"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.
Ibrahim L, Buschmann E, van Loon G, Cornillie P.Three-dimensional electro-anatomical mapping, previously performed in horses with atrial arrhythmias, has demonstrated the medial region of the caudal vena cava (CaVC), 1-8 cm caudal to the fossa ovalis, as an anatomical predilection site for atrial tachycardia associated with areas of slow conduction and conduction block. Slow conduction has also been recorded in the cranial vena cava (CrVC). Objective: To investigate the morphological characteristics of the myocardial sleeves (MS) in the CaVC and CrVC, in order to identify a potential substrate of right sided atrial arrhythmias. Methods: C...
Domańska-Kruppa N, Wierzbicka M, Stefanik E.Back pain is common in ridden horses. Back diseases in horses include Impinging Dorsal Spinous Processes, Ventral Spondylosis, Osteoarthritis of Articular Process, Intervertebral Discs Disease, Vertebral Fractures, Conformational Abnormalities, Desmopathy of the Supraspinous Ligament, Desmopathy of the Intraspinous Ligament, and Longissimus Muscle Strain. Back pain may also develop as a result of lameness (particularly hindlimb lameness). A poorly fitting saddle and an unbalanced rider are also considered important factors influencing the development of back pain in horses. The conventional di...
Pelzel-McCluskey AM.Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a vector-borne livestock disease caused by either VS New Jersey virus or VS Indiana virus. The disease circulates endemically in northern South America, Central America, and Mexico and only occasionally causes outbreaks in the United States. During the past 20 years, VS outbreaks in the southwestern and Rocky Mountain regions occurred periodically with incursion years followed by virus overwintering and subsequent expansion outbreak years. Regulatory response by animal health officials prevents spread from lesioned animals and manages trade impacts. Recent US outb...
Martabano BB, Dow S, Chow L, Williams MMV, Mack MK, Bellone R, Wotman KL.To determine the safety and efficacy of perilesional human recombinant interferon alpha-2b (IFNα2b) for treatment of periocular squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) in horses. Methods: Eleven horses (12 eyes) with PSCC were enrolled in this prospective clinical study with owner consent. Methods: Systemically healthy horses were included in the study following confirmation of PSCC via biopsy. Every two weeks for a maximum of six treatments, horses were sedated and perilesional injection of IFNα2b (10 million IU) was performed. Tumors were measured prior to each injection and at one, three, and 12 m...
Aminou O, Badaoui B, Machmoum M, Piro M.The International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) currently advocates for a transition towards single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers as a potential alternative for equine parentage verification. To ascertain the efficacy of this transition, it is imperative to evaluate the performance of parentage testing using SNPs in juxtaposition with short tandem repeats (STRs). As per ISAG's recommendation, we used an equine genotyping-by-sequencing panel with 144 SNPs for this purpose. Equine parentage is currently realized using 16 microsatellites (STRs) excluding the LEX3 marker. In this stud...
Lowe J, Clifford L, Julian A, Koene M.The data presented in this paper are derived from an in vivo study performed to characterize the nature of the synovial integration process of a 2.5% synthetic cross-linked injectable polyacrylamide hydrogel (2.5 iPAAG) injected IA in horses. Methods: 10 healthy horses not suffering from OA or signs of joint disease were administered 50 or 100 mg 2.5 iPAAG in a total of 13 metacarpophalangeal or middle carpal joints. Methods: Injected joints were examined at 0, 14, 42, and/or 90 days postinjection. Parameters investigated included clinical examination, synoviocentesis, gross pathology, histolo...
Goehring L, Dorman DC, Osterrieder K, Burgess BA, Dougherty K, Gross P, Neinast C, Pusterla N, Soboll-Hussey G, Lunn DP.Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with upper respiratory disease, neurological disease, abortions, and neonatal death. Objective: Does pharmacological therapy decrease either the incidence or severity of disease or infection caused by EHV-1 in domesticated horses? Methods: A systematic review was preformed searching AGRICOLA, CAB Abstracts, Cochrane, PubMed, Web of Science, and WHO Global Health Index Medicus Regional Databases to identify articles published before February 15, 2021. Selection criteria were original research reports published in peer reviewed...
Brabon A, Hughes KJ, Jensen K, Xie G, Labens R.To determine the influence of screw configuration on the reduction and stabilization of simulated complete lateral condylar fracture. Methods: Randomized experimental crossover study. Methods: A lateral condylar fracture was simulated in 18 cadaver limbs from nine horses. Each limb underwent repair with 4.5 mm diameter cortex screws, tightened to 4 Nm, in a linear and triangular configuration. Computed tomography (CT) of each repair was performed with the limbs in unloaded and loaded conditions. Fracture gaps were measured at the dorsal, palmar, and middle locations of the third metacarpal c...
Koshyk A, Pohl AJ, Takahashi Y, Scott WM, Sparks HD, Edwards WB.Fractures of the equine metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint are among the most common and fatal injuries experienced by racehorses. These bone injuries are a direct result of repetitive, high intensity loading of the skeleton during racing and training and there is consensus that they represent a mechanical fatigue phenomenon. Existing work has found the fatigue life of bone to be strongly determined by bone microarchitecture and the resulting stressed volume (i.e., the volume of bone stressed above assumed yield). The purpose of this study was to quantify the influence of bone microarchitecture o...
Giusto G, Cerullo A, Gandini M.Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a significant cause of surgery in adult horses presenting with colic pain. SBOs often require resection and anastomosis. While various techniques for intestinal anastomoses have been developed, it remains uncertain if any fully meet our clinical needs. Objective: To conduct a scoping review of publications on anastomosis techniques and outcomes for the treatment of SBO. Methods: Scoping review. Methods: A literature review was conducted using the CAB, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases. Peer-reviewed scientific articles in English, published between 1...
Treß D, Lischer C, Merle R, Ehrle A.Overriding spinous processes, also known as 'kissing spines', are one of the most common causes of back pain in horses. The aim of this study was to investigate which options for diagnosis and treatment are preferred by equine orthopaedic specialists and assess which techniques are used for local injection. An online survey was distributed among members of the European/American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the European/American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology and nationally recognised advanced equine orthopaed...
Ding J, Gu B, Meng J, Hu M, Wang W, Liu J.Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used in humans and animals, which is very important for health. TCM affects the body 's immunity and changes in intestinal flora. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Hong-bailanshen (HBLS) supplementation in horses on serum biochemical profile, antioxidant enzymes and gut microbiota. Unassigned: In this study, five horses were selected. On day 0, 14, 28, blood samples and feces were collected on days 0, 14, and 28 to analyse gut microbiota, serum biochemical and redox indexes. Unassigned: The results showed that the additi...
Kieffer PJ, Williams JM, Shepard MK, Giguère S, Epstein KL.Horses undergoing abdominal exploratory surgery are at risk of hypotension and hypoperfusion. Normal mean arterial pressure is used as a surrogate for adequate tissue perfusion. However, measures of systemic circulation may not be reflective of microcirculation. This study measured the mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, lactate, and four microcirculatory indices in six healthy, anesthetized adult horses undergoing elective laparotomies. The microcirculatory parameters were measured at three different sites along the gastrointestinal tract (oral mucosa, colonic serosa, and rectal mucosa) wi...
Wonghanchao T, Sanigavatee K, Poochipakorn C, Huangsaksri O, Yalong M, Poungpuk K, Thanaudom K, Lertsakkongkul P, Lappolpaibul K, Deethong N, Chanda M.Cooling down is essential for horse recovery before veterinary inspection during an endurance ride. As salt potentially decreases water temperature, we tested whether adding salt to the water used to cool horses could aid their recovery. Twelve healthy Arabian horses participating in a novice endurance ride were divided evenly into two groups. Heart rate variability (HRV) variables, including time and frequency domains, non-linear results, and autonomic nervous system indices, were determined before recovery and at 1-min intervals for 9 min during recovery using either cold or cold-saline wa...
Haralambus R, Juri M, Mokry A, Jenner F.Effective management of postoperative pain is essential to ensure patient welfare, reduce morbidity and optimize recovery. Opioids are effective in managing moderate to severe pain in horses but concerns over their adverse effects on gastrointestinal (GI) motility and associated increased colic risk limit their widespread use. Studies investigating the impact of systemic opioids on both GI motility and colic incidence in horses have yielded inconclusive outcomes. Therefore, this retrospective study aims to assess the influence of systemic administration of butorphanol, morphine, and methadone ...
Machado M, Queiroz-Machado CRR, Gardner DR, Castro MB, Câmara ACL, Pimentel LA, Galiza GJN, Riet-Correa F.Leucaena leucocephala poisoning is reported in horses in different Brazilian regions. The poisoning occurred one month after the horses were introduced into paddocks invaded by the plant or after 10 days of consuming cut Leucaena administered as the only food. Affected horses showed moderate to severe hair loss on the mane and tail, orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis with marked follicular telogenization, and hyperplasia of thyroid follicular cells. Mimosin concentration in leaves (5.5 mg/g) was determined by a new HLPC-UV method which is also reported.
Stowe CJ, White H.An overabundance of wild horses and burros on federal lands can lead to suboptimal welfare when there are insufficient forage and water resources. Placing some of these animals in private homes has been identified as a key part of the solution. A nationwide online survey completed by 2,247 current and former horse owners is used to assess the feasibility of accommodating this strategy. The survey tool addressed basic horse ownership and demographic information, previous experience with wild horses, and hypothetical wild horse adoption scenarios. Results suggest that most respondents are recept...
Cieslak J, Mackowski M, Skrzetuska W, Fidos-Tama E, Siwinska N, Szczerbal I.A 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare with normal external genitalia and regular oestrus symptoms was gynecologically examined prior to insemination. This primary examination revealed the presence of a hypoplastic uterus and the lack of normal ovaries, and the mare was therefore subjected to more detailed diagnostics, including endocrinological, genetic, and clinical tests. Diagnostic imaging with the use of ultrasonography and endoscopy confirmed the underdevelopment of internal genitalia. Analysis of circulating sex hormones revealed very low concentrations of progesterone and oestradiol. Finally, ...
Zhang Y, Zhang K, Wang M, Wu X, Liu J, Chu H, Zhang D, Li K, Huang H.Endangered Przewalski's horses have faced severe infections from (Diptera, Gastrophilidae) in Xinjiang's Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR). This study examines 's development and infection patterns in embryonic and larval stages, crucial for understanding horse botfly disease in desert grasslands. For the incubation of fertilized eggs, we established the six distinct temperature gradients: 16 °C, 20 °C, 24 °C, 28 °C, 30 °C, and 32 °C. Using the least squares method, we calculated the correlation between the developmental threshold temperature of the eggs and their cumulative effecti...
Amini M, Alamian S, Talebhemmat M, Dadar M.Equine brucellosis significantly impacts the health and functionality of horses, leading to complications such as bursitis infection, septic tenosynovitis, septic arthritis, and non-specific lameness resulting from joint infections. In the present study, we used the Rose Bengal plate agglutination test (RBPT), serum agglutination test (SAT), and the 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) assays to find equine brucellosis. From June 2018 to September 2022, 876 blood samples were randomly taken from apparently healthy racing horses in certain parts of Iran, such as Kerman, Isfahan, Tehran, Qom, and Kurdistan....
Camargo GS, de Barros LD, Oliveira-Filho JP, Bromberger CR, Dias-Melicio LA, Alves Dos Santos L, Bergfelt DR, Ferraz de Andrade ER, Canesin HS....The present study was designed to evaluate equine blastocyst re-expansion rate, quality, and sex following perforation of the blastocoel, collection of blastocoel fluid (BF), and PCR amplification of free DNA. Experiment 1 tested the feasibility of the BF sample collection with a hand-held, small-gauged needle (26g) and subsequent PCR amplification of the TSP-Y gene for males and AMEL-Y gene for males and AMEL-X gene for females. Experiment 2 tested the application of the technique. Equine embryos were collected via uterine flushes 8d after ovulation. Thereafter, embryos (n = 19) were initia...
Kemp KL, Skinner JE, Bertin FR.Phenylbutazone is often prescribed to manage pain caused by hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis, but in diabetic people nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase insulin secretion and pancreatic activity. Objective: Investigate the effect of phenylbutazone administration on insulin secretion in horses. It was hypothesized that phenylbutazone will increase insulin secretion in horses with insulin dysregulation (ID). Methods: Sixteen light breed horses, including 7 with ID. Methods: Randomized cross-over study design. Horses underwent an oral glucose test (OGT) after 9 days of treatment ...
Fenner K, Wilson BJ, Ermers C, McGreevy PD.Agonistic behaviours are often directed at other animals for self-defence or to increase distance from valued resources, such as food. Examples include aggression and counter-predator behaviours. Contemporary diets may boost the value of food as a resource and create unanticipated associations with the humans who deliver it. At the same time the domestic horse is asked to carry the weight of riders and perform manoeuvres that, ethologically, are out-of-context and may be associated with instances of pain, confusion, or fear. Agonistic responses can endanger personnel and conspecifics. They are...
Jeong S, Franklin SH, Van Eps AW, Lean N, Ahern BJ.Evaluate a prototype dynamic laryngoplasty system (DLPS) in horses; a feasibility study. Methods: 7 healthy Standardbred adult horses. Methods: This was an in vivo experimental study. Horses had a standing surgical procedure to induce complete laryngeal hemiplegia, which was subsequently treated using the dynamic laryngoplasty system (DLPS). Activation of the DLPS was achieved using an injection port exiting through the skin (n = 2) or a subcutaneous injection port (n = 5). For each horse, endoscopic examinations of the upper respiratory tract were performed preoperatively, intraoperatively, a...
Brown KA, Gregorio EN, Barot D, Usimaki A, Linardi RL, Missanelli JR, You Y, Robinson MA, Ortved KF.To determine the effects of a single dose of the NSAIDs phenylbutazone, firocoxib, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen on concentrations of growth factors and cytokines in autologous protein solution (APS) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Methods: 6 adult university-owned horses. Methods: For the first phase, 6 horses were randomized to receive ketoprofen (1,000 mg) or flunixin meglumine (500 mg) IV. Blood was obtained and processed for APS (Pro-Stride) and PRP (Restigen) before and 6 hours after administration of NSAIDs. Horses underwent a 2-week washout period, after which the protocol was rep...
Bubenikova J, Plasil M, Futas J, Stejskalova K, Klumplerova M, Oppelt J, Suchentrunk F, Burger PA, Horin P.The immunogenome is the part of the genome that underlies immune mechanisms and evolves under various selective pressures. Two complex regions of the immunogenome, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and natural killer cell receptor (NKR) genes, play an important role in the response to selective pressures of pathogens. Their importance is expressed by their genetic polymorphism at the molecular level, and their diversity associated with different types of diseases at the population level. Findings of associations between specific combinations of MHC/NKR haplotypes with different diseases i...
Megerssa YC, Gari FR.Delays between blood collection and analysis are inevitable, and samples are always stored in the refrigerator. The current study aimed to evaluate the stability of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), total protein (TP), albumin and urea (URA) in horses and oxen after storage at -20°C. Methods: Sera from apparently healthy 20 male horses and 20 oxen were obtained and aliquots of serum were divided into 3 portions. The first tube was used for baseline (T0) measurement of analyte values, whereas the other two tubes, T1 and T2, were stored at -20°C for 1 and 2 months, respectively...
Otgonsuren D, Amgalanbaatar T, Narantsatsral S, Enkhtaivan B, Munkhgerel D, Zoljargal M, Davkharbayar B, Myagmarsuren P, Battur B, Battsetseg B....Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses. Because of its impact on horse industry, control of this disease is crucial for endemic countries. The control of equine piroplasmosis may be influenced by the genotypic diversity of T. equi and B. caballi. Mongolia, a country with a thriving livestock industry, is endemic for T. equi and B. caballi. However, nationwide epidemiological surveys have not been conducted to determine the current status of infections and genetic diversity of these two parasite species. Therefore, the objective of th...
Carrillo Heredero AM, Sabbioni A, Asti V, Ablondi M, Summer A, Bertini S.The Bardigiano horse is a traditional native Italian breed with a rich history and peculiar characteristics. Local breeds are proven to have unique genetic traits developed over generations to adapt to defined geographical regions and/or conditions. The specific microbial communities that coexist within these animals are unraveled by studying their microbiota, which permits a further step in the characterization of local heritage. This work aimed to characterize Bardigiano horse fecal microbiota composition. The data obtained were then compared with published data of a mix of athlete breeds to...
Paraschou G, Xue C, Egan R, Bolfa P.Lymphoma is a common neoplasm in horses but is reported much less commonly in donkeys. In this case report, we describe the macroscopic, microscopic and immunohistochemical features of a multicentric lymphoma with intestinal and bone marrow involvement. Methods: A geriatric female donkey with history of chronic lameness was found dead. Post-mortem examination revealed advanced emaciation, periodontal disease, left front foot laminitis and multiple, soft, white to yellow tan intestinal transmural masses, up to 12 cm in diameter. Cytology suggested a round cell intestinal neoplasm. The femur of...
van Beest FM, Uzal A, Vander Wal E, Laforge MP, Contasti AL, Colville D, McLoughlin PD.Density is a fundamental driver of many ecological processes including habitat selection. Theory on density-dependent habitat selection predicts that animals should be distributed relative to profitability of habitat, resulting in reduced specialization in selection (i.e. generalization) as density increases and competition intensifies. Despite mounting empirical support for density-dependent habitat selection using isodars to describe coarse-grained (interhabitat) animal movements, we know little of how density affects fine-grained resource selection of animals within habitats [e.g. using res...
Estep LK, McClure CJ, Burkett-Cadena ND, Hassan HK, Hicks TL, Unnasch TR, Hill GE.Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that cycles in birds but also causes severe disease in humans and horses. We examined patterns of avian host use by vectors of EEEV in Alabama from 2001 to 2009 using blood-meal analysis of field-collected mosquitoes and avian abundance surveys. The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was the only preferred host (fed on significantly more than expected based on abundance) of Culiseta melanura, the enzootic vector of EEEV. Preferred hosts of Culex erraticus, a putative bridge vector of EEEV, were American robin (Turdus ...
Rehbein S, Visser M, Winter R.Prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites were studied through a longitudinal survey in 400 horses over a 17-month period in an abattoir in Germany. Three hundred and ten horses (77.5 %) were demonstrated harbouring endoparasites either by direct recovery of parasites from the digestive tract and/or in terms of faecal egg counts (strongyles). The following parasites were found (percentage prevalence, range of counts): Gasterophilus intestinalis larvae (2.25 %, 1-154), Gasterophilus nasalis larvae (0.25 %, 44), Trichostrongylus axei (11.0 %, 1-3,620), Habronema majus (8.0 %; 1...
Moncayo AC, Edman JD, Turell MJ.The effect of eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus on the survivorship of Aedes albopictus (Skuse), Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, and Coquillettidia perturbans (Walker) was determined experimentally. Female mosquitoes were allowed to feed on EEE viremic chicks, and survival rates were compared for infected and uninfected mosquitoes. Additionally, the survival of female Cq. perturbans and An. quadrimaculatus intrathoracically (i.t.) inoculated with EEE was compared with controls receiving diluent inoculations. Infection with EEE significantly reduced survival in Cq. perturbans compared...
Trösch M, Cuzol F, Parias C, Calandreau L, Nowak R, Lansade L.Over the last few years, an increasing number of studies have aimed to gain more insight into the field of animal emotions. In particular, it is of interest to determine whether animals can cross-modally categorize the emotions of others. For domestic animals that share a close relationship with humans, we might wonder whether this cross-modal recognition of emotions extends to humans, as well. In this study, we tested whether horses could recognize human emotions and attribute the emotional valence of visual (facial expression) and vocal (non-verbal vocalization) stimuli to the same perceptua...
Betteridge KJ, Eaglesome MD, Mitchell D, Flood PF, Beriault R.Forty nine embryos, twenty unfertilized eggs and five other fresh eggs of 'doubtful' status have been recovered from 58 pony mares in 122 flushes up to 22 days after ovulation. The fresh egg or embryo recovery rate was 78% with surgical methods (or at slaughter) and 40-60% with non-surgical methods of recovery. The fertilization rate was about 70%. It has been confirmed that horse embryos normally enter the uterus as blastocysts 5-6 days after ovulation. Three features of early embryo morphology have become clearer upon comparison with unfertilized eggs of similar ages; early embryos are often...
Divers TJ, Chang YF, Irby NL, Smith JL, Carter CN.North American horses are commonly exposed to Leptospira organisms. Leptospira Bratislava is the most common infecting serovar but this serovar has not been confirmed to cause clinical disease in North American horses. Leptospira Pomona type kennewicki is responsible for most of the clinical diseases (leptospirosis) in North American horses. Leptospirosis is most commonly associated with diseases of the placenta and fetus, the kidneys and the eyes in horses. In-utero infections in pregnant mares may result in abortion, neonatal illness or birth of an antibody positive healthy foal. Acute renal...
Christie JL, Hewson CJ, Riley CB, McNiven MA, Dohoo IR, Bate LA.In North America, there are few representative data about the effects of management practices on equine welfare. In a randomized survey of 312 nonracing horses in Prince Edward Island (response rate 68.4%), owners completed a pretested questionnaire and a veterinarian examined each horse. Regression analyses identified factors affecting 2 welfare markers: body condition score (BCS) and stereotypic behavior. Horses' BCSs were high (mean 5.7, on a 9-point scale) and were associated with sex (males had lower BCSs than females; P < 0.001) and examination date (P = 0.052). Prevalences of crib bi...
Santín M, Vecino JA, Fayer R.This is the first report of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in an equid species. Feces from 195 horses from 4 locations in Colombia were examined for E. bieneusi by polymerase chain reaction. Of these, 21 horses (10.8%) were found positive for E. bieneusi . The prevalence of E. bieneusi in horses 1 yr of age (2.5%). No significant differences in prevalence were observed between male (13.7%) and female horses (9%). Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of the SSUrRNA locus identified 3 genotypes. Two genotypes appear to be unique to horses and were named Horse 1 and Horse 2. A third geno...
Lange-Consiglio A, Tassan S, Corradetti B, Meucci A, Perego R, Bizzaro D, Cremonesi F.This is the first study to compare the treatment of horse tendon and ligament injuries with the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) obtained from two different sources: amniotic membrane (AMSCs) and bone marrow (BM-MSCs). The objective was to prove the ability of AMSCs to exert beneficial effects in vivo. Methods: Five million allogeneic frozen-thawed AMSCs or autologous fresh BM-MSCs were injected intralesionally in horses belonging to group A (51 horses) and group B (44 horses). The interval lesion/implantation was of 6-15 days for the AMSCs and 16-35 days for the BM-MSCs. Healing was as...
Smith RK, Gerard M, Dowling B, Dart AJ, Birch HL, Goodship AE.Over-strain injury of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is a common injury in the horse. Tendon appears to adapt to loads placed on it during development, but fatigue damage accumulates after skeletal maturity, which is inadequately repaired and predisposes to clinical tendinitis. In any population of horses, there is a wide variation in SDFT mechanical properties. A noncollagenous protein, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), is particularly abundant during growth in the equine SDFT and has been proposed to have an organisational role in the formation of collagenous matrices...
Fortier G, van Erck E, Pronost S, Lekeux P, Thiry E.Equine gammaherpesviruses (γEHV) have been widely studied over the past 45 years and many isolates have been characterised. Despite this, the diagnosis of γEHV infection remains difficult to establish as its clinical manifestations lack specificity, ranging from mild respiratory signs in a small number of animals to outbreaks in large groups of young horses. This review focuses on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of equine herpesvirus (EHV)-2 and -5 infections, as well as on the genetic variation of these viruses. Study of these variations has resulted in...
Tan H, Wilson AM.Manoeuverability is a key requirement for successful terrestrial locomotion, especially on variable terrain, and is a deciding factor in predator-prey interaction. Compared with straight-line running, bend running requires additional leg force to generate centripetal acceleration. In humans, this results in a reduction in maximum speed during bend running and a published model assuming maximum limb force as a constraint accurately predicts how much a sprinter must slow down on a bend given his maximum straight-line speed. In contrast, greyhounds do not slow down or change stride parameters dur...
Cohen ND, Woods AM.To characterize horses with acute diarrhea and determine risk factors for failure to survive. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 122 adult horses admitted for acute diarrhea at the teaching hospital between Jan 1, 1990 and Dec 31, 1996. Methods: Medical records of horses with acute diarrhea were reviewed to abstract information regarding signalment, history, physical examination, clinicopathologic testing, treatment, and outcome. Results: 91 of 122 (74.6%) horses lived and were discharged from the hospital. Horses with history of administration of antimicrobials for a problem preceding dia...
Kunz IGZ, Reed KJ, Metcalf JL, Hassel DM, Coleman RJ, Hess TM, Coleman SJ.The gastrointestinal microbiota (GIM) plays an essential role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis with disruptions having profound effects on the wellbeing of the host animal. Parasitic infection is a long-standing issue for the equine industry, and the use of anthelmintic drugs for parasite control has long been standard practice. The impact of anthelmintic treatment on the GIM in healthy horses is not well known. This study evaluated the hypothesis that anthelmintic administration will alter the equine fecal microbiota in horses without an observed helminth infection. Ten horses were treat...
Whalley JM, Robertson GR, Scott NA, Hudson GC, Bell CW, Woodworth LM.A gene in equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1; equine abortion virus) equivalent to the gB glycoprotein gene of herpes simplex virus (HSV) has been identified by DNA hybridization and nucleotide sequencing. A 4.3 kbp EHV-1 PstI-ClaI sequence (0.40 to 0.43 map units) contained an open reading frame flanked by appropriate control elements and was capable of encoding a polypeptide of 980 amino acids. This had 50 to 60% identity over a 617 amino acid conserved region with the gB gene products of HSV and three other alphaherpesviruses, and 20 to 30% identity with those of human cytomegalovirus and Epstein-...
Turner TA.Thermography has been shown to be a practical aid in the clinical evaluation of lameness. This modality specifically increases the accuracy of diagnosis. Thermography represents skin temperature, usually pictorially. The techniques involve contacting and noncontacting modalities. Noncontacting thermography, which detects infrared radiation, is the most accurate. In order to be accurate, thermography must be performed in a temperature-controlled, draft-free area. The area should be protected from sunlight to avoid erroneous heating of the skin, and the hair length should be uniform. Thermograph...
Barnard BJ.Twenty-four species of South African wild animals were tested for the presence of antibodies against the viruses of 16 common diseases of domestic animals. Positive results were obtained for African horsesickness, equine encephalosis, equid herpes virus-1, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, Allerton disease (Herpes mammillitis), lumpy skin disease, parainfluenza, encephalomyocarditis, bluetongue, Wesselsbron disease, bovine ephemeral fever, and Akabane disease complex. No antibodies could be demonstrated against the viruses of equine influenza, equine infectious anaemia, equine viral arteritis...
Reuss SM, Chaffin MK, Cohen ND.To describe frequency, types, and clinical outcomes of extrapulmonary disorders (EPDs) in foals in which Rhodococcus equi infection was diagnosed, and to identify factors determined at the time of admission that differentiated foals that developed EPDs from foals with R equi infection identified only in the lungs. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 150 foals aged 3 weeks to 6 months with a diagnosis of R equi infection. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for information on date of admission, signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic testing, treatment, duration of hospitali...
Lannergård J, Frykberg L, Guss B.Streptococcus equi subspecies equi is an important horse pathogenic bacterium causing a serious disease called strangles. Using bioinformatics we identified a gene denoted cne (gene encoding collagen-binding protein from S. equi) coding for a novel potential virulence factor of this species called protein CNE. The protein is composed of 657 amino acids and has the typical features found in cell surface-anchored proteins in Gram-positive bacteria. CNE displays amino acid sequence similarities to the previously well-studied collagen-binding protein CNA from Staphylococcus aureus, a proven virule...
García-Carrasco JM, Muñoz AR, Olivero J, Segura M, Real R.West Nile virus is a widely spread arthropod-born virus, which has mosquitoes as vectors and birds as reservoirs. Humans, as dead-end hosts of the virus, may suffer West Nile Fever (WNF), which sometimes leads to death. In Europe, the first large-scale epidemic of WNF occurred in 1996 in Romania. Since then, human cases have increased in the continent, where the highest number of cases occurred in 2018. Using the location of WNF cases in 2017 and favorability models, we developed two risk models, one environmental and the other spatio-environmental, and tested their capacity to predict in 2018...
Sánchez MD, Pierson TC, Degrace MM, Mattei LM, Hanna SL, Del Piero F, Doms RW.A major neutralizing epitope (here referred to as the T332 epitope) located on the lateral surface of domain III (DIII) of the West Nile virus (WNV) envelope protein has been identified based on the analysis of murine monoclonal antibodies. However, little is known about the humoral immune response against WNV in a natural host or whether DIII in general or the T332 epitope in particular are important targets of neutralizing antibodies in vivo. To characterize the types of antibodies produced during infection with WNV, we studied a group of naturally infected horses. Using immune adsorption as...
Dallap Schaer BL, Aceto H, Rankin SC.Nosocomial salmonellosis is an important problem for large animal veterinary teaching hospitals (VTHs). Objective: To describe failure of an Infection Control Program (ICP) that resulted in an outbreak of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Newport multidrug resistant (MDR)-AmpC at a large animal VTH. Methods: Sixty-one animals identified with the outbreak strain of Salmonella. Methods: Retrospective study: Data collected included signalment, presenting complaint, duration of hospitalization, discharge status, and financial information. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization was performed on...
Morrison AC, Ferro C, Tesh RB.Blood meals from 579 Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera:Psychodidae), collected in an endemic focus of American visceral leishmaniasis in Colombia, were identified by precipitin test. Sand fly collections were made during a 16-month period from the inside walls of two houses, a pigpen, and rock crevices in a small community (El Callejon) within the endemic area. Feeding patterns of the sand flies varied with locality and date of collection. Overall, bovine feedings predominated, but feedings were also recorded on pigs, equines, humans, dogs, opossums, birds, and reptiles. Calculation of the forage...
Li H, Kim JV, Pickering BS.Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are biosafety level 4 zoonotic pathogens causing severe and often fatal neurological and respiratory disease. These agents have been recognized by the World Health Organization as top priority pathogens expected to result in severe future outbreaks. HeV has caused sporadic infections in horses and a small number of human cases in Australia since 1994. The NiV Malaysia genotype (NiV-M) was responsible for the 1998-1999 epizootic outbreak in pigs with spillover to humans in Malaysia and Singapore. Since 2001, the NiV Bangladesh genotype (NiV-B) has been t...
Madigan JE, Hietala S, Chalmers S, DeRock E.The prevalence of antibodies to Ehrlichia equi in horses from the foothill regions of northern California and from the Sacramento valley (non-foothill area) was determined, using an indirect fluorescent antibody test. Horses from foothill regions had a higher prevalence of seropositivity (10.4%) and higher titer (1:10 to 1:80) than did those from non-foothill regions (3.1%; titer less than or equal to 1:10). Fifty percent of healthy horses on a foothill farm enzootic for E equi had titer to E equi, suggesting that infection with E equi can be subclinical. Six veterinarians surveyed from northe...
Ning T, Xiao H, Li J, Hua S, Zhang YP.Mitochondria play a crucial role in energy metabolism through oxidative phosphorylation. Organisms living at high altitudes are potentially influenced by oxygen deficits and cold temperatures. The severe environmental conditions can impact on metabolism and direct selection of mitochondrial DNA. As a wide-ranging animal, the domestic horse (Equus caballus) has developed various morphological and physiological characteristics for adapting to different altitudes. Thus, this is a good species for studying adaption to high altitudes at a molecular level. We sequenced the complete NADH dehydrogenas...
Carmichael SP, Davenport DL, Kearney PA, Bernard AC.The purpose of this study is to determine whether discrepant patterns of horse-related trauma exist in mounted vs. unmounted equestrians from a single Level I trauma center to guide awareness of injury prevention. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from the University of Kentucky Trauma Registry for patients admitted with horse-related injuries between January 2003 and December 2007 (n=284). Injuries incurred while mounted were compared with those incurred while unmounted. Results: Of 284 patients, 145 (51%) subjects were male with an average age of 37.2 years (S.D. 17.2). Most injurie...
Srinivasan SM, Cavagnino DT, Bhat AN.Literature on effects of equine therapy in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has grown in recent times. Equine therapy is an alternative multimodal intervention that involves utilizing a horse to enhance core impairments in ASD. Recent systematic reviews in this area have several limitations including inclusion of populations other than ASD, assessment of a variety of animal-assisted interventions other than equine therapy, and a failure to conduct quantitative analyses to provide accurate effect size estimates. We conducted a focused systematic review to address these limitation...
