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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.
Mr imaging features of surgically induced core lesions in the equine superficial digital flexor tendon. Tendon injuries are common in athletic humans and horses. Ultrasonography is the diagnostic method of choice in horses with tendon injuries but there is increasing application of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to monitor and follow-up tendon healing. A core lesion was created in the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of each forelimb of four horses. One of the four horses was euthanized at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after creation of the lesion. MR examinations of the SDFT were performed immediately post mortem in a 1.5 T Siemens Symphony magnet and compared with histologic findings. Measure...
Imaging diagnosis–Arterial and venous thromboses of the proximal limb in two thoroughbred racehorses. Thromboses of the cranial tibial vein (Horse 1) and brachial, median, and cranial circumflex humeral arteries (Horse 2) were identified as causes of unilateral lameness in two Thoroughbred racehorses. Nuclear scintigraphy was performed for suspicion of long bone stress fractures but instead allowed identification of unusual areas of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake within soft tissues of the affected limbs. Ultrasonography of these regions allowed identification of occlusive thrombi within a 25 cm length of the cranial tibial vein (Horse 1) and variable lengths of affected arteries in Hors...
Use of stored equine colostrum for the treatment of foals perceived to be at risk for failure of transfer of passive immunity. OBJECTIVE-To assess the use of stored equine colostrum for the treatment of foals perceived to be at risk for failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI). DESIGN-Cohort study. ANIMALS-232 Thoroughbred foals and 191 Thoroughbred mares (41 mares gave birth to 1 foal on 2 occasions). PROCEDURES-Postpartum, presuckle colostrum samples were collected from mares; samples with a colostral refractive index (cRI) > or = 23% were frozen (-20 degrees C [-4 degrees F]) and stored for > or = 7 days but < 2 years. Foals of dams that produced colostrum with a cRI value < 20% were treated with > or = 300 m...
An epidemiologic study of anhidrosis in horses in Florida. OBJECTIVE-To estimate prevalence of and identify factors associated with anhidrosis in horses in Florida. Design-Cross-sectional study and case-control study. ANIMALS-4,620 horses on 500 farms. PROCEDURES-A questionnaire was structured and mailed to farm owners or managers to obtain information related to diagnosis of anhidrosis in horses and exposure factors associated with this condition. The frequency of investigated farm- and animal-level factors was compared between farms and horses affected and not affected with anhidrosis, respectively. RESULTS-The prevalence of anhidrosis was 11% at th...
A survey of equine oral pathology. Dental abnormalities in horses can lead to weight-loss, poor performance, pain, behavioral abnormalities, and illness. Despite this impact, the occurrence and type of dental disease in horse populations is infrequently reported in veterinary medicine. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey of horses presented for slaughter at a processing plant in Western Canada was to measure the prevalence of equine oral abnormalities, examine associations between the most common abnormalities, and consider the relationship between the age of horse and types of abnormalities observed. The horses used in ...
Enhancing reproductive performance in mares. Reproductive performance in mares can be enhanced by various techniques. Protocols hastening the onset of follicular development help establish pregnancy in mares and ensure that foals are born early in the year. The time spent breeding mares can be reduced by synchronizing estrus and inducing ovulation. After successful fertilization of the oocyte, the developing embryo can survive in the uterus only if postbreeding endometritis, if present, is treated.
Distal interphalangeal articular cartilage assessment using low-field magnetic resonance imaging. The suitability of low-field magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for assessment of articular cartilage has been questioned, based on insufficient image quality. The purposes of this study were to describe the MR anatomy of the normal distal interphalangeal (DIP) cartilage, and to evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of low-field MR imaging for identification of cartilage erosions that were created ex vivo. Imaging sequences included sagittal and dorsal multiple-oblique T1-weighted gradient-recalled echo (GRE) and sagittal dual echo sequences. In the thickest regions, normal cartilage appeared as ...
Comparison of endoscopy, histology, and cytokine mRNA of the equine gastric mucosa. In recent years, gastric ulceration has been recognized as a common, possibly performance-limiting disease, of adult horses. The aim of this study was to compare endoscopic features, histological diagnosis, and mRNA levels of various cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-13) from horse gastric biopsies. Eleven horses suffering from equine gastric ulcer syndrome and seven horses with normal histological gastric features were assessed. No correlation between endoscopic features and histology (i.e., the gold standard) was observed. Based on histological diagnosis, a significant (p < 0.05) increa...
Tissue and cell tropism of African horse sickness virus demonstrated by immunoperoxidase labeling in natural and experimental infection in horses in South Africa. Tissues from 196 experimental and confirmed natural cases of African horse sickness (all 9 serotypes) were examined with a standardized and validated immunohistochemical assay for detection of the causative virus. The study confirmed that heart and lung are the main target tissues for African horse sickness virus (across all serotypes), followed closely by spleen. It also indicated that microvascular endothelial cells and monocyte-macrophages are the main target cells for virus replication. The importance of monocytes as target cells was emphasized, with relatively few tissue macrophages conta...
Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and radiography for assessment of noncartilaginous changes in equine metacarpophalangeal osteoarthritis. We compared the ability of 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and computed radiography (CR) to evaluate noncartilaginous structures of the equine metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP), and the association of imaging changes with gross cartilage damage in the context of osteoarthritis. Four CR projections, helical single-slice CT, and MRI (Ti-weighted gradient recalled echo [GRE], T2*-weighted GRE with fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition [FIESTA], T2-weighted fast spin echo with fat saturation, and spoiled gradient recalled echo with fat saturation ISPGR-FS]...
On the search for in vitro in vivo correlations in the field of intra-articular drug delivery: administration of sodium diatrizoate to the horse. Development of suitable in vitro release models for formulation development as well as quality control purposes has to be initiated in the early design phase of injectable depots. Optimally, construction of an in vitro release model may lead to the establishment of in vitro in vivo correlations. By using a model compound (sodium diatrizoate, DTZ), the purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of establishing in vitro in vivo relations between the DTZ disappearance profile obtained from the donor compartment of the rotating dialysis cell model and the joint disappearance profile ...
A comprehensive analysis of germline and expressed immunoglobulin repertoire in the horse. Based on the recently released horse genome, we have characterized the genomic organization of the horse Ig gene loci. The horse IgH locus in genomic scaffold Un0011 contains 40 D(H) segments, 8 J(H) segments and 50 V(H) segments. The Igkappa locus contains only a single C(kappa) gene, 5 J(kappa) segments and a 60 V(kappa) segments, whereas the Iglambda locus contains 7 C(lambda) genes each preceded by a J(lambda) gene segment. A total of 110 V(lambda) segments with the same transcriptional polarity as J(lambda)-C(lambda) were identified upstream of the J(lambda)-C(lambda) cluster. However, 34...
Determination of (13)C/(12)C ratios of urinary excreted boldenone and its main metabolite 5beta-androst-1-en-17beta-ol-3-one. Boldenone (androsta-1,4-dien-17beta-ol-3-one, Bo) is an anabolic steroid known to have been used in cattle breeding or equine sport as a doping agent for many years. Although not clinically approved for human application, Bo or its main metabolite 5beta-androst-1-en-17beta-ol-3-one (BM1) were detected in several doping control samples. For more than 15 years the possibility of endogenous Bo production in human beings has been discussed. This is a challenging issue for doping control laboratories as Bo belongs to the list of prohibited substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency and therefore th...
[Comparative efficacy of homologous and heterologous biologicals against diphtheria]. Comparative assessment of efficacy of homologous and heterologous diphtheria antitoxins on the example of diphtheria intoxication. Methods: Homologous hyperimmune sera were obtained through immunization of rabbits and guinea-pigs with diphtheria toxoid according to schedule. Immune rabbit sera contained 70 - 100 IU/mL of antitoxin antibodies and guinea-pig sera contained 60 - 80 IU/mL. Equine diphtheria antitoxin was used as a heterologous one. Measurement of antitoxin level using experimental animals is based on quantitative assessment of ability of studied sera to neutralize specific dermone...
Immunohistochemical and molecular detection of equine herpesvirus 1 in Uruguay. Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is a major cause of epidemic abortion, neonatal mortality, respiratory disease and neurological disorders in horses. In South America, the virus has been isolated in Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. In Chile pathological findings from one aborted foetus have been reported, and in Uruguay only serological data about EHV-1 activity have been found. Some pathological findings were reported in Uruguay several years ago, but these data have never been officially confirmed. The present work describes the relevant findings of a study of EHV-1 infections in the Uruguayan eq...
Evaluation of neutralization patterns of the five unique Argentine equine arteritis virus field strains reported. Equine viral arteritis (EVA) is a contagious viral disease that frequently causes mild or subclinical infections in adult horses. Only one EAV serotype has been described. However, there are differences in antigenicity, pathogenicity and neutralization characteristics of virus field strains. The interaction of two viral proteins, GP5 and M, is critical for infectivity and amino acid changes in the GP5 sequences have an effect on the neutralizing phenotype, regardless the effects of other viral proteins. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the neutralization phenotypes of the 5 u...
Use of Ir192 interstitial brachytherapy for an equine malignant dermal schwannoma. A 10-year-old Hanoverian mare was evaluated for a right buccal swelling that recurred 3 months following surgical resection. Ultrasonographic examination showed a broadly pedunculated subcutaneous mass at the level of 106-109 and 406-409 cheek teeth associated with an erosive mucosal lesion on the inside of the cheek. Histological examination of a biopsy specimen revealed a well-demarcated, malignant, dermal schwannoma. Following subcutaneous placement of platinum coated Ir192 wires under general anaesthesia, low-dose radiation of 5 gray per day was delivered for 14 days. Short-term complicati...
Topographic comparative study of paranasal sinuses in adult horses by computed tomography, sinuscopy, and sectional anatomy. Clinical and radiographic investigations of paranasal sinuses in horses are difficult due to the complex anatomy of these regions, the lack of patognomonic symptoms, and the low sensitivity of conventional diagnostic techniques. The aim of this study was to produce an anatomical atlas to support computed tomography (CT) and sinuscopy of the paranasal sinuses of the adult horse. Transverse, sagittal, and dorsal CT images were acquired, and sinuscopy with both rigid and flexible endoscopes was performed. The heads were frozen and sectioned using a band saw, with the cuts aligned as close as poss...
In vitro biomechanical comparison of a modified 5.5 mm locking compression plate fixation with a 5.5 mm locking compression plate fixation of osteotomized equine third metacarpal bones. To compare number of cycles to failure for palmarodorsal 4-point bending of a modified 5.5 mm broad locking compression plate (M5.5-LCP) fixation with a 5.5 mm broad LCP (5.5-LCP) fixation used to repair osteotomized equine third metacarpal (MC3) bones. Methods: In vitro biomechanical testing. Methods: Adult equine cadaveric MC3 bones (n=6 pairs). Methods: An 8-hole, M5.5-LCP, obtained by having a 1.0 mm thickness removed from the bone contact portion of the 5.5-LCP, was applied to the dorsal surface of 1 randomly selected MC3 from each pair, and an 8-hole, 5.5-LCP was applied dorsally to the ...
Annual ryegrass toxicity in Thoroughbred horses in Ceres in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. An outbreak of annual ryegrass toxicity occurred on a Thoroughbred stud in Ceres in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This is the 1st report of annual ryegrass toxicity in horses in South Africa, although the condition has been reported in cattle and sheep populations in the past. Annual ryegrass toxicity is characterised by a variety of neurological signs including tremors, convulsions, recumbency and in many cases death. The description of the outbreak includes the history, clinical presentation and treatment protocol administered during the outbreak. Various epidemiological variabl...
Partial intravenous anaesthesia in 5 horses using ketamine, lidocaine, medetomidine and halothane. A partial intravenous protocol was used successfully to maintain anaesthesia in 5 healthy horses. Horses were premedicated with acepromazine, romifidine and butorphanol, induced with guaifenesin and ketamine and maintained on a constant rate infusion of lidocaine, ketamine and medetomidine together with halothane inhalation anaesthesia. Mean end-tidal halothane concentration to maintain a surgical plane of anaesthesia was 0.8 +/- 0.2%. Mean dobutamine requirement to maintain mean arterial pressure above 9.31 kPa was 0.42 +/- 0.3 microg/kg/min. The administration of relatively low doses of lido...
Lawsonia intracellularis and virulent Rhodococcus equi infection in a thoroughbred colt. A 26-month-old thoroughbred colt with a 4-month history of continuous diarrhoea and weight loss was subject to necropsy examination. The small intestinal mucosa was thickened and this change particularly affected the terminal ileum. Microscopical examination revealed multifocal epithelial hyperplasia, with multifocal granulomas and marked lymphocytic infiltration of the lamina propria. Numerous gram-negative argyrophilic curved bacilli were observed within the cytoplasm of affected enterocytes. Macrophages and epithelioid cells forming the granulomas had abundant, lightly eosinophilic, foamy c...
Pathological changes caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata in the equine ileocecal junction. Gastrointestinal motility disorders represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in horses. Previously regarded as a non-pathogenic tapeworm, Anoplocephala perfoliata has been recently associated with equine colic. In this study, pathological changes related to A. perfoliata at the ileocecal junction were investigated in 31 slaughtered horses. Our results showed a significant relationship between parasitic burden and grading of histopathological lesions in both the mucosa and submucosa. Moreover, in infested horses, hypertrophy of the circular muscle layer was determined. Finally, ...
Enteric dysganglionosis resembling intestinal neuronal dysplasia in a foal with bacterial colitis. A 5-day-old quarter horse colt with a history of hypothermia, agonal breathing, and diarrhea was euthanized. At necropsy, numerous slightly raised, discrete, closely approximated submucosal nodules were observed in the colon and small intestine. Histologically, these nodules were composed of expanded submucosal mesenchyme that contained numerous neurons either individually or in ganglia. Thirty-two percent of these ganglia included 8 or more neurons, in contrast to 6% in an age-matched foal. Some nodules had necrosuppurative inflammation with vasculitis, thrombosis, and bacterial colonization....
hCG-induced ovulation in thoroughbred mares does not affect corpus luteum development and function during early pregnancy. Our aim was to compare Corpus luteum (CL) development and blood plasma concentration of progesterone ([P4]) in thoroughbred mares after spontaneous ( Methods: C) or human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)-induced ovulation. Lactating mares (C=12; hCG=21) were daily teased and mated during second oestrus post-partum. Treated mares received 2500 IU hCG i.v. at first day of behavioural oestrus when dominant follicular size was >35, or=45 mm. Dominant follicle before ovulation, CL and gestational sac were measured by ultrasound and [P4] by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Blood sampling and ultrasound CL ex...
Evaluation of diagnostic techniques for Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses from Alberta, Canada. Accurate diagnosis of parasites within individual hosts remains a difficult task. Incorrect and/or inaccurate diagnosis restricts the potential for targeted treatment of individuals and limits our understanding of key epidemiological characteristics of potential pathogens of domestic stock. In this study, we compared the specificity and sensitivity of four diagnostic methods for determination of the presence and intensity of the cestode Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses. Over 400 horses from an abattoir in south-central Alberta were evaluated for the presence and number of cestodes. Thirty on...
Membrane lipids of the stallion spermatozoon in relation to sperm quality and susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. Lipids were extracted from ejaculated spermatozoa from seven individual stallions to distinguish neutral lipids (NL) and polar lipids (PL) and determine their variation among stallions and their relationship with sperm quality and sperm susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. The isolated fatty acids were correlated with sperm quality (membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and expression of active caspases) and the sensitivity of the sperm plasma membrane to LPO. The miristic (C14: 0), palmitic (C16: 0), stearic (C18: 0) and oleic (C18: 1n9) acids were predominant among th...
Relationship between body fat and body condition score and their effects on estrous cycles of the Standardbred maiden mare. Standardbred maiden mares are generally stressed and in poor physical condition because of their incorrect management at the end of their racing careers. The purpose of this study was to identify an objective assessment that, similar to body condition score (BCS) determination, is easy to measure and able to confirm or improve fattening status assessment, as well as to ascertain whether a relationship with reproduction efficiency exists in subjects destined for a first-time insemination program. The authors assessed 29 Standardbred maiden mares (7 +/- 2 years old) during the breeding season. O...
Autologous conditioned plasma as therapy of tendon and ligament lesions in seven horses. This case report describes the intralesional application of autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) in seven horses as treatment of severe tendinitis of the superficial digital flexor tendon, deep digital flexor tendon, or desmitis of the inferior check ligament. Follow-up data of the horses revealed a positive outcome in 10 to 13 months post injury. All horses treated with ACP were either performing in their previous work-load or were back in full training. Further studies with long-term follow-up will have to be performed to support these clinical intermediate-term observations.
