Inflammatory myopathy and perivasculitis have been recently described in horses with chronic equine piroplasmosis (EP). These alterations may be linked to poor performances. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence for EP in clinically healthy Italian Standardbred (IS) racehorses and to compare laboratory parameters and performance metrics between positive and negative horses. Real-time PCR was applied for the detection of T. equi and B. caballi positivity. Haematology parameters, blood chemistry results, subjective muscle mass scores, and performance metrics were compared betwee...
Barbazanges P, Richard EA, Lemonnier LC, Wouters CP, Toquet MP, Couroucu00e9 A.Cytology of airway samples is sensitive for diagnosis of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH), but the association between tracheal wash (TW) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether diagnosis of EIPH, using haemosiderophages/macrophages (H/M) ratio, differs when based on TW or BALF. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 102 standardbred horses in training. TW and BALF were collected concomitantly from all horses at rest (at least 24 hours after their last training or race), and their H/M ratios w...
Fraschetto C, Hatrisse C, Moiroud C, Beaumont A, Audigiu00e9 F, Chateau H, Denoix JM, Jacquet S.To measure the trunk vertical displacement (VD) in horses trotting on a water treadmill (WT) at different water depths (WDs) and speeds. Methods: 6 sound Standardbred horses (median age 12 years [IQR:10.5-12]). Methods: The horses were trotted on a WT at 2 speeds (3.5 m/s and 5 m/s) and during 4 conditions: dry treadmill (DT), WD at mid-cannon (WD-CAN), mid-radius (WD-RAD), and shoulder (WD-SHOUL). The dorsoventral movement was obtained with accelerometers placed over the withers, thoracolumbar junction (T18), tuber sacrale (TS), and sacrum (S5). The VD was defined with the median value of the...
Jayathilake WMNK, de Laat MA, Furr M, Risco C, Lacombe VA.Hyperinsulinemia is the key feature of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) which leads to debilitating sequelae. Hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis (HAL) is one of the major sequelae of EMS, although the pathophysiological mechanisms are not well elucidated. Using an equine model, we hypothesized that expression of inflammatory markers would be increased in digital lamellae and striated muscle following prolonged hyperinsulinemia. Healthy Standardbred horses (5.4 ± 1.9 years) were alternately assigned to a prolonged euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (pEHC) or control group (n=4 per group). Fol...
Hansen S, Otten ND, Nissen SD, Carstensen H, Hopster-Iversen C, Fjeldborg J, Staun SH, Fenner M, Hesselkilde EM, Buhl R.Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been proposed as a risk factor for exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) due to increased pressure in the left atrium. Objective: To evaluate if AF was associated with EIPH following a standardised exercise test (SET) to fatigue. Methods: Two-arm controlled experiment. Methods: Ten untrained Standardbred mares mean (standard deviation [SD]) age 6 (2) years performed a SET on the treadmill in sinus rhythm (SR) (SET1) and 25-44 days after induction of self-sustained AF (SET2). AF was induced by tachypacing using a pacing device. Endoscopy, including trachea...
Vidal Moreno de Vega C, Lemmens D, de Meeu00fbs d'Argenteuil C, Boshuizen B, de Maru00e9 L, Leybaert L, Goethals K, de Oliveira JE, Hosotani G....Important changes in glucose transporter (GLUT) expression should be expected if the glucose influx plays a pivotal role in fuelling or connecting metabolic pathways that are upregulated in response to exercise. The aim was to assess GLUT4, 8, and 12 dynamics in response to training and acute exercise. Sixteen untrained Standardbred mares (3-4 year) performed an incremental SET at the start and end of 8 weeks harness training. M. pectoralis (PM) and M. vastus lateralis (VL) muscle biopsies were taken before and after each SET, allowing for comparing rest and acute samples in untrained (UT) ...
Stutsel M, Gimeno M, Young A, Bell JW, Horadagoda N.A 2-year-old Standardbred gelding was referred for a mass on the palmaromedial right front pastern which was accompanied by progressively worsening lameness. The mass was firm to palpation and covered by normal skin. Ultrasonographically, a smooth encapsulated mass was present, medial to the flexor tendons and palmar to the neurovascular bundle. Because of a poor prognosis for future athletic performance without surgical or chemotherapeutic intervention and economic constraints preventing further diagnostics and treatment, the horse was euthanised. Post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging, histo...
Tanner JC, Barrell GK.Despite being a large commercial breeding industry, there is little published data on the reproductive success of Standardbred mares. Objective: To quantify the reproductive performance of Standardbred mares under artificial breeding systems in a commercial setting and determine the incidence of early embryonic and other pre-partum losses. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Data from four commercial farms were collected across four breeding years, and all mares were bred via artificial insemination. A total of 3995 mares contributed 7229 mare years. First-cycle pregnancy rate (FCPR)...
Jondeau C, Guyonnet A, Losada A, Laloy E, Reyes-Gomez E, Le Dudal M, Chahory S.Objective: To describe a case of lipogranulomatous conjunctivitis in a horse.
Animal studied: A client-owned 12-year-old Standardbred gelding presenting with chronic conjunctivitis and palpebral masses.
Methods: Complete ophthalmic examination, surgical excision, histopathology, and bacterial culture of biopsy samples were performed.
Dementieva N, Nikitkina E, Shcherbakov Y, Nikolaeva O, Mitrofanova O, Ryabova A, Atroshchenko M, Makhmutova O, Zaitsev A.The specifics of breeding and selection significantly affect genetic diversity and variability within a breed. We present the data obtained from the genetic analysis of 21 thoroughbred and warmblood horse breeds. The most detailed information is described from the following breeds: Arabian, Trakehner, French Trotter, Standardbred, and Soviet Heavy Horse. The analysis of 509,617 SNP variants in 87 stallions from 21 populations made it possible to estimate the genetic diversity at the genome-wide level and distinguish the studied horse breeds from each other. In this study, we searched for heter...
Lagounova M, MacNicol JL, Weese JS, Pearson W.Synbiotics are often provided to horses receiving antibiotics to protect against microbiome disturbances, despite a lack of evidence for efficacy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a synbiotic product in horses receiving antibiotics. Sixteen actively racing Standardbred horses were randomly allocated (four-way crossover) to one of four groups: antibiotics (10 days; AB), synbiotics (28 days; PROBIOPlusTM; PBP), PBP + AB, or Control. The fecal microbiome was investigated using 16S rRNA sequencing, and fecal dry matter (DM; %), pH, and scores (FS; 0-9) were measured. Data we...
Olstad K, Ekman S, Bju00f6rnsdu00f3ttir S, Fjordbakk CT, Hansson K, Sigurdsson SF, Ley CJ.Recently, the central and third tarsal bones of 23 equine fetuses and foals were examined using micro-computed tomography. Radiological changes, including incomplete ossification and focal ossification defects interpreted as osteochondrosis, were detected in 16 of 23 cases. The geometry of the osteochondrosis defects suggested they were the result of vascular failure, but this requires histological confirmation. The study aim was to examine central and third tarsal bones from the 16 cases and to describe the tissues present, cartilage canals, and lesions, including suspected osteochondrosis le...
McCoy AM, Scolman KN.The aim of this study was to identify the radiographic prevalence of periarticular osteophytes of the distal tarsus in nonlame yearling Standardbred horses, and to evaluate its potential impact on race performance. Methods: Cross-sectional cohort study. Methods: Client-owned yearling Standardbred horses (n = 416). Methods: Bilateral tarsal radiographs were available from all horses for review. Osteophytes were measured on radiographs using clinical visualization software and categorized by size. Racing records were obtained from the United States Trotting Association. Regression analysis w...
Pu00e1l Z, Bodu00f3 G.Allograft arthroplasty is a promising cartilage-resurfacing technique. A 14-year-old horse was diagnosed with a medial femoral condyle subchondral bone cyst. Allografts were harvested from a young donor animal and implanted to fill the cyst cavity. A visual assessment of the surgical site was possible during follow-up arthroscopy. In addition to a desirable gliding surface and a good adaptation of the grafts, fibrillation of the cranial ligament of the medial meniscus was noted and debrided. The recipient horse became sound four months after follow-up surgery with a high level of owner satisfa...
Oheida AH, Shalgum AA, Alrtib AM, Booker AO, Ben-Naser KM, Davies HMS.Carpal conformation is an important factor in relation to joint soundness. The equine carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) was reported to have variations in its three palmaromedial articulations. Lacking one or more of these articulations has not been radiographically evaluated in Thoroughbred (TB) and Standardbred (SB) racehorses. The study aimed to identify the prevalence of the variation in the palmaromedial articulation of the carpometacarpal joint (PM-CMCJ) in TB and SB horses. Additionally, to detect the probability of having each of the three articulations within and between the breeds. Finall...
Poor performance is a multifactorial syndrome of racehorses, commonly associated with subclinical disorders, which can be diagnosed by exercise testing. Objective: Describe the prevalence of medical causes of poor performance in Standardbreds unassociated with lameness, and evaluate their relationships with fitness variables measured by exercise treadmill test. Methods: Hospital population of 259 nonlame Standardbred trotters referred for poor performance. Methods: The horses' medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Horses underwent a diagnostic protocol including resting examination, p...
Steel C, Ahern B, Zedler S, Vallance S, Galuppo L, Richardson J, Whitton C, Young A.Radiographs underestimate the extent of bone injury in horses with third carpal bone (C3) fractures (Fx). We aimed to describe bone pathologies identified using computed tomography (CT) and compare the diagnostic value of digital radiography (DR) and CT in horses with C3 Fx. CT images of 15 racehorses with C3 Fx and 10 controls were reviewed (Part 1) then DR and CT images of 26 racehorses (24 Thoroughbred, 2 Standardbred) with C3 Fx (Part 2) were evaluated. Agreement on fracture geometry and concomitant bone lesions was tested between DR and CT using the kappa statistic (Part 2). For agreement...
Zetterberg E, Leclercq A, Persson-Sjodin E, Lundblad J, Haubro Andersen P, Hernlund E, Rhodin M.Many horses, just before and during their athletic career, show vertical movement asymmetries, to the same degree as clinically lame horses. It is unknown whether these asymmetries are caused by pain or have alternative explanations, such as inherent biological variation. In the latter case, movement asymmetries would be expected to be present at a very young age. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of movement asymmetries in foals. Motion analysis, using an inertial measurement unit-based system (Equinosis), was performed on 54 foals (31 Swedish Warmbloods, 23 Standardbreds) during...
Carstensen H, Nissen SD, Saljic A, Hesselkilde EM, van Hunnik A, Hohl M, Sattler SM, Flu00f8gstad C, Hopster-Iversen C, Verheule S, Bu00f6hm M....Atrial fibrillation (AF) is more prevalent in athletes, and currently, the mechanisms are not fully understood. Atrial fibrillation inducibility and stability was investigated in trained and untrained Standardbred racehorses. The horses underwent echocardiography for evaluation of atrial size. High-density mapping during AF was performed, and the presence of structural remodeling, as well as the expression of inflammatory and pro-inflammatory markers in the atria, was studied. Atrial fibrillation sustained significantly longer after tachypacing in the trained horses, whereas no difference in A...
White R, Nath L, Hebart M, Franklin S.P wave indices are used as non-invasive electrocardiographic markers of atrial remodelling in humans. Few studies have investigated their use in animals. The aim of this study was to measure P wave duration and P wave dispersion (Pd) in healthy standardbred horses and investigate variables that might influence these measurements. A 12-lead electrocardiogram was recorded at rest and P wave indices were calculated in 53 horses. A general linear model was used to investigate the main effects: age, bodyweight, sex, resting heart rate, presence of a murmur, exercise status and the number of years r...
Burns TA, Watts MR, Belknap JK, van Eps AW.Supporting limb laminitis (SLL) is a complication of severe orthopedic disease in horses and is often life-limiting, yet the pathophysiology remains obscure. Objective: To investigate the role of digital lamellar inflammatory signaling in the pathophysiology of SLL using a model of unilateral weight bearing, hypothesizing that there would be evidence of lamellar inflammation in limbs subjected to the model. Methods: Thirteen healthy adult Standardbred horses were used for this study (11 geldings, 2 mares; mean age 6.5 ± 2.5 years; mean body weight 458.3 ± 32.8 kg). Methods: Randomized...
Marzok M, Kandeel M, Babiker H, Alkhodair KM, Farag A, Ibrahim H, El-Ashker M, Alghuwainem Y, El-Khodery S.The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic meta-analysis on echocardiographic measurements in normal Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. The current systematic meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). All the available published papers on the reference values of echocardiographic assessment via M-mode echocardiography were searched, and fifteen studies were finally selected for analysis. In both fixed and random effect, the confidence interval (CI) for the interventricular septum (IVS) was 2.8-3.1 and 4.7-7.5; for the ...
Doll CU, Bohner M, Berner D, Buettner K, Horstmeier C, Winter K, Burk J.Low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has gained increasing importance to monitor equine tendon lesions. Comparing results between studies and cases is hampered, because image analysis approaches vary strongly. This study aimed to improve reliability, comparability and time efficiency of quantitative MRI image analysis. Unassigned: Induced tendon lesions were studied over a 24-week period with 10 follow-up MRI examinations. Signal intensities (SIs) of tendons, tendon lesions, cortical bone and background, as well as lesion cross-sectional areas (CSAs) were measured. Lesion SI standardisat...
Roxon C, Slack J, Bender S, Burns H, Turner R.A 12-year-old Standardbred stallion presented with a 5-month history of a growing mass in the left testis as well as an overall decrease in left testicular size. Palpation and ultrasonography of the left testis revealed a firm, hypoechoic, clearly delineated soft tissue mass in the craniolateral portion of the testis that measured 2.5 × 2.3 × 1.9 cm. Two smaller, hypoechoic regions also were visible ultrasonographically in the left testis, suggesting the presence of multifocal/multicentric neoplasia. The affected testis was very small (testicular volume of 40.3 cm). The right testis was ...
Bertuglia A, Pallante M, Pillon G, Valle D, Pagliara E, Riccio B.This case series describes an alternative surgical technique to obtain reattachment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur (LTRF) as well as the clinical and radiological outcome of treated cases. Four Standardbred yearlings (6 lesions in total) underwent surgical fixation of large OCD defects in the LTRF under arthroscopic guidance. Reattachment of the OCD lesions was obtained using 3.0/3.7 mm headless bio-compression and absorbable poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) screws, inserted perpendicularly to the cartilage surface through the lesion. All horse...
Timmerman I, Macaire C, Hanne-Poujade S, Bertoni L, Martin P, Marin F, Chateau H.Repeatability and reproducibility of any measuring system must be evaluated to assess possible limitations for its use. The objective of this study was to establish the repeatability and the inter-operator reproducibility of a sensors-based system (EQUISYM) for quantifying gait asymmetries in horses.. Seven wireless IMUs were placed on the head, the withers, the pelvis, and the 4 cannon bones on three horses, by four different operators, four times on each horse, which led to a total of 48 repetitions randomly assigned. Data were collected along three consecutive days and analysed to calculate...
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a highly prevalent disorder in horses, which can be classified, based on the localization of the lesions, as Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD) or Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD). Although EGUS is recognized as a common cause of poor performance in racehorses, objective investigations about its relation with athletic capacity are lacking. Therefore, the present retrospective study aims to evaluate the associations between EGUS severity and some fitness parameters measured during an incremental treadmill test in Standardbred racehorses in trai...
Mild-moderate equine asthma (MEA) is a common respiratory disorder among racehorses, characterized by lower airway inflammation. Although it is generally agreed that MEA causes poor performance, contrasting results have been reported about the effects of tracheal mucus and the leukocyte populations of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on performance. This study aims to investigate the associations between airway inflammation and fitness parameters measured during an incremental treadmill test on Standardbred racehorses. For this purpose, the clinical records of 116 Standardbreds subjected to a ...
Gibson MJ, Legg KA, Gee EK, Rogers CW.After establishing a baseline of stipendiary stewards' reporting using the paper-based system in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons of harness racing, it is important to examine if the implementation of an online system has altered frequency and descriptors used for clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe the race level injury and reporting outcomes, and horse- and race-level variables associated with the rate of the reporting of these outcomes during the 2019/20 and2020/21 harness racing seasons in New Zealand. The introduction of the online system was associated with few ...
Vitale V, Vezzosi T, Di Franco C, Briganti A, Tognetti R, Conte G, Bucchioni E, Sgorbini M.For the echocardiographic examination horses should not be sedated unless absolutely necessary because this alters cardiac dimensions and indices of function. However, some horses do not tolerate the echocardiographic procedure and require sedation to conduct the examination safely and obtain good quality images. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the concurrent infusion of dobutamine in horses sedated with romifidine counteracts the cardiovascular changes observed with sedation alone. Twelve healthy untrained Standardbred mares were used. Three echocardiographic examinations ...
Minetti AE, ArdigO LP, Reinach E, Saibene F.Three-dimensional motion capture and metabolic assessment were performed on four standardbred horses while walking, trotting and galloping on a motorized treadmill at different speeds. The mechanical work was partitioned into the internal work (W(INT)), due to the speed changes of body segments with respect to the body centre of mass, and the external work (W(EXT)), due to the position and speed changes of the body centre of mass with respect to the environment. The estimated total mechanical work (W(TOT)=W(INT)+W(EXT)) increased with speed, while metabolic work (C) remained rather constant. A...
de Laat MA, McGowan CM, Sillence MN, Pollitt CC.Hyperinsulinaemia is known to induce laminitis experimentally in healthy ponies with no history of the condition. Horses are more insulin sensitive than ponies and whether prolonged hyperinsulinaemia and euglycaemia would have a similar laminitogenic effect requires study. Objective: To determine if laminitis results when the prolonged euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique (p-EHC) is applied to clinically normal Standardbred horses, and to monitor hoof wall temperature seeking an association between vascular activity and laminitis development. Methods: Eight young, clinically normal St...
Willing B, Vu00f6ru00f6s A, Roos S, Jones C, Jansson A, Lindberg JE.Diets rich in readily fermentable carbohydrates, fed traditionally to meet the increased energy requirements of the performance horse, are associated with a number of gastrointestinal disorders that involve disturbances in the intestinal microbiota, however, these changes are poorly understood. Objective: With the long-term objective of improving intestinal health and to increase understanding of the relationship between diet and microbiota, the effect of feeding Standardbred horses a high-energy forage-only (F) diet was studied compared to a more traditional forage-concentrate (C) diet on fae...
Bamford NJ, Potter SJ, Harris PA, Bailey SR.Breed-related differences may occur in the innate insulin sensitivity (SI) of horses and ponies, an important factor believed to be associated with the risk of laminitis. The aim of this study was to measure the glucose and insulin responses of different breeds of horses and ponies in moderate body condition to a glucose-containing meal and to compare these responses with the indices of SI as determined by a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT). Eight Standardbred horses, 8 mixed-breed ponies, and 7 Andalusian-cross horses with a mean ± SEM BCS 5.0 ± 0.3 of 9 were us...
Crovace A, Lacitignola L, Rossi G, Francioso E.The aim of this study was to compare treatment with cultured bone marrow stromal cells (cBMSCs), bone marrow Mononucleated Cells (BMMNCs), and placebo to repair collagenase-induced tendinitis in horses. In six adult Standardbred horses, 4000 IU of collagenase were injected in the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT). Three weeks after collagenase treatment, an average of either 5.5 x 10(6) cBMSCs or 1.2 x 10(8) BMMNCs, fibrin glue, and saline solution was injected intralesionally in random order. In cBMSC- and BMMNCS-treated tendons, a high expression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein...
Begg LM, O'Sullivan CB.To report the prevalence and distribution of gastric ulceration within a group of racehorses and to describe the endoscopic appearance of gastric antrum and pyloric ulceration. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: Medical records from gastroscopic examinations of 345 racehorses (331 Thoroughbreds and 14 Standardbreds) were reviewed. Prevalence, distribution and severity of gastric ulcers were recorded. Lesions involving the squamous mucosa and the glandular mucosa of the antrum and pylorus were graded and compared. Results: Gastric ulceration was found in 86% of racehorses. The squa...
Lindholm A, Piehl K.LINDHOLM, ARNE and KARIN PIEHL: Acta vet. scand. 1974, , 287–309. — Measurements of metabolites, electrolytes, water, RNA and protein concentrations, the activity of certain muscle enzymes (SDH and PFK) and muscle fibre composition were made on biopsy specimens from the gluteus medius muscle of 68 standardbred horses, ½ to 8 years old. The muscle fibres were classified in 3 major categories, slow twitch (ST), fast twitch and high oxidative (FTH) and fast twitch (FT) fibres. The percentage of FTH fibres was higher after the age of 4 years, averaging 54 %. ST fibres comprised 24 % and this...
Waselau M, Sutter WW, Genovese RL, Bertone AL.To determine outcome of Standardbred racehorses with moderate to severe midbody suspensory ligament desmitis (MSD) treated by means of ultrasound-guided intralesional injection of a single dose of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) followed by a program of gradually increased exercise. Methods: Nonrandomized clinical trial. Methods: 9 Standardbred racehorses. Methods: Following injection of PRP, horses were allowed a controlled, gradual return to exercise. Race records for the year prior to injury and for 3 consecutive years after horses returned to racing were reviewed. For comparison purposes, race ...
Metzger J, Philipp U, Lopes MS, da Camara Machado A, Felicetti M, Silvestrelli M, Distl O.Copy number variants (CNVs) have been shown to play an important role in genetic diversity of mammals and in the development of many complex phenotypic traits. The aim of this study was to perform a standard comparative evaluation of CNVs in horses using three different CNV detection programs and to identify genomic regions associated with body size in horses. Results: Analysis was performed using the Illumina Equine SNP50 genotyping beadchip for 854 horses. CNVs were detected by three different algorithms, CNVPartition, PennCNV and QuantiSNP. Comparative analysis revealed 50 CNVs that affecte...
Brooks SA, Makvandi-Nejad S, Chu E, Allen JJ, Streeter C, Gu E, McCleery B, Murphy BA, Bellone R, Sutter NB.Horses, like many domesticated species, have been selected for broad variation in skeletal size. This variation is not only an interesting model of rapid evolutionary change during domestication, but is also directly applicable to the horse industry. Breeders select for complex traits like body size and skeletal conformation to improve marketability, function, soundness and performance in the show ring. Using a well-defined set of 35 measurements, we have identified and quantified skeletal variation in the horse species. We collected measurements from 1215 horses representing 65 breeds of dive...
Lacourt M, Gao C, Li A, Girard C, Beauchamp G, Henderson JE, Laverty S.To correlate degenerative changes in cartilage and subchondral bone in the third carpal bone (C3) of Standardbred racehorses with naturally occurring repetitive trauma-induced osteoarthritis. Methods: Fifteen C3, collected from Standardbred horses postmortem, were assessed for cartilage lesions by visual inspection and divided into Control (CO), Early Osteoarthritis (EOA) and Advanced Osteoarthritis (AOA) groups. Two osteochondral cores were harvested from corresponding dorsal sites on each bone and scanned with a micro-computed tomography (CT) instrument. 2D images were assembled into 3D reco...
Pollitt CC.Thirty-two dorsal, mid-hoof wall, lamellar sections from 8 Standardbred horses, humanely killed 48 h after the administration of an alimentary carbohydrate overload, were sectioned and examined by light microscopy. Sections were stained with the connective tissue and basement membrane stains periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Azan and periodic acid silver methanamine (PASM) and with routine haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Lesions of the epidermal lamellae, attributable to laminitis, were graded in order of increasing severity from Grade N (normal), Grade 1 (mild), Grade 2 (moderate) to Grade 3 (severe ...
Lavoie JP, Cesarini C, Lavoie-Lamoureux A, Moran K, Lutz S, Picandet V, Jean D, Marcoux M.There is limited information relating bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology and cytokine messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression in racehorses with inflammatory airway disease (IAD). HYPOTHESIS AND OBJECTIVE: We hypothesize that cytokine expression in BAL cells would correlate with cytology. Thus, we evaluated the mRNA expression of selected cytokines in BAL cells in racehorses with exercise intolerance and lower airway inflammation. Methods: Thirty-one client-owned Standardbred racehorses with exercise intolerance. Methods: Prospective, observational study. Cells were obtained by BAL, an...
Milinovich GJ, Trott DJ, Burrell PC, Croser EL, Al Jassim RA, Morton JM, van Eps AW, Pollitt CC.Carbohydrate-induced laminitis in horses is characterized by marked changes in the composition of the hindgut microbiota, from a predominantly Gram-negative population to one dominated by Gram-positive bacteria. The objective of this study was to monitor changes in the relative abundance of selected hindgut bacteria that have previously been implicated in the pathophysiology of equine laminitis using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Caecal cannulae were surgically implanted in five Standardbred horses and laminitis induced by oral administration of a bolus dose of oligofructose. Caec...
Bamford NJ, Potter SJ, Baskerville CL, Harris PA, Bailey SR.The relationships between diet, obesity and insulin dysregulation in equids require further investigation due to their association with laminitis. This study examined the effect of dietary glycaemic load and increased adiposity on insulin sensitivity and adipokine concentrations in different equine breeds. Equal numbers of Standardbred horses, mixed-breed ponies and Andalusian horses were provided with ad libitum hay plus either cereal-rich (CHO; n = 12), fat-rich (FAT; n = 12) or control (CON; n = 9) meals over 20 weeks. The isocaloric CHO and FAT diets were fed to induce obesity ...
Tseng CT, Miller D, Cassano J, Bailey E, Antczak DF.A system for identifying equine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes was developed based on five polymorphic microsatellites located within the MHC region on ECA 20. Molecular signatures for 50 microsatellite haplotypes were recognized from typing 353 horses. Of these, 23 microsatellite haplotypes were associated with 12 established equine leucocyte antigen (ELA) haplotypes in Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds. Five ELA serotypes were associated with multiple microsatellite subhaplotypes, expanding the estimates of diversity in the equine MHC. The strong correlations between serolog...
Medina-Torres CE, Weese JS, Staempfli HR.Fecal samples were collected to establish the apparent prevalence of Clostridium difficile shedding in Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses housed at 4 racetracks and 2 breeding facilities, and in horses admitted to a referral large animal clinic. Forty-one (7.59%) of 540 racetrack horses, seven (5.83%) of 120 breeding farm horses, and four (4.88%) out of 82 horses admitted to the referral clinic were culture-positive for C. difficile. An overall fecal culture prevalence of 7.01% for C. difficile was identified in 742 fecal samples. PCR-ribotyping and toxin gene identification was performe...
Depecker M, Richard EA, Pitel PH, Fortier G, Leleu C, Couroucu00e9-Malblanc A.The aim of this study was to determine whether the lung side being sampled would significantly influence bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytological profiles and subsequent diagnosis in Standardbred racehorses. One hundred and thirty-eight French Trotters in active training and racing were included in a prospective observational study. BAL was performed using videoendoscopy in both right and left lungs during summer meetings in 2011 (64 horses) and 2012 (74 horses). Cytological data performed 24h later from right and left lungs were compared and specifically used to classify horses as affected wi...
Dionne RM, Vrins A, Doucet MY, Paru00e9 J.This study was performed to estimate the prevalence of gastric ulcers in Standardbred racehorses, to describe the lesion score and location, and to identify potential risk factors. Two hundred seventy-five (275) Standardbred horses from 5 training centers and 2 racetracks in Quebec, Canada, were studied. Historical data for the 2 months before examination were recorded for each horse, and the presence of gastric ulcers was determined by gastroscopy. A previously reported scoring system that used grades 0-3 for gastric lesions was used. Overall, 121 horses (44.0%; 95% CI, 38.1-50.1%) had gastri...
Liburt NR, Adams AA, Betancourt A, Horohov DW, McKeever KH.Studies have demonstrated increases in mRNA expression for inflammatory cytokines following exercise in horses and have suggested those markers of inflammation may play a role in delayed onset muscle soreness. However, measurement of mRNA expression in white blood cells is an indirect method. No studies to date have documented the cytokine response to exercise directly in muscle in horses. Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that exercise increases cytokine markers of inflammation in blood and muscle. Methods: Blood and muscle biopsies were obtained from 4 healthy, unfit Standardbred m...
Lykkjen S, Dolvik NI, McCue ME, Rendahl AK, Mickelson JR, Roed KH.Osteochondrosis (OC), a disturbance in the process of endochondral ossification, is by far the most important equine developmental orthopaedic disease and is also common in other domestic animals and humans. The purpose of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) at the intermediate ridge of the distal tibia in Norwegian Standardbred (SB) using the Illumina Equine SNP50 BeadChip whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay. Radiographic data and blood samples were obtained from 464 SB yearlings. Based on the radiographi...
Hultu00e9n C, Gru00f6nlund U, Hirvonen J, Tulamo RM, Suominen MM, Marhaug G, Forsberg M.Despite the importance of noninfectious joint diseases in equine medicine, little is known about the acute phase response which may be elicited if the local inflammatory process of noninfectious arthritis is sufficiently strong, Therefore the aim of this study was to monitor the systemic inflammatory response during experimentally-induced noninfectious arthritis by studying the dynamics in serum of the acute phase proteins serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, fibrinogen and alpha2-globulins. Twenty-four Standardbred horses, age 3-7 years, found healthy on thorough clinical, radiological, haemat...
Couu00ebtil LL, Denicola DB.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology, arterial blood gases and plasma lactate concentration during a standardised treadmill test (STT) in racehorses with small-airway inflammation (SAI), or exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Sixteen Thoroughbred and 20 Standardbred actively racing racehorses, were divided into a control group (n = 10), EIPH group (n = 13) and SAI group (n = 13). Each STT consisted of a 2 min trot at 4 m/s followed by 5 x 1 min, incremental speed steps (6, 8, 10, 11 and 12 m/s) at 10% incline for Th...
MacNamara B, Bauer S, Iafe J.Endoscopic examinations were performed on 965 Standardbred racehorses competing at Yonkers Raceway between June 16 and Aug 3, 1988, to demonstrate an association between exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and poor racing performance. Findings suggested that both exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease adversely affect performance, whereas a combination of the 2 conditions more severely affects racing performance than do either of the conditions individually.
Bertuglia A, Pagliara E, Grego E, Ricci A, Brkljaca-Bottegaro N.Joint impact injuries initiate a progressive articular damage finally leading to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Racehorses represent an ideal, naturally available, animal model of the disease. Standardbred racehorses developing traumatic osteoarthritis of the fetlock joint during the first year of their career were enrolled in our study. Age-matched controls were contemporarily included. Biomarker levels of equine osteoarthritis were measured in serum and synovial fluid (SF) at baseline, and repeated yearly over the next 4 years of training (from T1 to T4). The effect of time and disea...
Richard EA, Depecker M, Defontis M, Leleu C, Fortier G, Pitel PH, Couroucu00e9-Malblanc A.Multiple cytological patterns occur in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of horses with inflammatory airway disease (IAD). Only few data on BALF cytokine profiles are available for horses with IAD, and are limited to mRNA expression. Objective: Cytological profiles of IAD are associated with different BALF immunological pathways. To investigate BALF cytokine concentrations in a large number of horses with neutrophilic IAD. Methods: One hundred and thirty-eight client-owned Standardbred racehorses in active training. Methods: Prospective observational study. BALF samples were obtained from le...
van de Goor LH, van Haeringen WA, Lenstra JA.As a consequence of the close integration of horses into human society, equine DNA analysis has become relevant for forensic purposes. However, the information content of the equine Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci commonly used for the identification or paternity testing has so far not been fully characterized. Population studies were performed for 17 polymorphic STR loci (AHT4, AHT5, ASB2, ASB17, ASB23, CA425, HMS1, HMS2, HMS3, HMS6, HMS7, HTG4, HTG6, HTG7, HTG10, LEX3 and VHL20) including 8641 horses representing 35 populations. The power of parental exclusion, polymorphic information content...
Kearns CF, McKeever KH, Roegner V, Brady SM, Malinowski K.Plasma concentrations of adiponectin and leptin were measured in 23 mature Standardbred mares (age: 10+/-3 years) and 12 weanling fillies (10 Quarter Horse/Belgian crossbreds and two Quarter Horses; aged: 4+/-3 months) to test the hypothesis that adipocytokines are proportional to adiposity in horses. Rump fat thickness was measured using B-mode ultrasound and percent body fat (% fat) calculated using a published formula for the estimation of fatness in horses. Plasma adiponectin and leptin were determined using radioimmunoassay. In the absence of purified equine adiponectin or leptin, results...
Richard EA, Fortier GD, Denoix JM, Art T, Lekeux PM, Van Erck E.Inflammatory airway disease (IAD) is a nonseptic condition of the lower respiratory tract. Its negative impact on respiratory function has previously been described using either forced expiration or forced oscillations techniques. However, sedation or drug-induced bronchoconstriction were usually required. The impulse oscillometry system (IOS) is a noninvasive and sensitive respiratory function test validated in horses, which could be useful to evaluate IAD-affected horses without further procedures. Objective: To determine the sensitivity of IOS in detecting alterations of the respiratory fun...
Jeffcott LB, Field JR, McLean JG, O'Dea K.The existence of an innate insulin insensitivity in ponies was investigated and compared with the situation in larger breeds of horse. Ponies that were fat or had previously suffered laminitis were found to be far more intolerant to oral glucose loading (1 g/kg bodyweight [bwt]) than normal ponies or Standardbreds. These ponies also exhibited a far greater response in plasma insulin levels after glucose loading. Insulin response tests (0.4 iu/kg bwt insulin intravenously) showed only a minimal and very protracted response in both the fat and laminitic groups. The relevance of these findings in...
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