"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.
Cox S, Sommardahl C, Fortner C, Davis R, Bergman J, Doherty T.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX) in tissues and used as therapeutic agents in different species. Grapiprant, a member of the piprant class of compounds, antagonizes prostaglandin receptors. It is a highly selective EP4 prostaglandin E receptor inhibitor, thereby limiting the potential for adverse effects caused by wider COX inhibition. The objectives of this study were to determine if the approved canine dose would result in measurable concentrations in horses, and to validate a chromatographic method of analysis for grapiprant in urine and plasma. M...
Carvalho Filho WP, Girardi FM, Souto PC, Orozco AMO, de Oliveira T, Dornelas LRSM, Jimenez AKA, Fonseca LAD.The objective of this study was to evaluate the serum proteinogram, identifying and quantifying the acute-phase proteins (APPs) of horses used in show jumping activity with obstacles of a meter in height. As it is an equestrian sport that involves high intensity and excessive impact, the possibility of injury is relevant. The serum of 10 horses was evaluated in a competition for beginners. The material was collected at rest (T0), immediately after exercise (T1), 30 minutes after the effort (T2), 1 hour after the effort (T3), and 24 hours after the effort. Acute-phase proteins were separated...
Lopez-Rodriguez MF, Cymbaluk N, Epp T, Laarveld B, Serrano Recalde EC, Simko E, Card C.Exposure to plants containing glucosinolates (GSLs) affects thyroid function in many species, in horses is implicated in the birth of foals with congenital hypothyroidism. The present study was performed to determine the effect of feeding a GSL (sinigrin) in combination with a low-iodine diet for 12 weeks on thyroid hormones and serum iodine concentrations in nonpregnant mares. Nineteen mares aged 2-14 years were divided into control (n = 6), low (20 mmol/day) (n = 7) and high GSL (35 mmol/day) (n = 6) groups. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation tests and serum iodine measur...
Paßlack N, Vahjen W, Zentek J.Cellobiose is a disaccharide with potential prebiotic effects, as demonstrated in different animal species, but not yet in horses. It was, therefore, the aim of the present study to evaluate the impact of dietary cellobiose on the fecal microbiota of horses. Eight healthy adult horses and two ponies were included in this study. The animals received a diet without or with 10 g and 20 g cellobiose per day for 14 days each. At the end of the feeding periods, fresh fecal samples were collected to measure bacterial metabolites and the microbial composition. For the microbiota analysis, 16S rRNA ...
Pelyva IZ, Kresák R, Szovák E, Tóth ÁL.Multiple studies have investigated the positive effects of human-animal interactions and showed that animal-assisted activities can be successfully used to better human physical and mental health. Equine-assisted activities have also raised considerable attention within the field. Our research focuses on healthy students (aged 14-18) without deviations or special educational needs. We analyze the occurrence of behavior problems and prosocial behavior among adolescents who regularly have interactions with horses, and those who have no connection to horses at all. The subjects of our investigati...
Michanek P, Toth T, Bergström E, Treffenberg-Pettersson H, Bergh A.Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are commonly used for treating a variety of disorders in horses, including wounds. Despite its claim to shorten healing times, there is a lack of scientific documentation regarding its effects. Objective: To investigate if treatment with pulsating visible red light (λ ≈ 637 nm) and near-infrared (NIR) light (λ ≈ 956 nm) affects wound healing. Methods: Randomised blinded controlled experimental study. Methods: A circular skin wound (Ø = 2 cm) was created on each side of the neck in eight healthy horses. One randomly chosen wound received light treatm...
Springer A, Ehrmann C, Lembcke M, Roscher K, Strube C.Equine piroplasmosis, caused by the protozoan pathogens or , is endemic in many (sub-)tropical regions worldwide, including Southern Europe. In Germany, it mainly plays a role as an imported parasitosis. Nevetherless, tick species with known vector potential for equine piroplasms occur in Germany. Thus, a long-term establishment of autochthonous cycles after introduction via infected equids or ticks cannot be excluded. In the present case, 2 horses developed clinical infection after returning from a trail riding trip to southern France. During treatment, a feeding tick was discovered on one ...
Emmerich IU.In 2019, one novel pharmaceutical agent for horses or food-producing animals was released on the German market: An injection suspension for horses containing chondrogenic-induced equine allogeneic peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells as the active ingredient (ArtiCell Forte) is now available. Two established veterinary active pharmaceutical ingredients became accessible for additional species: a salicylanilide anthelmintic oxyclozanide (Distocur) for the treatment and control of fascioliasis in sheep as well as a type-I synthetic pyrethroid permethrin (Z-Itch), which now has additio...
Prucha VJS, Tichy A, Nell B.Non-healing corneal ulcers (NHCU) are a common problem in equine practice and several treatment options are available with different success and healing times. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate and to compare treatment protocols, clinical courses, corneal healing time and outcomes of NHCU. Methods: From December 2001 to December 2017, a total of 57 horses with NHCU were presented at the Vetmeduni Vienna. Recorded data included affected eye, signalment, clinical symptoms, season of diagnosis, treatment protocols, complications and corneal healing rate. Results: Sixty-three eye...
Jimenez Rihuete P, Villarino N, Pelisiak A, Rubio-Martinez LM.Refractometric determination of total protein (TP) in synovial fluid (SF) is commonly used for diagnosis and monitoring of synovial sepsis in horses. Previous studies have shown that elevated concentrations of certain anticoagulants may overestimate refractometric determination of TP concentration. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of dipotassium EDTA (KEDTA) and lithium heparin (LH) on TP determination by using a hand-held refractometer in equine synovial fluid. Methods: Cross-section observational study. Methods: Thirty samples of synovial...
Gretler SR, Finno CJ, McKemie DS, Kass PH, Knych HK.To describe the pharmacokinetics and selected pharmacodynamic variables of codeine and its metabolites in Thoroughbred horses following a single oral administration. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: A total of 12 Thoroughbred horses, nine geldings and three mares, aged 4-8 years. Methods: Horses were administered codeine (0.6 mg kg) orally and blood was collected before administration and at various times until 120 hours post administration. Plasma and urine samples were collected and analyzed for codeine and its metabolites by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and plas...
Caston SS, Sponseller BA, Dembek KA, Hostetter JM.A reformulation of Mycobacterium cell wall fraction immunotherapeutic can be used to successfully treat sarcoids in horses. Sarcoids are reported to be the most common equine skin tumors with tumor type and location influencing the choice of treatment. Wide surgical excision is curative for many tumors, but may not always be feasible. Previous studies have reported sarcoid regression after injection with mycobacterial cell wall immunotherapeutics. A new formulation of the Mycobacterium phlei cell wall fraction immunostimulant (Immunocidin Equine) was used to treat cutaneous tumors in horses. E...
Cavasin JP, Miller AD, Duhamel GE.An 8-year-old Anglo-European gelding with progressive neurological signs was humanely destroyed and submitted for necropsy examination. The right parietal cortex was disrupted by a well-demarcated, intraparenchymal, 1.5 cm diameter, tan, homogeneous, dense mass. Microscopical examination was consistent with an astrocytoma, which was confirmed on the basis of strong immunohistochemical labelling for glial fibrillary acidic protein. The neoplastic population lacked immunolabelling for oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2. Labelling for ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 highlighted la...
Wodas L, Mackowski M, Borowska A, Puppel K, Kuczynska B, Cieslak J.β-lactoglobulin is one of the most abundant milk whey proteins in many mammal species, including the domestic horse. The aim of this study was to screen for polymorphism in the equine LGB1 and LGB2 gene sequences (all exons, introns, and 5'-flanking region) and to assess potential relationship of particular genotypes with gene expression levels (measured in milk somatic cells) and milk composition traits (protein, fat, lactose, and total β-lactoglobulin content). Direct DNA sequencing analysis was performed for twelve horse breeds: Polish Primitive Horse (PPH), Polish Coldblood Horse (PCH), ...
Sampaio BFB, DeRossi R, Vieira N, Milan B, Ávila LG.The objective of the study was to compare the effects of caudal epidural bupivacaine and dexmedetomidine (DEX) combination, with bupivacaine or DEX plain for perineal analgesia in mares. Six healthy saddle mares weighing 330-370 kg and aged 10-15 years were used in this study. Each mare was assigned to receive three treatments: 0.04 mg/kg 0.25% bupivacaine (BP), 2 μg/kg DEX (DX), or 0.02 mg/kg bupivacaine and 1 μg/kg DEX (BPDX). The order of treatments was randomized. All drugs were injected into the caudal epidural space (Co1-Co2) through a 16-G Tuohy epidural needle. After the epidur...
Grewar JD, Porphyre T, Sergeant ES, Theresa Weyer C, Thompson PN.An African horse sickness (AHS) outbreak occurred in March and April 2016 in the controlled area of South Africa. This extended an existing trade suspension of live equids from South Africa to the European Union. In the post-outbreak period ongoing passive and active surveillance, the latter in the form of monthly sentinel surveillance and a stand-alone freedom from disease survey in March 2017, took place. We describe a stochastic scenario tree analysis of these surveillance components for 24 months, starting July 2016, in three distinct geographic areas of the controlled area. Given that AH...
Infectious causes of myositis are reported relatively uncommonly in horses. Among them, bacterial causes include subsp. , , spp. spp, and . Infection can be spread to muscles via haematogenous or extension from skin lesions. Parasitic myositis has also been documented. In this report, a 12 year-old Italian Quarter Horse mare presented with diffuse subcutaneous nodules and masses ranging from 2 × 3 to 5 × 20 cm in size, and adherent to subcutis and muscles that were first macroscopically and cytologically diagnosed as pyogranulomas. Subsequently, histological, molecular, bacteriological, a...
Johnson LM, Holcombe SJ, Shearer TR, Watson V, Gandy J, Southwood LL, Lynch TM, Schroeder EL, Fogle CA, Sordillo LM.Identifying therapies that mitigate ischemic colonic injury and improve mucosal healing and intestinal viability are crucial to improving survival in horses with ≥360° large colon volvulus (LCV). Ethyl pyruvate is the ethyl ester of pyruvate with diverse pharmacologic effects that limit ischemic injury and hasten intestinal mucosal repair in preclinical rodents, sheep and swine models. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of ethyl pyruvate on systemic indices of colon viability, expression of inflammatory genes in whole blood, morbidity and survival after surgical correc...
Vasilieva NA, Tchabovsky AV.Fitness consequences of early-life conditions remain unclear and poorly studied in mammals. Based on long-term observations of yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus), we identified early determinants of female fitness by analyzing the effects of early-life individual and environmental characteristics (weaning weight, weight gain rate, date of natal emergence, natal litter size, location of the natal burrow, local density of juveniles, population density and precipitation in the post-weaning period) on lifetime reproductive success (LRS). We found high variation and right-skewed distribu...
Linhares Boakari Y, El-Sheikh Ali H, Dini P, Loux S, Barbosa Fernandes C, Esteller-Vico A, Scoggin K, Lawrence L, Ball B.An intravenous large dose of protein led to an increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN), resulting in a lesser uterine pH and altered uterine gene expression in mares. The objective of the present study was to evaluate effects of a more physiological methodology to increase BUN on the endometrium of mares. Mares were fed hay and a treatment or control diet (n = 11 mares/treatment) in a crossover design starting at time of ovulation detection (D0) and continuing until D7. Mares of the treated group were fed urea (0.4 g/kg BW) with sweet feed and molasses, and those of the control group were fe...
Santagostino M, Piras FM, Cappelletti E, Del Giudice S, Semino O, Nergadze SG, Giulotto E.Interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) are short stretches of telomeric-like repeats (TTAGGG)n at nonterminal chromosomal sites. We previously demonstrated that, in the genomes of primates and rodents, ITSs were inserted during the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. These conclusions were derived from sequence comparisons of ITS-containing loci and ITS-less orthologous loci in different species. To our knowledge, insertion polymorphism of ITSs, i.e., the presence of an ITS-containing allele and an ITS-less allele in the same species, has not been described. In this work, we carried out a gen...
Ferreira CSC, Morais RCL, de Andrade ABP, Balaro MFA, Ribas JAS, Gomes GM, Pinna AE.The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the RI and PI values would help in choosing the best embryo recipient, and observe whether CL vascularization would influence P4 production. During the breeding season 2018/2019, the study was conducted using 35 mares, which is used for reference to collect data for the project on the day of embryo transfer. The utilized mares were divided into five groups followed by the day after ovulation, with D0 being the day of ovulation. Therefore, the five groups are as follows: D4-mares that were on the 4th post-ovulation day; D5-mares that were on the 5th...
Nuñez CMV, Rubenstein DI.Acoustic signaling plays an important role in mother-offspring recognition and subsequent bond-formation. It remains unclear, however, if mothers and offspring use acoustic signaling in the same ways and for the same reasons throughout the juvenile stage, particularly after mutual recognition has been adequately established. Moreover, despite its critical role in mother-offspring bond formation, research explicitly linking mother-infant communication strategies to offspring survival are lacking. We examined the communicative patterns of mothers and offspring in the feral horse (Equus caballus)...
Gencoglu H, Orhan C, Sahin E, Sahin K.OA is quite common in companion animals, especially in large breed dogs and horses. Collagen, the most abundant protein of mammals, has specific connective tissue types for skin, bones, reticulate, basal lamina, bones, cell surfaces, while type II collagen (UC-II) forms the main structure of cartilage tissue. Even at the smaller dosages, UC-II has also been reported to be more effective than the glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements, which are the supplements most frequently used in the market. In this review, we summarize the effects of UC-II on joint health and function in health a...
Knych HK, Arthur RM, McKemie DS, Baden RW, Seminoff K, Kass PH.Flunixin meglumine (FM) and phenylbutazone (PBZ) are potent anti-inflammatory agents and as such their potential to mask injuries that would otherwise keep a horse from training or racing is concerning. A common practice in racetrack medicine in the USA is to administer the two drugs within close proximity (24 hours apart) of each other, raising the concern of pharmacokinetic interactions and enhanced anti-inflammatory effects. Objective: Describe the pharmacokinetics and effects of PBZ on the clearance of FM when administered in close proximity as well as effects on inflammatory mediators. M...
Song J, Song R, Wang P, Zhang Y, Yan Y, Zhou J, Chahan B, Liao M.The erythrocytic-stage surface protein equi merozoite antigen 1 (EMA-1) of Theileria equi is a major candidate for the development of a diagnostic antigen for equine piroplasmosis. In this study, BALB/c mice were immunized with purified recombinant EMA-1 to prepare monoclonal antibody (mAb) against T. equi EMA-1, and 1 mAb 5H2 was obtained that showed good reaction with infected red blood cells (RBC) in the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). To develop a rapid serological detection method for T. equi infection in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, recombinant EMA-1 originating from...
Furr M, Kennedy T.Ponazuril is used for the treatment of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Coadministration of ponazuril with oil could result in higher serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of ponazuril. Objective: Coadministration of corn oil will result in higher serum and CSF concentrations of ponazuril than when ponazuril is administered alone. Methods: Ten resident university-owned adult horses of either sex and >2 years of age. Methods: Cohort study. Ponazuril oral paste (5 mg/kg BW; ponazuril treatment group (PON); n = 5), or ponazuril oral paste (5 mg/kg BW; ponazuril and oil tre...
Sanmartí J, Armengou L, Viu J, Alguacil E, Civit S, Ríos J, Jose-Cunilleras E.Sparse information regarding plasma iron concentration in neonatal foals and its utility as an inflammatory marker in this population has been published. Objective: To determine the physiologic plasma iron concentration in neonatal foals. To assess its utility as an inflammatory marker to predict systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and as a prognostic marker. Methods: Forty-seven ill neonatal foals admitted to a referral equine hospital were divided in 2 groups based on the SIRS criteria (24 SIRS and 23 non-SIRS). Two control groups of 43 hospital and 135 stud farm healthy neonatal ...
Mora-Pereira M, Abarca EM, Duran S, Ravis W, McMullen RJ, Fischer BM, Lee YP, Wooldridge AA.Keratomycosis is a relatively common, sight threatening condition in horses, where treatment is often prolonged and costly. Subconjunctival (SCo) injections offer less resistance to drug diffusion than the topical route, resulting in better penetration to the ocular anterior segment. Voriconazole, a second generation triazole antifungal, is effective against common fungal organisms causing keratomycosis. If combined with a thermogel biomaterial, voriconazole can be easily injected in the SCo space to provide sustained drug release. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the drug concentrati...
Rames DS, Miller DK, Barthel R, Craig TM, Dziezyc J, Helman RG, Mealey R.Ocular contents from a horse with a 4-week history of severe unilateral uveitis were submitted for histopathologic examination. A severe unilateral granulomatous chorioretinitis with intralesional Halicephalobus deletrix was diagnosed. The horse developed progressive neurologic signs several days following the surgery to remove ocular contents and implant a prosthesis and was subsequently euthanatized. A severe multifocal granulomatous encephalitis with intralesional H. deletrix, localized primarily to the optic chiasm, thalamus, and brain stem, was diagnosed from tissues acquired at necropsy....
Cheetham J, Perkins JD, Jarvis JC, Cercone M, Maw M, Hermanson JW, Mitchell LM, Piercy RJ, Ducharme NG.Bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVCP) is a life-threatening condition that follows injury to the Recurrent Laryngeal nerve (RLn) and denervation of the intrinsic laryngeal musculature. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) enables restoration and control of a wide variety of motor functions impaired by lower motor neuron lesions. Here we evaluate the effects of FES on the sole arytenoid abductor, the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscle in a large animal model of RLn injury. Ten horses were instrumented with two quadripolar intramuscular electrodes in the left PCA muscle. Following a 12-wee...
Butt TD, Bailey JV, Dowling PM, Fretz PB.The purpose of this study was to compare the synovial fluid concentrations and pharmacokinetics of amikacin in the equine limb distal to the carpus following intraosseous and intravenous regional perfusion. The front limbs of 6 horses were randomly assigned to either intraosseous or intravenous perfusion. A tourniquet was placed distal to each carpus and the limb perfused with 500 mg of amikacin. Systemic blood samples and synovial fluid samples were collected over 70 min from the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint, metacarpophalangeal joint, and digital flexor sheath. The tourniquet was remov...
Dixon PM, Parkin TD, Collins N, Hawkes C, Townsend N, Tremaine WH, Fisher G, Ealey R, Barakzai SZ.There is limited objective information available on the treatment and the long-term response to treatment of the different types of equine sinus disease. Objective: To document the treatments and long-term response to these treatments in 200 cases of equine sinus disease (1997-2009). Methods: The treatments of horses affected with subacute primary sinusitis (n = 52); chronic primary sinusitis (n = 37); dental sinusitis (n = 40); sinus cyst (n = 26); traumatic (n = 13); dental-related oromaxillary fistula (n = 8); sinus neoplasia (n = 10); mycotic sinus disease (n = 7); and intrasinus progressi...
Nollet H, Deprez P, van Ham L, Dewulf J, Decleir A, Vanderstraeten G.Cervical spinal cord dysfunction is a common problem in equine medicine and the currently available tests give no objective information about the functionality of the nervous tracts. Therefore, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was performed in 84 healthy horses of different height in order to have an objective measure for the integrity of the descending motor tracts in normal horses. Objective: To obtain reference values for onset latency and peak-to-peak amplitude of magnetic motor evoked potentials (MMEPs) and to evaluate the possible effect of height, age and gender on the neurophysi...
Noronha LE, Harman RM, Wagner B, Antczak DF.The low-affinity Fc receptor CD16 plays a central role in the inflammatory and innate immune responses of many species, but has not yet been investigated in the horse. Using the predicted extracellular region of equine CD16 expressed as a recombinant fusion protein with equine IL-4 (rIL-4/CD16), we generated a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that recognize equine CD16. Nine mAbs were chosen for characterization based upon recognition of CD16, but not IL-4, in ELISA. All nine mAbs recognized full-length, cell-surface CD16 expressed as a GFP fusion protein by CHO cells, but not the c...
Peiffer RL, Wilcock BP, Yin H.Histologic examination was made of 1,419 globes from domestic animals (964 dogs, 374 cats, 41 horses, and 40 cattle) with ocular disease; pre-iridal membranes (rubeosis iridis) were found in 98. The membranes originated as endothelial budding from the anterior iridal stroma and seemed to mature into fibrous or fibrovascular membranes that were often followed by hyphema or, occasionally, glaucoma. Pre-existent disease in the 98 affected globes included chronic endophthalmitis (27/98), chronic glaucoma (24/98), anterior uveal melanoma (15/98), ciliary body adenoma (14/98), neoplasms metastatic t...
Senju N, Tozaki T, Kakoi H, Almunia J, Maeda M, Matsuyama R, Takasu M.To help plan conservation of the endangered Miyako horse, a biological resource of the Miyako Islands in Japan, we characterized the genetics of the breed by genotyping 32 microsatellites and identifying mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. We also calculated genetic distances between individuals based on the proportion of shared alleles and visualized the genetic relationships with a phylogenetic tree. Two important results were obtained. One is that accurate pedigree registration of the horse by using microsatellites is possible, as the exclusion power of parentage testing is 0.999998. Another is t...
Sacks M, Ringer SK, Bischofberger AS, Berchtold SM, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R.To compare the effects of two balanced anaesthetic protocols (isoflurane-dexmedetomidine versus medetomidine) on sedation, cardiopulmonary function and recovery in horses. Methods: Prospective, blinded, randomized clinical study. Methods: Sixty healthy adult warm blood horses undergoing elective surgery. Methods: Thirty horses each were sedated with dexmedetomidine 3.5 μg kg (group DEX) or medetomidine 7 μg kg (group MED) intravenously. After assessing and supplementing sedation if necessary, anaesthesia was induced with ketamine/diazepam and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen/air and ...
Kilcoyne I, Watson JL, Kass PH, Spier SJ.To determine the incidence of complications and identify risk factors associated with development of complications following routine castration of equids. Methods: Retrospective case series. Animals-311 horses, 10 mules, and 3 donkeys. Methods: Medical records of equids undergoing routine castration were reviewed. Age, breed, surgical techniques (closed vs semiclosed castration and use of ligatures), anesthesia method (general IV anesthesia vs standing sedation with local anesthesia) and repeated administration of IV anesthetic agents, administration of antimicrobials and anti-inflammatory dru...
Ozubek S, Aktas M.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a protozoon disease caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi transmitted by ticks from the Ixodidae family. This study investigated the genetic heterogeneity and diversity of piroplasm genotypes using the Reverse Line Blotting (RLB) technique for piroplasm species in equids in Turkey. A total of 233 blood samples from 142 horses and 91 donkeys were collected in Şanlıurfa, Tunceli, and Iğdır. The RLB assay was performed for simultaneous detection of piroplasm species. The prevalence of piroplasm infection was 33.5% (95% CI; 27.4-39.9). T. equi was the most c...
Mendez-Angulo JL, Firshman AM, Groschen DM, Kieffer PJ, Trumble TN.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of three footing surfaces on the flexion/extension, and range of motion (ROM) of the carpus, tarsus and fetlocks in the horse. The percentage of stride spent in the stance phase of sound horses at the walk was also measured. Nine sound horses were walked on hard ground (HD), soft ground (SF) and a land treadmill (LT), and five complete gait cycles were recorded by a digital video camera. Retro-reflective markers were placed on the skin at four anatomical locations on the left fore and hind limbs, and data were analyzed using two-dimensional (2D)...
Seo JP, Son WG, Gang S, Lee I.This study was performed to evaluate the sedative and analgesic effects of xylazine (X) and tramadol (T) intravenously (IV) administered to horses. Six thoroughbred saddle horses each received X (1.0 mg/kg), T (2.0 mg/kg), and a combination of XT (1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, respectively) IV. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), indirect arterial pressure (IAP), capillary refill time (CRT), sedation, and analgesia (using electrical stimulation and pinprick) were measured before and after drug administration. HR and RR significantly decreased from basal values with X and XT t...
Marenzoni ML, Bietta A, Lepri E, Casagrande Proietti P, Cordioli P, Canelli E, Stefanetti V, Coletti M, Timoney PJ, Passamonti F.Herpesviral infections frequently occur in horses. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association of equine herpesviruses (EHV-1, EHV-2, EHV-3, EHV-4, EHV-5) with other causes of abortion, neonatal mortality or placental disorder. Sixty-seven abortions, 22 stillbirths, 14 cases of neonatal foal mortality and 3 cases of placental disease were investigated for infectious and non-infectious causes. Type-specific nested PCR assays and virus isolation were performed to detect EHV infections. A cause of fetal loss or placental disease was reached in 68 out 116 (58.7%) cases....
LaFrentz S, Abarca E, Mohammed HH, Cuming R, Arias CR.The equine conjunctival microbiota has often been reported to be dominated by Gram-positive species such as Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp., and Corynebacterium sp. However, traditional culture-based methods can only recover a fraction of the bacterial species present in the sample. Objective: This pilot study aimed at exploring the diversity of the equine conjunctival microbiota using culture-independent methods. Methods: Eight horses were included in this study, and only eyes with normal ophthalmic examination (n = 15 eyes) were sampled. Methods: Conjunctival biopsies (culture-independent...
MacKay RJ, Merritt AM, Zertuche JM, Whittington M, Skelley LA.Serum and plasma from horses injected with endotoxin was examined for cytotoxic activity. Each of the cell lines, L929 and WEHI 164 clone 13, was sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of equine serum; however, a precipitation artifact caused by the use of isopropanol in the WEHI assay limited the use of this assay to samples containing less than 2 mg of protein/ml. In foals treated with a sublethal IV bolus of 5 micrograms of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/kg and in adult horses given a low-dose continuous infusion of LPS (30 ng/kg/h for 4 hours), cytotoxic activity was detected in all serum or plasma ...
Busoni V, Heimann M, Trenteseaux J, Snaps F, Dondelinger RF.We describe the abnormal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings in the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) and distal sesamoid bone in horses with radiographic changes compatible with navicular syndrome. Thirteen postmortem specimens were examined using a 1.5-T magnetic field, with spin echo (SE) T1-weighted, turbo SE (TSE) proton density-weighted (with and without fat saturation), and fat saturation TSE T2-weighted sequences. The limbs were then dissected to compare the MR findings with the gross assessment and histologic examination of the DDFT and distal sesamoid bones. Tendonous abnormalit...
Furr M, Cohen ND, Axon JE, Sanchez LC, Pantaleon L, Haggett E, Campbell R, Tennent-Brown B.The use of anti-ulcer medication in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) is common due to the concern for development of catastrophic gastric ulcerdisease. In man, however, the use of acid-suppressive medication has been shown in some studies to be a substantial riskfactorfor the development of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD), bacteraemia and neonatal sepsis. Objective: The purpose of the study reported herein is to evaluate the influence of anti-ulcer medications on the development of diarrhoea in the neonatalfoal. Objective: The use of anti-ulcer medication does not alter...
Kaka JS, Klavano PA, Hayton WL.Ketamine HCl was administered IV to xylazine HCl-treated horses. The plasma concentration of ketamine was measured several times after administration of the drug and these data were used to develop a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. The distribution and the elimination phase half-lives averaged 2.9 and 42 minutes. The volume of the central compartment averaged 212 ml/kg of body weight and the volume of the peripheral compartment was approximately threefold larger. The total body clearance of ketamine averaged 26.6 ml/minute/kg. Plasma protein binding of ketamine averaged 50% over the con...
Art T, Kirschvink N, Smith N, Lekeux P.To test the hypothesis that reactive oxygen species could be associated to the lower airway disorders occurring in horses suffering from recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), indices of oxidative stress were studied in blood and pulmonary epithelium lining fluid in 5 RAO horses either in clinical remission or 24 h after the onset of a crisis of bronchospasm and in 5 healthy horses. Venous blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected and analysed for reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidised glutathione (GSSG), total glutathione (TGSH), glutathione redox ratio (GRR) in blood hae...
Vinther AM, Heegaard PM, Skovgaard K, Buhl R, Andreassen SM, Andersen PH.Local inflammation may progress into systemic inflammation. To increase our understanding of the basic immunological processes during transition of equine local inflammation into a systemic state, investigation into the equine systemic immune response to local inflammation is warranted. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the innate peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) immune response to local inflammation in horses, and to compare this response with the PBL immune response during the early phase of acute systemic inflammation. Expression of 22 selected inflammation-related genes w...
Mama KR, Grimsrud K, Snell T, Stanley S.Detomidine hydrochloride is used to provide sedation, muscle relaxation and analgesia in horses, but a lack of information pertaining to plasma concentration has limited the ability to correlate drug concentration with effect. Objective: To build on previous information and assess detomidine for i.v. and i.m. use in horses by simultaneously assessing plasma drug concentrations, physiological parameters and behavioural characteristics. Objective: Systemic effects would be seen following i.m. and i.v. detomidine administration and these effects would be positively correlated with plasma drug con...
Powell SE, Ramzan PH, Head MJ, Shepherd MC, Baldwin GI, Steven WN.The proximal metacarpal region is a common site of origin of lameness in the performance horse. A number of disease entities are recognised as causes of proximal metacarpal lameness but a definitive diagnosis is often elusive. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is hypothesised to offer advantages over traditional imaging modalities in the investigation of proximal metacarpal pain. Objective: To describe clinical and imaging features of cases of lameness in racehorses arising from the proximal metacarpal region in which standing MRI identified 'bone marrow oedema-type' (BMO-type) signal patterns....
Fessler JF, Bottoms GD, Coppoc GL, Gimarc S, Latshaw HS, Noble JK.Endotoxin (LPS) was quantitated in experimental subjects and in horses with naturally occurring gastrointestinal strangulation obstruction and/or septicaemic diseases to establish the fate of LPS and the clinical usefulness of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. The assay was validated for sensitivity (10 pg/ml), recovery (90 to 106 per cent), intra-assay precision (CV = 5.5 per cent) inter-assay precision (CV = 11 per cent), and stability of diluted, heat treated, frozen samples (at least 90 days). Plasma concentrations of LPS after sublethal (3 micrograms/kg) jugular or portal vein bo...
Verheyen K, Newton JR, Talbot NC, de Brauwere MN, Chanter N.Three protracted outbreaks of strangles were investigated using endoscopic examination and a total of 14 asymptomatic carriers of Streptococcus equi were identified of which 13 showed evidence of carriage in the guttural pouch. Treatment was initiated to eliminate S. equi colonisation since these animals posed an infectious risk to susceptible horses. Two further horses were referred to us with severe guttural pouch pathology and from which S. equi was cultured, and treatment of these cases is also described. Treatment in the first instance was directed towards removal of gross guttural pouch ...
Barber TL, Walton TE, Lewis KJ.Twenty-nine horses were vaccinated with a trivalent (Venezuelan, eastern, and western) inactivated equine encephalomyelitis virus vaccine. The vaccine purchased for this study was the only one licensed and commercially available in May, 1975. Plaque-neutralizing and hemagglutinin-inhibiting antibodies in response to each of the 3 equine encephalomyelitis viruses were determined after vaccination. Horses had rising levels of plaque-neutralizing and hemagglutinin-inhibiting antibodies shortly after injection with the 1st and 2nd doses of the vaccine (given 3 weeks apart) and were refractory to c...
Berthoud H, Frey J, Kuhnert P.Actinobacillus equuli, a member of the family Pasteurellaceae is the etiologic agent of a frequently lethal septicemia in neonatal foals as well as other more chronic diseases like arthritis, pleuritis, pneumonia or peritonitis. It may also be isolated from the oral cavity of healthy horses. Hemolytic isolates of A. equuli are known but so far no virulence determinants have been described for this bacterial species. By screening hemolytic A. equuli strains with specific gene probes, a hemolysin, designated Aqx (A. equuli RTX (repeats in the structural toxin)) was identified. This hemolysin was...
Merkies K, Nakonechny L, DuBois C, Derisoud E.Training practices may impose restrictions on the equine behavioral repertoire through the use of training equipment. Presently, the prevalence of the use of training equipment in Canada is unknown. Through an online survey for horse enthusiasts (n = 654), this study evaluated the prevalence and predominant uses of whips, spurs, and head-control equipment by enthusiasts with direct contact with horses compared to perceptions held by enthusiasts with no direct horse contact using chi-squared analyses. Respondents primarily reported using whips and spurs to augment rider or trainer cues and re...
Ablondi M, Summer A, Vasini M, Simoni M, Sabbioni A.Horses are nowadays mainly used for sport and leisure purposes, and several local breeds, traditionally used in agriculture, are exposed to the risk of extinction. The long-term survival of local horse breeds depends on strategies to both monitor their genetic diversity and to find their sustainable role in the equine market. Thus, several local horse breeds need to adapt their breeding objective to allow a modernization process. The Bardigiano is an example of such horse breeds; we, therefore, studied the existing evaluation protocol from a genetic standpoint to assess the protocol's suitabil...
