"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.
Horne CR, Redding WR.The location of a suspensory ligament (SL) injury heavily influences the clinical presentation, prognosis, and treatment options. Diagnostic imaging is necessary to provide an accurate diagnosis and is critical to ensure the institution of the most appropriate treatment. The hindlimb proximal SL in particular can be challenging to diagnosis, carries a guarded prognosis, and typically requires aggressive treatment to achieve soundness.
Pelli A, Schütrumpf L, Büttner J, Blomeyer S, Gerlach K, Troillet A.Feeding disorders in horses may have various underlying causes. A thorough clinical examination of the oral cavity is essential for clarification and is often supplemented by imaging techniques such as oral endoscopy, radiography, and computed tomography (CT) of the head. Sonographic examinations of the head and oral cavity are less commonly described diagnostic methods for the investigation of feeding disorders. This case report describes 2 horses presented to the clinic due to impaired feed intake. In both cases the radiographic examination of the head did not reveal any abnormalities relate...
Munoz Moran JA.This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular (IA) injections of a combination of platelet rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) on joint effusion following arthroscopic removal of OCD in the tarso-crural joint (TCJ) in young Andalusian horses. Methods: Forty Andalusian horses diagnosed with OCD of the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia (DIRT) were included in the study. Horses enrolled in this study had persisting synovial effusion after arthroscopic removal of OCD in the TCJ. A subjective semi-quantitative effusion score was adopted in the study to define the ...
Boado A, Pollard D, Dyson S.There is limited information about the orthopaedic health of dressage horses. This study aimed to document the orthopaedic status, lesion distribution, and evolution of injuries in 70 horses undergoing a minimum of five in-depth orthopaedic assessments at six-months' intervals. Warmblood (70.0%) and Iberian (24.3%) breeds predominated. The median lameness grade at initial examination was 2/5 (interquartile range 2,2; range 0,3). Hypermetria (42.9%) or hypermetria and weakness (12.9%) were observed at the initial examination and did not change over time. Metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal ...
Peeters MWJ, Ott S, van Veggel E, Berner D, Perrier M.Limited reports in the literature are available regarding desmitis of the palmar/plantar ligaments of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PL-PIPJ); the clinical significance of such injuries is unknown. Objective: To describe the ability to differentiate the PL-PIPJ on low-field magnetic resonance (MR) examination. To describe the injury characteristics of the PL-PIPJ on MR examination and the correlation with clinical features and lameness. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Data and MR images of 29 horses were collected from the databases of three institutions. Horses were included...
Beaumont A, Emond AL, Pourcelot P, Fayaubot L, Ravary-Plumioen B, Dupays AG, Desquilbet L, Denoix JM, Crevier-Denoix N.To quantify changes in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the midmetacarpal superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in young Trotters during training. Unassigned: In this experimental study, 12 healthy 3-year-old French Trotters, assigned to either a soft-track or a hard-track group, were trained for 4 months (June through September of 2012 and 2013). Both groups followed the same exercise program of increasing intensity. Ultrasonographic examinations of both forelimb SDFTs of each horse were performed before the beginning of training (D0), after 2 months of training (M2), and after 4 months o...
Foucaud M, Haegeman L, Kadic D, Vinardell T, Mariën T, Declercq J.To describe a direct arthroscopic approach of the distal pouch of the palmar/plantar recess of the fetlock to facilitate fragment removal, highlighting its advantages over previously described arthroscopic methods for the fetlock. Additionally, to evaluate and present a retrospective case series. Methods: Ex vivo and retrospective clinical study. Methods: A total of 25 fetlocks in 23 horses. Methods: A direct approach to the distal pouch of the palmar/plantar recess of the fetlock was developed on five cadaveric limbs. Arthroscopic anatomy and landmarks were examined. The approach was clinical...
Coelho C, Vintem C, Silva AS, Santos C, Santos AM, Leite A, Souza V, Siqueira R, Filho HCM, Simões J.The present work aimed to evaluate the influence of a training programme on energy expenditure (EE), cost of transport (COT, cardiac beats to move the body mass during exercise) and metabolic power (Pmet) in young Purebred Lusitano horses used in dressage. With this purpose, nine male horses, ~4 years old, were evaluated before (M1) and after 6 weeks (M2) of a training programme that included 40-80 min of preparatory dressage exercises, 6×/week, individually adjusted. In M1 and M2, the animals were examined in a dressage field test (DFT), when heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR), body...
Sales NAA, Carvalho JRG, Littiere TO, Costa GB, Silva ACY, Rodriguez IDM, Castro CM, Anjos LS, Ottati ACM, Alcaide JA, Ramos GV, Ferraudo AS....Whole-body vibration (WBV) has the potential to enhance post-exercise recovery in humans. Heart rate variability (HRV), a well-established biomarker of cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR), provides insight into autonomic reactivity during recovery from exercise. Objective: To investigate CAR in healthy horses during post-exercise recovery following an acute intensive exercise bout (AIEB) with WBV intervention. Methods: A single AIEB was prescribed at velocities corresponding to lactate threshold (VLT), and the eight horses performed on treadmill with 5 % slope, 2 min at 110 % VLT followed by 3 ...
Everts RE, Caron R, Foster G, McLoone K, Martin K, Brooks SA, Lafayette C.The roan coat color is described as the dispersion of white hairs within an otherwise solid background color coat. This phenotype is primarily expressed on the body of the horse, with the head and legs exhibiting few to no white hairs. Previous studies mapped the locus for roan to the KIT region and observed linked variants in a small number of breeds. However, utilizing those linked markers to determine the roan genotype in other breeds has seen limited success. In this communication we identify a second roan allele (RN2) which, in conjunction with a previously observed roan allele (RN1) disc...
Dosi M, Scott L, Payne H, Poldy J, Keen J, McGorum B, Malbon A, Morgan R.Hyperinsulinaemia (HI) is an important feature of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS). It has been suggested that reduced hepatic clearance of insulin contributes to HI, particularly in humans affected by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Objective: In obese horses with HI, insulin clearance is impaired and associated with MASLD. Methods: Tissue samples were collected at post-mortem from clinically well-characterized horses with HI (n = 13; basal insulin > 20 mIU/l) and without HI (control; n = 20). Methods: Retrospective observational study. Molecular d...
Jonsdottir S, Stefansdottir SB, Mirkovitch J, Ziegler A, Torsteinsdottir S, Marti E.Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an IgE-mediated dermatitis in horses caused by bites of spp. The allergens are salivary gland proteins from these insects, and nine major allergens from have been identified and expressed in . However, proteins expressed in procaryotic systems have limitations in cellular assays, particularly in functional assays assessing the allergen-induced release of mediators , such as sulphidoleukotrienes (sLT) from basophils. The aims of the study were to produce functional allergens in insect cells, to assess their allergenicity using a sLT release assay, and to...
Dai F, Toson M, Bertotto D, Dalla Costa A, Heinzl EUL, Lega F, Minero M, Padalino B, Stefani AL, Trestini S, Maietti F, Zonta G, Di Martino G.The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of self-loading training on the overall stress response during pre-slaughter transportation in slaughter horses. Thirty-two slaughter horses were divided into two groups: the control group (CG) and the Trained Group (TG). For six weeks, the TG horses were trained to self-load using a method based on target training and shaping. Animals from both groups were transported to the same slaughterhouse in small groups on different days using the same truck along the same route. The baseline and post-transportation values of the eye temperature and fecal...
Janczarek I, Gazda I, Barłowska J, Kurnik J, Łuszczyński J.It is assumed that horses have a strong herd instinct that cannot be suppressed by any form of social support from humans. The aim of this study was to assess the behaviour and heart rate parameters of horses that received various forms of human support during short-term social isolation. The research material consisted of 12 clinically healthy recreational warmblood mares and geldings. The test was carried out four times. The research test consisted of two parts, which began in the presence of accompanying horses and under conditions of social isolation, with and without support provided by a...
Abbas I, Ahmed F, Muqaddas H, Alberti A, Varcasia A, Sedda L.Climate change can cause spatio-temporal shifts in the epidemiology of various vector borne pathogens, especially in vulnerable areas such as the Mediterranean Basin (MB). Among these pathogens, the West Nile virus (WNV) became endemic in the region. This systematic review and meta-analysis study summarizes WNV epidemiology, molecular characteristics, and surveillance in various MB countries, relying on data and scientific articles on WNV published during 2010-2023. The number of published articles varied across the three MB subregions: Southern Europe (n = 153), North Africa (n = 33), and...
Ribeiro RM, Oliveira TO, Ribeiro DSF.The use of thermal cameras in horses has proven effective for monitoring surface body temperature non-invasively, enabling the early identification of disease and inflammation. This study evaluated the agreement between a thermal camera compared to an infrared thermometer in the measurement of surface temperatures of 60 healthy horses (27 mares, 33 stallions; 7.88 ± 4.01 years; 466 ± 50.1 kg). Measurements were taken at the neck, thorax, and coronary band between 8:00-9:00 a.m., under controlled environmental conditions. Analysis revealed strong correlations between the two methods at the co...
Parra-Moyano LA, Cedeño A, Darby S, Johnson JP, Gomez DE.The effectiveness of the peritoneal fluid L-lactate-to-total solids ratio (PFL:PFTS) as a diagnostic marker for strangulating lesions of the small intestine (SI) and large colon (LC) has not been investigated. Objective: Describe and compare the PFL:PTFS and blood lactate (BL), peritoneal fluid lactate (PFL) and PFL:BL difference and PFL:BL ratio of horses with SI and LC strangulating (SO) and non-strangulating (NSO) obstructions and determine sensitivity and specificity to predict SO. Methods: A total of 282 horses, 117 with SI lesions (59 classified as SINSO and 58 as SISO), and 165 with LC ...
Kutumbetov L, Myrzakhmetova B, Tussipova A, Zhapparova G, Tlenchiyeva T, Bissenbayeva K, Nurabayev S, Kerimbayev A.Equine rhinopneumonia, caused by equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), continues to be a significant health and economic concern in the global equine industry, particularly in Kazakhstan. While vaccines targeting EHV-1 are available, there is currently no licensed monovalent vaccine for EHV-4, and existing formulations offer limited protection against this serotype. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a freeze-dried, live-attenuated EHV-4 vaccine with improved safety, stability, and immunogenicity. Methods: A field isolate of EHV-4 was attenuated through serial passaging in ...
Araújo IRDS, de Brito EL, de Melo UP, Mariz ALB, Cavalheiro MT, Ferreira C, de Morais LF, de Souza RF.This study aimed to evaluate the use of antimicrobials in horses, focusing on administration practices, adherence to veterinary prescriptions, and the impact on the development of antimicrobial resistance. The research was based on a questionnaire completed by 220 horse owners in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The data collected covered aspects including antibiotic use, prescription sources, the performance of culture and susceptibility tests, and the disposal of veterinary drug waste. The results indicated that 98.63% of horse owners administered antibiotics mainly to treat respira...
Bishop RC, Arrington JV, Wilkins PA, McCoy AM.Peritoneal fluid (PF) is intimately associated with the gastrointestinal tract, and changes in the PF may directly reflect abdominal pathology. We aimed to quantify differences in the PF proteome between intestinal lesion type (ischemic vs. non-ischemic) and location (small vs. large intestine). PF samples were collected at hospital admission from horses presenting for abdominal pain (colic). Cases were clinically categorized by lesion type and location after resolution (10 per group). PF proteins were extracted and quantified by label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. Data ...
Granella MCS, Mendes RP, da Silva Casa M, Ribeiro GSN, Sangioni LA, Vogel FSF, Braünig P, Ferian PE, Salbego FZ, Schwarz DGG, Fonteque JH.Protozoan Neospora spp. is known to negatively affect horses reared in rural and urban environments, being studied for causing abortion, neonatal mortality and central nervous system disorders in horses. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of anti-Neospora spp. antibodies in horses bred in rural and urban areas from southern Brazil and the risk factors associated with infection. The study consisted of 400 horses, which 241 were bred in rural areas and 159 in urban areas. The detection of serum anti-Neospora spp. antibodies was determined using Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). The...
Sobhy A, Nomir AG, Hamed MA, Abumandour MMA, El-Kammar M.The current study was prepared to compare the efficacy of xylazine-lidocaine HCl and detomidine-lidocaine HCl following caudal epidural injection in horses, evaluating sedation, analgesia, physiological parameters, and hemato-biochemical values. This study was applied to six healthy adult horses (300-350 kg, > 4 years of age). The horses were randomly divided into two equal groups. Group 1 (seven horses) received xylazine (0.17 mg/kg bwt) + lidocaine HCl (0.06 mg/kg bwt), while Group 2 received detomidine (0.03 mg/kg bwt) + lidocaine HCl (0.06 mg/kg bwt) via caudal epidural inje...
Gaida JL, Steinberg T, Stieger-Vanegas SM, Merle R, Lischer CJ.Recent technological advancements in CT have improved the ability to scan standing sedated horses. However, the impact of radiation exposure on veterinary staff while scanning the extremities of standing horses using this technique, compared with digital radiography (DR), remains unknown. This study compares the radiation exposure of imaging technicians assisting with multidetector CT (MDCT) and DR of the distal thoracic limb and tarsus in standing horses. Personal dose equivalent was measured on four body locations: thyroid gland, gonads, hand, and feet. Images of the distal thoracic limb (n ...
Mrzdovnik N, Babič J, Lužnik D, Žigon D, Mrzdovnik M, Tavčar-Kalcher G, Tomič V, Prescott JF, Vengust M.Several bacteria associated with chronic lung pathology use quorum sensing (QS) signaling molecules to regulate their virulence in pure cultures and poly-microbial communities. Their excessive growth and biofilm formation in the respiratory tract increase the morbidity and mortality of inflammatory airway diseases in humans, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF). In horses, severe equine asthma (SEA) has many parallels to these human diseases. We hypothesized that QS molecules associated with the most common biofilm-forming lung pathogens in huma...
Bordoni T, Dini FM, Morini M, Rinnovati R, Spadari A, Galuppi R.Mycetoma is a fungal chronic skin proliferative lesion rarely encountered in horses and often associated with fungi such as Scedosporium spp., Madurella spp., Phialophora spp., Curvularia spp., and less frequently with Aspergillus spp. A case of subcutaneous mycetoma in the cervical region in a 7-year-old male Quarter Horse, diagnosed through cytological, histological, cultural and molecular methods, is reported. Aspergillus nidulans, usually implicated in guttural pouch mycosis, was identified. This unusual case represents the second case report of mycetoma caused by Aspergillus nidulans in t...
Lin H, Deng D, Yan Z, Zou G, Shen Y.Staphylococcus aureus can transfer from animals to humans. Lichuan horse is an isolated breed living in a high-altitude area with limited use of antibiotics and is bred for use in tourism. To evaluate the risk of human-animal cross-transmission, the S. aureus was isolated from three horse farms in Lichuan, including healthy horses and horses with skin infections, farm workers and environment. From a collection of 111 samples, 18 S. aureus isolates were obtained. All the isolates were genome sequenced and their biological characteristics including antimicrobial susceptibility, virulence and bi...
Wen X, Ren H, He Q, Yi M, Ulaangerel T, Bou G.Horses and donkeys, as integral members of the equine family, exhibit distinct reproductive capabilities and characteristics. Seminal plasma, the fluid component of semen, contains a variety of proteins that play critical roles in sperm function and fertility. This study aimed to systematically compare the protein profiles in the seminal plasma of horses and donkeys, thereby elucidating the molecular differences between these two species. The study utilized 4D-DIA proteomics technology to analyze seminal plasma from horses and donkeys and further validated key proteins through Western blot. Ou...
Bandera L, Guerri G, Straticò P, Pincelli MC, Celani G, Varasano V, Vignoli M, Petrizzi L.Although lens diseases are uncommon in horses, they can be disabling in advanced stages. The B-mode ultrasound is useful for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of ocular diseases such as cataracts. Elastography is an ultrasonographic technique that allows the detection and measurement of tissue stiffness. This observational cohort prospective study aimed to determine the feasibility, reproducibility, and repeatability of 2D-shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) of lenses in horses. Forty-six eyes of 23 horses with no evidence of ocular disease were included in this study. The horses underwen...
Lloyd-Edwards RA, Mulders E, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Veraa S. Headshaking is a common condition in horses, most cases are presumed idiopathic/trigeminal-nerve mediated. Diagnostic work-up of a headshaking horse may involve computed tomography (CT) of the head to exclude causative structural pathology. The relevance of the presence and severity of hyoid apparatus findings at CT to headshaking is unknown. A retrospective analysis of CT changes in the hyoid apparatus in horses was carried out. Comparisons were performed between horses with signs of headshaking and a control population and a subgroup of horses with signs of headshaking and no other 'likely...
Frost MJ, Zhang J, Edmonds JH, Prow NA, Gu X, Davis R, Hornitzky C, Arzey KE, Finlaison D, Hick P, Read A, Hobson-Peters J, May FJ, Doggett SL....To determine the cause of an unprecedented outbreak of encephalitis among horses in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011, we performed genomic sequencing of viruses isolated from affected horses and mosquitoes. Results showed that most of the cases were caused by a variant West Nile virus (WNV) strain, WNV(NSW2011), that is most closely related to WNV Kunjin (WNV(KUN)), the indigenous WNV strain in Australia. Studies in mouse models for WNV pathogenesis showed that WNV(NSW2011) is substantially more neuroinvasive than the prototype WNV(KUN) strain. In WNV(NSW2011), this apparent increase in vir...
Johnston GM, Eastment JK, Wood J, Taylor PM.To document the equine perioperative mortality rate and to highlight any factor associated with an increased risk of death up to 7 days after anaesthesia. Methods: A prospective observational epidemiological multicentre study. Methods: Data were recorded from all equidae undergoing general anaesthesia in 62 clinics. Power calculations indicated that 45 000 cases were required to detect the significance of important variables. Details of each horse, operation, anaesthetic agents and clinic personnel were recorded. Outcome at 7 days was recorded as: alive, put to sleep (PTS) or dead. Data were a...
Sutton S, Clutterbuck A, Harris P, Gent T, Freeman S, Foster N, Barrett-Jolley R, Mobasheri A.Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common and disabling chronic joint disorders affecting horses, dogs and humans. Synovial inflammation or synovitis is a frequently observed phenomenon in osteoarthritic joints and contributes to the pathogenesis of OA through formation of various catabolic and pro-inflammatory mediators altering the balance of cartilage matrix degradation and repair. Catabolic mediators produced by the inflamed synovium include pro-inflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, prostaglandin E(2) and several neuropeptides, which further contribute to the pathogenesis of OA by incr...
Smith AV, Proops L, Grounds K, Wathan J, McComb K.Whether non-human animals can recognize human signals, including emotions, has both scientific and applied importance, and is particularly relevant for domesticated species. This study presents the first evidence of horses' abilities to spontaneously discriminate between positive (happy) and negative (angry) human facial expressions in photographs. Our results showed that the angry faces induced responses indicative of a functional understanding of the stimuli: horses displayed a left-gaze bias (a lateralization generally associated with stimuli perceived as negative) and a quicker increase in...
Schnellmann C, Gerber V, Rossano A, Jaquier V, Panchaud Y, Doherr MG, Thomann A, Straub R, Perreten V.Because of the frequency of multiple antibiotic resistance, Staphylococcus species often represent a challenge in incisional infections of horses undergoing colic surgery. To investigate the evolution of antibiotic resistance patterns before and after preventative peri- and postoperative penicillin treatment, staphylococci were isolated from skin and wound samples at different times during hospitalization. Most staphylococci were normal skin commensals and belonged to the common coagulase-negative group. In some cases they turned out to be opportunistic pathogens present in wound infections. M...
The intestinal tract is a rich and complex environment and its microbiota has been shown to have an important role in health and disease in the host. Several factors can cause disruption of the normal intestinal microbiota, including antimicrobial therapy, which is an important cause of diarrhea in horses. This study aimed to characterize changes in the fecal bacterial populations of healthy horses associated with the administration of frequently used antimicrobial drugs. Results: Twenty-four adult mares were assigned to receive procaine penicillin intramuscularly (IM), ceftiofur sodium IM, tr...
Weese JS, Holcombe SJ, Embertson RM, Kurtz KA, Roessner HA, Jalali M, Wismer SE.Disruptions in the gastrointestinal microbiota may trigger development of post partum colic. Objective: To determine the effects of the periparturient period on the faecal microbiome and identify associations between the faecal microbiota and post partum colic. Methods: Longitudinal case-control study. Methods: Pre- and post partum faecal samples were collected from mares on 3 farms in central Kentucky. Next generation sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed on samples from 13 mares that developed colic, 13 mares that did not display colic and 5 nonpregnant controls. Res...
Chandriani S, Skewes-Cox P, Zhong W, Ganem DE, Divers TJ, Van Blaricum AJ, Tennant BC, Kistler AL.Theiler's disease is an acute hepatitis in horses that is associated with the administration of equine blood products; its etiologic agent has remained unknown for nearly a century. Here, we used massively parallel sequencing to explore samples from a recent Theiler's disease outbreak. Metatranscriptomic analysis of the short sequence reads identified a 10.5-kb sequence from a previously undescribed virus of the Flaviviridae family, which we designate "Theiler's disease-associated virus" (TDAV). Phylogenetic analysis clusters TDAV with GB viruses of the recently proposed Pegivirus genus, altho...
Schnabel LV, Pezzanite LM, Antczak DF, Felippe MJ, Fortier LA.The horse is a valuable species to assess the effect of allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in regenerative treatments. No studies to date have examined recipient response to major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched equine MSCs. The purposes of this study were to immunophenotype MSCs from horses of known MHC haplotype and to compare the immunogenicity of MSCs with differing MHC class II expression. Methods: MSCs and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) were obtained from Thoroughbred horses (n=10) of known MHC haplotype (ELA-A2, -A3, and -A9 homozygotes). MSCs were cultured thro...
Kellerman TS, Marasas WF, Thiel PG, Gelderblom WC, Cawood M, Coetzer JA.Leukoencephalomalacia (LEM) was induced by the oral administration of fumonisin B1 (FB1) to 2 horses: a filly received 59.5 mg/kg of a 50% preparation of FB1, administered in 21 doses of 1.25-4 mg/kg over 33 days; a colt, 44.3 mg/kg of 95% pure FB1 in 20 doses of 1-4 mg/kg in 29 days. Both animals developed nervous signs such as apathy, changes in temperament, inco-ordination, walking into objects, and one showed paralysis of the lips and tongue. Characteristic lesions of LEM were present in the brains. These trials proved conclusively that FB1 can induce LEM in horses.
Shepherd ML, Swecker WS, Jensen RV, Ponder MA.The diversity of the equine fecal bacterial community was evaluated using pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Fecal samples were obtained from horses fed cool-season grass hay. Fecal bacteria were characterized by amplifying the V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Of 5898 mean unique sequences, a mean of 1510 operational taxonomic units were identified in the four fecal samples. Equine fecal bacterial richness was higher than that reported in humans, but lower than that reported in either cattle feces or soil. Bacterial classified sequences were assigned to 16 phyla, of which 10 were ...
Mehlhorn H, Schein E.The horse-parasitizing species Babesia equi Laveran, 1901 was redescribed as Theileria equi Mehlhorn, Schein 1998 and, thus, transferred from one valid genus to another. This transfer was needed since it turned out that this horse parasite showed the relevant characteristics of theilerians with regard to biological data, morphological features, biochemical properties, and molecular biological relationships.
Azlaf R, Dakkak A.The objectives of this epidemiological study on cystic echinococcosis (CE) in Morocco (2001-2004) were to update the prevalence of CE in different animal species living in the most important areas of the country and to collect protoscoleces and germinal layers for genetic research purposes. The post mortem inspection concerned 2948 sheep, 2337 goats, 618 cattle, 482 camels and 455 equines (325 horses, 60 mules and 70 donkeys) in five different regions: the Rif (Mediterranean coast and high mountains of the Rif), the Loukkos (Atlantic northwest plain), the center (Rabat and Casablanca regions),...
McIlwraith CW, Frisbie DD, Kawcak CE, Fuller CJ, Hurtig M, Cruz A.Equine models of osteoarthritis (OA) have been used to investigate pathogenic pathways of OA and evaluate therapeutic candidates for naturally occurring equine OA which is a significant clinical disease in the horse. This review focuses on the macroscopic and microscopic criteria for assessing naturally occurring OA in the equine metacarpophalangeal joint as well as the osteochondral fragment-exercise model of OA in the equine middle carpal joint. Methods: A review was conducted of all published OA studies using horses and the most common macroscopic and microscopic scoring systems were summar...
Montelaro RC, Parekh B, Orrego A, Issel CJ.The recurrent nature of equine infectious anemia has been attributed to relatively rapid antigenic variations in equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) during persistent infection under selective immune pressures. This model was tested by serological and biochemical analysis of virus isolates recovered from separate febrile episodes in two experimentally infected ponies. Neutralization assays employing immune sera from the experimentally infected ponies demonstrated that distinct antigenic strains of virus predominate during sequential febrile episodes in a single pony. Analysis of the test str...
Marklund L, Moller MJ, Sandberg K, Andersson L.The melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor gene (MC1R) is the major candidate gene for the chestnut coat color in horses since it is assumed to be controlled by an allele at the extension locus. MC1R sequences were PCR amplified from chestnut (e/e) and non-chestnut (E/-) horses. A single-strand conformation polymorphism was found that showed a complete association to the chestnut coat color among 144 horses representing 12 breeds. Sequence analysis revealed a single missense mutation (83Ser-->Phe) in the MC1R allele associated with the chestnut color. The substitution occurs in the second ...
Daly K, Proudman CJ, Duncan SH, Flint HJ, Dyer J, Shirazi-Beechey SP.We aimed to determine the effects of variations in dietary composition on equine gut microbiota and their fermentation products, and proposed that dietary modifications profoundly affect microbial ecosystems and their metabolites. Bacterial communities within the large intestine of three groups of horses were compared using oligonucleotide-RNA hybridisation methodology. Each group consisting of six horses was maintained on (1) a grass-only diet, (2) a concentrate diet (i.e. supplemented with hydrolysable carbohydrates) and (3) a concentrate diet but horses were affected by simple colonic obstr...
Keegan KG, Kramer J, Yonezawa Y, Maki H, Pai PF, Dent EV, Kellerman TE, Wilson DA, Reed SK.To determine repeatability of a wireless, inertial sensor-based lameness evaluation system in horses. Methods: 236 horses. Methods: Horses were from 2 to 29 years of age and of various breeds and lameness disposition. All horses were instrumented with a wireless, inertial sensor-based motion analysis system on the head (accelerometer), pelvis (midline croup region [accelerometer]), and right forelimb (gyroscope) before evaluation in 2 consecutive trials, approximately 5 minutes apart, as the horse was trotted in a straight line. Signal-processing algorithms generated overall trial asymmetry me...
Nixon AJ, Dahlgren LA, Haupt JL, Yeager AE, Ward DL.To assess the potential of adipose-derived nucleated cell (ADNC) fractions to improve tendon repair in horses with collagenase-induced tendinitis. Methods: 8 horses. Methods: Collagenase was used to induce tendinitis in the superficial digital flexor tendon of 1 forelimb in each horse. Four horses were treated by injection of autogenous ADNC fractions, and 4 control horses were injected with PBS solution. Healing was compared by weekly ultrasonographic evaluation. Horses were euthanatized at 6 weeks. Gross and histologic evaluation of tendon structure, fiber alignment, and collagen typing were...
Frisbie DD, Al-Sobayil F, Billinghurst RC, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW.To discriminate between changes in biomarkers with exercise compared to changes in biomarkers with osteoarthritis (OA) in exercising horses. Methods: Sixteen, 2-year-old horses were randomly assigned either to an exercise-alone (n=8) or OA-affected (also exercised) (n=8) group. All horses had both mid-carpal joints arthroscoped and OA induced in one mid-carpal joint in the OA-affected joints of OA-affected horses. Two weeks after surgery all horses commenced a strenuous exercise program on a high-speed treadmill. Clinical outcomes and synovial fluid and serum biomarkers, were evaluated weekly....
Leclere M, Lavoie-Lamoureux A, Lavoie JP.Animal models have been developed to investigate specific components of asthmatic airway inflammation, hyper-responsiveness or remodelling. However, all of these aspects are rarely observed in the same animal. Heaves is a naturally occurring disease of horses that combines these features. It is characterized by stable dust-induced inflammation, bronchospasm and remodelling. The evaluation of horses during well-controlled natural antigen exposure and avoidance in experimental settings allows the study of disease mechanisms in the asymptomatic and symptomatic stages, an approach rarely feasible ...
Hauswirth R, Haase B, Blatter M, Brooks SA, Burger D, Drögemüller C, Gerber V, Henke D, Janda J, Jude R, Magdesian KG, Matthews JM, Poncet PA....During fetal development neural-crest-derived melanoblasts migrate across the entire body surface and differentiate into melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells. Alterations in this precisely regulated process can lead to white spotting patterns. White spotting patterns in horses are a complex trait with a large phenotypic variance ranging from minimal white markings up to completely white horses. The "splashed white" pattern is primarily characterized by an extremely large blaze, often accompanied by extended white markings at the distal limbs and blue eyes. Some, but not all, splashed white...
Keegan KG, Dent EV, Wilson DA, Janicek J, Kramer J, Lacarrubba A, Walsh DM, Cassells MW, Esther TM, Schiltz P, Frees KE, Wilhite CL, Clark JM....Previous studies have suggested that agreement between equine veterinarians subjectively evaluating lameness in horses is low. These studies were limited to small numbers of horses, evaluating movement on the treadmill or to evaluating previously-recorded videotape. Objective: To estimate agreement between equine practitioners performing lameness evaluations in horses in the live, over ground setting. Methods: 131 mature horses were evaluated for lameness by 2-5 clinicians (mean 3.2) with a weighted-average of 18.7 years of experience. Clinicians graded each limb using the AAEP lameness scale ...
Schneider J, Kaaden O, Copeland TD, Oroszlan S, Hunsmann G.Two glycopolypeptides with molecular weights 160,000 and 120,000 (gp120) are regularly recognized by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific antisera in lysates of cells persistently infected with HIV. In the present study, gp120 was characterized as the major envelope glycopolypeptide of HIV. Gp120 was identified as the external viral glycoprotein by radiosequencing and by its presence in purified virus. However gp120 was predominantly shed as a soluble protein into the culture fluid. Furthermore gp120 was precipitated by sera from horses infected with equine infectious anaemia virus (EIA...
Ytrehus B, Carlson CS, Ekman S.Osteochondrosis is a common and clinically important joint disorder that occurs in human beings and in multiple animal species, most commonly pigs, horses, and dogs. This disorder is defined as a focal disturbance of enchondral ossification and is regarded as having a multifactorial etiology, with no single factor accounting for all aspects of the disease. The most commonly cited etiologic factors are heredity, rapid growth, anatomic conformation, trauma, and dietary imbalances; however, only heredity and anatomic conformation are well supported by the scientific literature. The way in which t...
Carter RA, Geor RJ, Burton Staniar W, Cubitt TA, Harris PA.This study described a scoring system for the assessment of apparent neck adiposity and evaluated morphometric measurements for assessment of neck and overall adiposity. Twenty-one barren Thoroughbred mares, 13 Arabian geldings and 75 Welsh, Dartmoor, or crossbred pony mares, were clinically examined and blood samples analysed for insulin, glucose, leptin, and triglycerides. Bodyweight (BW), height, length, girth and abdominal circumferences, neck length, neck crest height and neck circumference were measured, and body condition scores (BCS) and cresty neck scores (CNS) were rated. Girth:heigh...
Hillier ML, Bell LS.This review brings together a complex and extensive literature to address the question of whether it is possible to distinguish human from nonhuman bone using the histological appearance of cortical bone. The mammalian species included are rat, hare, badger, racoon dog, cat, dog, pig, cow, goat, sheep, deer, horse, water buffalo, bear, nonhuman primates, and human and are therefore not exhaustive, but cover those mammals that may contribute to a North American or Eurasian forensic assemblage. The review has demonstrated that differentiation of human from certain nonhuman species is possible, i...
Fureix C, Jego P, Henry S, Lansade L, Hausberger M.Recent reviews question current animal models of depression and emphasise the need for ethological models of mood disorders based on animals living under natural conditions. Domestic horses encounter chronic stress, including potential stress at work, which can induce behavioural disorders (e.g. "apathy"). Our pioneering study evaluated the potential of domestic horses in their usual environment to become an ethological model of depression by testing this models' face validity (i.e. behavioural similarity with descriptions of human depressive states). Results: We observed the spontaneous behav...
