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.
Viklund A, Thorén Hellsten E, Näsholm A, Strandberg E, Philipsson J.There are two types of 1-day field tests available for young Swedish Warmblood sport horses; one test for 3-year olds and one more advanced test for 4-year olds. Conformation, gaits and jumping ability are evaluated at both tests. Studies on various genetic parameters were based on about 20 000 tested horses. The data for 4-year olds consisted of 30 years of testing. The aims of the study were to estimate genetic parameters for results from different time periods, and to estimate heritabilities for, and genetic correlations between, traits scored in the two tests. The judgement of traits was s...
Corona A, Cherchi R.Bacteriological surveillance is little applied in management of equine frozen semen but it is quite important to verify the microbial contamination in order to find out the chance of transmission of pathology to the mare in AI. Authors describe a qualitative and quantitative analysis for bacterial contamination on long time (3-17 years) equine frozen semen stored in liquid nitrogen. The semen checked, produced in Italy and in another Europe country, was cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen inside sealed plastic straws. One hundred and ten straws were checked out for pathogenic and no pathogenic ba...
Egenvall A, Lönnell C, Roepstorff L.The incidence of disease, mortality and survival of horses, focusing on locomotor problems, at riding schools were studied, using data from an animal insurance database during 1997-2002. In total 5140 horses from 136 riding schools were included in the analysis. The overall yearly incidence rate (IR) was 1584 events of veterinary care per 10,000 horse-years at risk (HYAR). The total and diagnostic mortalities were 790 and 763 deaths per 10,000 HYAR. Rates varied substantially among riding schools. For locomotor problems the rates were 1116 events of veterinary care and 524 deaths per 10,000 HY...
Knecht S, Luechinger R, Boesiger P, Stüssi E.The mechanical property of articular cartilage determines to a great extent the functionality of diarthrodial joints. Consequently, the early detection of mechanical and, thus, functional changes of cartilage is crucial for preventive measures to maintain the mobility and the quality of life of individuals. An alternative to conventional mechanical testing is the inverse finite element approach, enabling non-destructive testing of the tissue. We evaluated a method for the assessment of the equilibrium material properties of the patellar cartilage based on magnetic resonance imaging during pate...
Zou X, Zou L, Foldager C, Bendtsen M, Feng W, Bünger CE.To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of spinal fusion with different graft materials during an anterior lumbar interbody fusion, we examined the gene-expression profiles after implantation of equine bone protein extract, rhBMP-2 and autograft using microarray technology and data analysis, including hierarchical clustering, self-organizing maps (SOM), KEGG pathway and Biological process GO analyses in a porcine model. The results suggest that equine bone protein extract exhibited a more similar expression pattern with autograft than that of rhBMP-2. rhBMP-2 recruits progenitor cells, prolifera...
Ley C, Ekman S, Ronéus B, Eloranta ML.Cytokine production in synovial membranes (SM) and osteochondral fragments (OCF) may influence the development of equine osteoarthritis (OA). In this study, the presence of interleukin (IL)-6 and cytoplasmic and extracellular high mobility group box protein (HMGB)-1 in SM and osteochondral tissue from healthy and diseased equine joints was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, microscopic synovitis was graded. IL-6 was commonly found in SM cells and in chondrocytes in uncalcified cartilage of OCF, whereas little staining was detected in healthy cartilage. Cytoplasmic and/or extra...
Manso Filho HC, McKeever KH, Gordon ME, Costa HE, Lagakos WS, Watford M.Glutamine is the most abundant free alpha-AA in the mammalian body, and large amounts of glutamine are extracted by both the fetus during pregnancy and the mammary gland during lactation. The work presented here addressed the hypothesis that there would be major changes in glutamine metabolism in the mare during the transition period, the time between late gestation, parturition, and early lactation. Eight foals were born to Standardbred mares provided with energy and protein at 10% above NRC recommendations, and foals remained with mares for 6 mo. During lactation, lean body mass decreased by...
Ortega-Ferrusola C, Macías García B, Suárez Rama V, Gallardo-Bolaños JM, González-Fernández L, Tapia JA, Rodríguez-Martinez H, Peña FJ.In an attempt to improve the information obtained after computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), data from five stallions (three ejaculates from each) were analysed before (fresh, extended semen) and after cryopreservation using traditional statistics as well as a cluster analysis. The data matrix consisted of 13 987 observations of individual spermatozoa for fresh, extended semen, and 8305 for frozen-thawed samples. As expected, freezing and thawing resulted in a marked decrease of CASA-derived variables of sperm kinematics. All sperm velocities were significantly lower in frozen-thawed sampl...
Creel JA, Stover SM, Martin RB, Fyhrie DP, Hazelwood SJ, Gibeling JC.The compliance technique has been used to monitor crack length during fracture and fatigue testing of materials. Difficulties arise when this technique is applied to anisotropic biological materials such as bone. In this tutorial, two different methods of analyzing compliance calibration data are described: the standard ASTM method and a new approach developed by the authors specifically for anisotropic materials. An example is given showing how data from equine cortical bone can be analyzed. In this example, calibration tests were conducted on thirty-six three point bend specimens machined fr...
Trachsel D, Cohausz O, Scharf G, Wehrli Eser M.A 14-year old Swiss warmblood gelding was presented to the equine hospital of the University of Zurich because of therapy-resistant fever. An intermittent lameness suggested the presence of an intravascular aorto-iliac thrombus which was confirmed sonographically. Subsequently, treatment was initiated with Heparin s.c. and continued for 7 months with Phenprocoumon (Marcoumar). The dosage was monitored and adjusted according to the prothrombin time, which was initially measured every week, and later maximally biweekly. The lameness improved and the regression of the thrombus could be followed s...
Hawkes CS, Easley J, Barakzai SZ, Dixon PM.There is minimal published information on equine oromaxillary fistulae that are unrelated to cheek teeth (CT) repulsion or on the conservative treatment of these atypical fistulae. Objective: To report equine oromaxillary fistulae unrelated to CT extraction and describe their management in standing horses. Methods: Case details of oromaxillary fistulae of atypical aetiology occurring at 2 referral centres between 2002-2006, including their treatment and response to treatment were examined. Results: Nine cases of oromaxillary fistula were recorded, mainly in aged horses (median 22 years). Fistu...
Cuny C, Strommenger B, Witte W, Stanek C.During 2006 and 2007 small clusters of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in horses were recorded in different clinical departments of a veterinary university. The infections were caused by different MRSA clones (ST1, ST254, and ST398). In the same time, nasal colonization of veterinarians, veterinary personnel, and students was observed indicating transmission to humans.
Bartos L, Bartosová J, Starostová L.It has become accepted that the horse cannot see directly in front when the nose is lowered and must therefore rely on the rider. We tested the hypothesis that this conclusion would be correct only if the horse did not adjust the eyeball horizontal axis to changes of the head position. The results of the present study suggest that it is unlikely that horses have limited vision in relation to their head position when driven by the rider, and that the horse maintains the optimal horizontal eyeball position regardless of head position relative to the ground.
Lavoie JP, Thompson D, Hamilton E, Debrue M, David F, Hickey G.It has been suggested that many of the beneficial effects of corticosteroids are mediated through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 inhibition. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of the MAPK p38 inhibitor compound MRL-EQ1 to either prevent (Phase 1) or treat (Phase 2) recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) in horses. Methods: MRL-EQ1 was administered i.v. at a dosage of 0.75-1.5 mg/kg bwt q. 12 h. In Phase 1, susceptible horses in clinical remission were divided into 2 groups (n = 5/group), based on historical values of respiratory mechanics. All horses were entered in the study in p...
Piro M, Benjouad A, Tligui NS, El Allali K, El Kohen M, Nabich A, Ouragh L.Severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) of horses is an autosomal, recessive hereditary disease occurring among Arabian or crossbred Arabian horses. The genetic defect responsible was previously identified as a 5-base pair deletion in the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of the DNA dependant protein kinase (DNA-PKcs). This study was carried out to determine the frequency of SCID and identify horses carrying the gene for SCID among Arabian and Arabian crossbred stallions and mares in Morocco using a DNA-based test. Twenty-one horses were SCID carriers: 14 (7%) Arabians, 6 (4%) Arab-B...
Rodríguez MJ, Latorre R, López-Albors O, Soler M, Aguirre C, Vázquez JM, Querol M, Agut A.The equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and its surrounding structures can be difficult to investigate in cases with a clinical problem related to the region. Little previous attention has been given either to a computed tomographic (CT) imaging protocol for the joint or an interpretation of the structures displayed in CT images of the normal joint. Objective: To provide a CT atlas of the normal cross-sectional anatomy of the equine TMJ using frozen and plastinated sections as anatomical reference. Methods: Eight TMJs from 4 immature pure-bred Spanish horses were examined by helical CT. Scans...
Peterson ML, McIlwraith CW.When Thoroughbred racehorses experience catastrophic injuries, the track surface is often discussed as a factor. The present study investigated the mechanical properties of the surface and found that significant changes in a track occur during routine maintenance. Questions regarding the relative importance of track variability and hardness require further investigation.
Carmalt JL, Allen AL.The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of cheek tooth occlusal surface morphology as an indicator of age in the horse using a blinded cross-sectional design. Twenty horses of varying age, breed and sex were used. Horses of known age (foaling date) were euthanized for reasons other than dental disease. Following disarticulation of the head and sectioning of the mandibles, cheek teeth were cleaned using running water and photographs were taken of each arcade. Using a computer-based program, the total surface area of each premolar and molar, the outer enamel ridge perimeter distance...
Fenton FH, Cherry EM, Kornreich BG.To perform the first optical mapping studies of equine atrium to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of atrial fibrillation (AF) and of its termination by quinidine. Methods: Intact, perfused atrial preparations obtained from four horses with normal cardiovascular examinations. Methods: AF was induced by a rapid pacing protocol with or without acetylcholine perfusion, and optical mapping was used to determine spatial dominant frequency distributions, electrical activity maps, and single-pixel optical signals. Following induction of AF, quinidine gluconate was perfused into the preparation and t...
Coyne MJ, Cousin H, Loftus JP, Johnson PJ, Belknap JK, Gradil CM, Black SJ, Alfandari D.Equine laminitis is a debilitating disease affecting the digital laminae that suspend the distal phalanx within the hoof. While the clinical progression of the disease has been well documented, the molecular events associated with its pathogenesis remain largely unknown. Using real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), we have investigated the expression of genes coding for proteins containing a Disintegrin and Metalloprotease domain (ADAM), as well as genes encoding the natural inhibitors of these enzymes (tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease; TIMP) in horses with naturally-acquired (acute, chronic...
Shaw DJ, Dacre IT, Dixon PM.Measurements of primary, regular and irregular secondary dentine and pulp dimensions were made on transverse, sub-occlusal and mid-tooth sections, of 40 maxillary and 42 mandibular control equine cheek teeth (CT) of different ages. Maxillary and mandibular CT primary dentine in different age groups had a mean thickness of 922-1,065 microm and 1099-1,179 microm, respectively, on the lateral aspects, and 1,574-2,035 microm and 1155-1,330 microm, respectively, on the medial aspects of pulp horns. Surprisingly, some increase in thickness was found in some mandibular CT primary enamel in the first ...
Ward MP, Wittich CA, Fosgate G, Srinivasan R.West Nile Virus (WNV) was first detected in the Texas equine population during June 2002. Infection has since spread rapidly across the state and become endemic in the equine population. Environmental risk factors associated with equine WNV attack rates in Texas counties during the period 2002 to 2004 were investigated. Equine WNV attack rates were smoothed using an empirical Bayesian model, because of the variability among county equine populations (range 46-9,517). Risk factors investigated included hydrological features (lakes, rivers, swamps, canals and river basins), land cover (tree, mos...
Whishaw IQ, Sacrey LA, Gorny B.An animal that has stepped over an obstacle with its forelimbs uses a memory of the obstacle to guide the hind limbs so that they also clear the obstacle, even in situations in which long pauses are introduced between forelimb and hind limb stepping. To further clarify the features of hind limb obstacle clearance memory, the present study examined hind limb obstacle clearance in the horse. A rider guided horses over obstacles and paused the horse over obstacles in tests that examined the relationship between forelimb and hind limb stepping, with the following results. First, the horses display...
Thomasy SM, Mama KR, Stanley SD.This study evaluated the validity of measuring fentanyl concentrations in equine plasma using radioimmunoassay (RIA) by comparing it to the established technique of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Equine plasma samples were analyzed using a solid-phase Coat-A-Count fentanyl RIA and a validated LC-MS method. The fentanyl concentrations derived by both methods were compared by linear regression and pharmacokinetic analysis. The cross-reactivity of the primary equine fentanyl metabolite, N-[1-(2-phenethyl-4-piperidinyl)]maloanilinic acid (PMA), with the RIA was determined. The bi...
Govaere J, Hoogewijs M, De Schauwer C, Van Zeveren A, Smits K, Cornillie P, de Kruif A.Naturally occurring monozygotic twins are extremely rare in the horse. This paper describes an abortion in a mare after 260 days of pregnancy with monozygotic twins, one a fresh foal and the other a mummified foal.
Ahern BJ, Parvizi J, Boston R, Schaer TP.Review the literature for single site cartilage defect research and evaluate the respective strengths and weaknesses of different preclinical animal models. Methods: A literature search for animal models evaluating single site cartilage defects was performed. Variables tabulated and analyzed included animal species, age and number, defect depth and diameter and study duration. Cluster analyses were then used to separate animals with only distal femoral defects into similar groups based on defect dimensions. Representative human studies were included allowing comparison of common clinical lesio...
Bayly WM, Slocombe RF, Schott HC, Hodgson DR.To determine whether i.v. administration of furosemide (250 mg) to horses before maximal exercise affected maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), breathing mechanics, or gas exchange during exercise. Methods: 7 healthy, well-conditioned Thoroughbred horses. Methods: 5 horses initially performed an incremental treadmill exercise test to determine VO2max 4 hours after i.v. administration of furosemide (250 mg i.v.) or placebo (saline [0.9% NaCl] solution). Time to fatigue and distance run were recorded. All 7 horses were then used to determine the effects of furosemide on gas exchange and breathin...
Inoue Y, Ono T, Hisaeda K, Yamada Y, Hata A, Shimokawa T, Miyama , Shibano K, Ohzawa E, Kitagawa H, Iwata E.The objective of this study is to analyze the relationships between the age and blood test results or body sizes in Noma horses by using the results of periodical health examination. Out of 45 hematological or physical items examined, statistically significant, but loose correlations were observed in 14 items. Red blood cell count, activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and creatinine kinase, concentrations of calcium and inorganic phosphorus decreased with aging. Conversely, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, lipase activity, γ-globulin and chlorid...
Zollinger A, Wyss C, Bardou D, Bachmann I.In domestic conditions, adult stallions are mostly housed individually in internal stables to reduce the risk of injuries during social interactions. Social deprivation in horses results in physiological stress and behavioural problems. The aim of this study was to test the "social box" (SB), which allows closer physical contact between neighbouring horses. Eight pairs of stallions (n = 16) were filmed over a 24 h period in the SB and in their usual box stables, "conventional boxes" (CB), which strongly restrict tactile contact. The effect of housing in the SB on behaviour and the occurrence a...
Ellington JE, Ball BA, Yang X.The objective of this study was to determine whether coculture of stallion spermatozoa and mare oviductal (uterine tubal) epithelial cells induced sperm cell capacitation in vitro. Capacitation as determined by zona binding and chlortetracycline staining of the sperm cells was compared for stallion spermatozoa: (1) incubated with medium alone (negative control), (2) treated with calcium ionophore A23187 (positive control) or (3) cultured with mare oviductal epithelial cells (OEC) for 4 h. Chlortetracycline staining patterns of sperm cells bound to the zonae were used to group spermatozoa as un...
Schuster RK, Sivakumar S.Equine habronematidosis has a global distribution and is caused by three spirurid species, Habronema muscae, Habronema microstoma and Draschia megastoma. A case of cutaneous habronematidosis in a stallion in a stable in Dubai, UAE gave occasion to investigate the parasite situation on the farm. Patent H. muscae infections were diagnosed in 18 out of 49 horses in a stable in Dubai, UAE with a xenodiagnostic test using houseflies as indicator host. All horses in the stable were treated with a single dose of moxidectin administered orally as 2% gel in a dosage of 0.4 mg/kg body weight and the eff...
Muko R, Matsuda H, Oikawa MA, Shin T, Matsuda K, Sato H, Sunouchi T, Tanaka A.Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) is an abundant plasma protein that has been identified in most mammals. We first identified whole genome sequence of equine HRG (eHRG) and succeeded to purify eHRG from plasma of horses. Since HRG interacts with various ligands, this protein is thought to be involved in immune response, coagulation, and angiogenesis. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is characterized as a non-specific, clinical, pro-inflammatory immune response that damage organs and tissues in the host. Recent reports revealed that blood HRG levels in human patients with SIRS are...
Hellings IR, Krontveit R, Øverlie M, Kallmyr A, Holm T, Fintl C.Elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) concentrations may provide evidence of myocardial injury but physiological post-exercise release also occurs. Reference intervals are not fully established in horses making interpretation difficult. The aims of this study were to establish an upper reference limit for serum cTnT, compare pre-and post-race serum cTnT concentrations, and to evaluate factors that may influence these in a population of healthy, race-fit Standardbred racehorses. Serum samples were collected pre- (n = 108) and 1-2 h post-racing (n = 101) and analysed using a high sensitivity-cTnT a...
Pearson H, Pinsent PJ, Polley LR, Waterman A.Four cases of fatal diaphragmatic rupture in the horse are described. In 2 cases there was no history of injury but the other 2 animals had sustained recent thoracic trauma. Three of the horses had signs of colic and bowel obstruction complicated, in 2 cases, by respiratory embarrassment; the fourth died rapidly, presumably of shock. Previously published cases are reviewed and the causes, clinical effects, diagnosis and treatment of the disorder are discussed.
Speirs VC, van Veenendaal JC, Harrison IW, Smyth GB, Anderson GA, Wilson DV, Gilbo B.Endoscopic examinations of the upper respiratory tract were done on 92 of 314 Standardbred horses that raced one or more times at 4 consecutive, weekly race meetings. Although participation was voluntary, the characteristics of the population of horses examined were not statistically different from those of all horses that raced. No horse showed epistaxis, but 34 (32.4%) examinations of the trachea revealed blood that ranged from a trace in the tracheal mucus to large amounts scattered over the tracheal walls. Forty-four horses exhibited minor degrees of pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia, 2 had ...
Nadin-Davis S, Knowles MK, Burke T, Böse R, Devenish J.A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method (qPCR) was developed and tested for the detection of Taylorella equigenitalis. It was shown to have an analytical sensitivity of 5 colony-forming units (CFU) of T. equigenitalis when applied to the testing of culture swabs that mimicked field samples, and a high analytical specificity in not reacting to 8 other commensal bacterial species associated with horses. As designed, it could also differentiate specifically between T. equigenitalis and T. asinigenitalis. The qPCR was compared to standard culture in a study that included 45 swab ...
Peloso JG, Stick JA, Caron JP, Peloso PM, Soutas-Little RW.In this double-blind study, the effectiveness of and dose response to intra-articular administration of modified hyaluronan (hylan) was determined in an equine carpal lameness model over a 23-day period, using a computerized three-dimensional motion analysis system, synovial fluid variables, and synovial histologic examination. In 24 clinically sound horses, baseline motion data was acquired from horses trotting at 4 m/s on a high-speed treadmill. Then, to induce lameness, 25 mg of amphotericin B in 5 ml of sterile water was injected into the left middle carpal joint of each horse every other ...
Müller AJ, Letelier ME, Galleguillos MA, Molina-Berríos AE, Adarmes HH.To evaluate the antioxidant effects of synovial fluid (SF) pooled from metacarpophalangeal joints of healthy horses and horses with various pathological conditions, and to compare then with the antioxidant effects of hyaluronic acid (HA) and chondroitin sulfate (CS). Methods: SF from 1 metacarpophalangeal joint was obtained from 42 horses immediately after humane slaughter. Samples were classified into 3 groups on the basis of origin: healthy joints or joints with chronically damaged cartilage or vascularly congested synovial membranes as detected via macroscopic evaluation. Methods: Antioxida...
Ousey JC, McArthur AJ, Rossdale PD.Metabolic rates, rectal temperatures and respiratory quotients (RQ) were determined during the first 24 h post partum in Thoroughbred and pony foals and in relation to environmental temperature. Both breeds had high metabolic rates (greater than 200 W/m2) during the first hour post partum when they were wet and shivering; by 4 to 24 h values were fairly steady at about 153 and 105 W/m2 for Thoroughbred and pony foals, respectively. At birth, rectal temperature was lower in Thoroughbred foals than in pony foals; values increased during the first hour, and then decreased. At 24 h of age, both br...
Bera BC, Virmani N, Shanmugasundaram K, Vaid RK, Singh BK, Gulati BR, Anand T, Barua S, Malik P, Singh RK.The neuraminidase (NA) gene sequences of four Indian equine influenza viruses (EIVs) isolated from epizootic in 2008 and 2009 were analyzed. The phylogenetic relationship and selection pressure of NA genes were established in comparison to other EIVs circulating worldwide along with the domains and motifs of the encoded protein to find out the significance of mutational changes. Among Indian isolates, two amino acid (aa) changes each in Mysore/12/08 (Asn67Tyr & Asp396Gly), Gopeshwar/1/09 (Ile49Val & Asp396Gly), and Uttarkashi/1/09 (Ile49Val & Asp396Gly) isolates were observed in re...
Rhodes DM, Madrigal R.Colic is one of the most frequent emergencies necessitating veterinary attention. Referral is not an option in many cases; therefore, the ability to diagnose and treat colic in an ambulatory setting is paramount. Portable imaging and point-of-care testing has improved the ability to identify lesions and assess the patient's status. In cases when field management is the only option, practitioners should be aware of the various treatment options available.
Rabbogliatti V, Amari M, Brioschi FA, Di Cesare F, Zani DD, De Zani D, Di Giancamillo M, Cagnardi P, Ravasio G.A balanced anaesthetic protocol is a common concept in modern veterinary anaesthesia and aims to maintain good intraoperative cardiopulmonary function. In horses, alpha-2-agonists produce sedation and analgesia and have been shown to reduce inhalational anaesthetic requirements when administered intravenously. Furthermore, these drugs can improve recovery quality. Preliminary investigations of subcutaneous dexmedetomidine administration in humans demonstrated a reduced haemodynamic impact if compared with the intravenous route suggesting that dexmedetomidine is adequately absorbed with both ad...
Garner MG, Cowled B, East IJ, Moloney BJ, Kung N.To use modelling and epidemiological analyses to assess the effectiveness of control strategies employed during the equine influenza outbreak and determine if early vaccination might have had a beneficial effect. Methods: Transmission of infection was modelled using stochastic, spatial simulation, based on data from 16 regions in New South Wales and Queensland over the first month of the outbreak. Results: The model accurately represented the spread of infection in both space and time and showed that vaccination strategies would have reduced new infections by ∼60% and reduced the size of the...
Marsiglia MF, Yamada ALM, Agreste FR, de Sá LRM, Nieman RT, da Silva LCLC.Racehorses are exposed to repetitive overload during training and competition, causing joint hyperextension, tissue fatigue, and ultimately skeletal failure. Some degree of bone changes, such as sclerosis, are expected in equine athletes, as adaptation to the biomechanical rigors of training and racing. Understanding the imaging characteristics of the equine joint surface and subchondral bone would allow earlier detection of injuries or adaptation, improving prognosis and training programs. This study sought to describe the joint surface structural patterns and the periarticular structures of ...
Merwyn S, Kumar S, Agarwal GS, Rai GP.Glanders is highly contagious disease of equines, caused by Burkholderia mallei. The disease though rare, can be transmitted to humans. Here, we report a strategy for rapid detection of B. mallei from environmental samples. Different bacteriological media were evaluated and brain heart infusion broth medium with selective supplements (BHIB-SS) of penicillin (200 U/ml) and crystal violet (1:10,00000) was found to support the maximum growth of B. mallei even in the presence of other bacteria like Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a DNA hybridizatio...
Ginther OJ, Gastal EL, Gastal MO, Beg MA.During a follicular wave in mares, the two largest follicles (F1 and F2) begin to deviate in diameter when F1 is a mean of 22.5 mm. The intrafollicular effects of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), IGF-I, activin-A and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on other follicular-fluid factors during deviation were studied. In four treated groups (n = 7/group), a single dose of one of the four factors was injected into F2 when F1 was > or = 20.0 mm (expected beginning of deviation). In a control group (n = 7), F2 was injected with vehicle. One day after treatment, a sample of f...
Johnson PJ, Goetz TE.A 10-month-old Standard-bred colt was examined because of weight loss, fever, and extensive subcutaneous edema of the ventral aspects of its trunk. Diagnosis of granulomatous enteritis was based on D-xylose malabsorption, hypoproteinemia, and rectal mucosal biopsy. Campylobacter fetus subsp fetus was cultured from jugular venous blood when the horse was admitted to the hospital and 24 hours later. Appropriate antimicrobial agents and glucocorticoids failed to effect clinical remission. After euthanasia, granulomatous enteritis was confirmed at necropsy but C fetus subsp fetus was not isolated ...
Fielding CL, Meier CA, Fellers GK, Magdesian KG.OBJECTIVE To compare results of point-of-care laboratory testing with standard veterinary clinical examination findings at a single time point during endurance competition to identify horses at risk for elimination. ANIMALS 101 endurance horses participating in the 2013 Western States 160-km (100-mile) endurance ride. PROCEDURES At the 58-km checkpoint, blood samples were collected from all horses. Samples were analyzed for pH, Pco2, base excess, anion gap, PCV, and whole blood concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, total carbon dioxide, BUN, glucose, and bicarbonate. Corrected electro...
Reis JK, Craigo JK, Cook SJ, Issel CJ, Montelaro RC.Dynamic genomic variation resulting in changes in envelope antigenicity has been established as a fundamental mechanism of persistence by equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), as observed with other lentiviruses, including HIV-1. In addition to the reported changes in envelope sequences, however, certain studies indicate the viral LTR as a second variable EIAV gene, with the enhancer region being designated as hypervariable. These observations have lead to the suggestion that LTR variation may alter viral replication properties to optimize to the microenvironment of particular tissue reservoi...
Brandon CI, Vandenplas M, Dookwah H, Murray TF.The aim of this study was to establish a heterologous expression system for the equine adenosine A(3) receptor (eA(3)-R) in an effort to ascertain its pharmacologic profile. Initially, radioligand binding assays identified clones expressing the eA(3)-R in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK) based on the specific binding of [(125)I]AB-MECA. Subsequently, adenylate cyclase assays were utilized to demonstrate functional coupling of the eA(3)-R to the G-protein/adenylate cyclase system. Equilibrium competition binding assays were then performed using selective and non-selective A(3) agonists and an...
Pigoli C, Gibelli LR, Caniatti M, Moretti L, Sironi G, Giudice C.In fluorescence microscopy, light radiation can be used to bleach fluorescent molecules in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, in order to increase the ratio between signal of interest and background autofluorescence. We tested if the same principle can be exploited in bright field microscopy to bleach pigmented melanoma FFPE sections together with cell morphology maintenance. After dewaxing and rehydration, serial FFPE sections of a feline diffuse iris melanoma, a canine dermal melanoma, a gray horse dermal melanoma and a swine cutaneous melanoma were irradiated with visible ...
Pereira MC, Kohek Júnior I, Campos R, Lima SB, Foz RP.The anthelmintic efficacy of ivermectin (IVM), piperazine citrate (PPZ) and fenbendazole (FBZ) alone, and combinations of FBZ with varying dosages of PPZ, was evaluated for the control of strongyles of Mangalarga equids. In all cases of positive strongly egg counts per gram of faeces (EPG) before and after treatment, pure populations of cyathostome larvae with eight gut cells were consistently observed in faecal cultures. The faecal egg count reductions (FECR) were evaluated between Day 7 and Day 56 post-treatment. Significant differences (P less than or equal to 0.05) were found between Day 7...
Durando MM, Martin BB, Davidson EJ, Birks EK.There are limited data on the correlations between arterial blood gas (ABG) values, tracheal wash (TW) cytology and upper respiratory tract (URT) abnormalities. Objective: To identify horses with abnormal exercising ABG, and compare the proportions of horses with abnormal ABG and TW cytology, mucus or URT dysfunction with those with normal ABG results and abnormal TW cytology, mucus or URT dysfunction. Methods: Medical records of 813 horses presenting to the treadmill facility that had a complete treadmill examination, including ABG analysis, TW and URT endoscopy were selected. Diagnoses, ABG ...
