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.
Brooks AC, Menzies-Gow NJ, Wheeler-Jones CP, Bailey SR, Elliott J, Cunningham FM.Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can activate equine platelets directly or indirectly, via leukocyte-derived platelet activating factor (PAF). Thromboxane (Tx) production by LPS-stimulated equine platelets requires p38 MAPK and this kinase has been suggested as a therapeutic target in endotoxaemia. The present study has utilised selective inhibitors to investigate the role of p38 MAPK and two other kinases, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase C (PKC), in regulating PAF-induced Tx production, aggregation and 5-HT release in equine platelets, and the modification of these responses b...
Machnik M, Gerlach M, Kietzmann M, Niedorf F, Thevis M, Schenk I, Guddat S, Düe M, Schänzer W.The anti-doping rules of national and international sport federations ban any use of tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) in human as well as in horse sports. Initiated by the THG doping scandals in human sports a method for the detection of 3-keto-4,9,11-triene steroids in horse blood and urine was developed. The method comprises the isolation of the analytes by a combination of solid phase and liquid-liquid extraction after hydrolysis and solvolysis of the steroid conjugates. The concentrations of THG in blood and urine samples were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)...
Barker SA.Beginning in 2004, the horseracing industry experienced an epidemic of drug positives for the amphetamine-like drug aminorex. Investigation of the therapeutic treatment of the horses called positive for this drug suggested that its source was from the administration of the anthelmintic levamisole. This study examines the urine concentrations of aminorex as a function of time following administration of synthetic, racemic aminorex. Confirmation of the presence of aminorex in urine samples from the horses known to be treated with levamisole is also presented as are data concerning the concentrat...
Marañón G, Manley W, Cayado P, García C, de la Muela MS, Vara E.Colic could be accompanied by changes in the morphology and physiology of organs and tissues, such as the intestine. This process might be, at least in part, due to the accumulation of oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), secondary to intestinal ischemia. Glutathione (GSH), being the major intracellular thiol, provides protection against oxidative injury. The aim of this study was to investigate whether ischemia-induced intestinal injury could be related with alterations in GSH metabolism. Results: Ischemia induced a significant increase in lip...
Tevell Aberg A, Olsson C, Bondesson U, Hedeland M.This paper describes a study where the metabolism of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam was investigated in six horses and in the filamentous fungus Cunninghamella elegans. The metabolites identified were compared between the species, and then the fungus was used to produce larger amounts of the metabolites for future use as reference material. C. elegans proved to be a good model of phase I meloxicam metabolism in horses since all four metabolites found were the same in both species. Apart from the two main metabolites, 5'-hydroxymethylmeloxicam and 5'-carboxymeloxicam, a seco...
Tydén E, Tallkvist J, Tjälve H, Larsson P.P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an important drug transporter, which is expressed in a variety of cells, such as the intestinal enterocytes, the hepatocytes, the renal tubular cells and the intestinal and peripheral blood lymphocytes. We have studied the localization and the gene and protein expression of P-gp in these cells in horse. In addition we have compared the protein sequence of P-gp in horse with the protein sequences of P-gp in several other species. Real time RT-PCR and Western blot showed gene and protein expression of horse P-gp in all parts of the intestines, but there was no strict cor...
Bourjade M, de Boyer des Roches A, Hausberger M.Adults play an important role in regulating the social behaviour of young individuals. However, a few pioneer studies suggest that, more than the mere presence of adults, their proportions in social groups affect the social development of young. Here, we hypothesized that aggression rates and social cohesion were correlated to adult-young ratios. Our biological model was naturally-formed groups of Przewalski horses, Equus f. przewalskii, varying in composition. Results: We investigated the social interactions and spatial relationships of 12 one- and two-year-old Przewalski horses belonging to ...
Verwilghen D, Busoni V, Gangl M, Franck T, Lejeune JP, Vanderheyden L, Detilleux J, Grulke S, Deberg M, Henrotin Y, Serteyn D.Establishing the osteoarticular status of the horse is often performed by means of radiological screening of the animals. Widespread blood sampling could reveal to be an interesting alternative to this procedure which is time consuming and sometimes technically difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the radiological status of the horses and the levels of biochemical markers of cartilage degradation and synovial inflammation. A specific radiological scoring and classification system was therefore developed and applied on 63 stallions presented for studbook ...
Alonso-Padilla J, Loza-Rubio E, Escribano-Romero E, Córdoba L, Cuevas S, Mejía F, Calderón R, Milián F, Travassos Da Rosa A, Weaver SC....West Nile virus (WNV) was probably introduced in southern and northern Mexico from the USA in two independent events. Since then, WNV activity has been reported in several Mexican states bordering the USA and the Gulf of Mexico, but disease manifestations seen there in humans and equids are quite different to those observed in the USA. We have analysed WNV seroprevalence in asymptomatic, unvaccinated equids from two Mexican states where no data had been previously recorded. WNV IgG antibodies were detected in 31.6% (91/288) of equine sera from Chiapas and Puebla states (53.3% and 8.0%, respect...
Kornaś S, Gawor J, Cabaret J, Molenda K, Skalska M, Nowosad B.The prevalence of infection with cyathosthomes of horses is high worldwide. Identification of species on infective larvae based on available morphological keys is not fully accurate and the aim of the present study was to provide a reliable identification key of cyathostomes infective larvae. At the abattoir, horse large intestines were examined and the cyathostomes females extracted and identified. The eggs from uteruses of identified cyathostomes females were used for breeding the infective larvae. Morphological parameters of Cyathostominae infective larvae, i.e. the length of the larvae wit...
Ruby R, Magdesian KG, Kass PH.To compare clinical, microbiologic, and clinicopathologic findings among horses infected with Clostridium difficile that had toxin A in their feces, horses with evidence of C difficile infection that were negative for toxin A in their feces, and horses with diarrhea that were negative for C difficile infection. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 292 horses and foals with diarrhea. Methods: Feces were submitted for microbial culture and tested for the C difficile antigen glutamate dehydrogenase and for toxin A with a commercial ELISA. Results: Horses with toxin A in their feces had higher...
Hurcombe SD, Fox JG, Kohn CW.A 2-year-old quarterhorse was evaluated for chronic diarrhea and weight loss of 5 weeks duration after numerous diagnostic tests failed to identify an underlying cause. Historically, the horse was housed at pasture where human household waste vehicles were routinely cleaned and the effluent could run onto the field. Physical examination revealed poor body condition and frequent high-volume diarrhea. Diagnostic testing for Salmonella spp., endoparasites, Cryptosporidium spp., Clostridium spp., and diffuse infiltrative bowel disease were negative. Rectal tissue histopathology failed to identify ...
Wilson WC, Letchworth GJ, Jiménez C, Herrero MV, Navarro R, Paz P, Cornish TE, Smoliga G, Pauszek SJ, Dornak C, George M, Rodriguez LL.Sporadic outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in the United States result in significant economic losses for the U.S. livestock industries because VS is a reportable disease that clinically mimics foot-and-mouth disease. Rapid and accurate differentiation of these 2 diseases is critical because their consequences and control strategies differ radically. The objective of the current study was to field validate a 1-tube multiplexed real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) assay for the rapid detection of Vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus and Vesicular st...
Cano A, Galosi CM, Martin Ocampos GP, Ramirez GC, Vera VJ, Villamil LC, Chaparro JG.This paper describes the isolation and characterisation of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) in Colombia. The virus was isolated from a nasal swab and an aborted foetus of a pregnant mare imported from Argentina, with clinical signs of rhinopneumonitis. The new strain was characterised through culture and morphological, serological and immunocytochemical studies. Polymerase chain reaction and DNA restriction maps revealed an EHV-1 1P genome. This is the first report on the isolation and characterisation of EHV-1 in Colombia.
Mérant C, Breathnach CC, Kohler K, Rashid C, Van Meter P, Horohov DW.Newborn foals are very susceptible to infections by opportunistic pathogens such as Rhodococcus equi. This susceptibility is thought to be due to the immaturity of their immune system, in particular their inability to produce interferon-gamma. This deficiency may result from an insufficiency in accessory signals. We therefore compared monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDC) from foals and from adult horses. CD172, MHC-I and MHC-II were generally expressed on more than 90% MoDC from foals and adults. CD1w2(+)CD86(+) cells tended to be less represented in 2-3-week-old foals than in adults. This ...
El-Maaty AM, Gabr FI.Sixteen Arab lactating mares belonging to Al-Zahraa Arab Horse Stud underwent two ultrasound examinations at 3 weeks interval starting from the day of demonstration of foaling heat. In addition, daily blood samples were collected from parturition until after exhibiting first postpartum estrus (day 11) with daily observation of estrous signs. Both leptin and estradiol hormones were assayed. Mean day of foaling heat was 8.9+/-0.9 day. Most mares came in foaling heat during days 9 and 10 had high conception rate compared to those who came in estrus earlier or later. Estradiol levels were high aft...
Bryant NA, Rash AS, Russell CA, Ross J, Cooke A, Bowman S, MacRae S, Lewis NS, Paillot R, Zanoni R, Meier H, Griffiths LA, Daly JM, Tiwari A....Equine influenza virus (EIV) surveillance is important in the management of equine influenza. It provides data on circulating and newly emerging strains for vaccine strain selection. To this end, antigenic characterisation by haemaggluttination inhibition (HI) assay and phylogenetic analysis was carried out on 28 EIV strains isolated in North America and Europe during 2006 and 2007. In the UK, 20 viruses were isolated from 28 nasopharyngeal swabs that tested positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All except two of the UK viruses were characterised as members of the Florida sublineage w...
Basile M, Boivin S, Boutin A, Blois-Heulin C, Hausberger M, Lemasson A.Laterality is now known to be an ubiquitous phenomenon among the vertebrates. Particularly, laterality of auditory processing has been demonstrated in a variety of species, especially songbirds and primates. Such a hemispheric specialization has been shown to depend on factors such as sound structure, species specificity and types of stimuli. Much less is known on the possible influence of social familiarity although a few studies suggest such an influence. Here we tested the influence of the degree of familiarity on the laterality of the auditory response in the domestic horse. This species i...
Zeman P, Jahn P.Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-borne rickettsial pathogen that has measurable genetic heterogeneity across its geographical range and reservoir spectrum. In the present study, publicly available sequences of the genes that have prevailingly been used for typing A. phagocytophilum were analysed to identify the segments giving the highest resolution with respect to the predictability of host and geographical provenances of the strains. Selected partial sequences of 16S rRNA, groL, msp4 and ank genes were then employed in a tentative multilocus typing scheme used to characterize the strains ...
Lee HS, Heo EJ, Jeoung HY, Ko HR, Kweon CH, Youn HJ, Ko YJ.In this study, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using glycoprotein and a monoclonal antibody (MAb) was developed for the detection of antibodies to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) serotype New Jersey (NJ). The glycoprotein to be used as a diagnostic antigen was extracted from partially purified VSV-NJ, and a neutralizing MAb specific to VSV-NJ was incorporated to compete with antibodies in a blocking ELISA using glycoprotein (GP ELISA). The cutoff of the GP ELISA was set at 40% inhibition, which corresponded to a virus neutralization test (VNT) titer of 32. With this threshold, th...
Duehlmeier R, Hacker A, Widdel-Bigdely A, von Engelhardt W, Sallmann HP.Glucose homeostasis depends on insulin-regulated glucose uptake in the skeletal muscles and fat tissues via glucose transporter (GLUT) 4 translocation into cellular plasma membranes. The present study sought to elucidate GLUT4 expression, GLUT1 and GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake in the skeletal muscles of Shetland ponies. Semitendinosus muscle explants were removed by open muscle biopsy from six Shetland pony geldings under general anaesthesia. The expression of GLUT4 was analysed by measuring muscle crude membrane (CM) GLUT4 protein contents. To determine the insulin-stimulated GLUT t...
Omer MM, Abusalab S, Gumaa MM, Mulla SA, Osman HM, Sabiel YA, Ahmed AM.In this study, Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from a draught horse presented to Kassala Veterinary Research Laboratory (KVRL) for investigation and diagnosis. The affected animal was previously treated with Gentamycin and Tetracycline before submitted to this laboratory, but the animal was not cure. Thereafter, the animal was attended to the laboratory; it was suffering from inguinal abscess and some clinical signs. Clinical and laboratory examinations were carried out however, the animal was suddenly fallen and died immediately. Then post-mortem, bacteriological and histopathological exam...
Edner AH, Essén-Gustavsson B, Nyman GC.Muscle metabolism in horses has been studied mainly by analysis of substances in blood or plasma and muscle biopsy specimens. By using microdialysis, real-time monitoring of the metabolic events in local tissue with a minimum of trauma is possible. There is limited information about muscle metabolism in the early recovery period after anaesthesia in horses and especially in the colic horse. The aims were to evaluate the microdialysis technique as a complement to plasma analysis and to study the concentration changes in lactate, pyruvate, glucose, glycerol, and urea during anaesthesia and in th...
Bai Y, Tong T, Liu G, Chen W, Zhang W, Wang Q, Yang T, Bu Z, Wu D.Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is recognized as an important modulator of the immune response. To date, there is no report that prokaryocyte-derived recombinant equine IFN-gamma has antiviral activity. In this report, the gene coding equine IFN-gamma (EIFN-gamma) mature protein was cloned into pET-28a (+) and the recombinant EIFN-gamma was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The antiviral activity of expressed recombinant EIFN-gamma was evaluated by using a recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus expressing green fluorescence protein (rVSV-GFP) system in the eq...
Nieto JE, Aleman M.Anesthetic-induced malignant hyperthermia has been documented in Quarter Horses and is caused by a single-point mutation in the ryanodine receptor 1 gene at nucleotide C7360G generating a R2454G amino acid substitution. An accurate, faster molecular test that is less prone to contamination would facilitate screening for the mutation in horses intended for breeding, in those undergoing surgical procedures, and in those with clinical signs compatible with malignant hyperthermia. Objective: To report a rapid and accurate method for the detection of the ryanodine receptor 1 C7360G mutation. Method...
Imhasly A, Tschudi PR, Lombard CW, Gerber V.The clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of 108 horses with echocardiographically confirmed mild mitral valve regurgitation (MR) were investigated along with its clinical progression. Follow-up consisted of a re-examination of 28 horses and questionnaires were used to obtain information on a further 43 cases. Thirty-seven horses with mild MR were lost to follow-up. Horses with mild MR were re-examined between 2 and 9 years (3.8+/-1.8 years) following first presentation, with mild MR still present and a small, but statistically significant (P=0.049) increase of left ventricular diamet...
Katavolos P, Ackerley CA, Viel L, Clark ME, Wen X, Bienzle D.Horses are prone to recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), an inflammatory lung disease induced by repeated exposure to environmental mold, dust, and bacterial components. Active disease manifests with mucus hyperproduction, neutrophilic inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and coughing. Chronically affected animals have lung remodeling characterized by smooth muscle hyperplasia, collagen deposition, lymphoid hyperplasia, and impaired aerobic performance. Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) counters inflammation in the lung, hence we hypothesized that CCSP depletion is a key feature of RAO in horse...
Pitel PH, Pronost S, Scrive T, Léon A, Richard E, Fortier G.Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease, the aetiological agents of which are either Theileria equi or Babesia caballi parasites. Piroplasmosis is commonly encountered in acute or sub-acute clinical forms although clinically recovered horses may remain asymptomatic but infected for several years. The clinical detection of such apparently healthy carrier horses (that serve as a host for subsequent infecting ticks), remains a worldwide challenge for controlling the spread of the disease. The aim of the present paper is to report on the detection of both T. equi and B. caballi by PCR in the ...
Jain NC.Comparative morphology of platelets of the dog, cat, cow, horse, sheep, and goat was studied with the scanning electron microscope and was found generally similar. Most of the platelets were slightly biconvex of flat with relatively smooth surface and even contour. Some of these platelets had few short marginal filaments, oriny protuberances on the surface. A small number of platelets exhibited surface irregularity and few long pseudopods which were thought to result from platelet activation during the processing of blood. The number os such irregular platelets increased in stored blood and in...
Klei TR, Torbert B, Chapman MR, Foil L.Microfilariae of Onchocerca cervicalis were detected in midventral skin biopsy samples in 64 of 84 (76%) mixed-breed ponies greater than 2 years old from the Gulf Coast area and in 42 of 51 (82.4%) horses from Louisiana breeding herds. The number of microfilariae per 8 mm of biopsied skin (ponies) ranged from 1 to 21,570. The number of microfilariae per 6 mm of biopsied skin (horses) ranged from 8 to 55,600.
Bistner S, Campbell RJ, Shaw D, Leininger JR, Ghobrial HK.A nine-year-old horse was presented with severe exophthalmos of the right eye and a large mass in the vitreal cavity. The affected globe was enucleated and two months following surgery the horse was euthanized because of spread of the tumor into the calvarium producing compression of the brain stem and neurologic signs. Examination of tumor tissue by light and electron microscopic examination showed a mixed neoplasm of primitive neuroepithelium.
De La Corte FD, Valberg SJ, MacLeay JM, Williamson SE, Mickelson JR.To determine whether excessive glycogen accumulation in skeletal muscle of Quarter Horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) is a result of enhanced cellular uptake of glucose. Methods: 6 horses with PSSM and 10 healthy (control) horses. Methods: Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT), oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and modified insulin tolerance tests (MITT) were performed. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were measured in blood samples collected before and for up to 8 hours after glucose or insulin administration. Results: Peak glucose concentrations during IVGTT...
Schambony A, Hess O, Gentzel M, Töpfer-Petersen E.Cysteine rich secretory proteins (CRISPs) have been detected immunochemically in the equine male genital tract. CRISPs are secretory products of the epididymis, the ampulla and the seminal vesicle. A particular feature of the horse is the abundance of CRISPs in seminal plasma. CRISPs can also be detected in extracts of testicular, epididymal and ejaculated spermatozoa in increasing amounts. Unlike other seminal plasma proteins, they cannot be removed completely from spermatozoa by high salt treatment. The remaining CRISP antigens are localized on the midpiece, and the postacrosomal and equator...
Miragliotta V, Ipiña Z, Lefebvre-Lavoie J, Lussier JG, Theoret CL.Wound healing in horses is fraught with complications. Specifically, wounds on horse limbs often develop exuberant granulation tissue which behaves clinically like a benign tumor and resembles the human keloid in that the evolving scar is trapped in the proliferative phase of repair, leading to fibrosis. Clues gained from the study of over-scarring in horses should eventually lead to new insights into how to prevent unwanted scar formation in humans. cDNA fragments corresponding to CTNNB1 (coding for beta-catenin) and PECAM1, genes potentially contributing to the proliferative phase of repair,...
Clay CM, Squires EL, Amann RP, Nett TM.Influence of day length on seasonal endocrine responses were studied using stallions (seven per group). Treatments included 1) control, with natural day length; 2) 8 h light and 16 h dark (8:16) for 20 wk beginning July 16, 1982 then 16:8 from December 2, 1982 until March 5, 1984 (S-L); or 3) 8:16 from July 16, 1982 until March 5, 1984 (S-S). Blood was sampled hourly for 5 h every 4 wk; sera were pooled within horse, and luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone were quantified. Blood was collected every 20 min for 24 h every 8 wk and 2 wk before and after t...
Torbeck RL, Prieur DJ.Cartilaginous defects were created in the radiocarpal joints of 12 horses. Synovial fluid cytologic features, lysozyme activity, and beta-glucuronidase activity were monitored for 16 days. A comparison was made of plasma lysozyme and beta-glucuronidase activity and of synovial fluid lysozyme, beta-glucuronidase, and leukocyte concentrations. Plasma lysozyme was found to be independent of synovial fluid lysozyme activity. Synovial fluid lysozyme was significantly increased (P less than 0.001) in all joints with surgically induced defects (group I) compared with controls (arthrocentesis done; gr...
Jørgensen E, Pirone A, Jacobsen S, Miragliotta V.The re-epithelialization process in equine wound healing is incompletely described. For epithelial cells to migrate during embryogenesis they undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT); this phenotypic transition occurs during wound healing in humans and rodents, but it has not been investigated in horses. Objective: To investigate keratinocyte differentiation and EMT in equine experimental excisional limb and body wounds healing by second intention. Methods: Six adult research horses. Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis was used to detect expression of the differentiation markers cy...
Ball BA, Davolli GM, Esteller-Vico A, Fleming BO, Wynn MAA, Conley AJ.The biological function of inhibin is mediated by two heterodimers, inhibin-A and inhibin-B. The relative importance of inhibin-A and -B in male reproductive function varies considerably across species with inhibin-B predominating in many species, whereas inhibin-A appears relatively more important in rams. Research reported to date in stallions has examined total or immunoreactive (ir) inhibin which does not distinguish the two heterodimers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize changes in inhibin-A and inhibin-B concentrations in stallions: 1) across season for a period ...
Sleutjens J, Serra Bragança FM, van Empelen MW, Ten Have RE, de Zwaan J, Roelfsema E, Oosterlinck M, Back W.Obesity and hyperinsulinaemia are frequently encountered in the equine population and risk factors for the development of laminitis. There are many options for hoof support that claim a beneficial effect, but often the scientific evidence is scarce. Objective: To quantify the effect of frog-supportive shoes on hoof kinetics in normal and obese ponies. Methods: Controlled in vivo trial. Methods: Ten Shetland mares (n = 10) with a normal (n = 5) or obese (n = 5) body condition were led over a dynamically calibrated pressure plate before (T0), immediately after (T1) and 72 h (T2) after ap...
Sutton DG, Bahr A, Preston T, Christley RM, Love S, Roussel AJ.Disordered gastric motility may be a significant factor in the pathogenesis of many equine conditions. Although tests for liquid phase emptying rate have been validated in the horse, there are no effective tests for solid phase emptying measurement that can be performed routinely in the field. Objective: The objective of this study was the assessment of a novel stable isotope technique, the 13C-octane acid breath test (13C-OABT), for the measurement of gastric emptying of solid ingesta, by direct comparison with the optimum method of gastric scintigraphy. Methods: To facilitate dual measuremen...
Murray JK, Singer ER, Morgan KL, Proudman CJ, French NP.The cross-country phase of eventing competitions has been associated with injuries and fatalities to horses and riders. A case-control study was carried out to identify variables that were associated with increased or decreased risk of a horse fall on the cross-country phase at event competitions. After initial analysis, the dataset was split according to the categories of one-day events as compared to two- or three-day events to establish whether significant risk factors varied between the different types of eventing competitions. Data were collected for 121 cases (horse falls) at one-day eve...
Nordengrahn A, Klingeborn B, Lindholm A, Merza M.A blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect antibodies to equine herpesvirus 2 in serum samples of horses. By measuring the binding to a single epitope, this blocking ELISA gives a good picture of the antibody status in the animal. The test is based on a monoclonal antibody with neutralizing activity and had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 100%. Antibodies due to newly acquired infection in foals were successfully detected with this blocking ELISA.
Cassotis NJ, Schiffman P.A 12-year-old Paso Fino mare was evaluated for a chronic nasal and ocular discharge. A calcification was identified eroding through the nasal mucosa of the middle meatus. Differential considerations for this mass included dacryolith, nasal calculus, or calcified tooth root abscess. Anatomical location and case history and progression supported a dacryolith. Following removal, the calculus was submitted for mineralogic analysis. The calculus was primarily carbonate hydroxylapatite (Ca10(PO4)3(CO3)3(OH)2) with a minor NaCl halite constituent. Dacryoliths, or nasolacrimal calculi, are an uncommon...
Stradaioli G, Sylla L, Zelli R, Verini Supplizi A, Chiodi P, Arduini A, Monaci M.The reproductive characteristics and seminal carnitine and acetylcarnitine content as well as carnitine acetyltransferase activity of young Maremmano stallions (n=25) are reported. The stallions were subjected to semen collection in November and January; in each trial two ejaculates were collected 1h apart. The total motile morphologically normal spermatozoa (TMMNS) and the progressively motile spermatozoa at collection and during storage at +4 degrees C were evaluated. Seminal L-carnitine (LC), acetylcarnitine (AC), pyruvate and lactate were measured using spectrophotometric methods, whereas ...
Saleh AG, El-Habashi N, Abd-Ellatieff HA, Abas OM, Anwar S, Fukushi H, Yanai T.Equine herpesvirus-9 (EHV-9), equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and zebra-borne EHV-1 are members of the family Herpesviridae and cause encephalitis and rhinopneumonitis in a range of animal species. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the rhinopneumonitis induced by experimental intranasal inoculation of groups of hamsters with EHV-9, EHV-1 strain Ab4p or zebra-borne EHV-1 viruses. Animals inoculated with EHV-9 had earlier and more severe neurological and respiratory signs than those inoculated with EHV-1 strain Ab4p or zebra-borne EHV-1. At 4-5 days post inoculation (dpi), hamst...
Malark JA, Nixon AJ, Haughland MA, Brown MP.The medical records of 17 horses with coxofemoral luxation were examined. Ponies and miniature horses were overrepresented. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 7 years (range 1 month to 25 years). Seventy percent were female. Severe trauma, such as a fall or being kicked by another horse, was a common etiology. Thirty-five percent had other orthopedic injuries associated with the luxation. Closed reduction, with the use of a mechanically assisted calving device, was attained in 5 cases but reluxation occurred shortly afterward in 4 of these. Varying surgical techniques were used in 3 cas...
Slovis NM, Browne N, Bozorgmanesh R.Point-of-care testing (POCT) refers to benchtop diagnostic modalities that have been translated into portable and easy-to-use formats suitable for patient-side use. Recent advances in diagnostic technology have allowed the development of a growing collection of POCT assays available to equine practitioners. Advantages include rapid results that reduce initial guesswork and promote diagnosis-targeted patient care, which may ultimately provide better clinical outcomes. Small handheld devices comprise most POCT technologies, providing qualitative or quantitative determination of an increasing ran...
Villagrán CC, Vogt D, Gupta A, Fernández EA.A 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was evaluated for chronic weight loss, diarrhea, and pruritus. Physical examination revealed several ulcerative lesions on the skin and mucosal membranes. Diagnostic imaging findings were consistent with enteritis, typhlitis, and colitis. Multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED) was diagnosed upon necropsy. This disease may be considered a form of equine inflammatory bowel disease complex which can be challenging to diagnose, requiring histological assessment, and in some cases, the use of immunohistochemical markers. Key clinical message: Mu...
Hutchins JE, Tyczkowska K, Aronson AL.A new liquid chromatographic method for determination of ampicillin in canine and equine serum has been developed. The serum sample (500 microL) is vortex-mixed with 20% ethanol (500 microL) and filtered using a 30,000 molecular weight cutoff microseparation tube to separate high molecular weight solutes following low-speed centrifugation. Ampicillin is then separated from other serum components by reverse phase ion-pair liquid chromatography (LC). The ultraviolet (UV) absorbance of the column effluent is monitored at 230 nm. Recoveries of ampicillin from canine serum spiked at concentrations ...
Carter RA, Ericsson SA, Corn CD, Weyerts PR, Dart MG, Escue SG, Mesta J.The objective of this study was to determine if spermatozoal reduction of the dyes methylene green to colorless and resazurin to pink or colorless was associated with the fertility potential of an equine semen sample. Fifty samples from 38 stallions were evaluated for the number of spermatozoa per milliliter and number of motile sperm per milliliter. Methylene green (20 micrograms/mL of semen) or resazurin (85 micrograms/mL of semen) was added to 3-mL aliquots of semen. Semen samples were identified as having low fertility potential (< 200 x 10(6) total cells/mL and or = 200 x 10(6) total ...
Benamou AE, Marlin DJ, Callingham BC, Hiley RC, Lekeux R.There is currently little published information about the effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent endogenous spasmogen of vascular and airway smooth muscle, on pulmonary vasculature and airways or which ET receptor subtypes mediate ET-1-induced vasoconstrictive and bronchoconstrictive action in the horse. Objective: To investigate the effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on smooth muscle from isolated equine pulmonary artery and bronchus. In addition, the roles of ETA and ETB receptors in ET-1 mediated contraction in these tissues were assessed. Methods: The force generation of ring segments from pu...
Crausaz M, Launois T, Smith-Fleming K, McCoy AM, Knickelbein KE, Bellone RR.Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common cancer affecting the equine eye. A missense variant within the gene damage-specific DNA binding protein 2 (DDB2 c.1013C>T, p.Thr338Met) was previously identified as a causal recessive genetic risk factor for the development of ocular SCC within Haflingers, Belgian Draft horses, and Rocky Mountain Horses, but not in the Appaloosa or Arabian breeds. This study aimed to evaluate three cases of ocular SCC in additional breeds and determine if DNA testing for the DDB2 variant in warmblood horses and Connemara ponies is warranted. Histopathology confi...
