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Topic:Horses
"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.
Does a magnetic blanket induce changes in muscular blood flow, skin temperature and muscular tension in horses? Static magnetic blankets are often claimed to induce increases in blood flow, reduce muscle tension and tenderness, and be beneficial in both prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in horses. However, there are no studies that confirm alleged beneficial effects of magnets on muscles of the back in healthy horses. Objective: To investigate whether static magnets sewn into a blanket affect back muscle blood flow, skin temperature, mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) and behaviour in healthy horses. Methods: Prospective, randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. Me...
Analysis of stress fractures associated with lameness in Thoroughbred flat racehorses training on different track surfaces undergoing nuclear scintigraphic examination. There is limited information regarding the impact of training track surface on the occurrence of stress fractures. Objective: To evaluate the impact of training track surface on the proportion of long bone and pelvic stress fractures associated with lameness in Thoroughbred horses in flat race training undergoing nuclear scintigraphic examination. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Scintigraphic examinations of Thoroughbred flat racehorses were evaluated from 2 hospitals (hospital A [Toronto Equine Hospital], 2003-2009, and hospital B [George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals, Scho...
Re-evaluation of the sepsis score in equine neonates. The modified sepsis scoring system provides a method to identify sepsis in foals early in the disease process, but inconsistent results have been obtained from its clinical application in previous studies. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the modified sepsis score in a larger population of foals. A secondary objective was to identify factors associated with sepsis. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Records were retrospectively analysed for neonatal admissions to the University of Florida Large Animal Hospital from 1982 to 2008. Backwards stepwise multivaria...
Capsular hyaluronic acid of equine isolates of Streptococcus zooepidemicus is upregulated at temperatures below 35°C. Streptococcus zooepidemicus causes opportunist respiratory and other infections in the horse. Capsule expression is highly variable and known to affect resistance to phagocytosis. Most clinical isolates producing small, dry colonies at 37°C produce mucoid colonies at temperatures below 35°C. Objective: The aim was to understand the molecular basis of increased capsule expression by equine isolates of S. zooepidemicus at temperatures lower than 35°C. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study. Methods: Capsule production by groups of equine S. zooepidemicus strains was determined at 23, ...
Owner-reported coughing and nasal discharge are associated with clinical findings, arterial oxygen tension, mucus score and bronchoprovocation in horses with recurrent airway obstruction in a field setting. In clinical practice, veterinarians often depend on owner-reported signs to assess the clinical course of horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Objective: To test whether owner-reported information on frequency of coughing and observation of nasal discharge are associated with clinical, cytological and bronchoprovocation findings in RAO-affected horses in nonstandardised field conditions. Methods: Cross-sectional study comparing healthy and RAO-affected horses. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy and 34 RAO-affected Swiss Warmblood horses were grouped according to owner-reported 'coughing ...
Equine autologous platelet concentrates: A comparative study between different available systems. Autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) are being used increasingly in horses to enhance regeneration in tissues that have poor natural healing capabilities. Numerous APC systems, which are based on different preparation techniques and were originally developed for human patients, are now routinely used in equine cases. However, preliminary process validation and adequate in vitro biochemical characterisation of most of these systems do not exist for horses. Objective: To compare haematological findings and growth factor concentrations of equine APCs obtained with 4 commercially available syst...
Blood lactate measurement and interpretation in critically ill equine adults and neonates. Admission blood lactate concentration is widely used as a prognostic indicator in equine medicine and can be a useful indicator of disease severity but typically fails to completely discriminate survivors from nonsurvivors. Increased admission lactate concentrations in adult horses typically return to normal within 12 to 24 hours. Lactate concentrations in neonatal foals are higher than adult concentrations for the first 24 to 72 hours of life. Serial measures reflecting both the magnitude and duration of hyperlactatemia might enable more accurate prognostication and provide insight into dis...
Dietary crude protein intake influences rates of whole-body protein synthesis in weanling horses. The objective of this study was to measure whole-body protein kinetics in weanling horses receiving forage and one of two different concentrates: (1) commercial crude protein (CCP) concentrate, which with the forage provided 4.1 g CP/kg bodyweight (BW)/day (189 mg lysine (Lys)/kg BW/day), and (2) recommended crude protein (RCP) concentrate which, with the same forage, provided 3.1 g CP/kg BW/day (194 mg Lys/kg BW/day). Blood samples were taken to determine the response of plasma amino acid concentrations to half the daily concentrate allocation. The next day, a 2 h-primed, constant inf...
Infection control in equine critical care settings. There is a recognizable standard of practice for infection control in veterinary medicine. Effort must be given to control and prevention of infectious disease transmission within a facility and among animal populations. In the critical care setting, patients typically have a high degree of systemic illness and immune compromise, are commonly subjected to invasive procedures and placement of indwelling devices, and frequently receive antimicrobials and gastric protectants. Every equine critical care unit is distinctive in its physical and operational features and the types of patients that are...
Ultrasound of the equine acute abdomen. Abdominal ultrasound is an invaluable aid in the evaluation of the colic patient but can be heavily influenced by patient preparation, individual horse-to-horse variation, availability of ultrasound transducers, technique, experience level of the examiner, and complexity of the abdominal disorder. This article describes ultrasonographic anatomy of the normal equine abdomen and technique for examination of the equine colic patient. Common abnormalities of the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and peritoneal cavity are described along with other abnormalities that may be discovered with...
Serum cortisol concentrations in horses with colic. Few studies have evaluated cortisol concentrations in horses with colic. In humans with septic shock, high cortisol levels are associated with an increased risk of death. The objectives of this study were to compare the serum total cortisol concentrations (STCCs) in horses with colic to those without colic, and to assess whether the STCC relates to the pathological nature or outcome of the disease. STCCs were determined at presentation in horses with colic and in systemically healthy 'control' horses. Horses with colic were grouped based on clinical and clinico-pathological parameters at admis...
Evaluation of the colic in horses: decision for referral. This article presents an overview of key factors that should alert the practitioner toward referral of a colic patient to a facility capable of surgical exploration or intensive medical management. Discussion includes a review of important aspects of colic history, signalment, physical examination findings, and diagnostic test results that indicate that a more serious medical or surgical condition exists, and advanced therapy is necessary.
Neurolymphomatosis in three horses with multicentric T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma. Neurolymphomatosis is a rare manifestation of lymphoma and is characterized by neoplastic infiltration of the peripheral nervous system. The present report describes neoplastic infiltration of peripheral nerves in three horses with multicentric lymphoma. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of CD79a(+) lymphoblastic cells and well-differentiated CD3(+) T cells, characteristic of T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma in all cases. Nerve infiltration by lymphoma is rare, but should be considered as a differential diagnosis for peripheral neuropathy in horses with lymphoma.
Isolation of Moraxella bovoculi from racehorses with keratoconjunctivitis. Moraxella bovoculi was isolated and identified in ocular fluid samples collected from 9 racehorses with infectious keratoconjunctivitis in China in 2013. All 9 M. bovoculi isolates were hemolytic, Gram-negative diplococci that were phenylalanine deaminase positive. The sequence of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene of the isolates matched the 16S rDNA sequence of M. bovoculi. Amplification of the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region followed by AfaI digestion produced a 600-base pair product, a result characteristic of M. bovoculi isolates. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rDNA sequence c...
Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against horse immunoglobulins useful for the diagnosis of equine diseases. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against horse IgG were produced by immunizing Balb/c mice with purified horse IgG and were characterized in indirect ELISA versus purified immunoglobulins from donkey, cow, buffalo, sheep, pig, and chicken. Three MAbs (1B10B6C9, 1B10B6C10, 1B10B6E9) reacted only with horse and donkey IgG and IgM and, in western blotting, were specific for the Fc fragment of equine IgG. MAb 1B10B6E9 was used in chemiluminescent immunoblotting assay for the diagnosis of dourine and in indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the diagnosis of African horse sickness and dourine.
Experiences with infectious cDNA clones of equine arteritis virus: lessons learned and insights gained. The advent of recombinant DNA technology, development of infectious cDNA clones of RNA viruses, and reverse genetic technologies have revolutionized how viruses are studied. Genetic manipulation of full-length cDNA clones has become an especially important and widely used tool to study the biology, pathogenesis, and virulence determinants of both positive and negative stranded RNA viruses. The first full-length infectious cDNA clone of equine arteritis virus (EAV) was developed in 1996 and was also the first full-length infectious cDNA clone constructed from a member of the order Nidovirales. ...
Improving adolescent social competence and behavior: a randomized trial of an 11-week equine facilitated learning prevention program. There is growing evidence that promoting social competence in youth is an effective strategy to prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in adulthood. Research suggests that programs delivered in collaboration with schools are particularly effective when they target social and emotional skill building, utilize an interactive instructional style, provide opportunities for youth participation and self-direction, and include explicit attempts to enhance youth social competence. A relatively new but popular approach that incorporates these characteristics is human animal interaction, wh...
Type A influenza virus detection from horses by real-time RT-PCR and insulated isothermal RT-PCR. Equine influenza (EI) is a highly contagious disease of horses caused by the equine influenza virus (EIV) H3N8 subtype. EI is the most important respiratory virus infection of horses and can disrupt major equestrian events and cause significant economic losses to the equine industry worldwide. Influenza H3N8 virus spreads rapidly in susceptible horses and can result in very high morbidity within 24-48 h after exposure to the virus. Therefore, rapid and accurate diagnosis of EI is critical for implementation of prevention and control measures to avoid the spread of EIV and to reduce the economi...
Survey of Trypanosoma and Leishmania in wild and domestic animals in an Atlantic rainforest fragment and surroundings in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Trypanosoma and Leishmania infections affect wild and domestic animals and human populations. The growing process of deforestation and urbanization of Atlantic Rainforest areas has given rise to introduction of humans and domestic animals to the sylvatic cycles of Trypanosoma and Leishmania species. Serological, parasitological, and molecular surveys among wild and domestic animals in the Corrego do Veado Biological Reserve, which is an Atlantic Rainforest fragment in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, were evaluated. In total, 154 wild animals of 25 species and 67 domestic ani...
RNA extraction from equine samples for equine influenza virus. The primary goals of this chapter are to discuss common viral RNA isolation and purification methods that are routinely used by various diagnostic laboratories, to highlight the advantages and drawbacks of each method, and to identify the most suitable and reliable method to increase the sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR assays for the detection of equine influenza virus (EIV) in clinical specimens. Our experiences and review of literature show that magnetic bead-based nucleic extraction methods (manual and automatic) work well for isolation and purification of EIV RNA from nasal swab spec...
Equine influenza culture methods. Equine influenza viruses are cultured in embryonated hen eggs, or in mammalian cells, generally Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, using methods much the same as for other influenza A viruses. Mutations associated with host adaptation occur in both eggs and MDCK cells, but the latter show greater heterogeneity and eggs are the generally preferred host. Both equine-1 H7N7 and equine-2 H3N8 viruses replicate efficiently in 11-day-old eggs, but we find that equine-1 viruses kill the embryos whereas equine-2 viruses do not.
Equine influenza diagnosis: sample collection and transport. In horses, presumptive diagnosis of equine influenza is commonly made on the basis of clinical signs. This alone is insufficient for confirmation of equine influenza, because other equine infectious respiratory diseases can in some degree have similar clinical presentations. Surveillance and control of equine influenza also necessitate detection of subclinical cases. Effective diagnosis of equine influenza virus infection is critically dependent on obtaining adequate specimens of virus-containing respiratory secretions for testing. These specimens are also valuable as sources for isolation of ...
A brief introduction to equine influenza and equine influenza viruses. Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a common respiratory pathogen of horses and other equids in most parts of the world. EIV are Type A influenza viruses and two subtypes are known: H3N8 and H7N7. Both are believed to have evolved from avian influenza virus ancestors. The H3N8 subtype circulates widely, but the H7N7 subtype is thought to be extinct. The clinical disease in horses, caused by either subtype, is an upper respiratory infection of varying severity depending upon the immune status of the individual animal. It is not normally life-threatening in itself except in very young foals; however...
Equine influenza serological methods. Serologic tests for equine influenza virus (EIV) antibodies are used for many purposes, including retrospective diagnosis, subtyping of virus isolates, antigenic comparison of different virus strains, and measurement of immune responses to EIV vaccines. The hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), single radial hemolysis (SRH), and serum micro-neutralization tests are the most widely used for these purposes and are described here. The presence of inhibitors of hemagglutination in equine serum complicates interpretation of HI assay results, and there are alternative protocols (receptor-destroying enzy...
Brainstem auditory evoked responses in an equine patient population. Part II: foals. Reports of the use of brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) as a diagnostic modality in foals have been limited. Objective: To describe BAER findings and associated causes of hearing loss in foals. Methods: Study group 18 foals (15 neonatal, 3 nonneonatal), control group (5 neonatal foals). Methods: Retrospective. BAER records from the Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory were reviewed from the years of 1982 to 2013. Peak latencies, amplitudes, and interpeak intervals were measured when visible. Clinical data were extracted from the medical records. Foals were grouped under disease categori...
Clinical Sentinel Surveillance of Equine West Nile Fever, Spain. West Nile fever (WNF) is a viral zoonotic infection caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Flaviviridae family. According to a comparative study, the passive surveillance of horses by equine veterinarians appeared to be the most cost-effective system in the European context of WNF. Clinical data issued from a passive epidemiosurveillance network from September 2010 to December 2011 on horses in Spain were statistically compared and used to develop a predictive diagnostic decision tree, both with the aim to improve the early clinical detection of WNF in horses. Although clinical signs wer...
Brainstem auditory evoked responses in an equine patient population: part I–adult horses. Brainstem auditory evoked response has been an underused diagnostic modality in horses as evidenced by few reports on the subject. Objective: To describe BAER findings, common clinical signs, and causes of hearing loss in adult horses. Methods: Study group, 76 horses; control group, 8 horses. Methods: Retrospective. BAER records from the Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory were reviewed from the years of 1982 to 2013. Peak latencies, amplitudes, and interpeak intervals were measured when visible. Horses were grouped under disease categories. Descriptive statistics and a posthoc Bonferroni test...
