A longitudinal study in the context of equine research involves the systematic observation and data collection from the same group of horses over an extended period. This research approach aims to track changes and developments in various health parameters, behaviors, or conditions within the equine population being studied. By repeatedly assessing the same subjects, researchers can identify patterns, establish temporal sequences, and infer potential causal relationships. Longitudinal studies in horses can encompass a wide range of topics, including growth and development, disease progression, and the impact of environmental or management changes. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, findings, and implications of longitudinal studies in equine science.
McCoy AM, Lopp CT, Kooy S, Migliorisi AC, Austin SM, Wilkins PA.Diseases affecting the internal umbilical remnant are common in foals. Ultrasound is used to diagnose abnormalities of these structures, and to monitor treatment. However, little is known about the progression of normal internal umbilical remnant regression. Objective: To document normal regression of the umbilical remnant in foals over the first 6 weeks of life. Methods: Prospective, longitudinal cohort study. Methods: Weekly ultrasound examinations were performed beginning at 1 day of age in 34 healthy Standardbred foals. The umbilical vein was measured in cross section just cranial to the...
Munsters CCBM, Kingma BRM, van den Broek J, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.In human sport science, the acute:chronic workload (ACWR) ratio is used to monitor an athlete's preparedness for competition and to assess injury risks. The aim of this study was to investigate whether acute and chronic workload calculations for external and internal loads (e.g. high-speed work distance and associated exertional effort) were associated with injury risk in elite eventing horses and to identify workloads performed by horses competing in different competition and at different fitness levels. Training load and injury data were collected from 58 international eventing horses (CCI2*...
Vasilieva NA, Tchabovsky AV.Fitness consequences of early-life conditions remain unclear and poorly studied in mammals. Based on long-term observations of yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus), we identified early determinants of female fitness by analyzing the effects of early-life individual and environmental characteristics (weaning weight, weight gain rate, date of natal emergence, natal litter size, location of the natal burrow, local density of juveniles, population density and precipitation in the post-weaning period) on lifetime reproductive success (LRS). We found high variation and right-skewed distribu...
Hii C, Dhand NK, Toribio JLML, Taylor MR, Wiethoelter A, Schembri N, Sawford K, Kung N, Moloney B, Wright T, Field H, Schemann K.Hendra virus (HeV) is an emerging bat-borne virus endemic in Australia that can be transmitted from horses to humans and has a high fatality rate for horses and people. Controversy surrounding HeV risk mitigation measures have strained the veterinarian-horse owner relationship. This study aimed to characterise the veterinarian-horse owner relationship in general and also in the context of HeV by analysing data derived from the 'Horse Owners and Hendra Virus: A Longitudinal Study to Evaluate Risk' (HHALTER) study. Australian horse owners were recruited via emails, social media and word-of-mouth...
Gardela J, Carbajal A, Tallo-Parra O, Olvera-Maneu S, Álvarez-Rodríguez M, Jose-Cunilleras E, López-Béjar M.Horse transportation for temporary relocation during rest periods is a common and widespread practice among horse owners, either from sport competition or working tasks. This study aimed to determine the effect of a relocation period and the multiple factors associated with a rest period on hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) in horses. Additionally, this study reports the seasonal effect on HCCs and hair growth over a year. Thirteen police horses, Pure Spanish stallions of various ages (5-13 y), were selected to participate in this study. Hair sample collection was carried out approximately e...
Pálsdóttir AM, Gudmundsson M, Grahn P.People with neurological disorders suffer from poor mobility, poor balance, fatigue, isolation and monotonous everyday activities. Studies show that equine-assisted interventions can improve their mobility and balance, but could these kinds of interventions also increase participants' activity repertoire and self-assessed health, and reduce their fatigue? The study was conducted as a prospective, controlled study with three cohorts followed for one year: intervention group ( = 14), control group Passive ( = 29), and control group Active ( = 147). Participants in the study were affected by neur...
van Loon JPAM, Visser EMS, de Mik-van Mourik M, Kerbert P, Huppes T, Menke ES.Colic surgery in horses impacts both short-term well-being of horses due to possible surgical and anesthetic complications and also long-term return to a sporting career. In this retrospective study, survival and complication rates, as well as functional outcome and behavioral problems in horses that underwent colic surgery were studied. Data from 283 horses that underwent colic surgery at a veterinary teaching hospital were analyzed. Furthermore, owners were contacted and requested to fill out a questionnaire concerning the first year of rehabilitation. Of 283 horses that underwent colic surg...
Maia MPM, Weber SH, Bastos LFC, Michelotto PV.This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of juvenile osteochondral conditions (JOCCs) in yearling Thoroughbred (TB) racehorses in Southern Brazil, as well as to examine the same animals studied as weanlings by Bastos et al. (2017) and compare the radiographic findings for the two ages. Radiographs of 76 male and female TB yearlings from Paraná State, Southern Brazil, were investigated. The proximal interphalangeal, metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal (MC/MT), tarsal, and femorotibial (FT) joints were evaluated using 24 radiographic projections. The evaluation consisted of a severit...
Jaworska J, Jaworski Z, McDonnell SM, Górecka-Bruzda A.Infanticide, related to a stallion's aggression toward a foal sired by another stallion, and feticide related to a new stallion's aggression and/or pheromonal influence (the Bruce effect) inducing loss of a fetus sired by another stallion, a female's counteraction to infanticide, have been proposed for domestic horses (Equus caballus) in human-managed conditions. The aim of the present study was, in conditions close to natural, to investigate the influence of the natural succession of a harem stallion on the mares' subsequent reproductive performance. In a population of semi-feral Konik polski...
Johnston AS, Riggs CM, Cogger N, Benschop J, Rogers CW, Rosanowski SM.Many racing jurisdictions monitor race-day musculoskeletal injury (MSI) but fail to evaluate injuries occurring during training. Additionally, previous risk factor analyses have failed to explore temporal trends in injury occurrence. Objective: To use time-series analysis techniques to identify trends, cyclicity and peaks in MSI incidence, in racehorses training and racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) from July 2010 to June 2018. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal study. Methods: The monthly incidence of all MSI, superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injury, suspensory ligament inju...
Lovrić R, Farčić N, Mikšić Š, Gvozdanović Debeljak A.Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) has a positive effect on the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning of children with disabilities. Parents' reports of the effects of THR on their children support professionals in individualizing the THR program. With this qualitative study, we aimed to explore parents' perceptions of changes in the basic life needs of their children with disabilities after six months of THR lessons and to survey parents' explanations for the causes of these changes. The study involved parents of 13 children with disabilities who were enrolled in a six-month THR p...
Lemirre T, Santschi E, Girard C, Fogarty U, Chapuis L, Richard H, Beauchamp G, Laverty S.The juvenile equine medial femoral condyle (MFC) is frequently affected with radiographic changes (sclerosis and subchondral lucencies) that arise at a similar site to juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD) in children. There is little information on maturation of the MFC. To describe the normal development of the equine MFC osteochondral unit from birth to 2 years. Unassigned: Micro CT, histology and immunohistochemistry were performed on healthy equine MFCs (n = 29) at sites where lesions occur. Parameters assessed included: cartilage thickness; the epiphyseal growth plate cartilage org...
Simões J, Sales Luís JP, Tilley P.Severe equine asthma (SEA) syndrome is a chronic recurrent respiratory disease, common among adult horses. The disease occurs in genetically susceptible individuals after their exposure to organic dust. Thus, environmental management has proved essential in controlling airway challenge and disease exacerbation. This is a demanding process that can only be achieved through the horse owners' cooperation. One year after initial diagnosis of SEA in a group of 39 horses, owner compliance to an environmental management protocol was evaluated. The overall compliance to the protocol was poor and the h...
O'Brien C, Darcy-Dunne MR, Murphy BA.Photoperiod is considered the most dominant environmental cue allowing animals to anticipate and adapt to seasonal changes. In seasonally breeding mammals, changes in daylength alter pineal melatonin secretion and pituitary prolactin secretion. During the seasonal transition to shorter winter daylengths, increased production of melatonin and declining prolactin are associated with triggering winter coat growth in many animals. Similarly, studies have shown that artificial extension of photoperiod suppresses melatonin secretion and lifts prolactin inhibition to activate moulting. Four longitudi...
Brown KA, Davidson EJ, Ortved K, Ross MW, Stefanovski D, Wulster KB, Levine DG.To report the long-term outcome of horses treated with interspinous ligament desmotomy (ISLD) for pain associated with overriding dorsal spinous processes (ORDSP) and determine the influence of preoperative diagnostic analgesia on long-term outcome. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Eighteen horses. Methods: Data were collected from horses presenting for ISLD to the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center between January 2013 and May 2018. Follow-up of ≥3 months postsurgically was obtained from the owner, trainer, or referring veterinarian. Long-term improvement was compared betw...
Nassar M.The present longitudinal study ascertained training-associated transformations in the neural underpinnings of diagnostic reasoning, using a simulation game named "Equine Virtual Farm" (EVF). Twenty participants underwent structural, EVF/task-based and resting-state MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) before and after completing their training on diagnosing simulated veterinary cases. Comparing playing veterinarian versus seeing a colorful image across training sessions revealed the transition of brain activity from scientific creativity regions pre-training (left middle frontal and temporal...
Moshage SG, McCoy AM, Polk JD, Kersh ME.Bone adaptation is in part driven by mechanical loading, and exercise during youth has been shown to have life-long benefits for bone health. However, the development of early exercise-based interventions that reduce the incidence of fractures in racing horses is limited by the lack of characterization of normal development in growing bone. Previous efforts to quantify bone development in the horse have relied on repeated radiographs or peripheral quantitative computed tomography scans, which are limited in their assessment of the entire bone. In this study, we acquired computed tomography sca...
Pringle J, Storm E, Waller A, Riihimäki M.Antibiotic treatment of horses with strangles is reported to impair the development of immunity to subsequent exposure to Streptococcus equi ssp equi (S. equi). However, apart from a single clinical report, evidence-based studies for this hypothesis are lacking. Objective: To determine whether penicillin treatment during clinical strangles influences the development or persistence of seropositivity to S. equi-specific antibodies. Methods: A natural outbreak of strangles with 100% morbidity in 41 unvaccinated mature Icelandic horses. Methods: A prospective longitudinal study of acute clinical s...
Pollard D, Wylie CE, Newton JR, Verheyen KLP.Euthanasia is a complex topic, with animal owners using multiple factors to shape their decision-making process. Previous epidemiological studies have described causes of equine mortality in specific populations, but there is limited evidence regarding factors contributing specifically to equine euthanasia in Great Britain (GB). This observational study used a prospective cohort design: the objectives were to describe owner-reported reasons for euthanasia, estimate the rate of euthanasia and identify associated factors in horses/ponies enrolled in a web-based epidemiological study of laminitis...
Hesselkilde EZ, Carstensen H, Flethøj M, Fenner M, Kruse DD, Sattler SM, Tfelt-Hansen J, Pehrson S, Braunstein TH, Carlson J, Platonov PG....Large animal models are important in atrial fibrillation (AF) research, as they can be used to study the pathophysiology of AF and new therapeutic approaches. Unlike other animal models, horses spontaneously develop AF and could therefore serve as a bona fide model in AF research. We therefore aimed to study the electrical, functional and structural remodelling caused by chronic AF in a horse model. Nine female horses were included in the study, with six horses tachypaced into self-sustained AF and three that served as a time-matched sham-operated control group. Acceleration in atrial fibrilla...
Back H, Weld J, Walsh C, Cullinane A.The aim of this study was to identify respiratory viruses circulating amongst elite racehorses in a training yard by serological testing of serial samples and to determine their impact on health status and ability to race. A six-month longitudinal study was conducted in 30 Thoroughbred racehorses (21 two-year-olds, five three-year-olds and four four-year-olds) during the Flat racing season. Sera were tested for the presence of antibodies against equine herpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) and equine rhinitis viruses A and B (ERAV and ERBV) by complement fixation (CF) and equine arteritis viru...
Kydd JH, Hannant D, Robinson RS, Bryant N, Osterrieder N.Equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory and neurological disease and late gestation abortion in pregnant mares. Current vaccines contain either inactivated or live EHV-1, but fail to provide complete clinical or virological protection, namely prevention of nasopharyngeal shedding and cell-associated viraemia. Thus, the development of novel products, such as modified live virus (MLV) vaccines which stimulate virus-specific, humoral and cell mediated immune responses more effectively remains a priority. Two groups of weaned foals (n = 6 each group) were used in a longitudinal, prospec...
Lindenberg F, Krych L, Kot W, Fielden J, Frøkiær H, van Galen G, Nielsen DS, Hansen AK.Shortly after birth the mammalian gut is colonized, by a transient microbiota, highly susceptible to environment and diet, that eventually stabilizes and becomes the resident gut microbiota. In a window of opportunity during the colonization, oral tolerance is established towards resident bacteria. In this study, the development of the equine gut microbiota was investigated in ten foals from parturition until post weaning. We found great differences in the core species of the gut microbiota composition between time-matched samples on Day 7 and 20 post-partum. Between day 20 and Day 50 post-par...
Pritchard A, Spooner H, Hoffman R.Furosemide is used to reduce the incidence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in racehorses. Previous research suggests furosemide negatively impacts calcium balance, which may have long-term implications for bone health. Eleven healthy horses, either control (CON, n = 5) or treatment (FUR, n = 6), were used to test furosemide's effects on bone mineral content (BMC), bone metabolism biomarkers, and weight loss after administration. Treatment horses received IV furosemide at 1 mg⋅kg BW once weekly for seven weeks, and blood was collected before and at 24 hours after administration f...
Roberts VLH, Bailey M, Patel NK.Early results from the use of neuromodulation by percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the management of trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses were promising but lacked sufficient case numbers and long-term follow-up. The neuromodulatory procedure has since been established as EquiPENS™. Objective: The aim of this study was to report long-term results from a larger number of cases and to investigate for predictors of outcome. Methods: Prospective case series using international, multi-centre data. Methods: Eligible cases were horses with a veterinary diagnosis of trigeminal-media...
Bryner MF, Hoey SE, Montavon S, Fürst AE, Kümmerle JM.To determine long term outcomes of nonracing equines athletes treated for short incomplete proximal sagittal fractures of the proximal phalanx (SIPSFP1) by lag screw fixation. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Thirty-one horses. Methods: Medical records from horses with an SIPSFP1 (2008-2014) were reviewed. Long-term (≥12 months) outcomes were assessed with telephone interviews and clinical and radiographic examinations. Results: Warmblood was the predominant breed in cases included in the study. Among horses with long-term interview information, 27 of 31 returned to previous athletic...
Pérez Manrique L, Hudson R, Bánszegi O, Szenczi P.The study of individual differences in behavior and physiology has attracted considerable interest among behavioral biologists. Important questions include how early in life such differences emerge and to what extent they remain stable across development. Due to the demanding nature of longitudinal studies, there is still a lack of information on this in mammals, especially in large, long-lived species. Our aim in this study was to look for stable individual differences in behavior and physiology during early development in the domestic horse and for correlations between the two parameters. We...
Parkes RSV, Weller R, Pfau T, Witte TH.Objective gait monitoring is increasingly accessible to trainers. A more comprehensive understanding of 'normal' gait adaptations is required. Forty two-year-old thoroughbred racehorses were recruited when entering training and followed for 22 months. Gait analysis was performed by equipping each horse with an inertial measurement unit with inbuilt GPS (GPS-IMU) mounted on the dorsum. Horses were exercised as per their regular training regimen. Data were analysed using a linear mixed model. For two-year-old horses, there was a non-linear pattern of stride duration (SD) over time ( < 0.001) ...
Fradinho MJ, Mateus L, Bernardes N, Bessa RJB, Caldeira RM, Ferreira-Dias G.Development of a healthy musculoskeletal system is of high concern for horse breeders and users. A longitudinal field study was performed in order to: (i) evaluate growth patterns and long-term changes on bone quality, bone metabolism, growth factors and metabolic variables in the Lusitano horse; and (ii) retrospectively assess whether these changes were related with radiographic findings regarding osteochondrosis-like lesions (OC) at the onset of training. Thirty-four Lusitano foals born and raised at four stud-farms, were periodically weighed (BW), and measured (withers height-WH) from birth...
Gehlen H, Schlaga A.Several studies have shown the effect of training on myocardial deformation parameters in human athletes. The aim of this prospective, longitudinal study was echocardiographic evaluation of myocardial velocities and deformation in horses during the first year of training. Twelve Standardbred yearlings were examined using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D-ST) during the first year of race training (short axis of left and right ventricle). The first examination was performed before the beginning of training (n = 12). At the last time point, horses were fully ...
Simões J, Sales Luís JP, Tilley P.Severe equine asthma (SEA) syndrome is a chronic recurrent respiratory disease, common among adult horses. The disease occurs in genetically susceptible individuals after their exposure to organic dust. Thus, environmental management has proved essential in controlling airway challenge and disease exacerbation. This is a demanding process that can only be achieved through the horse owners' cooperation. One year after initial diagnosis of SEA in a group of 39 horses, owner compliance to an environmental management protocol was evaluated. The overall compliance to the protocol was poor and the h...
Lönnell AC, Bröjer J, Nostell K, Hernlund E, Roepstorff L, Tranquille CA, Murray RC, Oomen A, van Weeren R, Bitschnau C, Montavon S, Weishaupt MA....Training regimens of showjumping horses under field conditions are largely undocumented. Objective: The aims of this study were to quantify and compare training regimens used in professional-level showjumping yards, with respect to time exercised and type of activity. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: A prospective 6-month cohort study of showjumping horses in 4 European countries (The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain) was designed to analyse training and health data, in yards with several horses in training and riders competing at professional level. Riders documented...
Lepage OM, Piccot-Crézollet C.There have been no previously published large case series describing short- and long-term outcome of transarterial coil embolisation (TCE) in horses with guttural pouch mycosis (GPM). Objective: To describe the clinical and surgical features of horses with GPM presented at the Veterinary School of Lyon during a 28 month period; and to evaluate immediate to long-term results of TCE as a treatment. Methods: Medical records of all horses with GPM treated with TCE between February 1999 and July 2002 were analysed. To be included in the study, no other surgical or medical treatment for the mycosis ...
Westermann CM, Dorland L, Wijnberg ID, de Sain-van der Velden MGM, van Breda E, Barneveld A, de Graaf-Roelfsema E, Keizer HA, van der Kolk JH.The objective of this study is to assess the influence of acute exercise, training and intensified training on the plasma amino acid profile. In a 32-week longitudinal study using 10 Standardbred horses, training was divided into four phases, including a phase of intensified training for five horses. At the end of each phase, a standardized exercise test, SET, was performed. Plasma amino acid concentrations before and after each SET were measured. Training significantly reduced mean plasma aspartic acid concentration, whereas exercise significantly increased the plasma concentrations of alanin...
Brooks DE, Plummer CE, Carastro SM, Utter ME.To evaluate the long-term visual outcome of phacoemulsification lens extraction surgery in foals and horses and identify any unique postoperative complications that affect the visual outcome. Methods: This is a retrospective medical records study of phacoemulsification cataract surgery in 95 foals and horses from 1990 to 2013. Results: Cataracts were removed by phacoemulsification from 111 eyes of 95 horses ranging in age from 22 days to 26 years (average 8.0 ± 5.7 years). Forty-four of the 95 animals were foals (46.3%). Sixteen horses or foals had surgery bilaterally. One hundred and two eye...
Rhiner T, Fettelschoss V, Schoster A, Birkmann K, Fettelschoss-Gabriel A.Previously, virus-like particle (VLP)-based self-vaccinations targeting interleukin (IL)-5 or IL-31 have been suggested to treat equine insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), a seasonal recurrent allergic dermatitis in horses. The IL-5-targeting equine vaccine significantly reduced blood eosinophil counts in horses, similar to human monoclonal antibodies targeting IL-5 or the IL-5 receptor alpha (IL-5Rα). Previous studies in humans have also reported an additional effect on reduction of basophil counts. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether an equine anti-IL-5 vaccine affected blo...
van Loon JPAM, Visser EMS, de Mik-van Mourik M, Kerbert P, Huppes T, Menke ES.Colic surgery in horses impacts both short-term well-being of horses due to possible surgical and anesthetic complications and also long-term return to a sporting career. In this retrospective study, survival and complication rates, as well as functional outcome and behavioral problems in horses that underwent colic surgery were studied. Data from 283 horses that underwent colic surgery at a veterinary teaching hospital were analyzed. Furthermore, owners were contacted and requested to fill out a questionnaire concerning the first year of rehabilitation. Of 283 horses that underwent colic surg...
Li H, Dong GD, Liu JM, Gao JX, Shi YJ, Zhang YG, Jin YM, Lu K, Cheng GF, Lin JJ.Schistosomiasis japonica is a major public health problem in China. Domestic animals play a major role in the transmission of Schistosoma japonicum to humans. To better understand the epidemiology of schistosomiasis japonica in domestic animals in the mountainous areas of China, we performed a 5-year longitudinal study of schistosomiasis in cattle and horses in Yunnan Province from 2009 to 2013. We also performed a concurrent drug-based intervention study in three settlement groups in Yunnan Province aimed at developing an effective means of controlling transmission in this region. The prevale...
Radwanski NE, Morris DO, Boston RC, Cerundolo R, Lee KW.The long-term effects of allergen specific immunotherapy (ASIT) on concentrations of circulating immunoglobulin E (IgE) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in horses have not been reported. Objective: To document changes in clinical severity of horses with atopic dermatitis (AD) and to monitor allergen-specific IgE and IgG concentrations during a two-year course of ASIT. Methods: Nineteen client-owned horses with a conditional diagnosis of AD. Methods: Three ASIT groups were randomly assigned based upon results obtained by either intradermal testing (IDT) for regional allergens (n = 7); enzyme-linked...
Aleman M, Gillis CL, Nieto JE, Renaudin CD, Bea J.Knowledge of normal renal parameters, as documented in mature horses, is essential for the accurate evaluation of abnormal kidneys. Although the ultrasonographic appearance and location of the abdominal organs in foals and the renal dimensions in neonates have been reported, there is currently no information available for the assessment of normal organ growth in foals. The objectives of the study were to describe the ultrasonographic characteristics, location and variations of the thoracic and abdominal organs with relation to age, height and weight; and provide a growth table for comparison w...
Pérez Manrique L, Hudson R, Bánszegi O, Szenczi P.The study of individual differences in behavior and physiology has attracted considerable interest among behavioral biologists. Important questions include how early in life such differences emerge and to what extent they remain stable across development. Due to the demanding nature of longitudinal studies, there is still a lack of information on this in mammals, especially in large, long-lived species. Our aim in this study was to look for stable individual differences in behavior and physiology during early development in the domestic horse and for correlations between the two parameters. We...
Proudman CJ, Edwards GB, Barnes J, French NP.Large intestinal diseases are an important cause of equine colic that require surgical management, but there is little published information about long-term survival of such cases. Objective: To identify variables associated with post operative mortality and to develop a model for post operative survival following surgery for large intestinal disease. Methods: Clinical data and long-term follow-up information from 275 horses undergoing surgery for large intestinal disease were used. A multivariable, Cox proportional hazards model for post operative death was developed and the fit of the model ...
Legacki EL, Scholtz EL, Ball BA, Esteller-Vico A, Stanley SD, Conley AJ.Few studies have provided a longitudinal analysis of systemic concentrations of conjugated oestrogens (and androgens) throughout pregnancy in mares, and those only using immunoassay. The use of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) will provide more accurate concentrations of circulating conjugated steroids. Objective: To characterise circulating concentrations of individual conjugated steroids throughout equine gestation by using LC-MS/MS. Methods: Longitudinal study and comparison of pregnant mares treated with vehicle or letrozole in late gestation. Methods: Sulphated oe...
Stock KF, Hamann H, Distl O.The prevalence of osseous fragments in different limb joints was analysed in 3749 young Warmblood riding horses, which were pre-selected for sale at auction from 1991 to 1998 by the Association of Hanoverian Warmblood Breeders (Verband hannoverscher Warmblutzüchter e.V.) in Verden (Aller), Germany. The evaluation of these horses was based on a standardized radiological examination, including the distal interphalangeal (DIJ), the proximal interphalangeal (PIJ), the metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal (MC/MTJ) and the tarsocrural joints (TCJ). In 32% of all horses at least one osseous fragment w...
Zsoldos RR, Voegele A, Krueger B, Schroeder U, Weber A, Licka TF.The equine m. gluteus medius (GM) is the largest muscle of the horse, its main movement function is the extension of the hip joint. The objective of the present study was to measure equine GM activity in three adjacent locations on GM during walk and trot on a treadmill, in order to document potential differences. Fourteen Haflinger mares were measured using surface electromyography and kinematic markers to identify the motion cycles on three occasions over 16 weeks. The electrodes were placed on left and right gluteus medius muscle over the middle of its widest part and 5 cm lateral and med...
Kambayashi Y, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K, Ohta M, Bannai H.Equine coronavirus (ECoV) causes fever, lethargy, anorexia and gastrointestinal signs in horses. There has been limited information about the prevalence and seasonality of ECoV among Thoroughbreds in Japan. Objective: To understand the epidemiology and to evaluate the potential risk of ECoV infection to the horse industry in Japan. Methods: Longitudinal. Methods: The virus-neutralisation (VN) test was performed using sera collected three times a year at 4 months intervals from 161 yearlings and at 6-7 months intervals from 181 active racehorses in Japan in 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020....
Potter K, Stevens K, Menzies-Gow N.A retrospective treated versus untreated study (study 1) and multicentre prospective cohort study (study 2) were undertaken to determine the prevalence of, and risk factors associated with, acute laminitis in horses treated with corticosteroids. All old treated with corticosteroids January-December 2014 (study 1) and January 2015-February 2017 (study 2) by two first opinion and referral hospitals in UK were included. Additionally, an untreated animal was identified for each treated animal (study one). Signalment, body condition (study 2 only), relevant medical history, primary condition, corti...
Canisso IF, Ball BA, Esteller-Vico A, Williams NM, Squires EL, Troedsson MH.While advanced stages of ascending placentitis can be diagnosed by transrectal ultrasonography and clinical signs, early stages can be missed. Thus, additional tools could enhance assessment of placental health. Objective: To characterise peripheral dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) and testosterone concentrations in mares carrying normal pregnancies (Study 1) and compare plasma concentrations of DHEA-S, testosterone, oestradiol 17-β (oestradiol) and oestrone sulphate (OES) in mares with or without placentitis (Study 2). Methods: Longitudinal cohort study of healthy mares (Study 1) and...
Santamaría S, Bobbert MF, Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.To investigate the effects of early training for jumping by comparing the jumping technique of horses that had received early training with that of horses raised conventionally. Methods: 40 Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: The horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping at 6 months of age. Subsequently, they were allocated into a control group that was raised conventionally and an experimental group that received 30 months of early training starting at 6 months of age. At 4 years of age, after a period of rest in pasture and a short period of training with a rider, both groups were ...
Satué K, Domingo R.During pregnancy, the coordinated interaction of the components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a vital role in accommodating the cardiovascular, haemodynamic and haematological needs imposed by foetal development and the placenta. This significantly influences the birth weight of the neonate and foetal viability. Although the evolution of each of the components of this system has been widely described in various species, it has not yet been clarified in the mare. Thus, the objectives of the present research were: 1) to establish reference values for renin (REN), angio...
Ramalho Sousa S, Anastácio S, Nóvoa M, Paz-Silva A, Madeira de Carvalho LM.In Portugal, equine parasitism in pasture animals is characterized by high parasitic burden and high helminthic biodiversity; both factors are potentially pathogenic for their hosts. The decrease in the number of donkeys over the last years in Portugal, their importance in rural lowland and mountain ecosystems and pastures and the scarce information regarding their parasitism led to this research, which aimed to evaluate the parasitological status of a Miranda donkey breed population, a native breed mainly located in the northeast of Portugal. This study provides better knowledge of their gast...
van den Hoven R, Zappe H, Zitterl-Eglseer K, Jugl M, Franz C.The effects of an oral preparation containing an extract of thyme and primula (Bronchipret; Bionorica) on the lung function of five horses suffering heaves were determined in a longitudinal study. The horses accepted the product well. The plasma concentrations of the marker substance, thymol, indicated that at least one of the substances in the extract had been absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The compliance, pulmonary pressure and airway resistance of the horses' lungs were all significantly improved after one month of treatment However, the severity of their clinical signs and their...
Scantlebury CE, Archer DC, Proudman CJ, Pinchbeck GL.Recurrent colic occurs frequently in the general horse population but little evidence exists about what factors place horses at greater risk of recurrent colic. Objective: To quantify time-varying and non time-varying risk factors for recurrent colic among horses attended by first-opinion veterinary surgeons in northwest England. Methods: Nested case-control study. Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted on data from a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 127 horses recruited subsequent to an episode of medical colic. Data were collected on management and recurrent colic episode...
Duran MC, Dumrath CAC, Bartmann CP, Medina Torres CE, Moschos A, Goehring LS.Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a sensitive acute-phase response (APR) marker in equids. Prominent APRs with elevations of SAA concentrations ([SAA]) have been reported after vaccination. The authors hypothesized that vaccination with an inactivated EHV-1/-4 vaccine would cause increase in [SAA] and antibody responses and that higher [SAA] would be positively correlated with the antibody titer in both equids. Twelve Haflinger horses and 12 mules were included in this longitudinal prospective study. All horses and mules were vaccinated with a commercially available EHV-1/-4 vaccine. Blood was sampled ...
Dykgraaf S, Firth EC, Rogers CW, Kawcak CE.The objective was to determine the effects of early exercise on the articular cartilage and subchondral bone at specific sites of the distal third metacarpal and metatarsal bones of 12 young Thoroughbred horses allowed free choice exercise at pasture. Six of the horses had additional controlled exercise 5 days per week from mean age of 21+/-20 days of age (range: 3-83 days) until 17.1 months of age. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to quantify viable and non-viable chondrocytes. Proteoglycan scoring and modified Mankin scoring was performed and subchondral bone mineral density measu...
Hamza E, Mirkovitch J, Steinbach F, Marti E.The immune system of mammals is subject to continuous development during the postnatal phase of life. Studies following the longitudinal development of the immune system in healthy children are limited both by ethical considerations and sample volumes. Horses represent a particular valuable large animal model for T regulatory (Treg) cells and allergy research. We have recently characterised Treg cells from horses, demonstrated their regulatory capability and showed both their expansion and induction in vitro. Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a common allergy in horses resembling atopic de...
Plevin S, McLellan J, O'Keeffe T.Sesamoiditis is a common radiological finding in yearling Thoroughbreds. The condition is believed to be associated with suspensory ligament branch injury (SLBI), which is known to affect racing performance. The presence of subclinical suspensory ligament branch change (SSLBC) in untrained yearlings has not been investigated. Associations between sesamoiditis, SSLBC and subsequent SLBI would allow more accurate prognoses to be made regarding the development of SLBI. They could also provide opportunity for intervention and prevention of SLBI. Objective: To test our hypotheses that untrained yea...
Colón JL, Bramlage LR, Hance SR, Embertson RM.The purpose of this study was to examine the longevity of postoperative careers and quality of performance of 461 Thoroughbred racehorses after arthroscopic removal of dorsoproximal first phalanx (P1) osteochondral fractures. Six hundred and 59 dorsoproximal P1 chip fractures were removed arthroscopically from 574 joints in 461 horses presented for lameness or decreased performance attributed to the chip fractures. Radiological and arthroscopic examination revealed an average of 1.43 fragment sites/horse, 1.15 fragment sites/joint and 1.25 affected joints/horse. Eighty-nine percent of the hors...
Henderson IS, Mair TS, Keen JA, Shaw DJ, McGorum BC.The records of 65 horses with peritonitis examined at two UK referral centres over a period of 12 years were reviewed. Peritonitis was defined in terms of the horse's peritoneal fluid containing more than 5 x 10(9) nucleated cells/l. Horses that had developed peritonitis after abdominal surgery or a rupture of the gastrointestinal tract were excluded. Of the 65 horses, 56 (86 per cent) survived to be discharged. Follow-up information was obtained from practice records and telephone calls to the owners for 38 of the horses. Of these, 32 (84 per cent) had survived for at least 12 months and were...
Vasilieva NA, Tchabovsky AV.Fitness consequences of early-life conditions remain unclear and poorly studied in mammals. Based on long-term observations of yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus), we identified early determinants of female fitness by analyzing the effects of early-life individual and environmental characteristics (weaning weight, weight gain rate, date of natal emergence, natal litter size, location of the natal burrow, local density of juveniles, population density and precipitation in the post-weaning period) on lifetime reproductive success (LRS). We found high variation and right-skewed distribu...
