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.
Phaneuf LP, Grivel ML, Ruckebusch Y.The electrical potentials were recorded from the antrum, the duodenum, the ileum and the first part of the colon of ponies under (a) normal resting conditions, (b) during nonpainful colic and (c) after intravenous morphine administration. The normal pony, at rest, had five contractions of the antrum per minute. On the small intestine, the basal electrical activity decreased from the duodenum (14-15/min) to the ileum (10-11/min). The small bowel also had three types of motility: peristaltic waves, rhythmic segmentations and random contractions. On the colon, bursts of potentials indicating inte...
Scanlon PF.Thirteen cows (8 Holsteins, 3 Ayrshire,
2 Shorthorn; 3 to 7 years old) were
treated with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) during two successive
estrous cycles. The gonadotrophin was
injected on Day 16 of the cycle (estrus ---
Day 0) and again on Day 16 of the next
cycle (10 cows) or 21 days after previous
PMSG injection (3 cows). Doses of
PMSG injected during the first cycle were
3,000 IU (6 cows: Group A) and 2,000
IU (7 cows: Group B). These doses were
reversed for the individual cow during
its next estrous cycle. Cows were
slaughtered 10 to 14 days after the second
PMS...
Boulanger P, Bannister GL, Carrier SP.An agar-gel immunodiffusion test recommended for the diagnosis of equine infectious anemia was evaluated. Our preliminary observations confirmed those of Coggins concerning the mechanism of the test and the results obtained. Furthermore, emphasis was put on the difficulties encountered in the production of spleen antigens with an optimum amount of reactivity. Acetone-ether extraction procedures for the preparation of a liquid antigen extract are described. This type of antigen was reactive in the complement-fixation test in 1:8 or greater dilution and it is proposed to use the complement-fixat...
Kerr DD, Jones EW, Holbert D, Huggins K.A 3-way Latin square design was used to compare the sedative and preanesthetic effects of xylazine given intravenously (i.v.) (1.1 mg./kg.) and given intramuscularly (i.m.) (2.2 mg./kg.) and acetylpromazine maleate (0.66 mg./kg.) given i.v. in the horse. Physiologic responses were recorded and clinical observations were made. Intravenous administration of xylazine and atropine sulphate (0.011 mg./kg.) appeared to have superior sedative properties, without having adverse effects on cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Both the i.v. and the i.m. administrations of xylazine prior to induction ...
Schams D, Papkoff H.Highly purified pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) can be prepared from crude commercial preparations of PMSG by chromatography on sulfoethyl-Sephadex C-50 and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The preparation was examined by disc electrophoresis and gel filtration and found to be of high purity. Amino acid analysis shows similarities to pituitary gonadotropins. The PMSG contains a high content of proline and cystine and low amounts of the aromatic amino acids. Phenylalanine is the major amino terminal amino acid. The carbohydrate content totals 45% of which 10% is the content of sialic a...
Science (New York, N.Y.)March 3, 1972
Volume 175, Issue 4025 996-997 doi: 10.1126/science.175.4025.996
Gershon RK, Kondo K.Mice rendered tolerant to sheep red cells and then given normal thymocytes, made no antibody when immunized with these cells. When immunized with horse red blood cells, however, they made significant amounts of noncross-reacting antibody to sheep red blood cells. This suggests that antibody-making precursor cells (B cells) which are nontolerant but nonactivatable by specific antigen, may exist in tolerant hosts.
Blake CC, Evans PR, Scopes RK.The single peptide chain of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase is folded into two distinct globular units, only one of which seems to be involved in substrate binding.
Grabner A, Goldberg M.In a blind study serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of control horses and of horses in hepatic coma after chronic food intoxication with Senecio alpinus were collected simultaneously and the composition of free amino acids was determined. The hepatic encephalopathy index in serum (less than 1.65) and in CSF (less than 1.11) of liver patients was distinctly less than to the control values in serum (greater than 2.42) and in CSF (greater than 1.49). The serum concentrations of glutamic acid in hepatic coma were elevated five-fold in comparison to the controls. An indication of ammonia decontami...
Girardet JM, Miclo L, Florent S, Mollé D, Gaillard JL.beta-Casein was isolated from Haflinger mare's milk by RP-HPLC, and displayed microheterogeneity by urea-electrophoresis and 2-DE probably due to a variable degree of phosphorylation. To investigate the degree of phosphorylation, the primary structure of equine beta-casein was determined by tryptic hydrolysis and MS of peptides released and by MS of the protein treated by alkaline phosphatase. The molecular mass found for the apo-form of Haflinger mare's beta-casein (25 514 +/- 3 Da) was close to the theoretical mass of the reported sequence (GenBank AAG43954) modified by insertion of a region...
Young DW, Smyth GB.The predominant form of gastrin in the antral mucosa of the stomach of virtually all species previously examined is the 17 amino acid peptide little gastrin (G17). This report describes the occurrence in equine antral mucosa of an immunoreactive form of gastrin with elution properties on Sephadex G-50 superfine similar to human unsulfated big gastrin (G34-I). This putative equine big gastrin was a major component of the gastrin immunoreactivity present. A second peak of activity in equine antral mucosa eluted in an identical manner to human little gastrin (hG17-I). Inhibition curves of equine ...
Van Hoogmoed LM, Snyder JR, Nieto JE, Vatistas NJ, Harmon FA.To determine efficacy of an extracorporeal circuit to maintain a segment of equine large colon for 3.5 hours and to evaluate the effect of low arterial flow on histologic and metabolic variables. Methods: Segments of large colon from 15 healthy adult horses. Methods: The pelvic flexure was surgically removed and maintained in an isolated circuit. In the control group, tissue was evaluated for 3.5 hours, whereas in the low-flow group, arterial flow was reduced to 20% of baseline for 40 minutes followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. Various metabolic and hemodynamic variables were evaluated at 30-m...
DePew CL, Thompson DL, Fernandez JM, Southern LL, Sticker LS, Ward TL.Concentrations of prolactin, glucose, insulin, urea N, and total amino acids in plasma of stallions after ingestion of pelleted feed were compared to those after direct gastric administration of water, NaCl, egg albumin, or corn starch (Exp. 1) or water, egg albumin, hydrolyzed casein (Amicase), or a mixture of indispensable amino acids (Exp. 2). Stallions were fed once daily (75% pellet and 25% hay) at 1500 for 30 d. On d 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30, blood samples were collected every 30 min from 1 h before through 4 h after treatment, which occurred at 1100. In Exp. 1, there was a positive secret...
Mizuno Y, Aida H, Hara H, Fujinaga T, Hagio M.Cardiac output (CO) measurements by the three methods of dye dilution, pulsed Doppler echocardiography and thermodilution in horses under anesthetized conditions were compared. Although CO determined by the thermodilution method was slightly higher than those obtained by the other two methods, the measurements by all methods showed almost similar results. The coefficients of correlation between the dye dilution and thermodilution methods, the dye dilution and pulsed Doppler echocardiography methods, and the thermodilution and pulsed Doppler echocardiography methods were 0.87, 0.89, and 0.88, r...
Juzwiak JS, Brown MP, Gronwall R, Houston AE.Cephapirin (20 mg/kg of body weight, IV) was administered before and after 3 doses of probenecid (25, 50, or 75 mg/kg, intragastrically, at 12-hour intervals) to 2 mares. Clearance and apparent volume of distribution, based on area under the curve, were negatively correlated with probenecid dose. Clearance of cephapirin was decreased by approximately 50% by administration of 50 mg of probenecid/kg. Serum, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, CSF, urinary, and endometrial concentrations of cephapirin were determined after 5 doses of cephapirin (20 mg/kg, IM, at 12-hour intervals) without and with ...
Linford RL, McCue PM, Montavon S, Lasley BL.A cannulation technique was developed to collect blood samples from the ovarian vein of mares over an extended period. Ovarian venous cannulae placed in 4 mares remained patent for a mean (+/- SEM) duration of 36.8 (+/- 6.2) days. During mid-diestrus, concentrations of progesterone in the ovarian vein ipsilateral to the corpus luteum (1,663.8 +/- 238.8 ng/ml) were significantly (P less than 0.001) higher than concentrations measured in paired samples from the jugular vein (6.1 +/- 0.3 ng/ml). Concentration of estradiol in the ovarian vein ranged from a mean of 1,053.2 +/- 303.1 pg/ml during di...
Mata F.Several growth models are commonly used in the biological sciences, to model the follicle growth occurring in the estrous cycle. The aim of this project was to find the model that best fit the follicular size growth data for Lusitano mares. Retrospective data collected from reproduction book records of n=84 mares and n=124 cycles was used to find the series to be fitted to the models. The exponential, Gompertz, logistic, von Bertalanffy, Richards and Weibull models were used, and the most parsimonious and best fit was achieved with the logistic model (r(2)=0.999). The logistic model fits the L...
Raeside JI, Christie HL.C(18) neutral steroid formation by cytochrome P450 aromatase has been recorded for several equine and porcine tissues. High activity of P450 aromatase is reflected in the quantities of estrogens in yolk-sac (y-s) fluid of early equine conceptuses. In a previous study of y-s fluid we detected large amounts of androgens by radioimmunoassay (RIA), using an antiserum for androstenedione (A(4)). Here, we report that RIA, following chromatography, gave tentative identification of the major peak as norandrostenedione (19-norA) not as A(4). Furthermore, even greater quantities of 19-norA seemed to be ...
Manglai D, Wada R, Kurohmaru M, Yoshihara T, Kuwano A, Oikawa M, Hayashi Y.The present study attempted to clarify the characteristics of the guttural pouch mucosa in equines and to evaluate its foreign substance clearance ability. The specimens were collected from nine regions (eight in the guttural pouch mucosa, and one in the nasopharynx mucosa). We first examined the pouch mucosa by light and electron microscopy. We then measured the frequency of goblet cells per 200 epithelial cells, the length of the cilia, the thickness of the epithelial cell layer and lamina propria and statistically analyzed the data. The guttural pouch mucosa consisted of stratified columnar...
Kwok WH, Kwok KY, Leung DK, Leung GN, Wong CH, Wong JK, Wan TS.The positive findings of norbolethone in 2002 and tetrahydrogestrinone in 2003 in human athlete samples confirmed that designer steroids were indeed being abused in human sports. In 2005, an addition to the family of designer steroids called 'Madol' [also known as desoxy-methyltestosterone (DMT)] was seized by government officials at the US-Canadian border. Two years later, a positive finding of DMT was reported in a mixed martial arts athlete's sample. It is not uncommon that doping agents used in human sports would likewise be abused in equine sports. Designer steroids would, therefore, pose...
Sage SE, Olive J, Lavoie JP.Age of complete ossification of equine occipital condyles has not been published. Consequently, clinical significance of occipital condyle defects on radiographs or CT scans of young horses remains unknown. The goals of this single-center, retrospective, cross-sectional study were to characterize incidental occipital condyle defects and to define the age of complete ossification. The margin of occipital condyles was classified as regular or with defect(s). Analyses were made on 121 horses, including 106 radiographic and 19 CT studies showing the occipital condyles of horses less than 5 years o...
Mattioli M, Galeati G, Seren E.Prostaglandin F-2 alpha (PGF-2 alpha) receptors of bovine and equine corpora lutea (C.L.) were studied. From both the equilibrium binding data and the dissociation kinetics behaviour, two affinity classes of receptors are evident in the mare, with apparent dissociation constants (Kd) of 1,5 x 10(-9) M and 3.5 x 10(-8) M. Bovine PGF-2 alpha receptors present a homogeneous population of binding sites with Kd = 1 x 10(-8) M. Both bovine and equine C.L. receptors bind PGF-2 alpha in a specific manner; only 13, 14-dihydro-PGF-2 alpha considerably cross-reacts with these receptors. Since in the mare...
Roberts SJ, Myhre G.Equine twinning, related abortion and progestogen plasma concentrations during the gestation period were reviewed. The supplemental administration of exogenous progesterone apparently prevented impending twin abortions in three mares after midgestation. A single viable twin and a mummified fetus were delivered at term by the mares.
Ginther OJ, Rodriguez MB, Beg MA.The temporal relationship of several hormones to a metabolite of prostaglandin F2α (PGFM) was studied in mares and heifers from the beginning of the first PGFM pulse during luteolysis to the end of the second pulse. Mares (n=7) were selected with a 9-h interval between the peaks of the two pulses. In mares, estradiol-17β (estradiol) increased (P<0.05) within each PGFM pulse and plateaued for a mean of 6h between the pulses, resulting in a stepwise estradiol increase. Progesterone decreased linearly (P<0.0001) throughout the intra-pulse and inter-pulse intervals of PGFM. In heifers (n=6...
Vaughn DM, Smyth GB.The serotonin metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and the dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid (HVA) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of seven clinically normal horses were evaluated with reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. Comparisons of the neurotransmitter metabolite concentrations were made on CSF collected simultaneously from the atlanto-occipital and lumbosacral regions. There were significantly higher amounts of 5-HIAA and HVA in atlanto-occipital CSF than in lumbosacral CSF. Mean 5-HIAA concentrations in atlanto-occipital and l...
Fitzgerald BP, Mellbye LB.Two experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that the seasonal suppression of gonadotrophin pulse frequency in anoestrous horse mares reflects inhibitory neural mechanisms. In a preliminary experiment (Exp. 1) conducted in February, 4 anoestrous mares were sedated by repeated intravenous injections of xylazine, an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist. On the day of treatment, 1-2 LH pulses were observed in xylazine-treated mares. In contrast, during a 12-h period only 1/8 untreated control mares exhibited a LH pulse. In Exp. 2, the effect of xylazine-induced sedation on pulsatile gonad...
Salloum RM, Duckworth D, Madison JB, Souba WW.The sodium-dependent transporter system responsible for L-glutamine uptake by brush border membrane vesicles prepared from equine jejunum was characterized. Vesicle purity was ascertained by a 14- to 17-fold increase in activity of the brush border enzyme markers. Glutamine uptake was found to occur into an osmotically active space with negligible membrane binding. The sodium-dependent velocity represented approximately 80% of total uptake and demonstrated overshoots. Kinetic studies of sodium-dependent glutamine transport at concentrations between 5 microM and 5 mM revealed a single saturable...
McDowell KJ, Little TV, Timoney PJ, Adams MH.The major proteins in stallion seminal plasma were characterised by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and compared with the patterns of proteins in normal geldings (castrated males) and geldings supplemented with testosterone. The major proteins or groups of proteins identified according to their approximate relative molecular weight in kilodaltons (kDa) and apparent isoelectric point (pl) were: 1) 60 kDa. pl 7; 2) 23 kDa, pl 4-5; 3) 25-30 kDa, pl 5.5-6; 4) 23 kDa, pl 7-8; and 5) 15-20 kDa, pl 6-7.5. Protein groups 1 and 2 were more prominent in the seminal plasma from the st...
Orr JA, Erichsen DF, Shirer HW, Allen PL, Payne PA.The aim of this study was to determine whether increases in ventilation would occur during intravenous acid infusion even if systemic arterial pH was held constant. In six awake ponies, HCl (500 ml, approximately 0.312 M) was infused into the right atrium at a total dose of 1.0 meq/kg over 18 min while an equivalent dose of NaOH was infused into the left heart to restore systemic arterial pH to normal. Total ventilation increased at the onset of the infusion and remained elevated although systemic arterial pH was normal to slightly alkaline. The increase in ventilation during the initial 2 min...
Kerr CL, Keating SCJ, Arroyo LG, Viel L.Neonatal foals may require prolonged sedation to permit ventilatory support in the first few days of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the cardiopulmonary effects and clinical recovery characteristics of 2 sedative/analgesia protocols in healthy foals receiving assisted ventilation. Foals were randomized to receive dexmedetomidine, butorphanol, and propofol (DBP) or midazolam, butorphanol, and propofol (MBP) during a 24-hour period. Infusion rates of dexmedetomidine, midazolam, and propofol were adjusted and propofol boluses administered according to set protocols t...
Watson TD, Sullivan M.The effects of sedation with detomidine on oesophageal function were assessed by contrast radiography in 10 healthy adult thoroughbred horses. Barium swallows were monitored by means of image intensification, first without sedation and then after the intravenous administration of detomidine at doses of 10 and 20 micrograms/kg bodyweight. The transit time of contrast agent to the oesophageal hiatus was recorded and each swallow was scored for markers of oesophageal dysfunction. Analysis of the data indicated that there were highly significant dose dependent increases in the transit time, the re...
Wilgenbusch C, McClure SR, Thomsen D, Schleining J, Riedesel D, Wang C.Characterization of a model of reversible foot lameness in the horse. Methods: Both forelimb hooves were fitted with a circumferential clamp. After three baseline measurements utilizing a force platform, one clamp was tightened to induce a grade 2.5/5 lameness and left in place for 120 hours. Serial heart rate and force platform measurements were obtained and the asymmetry index was calculated. After 120 hours, the clamp was released and force platform data recorded until the horse returned to soundness. The procedure was repeated for the opposite forelimb. The responses of treatment compared ...
Ehrlich PJ, Seeherman HJ, Morris E, Kolias C, Cook WR.The effect of left recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (LRLN) on the metabolic cost of locomotion (MCL) and peak aerobic power (VO2peak) was evaluated in four trained Thoroughbred racehorses. Oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), venous lactate concentrations (LAC), and heart rate (HR) were measured during a treadmill exercise test (TET). Each horse performed the exercise test four times, alternating between normal upper airway function and reversibly induced LRLN. Subcutaneous infusion of 2% mepivicaine, a local anesthetic, into the region were the left recurrent laryngeal ne...
Littlejohn A, Button C, Bowles F.Mean modal vectors of P1, P2 and QRS were determined in the 3 planes of a semi-orthogonal EKG lead system in 17 horses and ponies with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in 17 clinically normal horses and ponies. Subjects were paired so that the heart rates of each pair were not dissimilar by more than 2 cycles per minute. Probably significant differences were observed between the mean angles of P1 vectors in the transverse and sagittal planes (T plane, normal = 324 degrees +/- 24,6 degrees, COPD = 342 degrees +/- 21,0 degrees, t = 2,0, P less than 0,05; S plane, normal = 331 deg...
George JW, Duncan JR, Mahaffey EA.Pyrimidine 5'nucleotidase (P5N) activities of erythrocytes for Mongolian gerbils, cats, dogs, sheep, horses, and calves were measured, using a radiometric technique with [14C]cytidine monophosphate as the substrate. Erythrocytes of gerbils had the highest activity [1,177.1 +/- 133.6 mU/g of hemoglobin (Hb)]. Feline erythrocytes had 327.4 +/- 204.4 mU/g of Hb. Canine erythrocytes had 148.0 +/- 19.8 mU/g of Hb. Ovine erythrocytes (44.3 +/- 20.9 mU/g of Hb), equine erythrocytes (30.0 +/- 15.9 mU/g of Hb), and bovine erythrocytes (14.1 +/- 6.9) had relatively low P5N activity. The P5N activity was...
LeBlanc MM, Asbury AC, Lyle SK.Uterine response to inoculation with Streptococcus zooepidemicus organisms, 51Cr-labeled 15-microns microspheres, and charcoal was evaluated in 9 mares (4 resistant and 5 susceptible to endometritis) to determine mechanical and cellular clearance rates during the early postovulatory period. Mares were inoculated at estrus prior to ovulation during estrous cycles 1, 3, and 5. Uterine swab specimens for aerobic and anaerobic bacteriologic culture and serum for progesterone determination were obtained on postovulation day 3 during estrous cycle 1, on the day of ovulation during estrous cycle 3, a...
Jiang Z, Chen JW, Haughan J, Stefanovski D, Soma LR, Robinson MA.Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a treatment applied to musculoskeletal injuries in equine athletes to alleviate pain and accelerate healing. ESWT also causes acute tissue damage. Therefore, its ability to act as an analgesic and cause tissue damage potentially increases the risk of a catastrophic event if used shortly before a strenuous competition such as horseracing. While ESWT is prohibited by many racing jurisdictions within 10 days prior to competition, a test to detect whether a horse has received ESWT is needed. ESWT changes the protein levels of inflammatory mediators in bl...
Owens JG, Kamerling SG, Stanton SR, Keowen ML.Detomidine (10, 20 and 40 micrograms/kg i.v.) and saline were administered to eight adult horses with hoof pain and lameness associated with chronic laminitis. Mechanical noxious stimulation was applied to 16 loci over the solar surface of each forefoot by means of an electronic hoof tester to determine chronic pain thresholds. Horses were evaluated before and at 25, 55 and 120 min after treatment for lameness and to determine hoof compression thresholds (HCTs), the percentage of responsive loci and the subjective grade of hoof withdrawal response at each responsive locus. Detomidine produced ...
