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.
Gudmundsson G, Olafsson L, Nikulásson S, Jónsdóttir B.A young woman was admitted to Akranes Regional Hospital because of dyspnea, fatigue and fever. She was found to have bilateral pneumonia but etiology was not found. She was treated with antibiotics with good resolution and was discharged after eight days from the hospital. Four weeks later she noticed rapidly progressive dyspnea and was found to be hypoxemic, and to have restrictive spirometry and diffuse interstitial changes on chest radiography. Computerized tomography of the lungs showed diffuse ground glass changes. Transbronchial biopsies from the lungs showed numerous small granulomas. S...
Dewachi O, Joubert P, Hamid Q, Lavoie JP.Heaves, a condition associated with airway neutrophilia, is believed to result from an allergic response to environmental dust particles. However, the contribution of neutrophils to the allergic response is poorly understood. It has been hypothesized that Th2-type cytokines can directly activate neutrophils to produce pro-inflammatory mediators. The present study focused on the presence of receptors for the Th2-type cytokines interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-9 on peripheral blood neutrophils of horses with heaves. Neutrophils were isolated from peripheral blood of horses with heaves (n=7), and normal...
Momozawa Y, Takeuchi Y, Kusunose R, Kikusui T, Mori Y.The variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene has been reported to be associated with the personality trait of novelty-seeking in humans. In the genus Equus, this region includes an 18-bp repeat unit and there are inter- and intraspecies differences in the number of repetitions. Because horses are unique among livestock species in that their temperament is considered important, we investigated the possible role of this region on equine temperament in thoroughbred horses. We simultaneously determined the sequences of this polymorphic region an...
Devine DV, Moll HD, Bahr RJ.This case report describes chronic sepsis of the right temporomandibular joint in a juvenile horse. Diagnostic work-up included physical examination, radiography, and computed tomography. Humane euthanasia was indicated due to the chronicity of the condition, prognosis, and financial constraints.
Hedberg Y, Dalin AM, Ohagen P, Holm KR, Kindahl H.In various species, sex, hormonal treatments and oestrous-cycle stage have been shown to affect the animal's response in behavioural tests. Few such studies have been performed in the horse. The main aim of the present study was to investigate whether oestrous-cycle stage affects mares' response to a novel object test and isolation test and, in part, to study whether mares, assumed to suffer from oestrous-related behavioural problems, respond differently in these tests when compared with controls. Twelve mares were tested twice, in oestrus and dioestrus, in a crossover design. Seven behavioura...
Hoane JS, Morrow JK, Saville WJ, Dubey JP, Granstrom DE, Howe DK.Sarcocystis neurona is the primary causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a common neurologic disease of horses in the Americas. We have developed a set of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on the four major surface antigens of S. neurona (SnSAGs) to analyze the equine antibody response to S. neurona. The SnSAG ELISAs were optimized and standardized with a sample set of 36 equine sera that had been characterized by Western blotting against total S. neurona parasite antigen, the current gold standard for S. neurona serology. The recombinant SnSAG2 (rSnSAG2)...
Murata T, Yamashiro Y, Kondo T, Nakaichi M, Une S, Taura Y.Complementary DNA (cDNA) for bovine quaking gene (Bqk), equine quaking gene (Eqk) and porcine quaking gene (Pqk), which are homologous to mouse quaking gene (qkI), were isolated, and their nucleotide sequences were determined. cDNA sequences of Bqk, Eqk and Pqk showed very high homology to that of qkI at nucleotide level; 94.2, 95.7 and 95.6%, respectively. Deduced amino acid sequences for Bqk, Eqk and Pqk perfectly matched to that of qkI. These findings suggest that the quaking gene family is highly conserved during mammalian evolution, and that Bqk, Eqk and Pqk are likely to have important b...
Bi X, Li G, Doty SB, Camacho NP.The orientation of collagen molecules is an important determinant of their functionality in connective tissues. The objective of the current study is to establish a method to determine the alignment of collagen molecules in histological sections of cartilage by polarized Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS), a method based on molecular vibrations. Methods: Polarized FT-IRIS data obtained from highly oriented tendon collagen were utilized to calibrate the derived spectral parameters. The ratio of the integrated areas of the collagen amide I/II absorbances was used as an ind...
Sebastian M, Giles R, Roberts J, Poonacha K, Harrison L, Donahue J, Benirschke K.Funisitis, inflammation of the umbilical cord, is well recognized in human placentas. This report describes a case of funisitis associated with leptospiral infection in the placenta of a Thoroughbred foal born prematurely. The umbilical cord had diffuse superficial yellow discoloration along its entire length. Microscopic evaluation showed an exudate of neutrophils admixed with fibrin on the surface. Warthin-Starry staining showed spirochetes in the Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord. A locally extensive, severe placentitis not involving the star and allantoic cystic hyperplasia were the ot...
King SS, Speiser SA, Jones KL, Apgar GA, Wessels SE.Mannose is capable of decreasing bacterial attachment to the uterine mucosa in mares. Bacteria gain entry into the mare's uterus during breeding; therefore, a practical method to deliver mannose to the uterus is to incorporate it into semen extenders. The effect of mannose on spermatozoal motility and subsequent sperm fertilizing capability is unknown. The present study evaluated progressive spermatozoal motility in semen extender formulations incorporating mannose and assessed the fertility of mares inseminated with a mannose-containing semen extender. In Experiment 1, progressive spermatozoa...
Tharasanit T, Colenbrander B, Bevers MM, Stout TA.The only gonadotrophin preparation shown to stimulate commercially useful multiple ovulation in mares is equine pituitary extract (EPE); even then, the low and inconsistent ovulatory response has been ascribed to the variable, but high, LH content. This study investigated the effects of an LH-free FSH preparation, recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rhFSH), on follicle development, ovulation and embryo production in mares. Five mares were treated twice-daily with 450 i.u. rhFSH starting on day 6 after ovulation, coincident with PGF(2alpha) analogue administration; five control mare...
Mari G, Barbara M, Eleonora I, Stefano B.Ovum pick-up (OPU) by transvaginal ultrasound guided aspiration (TUGA) is a procedure applied in equine-assisted reproduction programs such as oocyte transfer and in vitro embryo production. Despite a large number of studies reporting that it is a repeatable and safe technique, little information is available about the effect of repeated punctures on fertility of mares. Moreover, even if flushing follicles improves the oocyte recovery rate, to our knowledge the efficiency of flushing estrous and diestrous follicles has not been evaluated. The aims of the present study were (1) evaluate if repe...
Brown-Douglas CG, Firth EC, Parkinson TJ, Fennessy PF.Gonadotropin releasing-hormone analogue (buserelin) challenges were carried out every 8 weeks from 4 to 14 months of age on thoroughbred colts born in the spring (n = 6) or autumn (n = 5) to define the onset of puberty. In all colts, luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion followed a seasonal pattern, with high baseline and maximal concentrations in the spring and summer and low concentrations in the winter. Testosterone concentrations were undetectable before spring and, thus, autumn-born colts were younger than spring-born colts when a testosterone response to buserelin was first observed. Mean w...
Tortschanoff M, Aurich C, Rosengarten R, Spergser J.Mycoplasma equigenitalium and Mycoplasma subdolum have been associated with infertility, endometritis, vulvitis and abortions in mares, and with reduced fertility and balanoposthitis in stallions. Despite their role in equine genital disorder, determinants of virulence and pathogenesis as well as factors provoking specific host immune responses have not been identified, so far. To establish the major immunogenic components of Mycoplasma (M.) equigenitalium and M. subdolum, antigen profiles of their type strains as well as 30 clinical isolates were compared by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis u...
Powers P.Sagittal plane SVHS video recordings (50 Hz) were made of horses jumping the wall at an international Puissance competition. Video sequences were manually digitized and six kinematic variables at take-off were analyzed. Nine horses started the competition with the fence height at 1.80 m, and two horses attempted the fence in the fifth and final round with the fence height at 2.27 m. For successful performances, fence height was correlated with the following take-off variables: vertical velocity of the centre of mass (r = 0.45, p = 0.03); height of centre of mass (r = 0.44, p = 0.04); distance ...
Escala J, Gatherer ME, Voûte L, Love S.Altered intestinal permeability is implicated in the pathogenesis of diverse equine medical conditions including alimentary laminitis and protein-losing enteropathies associated with parasitic infection. The aims of this study were to assess the feasibility of applying the 51Cr-EDTA absorption test for the assessment of intestinal permeability in the horse, and to apply this test in horses with experimentally induced alterations in gastrointestinal function. Four healthy ponies were administered 36 MBq of 51Cr-EDTA via naso-gastric tube, and urine samples were collected into polythene bags str...
Love CC.The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) was introduced by as a method to determine the susceptibility of sperm DNA to denaturation and how those results related to fertility. This initial study used human sperm and was followed by studies in bulls and boars . This assay was one of the first to introduce the technique of flow cytometry, which has the ability to evaluate specific sperm compartments of large numbers of sperm in a short time, as a methodology to evaluate sperm quality and further define the relationship of sperm quality to fertility. For any assay to be of use clinically, it mu...
Hopkins SR.Horses are bred selectively for aerobic performance and have extraordinarily high maximal oxygen consumption, approximately double the mass-specific value for human athletes. Pulmonary limitations to exercise performance are well described in these animals, including exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia and exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. In human athletes, pulmonary limitations are recognized increasingly as affecting athletic performance. Potential pulmonary limitations during maximal exercise are compared in human and equine athletes.
Groves L.An eighteen-month old quarter horse gelding was diagnosed with chip fractures from the distal lateral trochlear ridge of the talus. The horse presented with the symptom of persistent synovitis. The diagnosis was based on radiographic evidence. The horse was treated initially with arthroscopic surgery. He was given a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, and a chondroprotective agent to prevent further damage to, and aid in the healing of, the damaged joint.
Walter I, Handler J, Miller I, Aurich C.Periglandular arrangement of myofibroblasts, associated with the deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), is a cardinal feature of endometrosis in mares. We hypothesized that a disturbance in the expression of matrix degrading enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMP's) and matrix cross-linking proteins might lead to an imbalance in deposition and degradation of extracellular matrix components and thereby accentuate degeneration. Therefore, distributions of MMP-2, capable of collagen IV and laminin degradation, and tissue transglutaminase (TG2), a cross-linker of extracellular matrix pr...
Fowden AL, Gardner DS, Ousey JC, Giussani DA, Forhead AJ.At birth, the endocrine pancreas becomes more directly involved in the control of glycaemia than in utero. However, compared with other tissues, relatively little is known about the maturational changes that occur in the fetal endocrine pancreas in preparation for extrauterine life. This study examined the pancreatic beta-cell response to exogenous administration of glucose and arginine in fetal horses with respect to their gestational age and concentration of cortisol, the hormone responsible for prepartum maturation of other fetal tissues. Glucose administration had no effect on fetal insuli...
Switonski M, Chmurzynska A, Szczerbal I, Lipczynski A, Yang F, Nowicka-Posłuszna A.A 5-year-old Thoroughbred mare was subjected to cytogenetic and molecular analysis because of infertility and masculine behaviour. Chromosome studies, including painting with the whole X chromosome specific probe, revealed a male chromosome complement (64,XY). The PCR amplification of the SRY and ZFY genes showed the presence of both those genes, while the endocrinological study demonstrated a high level of testosterone (9.7 nmol/l). Sequencing of the SRY gene (1121 bp), comprising also 5'- and 3'-UTRs, did not reveal any differences when compared with the sequence of normal stallions. It was ...
Gulevsky AK, Grischenko VI, Tereschenko OS, Shchenyavcky IJ.The experimental data presented in the work testify to the cytostatic activity of 1-10 kD polypeptide fractions from brains of the hibernating ground squirrel and the Yakut horse towards Ehrlich ascitic carcinoma (EAC) cells. The experiments on the investigation of the inhibiting influence of 1-10 kD fractions from tissues of the hibernating and cold-adapted animals on protein-synthesizing system of EAC cells allow us to conclude that the cytostatic effect of the fractions is effected at the genetic level in the tumor cells.
Bobbert MF, Santamaría S, van Weeren PR, Back W, Barneveld A.The purpose of this study was to quantify performance characteristics of good jumping horses, and to determine whether these were already detectable at foal age. Kinematic data were collected of horses performing free jumps over a 0.60 m high fence at six months of age and of these same horses jumping with a rider over a 1.15 m high fence at five years of age. At five years of age the horses were divided into three groups on the basis of a puissance competition: a group of seven best jumpers that made no errors and in the end cleared a 1.50 m high fence, a group of nine worst jumpers that were...
Ahrens E, Stranzinger G.Previous research revealed that the karyotypes of Equus przewalskii (2n = 66) and Equus caballus (2n = 64) differ by one pair of metacentric chromosomes, present in ECA but not in EPR, and two pairs of acrocentric chromosomes found only in the EPR karyotype. The formation of a trivalent during meiosis in a male F1 hybrid and the homologies in G-banding patterns suggest that ECA 5 corresponds to two acrocentric EPR chromosomes resulting from a Robertsonian fusion or fission event. Chromosomal investigations of a female interspecies F1 hybrid including banded karyograms and fluorescence in situ ...
Harvey JW, Pate MG, Kivipelto J, Asquith RL.Pregnancy and lactation result in increased metabolic demands. Although homeostatic mechanisms function to keep substances in blood at relatively constant levels, some changes in the concentrations of routine clinical chemistry analytes are likely to occur. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine what physiological changes occur in serum clinical biochemistry analytes in pregnant and nursing mares, and to determine whether the changes were substantial enough to warrant separate reference intervals for pregnant or lactating horses. Methods: Forty-two Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, S...
Luís C, Cothran EG, Oom MM, Bailey E.The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes play well-defined roles in eliciting immune responses and combating infectious diseases. This genetic system is among the most polymorphic. The extent of genetic variation within a population has been directly correlated with fitness for many traits. The MHC class II locus DRA polymorphism was analysed in the endangered Sorraia horse, two other Portuguese and four New World horse breeds considered to be historically close to the Sorraia. Comparison of the Sorraia with other breeds demonstrated less MHC variation among Sorraia horses. If DRA poly...
McClanahan SL, Stromberg BE, Hayden DW, Averbeck GA, Wilson JH.A 25-year-old Quarterhorse mare was euthanized for a variety of medical reasons. At necropsy, 7 liver flukes, identified as Fascioloides magna, were recovered from the liver. This is the first report of F. magna in a horse.
Hillman RB.Thirty-seven induced parturitions involving thirty-one mares were studied over a 2-year period using various doses of oestrogen and oxytocin. The time of appearance and degree of expression of the major clinical signs of parturition, and the time for completion of delivery and the passage of the placenta were significantly influenced by increasing doses of oxytocin. Oestrogen was useful in softening and relaxing the cervix when it was tight, but was not essential to induction when the cervix was already soft and dilating. Fertility was not adversely affected by induced parturition.
Segabinazzi LGTM, Scheeren VFDC, Freitas-Dell'Aqua CP, Papa FO, Alvarenga MA, Dell'Aqua JA, Canisso IF.The present study aimed to compare semen parameters and fertility of cooled donkey semen extended in a commercially available skim milk (SKM) based extender and the same extender with cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (SKM-CLC). In Experiment 1, thirty-five ejaculates from seven jacks were split in SKM and SKM-CLC, extended at 50 million sperm/mL and stored at 5°C for 48 hours. Total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM), percentage of sperm with rapid motility (RAP) were assessed with CASA. Plasma membrane stability (PMS), and high mitochondrial membrane potential (HMP) were assessed with t...
Yamagata M, Wilkie DA, Gilger BC.Eosinophilic keratoconjunctivitis was diagnosed in 7 horses at The Ohio State University between 1976 and 1994. All horses had moderate-to-severe blepharospasm, chemosis, and conjunctival hyperemia; epiphora; and extensive yellow-to-white caseous mucoid discharge. Corneal ulcers associated with this disease were perilimbal and extended centrally. All ulcers were covered with a white necrotic plaque firmly attached to the underlying cornea. Other ophthalmic abnormalities were not detected. Corneal scrapings examined cytologically contained numerous eosinophils interspersed between epithelial ce...
McKenzie EC, Mills JN, Bolton JR.Gastric squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in three horses. Clinical signs observed in all cases were weight loss, anorexia and lethargy. Respiratory signs were prominent in one case. All three horses had depressed albumin and elevated globulin and fibrinogen concentrations. Two horses were mildly anaemic. Inflammatory exudates were present in peritoneal cavities in all cases, and cytological evaluation provided a positive diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in two cases. Pleural fluid samples taken from two cases were also classified as inflammatory exudates, but no neoplastic cells were ...
van Hoogmoed LM, Boscan PL.Although potent analgesics, opioids decrease intestinal activity, leading to ileus in many species. N-methylnaltrexone (MNTX), an opioid antagonist which does not cross the blood-brain barrier and antagonises the morphine effect on the intestine, directly stimulates motility and restores function without affecting analgesic properties. While its use has been reported in human subjects, there is no information with regard to its usage in the horse. Objective: To determine whether MNTX has an effect on contractile activity of the equine jejunum and pelvic flexure. Methods: Using circular smooth ...
Bustos CP, Marfil MJ, Lanza NS, Guida N.Streptococcus equi subsp. equi is the etiologic agent of strangles, an infectious disease affecting the upper respiratory tract and head and neck lymph nodes of equines. Routine antimicrobial therapy includes penicillin (PEN) as antibiotic of first choice. Streptococci are usually susceptible to PEN and only a few antimicrobial studies had been performed. The aim of this work was to study the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of S. equi from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ninety-two isolates were studied by the single disk method to PEN, cefotaxime, erythromycin (ERY), tetracycline, enrofloxacin ...
Seghrouchni M, Elkasraoui H, Piro M, Alyakine H, Bouayad H, Chakir J, Tligui N, Elallali K, Azrib R.Tbourida is a traditional Moroccan equestrian sport in which 15 horses gallop 200 m in a line while riders fire into the sky with muskets. The stop is the finale and representative demands of this equestrian event. Such particular sudden stop after a fast gallop requires a hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joint. Indeed, it is well known that Tbourida show predisposes horses to different injuries of the hard and soft tissues of the distal forelimbs. Yet, there is a paucity of research that examined such lesions. The aim of the present study was to investigate for the first time the typ...
Preiss EE, Kenney DG, McGurrin MK, Physick-Sheard PW.To evaluate influence of electrode position on cardioversion energy (CE; energy delivered in the shock at which cardioversion was achieved) during transvenous electrical cardioversion (TVEC) in horses with atrial fibrillation. Methods: 37 horses with atrial fibrillation (41 cardioversion events). Methods: Records were reviewed to identify horses that underwent TVEC for treatment of atrial fibrillation. Signalment and CE were recorded. Electrode positions in the right atrium and pulmonary artery were identified on intraoperative radiographs. An orthogonal coordinate space was created, and elect...
Frean SP, Bryant CE, Fröling IL, Elliott J, Lees P.Recent research in several species has suggested nitric oxide (NO) as a mediator of articular cartilage damage and an inhibitor of cartilage matrix neosynthesis. This study investigated NO production by cultured equine articular chondrocytes in response to 2 arthritogenic molecules, namely lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and compared NO production by cultured equine synoviocytes stimulated with LPS. Synoviocytes exhibited a low basal level of NO synthesis (measured as nitrite, a NO metabolite) that was neither significantly increased nor decreased by exposure to LP...
Podolak M, Kedzierski W, Bergero D.The aim of this study was to compare changes in epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) levels in blood plasma of two racehorses breeds: Arabian and Thoroughbred during moderate intensity exercise performed in the same conditions. The increase in plasma E level just after exercise was higher in Thoroughbreds than in Arabians. During the whole test, the Arabians showed the higher levels of NE and DA as compared to those found in Thoroughbreds.
May KA, Pleasant RS, Howard RD, Moll HD, Duesterdieck KF, MacAllister CG, Bartels KE.Holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) laser lithotripsy was attempted in a mare and a gelding with calculi in the urinary bladder. The procedure was unsuccessful in producing adequate fragmentation of the calculi. In the gelding, pulsed dye laser lithotripsy was subsequently used to fragment the urolith. Manual removal of the urolith via the urethra was performed in the mare.
Brown MP, Gronwall RR, Houston AE.Six healthy adult mares were each given an oral loading dose of ormetoprim(OMP)-sulfadimethoxine (SDM) at a dosage of 9.2 mg of OMP/kg and 45.8 mg of SDM/kg, followed by four maintenance doses of 4.6 mg of OMP/kg and 22.9 mg of SDM/kg, at 24 h intervals. Ormetoprim and SDM concentrations were measured in serum, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, urine and endometrium. The highest mean serum OMP concentration was 0.92 micrograms/mL 0.5 h after the first dose; the highest mean SDM concentration was 80.9 micrograms/mL 8 h after the first dose. The highest mean synovial fluid c...
Mirazo JE, Page P, Rubio-Martinez L, Marais HJ, Lyle C.Upper airway endoscopy at rest has been the diagnostic method of choice for equine upper respiratory tract (URT) conditions. Development of high-speed treadmill endoscopy improved the sensitivity of URT endoscopy by allowing observation of the horse's nasopharynx and larynx during exercise. However, treadmill exercise may not always accurately represent the horse's normal exercise as track surface, rider, tack and environmental variables are altered. Recently, the development of dynamic overground endoscopy (DOE) has addressed some of these shortcomings. A retrospective study was undertaken to...
Sukmawinata E, Sato W, Uemura R, Kanda T, Kusano K, Kambayashi Y, Sato T, Ishikawa Y, Toya R, Sueyoshi M.In this study, the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) enterococci was evaluated in Thoroughbred (TB) racehorses in Japan. Fecal samples were collected from 212 healthy TB racehorses at the Miho and Ritto Training Centers of the Japan Racing Association from March 2017 to August 2018. Isolation and identification were performed by enterococcus selective medium and confirmed to the species using MALDI-TOF MS. Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility test against 11 antimicrobials by minimum inhibitory concentration based on recommenda...
White-Springer SH, Vineyard KR, Kivipelto J, Warren LK.Omega-3 (n-3; ω-3) fatty acids (FA) are often included in the diet for their potential health benefits. However, because oxidative potential is increased with the degree of unsaturation in vitro, polyunsaturated FA such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) may be at increased risk of lipid peroxidation. We aimed to determine the effects of dietary n-3 FA supplementation on antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in yearling horses. Quarter Horses (mean ± SEM; 14.6 ± 0.2 mo) were randomly assigned to receive no n-3 FA supplementation (CON; n = 6) ...
Roehrig JT.The equine encephalitis viruses are members of the genus Alphavirus, in the family Togaviridae. Three main virus serogroups represented by western (WEE), eastern (EEE) and Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) viruses cause epizootic and enzootic infection of horses throughout the western hemisphere. All equine encephalitis viruses are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The first equine encephalitis virus vaccines were produced by virus inactivation. Problems with inadequate inactivation, which may have caused a major epidemic/epizootic of VEE in central America and Texas in ...
Wijekoon S, Tsogbadrakh M, Sunaga T, Wang Y, Mwale C, Kim S, Alimaa D, Okumura M.The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-hepcidin effect of pentosan polysulfate (PPS) in Mongolian horses. Twenty-six healthy horses were randomly allocated in to two-groups; one group was treated with a PPS once a week for 4-weeks while another group keeping as placebo. Blood samples at day 0 (D0), before race (BR; day 28) and after race (AR; day 28) were analyzed for serum biochemistry, hepcidin and iron concentrations. Significant reduction of hepcidin was observed at AR in PPS group when compared with BR placebo (P<0.05) and AR placebo (P<0.01). Mean hepcidin concentration differ...
Singer ER, Livesey MA.To determine, in a population of young horses, whether a variation exists among neonates, sucklings, weanlings, and yearlings regarding recovery from anesthesia, short- and long-term survival rates, and postoperative adhesion formation following exploratory laparotomy. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 102 horses < 25 months old that underwent exploratory laparotomy. Methods: Pre-, intra-, and postoperative information was retrieved from medical records, conversations with referring veterinarians, owners, or trainers, and race records. Survival rates (recovery from anesthesia and short- a...
Hoffman AM, Viel L, Muckle CA, Tesarowski DB.A novel method to reduce contamination of the bronchoscope during microbial sampling of the lower airways of foals was evaluated. Methylene blue (MB) was used as a nasopharyngeal dye marker to assess the relative contamination from the upper airways of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens obtained by standard bronchoscopy (SB) and a "guarded" bronchoscopic method (GB). For GB, a clear sterile cellulose sheath was fitted over the bronchoscope in an effort to protect the endoscope tip and channel from contamination. Methylene blue was detected visually in seven of eight BAL samples from foals ...
Shepard KN, Haffner JC, Neal DL, Grubbs ST, Pearce GL.Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentration is used in the diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in horses. We enrolled 10 horses, 5 PPID-positive and 5 PPID-negative, in our study, September 20-22, 2016. On day 0, 5 mL of whole blood was collected into each of 6 EDTA tubes and immediately placed in a refrigerator at 7°C. One tube was centrifuged within 15 min of collection, followed by centrifugation of one tube from each horse at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 36 h following collection. At each time, centrifuged plasma was pipetted into 1.5-mL polypropylene tubes and stor...
Dahlgren LA, Nixon AJ.To define a portion of the nucleotide sequences of each of the 6 insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) in horses and describe patterns of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression for IGFBPs in normal equine tendons. Methods: 7 horses. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from the tensile region of normal superficial digital flexor tendons and reverse transcribed into complimentary DNA (cDNA). The cDNA was amplified via PCR, and products representing portions of each IGFBP were cloned and sequenced. Nucleotide sequences were used to deduce the amino acid sequences, and both ...
Santschi EM, LeBlanc MM, Weston PG.Plasma cortisol, oestrone sulphate and progestagens were measured in 22 stressed pregnant mares (gestation length 17-336 days) as indicators of fetal viability. Mares were bled every 12 h from time of admission, and plasma was stored at -70 degrees C until assayed. Four normal mares were bled twice weekly from Day 270 to parturition to provide baseline endocrine data. Cortisol and progestagen concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay and oestrone sulphate was measured by enzyme immunoassay. Mares were grouped according to clinical diagnosis: surgical colic (Group 1, n = 11), medical col...
Shang S, Zhang M, Zhao Y, Dang W, Hua P, Zhang S, Wang Z.Due to the thriving development of the modern horse industry and the occurrence of horse related crimes, the demand for methods of individual horse identification, parentage tests and other genetic analyses is increasing. Previous methods had disadvantages that decreased the accuracy of the results, lacked the inclusion of all commonly used short tandem repeats (STR) or increased the experimental cost and time. Objective: We aimed to develop a novel 13-plex STR typing system to resolve the above issues. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Twelve autosomal and most commonly used di-nucleotide...
Ishii M, Aoki T, Yamakawa K, Magata F, Gojo C, Ito K, Kayano M, Nambo Y.The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between the placental retention time (PRT) and the reproductive performance following mating at the foal heat in Thoroughbreds. For this purpose, we interviewed 292 farmers over a period of 3 years with questionnaires evaluating foaling, expulsion of placenta and reproductive performance at the foal heat in 1,432 mares. The obtained data were later compared with a previous study of heavy draft mares. The average of the PRT of the 1,432 Thoroughbred mares was 58 ± 88 min (mean ± SD). The mean PRT of Thoroughbreds was significantly shorter ...
Nollet H, Vercauteren G, Martens A, Vanschandevijl K, Schauvliege S, Gasthuys F, Ducatelle R, Deprez P.In Belgium and even in northern Europe Rhinosporidium seeberi has not been reported in autochtonous people or animals. In this paper, the authors report the first observation of laryngeal masses, caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi, in a Belgian Warmblood horse. Moreover, laryngeal rhinosporidiosis is extremely rare since this localisation is only described in four human cases.
Ball BA, Hillman RB, Woods GL.To test the hypothesis that an abnormal uterine environment was a cause of early embryonic loss in subfertile mares, morphologically normal embryos were transferred to normal mares (n = 20) and subfertile mares (n = 20), and embryo survival rates were compared. Embryos were recovered nonsurgically at Days 7 to 8 postovulation and transferred surgically to normal and subfertile mares that had ovulated on the same day or within 2 d after a donor. Survival of transferred embryos was monitored by ultrasonography of the recipient mare's uterus from Day 9 through Day 28 postovulation. There were no ...
Orme CE, Harris RC, Marlin DJ, Hurley J.Following 10 weeks of fat supplementation a group of aerobically trained thoroughbred horses exhibited a significant decrease in postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentration. This decrease was associated with a mean 50% increase in plasma total lipase activity following pentosan polysulfate administration and an increase in postprandial plasma cholesterol concentration. A significant increase in the activity of muscle citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.7), expressed as a ratio to the total fractional area occupied by type I and type IIa muscle fibres, was also observed. No significant change in t...
