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.
Hemberg E, Kindahl H, Lundeheim N, Einarsson S.The objectives of this study were to investigate: (i) relationships between early foal health and their dams' reproductive health at mating/conception as well as after parturition and (ii) health status during early foal life and its association with performance as an adult. The study included 35 foals showing clinical symptoms indicating septicaemia, sometimes in combination with other disturbances, within their first 18 h postpartum (Group I). Eighty-eight foals that were healthy during their first few days of life were used as control (Group II). All foals were born in the same region of Sw...
Parillo F, Mancuso R, Vullo C, Catone G.This work was undertaken to determine the glycoconjugates secreted by the epithelium of the prostate in the intact stallion and castrated horse using lectin histochemical procedures in conjunction with enzymatic digestion and deglycosylation treatments. Additionally, anti-5 and 13-16-cytokeratin antibodies were used to localize epithelial basal cells. In the stallion, lectin histochemistry showed the following sugar residues in the Golgi zone of the glandular cells: α-Glu/Man, α-Fuc and β-Gal included in both O- and N-linked oligosaccharides as well as β-GalNAc, GlcNAc and α-Gal, which be...
Murphy BA.The circadian system provides animals with a means to adapt their internal physiology to the constantly changing environmental stimuli that exist on a rotating planet. Light information is translated into molecular timing mechanisms within pacemaker cells of the mammalian hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) via transcriptional-translational feedback loops. Humoral and neural outputs from this 'master' clock result in circadian rhythms of physiology and behaviour. The larger circadian system involves SCN synchronisation of cellular clocks throughout the organism such that individual orga...
Nyman G, Marntell S, Edner A, Funkquist P, Morgan K, Hedenstierna G.Sedation with alpha2-agonists in the horse is reported to be accompanied by impairment of arterial oxygenation. The present study was undertaken to investigate pulmonary gas exchange using the Multiple Inert Gas Elimination Technique (MIGET), during sedation with the alpha2-agonist detomidine alone and in combination with the opioid butorphanol. Methods: Seven Standardbred trotter horses aged 3-7 years and weighing 380-520 kg, were studied. The protocol consisted of three consecutive measurements; in the unsedated horse, after intravenous administration of detomidine (0.02 mg/kg) and after sub...
Meehan M, Lewis MJ, Byrne C, O'Hare D, Woof JM, Owen P.Fibrinogen-binding protein (FgBP, also termed SeM) is a cell-wall-associated anti-phagocytic M-like protein of the equine pathogen Streptococcus equi subsp. equi, and binds fibrinogen (Fg) and IgG. FgBP binds Fg avidly through residues located at the extreme N terminus of the molecule, whereas the IgG-binding site is more centrally located between the A and B repeats. FgBP binds equine IgG4 and IgG7 subclasses through interaction with the CH2-CH3 interdomain region of IgG-Fc, and possesses overlapping Fc-binding sites with protein A and protein G. In this study, FgBP truncates containing defin...
Haase B, Brooks SA, Tozaki T, Burger D, Poncet PA, Rieder S, Hasegawa T, Penedo C, Leeb T.White coat colour in horses is inherited as a monogenic autosomal dominant trait showing a variable expression of coat depigmentation. Mutations in the KIT gene have previously been shown to cause white coat colour phenotypes in pigs, mice and humans. We recently also demonstrated that four independent mutations in the equine KIT gene are responsible for the dominant white coat colour phenotype in various horse breeds. We have now analysed additional horse families segregating for white coat colour phenotypes and report seven new KIT mutations in independent Thoroughbred, Icelandic Horse, Germ...
Weese JS, Cruz A.Perioperative antimicrobial administration practices were evaluated retrospectively in 97 horses undergoing elective arthroscopy, and antimicrobial use was compared with standard recommendations for perioperative prophylaxis. Parenteral antimicrobials were administered perioperatively to 95/97 (98%) horses, 88 of which received intravenous sodium penicillin. Time from 1st dose until 1st incision ranged from 30 to 390 min [142 +/- 55.6 min, mean +/- standard deviation (s), median 135 min], and the first incision was performed greater than 2 half-lives after administration of sodium penicillin i...
Koch TG, Berg LC, Betts DH.This paper provides a bird's-eye perspective of the general principles of stem-cell therapy and tissue engineering; it relates comparative knowledge in this area to the current and future status of equine regenerative medicine.The understanding of equine stem cell biology, biofactors, and scaffolds, and their potential therapeutic use in horses are rudimentary at present. Mesenchymal stem cell isolation has been proclaimed from several equine tissues in the past few years. Based on the criteria of the International Society for Cellular Therapy, most of these cells are more correctly referred t...
Ayala I, Rodríguez MJ, Aguirre C, Buendía AJ, Belda E, Laredo FG.This report describes a case of postanesthetic brachial triceps myonecrosis affecting only the left forelimb of a horse. A fatal unilateral postanesthetic myonecrosis has not been previously reported in the horse. This article describes the factors in the horse's history, the anesthetic protocol, and the treatment that may have led to this condition. Ce rapport décrit un cas de myonécrose postanesthésique du triceps brachial affectant seulement la patte avant gauche. Une myonécrose postanesthésique unilatérale mortelle n’avait pas encore été signalée chez le cheval. Le présent art...
de la Rebière de Pouyade G, Serteyn D, Deby-Dupont G, Franck T.Neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) and elastase can be released in severe inflammatory diseases and cause tissue injuries. Equine enzymes have already been individually purified from large blood quantities. We describe the isolation of both enzymes from a same limited blood volume. Both MPO and elastase were extracted by crushing PMN isolated by centrifugation on a percoll-gradient from a 460 ml blood collection. MPO and elastase were separated by an ionic exchange chromatography phase and further purified by gel filtration chromatography on Superdex 200 and 75, respectively. Enzymes were identi...
Benhajali H, Richard-Yris MA, Ezzaouia M, Charfi F, Hausberger M.In order to investigate the factors affecting the reproduction efficiency of Arab breeding mares in Tunisia, breeding data corresponding to 2340 mated cycles, over 5 years (from 2000 to 2004), from 555 mares offspring of 50 sires and bred with 17 stallions were analysed using a multivariate logistic regression. We chose logit link function and binomial distribution and we used log-likelihood-ratio (LL) and Wald tests (X(2)Wald) to test the mean values. The factors of variation included in the model were the year, the stallion, the age of the mare at mating, the sire and the category of the mar...
Brianti E, Giannetto S, Traversa D, Chirgwin SR, Shakya K, Klei TR.A mixed population of equine cyathostomin (Nematoda, Strongyloidea) infective third stage larvae (L3) was cultured in vitro using a cell-free medium. Some L3 were cultured immediately after Baermann collection from fecal cultures, while others were kept in water at 4 degrees C for 7 days before initiating the in vitro cultures. Cultures were examined daily for viability. At days 2, 7, 14 and 21 larvae were collected for identification of developmental stage and morphological changes, using both light and scanning electron microscopy. Larvae were classified as early L3 (EL3), developing L3 (DL3...
King SS, Douglas BL, Roser JF, Silvia WJ, Jones KL.There is a well-documented increase in luteolytic failure, resulting in spontaneously prolonged corpus luteum (SPCL) function, during estrous cycles of horses in autumn. The cause of this phenomenon may be due to seasonal alterations in PGF(2alpha) and/or in prolactin (PRL) secretion around luteolysis. To investigate this, progesterone (P4), 13, 14-dihydro, 15-keto PGF(2alpha) (PGFM) and PRL concentrations were compared between summer and autumn estrous cycles during natural luteolysis and luteolysis induced by benign uterine stimulation. A single estrous cycle from mares in June-July (n=12) w...
Cavatorta DJ, Erb HN, Flaminio MJ.Dendritic cells (DCs) are innate immune cells specialized in antigen detection and presentation. They perform an essential role in initiating and guiding the immune response, the direction of which largely depends upon the activation state of the DCs. The objective of this study was to generate mature equine monocyte-derived DCs and, in doing so, to develop a method for measuring the activation state of these cells. Equine DCs were stimulated with UV-inactivated Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the activation status was measured by analyzing cell surface marker expression, cytokine production, ...
Zhou M, Wang Q, Sun J, Li X, Xu L, Yang H, Shi H, Ning S, Chen L, Li Y, He T, Zheng Y.The importance of microRNAs at the post-transcriptional regulation level has recently been recognized in both animals and plants. We used the simple but effective sequential method of first Blasting known animal miRNAs against the horse genome and then using the located candidates to search for novel miRNAs by RNA folding method in the vicinity (+ -500 bp) of the candidates. Here, a total of 407 novel horse miRNA genes including 354 mature miRNAs were identified, of these, 75 miRNAs were grouped into 32 families based on seed sequence identity. MiRNA genes tend to be present as clusters in som...
Foldager C, Bendtsen M, Nygaard JV, Zou X, Bünger C.To investigate the microstructural differences and responsible mechanisms in early bone formation in anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) in the spine using rhBMP-2 (INFUSE), equine bone protein extract (COLLOSS E) or autograft. Methods: Twelve Danish female landrace pigs underwent a 3-level ALIF procedure at L3-6. PEEK interbody cages packed with rhBMP-2, COLLOSS E, or autograft were inserted. The animals were divided into two groups of six, and observed for four and eight weeks postoperatively. MicroCT was performed for evaluation of microstructure of the bone within the cage. A mathemati...
Patan B, Budras KD, Licka TF.To establish an ex vivo model of blood perfusion in the distal portion of isolated equine forelimbs that closely represents the in vivo situation in the laminar tissue of the hoof. Methods: 18 forelimbs collected from 9 healthy adult horses following slaughter at a licensed abattoir. Methods: The distal portion of isolated equine forelimbs from 9 horses were perfused under physiologic conditions over a period of 6, 8, and 10 hours with autologous blood. To determine cell viability in perfused tissues, indicators for metabolism (lactate generation and glucose and oxygen consumption) as well as ...
Kerr CL, Bouré LP, Pearce SG, McDonell WN.To evaluate cardiopulmonary effects of anesthetic induction with diazepam and ketamine or xylazine and ketamine, with subsequent maintenance of anesthesia with isoflurane, in foals undergoing abdominal surgery. Methods: 17 pony foals. Methods: Foals underwent laparotomy at 7 to 15 days of age and laparoscopy 7 to 10 days later. Foals were randomly assigned to receive diazepam, ketamine, and isoflurane (D/K/Iso; n = 8) or xylazine, ketamine, and isoflurane (X/K/Iso; 9) for both procedures. Results: During anesthesia for laparotomy, cardiac index, and mean arterial blood pressure ranged from 110...
Kalck KA, Frank N, Elliott SB, Boston RC.To ascertain whether laminitis can be induced via administration of oligofructose (OF) at doses of 5.0 and 7.5 g/kg in horses and to assess glucose and insulin dynamics before and after treatment. Methods: 19 adult horses. Methods: Horses were fed OF (1.0 g/kg) mixed with oats for 6 days. Oligofructose at doses of 5.0 and 7.5 g/kg was then mixed with 4 L of water and administered (0 hours) to 8 (group A) and 4 (group B) horses, respectively, via nasogastric intubation; 8 horses received water alone. One horse in group A that did not develop laminitis was subsequently treated again and included...
Songer JG, Trinh HT, Dial SM, Brazier JS, Glock RD.A 14-year-old Quarter Horse with a 48-hr history of colic was euthanized after failure to respond to treatment. At necropsy, cecal and colonic mucosae were congested throughout, and there was segmental edema and significant thickening of the intestinal wall. Excessive numbers of mononuclear cells were found in mucosal lamina propria. Submucosal hemorrhage was diffuse and extensive, and Clostridium difficile toxins A and B were detected. Large numbers of C. difficile were isolated, and genetic characterization revealed them to be North American pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type 1, polymeras...
Morgan DD, McClure S, Yaeger MJ, Schumacher J, Evans RB.To evaluate the effects of focused, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on the healing of wounds of the distal portion of the limbs in horses. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: In each horse, a 4-cm-diameter full-thickness wound that included underlying periosteum was created on the dorsomedial aspect of each metacarpus and two 3-cm-diameter full-thickness wounds that included underlying periosteum were created on the dorsomedial aspect of each metatarsus. One randomly selected metacarpal wound and a randomly selected pair of metatarsal wounds...
Hustace JL, Firshman AM, Mata JE.To determine pharmacokinetics and oral bioavailability of metformin in healthy horses. Methods: 4 adult horses. Methods: 6 g of metformin was administered 3 times IV and PO (fed and unfed) to each horse, by use of a crossover design, with a 1-week washout period between treatments. Plasma metformin concentration was determined via high-pressure liquid chromatography. Results: Mean +/- SD distribution half-life of metformin following IV administration was 24.9 +/- 0.4 minutes with a volume of distribution of 0.3 +/- 0.1 L/kg. Mean area under the curve was 20.9 +/- 2.0 h.microg/mL for IV adminis...
Bello TR, Allen TM.To compare the McMaster and centrifugal flotation techniques and larval culture for recovery of cyathostomin (small strongyle) eggs from the feces of horses. Methods: Fecal samples from 101 horses. Methods: In experiment I, homogenized fresh feces from a single horse were randomly subsampled by use of each technique for 10 replicates. In experiment II, samples from 43 horses that had no anthelmintic treatment were analyzed by use of McMaster, centrifugal flotation, and larval culture techniques. In experiment III, 57 horses were treated with an anthelmintic by owners, and fecal samples were an...
Chen JW, Uboh CE, Soma LR, Li X, Guan F, You Y.To evaluate whether urine supernatant contains amplifiable DNA and to determine factors that influence genotyping of samples from racehorses after storage and transportation. Methods: 580 urine, 279 whole blood, and 40 plasma samples obtained from 261 Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds. Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from stored blood and urine samples collected from racehorses after competition. Quantified DNA was evaluated to determine whether 5 equine microsatellite loci (VHL20, HTG4, AHT4, HMS6, and HMS7) could be amplified by use of PCR techniques. Fragment size of each amplified locus wa...
Kim W, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Firth EC, McArdle BH, Broom ND.To investigate the influence of early conditioning exercise on the development of gross cartilage defects and swelling behavior of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) in the midcarpal joint of horses. Methods: 12 Thoroughbreds. Methods: 6 horses underwent early conditioning exercise from birth to 18 months of age (CONDEX group), and 6 horses were used as control animals (PASTEX group). The horses were euthanized at 18 months of age, and the midcarpal joints were harvested. Gross defects of the cartilage surface were classified and mapped. Opposing surfaces of the third and radial carpal bones...
Muravnick KB, Parente EJ, Del Piero F.A 17-year-old, gelded Quarter Horse cross was found to have a large, intra-abdominal mass. Clinical signs included infrequent mild colic, weight loss, and chronic anemia. Surgery revealed a very large, discrete, hemorrhagic, multilobular mass with vascular attachments to the transverse colon, mesocolon, jejunal mesentery, and omentum; the site of origin was the transverse colon. Histologic examination demonstrated dense sheets, fascicles, palisades, and interconnecting streams of neoplastic spindle cells with lesser numbers of admixed multinucleated giant cells. Based on morphology alone, this...
Divers TJ, Kraus MS, Jesty SA, Miller AD, Mohammed HO, Gelzer AR, Mitchell LM, Soderholm LV, Ducharme NG.Six adult horses were administered sodium monensin, 1.0-1.5 mg/kg, via gastric gavage. Anorexia and/or diarrhea occurred within 24 hr after monensin administration in all 6 horses. Cardiac disease and dysfunction were evaluated by both elevations in heart rate, echocardiography, and an increase in serum concentrations of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), occurred in 4 horses. The development and severity of cardiac disease was likely affected by the monensin dose, vehicle (water or corn oil) mixed with monensin, and/or whether the monensin was administered to fed or fasted horses. Initial increases i...
Sole A, Nieto JE, Aristizabal FA, Snyder JR.Emptying the vasculature with an Esmarch bandage before i.v. regional anaesthesia is commonly performed in human patients to prevent leakage of the solution under the tourniquet but there is no evidence for its efficacy in horses for antimicrobial i.v. regional limb perfusion (IV-RLP). Objective: To determine the effect on synovial fluid concentration of amikacin of emptying the vasculature before performing IV-RLP. Methods: Crossover experiment. Methods: Eight clinically healthy horses underwent 2 IV-RLP with amikacin in a randomised, crossover design. Horses received an IV-RLP with amikacin ...
Zamboulis DE, Senior M, Clegg PD, Milner PI.Tissue sensitisation and chronic pain have been described in chronic-active laminitis in the horse, making treatment of such cases difficult. Purinergic P2X receptors are linked to chronic pain and inflammation. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of purinergic P2X receptor subtypes 1, 2, 3 and 7 in the hoof, palmar digital vessels and nerve, dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord in horses with chronic-active laminitis (n=5) compared to non-laminitic horses (n=5). Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on tissue sections using antibodies against P2X receptor subtypes 1-3 and ...
Robinson C, Heather Z, Slater J, Potts N, Steward KF, Maskell DJ, Fontaine MC, Lee JJ, Smith K, Waller AS.Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi) is one of the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases of horses and there remains a significant need to develop new preventative vaccines. We generated a live vaccine strain of S. equi containing deletions in six genes: sagA, hasA, aroB, pyrC, seM and recA, which was administered to nine Welsh mountain ponies via the intramuscular route. Four vaccinated ponies developed adverse reactions following the first vaccination from which the live vaccine strain was isolated. Two of these ponies were withdrawn from the study and se...
Cummings CO, Krucik DDR, Price E.Clinical predictive models use a patient's baseline demographic and clinical data to make predictions about patient outcomes and have the potential to aid clinical decision making. The extent of equine clinical predictive models is unknown in the literature. Using PubMed and Google Scholar, we systematically reviewed the predictive models currently described for use in equine patients. Models were eligible for inclusion if they were published in a peer-reviewed article as a multivariable model used to predict a clinical/laboratory/imaging outcome in an individual horse or herd. The agreement o...
Raidal SL, Rose RJ, Love DN.In this study, the effects of prolonged, high intensity training on aspects of peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)-derived leucocyte function were evaluated in 8 horses. All horses undertook a 7 week endurance training programme, followed by 5 weeks of high intensity training (HIT). Thereafter, horses were divided into control (C) and overtraining (OT) groups. The frequency and intensity of training were increased more substantially for horses in the OT group. Training was terminated in week 32 when horses in the OT group demonstrated a significant performance reduction. Peripher...
Engelking LR, Gronwall R, Anwer MS.Endogenous bilirubin uptake from plasma and biliary bilirubin excretion were determined in ponies with chronic biliary T-tube fistulas. Excreted bile was quantitatively recovered. Uptake was calculated from the plasma disappearance of 14C-labeled bilirubin. Biliary bilirubin excretion was determined directly in excreted bile. When bile acid excretion was low (during continuous drainage without bile acid replacment), bilirubin excretion was 37% less than uptake. Uptake and excretion were essentially identical when taurocholic acid was infused to replace bile acids. After depletion of the bile a...
Nieto JE, Maher O, Stanley SD, Larson R, Snyder JR.To determine the effects of domperidone on in vivo and in vitro measures of gastrointestinal tract motility and contractility in healthy horses. Methods: 18 adult horses and tissue samples from an additional 26 adult horses. Methods: Domperidone or placebo paste was administered to healthy horses in a 2-period crossover study. Gastric emptying was evaluated after oral administration of domperidone paste (1.1 or 5.0 mg/kg) or placebo paste by means of the acetaminophen absorption test in 12 horses. Frequency of defecation, weight of feces produced, fecal moisture, and stomach-to-anus transit ti...
Nakagawa K, Yamada Y, Fujiwara K, Ikeguchi M.Equine beta-lactoglobulin forms a compact intermediate at an acidic pH (A state). It also forms an expanded and helical conformation at low temperatures (C state). The structure of a single disulfide mutant C66A/C160A is similar to the A state in the presence of salts, while it is similar to the C state at low anion concentrations. We have investigated the temperature-dependent change in the secondary structure using circular dichroism and proline scanning mutagenesis. At low anion concentrations, the helical content increased linearly as temperature decreased. In the presence of salts, the A ...
Lacourt M, Marcoux M.To report use of a shielded hook bistoury developed for correction of epiglottic fold entrapment in standing sedated horses. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: Standardbreds (n=8), 3-19 years of age. Methods: Epiglottic fold entrapment was corrected during standing sedation using a shielded hook bistoury passed nasally into the pharynx. Owners, trainers, and referring veterinarians were contacted by telephone to establish outcome. Results: Axial division of the entrapping epiglottic fold was successful in all horses. No short- or long-term complications occurred. Axial transection o...
Sievers J, Distl O.Chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) is a common disease in Rhenisch German draught horses. The objective of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of this disease and its progression with age in 493 Rhenish German draught horses from different regions in Germany. We employed generalized linear models with binomial, multinomial, and normal distributions to analyse the effects of breeding association, coat colour, sex and age within sex, time of examination, limb on which CPL was recorded, and farm-related factors on disease scores. The occurrence and severity of CPL were significantly influe...
Kuemmerle JM, Fürst AE.To report open reduction and joint stabilization using a prosthetic capsule technique for treatment of a craniodorsal coxofemoral luxation in a lightweight pony. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: Pony stallion (8 years old, 113 kg). Methods: A craniodorsal approach to the coxofemoral joint was performed under general anesthesia. After open reduction, a prosthetic capsule technique was used. Four 3.5 mm self-tapping cortical anchor screws were implanted: 2 screws were inserted above the cranial aspect of the dorsal acetabular rim, and 2 screws were inserted into the femoral neck. Subsequently,...
Castaneda C, Radović L, Felkel S, Juras R, Davis BW, Cothran EG, Wallner B, Raudsepp T.Structural rearrangements like copy number variations in the male-specific Y chromosome have been associated with male fertility phenotypes in human and mouse but have been sparsely studied in other mammalian species. Here, we designed digital droplet PCR assays for 7 horse male-specific Y chromosome multicopy genes and SRY and evaluated their absolute copy numbers in 209 normal male horses of 22 breeds, 73 XY horses with disorders of sex development and/or infertility, 5 Przewalski's horses and 2 kulans. This established baseline copy number for these genes in horses. The TSPY gene showed the...
Wetmore LA, Pascoe PJ, Shilo-Benjamini Y, Lindsey JC.OBJECTIVE To determine the locomotor response to the administration of fentanyl in horses with and without the G57C polymorphism of the μ-opioid receptor. ANIMALS 20 horses of various breeds and ages (10 horses heterozygous for the G57C polymorphism and 10 age-, breed-, and sex-matched horses that did not have the G57C polymorphism). PROCEDURES The number of steps each horse took was counted over consecutive 2-minute periods for 20 minutes to determine a baseline value. The horse then received a bolus of fentanyl (20 μg/kg, IV), and the number of steps was again counted during consecutive 2-...
Ferris RA, McCue PM.Persistent mating induced endometritis is among the most common causes of infertility in the mare. Recently, improved pregnancy rates have been reported when corticosteroids were administered to 'problem mares' specifically, to modulate the post mating inflammatory response; however, the effect of treatment on pituitary and ovarian function requires further study. Objective: To evaluate the effects of prolonged treatment with glucocorticoids on pituitary and ovarian function. Methods: Eighteen cycling Quarter Horse mares in early oestrus were assigned randomly to one of 3 treatment groups: dex...
Schleining JA, McClure SR, Evans RB, Hyde WG, Wulf LW, Kind AJ.Lameness as a result of joint disease is a major source of decreased athletic performance in the horse. Most treatment protocols include the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Phenylbutazone, alone or in combination with other treatments, is the most commonly and widely used NSAID, however it has the potential for serious side effects. The introduction of the liposome-based formulation of the NSAID diclofenac has shown promising effect as a safe and convenient treatment for lameness associated with osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effe...
Ahern BJ, Boston RC, Parente EJ.Mechanical evaluation of a novel alternate laryngoplasty system (ALPS). Methods: Experimental. Methods: Cadaveric horse larynges (n = 10). Methods: Arytenoid and cricoid cartilages were embedded for testing. A novel laryngoplasty system consisting of a metallic anchor, 2 stands of #2 suture material, and a metallic button were evaluated. A traditional laryngoplasty using a single strand of #5 Ethibond was evaluated in parallel. Constructs were evaluated in cyclic testing oscillating from 30 to 50 N for 3600 cycles. Constructs subsequently underwent a single cycle to failure. Distraction during...
Threlfall WR, Carleton CL, Robertson J, Rosol T, Gabel A.A stallion was twice referred for evaluation of scrotal swelling and signs of pain. The first admission followed a 3-year period of recurrent signs of left-sided scrotal pain and swelling. After the removal of the left testis because of testicular torsion, the stallion was returned to service. The conception rate was 82% for the next breeding season. Two years after initial surgery, the stallion again was evaluated because of acute signs of right-sided scrotal pain and swelling. Right-sided testicular torsion was detected and corrected, and the testis was sutured in place. The stallion's conce...
Roasa LM, Choi YH, Love CC, Romo S, Varner DD, Hinrichs K.In vitro fertilization (IVF) was performed on in vitro-matured equine oocytes in three experiments. Frozen-thawed sperm were prepared using swim-up separation and heparin treatment. In Experiment 1, fertilization was achieved with sperm from only one frozen ejaculate of four obtained from the same stallion. Within this ejaculate, fertilization rates were higher with fresh media, as compared to media held for 6-8 days before use (39.6% versus 7.3%, respectively; P<0.001). The type of bovine serum albumin used affected fertilization rates (4% versus 39.6%; P<0.001). To determine if IVF rates wer...
Verwilghen DR, Vanderheyden L, Franck T, Busoni V, Enzerink E, Gangl M, Lejeune JP, van Galen G, Grulke S, Serteyn D.Developmental osteochondral lesions are often encountered in the equine population and are a major cause of lameness. Different growth factors that act systemically as well as locally regulate the growth of cartilage. Among them is Insulin-like Growth Factor I that has been demonstrated to promote chondrocyte growth and differentiation and that has been shown to influence cartilage repair. The aims of this study were to investigate differences in circulating plasma levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I in post-pubescent horses affected with developmental osteochondral lesions compared to unaf...
Wilson KA, Raisis AL, Drynan EA, Mosing M, Lester GD, Hayman J, Hosgood GL.To determine the agreement of invasive blood pressure measured in the facial, metatarsal and carotid arteries, and evaluate the effects of two haemodynamic conditions on agreement. Methods: Prospective randomized study. Methods: A group of eight horses aged 7 (4-23) years with a body weight of 493 ± 33 kg. Methods: Horses were anaesthetized and positioned in dorsal recumbency. Invasive blood pressure was measured simultaneously via catheters placed in the facial, metatarsal and carotid arteries. Cardiovascular function and agreement between arteries was assessed before and during administr...
Leblanc PH, Eberhart SW.This study was designed to determine whether the epidural administration of an alpha2 agonist, xylazine, would produce measurable changes in arterial blood pressure, electrocardiographic (ECG) activity and arterial blood gas values in horses. Six horses were given each of four treatments: epidural xylazine, intravenous xylazine, epidural lidocaine and epidural saline. A carotid artery catheter was used to measure arterial blood pressure and to collect samples for blood gas analysis before treatment and at intervals post treatment. Heart rate, arterial pressures, ECG activity and respiratory ra...
Ferreira TH, Allen M, De Gasperi D, Buhr KA, Morello SL.To assess the effects of two sizes of silicone endotracheal tubes with internal diameter 26 mm (ETT) and 30 mm (ETT) inflated to minimum occlusive volume on tracheal and laryngeal mucosa of adult horses anesthetized for 2 hours with isoflurane. Methods: Prospective, randomized, blinded, crossover experimental study. Methods: A total of eight healthy adult mares. Methods: Upper airway endoscopy and ultrasound measurements of internal tracheal diameter were performed the day before anesthesia. Horses were anesthetized and orotracheally intubated with ETT or ETT. Ease of intubation was scored. Th...
MacLeay JM, Valberg SJ, Pagan JD, Xue JL, De La Corte FD, Roberts J.To determine the effects of 3 rations (low grain, fat, high grain) on plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity and lactate concentration in Thoroughbred horses with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER). Methods: 5 Thoroughbreds with RER and 3 healthy Thoroughbreds (control horses). Methods: Rations were formulated to meet (low-grain and fat rations) or exceed (high-grain ration) daily energy requirements. Each ration was fed to horses in a crossover design for 3 weeks. Horses were exercised on a treadmill Monday through Friday; maximum speed on Monday and Friday was 11 m/s (6% slope), on Tues...
De Vroey C, Wuytack-Raes C, Fossoul F.Several M. praecox isolates of saprophytic origin were obtained in Belgium from horses and their surroundings. Visualization of macroconidia in dust collected in stables proved its saprophytic origin. A few strains were obtained from human cases of tinea corporis.
Magistrini M, Lindeberg H, Koskinen E, Beau P, Seguin F.The composition of seminal plasma must be determined to assess the possible roles of sex gland secretions in survival of stallion spermatozoa. In the present study, an automated semen collection device and 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to analyse and compare the composition of seminal plasma from fractionated and nonfractionated stallion ejaculates. The contribution of each semen component to the ejaculate (sequence of production of component and concentration) was evaluated and its relationship to biophysical parameters was determined. 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy was use...
Birrell JR, Schulman ML, Botha AE, Ganswindt A, Fosgate GT, Bertschinger HJ.Surgical castration is one of the most frequently performed surgeries in horses and is associated with various post-surgical complications ranging in severity. Objective: We investigated the effects of administering an anti-GnRH vaccine to colts for reduction of testis size on the incidence of complications associated with their subsequent surgical castration. Methods: Randomised open controlled trial. Methods: Nineteen colts were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Treatment Groups V1-57 and V2-100 received two treatments of Improvac (Zoetis, South Africa) before their castration in...
