Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Equine Medicine
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.
Effects of acupuncture on stride, speed, and heart rate variability in Thoroughbred racehorses. Thoroughbred racehorses are at increased risk of injury during race preparations and trials, primarily due to intensive workloads that predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries. Evaluating clinical interventions to improve health and prevent injury is essential for addressing animal welfare concerns. This study investigated the medium-term effects of acupuncture on stride, speed and cardiac autonomic regulation (assessed via heart rate variability [HRV]), in Thoroughbred flat racehorses. This prospective, randomised, parallel-group study included an intervention and a control group. Thirty T...
Radiographic and Morphological Prevalence of Dorsopalmar Hoof Distortions in in Brazilian High-Performance Racehorses. Although racehorses represent a dominant segment in equine industry, there are growing concerns regarding injury prevention, with hoof conformation increasingly recognized as a contributing factor. Objective: To morphologically and radiographically evaluate the forelimb digits of racehorses at the São Paulo Jockey Club in order to determine the prevalence of dorsopalmar hoof distortions and to compare morphological and radiographic methods for assessing the hoof-pastern axis. Methods: The forelimb digits of 59 thoroughbred horses aged 3 to 4 years were evaluated using standardized photographi...
The effect of dynamic mobilization exercises and therapeutic trunk exercises on superficial epaxial and hypaxial muscle activity in horses. Equine back rehabilitation commonly integrates dynamic mobilization exercises (DME), including DME to the chest (DMEChest) and DME to the hip (DMEHip), and therapeutic trunk (TTE) exercises, including pelvic rounding (Rounding), and lateral tail pulls (LatTail). However, limited evidence supports their use for selectively activating trunk muscles. Objective: To quantify and compare superficial epaxial and hypaxial muscle activity during selected DMEs and TTEs using surface electromyography (sEMG). Increased muscle activity was hypothesized across exercises, specifically in external abdominal o...
Short-Term Daily Oral Administration of Cannabidiol Does Not Impact Rebound Tonometry Intraocular Pressure or Schirmer Tear Test Values in Healthy Adult Horses. To assess the effect of orally administered cannabidiol (CBD) on TonoVet measured intraocular pressure (IOP) and Schirmer tear test I (STT) in horses. Methods: Horse. Methods: This was a masked, randomized, balanced cross-over study of six healthy adult horses. Horses were randomly assigned and received 3 mg/kg CBD in sesame oil or volume matched placebo by mouth once daily for three days. Baseline and daily 4-, 12-, and 24-h post treatment IOPs were measured in triplicate without sedation or eyelid akinesia. Baseline and 24-h post final (day 3) treatment STTs were measured without sedation ...
Pharmacokinetics of Diclazuril in the Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Healthy Adult Horses After a Single Oral Dose Administered as a Pelleted Topdressing. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis can cause acute infections with rapid onset of neurologic signs, necessitating immediate empiric therapy with antiprotozoal medication. The objective of the study was to identify when concentrations of diclazuril reached the MIC of Sarcocystis neurona in CSF (1 ng/mL) of healthy adult horses after a single oral dose. Six healthy adult horses were used. Blood and CSF were collected from indwelling intravenous jugular catheters and intrathecal catheters in the lumbosacral space prior to drug administration and then at 1-, 4-, 8-, 12-, 16-, 24-, 48-, 72-, 96-,...
Proteomic signatures of equine dental tooth tissues in ageing and disease. Ageing and dental disease in horses lead to structural and functional deterioration of dental tissues, yet their molecular signatures remain poorly characterised. Understanding how these processes alter the protein composition of enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp is essential for improving equine oral health and identifying biomarkers of degeneration. Objective: To characterise the proteomic profiles of equine dental tissues and determine age- and disease-associated changes, with the aim of identifying proteins consistently altered across conditions. Methods: Ex vivo proteomic study. Methods: ...
Clinical Outcomes Following Intra-Articular Administration of Autologous Muscle-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Horses with Chronic Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Open-Label Study. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are increasingly investigated as intra-articular therapies for equine osteoarthritis (OA), although most studies have focused on allogeneic or combination-based approaches. Evidence supporting the use of autologous MSCs as a stand-alone treatment remains limited. The present study evaluated the safety and clinical evolution following intra-articular administration of autologous muscle-derived MSCs (mdMSCs) in horses with naturally occurring chronic OA. Thirteen horses with confirmed clinical disease were included. Each affected joint received a single inje...
Macroscale and microscale mechanical and biochemical properties of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon are regionally dependent. To examine regional mechanical and biochemical differences across the length of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT). Unassigned: Equine SDFTs were collected postmortem from 9 donors and divided into proximal, middle, and distal regions based on the location of the musculotendinous and osteotendinous junctions. Tensile testing was performed on samples to obtain macroscale mechanical properties, and atomic force microscopy was done to obtain microscale mechanical properties. Biochemical assays and histological staining were done to assess glycosaminoglycan (GAG), collagen, and DN...
Metabolic effects and pharmacokinetics of oral cannabidiol (CBD) in Connemara ponies following 21 days of treatment. Cannabidiol (CBD) has gained interest in equine medicine due to its potential therapeutic effects. Preclinical studies suggest that CBD may influence metabolic pathways relevant to metabolic syndrome, which present in both human and equine populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral CBD on metabolic parameters in Connemara ponies and to characterize its pharmacokinetics. Unassigned: A total of 13 Connemara ponies [seven with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)] were stratified by EMS status and age and randomly assigned to a CBD-treated group (2 mg/kg orally, twice dai...
LC-HRMS detection of three ionizable lipids in equine plasma: surrogate markers for long-term LNP-mediated gene-doping surveillance. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are essential delivery vehicles for messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based therapies. However, their potential misuse as gene-doping agents in horse racing and equestrian sports necessitates robust analytical surveillance. This study presents a highly sensitive, Orbitrap technology-driven liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method for the simultaneous detection of three clinically relevant ionizable lipids: ALC-0315, SM-102, and DLin-MC3-DMA (MC3), which are critical components of approved RNA therapeutics and vaccines. Following a modi...
Structural Features of the Equine Small Intestinal Mesenteric Attachment Predisposing to Rupture. Rupture of equine small intestine with formation of a pouch of ingesta within the mesentery has been reported in clinical colic cases. Multiple ex-vivo studies using anastomosed jejunum observed rupture into the mesentery, distant to the anastomosis. Both scenarios suggest the jejunum is predisposed to rupture at the mesenteric attachment. The aim of the study is to 1) document the location at which equine jejunal segments rupture when subjected to high intraluminal pressures, 2) identify predisposing anatomical features that may confer weakness at the point of rupture and 3) demonstrate jejun...
Clinical audit on antimicrobial stewardship effectiveness in reducing antimicrobial-resistant bacterial colonisation in hospitalised horses. International guidelines support the One Health approach and recommend antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) in veterinary medicine. National data on antimicrobial-resistant bacterial colonisation rates (AMRb CR) in horses remain limited. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an ASP in reducing AMRb CR in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital using a clinical audit. Methods: Clinical audit. Methods: In Autumn 2021 active AMR surveillance in Perinatology/Reproduction and Internal Medicine Units planned; January-July 2022-first audit cycle (A1); Autumn 2022-review and implementation of anti...
Evaluating hormonal levels in plasma and saliva as temperament indicators in horses. Assessing the temperament of horses is important to ensure their welfare, management, and safety. This study evaluated the plasma-saliva relationships for cortisol, oxytocin, and serotonin, and explored their associations with temperament traits in 40 horses using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Significant correlations were observed between cortisol (r = 0.441) and oxytocin (r = 0.587) concentrations, whereas serotonin showed a weak correlation (r = 0.133). Bland-Altman analysis revealed acceptable agreement for cortisol but substantial individual variability for oxytocin, despite its str...
Mitochondrial dysfunction in equine ageing: Current evidence and clinical implications for geroscience. Ageing is a complex biological process affecting a growing geriatric human and equine population worldwide. Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered one of the hallmarks of ageing, representing a multifaceted process. This review synthesises current findings on mitochondrial dysfunction in aged equines, drawing parallels with human medicine and identifying current knowledge gaps. Integrating findings from human and equine research may bridge existing challenges and offer new opportunities, including the development of novel translational models for ageing research. Furthermore, it highlights th...
Owner-Reported Cohort Study of Causes, Management and Outcome of Traumatic Wounds in 219 Horses. Current evidence on traumatic equine wounds are predominantly from expert opinion reviews or referral hospital studies. This study aimed to describe the owner-reported causes, management and outcome of equine wounds. An owner-reported cohort approach was used. Owners of horses with recent traumatic wounds were recruited through snowball sampling. Data were collected from initial injury to final healing and outcome, including horse demographics, wound cause and location, owner- and veterinary-administered treatment, and outcome. Descriptive statistics included frequency percentages (%, x/y) and...
Delta (Δ) 12-lead electrocardiography and vectorcardiography to identify the origin of focally induced atrial and ventricular premature depolarizations in horses. Cardiac arrhythmias are common in horses, but their clinical and prognostic relevance remains poorly defined. Despite the importance of localization for diagnosis and treatment, noninvasive methods to identify arrhythmogenic foci are limited. Objective: Evaluate the ability of delta (Δ) 3- and 12-lead ECGs and 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) vectorcardiography (VCG) to identify the site of origin of focally induced atrial and ventricular premature depolarizations in horses. Methods: Eight healthy horses underwent 2 electrophysiological studies, 1 standing, and 1 under general anesth...
Vaginal host-microbe signatures linked to placental outcomes in mares. Ascending placentitis is a leading cause of late-term pregnancy loss in mares. Although pathogens are presumed to ascend from the caudal reproductive tract, the association between the vaginal microbiome and placentitis has not been systematically examined. Objective: To characterise microbial and host gene expression in the equine vagina during gestation and to identify taxa or transcripts that were associated with the presence of an abnormal placenta at birth. Methods: Prospective, paired observational study. Methods: Vaginal wall swabs were collected from 49 multiparous Thoroughbred mares a...
Air pollution exposure during training impairs performance in Thoroughbred racehorses. Ambient air pollution contributes substantially to human morbidity and mortality, and athletes are recognised as a particularly vulnerable group. However, little is known about the impact of air pollution on equine athletes. Objective: To explore the relationship between air pollution exposure during the pre-competition training period and race day performance among Thoroughbred racehorses that competed on California racetracks. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study. Methods: For each winning horse, pollutant exposure during the 21-day pre-competition training period was assigned using d...
Molecular prevalence of equine parvovirus hepatitis in healthy horses from the Northern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H) was initially linked to fatal cases of equine serum hepatitis but, more recently, it has also been detected in sick or asymptomatic horses around the world, including in a limited number of horses in southeastern Brazil. In this study we aimed to assess the prevalence of EqPV-H DNA in the serum of healthy horses in the northern region of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. For this purpose, we used 1000 serum samples collected from horses from 40 municipalities and organized them into 200 pools of five samples each, based on origin and age. Using a nested ...
Lacrimal caruncula thermography overestimates rectal temperature in horses: Influence of camera type and measurement distance. Rectal temperature (RT) is the gold standard for assessing body temperature in horses, but handling and welfare concerns limit its use. Thermography of the lacrimal caruncula (LC) has been proposed as a noncontact alternative, although its accuracy may be influenced by device characteristics and measurement distance. Objective: To evaluate agreement between LC thermography and RT in horses, compare two infrared thermal cameras and determine the effect of camera-to-subject distance on measurement bias and variability. Methods: LC temperature was recorded at 0.5, 1 and 2 using two cameras (IR Fl...
Insights from healthy mares reveal that mammalian uteri harbor a diverse virome. The Earth's estimated 10 virions, primarily phages, significantly impact microbial ecosystems. Despite their abundance, viromes remain relatively understudied-particularly in domestic animals. While recent studies have described a dynamic commensal microbiome in mammalian uteri, no research has yet characterized the commensal virome in a mammalian uterus. In this study, we report for the first time the presence of a sparse, but diverse native virome in the equine uterus. The resulting virome database consists of 513 non-redundant viral genomes (> 2 kb). Taxonomic annotations revealed the...
Long-Read Sequencing for Species-Level Resolution of the Equine Gut Microbiota Reveals the Need for Improved Databases. Differences in gut microbiota composition related to diet have been reported in horses, but characterization of specific microbial taxa remains limited, particularly at the species level. The objective of this study was to use long-read sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to provide additional taxonomic insight into the intestinal microbiota in horses. Fecal samples were collected from 12 horses on pasture and from 6 of them after switching to a hay diet. Sequencing yielded low read counts per sample, and the analysis failed to detect statistical differences in alpha- and beta-diversity among diet...
The impact of barefoot racing in young Swedish trotters on career length. In several European countries, racing without shoes, i.e., barefoot, is a common strategy in trotting races to improve the speed of the horse. Why some trotters can race barefoot without damage to the hoof from excessive wear and others cannot, has been shown to partly be explained by differences in hoof composition. In particular, durable hind hooves are believed to be important to sustain racing without shoes. Also, variation in the proportion of the races the horse races with barefoot hind hooves, has been shown to be affected by genetic differences in Swedish Standardbred trotters (SB) and...
The anterograde tarsal venography enhances vessel visualization compared to the retrograde approach in horses. The objective of this study was to compare the number of vessels of the proximal venous access (ramus cranialis of vena saphena medialis) and the distal venous access (vena digitalis dorsalis communis II) for venography and, consequently, intravenous regional limb perfusion of the tarsal region. Seven horses underwent venographic examination of both hind limbs, divided into two groups: proximal venous access (PG) and distal venous access (DG). Rubber tourniquets were applied to the middle third of the tibia and the proximal third of the III metatarsal bone. Thirty mL of contrast was injected (...
Welfare Assessment in Equine-Assisted Service (EAS) Horses. Equine-Assisted Service (EAS) horses can be exposed to stressors that affect their behavior and welfare. Previous studies investigated behavioral and physiological indicators (PI) only during therapy sessions. This study evaluated the frequency of stress and pain behaviors (FSPB) in horses with different riders, while assessing welfare through housing, management, and PI. Ten horses were observed during EAS sessions with three rider groups: able-bodied, clients with significant physical impairment, and clients with no significant physical impairment, totaling twenty-six riders. Behavioral data...
Detection of papillomavirus DNA in uterine flushing samples from healthy mares reveals diverse genotypes with differing host ranges. A molecular study to assess the presence of some papillomaviruses was performed on 105 uterine flushing samples of healthy mares using real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and digital PCR (dPCR). Bovine, equine, and ovine papillomavirus DNA was detected in 27 uterine flushing samples through dPCR (~ 25.71%); qPCR was able to detect 18 positive samples (~ 17.14%). Differences between the two molecular protocols were significant as shown by McNemar's test (p˂ 0.005). EcPV DNA was detected in 10 samples by dPCR (~ 9.52%) of uterine flushing samples. qPCR detected EcPV DN...
Heavy metals in horses: A review of the toxicity, clinical consequences and expected safe tissue concentrations. Trace elements arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium, mercury, nickel, and zinc are high-density, naturally occurring metals notable for their toxicity and environmental persistence. Cadmium and mercury are particularly concerning due to their capacity for bioaccumulation and biomagnification within the food chain. Dispersed through both anthropogenic and natural sources, these elements pose significant threats to ecosystems and animal health. In equines, they induce oxidative stress by disrupting mitochondrial function, generating reactive oxygen species, and inhibiting antioxidant enzymes, leadin...
A novel flowable calcium silicate cement for endodontic therapy in equine teeth. Equine endodontic treatment for apical infections is performed infrequently due to anatomical and accessibility challenges of equine cheek teeth. However, the alternative of extraction is not without risk and lifelong implications for the horse. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), a calcium silicate cement (CSC), has been used successfully in human dentistry for decades. MTA and other CSCs demonstrate excellent biocompatibility with favourable antimicrobial and physicochemical properties. These characteristics may support their application as an alternative filling material when used in equine e...
FGF2, LIF, and IGF1 supplementation during in vitro maturation or culture improves equine ICSI embryo development in an age-dependent manner. Ovum pickup (OPU) combined with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has reshaped equine assisted reproduction, enabling embryo production from mares and stallions with constrained breeding opportunities; however, limited efficiency of in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro culture (IVC) continues to hinder embryo production. Growth factor supplementation with fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) in combination (FLI) has been shown to enhance oocyte and embryo developmental competence in several species. Objective: This...
Sensitive and selective quantification of elcatonin in equine plasma and urine using LC-FAIMS-MS/MS. The use of drugs for enhancing bone strength is prohibited under international regulations governing horse racing and equestrian sports. Elcatonin, a synthetic peptide with analgesic and bone-strengthening properties, is routinely monitored for compliance. However, its cyclic structure and high molecular weight hinder reliable detection. In this study, we developed and validated a sensitive liquid chromatography-high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry-tandem mass spectrometry method for quantifying elcatonin in equine plasma and urine. Sample preparation was optimised via weak...
