The physiology of horses encompasses the study of the biological functions and processes that occur within the equine body. This includes the examination of various systems such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, digestive, and nervous systems. Understanding equine physiology is essential for comprehending how horses adapt to different environmental conditions, perform physical activities, and respond to health challenges. Research in this field often focuses on the mechanisms of energy metabolism, thermoregulation, and muscle function during exercise, as well as the physiological responses to stress and disease. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine physiology, providing insights into the biological processes that support the health and performance of horses.
Hackett RP, Ducharme NG, Ainsworth DM, Erickson BK, Erb HN, Soderholm LV, Thorson LM.To determine whether dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) results in pulmonary artery hypertension and leads to increases in transmural pulmonary artery pressure (TPAP); to determine whether pulmonary hypertension can be prevented by prior administration of furosemide; and to determine whether tracheostomy reduces pulmonary hypertension. Methods: 7 healthy horses. Methods: Horses were subjected to 3 conditions (control conditions, conditions after induction of DDSP, and conditions after tracheostomy). Horses were evaluated during exercise after being given saline (0.9% NaCl) solution ...
Hammond RA, Hannon R, Frean SP, Armstrong SJ, Flower RJ, Bryant CE.To determine the amount of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) enzymes induced in vitro in equine alveolar macrophages in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Sample Population-Alveolar macrophages obtained from 12 horses. Methods: Alveolar macrophages were collected by bronchoalveolar lavage from 12 horses and incubated for 6 hours with LPS (0.001 to 10 microg/ml) or vehicle. Total RNA was extracted and purified. After first-strand cDNA synthesis, mRNA induction was measured, using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for COX-2, iNOS, and glyceraldehyde...
Kretzschmar C, Krüger M.Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity in the circulation of several animal species was determined by a bioassay, using the murine cell line L929. In healthy adult cattle, horses, pigs and dogs, species specific differences of systemic TNF activity were visible. In cattle, TNF activity in the circulation increased during growing up from calf to adult animal. In cattle suffering from various diseases, unchanged, elevated, but also reduced systemic TNF activity have proved to possess clinical relevance. Low systemic TNF activity frequently occurs during lethal inflammatory diseases and may be an i...
Mills PC, Marlin DJ, Scott CM, Smith NC.The effect of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition during exercise on lactate production was investigated in five Thoroughbred horses. A standard exercise test (SET), consisting of three canters (approximately 55 per cent VO2max), with walking and trotting between each canter, was performed twice (control and test, in random order) by each horse. Nphi-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 20 mg kg-1), a competitive inhibitor of NOS, induced a significant increase (P < 0.05) in plasma lactate [5.7 (2.9) vs 11.8 (3.8) mmol L-1], which continued to increase despite administration of L-argin...
Goudet G, Belin F, Bézard J, Gérard N.The intrafollicular content of LH receptor, alpha-inhibin, and aromatase are known good indicators of follicular status. We investigated the amounts of these proteins in granulosa and cumulus cells in relation to oocyte competence for in vitro maturation, follicular growth, and estrous cycle stage in the mare. Follicular punctures were performed 34 h after an injection of crude equine gonadotropins, either during the follicular phase, at the end of the follicular phase, or during the luteal phase. The cumulus-oocyte complex, granulosa cells, and follicular fluid of follicles larger than 5 mm w...
Couroucé A.This review considers standardized exercise testing which is, routinely used for French Trotters in the field. Track testing provides a more limited range of measurements than treadmill testing, but has the advantage of being performed in the horse's natural environment. Various measurements such as heart rate during exercise and blood lactate concentration after exercise may be measured on the track and lead to the calculation of physiological variables such as V200 (velocity corresponding to a 200 bpm heart rate) and V4 (velocity corresponding to a 4 mmol/L blood lactate concentration). V4 i...
Robinson NE, Derksen FJ, Olszewski M, Berney C, Boehler D, Matson C, Hakala J.In six COPD-affected horses, we analysed the factors responsible for the changes in pleural pressure (delta Pplmax) that occur during tidal breathing. Four-hundred-and-sixty-eight measurements of each parameter: pulmonary resistance (RL), dynamic elastance (Edyn), air flow rates, and the timing of breathing, were gathered during a trial of the bronchodilator pirbuterol. Data were placed into seven ranks, based on the magnitude of delta Pplmax; rank 1: 5-15; rank 2: 15-25; rank 3: 25-35; rank 4: 35-45; rank 5: 45-55; rank 6: 55-65; and rank 7 > 65 cm H2O. Up to rank 4 (45 cm H2O), the increa...
Lindinger MI.This paper reviews the limits to exercise imposed by increases in ambient, hypothalamic, and contracting skeletal muscle temperature in humans and horses. Like humans, horses frequently compete in hot environments, yet their high mass-specific rate of heat production and low mass-specific surface area for heat dissipation places them at a great disadvantage compared to humans. Exercise in hot conditions increases the rate of body heat storage and reduces the time required to reach a critical hypothalamic temperature that results in voluntary fatigue. This critical temperature appears to be ass...
Iyer LK, Qasba PK.Alpha-lactalbumins (LAs) and c-type lysozymes (LYZs) are two classes of proteins which have a 35-40% sequence homology and share a common three dimensional fold but perform different functions. Lysozymes bind and cleave the glycosidic bond linkage in sugars, where as, alpha-lactalbumin does not bind sugar but participates in the synthesis of lactose. Alpha-lactalbumin is a metallo-protein and binds calcium, where as, only a few of the LYZs bind calcium. These proteins consist of two domains, an alpha-helical and a beta-strand domain, separated by a cleft. Calcium is bound at a loop situated at...
Langsetmo I, Poole DC.At the onset of exercise, horses exhibit O2 uptake (VO2) kinetics that are qualitatively similar to those of humans. In humans, there is a marked dissymmetry between on- and off-kinetics for VO2. This investigation sought to formally characterize the off-transient (recovery) VO2 kinetics in the horse within the moderate (M), heavy (H), and severe (S) exercise domains. Six horses were run on a high-speed treadmill at M, H, and S exercise intensities (i.e., that speed which yielded approximately 50, 85, 100% peak VO2, respectively, on the maximal incremental test). The time courses for the recov...
Johnson CB, Taylor PM.We have investigated in eight ponies the effects of three different end-tidal concentrations of halothane, isoflurane and methoxyflurane on median (F50) and 95% spectral edge (F95) frequencies of the EEG and the second differential (DD) of the middle latency auditory evoked potential (MLAEP). The three concentrations of each agent were chosen to represent approximately the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC), 1.25 MAC and 1.5 MAC for each agent. During halothane anaesthesia, F95 decreased progressively as halothane concentration increased, from mean 13.9 (SD 2.6) at 0.8% to 11.9 (1.1) at 1.2%...
Stegmann GF, Jones RS.The cortisol response to anaesthesia and surgery was studied in 2 groups of horses undergoing either abdominal or non-abdominal surgery. The preoperative mean plasma cortisol concentration (pcc) of 381.7 nmol/l (s.d. 254.7) was markedly higher in the abdominal group than the early-morning mean pcc of 115.6 nmol/l (s.d. 78.4) in the non-abdominal group. During halothane anaesthesia and surgery the mean pcc increased significantly (p < 0.05) from the preoperative mean of 119.2 to 215.9 nmol/l (s.d. 79.8) after 30 min of surgery in the non-abdominal group. In the abdominal group a decrease occ...
Kim SK, Bowles DE, O'callaghan DJ.The equine herpesvirus 1 immediate-early (IE) phosphoprotein is essential for the activation of transcription from viral early and late promoters and trans-represses its own promoter. Transient-transfection assays showed that the IE protein trans-represses the gamma2 late gK promoter. Gel shift and DNase I footprinting assays demonstrated that the IE protein binds to the gK promoter sequences from -42 to -26 and from -13 to +12 that overlap the transcription initiation site (+1). These results indicated that the IE protein binds to the transcription initiation site of the gK promoter sequences...
Votion D, Ghafir Y, Vandenput S, Duvivier DH, Art T, Lekeux P.Scintigraphical analysis of the ratio of inhalation (I) to perfusion (Q) was designed to determine whether chronic pulmonary disease in horses induced mismatches in I/Q and to assess whether medical treatment would restore an I/Q distribution pattern identical to that of control horses. In addition, the results of the I/Q analysis were correlated with the alveolar-arterial PO2 difference (AaDO2). The I/Q matching found in a group of control horses was compared with the I/Q analysis of a group of diseased horses before and after their clinical signs had been treated. The analysis indicated that...
Ellington JE, Samper J, Jones A, Oliver SA, Burnett K, Wright RW.To compare function of cultured cryopreserved stallion spermatozoa in a modified Tyrode's medium (TM), with or without bovine serum albumin (BSA), or in uterine tube (oviduct) epithelial cell (OEC) coculture in TM, with or without BSA. Methods: Cryopreserved spermatozoa from 6 proven stallions and OEC from bovine reproductive tracts in follicular phase. Methods: Thawed spermatozoa were cultured in TM, with or without BSA, or cocultured with OEC monolayers in TM, with or without BSA. Percentages of capacitated and acrosome-reacted spermatozoa were measured at 5 hours for TM cultures. Spermatozo...
Brama PA, TeKoppele JM, Bank RA, van Weeren PR, Barneveld A.To determine variations in biochemical characteristics of equine articular cartilage in relation to age and the degree of predisposition for osteochondral disease at a specific site. Methods: Articular cartilage specimens from 53 horses 4 to 30 years old. Methods: Healthy specimens were obtained from 2 locations on the proximal articular surface of the first phalanx that had different disease prevalences (site 1 at the mediodorsal margin and site 2 at the center of the medial cavity). Water, total collagen, and hydroxylysine contents and enzymatic (hydroxylysylpyridinoline [HP]) and nonenzymat...
Frisbie DD, Ray CS, Ionescu M, Poole AR, Chapman PL, McIlwraith CW.To determine whether serum or synovial fluid concentrations of chondroitin sulfate epitope 846 and carboxy propeptides of type II collagen (CPII) can be used to diagnose osteochondral fragmentation (OC) in horses. Methods: 38 horses with unilateral OC of the radiocarpal (n = 31) or intercarpal (33) joints and 8 clinically and radiographically normal horses. Procedures-For horses with OC, serum and synovial fluid concentrations of epitope 846, CPII, and keratan sulfate (KS) were determined, along with synovial fluid WBC counts and total protein concentrations. Serum epitope 846, CPII, and KS co...
González G, Castro B, Massaldi H.Equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) is a hormone of practical value in veterinary medicine and animal production. Here we report a novel preparation procedure based on its direct adsorption onto anionic-exchange resins in a batch-wise mode. The active plasma is previously conditioned to reduce pH and ionic strength to required levels. After the adsorption stage, a 90% recovery of the initial eCG is achieved, with a concentration factor of about 50 and an enrichment factor around 500, with high preservation of biological activity. Further purification is carried out by cation-exchange column c...
Bramucci M, Miano A, Quassinti L, Maccari E, Murri O, Amici D.This study was conducted to determine the presence of the angiotensin converting enzyme in commercial sera used in cell culture medium. The aim of the research was to bring the presence of proteinases (angiotensin converting enzyme) to cell culture users' knowledge and to give some data for solving problems about the development of peptides as useful drugs. The enzymes, purified from foetal bovine, adult bovine, foetal equine, adult equine, and human sera, showed molecular weights of about 170 kDa. Captopril and lisinopril inhibited enzyme activities at nanomolar concentrations. The enzymes we...
Taylor PM.Some metabolic and endocrine effects of hypoxaemia were studied during halothane anaesthesia in six ponies. Each was anaesthetised twice; on one occasion a 20-minute period of hypoxaemia (arterial oxygen tension between 4.4 and 5.8 [mean 5.3] kPa) was imposed during 120 minutes of anaesthesia. On the second occasion arterial oxygen tension was maintained above 17 kPa throughout. Routine cardiovascular monitoring was performed and blood samples were taken to measure haematocrit, cortisol, insulin, glucose and lactate. Anaesthesia was associated with hypotension in both groups (mean ABP 7.0 kPa...
Muñoz A, Santisteban R, Rubio MD, Agüera EI, Escribano BM, Castejón FM.The effects of two training programmes in 20 Andalusian and 12 Anglo-Arabian horses were evaluated by an increasing intensity work test at velocities of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 m sec(-1). Heart rate was monitored and blood samples were drawn at rest and after each velocity to analyse packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, plasma lactate and potassium levels. Furthermore, the programmes were video-taped and stride length, duration and frequency, stance (restraint and propulsion), swing phase durations and stride vertical component were measured. The training protocol of the Andalusian horses p...
Breidenbach A, Fuhrmann H, Deegen E, Lindholm A, Sallmann HP.The enzymatic fundamentals of lipid metabolism of equine have not been thoroughly investigated at this point in time. It is still unclear why ponies in contrast to horses may become hyperlipaemic when coming negative energy balance. In this study, the activities of the triglyceride-cleaving key enzymes of ponies are large bred horses were investigated in order to obtain insight into the aetiology of the syndrome. The objective of the study was to measure the activities of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) in ponies and horses in ex ...
Sasaki N, Yoshihara T.Laparotomy was performed on seven thoroughbreds to attach a force transducer to the proximal jejunum, distal jejunum, and ileum, as well as to the serous membrane of the cecum. Following observation of intestinal motility in conscious horses, they were intravenously injected with motilin (0.6 microgram/kg) to examine its effect on intestinal motility. Strong contractions peculiar to horses were observed in small intestine. Further, motilin caused strong contractions in the proximal jejunum. The results suggested the involvement of motilin in the regulation mechanism of intestinal motility.
Cochran RA, Leonardi-Cattolica AA, Sullivan MR, Kincaid LA, Leise BS, Thompson DL, Godke RA.The effects of exogenous equine somatotropin (eST) administration on ovarian activity and plasma hormone levels were evaluated on horse and pony mares. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of eST on follicular development and circulating concentrations of leutinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, progesterone, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in cyclic horse and pony mares. Sixteen mares received daily injections (i.m.) of eST at a concentration of 25 micrograms/kg body weight on either Days 6 through 12 (Treatment A) or 13 through 19 (Treatment B) postovulation. In ad...
Murakami K, Sentsui H, Shibahara T, Yokoyama T.Three horses were experimentally infected with equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). All horses were febrile after inoculation with EIAV and then developed chronic symptoms with intermittent fever. The febrile period was characterized by a rise in body temperature with reduced PBL and erythrocyte counts. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the reduced number of lymphocytes was due to significant decreases in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the absence of any change in B cell number. At the end of the febrile period the body temperature began to recover and numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells showed a ...
Bader H, Röhrsheim C, Koene M, Meinecke B.Investigations in different species including the horse have demonstrated that prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) is involved in initiating uterine contractions occurring during mating and artificial insemination (A.I.). Uterine contractions play an important role with respect to the sperm transport within the female genital tract. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate whether the administration of PGF2 alpha (Dinoprost) synchronously to A.I. could have a positive effect on the pregnancy rate in mares. A field study including 346 warmblood-mares (age two to 20 years) belo...
Bollwein H, Braun J.In this study the use of hCG for induction of ovulation is described. Factors such as follicle diameter at the time of administration of hCG (3000 IE hCG i.v.), follicular growth after hCG and the rate of double ovulations were evaluated. A total of 168 mares presented for artificial insemination were used. In 249 estrous periods hCG was given to mares exhibiting standing estrous when a minimum follicle diameter of 30 mm and a well developed edema of the endometrium could be detected by ultrasonography. In nine estrous periods ovulation occurred within 24 hours after hCG. The majority of mares...
Ström L, Bröjer J, Ekesten B.Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) are electrical potentials generated by neurons in the central nervous system in response to visual stimuli. A series of positive and negative wavelets in response to flash-stimuli (flash-VEP; FVEP) or reversing, iso-luminant patterns (pattern-VEP; PVEP) are recorded. Pathological conditions affecting the post-retinal pathways can alter overall waveform morphology, and also affect wavelet peak times and amplitudes. FVEPs have recently been described in horses, but more data on the variability within and between subjects is required, to adequately interpret result...
Manohar M.Right atrial (RA), right ventricular (RV), pulmonary artery (PA), and pulmonary artery wedge (PAW) pressures were examined, using catheter-mounted micromanometers, in 8 healthy horses at rest and during galloping on a treadmill at belt speeds of 8, 10, and 13 m/s. The in vivo signals from the micromanometers were matched with those from conventional fluid-filled catheter transducers leveled at the scapulohumeral joint. Thirty minutes after completing control exercise measurements, furosemide was administered IV at a dosage of 1 mg/kg of body weight, and resting, as well as exercise, measuremen...
Burke CJ, Whishaw IQ.Spontaneous locomotor behavior in a novel space reveals insights into an animal's world view or Umwelt. For example, in many animal species, spontaneous behavior in a novel environment is parsed into activities at a home base and excursions from the home base. Domestic horses (Equus ferus caballas) are frequently ridden for recreation or in performance events in an equestrian arena but there has been no description of horse behavior in an arena when they are unconstrained and "exploring" or when moving freely under saddle. The present examination of exploration provides insights into horse ada...
Chen Q, Tong Q, Ge H, Li W, Liu J, Wang Y, Guo Z, Quan F, Zhang Y.SP110 has previously shown to be a genetic determinant of host resistance to the intracellular pathogen infection in mouse and human. However, its relevant biological information in large non-primate animals still remains unknown. Here we report the novel discovery and characterization of three transcript variants of horse SP110. The transcript variant 1 (Tv1) of horse SP110 with the longest open reading frame has four domains (Sp100, SAND, PHD and Bromo domain). Tv2 and Tv3 share the same N-terminal sequence as Tv1, which contains Sp100 and SAND. We show that Tv2 is generated from alternative...
Jellyman JK, Valenzuela OA, Allen VL, Forhead AJ, Holdstock NB, Fowden AL.The present study tested the hypothesis that overexposure to endogenous glucocorticoids in neonatal life alters the reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in ponies at 1 and 2 yr of age. Newborn foals received saline (0.9% NaCl, n = 8, control) or long-acting adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH1-24) (Depot Synacthen 0.125 mg intramuscularly twice daily, n = 9) for 5 d after birth to raise cortisol concentrations 5- to 6-fold. At 1 and 2 yr of age, HPA axis function was assessed by bolus administration of short-acting ACTH1-24 (1 μg/kg intravenous) and insulin (0.5 U/kg...
Martini F, Angelaccio S, Barra D, Doonan S, Bossa F.Cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (L-aspartate:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.1) from horse heart has five cysteine residues, two of which can be titrated with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoid acid) in the native enzyme with no impairment of catalytic activity. The rate of modification is unaffected by the presence of substrates. Reaction with N-ethylmaleimide leads to loss of catalytic activity, the rate of inactivation being increased by the presence of substrates. Peptides containing 361 amino-acid residues (about 88% of the total number in the protein) have been isolated and ali...
Jacobsen K, Gintz T, Reed SM, Newbry J, Bayly WM, Perryman LE, Leid RW.Equine neutrophils (PMN) were isolated to greater than 99% purity by isopyknic sedimentation on coated colloidal silica particles. A cell recovery of 84.7 +/- 4.0%, with a viability of greater than 99%, was observed with this method. The isolated PMN were compared with mixed population of equine peripheral leukocytes with respect to functional integrity by chemiluminescence and bactericidal assays. There was no significant difference (P less than 0.01) observed in either assay between the isolated equine PMN and the mixed-cell populations. The methods used in both the isolation as well as the ...
Kirchmeier A, van Herwaarden AE, van der Kolk JH, Sauer FJ, Gerber V.This study describes steroid profiles in equine plasma before and after ACTH stimulation. In human medicine, other steroids have been shown to have a more pronounced reaction to an ACTH stimulation test than cortisol. This study aimed to determine if the same was true for the horse. A total of 11 clinically healthy horses were selected for this study. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid plasma samples were taken before and 60 min after stimulation with 1 μg/kg BW of synthetic ACTH administered intravenously. The samples were analyzed for cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol, 21-deoxycortisol, cortisone, ...
Lejeune JP, Serteyn D, Gangl M, Schneider N, Deby-Dupont G, Deberg M, Henrotin Y.Several breeds of draft horses suffer from degenerative digital osteoarthropathy, resulting in a reduced active lifespan. A group of 30 Ardenner horses was followed, in standardized conditions, from 15 to 28 months of age to detect the early manifestations of the disease. The severity of the disease was assessed according to a personal grading system including clinical and radiographic items. Coll 2-1, a peptide of the helical region of type II collagen, and its nitrated form (Coll 2-1 NO(2)) were assayed in blood plasma collected at 452 +/- 18 days, 504 +/- 20 days, 558 +/- 18 days, 613 +/- 1...
Luna SP, Taylor PM.The effect of thiopentone/halothane anaesthesia on the release of endogenous opioid, adrenocorticotrophin, arginine vasopressin, cortisol and catecholamine was investigated in ponies. The contribution made by halothane itself was studied by maintaining six ponies with a constant 1.2 per cent end tidal halothane concentration and five with a concentration ranging between 0.8 and 1.2 per cent. Cardiorespiratory depression was more prolonged in the ponies receiving a constant 1.2 per cent end tidal halothane concentration than in those which received less halothane. Plasma lactate concentration i...
Sonea IM, Bowker RM, Robinson NE, Broadstone RV.Immunohistochemical methods were used to determine the distribution of pulmonary nerves containing either an enzymatic marker of adrenergic nerves, dopamine beta hydroxylase, or the putative neurotransmitter neuropeptide Y in 7 equids with healthy lungs. Nerves immunoreactive for these substances were found on airway smooth muscle in nearly all the samples of healthy equine lung examined. These nerves were generally more numerous in the larger airways but could be detected even in noncartilaginous bronchioles. Pulmonary and bronchial vessels also contained numerous immunoreactive nerves. On th...
Baker SJ, Gerring EL.Intragastric pH monitoring was investigated in ponies. In cadaver stomachs, close contact with the mucosa led to high pH readings if nonweighted electrodes were used. However, pH recorded by weighted electrodes was markedly less affected by mucosal contact (P < 0.001). The latter were used for subsequent trials. In vivo, high correlations were found between pH recorded by weighted electrodes with or without a wire guard to prevent mucosal contact (correlation, r = 0.866; P < 0.001). Readings from each correlated well with those from simultaneous gastric aspirates (r = 0.774 and r = 0.807...
Torres A, Silva JF, Bernardes N, Sales Luís J, Lopes da Costa L.Here is reported a disorder of sex development found in the Portuguese Lusitano horse breed. The complex genital phenotype included mammary glands, abdominal testes without epididymis, connected through oviducts to pelvic hypoplastic uterine horns and fused vulvar labia majora from which protruded ventrally a penis-like structure. This structure was presented in a reversed position, the urethral opening placed dorsally in the glans. However, it was functional both for micturition and erection. The horse exhibited female micturition posture and aggressive male-like behaviour, including flehmen,...
Duncan SG, Meyers KM, Reed SM, Grant B.This experiment was designed to establish a model for the study of gastrointestinal disturbances as a result of prolonged endotoxin uptake in the horse. The hepatic portal vein of 7 horses was catheterized (through flank incisions) to give chronic hepatic portal infusions of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin). Lipopolysaccharide was infused at a rate of 1 microgram/kg of body weight/hr for 24 hours. Two of the horses were infused with saline solution for 12 hours before LPS infusions were given. Lipopolysaccharide was shown to affect behavior and hematologic and coagulation values. The 1st ho...
Daels PF, Fatone S, Hansen BS, Concannon PW.The effect of the dopamine antagonist sulpiride on FSH secretion and onset of reproductive activity in anoestrous mares under different environmental conditions was investigated. In Expt 1, sulpiride (0.5 mg (-)-sulpiride kg(-1) twice a day) had no affect on FSH pulse frequency, mean FSH concentration, basal FSH concentration or FSH pulse amplitude in anoestrous mares. These data do not support the hypothesis that dopamine inhibits reproductive activity by suppressing GnRH secretion, as it does in other species. In Expt 2, the interval to first ovulation (14.8 +/- 1.9 days; range 12-22 days) i...
Watkins JP, Auer JA, Morgan SJ, Gay S.The effect of pulsing electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy on the healing of surgically created defects in equine superficial digital flexor tendons was evaluated. Defects were created in both front superficial digital flexor tendons of 20 horses. The defect in 1 limb was exposed to a PEMF for 2 hours daily. The other limb served as a control. Histologic and immunofluorescent evaluations were done in horse killed at postsurgical weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24. Therapy with the PEMF significantly (P less than 0.05) delayed the maturation of the tissue formed within the defect at postsurgical weeks 8...
Alm CC, Sullivan JJ, First NL.Dexamethasone (100 mg/day) injected from Days 318 to 324 of pregnancy induced parturition. Progesterone (500 mg/day) administered daily from Day 318 of pregnancy also shortened gestation while oestrogen (50 mg/day) administered on the same schedule as progesterone had no such effect. Dexamethasone treatment superimposed on the oestrogen or progesterone treatments shortened gestation. Prostaglandin F2alpha alone did not induce parturition, unlike PGF2alpha with dexamethasone, or PGF2alpha given to ovariectomized mares.
Lançoni R, Celeghini ECC, Giuli V, de Carvalho CPT, Zoca GB, Garcia-Oliveros LN, Batissaco L, Oliveira LZ, de Arruda RP.Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) is a cofactor for mitochondrial electron transport chain and may be an alternative to improve sperm quality of cryopreserved equine semen. This work aimed to improve stallion semen quality after freezing by adding CoQ-10 to the cryopreservation protocol. Seven saddle stallions were utilized. Each animal was submitted to five semen collections and freezing procedures. For cryopreservation, each ejaculate was divided in three treatments: 1) Botucrio® diluent (control); 2) 50 μmol CoQ-10 added to Botucrio® diluent; 3) 1 mmol CoQ-10 added to Botucrio® diluent. Semen batc...
Geor RJ, Weiss DJ, Smith CM.Hemorheologic alterations induced by incremental treadmill exercise were examined in 5 Thoroughbreds. Blood viscosity; PCV; RBC filterability, density gradient profile, and shape; serum and RBC electrolyte concentrations; and plasma total solids and lactate concentrations were measured before exercise, at treadmill speeds of 9 and 13 m/s, and 10 minutes after exercise. Exercise was associated with significant (P < 0.05) increases in PCV, blood viscosity, and plasma total solids concentration. After adjustment of PCV to 40% by adding or removing each horse's own plasma, blood viscosity ...
Serteyn D, Pincemail J, Mottart E, Caudron I, Deby C, Deby-Dupont G, Philippart C, Lamy M.This preliminary study demonstrated the existence of a free radical generation during an experimental postischemic muscular reperfusion in a halothane anesthetized horse. The authors used alpha-phényl-N-tert-butylnitrone as a spin trap agent and the electronic paramagnetic resonance method to observe in vivo a free radical generation. This preliminary study demonstrated the existence of a free radical generation during an experimental postischemic muscular reperfusion in a halothane anesthetized horse. The authors used alpha-phényl-N-tert-butylnitrone as a spin trap agent and the electronic ...
Marycz K, Smieszek A, Grzesiak J, Nicpoń JE.Disorders of the locomotive system, especially those occurring due to degenerative changes of the joints, are serious problems in daily veterinary medical practice. Steroid injections are the main way of treating these disorders. However, this approach brings usually only temporary effects of pain relief, and may cause many side effects. Alternative therapies focus on regeneration of damaged tissue using adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Since 2002, the great plasticity and immunomodulatory properties of MSCs isolated from adipose tissue (AdMSCs) have been used successfully in the treatment...
Fairbairn SM, Marr KA, Lees P, Cunningham FM, Page CP.Antigen challenge is known to cause the recruitment of neutrophils to the lungs of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To evaluate a possible role of platelet activating factor (PAF) in this process, the effects of PAF on the distribution of radiolabelled neutrophils were compared in normal horses and asymptomatic horses with COPD. Changes in lung function, heart rate and the distribution of platelets and eosinophils were also measured. PAF (5 ng kg-1 intravenously) caused immediate but transient increases in the number of radiolabelled neutrophils in the lungs and a conc...
Gillis C, Meagher DM, Cloninger A, Locatelli L, Willits N.Fifty Thoroughbred horses were examined. All horses had been in race training for a minimum of 4 months before examination and had worked at racing speed; 24 horses had raced. All horses were clinically sound at the time of examination. Ultrasonography was performed, using a 7.5-MHz transducer with built-in fluid offset. Videotaped images of the palmar soft tissue structures were obtained at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 cm distal to the base of the accessory carpal bone (DACB). Images were digitized, and each image was calibrated. Values for cross-sectional area (CSA) and mean echogenicity (ME) wer...
Scudamore CL, Pemberton A, Watson ED, Miller HR.Studies have demonstrated that as a result of proteolytic inactivation or complex formation (with neutrophil elastase), human alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (API) becomes a potent chemoattractant for human neutrophils. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro chemotactic response of equine neutrophils to an equivalent complex of equine API and neutrophil elastase. No evidence of neutrophil migration was observed towards purified complex derived from equine neutrophil elastase and the Spi 1 isoform of equine API, or to crude mixtures of porcine pancreatic elastase and unseparated equin...
Burns TA, Watts MR, Weber PS, McCutcheon LJ, Geor RJ, Belknap JK.In EMS-associated laminitis, laminar failure may occur in response to energy failure related to insulin resistance (IR) or to the effect of hyperinsulinemia on laminar tissue. 5'-Adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a marker of tissue energy deprivation, which may occur in IR. Objective: To characterize tissue AMPK regulation in ponies subjected to a dietary carbohydrate (CHO) challenge. Methods: Twenty-two mixed-breed ponies. Methods: Immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting for total AMPK and phospho(P)-AMPK and RT-qPCR for AMPK-responsive genes were performed on laminar...
Slinker BK, Campbell KB, Alexander JE, Klavano PA.The heart rate (HR) response to stepwise changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) produced by methoxamine and sodium nitroprusside was studied in conscious horses, pigs, and calves. The respective steady-state arterial baroreflex sensitivities (delta HR/delta MAP expressed as beats min-1 . mm of Hg-1) were -1.20, -1.21, and -0.39 for decreasing MAP and -0.08, -0.91, and -0.56 for increasing MAP. After parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) blockade with atropine, the reflex sensitivity to decreasing MAP in horses and the pigs decreased to -0.62 and -0.65, respectively (P less than 0.05), whereas ...
Bazzano M, Giannetto C, Fazio F, Marafioti S, Giudice E, Piccione G.Hemostasis is a physiological process that prevents excessive blood loss and represents a protective mechanism at the time of delivery. Peripartum hemorrhage is a recurring hazardous condition to mare's health; therefore, we aimed to study mares' hemostatic profile to investigate whether physiological adjustments occur during late pregnancy and early postpartum. Fifteen pregnant mares have been monitored from the 34th week of pregnancy until the third week after foaling. Fifteen nonpregnant mares were used as control group. Jugular blood samples were analyzed for platelet count (Plt), prothrom...
McClay CB, Weiss DJ, Smith CM, Gordon B.Hematologic and rheologic changes were examined in 49 Thoroughbreds before and after competitive racing. Mean postrace values for RBC count, hemoglobin concentration, and PCV increased by 58 to 61%, whereas blood viscosity increased 2 to 3 times. Postrace echinocyte numbers were 162% greater than prerace values. Smaller, but statistically significant, changes were found for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, plasma total protein concentration, total WBC count, neutrophil count, and lymphocyte count. Variables measured did not predict whether a horse was a b...
de Laat MA, Kheder MH, Pollitt CC, Sillence MN.Hyperinsulinemia is a major risk factor for equine laminitis, a debilitating and painful foot condition. Sweet taste receptor (T1R2/3) inhibitors have been used to reduce the insulin and glucose responses to oral carbohydrates in other species. However, their effect in horses has not been investigated. It would be useful to be able to attenuate the large post-prandial insulin response that typically occurs when a carbohydrate-rich meal is fed to insulin-dysregulated horses. Here we have determined the efficacy of two T1R2/3 inhibitors, lactisole and Gymnema sylvestre, for reducing glucose upta...
Caron JP, Toppin DS, Block JA.Middle carpal cartilage explants from 4 horses with mild osteoarthritis involving that joint were maintained in tissue culture to test the effects of a polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) on proteoglycan synthesis and degradation. Cultures were exposed to 0.025 or 25 mg of PSGAG/ml for 48 hours, after which the medium was replaced with medium containing similar doses of PSGAG and 35S. Subsequently, the sulfated proteoglycan content of the medium and extracts of the explants was measured. Gel filtration chromatography was used to estimate the size and to purify the principal, large proteogly...
