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Topic:Equine Health
Equine health encompasses the study and management of diseases, disorders, and overall well-being of horses. It involves understanding various physiological systems, preventive care, and treatment strategies to maintain optimal health in equine populations. Common areas of focus include nutrition, infectious diseases, orthopedic conditions, and reproductive health. Research in equine health aims to advance knowledge on diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, and management practices that improve horse welfare and performance. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine health, offering insights into current findings and advancements in the field.
Enhanced IL-6 transcriptional response to adenosine receptor ligands in horses with lower airway inflammation. Accumulation of extracellular adenosine has been closely associated with human asthmatic responses. However, the relevance of adenosine signalling in equine airways has not previously been investigated. Objective: To determine the expression of adenosine receptors (AR) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and assess the reactivity of these cells to AR ligands ex vivo, employing IL-6 as readout of adenosinergic inflammatory signalling. Methods: Eight horses with varying degrees of lower airway inflammation and 10 healthy controls were analysed. Expression of AR-subtypes in each BAL sample was ...
Expressed gene sequence of the IFNγ-response chemokine CXCL9 of cattle, horses, and swine. This report describes the cloning and characterization of expressed gene sequences of bovine, equine, and swine CXCL9 from RNA obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and other tissues. The bovine coding region was 378 nucleotides in length, while the equine and swine coding regions were 381 nucleotides. Mapping showed that all three sequences were coded for in four exons in the genome, as are the human and mouse genes. The bovine, equine, and swine coding regions shared 83%, 86%, and 84% homology with human CXCL9, respectively, and all three were 74% homologous with mouse CXCL...
Arthroscopic treatment of meniscal cysts in the horse. To describe the clinical symptoms, treatment, and outcome of meniscal cysts in horses. These structures have not been previously described in the literature as a potential cause of lameness in the horse. Objective: Meniscal cysts are an uncommon condition of the femorotibial joint but can be a significant cause of lameness. Symptoms can be resolved by arthroscopic excision. Methods: Records of horses diagnosed with meniscal cysts and treated by cyst excision and meniscal debridement at 2 surgical practices were reviewed. Clinical outcome was determined by repeat veterinary examination and cont...
A functional turbidimetric method to determine C-reactive protein in horses. A turbidimetric method to determine serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, based on soybean oil-phosphocholine interaction, was performed on horse serum samples to evaluate its potential diagnostic value in veterinary medicine. Intralipid 20% in 0.1 M Tris-calcium buffer (pH 7.5) was added to horse serum. After 30 min of incubation at 37 °C, the CRP-phosphocholine complexes were turbidimetrically, bichromatically (660 nm/700 nm) quantified on a commercial analyzer. Furthermore, comparison between CRP and other inflammatory markers, including white blood cell and neutrophil counts, was ...
Spread of West Nile virus in Iran: a cross-sectional serosurvey in equines, 2008-2009. We report the first large-scale serosurvey for West Nile virus (WNV) conducted in the equine population in Iran. Blood samples were obtained in 2008-2009 from 1054 equines collected from 260 districts located in 27 provinces. The overall seroprevalence rate for WNV neutralizing antibodies was 23·7%. Marked geographical variations were observed as province-specific seroprevalence rates ranged from 1% to 88%, the highest values being observed in the southern and western parts of the country. The presence of IgM-positive animals (n=9) indicated a recent circulation of WNV in several provinces. L...
Endocrinology of the equine neonate energy metabolism in health and critical illness. Hormonal control of energy metabolism plays an important role in the peripartum development and health of the equine neonate. The endocrine system is generally functional at birth, but the maturation of the endocrine system and the associated energy metabolism is delayed and continues during the postnatal period. The energy metabolism is susceptible to disturbances, especially when illness occurs. Hormones involved in energy metabolism have recently been studied in healthy and critically ill neonatal foals. Understanding these hormones in the equine neonate will support appropriate therapeutic...
Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also known as equine Cushing's syndrome, is a widely recognized disease of aged horses. Over the past two decades, the aged horse population has expanded significantly and in addition, client awareness of PPID has increased. As a result, there has been an increase in both diagnostic testing and treatment of the disease. This review focuses on the pathophysiology and clinical syndrome, as well as advances in diagnostic testing and treatment of PPID, with an emphasis on those findings that are new since the excellent comprehensive review by Sc...
Disorders of calcium and phosphate metabolism in horses. Calcium and phosphate have structural and nonstructural functions, and their concentrations in the extracellular compartment are affected by the physiologic status of the animal as well as diseases. Important progress in understanding calcium and phosphorus metabolism in healthy and diseased horses and foals has been made in recent years. For example, several studies have confirmed that hypocalcemia is frequent in horses with gastrointestinal disease and that calcium endocrine dysregulation is associated with survival in foals. One critical point in the homeostasis of these minerals is their i...
Adrenocortical insufficiency in horses and foals. The adrenal cortices produce various steroid hormones that play vital roles in several physiologic processes. Although permanent adrenocortical insufficiency is rare in all species, emerging evidence in both human and equine medicine suggests that transient reversible adrenocortical dysfunction resulting in cortisol insufficiency frequently develops during critical illness. This syndrome is termed relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) or critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) and can contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality associated with the primary disease. ...
Equine hyperlipidemias. Hyperlipidemia is the presence of elevated lipid concentrations in the blood and is associated with periods of negative energy balance and physiologic stress. In increased concentrations, circulating lipids typically occur in the triglyceride form, which may interfere with numerous normal physiologic functions, particularly by reducing insulin sensitivity. Although the hyperlipidemia risk is greatest in ponies, miniature horses, and donkeys, all equids are at risk if they are in a situation involving negative energy balance. The sedentary lifestyle of many modern horses and the frequent feedin...
Equine metabolic syndrome. The concept of an equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) was first proposed in 2002. This concept has developed over time, and EMS was recently described in a consensus statement released by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. In human medicine, metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to a set of risk factors that predict the risk of cardiovascular disease, including obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance (IR), dyslipidemia, microalbuminuria, and hypertension. EMS shares some of the features of MetS, including increased adiposity, hyperinsulinemia, IR, but differs in that lami...
Hypothalamic-pituitary gland axis function and dysfunction in horses. Hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) dysfunction has been documented in a limited capacity in horses and foals associated with critical illness, stress, and pain. This article reviews species-specific details of anatomy, function, hormones, receptors, and testing of the HP axis in the horse. A discussion of critical care medicine relevant to HP dysfunction in the horse with some reference to current understanding in human medicine is made, focusing primarily on current and relevant literature. A brief mention of other conditions described in human and veterinary medicine is also provided for reference ...
Disorders of the equine thyroid gland. Regulatory control of the thyroid gland in horses is similar to other species. Clinical signs of hypothyroidism in adult horses are minimal. Several drugs and physiologic and pathophysiological states can cause circulating thyroid hormone concentrations to be low without actual pathology of the thyroid gland. Thus, nonthyroidal factors must be ruled out before a diagnosis of hypothyroidism can be made. Thyroid hormone supplementation seems to be well tolerated, even in euthyroid horses. Neonatal foals have very high circulating thyroid hormone concentrations, and deficiencies result in signif...
Magnesium disorders in horses. Magnesium (Mg) is an essential macroelement that is required for cellular energy-dependent reactions involving adenosine triphosphate and for the regulation of calcium channel function. Subclinical hypomagnesemia is common in critically ill humans and animals and increases the severity of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome; worsens the systemic response to endotoxins; and can lead to ileus, cardiac arrhythmias, refractory hypokalemia, and hypocalcemia. This article discusses the clinical signs, consequences, and treatment of hypomagnesemia in horses and describes the association of Mg...
The endocrine disruptive effects of ergopeptine alkaloids on pregnant mares. During equine gestation, ergopeptine alkaloid exposure is not uncommon, and pregnant mares are particularly sensitive to the endocrine disruptive effects of these compounds on lactogenesis and steroidogenesis. Agalactia, prolonged gestation, abortion, dystocia, and placental and fetal abnormalities are all clinical manifestations of changes in the endocrine milieu induced by the ingestion of ergopeptine alkaloid-contaminated feedstuffs by mares during late gestation. An understanding of the endocrine disruptive effects of gestational exposure to ergopeptine alkaloids is necessary for the diagn...
Water homeostasis and diabetes insipidus in horses. Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare disorder of horses characterized by profound polyuria and polydipsia (PU/PD), which can be caused by loss of production of arginine vasopressin (AVP). This condition is termed neurogenic or central DI. DI may also develop with absence or loss of AVP receptors or activity on the basolateral membrane of collecting-duct epithelial cells. This condition is termed nephrogenic DI. Equine clinicians may differentiate true DI from more common causes of PU/PD by a systematic diagnostic approach. DI may not be a correctable disorder, and supportive care of affected hors...
Endocrine dysregulation in critically ill foals and horses. Critical illness challenges many endocrine homeostatic systems to overcome diseases, stress, and hostile conditions that threaten survival. Coordinated and consecutive responses by the autonomic nervous system, endocrine metabolic adaptations to mobilize and conserve energy and electrolytes, cardiovascular adjustments to maintain organ perfusion, and immunomodulation to overcome infections and inflammation are required. Because most admissions to equine intensive care units are related to horses with gastrointestinal disease and septic foals, most endocrine information during critical disease ...
Systematic analyses of free ceramide species and ceramide species comprising neutral glycosphingolipids by MALDI-TOF MS with high-energy CID. Free ceramides and glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are important components of the membrane microdomain and play significant roles in cell survival. Recent studies have revealed that both fatty acids and long-chain bases (LCBs) are more diverse than expected, in terms of i) alkyl chain length, ii) hydroxylation and iii) the presence or absence of double bonds. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) have been well utilized to characterize sphingolipids with high throughput, but reports to date have not ...
Influences of treatment of early pregnant mares with the progestin altrenogest on embryonic development and gene expression in the endometrium and conceptus. A positive influence of altrenogest treatment on a retarded development of the conceptus around the beginning of placentation in mares older than 8 years could be recently demonstrated. In the present study, effects of altrenogest treatment in early-pregnant mares on conceptus development and expression of endometrial and embryonic genes were investigated. Genes were chosen according to a possible involvement in embryo-maternal interaction and embryonic development in the equine species. Mares were treated with altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg bodyweight) or sunflower oil (placebo) from day 5 to 11 af...
Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in horses in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in horses used for sporting purposes in the Province of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In total, 266 serum samples from clinically healthy horses were analyzed for anti- T. gondii antibodies using the Sabin-Feldman dye test. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 84 (31.6%) horses, with specific titers of 1∶16 (78 with a prevalence of 29.3%), 1∶64 (4 with a prevalence of 1.5%), and 1∶256 (2 with a prevalence of 0.8%). The number of seropositive horses in Shaqra (43.7%) was considerably higher than in other region...
The effect of hoof angle variations on dorsal lamellar load in the equine hoof. In the treatment of laminitis it is believed that reducing tension in the deep digital flexor tendon by raising the palmar angle of the hoof can reduce the load on the dorsal lamellae, allowing them to heal or prevent further damage. Objective: To determine the effect of alterations in hoof angle on the load in the dorsal laminar junction. Methods: Biomechanical finite element models of equine hooves were created with palmar angles of the distal phalanx varying from 0-15°. Tissue material relations accounting for anisotropy and the effect of moisture were used. Loading conditions simulating t...
Decreased expression of p63, a regulator of epidermal stem cells, in the chronic laminitic equine hoof. Abnormal epidermal stem cell regulation may contribute to the pathogenesis of equine chronic laminitis. Objective: To analyse the involvement of p63, a regulator of epidermal stem cell proliferative potential, in chronic laminitis. Methods: Epidermal tissues from skin, coronet and lamellae of the dorsal foot were harvested from 5 horses with chronic laminitis and 5 control horses. Tissues were analysed using histopathology, immunofluorescence microscopy and quantitative immunoblotting. Results: Hoof lamellae of laminitic horses had a lower frequency of p63 positive cells than control lamellae,...
Autologous conditioned serum: the comparative cytokine profiles of two commercial methods (IRAP and IRAP II) using equine blood. Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent and debilitating conditions affecting the horse. Autologous conditioned serum (ACS), commercially available as IRAP and IRAP II, is a recently developed treatment for OA in which plasma is prepared from venous blood by incubation with glass beads for 24 h. This product has been shown to increase anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors in human blood. However, data for equine ACS preparations are lacking. Objective: To characterise the protein profiles produced by commercially available ACS systems in equine blood. Methods: Blood was dra...
Comparative efficacy of inhaled albuterol between two hand-held delivery devices in horses with recurrent airway obstruction. Studies investigating the clinical efficacy of albuterol administered with the same propellant and commercially available delivery devices in horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) are not currently available. Objective: To determine the efficacy of aerosolised albuterol administered to horses with RAO by means of 2 commercially available, hand-held delivery devices. Methods: Ten horses with RAO were kept in a dusty environment and fed mouldy hay to induce airway obstruction. Lung mechanics were measured before and after the procedure. ΔP(max) was measured 5 min after administration o...
[Acute coronary syndrome due to abnormal fibrous tissue growth after Aubert-Imai modification for transposition of the great arteries]. We report a female infant with acute coronary syndrome after Aubert-Imai modification for transposition of the great arteries. Two months postoperatively, she visited the emergency room because of perspiration and tachypnea. She was diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome by blood chemistry examination. Cardiac catheterization revealed Aubert route stenosis, and emergency operation was performed. The lumen around the aortopulmonary window was almost totally occluded by fibrous tissue extending from the equine pericardial patch. This fibrous tissue was completely resected and the aortopulmonary ...
Evaluation of a minimally invasive arthrodesis technique for the carpometacarpal joint in horses. To evaluate a minimally invasive technique for arthrodesis of the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint in horses. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Healthy horses (n=6). Methods: A 5.5 mm, 3-drill tract arthrodesis technique was evaluated in 1 randomly selected CMC joint in each of 6 normal horses. Peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF) values were recorded before surgery and at 6, 8, and 12 months thereafter. Radiographic and clinical lameness scores were assigned at regular intervals until 12 months after surgery when the horses were euthanatized. Gross and histologic examinations were perfo...
Effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on desmitis of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon in the horse. To evaluate the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on collagenase-induced lesions in the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (ALDDFT) of horses. Methods: Paired, blinded controlled study. Methods: Eight Thoroughbred horses (3 mares, 5 geldings; mean ± SD weight, 464 ± 26 kg, mean age, 8 ± 1.7 years). Methods: Lesions were created in both ALDDFTs of all horses by injection of 2 × 10(3) IU of collagenase type I. Percent lesion and structure (fiber alignment and echogenicity) were quantified with ultrasonographic imaging 3, 6, and 9 weeks after collagenase ...
Partial ostectomy of the dens to correct atlantoaxial subluxation in a pony. To report a surgical technique that allows decompression and anatomic re-alignment for management of subluxation of the atlantoaxial articulation. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: Four-year-old Welsh Section B pony gelding. Methods: Attempts at closed reduction of subluxation of the atlantoaxial articulation under general anesthesia were unsuccessful, so a ventral surgical approach allowing partial ostectomy of the dens of the axis was used to facilitate reduction. Results: Recovery from surgery was uneventful and the pony remained comfortable without neurologic deficits. Both neck stiffness...
Regenerative medicine for the treatment of musculoskeletal overuse injuries in competition horses. Tissue repair in musculoskeletal injuries is often a slow and sometimes incomplete process. Regenerative medicine based on the use of growth factors (GFs) and cell therapy is aimed at improving the quality and speed of tendon and ligament healing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for the administration of a combination of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and freshly isolated bone marrow mononucleated cells (BMMNCs) in 13 competition horses affected by overuse musculoskeletal injuries (suspensory ligament desmopathy and superficial flexor tendinopathy) and refractory to ...
