Topic:Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein found in the red blood cells of horses, responsible for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and the return of carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. It plays a vital role in maintaining cellular respiration and energy metabolism. The structure and function of hemoglobin can be influenced by various factors, including genetics, age, and health status. Research into equine hemoglobin includes studies on its biochemical properties, the impact of different physiological and pathological conditions on its levels, and its importance in performance and endurance. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the characteristics, regulation, and clinical implications of hemoglobin in equine physiology and health.
Acupuncture for Anaemia and Large Intestine Impaction Associated with Hind Limb Weakness in a Horse: A Case Report. A 24-year-old horse was presented with a clinical history of anaemia, large intestine impaction and hind limb weakness. Loss of body weight was also reported. Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels were low and piroplasmosis test was negative. Nasogastric intubation with laxative agents was performed and 50 ml of a red blood-cell-supplement was given daily during a month. An assessment following Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) principles was performed after the last episode of large intestine impaction. A swollen, pale and wet tongue was observed. A superficial, weak pulse combined p...
Selected hematological, biochemical, and acid-base variables of Paso Fino horses living at different altitudes. This study aimed at describing selected hematological, biochemical, and acid-base variables of adult horses living at sea level and comparing them to those living at 5 different altitudes. One hundred and thirty-eight healthy Paso Fino horses > 2 years old were enrolled. Altitudes included the following: altitude A (0 to 50 m above sea level, masl; n = 23), B (1000 to 1050 masl; n = 25), C (1450 masl; n = 30), D (1950 to 2050 masl; n = 30), and E (2950 to 3100 masl; n = 30). A portable blood gas analyzer was used to determine selected biochemical and acid-base variab...
Effects of Dietary Zn/Se and α-Tocopherol Supplementation on Metabolic Milieu, Haemogram and Semen Traits of Breeding Stallions. Trace element status and metabolic milieu are sometimes overlooked in common veterinary clinical practice across animal species. The evaluation of requirements of trace elements, in fact, may be useful to prevent the perturbation of tissue-specific metabolic impair. In particular, essential trace elements in the diet play key roles within sub-cellular metabolic patterns with macro effects at the systemic level, like blood cell stability and semen quality. This effect was studied in breeding stallions, in which semen quality and haemogram are important for reproduction. A case-control feeding t...
Venous Blood Acid-Base Status in Show Jumper Horses Subjected to Different Physical Exercises. The aim of this study was to assess whether acid-base profile exhibits changes in regularly trained show jumping horses undergoing increasing exercise workloads. Seven female Italian saddle horses were subjected to three different physical exercise trials of increasing workload identified as three exercise phases (EPs). During EPI horses were subjected to a standardized exercise test consisting of 15 minutes of treadmill, during EPII horses were subjected to a show jumping test (height, 0.9-1.1 m; course length, 300 m), during EPIII horses underwent two jumping sessions carried out over two...
Age- and Sex-Related Modifications of Hematology in Spanish Purebred Horse. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that age and sex significantly modulate the changes in hematological parameters of physiologically healthy Spanish Purebred horse, establishing the reference values. Blood samples were obtained on a total of 159 horses (n = 77 males and n = 82 females), classified in four age groups: group A (1-2 years; n = 39), group B (>2-3 years; n = 38), group C (>3-4 years; n = 41), and group D (>4-7 years; n = 41). By means ADVIA 2020i, red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (HB), packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mea...
Physiologic effects of furosemide in combination with water restriction when administered at 4 and 24 hours prior to high-intensity treadmill training. Although controversial, due to its reported effectiveness in attenuating bleeding associated with exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), furosemide is currently a permitted race day medication in most North American racing jurisdictions. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of furosemide in reducing the presence and severity of EIPH when administered 24 hr prior to strenuous treadmill exercise. Eight exercised Thoroughbred horses received saline or 250 mg of furosemide either 4 or 24 hr prior to high-speed treadmill exercise in a balanced 3-way cross-over design. Bl...
Is There an Ideal Rest Interval Between Races During Vaquejada in Which It Would Be Possible to Associate Best Performance and Welfare? Vaquejada is an important Brazilian equine discipline. Understanding physiological adaptations of these athletes is crucial to improve properly performance, guaranteeing welfare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of three vaquejada simulation tests (VST) on physiological parameters of horses and standardize a possible rest interval between races. Ten clinically healthy Quarter horses, 8.9 ± 4.3 year-old and 441.3 ± 25.0 kg, executed three VST, 5 days apart from each other. Vaquejada simulation tests consisted of two horses, a puller, and a helper, running with a bul...
Effects of dobutamine on cardiovascular function and oxygen delivery in standing horses. Dobutamine is routinely used to improve cardiovascular function in anaesthetized horses. However, dobutamine in conscious horses is insufficiently investigated. Ten research horses that were already instrumented for a preceding trial were included into the study. Cardiovascular variables were recorded and blood samples taken after instrumentation (Baseline), before starting dobutamine and after 10 min of dobutamine infusion (2 µg kg min ). A significant increase in systemic blood pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure and right atrial pressure, and a decrease in heart rate were observe...
Serological and molecular detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Thoroughbred horses from Chilean racecourses. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA). This study aimed to perform serological and molecular surveys of A. phagocytophilum in thoroughbred horses from racecourses in Chile. Additionally, hematological findings related to A. phagocytophilum molecular positivity were addressed, and phylogenetic analysis of selected positive samples was performed. Complete blood count and msp2 gene real-time PCR were performed in 457 thoroughbred horses from three racecourses located in three different cities of Chile (Santiago, Viña del Mar and Concepción). ...
Bee Pollen Supplementation to Aged Horses Influences Several Blood Parameters. In humans and animals, aging leads to a decrease in immune function and an increased susceptibility to infection. Decreased immunity and an increase in the incidence of infectious diseases are particularly notable during the autumn. Bee pollen supplementation improves immunity and antioxidant enzyme activity, as well as general performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bee pollen supplementation during the autumn on blood parameters in aged horses. The study was performed on 16 warmblood horses aged 15-26 years. Half of this group received 60 g of bee pollen (soaked i...
Evaluation of the Element point-of-care blood gas analyzer for use in horses. To compare the Element point-of-care (POC) portable blood gas analyzer with a laboratory-based bench-top reference analyzer using whole blood samples obtained from horses presenting to a referral center with various disorders in order to determine agreement between these analyzers. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: The study was conducted at a university teaching hospital at moderate altitude. Methods: One hundred paired samples from 80 horses >1 year of age were collected after obtaining informed client consent. Fifty paired samples were from patients admitted for elective pro...
The occurrence of hemotropic Mycoplasma ovis-like species in horses. Hemotropic mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) are wall-less bacteria, which may lead to anemia and, even, mortality in mammals. The present study was aimed to characterize the causative agent(s) of haemoplasma infection in blood samples taken from horses (n = 133) in south of Iran. Microscopic examination of blood smears and PCR assay were performed for the detection of hemotropic Mycoplasma and equine piroplasma (Babesia caballi and Theileria equi). For the purpose of molecular characterization, 16S rDNA and 18S rDNA markers were used for hemotropic Mycoplasma and piroplasma pathogens, respective...
The influence of the newly isolated Lactobacillus plantarum LUHS135 and Lactobacillus paracasei LUHS244 strains on blood and faeces parametersin endurance horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the newly isolated Lactobacillus plantarum LUHS135 and Lactobacillus paracasei LUHS244 strains grown in potato juice (with a cell count of 8.0-9.0 log10 CFU/ml) on the blood and faeces parameters of exercising horses. The horses were classified into four different groups: a control group (which received no probiotics); the first group (which received 200 ml of L. plantarum culture in potato juice); the second group (which received 200 ml of L. paracasei culture in potato juice); and the third group (which received an L. plantarum and L. pa...
Plasmapheresis Effect on Hematological and Biochemical Parameters in Athletic Horses Subjected to Exercise. To evaluate the effect of plasmapheresis on clinical, hematological, and biochemical parameters after exercise, a plasmapheresis session was realized on six jumping horses (plasmapheresis group) that underwent three consecutive days of physical graded exercise. The control group (n = 6) went through the same exercise but not subjected to the plasmapheresis session. Seventeen milliliters of plasma/kg of body weight was harvested from each horse. The procedure was well tolerated by the horses. The plasmapheresis leads to a significant increase of the hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell, whit...
Stimulation of Bladder Acupoints by Cloprostenol for Treating Back Soreness in Athletic Horses. Twenty-five Thoroughbred jumper geldings suffered back soreness with poor performance, and 5 control horses were assessed by archived computer data, clinical examination, and laboratory analyses of complete blood picture, serum enzymes, and cortisol level, before and after cloprostenol-pharmacopuncture. The 25 diseased horses before therapy showed significant increases in aspartate aminotransferase and creatine phosphokinase with clinical pains scored mild in 15 horses, moderate in 9 horses, and severe in one horse, without changes in the hormonal and hematological data. After therapy, they re...
Aging Markers in Equine Red Blood Cells. Detection of hematopoietic activity in horses is a challenge due to the lack of cells carrying reticulocyte markers such as RNA remnants or CD71 in the circulation. In this study, we fractionated equine red cells according to their density and analyzed the cells forming low (L), medium (M), and high (H) density fractions for markers of aging such as membrane loss, oxidation, and alterations in the intracellular free Ca levels. Cells forming L and M fraction were highly heterogeneous in projected areas and shapes, and had higher propensity to swell in response to hypo-osmotic challenge than the...
EPAS1 Gain-of-Function Mutation Contributes to High-Altitude Adaptation in Tibetan Horses. High altitude represents some of the most extreme environments worldwide. The genetic changes underlying adaptation to such environments have been recently identified in multiple animals but remain unknown in horses. Here, we sequence the complete genome of 138 domestic horses encompassing a whole altitudinal range across China to uncover the genetic basis for adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia. Our genome data set includes 65 lowland animals across ten Chinese native breeds, 61 horses living at least 3,300 m above sea level across seven locations along Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, as well as 7...
Retrospective comparison of equine hemoglobin oxygen saturation measured by a human-specific co-oximeter, or derived from an algorithm using temperature-corrected and -uncorrected oxygen tension. Hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO) is measured by co-oximetry (SO) or calculated from partial pressure of oxygen (PO) using algorithms (SO). To compare venous and systemic arterial blood sample data retrospectively and to examine whether temperature correction of PO is important. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A group of 21 healthy, adult, sedated or anesthetized horses. Methods: Mixed-venous and systemic arterial blood samples (1 mL) were anaerobically collected using commercial preheparinized syringes from the right ventricle and facial artery, respectively. Blood was analyzed using a...
Evaluation of automated erythrocyte methodology in new world camelids using the ADVIA 2120 hematology analyzer. Accurate erythrocyte measurements with ADVIA hematology analyzers require isovolumetric cell sphering in one reaction and hemolysis in another. However, camelid erythrocytes are resistant to sphering and osmotic lysis, and no published evaluation of ADVIA methods for camelids exists. Objective: The objectives were to demonstrate whether camelid erythrocytes sphere in the ADVIA red blood cell/platelet (RBC/PLT) reagent and lyse in the ADVIA cyanide HGB reagent, and to determine optimal ADVIA settings for camelids. Methods: Camelid and canine blood were diluted to 1:625 in RBC/PLT reagent and ev...
Changes in Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Concentration in Arabian Endurance Horses During First Training Season. Sport training leads to adaptation to physical effort that is reflected by the changes in blood parameters. In equine endurance athletes, blood testing is accepted as a support in training, however, only the changes before versus after exercise in creatine phosphokinase activity (CPK) and basic blood parameters are usually measured. This study is the first longitudinal investigation of the changes in routinely measured blood parameters and, additionally, serum amyloid A (SAA), during seven months, in Arabian horses introduced to endurance training and competing in events for young horses. It h...
Haematological profile in foals during the first year of life. Foals' haematological values change constantly during their first year of life. The use of updated age-based reference intervals (RIs) is imperative for providing accurate diagnosis and optimum care for sick foals. The authors' objective was to provide updated RIs for 13 haematological values in 2, 7, 14, 30, 90, 180 and 365-day-old foals and to investigate the changes over time in each measured value. Venous blood was collected at those ages from clinically healthy foals. Thirteen haematological values were analysed. The 95% RIs were reported using a bootstrapping method. Differences over tim...
Erythrocytosis and fatigue fractures associated with hepatoblastoma in a 3-year-old gelding. Hepatoblastoma was diagnosed in a 3-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presented with forelimb lameness with bilateral fatigue fractures of the proximal third metacarpal bones. An abdominal mass was detected on ultrasound examination of the abdomen. Absolute erythrocytosis was diagnosed after clinical and haematological evaluation. The fractured metacarpal bones were surgically removed but complications after surgery were fatal. The liver mass was diagnosed as a hepatoblastoma based on histology and immunochemical staining. The combination of hepatoblastoma and fatigue fractures has not been descri...
Evaluation of pulse co-oximetry to determine haemoglobin saturation with oxygen and haemoglobin concentration in anaesthetized horses: a retrospective study. This study compared the values of variables measured by pulse co-oximetry (Masimo Radical 7; Masimo Europe Limited, UK) with those measured by a co-oximeter-enabled blood gas analyser (Siemens Rapid-point 500; Siemens Healthcare Limited, UK) in anaesthetized horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 30 anaesthetized horses. Methods: In total, 47 heparinized arterial blood samples were collected for blood gas analysis to determine haemoglobin concentration (tHb, g L) and percentage of haemoglobin saturation with oxygen (SaO). Arterial haemoglobin saturation with oxygen was deter...
Reference intervals for haematological parameters in the Lusitano horse breed. The Lusitano horse is an autochthonous Portuguese breed with a growing worldwide expansion. Our objective was to establish reference intervals for haematological parameters using the haematological cell counter LaserCyte (IDEXX). For this purpose, blood samples from 100 healthy adult horses (13 females and 87 males, ranging from 3 to 25 years of age) were analysed. The reference intervals were estimated following the ASVCP guidelines with the Reference Value Advisor software. The obtained reference intervals were 6.4-10.1 × 1012/L for red blood cells, 30.6-45.1% for haematocrit, 11.6-17.1 g/d...
Biological variation of routine haematology and biochemistry measurands in the horse. Clinical pathology results are typically interpreted by referring to population-based reference intervals. The use of individualised (subject-based) reference intervals is more appropriate for measurands with a high degree of variation between individuals. Objective: To determine the biological variation of routinely analysed equine haematology and biochemistry measurands and calculate indices of individuality and reference change values which enable production of individualised reference intervals, in a group of healthy, privately owned horses. Methods: In a prospective cohort study, thirty-n...
Blood hematological values of Barb horses in Algeria. The Barb horse this famous Maghreb horse, symbol of the pride of the Berber peoples It is particularly significant in the Algerian history, tradition and culture. This study consists in establishing the hematologic values specific to the Barb horse in the national stud farm "Chaou-Chaoua" in Tiaret. Algeria. Age of the study animals varied between 1 and 23 years. The effects of age and sex were analyzed by dividing animals into four groups, A (1 - 2 years, n=5), B (3-5 years, n=5), C (5-10 years, n=5) and D (11-23 years, n=5); for females and E (2 - 3 years, n=5), F (5-7, n=5), G (10, n=5) and...
Infectivity and virulence of Trypanosoma evansi and Trypanosoma equiperdum Venezuelan strains from three different host species. The infectivity and virulence of seven Trypanosoma evansi and Trypanosoma equiperdum Venezuelan strains isolated from horses, donkeys and capybaras were compared in a mouse model up to 41 days, for parasitemia, animal weight, survival rates, packed cell volume, haemoglobin and erythrocyte count. Two T. equiperdum strains and three of the T. evansi strains resulted in 100% mice mortality, while the two T. evansi donkey strains exhibited lower infectivity and mortality. T. equiperdum strains had shorter pre-patent periods (4 days) than the T. evansi strains (4-12 days). In terms of pathoge...
First molecular evidence of equine granulocytic anaplasmosis in Pakistan. Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum) is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) disease in equines. This pathogen has zoonotic potential, which makes it very important to be detected and controlled as early as possible. This study was aimed to assess the molecular prevalence, associated risk factors of EGA along with its effects on various hematological parameters. This study revealed an overall 10.67% prevalence in equine. Horses showed highest prevalence followed by mules and donkeys presenting 11.86, 10.53 and 9.43% prevalence, respec...
Effectiveness of furosemide in attenuating exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in horses when administered at 4- and 24-h prior to high-speed training. Due to the high prevalence of EIPH in racehorses and its potential impact on the horse's health, furosemide administration is permitted up to 4-h prior to post time in most North American racing jurisdictions. Anecdotal reports suggest that administration of furosemide 24-h prior to strenuous exercise may be equally effective in decreasing the severity of EIPH. Objective: To 1) compare the efficacy of furosemide in reducing the presence and severity of EIPH when administered 4- or 24-h prior to strenuous exercise 2) characterise electrolyte and blood parameters following administration of furo...
A comparison of unheated loose housing with stables on the respiratory health of weaned-foals in cold winter conditions: an observational field-study. Newly weaned horses in Finland are often moved to unheated loose housing systems in which the weanlings have free access to a paddock and a shelter. This practice is considered to be good for the development of young horses. The daily temperatures can stay below - 20 °C in Finland for several consecutive weeks during the winter season. However, the effect of unheated housing in a cold climatic environment on the respiratory health of weanlings under field conditions has not been studied before. This investigation was an observational field-study comprising 60 weanlings among 11 different vo...