Morphology in horses refers to the study of the form and structure of the equine body, including the skeletal, muscular, and integumentary systems. This field encompasses the examination of physical characteristics such as body conformation, limb structure, and cranial features, which can influence a horse's performance, health, and suitability for various activities or disciplines. Morphological assessments are often used in breeding programs to select for desirable traits and in veterinary evaluations to identify potential anatomical issues. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, findings, and implications of morphological studies in equine science.
Clauss M, Codron D, Hummel J.Like other members of the odd-toed ungulates (the perissodactyls), equids once had a higher species diversity in the fossil record than they have today. This is generally explained in comparison to the enormous diversity of bovid ruminants. Theories on putative competitive disadvantages of equids include the use of a single toe as opposed to two toes per leg, the lack of a specific brain cooling (and hence water-saving) mechanism, longer gestation periods that delay reproductive output, and in particular digestive physiology. To date, there is no empirical support for the theory that equids fa...
Klecel W, Drobik-Czwarno W, Martyniuk E.Arabian show horses are well known for their exceptional beauty and elegance. The breed type, body conformation and movement are assessed during horse shows by licensed judges. The 5 judging categories are type, head and neck, body and topline, legs and movement, which are scored on a 20 point scale. It can be hypothesized that the scores in different categories are related to each other, and that the score for the most subjective type category depends on the scores for conformation categories. We analyzed 762 sets of average scores obtained by 583 unique horses at the World Championships. Cor...
Lewis N, Canesin H, Choi YH, Foss R, Felix M, Rader K, Hinrichs K.Information on factors associated with developmental competence of equine in vitro -produced (IVP) blastocysts is lacking. Objective: To determine the relationships of stage, grade, day of development, and specific morphological parameters of equine IVP blastocysts, to pregnancy and foaling rates. Methods: Photomicrographs of 316 IVP embryos with known pregnancy outcomes were scrutinised individually by four observers. Inter-observer variation was assessed, and pregnancy outcome evaluated in relation to day of blastocyst development and assigned grade and stage. Individual component analysis w...
Smith S, Yohe LR, Solounias N.It has been recognized as early as the Victorian era that the apex of the distal phalanx has a distinct embryological development from the main shaft of the distal phalanx. Recent studies in regenerative medicine have placed an emphasis on the role of the apex of the distal phalanx in bone regrowth. Despite knowledge about the unique aspects of the distal phalanx, all phalanges are often treated as equivalent. Our morphological study reiterates and highlights the special anatomical and embryological properties of the apex of the distal phalanx, and names the apex "the bony cap" to distinguish ...
Kawahisa-Piquini G, Bass LD, Pezzanite LM, Moorman VJ.Lameness, discipline, training intensity, environmental variability, and shoeing are all factors demonstrated to affect hoof loading and therefore act as adaptive stimuli to alter hoof morphology. Objective: To evaluate the effect of age at training initiation on hoof morphology and lameness incidence and determine if specific hoof morphology measurements correlate with lameness in juvenile American Quarter Horses. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: American Quarter Horses (n = 42; 29 two-year-olds, 13 three-year-olds) entering training were monitored for hoof morphology and lamenes...
Poradowski D, Chrószcz A.The study consisted of the immunohistochemical analysis of fundic and pyloric mucosa in the equine stomach between the 4th and 11th month of gestation. The accessible material was classified into three age groups using the CRL method. The adult reference group was used to define potential differences between foetal and adult populations of gastric APUD cells. The samples were preserved, prepared, and stained according to the standard protocols. The immunohistochemical reaction was assessed using the semi-quantitative IRS method. The results were documented and statistically analysed. The most ...
Ibrahim M.Rhinoestrus species larvae are considered obligatory parasites of the nasal cavities of equine. This type of myiasis is characterised by sneezing, coughing, olfactory nerve damage and encephalomyelitis. Also, it has a zoonotic importance as the larvae might cause ophthalmomyiasis and conjunctivitis in human. While few studies describing R. purpureus adult fly antennal sensillae are available, the R. usbekistanicus antennal sensillae have never been described. Also, scanty data are available on the adult flies of Rhinoestrus species morphology. For this reason, the current study aimed at identi...
Maney JK, Dzikiti BT, Escobar A, Knych HK, Bennett RC.Morphine is the prototypical μ-opioid receptor agonist used to provide analgesia in veterinary species. Its effects are well-described in horses but not donkeys. Objective: To determine the antinociceptive effects of two doses of morphine in donkeys. To describe preliminary pharmacokinetic parameters of morphine in donkeys. Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Eight adult castrated male donkeys were given intravenous (IV) 0.9% saline, morphine 0.1 mg/kg bwt (LDM), or morphine 0.5 mg/kg bwt (HDM) in a randomised order with a minimum 1-week washout period. Mechanical nociceptive thresholds (...
Belyaev RI, Kuznetsov AN, Prilepskaya NE.The vertebral column is a hallmark of vertebrates; it is the structural basis of their body and the locomotor apparatus in particular. Locomotion of any vertebrate animal in its typical habitat is directly associated with functional adaptations of its vertebrae. This study is the first large-scale analysis of mobility throughout the presacral region of the vertebral column covering a majority of extant odd-toed ungulates from 6 genera and 15 species. In this study, we used a previously developed osteometry-based method to calculate available range of motion. We quantified all three directions ...
Strootmann T, Spitzbarth I, Della Tommasa S, Brehm W, Köller G, Troillet A.Research and provision of data on macrophages by cytological synovial fluid analysis and light microscopy in horses with septic arthritis MATERIAL AND METHODS: Records of 167 synovial fluid samples were evaluated and subdivided into different groups: (1) non-septic, (2) haematogenous septic arthritis in foals and (3) traumatic/iatrogenic septic arthritis. The effect of joint lavage on synovial fluid cytology and on the occurrence of macrophage phenotypes was investigated. Results: Regardless of aetiology and age of the horse, macrophage concentrations in synovial sepsis are decreased to a medi...
Amer MM, Desouky AY, Helmy NM, Abdou AM, Sorour SS.Strongylid and non-strongylid nematodes are one of the most important parasites infecting equines. The traditional method to identify these nematodes is through coproscopy and fecal culture. Because of the scarcity of data published in Egypt discussing the morphometric features of infective 3 larvae of these nematodes, this study aims to provide a morphometric key for L3 of common strongylid and non-strongylid nematodes infecting Egyptian equines. For this reason, we cultured fecal samples containing GINs eggs and 3 larval stages were identified based on their morphology (i.e., shape and numbe...
Salamanca-Carreño A, Parés-Casanova PM, Monroy-Ochoa NI, Vélez-Terranova M.This study examined paedomorphosis in PAH and F1 crossbreds. A sample of 99 horses was selected from 40 different breeders and consisted of three groups: stallions ( = 16), mares ( = 53), and geldings ( = 30), ranging from 10 months to 27 years in age. All horses presented a concave celloid lateral left head profile in the acquired photographic images. The hypothesis proposed in this study suggested the lateral profile of the head in juveniles was representational in the adult form due to the neonate's facial bones (part of the splanchnocranium) developing at a different rate to those of the s...
Cotuțiu VD, Ionică AM, Lefkaditis M, Cazan CD, Hașaș AD, Mihalca AD.Equine thelaziosis is a neglected vector-borne parasitic disease in modern veterinary medicine, lacking recent reports. It is transmitted by Musca autumnalis, and potentially other Muscidae species, by ingesting the lachrymal secretions of its equine host. The distribution of both Thelazia lacrymalis and its intermediate hosts remains largely unknown throughout Europe, with most studies dating back 20 years. The aim of this study was to assess the presence, prevalence and distribution of T. lacrymalis in horses from Romania. Methods: The eyes of 273 horses, slaughtered at two abattoirs from t...
Hobbs SJ, Curtis S, Martin J, Sinclair J, Clayton HM.Conformation of the hooves and distal limbs of foals and factors influencing their morphological development have not been reported in detail for the Thoroughbred breed. In this paper we explore morphogenesis of the equine distal limb in Thoroughbred foals with emphasis on adaptations in response to weight bearing early in life that prepare the foal for an athletic career. Novel data from four studies are presented chronologically during key time periods to illustrate specific aspects of distal limb growth and adaptation. Dorsal epidermal thickness increased from 2.84 ± 0.41 mm in utero to 4....
Poradowski D, Chrószcz A.Histological and morphometrical analysis of the stomach wall was performed during the foetal period divided into three age groups (4th-11th month of gestation). The material was taken from non-glandular (the blind ventricular sac) and glandular parts (the plicated edge margin/cardiac part, the body of stomach and the pyloric part) of the stomach. It was preserved and prepared according to the standard protocol. The histological slides were stained (H-E, Masson-Goldner and PAS). The analyses were performed using the light microscope. All measurements were statistically elaborated. The crown-rum...
Ammann L, Ohlerth S, Fürst AE, Jackson MA.To determine morphological characteristics of subchondral cystic lesions (SCLs) in the proximal phalanx (PP) of adult horses. Methods: Radiographs and/or CT scans of PP from 46 horses. Methods: There were horses with a SCL in PP, which was diagnosed by radiography and/or computed tomography, included. Additional data (signalment, history, orthopedic examination) were collected retrospectively for each case. Results: Forty-six horses met the required inclusion criteria, with a total of 62 SCLs. Forty-three SCLs (70.5%) were located in the proximal PP (group A). Forty-four percent of these were ...
Roßgardt J, Heilen LB, Büttner K, Dern-Wieloch J, Vogelsberg J, Staszyk C.In the crown pulp of brachydont teeth, a cell-free and a cell-rich zone are established beneath the odontoblastic layer, indicating a mature status. For the equine dental pulp, there are no descriptions which allow for a comparative analysis with regard to functional requirements in terms of lifelong secondary dentin production to compensate for occlusal wear. For histomorphological and immunohistological investigations, ten incisors and ten check teeth were used from seven adult horses and five foals. In the periphery of the equine dental pulp, a constant predentin and odontoblastic cell laye...
Poradowski D, Chrószcz A.Studies of equine stomach prenatal development are very rare, and descriptions usually focus on the processes taking place in the embryonic period. Only general information about gastric organogenesis in the fetal period is available in embryology textbooks on domestic mammals. The material for our study included twenty half-breed horse fetuses divided into three age groups on the basis of known fetal age (verified using the CRL method). Our study consists of the topographical, morphological, and morphometrical description of stomach development between the 4th and 11th months of gestation. Ev...
Daradics Z, Niculae M, Crecan CM, Lupșan AF, Rus MA, Andrei S, Ciobanu DM, Cătoi FA, Pop ID, Mircean MV, Cătoi C.Obesity is a common feature in horses suffering from metabolic syndrome. While adipokines involvement as biomarkers is better established in human pathology, little data are available on horses. This study aimed to investigate the possible association and relationship between selected metabolic parameters and morphological traits in equine metabolic syndrome. Adiposity was evaluated using body condition score (BCS) and cresty neck score (CNS). Plasma levels of total cholesterol, insulin, NEFA, and adipokines (omentin and chemerin) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Spear...
Sullivan HM, Barrett MF, Zhou T, Kawcak CE.Ultrasound remains a mainstay in proximal suspensory ligament (PSL) evaluation. Despite recent improvements facilitating earlier diagnosis/treatment, needs exist for (1) characterization of normal ultrasonographic PSL cross-sectional area (CSA) in specific breeds/disciplines, (2) improved detection of early/subtle changes in the PSL, and (3) an understanding of suspensory ligament (SL) morphology change from work-related stress. The objectives of this study were to establish normal PSL CSA in Quarter Horses (QH) used for cutting via angle contrast ultrasonography, ultrasonographically monitor ...
Nielsen MK, Steuer AE, Anderson HP, Gavriliuc S, Carpenter AB, Redman EM, Gilleard JS, Reinemeyer CR, Poissant J.Macrocyclic lactones have been the most widely used drugs for equine parasite control during the past four decades. Unlike ivermectin, moxidectin exhibits efficacy against encysted cyathostomin larvae, and is reported to have persistent efficacy with substantially longer egg reappearance periods. However, shortened egg reappearance periods have been reported recently for both macrocyclic lactones, and these findings have raised several questions: (i) are egg reappearance period patterns different after ivermectin or moxidectin treatment? (ii) Are shortened egg reappearance periods associated w...
Hyde KA, Aguiar FLN, Alvarenga PB, Rezende AL, Alves BG, Alves KA, Gastal GDA, Gastal MO, Gastal EL.Understanding the transition from quiescent primordial follicles to activated primary follicles is vital for characterizing ovarian folliculogenesis and improving assisted reproductive techniques. To date, no study has investigated preantral follicle crowding in the ovaries of livestock or characterized these crowds according to follicular morphology and ovarian location (portions and regions) in any species. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the crowding (clustering and neighborhood) patterns of preantral follicles in the equine ovary according to mare age, follicular morphology an...
Hoeberg E, Haga HA, Lervik A.To investigate whether morphine causes a change in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) heart rate (HR) and oxygen extraction (OE) rate in healthy horses anesthetized with isoflurane and a dexmedetomidine infusion. Unassigned: The study design was prospective clinical, randomized, blinded two groups including 33 horses. All horses were sedated with romifidine IV, and anesthesia was induced with midazolam IV and ketamine IV and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen and medical air and a dexmedetomidine infusion. As a baseline venous and arterial blood, HR and MAP were sampled. Thereafter either mo...
Landry Z, Roloson MJ, Fraser D.The metapodials of extinct horses have long been regarded as one of the most useful skeletal elements to determine taxonomic identity. However, recent research on both extant and extinct horses has revealed the possibility for plasticity in metapodial morphology, leading to notable variability within taxa. This calls into question the reliability of metapodials in species identification, particularly for species identified from fragmentary remains. Here, we use ten measurements of metapodials from 203 specimens of four Pleistocene horse species from eastern Beringia to test whether there are s...
Bulkeley E, Santistevan AC, Varner D, Meyers S.Low levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential for normal sperm function and are produced by sperm mitochondria as a byproduct of metabolism, but in excess, ROS can cause catastrophic cellular damage and has been correlated with infertility, poor sperm motility and abnormal morphology in humans. Stallion sperm motility is fueled predominantly by oxidative phosphorylation-produced ATP, requiring high basal rates of mitochondrial function. Consequently, whether elevated ROS production by stallion sperm is an indicator of dysfunctional or highly motile cells has been deba...
Cahalan SD, Perkins JD, Boehm I, Jones RA, Gillingwater TH, Piercy RJ.Morphological study of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a specialised peripheral synapse formed between a lower motor neuron and skeletal muscle fibre, has significantly contributed to the understanding of synaptic biology and neuromuscular disease pathogenesis. Rodent NMJs are readily accessible, and research into conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has relied heavily on experimental work in these small mammals. However, given that nerve length dependency is an important feature of many peripheral neurop...
Goethals J, Nikolayev D, Thielens A, Vermeeren G, Verloock L, Deruyck M, Martens L, Joseph W.This paper describes the exploration of the combined antenna-channel model for a horse hoof. An antenna of 25 mm × 40 mm is designed in the ISM 868 MHz band. During the characterization and design of the antenna, the dynamic and harsh environment of the horse hoof is taken into account throughout every step of the procedure because it is impossible to de-embed the antenna from its environment. The antenna and channel model are verified extensively by measurements in phantom and ex vivo. The antenna is verified to be robust against changes in the morphology of the horse's hoof up to 50%. The d...
Mirzaeei S, Faryadras FB, Mehrandish S, Rezaei L, Daneshgar F, Karami A.Prolonging the drug release can be a suitable approach to overcome the challenges related to topical ophthalmic administration of drugs especially the ones prescribed for chronic ailments. The sustained delivery of the drug would reduce the required frequency of administration which could extremely improve patient compliance and feeling of well-being. This study aimed to develop nanofibrous inserts for sustained ophthalmic delivery of timolol maleate (TIM) for the treatment of glaucoma. Unassigned: Polycaprolactone-based nanofibers containing TIM were prepared using pure polycaprolactone or a ...
Colombino E, Raspa F, Perotti M, Bergero D, Vervuert I, Valle E, Capucchio MT.The conventional feeding management of horses is still characterized by high starch and low fibre diets, which can negatively affect horse's gastrointestinal health. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a high-starch (HS) vs. a high-fibre (HF) diet on gut health in horses. A total of 19 Bardigiano horses destined for slaughter and aged 14.3 ± 0.7 months were randomly allotted to two dietary groups: HS (5 fillies and 4 colts,) and HF group (7 fillies and 3 colts). They received the same first-cut meadow hay but different complementary feeds for 72 days: HS group was ...
Perdomo-González DI, García de Paredes RLA, Valera M, Bartolomé E, Gómez MD.The studbook of Pura Raza Menorquina horses only permits the use of black-coated animals with a small quantity of white marks as breeding stock. Its breeding program uses linear morpho-functional traits as selection criteria. Our aim was to estimate the genetic parameters of linear morpho-functional traits, and reveal relationship of quality of black coat color (QB) and percentage of white marks (WM) with the other morphological and functional linear traits in this breed. A total of 46 linear traits were scored by four appraisers using seven classes, with a total of 772 records from 333 animal...
Li XY, Chen YO, Wang QK, Li K, Pape T, Zhang D.Species of Gasterophilus are obligate parasites of equids and may induce severe, even lethal myiasis. However, identification of the third instar Gasterophilus larva at the species level is still problematic predominantly due to a shortage of diagnostic morphological features and incomplete molecular libraries. Testing the suitability of three different molecular markers showed that the traditional 650 bp barcode region near the 5' terminus of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) served as a better tool for species-level identification than a 663 bp region near the 3' terminus of COI and a...
Ali OJ, Comerford EJ, Clegg PD, Canty-Laird EG.BiTendons are constructed from collagenous fascicles separated by endotenon/interfascicular matrix (IFM). Tendons may be specialised for precision movement or to store energy during locomotion and for the latter the elasticity of the endotenon/IFM is particularly important. The equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is a dedicated energy-storing tendon with a similar function to the human Achilles tendon. Classical anatomical descriptions portray fascicles as longitudinally arranged distinct anatomical structures. In the present study, using three-dimensional reconstruction from whole...
Pozor M, Morrissey H, Albanese V, Khouzam N, Deriberprey A, Macpherson ML, Kelleman AA.The goal of this study was to investigate correlations between objective measures of testicular echotexture and histomorphometric attributes related to the histological composition of stallion testes. Fifty-four scrotal testes were obtained from three groups of stallions during routine castrations: colts <1 yr old (n = 18), young stallions 1-5 yrs old (n = 27), mature stallions > 5 yrs old (n = 9). In addition, two scrotal testes with degeneration, 16 retained inguinal and 10 retained abdominal testes were surgically obtained. Cross-sectional and longitudinal ultrasonograms were obt...
Murcia-Robayo RY, Jouanisson E, Beauchamp G, Diaw M.Evaluation of sperm morphology is part of the assessment of fertility in human and animal reproduction. Analyses can be performed using different techniques, including the use of staining methods In our prospective study, the morphology of equine sperm was evaluated using 3 staining methods Diff-Quik, eosin-nigrosin, and SpermBlue, the latter being a relatively new stain commonly used for human sperm. Our hypotheses were that (1) SpermBlue allows easier assessment of horse sperm morphology and facilitates better identification of sperm abnormalities, and (2) sperm morphology classification dif...
Bykovsky AF, Yershov FI, Zhdanov VM.Morphogenesis of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus was studied by means of electron microscopy. Virus-specific structures (factories, viroplasts) were found at early stages of infection; these structures were composed of fibrillar and cylindrical formations, aggregates of ribosomes, and viral nucleoids. The latter emerged from fibrillar and cylindrical structures. Aggregates of viral nucleoids were found in the cytoplasm and occasionally in the nuclei of virus-infected cells. Viral envelopes and mature virions were formed on the cell membranes and on the membranes of intracellular vacu...
Figueiredo JP, Muir WW, Sams R.To compare the cardiorespiratory, gastrointestinal, analgesic, and behavioral effects between IV and IM administration of morphine in conscious horses with no signs of pain. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (IM or IV) or morphine sulfate (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg, IM or IV) in a randomized, masked crossover study design. The following variables were measured before and for 360 minutes after drug administration: heart and respiratory rates; systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures; rectal temperature; arterial pH and blood gas variabl...
Fratzl P, Schreiber S, Boyde A.The size and the orientation of the bone salt (mineral) crystals in the cranial and caudal zones in the transverse midshaft section of the equine radius were investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The results are interpreted as indicating that the crystals had an elongated shape with an average thickness of T = 3.17 +/- 0. 15 nm in the caudal region and T = 3.79 +/- 0.20 nm in the cranial region. Their orientation was predominantly in the longitudinal direction of the bone. There was no preferential orientation within the transverse plane. The distribution of tilt angles with res...
Bredtmann CM, Krücken J, Murugaiyan J, Balard A, Hofer H, Kuzmina TA, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G.Rapid, cost-effective, efficient, and reliable helminth species identification is of considerable importance to understand host-parasite interactions, clinical disease, and drug resistance. Cyathostomins (Nematoda: Strongylidae) are considered to be the most important equine parasites, yet research on this group is hampered by the large number of 50 morphologically differentiated species, their occurrence in mixed infections with often more than 10 species and the difficulties associated with conventional identification methods. Here, MALDI-TOF MS, previously successfully applied to identify n...
Morrell JM, Rodriguez-Martinez H, Johannisson A.An improvement in sperm quality after single layer centrifugation (SLC) has been seen in previous studies using small sample sizes (for example, n = 10 stallions). There is a need to investigate whether this improvement is repeatable over several breeding seasons with a larger number of stallions (n ≥ 30 stallions). Objective: To make a retrospective analysis of the results of SLC performed on more than 250 sperm samples (176 ejaculates) from 31 stallions in 3 consecutive breeding seasons. Methods: Sperm quality (motility, proportion of morphologically normal spermatozoa and the proportion o...
Gee C, Small A, Shorter K, Brown WY.Equine Caudal Cervical Morphologic Variation (ECCMV) is a congenital malformation of the caudal cervical spine distinct from the more commonly recognized Cervical Vertebral Stenotic Myelopathy (CVSM). The most common presentation of ECCMV is recognized on the sixth cervical vertebra (C6). In "normal" presentations, the transverse processes on the left and right sides have a caudal lamina projecting ventrally below the caudal vertebral body in a heel shape. With ECCMV, variations occur to the structure of the caudal ventral lamina on one or both sides of C6 and may include the seventh cervical ...
Liu XH, Li XY, Li K, Zhang D.Rhinoestrus purpureus (Brauer, 1858) (Diptera: Oestridae) is an economically important parasite that can cause severe nasal myiasis in equids or even attacking humans. The antennae of R. purpureus were examined using stereoscopic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The general morphology was provided detailedly, together with distribution, type, size, and ultrastructure of antennal sensilla. All the three antennal segments, antennal scape, pedicel, and funiculus, are interspersed by microtrichiae. Only mechanoreceptors are detected on antennal scape and pedicel. On antennal funiculus,...
Kirkland KD, Baker GJ, Manfra Marretta S, Eurell JA, Losonsky JM.To document age-related changes in the morphology of the endodontic system, reserve crown, and roots of equine mandibular cheek teeth. Methods: Equine mandibular cheek teeth from horses of various ages were compared, using radiography, x-ray computed tomography, and histologic examinations. Methods: 48 right hemi-mandibles from horses 2 to 9 years old. Methods: Hemi-mandibles were radiographed, imaged by computed tomographic reconstruction, and reformatted. Histologic examination was used to identify and correlate tissue types. Results: Permanent mandibular cheek teeth of the horse, at the tim...
Read WK.Thirty-five cases of renal medullary crest necrosis morphologically similar to the renal papillary necrosis of analgesic nephropathy as described in man and rats are reported in horses receiving maintenance dosages of phenylbutazone. The primary lesion is a well-demarcated focal medullary necrosis resulting in sequestration of fragments of the renal crest. Renal cortical lesions are considered secondary to the medullary necrosis and consist of segmental pallor as a result of tubular dilatation, filtrate retention, and interstitial edema. Ischemia in concert with phenylbutazone is suggested as ...
Gacem S, Catalán J, Yánez-Ortiz I, Soler C, Miró J.The evaluation of the male fertility potential is based on the analysis of the basic spermatic characteristics of concentration, motility and morphology. Thus, the study of sperm morphology is a fundamental element in the seminal analysis, but its real meaning has been biased by the techniques used for its evaluation. These techniques involve dehydration phases and subsequent staining, which involves the production of artifacts. The aim of the study is to compare two methods for equid semen morphology evaluation, Trumorph using living sperm vs. eosin-nigrosine stain. A total of 49 ejaculates f...
Varner DD.The conventional approach to evaluation of stallion semen dates back several decades, and includes evaluation of spermatozoal concentration, semen volume, spermatozoon morphological characteristics, and spermatozoal motility patterns initially and following in-vitro storage. While an analysis performed in this manner does have predictive value, incorporation of some more newly developed techniques may improve the predictive value of the examination. This communication addresses some newer tests that can be applied today for evaluation of semen, as well some tests that may be available in the c...
Lilliehöök I, Tvedten HW, Bröjer J, Edner A, Nostell K.Neutrophil myeloperoxidase content is determined by the Advia 2120 hematology system by staining characteristics. Changes in myeloperoxidase staining are shown by location of neutrophils on Advia peroxidase dot plots and as myeloperoxidase index (MPXI). Significant changes in MPXI have been reported during severe inflammation in horses, dogs, and people but conclusions were inconsistent. Objective: Infusion of endotoxin was used to initiate an inflammatory stimulus under controlled conditions and over a longer time period than in previous studies to document kinetics of changes in neutrophil n...
Veraa S, Bergmann W, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Vernooij H, Nielen M, van den Belt AM.Morphology of the equine cervical intervertebral disc is different from that in humans and small companion animals and published imaging data are scarcely available. The objectives of this exploratory, methods comparison study were (a) to describe MRI features of macroscopically nondegenerated and degenerated intervertebral discs (b) to test associations between spinal location and macroscopic degeneration or MRI-detected annular protrusion and between MRI-detected annular protrusion and macroscopic degeneration, and (c) to define MRI sequences for characterizing equine cervical intervertebral...
Sénèque E, Morisset S, Lesimple C, Hausberger M.The study of animal behavior, especially regarding welfare, needs the development of tools to identify, quantify and compare animal postures with interobserver reliability. While most studies subjectively describe animal postures, or quantify only limited parts of the body, the usage of geometric morphometrics has allowed for the description of horses' and pigs' upper body outline and the comparison of postures from different populations thanks to robust statistical analysis. We have attempted here to optimize the geometric morphometrics (GM) method already used in horses by introducing the ou...
Martig S, Hitchens PL, Stevenson MA, Whitton RC.The repetitive large loads generated during high-speed training and racing commonly cause subchondral bone injuries in the metacarpal condyles of racehorses. Adaptive bone modelling leads to focal sclerosis at the site of highest loading in the palmar aspect of the metacarpal condyles. Information on whether and how adaptive modelling of subchondral bone changes during the career of a racehorse is sparse. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the changes in subchondral bone micromorphology in the area of highest loading in the palmar aspect of the metacarpal condyle in thorough...
Schlegel T, Brehm H, Amselgruber WM.The purpose of this comparative study was to evaluate morphological differences between the cartilages of the third eyelid in dogs, cats, pigs, cows, small ruminants and horses. For that reason a total of 83 third eyelids were investigated. By the aid of a modified maceration technique, the three-dimensional form of the cartilage could be demonstrated for the first time. Generally, the cartilage consists of a long narrow appendix which is followed by a variable crossbar. In dogs the appendix is cone shaped in the basal end and extends to form a triangular plate. The former is crescent-like in ...
García Liñeiro JA, Graziotti GH, Rodríguez Menéndez JM, Ríos CM, Affricano NO, Victorica CL.The multifidus muscle fascicles of horses attach to vertebral spinous processes after crossing between one to six metameres. The fascicles within one or two metameres are difficult to distinguish in horses. A vertebral motion segment is anatomically formed by two adjacent vertebrae and the interposed soft tissue structures, and excessive mobility of a vertebral motion segment frequently causes osteoarthropathies in sport horses. The importance of the equine multifidus muscle as a vertebral motion segment stabilizer has been demonstrated; however, there is scant documentation of the structure a...
Bentley VA, Sample SJ, Livesey MA, Scollay MC, Radtke CL, Frank JD, Kalscheur VL, Muir P.Failure of functional adaptation to protect the skeleton from damage is common and is often associated with targeted remodeling of bone microdamage. Horses provide a suitable model for studying loading-related skeletal disease because horses are physically active, their exercise is usually regulated, and adaptive failure of various skeletal sites is common. We performed a histologic study of the navicular bone of three groups of horses: (1) young racing Thoroughbreds (n = 10); (2) young unshod ponies (n = 10); and (3) older horses with navicular syndrome (n = 6). Navicular syndrome is a painfu...
Kornaś S, Gawor J, Cabaret J, Molenda K, Skalska M, Nowosad B.The prevalence of infection with cyathosthomes of horses is high worldwide. Identification of species on infective larvae based on available morphological keys is not fully accurate and the aim of the present study was to provide a reliable identification key of cyathostomes infective larvae. At the abattoir, horse large intestines were examined and the cyathostomes females extracted and identified. The eggs from uteruses of identified cyathostomes females were used for breeding the infective larvae. Morphological parameters of Cyathostominae infective larvae, i.e. the length of the larvae wit...
Slauson DO, Lewis RM.Glomerulonephritis constitutes an important category of renal diseases in animals and has been recognized with increasing frequency in the last decade. We report here the comparative morphologic aspects of glomerulonephritis as a naturally occurring disease of animals. We briefly review the immunopathogenesis of glomerulonephritis. The morphology of renal lesions occurring in glomerulonephritis in dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, horses and swine has been reviewed with emphasis on the range and specificity of various glomerular lesions and on the comparison of lesions between various species. A dist...
Geigl EM, Grange T.The Equidae have a long evolutionary history that has interested palaeontologists for a long time. Their morphology-based taxonomy, however, is a matter of controversy. Since most equid species are now extinct, the phylogenetic tree based on genetic data can be established only imperfectly via deduction of present day genomes and little is known about the past genetic diversity of these species. Recent studies of ancient DNA preserved in fossil bones have led to a simplification of the phylogenetic tree and the classification system. The situation is still particularly unclear for the wild ass...
Martig S, Hitchens PL, Lee PVS, Whitton RC.Subchondral bone injuries often precede articular cartilage damage in osteoarthritis and are common in thoroughbred racehorses due to the accumulation of fatigue damage from high speed racing and training. Thus, racehorses provide a model to investigate the role of subchondral bone in joint disease. We assessed the association of horse and racing related factors and micro-CT based micromorphology of three separate subchondral bone layers with the initial stiffness and compressive fatigue life of bone plugs. Furthermore, we investigated three different definitions of fatigue failure of subchond...
Desantis S, Zizza S, Accogli G, Acone F, Rossi R, Resta L.Morphometric, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations have displayed regional differences in the mare oviductal epithelium. The entire mucosa of the oviduct was lined with a pseudostratified epithelium, which consisted of two distinct cell types, ciliated and non-ciliated. Ciliated cells were predominant in the three different segments of the oviduct and their percentage increased from fimbriae to ampulla and significantly decreased in the isthmus. SEM revealed in the infundibulum finger-like mucosal folds, some of them interconnected, in th...
Martin RB, Gibson VA, Stover SM, Gibeling JC, Griffin LV.In studying the flexural fatigue properties of the equine third metacarpal (cannon) bone, we previously found that the dorsal region was weaker monotonically, but more fatigue resistant, than the lateral region. Fatigue resistance was associated with fracture surfaces which demonstrated that secondary osteons had "pulled out" of the surrounding matrix; this never happened in lateral specimens. We therefore became interested in the osteonal structure of this bone, and began to study its birefringence patterns in circularly polarized light. We found that the predominant type of secondary osteon ...
Heninger NL, Staub C, Blanchard TL, Johnson L, Varner DD, Forrest DW.Apoptosis in testicular germ cells has been demonstrated in many mammalian species. However, little is known about the stallion (Equus caballus) and rates of apoptosis during spermatogenesis. Morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis reported in other species were used to confirm that the TdT-mediated dUTP Nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay is an acceptable method for identification and quantification of apoptotic germ cells in histological tissue sections from stallion testis. Seminiferous tubules from eight stallions with normal testis size and semen quality were evaluated according t...
