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.
Deaton CM, Marlin DJ, Deaton L, Smith NC, Harris PA, Schroter RC, Kelly FJ.Following a period of airway inflammation the clearance of inflammatory cells along the mucociliary escalator may impose a considerable oxidant load on the trachea. Objective: To determine the degree of oxidative stress in tracheal epithelial lining fluid (ELF) in comparison to that present in peripheral airways after an acute exposure to organic dust. Methods: Tracheal wash fluid and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected for cytology and antioxidant analyses from 6 recurrent airway obstruction (RAO)-affected horses and 6 healthy control horses before and after stabling on straw b...
Christensen JW, Rundgren M, Olsson K.Responses of horses in frightening situations are important for both equine and human safety. Considerable scientific interest has been shown in development of reactivity tests, but little effort has been dedicated to the development of appropriate training methods for reducing fearfulness. Objective: To investigate which of 3 different training methods (habituation, desensitisation and counter-conditioning) was most effective in teaching horses to react calmly in a potentially frightening situation. Objective: 1) Horses are able to generalise about the test stimulus such that, once familiar w...
Allen WR, Wilsher S, Morris L, Crowhurst JS, Hillyer MH, Neal HN.Mares are occasionally encountered that consistently fail to conceive when inseminated, naturally or artificially, with fertile stallion semen in the absence of any identifiable pathology of either the structure or function of their reproductive tract. Objective: Temporary blockage of the oviducts by accumulations of naturally occurring oviducal masses may be preventing oviducal transport of the embryo to the uterus. Methods: Mares, with known reproductive histories, that had exhibited inexplicable failure of conception were treated by laparoscopically guided administration of PGE2-laced triac...
Keller MD, Galloway GJ, Pollitt CC.Obtaining magnetic resonance images of the inner hoof wall tissue at the microscopic level would enable early accurate diagnosis of laminitis and therefore more effective therapy. Objective: To optimise magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters in order to obtain the highest possible resolution of the structures beneath the equine hoof wall. Methods: Magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) was performed in front feet from 6 cadaver horses using T2-weighted fast spin echo (FSE-T2), and T1-weighted gradient echo (GRE-T1) sequences. Results: In T2 weighted FSE images most of the stratum medium show...
Scocco P, Pedini V.Sialic acids modulate the metabolite transport across membranes and may be involved in protection against pathogenic agents. The presence of sialoderivatives in the equine mandibular gland requires further study. Objective: To biochemically visualise in situ the presence of sialoderivatives, by means of mild and strong periodate oxidation and alcoholic saponification, combined with lectin histochemistry and sialidase digestion in order to hypothesise roles for detached sialoderivatives. Methods: Mandibular glands were removed from 8 mature horses of both sexes and subjected to histochemical pr...
Lane JG, Bladon B, Little DR, Naylor JR, Franklin SH.To review the prevalence of single and complex forms of dynamic airway obstructions within a large group of Thoroughbred horses in training referred for investigation of poor performance. Methods: Video-endoscopic recordings of the upper respiratory tract made during a standardised treadmill exercise test of 600 Thoroughbred racehorses were reviewed and analysed in real time and slow motion to identify dynamic collapse by the tissues bordering onto the pharyngeal and laryngeal airways. Results: Dynamic collapse within the nasopharynx or larynx was confirmed in 471 of the 600 horses. Dorsal dis...
Pfau T, Witte TH, Wilson AM.During locomotion cyclical interchange between different forms of mechanical energy enhances economy; however, 100% efficiency cannot be achieved and ultimately some mechanical work must be performed de novo. There is a metabolic cost associated with fluctuations in mechanical energy, even in the most efficient animals. In this study we investigate the exchanges between different forms of mechanical energy involved in high-speed gallop locomotion in Thoroughbred race horses during over-ground locomotion using innovative, mobile data collection techniques. We use hoof-mounted accelerometers to ...
Dao S, Abdillahi AM, Bougoudogo F, Toure K, Simbe C.The district of Bamako is the political and economical capital city of Mali with 1,800,000 inhabitants. The goal of the present retrospective study was to determine the frequency of animal bites, human and animal rabies on the one hand and to determine the frequency and the nature of mad animals on the other hand from January 2000 to December 2003 (4 years). To achieve this goal, we have analysed registers and documents related to rabies in the department of prevention and fight against diseases, the central veterinary laboratory, and also at the lazaret clinic involved in caring for human rab...
McGahern AM, Edwards CJ, Bower MA, Heffernan A, Park SD, Brophy PO, Bradley DG, MacHugh DE, Hill EW.Equine mitochondrial DNA sequence variation was investigated in three indigenous Irish horse populations (Irish Draught Horse, Kerry Bog Pony and Connemara Pony) and, for context, in 69 other horse populations. There was no evidence of Irish Draught Horse or Connemara Pony sequence clustering, although the majority of Irish Draught Horse sequences (47%) were assigned to haplogroup D. Conversely, 31% of the Kerry Bog Pony sequences were assigned to the rare haplogroup E. In addition to the extant population analyses, ancient DNA sequences were generated from three out of four Irish archaeologic...
Dierks C, Mömke S, Drögemüller C, Leeb T, Chowdhary BP, Distl O.In this study, we present a comprehensive 5000-rad radiation hybrid map of a 40-cM region on equine chromosome 4 (ECA4) that contains quantitative trait loci for equine osteochondrosis. We mapped 29 gene-associated sequence tagged site markers using primers designed from equine expressed sequence tags or BAC clones in the ECA4q12-q22 region. Three blocks of conserved synteny, showing two chromosomal breakpoints, were identified in the segment of ECA4q12-q22. Markers from other segments of HSA7q mapped to ECA13p and ECA4p, and a region of HSA7p was homologous to ECA13p. Therefore, we have impro...
Li X, Zhou SG, Imreh MP, Ahrlund-Richter L, Allen WR.Inner cell mass (ICM) cells were isolated immunosurgically from day 7-8 horse blastocysts and, after proliferation in vitro for 15-28 passages, three lines of cells were confirmed to be embryonic stem (ES) cells by their continued expression of alkaline phosphatase activity and their ability to bind antisera specific for the recognized stem cell markers, SSEA-1, TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81, and the key embryonic gene Oct-4. When maintained under feeder cell-free conditions in vitro, the three lines of cells differentiated into cells of ectodermal, endodermal, and mesodermal lineages. However, they did ...
McGahern A, Bower MA, Edwards CJ, Brophy PO, Sulimova G, Zakharov I, Vizuete-Forster M, Levine M, Li S, MacHugh DE, Hill EW.Equine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) phylogeny reconstruction reveals a complex pattern of variation unlike that seen in other large domesticates. It is likely that this pattern reflects a process of multiple and repeated, although not necessarily independent, domestication events. Until now, no clear geographic affiliation of clades has been apparent. In this study, amova analyses have revealed a significant non-random distribution of the diversity among equine populations when seven newly sequenced Eurasian populations were examined in the context of previously published sequences. The associati...
Weston MC, Cunningham FM, Collins ME.CCL11 (also known as eotaxin) is a very potent and selective mediator of eosinophil migration which exerts its effects through its receptor, CCR3. In this study we report the cloning of an equine CCR3 cDNA sequence and investigation of the localization of CCR3 mRNA expression in horse tissues. Equine CCR3 displayed high levels of sequence identity with CCR3 sequences in other species. RT-PCR analysis revealed the expression of CCR3 in colon, lung and spleen of normal horses. In situ hybridisation experiments indicated that expression of CCR3 mRNA in colon was predominantly in eosinophils and t...
Duggan VE, Holyoak GR, MaCallister CG, Confer AW.The objectives of the present study were to determine whether induction of parturition in mares at term with low doses of oxytocin (2.5 i.u. i.v. every 20 min) affected the incidence of peri-partum complications or inflammatory responses in the neonatal foal. Parturition was induced in 11 of 26 mares and the remainder foaled spontaneously. Serum concentrations of amyloid A (AA; an acute phase protein) were measured (with a commercial ELISA) from 0 to 72 h postpartum in 18 of the neonatal foals. The incidence of dystocia and premature placental separation was higher in induced mares (2 of 11 an...
Zhang L, Hu M, Chilton NB, Huby-Chilton F, Beveridge I, Gasser RB.The expansion segments or divergent (D) domains in the large subunit (LSU) of the ribosomal DNA have been suggested as genetic markers for taxonomic and/or phylogenetic studies of parasites. In the present study, we assessed the degree of sequence variation in the D3 domain and flanking core regions of the LSU for 21 species of equine strongyles (Strongylida: Strongylidae) and determined which positions in the secondary structure of the LSU were associated with the nucleotide alterations. No intraspecific sequence variation was detected in 17 species, for which multiple individual worms were a...
Frisbie DD, Cross MW, McIlwraith CW.Histological measurements of the thickness of non-calcified and calcified cartilage, as well as the subchondral bone plate in five locations on the femoral trochlea and medial femoral condyles of species were used in preclinical studies of articular cartilage and compared to those of the human knee. Cadaver specimens were obtained of six human knees, as well as six equine, six goat, six dog, six sheep and six rabbit stifle joints (the animal equivalent of the human knee). Specimens were taken from the lateral trochlear ridge, medial trochlear ridge and medial femoral condyle. After histopathol...
Toth Z, Kaps M, Sölkner J, Bodo I, Curik I.The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for coat color in horses. Besides defining coat color classes (gray, chestnut, bay, and black), the phenotypes were also measured quantitatively according to standardized international procedures (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage L*, a*, b*), where L* describes lightness, a* describes color saturation from red to green, and b* describes color saturation from yellow to blue. The total color saturation was derived from a* and b* and referred to as Chroma. A total of 294 horses from the breeds Lipizzan, Nonius, Arabian Pure Bred, Sh...
Ivanetich KM, Hsu PH, Wunderlich KM, Messenger E, Walkup WG, Scott TM, Lukasik J, Davis J.Criteria for sub-typing of microbial organisms by DNA sequencing proposed by Olive and Bean were applied to several genes in Escherichia coli to identify targets for the development of microbial source tracking assays. Based on the aforementioned criteria, the icd (isocitrate dehydrogenase), and putP (proline permease) genes were excluded as potential targets due to their high rates of horizontal gene transfer; the rrs (16S rRNA) gene was excluded as a target due to the presence of multiple gene copies, with different sequences in a single genome. Based on the above criteria, the mdh (malate d...
Argüelles D, Carmona JU, Pastor J, Iborra A, Viñals L, Martínez P, Bach E, Prades M.The aim of this study was to evaluate single and double centrifugation tube methods for concentrating equine platelets. Whole blood samples were collected from clinically normal horses and processed by use of single and double centrifugation tube methods to obtain four platelet concentrates (PCs): PC-A, PC-B, PC-C, and PC-D, which were analyzed using a flow cytometry hematology system for hemogram and additional platelet parameters (mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, mean platelet component concentration, mean platelet component distribution width). Concentrations of transformi...
Alhassan A, Thekisoe OM, Yokoyama N, Inoue N, Motloang MY, Mbati PA, Yin H, Katayama Y, Anzai T, Sugimoto C, Igarashi I.Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel nucleic acid method whereby DNA is amplified with high specificity, efficiency, and rapidity under isothermal conditions using a set of four specifically designed primers and a DNA polymerase with strand displacement activity. In this study, we used LAMP primer sets designed from EMA-1 and Bc 48 genes for detection of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections, respectively. These primer sets specifically amplified DNA of the respective parasites. Both primer sets amplified T. equi and B. caballi up to 10(-6) dilution of 10-fold seria...
Asadi F, Mohri M, Adibmoradi M, Pourkabir M.Lipid transport systems in animals have been evaluated both as experimental models for lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in humans and to gain insight into the lipid metabolism of specific breeds. The Turkman horse is a pure-blooded horse that lives on the margins of the Caspian Basin; information about serum lipids and lipoproteins in this breed is lacking. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in clinically healthy Turkman horses. Methods: Concentrations of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol...
Jahns H, Callanan JJ, McElroy MC, Sammin DJ, Bassett HF.Brains from 100 horses, aged 2-25 years, were systematically examined by histopathology at 46 different neuroanatomical sites. The horses were sourced from a slaughterhouse (group A, n = 57), from a kennel that collected dead animals, and from 2 diagnostic laboratories (group B, n = 43). All horses from group A and 26 horses from group B were examined by a veterinarian in the period before death. None of the horses were known to exhibit clinical signs suggestive of neurologic disease. Among the main changes identified were vacuolation in the neuropil (n = 73), neurons (n = 32), white matter (n...
Szeredi L, Haake DA.The aim of this study was to examine the utility of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the diagnosis of leptospiral equine abortion and to compare IHC to silver staining and serology of the aborted mares. Ninety-six fetuses from 57 farms were examined using all 3 diagnostic techniques, revealing evidence of leptospiral infection in 3 fetuses (3.1%) from 3 (5.3%) different farms. A new finding in 1 of these confirmed cases of leptospiral abortion was the presence of macroscopic pinpoint grayish-white nodules that had a histologic correlate of hepatic necrosis; other histologic findings were consiste...
Bilińska B, Wiszniewska B, Kosiniak-Kamysz K, Kotula-Balak M, Gancarczyk M, Hejmej A, Sadowska J, Marchlewicz M, Kolasa A, Wenda-Rózewicka L.The purpose of this article was to summarize our results on the role of androgens and estrogens in human, rodent and equine testes and epididymides, in both, physiological and patological conditions, obtained in the space of the Solicited Project (084/PO6/2002) financially supported by the State Committee for Scientific Research during the last three years. Testosterone produced by Leydig cells of the testes is clearly the major androgen in the circulation of men and adult males of most mammalian species. However, androgen metabolites make up a significant fraction of total circulating steroid...
Marletta D, Tupac-Yupanqui I, Bordonaro S, García D, Guastella AM, Criscione A, Cañón J, Dunner S.The distribution of genetic diversity and the genetic relationships among western Mediterranean horse breeds were investigated using microsatellite markers. The examined sample included seven Spanish and three Italian local horse breeds and populations, plus a Spanish Thoroughbred outgroup. The total number of animals examined was 682 (on average 62 animals per breed; range 20-122). The microsatellite marker set analysed provided 128 alleles (10.7 alleles per locus). Within-breed genetic diversity was always high (>0.70), with breeds contributing about 8% of the total genetic variability. T...
Sabeur K, Ball BA.Carbohydrate-binding proteins are thought to be involved in a myriad of sperm functions including sperm-oviductal and sperm-zona interactions. Recent studies in our laboratory have characterized galactose-binding proteins on equine spermatozoa as possible candidate molecules for sperm adhesion to oviduct epithelial cells. In the current study, equine sperm membrane proteins were subjected to galactose-affinity chromatography, and bound proteins were eluted with excess galactose in a calcium-free buffer. The eluted fraction recovered after galactose-affinity chromatography was used for generati...
Arkell M, Archer RM, Guitian FJ, May SA.Eighteen observers were influenced to different extents in the grades of lameness they allocated to eight horses by whether they knew that a nerve block had been administered; on a scale from 0 to 10 the mean difference in grade allocated once the observer knew a horse had been nerve-blocked was increased by 0.4. The consistency of the assessments made by the individual observers was good, with a an average of 0.6 of a grade difference when grading the same horse on two occasions. The agreement between the assessments of four orthopaedic experts was reasonable (+/-1 grade), but significantly p...
Makrai L, Kira K, Kono A, Sasaki Y, Kakuda T, Tsubaki S, Fodor L, Varga J, Taka S.The plasmid profiles of virulent Rhodococcus equi strains isolated on three horse-breeding farms located in different parts of Hungary were investigated. From 49 soil samples collected on the three farms, 490 R. equi isolates (10 from each sample) were obtained and tested for the presence of 15- to 17-kDa antigens (VapA) by immunoblotting and PCR. Ninety-eight VapA-positive isolates were detected from 30 of the 49 culture-positive samples with a prevalence ranging from 13.1% to 23.2%. Of the 98 virulent isolates, 70 contained an 85-kb type I plasmid, 13 contained an 87-kb type I plasmid, and 1...
Buonanno AM, Carlson GP, Kantrowitz B.Portosystemic shunt was diagnosed in a 6-month-old Quarter Horse filly with acute onset of apparent blindness and a 3-month history of depression, lethargy, and ataxia. Clinicopathologic test results indicated slightly high gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and serum total bilirubin concentration. Sulfobromophthalein half time was prolonged, and plasma ammonia and serum bile acid concentrations were high as well. Histopathologic findings of percutaneous liver biopsy included widespread hepatocyte atrophy and numerous prominent small arterioles in the area of the portal triad. On the basis...
Fretz PB, Donecker JM.The outcome of surgical treatment of angular limb deformities in 29 foals was evaluated through long-term monitoring of athletic performance. Foals were placed into 1 of 2 groups, depending on the site of the angular limb deformity. In group 1 foals, the deformity involved the carpus of distal end of the radius. In group 2 foals, the deformity involved the distal end of the 3rd metacarpal or metatarsal bone. Group 1 contained 20 foals and group 2 contained 11 foals. Two foals were in both groups. Sixteen foals in group 1 and 4 foals in group 2 progressed to some form of athletic use. The under...
Lykkeboe G, Schugaard H, Johansen K.Effects of training and exercise on blood respiratory properties were investigated in standard-bred race horses. Training caused an increase in the circulating O2 capacity at rest from 18.4 to 21.0 vol%, and in the O2 capacity during exercise from 24.9 to 30.3 vol%. An increase in the in vitro oxygen affinity [P50(PH 7.4, 37.9 degrees C)] of about 2 mm Hg correlated with a decrease in the red cell concentration of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) from 6.35 mM-1-1(E), erythrocytes. Trained horses also showed an acute lowering of the red cell DPG concentration after maximal exercise. The physiologic...
Martin KH, Redding LE, Boyle AG.Although equine strangles is reportable in all states, synchronous reporting of this disease does not occur across the country. States have variable regulations on reporting (actionable, notifiable, and monitored) and no mandatory comprehensive databases exist for tracking prevalence. In this study, we solicited veterinarians' opinions on reporting of strangles and factors influencing their opinion. Two hundred and fifty veterinarians practicing within the United States A structured survey was administered online. A total of 250 veterinarians participated: 84 participants (34%) believed that s...
Goudet G.The mammalian oviduct plays a crucial role in the preparation of gametes for fertilisation (transport and final maturation) and fertilisation itself. An increasing number of studies offers a comprehensive overview of the functions of the oviduct and its secretions, but this topic has had limited investigation in the horse. Limited data are available on the final oocyte maturation in the equine oviduct. However, in vitro and in vivo systems have been established to analyse the influence of equine oviduct epithelial cells (OEC) during maturation on the potential of oocytes for fertilisation and ...
Antczak DF.The development of placentation that coincided with the evolution of mammals presented new challenges to the transmission of life from one generation to the next, particularly with regard to the possibility of maternal immunological recognition and destruction of the developing conceptus. The balance between immunity and tolerance dominates the immunological relationship between mother and fetus during mammalian pregnancy, and the focal point of this relationship lies at the interface between the trophoblast cells that comprise the outermost layer of the placenta and the maternal endometrial t...
Salinas C, Espinosa G, Morales N, Henríquez C, Morán G, Gajardo G, Uberti B.Obesity is a highly prevalent condition in horses. Dysfunctional neutrophil activity has been reported in metabolically healthy obese humans, but minimal data exist regarding horses. The present study evaluated the effect of obesity on apoptosis, phagocytosis and oxidative burst activity of peripheral blood neutrophils from lean and obese non-insulin dysregulated horses. Seven lean (BCS, body condition score 4-6/9) and five obese (BCS 8-9) horses were enrolled in the study. All animals underwent two metabolic tests (OGT, oral glucose test; IRT, insulin response test) before their selection to ...
Morley PS, Townsend HG, Bogdan JR, Haines DM.To evaluate efficacy of a commercial vaccine for prevention of infectious upper respiratory tract disease (IURD) caused by equine influenza virus. Methods: Double-masked, randomized, controlled field trial. Methods: 462 horses stabled at a Thoroughbred racetrack. Methods: Vaccine or saline solution placebo was administered 4 times in the population at 6-week intervals. The vaccine contained 3 strains of inactivated influenza virus, and inactivated equine herpesvirus type 4. Horses received 1 or 2 doses of vaccine or placebo prior to onset of a natural influenza epidemic, and were examined 5 d/...
Tremaine WH, McCluskie LK.To describe surgical technique and outcome in 10 horses with impacted cheek teeth that were removed by a transcortical osteotomy and buccotomy technique. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n=10) with impacted cheek teeth. Methods: Medical records (2002-2008) of horses with impacted cheek teeth requiring removal were reviewed; surgical technique and outcome were determined. Results: Exodontia of 11 cheek teeth was performed surgically in 10 horses; 3 horses had complications (residual swelling of the mandible) that resolved and all horses returned to their previous use. Conclusions: Transco...
Evans DL, Rose RJ.Six Standardbred horses were used to evaluate the time course of pulmonary gas exchange, ventilation, heart rate (HR) and acid base balance during different intensities of constant-load treadmill exercise. Horses were exercised at approximately 50%, 75% and 100% maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) for 5 min and measurements taken every 30 s throughout exercise. At all work rates, the minute ventilation, respiratory frequency and tidal volume reached steady state values by 60 s of exercise. At 100% VO2 max, the oxygen consumption (VO2) increased to mean values of approximately 130 ml/kg.min, which ...
Freeman DE, Ferrante PL, Kronfeld DS, Chalupa W.A D-xylose absorption test was conducted on 4 healthy mares deprived of food for 12, 36, 72, and 96 hours before the test, with a 13- to 15-day adjustment period between each test. Maximal plasma concentrations after 72 and 96 hours of food deprivation were approximately 36% lower than those obtained after the 12- and 36-hour periods (P = 0.0001). Absorption curves were flatter and the decrease in plasma concentration was slower after the 72- and 96-hour periods of food deprivation. The rate of D-xylose absorption (P = 0.0108) and the initial rate of urinary excretion (P = 0.0117) were slower ...
De Waal DT, Van Heerden J, Van den Berg SS, Stegmann GF, Potgieter FT.Both Babesia equi and Babesia caballi are endemic in large parts of South Africa. Attempts were made to obtain pure local isolates of both B. equi and B. caballi for the purpose of developing serological tests to study the epidemiology of equine babesiosis in this country. The indirect fluorescent antibody test was used to screen horses for B. equi and B. caballi in an endemic area. Seven horses and 3 donkeys between 3 and 36 months of age that tested negative were subsequently splenectomized. The splenectomy operation was performed through the abdominal approach. A 100% survival rate was achi...
Mirle E, Wogatzki A, Kunzmann R, Schoenfelder AM, Litzke LF.The surgical evaluation of haemorrhagic infarcted intestine and the decision for or against bowel resection require a lot of experience and are subjective. The aim of this prospective, clinical study was to examine the correlation between oxygen saturation and small intestinal wall (IW) thickness, using two objective methods. In 22 colicky horses, the blood flow, oxygen saturation and relative amount of haemoglobin were measured intraoperatively via laser Doppler and white light spectroscopy (O2C, oxygen to see, LEA Medizintechnik) at six measuring points (MPs) in small and large intestines. F...
Cruz Benedetti IC, Nottrott K, Fourel I, Le Bris M, Mongellas E, Portier K.To compare the effects of a lidocaine constant rate infusion (CRI) combined with 1% isoflurane versus those of 2% isoflurane alone on cardiovascular variables in anaesthetized horses, and to estimate the sample size required to detect a difference in recovery quality. Methods: Prospective, randomized, blinded, crossover study. Methods: Twelve healthy experimental horses. Methods: Horses were anaesthetized twice using an intravenous (IV) administration of acepromazine, romifidine, diazepam and ketamine. Horses were placed in dorsal recumbency and ventilated mechanically. During the first 10 min...
Studdert MJ.Set in a context of immunodeficiency diseases in general this paper provides a brief, illustrated review of a primary, severe, combined immunodeficiency (PSCID) disease of Arabian foals. Affected foals are clinically normal at birth but beginning at about 10 days of age they develop a range of clinical signs particularly bronchopneumonia and diarrhoea with which adenoviruses are peculiarly associated. Despite intensive therapy foals invariably die by about 3 months of age. Affected foals are profoundly lymphopagenic (greater than 1000 lymphcoytes per mm3). There is thymic and lymph node hypopl...
Slough TL, Rispoli LA, Carnevale EM, Niswender GD, Bruemmer JE.A biopsy procedure was developed to enable repeated sampling of a single equine corpus luteum (CL) over the course of an estrous cycle. The tissue collected was utilized in characterizing mRNA abundance for genes involved in luteal formation, function, and regression in the cyclic mare. Serial biopsies of CL in cyclic mares (2.7 to 27.5 mg per biopsy) were collected using an ultrasound-guided transvaginal technique. Biopsies were collected from each mare on d 2 and 5 (d 0 = ovulation) of the estrous cycle, and every other day from d 12 through luteolysis. Samples were obtained from 4 mares wit...
Marr KA, Lees P, Page CP, Cunningham FM.Leukotrienes have been shown to mimic many of the pathophysiological processes in allergic airway disease. In this study the bronchoconstrictor effect of inhaled LTD4, and radiolabelled neutrophil accumulation in response to inhalation of LTB4, have been examined in the horse. In separate studies, solutions of LTD4 and LTB4 were administered to the airways of normal animals by nebulisation. LTD4, but not LTB4, caused a dose-dependent increase in pleural pressure which was maximal at three to four minutes and had returned to baseline by 15 to 20 minutes. On a molar basis LTD4 was 305 to 970 tim...
van Ginneken MM, Keizer HA, Wijnberg ID, van Dam KG, Schaart G, de Graaf-Roelfsema E, van der Kolk JH, van Breda E.To investigate whether protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms are expressed in equine skeletal muscle and determine their distribution in various types of fibers by use of immunofluorescence microscopy. Methods: 5 healthy adult Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: In each horse, 2 biopsy specimens were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle. Cryosections of equine muscle were stained with PKC isoform (alpha, beta1, beta2, delta, epsilon, or zeta)-specific polyclonal antibodies and examined by use of a fluorescence microscope. Homogenized muscle samples were evaluated via western blot analysis. Results...
Dhand NK, Sergeant ES.During the 2007 equine influenza (EI) outbreak in Australia, there was no objective information about the possible under-reporting of cases by horse owners either so that they would avoid movement restrictions or because of their inability to detect infection. This investigation aimed to estimate the proportion of under-reporting during the outbreak based on the results of surveillance undertaken in conjunction with vaccination. The results provided improved estimates of morbidity during the outbreak and indicated the level of under-reporting likely to occur in future outbreaks of other infect...
Tabel H, Charlton KM.A horse showing clinical signs of a neurological disorder was killed and various diagnostic tests for rabies were carried out. Histopathlogy revealed a nonsuppurative encephalitis. Fluorescent antibody test and mouse inoculation test were negative. A positive diagnosis of rabies was based on a high antibody titer (1:10,000) to rabies virus in brain tissue.
Akhtar RW, Shah SAH, Qureshi IZ.This study was conducted to determine the response of serum testosterone (T) in male equines (stallions, donkeys and mules) after administering intravenous doses of kisspeptin-10 (KP-10), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and luteinizing hormone (LH) and saline as a control. The animals were divided into four groups of three each: Group I, 3 ml of 0.95% saline; Group II, 50 μg KP-10; Group III, 2500 IU hCG and group IV, 400 μg LH. The administration of KP-10 and hCG to stallions resulted in a significant increase in serum T concentration at 240 min; whereas it was significantly higher a...
McCue PM.To validate a turbidimetric immunoassay (TIA) for measurement of plasma IgG concentrations in foals. Methods: 36 foals. Methods: Blood samples were collected from foals before suckling and at 12 and 24 to 36 hours after birth. Plasma IgG concentrations were determined via a commercial single radial immunodiffusion (RID) assay. By use of goat anti-equine IgG antiserum and a spectrophotometer, a TIA was developed to measure plasma and serum IgG concentrations; the percentage light transmission was calibrated against RID assay-determined IgG concentrations. Assay repeatability and effects of seri...
Valera M, Galisteo AM, Molina A, Miró F, Gómez MD, Cano MR, Agüera E.The purpose of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of biokinematic variables in Spanish Purebred (SPB) horses in order to select those of sufficient interest to be measured in the pre-selection of the animals for possible inclusion in the breeding programme. Kinematic analysis of 130 SPB horses 4.6+/-1.5 years old were recorded at the trot (4m/s) on a treadmill. Genetic parameters were estimated using VCE software and a bivariate mixed animal model including age and stud as fixed effects and animal additive genetic effect and residual error as random effects. In general, heritabi...
Lloyd K, Hintz HF, Wheat JD, Schryver HF.Many cases of enteroliths were reported in the nineteenth century but the number greatly decreased in the early twentieth century. However, in recent years the number of cases in certain parts of the United States such as California has greatly increased. The reasons for the increase are obscure. The intake of nitrogen, magnesium and phosphorus (the primary components of enteroliths) from water and food is likely to be a factor. Arabians may be more likely to develop enteroliths than horses of other breeds. A nidus such as a small stone is needed because a nidus has been found in every enterol...
Holcombe SJ, Cornelisse CJ, Berney C, Robinson NE.To determine whether the hyoepiglotticus muscle has respiratory-related electromyographic activity and whether electrical stimulation of this muscle changes the position and conformation of the epiglottis, thereby altering dimensions of the aditus laryngis. Methods: 6 Standardbred horses. Methods: Horses were anesthetized, and a bipolar fine-wire electrode was placed in the hyoepiglotticus muscle of each horse. Endoscopic images of the nasopharynx and larynx were recorded during electrical stimulation of the hyoepiglotticus muscle in standing, unsedated horses. Dorsoventral length and area of ...
Allen WR, Mathias S, Lennard SN, Greenwood RE.Rapid enzyme-based immunoassays were used to measure concentrations of oestradiol-17 beta and progesterone in daily blood samples recovered throughout oestrus and for a few days after ovulation from 34 Thoroughbred and 8 pony-type maiden, barren and foaling mares. The first detectable fall in oestradiol-17 beta levels occurred in 88% of the mares within the interval -72 to 0 h with respect to ovulation and in 65% of mares within the interval of -48 to 0 h. The results indicated that serial daily hormone assays of this type could, in a high proportion of animals, predict a correct time for a si...
