"Horses" is a broad topic that encompasses various aspects of equine biology, behavior, and management. This category includes studies on the anatomy, physiology, and genetics of horses, as well as their behavior, nutrition, and care. Research in this area may also cover the historical and cultural significance of horses, their roles in agriculture, sport, and therapy, and the challenges associated with their conservation and welfare. The page aggregates peer-reviewed research articles and scholarly studies that explore the multifaceted relationships between humans and horses, examining both scientific and socio-economic perspectives.
Merlin A, Ravinet N, Sévin C, Bernez-Romand M, Petry S, Delerue M, Briot L, Chauvin A, Tapprest J, Hébert L.Cyathostomins are considered as the most prevalent and pathogenic parasites of grazing horses. The development on pastures of the free-living stages of these gastrointestinal worms is particularly influenced by outdoor temperature. Understanding the bionomics of free-living stages is an important prerequisite to implement mathematical models designed to assess the parasitic risk for grazing equids. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of 3 constant temperatures under laboratory conditions (10 ± 1 °C, 23 ± 2 °C, 30 ± 2 °C) and one fluctuating temperature under outdoor c...
Câmara ACL, de Sousa Argenta VL, de Moraes DDA, Fonseca EF, Fino TCM, Paludo GR, Soto-Blanco B.Determining the prognosis of poisoning by plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids is usually challenging. This study aimed to identify important prognostic parameters that can determine the severity of spontaneous poisoning by in horses. Blood samples from 42 horses spontaneously poisoned by oats contaminated with seeds were evaluated. Complete blood counts (CBC) and serum biochemical tests [urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, total and direct bilirubin concentrations, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and creatine kinase (CK) activities] were performed...
Pearce CJ, Brooks N.Caries of the infundibula of equine cheek teeth can lead to significant dental disease including increased attritional wear, pulpar and apical disease, secondary sinusitis, and dental fracture. Restorations of cavities of equine cheek teeth infundibula have been performed since 1889. Recent advances in dental materials, instrumentation, and techniques have facilitated the use of dental restoration techniques by equine veterinary practitioners. No studies to date have demonstrated the safety or efficacy of restorations of equine cheek teeth infundibula. Objective: To assess the long-term result...
Van Crombrugge E, Vanbeylen E, Van Cleemput J, Van den Broeck W, Laval K, Nauwynck H.Respiratory disease in horses is caused by a multifactorial complex of infectious agents and environmental factors. An important pathogen in horses is equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). During co-evolution with this ancient alphaherpesvirus, the horse's respiratory tract has developed multiple antiviral barriers. However, these barriers can become compromised by environmental threats. Pollens and mycotoxins enhance mucosal susceptibility to EHV-1 by interrupting cell junctions, allowing the virus to reach its basolateral receptor. Whether bacterial toxins also play a role in this impairment ha...
Kinsella HM, Hostnik LD, Snyder HA, Mazur SE, Kamr AM, Burns TA, Mossbarger JC, Toribio RE.The equine neonate is considered to have impaired glucose tolerance due to delayed maturation of the pancreatic endocrine system. Few studies have investigated insulin sensitivity in newborn foals using dynamic testing methods. The objective of this study was to assess insulin sensitivity by comparing the insulin-modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (I-FSIGTT) between neonatal foals and adult horses. This study was performed on healthy neonatal foals (n = 12), 24 to 60 hours of age, and horses (n = 8), 3 to 14 years of age using dextrose (300 mg/kg IV) and insulin (0....
Gonzlez CR, Elgueta M, Krolow TK, Henriques AL.A catalog of the Tabanidae from Chile is provided. All valid names and synonyms for the 116 species and 25 genera known for the country including information about name, author, year of publication, page number, type species, type locality and references are listed. The species Dasybasis albohirta (Walker) is cited for the first time for Chile. The type locality of Dasybasis nigrifrons (Philippi) is corrected to Chile (Todos Los Santos Lake). The dates of the description of Tabanus nigrifrons Philippi (now Dasybasis), and Pangonia australis Philippi (now Pseudoscione) are corrected from their ...
Domino M, Borowska M, Trojakowska A, Kozłowska N, Zdrojkowski Ł, Jasiński T, Smyth G, Maśko M.Appropriate matching of rider-horse sizes is becoming an increasingly important issue of riding horses' care, as the human population becomes heavier. Recently, infrared thermography (IRT) was considered to be effective in differing the effect of 10.6% and 21.3% of the rider:horse bodyweight ratio, but not 10.1% and 15.3%. As IRT images contain many pixels reflecting the complexity of the body's surface, the pixel relations were assessed by image texture analysis using histogram statistics (HS), gray-level run-length matrix (GLRLM), and gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) approaches. The st...
Buhl R, Hesselkilde EM, Carstensen H, Hopster-Iversen C, van Loon G, Decloedt A, Van Steenkiste G, Marr CM, Reef VB, Schwarzwald CC, Mitchell KJ....The recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses after cardioversion to sinus rhythm (SR) is relatively high. Atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR) derived from surface ECG is considered a biomarker for electrical remodelling and could potentially be used for the prediction of successful AF cardioversion and AF recurrence. Objective: Evaluate if AFR was associated with successful treatment and could predict AF recurrence in horses. Methods: Retrospective multicentre study. Methods: Electrocardiograms (ECG) from horses with persistent AF admitted for cardioversion with either medical treatmen...
Malik CE, Wong DM, Dembek KA, Wilson KE.To determine the accuracy of 2 interstitial glucose-monitoring systems (GMSs) for use in horses compared with a point-of-care (POC) glucometer and standard laboratory enzymatic chemistry method (CHEM). Methods: 8 clinically normal adult horses. Methods: One of each GMS device (Dexcom G6 and Freestyle Libre 14-day) was placed on each horse, and blood glucose concentration was measured via POC and CHEM at 33 time points and compared with simultaneous GMS readings. An oral glucose absorption test (OGAT) was performed on day 2, and glucose concentrations were measured and compared. Results: Glucos...
Fairbanks EL, Brennan ML, Mertens PPC, Tildesley MJ, Daly JM.African horse sickness (AHS) is a vector-borne disease transmitted by Culicoides spp., endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. There have been many examples of historic and recent outbreaks in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. However, not much is known about infection dynamics and outbreak potential in these naive populations. In order to better inform a previously published ordinary differential equation model, we performed a systematic literature search to identify studies documenting experimental infection of naive (control) equids in vaccination trials. Data on the time until the onset of viraemia...
Morris ERA, Wu J, Bordin AI, Lawhon SD, Cohen ND.Streptococcus equi subsp. (SEE) is a host-restricted equine pathogen considered to have evolved from Streptococcus equi subsp. (SEZ). SEZ is promiscuous in host range and is commonly recovered from horses as a commensal. Comparison of a single strain each of SEE and SEZ using whole-genome sequencing, supplemented by PCR of selected genes in additional SEE and SEZ strains, was used to characterize the evolution of SEE. But the known genetic variability of SEZ warrants comparison of the whole genomes of multiple SEE and SEZ strains. To fill this knowledge gap, we utilized whole-genome sequenci...
Piras C, Gugliandolo E, Castagna F, Palma E, Britti D.Ivermectin has a wide number of many diverse functions. Certainly, it is irreplaceable for the treatment of parasitic pathologies in both human and veterinary medicine, and the latter represents the major field of its application. It has been called the "drug for the world's poor" because of its role as a saviour for those living on the margins of society, in underdeveloped areas afflicted by devastating and debilitating diseases, such as Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic filariasis. It showed huge, unexpected potential as an antibacterial (Chlamydia trachomatis and mycobacteria), and it has antivi...
Engiles JB, Uzal FA, Navarro MA, Reef VB, Bender SJ.Phlegmonous gastritis was diagnosed in 2 yearling fillies that were presented with a 1-wk history of fever, lethargy, and hypoproteinemia, associated with a previous diagnosis of equine proliferative enteropathy based on clinical signs and PCR assay detection of Lawsonia intracellularis in fecal samples. Abdominal ultrasound revealed enlargement of the stomach and expansion of its submucosal layer with hypoechoic fluid, as well as thickened hypomotile small intestinal segments. Given the poor prognosis and poor response to treatment, both horses were euthanized, one on the day of presentation ...
Raisi A, Davoodi F.The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive comparison of spermatic cord torsion in domestic animals. Spermatic cord torsion leads to occlusion of testicular blood flow resulting in ischemia and tissue hypoxia. Spermatic cord torsion has been reported in all domestic mammals but dogs and horses are overrepresented. Abdominal pain (colic), anorexia, vomiting, lameness, and stiff gait are the most common clinical signs reported. The condition may be asymptomatic in cases of a low degree of spermatic cord torsion. In dogs, spermatic cord torsion is most commonly reported in undescend...
Horvath S, Haghani A, Peng S, Hales EN, Zoller JA, Raj K, Larison B, Robeck TR, Petersen JL, Bellone RR, Finno CJ.Cytosine methylation patterns have not yet been thoroughly studied in horses. Here, we profile n = 333 samples from 42 horse tissue types at loci that are highly conserved between mammalian species using a custom array (HorvathMammalMethylChip40). Using the blood and liver tissues from horses, we develop five epigenetic aging clocks: a multi-tissue clock, a blood clock, a liver clock and two dual-species clocks that apply to both horses and humans. In addition, using blood methylation data from three additional equid species (plains zebra, Grevy's zebras and Somali asses), we develop anoth...
Beck AA, Paz LB, Frank MI, Engelmann AM, Krause A, Côrte FD.Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) is a promising alternative for patients suffering from chronic joint pain. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a single injection of BoNT-A would produce adverse effects on clinical parameters and synovial parameters as well as lameness. One randomly selected radiocarpal joint was treated with 50 U of BoNT-A in eight horses, and the contralateral joint received saline solution. All horses received injections at day 0 and were re-evaluated twice daily for 7 days for heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), mucous membrane colo...
Zimmerman M, Schramme M, Barthélemy A, Mariën T, Thomas-Cancian A, Ségard-Weisse E.Computed tomography (CT)is increasingly available in veterinary referral practices; however, published studies describing CT lesions of the equine elbow are currently lacking. In this single-center, retrospective, observational study, horses undergoing elbow CT at Equitom between July 2015 and October 2018 were reviewed. Subchondral bone sclerosis; resorption of the radius, ulna, and humerus; osteophyte; and enthesophyte lesions were graded. One hundred thirty-nine elbows of 99 horses (16 with elbow pain and 123 control elbows) were included (median age, 9 years). Osseous cyst-like lesions (n...
Garcia EIC, Elghandour MMMY, Khusro A, Alcala-Canto Y, Tirado-González DN, Barbabosa-Pliego A, Salem AZM.Oxidative stress is the excess generation of free radicals and/or a decrease in the response of the antioxidant system. It is known to cause damage to the equine health by unbalancing the stable molecules. The dietary supplementation of vitamins E, C, and β-carotene cause beneficial effect on horses' health. These supplements could transform free radicals into the stable radicals, thereby showing importance in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress. Adding vitamins E, C, and β-carotene to the horses' diets in stressful conditions could decrease the production of free rad...
Mainguy-Seers S, Boivin R, Pourali Dogaheh S, Beaudry F, Hélie P, Bonilla AG, Martin JG, Lavoie JP.Steroid resistance in asthma has been associated with neutrophilic inflammation and severe manifestations of the disease. Macrolide add-on therapy can improve the quality of life and the exacerbation rate in refractory cases, possibly with greater effectiveness in neutrophilic phenotypes. The mechanisms leading to these beneficial effects are incompletely understood and whether macrolides potentiate the modulation of bronchial remodeling induced by inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if adding azithromycin to ICS leads to further improvement o...
Hardeman AM, Egenvall A, Serra Bragança FM, Swagemakers JH, Koene MHW, Roepstorff L, van Weeren R, Byström A.Quantitative gait analysis offers objective information to support clinical decision-making during lameness workups including advantages in terms of documentation, communication, education, and avoidance of expectation bias. Nevertheless, hardly any data exist comparing outcome of subjective scoring with the output of objective gait analysis systems. Objective: To investigate between- and within-veterinarian agreement on primary lame limb and lameness grade, and to determine relationships between subjective lameness grade and quantitative data, focusing on differences between (1) veterinarians...
Karagianni AE, Kurian D, Cillán-Garcia E, Eaton SL, Wishart TM, Pirie RS.Neutrophilic airway inflammation is highly prevalent in racehorses in training, with the term mild to moderate equine asthma (MMEA) being applied to the majority of such cases. Our proposed study is largely derived from the strong association between MMEA in racehorses and their entry into a race training program. The objectives of this study are to characterise the effect of training on the local pulmonary immune system by defining the gene and protein expression of tracheal wash (TW) derived samples from Thoroughbred racehorses prior to and following commencement of race training. Multiomics...
Maia BT, Vendruscolo CDP, de Souza AF, Zoppa ALDV.The neurovascular bundle of the equine distal cannon can dynamically vary with limb position, and this can affect the performance of low 4- or 6-point block. This study aims to identify and describe the anatomical position and variations of the lateral and medial palmar/plantar nerve at the metacarpal/metatarsal distal level in horses by ultrasonography. Eight mares underwent ultrasound examination on the lateral and medial palmar/plantar sides of the metacarpus/metatarsus. Images were obtained for measurements of the cross-sectional area of the nerve, distances between the nerve and the skin ...
Hermans H, Lloyd-Edwards RA, Ferrão-van Sommeren AJH, Tersmette AA, Schouten JCM, Serra Bragança FM, van Loon JPAM.In standing ophthalmic surgery in horses, a retrobulbar nerve block (RNB) is often placed blindly for anesthesia and akinesia. The ultrasound (US)-guided RNB may have fewer complications, but the two techniques have only been compared once in equine cadavers. This study compares the techniques for success and complication rates and analyzes the effect of training on US guidance. Twenty-two equine cadavers were divided into three groups: blind RNBs were performed bilaterally in eight cadavers, US-guided RNBs were performed bilaterally in seven cadavers, and after US-guided training, blind RNBs ...
Furtado T, King M, Perkins E, McGowan C, Chubbock S, Hannelly E, Rogers J, Pinchbeck G.Equestrian grazing management is a poorly researched area, despite potentially significant environmental impacts. This study explored keepers' use of alternative grazing systems in the care of UK horses, donkeys and mules through an internet survey. The survey was available during the summer of 2020 and comprised closed and open questions, which were analysed with descriptive statistics and iterative thematic analysis, respectively. A total of 758 responses was incorporated into the analysis; the most popular system used were tracks (56.5%), Equicentral (19%), "other" (e.g., non-grass turnout)...
Sroka L, Müller C, Hass ML, These A, Aboling S, Vervuert I.Senecio jacobaea contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can induce severe hepatic intoxication in horses, either acute when ingested in high amounts or chronic when consumed over a long period. The aim of this study was to determine horses' rejection behaviour towards the presence of Senecio jacobaea in hay when fed ad libitum. We hypothesized that adult horses can sort Senecio jacobaea out of the contaminated hay when hay is fed ad libitum. Six warmblood geldings with a mean (±SD) age of 15 ± 2 years were included. In a randomized study, Senecio jacobaea contaminated hay (5% or 10% con...
Schoen LM, Al Naem M, Röcken M, Geburek F.Lacerations of the axillary region occur frequently in horses. Typical complications caused by entrapment of air in the wound during locomotion are subcutaneous emphysema, with consecutive pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax. In this case report, the clinical, radiographic and laboratory diagnosis and management of these complications after an axillary laceration that finally resulted in pneumoperitoneum are described. A 1-year-old Hannoveranian was presented with a pre-existing axillary laceration of unknown duration and subcutaneous emphysema in the surrounding tissue. Due to extensive tissue...
Waller P, Lomnicka I, Lucas C, Johnson S, Dirikolu L.The number of publications for most common drug violations in racehorses is limited. This study reports the most common medication violations in racehorses at four major racetracks in Louisiana between 2016 and 2020. During this 5-year period, 27,237 blood samples and 25,672 urine samples collected during the course of normal race meeting activities were analysed by initial screening procedure utilizing Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Following initial screening, suspect samples were subject to quantitative or semi- quantitative confirmation analysis by LC-MS/MS. The total ...
Hwang H, Dong HJ, Han J, Cho S, Kim Y, Lee I.Gastric ulcer is one of the prevalent diseases in racehorses. However, it has not been recognized as important in Korea, and drugs used to treat gastric ulcers are included in the doping test list, so they are not allowed to be administered to racehorses in training. Objective: This study was performed 1) to investigate the prevalence and the severity of gastric ulcers in Thoroughbred racehorses in Korea, 2) to confirm the therapeutic effect of ranitidine and omeprazole, and 3) to compare the efficacy between ranitidine and omeprazole. Methods: Forty-nine horses were randomly recruited, and ga...
Lanier CJ, Taintor JS, Christopherson PW, Spangler EA.Acidemia in sick or injured horses is often due to lactic acid accumulation. Alterations in platelet function and hemostasis are among numerous deleterious effects caused by decreased physiologic pH. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effect of hyperlactatemia and resultant acidemia on platelet aggregation in equine whole blood using impedance aggregometry. Methods: Platelet aggregation was measured using the Multiplate analyzer in whole blood from 34 healthy horses at baseline and after in vitro addition of lactic acid to adjust the pH. Platelet aggregation of each sample was quantified by t...
Valverde A, Black B, Cribb NC, Hathway A, Daw A.To compare the effects of sedative doses of acepromazine, xylazine or xylazine/ketamine administered to horses after isoflurane anesthesia on the quality of recovery and anesthesia recovery times. To determine if recovery scores improve after repeated consecutive anesthetic episodes. Methods: Prospective, randomized, crossover study. Methods: Fifteen adult research horses, 6.5±3.4 years old and weighing 499±40 kg. Methods: Horses undergoing three anesthetic episodes with isoflurane for magnetic resonance of the forelimbs were administered acepromazine (0.02 mg kg(-1) i.v.) or xylazine (0.3 m...
Greenway JA, Puls R.Clinical sickness was observed in domestic ducks, geese, horses and swine during October 1973. All species showed upper alimentary distress with mortalities occurring in the geese. Barley derived from a common source had been fed. Examination of the barley revealed invasion by Fusarium spp and detection of a high level of dermatitic fusariotoxins.
de Laat MA, Reiche DB, Sillence MN, McGree JM.Endocrinopathic laminitis is common in horses and ponies, but the recurrence rate of the disease is poorly defined. Objective: To determine the incidence of, and risk factors for, the recurrence of endocrinopathic laminitis. Methods: Privately owned horses and ponies with acute laminitis (n = 317, of which 276 cases with endocrinopathic laminitis were followed up to study completion). Methods: This prospective cohort study collected data on veterinary-diagnosed cases of acute laminitis for 2 years. Each case was classified on acceptance to the study as endocrinopathic or non-endocrinopathi...
Di Cesare F, Negro V, Ravasio G, Villa R, Draghi S, Cagnardi P.Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant drug, which presents an established clinical efficacy in human patients for the management of refractory partial seizures, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and for the control of chronic neuropathic pain. Gabapentin was synthesized as a structural analogue of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, with GABA-mimetic effects, able to cross the blood-brain barrier. In veterinary medicine, is extra-label used in combination with other treatments to control seizures when other drugs are no longer effective or become toxic or for neuropathic pain treatmen...
Raymond SL, Smith TK, Swamy HV.The feeding of Fusarium mycotoxin-contaminated grains adversely affects the performance of swine and poultry. Very little information is available, however, on adverse effects associated with feeding these mycotoxin-contaminated grains on the performance of horses. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding a blend of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on feed intake, serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations, serum chemistry, and hematology of horses. A polymeric glucomannan mycotoxin adsorbent (GM polymer) was also tested for efficacy in preventing F...
Ganzenberg S, Sieg M, Ziegler U, Pfeffer M, Vahlenkamp TW, Hörügel U, Groschup MH, Lohmann KL.West Nile virus (WNV) infections were first detected in Germany in 2018, but information about WNV seroprevalence in horses is limited. The study's overall goal was to gather information that would help veterinarians, horse owners, and veterinary-, and public health- authorities understand the spread of WNV in Germany and direct protective measures. For this purpose, WNV seroprevalence was determined in counties with and without previously registered WNV infections in horses, and risk factors for seropositivity were estimated. The cohort consisted of privately owned horses from nine counties i...
Rasche A, Lehmann F, Goldmann N, Nagel M, Moreira-Soto A, Nobach D, de Oliveira Carneiro I, Osterrieder N, Greenwood AD, Steinmann E, Lukashev AN....Preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires suitable animal models. Equids host homologs of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Because coinfections of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV occur in humans, we screened 2,917 specimens from equids from five continents for HBV. We discovered a distinct HBV species (Equid HBV, EqHBV) in 3.2% of donkeys and zebras by PCR and antibodies against EqHBV in 5.4% of donkeys and zebras. Molecular, histopathological, and biochemical analyses revealed that infection patterns of EqHBV resembled those of HBV in humans, including hepatotro...
Allen WR, Skidmore JA, Stewart F, Antczak DF.Measurement of the concentrations of equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) in the serum of pregnant mares and Jenny donkeys carrying normal intraspecies and hybrid interspecies pregnancies suggested that the production of this hormone may be influenced by parental gene imprinting. Specifically, a differential expression of maternal and paternal genes may control the size and secretory activity of the structures that secrete eCG, the fetal endometrial cups. However, bisection of an interspecies mule embryo followed by transfer of the resulting demi-embryos and other intact mule embryos to horse ...
Sánchez Guerrero MJ, Cervantes I, Valera M, Gutiérrez JP.The most popular use of the Pura Raza Español horse in sport is for dressage competitions. Tests on young sport horses were first established in 2004 in Spain to collect data for the genetic evaluation of this breed's suitability for dressage. The aim of this study was to compare eight different models to find out the most appropriate way to include the rider in the genetic evaluation of dressage. A progressive removal of systematic effects from model was also analysed. A total of 8867 performance records collected between 2004 and 2011 from 1234 horses aged between 4 and 6 years old were use...
Hardeman AM, Egenvall A, Serra Bragança FM, Swagemakers JH, Koene MHW, Roepstorff L, van Weeren R, Byström A.Quantitative gait analysis offers objective information to support clinical decision-making during lameness workups including advantages in terms of documentation, communication, education, and avoidance of expectation bias. Nevertheless, hardly any data exist comparing outcome of subjective scoring with the output of objective gait analysis systems. Objective: To investigate between- and within-veterinarian agreement on primary lame limb and lameness grade, and to determine relationships between subjective lameness grade and quantitative data, focusing on differences between (1) veterinarians...
Mambelli LI, Santos EJ, Frazão PJ, Chaparro MB, Kerkis A, Zoppa AL, Kerkis I.In horses, stem cell therapies are a promising tool to the treatment of many injuries, which are common consequences of athletic endeavor, resulting in high morbidity and often compromising the performance. In spite of many advantages, the isolation of stem cells similar to human, from equine adipose tissue, occurred only recently. The aim of this study was to isolate equine adipose tissue-derived progenitor cells (eAT-PC), to characterize their proliferative potential, and to study their differentiation capacity before and after cryopreservation. The cells, isolated from horse adipose tissue,...
Marjamäki PH, Contasti AL, Coulson TN, McLoughlin PD.Movement away from an area or social group in response to increasing density (density-dependent dispersal) is known for most species; why it evolves is fundamental to our understanding of ecology and evolution. However, we have yet to fully appreciate how individuals of varying conditions (e.g., age and sex) might differently consider effects of density (quorum) when deciding to disperse or not, and scale dependence in their sense of quorum. We tracked movements of all individuals of a naturalized population of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus; Sable Island National Park Reserve, Nova Scotia...
Chiocchetti R, Rinnovati R, Tagliavia C, Stanzani A, Galiazzo G, Giancola F, Silva M, Capodanno Y, Spadari A.Growing evidence recognises cannabinoid receptors as potential therapeutic targets for pain. Consequently, there is increasing interest in developing cannabinoid receptor agonists for treating pain. As a general rule, to better understand the actions of a drug, it would be of extreme importance to know the cellular distribution of its specific receptors. The localisation of cannabinoid receptors in the dorsal root ganglia of the horse has not yet been investigated. Objective: To localise the cellular distribution of canonical and putative cannabinoid receptors in the equine cervical dorsal roo...
Cappelli K, Capomaccio S, Viglino A, Silvestrelli M, Beccati F, Moscati L, Chiaradia E.Endurance exercise induces metabolic adaptations and has recently been reported associated with the modulation of a particular class of small noncoding RNAs, microRNAs, that act as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Released into body fluids, they termed circulating miRNAs, and they have been recognized as more effective and accurate biomarkers than classical serum markers. This study examined serum profile of miRNAs through massive parallel sequencing in response to prolonged endurance exercise in samples obtained from four competitive Arabian horses before and 2 h after the ...
Hedberg-Alm Y, Penell J, Riihimäki M, Osterman-Lind E, Nielsen MK, Tydén E.All grazing horses are exposed to intestinal parasites, which have the potential to cause gastrointestinal disease. In Sweden, there is a concern about an increase in parasite-related equine gastrointestinal disease, in particular , since the implementation of prescription-only anthelmintics approximately 10 years ago. In a prospective case-control study, parasitological status, using fecal analyses for strongyle egg counts, the presence of eggs and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as well as serology for , were compared between horses presenting with or without gastrointestinal disease at a ...
Pead S, Durrant E, Webb B, Larsen C, Heaton D, Johnson J, Watt GD.The binding of Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+, and Mg2+ to apo, holo, reconstituted horse spleen ferritin (HoSF), and native holo HoSF with phosphate removed was measured by gel-exclusion chromatography. Three classes of strong binding interactions (Kd < 10(-7) M) with apo HoSF at pH 7.5 were found for the various M2+ studied: high stoichiometric binding (30-54 M2+/HoSF) for Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, with two protons released per metal bound; intermediate binding (16 M2+/HoSF) for Ni2+ and Co2+, with one proton released per metal bound; and low levels of binding (2-12 M2+/HoSF) for Mn2+, Mg2+, and...
Decloedt A, Verheyen T, Van Der Vekens N, Sys S, De Clercq D, van Loon G.Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes atrial electrical and contractile remodelling in horses. The aim of this study was to quantify left atrial (LA) contractile function and its time course of recovery after cardioversion of naturally-occurring AF in horses. The study population included 42 AF horses which were successfully treated using transvenous electrical cardioversion TVEC (n=39) or quinidine sulfate (n=3), with trivial or mild mitral regurgitation present in 25 horses. Thirty-seven healthy horses were used as controls. AF duration was estimated based on the history and previous examinations....
Vieira RF, Vieira TS, Nascimento Ddo A, Martins TF, Krawczak FS, Labruna MB, Chandrashekar R, Marcondes M, Biondo AW, Vidotto O.The aims of this study were to determine the seroprevalence of Ehrlichia spp. and risk factors for exposure in a restricted population of dogs, horses, and humans highly exposed to tick bites in a Brazilian rural settlement using a commercial ELISA rapid test and two indirect immunofluorescent assays (IFA) with E. canis and E. chaffeensis crude antigens. Serum samples from 132 dogs, 16 horses and 100 humans were used. Fifty-six out of 132 (42.4%) dogs were seropositive for E. canis. Dogs > one year were more likely to be seropositive for E. canis than dogs ≤ one year (p = 0.0051). Ten/16 (62...
Horn R, Stewart AJ, Jackson KV, Dryburgh EL, Medina-Torres CE, Bertin FR.Diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is problematic because of large variations in ACTH concentrations. Objective: Compare the test characteristics of baseline and post-thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation plasma ACTH concentrations in horses using diagnostic cutoff values (DCOVs) and reference intervals (RIs) and determine the clinical consequences of using each method. Methods: One hundred six mature horses: 72 control cases and 34 PPID cases. Methods: Prospective case-controlled study. Horses underwent monthly TRH stimulation tests. Diagnostic cutoff values w...
El Garch H, Crafford JE, Amouyal P, Durand PY, Edlund Toulemonde C, Lemaitre L, Cozette V, Guthrie A, Minke JM.A recombinant canarypox virus vectored vaccine co-expressing synthetic genes encoding outer capsid proteins, VP2 and VP5, of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) serotype 4 (ALVAC(®)-AHSV4) has been demonstrated to fully protect horses against homologous challenge with virulent field virus. Guthrie et al. (2009) detected weak and variable titres of neutralizing antibody (ranging from <10 to 40) 8 weeks after vaccination leading us to hypothesize that there could be a participation of cell mediated immunity (CMI) in protection against AHSV4. The present study aimed at characterizing the CMI ind...
Daly JM, Yates RJ, Browse G, Swann Z, Newton JR, Jessett D, Davis-Poynter N, Mumford JA.Vaccination and challenge studies in ponies are the most relevant experimental system for predicting whether strains included in equine influenza vaccines are relevant, but they are difficult to perform. Objective: In order to investigate the feasibility of using a small animal model, results of a cross-protection study in hamsters were compared with those from a previous pony challenge experiment. Methods: Animals were immunised with inactivated vaccines containing one of 4 strains of equine influenza A H3N8 subtype virus isolated over a 26 year period (1963 to 1989), then challenged with a 1...
Ranera B, Antczak D, Miller D, Doroshenkova T, Ryan A, McIlwraith CW, Barry F.Recently, it has been shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) do not express the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II antigen and are able to inhibit proliferation of MHC-mismatched stimulated lymphocytes, enabling their use as in vivo allogeneic transplants. However, prior to clinical application of allo-MSCs, in vitro tests are required to confirm the safety of treatment protocols. Objective: To evaluate the immunosuppressive capabilities of equine bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) on MHC-mismatched lymphocytes. Methods: In vitro experiment. Methods: Phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated per...
Aune A, Fenner K, Wilson B, Cameron E, McLean A, McGreevy P.Horse trainers and riders may have preconceived ideas of horse temperament based solely on the sex of the horse. A study (n = 1233) of horse enthusiasts (75% of whom had more than 8 years of riding experience) revealed that riders prefer geldings over mares and stallions. While these data may reflect different sex preferences in horses used for sport, they may also reduce the chances of some horses reaching their performance potential. Further, an unfounded sex prejudice is likely to contribute to unconscious bias when perceiving unwanted behaviours, simplistically attributing them to demograp...
Brosnahan MM, Miller DC, Adams M, Antczak DF.The invasive trophoblast cells of the equine placenta migrate into the endometrium to form endometrial cups, dense accumulations of trophoblast cells that produce equine chorionic gonadotropin between days 40 and 120 of normal pregnancy. The mechanisms by which the trophoblast cells invade the endometrium while evading maternal immune destruction are poorly defined. A gene expression microarray analysis performed on placental tissues obtained at day 34 of gestation revealed a >900-fold upregulation of mRNA encoding the cytokine IL-22 in chorionic girdle relative to noninvasive chorion. Quan...
Diallo IS, Hewitson GR, de Jong A, Kelly MA, Wright DJ, Corney BG, Rodwell BJ.Twelve nasal swabs were collected from yearling horses with respiratory distress and tested for equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equid herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) by real-time PCR targeting the glycoprotein B gene. All samples were negative for EHV-1; however, 3 were positive for EHV-4. When these samples were tested for EHV-2 and EHV-5 by PCR, all samples were negative for EHV-2 and 11 were positive for EHV-5. All three samples that were positive for EHV-4 were also positive for EHV-5. These three samples gave a limited CPE in ED cells reminiscent of EHV-4 CPE. EHV-4 CPE was obvious after 3 days and...
Lawson SE, Chateau H, Pourcelot P, Denoix JM, Crevier-Denoix N.The sagittal alteration of hoof balance is a common intervention in horses, with corrective shoeing being one of the most frequently applied methods of managing tendonitis. However, the effect of toe or heel elevation on tendon strains is poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the effect of toe and heel wedges on the superficial digital flexor tendon, deep digital flexor tendon, and the third interosseous muscle or suspensory ligament strains using in vivo data and an accurate subject-specific model. Kinematic data were recorded using invasive markers at the walk and trot. Computerized...
Leelamankong P, Estrada R, Mählmann K, Rungsri P, Lischer C.Hindlimb lameness evaluation is known to be challenging. Experience is essential for the ability of equine veterinarians to detect lameness. Nevertheless, even an experienced veterinarian is still subject to bias. Objective lameness detecting methods have been established to aid veterinarians. Objective: 1) To estimate the effect of experience on the interobserver agreement and the agreement between a body-mounted inertial sensor system (BMISS) and veterinarians on detecting hindlimb lameness, and 2) to estimate the agreement between the BMISS and highly experienced veterinarians on change in ...
Cook VL, Blikslager AT.To review the physiology of the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes with reference to the beneficial effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) related to their analgesic and antiendotoxic properties as well as the mechanisms responsible for adverse gastrointestinal, renal, and coagulation effects. Methods: Human and veterinary peer reviewed literature Results: NSAIDs are frequently administered to critically ill horses for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, NSAIDs have significant side effects principally on the gastrointestinal mucosa and kidneys. These side effec...
Kaneps AJ.Physical treatment and rehabilitation play major roles in recovery and maintenance of the equine athlete, and many therapeutic measures are accessible by the veterinarian in general practice. An accurate diagnosis of the condition undergoing treatment is a requirement, and measurable parameters obtained at diagnosis allows for quantification of treatment outcomes. Therapeutic modalities accessible to the general practicing veterinarian are reviewed. Mechanisms of action, indications, and treatment protocols of thermal therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, extracorporeal shock wave, and laser are di...
