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.
Laroucau K, Colaneri C, Jaÿ M, Corde Y, Drapeau A, Durand B, Zientara S, Beck C.To evaluate the routine complement fixation test (CFT) used to detect Burkholderia mallei antibodies in equine sera, an interlaboratory proficiency test was held with 24 European laboratories, including 22 National Reference Laboratories for glanders. The panels sent to participants were composed of sera with or without B mallei antibodies. This study confirmed the reliability of CFT and highlighted its intralaboratory reproducibility. However, the sensitivity of glanders serodiagnosis and laboratory proficiency may be improved by standardising critical reagents, including antigens, and by dev...
Amitrano FN, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, Schaeffer DJ.OBJECTIVE To determine and compare the effect of hoof boots (HBs) and shoes with a toe extension on stance duration, ground reaction force, and sole length in contact with the ground in nonlame horses during walking. ANIMALS 6 nonlame Standardbreds. PROCEDURES Force plate gait analyses of the forelimbs were performed while the horses were walking barefoot before manipulation of feet (baseline), while the horses were walking fitted with HBs, while the horses were walking shod with toe-extension shoes, and while the horses were walking barefoot after shoe removal. Horses underwent radiography of...
Cummings KJ, Perkins GA, Khatibzadeh SM, Warnick LD, Aprea VA, Altier C.OBJECTIVE To describe the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella isolates obtained from horses in the northeastern United States and to identify trends in resistance to select antimicrobials over time. SAMPLE 462 Salmonella isolates from horses. PROCEDURES Retrospective data were collected for all Salmonella isolates obtained from equine specimens that were submitted to the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2013. Temporal trends in the prevalence of resistant Salmonella isolates were investigated for each of 13 antimicrobials ...
Whitlock J, Dixon J, Sherlock C, Tucker R, Bolt DM, Weller R.Since the 1950s, veterinary practitioners have included two separate dorsoproximal-palmarodistal oblique (DPr-PaDiO) radiographs as part of a standard series of the equine foot. One image is obtained to visualise the distal phalanx and the other to visualise the navicular bone. However, rapid development of computed radiography and digital radiography and their post-processing capabilities could mean that this practice is no longer required. The aim of this study was to determine differences in perceived image quality between DPr-PaDiO radiographs that were acquired with a computerised radiogr...
Johnson AL, McAdams-Gallagher SC, Aceto H.The laboratory diagnosis of botulism in horses traditionally has relied upon the mouse bioassay (MBA). The accuracy of this test for the diagnosis of botulism in horses is unknown. Objective: Our goal was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the MBA on laboratory-processed fecal and gastrointestinal samples for foals and adult horses. Methods: Cases included all horses with a final clinical diagnosis of botulism that were admitted between 1986 and 2011 and had MBA testing performed. Controls included horses without botulism that...
Kuroda T, Kinoshita Y, Niwa H, Shinzaki Y, Tamura N, Hobo S, Kuwano A.Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have been confirmed in hospitalised Thoroughbred racehorses at the hospitals of two training centres in Japan since 2009. To investigate the source of infection, the authors examined the rate of nasal MRSA colonisation in 600 healthy Thoroughbred racehorses, 53 veterinarians and 16 office staff at the racehorse hospitals of the two training centres. MRSA was not isolated from healthy Thoroughbred racehorses or hospital office staff. However, MRSA was isolated from 16 veterinarians (30.1 per cent), and the colonisation rate was signif...
Zakia LS, Olivo G, Basso RM, Mira J, Herman M, Araujo JP, Borges AS, Oliveira-Filho JP.Aural plaques are a dermatopathy associated with Equus caballus papillomavirus (EcPV). This disease affects horses of all ages, genders and breeds, and causes sensitivity of the ears. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of 5% imiquimod cream for the treatment of aural plaques and to compare the PCR detection of EcPV 3, 4, 5 and 6 before and after treatment. Methods: Eight horses diagnosed with aural plaques (14 ears) were used. Three mares with unilateral aural plaques were used as untreated controls. Methods: Imiquimod cream was applied every 48 h until comp...
Junginger J, Geburek F, Khan MA, Müller G, Gruber AD, Hewicker-Trautwein M.Cutaneous mastocytosis is a rare benign disease occurring in domestic animals and humans. In previous reports, dermal findings in foals were accompanied by systemic mast cell infiltrations, whereas lesions in human cutaneous mastocytosis, including urticaria pigmentosa and solitary mastocytoma, are usually restricted to the skin. Objective: To describe a new variant of equine cutaneous maculopapular mastocytosis lacking systemic involvement. Methods: A 2.5-month-old warmblood foal with multiple skin nodules since birth. Methods: Clinical examination (including haematology, fine needle biopsy a...
Bassarak B, Moser I, Menge C.A modified Baltz's in vitro cultivation system for the propagation of Trypanosoma equiperdum strain OVI was established to develop a replacement for the conventional production procedure of dourine diagnostic antigen in rats. To increase trypanosome yields we designed an optimized culture medium by addition of supplemental compounds. Trypanosomes were adapted to this medium by two succeeding cultivation steps which led to a substantial proliferation rate and an increased cell density tolerance, respectively. As a result, adapted parasites could be propagated to maximum cell densities of >2Ã...
Andrews ES, Turell MJ.Emerging and re-emerging arboviruses continue to be a threat to global public health, and viral surveillance of mosquito populations is critical for mosquito control operations. Due to the tropical climate of many of the affected areas, it may be difficult to maintain a cold chain as the samples travel from collection sites to laboratories for testing. We determined how suboptimal holding temperatures affected the ability to detect viruses in pools of mosquitoes. Adult female Aedes albopictus and Ae. taeniorhynchus individuals were inoculated with chikungunya virus or Venezuelan equine encepha...
Zhao J, Negussie H, Laval K, Poelaert KC, Nauwynck HJ.Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equine arteritis virus (EAV) induce respiratory problems and abortion in horses and are considered as two serious threats to equine industry. Both EHV-1 and EAV misuse patrolling leukocytes in the upper respiratory tract to breach the basement membrane (BM) and to migrate to blood vessels. So far, the behavior and impact of a double infection in the respiratory mucosa of a horse are unknown. In the present study, the outcome of double infections with EHV-1 and the low virulent EAV strain 08P187 (superinfection with an interval of 12h or co-infection) were compa...
Easton S, Bartley DJ, Hotchkiss E, Hodgkinson JE, Pinchbeck GL, Matthews JB.Grazing livestock and equines are at risk of infection from a variety of helminths, for which the primary method of control has long been the use of anthelmintics. Anthelmintic resistance is now widespread in a number of helminth species across the globe so it is imperative that best practice control principles be adopted to delay the further spread of resistance. It is the responsibility of all who prescribe anthelmintics (in the UK, this being veterinarians, suitably qualified persons (SQPs) and pharmacists) to provide adequate information on best practice approaches to parasite control at t...
Cauchard S, Van Reet N, Büscher P, Goux D, Grötzinger J, Leippe M, Cattoir V, Laugier C, Cauchard J.Trypanozoon parasites infect both humans, causing sleeping sickness, and animals, causing nagana, surra, and dourine. Control of nagana and surra depends to a great extent on chemotherapy. However, drug resistance to several of the front-line drugs is rising. Furthermore, there is no official treatment for dourine. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop antiparasitic agents with novel modes of action. Host defense peptides have recently gained attention as promising candidates. We have previously reported that one such peptide, the equine antimicrobial peptide eCATH1, is highly active a...
Peglar MT, Nerad TA, Anderson OR.A new species of lobosean amoeba, Stenamoeba polymorpha n. sp., was isolated from the diarrheic stool of a domesticated horse in Great Falls Virginia, U.S. It shares characteristics with the five other described Stenamoeba species. However, electron microscopy revealed S. polymorpha has a substantially thickened cell surface lamina. Under light microscopy, the amoebae had a dynamic polymorphic appearance because hyaloplasm readily formed and resorbed subpseudopodia from any peripheral region of the cell. While in locomotion, the amoebae produced subpseudopodia that led and alternated the dire...
Klein C.Relaxin is a peptide hormone best known for its action during the latter half of pregnancy, in particular for its softening effect on pelvic ligaments that aids in preparation of the birth canal for the impending delivery of the fetus. The source of relaxin during early pregnancy varies across species, with the CL being the main source in a number of species. The main source of relaxin during late equine pregnancy is the placenta. In mares with impaired placental function, circulating relaxin levels decline before abortion. During early pregnancy, relaxin promotes endometrial angiogenesis thro...
Conley AJ.Analytical advancements, especially methods using gas or liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, have allowed more specific and reliable measurement of multiple steroid hormones in the plasma of mares throughout gestation and the periparturient period. Data such as these will form the central focus of this review. The comprehensive analyses possible with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry illuminate the key physiological and developmental transitions that make equine gestation unique. Weeks 6 to 20 encompass endometrial cup formation and equine chorionic gonadotropic secret...
Stout TA.The first month of equine pregnancy covers a period of rapid growth and development, during which the single-cell zygote metamorphoses into an embryo with a functional circulation and precursors of many important organs, enclosed within extraembryonic membranes responsible for nutrient uptake and gaseous exchange. After exiting the oviduct, the conceptus must influence uterine physiology to ensure adequate nutrition and preparation for implantation, while continued development results in the chorioallantois superseding the yolk sac as the primary interface for maternal interaction and exchange...
Peña FJ, Ortega Ferrusola C, MartÃn Muñoz P.Flow cytometry is currently recognized as a robust tool for the evaluation of sperm quality and function. However, within equine reproduction, this technique has not reached the sophistication of other areas of biology and medicine. In recent years, more sophisticated flow cytometers have been introduced in andrology laboratories, and the number of tests that can be potentially used in the evaluation of sperm physiology has increased accordingly. In this review, recent advances in the evaluation of stallion spermatozoa will be discussed. These new techniques in flow cytometry are able to simul...
Kumar J, Chaudhury A, Yadav SC.Trypanosomosis (Surra) is an economically important disease caused by Trypanosoma evansi which is an extracellular parasite present in the plasma, tissues and other body fluids of a wide range of hosts including domesticated animals. Currently, serological reports are based on detection of antibodies by ELISA using whole cell lysate (WCL) antigen, which has a limitation of persistence of anti-trypanosomal antibodies after successful treatment of the disease. Moreover, it has some ethical issues also like requirement of mice for in vivo maintenance of parasite for preparing the antigen. Therefo...
Gibb Z, Lambourne SR, Curry BJ, Hall SE, Aitken RJ.Although stallion spermatozoa produce significant quantities of reactive oxygen species, a lag between 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) adduction and the loss of motility in stallion spermatozoa suggests the presence of a robust aldehyde detoxification mechanism. Because there is a paucity of studies characterizing the role of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in sperm functionality, the aim of this study was to ascertain the relationship between 4HNE production and motility and ALDH expression by stallion spermatozoa. PCR analysis revealed the presence of the ALDH1A3, ALDH1B1, and ALDH2 isoforms in these ...
Gorissen BM, Wolschrijn CF, van Vilsteren AA, van Rietbergen B, van Weeren PR.Bone is a dynamic tissue adapting to loading according to "Wolff's law of bone adaptation." During very early life, however, such a mechanism may not be adequate enough to adapt to the dramatic change in environmental challenges in precocial species. Their neonates are required to stand and walk within hours after birth, in contrast to altricial animals that have much more time to adapt from the intrauterine environment to the outside world. In this study, trabecular bone parameters of the talus and sagittal ridge of the tibia from stillborn but full-term precocials (calves and foals) were ana...
Hinrichs K.A research study is a product of not only a question and its pursuit but also the people, places, and facilities available at the time. My work in equine assisted reproduction has progressed from embryo transfer to oocyte maturation, oocyte transfer, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, embryo biopsy, embryo vitrification, and cloning, as a result of collaborations with an array of remarkable people. This is a summary of some of the stories behind the studies.
Byrnes JF, Bush PJ.Forensic anthropologists are more often turning to nondestructive methods to assist with skeletal analyses, specifically for trace elemental analyses. Portable XRF (pXRF) instruments are versatile and are able to be used in diverse settings or for specimens of a shape and size that cannot be accommodated by laboratory-based instruments. Use of XRF requires knowledge of analysis parameters such as X-ray penetration and exit depth. Analysis depth was determined by examining pure elements through known thicknesses of equine bone slices. Correlation between the element's X-ray emission energy and ...
Sánchez-Matamoros A, Nieto-PelegrÃn E, Beck C, Rivera-Arroyo B, Lecollinet S, Sailleau C, Zientara S, Sánchez-VizcaÃno JM.African horse sickness (AHS) is considered a fatal re-emergent vector-borne disease of horses. In the absence of any effective treatment for AHS, vaccination remains the most effective form of disease control. The new generation of vaccines, such as one based on purified, inactivated AHS virus (AHSV, serotype 4), which does not induce antibodies against non-structural protein 3 (NS3), enables the development of diagnostic methods that differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA assays). As detecting AHS in AHSV-free countries may lead to restrictions on international animal movements ...
Seifi-Jamadi A, Kohram H, Zareh-Shahne A, Dehghanizadeh P, Ahmad E.The present study aimed to determine the effect of different concentrations of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on post-thaw stallion sperm quality. The ejaculates collected from four healthy mature Turkmen stallions were pooled and divided into eight aliquots. The samples were diluted with extenders containing different concentrations (0.5, 1 or 2mM/mL) of BHA or BHT. The positive control (PC) samples were diluted with extender containing 0.5% ethanol (v/v) whereas; the negative control (NC) samples were diluted with basic extender only. Semen samples were fro...
Griffith OW, Brandley MC, Whittington CM, Belov K, Thompson MB.In oviparous amniotes (reptiles, birds, and mammals) the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) lines the inside of the egg and acts as the living point of contact between the embryo and the outside world. In livebearing (viviparous) amniotes, communication during embryonic development occurs across placental tissues, which form between the uterine tissue of the mother and the CAM of the embryo. In both oviparous and viviparous taxa, the CAM is at the interface of the embryo and the external environment and can transfer signals from there to the embryo proper. To understand the evolution of placental ...
Peters M, Grafen J, Kuhnen C, Wohlsein P.A 13-year-old Icelandic crossbred horse was presented with headshaking and progressive impairment of chewing. A slowly growing mass was identified in the anterior maxilla. This was associated with lysis of the alveolar bone and the roots of the incisors and there were nodular proliferations affecting the nasal septum and conchae. There was no response to chemotherapy and so the horse was humanely destroyed. Based on morphological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings the mass was classified as a malignant glomus tumour with multifocal vascular spaces and additional neuroendocrine d...
Davitkov D, Vucicevic M, Stevanovic J, Krstic V, Slijepcevic D, Glavinic U, Stanimirovic Z.Equine piroplasmosis is significant tick-borne disease with wide distribution. The prevalence of equine piroplasmosis in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina is unknown. In aim to obtain a first insight into the prevalence we performed molecular epidemiological study which included 142 horses, on seven locations in these three countries. We first performed PCR for the detection of a 450bp long section of the 18S rRNA of piroplasma-specific region. For all positive samples we have done multiplex PCR for the species detection. Species determination was further confirmed by sequencing PC...
Noble P, Singer ER, Jeffery NS.Sagittal fractures of the first phalanx are a common, potentially catastrophic injury in racehorses. These fractures are often linked to an acute, one time, biomechanical event; however, recent evidence implies that chronic exposure to stress can lead to the accumulation of bony changes that affect the structural integrity of the bone and increase the likelihood of fracture. The aim of the study was to compare variations of two common metrics of bone adaptation - subchondral bone density and thickness across the proximal articular surface of the first phalanx in Thoroughbred horses that (1) ra...
Lan DL, Wang CS, Deng B, Zhou JP, Cui L, Tang C, Yue H, Hua XG.West Nile virus (WNV) infection is an emerging zoonosis that threatens global public health. In this study, a total of 95 bird serum samples from 14 species and 341 horse serum samples were collected from 2008 to 2010 in Shanghai, China. All serum samples were screened initially for WNV-reactive antibodies using a competitive ELISA. The positive samples detected by ELISA were further confirmed using a plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT) for WNV and its most closely related flaviviruses in the area to avoid false positives due to cross-reactivity. Five (5·3%) of the bird serum samples ...
Perkins NR, Webster WR, Wright T, Denney I, Links I.At the time of the initial notification of the occurrence of equine influenza (EI) in Australia in August 2007, vaccination was restricted to horses for which it was an import requirement and only with the approval of the state or territory Chief Veterinary Officer. This paper describes the complexities involved in the selection of a vaccine and its distribution. A combination of ring, predictive and blanket vaccination was implemented during the response. The specific vaccination programs, including its use in buffer zones and for movement of horses, the performance of the vaccine, any advers...
Niemelä TM, Tulamo RM, Carmona JU, López C.Inflammatory and degenerative activity inside the joint can be studied in vivo by analysis of synovial fluid biomarkers. In addition to pro-inflammatory mediators, several anabolic and anti-inflammatory substances are produced during the disease process. They counteract the catabolic effects of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and thus diminish the cartilage damage. The response of synovial fluid biomarkers after intra-articular hyaluronan injection, alone or in combination with other substances, has been examined only in a few equine studies. The effects of hyaluronan on some pro-inflammatory m...
Johnson AL, McAdams-Gallagher SC, Sweeney RW.Botulism in horses in the USA is attributed to Clostridium botulinum types A, B or C. In this study, a duplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for detection of the neurotoxin genes of C. botulinum types A and B, and a singleplex qPCR for detection of the neurotoxin gene of C. botulinum type C, were optimized and validated for equine gastrointestinal, faecal and feed samples. The performance of these assays was evaluated and compared to the standard mouse bioassay (MBA) using 148 well-characterized samples, most of which were acquired from a repository of veterinary diagnostic samples from cas...
Wilkins PA.The newborn foal can experience problems of the lower respiratory tract that are unique to the neonate. The transition to extrauterine life usually occurs rapidly and in a coordinated manner, but problems associated with the peripartum period, including placentitis, dystocia, infection, and trauma, can result in conditions that compromise gas exchange in the newborn foal. This article reviews the normal transition and presents some of the problems seen in these small patients.
Cwiklinski K, Kooyman FN, Van Doorn DC, Matthews JB, Hodgkinson JE.Cyathostomins comprise a group of 50 species of parasitic nematodes that infect equids. Ribosomal DNA sequences, in particular the intergenic spacer (IGS) region, have been utilized via several methodologies to identify pre-parasitic stages of the commonest species that affect horses. These methods rely on the availability of accurate sequence information for each species, as well as detailed knowledge of the levels of intra- and inter-specific variation. Here, the IGS DNA region was amplified and sequenced from 10 cyathostomin species for which sequence was not previously available. Also, add...
Maxson AD, Reef VB.A retrospective study of 10 horses with bacterial endocarditis was performed in order to describe the echocardiographic findings in horses with bacterial endocarditis, in conjunction with clinical signs and post mortem findings, and to evaluate the usefulness and the formulation of a prognosis. Echocardiographic and post mortem examinations were performed in 7 horses. Post mortem examination alone was performed in 2 horses and echocardiographic examination alone performed in one horse. No breed or sex predilection was obvious. Mean age +/- s.d. was 2.12 +/- 3.32 years. Predominant clinical sig...
Guschlbauer M, Feige K, Geburek F, Hoppe S, Hopster K, Pröpsting MJ, Huber K.To determine whether administration of lidocaine during ischemia and reperfusion in horses results in concentrations in smooth muscle sufficient to protect against the negative consequences of ischemia-reperfusion injury on smooth muscle motility. Methods: 12 horses. Methods: Artificial ischemia and reperfusion injury of jejunal segments was induced in vivo in conjunction with lidocaine treatment during ischemia (IRL) or without lidocaine treatment (IR). Isometric force performance was measured in vitro in IRL and IR smooth muscle preparations with and without additional in vitro application o...
Smith LJ, Marr CM, Payne RJ, Stoneham SJ, Reid SW.Septic arthritis is a serious problem in the neonate, with a poor prognosis being reported for recovery. The impact of neonatal septic arthritis on the likelihood that Thoroughbred (TB) foals will start on a racecourse is not known. Objective: The development of septic arthritis in a TB foal significantly reduces the likelihood that it will race when compared to foals from the same dam. Methods: Medical records of 69 foals treated for septic arthritis were reviewed. The dam's foaling records were reviewed and lifetime racing records were then retrieved for both the affected foals and at least ...
Duran MC, Dumrath CAC, Bartmann CP, Medina Torres CE, Moschos A, Goehring LS.Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a sensitive acute-phase response (APR) marker in equids. Prominent APRs with elevations of SAA concentrations ([SAA]) have been reported after vaccination. The authors hypothesized that vaccination with an inactivated EHV-1/-4 vaccine would cause increase in [SAA] and antibody responses and that higher [SAA] would be positively correlated with the antibody titer in both equids. Twelve Haflinger horses and 12 mules were included in this longitudinal prospective study. All horses and mules were vaccinated with a commercially available EHV-1/-4 vaccine. Blood was sampled ...
Sheats MK, Cook VL, Jones SL, Blikslager AT, Pease AP.The post operative response of the large colon wall after a surgically corrected large colon volvulus (LCV) has not been investigated. Objective: To use transabdominal ultrasound to monitor the post operative change in large colon wall thickness following surgical correction of LCV. Objective: A prolonged period to colon wall involution is correlated with an increased rate of post operative morbidity and mortality. Methods: A prospective clinical study including horses that presented to the North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for colic between September 2006 and March,...
Noronha LE, Antczak DF.Pregnant mares demonstrate a reduction in cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) reactivity against cells from the breeding stallion. We investigated whether this effect is limited to activity against paternal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens, and whether it occurs during MHC-compatible pregnancy. Methods: Mares were mated to carry MHC-compatible or MHC-incompatible pregnancies. CTL activity of these mares when pregnant and non-pregnant was measured against cells from horses with MHC haplotypes unrelated to the mare or breeding stallion. Results: While carrying MHC-incompatible pregnancie...
Riquelme G, Sepúlveda JM, Al Ghumgham Z, Del Campo M, Montero C, Lagos N.Local anesthesia is an effective method to control pain. Neosaxitoxin is a phycotoxin whose molecular mechanism includes a reversible inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels at the axonal level, impeding nerve impulse propagation. The present study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Neosaxitoxin as a local long-acting pain blocker in horse bucked shins, and it was found to effectively control pain. While Neosaxitoxin and Gonyautoxin, another Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) toxin, have been successfully used in humans as long-lasting pain blockers, this finding marks the fir...
Rovel T, Zimmerman M, Duchateau L, Delesalle C, Adriaensen E, Mariën T, Saunders JH, Vanderperren K.To describe articular process joints (APJs) of the cervical spine in horses on the basis of CT and to determine whether abnormalities were associated with clinical signs. 86 client-owned warmblood horses. Horses that underwent CT of the cervical spine between January 2015 and January 2017 were eligible for study inclusion. Medical records were reviewed for age, body weight, breed, sex, history, clinical signs, and CT findings. Horses were divided into 3 case groups and 1 control group on the basis of clinical signs. 70 warmblood horses were cases, and 16 were controls. Abnormalities were more ...
Malikides N, Hughes KJ, Hodgson JL.To determine whether percentages of neutrophils in tracheal aspirate (TA) samples collected from racehorses are increased after exercise and whether interpretation of results from TA samples taken before and after exercise agree. Methods: Case series of 40 young Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses in race training presented for evaluation of poor performance. Methods: TA samples were collected endoscopically from racehorses presented for poor performance 24 h before and 1 to 2 h after high speed treadmill exercise testing. Aliquots of the retrieved fluid were cytocentrifuged and smears we...
Hurcombe SD.Hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) dysfunction has been documented in a limited capacity in horses and foals associated with critical illness, stress, and pain. This article reviews species-specific details of anatomy, function, hormones, receptors, and testing of the HP axis in the horse. A discussion of critical care medicine relevant to HP dysfunction in the horse with some reference to current understanding in human medicine is made, focusing primarily on current and relevant literature. A brief mention of other conditions described in human and veterinary medicine is also provided for reference ...
Fenner MF, Gatta G, Sattler S, Kuiper M, Hesselkilde EM, Adler DMT, Smerup M, Schotten U, Sørensen U, Diness JG, Jespersen T, Verheule S....Small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa2) channels have been proposed as a possible atrial-selective target to pharmacologically terminate atrial fibrillation (AF) and to maintain sinus rhythm. However, it has been hypothesized that the importance of the KCa2 current-and thereby the efficacy of small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ current (I K,Ca) inhibition-might be negatively related to AF duration and the extent of AF-induced remodeling. Unassigned: To address the hypothesis of the efficacy of I K,Ca inhibition being dependent on AF duration, the anti-arrhythmic properties of the I K,Ca inh...
Hughes K, Scase TJ, Foote AK.Equine mammary tumors are uncommon, and relatively sparse histopathologic and molecular data exist. The present study describes the histopathologic features of 7 such tumors, which exhibited infiltrative growth, intermediate to high mitotic rates, and focally extensive necrosis. The tumors exhibited variably strong staining for vimentin and cytokeratin 14, as well as frequently weak cytoplasmic staining for pan-cytokeratin. E-cadherin expression was strong. Interestingly, a subgroup of the tumors exhibited strong nuclear staining for estrogen receptor α. Three of 7 tumors exhibited nuclear ex...
Connysson M, Muhonen S, Jansson A.This study investigated the effects of transport and diet on metabolic response during a subsequent race-like test in Standardbred horses in training fed a forage-only diet and a 50:50 forage:oats diet. Six trained and raced Standardbred trotter mares were used. Two diets, 1 forage-only diet (FONLY) and 1 diet with 50% of DM intake from forage and 50% from oats (FOATS), were fed for two 29-d periods in a crossover design. At Day 21, the horses were subjected to transport for 100 km before and after they performed an exercise test (transport test [TT]). At Day 26, the horses performed a control...
Videla R, Sommardahl CS, Elliott SB, Vasili A, Andrews FM.Gastric ulcers are common in horses and treatment of horses that cannot be administered oral medication can be problematic. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of esomeprazole sodium administered intravenously on gastric juice pH and gastric ulcer scores in horses. Methods: Twelve adult female Quarter Horses. Methods: Esomeprazole sodium (0.5 mg/kg IV) was administered once daily to 8 horses (treatment group) and saline (5 mL IV) was administered to 4 horses (control group) for 13 consecutive days. Gastroscopy was performed and gastric juice pH and gastric ulcer score were recorded before and ...
Urwin VE, Allen WR.Concentrations of FSH, LH, chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) and progesterone were measured during early pregnancy in mares and donkeys carrying normal intraspecies and transferred extraspecies conceptuses. A secondary rise in progesterone concentrations occurred in normal intraspecies horse and donkey pregnancy soon after the appearance of CG but FSH concentrations continued to fluctuate and were not influenced by CG production. In donkeys carrying transferred horse conceptuses FSH concentrations fell sharply and progesterone concentrations rose steeply, coincidental with the appearance of abnorma...
Welch-Huston B, Durward-Akhurst S, Norton E, Ellingson L, Rendahl A, McCue M.Cardiac arrhythmias are commonly auscultated during routine physical examinations in horses and determining the underlying electrical abnormality using an ECG is important. The most commonly used device is a three-lead base apex system (Televet), however few practitioners carry this for routine visits. With recognition of the utility of smartphone-based ECGs in humans, dogs and ruminants, the AliveCor single-lead bipolar smartphone-based ECG has gained popularity. The objective of this study was to determine if AliveCor and Televet ECG measurements were comparable in healthy horses using multi...
Vaala WE, Sertich PL.Perinatal death accounts for a large percentage of foal mortality. The most serious threats to perinatal survival remain septicemia, hypoxia, and dysmaturity. Topics discussed in this article include biochemical indices of fetoplacental function and evaluation and management of the high-risk mare.
Plummer AE.Impactions of the small and large intestines are frequently diagnosed as the cause of colic in horses. An impaction is an accumulation of dehydrated ingesta in a portion of the digestive tract, typically at sites where the intestinal diameter decreases. The specific pathogenesis for impactions is not fully understood, although risk factors have been identified for several types of impactions. Treatment for impactions includes withholding feed until the impaction passes, rehydrating the ingesta, and, if necessary, administering analgesic agents. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to reli...