Pharmacology in horses involves the study and application of drugs and medications to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and conditions in equine species. This field encompasses the understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics specific to horses, including how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the equine body. Commonly studied pharmacological agents in horses include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, sedatives, and anthelmintics. Research in equine pharmacology focuses on determining appropriate dosages, understanding drug interactions, and minimizing adverse effects. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the efficacy, safety, and regulatory aspects of pharmacological interventions in equine veterinary practice.
Ohnuma K, Hirano-Kodaira M, Bannai M, Shimizu Y, Yamada M, Kinoshita K, Ngai-Wa Leung G, Ishii H.The abuse of prohibited peptide-based drugs with a broad spectrum of chemical characteristics poses a significant concern for the horseracing industry. Recently, there has been a notable increase in positive cases of small-peptide drugs reported in equine and canine sports. In addition to small peptides, large peptides (over 2 kDa) with structural diversity have also entered the market in increasing numbers as drugs for humans and livestock. However, the simultaneous analysis of both small- and large-peptide-based drugs is still challenging. In this study, a screening method was developed to c...
Sousa LN, Winter IC, Varela DD, Luvison EZ, Guzmán JFC, Machado AMV, Figueiredo RDV, Pena GT, Dos Santos ACS, Faleiros RR, Carvalho AM.The present study involved seven horses in a randomized crossover clinical trial to evaluate the effect of lidocaine on horses with induced endotoxemia. Horses received intravenous lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg bolus, followed by 0.05 mg/kg bwt/min) or placebo (0.9% sodium chloride at the same manner) one hour before LPS administration (0.03 μg/kg, IV infusion over 30 min). We monitored clinic and hematologic parameters, abdominal auscultation, ultrasound, and pain over time. No relevant clinical differences existed between treatments regarding peristalsis, abdominal pain, or any other parameters befo...
Mersich I, Bishop RC, Diaz Yucupicio S, Nobrega AD, Austin SM, Barger AM, Fick ME, Wilkins PA.Coagulopathy is common in equine critical illness, with its early recognition being crucial for patient management and prognosis. In vitro viscoelastic (VE) hypercoagulability with decreased RCM/PCV has been demonstrated in dogs but not horses. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of acepromazine-induced (0.1 mg/kg IV) decreased RCM on VE and plasma coagulation parameters using a prospective interventional study of eight adult horses. Complete blood count (CBC), fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), packed cell volume (PCV), total solids (TS), and VCM Vet...
Wong AM, Schier MF, Hosgood G, Drynan E, Raisis AL.To explore the influence of acepromazine on the cardiovascular effects of dobutamine in isoflurane-anaesthetised horses premedicated with romifidine. Methods: Prospective randomised clinical trial. Methods: A total of 18 horses undergoing elective arthroscopy were enrolled, of which 12 horses requiring dobutamine were included. Methods: Horses were randomised to receive acepromazine 0.02 mg kg (Group A+) intravenously (IV) or none (Group A-), 35 minutes before anaesthesia. Horses received xylazine 0.2 mg kg concurrently to facilitate IV access. Horses were premedicated with romifidine 0.08 mg ...
Lehman ML, Domenig O, Ames MK, Morgan JM.Furosemide, a commonly used diuretic, activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in other species. Little is known about RAAS peptide activation in horses. Objective: To evaluate equilibrium analysis as a practical method for RAAS quantification in horses and describe the RAAS response to a single dose of furosemide. We hypothesize that furosemide would cause transient increase in RAAS peptides in horses. Methods: 14 healthy adult thoroughbreds from a university teaching herd. Methods: Horses received either furosemide (1 mg/kg IV) or saline IV in a crossover study design. Pro...
Elbourne M, Keledjian J, Cawley A, Fu S.Altrenogest, also known as allyltrenbolone, is a synthetic form of progesterone used therapeutically to suppress unwanted symptoms of estrus in female horses. Altrenogest affects the system by decreasing levels of endogenous gonadotrophin and luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones, which in turn decreases estrogen and mimics the increase of progesterone production. This results in more manageable mares for training and competition alongside male horses while improving the workplace safety of riders and handlers. However, when altrenogest is administered, prohibited steroid impurities su...
Galinelli NC, Bamford NJ, Erdody ML, Warnken T, de Laat MA, Sillence MN, Harris PA, Bailey SR.The role of dopamine in the regulation of insulin secretion in horses is poorly understood and requires further investigation. Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is associated with decreased activity of dopaminergic neurons which normally suppress peptide hormone secretion from the pituitary pars intermedia. A high proportion of horses with PPID also have insulin dysregulation (ID), characterised by post-prandial hyperinsulinaemia and/or tissue insulin resistance, which are risk factors for the development of laminitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of alpha-me...
Tou K, Cawley A, Noble G, Loy J, Bishop D, Keledjian J, Sornalingam K, Richards S, Fu S.Detecting the use of bisphosphonates (BPs) in equine athletes is of interest to regulators and laboratories due to the threat to welfare issues for the potential to provide analgesic effects and manipulating bone structure. The detection of BPs in biological matrices is challenging due to erratic biological elimination and inconsistent analytical recoveries. Therefore, complementary approaches are needed to provide evidence of their misuse in racehorses. BPs have two sub-classes: nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous. This study investigated plasma elimination following administration of one example...
Kuroda T, Minamijima Y, Kinman CK, Takahashi Y, Ebisuda Y, Inoue K, Ishikawa H, Mita H, Tamura N, Nukada T, Toutain PL, Ohta M.Quinidine (QND) sulfate is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses, and several dosage regimens have been proposed to address its wide variability in response and potential adverse effects. The purpose of this study was to analyze the variability in plasma quinidine concentrations using population pharmacokinetics to determine an effective and safe dosage regimen for Thoroughbred horses. Unassigned: Six healthy Thoroughbred horses were treated with 20 mg/kg quinidine sulfate dihydrate (16.58 mg/kg QND base) administered PO or 5 mg/kg quinidine hydrochloride monohydr...
Raidal SL, van Diggelen M, Catanchin CSM, Lehmann HS, Quinn CT.Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) provides effective respiratory support in foals, but face masks are poorly tolerated and associated with hypercapnia. Bi-nasal prongs might be a more effective device interface in foals. Objective: To compare bi-nasal prongs and masks for NIV in foals with pharmacologically induced respiratory insufficiency. Methods: Six healthy foals. Methods: In a randomized cross-over study, sedated foals received NIV delivered by mask or bi-nasal prongs, with the treatment repeated using the alternative device interface after a 3-day rest period. After periods of spontaneous v...
Kwak YB, Stambler I, Yoo HH, Yoon J.Red ginseng (RG), a traditional herbal remedy, has garnered attention owing to its diverse health benefits resulting from its complex composition. However, extensive research is needed to substantiate the efficacy of RG and understand the underlying mechanisms supporting these benefits. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers and investigate the impact of RG on related metabolic pathways in horse plasma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics. Unassigned: Ten horses were divided into control and RG groups, with the latter administered RG at a dose of ...
Tuniyazi M, Tang R, Hu X, Zhang N.Laminitis is a serious health condition that can cause severe pain and lameness in horses. Due to lack of understanding of laminitis, treatments often fail to achieve the desired results. In recent years, we have begun to recognize that laminitis may involve a complex interaction between local and systemic inflammation. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota has been linked in the development of systemic inflammation, and our previous findings suggest that the development of laminitis is closely linked to the production of harmful metabolites of the gut microbiota. In addition, it was found that loca...
Delcourt V, Garcia P, Chabot B, Aber N, Pescher M, Cacault M, Scholtes P, Loup B, Barnabé A, Popot MA, Bailly-Chouriberry L.Thymosin 4 (TB4) is a ubiquitous, highly conserved and abundant peptide among mammals with a critical role in cytoskeleton organization. In spite of its yet non-authorized use as a medicine and being forbidden by the IFHA, the FEI, and the WADA, intelligence and doping control laboratories reported numerous products available online claiming to contain a synthetic acetylated fragment of TB4 or TB4 itself, promoted as a growth factor with regenerative properties. In this article, the first estimation of the endogenous TB4 concentration in racing horses' blood samples was performed through a po...
Philip M, Kal AKK, Subhahar MB, Karatt TK, Graiban FM, Ajeebsanu MM, Joseph M, Jose SV.Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors are a newer class of drugs that induce bronchodilation and have anti-inflammatory effects, making them susceptible to misuse as performance enhancers in competitive sports. Methods: This study explores the metabolic conversion of PDE4 inhibitor ibudilast in thoroughbred horses after oral administration and in vitro using equine liver microsomes and Cunninghamella elegans. A liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry method was used to postulate the plausible structures of the detected metabolites. Results: A total of 20 in vivo metabolites wer...
Delcourt V, Pinetre J, Chabot B, Barnabé A, Cacault M, Loup B, Becher F, Fenaille F, Popot MA, Garcia P, Bailly-Chouriberry L.Data-independent acquisition (DIA) methods employing a scanning quadrupole were recently described across multiple platforms. These strategies display remarkable performances in untargeted proteomics studies thanks to rapid duty cycles, leading to ultrashort liquid chromatography gradients while maintaining enough data points per peaks when coupled to fast-scanning mass analyzer. In this article, we perform the evaluation of three data acquisition strategies named diaPASEF,slicePASEF, and prmPASEF on a trapped ion mobility spectrometry quadrupole-time-of-flight (TIMS-Q-TOF) mass spectrometer f...
Dorakumbura BN, Beckett NM, Cook EC, Nolan AD, Brown D, Douglas B.Positive identification and reporting of therapeutic substances intended for human consumption in race-day equine and canine samples is a controversial topic. While inadvertent environmental exposure is a potential cause for the presence of these substances in race-day samples, intentional use cannot be ruled out given their therapeutic benefits. Pregabalin is widely prescribed in Australia to treat epilepsy, anxiety, and neuropathic pain in humans; however, it is also increasingly used as a recreational drug. Metformin is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes in humans. Both pregabalin and m...
Klingberg J, Richards S, Hochwallner T, Kennan L, Keledjian J.Bisphosphonate drugs and myo-inositol trispyrophosphate are of concern to the racing industry and have been listed as prohibited substances in equine sports. The current bisphosphonate plasma screening analysis employed at the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory involves the use of sequential solid-phase extraction procedures, passing the samples through a mixed mode cartridge, followed by a weak anion exchange cartridge. The eluates collected following the second extraction are then methylated and analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Under these extraction conditions, some b...
Adam E, Scollay M, Howard B, Taormina J, Hartmann P, Knych H.Levamisole is a regulated substance sometimes administered to racehorses to treat equine protozoal myelitis. Metabolites include compound II, aminorex, and pemoline. Aminorex and pemoline are Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority-banned substances. Previous studies have examined single doses of the drug. This study examined the disposition of levamisole after 7 days of dosing. Methods: 6 healthy Thoroughbred geldings. Methods: Horses were treated with 500 mg (approx 0.91 to 1 mg/kg) of compounded levamisole hydrochloride paste PO every 12 hours for a total of 13 doses over 7 days. Serum a...
Swanton WE, Johnson R, Zhao Q, Schroeder C.To evaluate sedation and IV xylazine requirements to achieve 45% of baseline head height above ground measurements following oral (PO) administration of 2 trazodone dosages. Methods: 8 healthy, adult mares of various weights and breeds belonging to a university teaching herd were utilized in a blinded, crossover study design. Horses were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 PO treatments: control (no trazodone), trazodone at 3 mg/kg (low dose [LD]), or trazodone at 6 mg/kg (high dose [HD]). Before treatment, cardiac auscultation, EquiSed sedation score, and head height above ground (HHAG; cm) measureme...
Le Breton A, Lewis N.Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are performed worldwide in the equine industry to produce genetically valuable foals. Among them, ovum pick up (OPU) combined with intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can now be more efficient than embryo transfer (ET) under optimal conditions. However, OPU is not a benign procedure for the mare and the process is costly. Improved efficiency is therefore in the interest of everyone, maximizing mare welfare and optimizing economics for the client. One of the key factors of success is the antral follicle count (AFC) at the time of OPU and subsequent...
Ishii H, Shigematsu R, Takemoto S, Ishikawa Y, Mizobe F, Nomura M, Arima D, Kunii H, Yuasa R, Yamanaka T, Tanabe S, Nagata SI, Yamada M, Leung GN. The use of osilodrostat, developed as a medication for Cushing's disease but categorized as an anabolic agent, is banned in horses by both the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and the Fédération Equestre Internationale. For doping control purposes, elimination profiles of hydrolyzed osilodrostat in horse urine were established and the detectability of free forms of osilodrostat and its major metabolite, mono-hydroxylated osilodrostat (M1c), was investigated. Post-administration urine samples obtained from a gelding and three mares were analyzed to establish the eliminatio...
Leduc L, Abraham M, Slack J.Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a rarely reported arrhythmia in otherwise healthy newborn foals, with a single case of cardioversion using procainamide administration described in the literature. Two neonatal Thoroughbred colts were presented to an equine hospital because of an irregularly irregular tachyarrhythmia and poor latching when trying to nurse. History, physical examination, and initial diagnostic testing including ECG and echocardiography confirmed AF without structural heart disease. The 1st foal converted into normal sinus rhythm after treatment with IV metoprolol and quinidine. The 2...
Bedogni G, Michelena LV, Seremeta K, Okulik N, Salomon C.Fenbendazole is an antiparasitic drug widely used in veterinary medicine to treat parasitic infections caused in animals like cattle, horses, sheep, and dogs. Recently, it has been repositioned as a potential alternative for cancer treatment. However, it is a highly hydrophobic molecule (0.9 ug/mL), which can compromise its dissolution rate and absorption. Thus, this work aimed to apply a nanotechnological approach to improve drug solubility and dissolution performance. Fenbendazole nanoparticles stabilized by different poloxamers were obtained by lyophilization without cryoprotectants. The be...
Hollis AR.Despite the ubiquitous nature of sarcoids, robust data regarding the selection of treatment modalities are scarce, with many treatments having little or no published data to support their use. Treatment options are numerous and vary with the location and type of sarcoid, treatment accessibility, and the financial status of the owner. Many treatments are expensive and time-consuming, and some have health and safety implications. It is this author's belief that, based on the limited evidence base, appropriate treatment options vary with the location and type of the sarcoid, and no one treatment ...
Di Salvo A, Chiaradia E, Sforna M, Della Rocca G.Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system and due to the empirical evidence of the therapeutic effects on several illnesses both in humans and animals that follow the administration of exogenous cannabinoids (i.e., phytocannabinoids), numerous studies have been conducted. These investigations aimed to identify the expression and distribution of cannabinoid receptors in healthy and pathologic organs and tissues of different animal species and to define the interactions of phytocannabinoids with these receptors. In the last decade, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and tolerability of many Cann...
Izquierdo-Moreno J, de Paz MI, Manso-Díaz G, Villalba-Orero M, López-Sanromán J.An accurate evaluation of the degree of sedation is mandatory to adjust the dosage of sedative drugs. Objective: To determine the correlation between head height above the ground and ataxia degree in horses sedated with detomidine and the correlation existing between accelerometric variables and both parameters. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Twelve horses were given 0.01 mg/kg of detomidine hydrochloride iv. Measured accelerometric parameters, with one accelerometer positioned between both sacral tuberosities, included speed, stride frequency and length, regularity, dorsoventral, lo...
Mazzuchini MP, Lisboa FP, Segabinazzi LG, Canisso IF.Endometritis is the leading cause of mare subfertility. Most mares respond to standard therapy, but alternative therapies have been developed for mares failing to respond. This study aimed to investigate a commercially available, yet unassessed, product labeled as a uterine sanitizer to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activity against microorganisms associated with endometritis and its in vitro stability to dilute antibiotics. In experiment 1, the microdilution broth technique and antimicrobial effects were assessed against Escherichia sp, Staphylococcus sp., Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas s...
Williams A, Smith JR, Allaway D, Harris P, Liddell S, Mobasheri A.Arthritic diseases are characterized by the degradation of collagenous and noncollagenous extracellular matrix (ECM) components in articular cartilage. The increased expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is partly responsible for cartilage degradation. This study used proteomics to identify inflammatory proteins and catabolic enzymes released in a serum-free explant model of articular cartilage stimulated with the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1β (IL-1β). Western blotting was used to quantify the release of selected proteins in the presence or absence of the cyc...
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...
Donnelly KS, Giuliano EA, Sharm A, Mohan RR.To explore the effect of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) (i) on corneal fibroblast differentiation, morphology, and viability; and (ii) on the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 using an in vitro model of equine corneal fibrosis. Methods: Healthy donor corneas were used to generate primary cultures of equine corneal fibroblasts. The fibroblasts were exposed to 5 ng/mL TGFβ1 to induce myofibroblast formation. The cultures were treated with either 5 μm or 10 μm SAHA for 72 h in the presence of TGFβ1. Real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry were used to determi...
Geurden T, van Doorn D, Claerebout E, Kooyman F, De Keersmaecker S, Vercruysse J, Besognet B, Vanimisetti B, di Regalbono AF, Beraldo P, Di Cesare A....The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of an oral treatment with ivermectin (IVM) or moxidectin (MOX) against gastro-intestinal strongyles in naturally infected horses by performing a faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and by monitoring the egg reappearance period (ERP) after treatment. Therefore, a field efficacy study with a randomised complete block design for each study site was conducted, with the individual animal as the experimental unit. At least 10 study sites in Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands were selected and animals were allocated to one of the two...
Hines SA, Ramsay JD, Kappmeyer LS, Lau AO, Ojo KK, Van Voorhis WC, Knowles DP, Mealey RH.The apicomplexan hemoparasite Theileria equi is a causative agent of equine piroplasmosis, eradicated from the United States in 1988. However, recent outbreaks have sparked renewed interest in treatment options for infected horses. Imidocarb dipropionate is the current drug of choice, however variation in clinical response to therapy has been observed. Methods: We quantified the in vitro susceptibility of two T. equi isolates and a lab generated variant to both imidocarb dipropionate and a bumped kinase inhibitor compound 1294. We also evaluated the capacity of in vitro imidocarb dipropionate ...
Martínez-Valladares M, Geurden T, Bartram DJ, Martínez-Pérez JM, Robles-Pérez D, Bohórquez A, Florez E, Meana A, Rojo-Vázquez FA.The objective of this study was to evaluate the status of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in ruminants and horses in Spain. The efficacy of commonly used macrocyclic lactones (MLs) - ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MOX) - was measured in sheep, cattle and horses. In addition, albendazole (ABZ) and levamisole (LEV) were evaluated in sheep and oxibendazole (OXI) and pyrantel (PYR) in horses. Efficacy was evaluated based on the difference between the arithmetic mean pre- and post-treatment faecal egg count (in cattle and horses), or compared to an untreated control group (in sheep). AR was present ...
Arnold CE, Isaiah A, Pilla R, Lidbury J, Coverdale JS, Callaway TR, Lawhon SD, Steiner J, Suchodolski JS.Antibiotic administration can be a cause of gastrointestinal disease in horses, creating a disruption in the normal population and function of bacteria found in the hindgut. The objective of this study was to describe the changes in the cecal and fecal microbiomes and metabolomes of clinically healthy horses before and after metronidazole administration. Metronidazole (15 mg/kg BID PO) was given to five horses with cecal cannulas. The study was suspended on Day 3 due to adverse gastrointestinal effects. Cecal and fecal samples were obtained before (Days minus52, m28, m14, and 0) and after (Day...
Gaughan EM, Nixon AJ, Krook LP, Yeager AE, Mann KA, Mohammed H, Bartel DL.Sodium hyaluronate reduces adhesions after tendon repair in rodents and dogs, and has been used in limited clinical trials in people. To evaluate its effect on tendon healing and adhesion formation in horses and to compare these effects with those of a compound of similar visco-elastic properties, a study was performed in horses, using a model of collagenase injection in the flexor tendons within the digital sheath. Eight clinically normal horses were randomly allotted to 2 groups. Adhesion formation between the deep digital flexor tendon and the tendon sheath at the pastern region was induced...
Saxena A, Raveh L, Ashani Y, Doctor BP.Cholinesterases are serine hydrolases that can potentially be used as pretreatment drugs for organophosphate toxicity, as drugs to alleviate succinylcholine-induced apnea, and as detoxification agents for environmental toxins such as heroin and cocaine. The successful application of serum-derived cholinesterases as bioscavengers stems from their relatively long residence time in the circulation. To better understand the relationship between carbohydrate structure and the stability of cholinesterases in circulation, we determined the monosaccharide composition, the distribution of various oligo...
Burnaugh L, Sabeur K, Ball BA.Low-level production of the superoxide anion (O2*-) is an important signal transduction event in sperm function including capacitation; however, excessive production of O2*- can be detrimental to sperm function. The objective of this study was to assess dihydroethidium (DHE) as a probe for O2*- in equine spermatozoa. Ejaculated spermatozoa were separated by centrifugation over a Percoll gradient (40:80), and loaded with DHE (2.0 microM) as well as with calcein-acetoxymethylester (CAM, 7.8 nM) to determine cell viability. In Experiment 1, cells were incubated with the xanthine-xanthine oxidase ...
Schott HC.PPID in older equids has become a major health concern of horse owners. In response, equine practitioners have made greater efforts at understanding, diagnosing, and treating this disorder. Although PPID is recognized to be a different form of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism than is seen in canine or human patients, relatively little is known about the pathophysiology and natural progression of the disease. At present, the diagnosis is best supported by manifestation of characteristic clinical signs and endocrinologic test results, preferably a supportive DST result. Treatment must fo...
Williams JK, Honoré EK, Washburn SA, Clarkson TB.We attempted to determine whether continuous and cyclic medroxyprogesterone acetate modulates the effects of estrogen on dilation of atherosclerotic coronary arteries in surgically postmenopausal female monkeys. Background: Estrogen replacement in postmenopausal women preserves normal dilator responses of atherosclerotic coronary arteries. The effects of progestins on coronary artery reactivity have not been determined. Methods: Repeated quantitative coronary angiography was used to study the effects after 1 month of 1) no hormone replacement (control) or oral administration of 2) continuous c...
Peachey LE, Pinchbeck GL, Matthews JB, Burden FA, Lespine A, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Krücken J, Hodgkinson JE.Anthelmintic resistance is a global problem that threatens sustainable control of the equine gastrointestinal cyathostomins (Phylum Nematoda; Superfamily Strongyloidea). Of the three novel anthelmintic classes that have reached the veterinary market in the last decade, none are currently licenced in horses, hence current control regimens focus on prolonging the useful lifespan of licenced anthelmintics. This approach would be facilitated by knowledge of the resistance mechanisms to the most widely used anthelmintics, the macrocyclic lactones (ML). There are no data regarding resistance mechani...
Sangster NC.Anthelmintic-resistance has emerged as a problem in several animal industries. In the horse, cyathostome resistance to all available treatments except for the avermectin/milbemycins means that these drugs provide the cornerstone of control. Ivermectin has been available for several years; the related compound moxidectin is more recent. Although we do not know for sure, aspects of moxidectin such as its persistent action and its efficacy against mucosal stages of cyathostomes, may enhance the rate of development of resistance. On the other hand, selection pressure would be reduced if the persis...
Kumar S, Kumar R, Sugimoto C.The donkey population has remained unchanged in the last two decades despite a decrease in the overall population of equids, emphasizing the usefulness of the donkey as a draught and pack animal. Piroplasmosis in donkeys, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, has been recognized as a serious problem of major economic importance as the affected animals manifest decreased working capacity, loss of appetite, etc. In tropical countries, T. equi infections are more wide-spread and pathogenic than those caused by B. caballi. Donkeys usually remain asymptomatic carriers with positive antibody...
Mariñas-Pardo L, García-Castro J, Rodríguez-Hurtado I, Rodríguez-García MI, Núñez-Naveira L, Hermida-Prieto M.Osteoarthritis commonly causes lameness in the horse and has a great impact in performance animals. Due to the limitations of current medical therapies, allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may become an alternative method to control inflammation, reduce tissue damage and pain, and therefore improve lameness. We present the results of a regulatory clinical trial testing adipose-derived MSCs (Horse Allo 20) in veterinary (Agencia Española del Medicamento y Productos Sanitarios, Spanish Medicines Agency, Reference number 325/ECV) involving a total number of 80 participants and with 90 days o...
Zhang J.Prion diseases (e.g. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), variant CJD (vCJD), Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS), Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) and Kuru in humans, scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or 'mad-cow' disease) and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cattles) are invariably fatal and highly infectious neurodegenerative diseases affecting humans and animals. However, by now there have not been some effective therapeutic approaches or medications to treat all these prion diseases. Rabbits, dogs, and horses are the only mammalian species reported to be resistant...
Kisiday JD, McIlwraith CW, Rodkey WG, Frisbie DD, Steadman JR.To evaluate the effects of single- and double-spin preparations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on anabolic and catabolic activities of cartilage and meniscal explants in vitro. Methods: Single- and double-spin PRP was prepared using laboratory processing or commercial kits. The cellular contents were quantified, and each PRP was mixed in equal quantities with cell culture medium and added to cartilage or meniscus explant cultures, with or without interleukin 1 β (IL-1β). Extracellular matrix synthesis was quantified over 24 hours via (35)S-sulfate and (3)H-proline incorporation, while gene ex...
Davis JL, Salmon JH, Papich MG.To determine pharmacokinetics, safety, and penetration into interstitial fluid (ISF), polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs), and aqueous humor of doxycycline after oral administration of single and multiple doses in horses. Methods: 6 adult horses. Methods: The effect of feeding on drug absorption was determined. Plasma samples were obtained after administration of single or multiple doses of doxycycline (20 mg/kg) via nasogastric tube. Additionally, ISF, PMNLs, and aqueous humor samples were obtained after the final administration. Horses were monitored for adverse reactions. Results: Feeding ...
Rubio-Martínez LM, Cruz AM.Regional limb perfusion involves administration of an antimicrobial solution into the vasculature of a selected portion of the limb that has been isolated from the systemic circulation by controlled application of a tourniquet. The technique provides high antimicrobial concentrations in the region of interest and greatly contributes to the elimination of infection.
Tung JT, Arnold CE, Alexander LH, Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan V, Venta PJ, Richardson DW, Caron JP.To determine the effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on recombinant equine interleukin (IL)-1beta-stimulated expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP 1, MMP 3, MMP 13) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP 1) in vitro. Methods: Cultured equine chondrocytes. Methods: Stationary monolayers of first-passage chondrocytes were exposed to graduated concentrations of PGE2 with or without a subsaturating dose (50 pg/ml) of recombinant equine IL-1beta (reIL-1beta) to induce expression of MMP 1, MMP 3, MMP 13, and TIMP 1, followed by RNA isolation and northern blotting. In subseque...
Näreaho A, Vainio K, Oksanen A.In order to assess the resistance situation against macrocyclic lactones in Parascaris equorum and against tetrahydropyrimidine derivatives in strongyles in Finnish trotter horses, 112 foals on 18 farms, mostly 1 year old, were examined for these parasites with a modified McMaster faecal flotation method. P. equorum positive foals (n=24) were given ivermectin orally at a dose of 200 μg/kg b.w., while strongyle positive but P. equorum negative foals (n=38) received pyrantel embonate orally at a dose of 19 mg/kg. Sixteen P. equorum infected foals, treated with ivermectin, also harboured strongy...
Marshall JF, Blikslager AT.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in the management of pain and endotoxaemia associated with colic in the horse. While NSAIDs effectively treat the symptoms of colic, there is evidence to suggest that their administration is associated with adverse gastrointestinal effects including right dorsal colitis and inhibition of mucosal barrier healing. Several studies have examined the pathophysiology of NSAID associated effects on the large and small intestine in an effort to avoid these complications and identify effective alternative medications. Differences in the re...
Kornicka-Garbowska K, Pędziwiatr R, Woźniak P, Kucharczyk K, Marycz K.In athlete horses, suspensory ligament (SL) injuries are the most common cause of lameness. Healing of SL injury is still problematic, and even proper rehabilitation and pharmacological therapy do not guarantee returning to the initial performance level. In our previous studies, we have shown that a combination of 5-azacytidine (AZA) and resveratrol (RES) exerts beneficial, rejuvenating effects on metabolic syndrome derived adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). Thus, in the presented research, we investigate whether not only rejuvenated ASC but also microvesicles (MVsAZA/RES) secreted by them pos...
Santos M, Fuente M, Garcia-Iturralde R, Herran R, Lopez-Sanroman J, Tendillo FJ.Recovery from inhalant anaesthesia in the horse is a critical and difficult period to manage; however, several factors could help to obtain a calm recovery period including choice of anaesthetic and analgesic procedure used and the conditions under which anaesthetic maintenance and recovery occur. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the quality of recovery in horses administered saline, xylazine, detomidine or romifidine during recovery from isoflurane anaesthesia. Methods: Six mature and healthy horses were premedicated with i.v. xylazine and butorphanol, and an...
von Samson-Himmelstjerna G.Conventional and real time polymerase chain reaction-based tests have been developed for the diagnosis of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in populations of several small and large ruminant as well as horse gastro-intestinal nematode species. To date, molecular markers that correlate well with AR are available only for the detection of benzimidazole resistance. Recently, however, a single nucleotide polymorphism was found in vitro to be of functional relevance for reduced drug efficacy to macrocylic lactones. The focus of the present review, therefore, is the molecular mechanism of action of these...
Bourebaba L, Kornicka-Garbowska K, Al Naem M, Röcken M, Łyczko J, Marycz K.Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is one of the major negative regulators of leptin and insulin signaling, and has been strongly implicated in insulin resistance development in the course of obesity and metabolic syndrome conditions; however, its exact role in controlling adipose tissue biogenesis is still poorly understood. This investigation aimed to elucidate whether selective inhibition of PTP1B using MSI-1436 compound may improve and restore the defective adipogenicity of ASCs isolated from EMS-affected horses. Equine ASC EMS cells were cultured under adipogenic conditions in the pr...
Luna SP, Angeli AL, Ferreira CL, Lettry V, Scognamillo-Szabó M.Pharmacopuncture, the injection of subclinical doses of drugs into acupoints reduces drug undesirable side effects, residues in animal consumption products and treatment costs in large animals. Acepromazine (Acp) produces several undesirable effects, such as hypotension. Previous studies with the injection of 1/10 of Acp dose in dog acupoints showed its advantage for sedation, minimizing undesirable effects. Eight horses were randomly submitted to four different treatment protocols according to a Latin Square double-blind design: (i) 0.1 ml kg(-1) of saline subcutaneously injected at the cervi...
Bullitta S, Re GA, Manunta MDI, Piluzza G.Mediterranean farmers traditionally utilized plants, animals, and minerals sourced locally to treat their animals. Research is needed to understand at what extent such knowledge of domestic animal care still survives and to document such traditions for further developments. Methods: We carried out our field study to recover ancient ethno-veterinary practices by means of questionnaires and interviews to farmers in rural areas of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia (Italy). Quantitative indices were used to evaluate the distribution and diversity of the acquired information. Results: We report ...
Silva EC, Oliveira TJ, Moreli FC, Harada LK, Vila MMDC, Balcão VM.In the present research work, we propose a new antimicrobial treatment for pyoderma via cutaneous permeation of bacteriophage particles conveyed in a hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) gel integrating ionic liquid as a permeation enhancer. Ionic liquids are highly viscous fluids constituted exclusively by ions, that are usually hydrolytically stable and promote solubilization of amphipathic molecules such as proteins, hence serving as green solvents and promoting the transdermal permeation of biomolecules. In the research effort entertained herein, the synthesis and use of choline geranate for integr...
