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.
Axon JE, Russell CM, Begg AP, Adkins AR.A 10-month-old Thoroughbred filly was presented with a 2-month history of recurrent fever and pleural effusion. Major clinical findings were pyrexia and congested mucous membranes. Clinical pathology tests revealed an erythrocytosis, hyperfibrinogenaemia and hyperglobulinaemia. Pleural fluid was seen on ultrasonographic examination of the thorax and analysis of a thoracocentesis sample indicated a lymphocytic, modified transudate. A transtracheal aspirate was normal. The erythrocytosis persisted despite IV fluid therapy. Arterial blood gas analysis and bone marrow aspirate were normal. These f...
White SD, Ghoddusi M, Grooters AM, Jones K.An 18-year-old Arabian mare was examined with a large mass on the left hind pastern and fetlock. The mare was located in the Central Valley of northern California, and had never been out of the state. Routine histopathological processing and examination of biopsy samples from the mass showed several hyphal organisms that were delineated with a silver stain. Using immunohistochemistry the organism was diagnosed as Pythium insidiosum. The owner declined debulking surgery, and despite treatment with an immunotherapeutic vaccine, the horse's condition deteriorated leading to euthanasia.
Gerber V, Swinburne JE, Blott SC, Nussbaumer P, Ramseyer A, Klukowska-Rötzler J, Dolf G, Marti E, Burger D, Leeb T.Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a multifactorial and polygenic disease. Affected horses are typically 7 years of age or older and show exercise intolerance, increased breathing effort, coughing, airway neutrophilia, mucus accumulation and hyperreactivity as well as cholinergic bronchospasm. The environmental factors responsible are predominantly allergens and irritants in haydust, but the immunological mechanisms underlying RAO are still unclear. Several studies have demonstrated a familiar predisposition for RAO and it is now proven that the disease has a genetic basis. In offspring, th...
Carmalt JL, Allen A.To investigate potential relationships between cheek tooth occlusal morphology, apparent feed digestibility, and the reduction in feed particle size that occurs during digestion in horses. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 17 horses of various ages and breeds and either sex. Methods: Horses were fed 1 of 3 hay-based diets ad libitum for 14 days prior to euthanasia; nutrient analysis was performed on samples of each of the 3 diets. At the time of postmortem examination, the head was disarticulated, photographs were taken of the occlusal surfaces of the maxillary and mandibular cheek toot...
Frazer ML.Lawsonia intracellularis is an emerging equine pathogen that is a cause of equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE). Objective: To describe the signalment, month of presentation, common clinical signs, clinicopathologic values, diagnostic tests used, antimicrobial use, and survival status in horses affected with EPE; to evaluate how affected horses sold at public auction as yearlings; and to determine results of fecal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serum immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA) results in age matched, clinically normal herdmates. Methods: The study group was 57 horses treate...
Aleman M, Puchalski SM, Williams DC, Kass PH, Holliday TA.Facial and vestibulocochlear nerve dysfunction occurs commonly in horses with temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO); however, auditory dysfunction has not been thoroughly assessed. Objective: To determine if auditory abnormalities occur in horses with THO. Methods: Eleven diseased and 8 control horses. Methods: This is a prospective study in which brainstem auditory-evoked responses (BAER) were recorded in 11 horses diagnosed with THO through neurologic, endoscopic, radiographic, or computed tomographic examinations. BAER findings were compared with those recorded from 8 adult control horses. Re...
Dede S, Değer Y, Değer S, Tanritanir P.We have determined the plasma concentrations of copper, zinc, copper/zinc ratio, and carbonic anhydrase activity in horses infected with Babesia equi. The study was conducted in 14 horses with the disease and 10 healthy animals that served as controls. The infection was confirmed by the clinical manifestations of the disease and by Giemsa staining of thin blood smears showing the parasites inside red blood cells. The horses with piroplasmosis had lower plasma levels of zinc, elevated copper, and increased activity of carbonic anhydrase. Consequently, the copper/zinc ratio was also higher than ...
von Teichman BF, Smit TK.The polyvalent African Horsesickness (AHS) attenuated live vaccine (ALV) produced by Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) Ltd., South Africa, has been associated with some safety concerns and alleged cases of vaccine failure or vaccine-induced disease. The risk of reassortment and reversion to virulence is a common concern associated with the use of ALVs, and a phenomenon reported for viruses with segmented RNA genomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not reassortment of AHS vaccine strains could result in reassortants and reversion to virulence and therefore cause AHS...
Diallo IS, Hewitson GR, de Jong A, Kelly MA, Wright DJ, Corney BG, Rodwell BJ.Twelve nasal swabs were collected from yearling horses with respiratory distress and tested for equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equid herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) by real-time PCR targeting the glycoprotein B gene. All samples were negative for EHV-1; however, 3 were positive for EHV-4. When these samples were tested for EHV-2 and EHV-5 by PCR, all samples were negative for EHV-2 and 11 were positive for EHV-5. All three samples that were positive for EHV-4 were also positive for EHV-5. These three samples gave a limited CPE in ED cells reminiscent of EHV-4 CPE. EHV-4 CPE was obvious after 3 days and...
Kriegshäuser G, Cullinane A, Kuechler E, Skern T.Equine rhinitis B virus 1 (ERBV1), genus Erbovirus, family Picornaviridae, is a pathogen of horses which causes clinical and subclinical infection of the upper respiratory tract in horses. The virus is widespread in European horse populations and the current standard method for the detection of antibody against ERBV1 is by virus neutralisation (VN). VN tests, however, are labour-intensive and time-consuming, require tissue culture facilities, and generally do not provide same-day results. In this study, a protocol for the high-level expression and purification of recombinant virion protein 1 (...
Ginther OJ, Rodrigues BL, Ferreira JC, Araujo RR, Beg MA.Blood collections for characterising 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2alpha (PGFM) pulses in mares and colour-Doppler examinations for estimating percentage of corpus luteum with blood-flow signals were done hourly for a 24-h session on Day 15 (ovulation = Day 0; n = 13 mares) or during 12-h sessions from Days 12 to 16 (n= 10 mares). Luteolysis was defined as extending from the beginning of a precipitous decrease in progesterone until progesterone was <2 ng mL(-1). Comparisons were made among preluteolysis, luteolysis, and postluteolysis. Greater prostaglandin F2alpha activity (mean PGFM concentra...
Underwood C, Southwood LL, McKeown LP, Knight D.Based on clinical observation, it is hypothesised that horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) that are treated surgically have a shorter duration, smaller volume, and slower rate of nasogastric reflux (NGR) compared to horses treated medically, are more likely to develop diarrhoea than medically managed cases, and have a higher incisional infection rate than a sample population of horses undergoing abdominal exploration for gastrointestinal disease other than DPJ. Objective: To compare: 1) duration, volume and rate of NGR and the percentage of horses with diarrhoea between medically a...
Szeredi L, Jánosi S, Tenk M.Klebsiella (K.) oxytoca infection induced the abortion of a female equine fetus in the 10th month of pregnancy. Bacteria were cultured from the liver, lung and stomach content. They were labelled with an anti-Mycobacterium bovis antibody in the thymus, liver and lungs and were stained with Giemsa and Brown-Brenn staining in the thymus and lung. The diffusely consolidated lungs contained numerous grey-whitish foci 2-4 mm in diameter, which corresponded to severe pyogranulomatous pneumonia characterised by numerous intraalveolar neutrophils and macrophages and multinucleated Langhans' giant cell...
Flaminio MJ, Tallmadge RL, Salles-Gomes CO, Matychak MB.Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) in horse patients is characterized by late-onset B cell lymphopenia or depletion, hypo- or agammaglobulinemia, impaired humoral response to tetanus toxoid vaccination, and recurrent fevers and bacterial infections. Conclusions: This study describes the clinical and immunologic findings of 14 affected horses (average age 10.7 +/- 4.4 years) of both genders (six females, eight males) and different breeds (eight Thoroughbreds, four Quarter Horses, one Warmblood, one Pony). Serial immunological testing in peripheral blood revealed persistent, severe B cell l...
Roberto da Costa RP, Costa AS, Korzekwa AJ, Platek R, Siemieniuch M, Galvão A, Redmer DA, Silva JR, Skarzynski DJ, Ferreira-Dias G.Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in prostaglandin secretion and angiogenesis in the reproductive system. In the present study, the roles of the NO donor spermine NONOate and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF; as a positive control) in prostaglandin production and angiogenic activity of equine endometria during the oestrous cycle were evaluated. In addition, the correlation between NO production and the expression of key prostaglandin synthase proteins was determined. The protein expression of prostaglandin F synthase (PGFS) increased in early and mid-luteal stages, whereas that of pro...
Muhonen S, Connysson M, Lindberg JE, Julliand V, Bertilsson J, Jansson A.The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of CP intake from 2 grass silage-only diets, differing in CP concentration, fed at similar DMI on the equine colon ecosystem after an abrupt feed change between the diets. Four adult right ventral colon-fistulated geldings were fed one silage-only diet high in CP (HP, 873 g of CP/d) and one diet providing recommended intakes (RP, 615 g of CP/d). An adaptation period of 15 d on either the HP or the RP diet was followed by 2 experimental periods when the diets were fed for 22 d each in a crossover design. Colon samples were taken before a...
Pérez-Gutiérrez LM, De la Peña A, Arana P.Hispano-Breton (HB) is a horse breed with a recent mixed ancestry. It was developed in the 1930s by crossing local mares with Breton draught horses imported from France. Nowadays it is considered to be in a vulnerable situation due to census decline. To genetically characterize the breed and to set up the basis for a conservation programme, we have employed two types of molecular markers: a 347-bp D-loop mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragment and 13 microsatellite loci. A representative sample of 53 HB individuals was analysed together with a sample of 40 Pura Raza Española horses for comparison....
Marti E, Gerber V, Wilson AD, Lavoie JP, Horohov D, Crameri R, Lunn DP, Antczak D, Björnsdóttir S, Björnsdóttir TS, Cunningham F, Dérer M....Allergic diseases occur in most mammals, although some species such as humans, dogs and horses seem to be more prone to develop allergies than others. In horses, insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), an allergic dermatitis caused by bites of midges, and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), a hyperreactivity to stable born dust and allergens, are the two most prevalent allergic diseases. Allergic diseases involve the interaction of three major factors: (i) genetic constitution, (ii) exposure to allergens, and (iii) a dysregulation of the immune response determined by (i) and (ii). However, other e...
Abaturov BD, Dmitriev IA, Jargalsaikhan L, Omarov KZ.The amount of phytomass removed by a complex of livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, and goats) and wild ungulates (Mongolian gazelle Procapra gutturosa Pall.) grazing in plain and mountain pastures of eastern Mongolia has been estimated by taking account of feces deposited by these animals. The results show that at an animal density of up to 30 head/km2, the total annual amount of feces reaches 140 kg/ha (dry weight), with the greater part (up to 90 kg/ha) being deposited by horses. The contribution of Mongolian gazelles in some pastures reaches 20-40 kg/ha per year. Decomposition of feces proce...
Bollwein H, Schulze JJ, Miyamoto A, Sieme H.The goal of this study was to investigate for the first time a possible association between plasma concentrations of testosterone and total estrogen and testicular blood flow in the stallion. Correlations between these variables were calculated before and after administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Eight mature warmblood stallions received 5,000 IU hCG intravenously, and four stallions received solvent only. Testicular blood flow in the left and right testicular arteries was assessed using colour Doppler sonography by measuring blood flow volume (BFV) and pulsatility index (PI)...
Brindley MA, Zhang B, Montelaro RC, Maury W.Wild-type strains of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) prevent superinfection of previously infected cells. A variant strain of virus that spontaneously arose during passage, EIAV(vMA-1c), can circumvent this mechanism in some cells, such as equine dermis (ED) cells, but not in others, such as equine endothelial cells. EIAV(vMA-1c) superinfection of ED cells results in a buildup of unintegrated viral DNA and rapid killing of the cell monolayer. Here, we examined the mechanism of resistance that is used by EIAV to prevent superinfection and explored the means by which EIAV(vMA-1c) overcomes...
Zedda M, Lepore G, Manca P, Chisu V, Farina V.Bone microstructure of domestic herbivores is still not completely understood. Indeed, works focused on the bone histology of numerous Mammalian species frequently led to misunderstandings because of the high number of variations such as the kind of bone, section orientation, species, breed and age. Moreover, attempts to identify the species in archaeozoological studies by a mere qualitative approach have not been encouraging and in recent years quantitative methods, based on image processing and statistical analysis, have appeared. The present study was undertaken to determine whether morphom...
Laurent R, Uhring J, Bentahar M, Constantinou B, de Billy B, Langlais J.Children increasingly participate in horseback riding, especially young girls, with more and more accidents during this activity. The severity of the injuries caused by horses seems to be higher than in other sports. Methods: In a retrospective study, we reviewed 303 accidents of children younger than 15 years of age during the past 13 years. Our study only investigated children who were hospitalized after their accident. Results: Eighty-two percent of the injured children were girls, but there was no difference between girls and boys in terms of severity. In most cases, children were hurt by ...
Naylor JM, Kenyon SJ.Horses were deprived of food but not water for a period of five days. There was a progressive decrease in circulating lymphocyte count and compromised host deference. In vitro phagocytosis of yeast fell from a mean of 97 per cent in fed horses to 78 per cent in horses deprived of food for five days. The Arthus response to intradermal challenge with allergens fell to 57 per cent of fed values. These changes indicated that food deprivation increases the susceptibility to bacterial infections; persistent anorexia in chronic bacterial infections may limit the horse's ability to cast off infection....
Wheeler SJ.This study aimed to establish a clinically reproducible method of evaluation of sensory nerve conduction in the horse and to provide reference values in a group of normal horses. Age-related changes in the sensory nerve conduction velocity were of particular interest. Sensory nerve conduction was performed in the lateral palmar nerve. The results revealed an increase in velocity over the first year of life and a subsequent decrease in velocity in older horses. The effect of age must be considered if results from horses in which peripheral nerve disease is suspected are to be interpreted correc...
Brazik EL, Luquire JT, Little D.16 horses treated daily with pyrantel tartrate (2.64 mg/kg [1.2 mg/lb], PO) as part of a prophylactic anthelmintic program. Results: Fecal worm egg counts (FWECs) were obtained on all 16 horses. Mean FWEC was 478 eggs/g (epg; range, 0 to 4,075 epg). Three of the 16 horses were responsible for 85% of the total fecal egg output for the herd on the day of sampling. Six horses had FWECs < 200 epg. Three horses that had arrived within 4 months of the sampling date had FWECs 100 epg (9 horses) were treated with pyrantel pamoate (6.6 mg/kg [3 mg/lb], PO), and 14 days later, the FWEC was repeated....
van Doorn DC, Eysker M, Kooyman FN, Wagenaar JA, Ploeger HW.A study was conducted to evaluate the occurrence of resistance against, in particular, ivermectin in cyathostomins in the Netherlands. Seventy horse farms were visited between October 2007 and November 2009. In initial screening, faecal samples were collected 2 weeks after deworming with either ivermectin, moxidectin or doramectin. Pooled faecal samples from a maximum of 10 horses were examined for worm eggs using a modified McMaster technique and for worm larvae after faecal larval cultures. In total 931 horses were involved. On 15 of 70 farms eggs and/or larvae were found. On 8 of these 15 f...
Rovel T, Coudry V, Denoix JM, Audigie F.CASE DESCRIPTION Over a 2-year period, 6 horses (4 Selle Français, 1 Hanoverian, and 1 Thoroughbred) were referred for evaluation of forelimb lameness. All horses had radiographic evidence of synostosis of the first and second ribs (SFSR). CLINICAL FINDINGS For 1 horse, the SFSR was considered the probable cause of the lameness (grade 3/5), with a shortening of the cranial phase of the stride in the affected limb. For 3 horses, it was considered a possible cause of the lameness (grade 1/5) for the same reason. For 2 horses, SFSR was considered an incidental finding unassociated with any clini...
O'Keefe JS, Murray A, Wilks CR, Moriarty KM.Unpurified DNA derived from cultures of equine fetal kidney cells infected with either equine herpesvirus type 1 or equine herpesvirus type 4 was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using one pair of oligonucleotide primers. Restriction endonuclease digestion of the amplified segments with PvuII, followed by electrophoresis, revealed restriction fragment length polymorphisms which enabled the two virus types to be differentiated.
Goulden BE, Anderson LJ, Cahill JI.An endoscopic survey was performed to assess arytenoid cartilage movement during quiet respiration in 48 Clydesdale horses. Physical characteristics which could influence the length of the recurrent laryngeal nerves were also recorded from these horses and the relationship of these characteristics to the presence of abnormal left arytenoid cartilage movements was assessed statistically. Some degree of abnormal arytenoid movement was observed in 50% of the animals over one year of age. No significant correlation between sex, age, estimated weight, height, or neck length could be found although ...
Snyder DA, Turner DD, Miller KF, Garcia MC, Ginther OJ.Observations of follicular and gonadotrophic changes were conducted on 14 Pony mares for 31-day periods beginning at the penultimate (second last) ovulation and at the last ovulation of the season. There were no main effects or interaction of day or period on the numbers of small follicles (less than 20 mm). Concentrations of FSH, numbers of large follicles (greater than 20 mm), and oestrous behaviour each showed an effect of day (P less than 0.01), but no effect of period. Concentrations of LH and diameter of the largest follicle each showed an interaction (P less than 0.01) between day and p...
Verma BB, Biberstein EL, Meyer ME.A serologic survey was made of the prevalence of common leptospiral infections in horses in California. A total of 465 serums were tested, using the microscopic agglutination method, against 5 leptospiral serotypes: Leptospira pomona, Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae, Leptospira canicola, Leptospira grippotyphosa, and Leptospira hardjo. Of the serums tested, 127 (27.30%) were positive against 1 or more of the leptospires, with percentage distribution among the reactors as follows: L pomona, 12.47%; L icterohaemorrhagiae, 10.32%; L canicola, 3.22%; L grippotyphosa, 0.86%; and L hardjo, 0.43%. The...
Teixeira ACB, Valle GR, Riveros JAN, Diniz JHW, Wenceslau RR, Monteiro GA, Leme FOP, Oliveira LZ.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) at the end of progesterone (P4) treatment on follicular and luteal characteristics during transition period (TP) and reproductive breeding season (RP). A total of 13 crossbred mares were distributed in two experimental groups in the spring and summer (n = 26). The animals received intravaginal P4 (1.9 g) releasing device from D0 to D10. On removal of P4 device, the mares received 400 IU of eCG (eCG group) or saline solution (control group). Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; 1.750 IU) was administered (Dh...
Schumacher J, Wilson AM, Pardoe C, Easter JL.A prosthesis, composed of a steel cable and stress-reducing washers, was developed to prevent failure of laryngoplasty, a common treatment for horses affected by recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. Laryngoplasties were performed on 15 cadaveric larynges using a polyester suture on one side and the cable prosthesis on the other. Each prosthesis was distracted at a displacement rate of 20 mm/s using a servohydraulic materials testing machine until laryngoplasty failed. Distraction force and actuator displacement were recorded and analysed. All 15 laryngoplasties performed with a suture failed at the...
Peyrou M, Higgins R, Lavoie JP.Evolution of bacterial resistance to certain antibacterial agents in horses in a veterinary hospital. A total of 255 antibiograms, conducted according to the Kirby-Bauer method from bacterial isolates collected from horses at the Hôpital Vétérinaire d'Enseignement at the Université de Montréal between 1996 and 1998 were compared with the results obtained about 10 years ago with corresponding bacterial species. A significant increase in the percentage of strains resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SXT), penicilline, tetracycline, and to gentamicin was observed. The percentages ...
Clegg PD, Butson RJ.A nine-year-old Shetland pony gelding, with a history of recurrent upward fixation of the patella, suddenly developed severe lameness in its right hindlimb. A luxation of the coxofemoral joint was diagnosed by a clinical and radiographic examination. The initial treatment of the luxation by closed reduction was not maintained, and the limb was placed in an Ehmer sling for four days after a second closed reduction. This allowed the femoral head to remain in the acetabulum, although a persistent subluxation remained, presumably owing to a rupture of the round ligament. The pony remained comforta...
Jose-Cunilleras E, Hinchcliff KW, Sams RA, Devor ST, Linderman JK.In a randomized, balanced, crossover study each of six fit, adult horses ran on a treadmill at 50% of maximal rate of oxygen consumption for 60 min after being denied access to food for 18 h and then 1) fed corn (51.4 kJ/kg digestible energy), or 2) fed an isocaloric amount of alfalfa 2-3 h before exercise, or 3) not fed before exercise. Feeding corn, compared with fasting, resulted in higher plasma glucose and serum insulin and lower serum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations before exercise (P < 0.05) and in lower plasma glucose, serum glycerol, and serum nonesterified fatty acid conce...
Gaughan EM, Gift LJ, Frank RK.Tubular duplication of the cervical portion of the esophagus was diagnosed in a 10-day-old female Quarter Horse. The foal was examined because of the development of a 12- to 15-cm diameter mass at the caudal aspect of the mandible after suckling. The foal was dyspneic when in lateral recumbency. Radiography and ultrasonography revealed a fluid- and gas-filled mass. Endoscopy revealed a normal-appearing upper airway and esophagus. Complete surgical resection of the mass was successful. The mass had a 3-mm diameter communication with the esophageal lumen at the pharyngoesophageal oriface. Histol...
Hildebrand SV, Howitt GA.Succinylcholine was administered by infusion to halothane-anesthetized ponies to determine dosage requirements for surgical relaxation up to 3 hours' duration. This was not possible to do, since 4 of 6 ponies studied developed severe reactions characterized by prolonged muscle fasciculations after the initial succinylcholine dose, muscle rigidity, hyperthermia, hypercapnia, tachycardia, increasing pulse pressure, and metabolic acidosis. The reactions resembled those associated with malignant hyperthermia, a disease recognized in persons and swine. Two ponies showed signs of the phase II or des...
Sykes BW, Underwood C, McGowan CM, Mills PC.The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of formulation (enteric coated and buffered) and feeding on pharmacokinetic variables associated with the oral administration of omeprazole in the horse. Six thoroughbred racehorses were studied in a crossover design. Each received 2 g of an enteric coated or buffered formulation in both the fed and fasted state. Plasma omeprazole concentrations were determined by UHPLC-MS. The effects of feeding or formulation on AUC0-inf_obs, half-life, Tmax or Cmax were not statistically significant. However, a wider-than-expected degree of variati...
Wiese AJ, Brosnan RJ, Barter LS.To compare effects of 2 acetylcholinesterase inhibitors on recovery quality of horses anesthetized with isoflurane. Methods: 6 horses in phase 1, 7 horses in phase 2A, and 14 horses in phase 2B. Methods: The study comprised 3 phases (2 randomized, blinded crossover phases in horses undergoing orthopedic procedures and 1 prospective dose-determining phase). In phase 1, horses were anesthetized with isoflurane and received neostigmine or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution prior to anesthetic recovery. Phase 2A was a physostigmine dose-determining phase. In phase 2B, horses were anesthetized with isoflu...
Woodward AD, Nielsen BD, Liesman J, Lavin T, Trottier NL.To evaluate the protein quality and postgut N utilization of full-bloom timothy hay, oat-supplemented timothy-hay diets, and alfalfa hay harvested at different maturities, apparent whole tract N digestibility, urinary N excretion, and serum AA profiles were determined in light to moderately exercised Arabian horses. Six Arabian geldings (16.0 ± 0.3 yr; 467 ± 11 kg of BW) were randomly allocated to a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Diets included full-bloom timothy grass hay (G), G + 0.2% BW oat (G1), G + 0.4% BW oat (G2), mid-bloom alfalfa (A1), early-bloom alfalfa (A2), and early-bud alfalfa ha...
Wunn D, Wardrop KJ, Meyers K, Kramer J, Ragle C.To develop methods to isolate, culture, and characterize equine hoof endothelial cells (EC) and keratinocytes. Methods: Cells harvested from the forelimbs of 8 horses. Methods: EC were obtained via catheters placed in the palmar digital arteries of the disarticulated lower portion of the forelimbs from 4 horses that had been heparinized prior to euthanasia. Phosphate-buffered saline solution was used to remove and discard RBC from blood vessels, and collagenase was used to loosen and flush EC from the vasculature. Hoof keratinocytes were obtained from 4 recently euthanatized horses by use of d...
Waller AP, Lindinger MI.Oral electrolyte supplementation may influence acid-base state during exercise due to the intestinal absorption of administered water and electrolytes used to mitigating sweat losses. This study examined the effect of pre-exercise electrolyte supplementation (3 and 8 L) on plasma acid-base variables at rest, during moderate intensity exercise and during recovery. It was hypothesized that electrolyte supplementation will result in improved acid-base state compared to the alkalosis typical of prolonged exercise. In randomized crossover fashion, four horses were administered 3 L or 8 L of a hypot...
Begg LM, Hughes KJ, Kessell A, Krockenberger MB, Wigney DI, Malik R.A 20-year-old Welsh Mountain Pony (212 kg) mare was initially presented for a chronic cough, fever, weight loss and low grade abdominal pain. She later developed dyspnoea, tachypnoea and exercise intolerance. The presence of multiple masses (up to 17 cm diameter) in the pulmonary parenchyma was established using lateral thoracic radiography and transthoracic ultrasonography. Encapsulated, budding yeasts were observed in smears made from transtracheal washings and needle aspirates of the pulmonary lesions. Cryptococcus gattii (synonym: Cryptococcus neoformans variety gattii; Cryptococcus bacill...
Kemper AM, Drnevich J, McCue ME, McCoy AM.Skeletogenesis is complex and incompletely understood. Derangement of this process likely underlies developmental skeletal pathologies. Examination of tissue-specific gene expression may help elucidate novel skeletal developmental pathways that could contribute to disease risk. Our aim was to identify and functionally annotate differentially expressed genes in equine neonatal and adult articular cartilage (AC) and subchondral bone (SCB). RNA was sequenced from healthy AC and SCB from the fetlock, hock, and stifle joints of 6 foals (≤4 weeks of age) and six adults (8-12 years of age). There w...
Zicker SC, Spensley MS, Rogers QR, Willits NH.Concentrations of amino acids in the plasma of 13 neonatal foals with septicemia were compared with the concentrations of amino acids in the plasma of 13 age-matched neonatal foals without septicemia. Analysis of the results revealed significantly lower concentrations of arginine, citrulline, isoleucine, proline, threonine, and valine in the plasma of foals with septicemia. The ratio of the plasma concentrations of the branched chain amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) to the aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine and tyrosine), was also significantly lower in the foals with septicemia....
Bonagura JD.Equine heart diseases can be categorized with morphologic, etiologic, and physiologic diagnoses and classified anatomically as diseases of the pericardium, myocardium, valves (endocardium), and great vessels. An appreciation of normal and pathologic physiology is a key to understanding diagnosis and therapy of heart disease. Pathophysiologic diagnoses include arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension. Heart rhythm disturbances can occur in isolation or with structural disease. Heart failure stems from arterial filling owing to insufficient cardiac output. Pulmonary hype...
