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.
Fultz LE, Peloso JG, Giguère S, Adams AR.To compare the outcome of horses with nephrosplenic entrapment of the large colon (NSELC) that were treated nonsurgically by IV administration of phenylephrine and exercise with that of horses treated by IV administration of phenylephrine and a rolling procedure under general anesthesia. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 88 horses with NSELC. Methods: Horses examined between 2004 and 2010 because of acute abdominal pain that had NSELC on the basis of findings on abdominal palpation per rectum, abdominal ultrasonography, or both were included. Medical records were reviewed to obtain ...
Lester GD, Merritt AM, Kuck HV, Burrow JA.Intravenous (IV) and intragastric (IG) administration of fluid therapy are commonly used in equine practice, but there are limited data on the systemic, renal, and enteric effects. Objective: IV fluid administration will increase intestinal and fecal hydration in a rate-dependent manner after hypertonic dehydration, but will be associated with significant urinary water and electrolyte loss. Equivalent volumes of IG plain water will result in comparatively greater intestinal hydration with less renal loss. Methods: Six Thoroughbred geldings. Methods: Experimental study. 6 by 6 Latin square desi...
Wallner B, Vogl C, Shukla P, Burgstaller JP, Druml T, Brem G.The paternally inherited Y chromosome displays the population genetic history of males. While modern domestic horses (Equus caballus) exhibit abundant diversity within maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA, no significant Y-chromosomal sequence diversity has been detected. We used high throughput sequencing technology to identify the first polymorphic Y-chromosomal markers useful for tracing paternal lines. The nucleotide variability of the modern horse Y chromosome is extremely low, resulting in six haplotypes (HT), all clearly distinct from the Przewalski horse (E. przewalskii). The most wi...
Gomez DE, Arroyo LG, Stämpfli HR, Cruz LE, Oliver OJ.The quantitative effect of strong electrolytes, pCO2 , and plasma protein concentration in determining plasma pH and bicarbonate concentrations can be demonstrated with the physicochemical approach. Plasma anion gap (AG) and strong ion gap (SIG) are used to assess the presence or absence of unmeasured anions. Objective: The physicochemical approach is useful for detection and explanation of acid-base disorders in horses with colitis. AG and SIG accurately predict hyperlactatemia in horses with colitis. Methods: Fifty-four horses with acute colitis and diarrhea. Methods: Retrospective study. Ph...
Baccarin RY, Pereira MA, Roncati NV, Bergamaschi RR, Hagen SC.This study aimed to detect, by radiographic examination, the evolution of osteochondral lesions in the tarsocrural and femoropatellar joints of Lusitano foals. Within 1 month of age, 76.08% of foals had radiographic signs of osteochondrosis, but only 16.20% had lesions at 18 months. The radiographic signs resolved by 5 mo of age in most foals, but some cases that involved either joint, were not resolved until 12 mo of age. It is thought that the "age of no return" is 5 mo for the tarsocrural and 8 mo for the femoropatellar joint but this study demonstrated regression of osteochondral lesions i...
Carstens A, Kirberger RM, Velleman M, Dahlberg LE, Fletcher L, Lammentausta E.Osteoarthritis of the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joints is one of the major causes of poor performance in horses. Delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) may be a useful technique for noninvasively quantifying articular cartilage damage in horses. The purpose of this study was to describe dGEMRIC characteristics of the distal metacarpus3/metatarsus3 (Mc3/Mt3) articular cartilage in 20 cadaver specimens collected from normal Thoroughbred horses. For each specimen, T1 relaxation time was measured from scans acquired precontrast and at 30, 60, 120, and 180...
Montgomery JB, Wichtel JJ, Wichtel MG, McNiven MA, McClure JT, Markham F, Horohov DW.The effects of selenium (Se) supplementation and source on equine immune function have not been extensively studied. This study examined the effects of oral Se supplementation and Se source on aspects of innate and adaptive immunity in horses. Fifteen horses were assigned to 1 of 3 groups (5 horses/group): control, inorganic Se (sodium selenite), organic Se (Se yeast). Immune function tests performed included: lymphocyte proliferation in response to mitogen concanavalin A, neutrophil phagocytosis, antibody production after rabies vaccination, relative cytokine gene expression in stimulated lym...
Capolongo F, Gallina G, Fidani M, Baia F, Montesissa C.This study investigated whether a single intra-articular administration (IA) of dexamethasone (DEX) in horses at therapeutic dosage could exert a systemic effect by influencing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity as a consequence of (limited) absorption and systemic distribution. The results indicated that DEX was detectable in urine collected 12-48 h after IA administration and that injection was accompanied by a reduced urine excretion of cortisol, 6β-hydroxycortisol (6βOHF) and two other metabolites of cortisol lasting up to 48 h post-DEX administration. The systemic effect...
Crişan MI, Damian A, Gal A, Miclăuş V, Cernea CL, Denoix JM.The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed description of the vascular changes in the distal part of deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT). Eight isolated forelimbs were collected from 8 horses with DDF tendinopathy diagnosed post-mortem by ultrasound and gross anatomopathological examination. The samples were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, softened in 4% phenol and dehydrated with ethylic alcohol. Goldner's Trichrome staining method was used. The histopathological examination revealed vascular proliferation associated with structural disorders of blood vessels. Angiogenesis, fib...
Ros-GarcÃa A, M'ghirbi Y, Hurtado A, Bouattour A.The genetic diversity and prevalence of Babesia and Theileria species in the equine population of Tunisia were studied using reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization on blood samples and unfed adult ticks collected from apparently healthy horses from three bioclimatic zones in Tunisia. Piroplasms were identified in 13 of 104 of the horse blood samples analyzed (12.5%) and five genotype groups were identified: Theileria equi group A (nine animals, 8.7%), group C (one animal, 1.0%) and group D (three animals, 2.9%), and Babesia caballi groups A and B (one animal each). All horses from the semi-arid...
Pasing SS, Aurich C, von Lewinski M, Wulf M, Krüger M, Aurich JE.An important factor influencing stallion fertility is the microbial contamination of semen. Aims of this study were to investigate changes in the microbiological population of the genital mucosa and semen in artificial insemination stallions (n=16) from before to after one breeding season (February-August). MALDI-TOF-MS (matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry) was used for identification of microbial agents. For bacteriology, swabs from the urethral opening, urethral fossa and penile sheath as well as semen were collected at 4-week-intervals. For semen mot...
Williams LB, Pinard CL.Corneal ulceration is commonly diagnosed by equine veterinarians. A complete ophthalmic examination as well as fluorescein staining, corneal cytology, and corneal bacterial (aerobic) and fungal culture and sensitivity testing are necessary for all infected corneal ulcers. Appropriate topical antibiotics, topical atropine, and systemic NSAIDs are indicated for all corneal ulcers. If keratomalacia (melting) is observed, anticollagenase/antiprotease therapy, such as autologous serum, is indicated. If fungal infection is suspected, antifungal therapy is a necessity. Subpalpebral lavage systems all...
Burba DJ.Managing traumatic foot wounds in horses may require surgical intervention. These wounds include coronary-band and heel-bulb lacerations, septic pedal osteitis, septic navicular bursitis, sepsis of the collateral cartilages, and hoof-wall injuries. This article provides a practical overview of the surgical management of these types of wounds.
Wang L, Luo DK, Pan ZY.The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between glucocorticoid receptors and steroid‑induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SANFH). Healthy New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=16/group); the normal (no treatment), control (horse serum injections) and treatment (horse serum and methylprednisolone injections) groups. Methylprednisolone and horse serum injections were used to establish a SANFH model in rabbits; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathological analysis were used to evaluate the SANFH rabbit model. Total cholesterol an...
Nieto JE, Maher O, Stanley SD, Knych HK, Snyder JR.To determine the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of zoledronic acid in horses. Methods: 8 healthy horses. Methods: A single dose of zoledronic acid (0.057 mg/kg, IV) was administered during a 30-minute period. Venous blood was collected at several time points. Zoledronic acid concentration in plasma was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and pertinent pharmacokinetic parameters were determined. Plasma was analyzed for total calcium, BUN, and creatinine concentrations and a marker for bone resorption (C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen). Results: ...
Vairo S, Van den Broeck W, Favoreel H, Scagliarini A, Nauwynck H.The upper respiratory tract mucosa represents the first line of defense, which has to be overcome by pathogens before invading the host. Considering the economic and ethical aspects involved in using experimental animals for pathogenesis studies, respiratory mucosal explants, in which the tissue's three-dimensional architecture is preserved, may be ideal alternatives. Different respiratory mucosal explant cultures have been developed. However, none of them could be inoculated with pathogens solely at the epithelium side. In the present study, equine nasal and nasopharyngeal explants were embed...
Kim W, McArdle BH, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Firth EC, Broom ND.To investigate histomorphometric changes in the cartilage and subchondral bone of the third carpal bone associated with conditioning exercise in young Thoroughbreds. Methods: Nine 18-month-old Thoroughbreds. Procedures-Both third carpal bones of 9 horses (4 exercised spontaneously at pasture only and 5 given additional conditioning exercise beginning at a mean age of 3 weeks) were evaluated. Histomorphometric variables (hyaline and calcified cartilage thickness and collagen orientation; vascular channel area, number, and orientation; and osteochondral junction rugosity) of the third carpal bon...
Nieto JE, Morales B, Yamout SZ, Stanley SD, Harmon FA, Snyder JR.To determine the response to neostigmine of the contractile activity of the jejunum and pelvic flexure and the effects of a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of neostigmine in horses. Methods: 7 adult horses and tissue from 12 adult horses. Methods: A CRI of neostigmine (0.008 mg/kg/h) or placebo was administered to 6 horses in a crossover study design. Gastric emptying was evaluated by the acetaminophen test. The frequency of defecation and urination and the consistency and weight of feces were recorded throughout the experiment. The effect of neostigmine on smooth muscle contractile activity wa...
Kitaoka Y, Endo Y, Mukai K, Aida H, Hiraga A, Takemasa T, Hatta H.To evaluate the effects of a single incremental exercise test (IET) on mRNA expression and protein content of monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 1 and MCT4 in the gluteus medius muscle of Thoroughbreds. Methods: 12 Thoroughbreds (6 males and 6 females; age, 3 to 4 years). Methods: Horses underwent an IET before and after 18 weeks of high-intensity exercise training (HIT). Horses were exercised at 90% of maximal oxygen consumption for 3 minutes during the initial 10 weeks of HIT and 110% of maximal oxygen consumption for 3 minutes during the last 8 weeks of HIT. Gluteus medius muscle biopsy spec...
Blatter M, Haase B, Gerber V, Poncet PA, Leeb T, Rieder S, Henke D, Janett F, Burger D.In April 2008 a Franches-Montagnes colt was born with an unusual coat colour phenotype which had never been observed in that population before. The foal showed extended white markings on body and legs, a white head and blue eyes. As both parents have an unremarkable bay coat colour phenotype, a de novo mutation was expected in the offspring and a candidate gene approach revealed a spontaneous mutation in the microphthalmia associated transcription factor gene (MITF). A detailed clinical examination in 2010 indicated an impaired hearing capacity. As in the American Paint Horse large white facia...
Caron JP.Laparoscopic removal of the gonads from male and female horses is regularly performed for a variety of reasons. In female horses, common indications for ovariectomy include behavioral problems and signs of abdominal pain that are linked to estrus. Another indication is an abnormal, enlarged ovary, typically due to ovarian neoplasia, the most common being granulosa thecal cell tumor. Ovariectomy is also a treatment option for ovarian hematomas and other abnormalities. In addition, ovariectomy is used to sterilize mares intended for artificial insemination or embryo transfer programs.
Mossel EC, Ledermann JP, Phillips AT, Borland EM, Powers AM, Olson KE.Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) is a naturally occurring recombinant virus derived from ancestral Sindbis and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses. We previously showed that infection by WEEV isolates McMillan (McM) and IMP-181 (IMP) results in high (∼90-100%) and low (0%) mortality, respectively, in outbred CD-1 mice when virus is delivered by either subcutaneous or aerosol routes. However, relatively little is known about specific virulence determinants of WEEV. We previously observed that IMP infected Culex tarsalis mosquitoes at a high rate (app. 80%) following ingestion of an in...
Okamura H, Yamamura T, Wakabayashi Y.The hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is the regulatory system for reproduction in mammals. Because secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) into the portal vessels is the final step at which the brain controls gonadal activities, the GnRH neuronal system had been thought to be central to the HPG axis. A newly discovered neural peptide, kisspeptin, has opened a new era in reproductive neuroendocrinology. As shown in a variety of mammals, kisspeptin is a potent endogenous secretagogue of GnRH, and the kisspeptin neuronal system governs both the pulsatile GnRH secretion that dri...
Todhunter KH, Muscatello G, Blishen AJ, Chicken C, Perkins NR, Gilkerson JR, Begg AP.A series of unusual abortions occurred in Thoroughbred and Quarterhorse mares in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales from mid-March to November 2004. The initial link between early cases was the microbiological culture of atypical environmental coryneforms from the stomach contents and/or lungs of fetuses aborted on different properties. Methods: The unique pathologic lesions were described with a case definition and the term 'equine amnionitis and fetal loss' (EAFL) was established. Results: The causal factor was the ingestion of the processionary caterpillar (Ochrogaster lunifer). Ba...
Lange-Consiglio A, Corradetti B, Meucci A, Perego R, Bizzaro D, Cremonesi F.This is the first study comparing stemness features of equine mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from amniotic membrane and bone marrow. Objective: To investigate an alternative and noninvasive stromal cell source for equine tissue engineering. Methods: In vitro experimental study of the characteristics of equine mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from amnion and bone marrow. Methods: Cells isolated from amniotic membrane and bone marrow were analysed for proliferation (growth curve, doubling time, colony forming unit). Immunocytochemical detection of pluripotency markers and gene expressi...
Silva MG, Graça T, Suarez CE, Knowles DP.Theileriosis in horses and cattle is caused by tick-borne Apicomplexa parasites and results in death or life-long infection in their respective hosts. Transmission risk associated with persistent infection severely limits movement of horses and cattle resulting in economic losses. The recent reemergence of Theileria equi infection in U.S. horses demonstrates the continual threat Apicomplexa parasites represent to global animal health. A paucity of data concerning equine immune responses to T. equi, including antigens recognized by antibodies in clinically asymptomatic, persistently infected ho...
Friebe M, Schumacher S, Stahl J, Kietzmann M.This study investigated synovial concentrations of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and its metabolite salicylic acid (SA) in the equine fetlock joint following systemic administration of ASA. Salicylates were chosen because SA is the only nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug for which threshold levels exist for plasma and urine in equine sports. To avoid animal experiments, the study was conducted using an ex vivo model of the isolated perfused equine distal limb in combination with plasma concentrations obtained from literature.Salicylate concentrations in the joint were determined using microdialy...
Newman JC, Prange T, Jennings S, Barlow BM, Davis JL.The objectives of this study were to examine the pharmacokinetics of tobramycin in the horse following intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and intra-articular (IA) administration. Six mares received 4 mg/kg tobramycin IV, IM, and IV with concurrent IA administration (IV+IA) in a randomized 3-way crossover design. A washout period of at least 7 days was allotted between experiments. After IV administration, the volume of distribution, clearance, and half-life were 0.18 ± 0.04 L/kg, 1.18 ± 0.32 mL·kg/min, and 4.61 ± 1.10 h, respectively. Concurrent IA administration could not be...
Al-Haidar A, Farnir F, Deleuze S, Sandersen CF, Leroux AA, Borde L, Cerri S, Amory H.Little is known about the effect of various animal's signalment variables on echocardiographic reference values in the equine species. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of sex, breed, age and body weight (BW) on echocardiographic measurements in the equine species. Echocardiography was performed on 212 ponies or horses of various breeds, aged from 1 day to 37 years old (mean±SD: 7.8 ± 5.8 years), BW 38-890 kg (mean ± SD: 421 ± 133 kg), and free of cardiac disease. Fifty of those animals aged from 2 months to 35 years old (mean ± SD: 11.6 ± 6.4 years old); BW 77-662 kg (mean...
Ginther OJ, Utt MD, Beg MA.The temporal relationships between follicle deviation and systemic hormone concentrations were studied in mares. Blood samples were obtained at 01:00, 07:00, 13:00, and 19:00 h from nine mares throughout an interovulatory interval. Diurnal variation in progesterone occurred on Days 4-12 and in LH on Days 4 and 5; the lowest concentration for both hormones was at 13:00 h. Ultrasonically observed deviation in the ovulatory follicular wave began on Day 15.7+/-0.5 (ovulation=Day 0). An increase (P<0.002) in LH began on Day 14 before the beginning of deviation, and an increase (P<0.05) in est...
Krista KM, Kuebelbeck KL.To determine how survival rates in geriatric horses (>or= 20 years old) undergoing abdominal exploratory surgery for colic compare with survival rates for younger (nongeriatric) horses. Methods: Retrospective case-control study. Methods: 56 geriatric horses and 487 nongeriatric horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy for colic. Methods: Medical records of all horses undergoing emergency abdominal exploratory surgery for primary gastrointestinal tract lesions over a 10-year period were reviewed. Data retrieved included signalment, primary gastrointestinal tract lesion, whether the horse was ...
Clarke AF, Madelin TM, Allpress RG.The relationship between air hygiene within two types of identically managed horse housing and the incidence of covert respiratory disease (as revealed by endoscopic examination) of their inhabitants was assessed. The horses were all under the supervision of the same trainer. In one yard the design ensured the boxes were well ventilated in still air conditions. In the other yard the boxes were insulated and there was little provision for natural ventilation in still air conditions. There was heavy fungal and actinomycete contamination of wood shavings in the heavily insulated, poorly ventilate...
Read AJ, Finlaison DS, Gu X, Hick PM, Moloney BJ, Wright T, Kirkland PD.Between February and June 2011, more than 300 horses with unexplained neurological disease were observed in New South Wales, Australia. A virulent strain of West Nile virus (WNV ), of Australian origin, was shown to be the cause of many of these cases. Methods: We reviewed the clinical descriptions provided by veterinary practitioners and the associated laboratory results. Although there was a range of clinical signs described, ataxia was the only sign that was consistently described in laboratory-confirmed cases. Results: WNV was detected in brain samples by real-time reverse transcription PC...
Wijnberg ID, Hardeman LC, van der Meij BR, Veraa S, Back W, van der Kolk JH.Therapeutic reduction of the activity of the deep digital flexor (DDF) muscle may play a role in treatment of laminitic horses. Clostridium botulinum toxin type A induces reduced muscle activity and has a spasmolytic effect in horses. In this study, the effectiveness of 200 IU C. botulinum toxin type A on reduction of DDF muscle activity was measured in seven healthy, sound, adult Royal Dutch sport horses. C. botulinum toxin type A was injected using ultrasound and electromyographic (EMG) guidance. The effectiveness was assessed by interference pattern analysis (IPA) and motor unit action pote...
Southwood LL, Stashak TS, Kainer RA, Wrigley RH.To describe a tenoscopic approach to the carpal sheath for desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon. Methods: The surgical procedure was developed with use of normal forelimbs from equine cadavers and experimental horses. Methods: Twelve equine cadaveric forelimbs, 4 forelimbs from 2 horses anesthetized for terminal surgical laboratories, and 10 forelimbs from five experimental horses were used. Methods: The limbs were positioned lateral side up with the carpus slightly flexed. After distention of the carpal sheath, a portal was made approximately 2 cm proxi...
Taylor PM, Kirby JJ, Shrimpton DJ, Johnson CB.Sixteen colts were premedicated with acepromazine and anaesthesia was induced with detomidine and ketamine. Ponies were randomly allocated to receive halothane (HAL) or infusion of detomidine, ketamine and guaiphenesin (DKG) to maintain anaesthesia. Heart and respiratory rate, ECG, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), cardiac index (CI), blood gases and plasma cortisol, ketamine and guaiphenesin were measured. Surgical castration took place between 45 and 75 min and anaesthesia lasted 90 min. MABP with DKG was significantly higher than with HAL, and, with HAL, MABP increased from pre-surgery (...
Boy MG, Sweeney CR.To characterize pneumothorax in horses and to describe clinical signs, diagnostic testing, and clinical outcome of horses with pneumothorax. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 40 horses. Methods: Medical records of horses with pneumothorax were reviewed to obtain information on signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic testing, treatment, and clinical outcome. Results: Horses developed pneumothorax secondary to pleuropneumonia (17 horses), open wounds of the thorax (9), closed trauma to the thorax (7), surgery on the upper portion of the respiratory tract (3), and surgery involving t...
Luedke LK, Ilevbare P, Noordwijk KJ, Palomino PM, McDonough SP, Palmer SE, Basran PS, Donnelly E, Reesink HL.To determine whether proximal sesamoid bone (PSB) microdamage and fracture toughness differ between Thoroughbred racehorses sustaining PSB fracture and controls. Methods: Cadaveric case-control. Methods: Twenty-four Thoroughbred racehorses (n = 12 PSB fracture, n = 12 control). Methods: Proximal sesamoid bones were dissected, and gross pathological changes and morphological measurements were documented. High-speed exercise history data were evaluated. Microdamage was assessed in fracture, fracture-contralateral limb (FXCL) and control PSBs using whole bone lead uranyl acetate (LUA) stainin...
von Rechenberg B, McIlwraith CW, Akens MK, Frisbie DD, Leutenegger C, Auer JA.Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and the activity of neutral metalloproteinases (NMPs) were measured in conditioned media of equine synovial membrane and articular cartilage explant cultures from horses with normal joints (n = 7) and from horses affected with moderate (n = 7) or severe osteoarthritis (n = 14) as judged by macroscopic appearance. Normal articular cartilage appeared glossy and bluish-white, was of normal thickness and showed no evidence of discolouration, fibrillation or other cartilage discontinuity. Slight discolouration and fibrillation or minor clefts of the carti...
Banse HE, Whitehead AE, McFarlane D, Chelikani PK.Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a common endocrine disorder of aged horses, with muscle atrophy as one of the clinical signs. We sought to compare muscle mass and regulation of skeletal muscle proteolysis between horses with PPID and muscle atrophy to older horses without PPID, and to assess the impact of treatment with pergolide (dopaminergic agonist) on PPID horses. We hypothesized that PPID-associated muscle atrophy is a result of increased proteolysis, and that markers of muscle atrophy and proteolysis would improve over time with pergolide treatment. Markers of muscle atro...
Reef VB, Collatos C.The umbilical arteries, urachus, and umbilical vein were scanned ultrasonographically in 13 clinically normal foals that ranged in age from 6 hours to 4 weeks. Sonograms were obtained using a 7.5-MHz sector scanner transducer placed across the midline of the ventral portion of the foal's abdominal wall. The umbilical vein was scanned from the umbilical stalk to its entrance into the hepatic parenchyma. The mean (+/- SD) diameter of the umbilical vein was 0.61 +/- 0.20 cm immediately cranial to the umbilical stalk, 0.52 +/- 0.19 cm midway between the umbilicus and liver, and 0.6 +/- 0.19 cm at ...
Hjertner B, Olofsson KM, Lindberg R, Fuxler L, Fossum C.There is accumulating evidence for the involvement of pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with a T helper 17 response in intestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in humans. The involvement of interleukin (IL)-17 or IL-23 in equine IBD has not been studied and most gene expression studies in the equine intestine have been limited to the use of a single non-validated reference gene. In this study, expression of the reference gene candidates β2 microglobulin (β2M), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), histone H2A type 1, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltra...
Owen RA, Fullerton J, Barnum DA.Seventeen ponies were infected with Salmonella typhimurium and then 15 were variously stressed by transportation and/or surgery and 9 were given oxytetracycline. Indications of Salmonella reactivation occurred in all the stressed ponies. Diarrhea due to a reactivation of the Salmonella infection did not develop until greater than 3 days after stress, although maximal shedding of organisms occurred within 24 hours. A neutropenia generally occurred within 24 hours after stress and lasted about 5 days. A rectal temperature greater than 39 C usually did not occur. An increase in serologic titer wa...
Mukaratirwa S, Munjere IF, Takawira M, Chingwena G.Gastrodiscosis outbreaks due to Gastrodiscus aegyptiacus were recorded in horses in the vicinity of Harare, Zimbabwe, in the absence of Bulinus forskalii, B. senegalensis and Cleopatra sp. which are considered to be the only intermediate host snails. This suggested the possibility of other snail species acting as intermediate hosts in the life cycle of the trematode. A study was carried out to determine the susceptibility of 7 freshwater snail species to infection with G. aegyptiacus. First generation (F-1) of 5 freshwater pulmonate snail species, Bulinus tropicus, Bulinus globosus, Biomphalar...
Di Francesco P, Cajon P, Desterke C, Perron Lepage MF, Lataillade JJ, Kadri T, Lepage OM.To assess the clinical value and safety of the application of allogeneic equine oral mucosa mesenchymal stromal cells (OM-MSCs) to wounds. Animals. 8 healthy adult horses without front limb skin lesions or musculoskeletal disease. Procedures. Stem cells were isolated from the oral mucosa of a donor horse. Horses were subjected to the creation of eight full-thickness cutaneous wounds, two on each distal forelimb (FL) and two on both sides of the thorax (TH). Each wound was subjected to one out of four treatments: no medication (T1), hyaluronic acid- (HA-) gel containing OM-MSC (T2), HA-gel cont...
Fielding CL, Magdesian KG, Morgan RA, Ruby RE, Sprayberry KA.The characteristics, history, clinical signs, treatment and outcome of nine horses with abscesses caused by Actinomyces species were reviewed. dna sequencing was used to determine the species of one of the isolates. The horses were one to 11 years of age, and the abscesses were most commonly located in the submandibular and retropharyngeal regions. The bacterium was usually cultured as the sole isolate and the horses were most often affected in the autumn. Most of the abscesses were treated with antimicrobials and drainage, but some of them recurred. The horses with submandibular abscesses had...
Ranner W, Gerhards H, Klee W.There is a regularly high proportion of x-ray findings indicating a pathological deterioration of the equine vertebral column which do not correlate with the clinical symptoms. Therefore, palpation remains one of the most important clinical examination methods to determine whether or not a horse is suffering from back pain. The aim of this study was to check the validity of palpation results of horses with an assumed back problem. The palpation results of 167 horses were evaluated in retrospect: If the palpation proceeds under following conditions, positive palpation results agree with an prim...
Cavalcanti MC, Rizgalla M, Geyer J, Failing K, Litzke LF, Bergmann M.In eukaryotic cells, the major protein constituents of the chromatin are histones, which can be divided into five classes, identified as H1, H2A, H2B, H3 and H4. During normal spermatogenesis, a testis-specific H1t is expressed in primary spermatocytes and believed to facilitate histone to protamine exchanges during spermiogenesis. In equine testes we detected the H1 protein at 22kDa by western blot analysis while H1t was detected at 29kDa. H1 protein was found to be expressed in all germ cells up to elongating spermatids (Sc) at stage IV. In peripubertal animals, there was a prolonged express...
Studdert MJ, Blackney MH.Adenovirus was isolated in equine fetal kidney cell cultures from the feces of 2 foals with diarrhea that also had large numbers (greater than 10(6)/g) of rotavirus particles in their feces. Unlike equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV1), the fecal EAdV did not hemagglutinate human O, rhesus macaque, or equine RBC. By serum neutralization, the fecal viruses were identical with each other, but showed no relationship to EAdV1. Antiserum prepared against the fecal viruses did not contain hemagglutination-inhibiting antibody to EAdV1. It is proposed that the fecal viruses be considered prototypic of EAdV...
In the present study, we serosurveyed the exposure of 222 draft horses to different arboviruses in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina. Plaque reduction neutralization tests confirmed exposure to Fort Sherman virus (FSV), Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and RÃo Negro virus (RNV). Apparently, Western and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses did not circulate in the population tested. The confirmation of five seroconversions for WNV, FSV, and SLEV and the association between prevalence and age are indicative of recent circulation. These results highlight the importance ...
Platt H.A series of 10 haemorrhagic polyps of the equine nasal cavity is described. The lesions show haematoma formation, abundant haemosiderin in macrophages and giant cells, and organising fibrous tissue. In one case, angiomatoid lesions were observed in the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses and it is suggested that some haemorrhagic nasal polyps may originate from pre-existing haemangiomatous areas in the respiratory mucosa.
Hemmings A, Parker MO, Hale C, McBride SD.Spontaneous stereotypic behaviours are repetitive, compulsive, topographically invariant response patterns commonly observed in captive or domestic animals, which have been linked to dysfunction of basal ganglia input/output pathways. There is evidence that endogenous opioids play a key regulatory role in basal ganglia direct and indirect pathways, but their precise role, both causally and functionally, in spontaneous stereotypic behaviour is unclear. Here we examined the profile of mu- and delta-opioid receptors (density [Bmax] and affinity [Kd]) of basal ganglia structures in stereotypy (nâ€...
McGowan CM, Posner RE, Christley RM.A questionnaire was used to determine the incidence of exertional rhabdomyolysis and the factors that might have contributed to its occurrence among 423 polo horses in 11 yards. The yards were selected at random, six of them with 111 horses, in north-eastern USA, and five with 312 horses in south-east England. During the 1999/2000 season the incidence of the condition was 7.3 per cent (9 per cent in the USA and 6.7 per cent in England). The incidence in mares was similar in the two countries, 8.4 per cent in the USA and 8.0 per cent in England, but the incidence in geldings in the USA (10 per ...
