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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.
Serological method using recombinant S2 protein to differentiate equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV)-infected and EIAV-vaccinated horses. We recently reported a highly protective attenuated live virus vaccine for equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) based on a proviral construct (EIAVUKDeltaS2) with a genetically engineered mutation in the viral S2 gene that eliminates expression of this accessory protein. While the EIAVUKDeltaS2 vaccine provides protection from detectable infection by experimental challenge with highly virulent virus, the potential for commercial application of this vaccine is complicated by the fact that horses inoculated with the EIAVUKDeltaS2 vaccine strain become seropositive in various reference diagnosti...
Evaluation of clinical and laboratory variables as prognostic indicators in hospitalised gastrointestinal colic horses. The present prospective study included 106 horses referred to the Department of Large Animal Sciences, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, as non-responders to the initial colic treatment in general practise. In 14 of these cases a required surgical treatment was not performed due to economical or other reasons and were excluded from the study. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained at the arrival in the hospital. The outcome for all analyses was survival/ non-survival. A multivariable logistic regression was performed. The analyses were used in medically (46 horses) and surgically...
Effect of chronic clenbuterol administration and exercise training on immune function in horses. Effects of longitudinal exercise training and acute intensive exercise (simulated race test) on immune function have not been reported in horses. Clenbuterol, a beta2-adrenergic agonist, is used to manage inflammatory airway disease in horses. This study investigated the interaction of 8 wk of exercise training with or without 12 wk of clenbuterol administration in horses. Twenty-three untrained standardbred mares (10 +/- 3 yr, Mean +/- SE) were used and divided into four experimental groups. Horses given clenbuterol plus exercise (CLENEX; n = 6) and clenbuterol alone (CLEN; n = 6) received 2....
Effect of diet composition and feeding pattern on the prececal digestibility of starches from diverse botanical origins measured with the mobile nylon bag technique in horses. This trial was conducted to determine the extent of prececal starch digestibility depending on the botanical origin of starch and on diet characteristics (i.e., composition and feeding pattern). The prececal disappearance of six substrates (oats, barley, corn, horse bean, potato, and wheat) was measured in four cannulated horses fed (as-fed basis) 11.8 g/kg BW of a high-fiber (HF) or high-starch (HS) pelleted feed and 10.0 g/kg BW of meadow hay using the mobile bag technique (MBT). The daily feeding pattern was either three meals (two meals of pellets and one meal of hay) or five meals (three ...
Septic tenosynovitis of the tarsal sheath of an Arab gelding and suspected sepsis of the lateral digital flexor tendon subsequent to bacterial peritonitis. A 21-year-old Arab gelding with clinical signs of acute peritonitis had a perforating ulcer on the mesenteric border of the jejunum which resulted in localised contamination of the abdomen with ingesta. The affected segment of jejunum was resected and the abdomen was lavaged extensively. Postoperatively, the gelding was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and intravenous fluids, but after four days it became acutely non-weight bearing on its right hindlimb, and a tendonitis of the lateral digital flexor tendon within the tarsal sheath was identified u...
Compensatory load redistribution of horses with induced weight-bearing forelimb lameness trotting on a treadmill. The study was performed to obtain a detailed insight into the load and time shifting mechanisms of horses with unilateral weight-bearing forelimb lameness. Reversible lameness was induced in 11 clinically sound horses by applying a solar pressure model. Three degrees of lameness (subtle, mild and moderate) were induced and compared with sound control measurements. Vertical ground reaction force-time histories of all four limbs were recorded simultaneously on an instrumented treadmill. Four compensatory mechanisms could be identified that served to reduce structural stress, i.e. peak vertical f...
Pre-operative and anaesthesia-related risk factors for mortality in equine colic cases. Mortality rates for horses that have undergone emergency abdominal surgery are higher than for other procedures. Here, multivariable modelling of data from 774 surgical colic cases is used to identify pre-operative and anaesthesia-related variables associated with intra- and post-operative mortality. Intra-operative mortality was significantly (P<0.05), and positively associated with heart rate and packed cell volume (PCV) at admission, and negatively associated with the severity of pain. Post-operative mortality increased with increasing age and PCV at admission. Draught horses, Thoroughbr...
Factors associated with the prevalence of osseous fragments in the limb joints of Hanoverian Warmblood horses. Factors associated with the prevalence of osseous fragments (OF) in fetlock and hock joints were investigated in a population of young Hanoverian Warmblood horses selected for sale at auction from 1991 to 1998. The study was based on results of a standardized radiological examination of 3127 horses. The prevalences of OF in the two joints were significantly dependent on the date, type and quality of the auction, the region of origin and on the anticipated suitability of the horses for dressage and/or show-jumping. The probability of finding OF increased with wither-height. Furthermore, there w...
An analgesic evaluation of isoxsuprine in horses. Isoxsuprine is used clinically to treat navicular disease and laminitis in horses. Although it is thought to increase digital and laminar blood flow, isoxsuprine's mechanism of action remains controversial, and analgesia has been suggested recently as such possible mechanism. This research investigated the analgesic potential of isoxsuprine in healthy horses submitted to a mechanical nociceptive test. Isoxsuprine (1.2 mg/kg), xylazine (1.1 mg/kg), distilled water : ethanol 95% (2 : 1, v/v, 20 ml) and saline (0.9%, 20 ml) were injected intravenously, and nociceptive thresholds were measured ove...
Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy in a horse. Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy was diagnosed in a 11-year-old, male, Tennessee Walking Horse by histopathological examination of the spinal cord after the horse was killed because of severe neurological dysfunction. Both ventral funiculi of C6 and C7 cervical spinal cord had extensive necrosis with blood vessels containing fibrocartilaginous emboli. A similar fibrocartilaginous embolus was observed in a single large spinal artery adjoining the vertebral leptomeninges.
Foal IgG and opsonizing anti-Rhodococcus equi antibodies after immunization of pregnant mares with a protective VapA candidate vaccine. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum IgG antibody levels and opsonizing activity in foals from pregnant mares immunized with either proteins from an R. equi strain containing virulence-associated protein A (VapA), an immunodominant surface-expressed lipoprotein encoded by a virulence plasmid crucial for virulence in foals, or a whole killed virulent R. equi preparation. Forty-eight pregnant mares were distributed into three groups, i.e. 24 immunized with R. equi VapA protein antigen associated with a water-based nanoparticle adjuvant (Montanide IMS 3012), 8 immunized with whole killed R...
Biomechanical and energetic determinants of the walk-trot transition in horses. We studied nine adult horses spanning an eightfold range in body mass (M(b)) (90-720 kg) and a twofold range in leg length (L) (0.7-1.4 m). We measured the horses' walk-trot transition speeds using step-wise speed increments as they locomoted on a motorized treadmill. We then measured their rates of oxygen consumption over a wide range of walking and trotting speeds. We interpreted the transition speed results using a simple inverted-pendulum model of walking in which gravity provides the centripetal force necessary to keep the leg in contact with the ground. By studying a large size range of ...
[Life threatening intestinal bleeding in a Bearded Collie associated with a food supplement for horses]. In a Bearded Collie with acute weakness, hematemesis, melena, painful abdomen and pale mucous membranes a hematocrit of 13% and panhypoproteinemia were found. This combination of findings was the manifestation of severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite intensive laboratory and imaging investigations no systemic or local cause could be identified. After repeated client interrogation it was found that the dog had been receiving a food supplement for equines. It was further detected that this supplement besides a shell extract also contained willow (Salicaceae) and meadowsweet (Filipendula, Spi...
Effects of alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonists on urine production in horses deprived of food and water. To quantitate the dose- and time-related effects of IV administration of xylazine and detomidine on urine characteristics in horses deprived of feed and water. Methods: 6 horses. Methods: Feed and water were withheld for 24 hours followed by i.v. administration of saline (0.9% NaCI) solution, xylazine (0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg), or detomidine (0.03 mg/kg). Horses were treated 4 times, each time with a different protocol. Following treatment, urine and blood samples were obtained at 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes. Blood samples were analyzed for PCV and serum concentrations of total plasma solids, so...
Effects of ischemia and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor flunixin on in vitro passage of lipopolysaccharide across equine jejunum. To determine whether ischemia and flunixin affect in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) absorption in samples of the jejunum of horses. Methods: 12 horses. Methods: Horses were anesthetized, a midline celiotomy was performed, and the jejunum was located. Two 30-cm sections of jejunum (60 cm apart) were selected. One segment was designated as control tissue; ischemia was induced in the other segment for 120 minutes. Horses were then euthanatized. Mucosa from each jejunal segment was mounted on Ussing chambers and treated with or without flunixin. Tissues from 6 horses were used to assess permeabili...
Use of computed tomography angiography to evaluate the vascular anatomy of the distal portion of the forelimb of horses. To provide a detailed description of the vascular anatomy of the distal portion of the forelimbs of horses by use of computed tomography angiography (CTA). Methods: 6 forelimbs of 5 horses and 1 forelimb from an equine cadaver; none of the horses had orthopedic or vascular disease. Methods: Horses were anesthetized and CTA was conducted on the dependent forelimb. A catheter was inserted in the median artery, and contrast medium was infused at a rate of 3 mL/s. A computed tomography (CT) scanner was used to obtain contiguous slices from the region of the proximal sesamoid bones to the toe. All ...
Environmental disinfection to control equine infectious diseases. Cleaning and disinfection are essential to the environmental control of infectious diseases of all animals. By understanding the types of pathogens, environment, and disinfection process, success can be attained in effectively stopping disease outbreaks.
Horses and the risk of zoonotic infections. Infectious agents are insidious, often changing to adapt to host defenses or treatment advances. Because these challenges will continue, the need to apply standard and transmission-based precautions is important not only in the human hospital setting but in the veterinary clinic setting. In addition, to prevent human infection and potential liability, clinics need to establish program algorithms to prevent disease spread for specific agents or planned procedures to respond to potential nosocomial and zoonotic disease events. These need to be done proactively. Furthermore, more money needs to b...
Listeria monocytogenes in horses in Iceland. Twenty isolates of Listeria monocytogenes associated with five confirmed and four suspected incidents of listeriosis in horses in Iceland were characterised by serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and ribotyping. Semiquantitative estimates of the numbers of L monocytogenes were made on faeces from horses with clinical signs of listeriosis and on grass silage fed to them. Large numbers of L monocytogenes were often found in the faeces of horses with severe signs of disease. The 20 isolates could be divided into six genotypes, each incident involving only one genotype. One serovar 1/2a g...
An overview of infection control strategies for equine facilities, with an emphasis on veterinary hospitals. Infection control entails preventing or minimizing exposure to infectious agents or optimizing resistance to infection at the individual and population levels should exposure occur. The degree to which each of these strategies is applied varies according to the attributes of the disease agent and the population at risk. In developing an infection control, biosecurity, or biocontainment plan, it is important to decide which agent or agents are to be controlled, the method by which they might be introduced to the individual or population, and methods by which they might spread once at a farm or ...
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in horses and horse personnel. Fortunately, MRSA infection and colonization are currently uncommon in veterinary medicine. Nevertheless, the increasing reports of the occurrence of MRSA infection in horses, veterinarians, and equine personnel dictate that serious consideration be given to the control of this pathogen in veterinary hospitals as well as in the equine community. It is unclear whether extrapolation from human hospitals and people in the community is appropriate; however, given the rapid increase in nosocomial MRSA in human hospitals and the recent shift of certain clones of MRSA into the community, it would be ...
Equine herpesvirus 1 and 4. Equine herpesvirus infections in horses remain a significant cause of abortion and neurologic disease. These viruses are also responsible for mild signs of respiratory disease. The ability to establish latent infections with periodic reactivation or transmission to other horses is an important feature of these herpesviruses. One of the most unique aspects of this report is the description of horses demonstrating neurologic signs serving as the source of infection for other horses. Accurate diagnosis and better means of protection for horses remain problems facing veterinarians and horse owners...
Clostridium difficile diarrhea: infection control in horses. C difficile has emerged as an important cause of diarrheic disease in horses. C difficile diarrhea is usually diagnosed in mature horses, mostly when they are treated with antimicrobials and hospitalized. It is important for clinicians at veterinary hospitals to have knowledge about the organism and the infection. To prevent C difficile diarrhea, judicious use of antimicrobials is important, as is minimizing different stress factors at the animal hospital or clinic. Infected horses must be isolated. Routine examination for C difficile and toxin A or B is recommended in horses with antibiotic-a...
Polymorphisms in equine immune response genes and their associations with infections. Polymorphic markers identified in the horse genes encoding the interleukin 12 p40 subunit, interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase were identified and tested, along with additional markers, for associations with two important horse infections: Rhodococcus equi and Lawsonia intracellularis. Eight immune response-related and 14 microsatellite loci covering 12 out of 31 equine autosomes were used for the association analysis. Markers located on horse Chromosomes Eca10 and 15 were significantly associated with the presence of high numbers of R. equi ...
Multidrug-resistant Salmonella and nosocomial infections. Nosocomial infections are a serious threat to optimum patient care. In addition, nosocomial infections can have far-reaching consequences for the hospital personnel and the financial aspects of the hospital. Nosocomial infections with Salmonella spp have been described among hospitalized equine populations more frequently than any other agent. Salmonella spp associated with hospitalized equids often possess more antimicrobial resistance determinants than do Salmonella spp isolated from healthy horses in the general population. There is little evidence to suggest that resistant salmonellae are ...
Management of hemodynamic changes associated with removal of a large abdominal myofibroblastic tumor in a pony. A 22-year-old female Welsh-cross pony was evaluated because of intermittent colic, signs of depression, pyrexia, anorexia, muscle wasting with abdominal distention, and weight gain over the preceding 12 months. A large abdominal mass was detected and surgically removed; the hemodynamic alterations and complications caused by the dramatic fluid losses and shifts that can occur in association with removal of a large abdominal mass required extensive postoperative management. Monitoring of clinical and hematologic variables such as attitude, heart rate, mucous membrane color, mean arterial blood ...
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of furosemide after oral administration to horses. Furosemide is the most common diuretic drug used in horses. Furosemide is routinely administered as IV or IM bolus doses 3-4 times a day. Administration PO is often suggested as an alternative, even though documentation of absorption and efficacy in horses is lacking. This study was carried out in a randomized, crossover design and compared 8-hour urine volume among control horses that received placebo, horses that received furosemide at 1 mg/kg PO, and horses that received furosemide at 1 mg/kg IV. Blood samples for analysis of plasma furosemide concentrations, PCV, and total solids were obta...
Pulmonary ultrasonographic abnormalities associated with naturally occurring equine influenza virus infection in standardbred racehorses. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if naturally occurring acute infectious upper respiratory disease (IRD) caused by equine influenza virus is associated with ultrasonographically detectable pleural and pulmonary abnormalities in horses. Standardbred racehorses were evaluated for signs of IRD, defined as acute coughing or mucopurulent nasal discharge. For every horse with IRD (n = 16), 1 or 2 horses with no signs of IRD and the same owner or trainer (n = 30) were included. Thoracic ultrasonography was performed within 5-10 days of the onset of clinical disease in horses with IR...
