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.
Hopster K, Ohnesorge B, von Borstel M, Rohn K, Kästner S.In most ocular procedures, a central position of the eye is necessary. This can be achieved using a deep plane of anaesthesia, locoregional blocks or with neuromuscular blocking agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of atracurium on cardiovascular parameters, and on recovery quality and duration in horses. Methods: Thirty-four warmblood horses undergoing in total 50 vitrectomies were divided into two groups. Premedication, induction and maintenance were identical in all patients. After 20 minutes, horses of group A received atracurium (0.1 mg/kg) while in the control grou...
Gil L, Galindo-Cardiel I, Malo C, González N, Alvarez C.Cholesterol and Equex-STM are frequently added to different commercial and experimental extenders improving postthawing sperm quality. Doses of 125-150 mM of cholesterol from pig liver and 0.5-0.7% of Equex-STM were evaluated in a standard eggyolk extender (Martin et al., 1979). Six ejaculates per stallion from six pure Spanish stallions (6-8 years old) were collected in Martin's extender (B) and different mixtures of 125 mM-0.5% (I), 125 mM-0.7% (II), 150 mM-0.5% (III), and 150 mM-0.7% (IV) were added to original Martin's extender. Samples were frozen in 0.5 mL straws (100 × 10(6...
Mendez-Angulo JL, Firshman AM, Groschen DM, Kieffer PJ, Trumble TN.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of three footing surfaces on the flexion/extension, and range of motion (ROM) of the carpus, tarsus and fetlocks in the horse. The percentage of stride spent in the stance phase of sound horses at the walk was also measured. Nine sound horses were walked on hard ground (HD), soft ground (SF) and a land treadmill (LT), and five complete gait cycles were recorded by a digital video camera. Retro-reflective markers were placed on the skin at four anatomical locations on the left fore and hind limbs, and data were analyzed using two-dimensional (2D)...
Rumpler MJ, Colahan P, Sams RA.The disposition of plasma glycopyrrolate (GLY) is characterized by a three-compartment pharmacokinetic model after a 1-mg bolus intravenous dose to Standardbred horses. The median (range) plasma clearance (Clp), volume of distribution of the central compartment (V1 ), volume of distribution at steady-state (Vss), and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-inf ) were 16.7 (13.6-21.7) mL/min/kg, 0.167 (0.103-0.215) L/kg, 3.69 (0.640-38.73) L/kg, and 2.58 (2.28-2.88) ng*h/mL, respectively. Renal clearance of GLY was characterized by a median (range) of 2.65 (1.92-3.59) mL/min/k...
Howard J, Graubner C.This study aimed to evaluate whether equine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations could be reliably measured in plasma with a turbidimetric immunoassay previously validated for equine SAA concentrations in serum. Paired serum and lithium-heparin samples obtained from 40 horses were evaluated. No difference was found in SAA concentrations between serum and plasma using a paired t test (P=0.48). The correlation between paired samples was 0.97 (Spearman's rank P<0.0001; 95% confidence interval 0.95-0.99). Passing-Bablok regression analyses revealed no differences between paired samples. Bland-A...
van der Meide NM, Savelkoul HF, Meulenbroeks C, Ducro BJ, Tijhaar E.Culicoides spp. of the Obsoletus complex belong to the most important species of midge, involved in causing insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) in horses in The Netherlands. The aim of the current study was to evaluate seven different Obsoletus complex-derived recombinant allergens (Cul o 1-Cul o 7) and to compare these with Obsoletus complex whole body extract (WBE) in an IgE ELISA, using sera of 194 clinically-confirmed cases of IBH and 175 unaffected horses. The highest test accuracy was obtained with WBE, followed by Cul o 2, 3 and 5. Two ELISAs with a combination of recombinant allergens, ...
Fonseca AO, Botton Sde A, Nogueira CE, Corrêa BF, Silveira Jde S, de Azevedo MI, Maroneze BP, Santurio JM, Pereira DI.Pythium insidiosum is an important pathogen of mammals' species, including humans. Equine is the main species affected by this oomycete. P. insidiosum requires an aquatic environment to develop its life cycle, and the susceptible hosts are contaminated when they contact the microorganism in swampy areas. The equine pythiosis is characterized by the formation of irregular masses within the cutaneous lesions, called kunkers, which easily detach from the lesion. From these structures, it is possible to isolate P. insidiosum in pure cultures. The present study aimed to reproduce in vitro the life ...
Bazzano M, Giannetto C, Fazio F, Marafioti S, Giudice E, Piccione G.Hemostasis is a physiological process that prevents excessive blood loss and represents a protective mechanism at the time of delivery. Peripartum hemorrhage is a recurring hazardous condition to mare's health; therefore, we aimed to study mares' hemostatic profile to investigate whether physiological adjustments occur during late pregnancy and early postpartum. Fifteen pregnant mares have been monitored from the 34th week of pregnancy until the third week after foaling. Fifteen nonpregnant mares were used as control group. Jugular blood samples were analyzed for platelet count (Plt), prothrom...
Richards SL, Cawley AT, Raftery MJ.Dermorphin, a hepta-peptide with potent analgesic properties, is classified as a doping agent in equine racing. Since its discovery, a number of biologically active structural analogs have been synthesized and made commercially available so there is a need for reliable methods of detection. Results: A sensitive detection method was developed for dermorphin and six analogs in equine urine. Peptide enrichment was achieved using weak cation exchange with subsequent separation and detection by nano-UHPLC-MS/MS. Method validation parameters included: specificity, linearity (5-10000 pg/ml), recovery...
Harr KE, Flatland B, Nabity M, Freeman KP.As all laboratory equipment ages and contains components that may degrade with time, initial and periodically scheduled performance assessment is required to verify accurate and precise results over the life of the instrument. As veterinary patients may present to general practitioners and then to referral hospitals (both of which may each perform in-clinic laboratory analyses using different instruments), and given that general practitioners may send samples to reference laboratories, there is a need for comparability of results across instruments and methods. Allowable total error (TEa ) is ...
Brown BN, Siebenlist NJ, Cheetham J, Ducharme NG, Rawlinson JJ, Bonassar LJ.Normal laryngeal function has a large impact on quality of life, and dysfunction can be life threatening. In general, airway obstructions arise from a reduction in neuromuscular function or a decrease in mechanical stiffness of the structures of the upper airway. These reductions decrease the ability of the airway to resist inspiratory or expiratory pressures, causing laryngeal collapse. We propose to restore airway patency through methods that replace damaged tissue and improve the stiffness of airway structures. A number of recent studies have utilized image-guided approaches to create cell-...
Jülke H, Veit C, Ribitsch I, Brehm W, Ludewig E, Delling U.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of three different superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles for labeling of ovine and equine bone marrow (BM)-derived multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) in vitro. MSCs were obtained from five adult sheep and horses, respectively. After three passages (p3), cells were labeled with either 1) Molday ION Rhodamine B, 2) Endorem, 3) Resovist, or 4) remained unlabeled as control. Labeling efficiency, marker retention, and long-term detectability in MRI until p7 were evaluated. Further, proliferation capacity and trilineage differentiation as indic...
Dyson S.Nuclear scintigraphic examination of equine athletes has a potentially important role in the diagnosis of lameness or poor performance, but increased radiopharmaceutical uptake (IRU) is not necessarily synonymous with pain causing lameness. Nuclear scintigraphy is highly sensitive to changes in bone turnover that may be induced by loading and knowledge of normal patterns of RU is crucial for accurate diagnosis. Blood pool images can be useful for identification of some soft tissue injuries, although acute bone injuries may also have intense IRU in blood pool images. Some muscle injuries may be...
Lawhon SD, Lopez FR, Joswig A, Black HC, Watts AE, Norman TE, Porter BF.Weissella confusa is a Gram-positive bacterium that has been identified in environmental and food samples from around the world. Rare cases of bacteremia in immunocompromised people have been reported. A 2-day-old foal was presented for weakness and suspected sepsis. Blood culture yielded pure growth of a Gram-positive coccobacillus, which was identified as W. confusa through sequencing of the 16S ribosomal DNA. Although the foal initially responded to antimicrobial therapy with ceftiofur and metronidazole, it later developed septic complications of the right tarsocrural joint and right digita...
Lester HE, Matthews JB.Equine gastrointestinal nematodes are ubiquitous; in horses that graze contaminated pasture and that are not treated appropriately, large numbers of worms can accumulate, which can lead to serious clinical disease. Nematode control has traditionally followed interval treatment regimens, which involve regular anthelmintic administration to all horses based on the strongyle egg reappearance periods of each drug, usually defined around the time of licensing. Interval treatment programmes have resulted in substantial reductions in large strongyle disease, but have made major contributions to the d...
Higler MH, Brommer H, L'Ami JJ, de Grauw JC, Nielen M, van Weeren PR, Laverty S, Barneveld A, Back W.Multiple in vitro studies assessing articular tissues have indicated that glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate may possess anti-inflammatory effects, but little is known of their clinical effects in vivo. Many old horses have stiff joints, which is likely to be attributable to inflammation and therapy with these nutraceutical compounds could improve joint function. Objective: To assess the clinical effects of a mixed supplement on the improvement of stiff gait in aged horses. Methods: Randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled study. Methods: A group of 24 geriatric equids (age 29 ± 4 years; mea...
Schrock P, Lüpke M, Seifert H, Staszyk C.Equine incisors are subjected to continuous occlusal wear causing multiple, age related changes of the extragingival crown. It is assumed that the occlusal wear is compensated by continued tooth elongation at the apical ends of the teeth. In this study, μCT-datasets offered the opportunity to analyze the three-dimensional appearance of the extra- and intraalveolar parts of the enamel containing dental crown as well as of the enamel-free dental root. Multiple morphometric measurements elucidated age related, morphological changes within the intraalveolar part of the incisors. Results: Equine i...
Newkirk KM, Hendrix DV, Anis EA, Rohrbach BW, Ehrhart EJ, Lyons JA, Kania SA.Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common tumor arising in the periocular and penile areas of horses. Both ultraviolet radiation and papillomaviruses have been implicated in the pathogenesis of SCC in various species, including the horse. This retrospective study used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect papillomavirus DNA in archival biopsy samples from equine periocular and penile SCC from 3 different geographic areas (northeast, southeast, and central United States). Forty-two periocular SCCs were tested; none contained papillomavirus DNA. Twenty-two penile SCCs were tested, and...
Pirie CG, Alario AF, Barysauskas CM, Gradil C, Uricchio CK.Corneal thickness measurements of the equine globe using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) have not been reported. Objective: To determine corneal thickness measurements and the intra- and interoperator reliability of a portable SD-OCT device in equine eyes. Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: Horses free of ocular disease were used for this study. Gentle manual restraint, in combination with detomidine hydrochloride and a head stand, were employed to ensure proper animal positioning. Corneal pachymetry measurements were obtained from both eyes of each animal...
Thorson JF, Allen CC, Amstalden M, Williams GL.The continuous, subcutaneous infusion of native GnRH into seasonally anovulatory mares stimulates the synthesis and secretion of LH without pituitary refractoriness, offering opportunities to markedly accelerate the timing of ovulation within the operational breeding season. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that ovarian cycles induced in winter anovulatory mares using continuous administration of native GnRH for 28 days, beginning in either early February or early March (North America) would not revert to an anovulatory state after treatment withdrawal. Anovulatory mares received sham pumps (c...
Thorson JF, Prezotto LD, Cardoso RC, Allen CC, Alves BR, Amstalden M, Williams GL.Onset of the winter anovulatory period in mares is associated with a marked diminution in adenohypophyseal synthesis and release of LH. Native GnRH, unlike its synthetic agonists, stimulates the synthesis and secretion of LH in mares without pituitary refractoriness. Herein we tested the hypotheses that (1) the average Julian day of pregnancy can be accelerated by up to 2 months in winter anovulatory mares treated continuously with native GnRH beginning on February 1 and (2) mares will sustain luteal function and pregnancy after treatment withdrawal. Forty-two winter anovulatory mares were str...
Vignjević G, Vrućina I, Sestak I, Turić N, Bogojević MS, Merdić E.The West Nile Virus (WNV) is a zoonotic arbovirus that has recently been causing outbreaks in many countries in southern and Central Europe. In 2012, for the first time, it caused an outbreak in eastern Croatia with total of 7 human clinical cases. With an aim of assisting public health personnel in order to improve survey protocols and vector control, the high risk areas of the WNV transmission were estimated and mapped. The study area included cities of Osijek and Slavonski Brod and 8 municipalities in Vukovarsko-Srijemska County. Risk estimation was based on seroprevalence of WNV infections...
Baghi HB, Laval K, Favoreel H, Nauwynck HJ.The nasal mucosa surface is continuously confronted with a broad variety of environmental antigens, ranging from harmless agents to potentially harmful pathogens. This area is under rigorous control of professional antigen presenting cells (APCs), such as dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages. Mucosal APCs play a crucial role in inducing primary immune responses and the establishment of an immunological memory. In the present study, a detailed characterization of CD172a(+) cells, containing the APCs residing in the equine nasal mucosa was performed for the first time. CD172a(+) cells were isol...
Burnell FJ, Holmes MA, Roiko AH, Lowe JB, Heil GL, White SK, Gray GC.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is considered enzootic in Europe (except Iceland), Asia, North Africa, and North and South America. When EIV outbreaks occur they may severely impact the equine and tourist industries. Australia faced its first EIV outbreak beginning in August of 2007. The outbreak was concentrated in New South Wales and Queensland, with more than 1400 confirmed EIV infections in horses during the first month. Rapid response from the equine industry and the federal government was successful and Australia was declared free from EIV by the end of 2007. Objective: This cross-sectional...
François I, Lalèyê FX, Micat M, Benredouane K, Portier K.Some controversy exists over whether or not horses' recovery and cardiopulmonary function are affected by suspension in slings. Objective: To measure arterial oxygen tension and pulmonary ventilation in anaesthetised horses placed in a standing position in an Anderson Sling (AS) after a period of right lateral recumbency (RLR). Methods: Randomised crossover experimental study. Methods: Six Standardbred horses were anaesthetised twice. Catheters were inserted into the right jugular vein and the left carotid artery. After premedication with romifidine, anaesthesia was induced with diazepam and k...
Scofield D, Black J, Wittenburg L, Gustafson D, Ferris R, Hatzel J, Traub-Dargatz J, McCue P.Systemic administration of ceftiofur crystalline free acid (CCFA) may be a potential treatment for infectious endometritis caused by Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) and other susceptible bacterial organisms in the mare. Objective: To determine if i.m. administration of CCFA at the label dose will exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of S. zooepidemicus in the endometrium following single administration and multiple administration protocols. Methods: Experimental pharmacokinetic study. Methods: Three mares (Group 1) were administered a single i.m. dos...
Ruple-Czerniak A, Bolte DS, Burgess BA, Morley PS.Nosocomial salmonellosis is an important problem in veterinary hospitals that treat horses and other large animals. Detection and mitigation of outbreaks and prevention of healthcare-associated infections often require detection of Salmonella enterica in the hospital environment. Objective: To compare 2 previously published methods for detecting environmental contamination with S. enterica in a large animal veterinary teaching hospital. Methods: Hospital-based comparison of environmental sampling techniques. Methods: A total of 100 pairs of environmental samples were collected from stalls us...
Winfield LS, Kass PH, Magdesian KG, Madigan JE, Aleman M, Pusterla N.There are currently few data available on the prognosis and outcome of recumbent horses. Objective: To investigate the outcome of hospitalised horses that had been recumbent in the field or hospital and factors affecting their survival within the first 3 days of hospitalisation and survival after 3 days to hospital discharge. Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical records. Methods: Records of 148 horses admitted to the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California Davis from January 1995 to December 2010 with a history of recumbency or horses that bec...
Schumacher J, DeGraves F, Cesar F, Duran S.A local anaesthetic agent capable of temporarily resolving lameness after being administered perineurally would be helpful because rapid return of lameness would allow for other analgesic techniques to be performed within a short period of time. Objective: To determine if a 3% solution of ketamine hydrochloride (HCl), administered around the palmar nerves at the level of the base of the proximal sesamoid bones, can improve naturally occurring lameness that can be improved or abolished with a basilar sesamoid nerve block performed using lidocaine HCl and to compare the change in gait produced u...
Holm-Martin M, Levot GW, Dawson KL.A gel formulation containing moxidectin (20 g/kg) and praziquantel (125 g/kg) reduced the geometric mean faecal strongyle egg count in horses to below 100 eggs per gram of faeces (epg) for at least 12 weeks despite their being exposed continuously to reinfection from pasture grazed by treated and untreated horses. The geometric mean egg count of horses treated with a proprietary paste containing abamectin (3.7 g/kg) and praziquantel (46.2 g/kg) increased steadily from six weeks after the treatment, peaking at over 820 epg after 12 weeks. Relative to the efficacy of the abamectin/praziquantel t...
Bannai H, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K, Yamanaka T, Kokado H, Kondo T, Matsumura T.Immune responses were compared after intranasal (IN) and intramuscular (IM) vaccination of horses with a modified live equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) vaccine, and the protective effect after EHV-1 challenge was evaluated. IN- and IM-vaccinated groups (n = 5 each) showed significant rises in serum virus-neutralizing titers with increased levels of IgGa and IgGb antibodies after the first vaccination (P < 0.05). In nasal secretions, the IN group had significantly increased levels of IgA antibodies after vaccination (P < 0.05), whereas the response of the IM group was dominat...
Lerche P.Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) is the mainstay of short-term (up to 60 minutes) and field anesthesia in horses. This article discusses the pros and cons of TIVA, commonly used TIVA protocols, and their use, monitoring during, and recovery from, TIVA.
Tapio HA, Raekallio MR, Mykkänen A, Mama K, Mendez-Angulo JL, Hautajärvi H, Vainio OM.OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of MK-467 and hyoscine butylbromide on detomidine hydrochloride-induced cardiorespiratory and gastrointestinal changes in horses. ANIMALS 6 healthy adult horses. PROCEDURES Horses received detomidine hydrochloride (20 μg/kg, IV), followed 10 minutes later by MK-467 hydrochloride (150 μg/kg; DET-MK), hyoscine butylbromide (0.2 mg/kg; DET-HYO), or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (DET-S), IV, in a Latin square design. Heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, arterial and venous blood pressures, and cardiac output were measured; blood gases and arterial plas...
Vander Werf KA, Davis EG, Kukanich B.The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetic profile and determine whether any adverse effects would occur in seven healthy adult horses following oral meloxicam tablet administration once daily for 14 days at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg·bwt. Horses were evaluated for health using physical examination, complete blood count, serum chemistry, urinalysis, and gastroscopy at the beginning and end of the study. Blood was collected for the quantification of meloxicam concentrations with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The mean terminal half-life was 4.99 ± 1.11 h. There was n...
Hennessy KD, Quinn KM, Murphy J.Horses are individual, each having differential characteristics such as height, color, breeding, conformation, and temperament. These bio-characteristics often influence potential purchasers when buying horses. This study sought to investigate if producers and potential purchasers placed similar emphasis on equine bio-characteristics. Sport-horse stakeholders--n = 1377 (792 producers and 585 potential purchasers)--rated various equine bio-characteristics on a Likert psychometric response scale during a questionnaire-based survey. The study analyzed responses, using the Wilcoxan test for statis...
Carmalt JL, Waldner CL, Allen AL.The objectives of the present study were to determine if diagnosis and treatment of equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) vary by geographic region and to report the prevalence of PPID in horses as observed by veterinarians across locations. An online questionnaire was developed for veterinarians who treat horses. Veterinary associations, especially equine specialty subgroups, were contacted and a survey link was sent to members of each organization. Generalized linear models were used to examine whether the method of diagnosis and treatment of this condition, as well as its repo...
Ochi A, Hifumi T, Ueno T, Katayama Y.Capillaria hepatica is a zoonotic parasite in humans and animals and has a worldwide distribution. However, infections in mammals apart from rodents, which are natural hosts of the parasite, have rarely been reported. This report describes the first known case of C. hepatica infection in a horse in Japan. Methods: A 3-year-old filly without clinical signs was presented at a slaughterhouse in Japan. Gross examination revealed white to tan nodules 0.5 to 1.5 cm in diameter in the parenchyma of the liver. Histologically, the nodules had mature fibrous capsules and consisted of multifocal to coal...
Halliwell RE, Fleischman JB, Mackay-Smith M, Beech J, Gunson DE.Twenty-five horses with chronic pulmonary disease were skin tested with allergenic extracts of 24 molds, 4 thermophilic actinomyces, barn dust, hay dust, soya-bean mill dust, and grain mill dust. The results were compared with those obtained on 25 normal horses. Between the 2 groups of horses, there was a highly significant difference in positive skin test results at 30 minutes and 4 hours.
de Lemos ER, Machado RD, Coura JR, Guimarães MA, Chagas N.In order to obtain information on Brazilian spotted fever, a study in domestic animals was performed in the County of Pedreira, State of São Paulo, Brazil, where 17 human cases had been notified. Serum samples obtained from animals were tested by indirect immunofluorescence for detectable antibodies to spotted fever-group rickettsiae. Seropositivity was revealed in 12 (36.4%) of 33 dogs and seven (77.8%) of nine horses from the endemic area. For comparison, blood samples from dogs and horses from non endemic area were tested and four (12.9%) of 31 dogs and three (27.3%) of 11 horses were posi...
Christophersen MT, Tnibar A, Pihl TH, Andersen PH, Ekstrøm CT.There is a paucity of studies addressing sporting activity and horse owners' satisfaction after horses have undergone colic surgery. Objective: To determine 1) survival rate after colic surgery, 2) prevalence of horses returning to, or starting, sporting activities and 3) assess the owners' satisfaction regarding colic surgery. Methods: Cases that underwent exploratory celiotomy for colic between January 2005 and August 2010 were reviewed. All horses that had one or more celiotomies and were discharged after colic surgery were included in a telephone questionnaire survey. Only horses that surv...
Ferlazzo A, Cravana C, Fazio E, Medica P.In order to acquire a pattern of thyroid involvement in welfare maintenance in Ruminants and Equines, this review summarizes data concerning the reference values of total and free iodothyronines and their modifications in physiological conditions and in different management conditions (pregnancy, lactation, weaning, growth, isolation, restraint, shearing, confinement and transportation). Thyroidal and extrathyroidal tissues efficiently respond to management practices, giving a differentiated contribution to circulating iodothyronine changes. The hormonal response could be mainly attributed to ...
Boehart S, Arndt G, Carstanjen B.The aim of the study was to determine morphometric values of the superficial and deep digital flexor tendon, the inferior check ligament and the suspensory ligament in the palmar metacarpal region of sound Haflinger horses using ultrasonography and to assess the influence of different factors on them. The findings were compared with the literature. A total of 30 sound Haflinger mares aged 4-20 years were used. Transverse ultrasound images were obtained with an 8-10 linear MHz transducer and the cross-sectional area, the circumference and the dorsopalmar and lateromedial width were determined f...
Sabeur K, Ball BA.To identify the generation of the superoxide anion by equine spermatozoa. Methods: Multiple ejaculates collected from 3 Thoroughbred stallions. Methods: Induced superoxide production by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides (NAD[P]H; ie, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide [NADH] and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate [NADPH]) was measured by use of a nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction assay on whole spermatozoa and a cytochrome c reduction assay on isolated membrane fractions of spermatozoa. Localization of superoxide generation was determined by use of NBT cyto...
Borena BM, Meyer E, Chiers K, Martens A, Demeyere K, Broeckx SY, Duchateau L, Spaas JH.Mammal skin plays a pivotal role in several life preserving processes and extensive damage may therefore be life threatening. Physiological skin regeneration is achieved through ongoing somatic stem cell differentiation within the epidermis and the hair follicle. However, in severe pathological cases, such as burn wounds, chronic wounds, and ulcers, the endogenous repair mechanisms might be insufficient. For this reason, exogenous purification and multiplication of epithelial-like stem/progenitor cells (EpSCs) might be useful in the treatment of these skin diseases. However, only few reports a...
Chen J, Weng Q, Chao J, Hu D, Taya K.In China, the first Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalskii) group was released in Kalamaili Ungulate Protected Area in Xinjiang, in August 2001. The objective of this study was to investigate reproduction and development of released Przewalski's horses in Xinjiang, China from 2002 to 2006. Twenty-four descendants were naturally born, average reproduction rate was 38.7%, and average survival rate of foals was 69.1% in this interim. Frequent alternation of the leading stallion and infertility in female horses due to environmental factors were main causes for the low reproduction rate. The infant ...
Fischer AT, Vachon AM.Laparoscopic intra-abdominal ligation and removal of cryptorchid testes in horses was evaluated retrospectively in 50 horses that underwent the procedure between 1991 and 1996. Sixty-one cryptorchid testes were removed by one of the following methods; the use of 1) an endoscoping stapling and transection device, 2) an endoscopic clipping device, 3) an endoscopic ligating loop. Monopolar electrosurgery was combined with these methods to facilitate coagulation and cutting of tissue. In 8 horses, 9 testes were retained between the internal and external inguinal rings. The inguinal testes were rem...
Sánchez Bruni SF, Fusé LA, Moreno L, Saumell CA, Alvarez LI, Fiel C, McKellar QA, Lanusse CE.The study of novel pharmacological strategies to control parasitism in horses is required since many parasite species have developed resistance to anthelmintic drugs. Objective: To evaluate the effects of piperonyl butoxide (PB) (a metabolic inhibitor) on the plasma availability and enantiomeric behaviour of oxfendazole (OFZ) given orally to horses, and to compare the clinical efficacy of OFZ given either alone or co-administered with PB in naturally parasitised horses. Methods: Fifteen naturally parasitised crossbred male ponies were allocated into 3 groups (n = 5) and treated orally as follo...
Bollwein H, Mayer R, Weber F, Stolla R.Transrectal color Doppler ultrasound was used for the noninvasive investigation of luteal blood flow during the estrous cycle in six mares. Color was displayed in Power-Mode, in which the number of color pixels on the ultrasound image is related to the number of moving blood cells. Three pictures with a maximum number of color pixels of the corpus luteum (CL) during an examination period of about 20 min were selected and digitized on a laptop equipped with an external frame grabber card. The intra-class correlation coefficient for the number of color pixels was 0.90. In all estrous cycles simi...
Minshall GJ, Wright IM.Clinical association between the branches of insertion of the suspensory ligament (SL) and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints has been reported. However, there has been no assessment of the lengths of the SL branches which are subsynovial with respect to the joints or reports of involvement of the MCP/MTP joints in injuries of the SL branches. Objective: To establish proportions of SL branches subsynovial with respect to the MCP/MTP joints and report clinical and arthroscopic findings in horses with desmitis of SL branches identified as having an articular component...
Johansson AM, Gardner SY, Jones SL, Fuquay LR, Reagan VH, Levine JF.This study was initiated to identify the signalment and clinical variables potentially associated with hypomagnesemia in horses evaluated at the North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU-CVM) veterinary teaching hospital between January 1999 and May 2001. A nested case reference study (nested case-control study) was conducted to examine the potential relationship between hypomagnesemia and signalment, serum chemistry panel analyses, number of hospitalization days, discharge status, and diagnosis. A series of independent and multivariable logistic regression models w...
Kim YM, Ha SJ, Seong HS, Choi JY, Baek HJ, Yang BC, Choi JW, Kim NY.In this study, genome-wide CNVs were identified using a total of 469 horses from four horse populations (Jeju horses, Thoroughbreds, Jeju riding horses, and Hanla horses). We detected a total of 843 CNVRs throughout all autosomes: 281, 30, 301, and 310 CNVRs for Jeju horses, Thoroughbreds, Jeju riding horses, and Hanla horses, respectively. Of the total CNVRs, copy number losses were found to be the most abundant (48.99%), while gains and mixed CNVRs accounted for 41.04% and 9.96% of the total CNVRs, respectively. The length of the CNVRs ranged from 0.39 kb to 2.8 Mb, while approximately 7.2% ...
Marr CM.Degenerative myxomatous disease is common and is associated with aging. Poor prognostic indicators for equine aortic regurgitation specifically include ventricular ectopy, increased pulse pressure, and hyperkinetic pulses. Valvular prolapse is a functional abnormality diagnosed echocardiographically, about which knowledge is limited. A better understanding of its role in valvular regurgitation is needed. Infective endocarditis presents with fever and other systemic signs accompanying valvular regurgitation. The prognosis is poor, warranting aggressive therapy. Other forms of valvular disease o...
Jelinski MD, Campbell JR.The objective of this study was to determine the number of hours veterinarians in western Canada work per week, how they apportion their time by species, and clinics' hiring intentions for new veterinary associates. Of 1099 clinics contacted, 706 (64%) responded to the survey, representing 80% (1774/2227) of private practitioners in western Canada. Practitioners devoted 73% of their time to small animals (SA), 11% to beef practice, and 9% to horses. Sixty-four percent of clinics and 66% of practitioners were devoted exclusively to companion animal (SA and horses) practice; only 4% of clinics a...
El-Sayed SAE, AbouLaila M, ElKhatam A, Abdel-Wahab A, Rizk MA.In the present study, we conducted an epidemiological survey of Theileria equi, with sequencing analysis of the PCR product using blood-DNA samples collected from donkeys (n = 149) reared in different Egyptian provinces in Lower Egypt (Menoufia and Mersa Matruh) and middle Egypt (Giza). All animals were tested for the presence of T. equi parasite using species-specific PCR assay targeting the Equi merozoite antigen-1 (EMA-1). Nine- (6.04%) samples were positive for T. equi. The highest positive rate for infection was detected in Giza zoological garden (10.16%). Egyptian EMA-1 gene sequence e...