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.
Peel JA, Peel MB, Davies HM.The economic impact of soundness problems in racehorses is very high and low hoof angle at the toe has been associated with a lack of soundness. However, it is not clear what environmental and management factors might contribute to a low hoof angle. Objective: To investigate the hypothesis that the hooves of racehorses become flatter when in gallop training, as well as to determine factors contributing to this trend. Methods: Weekly hoof measurements were taken with a hoof gauge from 45 Thoroughbred racehorses; 4 Thoroughbred show horses kept in consistent conditions and shod by the same farri...
Piccione G, Grasso F, Fazio F, Giudice E.The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of physical activity on the daily rhythm of platelet aggregation and body temperature in horses. Blood samples from 12 Thoroughbred horses, six sedentary animals and six athletes (studied both before and after a period of inactivity) were collected at 4h intervals for 48h via an intravenous cannula inserted into the jugular vein. Body temperature was recorded every 4h for 48h with a rectal probe. Platelet aggregation was measured with an aggregometer. Collagen was used to test the aggregation of the plasma samples. Statistical analysis of...
Nakamura Y, Daya M.The primary goal of wound management is to achieve a functional closure with minimal scarring. Preventing infection is important to facilitate the healing process. Most simple, uncomplicated wounds do not need systemic antibiotics but benefit from the use of topical antibiotics. Judicious use of antibiotics reduces unnecessary adverse events and helps reduce the development of resistance. Although antibiotics can help reduce infection risk and promote healing, they are not a substitute for good local wound care, in particular irrigation and surgical débridement. This article reviews the role ...
Fortier LA, Schnabel LV, Mohammed HO, Mayr KG.To determine the effects of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, compared with interleukin (IL)-1alpha, on cartilage matrix molecule gene expression in a coculture system of equine cartilage explants and synoviocytes. Methods: Articular cartilage and synovium specimens harvested from femoropatellar joints of 4 horses, aged 3 to 5 years. Methods: Synoviocytes were isolated and cocultured with cartilage explants. Cultures were treated with human recombinant MMP-13 (1, 25, or 100 ng/mL) or IL-1alpha (0.01, 0.1, 1.0, or 10 ng/mL) for 96 hours, with medium exchange at 48 hours. Cartilage extracts and...
Waselau M, Samii VF, Weisbrode SE, Litsky AS, Bertone AL.To compare biodegradable magnesium phosphate cement (Mg-cement), calcium phosphate cement (Ca-cement), and no cement on bone repair, biocompatibility, and bone adhesive characteristics in vivo in horses. Methods: 8 clinically normal adult horses. Methods: Triangular fragments (1-cm-long arms) were created by Y-shaped osteotomy of the second and fourth metatarsal bones (MTII and MTIV, respectively). Fragments were replaced in pairs to compare Mg-cement (MTII, n = 8; MTIV, 8) with Ca-cement (MTIV, 8) or with no cement (MTII, 8). Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed for 7 weeks, a...
Belogortseva N, Rubio M, Terrell W, Miksovská J.Photoacoustic calorimetry and transient absorption spectroscopy were used to study conformational dynamics associated with CO photodissociation from horse heart myoglobin (Mb) reconstituted with either Fe protoporphyrin IX dimethylester (FePPDME), Fe octaethylporphyrin (FeOEP), or with native Fe protoporphyrin IX (FePPIX). The volume and enthalpy changes associated with the Fe-CO bond dissociation and formation of a transient deoxyMb intermediate for the reconstituted Mbs were found to be similar to those determined for native Mb (DeltaV1 = -2.5+/-0.6 ml mol(-1) and DeltaH1 = 8.1+/-3.0 kcal mo...
Buckley T, Creighton A, Fogarty U.Respiratory infections, recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) are major causes of poor performance in horses. Fungi and mycotoxins are now recognised as a major cause of these conditions. The most notable fungi are Aspergillus and Fusarium. Fungal spores can originate from forage, bedding and feed and, in turn, these fungal spores can produce a series of mycotoxins as secondary metabolites.This study set out to ascertain the degree of fungal and mycotoxin contamination in feed and fodder used in Irish racing yards over a one-year period. Weather c...
Bakała A, Karlik W, Wiechetek M.The aim of the study was to establish the optimal methods for hypothermic storage of equine isolated hepatocytes. Viability of equine isolated hepatocytes after hypothermic storage was dependent on the type of storage medium as well as on the cell density in the storage suspension and the preservation period. Hepatocytes stored at 4 degrees C in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and Williams' Medium E (WE) for 24 h showed very low viability, numerous cell membrane blebs, very low attachment rate (11.9 +/- 6.5% and 34.8 +/- 19.1%, respectively) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte...
Mömke S, Distl O.Chronic pastern dermatitis predominantly affects draft horses, and this condition is characterized by hyperkeratotic-hyperplastic dermal alterations. Chronic pastern dermatitis resembles the acral-hemorrhagic phenotype of Darier-White disease in humans. The ATP2A2 gene has been shown to be responsible for human Darier-White. Thus, we chose ATP2A2 on equine chromosome 8 (ECA8) as candidate for chronic pastern dermatitis in coldblood horses. A linkage analysis was performed in 10 paternal half-sib families consisting of 85 German coldblood horses using a microsatellite closely linked to ATP2A2, ...
Rodríguez MJ, Soler M, Latorre R, Gil F, Agut A.The objective was to describe the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the soft tissue and bony structures of the temporomandibular joint in Pure-Bred Spanish horses using frozen and plastinated sections performed as anatomical references. The temporomandibular joint of five healthy Pure-Bred Spanish horses and the head specimens from 12 Pure-Bred Spanish cadavers that were subjected to euthanasia for reasons other than temporomandibular joint problems were studied sonographically and anatomically. An 11 MHz linear-array transducer was used to obtain longitudinal ultrasonographic images of th...
Spriet M, Mai W, McKnight A.Increased signal intensity in one of the collateral ligaments of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint of sound horses in images acquired using a low-field magnet with vertical orientation of the magnetic field was investigated as a possible manifestation of the magic angle effect. Three isolated equine digits were imaged using the following pulse sequences: (1) spin echo TI, (2) turbo spin echo proton density and T2, and (3) 3D gradient echo T1, in different positions by mildly changing the orientation of the long axis of the digit, in the dorsal plane, relative to the magnetic field. The si...
Lundström TS, Dahlén GG, Wattle OS.Swedish equine dental practices have empirically found that the prevalence of infundibular caries as a primary disorder in the first permanent premolar teeth (P2) of the horse upper jaw has increased during the last 10 years. A previously unknown bacterial species, Streptococcus devriesei (CCUG 47155T), which is related to Streptococcus mutans, has recently been isolated from these carious lesions. To understand the aetiology of caries in horses, it is essential to elucidate the relationship between S. devriesei and P2 infundibular caries. Methods: The anterior infundibulum of maxillary P2, or...
Kutasi O, Vörös K, Biksi I, Szenci O, Sötonyi P.This paper presents the embryological and pathological features as well as the terminology and classification of common atrioventricular canal, a type of endocardial cushion defect. The authors give a complete description of an extremely rare congenital cardiac malformation in an equine neonate. The diagnosis of a complete, balanced common atrioventricular canal of type C in Rastelli's classification scheme was based on two-dimensional, contrast and colour Doppler echocardiography and subsequent postmortem gross pathology. To support our diagnosis and study the pathophysiological effect of the...
Kraft CN, Urban N, Ilg A, Wallny T, Scharfstädt A, Jäger M, Pennekamp PH.The connection between morphologic changes of the spine and the intensity of training has been assessed for a number of sport activities. The influence of horseback riding on the spine has only rarely been evaluated. The aim of our study was to evaluate to what degree horseback riders suffer from back pain and whether there is an association between this parameter and the category i. e. the intensity of horseback riding. Furthermore we wanted to judge whether riding may have a positive effect on pre-existent back pain. Methods: 508 horseback riders (63.2 % females; 36.8 % males) competing in e...
Hill DE, Forbes L, Kramer M, Gajadhar A, Gamble HR.The horse is considered an aberrant host for the nematode parasite Trichinella spiralis, and many aspects of the biology and epidemiology of Trichinella infection in the horse are poorly understood. It has been reported that experimentally-infected horses produce a transient serological response to infection and that muscle larvae are cleared more rapidly than in parasite-adapted hosts such as the pig and humans. However, limited numbers of animals have been studied, and both the longevity of larvae in horse musculature and the immune response to Trichinella larvae remain unclear. In this stud...
Lam KH, Parkin TD, Riggs CM, Morgan KL.This study was part of a programme to optimise the longevity and maximise the health and welfare of the Thoroughbred racehorses in Hong Kong. Injuries to the superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendon are the most common veterinary reason for premature retirement in this population. Objective: To describe the frequency and pattern of retirements associated with SDF tendon injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses and to compare the characteristics of these horses with those that retired for other reasons. Methods: A retrospective analysis of retirement records documented in the Hong Kong Jockey Club cl...
Marsh PS.Although not common in horses, fire and smoke inhalation trauma may require veterinary assistance at several levels. Most commonly, the equine clinician is called on to provide care of potentially complex and emotionally charged cases. Thermal injury, along with smoke inhalation, can cause local and diffuse lesions. Massive tissue edema may occur, which can be a challenge to manage as well as creating organ dysfunction at distant sites. Further complications of severely affected patients are varied and include life-threatening sepsis. This article reviews some of the important features of this...
Seedorf J, Schröder M, Köhler L, Hartung J.Bedding material in stables has an important influence on air hygiene and information on the suitability of biocompost and wood shavings is incomplete. Objective: To compare the suitability and benefit of biocompost and wood shavings as bedding in horse stables and to determine key air factors for the evaluation of the potential impact of these materials on respiratory health. Methods: The study was conducted in a naturally ventilated stable with 4 horses. Air hygiene parameters were measured 24 h/day for 7 days with each bedding type: ammonia (NH3), inhalable and respirable dust, endotoxins, ...
Branch MV, Murray RC, Dyson SJ, Goodship AE.Understanding of the development of pathology and source of pain in distal tarsal osteoarthritis is poorly understood. Magnetic resonance imaging is often used in the analysis of human osteoarthritis (OA) because it is sensitive to early changes. Objective: In association with distal tarsal joint (DTJ) pain, there will be an alteration in the characteristic subchondral bone (SCB) thickness pattern of horses with no history of pain when subjected to low-level exercise. Methods: Sixteen cadaver tarsal joints were collected from 9 mature horses with a history of tarsal pain and radiographic evide...
Mudge MC, Bramlage LR.Emergency management of distal limb and skull fractures in horses is vital to the successful outcome of these cases. Distal limb fractures, in particular, require careful assessment and counseling of the owner as well as adequate stabilization or coaptation of the fracture. Horses with limb or skull fractures may also have concurrent pain, blood loss, and other fluid losses that can result in shock requiring fluid therapy before definitive treatment of the fracture. Proper emergency fracture stabilization, initial treatment in the field, and patient transport are discussed.
Landolt GA.Acute poisoning and envenomation often represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Although identification ultimately may benefit the affected animal, treatment frequently must commence before an etiologic diagnosis is established. Therefore, the goals for the management of acutely intoxicated horses must be focused on emergency intervention and stabilization of the patient, prevention of further exposure, and aggressive decontamination. This article reviews the treatment steps that should be considered during the management of horses experiencing poisoning or envenomation.
Joyce J.Injuries to synovial structures are common in horses and may be life threatening or career ending if severe. Early recognition and initiation of aggressive treatment in the form of appropriate systemic and local antimicrobial therapy and surgical treatment improve the likelihood of a good outcome. Chronic injuries and delayed treatment may result in progression of infection into tendons, bone, and other structures, thus complicating treatment and resulting in a poorer prognosis for return to function.
McConnico RS.There is no way to prepare for every situation that arises in a disaster. By working closely with other producers and agricultural leaders, however, horse owners can lessen the impact of a disaster on their operation. Preparation and detailed planning are the most important aspects of flood-related injury prevention. Encouraging animal owners and caretakers to have an evacuation plan and dispersing knowledge about local and regional disaster authorities are critical for a successful disaster response. Educational programs on future disaster response empower communities to care for their people...
Hejmej A, Kotula-Balak M, Sadowska J, Bilińska B.Connexin 43 (Cx43) is a ubiquitously distributed gap junction protein in testes and other reproductive tissues. Adjacent cells share ions and small metabolites through intercellular channels, which are present in gap junctions. Previously, Cx43 has not been reported in testes, epididymides and prostates either in healthy stallions or cryptorchid horses. Objective: To demonstrate the expression pattern of Cx43 in the reproductive tissues of stallions and examine whether naturally occurring bilateral cryptorchidism has any influence on distribution and expression of Cx43. Methods: The expression...
Soffler C.Oxidative stress refers to the cellular injury and pathologic change that occurs when there is an imbalance favoring oxidants over antioxidants within a living organism. In human medicine, oxidative stress has been implicated in numerous disease processes, which has led to further research into the clinical benefits and efficacy of antioxidant therapy. The evaluation of oxidative stress in the horse has been limited primarily to ischemia-reperfusion injury of the gastrointestinal tract, recurrent airway obstruction, exercise, osteoarthritis, equine motor neuron disease, and pituitary pars inte...
Flood JA, Collins NM, Russell CM, Cuming RS, Carrick JB, Cudmore LA.Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal foals. Administration of appropriate antimicrobials and early aggressive supportive treatment is central to the efficacious treatment of neonatal sepsis and has proven to positively influence outcomes. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate microorganism results and antimicrobial sensitivities of neonatal foals with a positive blood culture submitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) during 2005-2022. The secondary aim was to compare the results to those of a similar previous study performed at the same ICU during 1999-2004....
Morais DA, Nunes BC, Barnabé NNC, Anjos DM, Bezerra CS, Costa DF, Santos CSAB, Azevedo SS, Alves CJ.Leptospirosis is an anthropozoonosis of economic and public health importance, caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Horses are deemed important in its transmission chain due to their proximity to humans, and because the species is often asymptomatic, making these animals potential silent reservoirs. In this context, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of seropositive horses for Leptospira spp., and to identify the presence of Leptospira spp. serogroups and antibody titers, the occurrence of areas with higher density of infection cases and demographic characteri...
Lawson JM, Salem SE, Miller D, Kahler A, van den Boer WJ, Shilton CA, Sever T, Mouncey RR, Ward J, Hampshire DJ, Foote AK, Bryan JS, Juras R, Pynn OD....Chromosomal abnormalities are a common cause of human miscarriage but rarely reported in any other species. As a result, there are currently inadequate animal models available to study this condition. Horses present one potential model since mares receive intense gynecological care. This allowed us to investigate the prevalence of chromosomal copy number aberrations in 256 products of conception (POC) in a naturally occurring model of pregnancy loss (PL). Triploidy (three haploid sets of chromosomes) was the most common aberration, found in 42% of POCs following PL over the embryonic period. O...
Oliveira MC, de Lima MT, Trindade PHE, Luna SPL.To evaluate if students without training assess pain similarly to an expert, and to compare indications for analgesic intervention based on student opinions versus scale scoring. Methods: Prospective, blind, randomized, cross-sectional study. Methods: Video recordings of a bull, horse, cat, pig and sheep. Methods: First-year veterinary medicine students assessed one video of a horse (n = 44) and one video of a bull (n = 39). Third-year veterinary medicine students assessed one video of a cat (n = 23) and one video of a pig (n = 21). Fourth-year animal science students (n = 16) assessed on...
Oliveira Orsi R, Zaluski R, de Barros LC, Barraviera B, Pimenta DC, Ferreira Junior RS.Africanized bees have spread across the Americas since 1956 and consequently resulted in human and animal deaths attributed to massive attacks related to exposure from Argentina to the USA. In Brazil, more than 100,000 accidents were registered in the last 5 years with a total of 303 deaths. To treat such massive attacks, Brazilian researchers developed the first specific antivenom against Africanized honey bee sting exposure. This unique product, the first of its kind in the world, has been safely tested in 20 patients during a Phase 2 clinical trial. To develop the antivenom, a standardize...
Mohamed E, Zarak I, Vereecke N, Theuns S, Laval K, Nauwynck H.Varicellovirus equidalpha 1, formerly known as Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), is highly prevalent and can lead to various problems, such as respiratory problems, abortion, neonatal foal death, and neurological disorders. The latter is known as equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Cases of EHM have significantly increased since the beginning of the twenty-first century. The genomic sequences of five isolates associated with the fatal neurological outbreak in Valencia, Spain, in 2021 were analyzed and documented. The genome and replication kinetics of the Belgian EHM isolate 21P40, associ...
Bullone M, Bellato A, Robino P, Nebbia P, Morello S, Marchis D, Tarducci A, Ru G.Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat, and pet-associated strains may pose a risk to human health. Equine veterinarians are at high risk of carrying methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), but specific risk factors remain elusive, and few data are available for other personnel involved in the horse industry. The prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors for nasal carriage of MRS in horses and their caregivers were studied in northwestern Italy. Nasal swabs from 110 asymptomatic horses housed at 21 barns and 34 human caregivers were collected. Data on barns, horses, and personnel w...
Veiga RF, Clarindo LN, Fensterseifer AL, Pompelli LH, Sfaciotte RAP, Schwarz DGG, Eloy LR, Ferraz SM.The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Streptococcus equi (S. equi subsp equi and S. equi subsp zooepidemicus) in the state of Santa Catarina and evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. For this, 420 nasal swab samples were collected from randomly selected horses. Isolation and phenotypic characterization of the bacteria were performed by sowing on 5% sheep blood agar, followed by analysis of morphotinctorial characteristics and biochemical analysis. To differentiate the main beta-hemolytic Streptococcus in horses, the fermentation profiles of the sug...
Zečević I, Picardeau M, Vince S, Hađina S, Perharić M, Štritof Z, Stevanović V, Benvin I, Turk N, Lohman Janković I, Habuš J.Leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections and a major problem in terms of both veterinary medicine and public health. However, the disease is under-recognised and under-diagnosed worldwide, particularly in horses. Clinical leptospirosis in horses is mainly associated with recurrent uveitis (ERU), which has recently been studied more intensively, and reproductive disorders, the epidemiology of which is still relatively poorly understood. To enhance our comprehension of abortions caused by leptospirosis in horses and to identify the causative strains, a serological study was ca...
Bogdan AM, Mitrea IL, Ionita M.Equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) is a tick-borne disease affecting horses worldwide, caused by . The disease ranges from non-specific clinical signs to fatal outcomes. This paper aimed to analyze EGA cases reported in peer-reviewed journals, particularly on clinico-pathological findings, diagnosis, and therapeutic management. Overall, 189 clinical cases from 31 publications were included in the study. Extensive symptomatology for the EGA cases was reported, of which mostly was fever (90.30%), followed by limb edema (48.51%), anorexia (41.79%), depression (32.84%), icterus (22.39%), ataxi...
Borowska M, Lipowicz P, Daunoravičienė K, Turek B, Jasiński T, Pauk J, Domino M.The paranasal sinuses, a bilaterally symmetrical system of eight air-filled cavities, represent one of the most complex parts of the equine body. This study aimed to extract morphometric measures from computed tomography (CT) images of the equine head and to implement a clustering analysis for the computer-aided identification of age-related variations. Heads of 18 cadaver horses, aged 2-25 years, were CT-imaged and segmented to extract their volume, surface area, and relative density from the frontal sinus (FS), dorsal conchal sinus (DCS), ventral conchal sinus (VCS), rostral maxillary sinus ...
Rusenova N, Rusenov A, Chervenkov M, Sirakov I.The aim of this study was to analyze the seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) among equids in Bulgaria, confirm the results of a competitive ELISA versus the virus neutralization test (VNT) and investigate some predisposing factors for WNV seropositivity. A total of 378 serum samples from 15 provinces in northern and southern Bulgaria were tested. The samples originated from 314 horses and 64 donkeys, 135 males and 243 females, aged from 1 to 30 years. IgG and IgM antibodies against WNV protein E were detected by ELISA. ELISA-positive samples were additionally tested via VNT for WNV and Usu...
Anderson HC, Warner SF, Ripley NE, Nielsen MK.Tapeworm infection in horses can cause serious health concerns, and recent data have documented treatment failures in the most common species, Anoplocephala perfoliata. The threat of anthelmintic resistance in A. perfoliata is of particular concern because of poor diagnostic performance of standard egg counting techniques for detecting this parasite. This study compared the performance of three diagnostic techniques 1) Mini-FLOTAC, 2) Cornell-Wisconsin, and 3) Proudman and Edwards used to detect and quantify A. perfoliata eggs in naturally infected horses. Eighteen adult female horses from the...
Hamad MH, Islam SI, Jitsamai W, Chinkangsadarn T, Naraporn D, Ouisuwan S, Taweethavonsawat P.The indiscriminate use of anthelmintics to control parasitic nematodes in horses has led to the emergence of anthelmintic resistance worldwide. However, there are no data available on using ivermectin for treating strongyle infections within domesticated horses in Thailand. Therefore, this study aimed to use the fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test to determine the strongylid egg reappearance period (ERP). Additionally, the nemabiome metabarcoding approach is incorporated to study patterns of strongyle species infection following ivermectin treatment. The study results indicate that, although...
Tong P, Palidan N, Song X, Tian S, Zhang L, Wu G, Deng H, Jia C, Duan R, Suo Y, Pan J, Dang Y, Kuang L, Xie J.Nine different species of Equus caballus papillomavirus (EcPV) and three bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) have been reported to infect horses. However, there are few descriptions of such infections in China. In our pioneer study on Chinese horses, we identified EcPV-2 in the nasal swabs (4/230, 1.7%) of Yili horses, and the semen (3/18, 16.7%) of thoroughbred horses. This indicated that EcPV is indeed hosted by horses in China, and that EcPV-2 might be transmitted though breeding. Further detection of EcPVs in the lung tissues of aborted fetuses of Yili horses, which were originally negative for...
Bolzoni L, Conter M, Lamperti L, Scaltriti E, Morganti M, Poeta A, Vecchi M, Paglioli S, Rampini A, Ramoni P, De Vita D, Bacci C, Rega M, Andriani L....The study assessed the role of equids at slaughter as faecal carriers of Salmonella enterica and the occurrence of contaminated equid carcasses during the slaughter process in Northern Italy (Emilia-Romagna Region). From June to November 2021, 152 equids (146 horses, 5 donkeys and 1 mule) were tested for Salmonella both in caecal contents and through carcass swabs. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of recovered strains was tested against 15 antimicrobials. Salmonella was detected in 3/152 of the caecal contents (2.0 %), while all carcass samples were negative. S. enterica serovars Enteriditis, T...
Valdez-Espinoza UM, Fadda LA, Marques R, Osorio-Olvera L, Jiménez-García D, Lira-Noriega A.The reemergence of the New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) poses a significant threat to animal and public health with minimal regulatory oversight. This study analyzes the potential distribution and reemergence of this pest, which is endemic to South America but was previously eradicated in North America. We first developed bioclimatic suitability models, and then incorporated these findings along with reemergence records and inspection point data to simulate possible dispersal routes into Mexico and the United States. Our results document the historical distribution of C. hominivor...
Köhne M, Hüsch R, Tönissen A, Schmidt M, Müsken M, Böttcher D, Hirnet J, Plötz M, Kittler S, Sieme H. subspecies (subsp.) is an important facultative pathogen in horses and can cause severe infections in other species including humans. Facing the post-antibiotic era, novel antimicrobials are needed for fighting bacterial infections. Bacteriophages (phages) are the natural predators of bacteria and discussed as a promising antimicrobial treatment option. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize subsp. specific phages for the first time and to evaluate their efficacy and . In total, 13 phages with lytic activity were isolated and host ranges were determined. Two phages wit...
Hoblick S, Denagamage TN, Morton AJ, McCarrel TM.Post-anaesthetic fever is a known complication of general anaesthesia, however, its incidence in horses undergoing elective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is unknown. Objective: To determine the incidence of post-anaesthetic fever in horses undergoing elective orthopaedic MRI and determine whether prophylactic antimicrobial therapy would be associated with a reduction in the incidence of post-anaesthetic fever. We hypothesised that prophylactic antimicrobials would be associated with a reduction in the incidence of post-anaesthetic fever. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods...
Burns JJ, MacMillan KM, John E.Respiratory disease is common in the horse population and is often associated with poor performance in equine athletes. Despite their outstanding strength and aerobic capacity, little regard is given to draft horses and the respiratory disorders they may encounter when performing athletic activity. For this reason, the objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), tracheal mucus (TM) and recurrent laryngeal hemiplegia (RLH) in a population of competitive draft pulling horses, and (2) to determine if there was an association betw...
Ishii H, Shibuya M, Kusano K, Sone Y, Kamiya T, Wakuno A, Ito H, Miyata K, Yamada M, Leung GN.Daprodustat is a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase domain (HIF-PHD) inhibitor and is used as an erythropoiesis stimulant for the treatment of anemia in humans. In general, administering daprodustat to horses will result in a lifetime ban from both equestrian sports and horseracing by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and the Fédération Équestre Internationale, respectively. To control the misuse/abuse of daprodustat, we conducted nasoesophageal administration of daprodustat (100 mg/day for 3 days) to three thoroughbred mares and the post-administration hair ...
Fox CB, Khandhar AP, Khuu L, Phan T, Kinsey R, Cordero D, Gutiérrez JM, León G.Enhancement of antivenom immune responses in horses through adjuvant technology improves antivenom production efficiency, but substantial local reactogenicity associated with some traditional veterinary adjuvants limits their usability. To explore modern adjuvant systems suitable for generating antivenom responses in horses, we first assessed their physicochemical compatibility with Bothrops asper snake venom. Liposome and nanoparticle aluminum adjuvants exhibited changes in particle size and phospholipid content after mixing with venom, whereas squalene emulsion-based adjuvants remained stabl...
Claeys I, Van der Vekens E, Kümmerle J, de Preux M, Koch C.To develop a minimally invasive technique for placing a toggle construct across the coxofemoral joint of small equids using computer-assisted surgery. Methods: Experimental cadaveric study. Methods: Three pilot specimens: One donkey, one Shetland pony and one Warmblood foal. Six main study specimens: Three Shetland ponies, one American Miniature Horse, one Warmblood foal and one donkey. Methods: Experimental surgeries were performed on both coxofemoral joints of each cadaver. Using a minimally invasive surgical approach, 5.5 mm bone canals were drilled through the femur and acetabulum, trave...
Pezzanite LM, Chow L, Dow SW, Goodrich LR, Gilbertie JM, Schnabel LV.Increasing antimicrobial resistance in veterinary practice has driven the investigation of novel therapeutic strategies including regenerative and biologic therapies to treat bacterial infection. Integration of biological approaches such as platelet lysate and mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy may represent adjunctive treatment strategies for bacterial infections that minimize systemic side effects and local tissue toxicity associated with traditional antibiotics and that are not subject to antibiotic resistance. In this review, we will discuss mechanisms by which biological therapies exe...
Rohlf CM, Garcia TC, Marsh LJ, Acutt EV, le Jeune SS, Stover SM.During the stance phase of equine locomotion, ground reaction forces are exerted on the hoof, leading first to rapid deceleration ("braking") and later to acceleration ("propulsion") as the hoof leaves the ground. Excessive hoof deceleration has been identified as a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury and may be influenced by arena surface properties. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the effect of arena surface type (dirt, synthetic) on hoof translation of the leading and trailing forelimbs during jump takeoff and landing. Solar hoof angle, displacement, velocity, and deceleration w...
Shapter FM, Granados-Soler JL, Stewart AJ, Bertin FR, Allavena R.Crofton weed (Ageratina adenophora) is a global and highly invasive weed, with ingestion causing severe respiratory disease in horses, leading to irreversible and untreatable pulmonary fibrosis and oedema. While reports of equine pneumotoxicity remain common in Australia and New Zealand, equine pneumotoxicity may be underdiagnosed in other countries where Crofton weed is endemic but poorly differentiated. The pathogenesis of Crofton weed toxicity following ingestion has been well described in a number of different animal models, including rodents, rabbits, and goats. However, induced toxicity ...
Gurgul A, Jasielczuk I, Szmatoła T, Sawicki S, Semik-Gurgul E, Długosz B, Bugno-Poniewierska M.Nanopore sequencing is a third-generation biopolymer sequencing technique that relies on monitoring the changes in an electrical current that occur as nucleic acids are passed through a protein nanopore. Increasing quality of reads generated by nanopore sequencing systems encourages their application in genome-wide polymorphism detection and genotyping. In this study, we employed nanopore sequencing to identify genome-wide polymorphisms in the horse genome. To reduce the size and complexity of genome fragments for sequencing in a simple and cost-efficient manner, we amplified random DNA fragme...
Dehghan Rahimabadi P, Nazari A, Kamyabi M, Mosavari N.Glanders is the oldest and very contagious disease among horses caused by Burkholderia mallei. The disease occurs as a chronic form in horses. Hence, because of the prolonged shedding, numerous horses can potentially get infected by one horse with glanders. Glanders is endemic in Iran and this causes occasional occurrence in horse population of the country. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of B.mallei infection in horses in two central provinces of Iran. A total of 517 serum samples were collected from stable horses in Tehran and Alborz provinces. Among the studied horses, ...
St George L, Spoormakers TJP, Roy SH, Hobbs SJ, Clayton HM, Richards J, Serra Bragança FM.The reliability of surface electromyography (sEMG) has not been adequately demonstrated in the equine literature and is an essential consideration as a methodology for application in clinical gait analysis. This observational study investigated within-session, intra-subject (stride-to-stride) and inter-subject reliability, and between-session reliability of normalised sEMG activity profiles, from triceps brachii (triceps), latissimus dorsi (latissimus), longissimus dorsi (longissimus), biceps femoris (biceps), superficial gluteal (gluteal) and semitendinosus muscles in n = 8 clinically non-lam...
Roberts JH, Zhang J, David F, McLean A, Blumenshine K, Müller-Alander E, Halper J.Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) negatively impacts connective tissues in horses, which often leads to progressive chronic pain and lameness. DSLD has been shown to be a systemic disorder that affects multiple body systems, including tendons, sclerae, and the aorta. Currently, the diagnosis is confirmed by post mortem histological examination of a tendon or suspensory ligament. Histology reveals inappropriate accumulations of proteoglycans in the tendons and other tissues in DSLD-affected horses. Unfortunately, there is no reliable method to diagnose DSLD in living horses. Rece...
