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.
Zhao Y, Liu Y, Tao J, Cao J, Lin Y, He Q, Fang X, Yun S, Du M, Su S, Bao T, Bai D, Zhang X, Dugarjaviin M.Reproductive health in mares is pivotal for the sustainability of the equine industry, yet vaginal microbiota dysbiosis remains an underrecognized contributor to infections such as endometritis and bacterial vaginosis. While spp. dominate healthy vaginal ecosystems in humans and livestock, their role in equine reproductive health, particularly in resilient breeds like Mongolian mares, is poorly understood. This study aimed to isolate and characterize a novel strain from the vaginal microbiota of healthy Mongolian mares and evaluate its probiotic potential for mitigating equine reproductive d...
Rey-Conejo R, Toribio RE, Möller S, Müller E, Fores-Jackson P.Insulin dysregulation is a key component of equine metabolic syndrome and is commonly assessed using basal insulin concentrations. Different analyzers may yield variable insulin results, limiting comparability. Objective: To assess the analytical performance of the ADVIA Centaur XPT chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) for equine insulin measurement and to establish adapted decision thresholds based on comparison with a previously used CLIA method. Methods: Precision, linearity, and dilution recovery were assessed for the ADVIA Centaur XPT. A total of 89 equine serum samples submitted for basal...
Aßmann AD, Sànchez-Andrade JS, Argüelles D, Bischofberger AS.Diagnosing digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) pathologies, particularly manica flexoria (MF) tears, can be challenging with standard imaging modalities. Standing low-field MRI tenography (MRIt) may improve the detection rate of MF tears. This study aimed to compare ultrasonography, contrast radiography, pre-contrast MRI, and MRIt to detect naturally occurring MF lesions in horses undergoing tenoscopy. Ten horses with a positive DFTS block, which underwent contrast radiography, ultrasonography, MRI, MRIt, and tenoscopy were included. Two radiologists evaluated the images and recorded whether a...
Heun F, Delarocque J, Feige K, Hellige M.Nerve atrophy results in trigeminal nerve (TN) asymmetry detectable by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in humans, but similar studies have not been performed in horses with idiopathic trigeminal-mediated headshaking (ITMHS). Objective: Horses with ITMHS show greater MRI-detected trigeminal-nerve asymmetry than controls. Methods: A total of 20 adult horses with ITMHS and six unaffected control horses. Methods: Retrospective case-control study of the TN cross-sectional area (TNCSA) based on 3-Tesla MRI scans of the equine brain. TNCSA and its side-to-side differences at four defined measurement...
Gomes ÉR, Felix LA, Gonzaga LWF, da Silva NFD, Soares BCF, de Almeida JVFC, Souza GP, Pereira RN, Taffarel MO, Ferrante M.The combination of detomidine and midazolam may provide safer sedation with muscle-relaxant effects, which are particularly necessary during standing procedures. Unassigned: Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the sedative and muscle-relaxant effects of the detomidine/midazolam combination in horses through a pharmacodynamic study. Unassigned: Five horses were used and subjected to four experimental protocols: 15 µg/kg of detomidine (D15); a combination of detomidine (15 µg/kg) with 25 µg/kg (DM25), 50 µg/kg (DM50), or 75 µg/kg (DM75) of midazolam administered intravenously....
Gandini M, Bertone C, Giusto G.Castration remains a common surgical procedure in equids, yet postoperative complications such as hemorrhage, infection, and eventration persist, influencing surgical outcomes. This retrospective study introduced a novel modified semi-closed castration technique aimed at minimizing these complications. Eighty-five sexually intact mature male equids (including horses, ponies, and donkeys) underwent the described inguinal castration procedure under general anesthesia. The technique involved a carefully managed opening and subsequent secure closure of the parietal vaginal tunic, enabling direct i...
Loncar KD, Ortis HA, Foss RR.Production of embryos via intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a common clinical procedure in equine practice. A recent study indicates that treatment of mares with phenylbutazone paste significantly lowers blastocyst production after ICSI of recovered oocytes. The current study was conducted to determine the effect of different methods of phenylbutazone administration on in vitro embryo production of recovered oocytes in mares. Unassigned: In study 1 (July 29 through September 18, 2024), 14 mares received either oral liquid phenylbutazone once daily for 10 days or no treatment. On the l...
Agrícola R, Ribeiro G, Borges J, Carvalho L, Roquet I, Carvalho LM, Prazeres J.Duodenal pathologies are underreported in equine medicine, probably not due to little occurrence, but due to the limitations of current diagnostic techniques. The aim of this report is to describe a novel duodenoscopic approach, that allows a complete visualization of a region inaccessible via standard techniques. Gastroduodenoscopy was performed in a clinical setting in 60 adult horses referred to us due to complaints suspected to be related to gastroduodenal diseases. The initial steps of the procedure were performed using previously published techniques. Once the video-endoscope reached the...
Belhout C, Wang F, Rossano A, Collaud A, Fernandez JE, Marchionatti E, Keller JE, Overesch G, Kaessmeyer S, Schwendener S, Perreten V.Nine Gram-positive, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic cocci, designated EM39Eᵀ, JEK85, 18KM676, 21M1142, 18KM445, 18KM444, 18KM245, 18KM583 and 21KM1573, were isolated from diverse animal material, including horse and pig skin, bovine mastitis milk and feline urine from a urinary tract infection. Phylogenomic analysis based on amino-acid alignment obtained from translated whole-genome sequences; digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH); 16S rRNA, , , and gene comparison; and MALDI-TOF MS spectral profiles placed the strains within the clade. They were closely related to CCM 7100ᵀ, CCM 7...
Iduu NV, Raiford D, Cohen ND, Landrock KK, Wang C.We developed a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based real-time PCR (qPCR) assay coupled with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis to differentiate subsp. (SEE) from subsp. (SEZ), two closely related equine pathogens with distinct clinical implications. The assay targets a region of the 23S rRNA gene containing single-nucleotide polymorphisms that differentiate the subspecies. By combining subspecies-specific probes with melting temperature () analysis, the assay accurately distinguished SEE, SEZ, and mixed infections without the need for post-PCR processing. The entire work...
Seery R, Graham-Wisener L, Wells DL.Equine-Assisted Services (EAS), which incorporate horses in a variety of ways in an effort to improve human wellbeing, have grown in popularity in recent years. Although much research has been conducted regarding the benefits that horses may provide for human health and wellbeing, little attention has been paid to practitioners' experiences and perspectives of the field, despite the fact they are uniquely positioned to advance our understanding of this area. This study aimed to explore practitioners' lived experiences of EAS, focusing on the benefits they observed, possible underlying mechanis...
Lowndes CR, Boyle AG, Kulp J, Stefanovski D, Davis JL, van Eps A.To characterize the effects of pioglitazone (2 mg/kg, PO, either q 24 h [PIO-SID] or q 12 h [PIO-BID]) in equids with severe hyperinsulinemia. Unassigned: 17 client-owned equids with severe resting hyperinsulinemia (> 100 µIU/mL) were assigned to PIO-SID or PIO-BID in a prospective cohort study with rolling enrollment over an 11-month study period (December 13, 2022, to November 17, 2023). Basal insulin, total and high-molecular-weight adiponectin concentrations, and plasma pioglitazone concentrations were measured over 70 days. Oral sugar tests (OSTs) were performed on days 0 and 28. Results...
Segabinazzi L, Lisboa FP, Zutter B.Limited response to conventional therapies and rising antibiotic resistance emphasize the need for alternative treatments for infectious endometritis. A recent in vitro study showed promising antimicrobial activity of a commercial uterine cleaning sanitizer (UCS) against endometritis pathogens. However, its safety and efficacy in mares remain untested. Objective: This study aimed to assess the clinical safety of intrauterine infusion of UCS in reproductively sound mares. Methods: Exp. 1. Six healthy mares with endometrial biopsies classified as I or IIA had two intrauterine infusions of UCS pe...
Gupta S, Sethi K, Vohra S, Gupta S, Rani R, Kumar S, Kumar R.We report on the in vitro and in vivo success of Imidocarb dipropionate (IDP), an aromatic diamidine compound, as an effective drug against Surra-causing organism, Trypanosoma evansi. IDP is a clinically acclaimed drug for the treatment of babesiosis and anaplasmosis. We have also investigated cytotoxic effect of IDP on equine Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and Vero cell line. The data generated indicate that the IC of IDP (2.73 µM) was significantly lower than its cytotoxic concentration (32.66 and 80.70 µM against PBMCs and Vero cell line, respectively). We have recorded signific...
Geiger T, Lindenhahn L, Delarocque J, Geburek F.Data about efficacy of different training modalities during rehabilitation of horses with back pain is scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of water treadmill training, lunging and dry treadmill training in horses with back pain. Methods: Eighteen warmblood riding horses referred with confirmed clinical signs of back pain including abnormal responses to passive mobilisation were randomized into three groups to participate in a 6-week water treadmill training, lunging or dry treadmill program under otherwise identical conditions. Two clinicians, one blinded to the program, pe...
Huguet A-S, Gourbeyre O, Bousquet-Mélou A, Ferran AA, Lallemand EA. is an opportunistic intracellular pathogen responsible for severe respiratory infections in foals, requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment. Despite its susceptibility to multiple antibiotics, the eradication of intracellular remains challenging due to its ability to persist and survive within alveolar macrophages. This study aimed to assess the extracellular and intracellular activity of rifampicin, doxycycline, and four macrolides against while assessing current methodologies used to differentiate intracellular and extracellular bacteria. We found that the removal of extracellular wit...
McGuire CJ, Knowles EJ, Harris PA, Menzies-Gow NJ.Circulating insulin concentrations are used to quantify risk of laminitis in currently non-laminitic ponies. Basal serum activin A (AA) concentration has previously been positively correlated with serum insulin concentrations 60 minutes (T60) following an oral sugar test (OST) in ponies with equine metabolic syndrome. Therefore, circulating AA might be a useful marker for insulin dysregulation (ID) and laminitis risk. Objective: To explore the relationship between circulating AA concentrations at baseline (T0) and T60 in ponies that developed laminitis within six months and non-laminitic ponie...
Kurras S, Knottenbelt D, Schmelz U, Schaal T, Tischendorf T, Fuchs R, Schorling T, Koene MHW.Dermatophytosis is a common fungal skin infection in horses, particularly affecting young and immunocompromised animals. Traditional treatments often involve antifungal medications with potential side effects. Here, we present a case report that evaluated the efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma-aerosol (CAP-A) as a standalone treatment for equine dermatophytosis. Unassigned: A 2-year-old Westphalian warmblood stallion presented with confirmed dermatophyte lesions restricted to the left side of the mouth which were treated with CAP-A. Treatment was administered 2 times daily for 12 consecutive ...
Imandar M, Javadi A, Abdollahpour G, Mahale PRS, Qanbari A, Mirzaalimohammadi M, Taherkhani E, Olfatifar M, Nikkhahi F, Eslahi AV, Badri M.Leptospirosis, a global zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp., poses significant health risks to both animals and humans. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies against Leptospira interrogans serovars in stabled horses in Qazvin province, Northwest Iran. From January 2023 to April 2024, a total of 83 blood samples were collected from asymptomatic horses using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Results indicated a seroprevalence of 40.96% (95% CI: 31-52), with notable variations among regions: 38.89% (95% CI: 27-52) in Qazvin, 38.46% (95% CI: 18-64) i...
Smith R, Perkins E, Pinchbeck G, Ireland J.Poor pain management in horses is a welfare concern. The 'diagnosis' of pain cannot be separated from the broader set of interactions through which it emerges. The interactions that take place during veterinary consultations shape the ways in which, or whether, pain management is discussed. Objective: To understand owners' and veterinarians' decision making in relation to chronic pain and its management. Methods: Qualitative ethnographic study. Methods: Data were collected from four veterinary practices in Great Britain between May 2023 and April 2024. Around 200 h of ethnographic observatio...
Calatayud-Bonilla M, Carmona JU, Prades M.Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is caused by trigger points (TrPs): hypersensitive spots in taut muscle bands that impair function and cause pain. Dry needling (DN) is a common treatment in humans, but evidence in horses is limited. This prospective, controlled study evaluated the effectiveness of DN in reducing TrP-related pain in the brachiocephalic muscle of horses. Of the 98 horses enrolled, 66 were allocated to a treatment group receiving weekly DN sessions for three weeks, while 32 were assigned to a control group with no intervention. Pain and function were assessed using pressure algome...
Ramírez-Agámez L, Crowley JB, Love CC, Hernández-Avilés C.Currently, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) on in vitro-matured equine oocytes obtained by transvaginal oocyte aspiration (TVA) is the method of choice for in vitro production of equine blastocysts in a clinical setting. A protocol for conventional in vitro fertilization (cIVF) using either fresh or frozen/thawed stallion sperm incubated under capacitating conditions (Tyrode's Albumin Lactate Pyruvate medium + penicillamine, hypotaurine, epinephrine; FERT-PHE) has been recently reported. Several factors that may impact the clinical applicability of this cIVF protocol have yet to be st...
Neira-Egea P, Alamar Malvoisin C, de la Cuesta-Torrado M, Bautista-Erler C, Vitale V, Jolly S, Cesarini C. spp. are ubiquitous yeasts that are part of most mammals' microbiota and can become opportunistic pathogens under predisposing conditions. Interestingly, recent studies in human medicine report an increased abundance of spp. in association with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Gastrointestinal candidiasis has been primarily reported in neonatal foals, but not in adult horses. The aim of this study is to describe the morphological, histopathological, and microbiological features of gastric lesions associated with infiltration in five horses referred to two tertiary hospitals for different r...
Tasnim Y, Rahman MK, Awosile B.We aimed to determine the genetic relatedness among β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli isolated from soil, lake water, and feces of geese, pigs, dogs, cattle, coyotes, wild hogs, and horses at one health interface in West Texas. Results: Previously isolated 56 β-lactamase-producing E. coli isolates from the feces of geese, pigs, horses, coyotes, dogs, cattle, and wild hogs, and soil and lake water from different locations in West Texas were analyzed for genetic relatedness using whole-genome sequencing, core genome multilocus sequence typing, and phylogenetic single-nucleotide polymorphi...
Ryu SH, Forbes E, Kim BS, Park KT.Five previously healthy horses in Korea, including a 19-year-old mixed-breed gelding, a 16-year-old mixed-breed mare, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, a 12-year-old Belgian warmblood mare, and a 12-year-old Andalusian mare, developed subcutaneous abscesses in the left neck after receiving intramuscular vaccination without prior skin disinfection. The vaccination used was Equivac® 2 in1, containing toxoid and cell-free extract. Within one week, the horses developed localised swelling and/or abscessation at the injection site. One case involved a ruptured abscess, while the others presente...
Ennsmann LH, Licka TF.Most horses are used with horseshoes additionally supported by either dorsoabaxial or dorsal clips. The effects of such clips on bone density and shape of the distal phalanx are currently unclear. The aim of this study was to identify correlations between density and shape of the distal phalanx, comparing front hooves unshod or shod with standard shoes either with two dorsoabaxial clips or with a single dorsal clip. Researchers analyzed Oxspring radiographs of either the left or right front hoof from warmblood horses ( = 137) and ponies ( = 43) aged 3-28 years. The evaluation focused...
Smith RKW, Schramme MC.Superficial digital flexor tendinopathy is one of the most common orthopedic soft tissue injuries in horses. The veterinary challenge for this condition is less related to identifying the presence of the injury (as it is usually readily evident clinically) but more related to improving the healing process so that the healed tendon is more like normal tendon in biology and function in order to reduce reinjury, which is the key adverse consequence of the injury. Diagnostic imaging has improved in recent years to aid with treatment choices and monitoring the healing process.
Fletcher KA, Benedetti B, Limon G, Grist A, Padalino B, Hernández-Gil M, Gibson TJ.There has been limited research into the effectiveness of penetrating captive bolt (PCB) for stunning horses () at slaughter. This study observed 100 horses at a commercial abattoir in Mexico, stunned using pneumatic PCB. Animals were assessed at the time of stunning and immediately after for signs of effective/ineffective stunning and shot positioning, with macroscopic gross brain pathology conducted to determine brain trauma. Twenty-five percent (25/100) received more than one shot and 28% (28/100) displayed behavioural signs of ineffective stunning. Of these 28 animals, all had deviations o...
Campana S, Dittmann M, Kircher P, Donati B.The distribution pattern of central tarsal bone (CTB) changes has not been described, except for slab- and dorsomedial-plantarolateral fractures. Objective: To describe CTB changes in CT and document their distribution and associations. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Standing and recumbent tarsal CT studies from 94 clinical cases were retrospectively evaluated. General case information, degree of sclerosis (none-severe), lesions (demineralisation, cystoid, fissure/fracture) and their location were recorded, dividing CTBs into 8 regions. Results: Eighty five of 94 tarsi showed at ...
de Souza AF, Pereira CAM, Gialain IO, Meira JBC, Ballester RY, De Zoppa ALDV.This study aimed to compare the stress distribution in proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis with locking compression plate in horses based on the type and method of screw implantation in the proximal hole and partial or total removal of implants after fusion.Finite element analysis.Proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis was simulated using a 3-hole, 4.5-mm narrow locking compression plate combined with two 5.5-mm transarticular screws. Models were created according to the type (cortex or locking) and method of implantation (uni- or bicortical) of the screw in the proximal hole of the...
Pauvolid-Corrêa A, Morales MA, Levis S, Figueiredo LT, Couto-Lima D, Campos Z, Nogueira MF, da Silva EE, Nogueira RM, Schatzmayr HG.Despite evidence of West Nile virus (WNV) activity in Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina, this virus has not been reported in most South American countries. In February 2009, we commenced an investigation for WNV in mosquitoes, horses and caimans from the Pantanal, Central-West Brazil. The sera of 168 horses and 30 caimans were initially tested using a flaviviruses-specific epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (blocking ELISA) for the detection of flavivirus-reactive antibodies. The seropositive samples were further tested using a plaque-reduction neutralisation test (PRNT90) for ...
Leathwick DM, Besier RB.In many countries the presence of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of small ruminants, and in some cases also in those infecting cattle and horses, has become the status quo rather than the exception. It is clear that consideration of anthelmintic resistance, and its management, should be an integral component of anthelmintic use regardless of country or host species. Many years of research into understanding the development and management of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of small ruminants has resulted in an array of strategies for minimising selection for resistance and for dealin...
Labruna MB, Kerber CE, Ferreira F, Faccini JL, De Waal DT, Gennari SM.From December 1998 to March 1999, 40 stud farms were studied in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. During visits to farms, horses reared under grazing conditions were examined for the presence of ticks. On each farm visit, horse pastures were closely inspected and a questionnaire was given to the farm supervisor with the purpose of gaining information about ecological and management variables (independent variables) that could be associated with the presence and infestation levels of ticks on the farm (dependent variables). Three tick species were found during the study. Anocentor nitens, Amblyo...
Lovati AB, Corradetti B, Lange Consiglio A, Recordati C, Bonacina E, Bizzaro D, Cremonesi F.Mesenchymal stem cells have been recently investigated for their potential use in regenerative medicine. Population of adult stem cells were recently identified in human and lab animal tendons, but no detailed investigations have been made in the equine species. The aim of our study is to identify a progenitor cell population from tendon tissue (TSPCs) in the horse superficial digital flexor tendon that are able to be highly clonogenic, to grow fast and to differentiate in different induced cell lineages as well as bone marrow derived progenitor cells (BM-MSCs). The hypothesis that TSPCs posse...
Goehring LS, Wagner B, Bigbie R, Hussey SB, Rao S, Morley PS, Lunn DP.Equine herpesvirus-1 is a cause of outbreaks of abortion and neurological disease. The pathogenesis of both these diseases depends on establishment of viremia. An experiment was performed to determine the protective efficacy of two commercially available vaccines used with an optimized 3-dose vaccination regime: a modified-live viral (MLV) and a high antigen load killed vaccine licensed for abortion control. The study design was a blinded, randomized challenge trial. Three groups of 8 yearling ponies received one of three treatments: MLV vaccine (Rhinomune, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc....
Figuerola J, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Ruíz-López MJ, Llorente F, Ruiz S, Hoefer A, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Jiménez-Peñuela J, García-Ruiz O....Reports of West Nile virus (WNV) associated disease in humans were scarce in Spain until summer 2020, when 77 cases were reported, eight fatal. Most cases occurred next to the Guadalquivir River in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río. Detection of WNV disease in humans was preceded by a large increase in the abundance of in the neighbourhood of the villages where most human cases occurred. The first WNV infected mosquitoes were captured approximately one month before the detection of the first human cases. Overall, 33 positive pools of and one pool of were found. Se...
Issel CJ, Horohov DW, Lea DF, Adams WV, Hagius SD, McManus JM, Allison AC, Montelaro RC.We report here on a series of vaccine trials to evaluate the effectiveness of an inactivated equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) whole-virus vaccine and of a subunit vaccine enriched in EIAV envelope glycoproteins. The inactivated vaccine protected 14 of 15 immunized ponies from infection after challenge with at least 10(5) 50% tissue culture-infective doses of the homologous prototype strain of EIAV. In contrast, it failed to prevent infection in any of 15 immunized ponies that were challenged with the heterologous PV strain. Levels of PV virus replication and the development of disease, ho...
Fridell RA, Partin KM, Carpenter S, Cullen BR.Several members of the lentivirus family of complex retroviruses have been shown to encode proteins that are functionally equivalent to the Rev posttranscriptional regulatory protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Furthermore, the domain organization of HIV-1 Rev, featuring a highly basic N-terminal RNA binding domain and a leucin-rich C-terminal effector domain, has also been shown to be highly conserved among Rev proteins derived from not only the primate but also the ovine and caprine lentiviruses. Although it has therefore appeared highly probable that the lentivirus equin...
Ravichandran K, Anbazhagan S, Karthik K, Angappan M, Dhayananth B.Avian chlamydiosis is one of the important neglected diseases with critical zoonotic potential. Chlamydia psittaci, the causative agent, affects most categories of birds, livestock, companion animals, and humans. It has many obscured characters and epidemiological dimensions, which makes it unique among other bacterial agents. Recent reports on transmission from equine to humans alarmed the public health authorities, and it necessitates the importance of routine screening of this infectious disease. High prevalence of spill-over infection in equines was associated with reproductive losses. New...
McFarlane D.Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also known as equine Cushing's syndrome, is a widely recognized disease of aged horses. Over the past two decades, the aged horse population has expanded significantly and in addition, client awareness of PPID has increased. As a result, there has been an increase in both diagnostic testing and treatment of the disease. This review focuses on the pathophysiology and clinical syndrome, as well as advances in diagnostic testing and treatment of PPID, with an emphasis on those findings that are new since the excellent comprehensive review by Sc...
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Steinbusch MM, Fang Y, Milner PI, Clegg PD, Young DA, Welting TJ, Peffers MJ.The development of effective treatments for the age-related disease osteoarthritis and the ability to predict disease progression has been hampered by the lack of biomarkers able to demonstrate the course of the disease. Profiling the expression patterns of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) in joint ageing and OA may provide diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study determined expression patterns of snoRNAs in joint ageing and OA and examined them as potential biomarkers. Using SnoRNASeq and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) we demonstrate snoRNA expression levels in murine age...
Higgins AJ, Lees P.Arachidonic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid covalently bound in esterified form in the cell membranes of most body cells. Following irritation or injury, arachidonic acid is released and oxygenated by enzyme systems leading to the formation of an important group of inflammatory mediators, the eicosanoids. It is now recognised that eicosanoid release is fundamental to the inflammatory process. For example, the prostaglandins and other prostanoids, products of the cyclooxygenase enzyme pathway, have potent inflammatory properties and prostaglandin E2 is readily detectable in equine acute in...
Luchs A, da Costa AC, Cilli A, Komninakis SCV, Carmona RCC, Boen L, Morillo SG, Sabino EC, Timenetsky MDCST.In 2013, the equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like rotavirus (RVA) strain emerged worldwide. In 2016, this strain was reported in northern Brazil. The aims of the study were to conduct a retrospective genetic investigation to identify the possible entry of these atypical strains in Brazil and to describe their distribution across a representative area of the country. From 2013 to 2017, a total of 4226 faecal samples were screened for RVA by ELISA, PAGE, RT-PCR and sequencing. G3P[8] represented 20.9 % (167/800) of all RVA-positive samples, further subdivided as equine-like G3P[8], DS-1-like (11.0 %...
Youngstrom DW, LaDow JE, Barrett JG.Tendons are frequently damaged and fail to regenerate, leading to pain, loss of function, and reduced quality of life. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess clinically useful tissue-regenerative properties and have been exploited for use in tendon tissue engineering and cell therapy. However, MSCs exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity based on the donor tissue used, and the efficacy of cell-based treatment modalities may be improved by optimizing cell source based on relative differentiation capacity. Equine MSCs were isolated from bone marrow (BM), adipose (AD), and tendon (TN), expanded in monola...
Milinovich GJ, Burrell PC, Pollitt CC, Klieve AV, Blackall LL, Ouwerkerk D, Woodland E, Trott DJ.Alimentary carbohydrate overload is a significant cause of laminitis in horses and is correlated with drastic shifts in the composition of hindgut microbiota. Equine hindgut streptococcal species (EHSS), predominantly Streptococcus lutetiensis, have been shown to be the most common microorganisms culturable from the equine caecum prior to the onset of laminitis. However, the inherent biases of culture-based methods are estimated to preclude up to 70% of the normal caecal microbiota. The objective of this study was to evaluate bacterial population shifts occurring in the equine caecum throughou...
Bond SL, Timsit E, Workentine M, Alexander T, Léguillette R.The microbial composition of the equine respiratory tract, and differences due to mild equine asthma (also called Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD)) have not been reported. The primary treatment for control of IAD in horses are corticosteroids. The objectives were to characterize the upper and lower respiratory tract microbiota associated with respiratory health and IAD, and to investigate the effects of dexamethasone on these bacterial communities using high throughput sequencing. Results: The respiratory microbiota of horses was dominated by four major phyla, Proteobacteria (43.85%), Actinob...
Doré M.Cyclooxygenase (COX; also known as prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase) is a key enzyme in the biochemical pathway leading to the synthesis of prostaglandins. A large amount of epidemiological and experimental evidence supports a role for COX-2, the inducible form of the enzyme, in human tumorigenesis, notably in colorectal cancer. COX-2 mediates this role through the production of PGE(2) that acts to inhibit apoptosis, promote cell proliferation, stimulate angiogenesis, and decrease immunity. Similarly, COX-2 is believed to be involved in the oncogenesis of some cancers in domestic animals. H...
Båverud V, Johansson SK, Aspan A.Strangles is a contagious equine disease caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. equi. In this study, clinical strains of S. equi (n=24) and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (n=24) were genetically characterized by sequencing of the 16S rRNA and sodA genes in order to devise a real-time PCR system that can detect S. equi and S. zooepidemicus and distinguish between them. Sequencing demonstrated that all S. equi strains had the same 16S rRNA sequence, whereas S. zooepidemicus strains could be divided into subgroups. One of these (n=12 strains) had 16S rRNA sequences almost identical with the...
Guardabassi L, Apley M, Olsen JE, Toutain PL, Weese S.Optimization of antimicrobial treatment is a cornerstone in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Various national and international authorities and professional veterinary and farming associations have released generic guidelines on prudent antimicrobial use in animals. However, these generic guidelines need to be translated into a set of animal species- and disease-specific practice recommendations. This article focuses on prevention of antimicrobial resistance and its complex relationship with treatment efficacy, highlighting key situations where the current antimicrobial drug product...
Kappmeyer LS, Perryman LE, Hines SA, Baszler TV, Katz JB, Hennager SG, Knowles DP.A competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was developed for detection of equine antibodies specific for Babesia caballi. The assay used recombinant B. caballi rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1) and monoclonal antibody (MAb) 79/17.18.5, which is reactive with a peptide epitope of a native 60-kDa B. caballi antigen. The gene encoding the recombinant antigen was sequenced, and database analysis revealed that the gene product is a rhoptry-associated protein. Cloning and expression of a truncated copy of the gene demonstrated that MAb 79/17.18.5 reacts with the C-termina...
Cheng FP, Fazeli A, Voorhout WF, Marks A, Bevers MM, Colenbrander B.Peanut agglutinin (PNA) was used to assess the sperm acrosomal status and the acrosome reaction during gamete interaction in the equine species. PNA exclusively binds to the outer acrosomal membrane of stallion spermatozoa, as was established by transmission electron microscopy. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-PNA (FITC-PNA) labeling was used to monitor sperm acrosomal changes during a prolonged incubation period of 24 hours and during a 2-hours incubation in the presence of 5 microM calcium ionophore A23187. In addition, after a 4-hours preincubation in SP-TALP medium, sperm samples were incubated...
Jansen S, Heitmann A, Lühken R, Leggewie M, Helms M, Badusche M, Rossini G, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Tannich E.The continuous circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) in Central, South and East Europe and its recent detection in several dead birds and two horses in Germany highlights the need for information on WNV vector competence of mosquitoes from Central Europe. Therefore, three common Culex species (Culex pipiens biotype pipiens, Culex pipiens biotype molestus and Culex torrentium) from Germany were orally infected with WNV and kept at 18 °C, 21 °C, 24 °C or 27 °C for 14 or 21 days post infection (dpi). Thereafter viable WNV was present in the saliva in all tested taxa, but only at incubation tem...
Mellor PS, Boorman J.African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and bluetongue virus (BTV) are dsRNA viruses within the genus Orbivirus. Both are able to cause non-contagious, infectious arthropod-borne diseases in their respective vertebrate hosts. AHSV infects equines and occasionally dogs, whereas BTV replicates in ruminants. The disease caused by AHSV is usually at its most severe in horses, whereas certain breeds of sheep are particularly sensitive to BTV infection. AHSV is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa but periodically makes brief excursions beyond this area. BTV occurs much more widely and can be found in a band a...
Hillidge CJ.The selection of lipid-soluble antibiotics capable of intracellular penetration is considered critical for the successful treatment of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia and lung abscesses in foals. Two such antibiotics: erythromycin (25 mg kg-1, three times daily) and rifampin (5 mg kg-1 twice daily) have been used in combination for this purpose at the University of Florida since 1981. Positive evidence of R. equi was present on culture of tracheal aspirates in 57 foals, most of which exhibited radiographic evidence of extensive lung abscessation. The duration of therapy ranged from 4 to 9 weeks. Mi...
Alicka M, Kornicka-Garbowska K, Kucharczyk K, Kępska M, Rӧcken M, Marycz K.Progressive loss of cell functionality caused by an age-related impairment in cell metabolism concerns not only mature specialized cells but also its progenitors, which significantly reduces their regenerative potential. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are most commonly used in veterinary medicine as an alternative treatment option in ligaments and cartilage injuries, especially in case of high-value sport horses. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to identify the molecular alternations in ASCs derived from three age-matched horse groups: young ( 15 years old). ASCs were isolated ...
Schneider RK, Bramlage LR, Moore RM, Mecklenburg LM, Kohn CW, Gabel AA.The medical records of 192 horses with septic arthritis/tenosynovitis 1979-1989 were reviewed. Forty-three horses developed infection after an intra-articular injection, 46 following a penetrating wound, 25 following surgery, 66 were foals less than 6 months old, and 12 were adult horses without a known aetiology. Haematogenous infection of a joint occurs in adult horses and should be considered as a differential diagnosis in horses with an acute onset of severe lameness. The aetiology of the infection had a significant effect on the type of bacteria identified by culture. Staphylococcus was c...
