"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.
Sola D, Artigas R, Mediano DR, Zaragoza P, Badiola JJ, Martín-Burriel I, Acín C.Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders in which the main pathogenic event is the conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP) into an abnormal and misfolded isoform known as PrP. Most prion diseases and their susceptibility and pathogenesis are mainly modulated by the PRNP gene that codes for PrP. Mutations and polymorphisms in the PRNP gene can alter PrP amino acid sequence, leading to a change in transmission efficiency depending on the place where it occurs. Horses are animals that are considered to be highly resistant to prions. Several studies have attempted to identify po...
Dockery A, Beasley B, Goldberg M, Aguirre G, Moorman VJ.To determine the dose effect of peri-neural liposomal bupivacaine (LB) in an induced forelimb lameness model. Methods: 12 clinically normal adult horses. Methods: A randomized cross-over design was performed with 1 limb receiving saline and the other LB: low dose (6), high dose (6). Lameness was induced in 1 forelimb using a frog-pressure model. In the lame limb, peri-neural injection of the palmar nerves at the proximal sesamoid bones was performed using saline, low dose LB (0.25 mg/kg) (LDLB), or high dose LB (0.5mg/kg) (HDLB) in random order with a 1-week washout period between treatments. ...
Vinijkumthorn R, Bauck AG, Vidyasagar S, Freeman DE.Right dorsal colitis causes chronic colic associated with long-term treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This study was designed to determine if NSAIDs could inhibit anion transporters that protect against intestinal mucosal injury in other species. Methods: 20 healthy horses. Methods: The effects of indomethacin (INDO) and firocoxib (FIR), on short-circuit current (Isc) in mucosa from the right dorsal colon (RDC) and right ventral colon (RVC) were measured in Ussing chambers by standard electrophysiological techniques. Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect ap...
Floriano D, Gorenberg E, Watkins A, Hopster K.To test the influence of increasing injectate volumes on the regional effects of xylazine and morphine epidural analgesia, with the hypothesis that increasing volume produces more cranial spread of analgesia as determined by thermal threshold (TT) testing. Methods: 6 university-owned research/teaching horses (2 mares, 4 geldings) deemed healthy on physical examination and basic lameness evaluation, aged 6-19 years and weighing 420-560 kg, were used in this prospective, randomized, blinded, cross-over experimental study. Methods: After routine placement of a caudal epidural catheter, all animal...
Heimann M, Elashry MI, Klymiuk MC, Eldaey A, Wenisch S, Arnhold S.The investigation of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) has received considerable interest in regenerative medicine. A nontoxic adipogenic induction protocol valid for cells of different mammalian species has not been described. This study aims to establish an adipogenic differentiation protocol suitable for horses, sheep, dogs, murines, and human cells. An optimized rosiglitazone protocol, consisting of 5% fetal calf serum in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium, 10 μg/mL insulin, 0.55 μg/mL transferrin, 6.8 ng sodium selenite, 1 μM dexamethasone, and 1-5 μM of rosiglitazo...
Anoushepour A, Eftekhari S, Masoudifard M.Superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) plays an important role in the locomotion of the horses with flexion of the limbs. In the hind limb, it passes over the calcaneal bone and attaches to medial and lateral surfaces of calcaneous by two bands of connective tissue; while, the medial band is weaker than the lateral one. Occasionally, severe trauma, over-extension or fracture of the calcaneous may cause rupture of the supportive bands leading to tendon luxation. An 11-year-old Thoroughbred jumping gelding with symptoms of lameness in both legs, after examination by an internal specialist vete...
Díaz EA, Arroyo G, Sáenz C, Mena L, Barragán V.Leptospirosis is considered a neglected tropical zoonosis in low-income countries due to surveillance system limitations and non-specificity of symptoms. Humans become infected through direct contact with carrier animals or indirectly through Leptospira-contaminated environments. Conventionally, equines have been considered an uncommon source of leptospirosis, but recent publications in Latin America suggest that their role in the maintenance and dispersion of the bacteria could be more relevant than expected, as horses are susceptible to a wide variety of zoonotic Leptospira spp. from domesti...
Abbas G, Ghafar A, Bauquier J, Beasley A, Ling E, Gauci CG, El-Hage C, Wilkes EJA, McConnell E, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Hurley J, Beveridge I....The study presents the results of a cross-sectional survey to describe the epidemiology of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in horses, the impact of diverse climatic conditions on parasite diversity and the levels of faecal egg shedding in different age groups of managed Thoroughbred horses. Individual faecal samples (n = 1377) collected from 62 Thoroughbred farms across four climatic zones in Australia were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs) and strongylid nematodes were identified utilising PCR-directed next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the second...
Choudhury MP, Wang Z, Zhu M, Teng S, Yan J, Cao S, Yi G, Liu Y, Liao Y, Tang Z.Copy number variations (CNVs) are crucial structural genomic variants affecting complex traits in humans and livestock animals. The current study was designed to conduct a comprehensive comparative copy number variation analysis among three breeds, Debao (DB), Baise (BS), and Warmblood (WB), with a specific focus on identifying genomic regions associated with miniature features in horses. Using whole-genome next-generation resequencing data, we identified 18,974 CNVs across 31 autosomes. Among the breeds, we found 4279 breed-specific CNV regions (CNVRs). Baise, Debao, and Warmblood displayed 2...
Valberg SJ, Clancey NP, Salinger A, Waldridge B, Tan JY, Barton MH.To investigate pseudohyperkalemia occurring in horses experiencing rhabdomyolysis when serum chemistry profiles are run on an VetScan VS2 analyzer (Abaxis). Methods: 18 horses with rhabdomyolysis (creatine kinase [CK] > 1,000 U/L). Methods: In 3 horses with serum CK activities > 5,800 U/L and persistent serum potassium concentrations of > 8.5 mmol/L (VetScan VS2), potassium concentrations were reevaluated with either i-STAT Alinity Base Station (Abbott), Catalyst (Idexx), or Cobas c501 (Roche) ion-specific analyzers. Paired serum samples from 15 additional horses (median serum CK acti...
Khan Y, Kassymbekov Y, Suleimenova S, Karamendin K, Sabyrzhan T, Nuralibekov S, Daulbayeva K, Abishov A, Akhmetzhanova M, Akhmetsadykov N, Batanova Z....An influenza virus strain, A/equine/Almaty/268/2020, was isolated from horses in southeast Kazakhstan in 2020. Here, we present the nearly complete genome sequence of this epidemic strain. This study was aimed at obtaining the complete genome sequence of the isolate.
Bini de Lima AC, Sebastião da Fé VC, Palermo Hernandes MS, Oliveira Dos Santos VM.Horses constantly face several challenges inherent to the domestic environment, and it is common for the expression of their natural behavior to be drastically limited. Environmental enrichment has been suggested as an alternative to improve the captive situation of domestic horses. Among the recently proposed enrichment strategies, olfactory stimulation has emerged as a method for improving several aspects related to animal behavior. Olfaction is a sensory modality that plays a significant role in the expression of equine behavior, and in recent years, studies have shown that olfactory stimul...
Kearney CM, Korthagen NM, Plomp SGM, Labberté MC, de Grauw JC, van Weeren PR, Brama PAJ.This study investigates repeated low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injections in equine joints as a model for recurrent joint inflammation and its impact on animal welfare. Joint inflammation was induced in eight horses by injecting 0.25 ng of LPS three times at two-week intervals. Welfare scores and clinical parameters were recorded at baseline and over 168 h post-injection. Serial synoviocentesis was performed for the analysis of a panel of synovial fluid biomarkers of inflammation and cartilage turnover. Clinical parameters and a final synoviocentesis were also performed eight weeks after t...
Perdomo-González DI, Id-Lahoucine S, Molina A, Cánovas A, Laseca N, Azor PJ, Valera M.Transmission Ratio Distortion (TRD) is a genetic phenomenon widely demonstrated in several livestock species, but barely in equine species. The TRD occurs when certain genotypes are over- or under-represented in the offspring of a particular mating and can be caused by a variety of factors during gamete formation or during embryonic development. For this study, 126 394 trios consisting of a stallion, mare, and offspring were genotyped using a panel of 17 neutral microsatellite markers recommended by the International Society for Animal Genetics for paternity tests and individual identification...
Pfau T, Landsbergen K, Davis BL, Kenny O, Kernot N, Rochard N, Porte-Proust M, Sparks H, Takahashi Y, Toth K, Scott WM.With an increasing number of systems for quantifying lameness-related movement asymmetry, between-system comparisons under non-laboratory conditions are important for multi-centre or referral-level studies. This study compares an artificial intelligence video app to a validated inertial measurement unit (IMU) gait analysis system in a specific group of horses. Methods: Twenty-two reining Quarter horses were equipped with nine body-mounted IMUs while being videoed with a smartphone app. Both systems quantified head and pelvic movement symmetry during in-hand trot (hard/soft ground) and on the l...
Mitlehner A, Mitlehner C, Reißmann M, Stoll P, Swoboda I, Mitlehner W.American Bashkir Curly Horses are claimed to be hypoallergenic, but this has not been clinically proven. In the present study, the effect of exposure to Curly Horses was investigated in 141 patients allergic to horses by measuring their lung function and nasal patency during Curly Horse contact. Continuous contact with Curly Horses, including riding and brushing, decreased the allergic riders' reactivity as measured by FEV1, PEF, and PNIF. Subsequent visits (up to 40 or more hours of riding) further reduced reactivity to the Curly Horses. Allergic events to horses occurred only in 72 out of 13...
Catalán J, Yánez-Ortiz I, Martínez-Rodero I, Mateo-Otero Y, Nolis P, Yeste M, Miró J.Previous research revealed that several seminal plasma (SP) metabolites are related to sperm functionality, fertility, and preservation. While it is understood that variations between species exist, whether the SP metabolome differs between donkeys and horses has not been previously investigated. The aim of this work, therefore, was to characterize and compare donkey and horse SP metabolites using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and relate them to sperm viability and motility. For this purpose, ejaculates from 18 different donkeys and 18 different horses were collected and separ...
Pechanec MY, Mienaltowski MJ.Equine tendinopathies are challenging because of the poor healing capacity of tendons commonly resulting in high re-injury rates. Within the tendon, different regions - tendon proper (TP) and peritenon (PERI) - contribute to the tendon matrix in differing capacities during injury and aging. Aged tendons have decreased repair potential; the underlying transcriptional and epigenetic changes that occur in the TP and PERI regions are not well understood. The objective of this study was to assess TP and PERI regional differences in adolescent, midlife, and geriatric horses using RNA sequencing and ...
Banse HE, Piero FD, Andrews FM, Garcia-Abarca N, Watanabe TTN.To compare small intestinal inflammation with gastric inflammation in horses with and without equine gastric glandular disease (EGGD), we evaluated endoscopic, macroscopic, and microscopic findings of the glandular stomach and microscopic findings of the small intestine. Methods: 36 horses. Methods: Horses underwent endoscopy and were scored for EGGD. After euthanasia, stomachs were collected and macroscopically evaluated. Normal pyloric mucosa, glandular lesions, and small intestinal (duodenum, mid-jejunum, and ileum) samples were collected and processed for microscopic examination. Cellular ...
Treby S, Grover SP.Peatlands are globally significant carbon sinks, but when disturbed, have the potential to release carbon back to the atmosphere as greenhouse gases. Feral horse populations in the Australian Alps degrade Sphagnum peatlands, which are highly sensitive to disturbance. However, the link between this degradation and peatland carbon cycling is not understood. Here, we compared the autumn daytime carbon dioxide (CO) and methane (CH) fluxes of 12 alpine and subalpine Sphagnum peatlands in Kosciuszko National Park, Australia. The presence of feral horses at these sites was correlated with higher carb...
Auth AK, Hinnigan GJ, Smith MA, Owen KR.Low-field, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an advanced imaging modality widely used to diagnose distal limb pathology in horses, but there are limited data regarding lesion distribution within the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joint (MCP/MTPJ) region in lame nonracehorses. The aim of this study was to describe the low-field MRI findings and lesion distribution in nonracehorses with MCP/MTPJ region pain. Clinical records from horses undergoing MRI of the MCP/MTPJ region between July 2016 and March 2023 were reviewed. Horses were included if pain causing lameness was localized to this region...
Lawton K, Runk D, Hankin S, Mendonsa E, Hull D, Barnum S, Pusterla N.The aim of this study was to use environmental sampling to determine the frequency of detection of selected equine respiratory viruses and bacteria in horses attending a multi-week equestrian show during the winter months. At four time points during showing, environmental sponge samples were collected from all stalls on the property and tested for the presence of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), EHV-2, EHV-4, equine influenza virus (EIV), equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV), Streptococcus equi ss. equi (S. equi), and S. equi ss. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) using real-time PCR (PCR). Environmental...
Matthews JB, Peczak N, Lightbody KL.Helminths are commonly found in grazing equids, with cyathostomin nematodes and the cestode being the most prevalent. Most horses harbour low burdens of these parasites and do not develop signs of infection; however, in a small number of animals, high burdens can accumulate and cause disease. Cyathostomins are associated with a syndrome known as larval cyathostominosis. This occurs when large numbers of larvae emerge from the large intestinal wall. This disease has a case fatality rate of up to 50%. infection has been associated with various types of colic, with burdens of >20 worms assoc...
Faccin M, Landsgaard KA, Milliron SM, Jennings AH, Keith Chaffin M, Giaretta PR, Rech RR.A 1.5-year-old American quarter horse gelding (case 1) and an 11-month-old American quarter horse filly (case 2) were presented for acute onset pelvic lameness and lethargy. Case 1 had nasal discharge, while case 2 developed rapid muscle atrophy. Both horses had elevated serum creatine kinase activity. The horses showed similar polyphasic histiocytic and lymphoplasmacytic myositis with necrosis, mineralization, and regeneration. Additionally, case 1 had Streptococcus equi subsp. equi-induced suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis with renal purpura hemorrhagica and myoglobinuric nephropathy...
Nava V, Licata P, Biondi V, Catone G, Gugliandolo E, Pugliese M, Passantino A, Crupi R, Aragona F.Horses are excellent bioindicators for the assessment of environmental pollution. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels and potential bioaccumulation of 28 mineral elements in 75 horse whole blood samples collected from five pollution-prone areas of Sicily, Italy. A direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80) was used for Hg determination, and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for all other elements. A one-way ANOVA test, followed by Bonferroni's multiple comparison for post hoc comparison, was applied to assess statistically significant differences between mineral eleme...
Spörndly-Nees E, Jansson A, Pökelmann M, Pickova J, Ringmark S.Barefoot racing is a common practice within the harness racing industry, but not all horses have hooves of sufficient quality to race sustainably without shoes. There is currently no objective approach available to assess whether a horse's hooves are suitable for barefoot racing, raising animal welfare issues if trainers misjudge the functional qualities of hooves. This study compared chemical composition of the hoof wall and fatty acid (FA) composition of the digital cushion in a group of horses that had raced barefoot often (RB) and a group of horses that could not race barefoot and therefor...
Herrmann I, Sanchez AJ.Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only current intervention that has the ability to modify the immune response toward a tolerogenic state. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of AIT in horses with allergic diseases in a systematic manner. Three databases were searched to identify articles reporting clinical outcomes and adverse events associated with AIT. The articles were evaluated for beneficial responses to AIT, defined as a ≥50% reduction in clinical signs, and clinical remission. Horses with respiratory diseases, urticaria, and pruritic dermatitis receiving ins...
Esdaile E, Knickelbein KE, Donnelly CG, Ferneding M, Motta MJ, Story BD, Avila F, Finno CJ, Gilger BC, Sandmeyer L, Thomasy S, Bellone RR.Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) is an ocular disorder characterized by nyctalopia. An autosomal recessive missense mutation in glutamate metabotropic receptor 6 (GRM6 c.533C>T, p.(Thr178Met)), called CSNB2, was previously identified in one Tennessee Walking Horse and predicted to reduce binding affinity of the neurotransmitter glutamate, impacting the retinal rod ON-bipolar cell signaling pathway. Thus, the first aim was to identify the allele frequency (AF) of CSNB2 in breeds with reported cases of CSNB and breeds closely related to the Tennessee Walking Horse. The second aim ...
Byström A, Hardeman AM, Engell MT, Swagemakers JH, Koene MHW, Serra-Bragança FM, Rhodin M, Hernlund E.In horses, hip hike asymmetry, i.e. left-right difference in hip upwards movement during hind limb protraction in trot, is a crucial lameness sign. Vertical hip movements are complex, influenced by both pelvic roll and pelvic vertical motion. Veterinarians find it challenging to identify low-grade lameness, and knowledge of normal variation is a prerequisite for discerning abnormalities. This study, which included 100 clinically sound Warmblood horses, aimed to describe normal variation in pelvic roll stride patterns. Data were collected during straight-line trot in hand using optical motion c...
Engvall EO, Pettersson B, Persson M, Artursson K, Johansson KE.A PCR-based assay was developed for detecting DNA of granulocytic ehrlichiae in blood samples from dogs, horses, and cattle, Primers were designed from 16S rRNA sequence information to specifically amplify DNA from a newly identified Swedish Ehrlichia species. The 16S rRNA nucleotide sequence of this Swedish species differs in only two and three positions from the sequences of Ehrlichia phagocytophila and Ehrlichia equi, respectively, which were also amplified by this PCR system. For evaluation, PCR results were compared with microscopic examination of stained blood smears for the detection of...
De Santis M, Contalbrigo L, Borgi M, Cirulli F, Luzi F, Redaelli V, Stefani A, Toson M, Odore R, Vercelli C, Valle E, Farina L.Equine assisted interventions (EAIs) are recently facing an increasing popularity, and are characterized by a wide diversity of practices. However, information on the welfare of animals involved in this kind of activity is often lacking. Horses are highly susceptible to work stressors related to physical constraints and/or to the need to control emotions while interacting with humans. Considerations of the emotional state of horses involved in EAIs have multiple valences: for the safety of humans and animals involved, for the quality and efficacy of interventions, as well as for ethical reason...
Penell JC, Egenvall A, Bonnett BN, Olson P, Pringle J.The principal aim of this study was to analyse the incidence of disease due to general and more specific causes among over 100,000 horses covered by complete insurance for veterinary care by a Swedish insurance company during 1997 to 2000. The database was used to calculate the rate of cause-specific morbidity in horses of different ages, sexes and breed groups kept in different regions with different human population densities. The joints were the most commonly affected part of the body, followed by unspecified/whole body, the skin and the digestive system. The most common specific diagnosis ...
Iversson LB, Silva RA, da Rosa AP, Barros VL.Neutralizing antibodies to EEE (6.7%), WEE (1.2%), ILH (26.6%), MAG (28.2%) and TCM (15.7%) viruses were found in sera of 432 equines of the Brazilian Pantanal, area where undiagnosed horse deaths are frequently observed. A 4-fold rise in CF titer to EEE virus was detected in acute and convalescent sera of an encephalitis horse sacrificed in 1992. Antibodies to EEE, ILH, MAG and TCM viruses were detected in horses less than 2 years old indicating recent circulation of these viruses in the Pantanal. The evidence of recent equine encephalitis associated with rising CF titer to EEE warrants a mor...
Bureau F, Bonizzi G, Kirschvink N, Delhalle S, Desmecht D, Merville MP, Bours V, Lekeux P.Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, in which many inflammatory genes are overexpressed. Transcription factor, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), which is thought to control the transcriptional initiation of inflammatory genes, has been poorly investigated in asthma. In the present report, bronchial cells (BCs), recovered by bronchial brushing in healthy and heaves-affected horses (i.e., an animal model of asthma), were assessed for NF-kappaB activity. Small amounts of active NF-kappaB were present in BCs of healthy horses, whereas high levels of NF-kappaB activity was foun...
Clark C, Greenwood S, Boison JO, Chirino-Trejo M, Dowling PM.All bacterial samples of equine origin submitted to the diagnostic laboratory at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine from January 1998 to December 2003 from either "in-clinic" or Field Service cases were accessed (1323 submissions). The most common bacterial isolates from specific presenting signs were identified, along with their in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. The most common site from which significant bacterial isolates were recovered was the respiratory tract, followed by wounds. Streptococcus zooepidemicus was the most common isolate from most infections, followed ...
Hines SA, Stone DM, Hines MT, Alperin DC, Knowles DP, Norton LK, Hamilton MJ, Davis WC, McGuire TC.Rhodococcus equi is a gram-positive bacterium that infects alveolar macrophages and causes rhodococcal pneumonia in horses and humans. The virulence plasmid of R. equi appears to be required for both pathogenicity in the horse and the induction of protective immunity. An understanding of the mechanisms by which virulent R. equi circumvents protective host responses and by which bacteria are ultimately cleared is important for development of an effective vaccine. Six adult horses were challenged with either virulent R. equi or an avirulent, plasmid-cured derivative. By using a flow cytometric m...
Kearns CF, McKeever KH, Abe T.Locomotion requires skeletal muscle to sustain and generate force. A muscle's force potential is proportional to its weight. Since the larger the muscle the larger its potential power output, a better understanding of the proportion of skeletal muscle a horse possesses may lead to a better understanding of horse performance. Several techniques exist to assess body composition, which include dual energy X-ray absorption, underwater (hydrostatic) weighing, derivation from total body water, bio-electric impedance, air displacement, body condition scoring, cadaver dissection and ultrasound. The re...
Middleton D.Hendra virus infection of horses occurred sporadically between 1994 and 2010 as a result of spill-over from the viral reservoir in Australian mainland flying-foxes, and occasional onward transmission to people also followed from exposure to affected horses. An unprecedented number of outbreaks were recorded in 2011 leading to heightened community concern. Release of an inactivated subunit vaccine for horses against Hendra virus represents the first commercially available product that is focused on mitigating the impact of a Biosafety Level 4 pathogen. Through preventing the development of acut...
Nordengrahn A, Rusvai M, Merza M, Ekström J, Morein B, Belák S.Equine herpesvirus type 2 (EHV-2), a member of the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily, was studied in a two-phase respiratory disease complex of young foals as a predisposing factor for the secondary bacterial invasion of lungs with Rhodococcus equi (R. equi). Foals were immunized against EHV-2 on a farm where R. equi pneumonia regularly occurred during the last years. The immunizations were performed by using a subunit vaccine which selectively presents envelope glycoproteins of EHV-2 in a multimeric form of immunostimulating complexes (iscoms). The etiological role of EHV-2 was estimated by observ...
Hultén C, Grönlund U, Hirvonen J, Tulamo RM, Suominen MM, Marhaug G, Forsberg M.Despite the importance of noninfectious joint diseases in equine medicine, little is known about the acute phase response which may be elicited if the local inflammatory process of noninfectious arthritis is sufficiently strong, Therefore the aim of this study was to monitor the systemic inflammatory response during experimentally-induced noninfectious arthritis by studying the dynamics in serum of the acute phase proteins serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, fibrinogen and alpha2-globulins. Twenty-four Standardbred horses, age 3-7 years, found healthy on thorough clinical, radiological, haemat...
Cywińska A, Szarska E, Górecka R, Witkowski L, Hecold M, Bereznowski A, Schollenberger A, Winnicka A.Acute phase proteins (APP) have been described as useful for assessing health in human and animal patients, as they closely reflect the acute phase reaction (APR). In humans and dogs a reaction analogous to APR has also been described after prolonged or strenuous exercise. The aim of this study was to determine, if similar reactions occur in endurance horses after limited and long distance rides. Seventeen horses that successfully completed various distance competitions were tested. Routine haematological and biochemical tests were performed and the concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), C-r...
Stephens PR, Nunamaker DM, Butterweck DM.Custom-designed Hall-effect strain sensors (HES) were implanted surgically onto the superficial digital flexor tendons of the forelimbs of 4 adult Thoroughbreds. Strains were recorded at various gaits, using a portable amplifer and FM cassette recorder. Strain calculations used the original length (L) as the HES position with the forelimb in the relaxed neutral position during anesthesia. A characteristic deflection in the strain cycle recording was confirmed to correspond to initial hoof contact with the ground (heel strike) by simultaneous recording of weight bearing via a footswitch. Heel s...
Gregoire C, Rosinski-Chupin I, Rabillon J, Alzari PM, David B, Dandeu JP.The gene encoding the major horse allergen, designated Equus caballus allergen 1 (Equ c1), was cloned from total cDNA of sublingual salivary glands by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using synthetic degenerate oligonucleotides deduced from N-terminal and internal peptide sequences of the glycosylated hair dandruff protein. A recombinant form of the protein, with a polyhistidine tail, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. The recombinant protein is able to induce a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction in rat, and it behave...
Hampson BA, Morton JM, Mills PC, Trotter MG, Lamb DW, Pollitt CC.The aims of this work were to (1) develop a low-cost equine movement tracking collar based on readily available components, (2) conduct preliminary studies assessing the effects of both paddock size and internal fence design on the movements of domestic horses, with and without foals at foot, and (3) describe distances moved by mares and their foals. Additional monitoring of free-ranging feral horses was conducted to allow preliminary comparisons with the movement of confined domestic horses. Methods: A lightweight global positioning system (GPS) data logger modified from a personal/vehicle tr...
Paillot R, Prowse L, Montesso F, Huang CM, Barnes H, Escala J.Equine influenza (EI) is a serious respiratory disease of horses induced by the equine influenza virus (EIV). Surveillance, quarantine procedures and vaccination are widely used to prevent or to contain the disease. This study aimed to further characterise the immune response induced by a non-updated inactivated EI and tetanus vaccine, including protection against a representative EIV isolate of the Florida clade 2 sublineage. Seven ponies were vaccinated twice with Duvaxyn IE-T Plus at an interval of four weeks. Five ponies remained unvaccinated. All ponies were experimentally infected with t...
Park T, Cheong H, Yoon J, Kim A, Yun Y, Unno T.(1) Background: The intestinal microbiota plays an essential role in maintaining the host's health. Dysbiosis of the equine hindgut microbiota can alter the fermentation patterns and cause metabolic disorders. (2) Methods: This study compared the fecal microbiota composition of horses with intestinal disease and their healthy counterparts living in Korea using 16S rRNA sequencing from fecal samples. A total of 52 fecal samples were collected and divided into three groups: horses with large intestinal disease (n = 20), horses with small intestinal disease (n = 8), and healthy horses (n = 24). (...
Unger L, Nicholson A, Jewitt EM, Gerber V, Hegeman A, Sweetman L, Valberg S.Hypoglycin A, found in seeds of Acer negundo, appears to cause seasonal pasture myopathy (SPM) in North America and is implicated in atypical myopathy (AM) in Europe. Acer negundo is uncommon in Europe. Thus, the potential source of hypoglycin A in Europe is unknown. Objective: We hypothesized that seeds of Acer pseudoplatanus were the source of hypoglycin A in Europe. Our objective was to determine the concentration of hypoglycin A in seeds of A. pseudoplatanus trees located in pastures where previous cases of AM had occurred. Methods: None. Methods: University of Berne records were searched ...
Williams LB, Koenig JB, Black B, Gibson TW, Sharif S, Koch TG.Improvement has been reported following intra-articular (i.a.) injection of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in several species. These observations have led to the use of i.a. MSCs in equine practice with little understanding of the mechanisms by which perceived improvement occurs. Objective: To evaluate the effect of i.a. allogeneic umbilical cord blood (CB-) derived MSCs using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced synovitis model. We hypothesised that i.a. CB-MSCs would reduce the inflammatory response associated with LPS injection. Methods: Randomised, blinded experimental study. Methods: Feas...
Keegan KG, Wilson DA, Wilson DJ, Smith B, Gaughan EM, Pleasant RS, Lillich JD, Kramer J, Howard RD, Bacon-Miller C, Davis EG, May KA, Cheramie HS....To estimate sensitivity and accuracy of subjective evaluation of mild lameness in horses during treadmill locomotion and to correlate subjective evaluation with kinematic analysis. Methods: 19 lame and 5 clinically normal horses. Methods: Lameness was evaluated by subjective score and kinematic analysis before and after palmar digital nerve block (PDNB). Evaluations were made by 6 clinicians and 7 interns or residents. Within- and between-observer agreement analyses (kappa values) were calculated and compared, using a Student's t-test. Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients were cal...
Marck A, Berthelot G, Foulonneau V, Marc A, Antero-Jacquemin J, Noirez P, Bronikowski AM, Morgan TJ, Garland T, Carter PA, Hersen P, Di Meglio JM....Locomotion is one of the major physiological functions for most animals. Previous studies have described aging mechanisms linked to locomotor performance among different species. However, the precise dynamics of these age-related changes, and their interactions with development and senescence, are largely unknown. Here, we use the same conceptual framework to describe locomotor performances in Caenorhabditis elegans, Mus domesticus, Canis familiaris, Equus caballus, and Homo sapiens. We show that locomotion is a consistent biomarker of age-related changes, with an asymmetrical pattern througho...
Minke JM, Siger L, Cupillard L, Powers B, Bakonyi T, Boyum S, Nowotny N, Bowen R.The emergence of lineage 2 strains of WNV in Europe as a cause of clinical disease and mortality in horses raised the question whether the existing WNV vaccines, all based on lineage 1 strains, protect against circulating lineage 2 strains of WNV. In the present paper we have determined the level of cross protection provided by the recombinant ALVAC(®)-WNV vaccine in a severe challenge model that produces clinical signs of WNV type 2 disease. Ten horses were vaccinated twice at 4 weeks interval with one dose of the ALVAC-WNV vaccine formulated at the minimum protective dose. A further 10 hors...
Verheyen KL, Wood JL.Musculoskeletal injury is the major cause of days lost from training and wastage in Thoroughbred racehorses. Little scientific information is available on the majority of injuries occurring in training. Objective: To estimate the incidence of fractures in British racehorses in training and describe the occurrence of different fracture types and bones involved. Methods: Thirteen UK racehorse trainers participated in a prospective study, providing data on horses in their care for 2 years. Details on horses, their daily exercise and fracture occurrence were recorded. Results: A total of 1178 hors...
Plaas A, Sandy JD, Liu H, Diaz MA, Schenkman D, Magnus RP, Bolam-Bretl C, Kopesky PW, Wang VM, Galante JO.We describe analysis of suspensory ligaments from horses with advanced degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD) to identify the major proteoglycans (PGs), ADAMTS-aggrecanases and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (IαI) components associated with ligament degeneration. Specific anatomical regions of suspensory ligaments from two normal horses and four diagnosed with DSLD were analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry for the following: aggrecan, aggrecan fragments, decorin, ADAMTS4, ADAMTS5, and IαI components. When compared to normal, DSLD ligaments showed about a 15-fold increas...
Vo AT, van Duijkeren E, Fluit AC, Gaastra W.The aim of the present study was to contribute to the knowledge on extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL's), AmpC beta-lactamases and integrons in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from horses, which is still limited. The susceptibility of 1581 clinical isolates from animals to ceftiofur was tested. Most of these isolates (n=1347) originated from horses. Seven ceftiofur-resistant equine isolates (four Escherichia coli and three Klebsiella pneumoniae) were identified and all seven were multidrug-resistant. These isolates were further studied for the presence of ESBL's, AmpC beta-lactamases and clas...
Uiterwijk M, Ibáñez-Justicia A, van de Vossenberg B, Jacobs F, Overgaauw P, Nijsse R, Dabekaussen C, Stroo A, Sprong H.Ticks of the genus Hyalomma, which are vectors for several tick-borne diseases, are occasionally found in areas outside their endemic range including northern parts of Europe. The objective of this study was to analyse adult Hyalomma ticks that were recently found in the Netherlands. Methods: Hyalomma ticks were morphologically identified. Cluster analysis, based upon sequence data (cox1 barcoding) for molecular identification, and pathogen detection were performed. Additionally, a cross-sectional survey of horses was conducted to actively search for Hyalomma ticks in summer 2019. Analysis of...
Nielsen MK, Wang J, Davis R, Bellaw JL, Lyons ET, Lear TL, Goday C.The equine ascarid parasite Parascaris equorum is well known as a ubiquitous parasite infecting foals. A sibling species, Parascaris univalens, was first described over 130 years ago, but very little attention has been given to its existence and possible implications for anthelmintic resistance, clinical disease, or host age spectrum. P. univalens only possesses one germ line chromosome pair as opposed to two for P. equorum, but the two species are otherwise considered morphologically identical. For the present study, live worms obtained from the University of Kentucky parasitology horse herd ...
Geburek F, Lietzau M, Beineke A, Rohn K, Stadler PM.Autologous blood-derived biologicals, including autologous conditioned serum (ACS), are frequently used to treat tendinopathies in horses despite limited evidence for their efficacy. The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of a single intralesional injection of ACS in naturally occurring tendinopathies of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) on clinical, ultrasonographic, and histological parameters. Methods: Fifteen horses with 17 naturally occurring tendinopathies of forelimb SDFTs were examined clinically and ultrasonographically (day 0). Injured tendons were ran...
Allen WR.The equine embryo takes 6 days to traverse the oviduct and, when it finally enters the uterus, it remains spherical in shape and moves continually throughout the uterine lumen until day 17 after ovulation to deliver its maternal recognition of pregnancy signal to the entire endometrium. Between day 25 and day 35 after ovulation, the trophoblast cells of a discrete annulate portion of the chorion multiply rapidly and acquire an invasive phenotype and, between day 36 and day 38, migrate deeply into the maternal endometrium to form the equine-unique endometrial protuberances known as endometrial ...
Hall SJ.Accurate measures of effective population sizes (Ne ) in livestock require good quality data and specialized skills for their computation and analysis. Ne can be estimated by Wright's equation Ne =4MF/(M+ F) (M, F being sires and dams, respectively), but this requires assumptions which are often not met. Total census sizes Nc of livestock breeds are collated globally. This paper investigates whether estimates of Ne can be made from Nc ; this would facilitate conservation monitoring. Some Ne methodologies avoid the assumptions of Wright's equation and permit measurement, rather than estimation,...
