Lovett A, Vokes J, Loghides N, Johnstone L, Sykes B.Formalin intoxication via the gastrointestinal route has not been previously reported in the horse. Whereas ingestion of formalin in humans, although rare, is well documented. Majority of human cases are either accidental, suicidal or homicidal and often lead to fatality, with a reported lethal formaldehyde dose equating to 0.12 - 0.16 g/kg bwt. Objective: To describe a single case report of the clinical management of an adult horse referred to a veterinary teaching hospital following accidental administration of 10% formalin via nasogastric tube. Methods: A 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding or...
Stummer M, Frisch V, Glitz F, Hinney B, Spergser J, Kru00fccken J, Diekmann I, Dimmel K, Riedel C, Cavalleri JV, Ru00fcmenapf T, Joachim A, Lyrakis M....Acute abdominal pain (colic) is one of the major equine health threats worldwide and often necessitates intensive veterinary medical care and surgical intervention. Equine coronavirus (ECoV) infections can cause colic in horses but are rarely considered as a differential diagnosis. To determine the frequency of otherwise undetected ECoV infections in horses with acute colic, fresh fecal samples of 105 horses with acute colic and 36 healthy control horses were screened for viruses belonging to the species by RT-PCR as well as for gastrointestinal helminths and bacteria commonly associated with...
Calixto-Vega LC, Martu00ednez-Aranzales JR.The existing literature does not contain information about the prevalence of gastric ulcers in mules, and on the potential associations between the presence of ulcers and work load, work type, diet, sex, age and body condition score (BCS). Objective: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with mule gastric ulcer syndrome (MGUS) and evaluate its distribution in both mule squamous gastric disease (MSGD) and mule glandular gastric disease (MGGD) mucosa in a population of mules in Colombia. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional. Methods: A total of 97 clinically healthy mules of diffe...
Patton ME, Andrews FM, Bogers SH, Wong D, McKenzie HC, Werre SR, Byron CR.Ileus is a common life-threatening problem in horses, and currently available treatments may be ineffective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether bit chewing, a form of sham feeding, decreases the gastric emptying time (GET), small intestinal transit time (SITT), and total orocecal transit time (OCTT) in clinically normal horses in a prospective crossover study. Nine healthy horses were acclimated and fed a standardized diet. Following 24 h of fasting, self-contained video endoscopy capsules and acetaminophen were administered into the stomach via a nasogastric tube. Each horse u...
Flota-Burgos GJ, Rosado-Aguilar JA, Rojas-Becerril R, Rodru00edguez-Vivas RI, Trinidad-Martu00ednez I.Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major impediment to breeding and exploitation of horses. Traditional control of GIN has generated resistance to main anthelmintics, including ivermectin. An analysis of five ranches with a history of IVM use was done to determine the efficacy and resistance of GIN to IVM treatment in horses from the Mexican southeast. Predesigned questionnaires were applied to collect information on previous treatment protocols. The fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was applied to determine resistance. Before IVM application, a McMaster test was used to diagnose GIN ...
Fikri F, Hendrawan D, Wicaksono AP, Purnomo A, Khairani S, Chhetri S, Maslamama ST, Purnama MTE.Colic is among the common health issues in equine health management. Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are the most frequent causes of colic, but dysfunction of other organs and systems inside the abdominal cavity may also contribute. Therefore, it is crucial to identify risk factors for colic of specific etiologies. This study aimed to examine the incidence, risk factors, and best therapeutic management practices for horses with colic. Unassigned: A cohort of 256 horses living in Lamongan, East Java, Indonesia, was randomly recruited based on reports of colic symptoms by owners. Diagnosis and t...
Talbot SE, Tallon R, Dunkel B.Gastric impactions (GI) have been identified as primary lesions (lone GI; LGI) or associated with other intestinal lesions (concurrent GI; CGI). Anecdotally, CGI resolve more rapidly with a better prognosis than LGI. Objective: To determine clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings, and short- and long-term survival in horses with GI. We hypothesized that LGI carries a worse prognosis than CGI. Methods: Seventy-one horses from 2 referral hospitals (2007-2022). Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Gastric impactions were defined as feed extending to the margo plicatus after ≥24 h...
Clark B, Steel C, Vokes J, Shan JR, Gedye K, Lovett A, Sykes BW.Rebound gastric hyperacidity (RGH) secondary to hypergastrinemia has been suggested to contribute to the rapid recurrence of equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) in horses after discontinuation of omeprazole. Objective: To evaluate changes in serum gastrin and chromogranin A (CgA) concentrations in response to medium-term (57-day) omeprazole treatment and after omeprazole discontinuation. Methods: Fourteen mature Thoroughbred racehorses in simulated race training. Methods: Horses received 2.28 g of oral omeprazole PO q24h for 57 days within a 61-day period, excluding a withholding period...
Martins AV, Coelho AL, Corru00eaa LL, Ribeiro MS, Lobu00e3o LF, Palmer JPS, Moura LC, Molento MB, Barbosa ADS.The frequency of gastrointestinal parasites with an emphasis on Strongylus vulgaris was investigated among the Brazilian Pony breed kept on farms in the municipality of Teresópolis, state of Rio de Janeiro. Fecal samples were collected in three stud farms: A (n= 22 animals), B (n= 3), and C (n= 2). Fecal samples were subjected to the quantitative Mini-FLOTAC technique, using three different solutions, and to qualitative techniques. The parasite prevalence was found to be 81.4%. Eggs from strongylids were identified in 74% of the ponies. Eggs of Parascaris spp. were detected in 22.7% of the an...
Munsterman AS, VanderBroek AR, Kottwitz JJ, Watson VE.To compare a novel suture loop method for intestinal biopsies (SLB) with a two-layer, hand-sutured biopsy (HSB) technique in equine small and large intestines. Methods: Experimental, randomized, ex vivo study. Methods: Eight healthy adult horses. Methods: The duodenum, aboral jejunum, and ventral and dorsal large colon were harvested after euthanasia and divided into three sections each. The sections were randomized to SLB, HSB, or control (C, no biopsy) groups. Tissue samples were excised after placement of a suture loop formed by a 4S Roeder knot and oversewn with a Cushing pattern using bar...
Mercer MA, Davis JL, McKenzie HC, Byron CR, Kelleher ME, Trager L, Cecere TE, Wilson KE, Council-Troche RM, Werre SR.Acetaminophen is used clinically in horses with musculoskeletal pain; however, no studies have been performed in horses with chronic lameness. Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy of chronic dosing of acetaminophen in horses with naturally occurring chronic lameness. Methods: Longitudinal. Methods: Twelve adult horses with chronic lameness were treated with acetaminophen (30 mg/kg PO) every 12 h for 21 days. Plasma concentrations of acetaminophen were analysed on days 7 and 21 via LC-MS/MS and noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Lameness was evaluated ...
Julliand S, Buttet M, Hermange T, Hillon P, Julliand V.Nutritional factors are suggested to influence the incidence and severity of glandular gastric disease (GGD) in horses. Objective: To retrospectively assess whether dietary fermentable carbohydrates increase the severity of GGD and to prospectively evaluate whether the partial substitution of concentrates by dehydrated alfalfa would decrease GGD severity scores. Methods: In total, 82 trotters from 4 training centers exercised ≥5 days/week. Methods: Multicenter retrospective observational study, and prospective 2-arm randomized trial. Glandular mucosae were observed by gastroscopy and score...
Brabon A, Labens R, Ramachandran A, Dart AJ, Dowling BA.Four adult horses with histories of moderate abdominal pain and inappetence were diagnosed with delayed gastric emptying and gastric impaction attributed to pyloroduodenal obstruction (three cases) or duodenitis (one case). A stapled side-to-side gastrojejunostomy was performed on all horses. Two horses returned to work and survived ≥3 years. One horse was euthanased 6 months post-surgery due to recurrent abdominal pain, and one was found dead 5 months postsurgery after an unattended foaling.
Zakia LS, Arroyo LG, Gomez DE, Boerlin P, Surette MG, Lillie BN.Equine enterotyphlocolitis is an inflammatory process of the intestinal tract of horses that is associated with multiple etiologic agents and risk factors. Most clinical cases do not have an etiologic diagnosis. We describe here the pathogens detected and the histologic lesions found in horses with enterotyphlocolitis in Ontario that were submitted for postmortem examination, 2007-2019. We reviewed the medical records of 208 horses that fulfilled inclusion criteria. Cultures were positive in 67 of 208 (32%) equids for , in 16 of 208 (8%) for , and in 14 of 208 (7%) for spp.; 6 of 208 (3%) wer...
Marchenko VA, Khalikov SS, Biryukov IV, Efremova EA, Ilyin MM, Sazmand A.This study aimed to develop new complex preparations of ivermectin, niclosamide and albendazole based on solid-phase mechanochemical technology, and to evaluate their efficacy against equine nematodosis and cestodosis. Unassigned: Novel formulation of antiparasitic paste were prepared using joint mechano-chemical treatment of ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg bodyweight; BW), niclosamide (10 mg/kg BW) and albendazole (3, 5, 10 mg/kg BW) substances with polyvinylpyrrolidone and arabinogalactan. For the evaluation of activity of different doses of formulations against gastrointestinal tract helminths a tota...
Martens A, Haardt H.Laparoscopy can be valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of specific types of colic in horses. Most commonly, it is used for horses with chronic recurrent colic for further diagnosis, such as by taking biopsies or to perform treatment. Laparoscopy is also often used for prevention of colic, for example, by closing the nephrosplenic space or epiploic foramen. There are fewer indications for laparoscopy in acute colic, though in some cases the technique can be useful for diagnosis, after which the procedure is converted to a hand-assisted laparoscopy. However, manipulation of the intestine is ...
Ferlini Agne G, May BE, Lovett A, Simon O, Steel C, Santos L, Guedes do Carmo L, Barbosa B, Werner LC, Daros RR, Somogyi AA, Sykes B, Franklin S.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is a highly prevalent and presumptively painful condition, although the amount of pain horses might experience is currently unknown. The aims of this study were to determine if the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) could identify pain behaviours in horses with and without EGUS and if severity would be positively associated with the HGS score. Horse grimace scale scores were assessed blindly using facial photographs by seven observers and involved evaluation of 6 facial action units as 0 (not present), 1 (moderately present) and 2 (obviously present). Lameness exami...
Bishop RC, Wilkins PA, Kemper AM, Stewart RM, McCoy AM.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration carries risks of gastrointestinal toxicity. Selective COX-2 inhibitors ("coxibs") were designed to reduce risks of adverse effects but are still associated with gastrointestinal complications in humans. The effect of coxibs on colonic inflammation and integrity in horses is unknown. The study objective was to compare the effects of the coxib firocoxib and the nonselective NSAID flunixin meglumine on ultrasonographic indicators of colonic inflammation in healthy horses. Twelve healthy adult horses were administered flunixin meglumine (1...
Carminatti A, Chitolina MB, Ribeiro AB, Forest M, Collet SG, Prestes AM, Camillo G.To facilitate exploration of the immense range of gastrointestinal parasites in horses and the impact of parasitism on equine health, the present study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and risk factors associated with these infections in horses reared in different management systems in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Samples were collected from 208 horses: 91 from extensive, 64 from semi-extensive, and 53 from intensive rearing systems. The identified helminths included those of the Strongylida order (80.29%), Parascaris equorum (3.36%), Oxyuris equi (4.33%), and Anoplocephala spp. (1.92%...
Barton MH, Hallowell GD.The list of medical causes of acute or chronic colic in horses is extensive. The purpose of this article is to review 4 medical causes of equine colic with a focus on newer trends in treatment. The 4 topics selected include gastric impaction, gastric glandular disease, colon displacement, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Poor performance is a multifactorial syndrome of racehorses, commonly associated with subclinical disorders, which can be diagnosed by exercise testing. Objective: Describe the prevalence of medical causes of poor performance in Standardbreds unassociated with lameness, and evaluate their relationships with fitness variables measured by exercise treadmill test. Methods: Hospital population of 259 nonlame Standardbred trotters referred for poor performance. Methods: The horses' medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Horses underwent a diagnostic protocol including resting examination, p...
Fielding CL, Deane EL, Major DS, Mayer JR, Love JC, Peralez MS, Magdesian KG.The addition of calcium to resuscitation fluids is a common practice in horses, but studies evaluating the effects of calcium supplementation are limited. In healthy horses, decreases in heart rate and changes in serum electrolyte concentrations have been reported. Objective: Calcium gluconate administration at a rate of 0.4 mg/kg/min to eliminated endurance horses with metabolic problems will affect heart rate, gastrointestinal sounds, and serum electrolyte concentrations. Methods: Endurance horses eliminated from the Tevis Cup 100-mile (160 km) endurance ride for metabolic problems and req...
Arnold CE, Pilla R.The fecal microbiome of the horse is reflective of the large colon and plays an important role in the health of the horse. The microbes of the gastrointestinal tract digest fiber and produce energy for the host. Healthy horses have Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Verrucromicrobia as the most common phyla. During gastrointestinal disease such as colic or colitis, the microbiome shows less diversity and changes in bacterial community composition.
Bookbinder L, Prisk A.Gastrointestinal colic is the most common primary care equine emergency and affects nearly one of four horses per year. Colic is a significant welfare concern for equine patients and a financial and emotional burden for owners. The primary care practitioner is instrumental in identifying critical cases quickly and making appropriate management recommendations to improve patient outcomes.
Kranenburg LC, van der Poel SH, Warmelink TS, van Doorn DA, van den Boom R.Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) is common in horses and poses a serious welfare problem. Several risk factors have been identified and ESGD is routinely treated with omeprazole. Fourteen mares, previously used as embryo recipients and diagnosed with ESGD, were selected. Horses were confined to individual stalls, exercised once daily, and fed ad libitum hay, 1 kg of a low starch compound complementary feed and a mineral supplement. Half of the horses received a compound containing hydrolysed collagen (supplement) and the other half did not (control). At the start of the study, ESGD score...
Ruff J, Zetterstrom S, Boone L, Hofmeister E, Smith C, Epstein K, Blikslager A, Fogle C, Burke M.The objective of this study was to compare the occurrence of post-operative complications and survival to discharge in horses with ileal impactions resolved by manual decompression compared with jejunal enterotomy. Unassigned: A total of 121 client-owned horses undergoing surgical correction of an ileal impaction at three teaching hospitals. Unassigned: Data from the medical records of horses undergoing surgical correction of an ileal impaction was retrospectively collected. Post-operative complications, survival to discharge, or post-operative reflux present were evaluated as dependent variab...
Ermers C, McGilchrist N, Fenner K, Wilson B, McGreevy P.Failure to meet the minimum forage requirement of 1.5% of the horse's bodyweight and the opportunity for foraging for a minimum of 8 h a day (not going without this opportunity longer than four to five consecutive hours) can have both physiological and behavioural consequences. To provide an energy source for horses, rations often include starch rather than fibre. This can result in health issues related to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in the horse. In the stomach, the main concern is equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) and, more specifically, equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). Ulcer...
Muu00f1oz-Prieto A, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Ceru00f3n JJ, Ayala de la Peu00f1a I, Martu00edn-Cuervo M, Eckersall PD, Holm Henriksen IM, Tecles F....Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is a highly prevalent disease that affects horses worldwide. Within EGUS, two different forms have been described: equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) and equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD). The associated clinical signs cause detrimental activity performance, reducing the quality of life of animals. Saliva can contain biomarkers for EGUS that could be potentially used as a complementary tool for diagnosis. The objective of this work was to evaluate the measurements of calprotectin (CALP) and aldolase in the saliva of horses as potential biomarkers ...
Tuniyazi M, Wang W, Zhang N.Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a technique involving transferring fecal matter from a healthy donor to a recipient, with the goal of reinstating a healthy microbiome in the recipient's gut. FMT has been used in horses to manage various gastrointestinal disorders, such as colitis and diarrhea. To evaluate the current literature on the use of FMT in horses, including its efficacy, safety, and potential applications, the authors conducted an extensive search of several databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, published up to 11 January 2023. The authors...
Arantes JA, Borges AS, Zakia LS, Surette MG, Weese JS, Costa MC, Arroyo LG.Iron is an essential element for all living organisms, including bacteria, as several virulence factors and replication components are influenced by iron concentration. The objective of this study was to determine whether the composition and diversity of the fecal microbiota of adult horses are affected by supplemental dietary iron. Ten clinically healthy horses were randomly divided into a control and an iron-supplemented group ( = 5). The treated group was supplemented with oral ferrous sulphate monohydrate (720 ppm of iron), whereas the control group received 320 ppm of iron daily for 15 d....
Barabas K, Milner R, Lurie D, Adin C.Cisplatin is a platinum chemotherapeutic used in a variety of malignancies. The antineoplastic activity occurs from DNA cross-links and adducts, in addition to the generation of superoxide radicals. Nephrotoxicity is the most well-known and potentially most clinically significant toxicity. Unfortunately, the mechanism for cisplatin nephrotoxicity has not been completely elucidated; however, many theories have been developed. Other toxicities include gastrointestinal, myelosuppression, ototoxicity and neurotoxicity. Saline diuresis is currently the most accepted way to prevent cisplatin nephrot...
Chaucheyras-Durand F, Durand H.The use of probiotics for farm animals has increased considerably over the last 15 years. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which can confer a health benefit for the host when administered in appropriate and regular quantities. Once ingested, the probiotic microorganisms can modulate the balance and activities of the gastrointestinal microbiota, whose role is fundamental to gut homeostasis. It has been demonstrated that numerous factors, such as dietary and management constraints, can strongly affect the structure and activities of the gut microbial communities, leading to impaired...
Gaastra W, Lipman LJ, De Cock AW, Exel TK, Pegge RB, Scheurwater J, Vilela R, Mendoza L.Pythium insidiosum is an oomycete pathogenic in mammals. The infection occurs mainly in tropical and subtropical areas, particularly in horses, dogs and humans. Infection is acquired through small wounds via contact with water that contains motile zoospores or other propagules (zoospores or hyphae). The disease, though described as emerging has in fact already been described since 1884. Depending on the site of entry, infection can lead to different forms of pythiosis i.e. a cutaneous, vascular, ocular, gastrointestinal and a systemic form, which is rarely seen. The infection is not contagious...
Costa MC, Silva G, Ramos RV, Staempfli HR, Arroyo LG, Kim P, Weese JS.The advance of new sequencing technologies has allowed more comprehensive characterization of complex microbial communities, including the ones inhabiting the intestinal tract. The presence of extreme environmental filters, such as low pH, digestive enzymes and anaerobic conditions along the tract, acts on the selection of unique bacteria in each compartment. The intestinal microbiota has an enormous impact on the maintenance of health. However, data about the bacteria present in the different intestinal compartments of horses are sparse. In this study, high throughput sequencing was used to c...
Steelman SM, Chowdhary BP, Dowd S, Suchodolski J, Janeu010dka JE.The nutrition and health of horses is closely tied to their gastrointestinal microflora. Gut bacteria break down plant structural carbohydrates and produce volatile fatty acids, which are a major source of energy for horses. Bacterial communities are also essential for maintaining gut homeostasis and have been hypothesized to contribute to various diseases including laminitis. We performed pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA bacterial genes isolated from fecal material to characterize hindgut bacterial communities in healthy horses and those with chronic laminitis. Results: Fecal samples were collected...
Dougal K, de la Fuente G, Harris PA, Girdwood SE, Pinloche E, Newbold CJ.The horse has a rich and complex microbial community within its gastrointestinal tract that plays a central role in both health and disease. The horse receives much of its dietary energy through microbial hydrolysis and fermentation of fiber predominantly in the large intestine/hindgut. The presence of a possible core bacterial community in the equine large intestine was investigated in this study. Samples were taken from the terminal ileum and 7 regions of the large intestine from ten animals, DNA extracted and the V1-V2 regions of 16SrDNA 454-pyrosequenced. A specific group of OTUs clustered...
Albrecht S, Lane JA, Mariu00f1o K, Al Busadah KA, Carrington SD, Hickey RM, Rudd PM.The present study was conducted to obtain a comprehensive overview of oligosaccharides present in the milk of a variety of important domestic animals including cows, goats, sheep, pigs, horses and dromedary camels. Using an analytical workflow that included ultra-performance liquid chromatography-hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight MS, detailed oligosaccharide libraries were established. The partial or full characterisation of the neutral/fucosylated, phosphorylated and sialylated structures was facilitated by sequencin...
Daly K, Proudman CJ, Duncan SH, Flint HJ, Dyer J, Shirazi-Beechey SP.We aimed to determine the effects of variations in dietary composition on equine gut microbiota and their fermentation products, and proposed that dietary modifications profoundly affect microbial ecosystems and their metabolites. Bacterial communities within the large intestine of three groups of horses were compared using oligonucleotide-RNA hybridisation methodology. Each group consisting of six horses was maintained on (1) a grass-only diet, (2) a concentrate diet (i.e. supplemented with hydrolysable carbohydrates) and (3) a concentrate diet but horses were affected by simple colonic obstr...
Dougal K, de la Fuente G, Harris PA, Girdwood SE, Pinloche E, Geor RJ, Nielsen BD, Schott HC, Elzinga S, Newbold CJ.Faecal samples were collected from seventeen animals, each fed three different diets (high fibre, high fibre with a starch rich supplement and high fibre with an oil rich supplement). DNA was extracted and the V1-V2 regions of 16SrDNA were 454-pyrosequenced to investigate the faecal microbiome of the horse. The effect of age was also considered by comparing mature (8 horses aged 5-12) versus elderly horses (9 horses aged 19-28). A reduction in diversity was found in the elderly horse group. Significant differences between diets were found at an OTU level (52 OTUs at corrected Q<0.1). The ma...
Weese JS, Holcombe SJ, Embertson RM, Kurtz KA, Roessner HA, Jalali M, Wismer SE.Disruptions in the gastrointestinal microbiota may trigger development of post partum colic. Objective: To determine the effects of the periparturient period on the faecal microbiome and identify associations between the faecal microbiota and post partum colic. Methods: Longitudinal case-control study. Methods: Pre- and post partum faecal samples were collected from mares on 3 farms in central Kentucky. Next generation sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed on samples from 13 mares that developed colic, 13 mares that did not display colic and 5 nonpregnant controls. Res...
Metcalf JL, Song SJ, Morton JT, Weiss S, Seguin-Orlando A, Joly F, Feh C, Taberlet P, Coissac E, Amir A, Willerslev E, Knight R, McKenzie V, Orlando L.The mammal gut microbiome, which includes host microbes and their respective genes, is now recognized as an essential second genome that provides critical functions to the host. In humans, studies have revealed that lifestyle strongly influences the composition and diversity of the gastrointestinal microbiome. We hypothesized that these trends in humans may be paralleled in mammals subjected to anthropogenic forces such as domestication and captivity, in which diets and natural life histories are often greatly modified. We investigated fecal microbiomes of Przewalski's horse (PH; Equus ferus p...
Willing B, Vu00f6ru00f6s A, Roos S, Jones C, Jansson A, Lindberg JE.Diets rich in readily fermentable carbohydrates, fed traditionally to meet the increased energy requirements of the performance horse, are associated with a number of gastrointestinal disorders that involve disturbances in the intestinal microbiota, however, these changes are poorly understood. Objective: With the long-term objective of improving intestinal health and to increase understanding of the relationship between diet and microbiota, the effect of feeding Standardbred horses a high-energy forage-only (F) diet was studied compared to a more traditional forage-concentrate (C) diet on fae...
Ericsson AC, Johnson PJ, Lopes MA, Perry SC, Lanter HR.Horses are exquisitely sensitive to non-specific gastrointestinal disturbances as well as systemic and extraintestinal conditions related to gut health, yet minimal data are available regarding the composition of the microbiota present in the equine stomach, small intestine, and cecum and their relation to fecal microbiota. Moreover, there is minimal information regarding the concordance of the luminal and mucosal microbial communities throughout the equine gut. Illumina-based 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the luminal and mucosal microbiota present in seven regions of the gastrointestin...
DebRoy C, Maddox CW.The pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli recovered from the intestinal tract of animals fall into categories called enterotoxigenic, enteropathogenic, enterohemorrhagic and necrotoxigenic. The other two categories, enteroinvasive and enteroaggregative, have not been reported in animals. The pathogenicity of these strains is determined by the presence of certain genes that encode adhesins and toxins, are generally organized in large blocks in chromosomes, large plasmids or phages, and are often transmitted horizontally between strains. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the vir...
von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Fritzen B, Demeler J, Schu00fcrmann S, Rohn K, Schnieder T, Epe C.In 2003 and 2004, on a total of 63 different German horse farms, a survey using the faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test was performed to investigate the efficacy of ivermectin (IVM, Ivomec) and pyrantel (PYR, Banminth) treatment against gastro-intestinal nematodes in a total of 767 horses. IVM treatment resulted in 100% reduction of the cyathostomin egg production 14 and 21 days post-treatment (d.p.t.) on 37 farms. On the remaining five farms, the mean faecal egg count reduction ranged between 97.7 and 99.9%. The mean cyathostomin FECR following PYR treatment ranged between 92.2 and 100% on...
Costa MC, Weese JS.This article provides readers with the basic concepts necessary to understand studies using recent molecular methods performed in intestinal microbiome assessment, with special emphasis on the high throughput sequencing. This review also summarizes the current knowledge on this topic and discusses future insights on the interaction between the intestinal microbiome and equine health.
Salem SE, Maddox TW, Berg A, Antczak P, Ketley JM, Williams NJ, Archer DC.Colic (abdominal pain) is a common cause of mortality in horses. Change in management of horses is associated with increased colic risk and seasonal patterns of increased risk have been identified. Shifts in gut microbiota composition in response to management change have been proposed as one potential underlying mechanism for colic. However, the intestinal microbiota in normal horses and how this varies over different seasons has not previously been investigated. In this study the faecal microbiota composition was studied over 12 months in a population of horses managed at pasture with minima...
Brosnahan MM, Paradis MR.To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of a population of geriatric horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 467 horses that were > or = 20 years of age. Methods: Medical records of 539 geriatric horses that were evaluated at a university large animal hospital between 1989 and 1999 were reviewed. Data collected included signalment, reason for evaluation, specific diagnoses, surgical procedures, inpatient or outpatient care, duration of hospitalization, and outcome. Results: 467 horses met the criteria for inclusion in the study. Horses that were > or = 20 years of...
Costa MC, Weese JS.The equine intestinal tract contains a complex microbial population (microbiota) that plays an important role in health and disease. Despite the undeniable importance of a 'normal' microbiota, understanding of the composition and function of this population is currently limited. As methods to characterize the microbiota and its genetic makeup (the microbiome) have evolved, the composition and complexity of this population are starting to be revealed. As is befitting a hindgut fermenter, members of the Firmicutes phylum appear to predominate, yet there are significant populations of numerous ot...
Costa MC, Stu00e4mpfli HR, Allen-Vercoe E, Weese JS.The intestinal microbiota is a complex polymicrobial ecosystem that exerts extremely important roles in the development and maintenance of health. Recently, as new sequencing technologies have become more available, there has been a revolution in the understanding of the equine intestinal microbiota. However, studies characterising the pioneer intestinal bacteria colonising foals and its development over time are still limited. Objective: The objectives of this study were to characterise the intestinal bacterial colonisation of newborn foals and to follow individual animals over time until age...
Rodriguez C, Taminiau B, Bru00e9vers B, Avesani V, Van Broeck J, Leroux A, Gallot M, Bruwier A, Amory H, Delmu00e9e M, Daube G.The equine faecal microbiota is very complex and remains largely unknown, while interspecies interactions have an important contribution to animal health. Clostridium difficile has been identified as an important cause of diarrhoea in horses. This study provides further information on the nature of the bacterial communities present in horses developing an episode of diarrhoea. The prevalence of C. difficile in hospitalised horses at the time of admission is also reported. Results: Bacterial diversity of the gut microbiota in diarrhoea is lower than that in non-diarrhoeic horses in terms of spe...
Julliand V, Grimm P.In the early 1990s, the equine hindgut microbial ecosystem looked like a "black box." Its vital role in hydrolyzing and fermenting fiber, thus providing energy to the host, was recognized. Although there was a critical lack of information on the hindgut microbes, their role in preventing intestinal diseases was suggested. Traditionally, the microbes of the horse hindgut were studied using culture-dependent techniques. More recently, culture-independent methods have been used and provided further insight. This review presents the history and updated knowledge regarding the microbes that live in...
Al Jassim RA, Andrews FM.The gastrointestinal tract of the horse has unique characteristics that make it well suited for the ingestion and utilization of roughage. The horse is considered a simple-stomached herbivore and is classed as a hindgut fermenter. The upper segments of the gastrointestinal tract resemble those of a typical simple-stomached animal. The lower have undergone modification to become voluminous and host to a large number of microbial populations similar to those of the compartmental stomach of ruminant animals. The main advantage of this arrangement is the ability of the horse to extract valuable nu...
Kauter A, Epping L, Semmler T, Antao EM, Kannapin D, Stoeckle SD, Gehlen H, Lu00fcbke-Becker A, Gu00fcnther S, Wieler LH, Walther B.Understanding the complex interactions of microbial communities including bacteria, archaea, parasites, viruses and fungi of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) associated with states of either health or disease is still an expanding research field in both, human and veterinary medicine. GIT disorders and their consequences are among the most important diseases of domesticated Equidae, but current gaps of knowledge hinder adequate progress with respect to disease prevention and microbiome-based interventions. Current literature on enteral microbiomes mirrors a vast data and knowledge imbalance, w...
Bucknell DG, Gasser RB, Beveridge I.A quantitative post mortem study of 150 horses from Victoria was conducted to determine the prevalence and epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasites. A total of 42 species of metazoan parasite was found. The following species of non-cyathostome parasite were found (% prevalence): Trichostrongylus axei (51%); Habronema muscae (13%); H. majus (2%); Draschia megastoma (5%); Gastreophilus intestinalis (81%); G. nasalis (29%); Parascaris equorum (5%); Anoplocephala perfoliata (29%); Fasciola hepatica (0.7%); Oxyuris equi (7%); Strongylu vulgaris (23%); S. edentatus (23%); S. equinus (3%); Crateros...
Murray MJ, Schusser GF, Pipers FS, Gross SJ.Gastroscopic examinations were performed on 67 Thoroughbred horses in training at a race track and repeat examinations performed in 35 horses, 2 to 3 months later. Horses were age 2-9 years and included 16 two-year-olds, 32 three-year-olds and 19 horses > or = 4-years-old. Forty-two of the 67 horses had raced within the 2 months before the initial examination and the remaining 25 horses were in training. Sixty-two of the 67 horses (93%) had one or more lesions present in the gastric mucosa and lesions were present in all of the 42 horses that had raced. Thirty-two of the 35 horses, examined...
Lindenberg F, Krych L, Fielden J, Kot W, Fru00f8kiu00e6r H, van Galen G, Nielsen DS, Hansen AK.Billions of bacteria inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. Immune-microbial cross talk is responsible for immunological homeostasis, and symbiotic microbial species induce regulatory immunity, which helps to control the inflammation levels. In this study we aimed to identify species within the equine intestinal microbiota with the potential to induce regulatory immunity. These could be future targets for preventing or treating low-grade chronic inflammation occurring as a result of intestinal microbial changes and disruption of the homeostasis. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on ...
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