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.
Salinas-Mélendez JA, Galván de la Garza S, Riojas-Valdés VM, Wong González A, Avalos-Ramírez R.The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in horses from the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Blood serum was obtained from a total of 100 horses residing at different counties in the area. From each animal data was obtained on age, sex, county of residence, presence of ectoparasites and clinical signs. All sera samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluoresence and the sera that resulted positive to this test was analyzed by Western blot. The serological test yielded 34 positive sera at 1:64 dilution, and from them 6 we...
Luque I, Fernández-Garayzábal JF, Blume V, Maldonado A, Astorga R, Tarradas C.The anti-microbial susceptibility and genetic diversity of 65 strains of Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus (Sez) isolated from mares presenting clinical signs of endometritis was determined by disk agar diffusion and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) methods, respectively. Overall, Sez isolates were susceptible to beta-lactams, enrofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and gentamicin. These anti-microbials could be recommended as empiric anti-microbial therapy in cases of endometritis caused by Sez. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis typing revealed a great genetic diversity (56 diff...
Skiöldebrand E, Heinegård D, Olofsson B, Rucklidge G, Ronéus N, Ekman S.This study evaluates how strenuous training, age and lameness influence the release of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (sf-COMP), aggrecan and collagen type II into synovial fluid in 28 (19.5-40 months) Standardbred trotters (STB), during a long-term training programme (24 months). All the horses were trained by the same trainer and were healthy on entering the training programme. Synovial fluid (sf) from the left middle carpal joint in each subject was sampled every third month. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the concentrations of sf-COMP, sf-aggrecan and sf-colla...
Pagl R, Aurich C, Kankofer M.Activity of the anti-oxidative enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and SH-groups were determined in native stallion semen (n = 8 stallions). Semen was then diluted in Kenney extender, EquiPro((R)) extender either with or without addition of N-acetyl cysteine or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and stored for 72 h at 5 degrees C. Correlations between initial activity of enzymes and development of semen motility and membrane integrity were calculated. Activities of GSH-Px, SOD and CAT im...
White LM, Sussman MS, Hurtig M, Probyn L, Tomlinson G, Kandel R.To prospectively assess T2 mapping characteristics of normal articular cartilage and of cartilage at sites of arthroscopic repair, including comparison with histologic results and collagen organization assessed at polarized light microscopy (PLM). Methods: Study protocol was compliant with the Canadian Council on Animal Care Guidelines and approved by the institutional animal care committee. Arthroscopic osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT) and microfracture arthroplasty (MFx) were performed in knees of 10 equine subjects (seven female, three male; age range, 3-5 years). A site of art...
Hackl S, van den Hoven R, Zickl M, Spona J, Zentek J.Few data are available on post-prandial changes of plasma amino acids (AAs) in horses and on the repeatability and the individual variance on different sampling days. The objective of the present study was to measure pre- and post-prandial concentrations of plasma AA in 10 yearling horses. Blood samples were taken on days 1 and 40 of the study before feeding of hay, oats and soya meal and over an 8 h post-prandial period in 2-h intervals. The plasma AAs were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography after ortho-phthalaldehyde derivatization. Mean fasting concentrations of the AAs were no...
Gehlen H, Weichler A, Bubeck K, Ohnesorge B, Deegen E, Stadler P.The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of two different dobutamine concentrations on pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) and on mean systemic arterial blood pressure (MAP) in horses anaesthetized with isoflurane, after induction of general anaesthesia with xylazine, ketamine and diazepam. Eight healthy warm-blood horses were included in the study. Each horse was subjected to general anaesthesia twice with two different dosages of dobutamine, 3 and 5 microg/kg bw/min, being infused over 15 min, starting 50 min after induction of general anaesthesia (T(0)). The heart ...
Akcay E, Reilas T, Andersson M, Katila T.This study aimed to evaluate stallion sperm survival after 24 h of cooled storage in the presence of seminal plasma (SP) derived from the sperm-rich fractions (SRF) or sperm-poor fractions(SPF) of the ejaculate, without SP, or in the presence of SP from other stallions. Ejaculates were collected from four stallions using an automated phantom, which separated the semen into five cups. Centrifuged and washed spermatozoa from cup 2 (SRF) were mixed with skim milk extender to a concentration of 100 x 10(6) sperm/ml and then 1:1 (v/v) with SP from the stallion's own or another stallions' second (SP...
de Val N, Herschbach H, Potier N, Dorsselaer AV, Crichton RR.An essential difference between eukaryotic ferritins and bacterioferritins is that the latter contain naturally, in vivo haem as Fe-protoporphyrin IX. This haem is located in a hydrophobic pocket along the 2-fold symmetry axes and is liganded by two Met 52. However, in in vivo studies, a cofactor has been isolated in horse spleen apoferritin similar to protoporphyrin IX; in in vitro experiments, it has been shown that horse spleen apoferritin is able to interact with haem. Studies of haemin (Fe(III)-PPIX) incorporation into horse spleen apoferritin have been carried out, which show that the me...
Arroyo LG, Staempfli H, Weese JS.Clostridium difficile is an important cause of diarrhea in horses, causing sporadic and epidemic disease of varying severity. This study evaluated the molecular characteristics of 48 C. difficile isolates recovered from diarrheic horses admitted to a veterinary hospital by using PCR-ribotyping and toxin gene profile. Additionally, feces were tested for the presence of C. difficile toxin A/B via enzyme immunosorbant assay (EIA) in 38 horses. The toxin genes tcdA, tcdB and cdtB were present in 27 (56.25%), 35 (72.91%) and 2 (4.1%) strains, respectively. Eight isolates (16.6%) were A(-)B(+) varia...
Morgan D.Although there is no recognized transmission of human arboviral infections in the UK, concerns about the possible spread of West Nile virus (WNV) have precipitated coordinated activities around both surveillance and response. The Department of Health has chaired a UK WNV task force since the end of 2000. This is a multidisciplinary group of senior representatives from Agencies and Government Departments involved in human and animal health, entomology and academic departments. Activities include surveillance for WNV infections in humans, and in dead birds, mosquitoes and horses. All have been n...
Witte TH, Hirst CV, Wilson AM.Stride duration, stance duration and protraction duration are key variables when describing the gaits of terrestrial animals. Together, they determine the duty factor (the fraction of the stride for which the limb maintains contact with the ground surface), from which the peak vertical force can be estimated. When an animal changes speed, these variables change at different proportions. Limited measurements of these variables and predictions of peak limb force have been undertaken for large mammals performing high-speed over-ground exercise. This study set out to make such measurements, employ...
Bowe EA, Murray RC, Jeffcott LB, Davies ME.It has been shown by others that levels of matrix degrading enzymes are increased in osteoarthritis (OA) and so are proposed to be involved in the aetiopathogenesis of the disease, including exercise-associated OA. Therefore we hypothesised that cathepsin B and cathepsin D were increased in cartilage samples previously shown to have early stage OA from 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses, euthanased for reasons other than this study, that had a history of 19-week high intensity exercise (n=6) compared to age and sex-matched horses with a history of low intensity exercise (n=6). Methods: Cartilage s...
Ibrahim ES, Kinoh M, Matsumura T, Kennedy M, Allen GP, Yamaguchi T, Fukushi H.Equine herpesvirus 1 was isolated from an onager in 1985, a zebra in 1986 and a Thomson's gazelle in 1996 in USA. The genetic relatedness and pathogenicity of these three viruses were investigated based on the nucleotide sequences of the glycoprotein G (gG) gene, experimental infection in hamsters, and comparison with horse isolates. The gG gene sequences of EHV-1 from onager and zebra were identical. The gG gene sequences of the gazelle isolate showed 99.5% identity to those of onager and zebra isolates. The gG gene sequences of EHV-1 isolated from horses were 99.9-100% identical and 98, 98 a...
Leung GN, Leung DK, Wan TS, Wong CH.This paper describes a high throughput LC-MS-MS method for the screening of 75 basic drugs in equine plasma at sub-ppb levels. The test scope covers diversified classes of drugs including some alpha- and beta-blockers, alpha- and beta-agonists, antihypotensives, antihypertensives, analgesics, antiarrhythmics, antidepressants, antidiabetics, antipsychotics, antiulcers, anxiolytics, bronchodilators, CNS stimulants, decongestants, sedatives, tranquilizers and vasodilators. A plasma sample was first deproteinated by addition of trichloroacetic acid. Basic drugs were then extracted by solid-phase e...
Capobianco G, Cherchi PL, Ambrosini G, Cosmi E, Andrisani A, Dessole S.Alobar holoprosencephaly is a rare and severe brain malformation due to early arrest in brain cleavage and rotation. Methods: We report a congenital anomalous fetus with alobar holoprosencephaly, prenatally diagnosed by two-dimensional (2D) sonography at the 40 weeks of gestation. The mother was affected by gestational diabetes mellitus and was obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)). 2D Ultrasound depicted the cerebral malformation, cyclopy, proboscis, cardiac defects (atrial septal defect, hypoplastic left heart, anomalous communication between right ventricle and aorta) and extremities defects. The new...
Colas C, Garcia P, Popot MA, Bonnaire Y, Bouchonnet S.A method has been developed for the analysis and characterization in equine urine and plasma of iridoid glycosides: harpagide, harpagoside and 8-para-coumaroyl harpagide, which are the main active principles of Harpagophytum, a plant with antiinflammatory properties. The method involves liquid chromatography coupled with positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The addition of sodium or lithium chloride instead of formic acid in the eluting solvent has been studied in order to enhance the signal and to modify the ion's internal energy. Fragmentation pathways and associated patterns ...
McD○ LA, Anderson GI, Wright GM, Ryan DA.Bone cell cultures were evaluated to determine if osteogenic cell populations at different skeletal sites in the horse are heterogeneous. Osteogenic cells were isolated from cortical and cancellous bone in vitro by an explant culture method. Subcultured cells were induced to differentiate into bone-forming osteoblasts. The osteoblast phenotype was confirmed by immunohistochemical testing for osteocalcin and substantiated by positive staining of cells for alkaline phosphatase and the matrix materials collagen and glycosaminoglycans. Bone nodules were stained by the von Kossa method and counted....
Carmalt JL, Allen AL.To evaluate the effect of rostrocaudal mobility (RCM) of the mandible during extension and flexion of the atlanto-occipital joint on weight gain, feed digestibility, and fecal particle size in horses. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: 34 pregnant mares housed in 1 barn. Methods: Horses were randomized into a treatment (n = 17) or control (17) group. All horses were sedated, and the distance between the rostral portions of the upper and lower incisor arcades was determined during extension and flexion of the atlanto-occipital joint; mandibular RCM was calculated as the difference b...
Art T, Franck T, Lekeux P, de Moffarts B, Couëtil L, Becker M, Kohnen S, Deby-Dupont G, Serteyn D.The aim of this work was to measure the myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid collected from horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), both in crisis and in remission, as well as from healthy horses. Seven horses with RAO were exposed to moldy hay until the maximum change in pleural pressure was greater than 1.5 kPa. At that point, BAL was performed, and the total cell counts and percentages in the fluid were immediately determined. To measure the MPO concentration in BAL-fluid supernatant, we used a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with poly...
Mills PC, Cross SE.An increasing number of formulations are applied to equine skin, yet variable penetration can affect efficacy, or the incidence of adverse effects, or both. To investigate the effects of common methods of skin preparation on transdermal drug penetration in vitro, we clipped, harvested, and froze skin samples from 5 Thoroughbred geldings. Thawed samples were prepared as follows: control (no preparation); cleaned with aqueous chlorhexidine (Aq-C, 0.1% w/v); cleaned with alcoholic chlorhexidine (Al-C, 0.5% w/v); shaved (Sh); or tape-stripped (Ta) with the use of adhesive tape. The samples were th...
Cruz AM, Coté N, McDonell WN, Geor RJ, Wilson BA, Monteith G, Li R.In this study, we aimed to define the effects of anesthesia and surgery on the resting energy expenditure of horses in experimental conditions. Six horses were used in a longitudinal study with 2 study periods: before and after anesthesia and surgery. Every horse underwent a standard 90-min ventral midline exploratory laparotomy. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and carbon dioxide output (VCO2) were measured, with the use of a closed-circuit spirometry system, on 5 consecutive days immediately before and after the surgery. In 3 consecutive 5-min periods each day, the expired air was collected in a Collins ...
Acosta-González RI, González-Reyes I, Flores-Gutiérrez GH.A cross-sectional study was conducted to determinate the seroprevalence rate of equine brucellosis in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Serum samples from 420 equines were analyzed with the Rose Bengal test at cell concentrations of 3% (RBT-3%) and 8% (RBT-8%), and positive results were confirmed with the Rivanol test (RT). Risk factors were determined with the prevalence ratio (PR) and the use of variables generated from a questionnaire administered to the animals' owners. Serum from 1 stallion had positive results with both the RBT-8% and the RT, for a seroprevalence rate of 0.238%. Drinking ...
Kofler J, Kneissl S, Malleczek D.Clinical, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) findings of acute desmopathy of the lateral collateral sesmoidean (navicular) ligament (CSL) in a 13-year-old Hanoverian mare are presented. On admission to the clinic the horse showed a grade 5/6 left front-limb lameness at the walk, pain on coffin joint manipulation, and coffin joint effusion. Despite a positive palmar digital nerve block, radiographs and ultrasonography did not indicate reasons for the severe clinical signs. However, MRI revealed damage to the CSL and bone marrow oedema of the navicular bone (NB), where...
Jablonka-Shariff A, Roser JF, Bousfield GR, Wolfe MW, Sibley LE, Colgin M, Boime I.To study structure-activity relationships and the role of equine gonadotropins in the normal and pathophysiology of equine reproduction, the availability of purified hormones is essential. Previous expression studies in transfected CHO cells showed inefficient assembly of the human and bovine alpha and beta subunits, resulting in low levels of recombinant LH. The ability to express a single chain bearing genetically linked alpha and beta subunits bypasses this rate-limiting assembly step. A chimera was constructed by overlap PCR in which the carboxy terminal end of the eLHbeta subunit was gene...
Galli C, Colleoni S, Duchi R, Lagutina I, Lazzari G.Development of assisted reproductive technologies in horses has been relatively slow compared to other domestic species, namely ruminants and pigs. The scarce availability of abattoir ovaries and the lack of interest from horse breeders and breed associations have been the main reasons for this delay. Progressively though, the technology of oocyte maturation in vitro has been established followed by the application of ICSI to achieve fertilization in vitro. Embryo culture was initially performed in vivo, in the mare oviduct or in the surrogate sheep oviduct, to achieve the highest embryo devel...
Siger L, Bowen R, Karaca K, Murray M, Jagannatha S, Echols B, Nordgren R, Minke JM.Efficacy of the Recombitek Equine West Nile Virus (WNV) vaccine was evaluated against a WNV intrathecal challenge model that results in WNV-induced clinical disease. Ten vaccinated (twice at days 0 and 35) and 10 control horses were challenged 2 weeks after administration of the second vaccine with a virulent WNV by intrathecal administration. After the challenge, eight of 10 controls developed clinical signs of encephalomyelitis whereas one vaccinate exhibited muscle fasciculation only once. Nine controls and one vaccinate developed a fever. Histopathology revealed mild to moderate nonsuppura...
Diel de Amorim M, Nairn D, Manning S, Dedden I, Ripley E, Nielsen K, Card C.Ultrasound-guided biopsies of corpora lutea have been previously used for research purposes in the mare and cow. However, the health effects and fertility after transvaginal luteal biopsies (TVLB) or transvaginal ovarian biopsies (TVOB) obtained for diagnostic purposes in cases of suspected ovarian tumors have not been previously evaluated in the horse. The aim of this study was to determine the effects on health and fertility of TVLB and TVOB in mares; 53 mares were included in the study (11 control non-biopsied mares, 37 TVLB mares biopsied on one or more of the following Days 8, 10, 12, 15,...
Ali M, Musa MM, Alfadul S, Al-Sobayel K.A trial was conducted to check effect of adding gum Arabic (GA) instead of egg yolk (EY) as a cryoprotectant for stallion sperm. Two experiments were designed; experiment I tested adding 3 levels of nonheated GA (i.e., 3, 6 and 9 g/100 mL diluents) in HF-20 extender. However, in experiment II the same levels were tested except that GA was heated at 80 °C for 60 min. HF-20 containing 10% of EY was used as control. In experiment I, sperm frozen in HF-20 containing nonheated GA exhibited lower percentages of motile sperm, progressively motile sperm and sperm with intact plasma membranes, vit...
Berrocal A, de Oliveira JB.Halicephalobus gingivalis is a free-living nematode that causes an opportunistic infection in animals and humans. Two fatal cases of encephalitis and nephritis caused by H. gingivalis in equines from Costa Rica and Honduras are reported. Case 1: a 6-year-old Arabian stallion, from Costa Rica, presented severe neurological signs and was treated with systemic anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. Because there was no improvement, it was euthanatized. Grossly, both kidneys showed large white nodules, ranging from 0.10 to 2.50cm. Histopathologically, both kidneys showed similar changes consisti...
Paraschou G, Buil J, Timofte D, Priestnall SL.Mycobacterial infections are rare in horses, donkeys and mules. Although there are a few reports in horses, mycobacterial disease is poorly documented in the donkey. Mycobacterial infection of equine species typically affects the alimentary tract, causing granulomatous enterocolitis resulting in diarrhoea and chronic weight loss, while lymph nodes and liver may also be affected. We now document recurrent oesophageal obstruction, secondary to cranial mediastinal lymphadenitis caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MAC infection in ...
François I, Lepage OM, Carpenter E, Desjardins I, De Guio C, Benedetti IC, Maddens S, Saulnier N, Grant BD.To determine the feasibility of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) transplantation into the cervical spinal cord of horses by using fluoroscopy with or without endoscopic guidance and to evaluate the neurological signs and tissue reaction after injection. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Eight healthy adult horses with no clinical signs of neurological disease. Methods: After cervical ventral interbody fusion (CVIF), ten million fluorescently labeled allogeneic UC-MSC were injected into the spinal cord under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance (n = 5) or fluoroscopic...
Aboling S, Scharmann F, Bunzel D.Poisoning with L. in horses contradicts the hypothesis of coexistence between plants and vertebrate herbivores being mediated through antipastoral traits as toxins. However, incidental observations showed that horses evaded seedlings with primary leaves. The objective of the present cross-discipline study was (i) to analyse whether developmental stages of L. differed as to phenolics hypothesised as antipastoral traits, and (ii) to observe systematically the selection behaviour of pastured horses towards seedlings. Methods: Phenolic profiles of five developmental stages from fruits to seedl...
Mason BJ, Riggs CM, Cogger N.The risk of respiratory conditions, such as inflammatory airway disease (IAD) and exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH), are thought to be higher in racehorses that undergo prosthetic laryngoplasty with ventriculocordectomy (PLVC) surgery to treat left-sided laryngeal hemiplegia (LLH) than in racehorses with normal laryngeal function. However, this has not been investigated formally owing to the difficulty of obtaining reliable follow-up data. Objective: To determine the incidence of respiratory conditions (IAD and EIPH), duration of racing career, number of starts and number of starts...
Miyata H, Sugiura T, Kai M, Hiraga A, Tokuriki M.To determine histochemical and biochemical properties of muscle during adaptation to training on a flat or sloped track. Methods: 22 Thoroughbreds. Methods: Samples were obtained from the middle gluteus muscle before and after training programs were conducted, using a needle-biopsy technique. Training programs consisted of horses running 1,600 m on a flat or sloped track for 16 weeks. Amplitude of middle gluteus muscle activity per burst was calculated. Muscle fiber composition and area were examined on serial cross sections processed by standard histochemical staining procedures (ATPase stain...
Ducharme NG, Horney FD, Baird JD, Arighi M, Burton JH.The effect of resection of 75% (length measurement) of the large colon in ponies was studied. Ten ponies in good physical condition were divided into two groups: group I consisted of the six experimental ponies and group II of four control ponies. Preoperatively and postoperatively for five months, ten clinicopathological parameters were determined: body weight, venous blood pH, plasma bicarbonate, total plasma protein concentration, serum electrolyte values (sodium, potassium, chloride), and fecal osmolarity. Subjective assessment of attitude and appetite revealed no difference between the gr...
Hoaglund EL, Barrett MF, Daglish J, Contino EK.Intermediate patellar ligament (IPL) desmopathy is a relatively uncommon injury previously reported to have a poor prognosis for return to athletic activity. There is little documentation of the clinical and ultrasonographic features, clinical significance, and outcome for return to work following IPL injury in horses. The aim of this retrospective descriptive study was to describe the clinical and ultrasonographic features of IPL desmopathy, its association with other injuries of the stifle, and outcome for return to work following injury. Forty-two stifles with an ultrasound diagnosis of IPL...
Pandey VS, Ouhelli H, Elkhalfane A.Six to nine horses per month (total of 94 in a year) were examined for stomach worms in the Settat region of Morocco. All the animals were infected by at least one helminth species. Habronema muscae occurred in 95.8%, H. majus in 75.6% and Trichostrongylus axei in 80.9% of horses. Polyparasitism was observed in 93.6% of horses. Both for Habronema sp. and T. axei the peak worm burden was observed in November and minimum in June. The infection pattern of Habronema spp. was directly related to the period of activity of fly vectors.
Gottlieb M.Muscle fibre recruitment was investigated during draught loaded exercise by studying glycogen depletion patterns from histochemical stains of muscle biopsies from the gluteus and semitendinosus muscles. Three Standardbred trotters performed several intervals of draught loaded exercise on a treadmill with 34 kp at a trot (7 m/sec) and with 34 and 80 kp, respectively at a walk (2m/sec). Exercise was continued until the horses were unwilling to continue. Glycogen depletion was seen in all three fibre types when trotting with 34 kp for 5 or 10 mins. When an equal weight resistance was pulled at a ...
Gospodarowicz D, Papkoff H.A simple procedure is described for the purification of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG). The purification of PMSG from serum employed pH fractionation with metaphosphoric acid, alcohol precipitation, gel-filtration on Sephadex G-100, and chromatography on sulfoethyl-Sephadex C-50. The specific activity of the final product averaged 15,800 IU/mg and was obtained in yields of 50-80% of the activity initially present in unfractionated serum. The preparation obtained by this procedure has been characterized with respect to biological activity, electrophoresis on columns of polyacrylamide, ...
Haas L.This article combines essential facts of equine infectious anemia. Beside etiology and epidemiology, emphasis is put on the clinical course and laboratory diagnosis. Finally, control measures and prophylactic issues are discussed.
Derksen FJ, Holcombe SJ, Hartmann W, Robinson NE, Stick JA.To record respiratory sounds in exercising horses and determine whether spectrum analysis could be use to identify sounds specific for laryngeal hemiplegia (LH) and dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). Methods: 5 Standardbred horses. Methods: Respiratory sounds were recorded and pharyngeal pressure and stride frequency were measured while horses exercised at speeds corresponding to maximum heart rate, before and after induction of LH and DDSP. Results: When airway function was normal, expiratory sounds predominated and lasted throughout exhalation. After induction of LH, expiratory s...
Mottini V, Leleu C, Cotrel C.It has become apparent through analysis of elite races over the past 20 years that mounted races are always slower than harnessed races when performed by the same horses over the same distances on the same tracks. Objective: To investigate and compare physiological and gait variables in mounted and harnessed activities in trotters. Methods: Ten trotters were taken at random in 2 standardised field exercise tests one week apart: a harnessed and a mounted test with standardised weight jockeys and drivers. Speed, heart rate (HR), respiratory frequency (RF), blood lactate concentration (La), strid...
Abbas G, Ghafar A, Koehler AV, Bauquier J, Wilkes EJA, Jacobson C, Beasley A, Hurley J, Cudmore L, Carrigan P, Tennent-Brown B, El-Hage C, Nielsen MK....Strongyloides westeri is found in the small intestine of young horses, mainly in foals up to about 16 weeks of age. The main source of infection for foals is through transmammary transmission, and foals can develop acute diarrhoea, weakness, dermatitis and respiratory signs. The epidemiology of S. westeri in Australia is largely unknown. Further, molecular techniques have never been employed for detection of S. westeri in horses. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of a molecular phylogenetic method for the detection of S. westeri in the faeces of foals. Methods: Faecal samples were ...
Magnusson CB, Poulsen KP, Budde JA, Hartmann FA, Aulik NA, Raabis SM, Moreira ASD, Darien BJ, Peek SF.Periodic lack of availability and high cost of commercially produced isotonic fluids for intravenous (IV) use in horses have increasingly led to use of home-made or commercially compound fluids by veterinarians. Data regarding the quality control and safety of compounded fluids would be of benefit to equine veterinarians. Objective: To compare electrolyte concentrations, sterility, and endotoxin contamination of commercially available fluids to 2 forms of compounded isotonic crystalloid fluids intended for IV use in horses. Methods: Prospective study. Two methods of preparing compounded crysta...
Bellone RR, Avila F.Genetic testing in horses began in the 1960s, when parentage testing using blood group markers became the standard. In the 1990s, parentage testing shifted from evaluating blood groups to DNA testing. The development of genetics and genomics in both human and veterinarian medicine, along with continued technological advances in the last 2 decades, has helped unravel the causal variants for many horse traits. Genetic testing is also now possible for a variety of phenotypic and disease traits and is used to assist in breeding and clinical management decisions. This article describes the genetic ...
Junginger J, Rötting A, Staszyk C, Kramer K, Hewicker-Trautwein M.An adult horse was presented with a mass located within the dermis and subcutis of the right forelimb. At post-mortem examination there was a marked increase in thickness of the subcutis of the right forelimb extending from the fetlock to the pectoral muscles. Microscopically, the dermis and subcutis were diffusely infiltrated by endothelial-like cells forming irregular channels and cavernous spaces. Immunohistochemical examination revealed the endothelial-like cells to express vimentin, factor VIII-related antigen and PROX-1, confirming the identity of the tumour as a lymphangioma. Ultrastruc...
Lee W, Song K, Lee I, Shin H, Lee BC, Yeon S, Jang G.Transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration is one method of obtaining recipient oocytes for equine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This study was conducted: (1) to evaluate the possibility of oocyte aspiration from pre-ovulatory follicles using a short disposable needle system (14-G) by comparing the oocyte recovery rate with that of a long double lumen needle (12-G); (2) to investigate the developmental competence of recovered oocytes after SCNT and embryo transfer. The recovery rates with the short disposable needle vs. the long needle were not significantly different (47.5% an...
Hughes JP, Benirschke K, Kennedy PC, Trommershausen-Smith A.Five phenotypically normal but infertile mares were studied; four had karyotypes of 63XO, and one was a 25,64XX/13,63XO mosaic. The mares exhibited small uteri and has small ovaries that lacked germ cells and consisted primarily of undifferentiated ovarian stroma. These cases demonstrate that chromosome analysis is an important technique for the diagnosis of some forms of equine infertility.
Matsuura A, Maruta H, Iwatake T, Kumagai T, Nakanowatari T, Hodate K.The aim of this study was to determine whether autonomic nervous activity of a rider with no disability was altered by one practical and applicable horse trekking (HT) exercise. Changes in autonomic nervous activity were analyzed by heart rate variability (HRV). Twenty-three participants with no disability rode horses along a predetermined HT course at trotting and walking for 60 min. HRV was sampled at 60 min before and immediately, following 60 min, and 120 min after HT. As a control, the same measurements were performed for 22 age-matched participants during their rest. Only in the ...
Leach DH, Ormrod K, Clayton HM.Terminology for the analysis of equine locomotion is reviewed and the most appropriate terms selected for use by research workers in this field. Each cycle of limb movement comprises a stance phase, when the hoof is in contact with the ground, alternating with a swing phase. The stance phase is subdivided at the mid-stance position into an initial decelerative phase followed by a propulsive phase. When the stance phases of different limbs occur concurrently, the term overlap refers to the duration of simultaneous ground contact. Single support is the term used to describe the phase when the li...