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.
Sod GA, Hubert JD, Martin GS, Gill MS.To compare biomechanical properties of a prototype 5.5 mm tapered shaft cortical screw (TSS) and 5.5 mm AO cortical screw for an equine third metacarpal dynamic compression plate (EM-DCP) fixation to repair osteotomized equine third metacarpal (MC3) bones. Methods: Paired in vitro biomechanical testing of cadaveric equine MC3 with a mid-diaphyseal osteotomy, stabilized by 1 of 2 methods for fracture fixation. Methods: Adult equine cadaveric MC3 bones (n=12 pairs). Methods: Twelve pairs of equine MC3 were divided into 3 groups (4 pairs each) for (1) 4-point bending single cycle to failure testi...
Schambourg MM, Marcoux M.To assess a laparoscopic technique for equine intestinal biopsy. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Seven adult horses. Methods: Food but not water was withheld for 36 hours before laparoscopy. In 3 horses (group A) standing, right laparoscopic access to different small intestinal segments was compared with ventral median celiotomy access. Inaccessible segments were identified at necropsy. In 4 horses (group B), the feasibility of obtaining full-thickness duodenal and cecal biopsies and any associated morbidity were evaluated. Biopsy specimens were collected during standing right laparoscop...
Vlaminck LE, Huys L, Maes D, Steenhaut ML, Gasthuys F.To evaluate the effect of alveolar bone substitute on post-extraction drift of maxillary cheek teeth in ponies. Methods: In vivo longitudinal experimental study. Methods: Five ponies (5-7 years) with a healthy dentition. Methods: Both maxillary 4th premolar teeth (Triadan 08) were surgically removed. One alveolus was filled with a biocompatible non-resorbable bone substitute (Bioplant 24), whereas the other healed by second intention. A polyvinylsiloxane plug and spring wire isolated the bone substitute from the oral environment. Pathologic changes to dentition and adjacent soft tissue were re...
Brunberg E, Andersson L, Cothran G, Sandberg K, Mikko S, Lindgren G.The Silver coat color, also called Silver dapple, in the horse is characterized by dilution of the black pigment in the hair. This phenotype shows an autosomal dominant inheritance. The effect of the mutation is most visible in the long hairs of the mane and tail, which are diluted to a mixture of white and gray hairs. Herein we describe the identification of the responsible gene and a missense mutation associated with the Silver phenotype. Results: Segregation data on the Silver locus (Z) were obtained within one half-sib family that consisted of a heterozygous Silver colored stallion with 34...
Dutto DJ, Hoyt DF, Clayton HM, Cogger EA, Wickler SJ.The net work of the limbs during constant speed over level ground should be zero. However, the partitioning of negative and positive work between the fore- and hindlimbs of a quadruped is not likely to be equal because the forelimb produces a net braking force while the hindlimb produces a net propulsive force. It was hypothesized that the forelimb would do net negative work while the hindlimb did net positive work during trotting in the horse. Because vertical and horizontal impulses remain unchanged across speeds it was hypothesized that net work of both limbs would be independent of speed. ...
Saito S, Yokoyama K, Tamagawa T, Ishiwata I.We succeeded in the derivation and maintenance of pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells from equine and bovine blastocysts. These cells expressed markers that are characteristics of mouse ES cells, namely, alkaline phosphatase, stage-specific embryonic antigen 1, STAT 3 and Oct 4. We confirmed the pluripotential ability of these cells, which were able to undergo somatic differentiation in vitro to neural progenitors and to endothelial or hematopoietic lineages. We were able to use bovine ES cells as a source of nuclei for nuclear transfer and we generated cloned cattle with a higher frequency ...
Staszyk C, Wulff W, Jacob HG, Gasse H.The objective of this study was to examine the spatial arrangement of the fiber apparatus of the equine periodontium which is supposed to meet two contrary requirements: (1) to attach the tooth firmly and elastically to the alveolar bone; and, to be appropriately remodeled and reconstructed in order to facilitate the prolonged eruption of the tooth. Specimens of periodontal ligament were obtained from the buccal and lingual/palatal aspects of the first molars from the maxilla and mandible of 12 horses. The animals were assigned to three age groups. Histological sections were prepared from thre...
Arkill KP, Winlove CP.Articular cartilage extracellular matrix imposes a significant transport barrier to albumin, the principal carrier of fatty acids. It has not been previously established whether it also influences the transport of fatty acids important for chondrocyte metabolism. Albumin was labelled with rhodamine-maleimide and bound to NBD-labelled lauric acid. Plugs of fresh equine metacarpal-phalangeal cartilage and subchondral bone were incubated with the complex at 4 degrees C for 2-160 h. The fluorophore distribution was quantified using quantitative microscopy in histological sections. The fluorescence...
Choi YH, Love LB, Varner DD, Hinrichs K.The effect of medium-to-embryo ratio on blastocyst development of equine embryos from oocytes with compact cumuli was evaluated in the present experiment. In addition, two methods for holding oocytes before in vitro maturation were compared. In Experiment 1, oocytes cultured with roscovitine for 16-18h before maturation were fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and cultured individually in 2.5, 5, 10 or 50microl droplets. In Experiment 2, oocytes were either cultured with roscovitine or held in a modified M199 with 20% serum at room temperature (EH treatment) for 16-18h, then matured...
Journal of medical entomologyOctober 5, 2006
Volume 43, Issue 5 936-946 doi: 10.1603/0022-2585(2006)43[936:hbahba]2.0.co;2
Balenghien T, Fouque F, Sabatier P, Bicout DJ.After 35 yr of disease absence, West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) circulation has been regularly detected in the Camargue region (southern France) since 2000. WNV was isolated from Culex modestus Ficalbi, which was considered the main vector in southern France after horse outbreaks in the 1960s. Recent WNV transmissions outside of the Cx. modestus distribution suggested the existence of other vectors. To study potential WNV vectors, horse- and bird-baited traps and human landing collections of mosquitoes were carried out weekly from May to October 2004 at two Camargu...
Yamanaka T, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Hobo S, Matsumura T.We investigated the efficacy of the oral administration of oseltamivir phosphate (OP) in horses experimentally infected with equine influenza A virus (H3N8). Nine horses were divided into three horses each of control, treatment and prophylaxis groups. An administration protocol for the treatment group (2 mg/kg of body weight, twice a day for five days) was started immediately after the onset of pyrexia (above 38.9 degrees C). An administration protocol for the prophylaxis group (2 mg/kg of body weight, once a day for five days) was started on a day before viral inoculation. In the treatment gr...
Logan NL, McCue PM, Alonso MA, Squires EL.Superovulation could potentially increase embryo recovery for immediate transfer or cryopreservation. The objectives were to evaluate the effect of pretreatment with progesterone and estradiol (P+E) on follicular response to eFSH and compare doses of eFSH and ovulatory agents on follicular development and ovulation in mares. In Experiment 1, 40 mares were assigned to one of four treatment groups. Group 1 consisted of untreated controls. Group 2 mares were administered eFSH without pretreatment with P+E. Group 3 mares were administered P+E for 10 days starting in mid-diestrus followed by eFSH t...
Ho EN, Kwok WH, Leung DK, Wan TS, Wong AS.Turinabol (4-chloro-17alpha-methyl-17beta-hydroxy-1,4-androstadien-3-one) is a synthetic oral anabolic androgenic steroid. As in the case of other anabolic steroids, it is a prohibited substance in equine sports. The metabolism of turinabol in human has been reported previously; however, little is known about its metabolic fate in horses. This paper describes the studies of both the in vitro and in vivo metabolism of turinabol in racehorses with an objective to identify the most appropriate target metabolites for detecting turinabol administration. For the in vitro studies, turinabol was incub...
Jacobsen S, Thomsen MH, Nanni S.To determine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in serum and synovial fluid from healthy horses and horses with joint disease and assess the effect of repeated arthrocentesis on SAA concentrations in synovial fluid. Animals-10 healthy horses and 21 horses with various types of joint disease. Methods: Serum and synovial fluid samples were obtained from each horse. In 5 of the 10 healthy horses, arthrocentesis was repeated 9 times. Concentrations of SAA were determined via immunoturbidometry. Results: Serum and synovial fluid SAA concentrations were less than the assay detection limit in healt...
Parra-Sanchez A, Lugo J, Boothe DM, Gaughan EM, Hanson RR, Duran S, Belknap JK.To evaluate the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic parameters of enrofloxacin and a low dose of amikacin administered via regional IV limb perfusion (RILP) in standing horses. Methods: 14 adult horses. Methods: Standing horses (7 horses/group) received either enrofloxacin (1.5 mg/kg) or amikacin (250 mg) via RILP (involving tourniquet application) in 1 forelimb. Samples of interstitial fluid (collected via implanted capillary ultrafiltration devices) from the bone marrow (BMIF) of the third metacarpal bone and overlying subcutaneous tissues (STIF), blood, and synovial fluid of the radiocarpal joi...
Valverde A, Giguère S, Sanchez LC, Shih A, Ryan C.To determine the effects of dobutamine, norepinephrine, and vasopressin on cardiovascular function and gastric mucosal perfusion in anesthetized foals during isoflurane-induced hypotension. Methods: 6 foals that were 1 to 5 days of age. Methods: 6 foals received 3 vasoactive drugs with at least 24 hours between treatments. Treatments consisted of dobutamine (4 and 8 Sang/kg/min), norepinephrine (0.3 and 1.0 Sang/kg/min), and vasopressin (0.3 and 1.0 mU/kg/min) administered IV. Foals were maintained at a steady hypotensive state induced by a deep level of isoflurane anesthesia for 30 minutes, a...
Betbeze CM, Wu CC, Krohne SG, Stiles J.To evaluate the in vitro antifungal properties of silver sulfadiazine (SSD) and natamycin against filamentous fungi isolated from eyes of horses with keratomycosis. Methods: Filamentous fungal isolates obtained from eyes of keratomycosis-affected horses. Methods: Fungal culture of ocular samples yielded 6 Fusarium spp; 7 Aspergillus spp; and 1 isolate each of Curvularia, Scopulariopsis, Penicillium, and Chrysosporium. For each fungal isolate, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of SSD and natamycin were determined. Results: For all 17 fungal isolat...
Finno CJ, Valberg SJ, Wünschmann A, Murphy MJ.To determine clinical signs, diagnostic findings, tissue tremetone concentrations, and clinical outcome or postmortem findings in horses evaluated for acute severe nonexertional rhabdomyolysis initially attributed to white snakeroot toxicosis. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 14 horses. Methods: Records of the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center or Diagnostic Laboratory were searched from 1998 to 2005. Inclusion criteria included serum creatine kinase (CK) activity > 45,000 U/L, severe nonexertional myonecrosis of proximal postural muscles at necropsy, or signs of wea...
Dacre KJ, McAleese SM, Knight P, McGorum BC, Pemberton AD.Mast cell mediators are believed to play a central role in inflammatory lung disorders such as human allergic and occupational asthma. Equine heaves is characterized by reversible neutrophilic airway inflammation and airway obstruction, primarily due to bronchospasm and mucus hypersecretion, following exposure of susceptible horses to organic stable dusts. As such, heaves shares many similarities with human occupational dust-induced asthma and therefore it is proposed that mast cells may also be implicated in the pathogenesis of heaves. Tryptase, a mast cell-specific proteinase, can be used as...
Rubio-Martínez LM, López-Sanromán J, Cruz AM, Tendillo F, Rioja E, San Román F.To evaluate the clinical effects and pharmacokinetics of vancomycin in plasma and synovial fluid after intraosseous regional limb perfusion (IORLP) in horses and to compare results with those obtained after IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP). Methods: 6 horses. Methods: 1 forelimb of each horse received vancomycin hydrochloride (300 mg in 60 mL of saline [0.9% NaCl] solution) via IORLP; the contralateral limb received 60 mL of saline solution (control). Solutions were injected into the medullary cavity of the distal portion of the third metacarpal bone. Synovial fluid from the metacarpophalang...
Womble AY, Giguère S, Lee EA, Vickroy TW.To determine pharmacokinetics of clarithromycin and concentrations in body fluids and bronchoalveolar (BAL) cells of foals. Methods: 6 healthy 2-to 3-week-old foals. Methods: In a crossover design, clarithromycin (7.5 mg/kg) was administered to each foal via IV and intragastric (IG) routes. After the initial IG administration, 5 additional doses were administered IG at 12-hour intervals. Concentrations of clarithromycin and its 14-hydroxy metabolite were measured in serum by use of high-performance liquid chromatography. A microbiologic assay was used to measure clarithromycin activity in seru...
Carregaro AB, Neto FJ, Beier SL, Luna SP.To investigate the effects of buprenorphine on cardiopulmonary variables and on abdominal auscultation scores in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were restrained in stocks and allocated to 2 treatments in a randomized crossover design, with 1-week intervals between each treatment. Saline (0.9% NaCl) solution was administered IV as a control, whereas buprenorphine (10 mug/kg, IV) was administered to the experimental group. Cardiopulmonary data were collected for 120 minutes after buprenorphine or saline solution administration. Abdominal auscultation scores were monitore...
Burger NC, Nesvadba J, Nesvadba Z, Busato A, Gottstein B.A cross-sectional field study on the prevalence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum was performed in the Emmental. The study included 211 bovines, 170 equines, 20 ovines, 46 caprines and 23 rabbits (from 119 farms). In addition, laboratory routine diagnostic data obtained from 2.840 animals--all originating from the same area of investigation--were assessed in the same way. The infection extent concerning the different animal species were the following: bovines 46%, equines 12%, ovines 30%, caprines 48% and rabbits 9%. Univariate analyses of baseline epidemiological data identified no significant risk...
Chalmers HJ, Cheetham J, Yeager AE, Ducharme NG.Nasopharyngeal and laryngeal evaluation is important when examining horses with upper airway signs for poor performance. Currently endoscopy is the most common method to evaluate the equine upper airway. Ultrasonography of the equine larynx has not previously been described. Using six cadaveric specimens and four standing horses, the ultrasonographic appearance of the equine larynx was established. A scanning technique, including useful acoustic windows and the normal ultrasonographic appearance at each site, is described. Ultrasound allowed visualization of portions of the hyoid apparatus, la...
Wittig MB, Wohlsein P, Hagen RM, Al Dahouk S, Tomaso H, Scholz HC, Nikolaou K, Wernery R, Wernery U, Kinne J, Elschner M, Neubauer H.Since 1990 the number of glanders outbreaks in race, military and pleasure horses in Asia and South America is steadily increasing. Glanders, which is eradicated in Western Europe, Australia and Northern America, is currently considered a re-emerging disease. Consequently, the disease may be introduced into glanders-free regions by subclinical carriers at any time. The causative agent of glanders, Burkholderia (B.) mallei, is highly contagious and leads to chronic disease in horses whereas in donkeys and mules the disease is acute and often fatal. Occurrence of the disease leads to internation...
Roelfstra L, Betschart B, Pfister K.In a study on the seasonal dynamics of the gastro-intestinal nematode egg production in horses, one breeding farm also revealed a particularly high prevalence of Anoplocephala spp. infection. Consequently, this farm was chosen for analysing the seasonal pattern of the tapeworm egg excretion over a one year period in order to establish the most favourable periods for an appropriate and successful cestocidal treatment. The seasonal analysis showed a significantly higher (p < 0.05) Anoplocephala spp. egg excretion between July and October, i.e. during the second part of the grazing period. This r...
Miró J, Morató R, Vilagran I, Taberner E, Bonet S, Yeste M.Three separate experiments were conducted to improve preservation of stallion epididymal sperm. In the first one, two different cooling extenders (Kenney and Gent) were compared. Sperm viability and motility patterns were assessed in 10 different epididymal sperm samples after 0 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 96 hours of preservation at 4°C. No significant differences were observed in any of the evaluated parameters either between extenders or throughout the storage period. The second set of experiments was designed to determine whether supplementing thawing medium (INRA Freeze...
Brown CM, Holmes JR.The paper reports the changing pressure values during the cardiac cycle recorded from various chambers of the heart and great vessels using 2 catheter-mounted transducers, 9 cm apart. Pulse pressures are calculated. Transvalval pressure differences are determined taking account of the effect of hydrostatic pressure between the 2 sensors. The effects of some valvular lesions and arrhythmias and of changes in intrathoracic pressure are also described.
Trachsel DS, Grest P, Nitzl D, Wunderlin-Stähli P, Wehrli Eser M.The present retrospective study describes the diagnostic workup and collected findings in 7 horses with chronic inflammatory bowel disease over the years 2000-2006. The diagnosis could be confirmed histologically with biopsies taken during laparoscopy or laparotomy or during post mortem examination. Weight loss and chronic diarrhoea were the most commonly reported clinical findings. Among ancillary examinations (fecal analysis, gastroscopy, abdominal ultrasonography, rectal mucosal biopsy) the D-xylose absorption test provided the most useful information. Although clinical signs and laboratory...
East IJ.In 2007, an epizootic of equine influenza (EI) occurred in Australia, involving parts of the states of Queensland and New South Wales. Following an extensive control program, the disease was eradicated within 4 months, after infecting more than 75,000 horses on over 10,000 properties. In Queensland, examination of land use patterns revealed that the majority of infected premises (89.5%) were located in one of three land use classes viz. rural residential, residential-unspecified or grazing natural vegetation. All nine clusters of infection in Queensland were surrounded to some degree by parcel...
Sebastian M, Gantz MG, Tobin T, Harkins JD, Bosken JM, Hughes C, Harrison LR, Bernard WV, Richter DL, Fitzgerald TD.During 2001, central Kentucky experienced acute transient epidemics of early and late fetal losses, pericarditis, and unilateral endophthalmitis, collectively referred to as mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). A toxicokinetic/statistical analysis of experimental and field MRLS data was conducted using accelerated failure time (AFT) analysis of abortions following administration of Eastern tent caterpillars (ETCs; 100 or 50 g/day or 100 g of irradiated caterpillars/day) to late-term pregnant mares. In addition, 2001 late-term fetal loss field data were used in the analysis. Experimental dat...
Victor S, Lampa E, Rask Andersen A, Gafvelin G, Grönlund H, Elfman L.Horse allergens are less studied than allergens from other furry animals and these allergens must be evaluated to understand the complexity of allergy to horses. The aims of this study were to develop assays for the horse allergens Equ c 1 and Equ c 2 in dander and saliva and to determine their levels in ten horse breeds. The study also included a comparison of these findings with previous results on the levels of Equ c 4 performed on the same study population. The study population included 170 horses from 10 horse breeds including American Curly and Russian Bashkir horse, which have been sugg...
Doxey DL, Milne EM, Harter A.The outcome for 35 horses with chronic dysautonomia which were kept in the hospital at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and subsequently returned to their owners is recorded. They constituted 42.7 per cent of the 82 chronic cases seen between 1991 and 1994; the other 47 horses were euthanased while in hospital. Of the 35 animals returned to their owners four died and 27 were available for follow up; of these 27, 12 were working competitively and six were being trained for future competitive work. It takes at least a year before it is clear whether a horse can compete successfully ...
Rodríguez A, Peña L, Flores JM, González M, Castaño M.This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of neuroendocrine cells (N.E.C.) by immunocytochemical means in equine lungs during three distinct evolutionary periods: fetal, neonatal and adult. The authors identified bombesin, somatostatin and calcitonin secretory cells. In the fetal lungs the N.E.C. were located in the interstitial tissue and exhibited greater immunoreactivity to bombesin than to the other two neuropeptides studied. A large number of calcitonin-producing cells and a smaller number of bombesin-positive cells were seen in the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium of newb...
Ladefoged O, Stürup S.A case of copper deficiency or molybdenum toxicosis in cattle, sheep and horses after heavy pollution of a pasture with fly ash is described. If the pastures had not been grazed by cattle and sheep as well as the horses, it would have been difficult to identify the reason for the intoxication in the horses. It is argued that molybdenum intoxication, although seldom seen in non-ruminants, was the cause of the deaths of the horses. It is suggested that the bioavailability of molybdenum in fly ash is high and therefore can cause equine intoxication.
Gottlieb M, Essén-Gustavsson B, Skoglund-Wallberg H.Three standardbred trotters performed treadmill exercise at a velocity of 2 m s-1 with a draught load of both 34 kiloponds (kp) (test 1) and 80 kp (test 2), and also at 7 m s-1 with 34 kp (test 3). The heart rate increased to average values of 111 (+/- 5), 157 (+/- 10) and 197 (+/- 7) beats min-1 in tests 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Plasma free fatty acids increased only during tests 1 and 2. Blood lactate and muscle glucose-6-phosphate and lactate concentrations were low after tests 1 and 2, but high after test 3, where also muscle glycogen utilisation was greatest. Muscle creatine phosphate a...
The objective of the current study was to determine the photoperiod-induced variations and the impact of exercise on oxidative stress biomarkers [2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), aldehydic (AD) and ketonic (KD) derivatives of oxidatively modified proteins (OMP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] and biomarkers of metabolic alterations [glucose, urea, and uric acid and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)] in the blood of Shetland pony mares and stallions involved in recreati...
Young RL, Snyder JR, Pascoe JR, Olander HJ, Hinds DM.Six enterotomies 3 cm long, spaced at 3 cm intervals, were made in the antimesenteric border of the pelvic flexure of the ascending colon in five adult horses. Ten incisions each were sutured with a Utrecht pattern (single layer), a full-thickness simple continuous oversewn with a Cushing pattern (two layer), and a mucosal simple continuous with a seromuscular simple continuous oversewn with a Cushing pattern (three layer). In all horses, chromic gut and polyglactin 910 were each used once for each pattern. On day 6, the pelvic flexure was excised and the colonic vessels were injected with a r...
MacKay RJ, Daniels CA, Bleyaert HF, Bailey JE, Gillis KD, Merritt AM, Katz TL, Johnson JC, Thompson KC.Ten horses were used in a crossover study to evaluate the effectiveness of eltenac against endotoxaemia. Eltenac (0.5 mg/kg bwt) or saline control was given i.v. then 15 min later, intravenous infusion of endotoxin was begun and continued for 120 min (total dose 100 ng/kg bwt). Horses were monitored for heart and respiratory rates, pulmonary and carotid arterial pressure and core body temperature. Blood was sampled at intervals for measurement of haematological variables and plasma concentrations of lactate, prostanoid metabolites, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and stress hormones. In compariso...
Callan MB, Giger U, Oakley DA, Scotti MV, Shofer FS.In veterinary medicine, PCV determined by centrifugation of blood in a microhematocrit tube is the most common clinical test used to initially assess and monitor anemic and polycythemic animals. In contrast, blood hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, rather than PCV, is generally determined in human patients. One automated system photometrically measures blood Hb concentration after conversion of Hb to azide methemoglobin without dilution and was found to be a simple and accurate instrument for use in human medicine. We evaluated the system for its accuracy in measuring blood Hb concentration in ani...
Cercone M, Olsen E, Perkins JD, Cheetham J, Mitchell LM, Ducharme NG.Exercise induced intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) is a common cause of airway obstruction and poor performance in racehorses. The definite etiology is still unclear, but through an experimental model, a role in the development of this condition was identified in the dysfunction of the thyro-hyoid muscles. The present study aimed to elucidate the nature of this dysfunction by investigating the spontaneous response to exercise of the thyro-hyoid muscles in racehorses with naturally occurring DDSP. Intramuscular electrodes were implanted in the thyro-hyoid muscles of nin...
The type of diet that a horse consumes is one of the most important factors determining the mineral profile and tensile strength of its hooves, so the quality and nutritional value of the supplied feed are fundamental to achieving satisfactory hoof quality. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the mineral concentrations of sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and Iron (Fe) between two diets, namely silage and a commercial concentrate, using atomic absorption spectrometry and to determine which led to higher increases in the hoof tensile strength of ho...
Viruega H, Galy C, Loriette C, Jacquot S, Houpeau JL, Gaviria M.Breast cancer is the most diagnosed women's cancer, and has a high survival rate. Despite great progress in detection and treatment, life reconstruction requires comprehensive cross-sectoral approaches between different disciplines and deeper consideration of the patient's challenges. Hippotherapy is an emerging specialized rehabilitation approach, performed by accredited health professionals and equine specialists, on specially trained horses via their movement, activating major paths for physical, mental, psychic and social reinforcement, and is synergistic to rehabilitative and supportive c...
Motie A.An outbreak of suspected equine infectious anaemia (EIA) among a population of 678 horses from 16 farms occurred in the Rupununi Savannahs of Guyana. Clinical signs of EIA were detected in 110 horses. Agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) tests on 92 sera examined showed positive serological evidence of EIA in 67 (72·8%). The mean packed cell volume of 50 horses studied was 0·178
and the mean red blood cell count was 3·7 × 1012/l with the mean white blood cell count 4·1 × 109/l.
The morbidity rate of the disease was 14·0% and the mortality rate 11·1%. The majority (78%) of all seroposi...
Vimercati S, Büchi M, Zielinski J, Peduto N, Mevissen M.Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) are responsible for the phase I metabolism of drugs, xenobiotics and endogenous substances. Knowledge of single CYPs and their substrates is important for drug metabolism, helps to predict adverse effects and may prevent reduced drug efficacy in polypharmacy. In this study, three equine isoenzymes of the 3A subfamily, the equine flavoprotein NADPH-P450 oxidoreductase (POR), and the cytochrome b5 (CYB5) were cloned, sequenced and heterologously expressed in a baculovirus expression system. Testosterone, the standard compound for characterization of the human CYP3A...
Thomas HL, Livesey MA, Caswell JL.Multiple aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are previously unreported in horses. An ABC was diagnosed in the left 3rd metacarpal of a Thoroughbred foal, which partially resolved following surgical curettage. A 2nd ABC developed in the left tibia, 7 wk postoperatively, and the foal was euthanized.
Neumann JL, Lazaris A, Huang YJ, Karatzas C, Ryan PL, Bagnell CA.Relaxin is a peptide hormone produced by a wide variety of mammals. In the horse, the placenta is the major source of relaxin. Since pure equine relaxin is difficult to obtain to study its role in the pregnant mare, the objectives of this study were to produce recombinant equine prorelaxin and characterize its immunological and biological activity. First, an equine relaxin gene cassette was transfected into immortalized bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells. Second, immunological activity of media conditioned by transfected MAC-T cells was tested by Western blotting and quantified using a ho...
Lansdowne JL, Kerr CL, Bouré LP, Pearce SG.To determine the relationship between epidural cranial migration and injectate volume of an isotonic solution containing dye in laterally recumbent foal cadavers and evaluate the cranial migration and dermatome analgesia of an epidural dye solution during conditions of laparoscopy in foals. Methods: 19 foal cadavers and 8 pony foals. Methods: Foal cadavers received an epidural injection of dye solution (0.05, 0.1, 0.15, or 0.2 mL/kg) containing 1.2 mg of new methylene blue (NMB)/mL of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Length of the dye column and number of intervertebral spaces cranial and caudal t...
Martin F, Richardson DW, Nunamaker DM, Ross MW, Orsini JA.Twenty-two horses with ulnar fractures were treated, using tension band wires alone or tension band wires in combination with pins or cortical bone screws. Age of the horses ranged from 2 weeks to 12 years (median, 4 months), and body weight ranged from 68 to 477 kg (median, 181 kg). Fractures were classified according to the Donecker and Bramlage ulnar fracture classification and included type 1-a (4 horses), type 1-b (4), type-2 (6), type-3 (1), type-4 (3), and type-5 (4), fractures. Tension band wires alone were used in 7 horses. Tension band wires were used in conjunction with unthreaded p...
Panzani S, Carluccio A, Probo M, Faustini M, Kindahl H, Veronesi MC.The aim of this study was to compare the plasma profiles of 15-ketodihydro-PGF(2α) (PGM) in healthy neonates of three different species from birth until the third week of life. Twenty-four horse foals, 12 donkey foals, and 9 calves were studied. Blood samples were collected at 10, 20 and 30 min after birth, at 3, 24 and 72 h after birth, and at 7, 10, 17 and 21 days of life. All mothers experienced normal gestation lengths and normal, spontaneous deliveries. All newborns were judged mature and viable. Hormone concentrations were higher (p < 0.05) in horse foals 20 and 30 min after birth compa...
Dallap Schaer BL, Bentz AI, Boston RC, Palmer JE, Wilkins PA.To determine if changes in viscoelastic variables are associated with abnormalities observed in the standard coagulation profile and patient outcome in foals with suspected septicemia. Methods: Prospective clinical trial during 2003 and 2004 foal season. Methods: Neonatal intensive care unit at a veterinary teaching hospital. Methods: Thirty critically ill foals <72-hour-old admitted sequentially meeting criteria for systemic inflammatory response associated with infection. Methods: Hemostatic evaluation, using standard coagulation testing and viscoelastic analysis, was performed at admissi...
Akinniyi OO, Sackey AKB, Ochube GE, Mshelia PW, Musa FA, Elijah MO, Jolayemi KO.Insulin dysregulation (ID) is central to the pathophysiology of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), putting the horse at risk of laminitis. There is a paucity of information on the status of EMS in Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of EMS, clinical manifestations, and associated risk factors in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was carried out. Selected horses underwent an insulin 2-step response test to ascertain insulin dysregulation; a physical examination was carried out to diagnose laminitis and obesity. Risk factors were assessed using a questionnaire. The overall prevale...
