"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.
Hofstee W.Vet and owner of Unicorn Trails Wendy Hofstee explains how she developed a horse-riding holiday business alongside a successful career in emergency veterinary work.
Golombieski L, Bassi das Neves G, Casa MDS, Costa GCS, Miletti LC, Saito ME, Fonteque JH.Campeiro horse is a breed locally adapted to the Santa Catarina plateau region and its main characteristic is the gait, it is known as "Marchador das Araucárias." It is a breed considered in danger of extinction, being fundamental the search for the preservation of this important genetic resource. Surra, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma evansi, is among the diseases that affect horses. However, there are no data on the prevalence of infection in Campeiro horses. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of T. evansi in Campeiro horses, correlate hematology and serum biochemistry, and id...
Zhanabayev A, Ibrayev B, Lider L, Ussenbayev A, Bissengaliyev R.The research relevance is predefined by the widespread distribution of parasitosis, including helminthiases, alongside constant depasture on the same areas of pastures, which annually causes massive re‑infection of horses. In this regard, the research aims to identify the age, seasonal, and territorial dynamics of infection of horses with helminthiases in the context of the districts of the northern region of Kazakhstan. The primary research method was an experimental analysis that allowing to consider the dynamics and causes of horse helminthiases, associated with the prepatent period, the ...
Busechian S, Conti MB, Sgorbini M, Conte G, Marchesi MC, Pieramati C, Zappulla F, Vitale V, Rueca F.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is the most common disease of the stomach in horses and treatment is based on the oral administration of omeprazole for at least 28 days. Aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two formulations of oral omeprazole-powder paste and gastro-enteric resistant granules-in the treatment of naturally occurring gastric ulcers in racehorses. Thirty-two adult racehorses, aged between 2 and 10 years old, with clinical signs of EGUS were included in this blinded, randomized clinical trial. Two gastroscopies were performed to evaluate gastric lesions in the squ...
Uldahl M, Dahl J, Clayton HM.Body condition in horses is a growing concern that has different patterns of development in horses that are above and below the ideal range. This study used professional and para-professional evaluators (veterinarians, farriers, trainers, Danish Equestrian Federation (DEF) officials) who were trained and certified in the use of a modified Henneke scoring system to assign a body condition score (BCS) on a scale of 1-9. Scores of 5-6 are regarded as ideal, and 78.6% of the evaluated horses were in these groups. Only 4.8% of horses were below ideal BCS but 16.5% were above ideal BCS, and this was...
Science (New York, N.Y.)March 30, 2023
Volume 379, Issue 6639 1316-1323 doi: 10.1126/science.adc9691
Taylor WTT, Librado P, American Horse CJ, Shield Chief Gover C, Arterberry J, Afraid of Bear-Cook AL, Left Heron H, Yellow Hair RM, Gonzalez M....The horse is central to many Indigenous cultures across the American Southwest and the Great Plains. However, when and how horses were first integrated into Indigenous lifeways remain contentious, with extant models derived largely from colonial records. We conducted an interdisciplinary study of an assemblage of historic archaeological horse remains, integrating genomic, isotopic, radiocarbon, and paleopathological evidence. Archaeological and modern North American horses show strong Iberian genetic affinities, with later influx from British sources, but no Viking proximity. Horses rapidly sp...
Maxwell L, McCarrel TM, Hay S, Cole C.The antifibrinolytic agent aminocaproic acid (ACA) is occasionally used prior to episodes of intense training in racehorses suffering from exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Although a previous study indicated that the drug is cleared rapidly in horses, some racetrack practitioners claim that recent adverse analytical findings for ACA in postrace samples were from ACA administrations 5-7 days before the race. The purpose of this study was to re-examine the pharmacokinetics of ACA in horses to address this apparent conundrum. Eight exercise-conditioned thoroughbred horses were administere...
Istanbullugil FR, Risvanli A, Salikov R, Bayraktar M, Kadiraliyeva N, Zhunushova A, Yilmaz O, Yuksel BF, Turanli M, Uz M, Asinbekovic MI.Immune compatibility between mare and foal is one of the important topics of reproductive immunology. At this point, although there are many studies on antibodies, there are not many publications on the relationship between the cytokine levels of mare, foal and milk and the effects of milk composition on this relationship. Here we investigate the relationship between Th1/Th2 cytokine balance and milk composition in Kyrgyz mares and foals. Samples were taken soon after the foal was born and on days 5, 10 and 20 after birth. Th1 (IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10) cytokine levels ...
Brown KA, Davidson EJ, Johnson AL, Stefanovski D, Wulster KB, Ortved K.Caudal cervical articular process joint osteoarthritis (CAPJ OA) leads to career-altering clinical signs in the horse. Oblique radiographs and standing cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) facilitate the assessment of this area, however, the variability of interpretation of these images is currently unknown. This retrospective, secondary analysis, methods comparison study investigated interobserver agreement between clinicians and modality in grades of CAPJ OA on lateral and oblique radiographs and CBCT. We hypothesized that agreement between clinicians' grades of CAPJ OA would be lowest for o...
Jindra C, Hainisch EK, Brandt S.Horses and other equid species are frequently affected by bovine papillomavirus type 1 and/or 2 (BPV1, BPV2)-induced skin tumors termed sarcoids. Although sarcoids do not metastasize, they constitute a serious health problem due to their BPV1/2-mediated resistance to treatment and propensity to recrudesce in a more severe, multiple form following accidental or iatrogenic trauma. This review provides an overview on BPV1/2 infection and associated immune escape in the equid host and presents early and recent immunotherapeutic approaches in sarcoid management.
de Favare GM, de Almeida Cipriano I, do Carmo TA, Mena MO, Guelpa GJ, do Amarante AFT, de Soutello RVG.The indiscriminate use of drugs to control gastrointestinal helminths in horses can lead to serious consequences for the animals, which represents a growing problem for health, animal welfare and productivity. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of ivermectin in naturally infected horses in the western region of the state of São Paulo. From May 2021 to April 2022, 123 naturally infected adult horses in 12 equine breeding farms (7 to 14 animals per farm) were evaluated with the fecal egg count reduction test. The horses had not been treated with anthelminti...
Hunt J, Rice M, Henry T.A retrospective cohort study to describe a novel use of a mechanically retained, rigid obturator (RO) to manage maxillary and mandibular persistent pathologic oral communications (PPOCs). This study included 22 horses with PPOC with at least 6 months of follow-up after treatment with a RO. The RO was made with a flowable, bis-acryl-based composite resin. Medical records were analyzed, including case details, obtained imaging, surgical reports, and follow-up information. There were 10 horses that had follow-up examinations by the authors and 8 horses by the referring veterinarian; in 4 horses, ...
Bernardino PN, Pusterla N, Conrad PA, Packham AE, Tamez-Trevino E, Aleman M, James K, Smith WA.Among the recognized neurologic diseases in horses, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) has been reported around the world and still presents challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Horses can present with clinical neurologic signs consistent with EPM while testing negative for the two main causative agents, Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi, and may still be clinically responsive to anti-parasitic drug therapy. This context led to our hypothesis that another protozoal parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, which is known to cause toxoplasmosis in other mammalian species, is a potential pathog...
Scarlet D, Malama E, Fischer S, Knutti B, Bollwein H.Persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE) is a major cause of subfertility in horses and the susceptibility is increased by several factors. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of clinical uterine findings and PBIE therapies, respectively, on pregnancy rate in mares. The analysis included records from 220 mares (390 cycles) inseminated at an artificial insemination (AI) center in Switzerland. Gynecological examinations were performed repeatedly before and after AI to determine cervical tone, uterine edema, and intrauterine fluid accumulation. Pregnancy rate was lower (p < ...
Franzén Lindgren E, Hammarqvist F, Ahl Hulme R.Horse-riding is practiced on a regular basis by 500,000 people in Sweden. It is reputed to be one of the most dangerous sports. On average, there were 1756 acute injuries and three fatalities each year between 1997 and 2014 in Sweden related to horses. The primary aim of this study was to outline the injury spectrum related to equestrian activities cared for at a large Swedish trauma centre. The secondary aim was to identify trends in clinical outcomes and to investigate the association between age and such outcomes. Methods: The electronic medical records system at Karolinska University Hosp...
Ginther OJ.Examples of research discoveries and first reports on mare reproduction by the O.J. Ginther team are (1) determined daily circulating concentrations of four hormones during the estrous cycle, (2) showed that mares can be induced to ovulate and superovulate by hormone treatment during both ovulatory and anovulatory seasons, (3) demonstrated that prostaglandin F2α was the luteolysin in mares, (4) described the mare's elaborate hormonal and biochemical mechanism for selecting the ovulatory follicle from a pool of like follicles, (5) developed the method for diagnosing fetal sex by Day 60 using l...
Bevevino KE, Cohen ND, Gordon SG, Navas de Solis C.A point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) protocol for evaluation of the cardiac and respiratory systems in horses does not exist. Objective: (a) Describe the windows of a POCUS protocol for cardiorespiratory assessment of horses (CRASH); (b) Estimate the number of acoustic windows that can be acquired by a sonographer-in-training; (c) Estimate the time required to complete the protocol for specific groups of horses; (d) Describe the sonographic abnormalities detected in horses presented with cardiovascular, respiratory, or systemic disease. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy horses, 14 horses competing i...
Mahalingam-Dhingra A, Bedenice D, Mazan MR.Hemosiderophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) are commonly ascribed to exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). Little information exists regarding the presence of these cells in horses that perform light or no work and that are referred for respiratory problems. Objective: Evaluate the presence of hemosiderophages in BALF of horses suspected of respiratory disease without history of or risk factors for EIPH and determine predictors of hemosiderophages in BALF in this population. Methods: Observational retrospective cross-sectional study using STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting...
Hansen S, Otten ND, Spang-Hanssen L, Bendorff C, Jacobsen S.Studies in people have found neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) concentrations are increased in asthma and can be used to distinguish between asthma subtypes. NGAL has not yet been investigated in equine asthma (EA). Objective: To investigate the ability of NGAL concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and serum to distinguish between control horses, horses with mild-moderate EA (MEA) and horses with severe EA (SEA). Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods: Details of endoscopic examination including tracheal mucus score (TMS, scale 0-5) and BAL cytolog...
Sundra T, Kelty E, Rendle D.An extended-release injectable omeprazole formulation (ERIO) has become a popular treatment for equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) and equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) where it is available; however, published data are limited and optimal treatment regimens have not been determined. Objective: To compare effects of treatment on ESGD and EGGD when an ERIO formulation is administered at either 5- or 7-day intervals. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: Case records and gastroscopy images of horses with ESGD or EGGD treated with ERIO were reviewed. Images were anonymised and...
Salamanca-Carreño A, Parés-Casanova PM, Crosby-Granados RA, Vélez-Terranova M, Bentez-Molano J.The skull is divided into neurocranium and splanchnocranium, and its variation allows ecomorphological studies to learn about possible evolutionary and adaptive characteristics. The basicranial organization of the neurocranium and splanchnocranium modules was studied in a sample of 31 skulls from adult Araucanian horses by means of 2D geometric morphometric techniques. The neurocranium and splanchnocranium modules on the ventral aspect were analyzed separately using a set of 31 landmarks. The RV coefficient (the multivariate analog of a correlation) was estimated to analyze the independence of...
Pompermayer E, Hoey S, Ryan J, David F, Johnson JP.The objective of this study was to compare the skull morphology of the Straight Egyptian Arabian (SEAR) to the Thoroughbred (TB), using computed tomography (CT) in the context of surgical procedures commonly performed on the equine head. Methods: Measurements relating to surgical considerations of the equine head were taken from 29 clinically normal adult horses (15 SEAR, 14 TB). Methods: A clinical prospective study. Standing skull CTs were performed. Fourteen gross and 10 CT measurements were taken. Results: Several variables showed a significant difference between groups, in all cases great...
Colla S, Seabaugh KA, Zanotto GM, Selberg K.Techniques for local anesthesia of the tibial (TN) and superficial and deep fibular nerves (FNs) in horses are well established. Ultrasound-guided perineural blocks can identify the nerve location, reduce the anesthetic volume needed and avoid needle misplacement. The aim of this research was to compare the success of blind perineural injection technique (BLIND) to ultrasound-guided technique (USG). Fifteen equine cadaver hindlimbs were divided into two groups. Perineural injection of the TN and FNs was performed using a mixed solution of radiopaque contrast, saline and food dye. BLIND (n = ...
Tyrnenopoulou P, Fthenakis GC.Antibiotic administration is a standard therapeutic practice for the treatment of reproductive disorders of equids. This might lead to undesirable microbial imbalance and could favour the acquisition of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, it is imperative for clinicians to understand patterns of antibiotic resistance when considering and developing treatment regimes. Continued engagement of clinicians with novel alternative approaches to treat reproductive infections would be essential in order to address this rising threat within the One Health perspective. The objectives of the present review ...
Go YY, Hazard NW, Balasuriya UBR, Chapman AM, Fitton NS, Kenéz Á, Andrews FM.Accurate quantitative analysis of equine insulin in blood samples is critical for assessing hyperinsulinemia in horses. Although there are various laboratory methods for evaluating equine serum insulin, different immunoassays show significant discrepancies between the determined insulin concentrations and are often not comparable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Immulite® 1000 chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) to establish independent laboratory and assay-specific cut values to provide an accurate diagnosis of hyperinsulinemia in horses. Thus, the analytical and clinical performan...
Karatt TK, Sathiq MA, Laya S, Kal AKK, Subhahar MB, Muhammed Ajeebsanu MP, Philip M, Caveney MR, Graiban FM.Nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are a novel class of compounds that have not yet been clinically approved; however, they appear to have a better anabolic/androgenic ratio than steroids and cause slighter side effects. Sports drug testing laboratories are required to maintain continuously updated doping control analytical methods in light of the widespread misuse of SARMs in elite and amateur sports. This paper describes the metabolic conversion of SARM GSK2881078 in thoroughbred horses following oral administration and in vitro with equine liver microsomes. A liquid...
Eichenberger EM, Dent A, Hayes T, Woc-Colburn L.Streptococcus equi is an opportunistic pathogen in horses that has rarely been transmitted to humans. Here we present a zoonotic S. equi meningitis case in a kidney transplant recipient with exposure to infected horses. We discuss the patient's risk factors, clinical presentation, and management in the context of the limited literature on S. equi meningitis.
Bannai H, Kambayashi Y, Ohta M, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K.To assess the prevalence of equine coronavirus infection in riding horses, virus-neutralizing tests were performed on serum and saliva samples collected at four facilities in Japan. Seropositivity rates ranged from 79.2% to 94.6%, suggesting widespread circulation of the virus in these populations. Antibody prevalence in saliva samples from two facilities that had experienced outbreaks in the previous year (67.6% and 71.4%) was significantly higher than at the other facilities without reported outbreaks (41.7% and 45.2%, P<0.05). The presence of salivary antibodies in a high proportion of h...
Elfman L, Riihimäki M, Pringle J, Wålinder R.Many people spend considerable amount of time each day in equine stable environments either as employees in the care and training of horses or in leisure activity. However, there are few studies available on how the stable environment affects human airways. This study examined in one horse stable qualitative differences in indoor air during winter and late summer conditions and assessed whether air quality was associated with clinically detectable respiratory signs or alterations to selected biomarkers of inflammation and lung function in stable personnel. Methods: The horse stable environment...
Kader A, Li Y, Dong K, Irwin DM, Zhao Q, He X, Liu J, Pu Y, Gorkhali NA, Liu X, Jiang L, Li X, Guan W, Zhang Y, Wu DD, Ma Y.Body size, one of the most important quantitative traits under evolutionary scrutiny, varies considerably among species and among populations within species. Revealing the genetic basis underlying this variation is very important, particularly in humans where there is a close relationship with diseases and in domestic animals as the selective patterns are associated with improvements in production traits. The Debao pony is a horse breed with small body size that is unique to China; however, it is unknown whether the size-related candidate genes identified in Western breeds also account for the...
Li B, He X, Zhao Y, Bai D, Du M, Song L, Liu Z, Yin Z, Manglai D.Horse testis development and spermatogenesis are complex physiological processes. To study these processes, three immature and three mature testes were collected from the Mongolian horse, and six libraries were established using high-throughput RNA sequencing technology (RNA-Seq) to screen for genes related to testis development and spermatogenesis. A total of 16,237 upregulated genes and 8,641 downregulated genes were detected in the testis of the Mongolian horse. These genes play important roles in different developmental stages of spermatogenesis and testicular development. Five genes with ...
Destrez A, Grimm P, Julliand V.The bidirectional communication between the central and the enteric nervous system named the gut-brain axis has been widely recognized. The gut microbiota has been implicated in a variety of stress-related conditions including anxiety, depression and irritable bowel syndrome based on rodent studies or correlative analysis in human patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate to what extent changes in behavior during stressful events and in the microbial composition of the colonic ecosystem were associated in horses. The microbiota alterations were induced by a change from a high-f...
Yamanaka T, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Matsumura T.In horse populations, influenza A virus subtype H3N8 (equine influenza virus, EIV) is a very important pathogen that leads to acute respiratory disease. Recently, EIV has emerged in dogs, and has become widespread among the canine population in the United States. The interspecies transmission route had thus far remained unclear. Here, we tested whether the interspecies transmission of EIV to dogs could occur as a result of close contact with experimentally EIV-infected horses. Three pairs consisting of an EIV-infected horse and a healthy dog were kept together in individual stalls for 15 conse...
Long KJ, Bonagura JD, Darke PG.Eighteen echocardiographic images useful for diagnostic imaging, M-mode echocardiography, and Doppler echocardiography of the equine heart were standardised by relating the position of the axial beam to various intracardiac landmarks. The transducer orientation required for each image was recorded in 14 adult horses by describing the degree of sector rotation and the orientation of the axial beam relative to the thorax. Repeatable images could be obtained within narrow limits of angulation and rotation for 14 of the 18 standardised images evaluated. Twenty-seven National Hunt horses were subse...
Little D, Flowers JR, Hammerberg BH, Gardner SY.Possible anthelmintic resistance on a breeding farm where a rapid rotation anthelmintic programme had been implemented for 9 years was investigated. Cyathostomins resistant to fenbendazole and pyrantel were documented by faecal worm egg count reduction test (FWECRT). Objective: To 1) manage small strongyle transmission in a herd of horses in which resistance to both pyrantel pamoate and fenbendazole was identified and thereby reduce the risk of clinical disease in the individual animal, 2) monitor the change in resistance patterns over time and 3) monitor the efficacy of ivermectin over the st...
Snow DH, Guy PS.Skeletal muscle of the equine was differentiated into three fibre types according to myosin ATPase (pH 9.4) and succinic dehydrogenase activity. The percentage of these types was determined in the musculus deltoideus, m triceps brachii caput longum, m gluteus medius, m semitendinosis, m biceps femoris and m vastus lateralis of the thoroughbred, Shetland pony, pony, heavy hunter and donkey. In addition the m gluteus medius was examined in the arab and American racing quarterhorse. High myosin ATPase activity fibres varied from a mean of 93.2 per cent in the m gluteus medius of the quarterhorse ...
Innes JF, Clegg P.Examples of naturally occurring musculoskeletal disorders are extremely common in veterinary species and provide a valuable comparative research resource, which can provide compelling comparative data on the aetiopathogenesis and treatment of many common human musculoskeletal diseases. In particular, orthopaedic diseases are a common morbidity in both dogs and horses. In this review, we give an overview of the common musculoskeletal diseases encountered in these species: for instance, tendon and ligament injuries, arthropathies and stress fractures, as well as an insight into the basic biology...
Arroyo MG, Slovis NM, Moore GE, Taylor SD.Septic pleuropneumonia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in horses, but there is limited data available regarding factors associated with survival. Objective: To identify factors predictive of survival in horses with septic pleuropneumonia. Methods: A total of 97 horses with septic pleuropneumonia at 2 referral institutions. Methods: A retrospective study was performed. A diagnosis of septic pleuropneumonia was based on the presence of sepsis, pleural effusion, and positive bacterial culture from tracheal aspiration (TA) or pleural fluid (PF). Results: Thirty-one percent of horses h...
Diouf ND, Etter E, Lo MM, Lo M, Akakpo AJ.Since first being detected in Nigeria in January 2007, African horse sickness virus serotype 2 (AHSV-2) has spread throughout the northern hemisphere, and was first reported in Senegal. A retrospective study was conducted from December 2009 to April 2010 using data collected in the field combined with information available at the Direction of Veterinary Services. The epidemic started in the Dakar region with two outbreaks in March and June 2007, respectively, and spread in several parts of the country between July and November 2007. During this period, 232 outbreaks and 1137 horse deaths were ...
Long A, Nolen-Walston R.Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a marker of inflammation and infection in the horse that can be assessed in the field, with rapid and marked changes seen following initiation of an inflammatory stimulus. This quality of SAA also makes its clinical use challenging, because even small inflammatory conditions can cause large changes in SAA levels. Review of the current literature provides guidelines for responses of SAA to various conditions, which can be applied to specific clinical cases. The practitioner is encouraged to use SAA in conjunction with physical examination and other diagnostic modalities...
Marsh PS, Palmer JE.To assess microorganisms isolated from blood specimens obtained from critically ill neonatal foals and to evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 543 neonatal foals. Methods: Medical records of foals that were < 1 month old and were admitted to a referral neonatal intensive care unit were reviewed for results of bacteriologic culture of blood and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Results: At least 1 microorganism was isolated from 155 of 543 (28.5%) foals. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacterium. A single gram-posit...
Ho JX, Holowachuk EW, Norton EJ, Twigg PD, Carter DC.The amino-acid sequence and three-dimensional structure of equine serum albumin have been determined. The amino-acid sequence was deduced from cDNA isolated from equine liver. Comparisons of the primary structure of equine serum albumin with human serum albumin and bovine serum albumin reveal 76.1% and 73.9% sequence identity, respectively. The three-dimensional structure was determined crystallographically by the molecular-replacement method using molecular coordinates from the previously determined structure of human serum albumin, to a resolution of 0.27 nm. In accordance with the primary s...
Sullivan KA, Hill AE, Haussler KK.Common methods used to treat back problems in horses need to be assessed objectively. Objective: To measure spinal mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) and evaluate the effects of chiropractic, massage and phenylbutazone, compared with active and inactive control groups. Methods: Baseline MNTs at 7 sites within the thoracolumbar and sacral regions were measured in 38 healthy mature horses exhibiting no clinical signs of lumbar pain. Horses were assigned to one of 3 treatment groups: instrument-assisted chiropractic treatment, therapeutic massage and phenylbutazone; or 2 control groups: rid...
Heinrichs M, Baumgärtner W, Capen CC.Adenomas of the pars intermedia from 19 horses and normal pituitary glands from seven horses were evaluated histologically and immunocytochemically for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), beta-endorphin (beta-END), proopiomelanocortin (POMC), prolactin, neuron specific enolase, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The 26 horses ranged in age from 7 to 31 years. Histologically, all adenomas had a uniform pattern characterized by cords of large columnar cells forming palisades and pseudoacini separated by a delicate fibrovascular stroma. I...
Furr MO, Lessard P, White NA.Thirty-two physical examination and laboratory variables were recorded during examination of 165 horses admitted for acute abdominal disease. Univariate analyses were performed to determine which of the variables were significantly different between horses that lived or died. Stepwise logistic regression was performed to identify variables with the best predictive value. Four variables (heart rate, peritoneal fluid total protein concentration, blood lactate concentration, and abnormal mucous membrane) remained significant when entered into the model. Histograms for each significant variable we...
Zak A, Siwinska N, Elzinga S, Barker VD, Stefaniak T, Schanbacher BJ, Place NJ, Niedzwiedz A, Adams AA.Obesity and metabolic disorders are associated with systemic low-grade chronic inflammation, both in humans and animals. The aim of the study is to assess the effects of obesity and hyperinsulinemia on individual components of the acute-phase reaction in equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) horses. Eight mixed-breed EMS and six control, age-matched horses of both sexes were included in the study. Animals were classified as EMS or control based on the assessment of BCS, cresty neck score, and basal insulin >50 μU/mL and/or insulin responses to the oral sugar test (OST) >60 μU/mL. Peripheral ...
Dutto DJ, Hoyt DF, Clayton HM, Cogger EA, Wickler SJ.The net work of the limbs during constant speed over level ground should be zero. However, the partitioning of negative and positive work between the fore- and hindlimbs of a quadruped is not likely to be equal because the forelimb produces a net braking force while the hindlimb produces a net propulsive force. It was hypothesized that the forelimb would do net negative work while the hindlimb did net positive work during trotting in the horse. Because vertical and horizontal impulses remain unchanged across speeds it was hypothesized that net work of both limbs would be independent of speed. ...
Starke SD, Oosterlinck M.Visual equine lameness assessment is often unreliable, yet the full understanding of this issue is missing. Here, we investigate visual lameness assessment using near-realistic, three-dimensional horse animations presenting with 0-60 per cent movement asymmetry. Animations were scored at an equine veterinary seminar by attendees with various expertise levels. Results showed that years of experience and exposure to a low, medium or high case load had no significant effect on correct assessment of lame (P>0.149) or sound horses (P≥0.412), with the exception of a significant effect of case l...
Canè V, Botti P, Soana S.The influence of pulsed low-frequency electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on bone formation was investigated in studies of the healing process of transcortical holes, bored at the diaphyseal region of metacarpal bones of six adult horses, exposed for 30 days to PEMFs (28 G peak amplitude, 1.3 ms rise time, and 75 Hz repetition rate). A pair of Helmholtz coils, continuously powered by a pulse generator, was applied for 30 days to the left metacarpal bone, through which two holes, of equal diameter and depth, had been bored at the diaphyseal region. Two equal holes, bored at the same level in the rig...
Witkowski L, Cywinska A, Paschalis-Trela K, Crisman M, Kita J.Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) has various etiologies, with Leptospira infection and genetic predisposition being the leading risk factors. Regardless of etiology, expression of ocular proteins associated with maintenance of the blood-ocular barrier is impaired in ERU. The recurring-remitting cycle of ERU repeatedly disrupts the blood-ocular barrier, allowing the previously immune-privileged ocular environment to become the site of a progressive local autoimmune pathology that ultimately results in tissue destruction and vision loss. The immune-mediated process involves humoral and cellular me...
Lees P, Higgins AJ.Weak organic acids possessing anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties--commonly known as aspirin-like drugs--have been used in equine medicine for almost 100 years. These non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be classified chemically into two groups; the enolic acids such as phenylbutazone and carboxylic acids like flunixin, meclofenamate and naproxen. All NSAIDs have similar and possibly identical modes of action accounting for both their therapeutic and their toxic effects. They block some part of the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme pathway and thereby suppress the synthe...
Derksen FJ, Brown CM, Sonea I, Darien BJ, Robinson NE.Comparisons were made between transtracheal aspirate (TTA) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology obtained from 50 horses with chronic lung disease and from 10 control horses. There was no significant correlation between the TTA cytology and the BAL cytology, suggesting that the cell population in the trachea is not representative of the cell population in the lower airways. In control horses the range of differential cell counts obtained from TTA fluid was remarkably large, whereas the variability in cell populations observed in BAL fluid was smaller. In the principal horses the total and ...
Hurtgen JP.Inflammatory conditions of the uterus, collectively known as endometritis, can be classified as acute, chronic, active, or subclinical. This condition causes substantial reductions in mare fertility. To diagnose and treat mares with endometrial inflammation, it is imperative to identify predisposing factors and challenges to the reproductive tract of the mare in a chronological order; these factors change from those of the young maiden filly to the older, multiparous broodmare. This paper addresses predisposing factors, diagnostic procedures and therapy strategies for different mare groups.
Wong DM, Belgrave RL, Williams KJ, Del Piero F, Alcott CJ, Bolin SR, Marr CM, Nolen-Walston R, Myers RK, Wilkins PA.5 horses were evaluated because of decreased appetite, weight loss, fever, cough, tachypnea, and respiratory distress. Results: Tachycardia, tachypnea, increased respiratory effort, lethargy, fever, poor body condition, and nasal discharge were detected in various combinations on initial physical examination. Evaluation of the lower portion of the respiratory tract via radiography and ultrasonography revealed a severe nodular interstitial pattern. Histologic examination of lung tissue revealed interstitial expansion of alveolar parenchyma with collagen, intraluminal accumulation of neutrophils...
Egenvall A, Penell JC, Bonnett BN, Olson P, Pringle J.The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential usefulness of the database maintained by the Swedish insurance company Agria for providing mortality statistics on Swedish horses. Mortality statistics (incidence rates and survival) were calculated, both crudely and stratified by sex, age, breed, breed group and diagnosis, for the horses with complete life insurance, which covers most health problems. The total mortality was 415 (95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 399 to 432) deaths per 10,000 horse-years at risk, and the diagnostic mortality, including only deaths with an assigned diagnos...
Meyer J, Delay J, Bienzle D.Clinical, laboratory and tissue findings from 37 horses with lymphoma were investigated. Horses ranged in age from 0.3 to 20.5 years (median 5.0 years) and included 18 females and 19 males. Weight loss (n = 25) and ventral edema (n = 21) were the most common historical and physical abnormalities. The most common laboratory abnormalities were hyperfibrinogenemia (n = 26), hypoalbuminemia (n = 19), anemia (n = 19), leukemia (n = 14), hyperglobulinemia (n = 13), and thrombocytopenia (n = 13). Thirty-four tumors involved multiple lymphoid tissues and abdominal or thoracic organs, and 3 tumors were...
