"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.
Lavoie-Lamoureux A, Maghni K, Lavoie JP.The systemic component of chronic inflammatory diseases may lead to clinical complications. High levels of TNFα, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, are found in human patients with COPD and asthma. Horses are also susceptible to an array of chronic inflammatory disorders possibly associated with systemic inflammation, including respiratory diseases. Currently, there is no commercially available ELISA validated to assess TNFα in equine serum samples. Moreover, the reported normal mean concentration of serum TNFα in horses vary greatly. Hence, we sought to optimize and validate a procedure to quant...
Shingu Y, Kondo S, Hata H.In this study, grazing behavior of mares and cows was compared on woodland pastures, in the context of foraging hierarchy. A horse-group (12 native Hokkaido horses) and a cattle-group (5 Hereford cows) were grazed on the woodland pastures of 13.3 ha and 5.8 ha, respectively. They grazed mainly on Sasa nipponica. Grazing behavior at a feeding station (FS) scale was recorded for three focal animals in each group. Mares took one bite per FS at a high percentage of FSs (24.3%) and cows took one, two and three bites per FS at high percentage (20.3%, 19.2% and 15.4%, respectively). Although feeding ...
Spolidorio MG, Labruna MB, Machado RZ, Moraes-Filho J, Zago AM, Donatele DM, Pinheiro SR, Silveira I, Caliari KM, Yoshinari NH.Blood samples collected from 201 humans, 92 dogs, and 27 horses in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, were tested by polymerase chain reaction, indirect immunofluorescence assays, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tick-borne diseases (rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, borreliosis, babesiosis). Our results indicated that the surveyed counties are endemic for spotted fever group rickettsiosis because sera from 70 (34.8%) humans, 7 (7.6%) dogs, and 7 (25.9%) horses were reactive to at least one of the six Rickettsia species tested. Although there was evidence of ehrlic...
McMullen RJ, Davidson MG, Campbell NB, Salmon JH, Gilger BC.To determine appropriate intraocular lens (IOL) implant strength to approximate emmetropia in horses. Methods: 16 enucleated globes and 4 adult horses. Methods: Lens diameter of 10 enucleated globes was measured. Results were used to determine the appropriate-sized IOL implant for insertion in 6 enucleated globes and 4 eyes of adult horses. Streak retinoscopy and ocular ultrasonography were performed before and after insertion of 30-diopter (D) IOL implants (enucleated globes) and insertion of 25-D IOL implants (adult horses). Results: In enucleated globes, mean +/- SD lens diameter was 20.14 ...
Nicholson AM, Trumble TN, Merritt KA, Brown MP.To determine the effects of horse age, osteochondral injury, and joint type on a synthesis biomarker and 3 degradative biomarkers of type II collagen in Thoroughbreds. Methods: Healthy rested adult (3- to 12-year-old) Thoroughbreds (n = 19), yearling (1- to 2-year-old) Thoroughbreds (40), and Thoroughbred racehorses (2 to 7 years old) undergoing arthroscopic surgery for removal of osteochondral fragments that resulted from training or racing (41). Methods: Samples of blood and metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, or carpal joint synovial fluid (SF) were collected from all horses. Commerci...
Mallem MY, Thuleau A, Noireaud J, Desfontis JC, Gogny M.To investigate the role of superoxide anions in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced impairment of beta-adrenoceptor-mediated equine digital vein (EDV) vasodilation. Methods: EDVs isolated from forelimbs of 24 healthy adult horses. Methods: Endothelium-intact or endothelium-denuded EDV rings were incubated with or without LPS (10 microg/mL) of Escherichia coli (O55:B5) for 4 hours. Cumulative concentration-relaxation curves resulting from administration of isoprenaline, a nonselective beta-adrenoceptor agonist, or from administration of SR 58611A, a selective beta(3)-adrenoceptor agonist, were...
Grady JA, Davis EG, Kukanich B, Sherck AB.To assess pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of dexamethasone administered PO as a solution or powder, compared with properties of dexamethasone solution administered IV, in apparently healthy horses. Methods: 6 adult horses. Methods: Serum cortisol concentration for each horse was determined before each treatment (baseline values). Dexamethasone (0.05 mg/kg) was administered PO (in solution or powdered form) or IV (solution) to horses from which feed had or had not been withheld (unfed and fed horses, respectively). Each horse received all 6 treatments in random order at 2-week in...
Scheinberg P, Marte M, Nunez O, Young NS.Clones of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor protein-deficient cells are characteristic in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and are present in about 40-50% of patients with severe aplastic anemia. Flow cytometry has allowed for sensitive and precise measurement of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor protein-deficient red blood cells and neutrophils in severe aplastic anemia. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clones measured by flow cytometry in 207 consecutive severe aplastic anemia patients who received immunosuppressive therapy with a h...
Noronha LE, Antczak DF.The horse has proven to be a distinctively informative species in the study of pregnancy immunology for several reasons. First, unique aspects of the anatomy and physiology of the equine conceptus facilitate approaches that are not possible in other model organisms, such as non-surgical recovery of early stage embryos and conceptuses and isolation of pure trophoblast cell populations. Second, pregnant mares make strong cytotoxic antibody responses to paternal major histocompatibility complex class I antigens expressed by the chorionic girdle cells, permitting detailed evaluation of the antigen...
Anthenill LA, Gardner IA, Pool RR, Garcia TC, Stover SM.To compare macrostructural and microstructural features of proximal sesamoid bones (PSBs) from horses with and without PSB midbody fracture to gain insight into the pathogenesis of PSB fracture. Methods: PSBs from 16 Thoroughbred racehorses (8 with and 8 without a PSB midbody fracture). Methods: Parasagittal sections of fractured and contralateral intact PSBs from horses with a PSB fracture and an intact PSB from age- and sex-matched control horses without a PSB fracture were evaluated for visual, radiographic, microradiographic, histologic, and his-tomorphometric differences in bone porosity,...
West Nile virus (WNV) was first detected in the Western Hemisphere in 1999 in New York City and has since caused seasonal epidemics of febrile illness and neurologic disease across the United States, where it is now the leading cause of arboviral encephalitis. This report updates a previous report and summarizes WNV activity in the United States reported to CDC in 2009. A total of 38 states and the District of Columbia (DC) reported 720 cases of WNV disease. Of these, 33 states and DC reported 386 cases of WNV neuroinvasive disease, for an incidence of 0.13 per 100,000 population. The five sta...
Loesch A, Mayhew TM, Tang H, Ladd FV, Ladd AA, de Melo MP, da Silva AA, Coppi AA.The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) in mammals varies in structure according to developmental age, body size, gender, lateral asymmetry, the size and nuclear content of neurons and the complexity and synaptic coverage of their dendritic trees. In small and medium-sized mammals, neuron number and size increase from birth to adulthood and, in phylogenetic studies, vary with body size. However, recent studies on larger animals suggest that body weight does not, in general, accurately predict neuron number. We have applied design-based stereological tools at the light-microscopic level to assess ...
Arnold CE, Brinsko SP, Love CC, Varner DD.6 geldings and 5 stallions were evaluated from January 2007 through April 2009 for the following conditions requiring phallectomy: chronic paraphimosis (n = 7), squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (3), and priapism (1). Results: None of the 7 horses with paraphimosis was able to retract the penis. Chronicity of the paraphimosis in 6 horses ranged from 2 weeks to 2 months and was unknown in the seventh horse. Horses with paraphimosis had been medically treated without success. The horse with priapism had developed the condition secondary to acepromazine administration 2 days prior to referral ...
Abraham G, Allersmeier M, Schusser GF, Ungemach FR.The aim of this study was to determine if topical application of dexamethasone affected the serum concentrations of thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine T(3) and thyroxine T(4)), glucose, triglycerides, total protein and insulin in normal horses. Ten horses were treated twice daily for 10 days with 50 g dexamethasone using an ointment formulation. Thyroid hormones and insulin were assayed using standard radioimmunoassay methods, while glucose, triglycerides and total protein were determined using a standard enzymatic method and the Biuret reaction, respectively. An increase in serum glucose and ...
Loftus JP, Williams JM, Belknap JK, Black SJ.Laminitis is a crippling disease of horses characterized by an inflammatory response in the tissue that suspends the axial skeleton within the hoof. Pain is a common feature of laminitic pathology and its management is an important component of the treatment regime for this disease. Systemic lidocaine administration is commonly utilized to manage pain in equine laminitis; however, the potential anti-inflammatory effects of this drug during the treatment of equine laminitis have not been investigated. Here, we sought to determine if lidocaine concentrations achieved in the plasma (therapeutic c...
Bell RJ, Textor JA.To establish the prevalence of intussusceptions involving the caecum in a population of horses admitted to a university hospital for colic. Methods: Retrospective clinical study Methods: Medical records of all horses admitted to the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital between 1991 and 2004 were examined for information of those horses diagnosed with an intussusception involving the caecum. Results: A total of 135 horses were admitted for colic surgery during the study period and 61 horses had a diagnosis of ileocaecal (37), caecocaecal (5) or caecocolic intussusception (19) made eit...
Beeler-Marfisi J, Gallastegui Menoyo A, Beck A, König J, Hewson J, Bienzle D.Gelatinous marrow transformation, or serous atrophy of bone marrow fat, has been noted in livestock, laboratory animals, and wildlife in association with an inadequate plane of nutrition, inanition, or intoxication. This is a report of gelatinous marrow transformation and hematopoietic marrow atrophy in a 5-year-old miniature horse stallion. The horse had oral malformations leading to poor food assimilation and emaciation. A bone marrow biopsy obtained to investigate persistent anemia and leukopenia showed hematopoietic atrophy and replacement of fat with a granular extracellular substance, wh...
Knych HK, McKemie DS, Stanley SD.The use of performance-enhancing drugs in the horse racing industry combined with the need for more rational approaches in the use of therapeutic agents in equids necessitates additional studies on the spectrum, content, and catalytic activities of hepatic cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in this species. In this study, three cytochrome P450 (P450) monooxygenases in the 3A family were cloned from, sequenced, and expressed in a baculovirus expression system. The proteins were designated CYP3A89, CYP3A96, and CYP3A97. Expression studies produced various results among the three proteins. CYP3A89 ap...
Matsuo E, Celma CC, Roy P.African horse sickness virus (AHSV), a member of the orbivirus genus of the family Reoviridae, is an insect-vectored pathogen of horses of concern to the equine industry. Studies on AHSV replication and pathogenesis have been hampered by the lack of reverse genetics allowing targeted mutation of viral genomes. We demonstrate that AHSV single-stranded RNA synthesized in vitro (core transcripts) is infectious and that there are distinct primary and secondary stages of the replication cycle. Transfection with a mixture of core transcripts from two different serotypes or a mixture of core transcri...
Abraham G, Shibeshi W, Ungemach FR.Responses and functions of airway epithelial cells are stimulated by β₂-agonists via the β₂-adrenergic receptors (β₂-ARs)-G(s)-protein-cAMP-system, thus, affecting airway inflammation such as in asthma and equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Though horses can be used as large animal model for human asthma, evaluation of the expression and functions of the β-AR system in primary equine airway epithelial cells has not been yet carried out. Thus, for the first time, we determined the β-AR density and subtype distribution by [¹²⁵I]-iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) binding, examined ...
Staniar WB, Bussard JR, Repard NM, Hall MH, Burk AO.The objective of this study was to evaluate nutrient composition, voluntary DMI, and apparent DM digestibility of teff hay cut at 3 different stages of maturity to evaluate its potential as a preserved forage for horses. Six mature Quarter Horse mares (12 +/- 3 yr; 553 +/- 39 kg of BW) were used in a replicated balanced Latin square design with 3 periods and 3 maturities of teff hay. Eragrostis tef ('Tiffany' teff) was planted in May and harvested at the boot, early-heading, or late-heading stage of maturity through the summer. Horses were acclimated to a mixture of maturities of teff hay for ...
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...
Upjohn MM, Shipton K, Lerotholi T, Attwood G, Verheyen KL.This study aimed to (1) estimate infection prevalence of strongyle, Oxyuris equi and Parascaris equorum species and the intensity of infection with strongyles in working horses in lowland Lesotho and (2) investigate associations between infection and horse age, sex and owner-reported use of anthelmintics. In a cross-sectional survey, fresh faecal samples were obtained from 305 randomly selected horses and worm egg counts performed using a validated field laboratory kit. Details of anthelmintic use were collected using a standardised face-to-face owner questionnaire. Infection prevalence estima...
Phoutrides E, Jusino-Mendez T, Perez-Medina T, Seda-Lozada R, Garcia-Negron M, Davila-Toro F, Hunsperger E.After the isolation of West Nile virus (WNV) from humans, mosquitoes, and chickens in 2007, an analysis of animal surveillance involving multiple species (horses, monkeys, sheep, dogs, and birds) used to track WNV transmission from 2006 to 2008 was performed. During this period 13.4% of all the animal samples collected were seropositive by blocking ELISA for WNV. The most complete island-wide sampling was obtained from horses of which 22% were serologically positive and 96% were confirmed as WNV infections by plaque-reduction neutralization test. Our conclusion from this 3-year study is that a...
Goehring LS, Landolt GA, Morley PS.Because of the serious disease sequelae associated with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infections, awareness and control measures used to control outbreaks are important issues for all horse populations. Objective: Describe the occurrence and management of an outbreak of EHV-1 infection at a veterinary hospital. Methods: Horses hospitalized at a referral veterinary hospital. Methods: A horse with myeloencephalopathy associated with EHV-1 infection (EHM) was admitted for diagnostic evaluation and treatment under strict infection control procedures. We describe the occurrence and management o...
Pusterla N, Hussey SB, Mapes S, Johnson C, Collier JR, Hill J, Lunn DP, Wilson WD.Recrudescence of latent equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) with subsequent viral shedding via nasal secretions is a potential source of infection for susceptible horses and has been implicated in outbreaks occurring in closed populations. Objective: To describe the viral kinetics of reactivated EHV-1 in blood and nasal secretions from latently infected horses after administration of corticosteroids, and to study the infectious nature of reactivated EHV-1 to sentinel horses. Methods: Eight healthy horses. Methods: Four horses infected 4 months previously with EHV-1 received dexamethasone on 5 consecu...
Schmidt A, Aurich J, Möstl E, Müller J, Aurich C.Based on cortisol release, a variety of situations to which domestic horses are exposed have been classified as stressors but studies on the stress during equestrian training are limited. In the present study, Warmblood stallions (n=9) and mares (n=7) were followed through a 9 respective 12-week initial training program in order to determine potentially stressful training steps. Salivary cortisol concentrations, beat-to-beat (RR) interval and heart rate variability (HRV) were determined. The HRV variables standard deviation of the RR interval (SDRR), RMSSD (root mean square of successive RR di...
Lindåse S, Nostell K, Forslund A, Bergsten P, Bröjer J.Decreasing hyperinsulinemia is crucial in preventing laminitis in insulin dysregulated (ID) horses. Complementary pharmacological treatments that efficiently decrease postprandial hyperinsulinemia in ID horses are needed. Objective: Compare short-term effects of canagliflozin vs placebo on glucose and insulin responses to an oral sugar test (OST) as well as the effects on body weight and triglyceride concentrations in horses with ID. Methods: Sixteen privately-owned ID horses. Methods: A single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design study. The horses were randomi...
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...
Orazymbetova Z, Ualiyeva D, Dossybayev K, Torekhanov A, Sydykov D, Mussayeva A, Baktybayev G.Understanding the genetic diversity and structure of domesticated horse () populations is critical for long-term herd management and breeding programs. This study examines 435 horses from Kazakhstan, covering seven groups in three geographic areas using 11 STR markers. Identified are 136 alleles, with the mean number of alleles per locus ranging from 9 to 19. VHL20 is the most variable locus across groups, while loci HTG4, AHT4, AHT5, HTG7, and HMS3 are variable in most populations. The locus AHT5 in the Emba population shows the highest frequency of rare alleles, while the lowest frequency, 0...
Shan R, Steel CM, Sykes B.The impact of recommended withholding periods (RWPs) for omeprazole on the recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is unknown. The study was designed to compare the effect of two RWPs on EGUS recurrence post-omeprazole treatment and to determine if a nutraceutical supplement would reduce EGUS recurrence when administrated during an RWP. The study was a blinded, randomized clinical trial. Part 1: Horses were allocated to an RWP0 or RWP2 and crossed over after 4-weeks. Horses received oral omeprazole once daily, except during the RWPs at the end of the treatment periods. Part 2: Horse...
Brown B, Cardwell JM, Verheyen KLP, Campbell MLH.In 2021, in response to an acknowledged need for universal, consistent ethics to guide decision making in the horse sport sector, Campbell published a theoretical ethical framework for the use of horses in competitive sport. The research reported here tested the applied usefulness of that theoretical ethical framework through stakeholder engagement in a three-round modified Delphi study and refined it to develop a practical decision-making tool which can be applied consistently across multiple equestrian disciplines. Stakeholders from a broad range of equestrian competitive disciplines partici...
Cappelli K, Mecocci S, Porceddu A, Albertini E, Giontella A, Miglio A, Silvestrelli M, Verini Supplizi A, Marconi G, Capomaccio S.With his bicentennial breeding history based on athletic performance, the Thoroughbred horse can be considered the equine sport breed. Although genomic and transcriptomic tools and knowledge are at the state of the art in equine species, the epigenome and its modifications in response to environmental stimuli, such as training, are less studied. One of the major epigenetic modifications is cytosine methylation at 5' of DNA molecules. This crucial biochemical modification directly mediates biological processes and, to some extent, determines the organisms' phenotypic plasticity. Exercise indeed...
Lin ST, Bolas NM, Peter VG, Pokora R, Patrick H, Foote AK, Sargan DR, Murray RC.Palmar/plantar osteochondral disease (POD) of the metacarpal/tarsal condyles is a common pathological finding in racehorses. Objective: To compare diagnoses, imaging details, and measurements of POD lesions between cone-beam computed tomography CT (CBCT), fan-beam CT (FBCT), and low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using macroscopic pathology as a gold standard. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Thirty-five cadaver limbs from 10 horses underwent CBCT, FBCT, MRI, and macroscopic examination. CT and MR images were examined for presence of POD, imaging details of POD, and measurement...
Karalus W, Subharat S, Orbell G, Vaatstra B, Munday JS.Sarcoids are common mesenchymal neoplasms of horses. Although there are few studies in which sarcoids have been followed over a long period of time, sarcoids are considered locally invasive and have been reported to frequently recur following surgical excision. Currently, no histological features have been identified to predict which sarcoids will recur after excision. The present study comprised 49 sarcoids for which histology sections were available and in which the recurrence status of the case was known. Each sarcoid was excised from a different horse. Overall, 12 of the 49 (24%) sarcoids ...
Wong ASM, Morrice-West AV, Hitchens PL, Whitton RC.Catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries (CMI) in horses are associated with both too little and too much high-speed exercise. In order to advise trainers on training and management strategies that minimize the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI), a better understanding of how training practices affect MSI in racehorses is needed. Data from prospective studies relating training data and MSI are complicated by the gradual development of pathology and the effect of this on the ability of horses to train consistently prior to the identification of an injury. To circumvent this, 66 Australian Thorou...
Stewart HL, Siewerdsen JH, Selberg KT, Bills KW, Kawcak CE.Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is an emerging modality for imaging of the equine patient. The objective of this prospective, descriptive, exploratory study was to assess visualization tasks using CBCT compared with conventional fan-beam CT (FBCT) for imaging of the metacarpophalangeal joint in equine cadavers. Satisfaction scores were numerically excellent with both CBCT and FBCT for bone evaluation, and FBCT was numerically superior for soft tissue evaluation. Preference tests indicated FBCT was numerically superior for soft tissue evaluation, while preference test scoring for bone was ...
Macaire C, Hanne-Poujade S, De Azevedo E, Denoix JM, Coudry V, Jacquet S, Bertoni L, Tallaj A, Audigié F, Hatrisse C, Hébert C, Martin P, Marin F....The assessment of lameness in horses can be aided by objective gait analysis tools. Despite their key role of evaluating a horse at trot on a circle, asymmetry thresholds have not been determined for differentiating between sound and lame gait during this exercise. These thresholds are essential to distinguish physiological asymmetry linked to the circle from pathological asymmetry linked to lameness. This study aims to determine the Asymmetry Indices (AIs) with the highest power to discriminate between a group of sound horses and a group of horses with consistent unilateral lameness across bo...
Hedberg Alm Y, Halvarsson P, Martin F, Osterman-Lind E, Törngren V, Tydén E.Consisting of approximately 50 different species, the cyathostomin parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses. Co-infection with several species is common, and large burdens can cause the fatal disease of larval cyathostominosis. Due to intense anthelmintic drug use, cyathostomin resistance has developed to all available anthelmintic drug groups. Resistance to the anthelmintic drug pyrantel (PYR) has been documented in over 90% of studies published over the past two decades. In Sweden, a study performed in the early 2000s only confirmed resistance in 4.5% of farms. Further, prescription-only a...
Brys M, Claerebout E, Chiers K.The aim of this prospective, randomized, single-blinded, and placebo-controlled clinical trial was to investigate the efficacy of a moxidectin pour-on solution for the treatment of Chorioptes bovis infestation in Belgian draft horses, and in addition, to evaluate the effect of this treatment on the clinical signs and lesions associated with chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL). Nineteen privately owned Belgian draft horses were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (moxidectin pour-on formulation, n = 10) or a placebo group (phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), n = 9). On Day 0, all 19...
Ros KB, Doveren A, Dreessen C, Pellmann R, Beccati F, Zimmermann E, Distl O.There are conflicting data in studies on malformations of the cervicothoracic (C-T) junction (C6 to T2, including the first and second ribs), but evidence is mounting that they can be of clinical significance for horses. The objectives of this study were to establish a radiographic protocol for imaging the C-T junction in the field and to classify the radiographic variations found in 39 warmblood horses presented for clinical evaluation due to behavioral or performance issues. Malformations of the ventral lamina of C6 and transposition onto the ventral aspect of C7 were seen in 37/39 (94.9%) h...
Gomez DE, Arroyo LG, Schoster A, Renaud DL, Kopper JJ, Dunkel B, Byrne D, Toribio RE.An international description of the diagnostic approaches used in different institutions to diagnose acute equine diarrhoea and the pathogens detected is lacking. Objective: To describe the diagnostic approach, aetiological agents, outcome, and development of laminitis for diarrhoeic horses worldwide. Methods: Multicentre retrospective case series. Methods: Information from horses with acute diarrhoea presenting to participating institutions between 2016 and 2020, including diagnostic approaches, pathogens detected and their associations with outcomes, were compared between institutions or geo...
Scilimati N, Beccati F, Pepe M, Angeli G, Dall'Aglio C, Di Meo A.Transrectal ultrasonography is the best technique for evaluating the ventral aspect of the lumbosacral and sacroiliac regions yet this diagnostic technique does not always lead to a final diagnosis of back pain in horses. Objective: To describe anatomical variations and acquired pathological bony changes (APBCs) in the lumbosacral and sacroiliac regions detected by ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) examinations on specimens. We hypothesised that age, body mass, previous use and anatomical variations may be correlated with the presence and/or severity of APBCs. Methods: Descript...
Narinx F, Sauvage A, Ceusters J, Grulke S, Serteyn D, Monclin S.To establish the safety of subconjunctival injections of autologous muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mdMSCs) in healthy horses and to evaluate their effect in four horses (six eyes) with severe chronic equine immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) that was unresponsive to medical treatments. Methods: MdMSCs were cultured from minimally invasive muscle biopsies. In the safety group, four healthy horses received two subconjunctival injections of 2.5 and 5 million cells, respectively, at 1-month interval, to the same eye. Ocular side effects were monitored for 1 month following each injection. ...
Dąbrowska I, Grzędzicka J, Niedzielska A, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O.Green coffee extract is currently of great interest to researchers due to its high concentration of chlorogenic acid (CGA) and its potential health benefits. CGA constitutes 6 to 10% of the dry weight of the extract and, due to its anti-inflammatory properties, is a promising natural supplement and agent with therapeutic applications. The purpose of our study was to discover the effects of CGA on peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation, and the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as reactive oxidative species (ROS) in horses during exercise. According to the find...
Caballero-Gómez J, Rivero-Juárez A, Cano-Terriza D, Fajardo T, Buono F, Jose-Cunilleras E, García J, Alguacil E, Rivero A, García-Bocanegra I. (HEV) is an important emerging zoonotic virus in Europe. Although domestic pigs and wild boar are the main reservoirs of this pathogen, susceptibility to this virus has been confirmed in a growing number of animal species, including equines. However, their role in the epidemiology of this virus remains poorly understood. Our aim was to assess HEV circulation and identify potential risk factors associated with exposure in equid species in different European countries. A total of 596 equines, including 496 horses, 63 donkeys and 37 mules/hinnies bred in four European countries (Spain, Italy, Un...
Mukai K, Ohmura H, Takahashi Y, Ebisuda Y, Yoneda K, Miyata H.The purpose of this study was to determine whether acute high-intensity interval exercise or sprint interval exercise induces greater physiological and skeletal muscle responses compared to moderate-intensity continuous exercise in horses. Unassigned: In a randomized crossover design, eight trained Thoroughbred horses performed three treadmill exercise protocols consisting of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (6 min at 70% VOmax; MICT), high-intensity interval exercise (6 × 30 s at 100% VOmax; HIIT), and sprint interval exercise (6 × 15 s at 120% VOmax; SIT). Arterial bloo...
Kauter A, Brombach J, Lübke-Becker A, Kannapin D, Bang C, Franzenburg S, Stoeckle SD, Mellmann A, Scherff N, Köck R, Guenther S, Wieler LH....Horse clinics are hotspots for the accumulation and spread of clinically relevant and zoonotic multidrug-resistant bacteria, including extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing (ESBL) Enterobacterales. Although median laparotomy in cases of acute equine colic is a frequently performed surgical intervention, knowledge about the effects of peri-operative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP) based on a combination of penicillin and gentamicin on the gut microbiota is limited. Unassigned: We collected fecal samples of horses from a non-hospitalized control group (CG) and from horses receiving either a pre-...
Kwak YB, Lee E, Choi H, Park T, Kim A, Kim J, Yoon J, Yoo HH.Red ginseng (RG) is a popular ingredient in traditional Korean medicine that has various health benefits. It is commonly taken orally as a dietary supplement; however, its potential interactions with concomitantly administered drugs are unclear. In this study, we examined the pharmacokinetic interaction between furosemide and RG in equine plasma. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis was performed to evaluate ginsenosides in the plasma of horses after feeding them RG and furosemide and validate the results. A single bolus of furosemide (0.5 mg/kg) was administered intr...
Tang X, Zhu B, Ren R, Chen B, Li S, Gu J.Understanding how genetic variants alter phenotypes is an essential aspect of genetic research. Copy number variations (CNVs), a type of prevalent genetic variation in the genome, have been the subject of extensive study for decades. Numerous CNVs have been identified and linked to specific phenotypes and diseases in horses. However, few studies utilizing whole-genome sequencing to detect CNVs in large horse populations have been conducted. Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing on a large cohort of 97 horses from 16 horse populations using Illumina Hiseq panels to detect common and breed-...
Spoormakers TJP, Veraa S, Graat EAM, van Weeren PR, Brommer H.Data on equine lumbar pathology hardly exist in breeds other than Thoroughbreds. Objective: To describe pathological changes of the osseous lumbar vertebral column in Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and Konik horses. Methods: Descriptive post-mortem study. Methods: The lumbar vertebral columns of 34 Warmblood horses, 28 Shetland ponies, and 18 Konik horses were examined by computed tomography (CT). Osteoarthritis (OA) of articular processes (APJs), OA of intertransverse joints (ITJs), intervertebral disc (IVD) mineralisation, impingement of spinous (SPs) and transverse (TPs) processes and sp...
Cassano JM, Leonard BC, Martins BC, Vapniarsky N, Morgan JT, Dow SW, Wotman KL, Pezzanite LM.Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), an immune mediated disease characterized by repeated episodes of intra-ocular inflammation, affects 25% of horses in the USA and is the most common cause of glaucoma, cataracts, and blindness. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory properties, which are upregulated by preconditioning with toll-like receptor agonists. The objective was to evaluate safety and migration of TLR-3 agonist polyinosinic, polycytidylic acid (pIC)-activated MSCs injected subconjunctivally in healthy horses prior to clinical application in horses with ERU. We hypothesized ...
Rendle D, Hughes K, Bowen M, Bull K, Cameron I, Furtado T, Peachey L, Sharpe L, Hodgkinson J.There is a lack of consensus on how best to balance our need to minimise the risk of parasite-associated disease in the individual horse, with the need to limit the use of anthelmintics in the population to preserve their efficacy through delaying further development of resistance. Objective: To develop evidence-based guidelines utilising a modified GRADE framework. Methods: A panel of veterinary scientists with relevant expertise and experience was convened. Relevant research questions were identified and developed with associated search terms being defined. Evidence in the veterinary literat...
Zhang Z, Guo K, Chu X, Liu M, Du C, Hu Z, Wang X.Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a contagious disease of horses caused by the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). The clinical signs at the acute phase include intermittent high fever, thrombocytopenia, hemorrhage, edema, and anemia. The clinical signs at chronic and relapsing subclinical levels include emaciation and progressive weakness. Surviving horses become lifelong carriers because of the integration of the viral genome into that of the host, and these horses can produce and transmit the virus to other animals. This increases the difficulty of imposing practical control measures to ...
Baudisch N, Schneidewind L, Becke S, Keller M, Overhoff M, Tettke D, Gruben V, Eichler F, Meyer HJ, Lischer C, Ehrle A.To better understand physiological and pathological movement patterns in the equine thoracolumbar spine, investigation of the biomechanics on a segmental level requires a constant moment. A constant moment along the spinal column means that the same torque acts on each vertebral segment, allowing the range of motion of different segments to be compared. The aims of this study were to investigate the range of motion of the equine thoracolumbar spine in horses with and without spinal pathology and to examine whether the pressure between the spinous processes depends on the direction of the appli...
Neville EK, Hicks H, Neville CC.Horses are used for many recreational and occupational activities. They are large, strong, temperamental, and unpredictable animals and people involved with them are at risk for injuries, from minor abrasions to severe injuries that may lead to death. This review reports on horse trauma in relation to the characteristics of injured equestrians, characteristics of horse trauma, and clinical outcomes. Methods: A literature search was conducted from health-related electronic databases to identify studies from 2018 to 2023. The search returned 115 relevant full-text articles but after screening an...
Gravey F, Sévin C, Castagnet S, Foucher N, Maillard K, Tapprest J, Léon A, Langlois B, Le Hello S, Petry S.Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major cause of infections and reproductive disorders among horses, ranked in recent French studies as the sixth most frequently isolated bacterial pathogen in equine clinical samples. The proportion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae is therefore significant in a context where MDR K. pneumoniae strains are considered a major global concern by the World Health Organization. Unassigned: In this study, we used a genomic approach to characterize a population of 119 equine K. pneumoniae strains collected by two laboratories specialized in animal health in Normandy...
