Experimental methods in equine research encompass a variety of techniques and procedures used to investigate physiological, behavioral, and health-related aspects of horses. These methods are designed to collect data that can enhance the understanding of equine biology and inform veterinary practices. Common experimental approaches include controlled trials, observational studies, and laboratory-based experiments. Techniques may involve the use of non-invasive imaging, biochemical assays, and physiological monitoring to assess parameters such as metabolic function, locomotion, and disease progression. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the application, development, and evaluation of experimental methods in the study of equine science.
King MR, Haussler KK, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Reiser Ii RF.To evaluate the effect of underwater treadmill exercise on static postural sway in horses with experimentally induced carpal joint osteoarthritis under various stance conditions. Methods: 16 horses. Methods: On day 0, osteoarthritis was induced arthroscopically in 1 randomly selected middle carpal joint of each horse. Beginning on day 15, horses were assigned to either underwater or overground (without water) treadmill exercise at the same speed, frequency, and duration. Two serial force platforms were used to collect postural sway data from each horse on study days -7, 14, 42, and 70. Horses ...
de Cocq P, Muller M, Clayton HM, van Leeuwen JL.The simplest model possible for bouncing systems consists of a point mass bouncing passively on a mass-less spring without viscous losses. This type of spring-mass model has been used to describe the stance period of symmetric running gaits. In this study, we investigated the interaction between horse and rider at trot using three models of force-driven spring (-damper)-mass systems. The first system consisted of a spring and a mass representing the horse that interact with another spring and mass representing the rider. In the second spring-damper-mass model, dampers, a free-fall and a forcin...
Barrett EJ, Munsterman AS, Hanson RR.To determine the effect of gastric distension on intraabdominal pressures (IAP) measured directly from the intraperitoneal space. Methods: Prospective, experimental study. Methods: A university-based equine research facility. Methods: Ten healthy adult horses, 5 males and 5 females. Methods: Intraabdominal pressures were measured through an intraperitoneal cannula zeroed at a height midway between the height of the tuber ishii and point of the shoulder at 6 time points: at rest, after placement of a nasogastric tube, and after instillation of each 5 L increment up to a total of 20 L of water. ...
Lansade L, Coutureau E, Marchand A, Baranger G, Valenchon M, Calandreau L.Pavlovian to instrumental transfer (PIT) is a central factor in how cues influence animal behavior. PIT refers to the capacity of a Pavlovian cue that predicts a reward to elicit or increase a response intended to obtain the same reward. In the present study, using an equine model, we assessed whether PIT occurs in hoofed domestic animals and whether its efficacy can be modulated by temperamental dimensions. To study PIT, horses were submitted to Pavlovian conditioning whereby an auditory-visual stimulus was repeatedly followed by food delivery. Then, horses were submitted to instrumental cond...
Bovell DL, Riggs CM, Sidlow G, Troester S, MacLaren W, Yip W, Ko WH.Fluid secretion by sweat glands in response to heat and exercise is underpinned by increases in intracellular calcium. In horses, this is primarily via β2-adrenoceptors, but studies in equine sweat gland cell lines have indicated a possible role for purinergic agonists. Knowledge of equine sweating stimulus-secretion mechanisms in intact glands from healthy animals would allow future comparison to determine whether these mechanisms are affected in equine anhidrosis. Objective: To determine whether purinergic agonists can induce changes in intracellular calcium in intact, freshly isolated equi...
Giagazoglou P, Arabatzi F, Kellis E, Liga M, Karra C, Amiridis I.Reaction time and muscle activation deficits might limit the individual's autonomy in activities of daily living and in participating in recreational activities. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of a 14-week hippotherapy exercise program on movement reaction time and muscle activation in adolescents with intellectual disability (ID). Nineteen adolescents with moderate ID were assigned either to an experimental group (n=10) or a control group (n=9). The experimental group attended a hippotherapy exercise program, consisting of two 30-min sessions per week for 14 weeks. Rea...
Waldschmidt I, Pirottin D, Art T, Audigié F, Bureau F, Tosi I, El Abbas S, Farnir F, Richard E, Dupuis MC.Pulmonary diseases are common in horses and have a major economic impact on the equine industry. Some of them could be associated with an inadequate immune response in the lung, but methods to evaluate this response in horses are lacking. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an experimental model that could be applied in several physiological and pathological conditions to assess the innate immune response of equine pulmonary cells. Equine alveolar macrophages (AMs) obtained from bronchoalveolar lavages were isolated from other cells by adhesion. TLR2, 3, and 4 expression in AMs w...
Kaese S, Frommeyer G, Verheule S, van Loon G, Gehrmann J, Breithardt G, Eckardt L.The most frequently used animal species in experimental cardiac electrophysiology are mice, rabbits, and dogs. Murine and human electrocardiograms (ECGs) show salient differences, including the occurrence of a pronounced J-wave and a less distinctive T-wave in the murine ECG. Mouse models can resemble human cardiac arrhythmias, although mice differ from human in cardiac electrophysiology. Thus, arrhythmia mechanisms in mice may differ from those in humans and should be transferred to the human situation with caution. Further relevant cardiovascular animal models are rabbits, dogs, and minipigs...
Kutzner-Mulligan J, Eisemann J, Siciliano P, Smith J, Hewitt K, Sharlette J, Pratt-Phillips S.Management techniques that reduce the insulin response to feeding in horses have application in preventing insulin resistance (IR) and potential associations (e.g., laminitis). Eight mature idle horses of BCS between 5 and 6.5 and with no previous indication of IR were fed a meal of concentrate under 4 feed delivery treatments in a repeated Latin Square design. Treatments were all based on a bucket of equal dimensions. The treatments included a control (CON) and 3 treatments hypothesized to increase time to consume feed (TCF): mobile obstacles above the feed (BALL), stationary obstacles below ...
Wagnerová P, Sak B, Květoňová D, Maršálek M, Langrová I, Kváč M.A total of 9 (8 stallions and 1 mare) 1 year old ponies were used for the experimental infection caused by Encephalitozoon cuniculi genotype II (10(7) spores per animal). Subsequently, individual horses were slaughtered 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, and 63 days post infection. Immediately after slaughter, tissues samples of stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, colon, spleen, liver, kidney, bladder, heart, lungs, and brain were sampled. In addition, urine, feces and blood specimens were collected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for determination of humoral immune response and...
Seo JP, Tsuzuki N, Haneda S, Yamada K, Furuoka H, Tabata Y, Sasaki N.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for cell-based therapy and tissue engineering approaches. Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is commonly used for in vitro MSC expansion; however, the use of FBS may be associated with ethical, scientific, and safety issues. This study aimed to compare the ability of allogeneic platelet lysate (PL) and FBS to cause equine bone marrow-derived MSC expansion. MSCs were isolated from bone marrow aspirate in media supplemented with either PL or FBS, and cell proliferation properties and characteristics were examined. There were no significant differences...
Makra Z, Tuboly T, Bodó G.The aim of this study was to describe long-term follow-up and difference in immune reactions in the tear film following penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in horses when differently preserved corneas were utilised. This report describes for the first time the use of corneal grafts preserved in tissue culture media in equine PK. Eight experimental horses with normal eyes were included and freshly harvested, frozen or preserved corneal grafts were used for the PK. The graft-taking technique and storage, PK surgery, postoperative treatments and complications are described. The mean postoperative follo...
Paillot R, Prowse L, Montesso F, Stewart B, Jordon L, Newton JR, Gilkerson JR.Equine influenza (EI) is a major respiratory disease of horses. Recent outbreaks of EI have demonstrated the ease with which EI virus (EIV) can be transmitted internationally. This study aimed to improve our understanding of EIV shedding after infection of vaccinated horses, which would inform possible changes to current quarantine requirements. Our objectives were to compare commonly used diagnostic tests and to evaluate the relative merits of nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs for detection of EIV in vaccinated and unvaccinated ponies following EIV infection and to use these data to inform optim...
MacKay RJ, Wyer S, Gilmour A, Kongara K, Harding DR, Clark S, Mayhew IG, Thomson CE.Pasture-associated stringhalt is an acquired equine disease characterized by peripheral neuropathy and hyperflexion of the pelvic limbs. The disease occurs most commonly during periods of drought in horses grazing pastures heavily contaminated by Hypochaeris radicata. We hypothesized that stringhalt is caused by neurotoxins elaborated by H. radicata in response to the stress of drought conditions. Supernates were collected from H. radicata that were stressed (or not) by immersion in copper chloride solution, then extracted with ethyl acetate and dried. Dilutions of extracts from stressed (SE) ...
Textor JA, Tablin F.(1) To report the clinical and synovial effects of a platelet-rich product (PRPr) in normal equine joints, (2) to assess the persistence of platelets within synovial fluid after intra-articular injection, (3) to compare responses to different preparations of that product, and (4) to evaluate a gravity filtration system for PRPr preparation in horses. Methods: Experimental. Methods: A platelet-rich saline product (PRPr) was prepared from 7 normal horses using a proprietary preparation device and was divided into 3 treatments: resting, CaCl2 -activated (23 mM, final), and bovine thrombin-activ...
Rendle DI, Rutledge F, Hughes KJ, Heller J, Durham AE.Metformin is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of insulin resistance (IR). In laboratory animals, orally administered metformin reduces intestinal glucose absorption and may therefore affect insulinaemic responses to oral carbohydrate ingestion. Objective: To determine whether pretreatment with metformin reduces plasma glucose concentration and insulin responses following consumption of dextrose in horses. Methods: Therapeutic cross-over study. Methods: Seven healthy Standardbred and Thoroughbred geldings were subjected to an oral dextrose challenge test on 4 occasions: with and ...
Morató R, Soares JM, Orero G, Mogas T, Miró J.The effect of combining double layer density gradient centrifugation (DL-DGC) with different capacitation treatments on the fertilising capacity of frozen-thawed stallion sperm was examined via a heterologous assay involving in vitro-matured, zona pellucida-free bovine oocytes. In a first experiment, aliquots of frozen-thawed stallion sperm were subjected to one of five capacitation treatments without DL-DGC - ionomycin at 1.0μM, 0.1μM, 0.05μM or 0.01μM, or caffeine at 200μg/mL. The fertilising capacity of the semen was then assessed at 18h by staining the above oocytes with 4,6-diamidino...
Sole A, Spriet M, Padgett KA, Vaughan B, Galuppo LD, Borjesson DL, Wisner ER, Vidal MA.Intralesional (i.l.) injection is currently the most commonly used technique for stem cell therapy in equine tendon injury. A comparison of different techniques of injection of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of tendon lesions is required. Objective: We hypothesised that vascular perfusion of the equine distal limb with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) would result in preferential distribution of MSCs to acute tendon injuries. Methods: In vivo experimental study. Methods: Lesions were surgically induced in forelimb superficial digital flexor tendons of 8 horses. Three or 10 days after le...
Lester GD, Merritt AM, Kuck HV, Burrow JA.Intravenous (IV) and intragastric (IG) administration of fluid therapy are commonly used in equine practice, but there are limited data on the systemic, renal, and enteric effects. Objective: IV fluid administration will increase intestinal and fecal hydration in a rate-dependent manner after hypertonic dehydration, but will be associated with significant urinary water and electrolyte loss. Equivalent volumes of IG plain water will result in comparatively greater intestinal hydration with less renal loss. Methods: Six Thoroughbred geldings. Methods: Experimental study. 6 by 6 Latin square desi...
Nieto JE, Morales B, Yamout SZ, Stanley SD, Harmon FA, Snyder JR.To determine the response to neostigmine of the contractile activity of the jejunum and pelvic flexure and the effects of a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of neostigmine in horses. Methods: 7 adult horses and tissue from 12 adult horses. Methods: A CRI of neostigmine (0.008 mg/kg/h) or placebo was administered to 6 horses in a crossover study design. Gastric emptying was evaluated by the acetaminophen test. The frequency of defecation and urination and the consistency and weight of feces were recorded throughout the experiment. The effect of neostigmine on smooth muscle contractile activity wa...
Vairo S, Van den Broeck W, Favoreel H, Scagliarini A, Nauwynck H.The upper respiratory tract mucosa represents the first line of defense, which has to be overcome by pathogens before invading the host. Considering the economic and ethical aspects involved in using experimental animals for pathogenesis studies, respiratory mucosal explants, in which the tissue's three-dimensional architecture is preserved, may be ideal alternatives. Different respiratory mucosal explant cultures have been developed. However, none of them could be inoculated with pathogens solely at the epithelium side. In the present study, equine nasal and nasopharyngeal explants were embed...
Lange-Consiglio A, Corradetti B, Meucci A, Perego R, Bizzaro D, Cremonesi F.This is the first study comparing stemness features of equine mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from amniotic membrane and bone marrow. Objective: To investigate an alternative and noninvasive stromal cell source for equine tissue engineering. Methods: In vitro experimental study of the characteristics of equine mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from amnion and bone marrow. Methods: Cells isolated from amniotic membrane and bone marrow were analysed for proliferation (growth curve, doubling time, colony forming unit). Immunocytochemical detection of pluripotency markers and gene expressi...
Chandriani S, Skewes-Cox P, Zhong W, Ganem DE, Divers TJ, Van Blaricum AJ, Tennant BC, Kistler AL.Theiler's disease is an acute hepatitis in horses that is associated with the administration of equine blood products; its etiologic agent has remained unknown for nearly a century. Here, we used massively parallel sequencing to explore samples from a recent Theiler's disease outbreak. Metatranscriptomic analysis of the short sequence reads identified a 10.5-kb sequence from a previously undescribed virus of the Flaviviridae family, which we designate "Theiler's disease-associated virus" (TDAV). Phylogenetic analysis clusters TDAV with GB viruses of the recently proposed Pegivirus genus, altho...
Lucia JL, Coverdale JA, Arnold CE, Winsco KN.Nineteen weanling Quarter Horses (225 to 380 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design to investigate the effects of intra-articular lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce acute joint inflammation in young horses. Horses were blocked by age, BW, and sex and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments for a 35-d experiment. Treatments included intra-articular injection of 0.25 ng (n = 7) or 0.50 ng (n = 6) of LPS obtained from Escherichia coli O55:B5 or sterile lactated Ringer's solution (n = 6; control) into the radial carpal joint. Synovial fluid was obtained at preinjection h 0 and 2, ...
Raabe O, Shell K, Goessl A, Crispens C, Delhasse Y, Eva A, Scheiner-Bobis G, Wenisch S, Arnhold S.Mesenchymal stem cells are regarded as common cellular precursors of the musculoskeletal tissue and are responsible for tissue regeneration in the course of musculoskeletal disorders. In equine veterinary medicine extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is used to optimize healing processes of bone, tendon and cartilage. Nevertheless, little is known about the effects of the shock waves on cells and tissues. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of focused ESWT on the viability, proliferation, and differentiation capacity of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells...
Moro FL, Spröwitz A, Tuleu A, Vespignani M, Tsagarakis NG, Ijspeert AJ, Caldwell DG.This manuscript proposes a method to directly transfer the features of horse walking, trotting, and galloping to a quadruped robot, with the aim of creating a much more natural (horse-like) locomotion profile. A principal component analysis on horse joint trajectories shows that walk, trot, and gallop can be described by a set of four kinematic Motion Primitives (kMPs). These kMPs are used to generate valid, stable gaits that are tested on a compliant quadruped robot. Tests on the effects of gait frequency scaling as follows: results indicate a speed optimal walking frequency around 3.4 Hz, an...
Noble GK, Sillence MN.As growth hormone increases lean body mass, it could be a therapy for obese horses. However, growth hormone use induces hyperinsulinaemia in some species, so further investigation is warranted. Objective: To investigate the effects of feeding, exercise and growth hormone therapy on basal insulin concentrations in healthy horses. Methods: In vivo experimental study. Methods: Blood samples were obtained every 30 min from 12 geldings over 24 h, to establish basal serum insulin concentrations, before they underwent a 3-week exercise programme. Horses were allocated into 2 groups and exercised for ...
Bohannon LK, Owens SD, Walker NJ, Carrade DD, Galuppo LD, Borjesson DL.Joint inflammation and septic arthritis are both potential complications of intra-articular injections of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). Clinicians may prophylactically co-inject BM-MSCs admixed with either antimicrobials or hyaluronic acid; however, the effect of these agents on cultured BM-MSCs is unknown. Objective: To determine the effects of therapeutic levels of gentamicin, amikacin and hyaluronic acid on cultured equine BM-MSCs in vitro. Methods: In vitro experimental study. Methods: Equine BM-MSCs from 4 healthy mature horses were isolated. Cultured BM-MSCs from ...
Ahern BJ, Showalter BL, Elliott DM, Richardson DW, Getman LM.To compare the in vitro biomechanical properties of a 4.5 mm narrow locking compression plate (PIP-LCP) with 2 abaxially located transarticular screws and a 4.5 mm limited contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP) with 2 abaxially located transarticular screws using equine pasterns. Methods: Experimental. Paired in vitro biomechanical testing of 2 methods for stabilizing adult equine forelimb PIP joints. Methods: Adult equine forelimbs (n = 8 pairs). Methods: Each pair of PIP joints were randomly instrumented with either a PIP-LCP or LC-DCP plate axially and 2 parasagitally positioned 5.5 mm ...
Pouyet M, Bonilla AG.To describe the technique to perform diagnostic standing scapulohumeral joint needle arthroscopy with a 1.2-mm-diameter arthroscope in horses. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Eight thoracic limbs in phase 1 and six horses in phase 2. Methods: In phase 1, the feasibility of the technique was evaluated by using a craniolateral arthroscopic approach. An evaluation of the visible structures of the scapulohumeral joint was performed with both a needle arthroscope and a 4-mm-diameter arthroscope. In phase 2, the technique was performed in six healthy sedated horses to validate the technique in...
Seahorn TL, Carter GK, Martens JG, Crandell RA, Martin MT, Scrutchfield WL, Cummins JM, Martens RJ.The immunotherapeutic effect of low-dose human alpha interferon on viral shedding and clinical disease was evaluated in horses inoculated with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). Eighteen clinically healthy weanling horses, 5 to 7 months old, were allotted to 3 equal groups. Two groups were treated orally with human alpha-2a interferon (0.22 or 2.2 U/kg of body weight), on days 2 and 1 before inoculation with EHV-1, the day of inoculation, and again on postinoculation day 1. The horses of the remaining group were given a placebo orally on the same days. The horses were monitored daily for changes in...
Ishii H, Shibuya M, So YM, Wong JKY, Ho ENM, Kusano K, Sone Y, Kamiya T, Wakuno A, Ito H, Miyata K, Yamada M, Leung GN.IOX4 is a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PHD) inhibitor, which was developed for the treatment of anemia by exerting hematopoietic effects. The administration of HIF-PHD inhibitors such as IOX4 to horses is strictly prohibited by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and the Fédération Équestre Internationale. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive metabolic study of IOX4 in horse plasma and urine after a nasoesophageal administration of IOX4 (500 mg/day, 3 days). A total of four metabolites (three mono-hydroxylated IOX4 and one ...
Miskovic Feutz M, Couetil LL, Riley CP, Zhang X, Adamec J, Raskin RE.Lower expression of secretoglobin and transferrin has been found in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of a small number of horses with experimentally induced signs of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) compared to healthy controls. Objective: Secretoglobin and transferrin BALF expression will be similarly decreased in horses with naturally occurring clinical signs of RAO and in horses with experimentally induced clinical signs of RAO as compared to healthy controls and intermediate in horses with inflammatory airway disease (IAD). Methods: Recurrent airway obstruction-affected and contro...
Gandini M, Bertuglia A.To compare functional indices of end-to-end (EEA) jejunojejunal anastomosis using skin staples in horses with a 2-layer inverting hand-sewn technique. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Jejunal segments from 8 fresh equine cadavers. Methods: For each bowel segment, 2 EEA anastomoses were created: one 2-layer hand-sewn and one 1-layer using skin staples. Time for anastomosis creation was recorded and compared. Lumen diameter of each anastomosis was measured on digital radiographs after intraluminal instillation of contrast medium and inflation of the jejunal segments to 14 mm Hg. Anastomotic...
Heitland AV, Jasko DJ, Squires EL, Graham JK, Pickett BW, Hamilton C.Five experiments were conducted to evaluate damage incurred in each processing step for cryopreservation of stallion spermatozoa. In Experiment 1, semen was centrifuged for 9 centrifugation times and the percentage of spermatozoa recovered after each treatment was calculated and spermatozoal motion characteristics analysed. Recovery of spermatozoa was > or = 80% when spermatozoa were centrifuged for > or = 10 min. Experiment 2 evaluated spermatozoa cryopreserved at 5 different concentrations in each of 2 extenders (skim milk-egg yolk-glycerol, SM-EYG; and lactose-EDTA, LAC). In SM-EYG, T...
Keith L, Ball BA, Scoggin K, Esteller-Vico A, Woodward EM, Troedsson MH, Squires EL.The objectives were to: (1) evaluate the efficacy of varying intervals of oxytocin administration in preventing luteolysis in mares; (2) examine PGF(2α) release in mares experiencing prolonged diestrus secondary to oxytocin treatment; and (3) evaluate the endometrial expression of oxytocin receptor, estrogen receptor α, and prostaglandin synthesis enzymes after oxytocin administration. In experiment I, mares received oxytocin (60 IU, im) daily on Days 8 to 10, 8 to 12, or 8 to 14 postovulation, and control mares received sterile saline. Prolongation of diestrus was defined by elevation of se...
Sutton GA, Viel L, Carman PS, Boag BL.The purpose of this experiment was to study the duration and distribution of equine influenza virus in actively infected ponies over a 3 wk period. Pony foals (6-8 mo old) were infected experimentally by nebulizing equine influenza subtype-2 virus ultrasonically through a face mask. Successful infection was clinically apparent as each of the foals (n = 6) had a febrile response, a deep hacking cough and mucopurulent nasal discharge for 7 to 10 d. The virus was isolated from nasopharyngeal swabs of all the ponies 3 and 5 d after infection and all the ponies seroconverted to the virus. Samples w...
Perkins JD, Meighan H, Windley Z, Troester S, Piercy R, Schumacher J.To determine whether ventriculocordectomy (VCE) performed before prosthetic laryngoplasty (PL) results in increased rima glottidis size compared with PL alone. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Equine cadaver larynges (n=13). Methods: Right arytenoid cartilages were maximally abducted using a standard PL technique. Standard PLs were then performed on the left side and the force required to maximally abduct the left arytenoid cartilage recorded (F(max) ). Photographs were taken of the rima glottidis at zero force and at five equal levels of force up to F(max) . The force applied was release...
Radtke CL, Nino-Fong R, Esparza Gonzalez BP, McD￮ LA.The objective of this study was to validate non-equilibrium gravitational field-flow fractionation (GrFFF), an immunotag-less method of sorting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into subpopulations, for use with MSCs derived from equine muscle tissue, periosteal tissue, bone marrow, and adipose tissue. Cells were collected from 6 young, adult horses, postmortem. Cells were isolated from left semitendinosus muscle tissue, periosteal tissue from the distomedial aspect of the right tibia, bone marrow aspirates from the fourth and fifth sternebrae, and left supragluteal subcutaneous adipose tissue. Al...
Kruttlin EA, Rossano MG, Murphy AJ, Vrable RA, Kaneene JB, Schott HC, Mansfield LS.Sarcocystis neurona is the etiologic agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a neurologic disease of horses. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that pyrantel tartrate can kill S. neurona merozoites growing in equine dermal cell culture. Sarcocystis neurona merozoites were exposed to a range of concentrations of pyrantel tartrate or sodium tartrate ranging from 0.001 to 0.01 M. Merozoites were then placed onto equine dermal cell cultures and incubated for 2 weeks to check for viability. At 1 and 2 weeks after inoculation, plaque counts were compared between treatments an...
Allen D, White NA, Tyler DE.The morphologic effects of induced intraluminal hydrostatic pressures (IHPs) of 0, 9, and 18 cm H2O were evaluated in 33 isolated equine jejunal segments. Fifteen segments were distended with Tyrode's solution for 1 hour and nine segments for 4 hours. Tyrode's solution was added as needed to maintain the prescribed pressures. Nine other segments were left undisturbed for 4 hours after the initial distention period. On decompression of the intestinal segments, progressive peristaltic contractions resumed in all segments. Evaluation of intestinal sections by light microscopy and transmission ele...
Natalini CC, Paes SD, Polydoro ADS.The study aim is to compare the effects of epidural administration of two different doses of romifidine combined with morphine in horses. A prospective crossover blinded experimental design was used. Five adult healthy horses two males and three females with a mean body weight of 380 ± 45 Kg (335-425 kg), were studied. Treatments consisted of romifidine 30 μg/kg (R30) or 60 μg/kg (R60) combined with morphine 0.1 mg/kg with a washout interval of 72 hours, administered through an epidural catheter placed at the first intercoccygeal space. Heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (f), pH, blood ga...
Wilson DV, Rondenay Y, Shance PU.To characterize the acute cardiopulmonary effects of severe hemorrhage in anesthetized horses. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: Three geldings and six mares, aged 14.4 +/- 2.7 years, weighing 486 +/- 41 kg (range: 425-550 kg). Methods: Horses were anesthetized using xylazine, guaifenesin, ketamine and halothane or isoflurane. Cardiovascular variables, hematocrit, total solids, capillary refill time (CRT) and color of mucous membranes were measured as blood was collected from the carotid artery into sterile plastic bags. Arterial blood gas analysis was also performed. Results: ...
Stokes SM, Stefanovski D, Bertin FR, Medina-Torres CE, Belknap JK, van Eps AW.Endocrinopathic laminitis develops in association with insulin dysregulation, but the role of insulin in the pathogenesis remains unclear. Hyperinsulinemia can cause hypoaminoacidemia, which is associated with integumentary lesions in other species and therefore warrants investigation as a potential mechanism in laminitis. Objective: Evaluate plasma amino acid concentrations in the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (EHC) and prolonged glucose infusion (PGI) laminitis models. Methods: Sixteen Standardbred horses. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Plasma amino acid concentrations were mea...
Faulkner JE, Broeckx BJG, Martens A, Raes E, Haardt H, Vanderperren K.Metal artifacts in CT negatively impact the evaluation of surgical implants and the surrounding tissues. The aim of this prospective experimental study was to evaluate the ability of a single energy metal artifact reduction (SEMAR™, Canon) algorithm and virtual monoenergetic (VM) dual-energy CT (DECT) scanning techniques to reduce metal artifacts from stainless steel screws surgically inserted into the equine proximal phalanx. Seven acquisitions of 18 cadaver limbs were performed on a Canon Aquilion One Vision CT scanner (Helical +SEMAR, Volume +SEMAR, Standard Helical, Standard Volume and V...
Anderson SL, Bracamonte JL, Hendrick S, Carmalt JL, Wilson DG.To compare bursting strength and failure mode between ventral median celiotomies closed with USP 7 braided polydioxanone (7PD) or USP 2 polyglactin 910 (2PG). Methods: Ex vivo experimental. Methods: Equine cadavers (n = 10). Methods: A 25 cm ventral median celiotomy was created in fresh equine cadavers. A 200 L polyurethane bladder was inserted into the abdomen. Celiotomies were closed in a simple continuous pattern with 2 sections of 7PD or 2PG. The bladder was inflated with compressed air until construct failure. The horses' signalment, body weight, suture type, failure mode (suture or abdom...
Mair TS, Wills JM.Nasal and conjunctival swabs were obtained from 300 horses and Chlamydia psittaci was isolated from 15 of them (5 per cent). Eleven nasal swabs and six conjunctival swabs were positive on culture, but there was no association between the isolation of the organism and the presence of clinical ocular or respiratory disease. Six ponies were challenged with an equine isolate of C psittaci into the eye, nasal cavity or bronchial tree. The organism could be isolated from nasal and conjunctival swabs taken from the ponies for up to 17 days after challenge, but there was no clinical evidence of diseas...
Lynch TM, Caron JP, Arnoczky SP, Lloyd JW, Stick JA, Render JA.To evaluate the influence of exogenous hyaluronan (HA) on in vitro synthesis of HA and collagenase by equine synoviocytes from normal and inflamed joints. Methods: 9 adult horses. Methods: Synoviocytes for culture were taken from the middle carpal joint of 3 horses with normal joints (control) and 6 horses with osteochondral fractures (principal). Synoviocytes were propagated in monolayer cultures and were incubated with 3 commercial HA products at concentrations of 0, 200, 400, and 1,500 micrograms/ml. Newly synthesized HA was radiolabeled with [3H]glucosamine and quantified by cetylpyridiniu...
Kuroda T, Minamijima Y, Nomura M, Yamashita S, Yamada M, Nagata S, Mita H, Tamura N, Fukuda K, Kuwano A, Kusano K, Toutain PL, Sato F.For medication control in several jurisdictions, withdrawal time is the period of refrain from racing after drug administration. It is set by adding a safety period to an experimental detection time. However, there are no reports of statistical analyses of detection time for the determination of withdrawal time in flunixin meglumine-treated horses. Objective: To analyse the population pharmacokinetics of flunixin in horses through the generation of a dataset for detection time statistical analysis and predictions via Monte Carlo simulation. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Drug plasma and...
Kumar P, Kumar R, Mehta JS, Chaudhary AK, Ravi SK, Chandra Mehta S, Ansari MM, Legha RA, Tripathi BN, Talluri TR.The present study was designed to study the adverse effects of cryopreservation and evaluation of the cryoprotective effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation on exotic jack semen in combination or alone. For this, 24 semen samples from four adult and fertile jacks were collected via artificial vagina using an estrus jenny as dummy. After semen collection, the semen was evaluated for various qualitative and quantitative parameters in fresh, cooled, and frozen-thawed semen. The semen pellet was extended with the freezing extender containing either AA (0.9 g/L),...
Bodó G, Vásárhelyi G, Hangody L, Módis L.One Arabian and 5 Hungarian half-bred horses were used to study the macroscopic and microscopic survival of autologous osteochondral grafts in the weight-bearing surface of the medial femoral condyle (MFC). Grafts were harvested from the cranial surface of the medial femoral trochlea (MFT) under arthroscopic control. Three of them were transplanted into the weight-bearing surface of the contralateral MFC using an arthrotomy approach. Three months later this transplantation procedure was repeated on the opposite stifle joints in the same animals, but at that time transplantation was performed a...
Hay WP, Mueller PO, Harmon B, Amoroso L.To evaluate the efficacy of 1% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions in horses. Methods: Prospective, controlled, experimental study. Methods: Twelve healthy adult horses. Methods: The effect of 1% SCMC on adhesion formation was evaluated in 12 healthy horses by using an established model of serosal trauma to induce intraabdominal adhesions. After ventral median celiotomy, 2 separate areas of the jejunum were abraded, and three 2-0 chromic gut sutures were placed in each abraded area. Jejunal resection and end-to-end anastomosis was p...
Schrock P, Lüpke M, Seifert H, Borchers L, Staszyk C.In equine dentistry, periodontal diseases are frequently found in aged horses. Excessive strains and stresses within the periodontal ligament (PDL) occurring during the masticatory cycle may be predisposing factors especially in old horses with short, worn teeth. The finite element (FE) analysis is a valuable tool to investigate such strains and stresses in biological materials but a precondition for a realistic and reliable FE analysis is accurate knowledge of material parameters. As no data exist concerning the PDL of equine incisor teeth, this study was undertaken to determine the equine sp...
Bridges CH, Harris ED.Four Thoroughbred foals were weaned from their dams when they were 1 day old and were fed a liquid milk-replacer diet containing approximately 1.7 micrograms of copper/g from plastic buckets for 4 to 7 months. They were kept in stalls with fiberglass walls and asphalt floors covered with rubber pads. Serum copper and zinc concentrations were determined 3 times/week by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and liver copper and zinc concentrations were determined similarly after acid digestion of tissues taken at necropsy. The amount of soluble collagen in articular cartilage and aortic tissue wa...
Kalantari RK, Rouzbehan Y, Fazaeli H, Direkvandi E, Salem AZM.The aim of this study was to investigate, the effect of different levels of concentrates and grain processing on feeding behavior, nutrient digestibility, fecal pH and blood metabolites in the horse. Sixteen 5 to 11 years old Turkmen horses with an initial body weight 433±50 kg were used in this experiment based on completely randomized design. Four treatments were studied, in three treatments were used 20, 25 and 30% of concentrate containing processed grains (A20, A25 and A30, respectively), and in one treatment was used 25% of concentrate containing whole grain (B25). The amount of feed in...
Manneveau G, Lecallard J, Thorin C, Pamela H, Tessier C.To compare the topographic modifications and tactile sensitivity of the pharynx and larynx after administration of four sedative and analgesic protocols in standing horses. Methods: Experimental, observer-blinded, crossover study. Methods: Eight healthy mares. Methods: Five protocols were evaluated: 1) xylazine and butorphanol administered intravenously (IV); 2) detomidine and butorphanol administered IV; 3) xylazine administered IV and lidocaine topically; 4) detomidine administered IV and lidocaine topically and 5) no analgesia or sedation (control). Quality of sedation, head height and sudd...
Bertone AL, Bramlage LR, McIlwraith CW, Malemud CJ.To compare articular cartilage from horses with naturally developing osteochondrosis (OC) with normal articular cartilage and healing cartilage obtained from horses with experimentally induced osteochondral fractures. Methods: 109 specimens of articular cartilage from 78 horses. Methods: Morphologic characteristics, proteoglycan (PG), and type II collagen were analyzed in articular cartilage of OC specimens (group 1), matched healing cartilage obtained 40 days after experimentally induced osteochondral fractures (group 2), and matched normal cartilage from the same sites (group 3). Results: 79...
Munsterman AS, Dias Moreira AS, Marqués FJ.Wei Le San (WLS) is a Chinese herbal formula comprised of 9 herbs selected for their putative anti-inflammatory effects. Objective: To evaluate the effects of WLS administration in horses with nonglandular gastric ulcers. Methods: Ten mixed breed mares (aged 7-21 years, 401-567 kg body weight). Methods: Experimental design was a blinded, prospective, 2-period crossover study. All horses received a placebo (25 mL dextrose-based syrup; n = 10) and the treatment (WLS, 5 g in 25 mL dextrose-based syrup; n = 10), administered twice daily. Horses underwent a 1-week, alternating feed-depriv...
Vercruysse J, Eysker M, Demeulenaere D, Smets K, Dorny P.A controlled trial was carried out to evaluate the persistence of the effect against small strongyles of a 2 per cent moxidectin gel administered orally to foals at a dose rate of 0.4 mg/kg bodyweight. Five of nine helminth-free foals were treated on day 0, and the remaining four foals were used as controls. On days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 all nine foals were infected experimentally with 200,000 small strongyle larvae. Three treated and two control foals were necropsied on day 42 and the rest on day 43. Fourteen species of small or medium sized small strongyles were found in the control foals, 10 ...
