Glucose is a simple sugar that serves as a primary energy source for horses. It is metabolized through various biochemical pathways to support cellular functions and overall energy requirements. In equine physiology, glucose levels are influenced by factors such as diet, exercise, and metabolic health. Monitoring glucose concentrations is important for understanding metabolic conditions, such as insulin resistance and equine metabolic syndrome, which can affect a horse's health and performance. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the regulation, metabolism, and clinical implications of glucose in equine health.
Glade MJ, Luba NK.Plasma glucose and serum insulin, thyroxine, and triiodothyronine concentrations were monitored in 6 weanling Thoroughbreds after direct gastric infusion of solutions containing sucrose or casein. Neither plasma glucose nor serum hormone concentrations were affected by infusions of water or by infusions of 326 or 424 g of casein/250 kg of body weight. However, glucose and hormone concentrations increased significantly (P less than 0.001) after infusions of 649 or 844 g of sucrose/250 kg. Initial rates of increase were more rapid and increases were subsequently reversed more rapidly when 844 g ...
Greene SA, Thurmon JC, Tranquilli WJ, Benson GJ.Serum insulin and plasma glucose concentrations were determined in 8 mares. Four IV treatments were studied: xylazine (1.1 mg/kg of body weight); yohimbine (0.125 mg/kg); yohimbine (0.125 mg/kg) followed 5 minutes later by xylazine (1.1 mg/kg); and 5 ml of isotonic saline solution as a control. Blood samples were collected before (time 0) and at 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after drug administration. Serum insulin concentration decreased and plasma glucose concentration increased in mares given xylazine. Plasma glucose concentration was unchanged in control mares and in mares given yohi...
Silver M, Fowden AL, Knox J, Ousey JC, Franco R, Rossdale PD.The effects of insulin-induced hypoglycaemia on plasma catecholamines, cortisol and metabolites have been examined in newborn and 7-14-day-old foals. The fall in plasma glucose elicited by the highest dose of insulin (1.0 i.u./kg) given to the neonates was slower in onset and less severe in effect than 0.5 i.u./kg in the older foals. There was a significant inverse correlation between the concentrations of glucose and adrenaline (but not noradrenaline) in plasma once the glucose level had fallen below 2 mmol/l; the adrenergic response to hypoglycaemia was greater in the 7-14-day-old foals than...
Rose RJ, Gibson KT, Suann CJ.Five standardbred geldings were given 1 mg/kg bodyweight of frusemide by intramuscular injection to induce mild dehydration. After food and water deprivation overnight, the mean weight loss was 24.4 +/- 1.8 kg (5.5 per cent of bodyweight). The horses were then given an equivalent volume of an oral glucose-glycine-electrolyte solution by stomach tube. No more than 10 litres was given every 30 minutes until the calculated bodyweight loss had been replaced. Measurements made before, during and after the fluid administration included bodyweight, arterial blood haematocrit, PCO2, pH, standard bicar...
Garcia MC, Beech J.Two identical experiments, using Standardbred and Thoroughbred horses (experiment A, n = 31; experiment B, n = 17) on a swimming regimen, were performed 1 week apart to evaluate short-term heart rate, hematologic, and endocrinologic changes. Horses were placed in 4 categories based on duration of swimming (1 to 5, greater than 5 to 10, greater than 10 to 15, and greater than 15 minutes). Heart rate, PCV, and plasma concentrations of total protein, cortisol triiodothyronine, thyroxine, insulin, and glucose of each horse were evaluated before, immediately after, and 1 hour after swimming. For ex...
Stogdale L.The nomenclature of human diabetes mellitus (DM) has been revised, and this classification has been accepted throughout the medical world and literature. The major categories of diabetes are: insulin-dependent DM, type I or IDDM; noninsulin-dependent DM, type II or NIDDM; secondary DM or type S; impaired glucose tolerance, IGT; gestational diabetes; and previous abnormality of glucose tolerance, PrevAGT. A review of the literature has shown that over half of the documented diabetic dogs, with a single medical diagnosis, appear to be type I, IDDM, with a substantial proportion being type S, and...
McCoy DJ.Both ovaries in a 10-year-old American Saddle Horse mare were determined to be larger than normal. The mare had problems with infertility during the preceding 3 years. Clinical evaluation revealed that the mare was polyuric, polydypsic, hyperinsulinemic, and hyperglycemic, and had reduced tolerance to exogenous glucose. Bilateral granulosa cell tumors were identified on histologic examination of the ovaries. The precise mechanism for the secondary diabetes mellitus was not determined; however, the cause was suspected to be a result of the synthesis and release of a hormonal substance by the tu...
Jeffcott LB, Field JR, McLean JG, O'Dea K.The existence of an innate insulin insensitivity in ponies was investigated and compared with the situation in larger breeds of horse. Ponies that were fat or had previously suffered laminitis were found to be far more intolerant to oral glucose loading (1 g/kg bodyweight [bwt]) than normal ponies or Standardbreds. These ponies also exhibited a far greater response in plasma insulin levels after glucose loading. Insulin response tests (0.4 iu/kg bwt insulin intravenously) showed only a minimal and very protracted response in both the fat and laminitic groups. The relevance of these findings in...
Trim CM, Hanson RR.The intravenous administration of xylazine (1.1 mg/kg bodyweight) in six ponies resulted in a significant increase in urine output over two hours, with maximum flow occurring between 30 and 60 minutes after injection. Urine specific gravity, osmolality and glucose concentration decreased. Renal clearance of endogenous creatinine was unchanged. Significant increases in the excretion of potassium and chloride occurred. Plasma glucose concentration was increased 30 minutes after the administration of xylazine by a mean value of 37 per cent. Serum osmolality and sodium, potassium and chloride conc...
Dinev D, Khubenov KhD.Studied were a total of 85 (33 male and 52 female) donkeys of the Martina Franca breed of the domestic ass, aged from one to twelve years. Stated are the results for the normal values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, ESR, total erythrocyte and leukocyte counts, leukocyte formula, blood sugar, cholesterin, urea, total protein and protein fractions, some micro- and macroelements, and enzymes as tabulated in four diagrams. No differences have been established with regard to sex. It has been found that with young animals the normal values of hemoglobin and erythrocytes are lower than with adult ones. Wi...
De Waal A, Littlejohn A, Potgieter GM, Van der Berg J, Minnaar PI, Smith A.An apparatus was designed to collect four consecutive blood samples from exercising horses. The collection of each sample was controlled by valves activated by radiotelemetry signals transmitted by an observer. Using the device, venous blood samples were collected from ten thoroughbred racehorses before, during and after a 400 m training gallop. Blood glucose increased markedly post-exercise. Both phosphorus and potassium concentrations increased during exercise, decreased post-exercise and recovered to pre-exercise levels within 120 minutes. The system was modified to collect anaerobic sample...
Thornton JR.Current knowledge and understanding of the hormonal response to exercise are limited, whether in relation to horses, humans, or other species. The changes in plasma concentration of some hormones occur early in exercise, apparently owing to a neuronal stimulation, whereas others, being pituitary dependent, require hormonal stimulation. Also, although it is possible to observe changes in plasma concentrations of hormones, the mechanism by which this is achieved is not always understood, and unless the nonprotein-bound, or active, form of the hormone is also determined, changes in plasma concent...
Colton SW, Downing DT.The relative efficiency of acetate and glucose as substrates for the biosynthesis of lipids in the skin of the rat and horse was examined using in vivo pulse labelling of skin with [1-14C]acetate and [U-14C]glucose by intradermal injections. The resulting radiolabelled lipids were recovered in the rat by punch biopsy as well as by daily, long-term skin surface lipid collections and in the horse by punch biopsy of the injection sites. The lipids were examined by liquid scintillation and by a combination of thin-layer chromatography and autoradiography. In both species the recovery of radiolabel...
Eldjarn L, Broughton PM.Eight analytes (Ca, Cl, cholesterol, glucose, Mg, K, Na and urate) have been determined in one horse serum masterlot by up to six different procedures: (i) by so-called definitive methods; (ii) by a group of reference laboratories using a variety of analytical methods; (iii) using the results of two independent external quality assessment schemes; (iv) by transferring values from a human serum standard reference material analysed by definitive methods; (v) by similar transfer of values from several batches of horse reference serum previously analysed by definitive methods; and (vi) as in (v) b...
Youket RJ, Carnevale JM, Houpt KA, Houpt TR.The effect of meal frequency on body fluid, glucose, triiodothyronine (T3), heart rate and behavior was measured in 10 ponies. A simple reversal design was used in which each pony received one meal/day (1X) for 2 wk and six meals/day (6X) for 2 wk. The total intake/day was held constant. Feeding was followed by a rise in plasma levels of glucose, T3, protein and osmolality. One large meal was followed by significantly greater changes in all of the variables than was a meal one-sixth the size. Plasma T3 rose from 41 +/- 5 (SE) ng/liter before feeding to 43 +/- 5 ng/liter following a small meal,...
Seal US, Siniff DB, Tester JR, Williams TD.Combinations of etorphine hydrochloride and xylazine hydrochloride in different dosages were tested for their efficacy as immobilizing agents on 16 recently captured feral mares in corrals. The results of these trials led to the utilization of a standard combination of 5.5 mg of etorphine hydrochloride, 150 mg of xylazine hydrochloride, and 3 mg of atropine sulfate in a 7-ml dart syringe for field capture. This combination was used, administered by dart gun from helicopters, to capture 87 free-ranging feral horses from about 80 bands. Five mares died at the time of capture and the remains of t...
Eckersall PD, Aitchison T, Colquhoun KM.Whole saliva was collected from six horses over a period of five weeks in sufficient volume for the analysis of 10 constituents. There was considerable variation in the concentration of the analytes both between horses and between different days in the same horse. The most variable constituent was sodium, and the least variable was glucose, but this was derived from the sweet used to stimulate salivation. The use of whole saliva as a fluid for investigation would depend on achieving the minimum variability possible.
Beech J, Garcia M.Cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), insulin, and glucose responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) were evaluated in 12 healthy, mature horses and in 7 horses and 4 ponies with clinical signs of pituitary adenoma (PA). Within 1 hour after TRH administration, the increase in T3 and T4 was similar in healthy horses and animals with PA. Plasma cortisol in the group with PA increased (P less than 0.05) within 0.25 hours after TRH administration, and remained increased for 1.5 hours. In the control group, a significant increase in plasma cortisol concentrations did not develop a...
McGruder JP, Hsu WH.Effects of yohimbine on xylazine-pentobarbital anesthesia were evaluated in ponies. Five minutes after the IV injection of xylazine (1.1 mg/kg of body weight), pentobarbital sodium (12.7 mg/kg, IV) and additional xylazine (2.2 mg/kg, IM) were given and produced anesthesia in 12 ponies for 64.0 +/- 16.4 minutes (mean +/- SD) as well as immobilization for 89.8 +/- 34.2 minutes. Eleven ponies were given yohimbine (0.1 mg/kg, IV) 50 minutes after pentobarbital dosing. In these 11 ponies, durations of anesthesia and immobilization were shorter, 52.0 +/- 1.4 and 65.5 +/- 14.8 minutes, respectively. ...
Jeffcott LB, Field JR.Hyperlipaemia is an important condition in ponies, not just because of the seriousness of the clinical signs and biochemical changes involved, but because of the distress it causes owners and breeders that have had animals suffer from it. Hyperlipaemia occurs most commonly in fat ponies in late pregnancy and is rarely seen in larger horses. The syndrome has similarities with conditions in other species but the definitive aetiologies are not yet known. The condition in ponies is undoubtedly related to stress. The biochemical mechanisms involved in equine hyperlipaemia are considered and an hypo...
Trim CM, Moore JN, Hardee MM, Hardee GE, Graham DA.Prostacyclin was infused IV into 6 horses anesthetized with halothane. Three dosage rates (10, 30, and 100 ng/kg of body weight/min) were evaluated in each horse. Facial and pulmonary artery pressures, heart rate, cardiac output, blood temperature, and arterial and mixed venous pH, PCO2, and PO2 were measured. Arterial blood was collected for determination of glucose, lactate, and PCV. Mixed venous blood was sampled for assay of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha and catecholamines. Infusion of prostacyclin at 10 ng/kg/min had no effect on the variables measured, whereas the 30 ng/kg/min dosage dec...
Srivastava SK, Barnum DA, Prescott JF.The production of M-protein antigen of Streptococcus equi was studied during in vitro growth in equine blood and in various media. Of 11 S equi strains studied, seven which had initially possessed 0.04 mg or less M-protein per 10 mg of streptococcal cell extract showed an increase in M-protein content after successive culture in heparinised horse blood. Maximum proliferation occurred in Todd-Hewitt (TH) medium with added 0.2 per cent w/v glucose when compared with TH medium alone or TH medium with 2 per cent w/v sucrose, starch, neopeptone or normal horse serum. The M-protein of these strains ...
Glade MJ, Reimers TJ.The effects of meal ingestion on the circulating concentrations of the growth-regulating hormones thyroxine (T4), tri-iodothyronine (T3) and insulin were examined in weanling Thoroughbreds fed 70% (diet A), 100% (diet B) or 130% (diet C) of their energy and protein requirements. Peak insulin concentrations occurred 1, 2 and 3 h after the ingestion of diets C, B and A respectively. Increases in plasma glucose concentrations preceded the increases in serum insulin concentrations. Serum T4 concentrations increased after the ingestion of diets A and B and decreased after diet C. In contrast, serum...
Trim CM, Moore JN, White NA.Dopamine hydrochloride was infused intravenously into six horses anaesthetised with halothane. Three dose rates; 0.5, 2.5 and 5.0 micrograms/kg/min, were evaluated in each horse. The cardiac output was significantly increased at 15 and 30 mins following administration of dopamine at 2.5 and 5.0 micrograms/kg/min. The heart rate, facial artery pressure and pulmonary artery pressure remained unchanged. Total peripheral resistance was significantly decreased at 30 mins with 2.5 micrograms/kg/min and at 15 and 30 mins with 5.0 micrograms/kg/min. No significant change was produced in packed cell vo...
Ford EJ, Simmons HA.The production of propionate in the caecum of the horse has been measured in two Shetland-type ponies fitted with caecal and colonic cannulas and fed on hay or on hay and wheat bran. A continuous intracaecal infusion of 14C-labelled sodium propionate was used and samples were obtained from a cannula at the origin of the right ventral colon. A simultaneous intravenous infusion of [2-3H]glucose was used to measure total glucose entry. On a hay diet which provided 177 kJ/kg body-weight per d, mean caecal propionate production was 19.6 (range 17.2-21.2) mg/h per kg body-weight and on a hay and whe...
Ungemach FR.Doping in performance horses is defined as the "illegal application of any substance, except normal diet, that might modify the natural and present capacities of the horse at the time of the race." The prohibition of doping is mainly based on the protection of animals. Doping can be performed with various aims: "doping to win" can be regarded as the classical method by mobilization of overphysiological capacities. Such positive doping may be classified as an acute form using psychomotoric stimulants, as a chronic form using anabolic hormones, and as a paradoxical form using small doses of neur...
van Amstel SR, Reyers F, Colly PA.Variable results were obtained when the starch digestion test was carried out on a suspected case of malassimilation in a horse. In order to re-evaluate this test, 15 starch digestion tests were carried out using 4 horses. Results showed a marked variation in the increase in plasma glucose levels between individual horses and especially between poor and good condition horses when the dose of starch was based on body mass. Results also suggest that a fixed dose of starch may give more consistent results.
Glade MJ, Gupta S, Reimers TJ.Growth-related skeletal diseases in young horses have been associated with high planes of nutrition, although the mechanisms underlying such an association have not been determined. It is likely that nutrition-induced effects on growth rate or growth quality involve the endocrine system. Hormonal and metabolic responses to the ingestion of meals containing either 80% (diet A) or 160% (diet B) of National Research Council energy and protein recommendations were examined in eight Thoroughbred weanling horses after 3 wk of dietary adaptation. After 24 h fasts, prefeeding serum concentrations of t...
Fowden AL, Silver M, Ellis L, Ousey J, Rossdale PD.The factors influencing beta cell function in the foetal and neonatal foal have been investigated in chronically catheterised foetal foals and in newborn foals delivered either spontaneously at term or by induction at different gestational ages. Insulin was detected in the foetal plasma from as early as 150 days of gestation (term = 340 days) and during the last third of gestation the foetal beta cells responded to exogenous administration of glucose and arginine and to endogenous variations in the glucose level. Insulin secretion by the foetal beta cells was depressed by anaesthesia and surge...
Shams el Din HE, el Nasri M.Seventeen isolates (4.27%) were recovered from 398 samples. Twelve isolates (4%) were obtained from 300 donkey nasal swabs, three (4.3%) and two (6.89%) isolates were recovered from 69 horse nasal swabs and 29 mare uterine washings, respectively. Nine isolates were lost during storage at -20 degrees C and the remaining eight were identified as mycoplasmas and their biological, biochemical and serological reactions were investigated. The isolates could be divided into two groups on the basis of glucose fermentation and arginine hydrolysis. The first group neither fermented glucose nor hydrolyse...
Rose RJ, Backhouse W, Chan W.Changes in plasma sodium, potassium, chloride, total carbon dioxide, urea, creatinine, glucose, total bilirubin, iron, total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase (AP), aspartate amino transferase (AST), calcium, inorganic phosphorus, cholesterol and triglycerides were studied in 45 Thoroughbred foals 15 min to 28 days after birth. The results were analysed in 3 groups; Group 1 (0--12 h), Group 2 (12--36 h), Group 3 (1--4 weeks). When Group 2 was compared to Group 1, there were significant reductions of sodium, creatinine, iron and calcium and elevations of total protein and bilirubin. When G...
Church S, Middleton DJ.Two horses, presented for investigation of chronic weight loss despite normal to increased feed intake, had flat oral glucose absorption curves, suggesting malabsorption. The cause of the apparent malabsorption was not evident grossly or on light microscopic examination of the intestinal tract. Both horses survived long term and at follow-up examination had regained weight and their capacity to absorb glucose. These cases illustrate that flat glucose absorption curves may occur in horses with no obvious intestinal lesions, that they may revert to normal and that the results of these tests shou...
Robertson SA.Three different anaesthetic techniques were studied in normal, healthy Thoroughbred or Thoroughbred type horses. These were (a) acepromazine, thiopentone and suxamethonium; (b) acepromazine, glyceryl guaiacolate and a 'half-dose' of thiopentone; and (c) xylazine and ketamine. Anaesthesia was maintained with halothane vaporized in oxygen and nitrous oxide. All horses underwent either laryngeal or body surface surgery. Heart rate, packed cell volume, blood glucose and lactate, plasma non-esterified fatty acids, insulin and cortisol were measured before, during and after surgery. The greatest met...
Hansen S, Stephansen MG, Fjeldborg J, van Galen G.Blood glucose concentrations fluctuate with stress, but little is known on how it is influenced by clinical procedures. The objective was to investigate the effect of clinical procedures on blood glucose concentration in healthy horses. Methods: Prospective, experimental study. Seven hospital-owned research horses were included in the study. A total of 4 horses were sampled either during a control sedation trial or during 3 different student workshops (prepurchase, oral, and rectal examination-the latter 2 with sedation). Blood samples were taken every 15 minutes and glucose concentration in w...
de Tonnerre DJ, Medina Torres CE, Stefanovski D, Robinson MA, Kemp KL, Bertin FR, van Eps AW.Sirolimus, a mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitor, suppresses insulin production in other species and has therapeutic potential for hyperinsulinemia in horses. Objective: Determine the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of sirolimus and evaluate its effect on insulin dynamics in healthy and insulin dysregulation (ID) horses. Methods: Eight Standardbred geldings. Methods: A PK study was performed followed by a placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study. Blood sirolimus concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-mass-spectrometry. PK indices were estimated by fitting a 2-compartment mod...
Medeiros LF, Medeiros LO, Berciano Sanjurjo MA.1. The metabolism in the erythrocytes of thoroughbred horses in a sequential study from umbilical cord to the 1st month was investigated. 2. Emphasis was put on hemolytic period at which: (a). PFK, GSH-Px and GSH play a significant role. (b). There is a lower glucose consumption determined by a decreased activity in several enzymatic steps. (c). Singularly high concentrations of 2-3DPG and ATP were detected. 3. It has been suggested that the metabolic adjustments were achieved by an increased activity of the hexose monophosphate shunt, G-3PD and AK.
Gill J, Cedro H, Piróg B.In 8 stallions and 6 mares of pure Arabian breed the diurnal changes in the levels of lactic and pyruvic acid, glucose, and alkaline reserve were studied. All of them showed distinct diurnal changes but they failed to fulfil the criteria of circadian rhythm according to Halberg. It was found that all peaks occurred during the dark phase of the 24 h period except the glucose level in the stallions. Three of the indices studied showed higher mean diurnal levels in the mares than in the stallions. Only in the glucose level the mean values were reversed.
Gianini M, Sutter O, Burger D, Bracher V.Gastrointestinal function was assessed in normal foals before, during and after the onset of 'foal heat diarrhoea' by haematological, biochemical, microbiological and parasitological methods, and by a combined lactose tolerance-breath hydrogen excretion test. Warmblood mares (n=11) and their foals were used. The foals were assessed according to a standard protocol after birth and at regular intervals thereafter. All except one of the foals suffered from diarrhoea that started between day 8 and day 12 after birth, which lasted for 1-4 days. Rotavirus was detected in the faeces of five foals, bu...
Ginochio RJ, Evans JW.The objectives of the investigation were to determine the utilization rate of glucose-2-T in Shetland ponies and to estimate the extent of tritium recycling into newly formed glucose following a single injection of glucose-2-T. A range of 0.5 to 2.3 and 1.3 to 5.2% recycling was observed for fasted and fed groups of ponies, respectively. The low recycling percentages were not statistically significant (P>.05) from zero except for the 4- and 6-hr. means of the fasted group. Since the recycling percentages for each hourly sample post-injection were not statistically significant, glucose half-lif...
Data in briefOctober 12, 2019
Volume 27 104653 doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2019.104653
Daden R, Chbihi S, Zarhouni FZ, Chakir J, Piro M, Achaaban MR, Ouassat M, El Allali K.This article presents data on the effect of plasmapheresis on clinical, haematological and biochemical parameters in horses following exercise and after a plasmapheresis session. This blood filtration technique was realised on six jumping horses (plasmapheresis group) that underwent three consecutive days of graded physical exercise. The control group (n = 6) went through the same exercise but was not subjected to the plasmapheresis session. Blood was sampled before and after each exercise, also at the beginning and the end of plasmapheresis session. The presented data was obtained by measur...
Sticker LS, Thompson DL, Bunting LD, Fernandez JM.Two diets consisting of bermudagrass hay and a corn-cottonseed hull-based supplement were formulated to provide either 100% (control) or 50% (restricted) of the protein and energy requirements for maintenance for mature mares. Twelve light horse mares were fed the control diet for 7 d, and then at 0800 on d 0, six mares were switched to the restricted diet. All diets were fed as two equally sized meals at 0800 and 1600. At 0800 on d 7, mares receiving the restricted diet were switched back to the control diet. Relative to control mares, mares switched to the restricted diet had reduced plasma ...
Nogueira WA, Ferreira Padilha FG, Angelo Luiz M, da Silva Salomão N, Monteiro Fonseca AB, Reis Ferreira AM.This study aimed to analyze effect of physical exercise in hemogasometric and electrolytic profiles of young Mangalarga Marchador horses beginning training for gait competitions. Six Mangalarga Marchador gaited horses with 6 months of training were evaluated. The ages ranged from three and a half to five years and included four stallions and two mares, with mean (±S.D.) body weight of 435±30Kg. Venous blood samples were collected from the horses, rectal temperature and HR were measured before and immediately after the gait test, and blood samples were used for hemogasometric and laboratory a...
St Lawrence AC, Lawrence LM, Coleman RJ.Many studies have examined the effect of pre-exercise feeding on glucose and insulin responses of horses. The objective of this study was to determine whether exercise performed one hour prior to a meal would attenuate the glucose and insulin responses to a meal. Data collected from 8 mature geldings in a 2 period crossover design experiment were used to determine the postprandial glucose and insulin responses to a meal of oats offered 1 h postexercise. During each period, 4 horses received a test meal following a 14 h fast (NoEx) or a 14 h fast and exercise bout (PostEx) that consisted of 48 ...
Martin Giménez T, Aguirre Pascasio CN, de Blas Giral I.Andalusian horses have been proposed as a breed predisposed to equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) phenotype [1] because they are prone to exhibiting regional, generalised adiposity and tendency to laminitis [2]. Insulin dysregulation represents the main pathophysiological cause for all the features of EMS, however there are no epidemiological studies in this breed. Objective: To assess insulin dysregulation through insulin proxies in Andalusian horses with different levels of obesity. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: One hundred and sixty-four Andalusians (78 stallions and 86 mares, 2-15 ...
Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Annee MP, Verdegaal EJ, Lemmens AG, Beynen AC.Feeding a high-fat diet increases fat utilisation and may decrease glycogen utilisation resulting in a lower lactate production during moderate exercise. The effects of fat feeding on exercise- and lipid metabolism-associated blood variables were evaluated in 6 Standardbred horses during submaximal exercise. The horses were fed a high- (11.8% fat in total dietary dry matter) or a low-fat diet (1.5% fat) in a cross-over experiment with feeding periods of 4 weeks. At the end of each feeding period, the horses were subjected to a submaximal standardised stepwise exercise test on a treadmill. Bloo...
Bullimore SR, Pagan JD, Harris PA, Hoekstra KE, Roose KA, Gardner SC, Geor RJ.To delay the onset of fatigue, endurance horses are often fed at rest stops during races. The resulting increase in blood insulin may adversely inhibit lipolysis. In humans, ingestion of fructose produces a smaller insulin rise than glucose. This study compared glucose and fructose as carbohydrate supplements for endurance horses. Three Arabian geldings were given 300 g of fructose (F), glucose (G) or 50% glucose: 50% fructose (GF), in 1.5 L water, by stomach tube. In the Resting Test, carbohydrate was administered at rest. Following treatment, blood samples were taken every 30 min for 8 h, an...
Lawrence LM, Williams J, Soderholm LV, Roberts AM, Hintz HF.Four mature Standardbred horses were used in a 2-period cross-over design experiment to evaluate the effect of feeding state (fed or fasted) on metabolic response to 2 repeated bouts of exercise. Horses were either fasted 15 to 16 h before exercise or fasted for 12 h and then fed 2 kg of whole corn 2.5 to 3 h before exercise. In the first period, 2 horses in each feeding state were exercised. In the second period, the treatments were switched. The exercise test consisted of 2 exercise bouts separated by a 90 min recovery period. Each exercise bout included a warm-up phase and a high intensity ...
Doreau M, Martin-Rosset W, Barlet JP.In an experiment comparing pregnant then lactating mares with dry non-pregnant mares, the changes in plasma components were studied as indicators of the metabolic utilization of energy (glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate), nitrogen (urea, proteins) or minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium). The mares were fed daily 2 kg concentrate and hay ad libitum. Beta-hydroxybutyrate, magnesium and to a lesser extent glucose were the only constituents whose levels were affected within the period starting one month before and ending one month after foaling. The increase in food in...
Boakari YL, Alonso MA, Riccio AV, Affonso FJ, Losano JDA, Nichi M, Belli CB, Fernandes CB.Information about mule physiology is scarce. Glucose and lactate serve as prognostic tools in neonates; thus, real-time evaluations would be beneficial. Our main objective was to measure glucose and lactate concentrations from healthy mule and equine foals from birth to 720 hours. Glucose and lactate concentrations were evaluated with a benchtop Randox Daytona analyzer (LAB) using plasma and with an Accutrend Plus system (ACP) using whole blood. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED (P < .05), intraclass coefficient correlation and Bland-Altman analysis. Glucose and lactate concentrations fro...
Sibthorpe PEM, Fitzgerald DM, Chen L, Sillence MN, de Laat MA.To determine the effect of a starch-rich treat, added to the daily diet of ponies for 10 days, on enteroinsular responses to meal consumption. 10 mixed-breed adult ponies owned by Queensland University of Technology were used in the study. Six ponies were metabolically healthy, and 4 were insulin dysregulated at the start of the study, according to the results of an in-feed oral glucose test. A bread-based treat was offered twice daily for 10 days, adding 0.36 ± 0.04 g/kg body weight (BW) carbohydrates to the daily diet. Before and after treatment, the intestinal capacity for simple carbohydr...
Kouider S, Kolb FE, Müller I, Pfüller C, Schneider J.Horses were examined for the behaviour of various blood constituents prior to and following infusions of solutions of glucose, fructose, invertose, and sorbitol. Infusion of 0.5 g/kg live weight glucose to six horses was followed by half-life variation between eleven and 23 minutes. Subsequent infusion of invertose to the same animals usually caused prolongation of glucose half-life. Half-life values were between 17 and 33 minutes for fructose and between 21 and 80 minutes for glucose. Infusion of 0.5 g/kg live weight fructose to two horses was followed by half-life values between 17 and 18 mi...
Murphy D, Reid SW, Love S.The aim of this study was to establish the normal patterns of breath hydrogen excretion in adult ponies following either voluntary consumption or administration per stomach tube of a test meal/carbohydrate substrate. After an overnight fast, the ponies (n = 7) received either no test meal (ie fasted), glucose, xylose, lactose, lactulose, wheat flour or oats. Exhaled breath samples were collected in duplicate at 0 minutes and at 30-minute intervals thereafter for eight hours. Analysis of duplicate breath hydrogen measurements (n = 714) indicated that the breath hydrogen collection/storage metho...
Moorthy AR, Spradbrow PB.Mycoplasmas were isolated from two of 43 nasal swabs taken from live horses, and from one of 28 tracheal swabs taken from slaughtered horses. The slaughtered horse that yielded mycoplasmas had no gross pathological changes in the respiratory tract, but the nasal isolations were made from horses with rhinitis. The three mycoplasmas could be distinguished by cultural characteristics, and probably they represent three different species.
Klein HJ, Schulze E, Deegen E, Giese W.In 5 horses, 13CO2/12CO2 ratios in expired air were determined using isotope mass spectroscopy to investigate metabolism of naturally occurring [13C]glucose. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed using maize or beet glucose. Maize has a higher 13C concentration than that of most plants. The 13CO2/12CO2 ratios after OGTT was performed using maize glucose were compared with 13CO2/12CO2 ratios in expired air after OGTT was performed using beet glucose. The ratio also was determined during the period horses were not fed. Using OGTT, all horses were glucose tolerant. The OGTT performed...
de Graaf-Roelfsema E, Keizer HA, van Breda E, Wijnberg ID, van der Kolk JH.To determine the influence of intensified training and subsequent reduced training on glucose metabolism rate and peripheral insulin sensitivity in horses and identify potential markers indicative of early overtraining. Methods: 12 Standardbred geldings. Methods: Horses underwent 4 phases of treadmill-based training. In phase 1, horses were habituated to the treadmill. In phase 2, endurance training was alternated with high-intensity exercise training. In phase 3, horses were divided into control and intensified training groups. In the intensified training group, training intensity, duration, ...
Buonomo FC, Ruffin DS, Brendemeuhl JP, Veenhuizen JJ, Sartin JL.Effects of exogenous pST and bST on metabolic and growth factor variables were examined in three studies with lighthorse mares (455 to 545 kg). In Study 1, eight mares received five s.c. injections of bST or pST (30 mg/d). In Studies 2 and 3, five mares received one s.c. injection of a prolonged release formulation designed to deliver 500 mg of bST (Study 2) or pST (Study 3) over 14 d. Blood samples were collected for several days before injection to establish baseline values, at frequent intervals during treatment, and for several days thereafter. In all studies, blood urea nitrogen concentra...
Steinbrecher A, Fuchs R, Kolb E, Nestler K, Schineff C, Schmidt U, Wahren M.4 horses (Group A) received an oat-hay ration, through 9 months running, while 3 horses (Group B) were fed a barley-hay ration over the same period of time. Blood samples were collected and examined in 4-week intervals. All values considered, no differences were found to exist between the 2 groups with regard to Hb and haematocrit in blood as well as to protein, glucose, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron fixation capacity, copper, and zinc in blood plasma. The urea level in plasma of Group A was higher than that in Group B, values being 5.76 +/- 0.64 mmol/l and 5.14 +/- 0.72 mmol/l. The same ...
Del Prete C, Lanci A, Cocchia N, Freccero F, Di Maio C, Castagnetti C, Mariella J, Micieli F.Blood collection by indwelling intravenous catheter (IVC) avoids repeated venipuncture, which could cause thrombophlebitis risk, anxiety and pain in patients. Objective: To compare blood gas parameters, electrolytes, glucose, lactate and haematocrit concentration obtained from venous blood samples collected via a jugular IVC by push-pull (PP) technique to those obtained by venipuncture in hospitalised foals, at the time of catheter placement (T0) and 24 hours after the beginning of intravenous therapy (T24). Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: Paired blood samples were drawn fr...
