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.
Fuchs B, Bondzio A, Wagner U, Schiller J.Alterations of the phospholipid (PL) compositions of body fluids are assumed to be indicative of inflammatory diseases, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, we have shown that particularly the phosphatidylcholine/lysophosphatidylcholine (PC/LPC) ratio determined in human synovial fluids (SF) and sera represents a reliable measure of the inflammatory state in RA patients. However, it is not yet clear to what extent the PC/LPC ratio is also affected by nutrition habits. In the present study, the PL and the corresponding acyl chain compositions of human body fluids (SF and serum of RA patien...
Varner DD.The conventional approach to evaluation of stallion semen dates back several decades, and includes evaluation of spermatozoal concentration, semen volume, spermatozoon morphological characteristics, and spermatozoal motility patterns initially and following in-vitro storage. While an analysis performed in this manner does have predictive value, incorporation of some more newly developed techniques may improve the predictive value of the examination. This communication addresses some newer tests that can be applied today for evaluation of semen, as well some tests that may be available in the c...
Archer DC, Pinchbeck GL, French NP, Proudman CJ.Epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) is a common cause of small intestinal strangulation in the horse and its epidemiology requires further investigation. Objective: To identify horse- and management-level risk factors for EFE and to explore reasons for the apparent seasonality of this condition. Objective: Horses exhibiting certain behaviours and those exposed to particular management practices that vary seasonally are at increased risk of EFE. Methods: A prospective unmatched, multicentre case-control study was conducted over 24 months in the UK. Data on 77 cases and 216 control horses were obt...
van den Top JG, de Heer N, Klein WR, Ensink JM.The most common penile and preputial neoplasm in the horse is the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), but no large surveys of treatment and effects of the grade of the tumour, based on the degree of differentiation, on outcome of affected horses are available. Objective: Analysis of treatment of male horses affected with SCC of the external genitalia and long-term results of treatment. Methods: Seventy-seven cases of SCC were evaluated. Data recorded included treatment, outcome, post operative histopathology and retrospective tumour grading. Results: Treatments included: cryosurgery, excision, part...
Grosche A, Morton AJ, Polyak MM, Matyjaszek S, Freeman DE.The cytosolic protein complex, calprotectin, is abundant in neutrophils and could be used to improve the ability to localise and assess neutrophil infiltration in the equine intestine during ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R), but further study is required. Objective: To assess the number of calprotectin-containing cells by immunohistochemistry in correlation with direct counting and scoring of neutrophils in the equine colon during I/R. Methods: One and 2 h ischaemia of the left dorsal colon were induced, followed by 30 min reperfusion under general anaesthesia or by 18 h reperfusion after anaes...
Thomason JJ, Faramarzi B, Revill A, Sears W.Differences in hoof morphology have largely been underappreciated in the literature until recently, and it is these that hold the key to interpreting functional adaptation in the hoof. Objective: Primary laminar morphology correlates with hoof capsule shape; and breeds with different hoof shapes and loadings show different patterns of correlation. Methods: Seventeen measurements of capsule shape and 3 of primary epidermal laminae (PEL) morphology (spacing, orientation and curvature) were made on right and left front hooves from 27 Standardbred and 25 Thoroughbred horses, and tested for breed d...
Macpherson ML, Bailey CS.Placental infections in the mare are a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The following article will review techniques for identifying placental infections, approaches for treating placentitis, and methods for managing these mares after foaling.
Anlén KG.The effects on seven horses of bites by the European adder (Vipera berus) are described and compared with previously available information. The clinical signs varied from local swelling and mild systemic signs to severe systemic signs, including systemic inflammatory response, severe tissue necrosis, ventricular tachycardia and dysphagia. Two of the horses were treated with 'Zagreb' antiserum, and three that were not treated with antiserum were euthanased owing to complications related to the bites.
Williams KJ, Derksen FJ, de Feijter-Rupp H, Pannirselvam RR, Steel CM, Robinson NE.Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is common in horses following intense exertion, occurring in up to 75% of racing Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds. In spite of this, the pathogenesis of EIPH is poorly understood. In 7 racing Thoroughbred horses with EIPH, 6 sections were collected from the left and right lung, representing the cranial, middle, and caudal region of the dorsal and ventral lung (84 sites total). Grossly, both right and left lungs had numerous dark brown to blue-black foci along the caudodorsal visceral pleura. Tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Masson...
Mäkinen PE, Archer DC, Baptiste KE, Malbon A, Proudman CJ, Kipar A.Idiopathic focal eosinophilic enteritis (IFEE) and diffuse eosinophilic enteritis (DEE) are primary eosinophilic intestinal conditions without a known cause that are associated with an increasing number of surgical colic cases. Histology may be helpful in defining disease aetiology and pathogenesis. Objective: To characterise further the inflammatory infiltrate in equine IFEE and to compare the condition with DEE. Methods: Twenty-three IFEE cases and 5 DEE cases were examined by light microscopy including immunohistology to identify infiltrating leucocytes. Inflammatory infiltrates in mucosa a...
Hudson NP, Merritt AM.Equine gastrointestinal motility is a central issue in cases of equine colic, post operative convalescence and alimentary conditions encountered in practice. There are significant syndromes of intestinal dysmotility in the horse such as obstructive disorders and post operative ileus that are still poorly understood. This review describes the various areas of research that aim to elucidate the pathogenesis of intestinal hypo- or hypermotility by research methods, which include studies at the cellular level, and those that employ in vitro or in vivo techniques of evaluating the physiology and me...
Germann SE, Matheis FL, Rampazzo A, Burger D, Roos M, Spiess BM.Only few drugs with limited efficacy are available for topical treatment of equine glaucoma. Objective: To evaluate the effect of topical administration of 1% brinzolamide on intraocular pressure (IOP) in clinically normal horses. Methods: Healthy mature horses (n = 20) with normal ocular findings, were studied. The IOP was measured 5 times daily (07.00, 11.00, 15.00, 19.00 and 23.00 h) over 10 days. On Days 1 and 2, baseline values were established. On Days 3-5 one eye of each horse was treated with one drop of 1% brinzolamide every 24 h immediately following the 07.00 h measurement. On Days ...
Cheetham J, Witte TH, Rawlinson JJ, Soderholm LV, Mohammed HO, Ducharme NG.The success of laryngoplasty is limited by abduction loss in the early post operative period. Objective: To determine the efficacy of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in stabilising the cricoarytenoid joint (CAJ) and reducing the force on the laryngoplasty suture. Objective: Injection into the cricoarytenoid joint resists the forces produced by physiological laryngeal air flows and pressures thereby reducing the force experienced by the laryngoplasty suture. Methods: Ten cadaver larynges were collected at necropsy and PMMA was injected into one CAJ at selected random. Each larynx was subjected to...
Cappelli K, Felicetti M, Capomaccio S, Spinsanti G, Silvestrelli M, Supplizi AV.Adequate stress response is a critical factor during athlete horses' training and is central to our capacity to obtain better performances while safeguarding animal welfare. In order to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this process, several studies have been conducted that take advantage of microarray and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technologies to analyse the expression of candidate genes involved in the cellular stress response. Appropriate application of qRT-PCR, however, requires the use of reference genes whose level of expression is not affected by the test, by ge...
Ueti MW, Palmer GH, Scoles GA, Kappmeyer LS, Knowles DP.Tick-borne pathogens may be transmitted intrastadially and transstadially within a single vector generation as well as vertically between generations. Understanding the mode and relative efficiency of this transmission is required for infection control. In this study, we established that adult male Rhipicephalus microplus ticks efficiently acquire the protozoal pathogen Babesia equi during acute and persistent infections and transmit it intrastadially to naïve horses. Although the level of parasitemia during acquisition feeding affected the efficiency of the initial tick infection, infected t...
Hillyer MH, Smith MR, Milligan PJ.Ileus (functional obstruction of aboral gastrointestinal transit) is an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal dysfunction and colic in the horse. A number of specific conditions have been previously reported in association with ileus. This report describes the recognition of primary gastric and small intestinal ileus of undetermined cause in a series of post parturient mares. Objective: To describe the clinical features, treatment and outcome of a series of episodes of primary gastric and small intestinal ileus. Methods: A retrospective study was performed of colic episodes seen in an equine prac...
Durham AE, Rendle DI, Newton JE.Laminitis in equids is a very common debilitating disease, and insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinaemia are increasingly recognised as important predisposing factors. Pharmacological modification of IR and hyperinsulinaemia might reduce the risk of laminitis. Objective: Metformin, a drug commonly prescribed for treatment of human IR, may also decrease IR in equids. Methods: Eighteen horses and ponies with IR and recurrent laminitis were treated with 15 mg/kg bwt metformin per os q. 12 h. Each animal served as its own control by comparing pre- and post treatment proxies for IR, insulin sen...
Butters A.A 4-day-old, male, American paint foal was presented for abdominal distention, respiratory distress, and diarrhea. Bladder rupture and uroperitoneum were diagnosed following abdominal ultrasonography and abdominocentesis. The defect in the dorsocranial part of the bladder wall was surgically repaired. Un poulain American Paint mâle âgé de quatre jours est présenté pour ballonnement abdominal, détresse respiratoire et diarrhée. Une rupture de la vessie et un uropéritoine sont diagnostiqués après une échographie et une paracentèse abdominale. Le défaut dans la partie dorso-crânial...
Rötting AK, Freeman DE, Constable PD, Moore RM, Eurell JC, Wallig MA, Hubert JD.Eosinophilic granulocytes have been associated with parasite or immune-mediated diseases, but their functions in other disease processes remain unclear. Cause and timing of eosinophil migration into the equine gastrointestinal mucosa are also unknown. Objective: To determine the effects of intestinal parasitism on eosinophils in equine large intestinal mucosa. Methods: Large intestinal mucosal samples were collected from horses and ponies (n = 16) from the general veterinary hospital population, ponies (n = 3) raised in a parasite-free environment, ponies experimentally infected with 500 infec...
Norman TE, Chaffin MK, Perris EE, Edwards JF, David JB, Cohen ND, Reuss S.This report involves 6 cases in which medical records and post mortem findings were reviewed leading to the diagnosis of massive pulmonary thromboembolism (MPTE). All horses were mature and MPTE has not been recognised previously as a sequel to generalised systemic illness in mature horses. The clinical data and pathological findings of the cases are reported and the authors conclude that MPTE is an uncommon but important complication of medical and surgical disorders in mature horses. In 3 of the cases, the condition was nonfatal suggesting that some horses having developed PTE survive and th...
Neuhauser S, Palm F, Ambuehl F, Aurich C.In this study, effects of altrenogest treatment (0.088 mg/kg daily) given to mares during late gestation until parturition on the time and the process of foaling, neonatal adaptation and postnatal development were analysed. The number of animals was 6 in the treatment group and 7 in the control group. Gestational length tended to be shorter in mares given altrenogest. Birth weight of the foals and weight of the placenta did not differ between groups. The second stage of parturition was prolonged in the altrenogest-treated mares (p<0.05). Foals born to altrenogest-treated mares had a significan...
Stull CL, Morrow J, Aldridge BA, Stott JL, McGlone JJ.Thirty-eight mature horses were assigned to one of two equal groups to evaluate two treatments consisting of either 24 hours of continuous road transport (24T) or two 12-hour periods of transport separated by off-loading, resting and feeding the horses for 12 hours (12/12T). A subset of six horses from each group served as controls for the other group. The horses were loaded into a commercial straight-deck trailer and travelled loose in one of two standard-sized compartments. After the journeys the horses were put back into their paddocks for a 24-hour recovery period. Venous blood samples wer...
Waselau M, Sutter WW, Genovese RL, Bertone AL.To determine outcome of Standardbred racehorses with moderate to severe midbody suspensory ligament desmitis (MSD) treated by means of ultrasound-guided intralesional injection of a single dose of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) followed by a program of gradually increased exercise. Methods: Nonrandomized clinical trial. Methods: 9 Standardbred racehorses. Methods: Following injection of PRP, horses were allowed a controlled, gradual return to exercise. Race records for the year prior to injury and for 3 consecutive years after horses returned to racing were reviewed. For comparison purposes, race ...
Haga HA, Ytrehus B, Rudshaug IJ, Ottesen N.Neoplasia may cause hypoglycemia in different species including the horse, but hypoglycemia has not previously been reported in the horse associated with gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Methods: A case of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour in a Fjord pony with severe recurrent hypoglycemia is presented. The mechanism causing the hypoglycemia was not established. Conclusions: This case indicates that a gastrointestinal stromal tumour may cause hypoglycemia also in the horse.
Han X, Quan Y, Gao X, Xiang W, Zhou J.To elucidate the role of N-glycosylation in fetal donkey dermal cell (FDD)-attenuated equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), we constructed an N-glycosylation reverse-mutation molecular clone, pLGN191N236N246. This viral molecular clone was derived from the infectious clone pLGFD3-8 by site-directed mutagenesis. This clone was used to transfect fetal donkey dermal (FDD) cells. Infectious characteristics of transfectants were monitored by RT-PCR, indirect immune fluorescence and reverse transcriptase activity assay. After three passages in FDD cells, viral replications in the supernatant of cel...
Fayt J, Dotreppe O, Hornick JL, Istasse L.Spelt is a covered cereal with large glumellas. In experiment 1, it has been compared in terms of chemical composition with barley, oat and maize. Spelt is characterized by rather low protein and ether extract (EE) contents. The neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content of spelt was slightly higher than that of oat but the acid detergent fibre (ADF) content was lower. Two compound feedstuffs were fed along with hay to six horses used in a cross-over design. Both diets were well appreciated by the horses and there were no significant differences in the apparent digestibility coefficients, except fo...
Olstad K, Cnudde V, Masschaele B, Thomassen R, Dolvik NI.Osteochondrosis (OC) is an important developmental orthopedic disease of human and equine patients. The disease is defined as a focal disturbance in enchondral ossification. In horses, the disturbance can occur secondary to failure of the blood supply to growth cartilage. Diagnosis of the early, subclinical stages that can clarify the etiology is currently confined to cross-sectional histological examination. The potential for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) with angiography to detect early lesions of OC has not yet been investigated. Methods: Nine Standardbred foals bred from parents wit...
Tang PW, Crone DL.A new method for hydrolyzing steroid conjugates (both sulfates and glucuronides conjugates) that is efficient, effective, and inexpensive is described. This method comprises incubation of the conjugates--after salting-out into ethyl acetate or elution from a C18 cartridge--with anhydrous methanolic hydrogen chloride (methanolysis) for 10 min. It has been successfully applied to our routine radioimmunoassay screening and GC/MS confirmation studies of steroids in prerace and postrace equine urine samples. Comparative GC/MS studies on entire (male horse) urine samples showed that methanolysis gav...
Small AC, Kelly WR, Seawright AA, Mattocks AR, Jukes R.A foal, small and jaundiced from birth, succumbed after two months to chronic hepatic damage which was characterised by fibrosis, biliary ductular hyperplasia and the presence of pleomorphic hepatocytes containing either a single large nucleus or multiple nuclei. The fixed liver contained sulfur-bound pyrroles, which are derived from pyrrolizidine alkaloids. During pregnancy the pasture was heavily infested with the pyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing plant, Senecio madagascariensis. The hepatic disease affecting the foal appears to have been initiated by consumption of the alkaloids by the mare...
Mitchell G, Liu IK, Perryman LE, Stabenfeldt GH, Hughes JP.Immunoglobulin concentrations were compared in serum and in saline uterine washings from 10 normal mares and 7 subfertile mares with chronic endometrial pathology. Samples were collected in dioestrus and in oestrus. For each immunoglobulin class (IgA, IgG, IgG(T), IgM) the results were expressed as a percentage of total immunoglobulin present in uterine washings or serum. Comparison was also made between changes in immunoglobulin concentrations between dioestrous and oestrous uterine samples, and uterine immunoglobulin concentrations between groups of mares. There was significantly more IgA in...
Diego R, Douet C, Reigner F, Blard T, Cognié J, Deleuze S, Goudet G.Transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular punctures are widely used in the mare for diagnosis, research, and commercial applications. The objective of our study was to determine their influence on pain, stress, and well-being in the mare, by evaluating heart rate, breath rate, facial expression changes, and salivary cortisol before, during, and after puncture. For this experiment, 21 pony mares were used. Transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspirations were performed on 11 mares. After injections for sedation, analgesia, and antispasmodia, the follicles from both ovaries were aspirated with a needl...
Weinert-Nelson JR, Meyer WA, Williams CA.Integration of warm-season grasses into traditional cool-season pastures can increase summer forage for grazing cattle. The aim of this study was to determine impacts of this practice on yield and nutrient composition of equine rotational pasture systems as well as horse body condition. Two 1.5 ha rotational systems (6 to 0.25 ha sections/system) were evaluated: a control system (CON) (all sections mixed cool-season grass [CSG-CON]) and an integrated rotational grazing system (IRS) (three CSG sections [CSG-IRS] and three Quick-N-Big crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.; CRB-IRS]). Three...
Padoan E, Ferraresso S, Pegolo S, Barnini C, Castagnaro M, Bargelloni L.Mild equine asthma (MEA) and severe equine asthma (SEA) are two of the most frequent equine airway inflammatory diseases, but knowledge about their pathogenesis is limited. The goal of this study was to investigate gene expression differences in the respiratory tract of MEA- and SEA-affected horses and their relationship with clinical signs. Methods: Clinical examination and endoscopy were performed in 8 SEA- and 10 MEA-affected horses and 7 healthy controls. Cytological and microbiological analyses of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were performed. Gene expression profiling of BAL fluid wa...
Abraham G, Kottke C, Ammer H, Dhein S, Ungemach FR.Muscarinic receptors are considered to be of comparable clinical importance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in equines and in humans. At present, data are scarce on the expression and distribution of probable subtypes of these receptors and their signalling pathways in airway segments, including lung parenchyma and bronchial and tracheal epithelium with the underlying smooth muscle in horses. Specific [N-methyl-3H]scopolamine chloride ([3H]NMS) binding to all three tissues was saturable and of high affinity, with KD values ranging between 1.6+/-0.7 and 1.9+/-0.3 nmol/L. [3H]NMS...
McKenzie DM, Diffay BC.Cryptosporidial oocyst shedding was detected in a 2.5-year-old Quarterhorse stallion with diarrhoea. Based on the detection of cryptosporidial oocysts, and the absence of other aetiological agents or enteropathogens, cryptosporidiosis was presumptively diagnosed. This case was unusual because cryptosporidial oocyst shedding is primarily found in some immunocompromised or immature horses, and has not been reported in healthy mature horses.
Jöchle W, Irvine CH, Alexander SL, Newby TJ.Nine mares received cannulae to collect blood from the pituitary venous outflow in the intercavernous sinus (ICS) and the jugular vein; in 4 mares, only jugular cannulae were used. Those 4 mares and 3 of the mares with cannulae in both positions received 7.5 mg luprostiol i.m. and 1 mare with both cannulae was treated with 3.75 mg uprostiol i.v. Blood samples were kept before and after treatment at 2-, 5- or 10-min intervals and concentrations of LH, FSH and GnRH were determined by RIA. Treatments resulted in an immediate sharp rise of LH and FSH in ICS and jugular blood samples within 2-10 mi...
Kruse CJ, Stern D, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Niesten A, Art T, Lemieux H, Votion DM.Equine atypical myopathy is a seasonal intoxication of grazing equids. In Europe, this poisoning is associated with the ingestion of toxins contained in the seeds and seedlings of the sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus). The toxins involved in atypical myopathy are known to inhibit ß-oxidation of fatty acids and induce a general decrease in mitochondrial respiration, as determined by high-resolution respirometry applied to muscle samples taken from cases of atypical myopathy. The severe impairment of mitochondrial bioenergetics induced by the toxins may explain the high rate of mortality obs...
Lepczyński A, Ożgo M, Dratwa-Chałupnik A, Robak P, Pyć A, Zaborski D, Herosimczyk A.The main objectives of the study were to: (1) deeply analyse the serum protein composition of Equus caballus, (2) assess the effectiveness of the high-abundant protein depletion and improve the concentration of medium- and low-abundant proteins. The analysis were performed on the blood plasma of three healthy part-Arabian mares. The implementation of two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation - time of flight mass spectrometry allowed us to establish a horse plasma proteome map. Serum proteins were resolved at pH 4 to 7, followed by 12% SDS-PAGE. As a resul...
Shawaf T, Al Mubarak A, Eidi H, El-Bahr SM.Influence of heat or cold stress in sedated animals is unclear and requires further investigations. The present study aimed to evaluate the season's effects on some clinical, hematological parameters and blood cortisol level in sedated Arabian horses with xylazine. Therefore, seven Arabian horses were used to investigate heart and respiratory rates, and capillary refill time and serum cortisol level were recorded before (0) and at 5, 15, 60, and 180 minutes postsedation. Heparinized venous samples were collected before (0) and 3 hours postsedation for analysis of hematological analysis. Arte...
Neamat-Allah AN, Damaty HM.Respiratory tract infections are considered the major problem of equine worldwide. Strangles is an infectious and highly contagious respiratory bacterial disease of equine caused by Streptococcus equi. This study is aimed to evaluate some clinical and epidemiological investigation associated with strangles and to study the hematological and biochemical changes in 20 Arabian horse naturally infected with S. equi during the disease and after 10 days from treatment by procaine penicillin with benzathine penicillin. Methods: A total of 490 Arabian horses have been examined, 120 (24.5%) have been c...
Imel KJ, Squires EL, Elsden RP, Shideler RK.Embryos were recovered in 39 of 47 attempts (83%) during 1979 and in 75 of 104 attempts (72%) during 1980. The mean diameters of day 8 and 9 blastocysts were 1.00 and 2.13 mm, respectively. The injection of prostaglandin F2 alpha or prostalene on day 8 or 9 after ovulation resulted in a mean interval between embryo recovery attempts of 17.7 +/- 0.3 days. Number of embryos recovered within mares did not vary significantly with repeated attempts. Following surgical transfer, 8 of 15 recipients (53%) were pregnant at 50 days after ovulation, whereas only 4 of 15 recipients (27%) were pregnant at ...
Trachsel DS, Grenacher B, Weishaupt MA, Schwarzwald CC.Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a cardiovascular biomarker that might be useful in assessing the severity of cardiac disease in horses. Plasma ANP concentrations (Cp(ANP)) were compared between horses with heart disease but normal chamber size and function (Group A; n=6), horses with heart disease associated with left atrial (LA) enlargement, LA dysfunction, and/or left ventricular (LV) enlargement (Group B; n=5), and horses with no clinically apparent cardiovascular disease (Group C; n=13). The median (min-max) for Cp(ANP) was significantly higher in Group B (53.5 (36.0-70.7) pg/mL), comp...
Thompson DL, DePew CL.This experiment was designed to determine 1) the efficacy of daily s.c. injections of a dopamine antagonist, sulpiride, for increasing prolactin secretion in geldings in winter and 2) whether increasing prolactin concentrations would hasten the onset of hair shedding or enhance gonadotropin secretion. Five geldings each received vehicle (vegetable oil) or sulpiride (100 mg in vehicle) daily from February 8 through March 29. On February 8 and every 7 d thereafter through March 29, blood samples were drawn around treatment injections and hair samples were collected. On March 30, all geldings rec...
Hobbs SJ, Clayton HM.One of the goals of the neuromotor control system is to minimize the cost of locomotion by reducing mechanical energy losses. Collisional mechanics, which studies the redirection of the downwards motion of the center of mass (COM) by ground reaction forces (GRF) generated by the limbs, represents an important source of energy loss. The primary objective of this study was to compare collisional mechanics and the associated mechanical energy losses in horses performing diagonally-synchronized gaits over a range of speeds. It is to be expected that collisional energy losses will be high when the ...
Tyner GA, Nolen-Walston RD, Hall T, Palmero JP, Couëtil L, Javsicas L, Stack A, Schott H, Johnson A, Hardefeldt L, Gruntman A, Sommardahl C....Renal biopsies are uncommonly performed in horses and little is known about their diagnostic utility and associated complication rate. Objective: To describe the techniques, the complication rate, risk factors, and histopathology results; as well as evaluate the safety and diagnostic utility of renal biopsy in the horse. Methods: One hundred and forty-six horses from which 151 renal biopsies were obtained. Animals ranged in age from 48 hours to 30 years. Methods: Multicenter retrospective study, with participation of 14 institutions (1983-2009). Results: Renal biopsy in horses was associated w...
Ragno VM, Klein CD, Sereda NS, Uehlinger FD, Zello GA, Robinson KA, Montgomery JB.In human metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes, methylglyoxal (MG), D-lactate, and several cytokines have been recognized as biomarkers of important metabolic and inflammatory processes. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) shares many similarities with these human counterparts. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to compare body condition score (BCS), cresty neck score (CNS), resting insulin, MG, D-lactate, L-lactate, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) between horses with and without insulin dysregulation, as clas...
Burd MA, Craig JJ, Craig MF.Digital radiographs are often used to subjectively assess the equine digit. Recently, quantitative and objective radiographic measurements have been reported that give new insight into the form and function of the equine digit. We investigated a radio-dense curvilinear profile along the distal phalanx on lateral radiographs we term the Palmar Curve (PC) that we believe provides a measurement of the concavity of the distal phalanx of the horse. A second quantitative measurement, the Palmar Metric (PM) was defined as the percent area under the PC. We correlated the PM and age from 544 radiograph...
Giguère S, Sanchez LC, Shih A.To (1) assess the agreement between calculated values for arterial hemoglobin saturation of oxygen (SaO2 ) and values obtained by co-oximetry, (2) assess the accuracy of 2 pulse oximetry monitors for measurement of SaO2 in foals, and for each monitor, and (3) determine the optimal combination of sensor type and site of sensor placement for SaO2 monitoring. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: University teaching hospital. Methods: Six neonatal foals. Methods: Foals were anesthetized with isoflurane and SaO2 was manipulated by varying the inspired fraction of oxygen. SaO2 was calcu...
van den Wollenberg L, Butler CM, Houwers DJ, de Grootv MW, Panhuijzen H, van Maanen C, van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) is an emerging infectious enteric disease caused by the obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium Lawsonia intracellularis. EPE was tentatively diagnosed in six weanling foals, aged between 5 and 7 months. Clinical signs included depression, anorexia, ventral oedema, and weight loss. Plasma biochemistry consistently revealed severe hypoproteinaemia. The ante-mortem diagnosis of EPE was based on clinical signs, hypoproteinaemia (6/6), the detection of moderate-to-high titres of L. intracellularis antibody (6/6), and severe thickening of the small inte...
Pascoe RR.Twelve medicaments were tested for their efficacy in the treatment of Trichophyton equinum var. autotrophicum; povidone iodine, thiabendazole ointment, captan ointment and Burroughs Wellcome Ringworm Ointment gave satisfactory results but their usefulness may be limited for treatment of large numbers of horses. Aqueous washes containing 0.5% hexetidine or 0.3% chloramine-T did not prevent fungi being isolated from lesions for up to 7 days after treatment. Similarly neither etisazole nor thiabendazole suspension prevented fungi from being isolated from lesions for up to 15 days after treatment....
Szeredi L, Hornyák A, Pálfi V, Molnár T, Glávits R, Dénes B.The occurrence of equine arteritis virus (EAV) induced equine abortions was studied with different laboratory methods during a 3-year period. Tissue samples from 96 aborted equine foetuses or newborn foals were collected from 57 farms located in different parts of Hungary. Virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry and serology were used for the detection of EAV infection. The overall seroprevalence of EAV infection in mares was 65%. EAV induced abortion was diagnosed in eight (8.3%) cases from six (10.5%) herds. Abortion was sporadic in all herds except for one, wh...
Gerber JD, Marron AE, Bass EP, Beckenhauer WH.The cell-mediated immune response and antibody response of horses of varying ages and of pregnant horses to equine herpesvirus 1 antigen were examined. Six to eight month old horses showed either no increase or slight increases in anti-equine herpesvirus 1 serum neutralizing antibody following vaccination and revaccination with a modified live equine herpesvirus 1 vaccine. However, these same horses showed a marked increase in the cell-mediated immune response to equine herpesvirus 1 as measured by the lymphocyte transformation test. Eighteen to 21 month old horses showed four to 64-fold incre...
Butler AJ, Greenbank H, Parrish R, Nielsen MK, Stoughton WB.Cyathostomins are the most common parasites of adult horses worldwide. Currently, the three classes of anthelmintics used to treat cyathostomin infections includes benzimidazoles, pyrimidines and macrocyclic lactones. However, due to widespread overuse, cyathostomins have developed varying degrees of resistance to all classes of anthelmintics. Fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) are currently used to determine the presence of anthelmintic resistance (AR), while egg reappearance periods (ERP) are used to investigate early macrocyclic lactone resistance. The objective of this study was to in...
