. Objective: To determine whether differences in radiopharmaceutical activity could identify individuals with pr...
Wichert B, Nater S, Wittenbrink MM, Wolf P, Meyer K, Wanner M.In 46 horse farms all over Switzerland, the hygienic quality of the roughage (including silages) was investigated. Therefore, a macroscopic examination as well as the microbial counts (bacteria, yeasts and moulds) was carried out. Further, the contents of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and the contamination with deoxynivalenol (DON) were determined. In all roughages, the dry matter (DM) content was measured and in silages additionally the pH was measured. Predominantly, the straw showed a lower hygienic quality than hay and silages. The LPS contents were significantly higher in straw than those in ...
Hellander Edman A, Ström L, Ekesten B.Compare CXL treatment with medical treatment alone in horses with stromal, ulcerative keratitis. Methods: 24 horses (24 eyes) with stromal, ulcerative keratitis were included. Methods: 12 horses were initially treated with CXL, and 12 horses were given conventional medical treatment. Topical medical treatment was added to horses in the CXL group if necessary. Parameters including cytology, microbial growth, time to fluorescein negativity, and time to inhibition of stromal melting were evaluated. Results: After the first day of treatments, a decrease in inflammatory signs and pain from the eye ...
Rice MK.Regional nerve blocks are necessary to facilitate equine oral surgery in the standing sedated patient. Step-by-step instruction on how to perform common regional nerve blocks are discussed, including infraorbital, maxillary, middle mental, and inferior alveolar nerve blocks. Regional nerve blocks are critical when performing dental procedures in the standing horse. The infraorbital and maxillary nerve blocks provide anesthesia of the infraorbital nerve, which is a branch of the maxillary nerve. Both nerve blocks provide adequate anesthesia for all maxillary dental procedures. When the infraorb...
Hart KA, Kitchings KM, Kimura S, Norton NA, Myrna KE.OBJECTIVE To compare tear cortisol concentrations between horses and ponies with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and healthy nonaged (≤ 15 years old) and aged (≥ 20 years old) horses and to determine whether serum and tear cortisol concentrations were correlated. ANIMALS 11 horses and ponies with PPID and 20 healthy control horses and ponies (11 nonaged and 9 aged). PROCEDURES Paired tear and serum samples were obtained from PPID and control animals. All animals were free of active ocular disease. Tear and serum cortisol concentrations were measured with an ELISA and chemilumi...
Kȩdzierski W, Pluta M.Every year a new group of young Polish Konik colts are separated from the forest herds to be trained in the stable breeding system. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the young Polish Konik horses who had been born in a forest reserve adapt to and tolerate draft work. Two groups of 6 horses each were studied: (a) 3- to 4-year-old colts and (b) 7- to 13-year-old stallions. An effort response was estimated by heart rate (HR) registration and biochemical analysis of hematocrit; blood lactic acid (LA) level; and plasma concentration of glucose, triacylglycerols, uric acid, total protein, an...
Belknap JK, Nickels FA.Third-degree perineal lacerations or rectovestibular fistulae in 17 mares were repaired surgically by a one-stage method. Primary healing occurred in 14 mares; there were one complete dehiscence and two partial dehiscences with fistula formation. Twelve of 13 mares that were bred became pregnant; nine carried foals to term and two are still pregnant. Two mares have each produced one unthrifty foal. One mare repeatedly aborts in the first trimester. Four mares have produced several healthy foals with no further problems. One mare suffered further perineal trauma while foaling.
Stewart AA, Goodrich LR, Byron CR, Evans RB, Stewart MC.To present the technique for intra-articular catheter placement and report the clinical outcomes of 38 cases of equine synovial trauma and/or infection treated with broad-spectrum antimicrobials administered via an intrasynovial catheter (ISC). Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Medical records of 38 horses treated for synovial trauma and sepsis with frequent antimicrobial administration through an ISC from 1995 to 2008 were reviewed. Follow-up information was obtained via clinical re-evaluation or telephone contact with the owners. Results: The majority of horses (84%) received amikacin a...
Andrade FS, Facó LL, Ida KK, Silva LC, Fantoni DT, Ambrósio AM.To compare static compliance (C) and alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference [P(a-a)O] between positive end-expiratory pressures (PEEP) of 7, 12 and 17 cmHO applied after an alveolar recruitment maneuver (RM) in isoflurane-anesthetized horses. Methods: Prospective, randomized, clinical study. Methods: A group of 30 healthy adult horses undergoing arthroscopic surgery. Methods: Animals in dorsal recumbency and mechanically ventilated with a tidal volume of 14 mL kg and 7 cmHO PEEP (control; n = 6) were subjected to an RM by increasing PEEP from 7 to 22 cmHO in 5 cmHO increments at 5 minute...
Hattel AL, Drake TR, Anderholm BJ, McAllister ES.Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was detected at postmortem examination of an 8-year-old Quarter Horse mare that had a history of diarrhea, laminitis, and bilateral nasal discharge. A diagnosis of Ehrlichia risticii infection was made on the basis of clinical signs of diarrhea and pyrexia, high serum antibody titer to E risticii (1:2,560), and multiple Salmonella-negative cultures obtained from fecal and colonic specimens. Possible pathogenic mechanisms contributing to the development of pulmonary aspergillosis secondary to enteric disease include mycotic invasion of the intestinal tract or im...
Kearney CM, Korthagen NM, Plomp SGM, Labberté MC, de Grauw JC, van Weeren PR, Brama PAJ.Intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide is a widely used treatment for joint inflammation despite limited scientific evidence of its efficacy. Objective: To investigate if intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide has sustained anti-inflammatory effects using an equine model of repeated joint inflammation. Methods: Randomised controlled experimental study. Methods: For three consecutive cycles 2 weeks apart, inflammation was induced in both middle carpal joints of eight horses by injecting 0.25 ng lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After the first LPS injection only, treatment with 12 mg triamcinolone...
Targowski SP.Treatment of ponies with a single dose of prednisolone markedly reduced the number of blood lymphocytes. A decrease of the number of eosinophils was also observed. In contrast, the number of neutrophils significantly increased. These profound changes were temporary and returned to the pretreatment level within 48 h. The number of monocytes did not show any of the significant changes post-prednisolone treatment. The reactivity of the blood lymphocytes of these ponies, in vitro, to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or streptokinase-strepto-dornase (SK-SD) was measured by incorporation of...
Kutasi O, Fehér O, Sárdi S, Balogh N, Nagy A, Moravszki L, Bódai E, Szenci O.West Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes between wild birds (natural hosts) and other vertebrates. Horses and humans are incidental, dead-end hosts, but can develop severe neurological disorders. Owing to the close contact of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with the extracellular fluid of the brain, the analysis of CSF composition can reflect central nervous system (CNS) impairments enabling the diagnosis and understanding of various neurodegenerative CNS disorders. Our objective was to compare the findings from the CSF samples of horses with neuroinvasive WNV infectio...
Mungall BA, Pollitt CC.Cultured equine lamellar hoof explants secrete the pro-enzymes matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2, 72 kDa) and MMP-2 (92 kDa). Untreated explants remained intact when tested on a calibrated force transducer, but when treated with an MMP activator, developed "in-vitro laminitis", separating at the dermal-epidermal junction. Explants treated with the bacterial protease thermolysin separated dose-dependently; this was accompanied by activation of both MMP-2 and -9. Thermolysin-mediated MP activation did not occur in a cell-free system and was not inhibited by the addition of the MMP inhibitor and ...
Pippi NL, Lumb WV.An equine model, subjected to three kinds of pain (superficial, deep, and visceral) was used to test effects of analgesic drugs. Two groups of ponies were used. In the first group of six ponies, six drugs (fentanyl, meperidine, methadone, oxymorphone, pentazocine, and xylazine) were given according to a Latin square experimental design, and tests were made at 30-minute intervals for 4 hours. Mean values (control) for the three kinds of pain were obtained before and after the tests and were compared with the mean values (drugs) obtained over 2- and 4-hour intervals (four and eight measurements ...
Lescun TB, McClure SR, Ward MP, Downs C, Wilson DA, Adams SB, Hawkins JF, Reinertson EL.To evaluate clinical findings, complications, and outcome of horses and foals with third metacarpal, third metatarsal, or phalangeal fractures that were treated with transfixation casting. Methods: Retrospective case series. Animals-29 adult horses and 8 foals with fractures of the third metacarpal or metatarsal bone or the proximal or middle phalanx. Methods: Medical records were reviewed, and follow-up information was obtained. Data were analyzed by use of logistic regression models for survival, fracture healing, return to intended use, pin loosening, pin hole lysis, and complications assoc...
Kalpokas I, Mattos RC, Cavestany D, Martínez MN, Perdigón F, Meikle A.The effect of side of corpus luteum on uterine gene expression and protein localization of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and progesterone receptor (PR) in healthy cyclic and pregnant mares 13 days after ovulation (day 0) was investigated. Transcervical biopsies were performed to collect endometrium ipsilateral and contralateral regarding the side of corpus luteum on day 13 post-ovulation in cyclic (n = 6) and pregnant (n = 6) mares. Blood samples were collected daily from day 0 until the day of biopsy for 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) determinations. Receptor expression was d...
Bourges-Abella N, Raymond-Letron I, Diquelou A, Guillot E, Regnier A, Trumel C.To describe the cells observed in conjunctival brush cytology (CBC) from normal horses and compare these findings with conjunctival structural histology so as to understand which cells are recovered from CBC. Methods: This study was divided into three parts. (1) Conjunctival brush smears were collected from 20 healthy horses on both eyes and a differential count on 300 cells was carried out on May Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) smears. (2) A similar protocol was used for whole eyes from five horses obtained rapidly after death from a slaughterhouse. The eyes were then assessed for conjunctival histolo...
Harrison JM, Quanstrom LM, Robinson AR, Wobeser B, Anderson SL, Singh B.Sepsis causes significant mortality in neonatal foals; however, there is little data describing the cellular and molecular pathways of lung inflammation in septic foals. This study was conducted to characterize lung inflammation in septic foals. Lung tissue sections from control (n = 6) and septic (n = 17) foals were compared using histology and immunohistology. Blinded pathologic scoring of hematoxylin and eosin stained samples revealed increased features of lung inflammation such as thickened alveolar septa and sequestered inflammatory cells in septic foals. Septic foal lungs showed increase...
Dik B, Ceylan O, Ceylan C, Tekindal MA, Semassel A, Sönmez G, Derinbay Ekici Ö.Approximately 250 feral horses [ (Linnaeus, 1758)] living on Karadağ Mountain near Karaman City were caught by Kazakh horse herdsmen with permission of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and brought to a farm in Karkın village in Konya Province, 70 km from Karadağ, in November, 2017. This study was carried out to determine the presence of ectoparasites infesting a subsample of 36 feral horses. The horses were visually inspected, and then their bodies were checked by hand for ectoparasites. Thirty-five (97.2%) were infested with at least one of five species of ectoparasites: ...
Rourke KM, Kohn CW, Levine AL, Rosol TJ, Toribio RE.Calcium has important physiological functions, and disorders of calcium homeostasis are frequent in horses. We have made important progress understanding equine calcium homeostasis; however, limited information on equine calcitonin (CT) is available, in part because of the lack of validated CT assays. To determine the CT response to high ionized calcium (Ca(2+)) concentrations in healthy horses, we induced hypercalcemia in 10 healthy horses using a calcium gluconate 23% solution (5mg/kg; 120 mL/500 kg horse) infused over 4 min. Four horses were infused with 120 mL of 0.9% NaCl and used as cont...
Faramarzi B, Lee D, May K, Dong F.There is a need for evidence-based scientific research to address the question of the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving clinical signs of laminitis in horses. The objective of this study was to compare lameness levels before and after 2 acupuncture treatments in horses with chronic laminitis. Twelve adult horses with chronic laminitis received 2 acupuncture treatments 1 week apart. The points were treated using dry needling, hemo-acupuncture, and aqua-acupuncture. Lameness level was objectively evaluated using an inertial sensor-based lameness evaluation system (Lameness Locator), as w...
