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Topic:Equine Health
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.
Flow microcalorimetric study of butyrylcholinesterase kinetics and inhibition. The enzymatic hydrolysis of butyrylcholine, catalyzed by horse serum butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8), was studied at 37 degrees C in Tris buffer (pH 7.5) by flow microcalorimetry. A convolution procedure, using the Gamma distribution to represent the impulse response of the calorimeter, was developed to analyze the microcalorimetric curves. After correction for buffer protonation, the hydrolysis reaction was found to be slightly endothermic, with Delta H=+9.8 kJ mol(-1). Enzyme kinetics was studied with both the differential and integrated forms of the Michaelis equation with equivalent res...
Identification and functional validation of novel autoantigens in equine uveitis. The development, progression, and recurrence of autoimmune diseases are frequently driven by a group of participatory autoantigens. We identified and characterized novel autoantigens by analyzing the autoantibody binding pattern from horses affected by spontaneous equine recurrent uveitis to the retinal proteome. Cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (cRALBP) had not been described previously as autoantigen, but subsequent characterization in equine recurrent uveitis horses revealed B and T cell autoreactivity to this protein and established a link to epitope spreading. We further immunized h...
Hyperhydration prior to a simulated second day of the 3-day moderate intensity equestrian competition does not cause arterial hypoxemia in Thoroughbred horses. Dehydration and the associated impairment of cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function comprise major veterinary problems in horses performing prolonged exercise, particularly under hot and humid conditions. For these reasons, there is considerable interest in using pre-exercise hyperhydration to help maintain blood volume in the face of the excessive fluid loss associated with sweat production during prolonged exertion. However, recently it was reported that pre-exercise hyperhydration causes arterial hypoxemia in horses performing moderate intensity exercise simulating the second day of a...
Immunochromatographic test for simultaneous serodiagnosis of Babesia caballi and B. equi infections in horses. An immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of Babesia caballi- and B. equi-specific antibodies (BceICT) was developed using a recombinant B. caballi 48-kDa rhoptry protein (rBc48) and a recombinant truncated B. equi merozoite antigen 2 (rEMA-2t). An evaluation of the ability of the BceICT to detect antibodies in sera from uninfected horses and experimentally infected horses showed high sensitivities and specificities of 83.3% (10/12 sera) and 92.9% (52/56 sera), respectively, for the anti-B. caballi antibody and 94.1% (16/17 sera) and 88.2% (45/51 sera), respectively, for the...
Gastrointestinal parasitic worms in equines in the Paraíba Valley, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Over a period of 12 years, from 1988 to 2000, a total of 20 individual equines (16 horses and 4 mules) were selected at random, from 10 municipalities in the Paraíba Valley, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, and then subjected to necropsy for collection of gastrointestinal worms. Individual samples of 10% of the intestinal contents were also taken for counting and identifying the species present, and to establish the prevalence of worms in equine species in the Paraíba Valley. In the sample considered, the presence of parasites ranged from 155 to 1249 worms. Tapeworms (Cestoidea) were pres...
Evaluation of genetic and metabolic predispositions and nutritional risk factors for pasture-associated laminitis in ponies. To evaluate genetic and metabolic predispositions and nutritional risk factors for development of pasture-associated laminitis in ponies. Methods: Observational cohort study. Methods: 160 ponies. Methods: A previous diagnosis of laminitis was used to differentiate 54 ponies (PL group) from 106 nonlaminitic ponies (NL group). Pedigree analysis was used to determine a mode of inheritance for ponies with a previous diagnosis of laminitis. In early March, ponies were weighed and scored for body condition and basal venous blood samples were obtained. Plasma was analyzed for glucose, insulin, trigly...
Palmar carpal osteochondral fragments in racehorses: 31 cases (1994-2004). To evaluate records of racehorses with palmar carpal osteochondral fragments and determine whether the fragments were indicators of the severity of pathologic joint changes or prognosis. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 31 racehorses. Methods: Medical records, radiographs, and videos of arthroscopic procedures were reviewed. Information gathered included signalment; location, number, and size of the primary lesion; number and size of palmar carpal fragments; and details pertaining to surgical procedures. Outcome variables were obtained from race records. Results: 31 horses met the ...
Evaluation of surgical treatment for signs of acute abdominal pain in draft horses: 72 cases (1983-2002). To determine whether heavy (> or = 680 kg [> or = 1,500 lb]) draft horses undergoing surgical treatment for acute signs of abdominal pain were at a greater risk for anesthetic and postoperative complications and lower postoperative survival rates than light ( 1 year) follow-up information was available was 50%. Conclusions: Draft horses weighing > 680 kg that underwent surgery because of acute signs of abdominal pain had longer durations of anesthesia, more postoperative complications, and higher mortality rates than draft horses weighing < 680 kg.
In vitro efficacies of oseltamivir carboxylate and zanamivir against equine influenza A viruses. To investigate the possibilities of two NA inhibitors [oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) and zanamivir (ZA)] as the clinical agents for equine influenza A virus (EIV) infection, we examined the efficacies of these inhibitors against twelve EIVs in vitro. OC and ZA inhibited NA activities of all EIVs with 50% inhibitory concentrations with ranging from 0.017 to 0.130 and from 0.010 to 0.074 microM, respectively. OC and ZA inhibited plaque-forming of all EIVs in MDCK cells with 50% effective concentrations with ranging from 0.015 to 0.097 and from 0.016 to 0.089 microM, respectively, except for one s...
Cyathostomes in horses in Canada resistant to pyrantel salts and effectively removed by moxidectin. Clinical trials using fecal egg count reduction tests and coproculture were conducted with yearlings and mares on a farm in 1997. Fecal samples were taken from each horse to estimate the number of strongyle eggs/g feces with Cornell-Wisconsin centrifugal flotation and Cornell-McMaster dilution techniques. Eleven of 15 yearlings, which had been on a daily feeding of grain with pyrantel tartrate for 66 d were found with strongyle eggs in feces. This was the first time the in-feed medication had been used on the farm. Nine yearlings were randomised into three groups; continuation of daily pyrante...
Isolation and identification of Taylorella asinigenitalis from the genital tract of a stallion, first case of a natural infection. Contagious equine metritis (CEM), caused by Taylorella equigenitalis, is a widely known highly contagious genital equine disease that is transmitted venereally. A new bacterium, Taylorella asinigenitalis resembling T. equigenitalis was recently isolated from three American donkey jacks, at routine testing for CEM. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize a strain of Taylorella sp. from the genital tract of a stallion. Swab samples for culture of T. equigenitalis were taken from urethral fossa, urethra and penile sheath of a 3-year-old stallion of the Ardennes breed when it wa...
Otoscopic, cytological, and microbiological examination of the equine external ear canal. Otoscopic examination and cytology of the equine ear would be beneficial in diseases such as head trauma, headshaking, otitis externa secondary to otitis media, vestibular disease, aural neoplasia and aural pruritus secondary to parasites. In practice, otic examinations of horses are rarely done due to the perceived difficulty in visualizing the equine external ear canal and tympanic membrane, as well as the need for chemical restraint. In this study, the proximal external ear canal was examined in live horses using a handheld otoscope and in cadaver heads using video otoscopy. Visualization o...
TNF-alpha SNP haplotype frequencies in equidae. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in the regulation of inflammatory and immune responses. In all vertebrate species the genes encoding TNF-alpha are located within the major histocompatability complex. In the horse TNF-alpha has been ascribed a role in a variety of important disease processes. Previously two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported within the 5' un-translated region of the equine TNF-alpha gene. We have examined the equine TNF-alpha promoter region further for additional SNPs by analysing DNA from...
The comparative pathology of Clostridium difficile-associated disease. Clostridium difficile is a confirmed pathogen in a wide variety of mammals, but the incidence of disease varies greatly in relation to host species, age, environmental density of spores, administration of antibiotics, and possibly, other factors. Lesions vary as well, in severity and distribution within individuals, and in some instances, age groups, of a given species. The cecum and colon are principally affected in most species, but foals and rabbits develop severe jejunal lesions. Explanations for variable susceptibility of species, and age groups within a species, are largely speculative. ...
Ubiquitin expression in muscle from horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy. Serial sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded muscle biopsy specimens from 28 Quarter Horse, Paint, and draft-related breeds, aged 0.5-23 years, were treated with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain for glycogen and were immunostained to detect ubiquitin expression. On the basis of findings in PAS-stained sections, a diagnosis of equine polysaccharide storage myopathy (EPSSM) was made in 22 horses aged 2-23 years (mean, 9.4 years); samples from 6 horses aged 0.5-15 years (mean, 7.3 years) had a normal PAS staining pattern, with no relevant lesions. Ubiquitin expression was detected in all ...
Comparison of histopathologic criteria and skeletal muscle fixation techniques for the diagnosis of polysaccharide storage myopathy in horses. The purpose of the study reported here was to determine the effect of three methods of fixation of skeletal muscle biopsy specimens on the histopathologic appearance of muscle sections and to determine criteria that were most consistently associated with a diagnosis of polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in horses. Surgically excised semimembranosus muscle biopsy specimens were obtained from nine horses previously diagnosed with PSSM and from 15 control horses. Portions of each specimen were fixed in formalin, frozen immediately, and chilled for 24 hours prior to freezing. Sections stained ...
Pharmacokinetics of the calcium-channel blocker diltiazem after a single intravenous dose in horses. The pharmacokinetics of diltiazem were determined in eight healthy horses. Diltiazem HCl, 1 mg/kg i.v., was administered over 5 min. Venous blood samples were collected at regular intervals after administration. Plasma concentrations of diltiazem and desacetyldiltiazem were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. A second, putative metabolite was detected, but could not be identified due to the lack of an authentic standard. Data were analyzed by nonlinear least-squares regression analysis. The median (minimum-maximum) peak plasma concentration of diltiazem was 727 (539-976) ng/m...
The pharmacokinetics of orbifloxacin in the horse following oral and intravenous administration. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics and physicochemical characteristics of orbifloxacin in the horse. Six healthy adult horses were administered oral and intravenous orbifloxacin at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg. Plasma samples were collected and analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Plasma protein binding and lipophilicity were determined in vitro. Following i.v. administration, orbifloxacin had a terminal half-life (t1/2) of 5.08 h and a volume of distribution (V(d(SS))) of 1.58 L/kg. Following oral administration, the average maximum p...
Small strongyle infection: consequences of larvicidal treatment of horses with fenbendazole and moxidectin. The study was undertaken to evaluate adverse effects of larvicidal treatment in horses naturally infected with cyathostomins. Out of 24 ponies kept on pasture, four animals were housed in September and anthelmintically cured to serve as worm-free controls (group C-0). The others were housed in December. Eight animals each were treated 8 weeks later with 5 x 7.5mg/kg fenbendazole (FBZ) or 1 x 0.4 mg/kg moxidectin (MOX). Four animals remained untreated (group C-i). Two, 4, 6 and 14 days after the end of treatment two animals of each of the treated groups were necropsied together with group C-0 a...
Effect of intraluminal distension or ischemic strangulation obstruction of the equine jejunum on jejunal motilin receptors and binding of erythromycin lactobionate. To determine whether inflammation of the jejunum of horses decreases the number of motilin receptors and amounts of motilin receptor mRNA and alters erythromycin lactobionate binding affinity to the motilin receptor in jejunal tissues. Methods: Jejunal segments in 6 adult horses. Methods: Each horse was anesthetized, and a ventral median celiotomy was performed; 2 segments of jejunum underwent a sham operation, 2 segments underwent ischemic strangulation obstruction (ISO), and 2 segments underwent intraluminal distension (ILD). Treatments were maintained for 120 minutes. From each segment, ful...
Correlation of magnetic resonance images with anatomic features of the equine tarsus. To correlate anatomic features of the equine tarsus identified in plastinated sections with images obtained via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: 4 horses. Methods: MRI (1.5-Tesla magnet) of the tarsus was performed on the pelvic limbs of 4 clinically normal horses following euthanasia. After imaging, tarsocrural joint spaces and vasculature were injected with colored latex. Sagittal and transverse sections of the tarsi were plastinated to facilitate interpretation of MR images. Results: Relevant anatomic structures were identified and labeled on the plastinated tissue slices and corr...
Use of intra-articular administration of ethyl alcohol for arthrodesis of the tarsometatarsal joint in healthy horses. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intra-articular administration of ethyl alcohol for arthrodesis of tarsometatarsal joints in horses. Methods: 8 healthy female horses without lameness or radiographic evidence of tarsal joint osteoarthritis. Methods: In each horse, 1 tarsometatarsal joint was treated with 4 mL of 70% ethyl alcohol and the opposite joint was treated with 4 mL of 95% ethyl alcohol. Lameness examinations were performed daily for 2 weeks, followed by monthly evaluations for the duration of the 12-month study. Radiographic evaluations of both tarsi were performed 1 month after...
A nonnatural head-neck position (Rollkur) during training results in less acute stress in elite, trained, dressage horses. This study measured parameters of stress in recreational, trained horses (REC; n = 7) and elite (International Grand Prix level) trained, dressage horses (DRES; n = 5). The training of the DRES horses uses an unnatural head-neck position (Rollkur), whereas in the REC horses such training techniques are not common. The study measured stress by using heart rate variability analysis for 30 min postfeeding in the morning and 30 min postexercise after a morning training session. The study found no significant difference at rest between the REC and DRES horses. During the posttraining measurements, ...
Indirect fluorescent antibody testing of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. To assess the use of CSF testing with an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) caused by Sarcocystis neurona. Methods: Test results of 428 serum and 355 CSF samples from 182 naturally exposed, experimentally infected, or vaccinated horses. Methods: EPM was diagnosed on the basis of histologic examination of the CNS. Probability distributions were fitted to serum IFAT results in the EPM+ and EPM-horses, and correlation between serum and CSF results was modeled. Pairs of serum-CSF titers were generated by simulation, and titer-specifi...
Effect of exercise on activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase, and heat shock protein 27 in equine skeletal muscle. To investigate the effects of exercise on activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling proteins in horses. Methods: 6 young trained Standardbred geldings. Methods: Horses performed a 20-minute bout of exercise on a treadmill at 80% of maximal heart rate. Muscle biopsy specimens were obtained from the vastus lateralis and pectoralis descendens muscles before and after exercise. Amount of expression and intracellular location of phosphospecific MAPK pathway intermediates were determined by use of western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results: Exercise resulted in a...
Gait abnormalities caused by selective anesthesia of the suprascapular nerve in horses. To assess gait abnormalities associated with selective anesthesia of the suprascapular nerve (SSN) achieved by use of perineural catheterization and thereby determine the function of that nerve as it relates to gait in horses. Methods: 3 adult horses with no preexisting clinically apparent lameness at a walk. Methods: Each horse was anesthetized; the right SSN was exposed surgically for placement of a perineural catheter to permit delivery of 1 mL of 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride. Six hours after recovery from anesthesia, each horse was videotaped while walking (50-step data acquisition period)...
