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.
Anderson MG, Aitken MM.Adrenaline was given intramuscularly to resting horses. It increased heart rate, sweating, blood levels of lactic dehydrogenase, aldolase, creatine kinase, glucose, lactate, free fatty acids and glycerol. Responses to isoprenaline, to noradenaline and to adrenaline after pretreatment with propranolol indicated that beta receptors were involved in stimulation of tachycardia, sweating, lipolysis and muscle glycogenolysis, and alpha receptors in stimulation of liver glycogenolysis and leakage of intracellular enzymes. The time course and relative magnitude of the effects on different enzymes was ...
Liberg P, Magnusson LE, Schougaard H.Synovial fluid and blood were collected from 18 clinically healthy brood mares in resting conidition. The following parameters were analysed: total leucocytes, glucose, alkaline phosphatase (AP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total protein, albumin, total globulin, albumin/globulin ratio and electrophoretic protein picture. The serum/synovia ratios were calculated for all parameters. It was considered to be of greater diagnostic value to compare these serum/synovia ratios rather than to look at the individual concentrations in synovia. The results obtained did not materially differ from those i...
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...
Harvey JW, Kaneko JJ.Under physiological conditions, erythrocytes of the horse metabolized 638 +/- 37 (+/-SE) nmoles glucose/ml cells/hr at 37 degrees C compared to 942 +/- 31 for the cat, 1,329 +/- 44 for the dog, and 1,485 +/- 43 for man. On an absolute basis, pentose phosphate metabolism was similar between species, with species differences in erythrocyte glucose tulization attributable to differences in Embden-Meyerhof pathway metabolism. By examining pentose phosphate pathway recycling, it appears that some functional compartmentation exists within erythrocytes.
Serrano L, Lees P, Hillidge CJ.Ponies were anaesthetized by administration of the ataractic, azaperone (0 · 2–0 · 8 mg/kg), in combination with the hypnotic, metomidate (3 · 5 mg/kg). Changes in blood biochemistry were measured during and following the course of action of these drugs. In control experiments, azaperone (0 · 4 and 0 · 8 mg/kg) was administered alone to other ponies. There were no significant changes in blood glucose concentration in either circumstance. Blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations and lactate/pyruvate ratio were not altered significantly by azaperone. However, moderate increases in lactat...
Palomba E, Martone F, Meduri A, Vaccaro A, Damiani N.A description is given of an outbreak of equine infectious anaemia (E.I.A.) in Campania [at Naples and Aversa (Caserta)]; it was diagnosed by clinical, pathological and serological examinations (Coggins test). Using the serum of 45 horses with E.I.A. and 11 healthy horses (controls), numerous investigations were carried out on: enzymes, intrinsic coagulation factors, lipids and other substances. The results obtained were very interesting and show that in this disease there are significant increases in many enzymes (LDH, LAP, gamma-GT, CPK, PK and ALD) and copper. Insignificant increases were f...
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.
Smith JE, Agar NS.Anaemic horses do not provide reticulocytes during an erythropietic response. Acute blood loss was studied in 4 ponies as a model to monitor changes in erythrocyte metabolism during active erythropoiesis. Following phlebotomy, erythrocyte adenosine-5-triphosphate, adenosine-5-diphosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, and phosphoenolpyruvate increased signifcantly. The remaining glycolytic intermediates did not change. It is suggested that the determination of erythrocyte adenosine-5-triphosphate may be used to evaluate erythrocyte response following acute blood loss in the horse....
Anwer MS, Chapman TE, Gronwall R.Variables of glucose metabolism determined by the use of [U-14C]glucose were compared in fed and fasted ponies. Relative recycling of glucose carbon with respect to tritium in fed animals was negligible for 6-T and 3-T and 16% for 2-T studies; in fasted animals relative recycling was 12 and 14% for 6-T and 3-T studies, respectively. Minimal mass of total-body glucose decreased significantly in the fasted ponies. Based on relative recycling of carbon to tritium, a negligible fraction of plasma glucose was produced via the Cori cycle or from glycerol in fed ponies; recycled tricarbon units contr...
Robie SM, Janson CH, Smith SC, O'Connor JT.Concentrations of serum phospholipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol, nonesterified fatty acids, and glucose were determined for 9 months (September, 1972, to May, 1973) in 19 fasting horses and ponies (8 Morgan horses, 7 Thoroughbred horses, and 4 Shetland Ponies). Morgan horses had higher concentrations of total lipid than did Thoroughbreds, although the relative proportions of each type of lipid were similar in the 2 breeds. Shetland Ponies had higher nonesterified fatty acid and lower glucose concentrations than did either breed of horse. In both breeds of horses, concentrations of seru...
Silver M, Comline RS.Mares and fetuses with indwelling catheters in the umbilical and uterine vessels have been used to monitor transplacental blood gas tensions, pH, O2 affinities and the concentration of various metabolites in fetal and maternal blood during late gestation. Measurements of umbilical and uterine blood flows and arterio-venous differences enabled the uptake of O2 and glucose by the fetus and the uterus to be estimated. The present findings are compared with those from other species in comparable conditions.
Engle CE, Foley CW, Witherspoon DM, Scarth RD, Goetsch DD.Three experiments were conducted on the metabolism of stallion sperm. In experiment 1, whole and washed sperm were incubated under aerobic and anaerobic enviroments and analyzed before and after controlled incubation for motility, pH, lactic acid, glucose, fructose, and O2 comsumption. In experiment 2, whole and washed sperm were incubated aerobically and anaerobically with and without uterine tubal fluids. Experiment 3 was the same as experiment 2, except added substrates of glucose and lactic acid were studied. The same examinations were made in experiments 2 and 3 as for experiment 1. Motil...
Frape DL.The majority of recent experiments in equine nutrition relates to the metabolism of protein, non-protein nitrogen, carbohydrate, calcium and phosphorus. An understanding of the significance of the nitrogen cycle is emerging in which there is a two-way movement of compounds across the wall of the G.I. tract. Some quantitative estimates of the role of microflora in this process have been made for comparison with similar processes in ruminants. However, the pathway by which the microflora contributes to the nitrogen economy and the extent to which this occurs is not established in the horse. It i...
Engle CC, Foley CW.Uterine tubal fluids were collected twice a day from mares for 5 consecutive estrous cycles between March 15 and September 1. Follicular fluids were aspirated from the follicles of exteriorized ovaries of 3 mares between days 2 and 5 of estrus. Uterine tubal fluid and follicular fluid were analyzed for osmolarity, dry matter, total lipids, total free fatty acids, glucose, fructose, and lactic acid. Blood samples were collected (jugular venipuncture) throughout the estrous cycle, and the same physical and biochemical analyses were made on blood plasma. A difference (P less than 0.01) was found ...
Roberts MC.The ability of the horse to digest and absorb soluble carbohydrates was assessed using a series of oral disaccharide tolerance tests followed in the same animals by tolerance tests with the constituent monosaccharides. In horses older than three years, lactose did not produce an increase in the plasma glucose levels but induced the passing of soft faeces, indicating that adult horses are lactose intolerant. Horses of all ages could absorb the glucose: galactose mixture without any change in the faeces. The tolerance is due to a failure to hydrolyse lactose and does not involve the monosacchari...
Anderson MG.The effects of exercise of different intensities on blood concentrations of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, free fatty acids and glycerol were studied in a group of clinically normal horses. Blood lactate, pyruvate and lactate/pyruvate ratio increased during exercise, particularly during galloping. These changes occurred within the first 12-15 seconds of exercise indicating that anaerobic metabolic pathways are brought into use very quickly in the strenuously exercising horse. Since blood glycerol levels were significantly increased during exercise body lipids were also mobilised. At the same time...
Lindholm A, Johansson HE, Kjaersgaard P.LINDHOLM, A., H.-E. JOHANSSON & P. KJÆRSGAARD: Acute rhabdomyolysis (“tying-up”) in standardbred horses. A morphological and biochemical study. Acta vet. scand. 1974, 15, 325–339. — Morphological, biochemical and histochemical changes were studied in muscle needle biopsy specimens (gluteus medius) from 59 standardbred trotters with acute clinical symptoms of the “tying-up” disease. All horses had increased levels of serum enzymes SGOT and SCPK. The biopsy specimens were taken at various intervals after onset of clinical symptoms (1–4 hrs., 18–24 hrs. and 2–20 days). Ry light...
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...
Brooks DE.1. A method is described for the extraction, purification and separation of acid-soluble phosphorus compounds from mammalian semen. [8-(14)C]ATP and [8-(14)C]AMP were used as internal recovery standards to measure the breakdown and loss of these nucleotides in the procedure. 2. Bull, ram, boar and stallion semen was separated into seminal plasma and spermatozoa and the two fractions were examined separately. The overall composition of the mixture of the phosphorus compounds extracted from the two fractions was similar for the four species. 3. Glycerylphosphorylcholine and glycerylphosphorylino...
Srivastava SK, Beutler E.1. Erythrocytes from normal and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient humans were subjected to hydrogen peroxide diffusion to oxidize the GSH. Studies were carried out in the presence and absence of chromate to inhibit glutathione reductase and with or without the addition of glucose. 2. The GSH content of erythrocytes from other species was oxidized by subjecting them to hydrogen peroxide diffusion in the presence of chromate and glucose. 3. Chromate (1.3mm) inhibited glutathione reductase by about 80%, whereas glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, hexokin...
Farooq A, Lee M, Han S, Jung GY, Kim SJ, Jung MY.Brachybacterium species have been identified in various ecological niches and belong to the family within the phylum . In this study, we isolated a novel JHP9 strain from horse feces and compared its kinetic, biochemical, and genomic features with those of other strains. Moreover, comparative genomic analysis using publicly available genomes was performed to determine the properties involved in their ecological adaptation and metabolic potential. Novel species delineation was determined phylogenetically through 16S rRNA gene similarity (up to 97.9%), average nucleotide identity (79.5-82.5%...
Starrett A, Smith R, Urso PM, Urschel KL, Anderson MJ, Suagee-Bedore JK.Irregular wear patterns are theorized to cause poor feed digestion and weight loss in the horse. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that dental correction would increase postprandial nutrient concentrations and reduce fecal particle size (FPS) in clinically healthy mares. The study was conducted in 16 mares of mature age (4-17) who had not received dental care in the previous year. A diet consisting of ad libitum Coastal Bermudagrass hay and 1.36 kg of a pelleted feed was fed daily prior to and during the study. Eight mares received dental work and eight served as untreat...
Varasteh F, Ebrahimi SH, Naserian AA, Zerehdaran S, Miri VH.This study aimed to 1) evaluate the interaction of corn grain micronization and starch levels per meal on equine plasma glucose, and 2) determine if micronization affects the risk of hindgut acidosis. Six mature (aged 6 to 10 years), healthy, non-pregnant mares (initial body weight [BW]: 301 to 463 kg) were used in a 2×3 factorial cross-over design. The treatments included two forms of corn grain (ground and micronized flaked) at three levels of starch (1, 1.5, and 2 g/kg BW per meal). The blood was sampled before and 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 300 min after morning feeding and the glucos...
de Laat MA, Fitzgerald DM, Harris PA, Bailey SR.High plasma concentrations of insulin can cause acute laminitis. Ponies and horses with insulin dysregulation (ID) exhibit marked hyperinsulinemia in response to dietary hydrolyzable carbohydrates. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone released from the gastrointestinal tract, enhances insulin release, and is increased postprandially in ponies with ID. The aim of this study was to determine whether blocking the GLP-1 receptor reduces the insulin response to a high glycemic meal. Five adult ponies were adapted to a cereal meal and then given two feed challenges 24 h apart of a me...
Robles M, Rousseau-Ralliard D, Dubois C, Josse T, Nouveau É, Dahirel M, Wimel L, Couturier-Tarrade A, Chavatte-Palmer P.In horses, the prevalence of obesity is high and associated with serious metabolic pathologies. Being a broodmare has been identified as a risk factor for obesity. In other species, maternal obesity is known to affect the development of the offspring. This article is a follow-up study of previous work showing that Obese mares (O, n = 10, body condition score > 4.25 at insemination) were more insulin resistant and presented increased systemic inflammation during pregnancy compared to Normal mares (N, n = 14, body condition score < 4 at insemination). Foals born to O mares were more insulin-resi...
Lacerenza MD, Arantes JA, Reginato GM, Passarelli D, Balieiro JCC, Amaral AR, Vendramini THA, Brunetto MA, Dória RGS.β-glucan is part of the cell wall of fungi and yeasts and has been known for decades to have immunomodulating effects on boosting immunity against various infections as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern that is able to modify biological responses. β-glucan has been used in rat models and in vitro studies involving sepsis and SIRS with good results, but this supplement has not been evaluated in the treatment of endotoxemia in horses. This study aims to evaluate the effects of preventive supplementation with β-glucan in horses submitted to endotoxemia by means of inflammatory response m...
Hallman IAM, Raekallio MR, Koho N, Weckman MJ, Karikoski NP.Alpha-2-adrenoceptor agonist detomidine is a commonly used sedative agent in horses. In addition to the sedative effect, detomidine has been reported to elicit changes in energy metabolism such as hypoinsulinaemia and hyperglycaemia. This study aimed to investigate the effects of detomidine with and without peripherally acting alpha-2-adrenoceptor antagonist vatinoxan on insulin and blood glucose (BG) concentrations in horses after a standard dose of oral carbohydrates. Sixteen horses were assigned to four intravenous treatments in a randomised cross-over design: saline (SAL), detomidine (0.02...
Smith L, Moran AW, Al-Rammahi M, Daly K, Shirazi-Beechey SP.Studies carried out in several species have demonstrated that detection of low-calorie sweeteners in the lumen of the intestine, by the sweet receptor, T1R2-T1R3, initiates a signaling pathway leading to enhanced expression and activity of intestinal Na/glucose cotransporter 1, SGLT1. This results in an increased gut capacity to absorb glucose, sodium chloride and water, the basis for oral rehydration therapy. Horses express T1R2, T1R3 and downstream signaling elements in the intestinal tissue. As such, the potential of sweetener-stimulation of T1R2-T1R3 leading to upregulation of SGLT1 allows...
Françoso R, Baccarin RY, de Siqueira RF, Belli CB.To evaluate the feasibility of using the FreeStyle Libre (a continuous glucose monitoring system [CGMS]) for instantaneous continuous monitoring of interstitial glucose in adult horses and examine the applicability and accuracy of this system in horses submitted to combined glucose-insulin test (CGIT). Methods: Laboratory measurements and continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) readings were analyzed using a 2 × 2 factorial statistical model with repeated measures over time. This analysis assessed the effects of the test (factor 1), group (factor 2), and their interactions (test × group,...
Carslake HB, Pinchbeck GL, Argo CM, Dugdale AHA, McGowan CM.Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), the principal incretin in horses, may play a role in the pathophysiology of insulin dysregulation (ID). This study aimed to describe its concentration in response to three preserved forages and four dynamic tests for ID in ponies. Twelve adult ponies of mixed ID status were given a meal of hay, soaked hay or haylage, an in-feed oral glucose test (OGT), oral sugar test (OST), an oral test using a proprietary breakfast cereal (WEET) or a combined glucose-insulin tolerance test (CGIT) weekly in a randomised cross-over study. Glucose, insulin and GLP-1 concentratio...
Pardié M, Kalpokas I, Freccero F, Castagnetti C, Meikle A.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of body condition score (BCS) on metabolic and endocrine parameters in pregnant Criollo mares (n=41), which were categorized according to their BCS as obese (7 to 9 BCS, n=26) or normal (5 to 7, n=15). Blood samples were taken during gestation in 3 periods: between 3.5 and 5 months (I), 8 and 9 months (II) and in the last month of gestation (III). The data was analyzed in the statistical model by mixed procedures, including BCS, gestational period and their interaction as fixed effects. BCS was only different in period I, as normal mares increa...
Grob AJ, Delarocque J, Feige K, Warnken T.In insulin dysregulation, hyperinsulinemia (HI) can be accompanied by peripheral insulin resistance (IR) in horses, which can be diagnosed with an insulin-tolerance test (ITT). The administration of 0.1 IU/kg body weight of recombinant regular human insulin (RHI) should elicit a 50 % reduction of the initial blood glucose concentration at 30 min after insulin administration in insulin sensitive horses. Compared to RHI, porcine zinc insulin (PZI) is veterinary-approved and therefore easier accessible for many practitioners. The aim of this study was to compare the insulin and glucose dynami...
Luis-Calero M, Ortiz-Rodríguez JM, Fernández-Hernández P, Muñoz-García CC, Pericuesta E, Gutiérrez-Adán A, Marinaro F, Embade N, Conde R....In vitro embryo production is a highly demanded reproductive technology in horses, which requires the recovery (in vivo or post-mortem) and in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes. Oocytes subjected to IVM exhibit poor developmental competence compared to their in vivo counterparts, being this related to a suboptimal composition of commercial maturation media. The objective of this work was to study the effect of different concentrations of secretome obtained from equine preovulatory follicular fluid (FF) on cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) during IVM. COCs retrieved in vivo by ovum pick up (OPU) ...
Heaton CP, Cavinder CA, McClure EN, Smith T, Smith WB, Liburt N, Krotky A, Harris P.Insulin dysregulation (ID), core to equine metabolic syndrome, may present without obesity. Testing for ID risk is commonly based on breed and obese phenotype but might be valuable for non-obese stock-type horses. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ID in non-obese stock-type horses and evaluate if morphometric neck measurements (MNM) correlate with ID. Sixty-two, non-obese (BCS 5, range 2.5-6/9) stock-type horses were assessed for MNM: neck circumference at 25%, 50% (NC50), and 75% (NC75) length, and crest height. An oral sugar test (OST; 0.15 mL/kg BW corn syrup) was performed wi...
Sibthorpe PEM, Fitzgerald DM, Sillence MN, de Laat MA.Equine insulin dysregulation (ID) is a significant metabolic problem because the hyperinsulinaemia that develops increases the animal's risk of developing laminitis, a debilitating foot condition. The role of gastrointestinal factors, such as incretin hormones, in the pathogenesis of ID and hyperinsulinaemia in horses is poorly understood, particularly in comparison to other species. Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is an intestinotrophic peptide released from L cells in the gastrointestinal tract and is implicated in metabolic dysfunction in other species. The aim of this study in vitro was to...
Božić Jovanović V, Trailović R, Vićić I, Grković N, Radaković M, Karabasil N, Kaić A, Čobanović N.The aim of this study was to determine the effects of loading density and gender on blood welfare indicators, carcass bruises and horsemeat quality. Data were collected from twelve transports of 89 slaughter horses originating from the same collection centre. The transportation of slaughter horses at high loading densities (>200 kg/m), especially stallions, resulted in increased levels of lactate ( = 0.021), glucose ( < 0.0001), ceruloplasmin ( < 0.0001) and AOPP ( < 0.0001), but lower GSH levels ( 200 kg/m) during transport had lower levels of the aforementioned blood metabolites....
Frers F, Delarocque J, Feige K, Huber K, Warnken T.The underlying molecular mechanisms leading to insulin dysregulation are poorly understood in horses. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if insulin dysregulation is associated with an altered basal expression and extent of phosphorylation of key proteins of the insulin signaling cascade in liver (LT), muscle (MT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) under basal and stimulated conditions. Twelve Icelandic horses were subjected (1) to an oral glucose (Gluc PO) challenge and (2) to an intravenous (Ins IV) insulin challenge in a crossover study. Biopsies of LT, MT, and AT were taken in vivo...
Herbst AC, Puglia AT, Malinowski K, McKeever KH.The objective of this study was to determine if calcium propionate is an alkalizing agent in exercising Standardbreds and if it alters plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations. This study used a randomized crossover design to test the hypotheses that calcium propionate alters total CO2 (tCO), Ca, pH, strong ion difference (SID), glucose, and insulin in Standardbreds completing a simulated race test (SRT) on a high-speed equine treadmill. Blood was collected from eight horses (mean age ± SD = 16 ± 2.7 years; range = 13 - 21 years) at 10 and 5 min prior to treatment or control administr...
Thane K, Sonntag J, Warnken T, Reiche D, Uricchio C, Frank N.Testing for insulin dysregulation (ID) in horses is commonly performed to guide management and therapeutic strategies. Objective: To evaluate a newly developed glycemic pellets challenge (GPC) and compare results to those obtained using the low-dose oral sugar test (OST). Methods: Twenty-four adult horses with unknown insulin status. Methods: A randomized crossover trial was performed. Horses underwent GPC (0.5 g glycemic carbohydrates/kg body weight) and OST (0.15 mL corn syrup/kg body weight) 7 days apart. Feed was withheld before testing and blood samples were collected at T0, T60, T1...
Kaufman KL, Suagee-Bedore JK, Johnson SE, Ely KM, Ghajar SJ, McIntosh BM.Forage is essential for equine health and performance, but intake of elevated pasture nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) may exacerbate metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the influence of laminitis history on metabolic and morphometric responses in grazing horses. Twelve non-pregnant mares (15 ± 3.4 yrs) were selected based on previous diagnosis of laminitis (PRELAM; n=6) or not (NOLAM; n=6). Horses were maintained on 8.5-ha pasture. Weekly pasture samples were clipped at random for nutrient analysis. Monthly blood samples were collected and analyzed for glucose and insulin c...
Kemp KL, Yuen NKY, Skinner JE, Bertin FR.Phenylbutazone is prescribed to manage pain caused by hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis. Phenylbutazone reduces glucose and insulin concentrations in horses with insulin dysregulation (ID) but the underlying mechanism of action is unknown. Objective: Investigate the effect of phenylbutazone on tissue insulin sensitivity in horses. It is hypothesized that the reduced glucose and insulin concentrations in horses with ID receiving phenylbutazone are mediated by a higher tissue insulin sensitivity. Methods: Fifteen light breed horses, including seven with ID. Methods: Randomized cross-over stu...
Palmer AT, Watts MR, Timko KJ, Pinnell EF, Keefer KA, Gorman O, Hostnik LD, Burns TA.Corticosteroids are used routinely in horses and induce insulin dysregulation (ID). Nutrition is important for ID management and includes low nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) diets and, often, high-protein ration balancers (RB). Insulin and incretin secretion increase after high-protein meals; corticosteroids may influence these effects. Objective: A high-protein mixed meal will induce hyperinsulinemia and increased concentrations of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in horses with ID; dexamethasone (DEX) will amplify this effect. Methods: F...
Huang X, Li Q, Li X, Li C, Li J, He L, Jing H, Yang F, Li X.China's equine industry has shifted from traditional rough grazing to modern intensive farming, expanding the roles of horses into eventing, leisure, tourism, and meat and dairy production. Concurrently, equine nutrition has evolved from a forage-based diet to a more diverse regimen incorporating grain supplements to meet the heightened energy demands of intensive farming. However, nutrient digestibility and glycemic response vary considerably based on grain type, starch content, composition, and structural properties. Optimal grain selection is therefore essential for energy supplementation a...
Boshuizen B, De Maré L, Oosterlinck M, Van Immerseel F, Eeckhaut V, De Meeus C, Devisscher L, Vidal Moreno de Vega C, Willems M, De Oliveira JE....Aleurone, derived from the bran layer of grains like wheat and barley, has demonstrated positive effects on energy metabolism in pigs, mice, and untrained horses, influencing glucose-insulin dynamics and gut microbiome composition. Training itself enhances insulin sensitivity in horses, similar to the improvements in performance capacity observed in human athletes. This study aimed to investigate whether aleurone supplementation provides additional benefits to training by modulating insulin metabolism and gut microbiota in Standardbred mares. Unassigned: Sixteen Standardbred mares (aged 3-5 ye...
Hallman IAM, Raekallio MR, Karikoski NP.Vatinoxan is a peripherally acting alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist used in veterinary medicine to attenuate the side effects of alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists. Vatinoxan also increases insulin response and reduces blood glucose (BG) after intravenous glucose in other species. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vatinoxan on BG and insulin concentration in horses after intravenous glucose. The design was an assessor-blind cross-over study. Nine horses were assigned to intravenous vatinoxan (0.2 mg/kg; VAT) or saline (SAL). Horses were administered an intravenous glucose bolus (...
Pires MJ, Cotovio M, Queiroga F, Pires CA, Silvestre-Ferreira AC.To date, serum biochemical analytes reference intervals (RIs) in Lusitano horses have not been studied. This study aimed to establish the RIs for biochemical analytes following the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines and to compare them with the general equine population's RIs. Blood samples were collected from 76 clinically healthy adult Lusitano horses, and RIs of 22 biochemical variables were determined using Reference Value Advisor software. Lusitano horse-specific RIs are proposed for the following variables: total protein (3.9-7.0 g/dL), albumin (2.5-3.8 g/dL), g...
Michanek P, Bröjer J, Lilliehöök I, Fjordbakk C, Erkas M, Löwgren M, Hedeland M, Bergquist J, Ekstrand C.Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors like canagliflozin (CFZ) have shown promise in preventing hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis in horses, but data on pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and controlled studies are limited. This randomized, open-label, placebo-controlled, crossover study evaluated these aspects of CFZ treatment in eight healthy Standardbred mares. Each horse received single supratherapeutic oral doses of CFZ (1.8 mg/kg or 3.6 mg/kg) and placebo, with a two-week washout between treatments. A graded glucose infusion (GGI) was administered post-treatment to evaluate glu...
Ferreira C, Palhares MS, de Melo UP, Leme FOP, Maranhão RPA, Garcia HC, Gheller VA.Starvation and nutritional support clinically influence horses, particularly during the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and post-surgical recovery. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of different nutritional strategies on the endocrine response of horses subjected to exploratory laparotomy followed by food deprivation. Sixteen healthy adult horses were randomly allocated into four groups (n=4) based on treatments: enteral fluid therapy without (ENTFL) or with glutamine (ENTGL), and parenteral fluid therapy with glucose (PARFL) or total parenteral nutrition with glutamine (P...
Mlyneková E, Zaťko S, Halo M, Imrich I, Halo M.This study aimed to examine the seasonal dynamics of non-structural carbohydrates in pasture and their relationship to metabolic indicators in horses with a history of laminitis. Thirty Hucul mares were divided into a laminitis group (LG, = 15) and a control group (CG, = 15). Insulin, glucose, fructosamines concentrations and body weight were monitored during four sampling periods (S0-S3), while pasture variables were analyzed during three periods (S1-S3). The concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates was highest in May (126.8 g/kg DM) and measured lower in October (57.9 g/kg DM), while s...
Vasco ACCM, Warren LK, Silva GM, Cuervo-Vivas W, Brandi RA, Silva VP, Lance JM, Dubeux JC, Wickens CL.Rhizoma peanut (RP, Arachis glabrata Benth) is an alternative legume forage to alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L.) with less non-structural carbohydrates and crude protein. Yet, metabolic responses to consuming RP hay have never been evaluated in horses. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of feeding RP 'Florigraze' hay on fecal and blood metabolic variables compared to alfalfa 'Legendary XHD' and bermudagrass (BMG, Cynodon dactylon L. 'Coastal') hays fed to maintenance horses. Methods: Six mature Quarter Horse geldings (596±40 kg) were randomly assigned to one ...
