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.
Pusterla N, Mapes S, Leutenegger CM.A questionnaire was developed to document the knowledge base of large-animal diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) regarding polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology and to identify the common use of this technology in equine practice. Ninety-three of the 278 mailed questionnaires were returned, for an overall response rate of 33.4%. Ninety respondents (99%) reported being familiar with the general principles of nucleic acid probe technology; however, only 52 (57%) knew the difference between conventional (traditional) and real-time (second-generation) PC...
Machnik M, Hegger I, Kietzmann M, Thevis M, Guddat S, Schänzer W.The Federation Equestre Internationale has permitted the use of altrenogest in mares for the control of oestrus. However, altrenogest is also suspicious to misuse in competition horses for its potential anabolic effects and suppression of typical male behaviour, and thus is a controlled drug. To investigate the pharmacokinetics of altrenogest in horses we conducted an elimination study. Five oral doses of 44 mug/kg altrenogest were administered to 10 horses at a dose interval of 24 h. Following administration blood and urine samples were collected at appropriate intervals. Altrenogest concentr...
Garré B, van der Meulen K, Nugent J, Neyts J, Croubels S, De Backer P, Nauwynck H.Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is an important equine pathogen that causes respiratory disease, abortion, neonatal death and paralysis. Although vaccines are available, they are not fully protective and outbreaks of disease may occur in vaccinated herds. Therefore, there is an urgent need for effective antiviral treatment. For three abortigenic (94P247, 97P70 and 99P96) and three neuropathogenic isolates (97P82, 99P136 and 03P37), the effect of acyclovir, ganciclovir, cidofovir, adefovir, 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP) and foscarnet on plaque number was studied. Addition...
Anderson ME, Weese JS.Screening for nasal colonization is an important aspect of many methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) control programs. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is an attractive alternative to standard culture techniques because of the considerably shorter turnaround time. An assay has been validated for diagnostic purposes in humans, however this methodology has not been evaluated in horses. The purpose of this study was to compare an RT-PCR assay for rapid identification of MRSA directly from nasal swabs in horses to standard culture techniques. Nasal swabs collected from 29...
Panasophonkul S, Lohachit C, Sirivaidyapong S.To study the postpartum ovarian activities for investigation of first postpartum oestrus, twenty-five Thai crossbred native mares were monitored after parturition by oestrous detection, transrectal palpation and reproductive ultrasonography. Blood samplings were also taken for estradiol-17beta (E2) analysis. The first ovulation occurred within 20 days postpartum in 92% (23/25) of the mares. The mean intervals of foaling to first oestrus and to first ovulation were 10.3 +/- 2.9 and 13.4 +/- 2.6 days (mean +/- SD) respectively. Serum E2 increased from 7.0 +/- 2.9 to a peak of 10.8 +/- 3.3 pg/ml ...
Dykgraaf S, Dechant JE, Johns JL, Christopher MM, Bolt DM, Snyder JR.To determine the effect of intrathecal amikacin administration and repeated tenovaginocentesis on the total nucleated cell count (TNCC), total protein (TP) concentration and cytologic characteristics of synovial fluid of the equine digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS). Methods: Randomized, cross-over experimental design. Methods: Adult horses (n=8). Methods: Synovial fluid was aseptically collected from the DFTS and either 1 mL amikacin sulfate (250 mg/mL) or lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) was injected into the DFTS. Serial synovial fluid samples were obtained at 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours. ...
Caston SS, McClure SR, Martens RJ, Chaffin MK, Miles KG, Griffith RW, Cohen ND.This study evaluated the prophylactic effectiveness of hyperimmune plasma (HIP) as an aid in the prevention of pneumonia caused by experimental infection with Rhodococcus equi. Thirty neonatal foals were administered R. equi HIP or saline at 2 days of age and were infected with virulent R. equi at 7 days. All foals developed signs or symptoms of respiratory disease. Radiographic scores on day 28 and neutrophil concentrations on day 49 were significantly greater in control foals, and time to respiratory effort score of 2 or higher was significantly shorter for control foals. Three foals, all in...
Theves G.During the second half of the 18th century scientific veterinary medicine, a new profession was born as a result of economic and military needs--losses of cattle as a consequence of infectious diseases and the growing demand for treatment to be given to the horses of the armies. At first the members of the emerging occupation, who are generally of very modest origin, hardly differ from the traditional actors of animal health. At the beginning of the 19th century the governments employ a large number of veterinarians for official missions to combat infectious diseases. As from the second half o...
Alhassan A, Govind Y, Tam NT, Thekisoe OM, Yokoyama N, Inoue N, Igarashi I.The sensitivity of LAMP, PCR and in vitro culture methods for the detection of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi was evaluated using tenfold serially diluted culture parasites. On day 1 post-culture, both T. equi and B. caballi parasites could only be observed at 1% parasite dilution from the in vitro culture method, whereas LAMP could detect up to 1 x 10(-3)% of both T. equi and B. caballi parasite dilutions, whilst PCR could detect 1 x 10(-3)% T. equi and 1 x 10(-1)% B. caballi parasite dilutions. On day 7 post-culture, the detection limit for T. equi and B. caballi in the in vitro culture ...
Seĭfulla RD, Rozhkova EA, Rodchenkov GM, Appolonova SA, Kulikova EV.Drugs used by athletes for the improvement of results are described and classified with respect to chemical structure and pharmacological action. The main groups of drugs treated as doping are considered and the WADA requirements to prohibited preparations are formulated. The main effects produced by drugs on the athletes and animals (race horses, fight dogs, etc ) are described and the measures of therapy against side effects are outlined.
Larenza MP, Landoni MF, Levionnois OL, Knobloch M, Kronen PW, Theurillat R, Schatzmann U, Thormann W.The arterial pharmacokinetics of ketamine and norketamine enantiomers after racemic ketamine or S-ketamine i.v. administration were evaluated in seven gelding ponies in a crossover study (2-month interval). Methods: Anaesthesia was induced with isoflurane in oxygen via a face-mask and then maintained at each pony's individual MAC. Racemic ketamine (2.2 mg kg(-1)) or S-ketamine (1.1 mg kg(-1)) was injected in the right jugular vein. Blood samples were collected from the right carotid artery before and at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 min after ketamine administration. Ketamine and norketamine...
Kolm G, Knapp E, Wagner R, Klein D.Lactoferrin (LF), a glycogen of the transferrin family with anti-bacterial and immunomodulatory properties, is expressed in various secretions and tissues. Cutaneous LF serves as a mast cell stabilising compound, modulates T cell activity and is found during IgE-mediated late phase reactions at allergen challenged sites. Culicoides hypersensitivity (CHS) in horses is a common IgE-mediated allergic dermatitis, characterised by an early and late phase cutaneous reaction upon allergen challenge. The aim of the study presented here was to examine whether LF mRNA expression in skin biopsies from ho...
Sasaki N, Yamada M, Morita Y, Furuoka H, Itoh M, Satoh M, Yamada H.We report a case of EMND in a heavy horse that was bred and trained in Hokkaido, Japan. Clinical symptoms included severe ataxia of all four limbs, tilted head, lethargy, and flaccid lips. Numerous axonal degenerations and swellings were observed in nuclei, mostly in the cerebellar dentate nucleus and the nucleus of the hypoglossal nerve, and in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. In the ventral horn of the spinal cord, neuronal degeneration, swelling, and/or necrosis were observed sporadically. The case was diagnosed as EMND from the clinical symptoms and pathological findings.
Lejeune JP, Franck T, Gangl M, Schneider N, Michaux C, Deby-Dupont G, Serteyn D.Degenerative osteoarthropathy resulting in a reduced active lifespan was observed in Ardenner horses. In the context of joint biology, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is a potential candidate to affect the anabolism of cartilage matrix molecules. A group of 30 Ardenner horses reared under standardized conditions from weaning were evaluated periodically from 15 to 28 months of age to detect the early manifestations of the disease. At the end of this period, horses were classified in two pathological groups related to the degree of interphalangeal degenerative osteoarthropathy based on clin...
Dehennin L, Petit E, Bonnaire Y, Bruyas JF, Le Bizec B, Plou P.Rules of horse racing stipulate that pregnant mares may compete under definite conditions of date, because early pregnant status may be misused for the sake of enhancing physical performance by putative anabolic steroid action. Screening for pregnancy is generally performed by plasma equine gonadotrophin (eCG) immunoassay, which covers the period between Days 40 and 120. In common screening for urinary anabolic steroids performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, inclusion of two complementary criteria, i.e. the evaluation of total conjugates of 5(10)-estrene-3beta,17alpha-diol (EED) an...
Tozaki T, Swinburne J, Hirota K, Hasegawa T, Ishida N, Tobe T.Genetic maps are extremely important tools for tracing the genes that govern economically significant traits, and microsatellites are a significant component of these. In this study, we isolated 2346 novel horse microsatellites as resources for the construction of high-density horse genetic maps. Of these 2346 markers, 339 (14.5%) horse sequences showed sequence homology to DNA sequences in the human genome, demonstrating that microsatellites as type II markers are valuable resources for developing linkage maps and that they have a potential equal to that of type I markers for developing compa...
Bourges-Abella N, Raymond-Letron I, Diquelou A, Guillot E, Regnier A, Trumel C.To describe the cells observed in conjunctival brush cytology (CBC) from normal horses and compare these findings with conjunctival structural histology so as to understand which cells are recovered from CBC. Methods: This study was divided into three parts. (1) Conjunctival brush smears were collected from 20 healthy horses on both eyes and a differential count on 300 cells was carried out on May Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) smears. (2) A similar protocol was used for whole eyes from five horses obtained rapidly after death from a slaughterhouse. The eyes were then assessed for conjunctival histolo...
Plummer CE, Smith S, Andrew SE, Lassaline ME, Gelatt KN, Brooks DE, Kallberg ME, Ollivier FJ.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative beta-irradiation with strontium-90 as an adjunctive treatment to superficial keratectomy and permanent bulbar conjunctival graft for removal of equine corneolimbal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), in decreasing recurrence rate. Methods: The retrospective case study included 38 horses diagnosed and treated for SCC of the eye that involved the limbus and/or cornea. The patients were treated between 1990 and 2002, with strontium-90 irradiation immediately after corneal and conjunctival graft surgery. Recurrence was defined...
Di Francesco A, Donati M, Mattioli L, Naldi M, Salvatore D, Poglayen G, Cevenini R, Baldelli R.We tested 731 sera from apparently healthy light horses against Chlamydophila pneumoniae, by a microimmuno-fluorescence (MIF) test. To verify cross-reactions with other species of chlamvdiae, all sera with an antibody titre > or = 32 to C. pneumoniae were tested against both C. psittaci and C. abortus. Antibodies to C. pneumoniae were detected in 194 out of 731 (26.5%) samples tested, with antibody titres ranging from 32 to 1024. No antibody titre > or = 32 was detected in sera to C. abortus. Only few sera with a high antibody titre to C. pneumoniae reacted weakly with C. psittaci at the dilut...
Scheuch E, Spieker J, Venner M, Siegmund W.The long-acting antibiotic tulathromycin is on the marked for treatment of pulmonary infection of cattle, swine and horses. To measure disposition and distribution of tulathromycin in foals, a high throughput method was developed for horse plasma (calibration range: 0.006-0.8 microg/mL) and broncho-alveolar cells (calibration range: 0.1-4.0 microg/10(9)cells) using tandem mass spectrometry. Tulathromycin was extracted from plasma and broncho-alveolar fluid using cation exchange cartridges with acetonitrile/ammonia (95:5, v/v). The chromatography was performed isocratically with a mobile phase ...
Riggs LM, Franck T, Moore JN, Krunkosky TM, Hurley DJ, Peroni JF, de la Rebière G, Serteyn DA.To compare measurements of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in plasma, laminar tissues, and skin obtained from control horses and horses given black walnut heartwood extract (BWHE). Methods: 22 healthy 5- to 15-year-old horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to 4 groups as follows: a control group given water (n = 5) and 3 experimental groups given BWHE (17) via nasogastric intubation. Experimental groups consisted of 5, 6, and 6 horses that received BWHE and were euthanatized at 1.5, 3, and 12 hours after intubation, respectively. Control horses were euthanatized at 12 hours after intubation. Pl...
Grimm MB, Cohen ND, Slovis NM, Mundy GD, Harrington JR, Libal MC, Takai S, Martens RJ.To determine whether mares are a clinically important source of Rhodococcus equi for their foals. Methods: 171 mares and 171 foals from a farm in Kentucky (evaluated during 2004 and 2005). Methods: At 4 time points (2 before and 2 after parturition), the total concentration of R equi and concentration of virulent R equi were determined in fecal specimens from mares by use of quantitative bacteriologic culture and a colony immunoblot technique, respectively. These concentrations for mares of foals that developed R equi-associated pneumonia and for mares with unaffected foals were compared. Data...
Elce YA, Orsini JA, Blikslager AT.To assess expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 in naturally occurring squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and the analogous normal tissues in horses. Methods: Tissue samples collected from 3 conjunctival, 2 vulvar, 4 preputial, and 5 penile SCCs during surgical excision in 14 horses and from corresponding body regions (conjunctiva [n = 5 horses], vulva [2], prepuce [3], and penis [3]) in 5 horses euthanized for reasons unrelated to neoplasia. Methods: Tissue samples were snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 degrees C until analysis. Protein was extracted from the frozen tissues,...
Lancaster LS, Bowker RM, Mauer WA.To quantify the density of primary epidermal laminae (PELs) around the solar circumference and evaluate the relationship between regional PEL density and hoof capsule morphology in horses. Methods: Forefeet from nine 3-year-old Quarter Horse cadavers. Methods: Data pertaining to gross features of hoof morphology and PEL variables, including number, density, and distribution patterns around the perimeter of the hoof wall and number of bar PELs, were collected. Tissues of the laminar junction were examined histologically. Results: No significant differences were found between left and right fore...
Lopez MJ, Robinson SO, Cooley AJ, Prichard MA, McGinnis MR.An 18-year-old mare was evaluated for an oral mass that developed after extraction of a broken incisor. Results: An ulcerated, firm, darkly pigmented, approximately 5-cm-diameter spherical mass involved the gingiva lateral and dorsal to the right first to third maxillary incisors. Osteolysis of the roots of the first and second right maxillary incisors and periosteal proliferation of the adjacent premaxilla margins were apparent on radiographs. Histologic examination of the mass revealed multiple coalescing and ramifying foci of abscess formation, each containing a well-defined, discrete, blac...
Singer ER, Barnes J, Saxby F, Murray JK.Two related studies on injuries sustained by event horses during competition and during training are reported. During the cross-country phase of competition, the most common injuries were lacerations and abrasions to the carpus and stifle. Superficial digital flexor tendonitis and exertional rhabdomyolysis were significantly more common during Cours Complete Internationale (CCI) competitions compared to one-day event (ODE) competitions. The difference in injury types at ODEs and CCI competitions probably relates to the increased athletic demands of the CCI and the closer veterinary observation...
Dietzel J, Kuhrt H, Stahl T, Kacza J, Seeger J, Weber M, Uhlig A, Reichenbach A, Grosche A, Pannicke T.Borna disease (BD) is a fatal disorder of horses, often characterized by blindness. Although degeneration of retinal neurons has been demonstrated in a rat model, there are controversial data concerning whether a similar degeneration occurs in the retina of infected horses. To investigate whether BD may cause degeneration of photoreceptors and possibly of other neuronal cells at least at later stages of the disease, we performed a detailed quantitative morphologic study of retinal tissue from Borna-diseased horses. BD was diagnosed by detection of pathognomonic Joest-Degen inclusion bodies in ...
Santos VG, Bettencourt EM, Ginther OJ.Mares with persistent CL (PCL) with no known etiology (idiopathic) were matched with mares with an interovulatory interval (IOI) of apparent physiological length, so that ovulation at the beginning of each PCL and IOI occurred during the same month (n = 6/group). Blood samples were collected daily from Days 12 to 22 (Day 0 = ovulation). Mean progesterone (P4) decreased in both groups on Days 14 and 15 and then diverged with a continued decrease in the IOI group and the beginning of constant and greater (P < 0.05) P4 concentration on each day in the PCL group. Before P4 divergence betw...
Roberts CT, Slone DE.Surgical management of caecal impactions has included several different procedures suggested over the years. Complete bypass of the caecum through an ileocolic or jejunocolic anastomosis has become common practice for first time caecal impaction management, especially when dysfunction is suspected. In our practice, however, caecal impactions have been managed surgically by typhlotomy alone and of the 10 cases (July 1988-June 1998), 9 underwent surgery for first time caecal impactions, received a typhlotomy, and had survived an average of 43 months at time of case review. At the time of surgery...
Rej R, Rudofsky U, Magro A, Prendergast J.Aminotransferase activities were measured in the serum of two- to three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies and colts during a four week period of peak training for flat racing. Aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT, EC 2.6.1.1), mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (m-AspAT) and alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT, EC 2.6.1.2) activities in serum were measured and the relative proportions of apoenzyme and holoenzyme were determined. The aminotransferase activities were increased only slightly immediately following exercise. This small and immediate post exercise increase in activity did not vary greatl...
Walsh DM.Endocrinopathic laminitis in horses and ponies has the potential to cause extensive damage to the feet before clinical signs of laminitis are apparent. Early diagnosis and intervention based on the detection and control of hyperinsulinemia are critical if the crippling changes that are seen in the disease are to be avoided. Preventing endocrinopathic laminitis, rather than treating it, is good practice management benefiting not only equine patients but also their owners.
Findley JA, Salem S, Burgess R, Archer DC.Relaparotomy may be required to investigate and manage complications that occur following surgical management of colic. Objective: To report factors associated with survival following relaparotomy. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Records of horses that had undergone exploratory laparotomy for treatment of colic over a 10-year period (2002-2012) and had undergone relaparotomy <8 weeks following the initial surgery were reviewed. Descriptive data were generated and association with survival time was modelled using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Relaparotomy was perfor...
Greenberg CB, Javsicas LH, Clauson RM, Suckow MA, Kalinauskas AE, Lucroy MD.Autologous cancer vaccines (ACV) are an emerging option for adjuvant cancer treatment in veterinary medicine. With this form of active immunotherapy, the patient's tumor cells are processed ex vivo and returned to the patient with the goal of stimulating an immune response to unique, patient-specific antigens. The case accession database at Torigen was queried to identify horses that underwent biopsy or surgical resection of their primary tumor and received at least one subcutaneous dose of an adjuvanted whole-cell autologous cancer vaccine. The records were then reviewed for any reported adve...
Uhlhorn H, Eksell P, Carlsten J.A longitudinal scintigraphic and radiographic study of distal radial physeal activity in 14 Standardbred trotters was conducted to quantify and visually evaluate physeal uptake around the time of physeal closure. Initial intense 99mTc-HDP uptake was seen, followed by a rapid decrease of activity starting at a mean age of 20 months. Mean physeal to distal diaphyseal ROI and line profile ratios compared to ratios of mature horses decreased from 2.8 to 1.4 at the time of radiographic closure at 24-32 months. Ratios then gradually decreased until values of mature horses were reached at the end of ...
Hopster K, Hurcombe SD, Simpson K, VanderBroek AR, Driessen B.Mechanical ventilation is usually achieved by active lung inflation during inspiration and passive lung emptying during expiration. By contrast, flow-controlled expiration (FLEX) ventilation actively reduces the rate of lung emptying by causing linear gas flow throughout the expiratory phase. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of FLEX on lung compliance and gas exchange in anesthetized horses in dorsal recumbency. Methods: 8 healthy horses. Methods: All animals were anesthetized twice and either ventilated beginning with FLEX or conventional volume-controlled ventilation in a randomized, cros...
Hanson RR, Nixon AJ, Calderwood-Mays M, Gronwall R, Pendergast JF.Two techniques for end-to-end anastomosis of the small colon were evaluated in each of 6 horses. A simple interrupted suture pattern that excluded the mucosa and was oversewn with an inverting suture was compared with a triangulated double-row pattern of stainless steel staples. Anastomotic sites were evaluated at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months for extent of abdominal adhesions, lumen diameter at anastomotic sites, bursting pressures, and healing response. Clinical postoperative complications were not associated with either technique. At postmortem examination, there was extensive adhesion fo...
Yamaya Y, Kubo K, Amada A, Sato K.The atrioventricular (AV) conductive functions were investigated before and after the pharmacological autonomic nervous blockade (PAB) through the electrophysiological study on six horses (AV block group) in which the dropped beats occurred more frequently (over 200 beats/24 hr) and on five horses (control group) in which the dropped beats occurred sporadically (under 200 beats/24 hr) or in which the arrhythmias were not recognized at all on the long-term electrocardiogram. As a result, AV conductivity, conduction time and refractoriness in the AV block group were lower, longer and higher, res...
Timoney PJ, McArdle JF, O'Reilly PJ, Ward J.Contagious equine metritis 1977 was reproduced in pony mares using cultures of the Gram-negative coccobacillus aetiologically associated with the disease. Variability in clinical response was observed in the first of 2 experiments, with the presence of semen, either alone or in an extender, appearing to potentiate the pathogenicity of the challenge strain of the organism. The experimental disease was characterised by a variable degree of vaginal discharge and concomitant inflammatory changes involving the vervix and vagina. Although all of the affected mares recovered spontaneously, a high per...
Bachmann I, Staﾬher M.In the Swiss horse population, the prevalence of conspicuous behaviours (behavioural disorders and stable vices) was recorded with a written questionnaire in a representative survey among 1861 horse yards, and the occurrence of the stereotypic behavioural disorders crib-biting, weaving and boxwalking was analysed with emphasis on their association with horse specific (breed, age, sex) and environmental factors (e.g. housing system, nutrition, management and utilisation). 622 horse yards with a total number of 2536 horses answered to the questionnaire, and conspicuous behaviours were described ...
Tuniyazi M, Wang W, Zhang N.Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a technique involving transferring fecal matter from a healthy donor to a recipient, with the goal of reinstating a healthy microbiome in the recipient's gut. FMT has been used in horses to manage various gastrointestinal disorders, such as colitis and diarrhea. To evaluate the current literature on the use of FMT in horses, including its efficacy, safety, and potential applications, the authors conducted an extensive search of several databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, published up to 11 January 2023. The authors...
Geiser DR.Chemical restraint in the standing horse is used for a variety of procedures in veterinary medicine. The choice of agent depends on the physical status, temperament, and size of the patient; the procedure to be performed; and safety for the patient, veterinarian, and owner. The combination of certain agents may provide more desirable restraint and analgesia than does the use of individual agents. The use of analgesics in the horse is not without side effects, some of which may be detrimental to the patient's condition. Analgesics should be chosen with these untoward effects in mind. Draft bree...
J Lacy K, Parlane NA, Riley CB, Gee EK, Roberts JM, McIlwraith CW.CellTrace Violet™ is a commonly used fluorescent dye used with flow cytometry to identify cell proliferation. Activated equine lymphocytes were examined using flow cytometry, microscopy and tritiated thymidine proliferation assays. CellTrace Violet™ was incorporated into the equine lymphocytes effectively. Equine lymphocytes proliferated when activated with pokeweed mitogen, but did not proliferate when previously stained with CellTrace Violet™. Serial dilutions of CellTrace Violet™ did not eliminate the inhibition of activated lymphocytes. Equine lymphocyte viability was greater than ...
Harlow BE, Lawrence LM, Harris PA, Aiken GE, Flythe MD.Cereal grains are often included in equine diets. When starch intake exceeds foregut digestion starch will reach the hindgut, impacting microbial ecology. Probiotics (e.g., lactobacilli) are reported to mitigate GI dysbioses in other species. This study was conducted to determine the effect of exogenous lactobacilli on pH and the growth of amylolytic and lactate-utilizing bacteria. Feces were collected from 3 mature geldings fed grass hay with access to pasture. Fecal microbes were harvested by differential centrifugation, washed, and re-suspended in anaerobic media containing ground corn, whe...
Sakhaee E, Golchin M, Amiri H, Fayed MR, Eydi J.Hydatidosis, is an important worldwide zoonotic disease caused by larval stages (metacestodes) of tapeworm parasites of the genus Echinococcus. The objective of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of equine hydatidosis in Iran by latex agglutination test. This study also served to correlate sex and age with mentioned results in cases. Therefore, 193 serum samples were collected from clinically healthy horses at 9 race clubs in Kerman, Yazd and Golestan provinces, Iran. According to the results, antibodies against hydatidosis were detected in 6 sera (3.11 %) among 193 samples...
Monteiro RA, Cunha RM, Guerra MMP, de Almeida VM, Peña-Alfaro CE, Silva SV.The aim of this study was to test equine semen cryopreservation techniques for the conservation of donkey germplasm. Ejaculates of three male donkeys were used (n = 18; six ejaculates per donkey; six repetitions), collected by the artificial vagina method. To remove the seminal plasma, the ejaculates were split and submitted to filtration or centrifugation methods. To assess the freezing method, each fraction was submitted to the automated system or the conventional system, and groups were formed: automated centrifuge, automated filtrate, conventional centrifuge and conventional filtrate. Af...
Smith PJ, Gum GG, Whitley RD, Samuelson DA, Brooks DE, Garcia-Sanchez GA.Tonometric and tonographic techniques were evaluated in the normal pony and compared to other species. Applanation tonometry was utilised to calculate the ocular ridigity of the normal equine eye. The mean intraocular pressure for the pony eye was established as 23.5 mm Hg (sd +/- 4.5). Comparing the non-anaesthetised and anaesthetised pony eye (xylazine-ketamine and glycerol guaiacolate) no significant change in intraocular pressure occurred (P < 0.49). Mean aqueous outflow facility was 0.88 microliter/min/mm Hg (sd +/- 0.65) which is significantly higher (P < 0.01) than the canine and ...
Santos MP, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, Horn GP, Johnson AJ, Stewart MC, Schaeffer DJ.To compare the mechanical properties of laryngeal tie-forward (LTF) surrogate constructs prepared with steel fixtures and No. 5 braided polyester or braided polyethylene by use of a standard or a modified suture placement technique. Methods: 32 LTF surrogate constructs. Methods: Surrogate constructs were prepared with steel fixtures and sutures (polyester or polyethylene) by use of a standard or modified suture placement technique. Constructs underwent single-load-to-failure testing. Maximal load at failure, elongation at failure, stiffness, and suture breakage sites were compared among constr...
Hodgson D, Howe S, Jeffcott L, Reid S, Mellor D, Higgins A.Oral administration of altrenogest for oestrus suppression in competition horses is believed to be widespread in some equestrian disciplines, and can be administered continuously for several months during a competition season. To examine whether altrenogest has any anabolic or other potential performance enhancing properties that may give a horse an unfair advantage, we examined the effect of oral altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg), given daily for a period of eight weeks, on social hierarchy, activity budget, body-mass and body condition score of 12 sedentary mares. It was concluded that prolonged ora...
Winsco KN, Coverdale JA, Wickersham TA, Shelton JL.Twenty-four Quarter Horse weanlings (120 ± 10 d) were blocked by age into 4 groups (n=6) for a 56-d trial to evaluate the influence of dietary Met concentration on growth and N balance. Weanling horses were housed by block and individually fed concentrates twice daily at 1.75% BW (as-fed basis). Weanling horses were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 concentrate treatments: basal (0.20 Met), basal + 0.03% Met (0.23 Met), basal + 0.07% Met (0.27 Met), and basal + 0.11% Met (0.31 Met). Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric and contained equal amounts of Lys and Thr. Coastal bermuda...
Espinosa P, Nieto JE, Snyder JR, Galuppo LD, Katzman SA.To describe an ultrasound assisted technique for desmotomy of the palmar/plantar annular ligament (PAL), determine its efficacy and intraoperative complications. Methods: Cadaveric and in vivo study. Methods: Cadaveric limbs (n = 12), adult horses (n = 4), and clinical cases (n = 2). Methods: Ultrasound assisted desmotomy of the palmar/plantar annular ligament (UAD-PAL) was performed in cadaveric limbs and in standing horses with the operated limb placed in a distal limb splint. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia and was followed by tenoscopic examination in 2 cli...
Saadi A, Azizi S, Farshid AA, Yousefi A.This report describes surgical management and breeding implications of a case of penile sarcoid associated with penis laceration in a 4-year-old Kurdish stallion. A large fleshy mass on the distal end of the penis that resulted in urethral meatus deviation and dysuria was detected in a physical examination. No evidence of local extent or metastasis was detected. Under general anaesthesia, the involved distal portion of the penis was removed through partial phallectomy. Histopathological examination of the mass confirmed a fibroblastic sarcoid. Partial phallectomy was successful for management ...
Sielhorst J, Roggel-Buecker U, Neudeck KC, Kahler A, Rohn K, Luettgenau J, Bollwein H, Hollinshead F, Sieme H.The aim of this double-blinded placebo-controlled study was to investigate the effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on uterine blood flow, gestation length, placental and foal weights in pregnant mares. Sixteen Thoroughbred mares of different age (13.3 ± 4.1) and parity (7.4 ± 3.1) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups. Mares in group C (n = 4) served as controls and received 5,000 mg lactose orally once daily from D 120 (D 0 = day of ovulation) until parturition. Mares in group ASA1 (n = 7) received 5,000 mg ASA orally once daily from D 120 until parturition. Mares in group...
Morris ERA, Wu J, Bordin AI, Lawhon SD, Cohen ND.Streptococcus equi subsp. (SEE) is a host-restricted equine pathogen considered to have evolved from Streptococcus equi subsp. (SEZ). SEZ is promiscuous in host range and is commonly recovered from horses as a commensal. Comparison of a single strain each of SEE and SEZ using whole-genome sequencing, supplemented by PCR of selected genes in additional SEE and SEZ strains, was used to characterize the evolution of SEE. But the known genetic variability of SEZ warrants comparison of the whole genomes of multiple SEE and SEZ strains. To fill this knowledge gap, we utilized whole-genome sequenci...
Wood T, Stanley S, Woods WE, Henry P, Watt D, Tobin T.This study was designed to explore the use of hematocrit values as possible indicators of the threshold doses of adrenergic drugs in the performance horse. Acepromazine, detomidine, and fluphenazine were tested for their effects on hematocrit values, with the threshold dose for these effects investigated. Hematocrit values were shown to be quite sensitive to the administration of acepromazine with doses as low as 50 micrograms/horse producing detectable depressions in hematocrit values for up to 2 hours. Increasing the dose increased the magnitude of the effect, but did not appear to prolong i...
The Journal of nutritionJune 4, 2002
Volume 132, Issue 6 Suppl 2 1628S-31S doi: 10.1093/jn/132.6.1628S
Williams CA, Hoffman RM, Kronfeld DS, Hess TM, Saker KE, Harris PA.alpha-Lipoic acid (LA) has demonstrated antioxidant effects in humans and laboratory animals. The objective of this study was to determine whether the effects of LA are similar in horses. Five Thoroughbred geldings were supplemented with 10 mg/kg/d DL-alpha-lipoic acid in a molasses and sweet feed carrier and five received only the carrier as a placebo (CON). Blood samples were obtained at baseline (0 d), after 7 and 14 d of supplementation, and 48 h postsupplementation (16 d). Blood fractions of red and white blood cells (RBC and WBC, respectively) and plasma were analyzed for glutathione (GS...
Matthews AG, Crispin SM, Parker J.A wide range of fundic variants are encountered during routine ophthalmoscopic examination of visually normal horses, often causing the examiner difficulty in assessing their clinical significance. Many of these are anatomical variants having no significant effect on visual function, and lie within the limits of normality in the horse. This paper illustrates this range of variants and discusses their anatomical basis and physiological consequences. Colobomata are non-progressive discontinuities in the structure of the anatomic fundus, occasionally noted as incidental findings during ophthalmos...
