"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.
Munday JS, Finch SC, Vlaming JB, Sutherland BL, Fletcher LR.To investigate whether Mediterranean tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh. (syn Festuca arundinacea)) infected with selected fungal endophytes (Epichloë coenophiala (formerly Neotyphodium coenophialum)) caused equine fescue oedema when grown in New Zealand, and to examine the pathological changes associated with this intoxication. Methods: Horses were grazed on Mediterranean tall fescue that was infected with the endophytes AR542 (n=2), or AR584 (n=3), or Mediterranean tall fescue that was endophyte-free (n=2). Blood samples were taken up to 7 days after the start of feeding to ...
Borlone C, Morales N, Henriquez C, Folch H, Olave C, Sarmiento J, Uberti B, Moran G.Neutrophils participate in innate immunity as the first line of host defense against microorganisms. However, exacerbated neutrophil activity can be harmful to surrounding tissues; this is important in a range of diseases, including allergic asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in humans, and equine asthma (also known as recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Tamoxifen (TX) is a non-steroidal estrogen receptor modulator with effects on cell growth and survival. Previous preliminary studies showed that TX treatment in horses with induced acute pulmonary inflammation promoted early apop...
McCue PM.A wide variety of hormone therapies are used in clinical practice in the reproductive management of horses. The goal of this article is to review therapeutic options for a variety of clinical indications.
Ferris RA.Infectious endometritis is among the leading causes of subfertility in the mare. However, the best way to reliably diagnose these cases of infectious endometritis can be confusing to the veterinary practitioner. The goal of this article is to describe how to perform various sample collection techniques, what analyses can be performed on these samples, and how to interpret the results of these analysis. Additionally, future technologies will be presented that are not currently used in equine reproduction practice.
Schuster RK, Sivakumar S.Although the life cycle of the equid stomach parasite Habronema muscae was disclosed more than 100 years ago, little is known about the effect of the developing nematode larvae in its intermediate host, Musca domestica. In a series of experiments, freshly hatched M. domestica larvae were exposed to H. muscae eggs contained in a faecal sample of a naturally infected horse. In daily intervals, 50 fly larvae were removed and transferred on a parasite-free larval rearing medium where they completed their development. Hatched flies were examined for the presence of Habronema third-stage larvae. In...
Canisso IF, Stewart J, Coutinho da Silva MA.Endometritis was rated as the third most common medical problem encountered in adult horses in North America. It is the leading cause of subfertility in broodmares and is a major contributor to economic loss in the horse breeding industry, with pregnancy rates reported to be as low as 21% in mares with severe endometritis. Endometritis may be categorized as: endometrosis (chronic degenerative endometritis), acute, chronic, active, dormant, subclinical, clinical, and persistent post-breeding. These classifications are not mutually exclusive, and mares may change categories within breeding seaso...
Ishikawa S, Horinouchi C, Murata D, Matsuzaki S, Misumi K, Iwamoto Y, Korosue K, Hobo S.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult multipotent stem cells that are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell lineages. Methods for cell therapy using MSCs have been developed in equine medicine. Recently, human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have drawn much attention owing to their trophic factor producing ability and minimally invasive collection methods. However, there have been no reports on equine dental pulp-derived cells (eDPCs). Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the eDPCs from discarded wolf teeth. Plastic-adherent spindle-shaped ...
Wernersson S, Riihimäki M, Pejler G, Waern I.Mast cells are known for their detrimental effects in various inflammatory conditions. Regimens that induce selective mast cell apoptosis may therefore be of therapeutic significance. Earlier studies have demonstrated that murine- and human-cultured mast cells are highly sensitive to apoptosis induced by the lysosomotropic agent LeuLeuOMe (LLME). However, the efficacy of lysosomotropic agents for inducing apoptosis of in vivo-derived airway mast cells and the impact on mast cells in other species have not been assessed. Here we addressed whether lysosomotropic agents can induce cell death of ...
Salomonsson ML, Bondesson U, Hedeland M.This paper describes quantitative methods for the determination of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in equine plasma and urine based on simple precipitation and dilution followed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS). DMSO is a polar solvent with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Its pharmacological features make it prohibited in horse racing. However, since DMSO is naturally present in the horses' environment, international threshold values have been implemented for plasma and urine (1 and 15 µg/mL, respectively). Previously pr...
Mespoulhès-Rivière C, Brandenberger O, Rossignol F, Robert C, Perkins JD, Marie JP, Ducharme N.OBJECTIVE To develop and assess the feasibility, repeatability, and safety of an ultrasound-guided technique to stimulate the first cervical nerve (FCN) at the level of the alar foramen of the atlas of horses. ANIMALS 4 equine cadavers and 6 clinically normal Standardbreds. PROCEDURES In each cadaver, the FCN pathway was determined by dissection, and any anastomosis between the first and second cervical nerves was identified. Subsequently, each of 6 live horses underwent a bilateral ultrasound-guided stimulation of the FCN at the alar foramen 3 times at 3-week intervals. After each procedure, ...
Joó K, Bakonyi T, Szenci O, Sárdi S, Ferenczi E, Barna M, Malik P, Hubalek Z, Fehér O, Kutasi O.West Nile virus (WNV) mainly infects birds, horses and humans. Outcomes of the infection range from mild uncharacteristic signs to fatal neurologic disease. The main objectives of the present study were to measure serum IgG and IgM antibodies in naturally exposed and vaccinated horses and to compare results of haemagglutination inhibition test (HIT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT). Altogether 224 animals were tested by HIT for WNV antibodies and 41 horses were simultaneously examined by ELISA and PRNT. After primary screening for WNV a...
Lascola KM, Clark-Price SC, Joslyn SK, Mitchell MA, O'Brien RT, Hartman SK, Kline KH.OBJECTIVE To evaluate use of single manual alveolar recruitment maneuvers (ARMs) to eliminate atelectasis during CT of anesthetized foals. ANIMALS 6 neonatal Standardbred foals. PROCEDURES Thoracic CT was performed on spontaneously breathing anesthetized foals positioned in sternal (n = 3) or dorsal (3) recumbency when foals were 24 to 36 hours old (time 1), 4 days old (time 2), 7 days old (time 3), and 10 days old (time 4). The CT images were collected without ARMs (all times) and during ARMs with an internal airway pressure of 10, 20, and 30 cm HO (times 2 and 3). Quantitative analysis of CT...
Hart KA, Kitchings KM, Kimura S, Norton NA, Myrna KE.OBJECTIVE To compare tear cortisol concentrations between horses and ponies with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and healthy nonaged (≤ 15 years old) and aged (≥ 20 years old) horses and to determine whether serum and tear cortisol concentrations were correlated. ANIMALS 11 horses and ponies with PPID and 20 healthy control horses and ponies (11 nonaged and 9 aged). PROCEDURES Paired tear and serum samples were obtained from PPID and control animals. All animals were free of active ocular disease. Tear and serum cortisol concentrations were measured with an ELISA and chemilumi...
Potter BM, Scansen BA, Dunbar LK, Reed SM, Toribio RE.There are rare published reports of atrial fibrillation (AF) in foals, all of which are associated with structural heart disease or within the adaptive period of newborns. This report describes a 3-month-old Thoroughbred filly with AF and a structurally normal heart on echocardiography. Medical cardioversion of the foal's AF was attempted with three 20mg/kg doses of quinidine sulfate therapy without success. Timed, transcutaneous, direct current cardioversion was successfully performed using adhesive patches on the midthorax in conjunction with intravenous procainamide at a total dose of 20mg/...
Lee G, Jung H, Yoon M.The molecular markers for specific germ cell stages can be utilized for identifying, monitoring, and separating a particular stage of germ cells. The RNA-binding protein Lin28 is expressed in gonocytes of human fetal testes. The Lin28 expression is restricted to a very small population of spermatogonial cells in human, mice, and monkey. The main objective of this study was to investigate the expression pattern of Lin28 in stallion testes at different reproductive stages. Based on the presence or absence of full spermatogenesis and lumina in seminiferous tubules, the testicular samples were cat...
Evans CH, Chevalier X, Wehling P.Autologous conditioned serum was developed in the mid 1990s as an expeditious, practical, and relatively inexpensive means of generating the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, a naturally occurring inhibitor of the cytokine interleukin-1. The latter is thought to be an important mediator of inflammation, pain, and tissue destruction in musculoskeletal conditions. ACS has been widely and successfully used in the local treatment of human and equine osteoarthritis and radicular compression; it has also shown promise in treating tendinopathies, muscle injuries, and tunnel widening after reconstruc...
Scarlet D, Ille N, Ertl R, Alves BG, Gastal GDA, Paiva SO, Gastal MO, Gastal EL, Aurich C.The objective of this study was to determine whether (1) systemic and intrafollicular cortisol concentrations in horses are directly related and (2) supraphysiological levels of glucocorticoids affect in vitro maturation (IVM) rates of oocytes. Specifically, we studied the (1) changes in the intrafollicular cortisol and progesterone in context with granulosa cell gene expression during maturation of equine follicles (from 5-9 mm, 10-14 mm, 15-19 mm, 20-24 mm, and ≥25 mm in diameter) and (2) effects of cortisol supplementation on IVM rates and gene expression of equine cumulus-oocyte comple...
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...
Potter SJ, Bamford NJ, Harris PA, Bailey SR.To determine the prevalence of obesity within a population of pleasure horses and ponies in Victoria, Australia, and to compare owners' perceptions of their animals' body condition with researchers' assessments. Methods: An observational study plus owner questionnaire. Methods: Ten Pony Club rallies in different regions of Victoria were attended. Information regarding 229 horses and ponies were obtained from owner questionnaires, and owners' perceptions of the current body condition of their animals were assessed using a visual analogue scale. Body condition score (BCS) was assessed by the res...
Seo MG, Lee SH, Ouh IO, Lee GH, Goo YK, Kim S, Kwon OD, Kwak D.Members of the genus Coxiella can be transmitted from ticks to humans during contact with animals; Coxiella may thus spread from the infected horses or ticks to humans. In this study, the presence of Coxiella burnetii and Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) in ticks found on infested horses was determined using PCR and genotyping. A total of 213 ticks were randomly collected from 51 horses (4-5 ticks per horse) raised on Jeju Island, Korea, between 2009 and 2013. All ticks were morphologically identified as adult Haemaphysalis longicornis, a predominant tick species widespread in Korea. Based on...
Tofflemire K, Whitley EM, Allbaugh R, Ben-Shlomo G, Griggs A, Strong T, Whitley RD.To evaluate the effect of topical ophthalmic 0.005% latanoprost alone and in combination with 0.1% diclofenac on healthy horses. Methods: Twelve healthy adult horses. Methods: A randomized, masked crossover design was used with horses divided into three groups for once daily treatment in one randomly selected eye. For arm 1 of the study, Group D (n = 3) received 0.1% diclofenac, Group L (n = 3) received 0.005% latanoprost, and Group DL (n = 6) received 0.005% latanoprost and 0.2 ml of 0.1% diclofenac. For arm 2 of the study, horses from Group D and L were placed into Group DL and horses from G...
Pacholewska A, Mach N, Mata X, Vaiman A, Schibler L, Barrey E, Gerber V.MiRNAs regulate multiple genes at the post-transcriptional level and therefore play an important role in many biological processes. It has been suggested that miRNA exported outside the cells contribute to inter-cellular communication. Consequently, circulating miRNAs are of particular interest and are promising biomarkers for many diseases. The number of miRNAs annotated in the horse genome is much lower compared to model organisms like human and mouse. We therefore aimed to identify novel equine miRNAs for tissue types and breed in serum. We analysed 71 small RNA-seq libraries derived from n...
Adler DM, Cornett C, Damborg P, Verwilghen DR.Local anaesthetics (LAs) are frequently used for diagnostic procedures in equine veterinary practice. The objective of this study was to investigate the physico-chemical stability and bacterial contamination of bupivacaine, lidocaine and mepivacaine used for lameness examinations in horses. The LAs were stored in 12 different groups at different temperatures (-18 °C to 70 °C), light intensities and in common veterinary field conditions for up to 16 months. The pH, presence of bacterial contamination and concentrations of LAs and methylparaben (a preservative present in lidocaine) were de...
Semik E, Gurgul A, Ząbek T, Ropka-Molik K, Koch C, Mählmann K, Bugno-Poniewierska M.Equine sarcoids are the most commonly detected skin tumours in Equidae. In the present research, a comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed which aimed at looking inside a tumour biology and identification of the expression profile as a potential source of cancer specific genes useful as biomarkers. We have used Horse Gene Expression Microarray data from matched equine sarcoids and tumour-distant skin samples. In total, 901 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between lesional and healthy skin samples have been identified (fold change ≥ 2; P < 0.05). The la...
Riley CB, Noble BR, Bridges J, Hazel SJ, Thompson K.Equine transportation research has largely focused on the commercial land movement of horses. Data on the incidence and factors associated with horse injuries during non-commercial transportation (privately owned horse trucks and trailers) is scant. This study surveyed 223 drivers transporting horses to 12 equestrian events in southeastern Australia. Data collected encompassed driver demographics, travel practice, vehicle characteristics, and incidents involving horse injury. Approximately 25% (55/223) of participants reported that their horses were injured during transportation. Of these 72% ...
Deng L, Li W, Zhong Z, Gong C, Liu X, Huang X, Xiao L, Zhao R, Wang W, Feng F, Zhang Y, Hu Y, Fu H, He M, Zhang Y, Wu K, Peng G.Enterocytozoon bieneusi is one of the most prevalent causative species of diarrhea and enteric diseases in various hosts. E. bieneusi has been identified in humans, mammals, birds, rodents and reptiles in China, but few studies have reported E. bieneusi in horses. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the prevalence, molecular characteristics and zoonotic potential of E. bieneusi among horses in southwestern China. Three hundred and thirty-three fecal specimens were collected from horses on five farms in the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces of southwestern China. The prevalence of E...
Flunker JC, Clouser JM, Mannino D, Swanberg J.Latino thoroughbred workers may be at risk for developing abnormal pulmonary function related to occupational exposures. Methods: Eighty worker participants were recruited via community-based purposive sampling. Questionnaires and spirometry tests were administered by trained lay health promoters. Demographic and occupational factors were assessed for associations with respiratory outcomes via multivariable logistic regression. Results: Twenty-seven percent of participants exhibited abnormal pulmonary function (primarily restrictive), 79% reported any respiratory symptoms, and 94% infrequently...
Luethy D, Owens SD, Stefanovski D, Nolen-Walston R, Giger U.Assessment of blood compatibility, typically by tube agglutination (TUBE) and hemolysis crossmatch or, less commonly, by blood typing and alloantibody screening, often is performed before blood transfusion in horses. In contrast, gel column (GEL) and immunochromatographic strip (STRIP) techniques are preferred for compatibility testing in dogs and cats. Objective: To determine the accuracy of novel and standard crossmatch and typing methods. Methods: Thirty-eight healthy horses, previously blood typed and alloantibody screened. Methods: TUBE and GEL crossmatches were performed on 146 different...
Antosiewicz J, Porschke D.Hemoglobins from normal human cells, from sickle cells, and from horse were investigated by electrooptical methods in their oxy and deoxy forms. The reduced linear dichroism measured as a function of the electric field strength demonstrates the existence of permanent dipole moments in the range of 250-400 Debye units. The reduced limiting dichroism is relatively small (< or = 0.1); it is negative for hemoglobin from sickle cells and positive for the hemoglobins from normal human cells and from horse. The dichroism decay time constants are in the range from about 55 to 90 ns. Calculations of th...
Linford RL, O'Brien TR, Wheat JD, Meagher DM.A lateral radiograph of the pharyngeal region provides a technique for identifying pharyngeal disorders, including entrapment of the epiglottic cartilage and dorsal displacement of the soft palate. Epiglottic cartilage length, predicted from radiographs by measurement from the body of the thyroid cartilage to the tip of the epiglottis (thyroepiglottic length), was well correlated to actual length at postmortem examination (r2 = 0.98). Thyroepiglottic length, corrected for magnification, was 8.76 +/- 0.44 cm in 24 healthy Thoroughbreds. Nine Thoroughbreds with entrapment of the epiglottic carti...
Liu S, Yang Y, Pan Q, Sun Y, Ma H, Liu Y, Wang M, Zhao C, Wu C.Extremely low nucleotide diversity of modern horse Y-chromosome has been reported, and only poor phylogenetic resolution could be resulted from limited Y-chromosome markers. In this study, three types of horse Y-chromosome markers, including Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), copy number variants (CNVs), and allele-specific CNVs, were developed by screening more than 300 male horses from 23 indigenous Chinese horse populations and 4 imported horse breeds. Fourteen segregating sites including a novel SNP in the AMELY gene were found in approximately 53 kb of male-specific Y-chromosome sequ...
Rizzo A, Sciorsci RL.Homocysteine (Hcy) is a thiol-containing essential amino acid, important for the growth of cells and tissues. Several hypotheses exist regarding Hcy toxicity in humans; Hcy is involved in protein structural modifications, oxidative stress, and neurotoxicity induction and is therefore associated with several pathological conditions in humans. In veterinary science, knowledge regarding Hcy has increased recently due to several studies; however, many aspects remain undiscovered. Many details remain unknown regarding the effect of Hcy levels on pregnancy and the optimal management of pathological ...
Riihimäki M, Lilliehöök I, Raine A, Berg M, Pringle J.The aim of this study was to assess clinical signs and altered pulmonary cell expression of cytokines related to eosinophil kinetics in horses with pulmonary eosinophilia. Pulmonary eosinophilia was detected by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in a group of standardbreds in training. Horses had detailed clinical examination, bronchoscopy, endobronchial biopsy and BAL on three occasions at approximately 6 month intervals. During the second sampling period BAL eosinophils were significantly elevated (p>0.010), with five horses having from 5% to 37% eosinophils in BAL. Neither detailed clinical ex...
Giuliano EA.Neoplastic adnexal disease represents one of the most frequently encountered and therapeutically challenging ophthalmic problems of horses. This paper reviews current concepts in equine periocular neoplasia. Specifically, a literature-based review of the aetiopathogenesis of the most common tumours to affect the equine eyelid (squamous cell carcinoma, sarcoid, melanoma and lymphosarcoma) is provided. Current and emerging treatment modalities, including photodynamic therapy, are reviewed.
Belloli C, Crescenzo G, Lai O, Carofiglio V, Marang O, Ormas P.The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic behaviour of imidocarb in horses following a single i.m. injection at the dose commonly administered to treat Babesia caballi infections or to prevent babesiosis. Eight horses were injected i.m. with a single dose of 2.4 mg imidocarb dipropionate/kg bwt and blood, faecal, urine and milk samples were collected. For imidocarb determination, a high-performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) was used after weak cation-exchange solid phase, or liquid-liquid, extraction procedures. Twelve hours after treatment, no detectable plas...
Ralston SL, Nockels CF, Squires EL.Hematologic data and results of diagnostic tests were compared between aged (greater than or equal to 20 years old) and young (less than or equal to 5 years old) horses to identify hematologic and metabolic changes associated with aging. Initial data were obtained from 8 aged and 6 young mares (group 1). Similar data were collected from a second group of aged (3 mares and 3 geldings) and young (1 mare and 5 geldings) horses (group 2). Dexamethasone suppression tests (DST) and necropsies were performed on 6 additional mares and mare 8 from group 1 (group 3). Complete blood counts and serum bioc...
Hart KA, Linnenkohl W, Mayer JR, House AM, Gold JR, Giguère S.Medical management of sand enteropathy is common in equine practice, but the clinical features and outcomes associated with medically managed sand enteropathy are not well described. Objective: To review clinical features, therapeutic approaches and outcomes associated with primary medical management of sand enteropathy in the mature horse. Methods: Medical record databases at 3 equine referral hospitals from January 2000 to April 2010 were reviewed for cases of sand enteropathy diagnosed via abdominal radiographs in mature horses that were initially managed medically. Data were collected and ...
O'Connor S, Warrington G, Whelan G, McGoldrick A, Cullen S.To examine concussion history, knowledge, and attitudes among Irish professional and amateur jockeys. Cross-sectional survey. Questionnaire was distributed through e-mails sent to all licensed jockeys, over social media and during professional and amateur race meetings. An average of 23.6% (12%-44%) Irish professional and amateur jockeys (n = 119) holding a license in 2017. Jockeys reported their previous concussion history, actions after their most recent concussion and responded to questions examining their knowledge and attitudes toward concussion. Amateur (32.4%) and professional (19.6%) j...
Suske A, Pöschke A, Schrock P, Kirschner S, Brockmann M, Staszyk C.There is increasing interest in diseases of infundibula of equine maxillary cheek teeth. Imperfect infundibular cementogenesis has been recognized as an aetiopathological factor for the onset of infundibular necrosis. In this article, infundibular development was examined with particular attention to infundibular blood vessels and cementogenesis. Forty-one deciduous maxillary premolars prior to eruption were investigated using routine histological and immunohistological methods to visualize blood vessels and the enamel organ. Selected specimens were scanned by micro-computed tomography to anal...
McClellan A, Paterson YZ, Paillot R, Guest DJ.In horses and humans, tendon injuries are a significant problem. Not only can they occur in both athletes and nonathletes, they require lengthy periods of recuperation and undergo poor natural regeneration, which leads to high reinjury rates. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) may provide a renewable source of allogeneic cells to use in clinical applications to aid tissue regeneration. Equine ESCs can undergo tenocyte differentiation in vivo and in vitro, but the immune properties of tenocytes isolated from either ESCs or tissues have not previously been characterized. Here, we demonstrate that equin...
McLaughlin SA, Brightman AH, Helper LC, Manning JP, Tomes JE.In 123 cases of external ocular disease in the horse, pathogenic microorganisms isolated with greatest frequency were Streptococcus sp (43.9%), Staphylococcus sp (24.2%), and Pseudomonas sp (13.8%). Fungi were isolated in 4.8% of the cases. In vitro testing showed that most of the Streptococcus sp isolants were sensitive to ampicillin, cephalothin, and carbenicillin. Most of the Staphylococcus sp isolants were sensitive to gentamicin, cephalothin, and bacitracin. Most of the Pseudomonas sp isolants were sensitive to polymyxin B and gentamicin.
Belknap JK.The treatment of laminitis has been fraught with confusion and controversy for several decades, mainly because of a lack of understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease process. However, recent advances in laminitis research have greatly improved our understanding of the disease process. This article discusses the various treatment options for laminitis in the context of the findings of recent scientific investigations of laminitis pathophysiology.
Berg LC, Nielsen JV, Thoefner MB, Thomsen PD.In equine patients, the cause of clinical signs possibly related to the cervical region is often difficult to diagnose. Ultrasonography allows quick and noninvasive visualisation, but reference material of the normal equine neck is needed. Objective: To describe and document the normal ultrasonographic appearance of transverse scans in the cervical region with emphasis on the synovial articular facet joints, cervical vertebrae and paravertebral structures; and further, to provide images of frozen cross-sections for anatomical reference. Methods: A study describing the normal ultrasonographic a...
Capomaccio S, Willand ZA, Cook SJ, Issel CJ, Santos EM, Reis JK, Cook RF.The genetically distinct wild horse herds inhabiting Shackleford Banks, North Carolina are probably the direct descendents of Spanish stock abandoned after failed attempts to settle mid-Atlantic coastal regions of North America in the Sixteenth Century. In a 1996 island survey, 41% of the gathered horses were discovered seropositive for Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) with additional cases identified in 1997 and 1998. As a result of their unique genetic heritage, EIAV seropositive individuals identified in the two latter surveys were transferred to a quarantine facility on the mainland. ...
Rosanowski SM, Rogers CW, Cogger N, Benschop J, Stevenson MA.A survey was conducted to investigate biosecurity practices on non-commercial horse properties, to describe the number of visits by horse professionals and any protocols that visitors were required to follow before interacting with resident horses. Data were collected in November 2009 during a cross-sectional study of non-commercial horse properties, in New Zealand, selected using generalised random-tessellated stratified design and a self-administered postal questionnaire. Data were described and the associations between property-level factors and biosecurity practices were analysed using log...
Van Eps AW, Pollitt CC.A previous preliminary study demonstrated the potential of distal limb cryotherapy (DLC) for preventing laminitis. Clinically, DLC must be effective for periods longer than 48 h and the preventive effect must extend beyond its discontinuation. Objective: To evaluate the effect of DLC, applied during the developmental phase of induced laminitis, on the severity of clinical laminitis and lamellar histopathology 7 days after dosing. Methods: Eighteen normal Standardbred horses were divided into 3 groups of 6. Continuous cryotherapy was applied for 72 h to the distal limbs of the first group. The ...
Barakzai SZ, Dixon PM.To correlate resting and exercising endoscopic grades of laryngeal function in horses undergoing high-speed treadmill endoscopy (HSTE) using the Havemeyer grading system. To correlate dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) seen at rest with palatal function during exercise. Methods: Records of horses that underwent HSTE examination (1999-2009) were reviewed. Resting laryngeal function score and other abnormalities noted on resting endoscopy were recorded as were results of HSTE. Results of resting and exercising endoscopic findings were correlated. Results: 281 horses underwent HSTE. Th...
Sims D, Horne MM, Creighan M, Donald A.The objective of this ultrastructural investigation was to determine if populations of pericytes in equine dermal and skeletal muscle capillaries increase in a head-to-foot direction, as has been reported in human skeletal muscles. Samples of equine microvessels were obtained from the longissimus dorsi skeletal muscle 150 cm. from the ground, from the dermis above this muscle, from the extensor carpi radiali muscle at 55 cm. from the ground, from the dermis adjacent to that muscle, and from dermis 15 cm. from the ground, just above the hoof wall. Tissues were processed for transmission electro...
Baldwin AL, Chea I.This study explored whether aromatherapy increases the parasympathetic component (root mean square of successive differences [RMSSD]) of heart rate variability (HRV) in horses. Horses are highly sensitive, easily stressed, have an acute sense of smell, and have been shown to benefit from aromatherapy. The protocol, performed on eight dressage horses, followed a crossover design with an experimental treatment of humidified essential oil (lavender, Lavandula angustifolia) and a control treatment of humidified air. Heart rate variability was recorded for 7 minutes before, during, and immediately...
Durward-Akhurst SA, Finno CJ, Barnes N, Shivers J, Guo LT, Shelton GD, Valberg SJ.Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I and II expression is not normally detected on sarcolemma, but is detected with lymphocytic infiltrates in immune-mediated myositis (IMM) of humans and dogs and in dysferlin-deficient muscular dystrophy. Objective: To determine if sarcolemmal MHC is expressed in active IMM in horses, if MHC expression is associated with lymphocytic subtype, and if dysferlin is expressed in IMM. Methods: Twenty-one IMM horses of Quarter Horse-related breeds, 3 healthy and 6 disease controls (3 pasture myopathy, 3 amylase-resistant polysaccharide storage myopathy [PSSM]). ...
Mizuguchi M, Nara M, Ke Y, Kawano K, Hiraoki T, Nitta K.Interactions between Ca2+ and the Asp side chains in the Ca2+-binding site of equine lysozyme were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. In the spectrum of equine lysozyme, the intensities of the bands at about 1595 cm-1 and 1578 cm-1 in the region of the COO antisymmetric stretches increased upon Ca2+ binding. In the region of the COO- symmetric stretches, the loss of intensity at about 1388 cm-1 and gains of intensities at about 1423 cm-1 and 1403 cm-1 were observed due to Ca2+ binding to equine lysozyme. The spectral changes for equine lysozyme indicate that the C...
Zaugg JL, Lane VM.We evaluated the efficacy of buparvaquone in eliminating Babesia equi of European origin in carrier horses and in experimentally infected splenectomized ponies. When administered at the rate of 2.5 mg/kg of body weight, IM, 4 times at 96-hour intervals, buparvaquone was effective in eliminating B equi carrier infection in 1 horse. Such results could not be repeated at the same dosage or at 3.5 or 5 mg/kg, IM. Buparvaquone given at the rate of 4 to 6 mg/kg IV and/or IM was therapeutically effective in 4 of 5 acute B equi infections in splenectomized ponies. The treated ponies became carriers.
Hudson N, Mayhew I, Pearson G.Equine dysautonomia (grass sickness) is a common, frequently fatal disease of horses characterised by dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. Interstitial cells of Cajal are the c-Kit-immunoreactive cells responsible for the generation of pacemaker activity in gastrointestinal smooth muscle. Impairment of this pacemaker action has been implicated in several motility disorders in humans and laboratory mammals. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that changes in interstitial cells of Cajal may be involved in the pathophysiology of the intestinal dysfunction observed in equine gra...
Navarro D, Vargas M, Herrera M, Segura Á, Gómez A, Villalta M, Ramírez N, Williams D, Gutiérrez JM, León G.A chicken-derived antivenom (ChDAv) towards taipan snake (Oxyuranus scutellatus) venom was produced by purifying anti-taipan IgY from egg yolks of hens immunized with taipan venom. The productivity, antivenomic profile, neutralization ability, pharmacokinetic properties and immunogenicity of the ChDAv were compared with those of an antivenom produced in horses (EDAv). We found that 382 eggs are required to produce the mass of anti-taipan antibodies contained in one liter of equine hyperimmune plasma, and that 63 chickens would be needed to generate the amount of anti-taipan antibodies annually...
Santschi EM, Adams SB, Robertson JT, DeBowes RM, Mitten LA, Sojka JE.Six mares had ovariohysterectomy performed for chronic pyometra associated with cervical abnormalities, uterine neoplasia, or removal of a macerated fetus. Ovariohysterectomy was performed through a ventral midline incision with access to the ovarian and uterine vessels aided by traction on the uterus and retraction of abdominal viscera. Abdominal pain, the most common complication after surgery, occurred in four mares but resolved within 36 hours. Peritonitis occurred in two mares; one mare was subsequently euthanatized. Other complications that resolved with treatment included infection of t...
