Veterinary research in horses encompasses the study of diseases, health management, and medical treatments specific to equine species. This field investigates various aspects of horse health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. Researchers focus on understanding the pathophysiology of equine ailments, developing diagnostic tools, and evaluating therapeutic interventions. The study of horse health also involves examining preventive measures such as vaccination protocols and nutritional management to promote overall well-being. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse areas of veterinary science related to horses, providing insights into disease mechanisms, treatment strategies, and advancements in equine healthcare.
Faramarzi B, Nelson S, Dong F.Imbalances and altered kinetics of the hoof result in lameness in horses. Previously, studies have focused on the midstance phase of a gait, hence, available information on the impact phase is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the effect of hoof trimming on the fore and hindhooves at the impact phase of the walk. Our objective was to compare the kinetic variables of force (N), contact area (cm), contact pressure (kPa), and peak contact pressure (kPa) before and after hoof trimming. Nine Arabian horses were walked straight over a pressure plate to collect the above kinetic variables for b...
Mureşan A, Mureşan C, Siteavu M, Avram E, Bochynska D, Taulescu M.Equine herpesviruses are important pathogens causing significant economic loss in equine and asinine populations. EHV-1/4 strains are mainly associated with respiratory distress. The aim of this study is to report the first EHV 4-associated respiratory disease in donkeys in Romania. Thirty-seven of three hundred jennies in an ecological donkey farm in southwest Romania started initially showing signs of severe upper respiratory tract disease, with ten concomitant late abortions/neonatal deaths and three neurological cases. There were nine fatalities. Pathological examination was performed, and...
Lucas RG, Rodríguez-Hurtado I, Álvarez CT, Ortiz G.Equine back pain can potentially initiate an unstable intervertebral situation that results in atrophy and dysfunction of the epaxial muscles even after back pain has resolved. Several physiotherapy approaches are advocated to promote the strengthening of the multifidus muscle. This study aimed to asses and compare the effect of dynamic mobilization exercises (DME) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in 8 adult horses (4 individuals by group) to increase the cross-sectional area (CSA) of this muscle after a 7-weeks period treatment. The epaxial muscles of NMES group were electrical...
Pfau T, Bolt DM, Fiske-Jackson A, Gerdes C, Hoenecke K, Lynch L, Perrier M, Smith RKW.Diagnostic analgesia and lunging are parts of the equine lameness examination, aiding veterinarians in localizing the anatomical region(s) causing pain-related movement deficits. Expectation bias of visual assessment and complex movement asymmetry changes in lame horses on the lunge highlight the need to investigate data-driven approaches for optimally integrating quantitative gait data into veterinary decision-making to remove bias. A retrospective analysis was conducted with inertial sensor movement symmetry data before/after diagnostic analgesia relative to subjective judgement of efficacy ...
Fraczkowska K, Zak-Bochenek A, Siwinska N, Rypula K, Ploneczka-Janeczko K.From a clinical point of view, knowledge of the commensal microbial flora of the conjunctival sac in healthy individuals proves to be of great importance. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and the composition of normal ocular microflora of healthy donkeys. Fourteen clinically healthy donkeys () participated in the study. After prior ophthalmological examination, which showed no abnormalities, a conjunctival swab was taken from each donkey from the right and left eye. Species-specific identification was based on a morphological assessment of bacterial colonies stained with the Gr...
Magalhaes HB, Canisso IF.This study aimed to establish normal ranges and determine variables affecting the duration of gestation, placental and fetal eyeball measurements in donkeys. Jennies (n = 121) were submitted to transrectal ultrasonography at 15-day-intervals from 120 days of gestation until parturition. During each examination, variables assessed included: the combined thickness of uterus and placenta (CTUP), fetal eyeball diameter, amniotic membrane thickness, allantoic and amniotic fluids echogenicity, and chorioallantois edema. Parametric data were analyzed with t-test, linear regression, mixed models, AN...
Peyrecave-Capo X, Saulnier N, Maddens S, Gremillet B, Desjardins I.Human autologous serum (AS) and umbilical cord serum (UCS) both contain growth and neurotrophic factors that promote corneal healing. Unassigned: Our objectives were to compare equine AS and UCS cytokine and growth factor profiles and to assess the safety and clinical feasibility of the therapeutic use of UCS eye drops in cases of spontaneous complex ulcers. Unassigned: Prospective clinical trial. Unassigned: Vitamin A insulin growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, interferon-γ, an...
Pagliara E, Pasinato A, Valazza A, Riccio B, Cantatore F, Terzini M, Putame G, Parrilli A, Sartori M, Fini M, Zanetti EM, Bertuglia A.A catastrophic fracture of the radial carpal bone experienced by a racehorse during a Palio race was analyzed. Computational modelling of the carpal joint at the point of failure informed by live data was generated using a multibody code for dynamics simulation. The circuit design in a turn, the speed of the animal and the surface characteristics were considered in the model. A macroscopic examination of the cartilage, micro-CT and histology were performed on the radio-carpal joint of the limb that sustained the fracture. The model predicted the points of contact forces generated at the level ...
Cormier AC, Chalmers G, Zamudio R, Mulvey MR, Mather AE, Boerlin P.Conserved IncI1 and IncHI1 plasmids carrying blaCTX-M-1 have been found circulating in chickens and horses from continental Europe, respectively. In Canada, blaCTX-M-1 is overwhelmingly the most common blaCTX-M variant found in Escherichia coli from chicken and horses and can be recovered at lower frequencies in swine, cattle, and dogs. Whole-genome sequencing has identified a large genetic diversity of isolates carrying this variant, warranting further investigations into the plasmids carrying this gene. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the genetic profiles of blaCTX-M-1...
Simões J, Batista M, Tilley P.Severe equine asthma is a chronic respiratory disease of adult horses, occurring when genetically susceptible individuals are exposed to environmental aeroallergens. This results in airway inflammation, mucus accumulation and bronchial constriction. Although several studies aimed at evaluating the genetic and immune pathways associated with the disease, the results reported are inconsistent. Furthermore, the complexity and heterogeneity of this disease bears great similarity to what is described for human asthma. Currently available studies identified two chromosome regions (ECA13 and ECA15) a...
Atuman YJ, Kudi CA, Abdu PA, Okubanjo OO, Wungak Y, Ularamu HG, Abubakar A.Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an arthropod-borne zoonotic disease responsible for severe outbreaks in livestock and humans with concomitant economic losses in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The study, therefore, investigated the seroprevalence of the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) among wild and domestic animals. Blood samples were collected between 2013 and 2015 from 106 wild animals, 300 cattle (), and 200 horses (), respectively, in Yankari Game Reserve (YGR) and Sumu Wildlife Park (SWP) in Bauchi state, Nigeria. Harvested sera from blood were evaluated for the presence of anti-RVFV IgM...
Lee K, Pusterla N, Barnum SM, Lee DH, Martínez-López B.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a highly contagious pathogen of equids, and a well-known burden in global equine health. EIV H3N8 variants seasonally emerged and resulted in EIV outbreaks in the United States and worldwide. The present study evaluated the pattern of cross-regional EIV H3N8 spread and evolutionary characteristics at US and global scales using Bayesian phylogeography with balanced subsampling based on regional horse population size. A total of 297 haemagglutinin (HA) sequences of global EIV H3N8 were collected from 1963 to 2019 and subsampled to global subset (n = 67), raw US ...
Azizi S, Masoudi H.Colic is a clinical syndrome and has been defined as a visceral abdominal pain and/or acute abdominal disease. It is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in horses. The most common forms of colics are related to gastrointestinal tract in nature and most often linked to colonic disturbances. However, colics are not well understood in donkeys compared to those of in horses and the literature is poor regarding bowel strangulating obstruction in donkeys. This report described the clinical signs and post-mortem necropsy findings of an abdominal colic due to the left colon volvulus following a ...
Regenerative medicine applied to skin lesions is a field in constant improvement. The use of biomaterials with integrin agonists could promote cell adhesion increasing tissue repair processes. The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the effect of an α4β1 integrin agonist on cell adhesion of equine adipose tissue (AT) and Wharton's jelly (WJ) derived MSCs and to investigate their adhesion ability to GM18 incorporated poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffolds. Adhesion assays were performed after culturing AT- and WJ-MSCs with GM18 coating or soluble GM18. Cell adhesion on GM18 containing PLLA sc...
Aßmann AD, Ohlerth S, Suárez Sánchez-Andráde J, Torgerson PR, Bischofberger AS.To determine the diagnostic performance of computed tomographic arthrography (CTA) and 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting artificial meniscal, meniscotibial ligament (MTL) lesions and cruciate ligament (CL) lesions in horses. Methods: Ex vivo controlled laboratory study. Methods: Nineteen stifles from adult horses. Methods: Stablike defects (n = 84) (16 mm long, 10 mm deep) were created in the menisci (n = 35), CLs (n = 24), and MTLs (n = 25) via arthroscopy prior to MRI and CTA (80 mL contrast at 85 mg/mL per joint). Two radiologists, unaware of the lesions...
Gupta SK.Mammalian zona pellucida (ZP) is composed of three to four glycoproteins, which plays an important role during fertilization. Mutations in the genes encoding zona proteins are reported in women with empty follicle syndrome, degenerated oocytes and those with an abnormal or no ZP further emphasizing their relevance during fertility. Immunization with either native or recombinant ZP glycoproteins/proteins leads to curtailment of fertility in various animal species. Observed infertility is frequently associated with ovarian pathology characterized by follicular atresia and degenerative changes in...
Donatsch L, Friker B, Sieme H, Kaeser R, Burger D.A potential source of fertility loss in mares is oviductal dysfunction, potentially caused by masses or debris in the lumen, that may prevent either sperm from reaching the fertilization site or the embryo from reaching the uterus. Recently a novel therapeutic method leading to increased pregnancy results was described by infusing misoprostol, a synthetic prostaglandin E, in the uterus of mares with unexplained fertility problems. In this study, we aimed, after examining the compatibility of misoprostol with semen, to evaluate the pregnancy rate after routine preovulatory deep uterine horn app...
Lee GKC, Kang H, Beeler-Marfisi J, Sears W, Lillie BN, Bienzle D.Salivary scavenger and agglutinin (SALSA) is a secreted protein with various immunomodulatory roles. In humans, the protein agglutinates and inactivates microorganisms, and inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Saliva, which is rich in SALSA, accelerates bacterial phagocytosis, but SALSA's contribution is unclear. In horses, the functions of SALSA in inflammation remain undetermined, so they were investigated through phagocytosis and cytokine assays. Equine SALSA was purified from duodenal tissue, which contains abundant SALSA. To assess phagocytosis, fluorescently-labelled bacte...
Liu N, Yu W, Guo X, Chen J, Xia D, Yu J, Li D.Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) belonging to the auxiliary activity 9 family (AA9) are widely found in aerobic fungi. These enzymes are O-dependent copper oxidoreductases that catalyze the oxidative cleavage of cellulose. However, studies that have investigated AA9 LPMOs of aerobic fungi in the herbivore gut are scare. To date, whether oxidative cleavage of cellulose occurs in the herbivore gut is unknown. Results: We report for the first time experimental evidence that AA9 LPMOs from aerobic thermophilic fungi catalyze the oxidative cleavage of cellulose present in the horse gut t...
Storms N, Medina Torres C, Franck T, Sole Guitart A, de la Rebière G, Serteyn D.Laminitis is a pathology of the equine digit leading to a failure of the dermo-epidermal interface. Neutrophil activation is recognized as a major factor in SIRS-associated laminitis. Less is known about the role of neutrophil activation in laminitis associated with metabolic disorders. The aim of this descriptive study was to observe whether myeloperoxidase is increased in the laminae during early stage laminitis in three horses subjected to a prolonged euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp (pEHC). After 48 h of pEHC-treatment, horses were subjected to euthanasia. Two healthy horses are used as c...
Divers TJ.Regulation of renal blood flow is by both extrinsic and intrinsic systems. Intrinsic regulation occurs via the afferent and efferent arterioles and tubuloglomerular feedback mechanisms with activation of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Mechanisms of acute kidney injury are frequently associated with changes in renal blood flow. Acute tubular necrosis and apoptosis are common in horses following ischemic or toxic insults and in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury. Sepsis-associated renal injury often has a complex mechanism of disease involving both functional and obstructive changes in intrar...
Gao S, Zeng Z, Wang H, Chen F, Huang L, Wang X.African horse sickness (AHS) is a devastating equine infectious disease. On 17 March 2020, it first appeared in Thailand and threatened all the South-East Asia equine industry security. Therefore, it is imperative to carry out risk warnings of the AHS in China. The maximum entropy algorithm was used to model AHS and Culicoides separately by using climate and non-climate variables. The least cost path (LCP) method was used to analyze the habitat connectivity of Culicoides with the reclassified land cover and altitude as cost factors. The models showed the mean area under the curve as 0.918 and ...
Fowler AL, Hayes SH, Crum AD, Lawrence LM.Titanium dioxide has been used as a marker for determining diet digestibility indirectly, but some authors have expressed difficulty in measuring TiO2 concentrations in fecal material. We developed an accurate and precise method to determine TiO2 concentrations in equine feces. The method includes dry-ashing samples, digestion with (NH4)2SO4 in concentrated sulfuric acid, followed by the addition of H2O2 to produce a yellow to orange color that can be read spectrophotometrically. Accuracy was tested by spike recovery, and precision was tested by examining the coefficient of variation (CV) betw...
Kjeldsen ST, Nissen SD, Buhl R, Hopster-Iversen C.Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in horses causing poor performance. As in humans, the condition can be intermittent in nature, known as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (pAF). This review covers the literature relating to pAF in horses and includes references to the human literature to compare pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic tools and treatment. The arrhythmia is diagnosed by auscultation and electrocardiography (ECG), and clinical signs can vary from sudden loss of racing performance to reduced fitness or no signs at all. If left untreated, pAF may prom...
Cercone M.This article provides a comprehensive review of imaging techniques used to evaluate the equine urinary tract. This overview includes officially recognized modalities and new applications reported in the most current literature. Technical aspects and indications for use of endoscopy and ultrasonography are highlighted. Normal endoscopic and ultrasonographic appearance of the upper and lower urinary tract is described, with characterization of common abnormalities found in patients with hematuria, stranguria, and renal failure. Visual examples of several pathologic conditions from clinical cases...
DeNotta SL.Urinary disease in the neonatal period can occur with primary congenital renal defects or as a secondary consequence of birth trauma, ischemic injury, nephrotoxic medications, or systemic illness. This article reviews the clinical evaluation of the urinary system in foals and highlights diagnostic and therapeutic features of the most commonly encountered urinary disorders of the equine neonatal patient.
Fubini SL, Delco M.Urinary surgery in the horse may be challenging. More straightforward procedures, such as urinary bladder or urachal defects, do not usually require specialized equipment or imaging, although laboratory work is helpful. Congenital or acquired conditions of the ureters or kidneys may necessitate advanced diagnostic work-ups including advanced imaging /or and minimally invasive procedures. Some surgery of the lower urinary tract is done in the sedated, standing adult horse. Surgery involving the kidney typically requires general anesthesia. Laparoscopy and associated tools are frequently used. A...
Miller L, Lord S.Loss of endotracheal tube (ETT) integrity secondary to dental damage is reported in the human literature. Objective: To describe this problem in equine anaesthesia. Methods: Case report. Conclusions: An 18-year-old Standardbred gelding presented out of hours with colic signs. Findings on clinical examination and pain refractory to analgesia meant that exploratory laparotomy was elected for. Prior to general anaesthesia (GA) leak testing of the anaesthetic machine was performed and the pilot balloon of the endotracheal tube (ETT) was inflated to confirm cuff integrity. Intermittent-positive pre...
Dyson S, Pollard D.A Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) comprising 24 behaviours has been developed to facilitate the identification of musculoskeletal pain. The aim was to further test the RHpE by its application to a convenience sample (n = 60) of sports horses and riding school horses in regular work and assumed by their owners to be working comfortably. All horses performed a purpose-designed dressage-type test of 8.5 min duration in walk, trot and canter, with their normal rider. The RHpE was applied retrospectively to video recordings acquired in a standardised fashion. Seventy-three percent of horses were ...
Chambers TM.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a common respiratory pathogen of horses and other equids in most parts of the world. EIV are Type A influenza viruses and two subtypes are known: H3N8 and H7N7. Both are believed to have evolved from avian influenza virus ancestors. The H3N8 subtype circulates widely, but the H7N7 subtype is thought to be extinct. The clinical disease in horses, caused by either subtype, is an upper respiratory infection of varying severity depending upon the immune status of the individual animal. It is not normally life-threatening in itself except in very young foals; however...
Sung SE, Hwang M, Kim AY, Lee EM, Lee EJ, Hwang SK, Kim SY, Kim HK, Jeong KS.Mesenchymal stem cells could potentially be used in the clinical treatment of muscle disorders and muscle regeneration. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) can be easily isolated from adipose tissue, as opposed to stem cells of other tissues. We believe that cell therapy using ADSCs could be applied to muscle disorders in horses and other species. We sought to improve the myogenic differentiation potential of equine ADSCs (eqADSCs) using a MyoD lentiviral vector. MyoD lentiviruses were transduced into eqADSCs and selected using puromycin. Cells were cultured in differentiation media containing ...
Murray MJ, Nout YS, Ward DL.Medical records and endoscopy images were examined for 209 horses that had gastroscopic examinations performed with a 2.5- or 3-m-long endoscope by one of the authors (MJM) during a 4-year period (1996-2000). The antrum and pylorus were viewed in 162 horses, and the duodenum was viewed in 94 horses. Of these 162 horses, the gastric squamous mucosa was seen in 157 horses and 50% or more of the glandular mucosa of the body of the stomach was seen in 156 horses. Erosions or ulcers were seen in the gastric squamous mucosa in 91 (58%) horses. Erosions or ulcers were seen in the glandular mucosa of ...
Salazar I, Quinteiro PS, Cifuentes JM.The soft-tissue components of the vomeronasal organ of the pig, the cow and the horse were studied with the aid of dissection, microdissection, and light microscopy and immunohistochemistry of series of transverse sections. In horses, the rostral end of the incisive duct was blind: thus, unlike in pigs and cows, there was no communication between the vomeronasal organ and the oral cavity. In all three species, the central part of the vomeronasal duct bore the 'typical' respiratory/ receptor epithelium lining on its lateral and medical walls. The rostral part of the duct was characterized by st...
Lopez MJ, Jarazo J.According to Greek mythology, Prometheus' liver grew back nightly after it was removed each day by an eagle as punishment for giving mankind fire. Hence, contrary to popular belief, the concept of tissue and organ regeneration is not new. In the early 20th century, cell culture and ex vivo organ preservation studies by Alexis Carrel, some with famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, established a foundation for much of modern regenerative medicine. While early beliefs and discoveries foreshadowed significant accomplishments in regenerative medicine, advances in knowledge within numerous scientific di...
Geerts S, Coles GC, Gryseels B.During the past decade, the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in some economically important helminths of sheep, goats and horses has increased dramatically. In some regions of Australia, South America and South Africa, anthelmintic resistance has become a serious threat to the survival of the sheep industry. Mass treatment programmes and exclusive reliance on anthelmintics for worm control in livestock are amongst the most important reasons for the development of anthelmintic resistance. In this article, Stanny Geerts, Gerald Coles and Bruno Gryseels draw the attention to a number of erro...
Klohonatz KM, Coleman SJ, Islas-Trejo AD, Medrano JF, Hess AM, Kalbfleisch T, Thomas MG, Bouma GJ, Bruemmer JE.Equine maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) is a process whose signal remains unknown. During MRP the conceptus and endometrium communicate to attenuate prostaglandin F (PGF) secretion, sparing the corpus luteum and maintaining progesterone production. Recognition of a mobile conceptus by the endometrium is critical by days 14-16 post-ovulation (PO), when endometrium produces PGF, initiating luteolysis. The objective of this study was to evaluate endometrial gene expression changes based upon pregnancy status via RNA sequencing. This experiment utilized a cross-over design with each mare se...
Kelmer G.Endotoxemia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in horses affected by colic. This article briefly reviews the pathogenesis of endotoxemia in horses with colic, reviews current established treatments, and describes new advances in the treatment of endotoxemia.
Sykes BW, Kathawala K, Song Y, Garg S, Page SW, Underwood C, Mills PC.Pilot investigations have suggested that a novel, long-acting, injectable i.m. formulation of omeprazole (LA-OMEP) can induce acid suppression for up to 7 days following a single injection. Objective: To investigate the pharmacodynamics and assess the clinical efficacy of the LA-OMEP formulation. Methods: Part A comprised a pharmacodynamic study. Part B consisted of a pilot clinical trial. Methods: Part A enrolled six adult Thoroughbred horses with percutaneous gastrotomy tubes. Intragastric pH was measured for continuous 23-h periods (08.00-07.00 h) for eight consecutive days (days 0-7). A si...
Chaffin MK, Cohen ND, Martens RJ, Edwards RF, Nevill M.To identify foal-related risk factors associated with development of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia among foals on farms with endemic R. equi infection. Methods: Prospective case-control study. Methods: 220 foals at 2 equine breeding farms in Texas during a 2-year period. Methods: Information collected for each dam included age, time housed on the farm prior to parturition, whether there were any peripartum illnesses, parity, and health of previous foals. Information collected for each foal included breed, sex, gestational age, month and year of birth, location of birth, type of flooring and beddi...
Tolliver SC, Lyons ET, Drudge JH.The prevalence and number of naturally acquired gastrointestinal parasites were compiled for horses used in critical tests of activity of parasiticides over a 28-year period (1956-1983). Data are presented as follows: n = number of horses examined; % = mean prevalence; number in parentheses after % = aggregate mean number of parasites in infected horses. Parasites found were: bots (n = 513) - Gasterophilus intestinalis, 2nd instar, 61%(58); 3rd instar, 94%(168); G. nasalis, 2nd instar, 36%(28); 3rd instar, 81%(51); stomach worms (n = 200) - Habronema muscae, 65%(179); Draschia megastoma, 29%(9...
Baker KP, Quinn PJ.Sweet itch is an intensely pruritic dermatitis of horses recurring annually in Ireland from April to November. The tissue changes of sweet itch have similarities to immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions which occur in skin sensitised to the saliva of bloodsucking insects. There was subepidermal oedema, and marked eosinophilia; the blood vessels were tortuous and enlarged. Microfilaria were not found in serial sections of lesions of 5 affected horses. The histopathology of the immediate dermal remal reaction to the intradermal injection of Culicoides extract shows dermal vasodilation and eo...
Jeffcott LB, Holmes MA, Townsend HG.Back pain is a common and poorly understood clinical problem. An important factor in this regard is the induction or exacerbation of back pain from badly designed or poorly fitting saddles. This study used a pressure-sensing mat to investigate saddle fit. The aims of the study were to confirm the accuracy and reliability of the force-sensing array technology when used to measure pressure beneath the saddles of horses, and to collect some initial data from normal healthy horses with well-fitting saddles. Experiments were undertaken to establish that a linear relationship existed between the tot...
Brophy PM, MacKintosh N, Morphew RM.Anthelmintics are the cornerstone of parasitic helminth control. Surprisingly, understanding of the biochemical pathways used by parasitic helminths to detoxify anthelmintics is fragmented, despite the increasing global threat of anthelmintic resistance within the ruminant and equine industries. Reductionist biochemistry has likely over-estimated the enzymatic role of glutathione transferases in anthelmintic metabolism and neglected the potential role of the cytochrome P-450 superfamily (CYPs). Proteomic technologies offers the opportunity to support genomics, reverse genetics and pharmacokine...
Fleury C, Bérard F, Balme B, Thomas L.The clinical and pathological characteristics of cutaneous melanomas occurring in Camargue-type gray-skinned horses are reported. Examination of 83 tumor-bearing horses revealed that the tumors occurred most frequently underneath the tail (93.9%) and at high rates in the peri-anal region (43.0%), the lips (33.0%), and the eyelids (24.0%), but rarely in the vulva (3.8%). Tumorous lesions were characterized by the presence of either hemispheric nodules or large infiltrated plaques, or their combinations. Microscopic examination indicated that tumorous lesions were composed mostly of melanocytes ...
Bucca S, Carli A, Buckley T, Dolci G, Fogarty U.The present study describes the effect of a single dose of dexamethasone administered to mares at time of breeding. In an initial experiment, the authors investigated safety of treatment. In a second experiment the effect of treatment on the uterine environment, fetal development and pregnancy outcome was examined. In the final part of the study, mares susceptible to persistent mating induced endometritis were identified, by means of a risk factor score system and the effect of treatment evaluated. Results indicated that dexamethasone administered at breeding time did not negatively impact on ...
Skarzynski DJ, Szóstek-Mioduchowska AZ, Rebordão MR, Jalali BM, Piotrowska-Tomala KK, Leciejewska N, Łazarczyk M, Ferreira-Dias GM.The innate and adaptive immune mechanisms are key components of regulation of reproductive physiological function and uterine disorders in equine uterus. The predominant immunological response in equine endometrium, characterized by an innate immune response, occurs under estrogens influence, in the follicular phase. Although, the increase in immune-related genes in equine endometrium during estrus has been suggested to play a role in uterine clearance after mating, immune cells and their product, i.e. cytokines play also mandatory role in the luteal development and maintenance, regression of ...
Silva LA, Gastal EL, Beg MA, Ginther OJ.The equine embryonic vesicle is mobile on Days 12-14 (Day 0 = ovulation), when it is approximately 9-15 mm in diameter. Movement from one uterine horn to another occurs, on average, approximately 0.5 times per hour. Mobility ceases (fixation) on Days 15-17. Transrectal color Doppler ultrasonography was used to study the relationship of embryo mobility (experiment 1) and fixation (experiment 2) to endometrial vascular perfusion. In experiment 1, mares were bred and examined daily from Day 1 to Day 16 and were assigned, retrospectively, to a group in which an embryo was detected (pregnant mares;...
Smits K, Gansemans Y, Tilleman L, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Van De Velde M, Gerits I, Ververs C, Roels K, Govaere J, Peelman L, Deforce D, Van Soom A.The signal for maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) has still not been identified in the horse. High-throughput molecular biology at the embryo-maternal interface has substantially contributed to the knowledge on pathways affected during MRP, but an integrated study in which proteomics, transcriptomics and miRNA expression can be linked directly is currently lacking. The aim of this study was to provide such analysis. Endometrial biopsies, uterine fluid, embryonic tissues, and yolk sac fluid were collected 13 days after ovulation during pregnant and control cycles from the same mares. Micro...
Proudman CJ, Trees AJ.There is increasing interest in the application of serological methods to macro-parasite infections to indicate infection intensity, which in turn is related to pathogenicity. Colic is the single most important cause of mortality in horses and there is evidence that a proportion of colic cases are associated with infection with the intestinal cestode Anoplocephala perfoliata. In order to develop better tools to investigate this association, the correlation between antigen-specific equine IgG and IgG(T) and infection intensity of A. perfoliata was investigated. Affinity purification of a 12/13 ...
Almagro JC, Martinez L, Smith SL, Alagon A, Estevez J, Paniagua J.We have constructed a chimeric antibody single-chain Fv (scFv) fragments phage-displayed library that combines an invariant human V(L) chain with the repertoire of V(H) domains amplified from a horse immunized against scorpion venom. To gain insight into the equine V(H) repertoire, the V(H) sequences of 46 unique clones randomly chosen from the library prior to antigenic selection were analyzed. Comparisons with previously reported equine V(H) sequences, as well as with the repertoire of human IGHV germline genes and known V(H) sequences of sheep, cattle and pig, suggest that the equine IGH lo...
Ivester KM, Smith K, Moore GE, Zimmerman NJ, Couëtilt LL.Exposure of horses to airborne particulates during stable confinement has been linked with airway inflammation in these animals. Understanding that link requires accurate measures of exposures and greater understanding of the sources of variability in these exposures. Objective: Area and breathing zone particulate concentrations were measured over time in order to determine the relative variability introduced by daily, monthly or between horse variations. Additionally, the relationship between area and breathing zone respirable particulate concentrations was examined. Methods: The study was co...
Murphy BA, Martin AM, Furney P, Elliott JA.In contrast to studies showing gradual adaptation of melatonin (MT) rhythms to an advanced photoperiod in humans and rodents, we previously demonstrated that equine MT rhythms complete a 6-h light/dark (LD) phase advance on the first post-shift day. This suggested the possibility that melatonin secretion in the horse may be more strongly light-driven as opposed to endogenously rhythmic and light entrained. The present study investigates whether equine melatonin is endogenously rhythmic in extended darkness (DD). Methods: Six healthy, young mares were maintained in a lightproof barn under an LD...
Crowe MW, Swerczek TW.In a 13-year survey of equine congenital defects that resulted in death or required euthanasia in central Kentucky, necropsies were performed on 608 deformed fetuses or newborn foals. The following congenital anomalies were observed: contracted foal syndrome (33.2%), miscellaneous limb contraction (20%), multiple defects (5.3%), microphthalmia (4.6%), craniofacial malformations (4.3%), cleft palate (4.0%), heart defects (3.5%), umbilical defects (3.5%), and hydrocephalus (3.0%). Eleven less frequently occurring anomalies constituted the balance of the congenital defects in fetuses and newborn ...
Celeste CJ, Deschene K, Riley CB, Theoret CL.Wound repair in horse limbs is often complicated by the development of exuberant granulation tissue (EGT) and excessive scarring while body wounds tend to repair uneventfully. EGT resembles the human keloid. While the events leading to keloid formation are not fully elucidated, tissue hypoxia has been proposed as a major contributing factor. The objective of this study was to investigate tissue oxygen saturation in healing full-thickness wounds created on the horse limb and body, using near-infrared spectroscopy. Spectroscopic reflectance data were collected from both anatomic sites at specifi...
Won SY, Kim YC, Kim SK, Jeong BH.Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases and are characterized by the accumulation of abnormal prion protein (PrP) in the brain. During the outbreak of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic in the United Kingdom, prion diseases in several species were reported; however, horse prion disease has not been reported thus far. In previous studies, the shadow of prion protein (Sho) has contributed to an acceleration of conversion from normal prion protein (PrP) to PrP, and the shadow of prion protein gene () polymorphisms have been significantly associated with the susceptibi...
Naylor RJ, Taylor AH, Knowles EJ, Wilford S, Linnenkohl W, Mair TS, Johns IC.Ex vivo evidence suggests that cyclo-oxygenase (COX) 2-preferential inhibitor nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as meloxicam, have a less detrimental effect on intestinal healing than flunixin meglumine (FM). Whether this translates to a beneficial effect in horses with naturally occurring strangulating small intestinal (SSI) lesions is unknown. Objective: To compare the clinical outcome of horses with naturally occurring SSI lesions treated with meloxicam or FM. Methods: Randomised prospective study. Methods: Cases presenting to the Royal Veterinary College Equine Referral H...
Elashry MI, Gegnaw ST, Klymiuk MC, Wenisch S, Arnhold S.Cell-based therapies have become a promising approach to promote tissue regeneration and the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Bone regeneration maintains bone homeostasis, mechanical stability and physical performance. Mechanical stimulation showed to induce stem cell differentiation into the osteogenic fate. However, the effect of various osteogenic protocols on the osteogenic commitment of equine adipose-derived stem cells is not fully elucidated. Here we examined the influence of fluid-based shear stress (FSS) via mechanical rocking to assess whether mechanical stimulation promotes o...
Broeckx S, Borena BM, Zimmerman M, Mariën T, Seys B, Suls M, Duchateau L, Spaas JH.It has been reported that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have homing capacities and immunomodulating effects after an intravenous injection. However, transplanting MSCs in murine tail veins can result in pulmonary reactions and even death of the animals. Unfortunately, only a few intravenous MSC transplantations have been reported in large animal species and these were performed in a limited number of individuals. To assess the safety of MSC transplantations, a large study on 291 recipient horses is reported here. MSCs were isolated from the peripheral blood (PB) of a 4-year-old and 6-year-old ...
