Veterinary medicine for horses encompasses the study and application of medical practices to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases in equine species. This field involves a comprehensive understanding of equine anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. Veterinary practitioners employ a range of diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions to address health issues in horses, including lameness, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory conditions, and infectious diseases. Preventative care, such as vaccination and deworming programs, is also a significant aspect of equine veterinary medicine. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of veterinary medicine as it pertains to horses, including advancements in diagnostic techniques, treatment protocols, and preventive health strategies.
Lima TS, Silva RAF, Pereira RMF, Soares KL, Santos NTA, Sousa MS, Mendonça FS, Lucena RB.The skin of donkeys and mules represents a promising source of income; however, cultural, productive, and infectious factors can directly interfere with the quality of the integumentary tissue and well-being of these species. The objective of this study is to present a literature review on equine dermatopathies. This literature review included scientific articles related to equine medicine and breeding according to pre-established search terms and expressions published in recently articles. The evaluation of the clinical and pathological behavior of dermatopathies implies the use of control st...
León B, Jiménez-Sánchez C, Retamosa-Izaguirre M.Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an arbovirus transmitted by arthropods, widely distributed in the Americas that, depending on the subtype, can produce outbreaks or yearly cases of encephalitis in horses and humans. The symptoms are similar to those caused by dengue virus and in the worst-case scenario, involve encephalitis, and death. MaxEnt is software that uses climatological, geographical, and occurrence data of a particular species to create a model to estimate possible niches that could have these favorable conditions. We used MaxEnt with a total of 188 registers of VEEV pr...
Ferreira JC, Pires RH, Costa GBD, Carrijo BN, Guiotto FG, Rodrigues VS.The goal of the present study was to characterize the antimicrobial action of different ozone (O) presentations against Pythium insidiosum isolated from horses. In experiment 1, P. insidiosum was treated with ozonated distilled water, ozonated sunflower oils with distinct peroxide indexes or O gas (72 μg O mL). In experiment 2, samples were exposed one or three times to oxygen (O) or O gas (72 μg O mL; 30 min/day). In experiment 3, P. insidiosum was treated with different concentrations of O gas (Ø, 32, 52, or 72 μg O mL) for three days (30 min/day). In experiment 4, samples were ex...
Papin J, Stuhtmann G, Martinsson G, Sieme H, Lundeheim N, Ntallaris T, Morrell JM.Removal of seminal plasma facilitates stallion sperm survival during storage, but washing may damage sperm chromatin. Therefore, sperm quality was compared in samples following single-layer centrifugation (SLC) or sperm washing and controls (extension only) in two extenders, INRA82 and INRA96. Ejaculates from six stallions were split among six treatments: SLC, sperm washing, and controls, in INRA82 and INRA96. Sperm motility and acrosome status were evaluated at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours; morphology at 0, 24, 48, 72 hours and chromatin integrity at 0 and 96 hours, with storage at 6°C. Sperm ...
Kearney CM, Korthagen NM, Plomp SGM, Labberté MC, de Grauw JC, van Weeren PR, Brama PAJ.Intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide is a widely used treatment for joint inflammation despite limited scientific evidence of its efficacy. Objective: To investigate if intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide has sustained anti-inflammatory effects using an equine model of repeated joint inflammation. Methods: Randomised controlled experimental study. Methods: For three consecutive cycles 2 weeks apart, inflammation was induced in both middle carpal joints of eight horses by injecting 0.25 ng lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After the first LPS injection only, treatment with 12 mg triamcinolone...
Tukia E, Wagner B, Vainio K, Mönki J, Kareskoski M.Postpartum metritis in mares is a life-threatening condition associated with severe clinical signs due to endotoxemia, and it is often followed by complications such as laminitis. Repeated large-volume uterine lavages are commonly recommended as a part of the treatment protocol to remove endotoxin-laden contents from the uterus. It has, however, also been suggested that lavages may increase the uptake of endotoxin into the circulation, leading to a deterioration of clinical signs. Endotoxemia is associated with the release of a multitude of inflammatory mediators regulating the immune response...
Di Salvo A, Chiaradia E, Nannarone S, Della Rocca G.Joint pain is a major cause of lameness in animals such as horses and dogs, and it may affect their athletic performance and quality of life. The intra-articular administration of analgesic/antinflammatory drugs is a common practice in veterinary medicine, for both lameness diagnosis and joint pain management. It is used either perioperatively, such as in animals undergoing arthroscopy/arthrotomy, and in osteoarthritic animals. However, evidence regarding efficacy and safety of each drug is limited, and controversies persist in these areas. In particular, it is often uncertain whether a define...
Bertram FM, Thompson PN, Venter M.Although West Nile virus (WNV) is endemic to South Africa (RSA), it has only become recognized as a significant cause of neurological disease in humans and horses locally in the past 2 decades, as it emerged globally. This article describes the epidemiological and clinical presentation of WNV in horses across RSA during 2016-2017. In total, 54 WNV-positive cases were identified by passive surveillance in horses with febrile and/or neurological signs at the Centre for Viral Zoonoses, University of Pretoria. They were followed up and compared to 120 randomly selected WNV-negative controls with t...
Brady HA, James CR, Dendy DW, Irwin TA, Thompson LD, Camp TM.This study examined the effects of 15 sessions of hippotherapy (HPOT) on gross motor skills in children (aged 2-3 years) with gross motor developmental delay (DD) (n = 11) in comparison with age-based controls without DD (n = 6). Gross motor skills in both groups were assessed with the Battelle Developmental Inventory 2nd Edition, and gait parameters were measured using a computerized gait analysis system prestudy and poststudy. The DD group took part in 15 sessions of HPOT, and the control (CON) group did not participate in any equine activities. The statistical analysis examined preinterv...
Sarin JK, Te Moller NCR, Mohammadi A, Prakash M, Torniainen J, Brommer H, Nippolainen E, Shaikh R, Mäkelä JTA, Korhonen RK, van Weeren PR, Afara IO....To assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for in vivo arthroscopic monitoring of cartilage defects. Sharp and blunt cartilage grooves were induced in the radiocarpal and intercarpal joints of Shetland ponies and monitored at baseline (0 weeks) and at three follow-up timepoints (11, 23, and 39 weeks) by measuring near-infrared spectra in vivo at and around the grooves. The animals were sacrificed after 39 weeks and the joints were harvested. Spectra were reacquired ex vivo to ensure reliability of in vivo measurements and for reference analyses. Additionally, cartilage thickn...
Pugliese BR, Brisbois AL, Size KJ, St George LB, Hobbs SJ, Kirker-Head CA.To evaluate the ability of novel legwear designed to limit extension of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) to redirect loading forces from the flexor apparatus during walk, trot, and canter on a treadmill and during unrestrained and restrained activity in a stall. Methods: 6 adult horses without musculoskeletal disease. Methods: Legwear-derived force data were recorded under 4 conditions: inactive state (unlimited legwear extension) and 3 active (restrictive) states (mild, 30° extension; moderate, 20° extension; or maximum, 10° extension). Associations between peak legwear loads and torqu...
Lund JR, Ketover HR, Hetzel S, Waller K, Brounts SH.To evaluate with CT the characteristics of brain tissue disruption and skull damage in cadaveric heads of adult horses caused by each of 6 firearm-ammunition combinations applied at a novel anatomic aiming point. Methods: 53 equine cadaveric heads. Methods: Heads placed to simulate that of a standing horse were shot with 1 of 6 firearm-ammunition combinations applied at an aiming point along the external sagittal crest of the head where the 2 temporalis muscles form an inverted V. Firearm-ammunition combinations investigated included a .22-caliber long rifle pistol firing a 40-grain, plated le...
Parkes RSV, Pfau T, Weller R, Witte TH.During racing, injury is more likely to occur on a bend than on a straight segment of track. This study aimed to quantify the effects of galloping at training speeds on large radius curves on stride parameters and limb lean angle in order to assess estimated consequences for limb loading. Seven Thoroughbred horses were equipped with a sacrum-mounted inertial measurement unit with an integrated GPS, two hoof-mounted accelerometers and retro-reflective markers on the forelimbs. Horses galloped 2-4 circuits anticlockwise around an oval track and were filmed at 120 frames per second using an array...
Rabbogliatti V, De Zani D, Zani DD, Di Cesare F, Brioschi FA, Gioeni D, Crivellari B, Ravasio G.To compare the peribulbar injectate distribution and probability of regional anaesthesia of four peribulbar anaesthetic techniques in equine cadavers. Methods: Prospective experimental cadaver study. Methods: A total of 12 isolated equine cadaver heads and 24 eyes. Methods: The 24 orbits underwent one of four injection techniques (six orbits each) with a mixture (1:4) of contrast medium and saline (CM): 20 mL ventrolateral peribulbar injection (V-20), 20 mL dorsolateral peribulbar injection (D-20), combined ventrolateral and dorsolateral peribulbar injections 10 mL each (VD-20) or 20 mL each (...
Salant H, Rojas A, Yardeny D, Brenner O, Schvartz G, Baneth G, Dvir E.Draschia megastoma, Habronema microstoma, and Habronema muscae are the etiological agents of cutaneous habronemosis, commonly known as summer sores, an inflammatory cutaneous and ocular parasitic disease of horses and other equids transmitted by flies. Here, we describe a cluster of cutaneous habronemosis in five horses that showed single or multiple typical cutaneous ulcerative wounds located on the face, lower forelegs or hindquarters in Israel with the presence of typical "sulphur granules." All affected animals were confirmed by histopathological and/or molecular methods to be infected by ...
Paraschou G, Adako GM, Priestnall SL, Burden FA.Three donkeys were presented with progressive lameness and distal suspensory ligament breakdown in multiple limbs. Treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was only partially effective and eventually the donkeys were euthanized due to further progression of the lameness and concerns for their welfare. At necropsy, the distal part of the suspensory ligaments in multiple limbs, including the suspensory ligament branches, was markedly thickened, enlarged, and mottled white and brown on cut section. In one case, adult sp. nematodes were grossly identified embedded within the suspensory...
Alves NC, Diniz SA, Viegas RN, Cortes SF, Costa ED, Freitas MM, Martins-Filho OA, Araújo MSS, Lana ÂMQ, Wenceslau RR, Lagares MA.The aim of this study was to improve the quality of frozen-thawed equine sperm by the addition of caffeine to it. Semen from nine stallions was frozen and different concentrations of caffeine (3, 5 and 7.5 mM) were added to frozen-thawed semen. The sperm kinetic parameters, membrane functionality and integrity, and acrosome integrity and spontaneous acrosome reacted sperm were evaluated with a computer-assisted sperm analysis, a hypoosmotic swelling test and epifluorescent microscopy, respectively. Nitrite and hydroperoxide concentrations of frozen-thawed semen were measured using spectrophot...
Bevevino KE, Edwards JF, Cohen ND, de Solis CN.Ultrasonography is increasingly being used as a clinical and research method for evaluating the gastrointestinal tract in horses, however published studies comparing ultrasonographic and histologic characteristics of equine intestinal wall layers are currently lacking. Objectives of this prospective, observational, methods comparison, case series study were to compare the layering pattern and thickness of the intestinal wall layers determined using ex vivo and in vivo ultrasonography with those determined using histology. For the ex vivo study, twelve horses were euthanized for reasons unrelat...
Rowland AL, Miller D, Berglund A, Schnabel LV, Levine GJ, Antczak DF, Watts AE.Allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been used clinically for decades, without cross-matching, on the assumption that they are immune-privileged. In the equine model, we demonstrate innate and adaptive immune responses after repeated intra-articular injection with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) mismatched allogeneic MSCs, but not MHC matched allogeneic or autologous MSCs. We document increased peri-articular edema and synovial effusion, increased synovial cytokine and chemokine concentrations, and development of donor-specific antibodies in mismatched recipients compared wi...
Ai S, Zhang Z, Wang X, Zhang Q, Yin W, Duan Z.Protozoans of Entamoeba spp. are globally distributed zoonotic parasites that infect diverse animal hosts and humans. Prevalence and species/genotypes distribution of Entamoeba spp. in domestic animals are not fully investigated on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), an animal husbandry and agriculture region of China. In a survey, 528 fecal samples were collected from 7 species of domestic animals on multiple locations across QTP region and analyzed by PCR and sequencing analysis. The overall prevalence of Entamoeba spp. infection in all examined animals was 97.9 %. Four Entamoeba species, E. bovi...
Ahmed W, Elbrønd VS, Harrison AP, Hart JO, Williams RE.Back pain is a common condition in horses, yet despite this, quantitative assessments of the efficacy of treatment are scarce. Mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) and acoustic myography (AMG) recordings were obtained, both preinterventionand postintervention, from the left and right epaxial muscles in eight healthy general riding horses (mean age 17 ± 6 yrs). Using an algometer, MNT readings were taken at each of the 6 preselected points along the thoracolumbar M. longissimus and M. gluteus medius region. AMG recordings of the M. longissimus and M. gluteus medius were taken while wal...
Van Diest TJ, Kogan CJ, Kopper JJ.Hospitalized horses are at risk for colic due to several factors, all of which may reduce voluntary water intake (VWI) further contributing to the development of colic during hospitalization. Our objectives were to determine if using flavored water (sweet feed, peppermint, or apple-flavored electrolyte) increases VWI of hospitalized horses and to determine if horses consumed more flavored water versus plain water. We hypothesized that (1) in hospitalized horses the availability of flavored water results in more VWI than the availability of unflavored water and that (2) average intake of flavor...
Horn R, Stewart AJ, Jackson KV, Dryburgh EL, Medina-Torres CE, Bertin FR.Diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is problematic because of large variations in ACTH concentrations. Objective: Compare the test characteristics of baseline and post-thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation plasma ACTH concentrations in horses using diagnostic cutoff values (DCOVs) and reference intervals (RIs) and determine the clinical consequences of using each method. Methods: One hundred six mature horses: 72 control cases and 34 PPID cases. Methods: Prospective case-controlled study. Horses underwent monthly TRH stimulation tests. Diagnostic cutoff values w...
Silva EC, Oliveira TJ, Moreli FC, Harada LK, Vila MMDC, Balcão VM.In the present research work, we propose a new antimicrobial treatment for pyoderma via cutaneous permeation of bacteriophage particles conveyed in a hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) gel integrating ionic liquid as a permeation enhancer. Ionic liquids are highly viscous fluids constituted exclusively by ions, that are usually hydrolytically stable and promote solubilization of amphipathic molecules such as proteins, hence serving as green solvents and promoting the transdermal permeation of biomolecules. In the research effort entertained herein, the synthesis and use of choline geranate for integr...
Trenholme HN, Sakai DM, Berghaus LJ, Hanafi AL, Knych HK, Ryan CA, McHale B, Banovic F, Quandt JE, Barletta M, Reed RA. To evaluate changes in immunological parameters following subcutaneous (SC) and intramuscular (IM) administration of meperidine in horses through quantitative analysis of plasma tryptase, histamine, and IgE levels. Six adult horses were enrolled in a prospective randomized crossover design. Horses were administered one treatment per day, with a seven day washout period: (a) meperidine 1 mg/kg IM, saline 6 mL SC; (b) saline 6 mL IM, meperidine 1 mg/kg SC; (c) saline 6 mL SC, saline 6 mL IM. Blood samples were obtained for plasmatic histamine (baseline, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min) via LC-MS/MS ...
Riggs CM, Thompson SL, So YM, Wong JKY, Wan TSM, Robinson P, Stewart BD, Ho ENM.Administration of bisphosphonates, including tiludronic acid, to Thoroughbred racehorses below 3 and a half years of age is prohibited in most racing jurisdictions. Objective: To determine if evidence of administration of tiludronic acid could be obtained from analysis of blood and urine samples beyond 40 days after administration. Methods: Retrospective cohort. Methods: Horses maintained in a highly controlled environment and treated with Tildren®a were selected from clinical records. Twenty-four horses were identified, 21 of which were still in race training. Blood and urine samples were c...
Szewc M, De Waal T, Zintl A.Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a cause of significant losses in animal production worldwide. In recent years, there have been important advances in the biological control of GIN of ruminants and horses. While these measures are still relatively under-utilised in practice, interest will undoubtedly grow due to the emergence of drug resistant parasite populations, the rise in demand for organically farmed products (which does not allow prophylactic use of drugs, including anthelmintics) and legislation, which regulates and restricts the use of anthelmintics. This review provides an overvie...
Ehrmann C, Engel J, Moritz A, Roscher K.In addition to maintaining hemostasis, platelets have an important role in modulating innate and adaptive immune responses. A low platelet count has been found to be a negative prognostic factor for survival in humans and horses with critical illnesses, such as sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Decreased platelet aggregation, caused by in vivo activation, has been found in human patients with severe sepsis. In our prospective controlled study, we assessed platelet biology in blood samples from 20 equine SIRS cases and 120 healthy control horses. Platelet variables such ...
El-Sheikh Ali H, Dini P, Scoggin K, Loux S, Fedorka C, Boakari Y, Norris J, Esteller-Vico A, Kalbfleisch T, Ball B.Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ascending equine placentitis holds the potential for the development of new diagnostic tools and therapies to forestall placentitis-induced preterm labor. The current study characterized the equine placental transcriptome (chorioallantois [CA] and endometrium [EN]) during placentitis (placentitis group, n = 6) in comparison to gestationally-matched controls (control group, n = 6). Transcriptome analysis identified 2953 and 805 differentially expressed genes in CA and EN during placentitis, respectively. Upstream regulator analys...
Cordoni G, Williams A, Durham A, Florio D, Zanoni RG, La Ragione RM.Strangles is one of the most common equine infectious diseases with serious health, welfare and socio-economic impact. However, the detection of Streptococcus equi subspecies equi can be challenging and persistently infected carriers are common. Furthermore, the use of classical microbiology can result in an underestimation of the prevalence of the disease. The difficulties associated with the slow diagnosis of Strangles can result in rapid spread of the disease. Therefore, rapid and economical diagnostic tests are urgently required. Here, two multiplex assays, were developed and validated for...
Pourcelot P, Defontaine M, Ravary B, Lemâtre M, Crevier-Denoix N.The ability to measure the forces exerted in vivo on tendons and, consequently, the forces produced by muscles on tendons, offers a unique opportunity to investigate questions in disciplines as varied as physiology, biomechanics, orthopaedics and neuroscience. Until now, tendon loads could be assessed directly only by means of invasive sensors implanted within or attached to these collagenous structures. This study shows that the forces acting on tendons can be measured, in a non-invasive way, from the analysis of the propagation of an acoustic wave. Using the equine superficial digital flexor...
Lefrançois T, Blitvich BJ, Pradel J, Molia S, Vachiéry N, Pallavicini G, Marlenee NL, Zientara S, Petitclerc M, Martinez D.We conducted extensive surveillance for West Nile virus infection in equines and chickens in Guadeloupe in 2003-2004. We showed a high seroprevalence in equines in 2003 related to biome, followed by a major decrease in virus circulation in 2004. No human or equine cases were reported during the study.
Silva BC, Sandes SH, Alvim LB, Bomfim MR, Nicoli JR, Neumann E, Nunes AC.The aim of this study was to verify the suitable use of candidate 'probiotics' selected by in vitro tests and the importance of in vivo assays to nominate micro-organisms as probiotics and alternative prophylactic treatments for Salmonella Typhimurium infection. Results: Thirty-three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from foal's faeces were assessed based on the main desirable functional in vitro criteria. Based on these results, Pediococcus pentosaceus strain 40 was chosen to evaluate its putative probiotic features in a mouse model of Salmonella infection. Daily intragastric doses of Pe...
von Teichman BF, Smit TK.The polyvalent African Horsesickness (AHS) attenuated live vaccine (ALV) produced by Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) Ltd., South Africa, has been associated with some safety concerns and alleged cases of vaccine failure or vaccine-induced disease. The risk of reassortment and reversion to virulence is a common concern associated with the use of ALVs, and a phenomenon reported for viruses with segmented RNA genomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not reassortment of AHS vaccine strains could result in reassortants and reversion to virulence and therefore cause AHS...
Pihl TH, Scheepers E, Sanz M, Goddard A, Page P, Toft N, Andersen PH, Jacobsen S.The acute phase proteins (APP) serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, and fibrinogen are valuable blood biomarkers in equine inflammatory diseases, but knowledge of factors influencing their concentrations in blood and peritoneal fluid (PF) of horses with colic is needed. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of demographics (age, sex, breed), disease process (simple obstruction, strangulating obstruction, inflammatory), disease location, disease duration, hypovolemia, and admission hospital on concentrations of APP, lactate and white blood cell counts (WBC) in h...
Pitzer JB, Kaufman PE, Tenbroeck SH, Maruniak JE.A species-specific multiplex polymerase chain reaction targeting the cytochrome b gene of cattle, horses, humans, and dogs was developed to determine the blood meal sources of stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), collected from Florida equine facilities. Of 595 presumptive blood-fed stable flies analyzed, successful host amplification was obtained in 350, for a field host-detection efficiency of 58.8%. The majority of analyzed stable flies had fed on cattle (64.6%), followed by horses (24.3%), humans (9.5%), and dogs (1.6%). A survey of animal-enclosed pastures occurring within 3 km of stab...
Owen KR, Singer ER, Clegg PD, Ireland JL, Pinchbeck GL.Traumatic injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the horse and consequently pose a serious threat to horses' wellbeing. To date, there have been no published studies assessing the frequency of injuries in the general horse population of the UK. Objective: To obtain information regarding husbandry management strategies and injury prevalence in horses aged ≤15 years, with the aim of identifying predisposing risk factors for injury. Methods: A postal questionnaire was distributed to a randomly selected sample of horse owners across north-west England, Midlands and north Wales....
Shikh Alsook MK, Gabriel A, Piret J, Waroux O, Tonus C, Connan D, Baise E, Antoine N.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) harvested from cadaveric tissues represent a promising approach for regenerative medicine. To date, no study has investigated whether viable MSCs could survive in cadaveric tissues from tendon or ligament up to 72 hours of post-mortem. The purpose of the present work was to find out if viable MSCs could survive in cadaveric tissues from adult equine ligaments up to 72 hours of post-mortem, and to assess their ability (i) to remain in an undifferentiated state and (ii) to divide and proliferate in the absence of any specific stimulus. Methods: MSCs were isolated ...
Nemoto M, Morita Y, Niwa H, Bannai H, Tsujimura K, Yamanaka T, Kondo T.A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed for the rapid detection of equine coronavirus (ECoV). This assay was conducted at 60 °C for 40 min. Specificity of the RT-LAMP assay was confirmed using several equine intestinal and respiratory pathogens in addition to ECoV. The novel assay failed to cross-react with the other pathogens tested, suggesting it is highly specific for ECoV. Using artificially synthesized ECoV RNA, the 50% detection limit of the RT-LAMP assay was 10(1.8)copies/reaction. This is a 50-fold greater sensitivity than conventio...
Segabinazzi LGTM, Canisso IF, Podico G, Cunha LL, Novello G, Rosser MF, Loux SC, Lima FS, Alvarenga MA.Microorganisms, including pathogenic or opportunistic bacteria and fungi, may gain access to the uterus during breeding, and infectious endometritis plays a major role in equine subfertility. This study aimed to assess the post-breeding inflammatory response, endometrial culture, and embryo recovery of mares susceptible to persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE) treated with plasma-rich (PRP) or -poor (PPP) plasma. Mares (n = 12) susceptible to PBIE had three cycles randomly assigned to receive intrauterine infusions of lactate ringer solution (LRS, control), or autologous PRP or PPP p...
Dill SG, Correa MT, Erb HN, deLahunta A, Kallfelz FA, Waldron C.A case-control study was done to identify factors associated with the development of equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM). Questionnaires were mailed to the owners of 146 horses admitted to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine between November 1978 and June 1987 and diagnosed as having EDM by histologic examination. Questionnaires also were sent to owners of 402 clinically normal horses admitted to the college during the same period. Data were compared between the EDM-affected and control groups (56 and 179 questionnaires returned, respectively). Risk factors identified i...
Byron CR, Orth MW, Venta PJ, Lloyd JW, Caron JP.To characterize potential mechanisms of action of glucosamine inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression and activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated equine chondrocytes. Methods: Chondrocytes cultured from samples of metacarpophalangeal articular cartilage collected from cadaveric limbs of horses. Methods: The effect of glucosamine on MMP activity in conditioned medium from LPS-stimulated cartilage explants was determined by a colorimetric assay with azocoll substrate. Treatments consisted of negative and positive controls, glucose (50 mM), and glucosamine (50, 25, 6.25, 3...
Hamond C, Pestana CP, Rocha-de-Souza CM, Cunha LE, Brandão FZ, Medeiros MA, Lilenbaum W.Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance, and has a worldwide distribution. Equine leptospirosis is commonly manifested by recurrent uveitis, reproductive disorders, as abortions, embryonic absorption, stillbirth and the birth of weak foals. The aim of this study was to verify the presence of Leptospira sp or its DNA in genital tract of mares with reproductive problems. A total of 38 mares with reproductive problems were studied. All the mares were sampled for blood (for serology), urine (for culturing and qPCR), vaginal fluid-VF and endometrial biopsy-EB (for culturing, qPCR a...
Iacono E, Pascucci L, Rossi B, Bazzucchi C, Lanci A, Ceccoli M, Merlo B.Both in human and equine species, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from amniotic membrane (AM) and Wharton's jelly (WJ), may be particularly useful for immediate use or in later stages of life, after cryopreservation in cell bank. The aim of this study was to compare equine AM- and WJ-MSCs features that may be relevant for their clinical employment. MSCs were more easily isolated from WJ, even if MSCs derived from AM exhibited more rapid proliferation ( < 0.05). Osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation were more prominent in MSCs derived from WJ. This is also suggested by the lower adh...
Lindsay DS, Dubey JP, Kennedy TJ.The present study examined the efficacy of ponazuril in inhibiting merozoite production of Sarcocystis neurona in cell cultures. Ponazuril inhibited merozoite production by more that 90% in cultures of S. neurona treated with 1.0 microg/ml ponazuril and greater than 95% inhibition of merozoite production was observed when infected cultures were treated with 5.0 microg/ml ponazuril. Ponazuril may have promise as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of S. neurona induced equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in horses.
Riley CB, Liddiard JR, Thompson K.Specific estimates of the risk of horse-related injury (HRI) to university students enrolled in veterinary and animal sciences have not been reported. This study aimed to determine the risk of student HRI during their university education, the nature and management of such injuries. A retrospective questionnaire solicited demographic information, data on students' equine experience prior to and during their educational programs, and on HRI during their program of study. Of 260 respondents, 22 (8.5%) reported HRI (27 incidents). Including concurrent injuries the most commonly injured body parts...
Cochet M, Vaiman D, Lefèvre F.Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines of vertebrates with many biological effects including antiviral, immunoregulatory and antiproliferative activities. Among them, mammalian type I IFNs represents a large family of related proteins, mainly virus-inducible, divided in 10 distinct subfamilies named alpha, beta, omega, delta, epsilon, alphaomega, nu, tau, kappa and zeta (or Limitin). Some type I IFN subfamilies are physiologically expressed by the conceptus during early pregnancy in ungulates. This is the case in ruminants with IFN-tau (which triggers the maintenance of the maternal corpus luteum du...
Adams MK, Goodrich LR, Rao S, Olea-Popelka F, Phillips N, Kisiday JD, McIlwraith CW.The 2 sites of bone marrow harvest for isolation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the horse are the sternum and ilium. The technical procedure is based on practitioner preference, but no studies have compared MSC concentrations and growth rates between the sites in horses aged 2-5 years. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare nucleated cell counts and growth rates between the sternum and ilium and between consecutive 5 ml bone marrow aspirates. We hypothesised that there would be a higher concentration of MSCs in the sternum than the ilium, and that the first sequential a...
Alexander SL, Irvine CH, Livesey JH, Donald RA.A non-surgical, non-stressful technique was used for collection of pituitary venous blood from five conscious horses every minute for two 10-min periods before and during isolation from the herd, which caused a predictable, yet humane and physiological, emotional stress. Pituitary blood was also sampled every 5 min for two approximately 90-min periods before and after isolation, while jugular blood was sampled every 15 min throughout the experiment. During isolation, all horses became agitated, hyperventilating and sweating. Packed red cell volume increased, as did pituitary venous concentrati...
Van Grevenhof EM, Ducro BJ, Van Weeren PR, Van Tartwijk JM, Van den Belt AJ, Bijma P.Osteochondrosis (OC) is the most important orthopaedic developmental disorder in horses and may manifest in several different forms. No detailed study on the prevalence and/or interrelation of these forms is available, even though these data are a prerequisite for conclusive genetic studies. Objective: To assess the prevalence of the various manifestations of OC as detected radiographically and to evaluate possible relationships between their occurrence within the same joint and between different joints. Methods: The FP (femoropatellar), TC (tarsocrural) and MCP/MTP (metacarpophalangeal/metata...
Borchers K, Wolfinger U, Goltz M, Broll H, Ludwig H.Equine herpesvirus type 2 (EHV-2) is a slow-growing, cytopathogenic gammaherpesvirus, which is suggested to be ubiquitous in the equine population. However, its precise role as a pathogen and its tissue tropism remains uncertain. To estimate the prevalence of EHV-2 in Germany and to investigate the possible pathogenicity of the virus, peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) from 172 horses were examined for EHV-2 DNA by a sensitive and specific nested PCR based on the EcoRI-N genomic fragment and by classical cocultivation. PBL samples from 51% of the horses were positive by PCR and virus was isolat...
Hurley DJ, Parks RJ, Reber AJ, Donovan DC, Okinaga T, Vandenplas ML, Peroni JF, Moore JN.Administration of black walnut heartwood extract (BWHE) via nasogastric tube induces acute laminitis in horses. However, the processes responsible for the development of laminitis, including laminitis induced with BWHE, remain unclear. The results of recent studies indicate that administration of BWHE initiates an inflammatory response in the laminar tissues and that this response may be due to extravasation of activated leukocytes from the circulation. This study examines the effects of BWHE administration on the dynamics of circulating neutrophils and monocytes, and the capacity of blood leu...
Galiazzo G, De Silva M, Giancola F, Rinnovati R, Peli A, Chiocchetti R.The activation of cannabinoid and cannabinoid-related receptors by endogenous, plant-derived or synthetic cannabinoids may exert beneficial effects on pain perception. Of the cannabinoids contained in Cannabis sativa, cannabidiol (CBD) does not produce psychotropic effects and seems to represent a molecule having great therapeutic potential. Cannabidiol acts on a great number of cannabinoid and cannabinoid-related G-protein-coupled receptors and ionotropic receptors which have, to date, been understudied in veterinary medicine particularly in equine medicine. Objective: To localise the cellula...
Eder C, Curik I, Brem G, Crameri R, Bodo I, Habe F, Lazary S, Sölkner J, Marti E.To investigate whether allergen-specific IgE production is influenced by environmental and genetic factors, IgE levels against 2 mould extracts (Alternaria alternata [Alt a] and Aspergillus fumigatus [Asp f]) and against recombinant (r) rAlt a 1, rAsp f 7 and rAsp f 8 were determined by ELISA in sera from 448 Lipizzan horses living in 6 studfarms. Statistical evaluation showed a significant effect of studfarm-specific environment on IgE levels against the different allergens, but genetic factors also influenced allergen-specific IgE production: an heritability of 0.33 was found for IgE levels ...
Unger-Torroledo L, Straub R, Lehmann AD, Graber F, Stahl C, Frey J, Gerber V, Hoppeler H, Baum O.The lethal toxin of Clostridium sordellii (TcsL) evokes severe, mostly fatal disease patterns like toxic shock syndrome in humans and animals. Since this large clostridial toxin-induced severe muscle damaging when injected intramuscularly into mice, we hypothesized that TcsL is also associated with equine atypical myopathy (EAM), a fatal myodystrophy of hitherto unknown etiology. Transmission electron microscopy revealed skeletal and heart muscles of EAM-affected horses to undergo degeneration ultrastructurally similar to the damage found in TcsL-treated mice. Performing immunohistochemistry, ...
Hodgkinson JE, Freeman KL, Lichtenfels JR, Palfreman S, Love S, Matthews JB.The efficacy of five daily fenbendazole (FBZ) treatments was tested against benzimidazole-resistant cyathostomins in naturally infected horses (n=13). Horses were treated with pyrantel embonate (PYR) to remove adult strongyles followed, 7 days later, by a 5-day course of FBZ. The PYR treatment produced an average faecal egg count reduction of 98%. All samples were negative by faecal egg count 7 days after the start of the FBZ treatment. Positive egg counts were observed from 28 days after the start of FBZ treatment and all horses displayed positive faecal egg counts by 77 days after treatment....
Pongratz U, Licka T.The aim of this study was to provide information on algometric transmission of pressure through the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues of the equine back. Using a commercially available algometer, measurements were carried out with six different tips (hemispheric and cylindrical surfaces, contact areas 0.5 cm2, 1 cm2, and 2 cm2). In nine live horses the threshold of pressure that lead to any reaction was documented. In postmortem specimens of five euthanized horses the transmission of algometer pressure onto a pressure sensor placed underneath the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues at the level of the ...
Lee H, Yun SH, Hyon JY, Lee SY, Yi YS, Choi CW, Jun S, Park EC, Kim SI.Streptococcus equi subspecies equi is a pathogenic bacterium that causes strangles, a highly contagious respiratory infection in horses and other equines. The limitations of current vaccines against S. equi infection warrants the development of an affordable, safe, and effective vaccine. Because gram-positive extracellular vesicles (EVs) transport various immunogenic antigens, they are attractive vaccine candidates. Here, we purified the EVs of S. equi ATCC 39506 and evaluated them as a vaccine candidate against S. equi infection in mice. As an initial step, comparative proteomic analysis was ...
