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.
Rüegg SR, Torgerson P, Deplazes P, Mathis A.Epidemiological factors of tick-borne equine piroplasmoses, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, were investigated using logistic regression (GLM) and general additive models (GAM) based on the prevalences determined in 510 domestic horses and in ticks in S.W. Mongolia by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and/or multiplex PCR. Prevalences of T. equi and B. caballi in horses were 66.5% (95% CI: 62.1-70.7) and 19.1% (15.6-22.9), respectively by PCR and 78.8% (74.9-82.3) and 65.7% (61.3-69.9) by IFAT. Of 166 ticks analysed from PCR- and IFAT-negative horses 1 was PCR posit...
Davidson EJ, Martin BB, Parente EJ.3 racehorses were evaluated because of poor performance or abnormal noise originating from the upper portion of the respiratory tract. Results: During maximal exercise, initial dynamic videoendoscopy of the upper respiratory tract revealed complete arytenoid cartilage abduction in 2 horses and incomplete but adequate abduction of the left arytenoid cartilage in 1 horse. Subsequent exercising endoscopic evaluation revealed severe dynamic collapse of the left arytenoid cartilage and vocal fold in all 3 horses. Results: 2 horses were treated with prosthetic left laryngoplasty and raced successful...
Li H, Zou X, Springer M, Briest A, Lind M, Bünger C.Randomized and self-controlled study with anterior lumbar interbody fusion in a porcine model. Objective: To determine the osteoinductive potential of an equine bone protein extract in anterior interbody spinal fusion. Background: Interbody spinal fusion with bone graft transplantation is a common spine procedure. Complications related to bone graft harvesting are still a major concern. Equine demineralized bone matrix has been reported to be osteoinductive. However, the application of equine bone protein extract in spine fusion has not been documented. In this experiment, we evaluated equine ...
Arar S, Chan KH, Quinn BA, Waelchli RO, Hayes MA, Betteridge KJ, Monteiro MA.During the second and third weeks of pregnancy, the equine conceptus expands rapidly while it is enclosed within a glycan capsule. Around day 16 of gestation, the conceptus loses its mobility in the uterus by a process termed 'fixation', coinciding with various changes in the capsule. Here, we compared the structure of the carbohydrate moieties expressed by the capsule during pre- and post-fixation periods. The glycan structures were studied by chemical analyses in combination with mass spectrometry. Capsule material from conceptuses collected before fixation (days 13-16) was observed to carry...
Dynon K, Black WD, Ficorilli N, Hartley CA, Studdert MJ.To examine the association of viruses with acute febrile respiratory disease in horses. Design Nasal swab and serum samples were collected from 20 horses with acute febrile upper respiratory disease that was clinically assessed to have a viral origin. Methods: Each of the samples was inoculated onto equine fetal kidney, RK13 and Vero cell cultures, and viral nucleic acid was extracted for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or reverse transcription PCR. PCR primers were designed to amplify nucleic acid from viruses known to cause or be associated with acute febrile respiratory disease in horses in...
Lenard ZM, Lester NV, O'hara AJ, Hopper BJ, Lester GD.A 4-year-old Arab mare was diagnosed with disseminated cryptococcosis, including osteomyelitis of the proximal phalanx of the left hind limb, osteomyelitis with associated soft tissue granuloma of a rib and disseminated, large cryptococcal nodules in the lungs. The lesion in the dorsoproximal aspect of the proximal phalanx had a large area of cortical lysis with spiculated periosteal new bone and extensive soft tissue swelling. The affected rib had a pathological fracture. Cryptococcal osteomyelitis has not been previously reported in horses but should be considered as a differential diagnosis...
Elhay M, Newbold A, Britton A, Turley P, Dowsett K, Walker J.To examine the immunogenicity of an equine immunocontraceptive vaccine and its efficacy in controlling hormone-related behaviour. Methods: A total of 24 mares at two sites in Australia were vaccinated with an immunocontraceptive vaccine comprising gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) conjugated to a carrier protein in immunostimulating complex as an adjuvant. Twelve animals at each site received a placebo of adjuvant alone and served as controls for seasonal oestrus, hormonal and behaviour patterns. Animals were observed for injection site reactions, ovarian and follicular activity, and seru...
Milner PI, Wilkins RJ, Gibson JS.To examine the effect of O(2) and the role, and source, of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on pH regulation in articular chondrocytes. Methods: Cartilage from equine metacarpo/tarsophalangeal joints was digested (collagenase) to isolate chondrocytes and loaded with 2',7'-bis-2-(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxylfluorescein, a pH-sensitive fluorophore. O(2) tension was maintained using Eschweiler tonometers and a Wosthoff gas mixer. Cells were exposed to agents which alter ROS levels, mitochondrial inhibitors and/or inhibitors of protein phosphorylation. ROS levels were determined by dichlorofluorescein...
Jacks S, Giguère S, Prescott JF.Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes pneumonia in foals but does not induce disease in adult horses. Virulence of R. equi depends on the presence of a large plasmid, which encodes a family of seven virulence-associated proteins (VapA and VapC to VapH). Eradication of R. equi from the lungs depends on gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production by T lymphocytes. The objectives of the present study were to determine the relative in vivo expression of the vap genes of R. equi in the lungs of infected foals, to determine the recall response of bronchial lymph node (BLN)...
Satou K, Nishiura H.To evaluate the partial effects of vaccination against equine Japanese encephalitis (JE) and characterize other prognostic factors based on previous outbreak records in Japan from 1953 to 1960. Methods: Individual case records, which included demographic information, vaccination history, and clinical information (dates of onset, recovery and death, and symptoms), were investigated. The relations between two outcomes, JE death and symptomatic period, and other variables were examined. Results: Of a total reported 803 cases during the observation period, 453 (56.5%) were diagnosed with either se...
Green RD, Qureshi MA, Long JA, Burfening PJ, Hamernik DL.Agricultural animal research has been immensely successful over the past century in developing technology and methodologies that have dramatically enhanced production efficiency of the beef, dairy, swine, poultry, sheep, and aquaculture industries. In the past two decades, molecular biology has changed the face of agricultural animal research, primarily in the arena of genomics and the relatively new offshoot areas of functional genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and metagenomics. Publication of genetic and physical genome maps in the past 15 years has given rise to the possib...
Vo AT, van Duijkeren E, Fluit AC, Gaastra W.To investigate the genotypic resistance of integron-carrying Salmonella Typhimurium isolates from horses and their genetic relationship. Methods: Sixty-one Salmonella isolates were screened for the presence of class 1 integrons by PCR. The gene cassettes of integron-positive isolates were detected by PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism typing, and sequencing. The potential for the transfer of resistance determinants was investigated by conjugation experiments. The presence of Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1) or its variants was studied by PCR and nucleotide sequencing. PFGE was use...
Carmalt JL, Carmalt KP, Barber SM.The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of routine dental occlusal equilibration treatment on dressage horse performance. Sixteen horses (11 treated; 5 untreated) ridden by a single rider performed a standardized dressage test twice and were scored by two experienced dressage judges according to recognized movements and rider cues. All horses were sedated and a full-mouth speculum was used to facilitate a complete oral examination. Treated horses had dental equilibration performed using a motorized dental instrument. The horses performed a second test 48-hours after dental eq...
Rousseau K, Kirkham S, McKane S, Newton R, Clegg P, Thornton DJ.Horses frequently suffer from respiratory diseases, which, irrespective of etiology, are often associated with airway mucus accumulation. Studies on human airways have shown that the key structural components of the mucus layer are oligomeric mucins, which can undergo changes of expression and properties in disease. However, there is little information on these gel-forming glycoproteins in horse airways mucus. Therefore, the aims of this study were to isolate equine airways oligomeric mucins, characterize their macromolecular properties, and identify their gene products. To this end, pooled tr...
Echeverría MG, Díaz S, Metz GE, Serena MS, Panei CJ, Nosetto E.We report the nucleotide sequence and genetic diversity of four Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) ORF 5 and 6 from Argentina isolates, obtained from asymptomatic virus-shedding stallions. Nucleic acid recovered from the isolates were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences from the Argentine isolates were compared with 17 sequences available from the GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Argentine isolates grouped together in a definite cluster near European strains. Despite the greater genetic variability among ORF 5 from different isolates and str...
Diallo IS, Hewitson G, Wright LL, Kelly MA, Rodwell BJ, Corney BG.A multiplex real-time PCR was designed to detect and differentiate equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equid herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4). The PCR targets the glycoprotein B gene of EHV-1 and EHV-4. Primers and probes were specific to each equine herpesvirus type and can be used in monoplex or multiplex PCRs, allowing the differentiation of these two closely related members of the Alphaherpesvirinae. The two probes were minor-groove binding probes (MGB) labelled with 6-carboxy-fluorescein (FAM) and VIC for detection of EHV-1 and EHV-4, respectively. Ten EHV-1 isolates, six EHV-1 positive clinical samples...
Ulivieri S, Oliveri G.Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) is a facultative, intracellular, nonmotile, non-spore-forming, gram-positive coccobacillus, primarily causes zoonotic infections that affect grazing animals, mainly horses and foals and is a rare opportunistic pathogen found in severely compromised patients, and most commonly in recent years, in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons. Early cases, most in patients receiving immunosuppressant therapy, were more likely to be successfully treated with antimicrobial agents than cases in AIDS patients, it is emerging as an important pathogen in patients with ...
Buff PR, Messer NT, Cogswell AM, Wilson DA, Johnson PJ, Keisler DH, Ganjam VK.Endocrine characteristics of Quarter Horse-type mares were determined during a 68 h feed deprivation and again in the same mares following surgical thyroidectomy (THX). A crossover experimental design was implemented, in which mares received brome hay available ad libitum (FED) or were food deprived (RES) for 68 h. Blood samples were collected every 20 min for 48 h, beginning 20 h after the onset of food deprivation. Concentrations of triiodothyronine and thyroxine were undetectable post-THX. Plasma concentrations of thyrotropin were greater post-THX versus pre-THX (P<0 x 001). Plasma conce...
Keller KM, Queiroz BD, Keller LA, Ribeiro JM, Cavaglieri LR, Pereyra ML, Dalcero AM, Rosa CA.Feed contamination can lead to nutrient losses and detrimental effects on animal health and production. The purposes of this study were to investigate the mycobiota in equine mixed feeds and to determine natural contamination with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1). Fungal enumeration of equine feed samples was done. A commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was applied to quantify AFB1 and FB1. A comparison between ELISA and HPLC was carried out. Feed mould counts ranged from <1 x 10(2) to 1 x 10(5) cfu/g. The most frequent genus isolated was Aspergillus (40.54...
Gardner IA, Wong SJ, Ferraro GL, Balasuriya UB, Hullinger PJ, Wilson WD, Shi PY, MacLachlan NJ.A prospective cohort study was used to estimate the incidence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in a group of unvaccinated horses (n = 37) in California and compare the effects of natural WNV infection in these unvaccinated horses to a group of co-mingled vaccinated horses (n = 155). Horses initially were vaccinated with either inactivated whole virus (n = 87) or canarypox recombinant (n = 68) WNV vaccines during 2003 or 2004, prior to emergence of WNV in the region. Unvaccinated horses were serologically tested for antibodies to WNV by microsphere immunoassay incorporating recombinant WNV E ...
Vos NJ, Vos A.A salivary duct fistula in a horse was repaired surgically without using a stent. Seventeen months after the operation the skin incision had healed without complications and the fistula had not recurred.
Davis MS, Williams CC, Meinkoth JH, Malayer JR, Royer CM, Williamson KK, McKenzie EC.To determine effects of exercise performed while breathing cold air on expression of cytokines and influx of neutrophils in airways of horses. Methods: 9 adult horses. Methods: In a crossover study, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained 24 and 48 hours after each of 2 submaximal exercise sessions performed by horses while breathing warm (25 degrees C) or cold (-5 degrees C) air. Total and differential nucleated cell counts were determined for each BALF sample. Relative mRNA expression of cytokines in BALF cells was quantified by use of a reverse transcription-PCR assay. Results: Hor...
Aleman M, Borchers A, Kass PH, Puchalski SM.To describe ultrasonographic landmarks for use in collection of CSF from the lumbosacral region in equids. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 37 equids (27 with neurologic disease and 10 with nonneurologic disease). Methods: Standing equids (n = 17) were sedated with detomidine hydrochloride (0.006 to 0.01 mg/kg [0.003 to 0.005 mg/lb], IV) followed by butorphanol tartrate (0.01 mg/kg, IV) and restrained with a nose twitch for collection of CSF. The CSF was collected from 20 laterally recumbent equids (10 sedated and 10 immediately after euthanasia). Anatomic landmarks were identified ultraso...
McInnis CL, Giuliano EA, Johnson PJ, Turk JR.To evaluate expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 in the cornea, eyelid, and third eyelid of healthy horses and those affected with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by use of immunohistochemical techniques. Methods: 15 horses with SCC involving ocular tissues and 5 unaffected control horses. Methods: SCC-affected tissues were obtained from the cornea (n = 5 horses), eyelid (5), and third eyelid (5). Site-matched control tissues were obtained from 5 horses unaffected with SCC. Tissue sections of affected and control cornea, eyelid, and third eyelid were stained immunohistochemically for C...
Umar MA, Yamashita K, Kushiro T, Muir WW.To evaluate the cardiovascular effects of total IV anesthesia with propofol (P-TIVA) or ketamine-medetomidine-propofol (KMP-TIVA) in horses. Methods: 5 Thoroughbreds. Methods: Horses were anesthetized twice for 4 hours, once with P-TIVA and once with KMP-TIVA. Horses were medicated with medetomidine (0.005 mg/kg, IV) and anesthetized with ketamine (2.5 mg/kg, IV) and midazolam (0.04 mg/kg, IV). After receiving a loading dose of propofol (0.5 mg/kg, IV), anesthesia was maintained with a constant rate infusion of propofol (0.22 mg/kg/min) for P-TIVA or with a constant rate infusion of propofol (...
Lores M, Stryhn H, McD￮ L, Rose P, Muirhead T.To develop a transcutaneous ultrasonography (TUS) method for measuring the location of the stomach during various levels of fluid distension and evaluate any correlation between gastric fluid distension and stomach position. Methods: 6 adult horses. Methods: Known volumes of water were administered in 2 trials. In trial 1, the stomach was evaluated prior to and after the administration of 2, 4, and 6 L of water. In trial 2, the stomach was evaluated after administration of 6, 8, 10, and 12 L of water. The TUS was performed at the 7th through 16th left intercostal spaces (ICSs). For each volume...
Gupte CM, Bull AM, Murray R, Amis AA.The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence, position and relative sizes of the meniscofemoral ligaments (MFL) in three quadrupeds and humans and relate these to the caudal slope of the lateral tibial plateau. Canine, ovine and equine stifles and human knees were dissected to identify the presence of MFLs, their obliquity in relation to the caudal cruciate ligaments (CCL), the relative size and shape of the MFLs compared with the CCL, the points of femoral attachment of the MFLs and CCL, and the distance between the MFLs and CCL at their midpoints. The lateral tibial condyle was ...
Snow DH, Gash SP, Cornelius J.The effects of oral administration of high doses of ascorbic acid on plasma concentrations were investigated in both experimental Thoroughbred horses and those within racing stables. A single oral dose (20 g) did not result in any increase in plasma concentrations. However, daily administration of either 4.5 g or 20 g doses resulted in significant increases in plasma concentrations. Monthly variations in plasma ascorbate concentrations were found in both supplemented (20 g daily) and unsupplemented stables. It is concluded that oral supplementation with ascorbic acid is a satisfactory route to...
Porter JK, Voss KA, Bacon CW, Norred WP.Fusarium moniliforme (FM) is associated with equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) and hepatotoxicities in horses and rats. The neurochemical effects of ELEM-associated corn naturally infected with FM and FM strain MRC 826 were studied in rats. Increases in brain 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA, major metabolite of serotonin, 5-HT) and 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios were observed in rats fed the ELEM-FM corn. These rats had reduced body weights (17%, P less than 0.01) and increased brain weight/body weight ratios (14%, P less than 0.01) as compared with controls that were fed commercial corn. Rats fed a ...
Katz LM, Stallard J, Holtby A, Hill EW, Allen K, Sweeney J.Although inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is reported to improve inspiratory muscle strength in humans little has been reported for horses. We tested the hypothesis that IMT would maintain and/or improve inspiratory muscle strength variables measured in Thoroughbreds during detraining. Thoroughbreds from one training yard were placed into a control (Con, n = 3 males n = 7 females; median age 2.2±0.4 years) or treatment group (Tr, n = 5 males, n = 5 females; median age 2.1±0.3 years) as they entered a detraining period at the end of the racing/training season. The Tr group underwent eight we...
Keg PR, Barneveld A, Schamhardt HC, van den Belt AJ.To answer the question whether it is possible to differentiate, by means of a high plantar nerve block in the hind limb, flexor tendon lameness from a suspensory ligament lameness, mid-plantar tendinitis or desmitis was induced with collagenase in five Standardbred horses in two trials. Before the induction of lameness, and on the fourth (D4) and fourteenth day (D14) after the induction of lameness the horses were evaluated subjectively (clinical lameness score), objectively (ground reaction force (GRF) measurements), and ultrasonographically. Clinical evaluation and GRF measurements were also...
Burk J, Glauche SM, Brehm W, Crovace A, Francioso E, Hillmann A, Schubert S, Lacitignola L.Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from synovial fluid (SF) are considered to be a promising cell type for therapeutic applications in joint disease. However, despite their potential relevance for clinical and experimental studies, there is insufficient knowledge about SF-derived MSCs isolated from horses and sheep. In this study, cells were recovered from healthy SF and bone marrow (BM) of sheep, and from healthy and osteoarthritic SF of horses. Ovine SF-MSCs were used to assess the efficiency of intracellular labelling with quantum dots (QDs). Colony forming units, generati...
Foley JE, Norris CR, Jang SS.We reviewed 14 cases of paecilomycosis in a tertiary care veterinary hospital and all reports of the disease in the veterinary literature. Paecilomycosis is a rare disease primarily of dogs, horses, reptiles, and humans. Clinical manifestations in veterinary patients vary but include disseminated disease and diskospondylitis, particularly in dogs: pneumonia in dogs, horses, and reptiles; keratitis in horses; and miscellaneous local infections. It is important to have an appropriate index of suspicion because the diagnosis can be difficult, particularly in localized disease where it is difficul...
Stummer M, Frisch V, Glitz F, Hinney B, Spergser J, Krücken J, Diekmann I, Dimmel K, Riedel C, Cavalleri JV, Rümenapf T, Joachim A, Lyrakis M....Acute abdominal pain (colic) is one of the major equine health threats worldwide and often necessitates intensive veterinary medical care and surgical intervention. Equine coronavirus (ECoV) infections can cause colic in horses but are rarely considered as a differential diagnosis. To determine the frequency of otherwise undetected ECoV infections in horses with acute colic, fresh fecal samples of 105 horses with acute colic and 36 healthy control horses were screened for viruses belonging to the species by RT-PCR as well as for gastrointestinal helminths and bacteria commonly associated with...
Huhmann R, Mueller RS.Topical application of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has shown satisfactory results in dogs and humans with allergic skin diseases. Urea and glycolic acid act as keratolytics and moisturizers. Culicoides hypersensitivity is the most common equine hypersensitivity disorder and only limited treatment options exist. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a cream containing topical PUFAs, humectants and emollients on clinical signs of equine Culicoides hypersensitivity. Methods: Privately owned horses (n = 28) with clinical signs of Culicoides hypersensitivity. Methods: For a period of four ...
Van Crombrugge E, Vanbeylen E, Van Cleemput J, Van den Broeck W, Laval K, Nauwynck H.Respiratory disease in horses is caused by a multifactorial complex of infectious agents and environmental factors. An important pathogen in horses is equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). During co-evolution with this ancient alphaherpesvirus, the horse's respiratory tract has developed multiple antiviral barriers. However, these barriers can become compromised by environmental threats. Pollens and mycotoxins enhance mucosal susceptibility to EHV-1 by interrupting cell junctions, allowing the virus to reach its basolateral receptor. Whether bacterial toxins also play a role in this impairment ha...
Rocheleau JP, Arsenault J, Ogden NH, Lindsay LR, Drebot M, Michel P.Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a rare but severe emerging vector-borne disease affecting human and animal populations in the northeastern United States where it is endemic. Key knowledge gaps remain about the epidemiology of EEE virus (EEEV) in areas where its emergence has more recently been reported. In Eastern Canada, viral activity has been recorded in mosquitoes and horses throughout the 2000s but cases of EEEV in humans have not been reported so far. This study was designed to provide an assessment of possible EEEV human exposure by modelling environmental risk factors for EEEV in ...
Newton JR, Geraghty RJ, Castillo-Olivares J, Cardwell JM, Mumford JA.Several laboratories worldwide have recently experienced problems related to serum cytotoxicity with the equine arteritis virus (EAV) neutralisation test (VN) when using Office International des Epizooties (OIE) reference laboratory prescribed rabbit kidney (RK-13) indicator cells. Cytotoxicity can be mistaken for viral cytopathic effect and has led to increasing difficulties in test interpretation, consequently causing disruption to both equine breeding and disease surveillance. Results from experimental and field-derived data suggest that this serum cytotoxicity is associated with use of a t...
Naseri A, Akyuz E, Turgut K, Guzelbektes H, Sen I.The term "sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy" (SIC) is used to describe transient cardiac dysfunction in septic patients. However, there is no universally accepted definition of SIC; a reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is often used. In addition to systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction is now recognized as an essential component of SIC. It can be emphasized that previous animal experiments played an essential role in revealing SIC and hemodynamic instability in sepsis and septic shock. The diagnostic and prognostic capabilities of echocardiography for the assessment of SI...
Kuebelbeck KL, Slone DE, May KA.To determine if omentectomy would decrease the frequency of postoperative intraabdominal adhesions. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 44 horses that had either two ventral median celiotomies or a ventral median celiotomy and a necropsy more than 4 days later; 19 of these horses had their omentum removed at the initial surgery. Methods: Data retrieved from the records included location and type of intraabdominal adhesions; location of the surgical lesion; relationship of adhesions to the surgical lesion; surgical procedures; duration of initial surgery; time interval between procedures; ag...
Knych HK, Vidal MA, Chouicha N, Mitchell M, Kass PH.The frequent use of intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in performance horses warrants further study of the duration of as well as the beneficial and detrimental effects on gene expression associated with administration. Objective: To assess the effects of intra-articular administration of TA on the expression of selected anti- and proinflammatory and structural matrix genes following its administration into joints of exercised Thoroughbred horses and to correlate these effects with plasma and synovial fluid drug concentrations. Methods: Block design experiment. Methods: Eight exercis...
Hawkins JF, Couetil L, Miller MA.The objective was to evaluate CO2 laser debridement of the cricoarytenoid joint (CAJ) combined with prosthetic laryngoplasty to prevent post-operative loss of arytenoid abduction in seven horses. Horses were assigned to either laser debridement of the left CAJ and laryngoplasty (laser treated, n=5) or control laryngoplasty (sham, n=2), and were evaluated with endoscopic examinations and measurement of right to left angle quotients (RLQ) to assess maintenance of arytenoid abduction. The animals were euthanased at intervals after surgery and larynges were harvested for post-mortem testing, inclu...
Rader K, Choi YH, Hinrichs K.Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is becoming a common clinical procedure in the horse, but little information is available on techniques for its performance. Each laboratory uses different procedures and different media for the steps involved with in vitro embryo production. This article outlines the procedures used in the Clinical Equine Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Program at Texas A&M University for in vitro blastocyst production during the past 3 years.
Williams IF, Heaton A, McCullagh KG.The connective tissue composition and organisation of the "equine sarcoid" was compared with that of normal adult equine skin to determine whether the cells which produce their respective connective tissue matrices show similar biosynthetic characteristics. No major qualitative difference could be found between the collagen compositions of skin and sarcoid material, although the organisation into fibres of Type III collagen in the sarcoid was markedly greater than that of skin.
Groopman AM, Katz JI, Holland MR, Fujita F, Matsukawa M, Mizuno K, Wear KA, Miller JG.Conventional, Bayesian, and the modified least-squares Prony's plus curve-fitting (MLSP + CF) methods were applied to data acquired using 1 MHz center frequency, broadband transducers on a single equine cancellous bone specimen that was systematically shortened from 11.8 mm down to 0.5 mm for a total of 24 sample thicknesses. Due to overlapping fast and slow waves, conventional analysis methods were restricted to data from sample thicknesses ranging from 11.8 mm to 6.0 mm. In contrast, Bayesian and MLSP + CF methods successfully separated fast and slow waves and provided reli...
Martin RG, McMeniman NP, Norton BW, Dowsett KF.The dynamics of N metabolism in mature horses were investigated when they were fed on a low-N diet or the same diet supplemented with sufficient urea or soybean meal to meet their theoretical N requirements. There were no differences in DM, organic matter or neutral-detergent-fibre digestibilities for the three diets. N digestibilities and digestible-N intakes were similar for the urea- and soyabean-supplemented diets and very low for the low-N diet. For all three diets plasma urea was degraded in the digestive tract to NH3 which was utilized by the bacterial population as a N source. NH3 was ...
Powell DG.During the past 20 years the equine population of Great Britain and Ireland has increased with the result that the practising veterinary surgeon is more frequently called upon to advise on equine problems. A significant portion of this advice is concerned with the examination of horses showing signs of this advice is concerned with the examination of horses showing signs of respiratory disease. Numerous pathogens, which include viruses, bacteria, parasites and moulds invade the respiratory tract causing similar signs of illness. It is therefore difficult to provide an aetiological diagnosis ba...
Walsh CP, Duncan RB, Zajac AM, Blagburn BL, Lindsay DS.Neospora hughesi is a recently described cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). A rodent model for pathogenicity would facilitate development of therapies to be used in horses. In the present study, we examined the susceptibility of BALB/c gamma-interferon gene knockout (gamma-INFKO), BALB/c, CD-1, and C57BL/6 strains of mice and gerbils to infection with tachyzoites of the Nh-A1 strain of N. hughesi isolated from a horse from AL, USA. Only the gamma-IFNKO mice developed severe clinical disease following infection with N. hughesi and died 19-25 days after infection and exhibited se...
Gergeleit H, Bienert-Zeit A, Seemann-Jensen A, Delarocque J, Ohnesorge B.The objective of this study was to determine whether the assessment of cytological features of secretions from the paranasal sinuses represents a useful diagnostic tool in equine sinusitis to distinguish between different etiologies. Secretion samples from 50 horses with sinusitis and 10 healthy horses were taken transendoscopically from the drainage angle of the nasomaxillary aperture using a Swing Tip catheter. An additional direct sample from the caudal maxillary sinus was taken from all healthy horses after trephination. A direct sample was obtained from the affected sinus in 19 diseased h...
Silberzahn P, Almahbobi G, Dehennin L, Merouane A.Equine follicular fluid was aspirated at various developmental stages (viable, preovulatory and atretic) determined by ultrastructural study. Estrogens and progestins were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry associated with stable isotope dilution. Progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone were the principal progestins of the preovulatory and viable follicles. Among the catechol estrogens, 2-hydroxy-estradiol was particularly abundant in the preovulatory follicle and its definitive identification was made by the scan of a full mass spectrum.
Alnaeem AA, Hemida MG.Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is one of the most important threats to the equine industry globally. This is due to the poor performance of the affected horses, which requires euthanization of the infected animals upon the infection confirmation. Infected animals remain carriers throughout their life. EIAV infection has been reported in many parts of the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. However, the EIAV status is never assessed in horses in the Gulf area, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Objective: This study aimed to perform molecular and serol...
Wickhorst JP, Sammra O, Hassan AA, Alssashen M, Lämmler C, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Erhard M, Metzner M, Paschertz K, Timke M, Abdulmawjood A.In the present study an Arcanobacterium hippocoleae strain isolated from a uterus swab of an apparently healthy mare could be identified by phenotypic properties, by MALDI-TOF MS analysis and genotypically by investigating the molecular targets 16S rDNA, 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region and the genes encoding the β subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase (rpoB), elongation factor tu (tuf) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gap). The presented data are one of the few reports about the species A. hippocoleae and might help to elucidate the role this species plays in infections of ho...
Norris JK, Steuer AE, Gravatte HS, Slusarewicz P, Bellaw JL, Scare JA, Nielsen MK.Given the ever-increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance in livestock parasites globally, it is recommended to use parasite fecal egg counts to make treatment decisions and to evaluate treatment efficacy. The consensus in equine parasitology is to use a flotation medium with a specific gravity (SG) of ≥ 1.20 to float the main parasite egg types of interest in egg counting techniques. However, the density of common equine endoparasite eggs has been sparsely investigated. Equine tapeworm eggs are known to be particularly difficult to determine and count in fecal samples. It is unknown wheth...
