Equine Medicine encompasses the study and application of medical practices specifically related to the health and well-being of horses. This field involves the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders affecting equine species. It covers a wide range of topics, including internal medicine, surgery, reproduction, and pharmacology. Research in equine medicine often focuses on understanding the physiological and pathological processes unique to horses, as well as developing effective therapeutic interventions. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of equine medicine, providing insights into the latest advancements and methodologies in the care and management of horse health.
Brossi PM, Moreira JJ, Machado TS, Baccarin RY.This systematic review aimed to present and critically appraise the available information on the efficacy of platelet rich plasma (PRP) in equine and human orthopedic therapeutics and to verify the influence of study design and methodology on the assumption of PRP's efficacy. We searched Medline, PubMed, Embase, Bireme and Google Scholar without restrictions until July 2013. Randomized trials, human cohort clinical studies or case series with a control group on the use of PRP in tendons, ligaments or articular lesions were included. Equine clinical studies on the same topics were included inde...
Walther B, Lübke-Becker A, Stamm I, Gehlen H, Barton AK, Janssen T, Wieler LH, Guenther S.Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coli are common commensals as well as opportunistic and obligate pathogens. They cause a broad spectrum of infectious diseases in various hosts, including hospital-associated infections. In recent years, the rise of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli in companion animals (dogs, cats and horses) has been striking. However, reports on nosocomial infections are mostly anecdotic. Here we report on the suspected nosocomial spread of both ESBL-producing and non-ESBL-producing multi-drug resistant E. coli isolates in three equine patients ...
van der Kolk JH, Pacholewska A, Gerber V.The search for new markers of diseases in human as well as veterinary medicine is ongoing. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have emerged as potential new biomarkers. MiRNAs are short sequences of RNA (∼22 nucleotides) that regulate gene expression via their target messenger RNA (mRNA). Circulating miRNAs in blood can be used as novel diagnostic markers for diseases due to their evolutionary conservation and stability. As a consequence of their systemic and manifold effects on the gene expression in various target organs, the concept that miRNAs could function as hormones has been suggest...
Nixon AJ, Rickey E, Butler TJ, Scimeca MS, Moran N, Matthews GL.Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) has improved outcome in long-term studies of joint repair in man. However, ACI requires sutured periosteal flaps to secure the cells, which precludes minimally-invasive implantation, and introduces complications with arthrofibrosis and graft hypertrophy. This study evaluated ACI on a collagen type I/III scaffold (matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation; MACI(®)) in critical sized defects in the equine model. Methods: Chondrocytes were isolated from horses, expanded and seeded onto a collagen I/III membrane (ACI-Maix™) and implanted into o...
Hawkins E, Kock R, McKeever D, Gakuya F, Musyoki C, Chege SM, Mutinda M, Kariuki E, Davidson Z, Low B, Skilton RA, Njahira MN, Wamalwa M, Maina E.The role of equine piroplasmosis as a factor in the population decline of the Grevy's zebra is not known. We determined the prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in cograzing Grevy's zebras (Equus grevyi) and donkeys (Equus africanus asinus) in northern Kenya and identified the associated tick vectors. Blood samples were taken from 71 donkeys and 16 Grevy's zebras from March to May 2011. A nested PCR reaction using 18s ribosomal (r)RNA primers on 87 blood spots showed 72% (51/71; 95% confidence interval [CI] 60.4-81.0%) of donkeys and 100% (16/16; 95% CI, 77.3-100%) of Grevy's zebra...
Martínez Aranzales JR, Cândido de Andrade BS, Silveira Alves GE.Phenylbutazone (PBZ) is widely used in equine medicine, and its side effects on the gastrointestinal tract are well known. The inhibition of prostaglandins and the oxidative stress induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are described as mechanisms of gastric mucosal injury in humans. In horses, only the secondary effect of changes in cyclooxygenases is related to gastric mucosal injury. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of PBZ on certain antioxidative/oxidative parameters of the gastric mucosa. The concentrations of antioxidants and oxidants (superoxide d...
Gonçalves NN, Ambrósio CE, Piedrahita JA.Since their original isolation, the majority of the work on embryonic stem cells (ESC) has been carried out in mice. While the mouse is an outstanding model for basic research, it also has considerable limitations for translational work, especially in the area of regenerative medicine. This is due to a combination of factors that include physiological and size differences when compared to humans. In contrast, domestic animal species, such as swine, and companion animal species, such as dogs, provide unique opportunities to develop regenerative medicine protocols that can then be utilized in hu...
Stewart SG, Johnston JK, Parente EJ.An 8-year-old multiparous Thoroughbred broodmare was admitted for evaluation of a rectal tear sustained during parturition. Results: On initial evaluation, the mare had mild signs of abdominal discomfort. A full-thickness rectal tear located 30 cm cranial to the anus and extending approximately 15 cm longitudinally along the surface of the small colon between the 4 and 6 o'clock positions, when viewed from behind, was diagnosed on examination per rectum. Results: Laparoscopic evaluation of the abdomen was performed to assess the tear and extent of peritoneal contamination. A hand-assisted repa...
Hardeman LC, van der Meij BR, Lamers AA, van der Kolk JH, Back W, Wijnberg ID.In equine medicine the use of Botox® is experimental. Dosages are determined from human treatment-protocols and limited numbers of equine studies. Determination of target-muscle volume can be helpful to extrapolate human dosages. The aim of the study was to calculate a formula enabling the estimation of the deep digital flexor muscle (DDFM) volume based on distances between anatomical landmarks. Nineteen cadaveric limbs were collected and distance A (top of olecranon to Os carpi accessorium) and B (circumference of limb) were measured. Converting mathematical formulas, C was calculated: π ×...
Martins EA, Michelacci YM, Baccarin RY, Cogliati B, Silva LC.Articular cartilage, because of its avascular nature, has little capacity for spontaneous healing, and tissue engineering approaches, employing different biomaterials and cells, are under development. Among the investigated biomaterials are the chitosan-based hydrogels. Although thoroughly studied in other mammalian species, studies are scarce in equines. So, the aim of the present study was to investigate the biocompatibility of chitosan-GP in horse joints submitted to high mechanical loads. Results: An osteochondral defect was created by arthroscopy in the medial surface of lateral trochlea ...
Sobczak N, Kantyka M.The saliva of medicinal leeches, e.g., Hirudo medicinalis and Hirudo verbana commonly used in hirudotherapy, contains more than 100 bioactive substances with various therapeutic effects, including anticoagulant, vasodilator, thrombolytic, anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic properties. Recently, leeches have been used very successfully in veterinary medicine to treat many diseases of animals, especially dogs, cats and horses. The most common indications for the use of leeches are hip and elbow dysplasia, acute and chronic arthritis, diseases associated with inflammation of tendons, ligaments, an...
Weber EJ, Sanchez LC, Giguère S.The modified sepsis scoring system provides a method to identify sepsis in foals early in the disease process, but inconsistent results have been obtained from its clinical application in previous studies. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the modified sepsis score in a larger population of foals. A secondary objective was to identify factors associated with sepsis. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Records were retrospectively analysed for neonatal admissions to the University of Florida Large Animal Hospital from 1982 to 2008. Backwards stepwise multivaria...
Cook VL, Hassel DM.This article presents an overview of key factors that should alert the practitioner toward referral of a colic patient to a facility capable of surgical exploration or intensive medical management. Discussion includes a review of important aspects of colic history, signalment, physical examination findings, and diagnostic test results that indicate that a more serious medical or surgical condition exists, and advanced therapy is necessary.
Edelmann ML, McMullen R, Stoppini R, Clode A, Gilger BC.To determine the effect of age at the time of surgery, intraocular lens (IOL) placement, and presence of chronic uveitis on visual outcome after phacoemulsification and aspiration (PA) of cataracts in horses. Methods: Records of 41 horses (46 eyes) receiving unilateral or bilateral PA. Methods: Retrospective analysis of horses receiving unilateral or bilateral PA at the NCSU-VTH (35 horses, 39 eyes) and in Northern Italy (six horses, seven eyes) was performed. Visual status at last follow-up was compared to age at the time of surgery, IOL status, and presence of chronic uveitis preoperatively....
Bockenstedt MM, Fales-Williams A, Haynes JS.The placenta from an embryo transfer-recipient mare and live foal was examined. The placenta was effaced by multifocal masses, which ranged from less than 1 cm to 14 cm in diameter. The foal represented at 52 days for lethargy, ataxia, and urine dribbling; due to a poor prognosis, the foal was euthanized. At necropsy, the liver was effaced by multifocal, pale, irregular nodules. The lumbar vertebrae and other skeletal sites had multifocal lytic lesions. The placenta had 4 populations of neoplastic cells, including a spindle cell population, tall columnar and transitional epithelial cell popula...
Eydt C, Schröck C, Geburek F, Rohn K, Staszyk C, Pfarrer C.The sternum is a frequently used anatomical site to obtain bone marrow for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in equine medicine and surgery. For a safe and reproducible aspiration of sternal bone marrow, a reliable anatomical description of the sternum is mandatory. However, the anatomical literature provides very heterogeneous information concerning the structure and number of sternebrae. Isolated sterna (horses of different ages) underwent clinical computed tomography, and single sternebrae were scanned by microcomputed tomography. Data sets were analysed in detail, the dimensions of each ...
Nielsen TD, Dean RS, Robinson NJ, Massey A, Brennan ML.The practice of evidence-based veterinary medicine involves the utilisation of scientific evidence for clinical decision making. To enable this, research topics pertinent to clinical practice need to be identified, and veterinary clinicians are best placed to do this. The main aim of this study was to describe the veterinary population, the common species and conditions veterinary clinicians nominated they saw in practice and how much information clinicians perceived was available in the literature for these. A questionnaire was distributed to all Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons registere...
Pirrone A, Antonelli C, Mariella J, Castagnetti C.The aim of this study was to verify if changes in blood glucose, creatinine, urea, and fibrinogen concentrations evaluated at birth reflect gross placenta abnormalities, and are useful to identify foals that suffered from placental dysfunction. A total of 92 mares were included in the present study: 68 delivered healthy foals and they were included in group 1; 24 delivered sick foals and they were included in group 2. In group 2, foals' clinical diagnoses included perinatal asphyxia syndrome (PAS; n = 20) and prematurity and/or dysmaturity (n = 4). The proportion of sick foals was greater when...
Sturgill TL, Giguère S, Berghaus LJ, Hurley DJ, Hondalus MK.Equine neonates have reduced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared to adult horses after administration of killed vaccines. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that newborn foals can mount strong immune responses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Methods: Healthy 4-day-old foals (n=7), 4-month-old foals (n=7) and adult horses (n=6) were vaccinated once with live M. bovis BCG. Age-matched animals (n=5 per group) were used as unvaccinated controls. Relative vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations and whole blood mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and ...
Wu H, Han D, Jiang Z, Zhao D, Liu M, Xu X, Liu X, Yang L, Ji X, Wang M, Zhang S.B cell activating factor (BAFF) and its receptors were regarded as elements of the immune system, regulating the fate of B cell. In recent years, these molecules were identified in a number of normal and pathological tissues, expanding their potential functions beyond the immune system. In this study, on the basis of molecular clone and prokaryotic expression of equine BAFF, we reported that equine adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) expressed BAFF and its receptors, which exhibited the increased expression during ASC adipogenic differentiation in vitro. Moreover, with the addition of recombinant ...
Guerra M, Schnabel LV, Jacobs CC.To determine the utility of a dorsolateral arthroscopic approach to the tarsocrural joint (TCJ) to examine and surgically access the medial malleolus (MM) and compare this to the standard dorsomedial approach to the MM. Methods: Experimental cadaver study. Methods: Six pelvic limbs from four adult horses. Methods: Arthroscopic examination of the dorsal aspect of the TCJ was performed followed by the dorsomedial and dorsolateral surgical approaches to the MM, in randomized order on cadaver limbs (n = 6). The dorsomedial approach involved placing the arthroscope and instrument in the dorsome...
Woods TDC, Dixon J, Fraser BSL, Melvaine C.Exploratory tenoscopy is considered the gold standard technique to identify intrathecal pathology of the equine carpal flexor tendon sheath (CFTS). Preoperative diagnosis allows for more precise prognostication and surgical planning, potentially associated with improved surgical outcomes. This prospective, descriptive, anatomical study aimed to describe the anatomy of the equine CFTS using noncontrast and contrast CT in clinically normal cadaver limbs. Ten pairs of equine forelimbs free of gross external abnormalities were examined from mid-antebrachium to distal metacarpus. Specimens initiall...
Esselman AM, Johnson SA, Hague BA, Frisbie DD.(1) To evaluate the ability of western performance horses diagnosed with chondromalacia to return to performance; Specifically, the relationship between the grade of chondromalacia and the horses' ability to resume work; (2) To determine the impact of postoperative therapy on clinical outcomes. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses (n = 34). Methods: Records of western performance horses with lameness localized to the stifle that underwent subsequent arthroscopy with chondromalacia as the most significant diagnosis were reviewed. Chondromalacia was surgeon-graded as slight, m...
May A, Riley CB, Scharre A, Zablotski Y, Padalino B.Equine road transport is stressful and associated with an increased risk of behavioral problems, injuries, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. This cross-sectional survey-based study aimed to describe transport-related practices and the perception of behavioral and health issues in Germany. The survey targeted horse owners (amateurs and professionals) and obtained demographic details, the participant's experience, frequency and duration of transportation, and behavioral and health problems related to equine transportation. Associations among behavioral and health problems and transport ...
Gutierrez SO, Kilcoyne I, Saldinger LK, Woodward L, Nieto JE.To determine if different methods of perfusate instillation influence synovial amikacin concentrations in the radiocarpal joint (RCJ) after IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP). Unassigned: 6 healthy horses received an IVRLP using 2 different methods: (1) 2 g amikacin followed by 52 mL 0.9% NaCl (60 mL total; perfusate-A) and (2) 2 g amikacin diluted to 60 mL with 0.9% NaCl (perfusate-D). For both methods, the perfusion was administered over 5 minutes. Joint fluid from the RCJ was sampled at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes after instillation of the perfusate. Systemic concentrations of amikacin w...
Gorenberg EB, Slack J, Stefanovski D, Theiss D, Hopster K.Dobutamine is a first-line therapy for hypotension in anaesthetised horses, but the effects on haemodynamic parameters in standing and anaesthetised horses are not well studied. Objective: To investigate the effects of dobutamine in escalating dosages on haemodynamic performance in awake and anaesthetised horses. Methods: Randomised cross-over experimental study. Methods: Six healthy adult horses were enrolled, including both standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised experiments with 1-week washout. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, and...
Penazzi L, Pagliara E, Nervo T, Ala U, Bertuglia A, Romano G, Hattab J, Tiscar PG, Bergagna S, Pagliasso G, Antoniazzi S, Cavallarin L, Valle E....Foals commonly experience diarrhoea in the first weeks of life. Although this condition is rarely life-threatening, it can have significant health consequences. This study investigated whether new-born foals can benefit from a dietary supplement of nucleotides, as already demonstrated in other species. Dietary nucleotides have positive effects on rapidly proliferating tissues and are considered "semi-essential nutrients" since cells have only a limited capacity to synthesize these compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate whether providing foals with a dietary nucleotide supplementat...
Aoun R, Ogunmola Z, Musso A, Taguchi T, Takawira C, Lopez MJ.The shift in vertical forces on the equine hoof surface by heart-bar, egg-bar, and wooden clog shoes can significantly impact gait kinetics. Hypotheses tested in this study were that vertical, braking, and propulsion peak force (PF) and impulse (IMP) are different while shod with heart-bar, egg-bar, open-heel, and wooden clog shoes, or while unshod, and the resultant ground reaction force vector (GRF YZ ) has the longest duration of cranial angulation with open-heel shoes followed by unshod, then egg-bar and heart-bar shoes, and the shortest with wooden clog shoes. Forelimb GRFs were recorded ...
Hansen S, Otten ND, Ceron JJ, González-Arostegui LG, Peres-Rubio C.The contribution of redox imbalance to equine asthma (EA) pathogenesis remains unclear. Objective: (1) validate and measure a panel of redox biomarkers in the tracheal wash (TW) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples from horses with neutrophilic and mastocytic mild-moderate EA (MEA) and severe EA. (2) Evaluate the same panel in saliva and serum for comparative purposes. Methods: A total of 117 horses: 37 healthy, 26 mastocytic MEA, 29 neutrophilic MEA, and 25 severe EA. Methods: Cross-sectional study using TW, BAL, and serum and saliva sampling. After assay validation, redox biomarkers-ferr...
Hisaeda K, Ono T, Shimokawa-Miyama T, Hata A, Iwata E, Hiasa Y, Ohzawa E, Tozaki T, Murase H, Takasu M, Nishii N, Kitagawa H.We examined the differences in serum iron (Fe) concentrations and related variables between summer and winter in Noma horses. Blood samples were collected from 37 clinically normal horses seven consecutive times: September 2018, February 2019, October 2019, February 2020, September 2020, February 2021, and February 2022. Serum Fe concentrations ranged from 74 μg/dl to 316 μg/dl with a median of 176 μg/dl. The concentrations were lower in stallions compared with mares and geldings, tended to be low at 10-14 years of age, and then increased with age. Serum Fe concentrations were repeatedly lo...
Connaughton MT, MacDonald EJ, Ireland JL, Rocchigiani G, Stack JD.Caudal wedge ostectomy has not been investigated for overriding or impinging spinous processes (SPs). Objective: To establish the feasibility of caudal wedge ostectomy and compare measures of surgical trauma and error between hypothetical caudal and cranial wedge ostectomies on SPs of different inclinations. Methods: Experimental, method comparison study. Methods: Computed tomography and caudal wedge ostectomy surgery were performed on four cadavers. Observations, technical difficulties, and surgical errors were recorded. Radiographs from 67 horses with overriding/impinging SPs were reviewed. ...
de Secondi C, Cantatore F, Marcatili M, Biggi M, Withers J, de Zani D, Zani D.Back pain is a debilitating condition hampering horses' athletic careers. Thoracic spondylosis (TS), a known cause of back pain, leads to osteophytes formation across intervertebral joints. In horses, TS is poorly reported, with anecdotal signs and response to treatment. To report clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging findings, treatment and outcome in horses with TS. The clinical records of horses diagnosed with TS between 2010 and 2023 were reviewed. Signalment, clinical and imaging findings, treatment, and outcome were analysed. Thoracic spondylosis was graded from 1 to 5. Grades, concu...
Zhu D, Li S, Xu Z, Kulyar MF, Bai X, Wang Y, Wang B, Khateeb E, Deng D, Wang L, Chen Y, Guo A, Shen Y.Diarrhea presents a substantial risk of high morbidity and mortality among foals. Although studies have shown connections between gut microbiota and several gastrointestinal diseases, there is still inadequate information on gut microbial alterations in foals during diarrhea. In this study, we conducted 16S rRNA and ITS gene amplicon sequencing to investigate gut bacterial and fungal differences between healthy and diarrheic foals. The results unveiled significant reductions in gut bacterial and fungal diversities among foals experiencing diarrhea, accompanied by notable shifts in the composit...
Velásquez JM, Tamayo-Arango L, Santos-Silva T, Miglino MA.Horse joints are common sites of injury, orthopedic issues, and surgical and clinical interventions. For this reason, a thorough understanding of joint anatomy, including the boundaries of their recesses and their relationships with other structures of the locomotor apparatus, is essential. This study aimed to develop cast anatomical models of the synovial structures of the equine hand and foot, compare different casting materials and visualization methods, and identify the most suitable technique for enhancing the understanding of equine limb arthrology. Additionally, an anatomical descriptio...
Barnett TP, Colgate VA, Robinson N, Smith LCR, Palmer L, Barakzai SZ.To compare overground endoscopy (OGE) findings and racing performance in horses before and after laryngeal tie-forward (LTF) surgery for the treatment of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (iDDSP). Methods: Retrospective case series with follow up. Methods: A total of 56 horses met the inclusion criteria. Methods: Clinical record review of all horses definitively diagnosed with iDDSP, treated with LTF surgery, and evaluated with a single OGE examination postoperatively. In addition to LTF, some horses underwent bilateral aryepiglottic fold resection (AEFR) and/or soft palate t...
Bukhari SSUH, Urooj S.In winter anestrous, prolonged melatonin secretion inhibits gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). However, synthetic GnRH analogues such as buserelin can stimulate follicular development. We aimed to investigate clinical relationship between retinol, cholecalciferol, and buserelin for inducing estrous in anestrous mares (Equus caballus). We used a total of twenty-one anestrous mares, randomly divided into three groups of seven animals. Group A received retinol, cholecalciferol, and buserelin; group B received buserelin; and group C was control. Groups A, B, and C had 71.42% (n = 5; 95% CI...
Gugole PM, Zannoni A, Forni M, Iacono E, Zambelli F, Merlo B.This study investigates the effects of overnight holding and naloxone (Nx) supplementation on the vitrification outcomes of equine immature oocytes. Oocytes were divided into six experimental groups based on treatment combinations: fresh (F) and held (H) control oocytes, oocytes vitrified with or without Nx (10 M) (VIT and VIT-Nx), oocytes vitrified after overnight holding with or without Nx (10 M) (H-VIT and H-VIT-Nx). They were assessed for survival, meiotic competence, intracellular oxidative stress, mitochondrial activity and distribution, apoptosis, and apoptotic gene expression. At sur...
Roccaro M, Rinnovati R, Stucchi L, La Rocca F, Cascio G, Peli A.Doping in racehorses is a threat to horse welfare and the integrity of the sport. Despite its relevance, the literature on the prevalence of anti-doping violations worldwide is limited. Objective: To analyse anti-doping violations in racehorses in Italy. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Data on horse races, anti-doping testing, and confirmed violations between 2014 and 2022 were collected and analysed. Positivity rates, most common drug classes and parent drugs, and differences between trotting and galloping horses were investigated. Results: During the considered 9-year ti...
Rosse NDS, Tavares RA, Nunes MC, de Freitas BW, Reis ECC.Early detection of renal deficient function is imperative for the success of treatments and determining prognosis. In horses, a renal ultrasound can be performed through the abdominal wall (TA) or transrectally (TR), being an important tool for the evaluation of the kidneys. Besides renal morphology, resistivity (RI) and pulsatility indexes (PI) may be early tools to detect renal injury as they reflect arterial compliance. Twenty-nine healthy adult horses were sonographically evaluated by TA and TR approaches, measuring RI and PI on both kidneys. The mean values from the TA for RI and PI in th...
Visser EK, Jens AL, Nieuwe Weme LE, Spaapen AA, Maarleveld KN, Enzerink KH, Tromp PN, Haven-Pross SC.Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) offer significant benefits for individuals with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. However, ensuring the welfare of the horses involved remains a key ethical concern. The objective of this study was to assess the affective states of horses involved in EAS while also establishing behavioural thresholds for indicators of positive or negative affective states. A total of 98 horses were observed over a two-month period, accumulating data about horse behaviour and session characteristics from 830 EAS sessions. Horses participating in coaching programs averaged...
Toy S, Black SR, Pastor AR, Whiteside DP.Acute phase proteins (APPs) are commonly used in domestic equine practice, where they rise rapidly in response to inflammation and decrease soon after resolution. This response provides useful information to identify, monitor, and prognosticate a variety of inflammatory conditions. Asian wild horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) are an endangered relative of the domestic horse, and APP reference intervals (RI) and clinical utility in this species are not well documented. This study used serum samples from clinically healthy Asian wild horses under managed care to establish RI for serum amyloid A (...
Nolen-Walston RD, Kulp JC, Stefanovski D, van Eps AW.Hyperinsulinemia is an important and treatable risk factor for laminitis in horses. Objective: Evaluate the Tosoh AIA-360 automated fluorescence enzyme immunoassay for the measurement of serum insulin concentrations in horses, and compare it to five other immunoassays for insulin quantification. Methods: One hundred serum samples from 83 horses were submitted for insulin measurement. Methods: The Tosoh AIA-360 was assessed against a reference assay (radioactive immunoassay; RIA). Using the same samples, TOS-FEIA, ELISA, and three chemiluminescent immunoassays (CLIA) were assessed for correlati...
Arnade H, Ivie IE, Gordon J, Peroni JF.To evaluate the feasibility of short-term 3-D tissue culture in maintaining the structure and function of equine synovial explants and demonstrate that day 4 explant characteristics were not significantly different from day 0. We hypothesized that a 4-day culture period in 3-D explant culture would not significantly disrupt synovial tissue health and function compared to baseline measurements. Unassigned: Synovial explants (n = 24/horse) from healthy carpal joints of 5 horses were cultured in 12-well plates using tissue-stabilizing agar rings. Explants were evaluated in triplicate or quadrupli...
Finno CJ.Nutrigenomics defines the interaction between the nutrients in our food and the genes in our body. Examples from human medicine of diseases and associated genes include lactose intolerance (genetic variants in LCT lactase), hypercholesteremia (low density lipoprotein receptor, LDLR) and caffeine sensitivity (adenosine A2A receptor, ADORA2A). In horses, examples include Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP), where clinical signs of disease are managed through maintaining a diet low in potassium and Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy Type 1 (PSSM1), where low starch and high fat diets are recommen...
Kawanishi N, Kinoshita Y, Reedy SE, Garvey M, Kambayashi Y, Bannai H, Tsujimura K, Yamanaka T, Cullinane A, Chambers TM, Nemoto M.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is one of the most important pathogens causing respiratory signs in equids. Rapid antigen detection (RAD) kits are useful for point-of-care testing because they are user-friendly and provide fast results. Although sensitive and broad-reactive RAD kits are needed for controlling horse movement, no RAD kits specified for EIV are available. Objective: This study evaluated the usefulness of seven RAD kits originally developed for human influenza and available in Japan during 2023-2024 for EIV antigen detection. Methods: Experimental assay comparison. Methods: The detec...
Peris MP, Serrano M, Romero A, García M, Halaihel N, Castillo JA, Gracia MJ.Equine piroplasmosis (EP), a tick-borne disease caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, is of significant concern due to its impact on the international horse trade. According to standards established by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), horses imported from EP-endemic regions must have a certificate confirming negative serological and molecular test results. In EP-free countries, only seronegative horses are allowed to enter. This entails economic losses for endemic regions such as Spain. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of B. caballi and T. equi in horses from no...
Torres Borda L, Auer U, Jenner F.Horses confined to enclosures with limited opportunities for spatial avoidance and escape experience heightened social stress and conflict. While forced proximity can pose welfare risks, voluntary social proximity is considered a positive indicator of well-being. To investigate the effects of space availability on spatiotemporal dynamics, social network structure and agonistic interactions, this study used ultra-wideband sensors to continuously (1 Hz) measure interindividual distances in 34 horses across three groups under paddock and field conditions. Interindividual distances increased in l...
Bihon A, Amognehegn D, Derbew G, Yirsa T.Working equines play a crucial role in human livelihoods globally, yet their management is often inadequate. Objective: To assess the welfare and management practices of working equines. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to April 2023 in and around Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Physical examination and structured interviews were used as data collection tools. A total of 384 equines (186 donkeys, 144 horses, and 54 mules) and their owners were selected through a purposive sampling method. Results: The results showed that 60.4% of the equines were use...
Strugava L, Gomes ARC, Lorga AD, Bosak VL, Rossa AP, Janiszewski JDR, Machado M, Dornbusch PT, Moreno JCD.To describe anatomical references and sonoanatomy of an echo-guided injection for blocking the tibial and common fibular nerves with the use of a caudocranial midfemoral approach and to evaluate dye spreading in horse cadavers. Unassigned: 1 horse cadaver preserved in glycerin was used for the anatomical study, and 14 fresh horse cadavers were used for the dye spreading study. The experimental procedures were conducted on the first cadaver on March 25, 2021, and on the last cadaver on October 5, 2022. A glycerin-preserved horse cadaver's pelvic limb was dissected to identify anatomical landmar...
Matinpour M, Zettner N, Neumann K, Bäumer L, Burkovski A.Horses have close interactions with humans and are important as working animals and livestock. In contrast to smaller companion animals like cats and dogs, there is only little information available about their skin microbiome. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the culturable cutaneous microbiome of healthy horses. Samples were taken from 14 horses from Southern Germany which were randomly enrolled in this study. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used as a method to detect the culturable microorganisms of ...