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.
Sterkenburgh T, Schulz-Kornas E, Nowak M, Staszyk C.Equine mastication, as well as dental wear patterns, is highly important for the development of treatments in equine dentistry. During the last decades, the stress and strain distributions of equine teeth have been successfully simulated using finite element analysis. Yet, to date, there is no simulation available for dental tooth wear in equines. In this study, we developed a simplified two-dimensional computer simulation of dental wear. It provides a first tentative explanation for the development of the marked physiological inclination of the occlusal surface and for pathological conditions...
Cozzi MC, Valiati P, Longeri M, Ferreira C, Abreu Ferreira S.The Lusitano Horse (LH) originates from Portugal, but is reared worldwide. Since 1994, the University of Milan has routinely tested the LHs bred in Italy for parentage control. This study aims to assess the genetic variability of the LH reared in Italy using 16 microsatellites markers. Moreover, the genetic variability changes over the years in the total population (n.384) and in unrelated horses (n.47) were evaluated. Horses were grouped according to their date of birth (1975-1990, 1991-2000, 2001-2010, 2010-2019). Standard genetic diversity parameters, including observed (Ho) and expected (H...
Hewetson M, Tallon R.This narrative review explores the etiopathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of ESGD (equine squamous gastric disease) and discusses the impact of this commonly encountered condition on the equine industry. ESGD refers specifically to peptic injury of the squamous mucosa of the stomach. Prevalence is highest in performance horses, but the disease has been documented across many breeds and ages, including in feral horses and foals. The pathogenesis of ESGD is well understood. Intensive management and exercise are important factors that contribute to a disruption of the normal st...
Rojas-Núñez I, Gomez AM, Selland EK, Oduol T, Wolf S, Palmer S, Mohammed HO.Neurofilaments heavy chain proteins (pNF-H) have been identified as useful serum biomarkers for humans and animals with neurologic conditions, some of which can lead to poor performance, and athletic injuries. However, there are no published reports that describe a reference range for serum pNF-H levels in healthy racehorses. This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the serum concentration of pNF-H in 1,349 samples collected from 1,291 clinically healthy standardbred (SB) racehorses. Data on age, time of sampling (pre-race or post-race), and finishing position during a race were...
Radalj A, Milic N, Stevanovic O, Nisavic J.Nasal swabs originating from 112 apparently clinically healthy and unvaccinated horses of different age, breed and from diverse rearing conditions from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were examined for the presence of equine herpesviruses 1, 4 and 5 using multiplex nested PCR (Mn‑PCR) and virus isolation. The detected viruses were subsequently characterised by gB gene nucleotide sequencing and their phylogenetic analysis was performed. The infections with EHV‑1, EHV‑4, and EHV‑5 in the examined horse populations are apparently chronic, subclinical and persistent, whilst the shedding ...
Logan AA, Nielsen BD, Hallock DB, Robison CI, Popovich JM.A current trend in equine research is technology development to minimize the subjective nature of gait analysis. One such technology is the Tekscan Hoof System, which records force and area loaded by the hooves during motion. The objective of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of the Tekscan Hoof System between two sessions, and the recordings within those sessions. Four mature Standardbred geldings wore Tekscan Hoof System sensors on both front hooves, secured by glue-on shoes (SoundHorse Technologies). Horses were exercised in AM and PM sessions. In each session, horses ...
Ohta M, Bannai H, Kambayashi Y, Tsujimura K, Tamura N, Iwamoto Y, Wakuno A, Yamayoshi S, Kawaoka Y, Nemoto M.Updating vaccine strains is important to control equine influenza (EI). Previously, we reported that a monovalent inactivated EI vaccine derived from a virus generated by reverse genetics (RG) elicited immunogenicity in horses. In the present study, we compared antibody responses to a bivalent inactivated EI vaccine generated by RG and a commercially available bivalent inactivated EI (CO) vaccine derived from wild-type equine influenza viruses in Thoroughbred horses. The CO vaccine contained A/equine/Ibaraki/1/2007 (Florida sub-lineage clade 1) and A/equine/Yokohama/aq13/2010 (Florida sub-line...
Layton K, Spooner HS, Higgins AL, Hoffman RM.Equine internships provide real experiences for students but are lightly researched. This study explored student perceptions of equine internships. The hypothesis was, participants would report that equine internships were valuable and relate value with compensation, skill acquisition, networking, and job offers. An online survey examined respondents' perceived value of their internship. Of 228 respondents, 186 met the inclusion criteria. Data were examined using frequency counts, correlations, and chi-square measures of association. Breeding internships (29%) were most common, with western tr...
Leemans B, Bromfield EG, Stout TAE, Vos M, Van Der Ham H, Van Beek R, Van Soom A, Gadella BM, Henning H.We describe the development of two methods for obtaining confluent monolayers of polarized, differentiated equine oviduct epithelial cells (EOEC) in Transwell inserts and microfluidic chips. EOECs from the ampulla were isolated post-mortem and seeded either (1) directly onto a microporous membrane as differentiated EOECs (direct seeding protocol) or (2) first cultured to a confluent de-differentiated monolayer in conventional wells, then trypsinized and seeded onto a microporous membrane (re-differentiation protocol). Maintenance or induction of EOEC differentiation in these systems was achiev...
Westendorf J, Wobeser B, Epp T.Inter- and intra-rater variability negatively affects the reliability of various histopathology grading scales used as prognostic aids in human and veterinary medicine. The Kenney-Doig categorization (grading) scale, which is used to associate equine endometrial histologic lesions with prognostic estimation of a broodmare's reproductive potential, has not been evaluated for inter- or intra-rater variability, to our knowledge. To assess whether the Kenney-Doig system produces reliable results among observers, 8 pathologists, all with American College of Veterinary Pathologists certification, we...
Calixto LC, Martinez JR.Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that is stimulated by physiological and pathological factors and has been studied widely in equids, but not in mules. The objectives of this study were to obtain a reference value for serum cortisol in mules destined for agricultural activities and to identify age- and gender-related differences in the value. The concentration was obtained in blood samples using a commercial sandwich ELISA specific for cortisol. The concentration was 96.3 ± 40.6 ng/ml and similar between age groups and genders.
Domino M, Borowska M, Kozłowska N, Zdrojkowski Ł, Jasiński T, Smyth G, Maśko M.Infrared thermography (IRT) was applied as a potentially useful tool in the detection of pregnancy in equids, especially native or wildlife. IRT measures heat emission from the body surface, which increases with the progression of pregnancy as blood flow and metabolic activity in the uterine and fetal tissues increase. Conventional IRT imaging is promising; however, with specific limitations considered, this study aimed to develop novel digital processing methods for thermal images of pregnant mares to detect pregnancy earlier with higher accuracy. In the current study, 40 mares were divided i...
Johnson JP, Vinardell T, David F.Ultrasound-guided injections can be used for a wide variety of conditions in the horse, including both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Benefits of ultrasound guidance include more accurate deposition of injectate compared with blind approaches. Improved identification of vital structures, including nerves and blood vessels, allows their avoidance and thus reduces procedure-associated complications. Validation of such ultrasound-guided techniques has shown that they can be easily learnt by inexperienced veterinarians, assuming a proper knowledge of the sonographic anatomy. In many case...
Cherdchutham W, Sukhong P, Sae-Oueng K, Supanwinijkul N, Wiangnak K, Srimuang J, Apichaimongkonkun T, Limratchapong S, Petchdee S.The medical treatment of horses with nephrosplenic entrapment (NSE) of the large colon through administrating phenylephrine and rolling during general anesthesia was effective and less expensive than surgical treatment. However, the selection of drugs for non-surgical treatment of NSE is not a usual method for clinical practice. This study aimed to identify the effects of combined drugs on the cardiac and splenic response in horses and provide information on the NSE of the large colon for clinical application. Methods: Six healthy Thai native crossbred horses were enrolled in this study. Horse...
Pye J, Spriet M, Dow P, Katzman S, Murphy BG.To describe clinical, imaging, gross, and histopathological abnormalities associated with osteochondral necrosis of the femoral condyles in foals and identify features suggestive of a common pathogenesis. 8 Thoroughbred foals euthanized with a presumptive diagnosis of necrosis of the femoral condyles. Postmortem CT was performed on all distal femoral epiphyseal samples. The articular epiphyseal cartilage complex (AECC) of affected distal femurs was examined grossly and histologically, focusing on lesions of interest identified on CT images. 7 foals were between 9 and 23 days old at the time of...
Nguyen D, Vilela R, Miraglia BM, Vilela G, Jasem-Alali N, Rohn R, Glass R, Hansen RD, Mendoza L.To describe the geographic distribution of infections caused by Pythium insidiosum in dogs, horses, and other animal species in the US. For the last 20 years, we have collected data from cases of pythiosis in 1,150 horses, 467 dogs, and other species (59) from various geographic locations in the US. Due to lost data (from 2006 to 2016), the selected cases include years 2000 to 2005 and 2016 to 2020. The selection of cases was based on infected host clinical features, serum samples demonstrating strong positive anti-P insidiosum IgG titers in serologic assays, and positive results on ≥ 1 of t...
Nielsen SS, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortazar Schmidt C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MA....In this opinion, the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria responsible for transmissible diseases that constitute a threat to the health of horses have been assessed. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collected via an extensive literature review and expert judgement. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. A global state of play of antimicrobial-resistant spp. spp. and subsp and subsp. and subsp. has been provided. Among those bacteria, EFSA identified , and with more than 66% certainty as the mo...
Rumfola E, Banse HE, Atkins M, McGowan CM, Ireland JL.Endocrinopathic laminitis is the most common cause of laminitis in the field. Insulin has recently been implicated as a key factor in development of endocrinopathic laminitis; however, it is unclear whether diagnostic, and treatment approaches reflect insights derived from recent research. This study sought to evaluate North American veterinary practitioners' approach to endocrinopathic laminitis in the field. Demographic information, approach to diagnosis, management, and prognosis of endocrinopathic laminitis, as well as factors influencing changes in approach to laminitis were collected. To...
Loynachan AT.Pulmonary malformations are rare equine congenital anomalies. Over a 3-year timeframe, three cases of left sided pulmonary agenesis were diagnosed in perinatal foals. All three cases were associated with concurrent ipsilateral diaphragmatic herniation and hypoplasia of the right lung lobe. All three foals died immediately following parturition due to perinatal asphyxia associated with the congenital malformations. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of pulmonary agenesis in the horse.
Abdullah HHAM, Aboelsoued D, Farag TK, Abdel-Shafy S, Abdel Megeed KN, Parola P, Raoult D, Mediannikov O.Equine vector-borne diseases (EVBDs) are emerging and re-emerging diseases, and most of them are zoonotic. This study aimed to investigate EVBDs in equines and associated arthropods (ticks and flies) from Egypt using molecular analyses, in addition to a preliminary characterization of associated ticks and flies by the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) and molecular techniques. In this study, 335 blood samples were obtained from equines that appeared to be in good health (320 horses and 15 donkeys) in Cairo and Beni Suef provinces, Egypt. From the same anima...
Martano M, Altamura G, Power K, Liguori P, Restucci B, Borzacchiello G, Maiolino P.It is well known that δ-bovine papillomaviruses (BPV-1, BPV-2 and BPV-13) are one of the major causative agents of equine sarcoids, the most common equine skin tumors. Different viruses, including papillomaviruses, evolved ingenious strategies to modulate autophagy, a complex process involved in degradation and recycling of old and damaged material. Methods: The aim of this study was to evaluate, by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot (WB) analysis, the expression of the main related autophagy proteins (Beclin 1, protein light chain 3 (LC3) and P62), in 35 BPV1/2 positive equine sarco...
Cosandey J, Hamza E, Gerber V, Ramseyer A, Leeb T, Jagannathan V, Blaszczyk K, Unger L.MicroRNAs have been proposed as biomarkers for equine sarcoids, the most prevalent equine skin tumors globally. This study served to validate the diagnostic and prognostic potential of whole blood microRNAs identified in a previous study for long-term equine sarcoid diagnosis and outcome prediction. Based on findings of a clinical examination at the age of 3 years and a follow-up following a further 5-12 years, 32 Franches-Montagnes and 45 Swiss Warmblood horses were assigned to four groups: horses with regression (n = 19), progression (n = 9), new occurrences of sarcoid lesions (n = 19) and t...
Schellenberg LM, Regenthal R, Abraham G.This research paper investigates the influence of the Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632 on β2-adrenoceptor density and the generation of a cellular messenger called cAMP in horse bronchial cells. The […]
Timms M, Steel R.The proteotypic human EPO peptides YLLEAK (T4), SLTTLLR (T11), TITADTFR (T14), and VYSNFLR (T17) are often used to confirm the presence of recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) in equine samples. Each of these peptides contains one or more isomeric leucine or isoleucine amino acids, raising the possibility that a simple leucine/isoleucine substitution could lead to a false identification when compared with a rhEPO reference standard. To examine this possibility variants of these four peptides were analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These studies indicate that confir...
Campos IS, de Souza GN, Gomes GM, Pinna AE, Ferreira AMR.The aim of the study was to correlate the spectral index of the right and left uterine arteries with equine placental development in mares with advanced pregnancies. We examined 32 multiparous Mangalarga Marchador mares with gestation of 150-240 days. During pregnancy, the pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) of the uterine arteries were obtained using spectral Doppler ultrasonography, and the combined uteroplacental thickness was obtained monthly using B-mode ultrasonography. The combined uteroplacental thickness correlated with gestational time of up to 13 years of age, and the s...
Mendoza FJ, Buzon-Cuevas A, Toribio RE, Perez-Ecija A.Insulin dysregulation (ID) is diagnosed in horses and ponies using oral glucose (OGTT) and oral sugar (OSTT) tolerance tests. The enteroinsular axis plays a major role in postprandial glucose disposal and insulin response in horses, ponies and foals. The insulin and incretin response to oral carbohydrate challenges has not been characterised in donkeys. Objective: (a) To characterise OGTT and OSTT, and (b) to assess the plasma incretin response to OGTT and OSTT in healthy donkeys. Methods: In vivo experiments. Methods: Six healthy adult female Andalusian donkeys were challenged with OGTT (1 g...
Wernery U, Chan E, Raghavan R, Teng JLL, Syriac G, Siu SY, Joseph M, Yeung ML, Jia L, Cai JP, Chiu TH, Lau SKP, Woo PCY.Glanders is a highly contagious and potentially serious disease caused by Burkholderia mallei, a Tier 1 select agent. In this study, we raised a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of B. mallei and developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for B. mallei infection. Using the titrated optimal conditions of B. mallei-LPS (2 ng) for microtiter plate coating, sample serum dilution at 1:20 and 3.5 ng/μL anti-LPS mAb B5, the cutoff value of the cELISA was determined using serum samples from 136 glanders-free seronegative horses in Hong Kong. All ca...
Stucchi L, Ferrucci F, Bullone M, Dellacà RL, Lavoie JP.Oscillometry is a technique that measures the resistance (R) and the reactance (X) of the respiratory system. In humans, analysis of inspiratory and expiratory R and X allows to identify the presence of tidal expiratory flow limitation (EFLt). The aim of this study was to describe inspiratory and expiratory R and X measured by impulse oscillometry system (IOS) in horses with severe asthma (SEA) when in clinical remission ( = 7) or in exacerbation ( = 7) of the condition. Seven healthy, age-matched control horses were also studied. Data at 3, 5, and 7 Hz with coherence > 0.85 at 3 Hz and >...
Iimori M, Tamura N, Seki K, Kasashima Y.The onset of severe injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is extremely difficult to predict from slight changes in ultrasonographic findings in cases with no apparent clinical signs. This study investigated the relationship between an increased cross-sectional area (CSA) or edema in the subcutaneous tissue around the tendon and the subsequent onset of severe SDFT injury in Thoroughbred racehorses. Horses were classified into three groups based on ultrasound diagnosis (USD) findings: Group A included cases with enlarged tendons; Group B included cases with tendons of normal siz...
Hoane JS, Yeargan MR, Stamper S, Saville WJ, Morrow JK, Lindsay DS, Howe DK.Neospora hughesi is a recently identified cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. However, the significance of this parasite is poorly understood. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a recombinant form of the N. hughesi 29-kDa surface antigen (rNhSAG1) was developed for serodiagnosis of equine N. hughesi infections. Parallel ELISA analysis showed that animals immunized or infected with N. hughesi exhibited greater antibody reactivity with rNhSAG1 than with the Neospora caninum homolog, rNcSAG1. The rNhSAG1 ELISA showed 94.4% sensitivity and 95.0% specificity when compared wi...
Evans KE, McGreevy PD.There is a lack of an established method for quantifying equine skull morphology. This study proposes a method that is valid for use on both live and deceased horses. A total of nine head measurements (skull length, cranial length, nasal length, ratio of cranial:nasal length, cranial width, zygomatic width, mandibular depth, nasal profile area, cranial profile area) and six indices (skull index, cranial index, nasal index, mandibular index, nasal profile index, cranial profile index) were recorded from 30 horses from a variety of breeds whilst the soft tissues of the head were intact. A line w...
Bacon SJ, Ellis SA, Antczak DF.In most mammals, the fetus limits its presentation of paternal antigens to the mother by suppressing the cell-surface expression of proteins of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on trophoblast. In the horse, however, functional, polymorphic MHC class I antigens are expressed at high levels on the invasive trophoblast cells of the chorionic girdle between Days 32 and 36 of pregnancy, although not on the adjacent noninvasive trophoblast of the chorion and allantochorion membranes. In this study, the control of MHC class I gene expression was investigated in invasive and noninvasive hors...
Funk RA, Pleasant RS, Witonsky SG, Reeder DS, Werre SR, Hodgson DR.Lyme disease can affect people, dogs, and horses, but it remains poorly understood, especially in the horse. Determining the seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in horses in different geographic areas will enable better understanding of the epidemiology of the disease, thus improving diagnosis and treatment of affected animals. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi in horses in southwest Virginia. Methods: Horses presented for routine Coggins testing from January 2013 to January 2014 had additional blood drawn for Lyme Multiplex Assay testing. Methods: Of 492 samples ...
Costa LR, Spier SJ, Hirsh DC.Ribotyping and susceptibility to 17 antimicrobial agents were used to compare 37 isolates of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (28 from horses, 1 from cattle, 3 from sheep and 5 from goats) derived from various types of lesions, and different geographic locations. According to the presence of nitrate reductase, all but one isolate from horses reduced nitrate (nitrate-positive), whereas all isolates from sheep and goats were unable to reduce nitrate (nitrate-negative). The ribotype of the nitrate-negative isolate from a horse with ulcerative lymphangitis was identical to all the other isolates...
Hildebrand F, Venner M, Giguère S.Gamithromycin is active in vitro against the bacterial agents most commonly associated with bronchopneumonia in older foals. However, the clinical efficacy and safety of this drug have not been investigated. Objective: Gamithromycin is effective for the treatment of bronchopneumonia in foals. Methods: One hundred and twenty-one foals on a farm endemic for infections caused by Rhodococcus equi. Methods: In a controlled, randomized, and double blinded clinical trial, foals with ultrasonographic evidence of pulmonary abscesses (abscess score 8.0-20 cm) were randomly allocated in 3 treatment group...
Welsh CE, Duz M, Parkin TDH, Marshall JF.The average age of the global human population is increasing, leading to increased interest in the effects of chronic disease and multimorbidity on health resources and patient welfare. It has been posited that the average age of the general veterinarian-attended horse population of the UK is also increasing, and therefore it could be assumed that chronic diseases and multimorbidity would pose an increasing risk here also. However, evidence for this trend in ageing is very limited, and the current prevalence of many chronic diseases, and of multimorbidity, is unknown. Using text mining of firs...
Balasuriya UB.Equine arteritis virus (EAV), the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), is a respiratory and reproductive disease that occurs throughout the world. EAV infection is highly species-specific and exclusively limited to members of the family Equidae, which includes horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras. EVA is an economically important disease and outbreaks could cause significant losses to the equine industry. The primary objective of this article is to summarize current understanding of EVA, specifically the disease, pathogenesis, epidemiology, host immune response, vaccination and treat...
Wise JC, Wilkes EJA, Raidal SL, Xie G, Crosby DE, Hale JN, Hughes KJ.Grading of equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is undertaken in clinical and research settings, but the reliability of EGUS grading systems is poorly understood. Objective: Investigate interobserver and intraobserver reliability of an established ordinal grading system and a novel visual analog scale (VAS), and assess the influence of observer experience. Methods: Sixty deidentified gastroscopy videos. Methods: Six observers (3 specialists and 3 residents) graded videos using the EGUS Council (EGUC) system and VAS. Observers graded the videos three 3 for each system, using a cross-over design...
Moore BD, Balasuriya UB, Watson JL, Bosio CM, MacKay RJ, MacLachlan NJ.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) infects endothelial cells (ECs) and macrophages in horses, and many of the clinical manifestations of equine viral arteritis (EVA) reflect vascular injury. To further evaluate the potential role of EAV-induced, macrophage-derived cytokines in the pathogenesis of EVA, we infected cultured equine alveolar macrophages (AMphi), blood monocyte-derived macrophages (BMphi), and pulmonary artery ECs with either a virulent (KY84) or an avirulent (CA95) strain of EAV. EAV infection of equine AMphi, BMphi, and ECs resulted in their activation with increased transcription of g...
Anderson ME, Lefebvre SL, Rankin SC, Aceto H, Morley PS, Caron JP, Welsh RD, Holbrook TC, Moore B, Taylor DR, Weese JS.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an emerging veterinary and zoonotic pathogen, associated with increasing reports of disease in horses. Objective: To provide an overview of the characteristics of clinical MRSA infections in horses. Methods: A retrospective case study was performed on 115 horses admitted to 6 participating veterinary teaching hospitals in Canada and the United States between 2000 and 2006, and diagnosed with clinical MRSA infection. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariable analyses for community- (CA) vs. hospital-associated (HA) MRSA infections...
Pedersen PJ, Thomsen KB, Olander ER, Hauser F, Tejada Mde L, Poulsen KL, Grubb S, Buhl R, Calloe K, Klaerke DA.The KCNH2 and KCNE2 genes encode the cardiac voltage-gated K+ channel KV11.1 and its auxiliary β subunit KCNE2. KV11.1 is critical for repolarization of the cardiac action potential. In humans, mutations or drug therapy affecting the KV11.1 channel are associated with prolongation of the QT intervals on the ECG and increased risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia and sudden cardiac death--conditions known as congenital or acquired Long QT syndrome (LQTS), respectively. In horses, sudden, unexplained deaths are a well-known problem. We sequenced the cDNA of the KCNH2 and KCNE2 genes using RACE an...
Nápravníková J, Petrtýl M, Stupka R, Vadlejch J.The detection and quantification of nematode eggs using fecal egg count techniques have an irreplaceable role in equine parasitic control. The reliability, particularly precision and accuracy, of individual techniques have been described only for strongylid infections. The aim of this study was to compare three fecal egg count techniques used for the detection of the two most common equine nematode infections: strongylid and ascarid. The Simple McMaster, Concentration McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC techniques were tested on spiked fecal samples with various levels of egg concentration (50, 100, 200,...
König von Borstel U, Euent S, Graf P, König S, Gauly M.The aim of the present study was to compare horses' heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (RMSSD, pNN50) and behaviour in the same temperament test when being ridden, led, and released free. Behavioural measurements included scores and linear measurements for reactivity (R), activity (A), time to calm down (T) and emotionality (E), recorded during the approach (1) and/or during confrontation with the stimulus (2). Sixty-five horses were each confronted 3 times (1 ridden, 1 led, 1 free running in balanced order) with 3 novel and/or sudden stimuli. Mixed model analysis indicated that leading r...
Stratford CH, Lester HE, Pickles KJ, McGorum BC, Matthews JB.Cyathostomins comprise 50 helminth species, considered the most problematic equine endoparasites. Three classes of anthelmintic are currently licensed for their control, namely the benzimidazoles (fenbendazole), tetrahydropyrimidines (pyrantel) and macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin). Anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomins is common. With no new classes expected in the near future, it is essential to determine the efficacy of the available anthelmintics to inform future control programmes. Objective: To determine the efficacy of all 3 anthelmintic classes against strongyles in e...
Traub-Dargatz JL, Salman MD, Jones RL.A study was designed to identify epidemiologic factors associated with the development and spread of salmonellae in horses in a veterinary teaching hospital, through a case-control study and a longitudinal follow-up prospective study. In the case-control study, 44 horses shedding salmonellae in feces were compared with 99 control horses not shedding salmonellae in feces; regarding breed, sex, age and initial diagnosis, none of the odds ratios for study factors was significant. The factors found to be associated with fecal shedding of salmonellae in the prospective study included diarrhea at th...
Bosler EM, Cohen DP, Schulze TL, Olsen C, Bernard W, Lissman B.By using paired sera the IgM and IgG host responses were analyzed in dogs with ELISA and Western blot techniques. Antibodies in clinical seropositive dogs bound to 4-25 IgM and up to 40 or more IgG antigenic determinants. Early IgM response to the 41-kDa flagellin persisted for at least 9 months and involved as many as seven other peptides. IgG response expanded later in the disease and involved more immunogens than are currently recognized in late human disease. A percentage of asymptomatic dogs that later developed clinical symptoms were seropositive. Immunoblot studies suggested that B. bur...
Larson KR, Heil GL, Chambers TM, Capuano A, White SK, Gray GC.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is considered enzootic in North America and experimental studies have documented human EIV infections. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 94 horse-exposed and 34 non-exposed controls for serological evidence of EIV infection. Sera were evaluated for antibodies against three EIV and two human H3N2 viruses using microneutralization (MN), neuraminidase inhibition (NI), enzyme-linked lectin (ELLA), and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) serological assays. Risk factor analyses were conducted using logistic regression and proportional odds modeling. Results: The...
Egenvall A, Roepstorff L, Eisersiö M, Rhodin M, van Weeren R.The use of tack (equipment such as saddles and reins) and especially of bits because of rein tension resulting in pressure in the mouth is questioned because of welfare concerns. We hypothesised that rein tension patterns in walk and trot reflect general gait kinematics, but are also determined by individual horse and rider effects. Six professional riders rode three familiar horses in walk and trot. Horses were equipped with rein tension meters logged by inertial measurement unit technique. Left and right rein tension data were synchronized with the gait. Results: Stride split data (0-100 %) ...
Pusterla N, Mapes S, David Wilson W.The objective of this study was to detect and characterize latent equine herpes virus (EHV)-1 and -4 from the submandibular (SMLN) and bronchial lymph (BLN) nodes, as well as from the trigeminal ganglia (TG) of 70 racing Thoroughbred horses submitted for necropsy following sustaining serious musculoskeletal injuries while racing. A combination of nucleic acid precipitation and pre-amplification steps was used to increase analytical sensitivity. Tissues were deemed positive for latent EHV-1 and/or -4 infection when found PCR positive for the corresponding glycoprotein B (gB) gene in the absence...
Christensen JW, Malmkvist J, Nielsen BL, Keeling LJ.In fear-eliciting situations, horses tend to show flight reactions that can be dangerous for both horse and man. Finding appropriate methods for reducing fearfulness in horses has important practical implications. Objective: To investigate whether the presence of a calm companion horse influences fear reactions in naive subject horses. Objective: The presence of a habituated (calm) companion horse in a fear-eliciting situation can reduce fear reactions in naive subject horses, compared to subject horses with a nonhabituated companion (control). Methods: Minimally handled (n = 36), 2-year-old s...
Denoix JM, Jeffcott LB, McIlwraith CW, van Weeren PR.This manuscript describes a new classification of the various joint-related lesions that can be seen in the young, growing horse based on their anatomical and functional aetiopathogenesis. Juvenile osteochondral conditions (JOCC) is a term that brings together specific disorders according to their location in the joint and their biomechanical origin. When a biomechanical insult affects the process of endochondral ossification different types of osteochondrosis (OC) lesions may occur, including osteochondral fragmentation of the articular surface or of the periarticular margins, or the formatio...
Fontenot RL, Sink CA, Werre SR, Weinstein NM, Dahlgren LA.This study evaluated the quality and bacteriologic safety of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) produced by 3 simple, inexpensive tube centrifugation methods and a commercial system. Citrated equine blood collected from 26 normal horses was processed by 4 methods: blood collection tubes centrifuged at 1200 and 2000 × g, 50-mL conical tube, and a commercial system. White blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), and platelet counts and mean platelet volume (MPV) were determined for whole blood and PRP, and aerobic and anaerobic cultures were performed. Mean platelet concentrations ranged from 1.55- to 2...
Scheidegger MD, Gerber V, Dolf G, Burger D, Flammer SA, Ramseyer A.Early recognition of lameness is crucial for injury prevention. Quantitative gait analysis systems can detect low-grade asymmetries better than the human eye and may be useful in early lameness recognition. The aims of this study were (1) to investigate the frequency of gait asymmetries based on head and pelvic movement in elite eventing horses using inertial mounted measurement units and (2) to assess the association between asymmetries and muscle enzymes and blood lactate (LA) levelspost-exercise. Movement asymmetry of the head, wither, and pelvis were quantified in 33 elite eventing horses ...
Miller RI, Campbell RS.One in vivo and 2 in vitro tests were developed to study immunological aspects of phycomycosis in clinically infected, recovered and normal in-contact horses. Serum from all infected horses gave positive readings in an agar-gel double diffusion test; serum from normal and recovered horses did not react. A complement fixation test detected antibody against Hyphomyces destruens in 82% clinical cases at an average titre of 20. Serum from recovered and in-contact horses reacted sporadically at positive titre. An intradermal hypersensitivity test (Heaf test) was used to detect evidence of cellular ...
Andrews FM, Reinemeyer CR, McCracken MD, Blackford JT, Nadeau JA, Saabye L, Sötell M, Saxton A.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) represents a major health problem in performance horses. Much debate exists regarding endoscopic gastric ulcer scoring systems and their ability accurately to predict severity or depth of gastric ulcers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of an endoscopist to count gastric ulcers and predict gastric ulcer severity or depth using 2 endoscopic scoring systems and compare them to the same gastric ulcers see on necropsy and histopathology. Endoscopic examination of the stomach was performed under general anaesthesia on 23 mixed breed yearling...
The Journal of heredityAugust 18, 2015
Volume 106, Issue 6 734-740 doi: 10.1093/jhered/esv062
Jäderkvist Fegraeus K, Johansson L, Mäenpää M, Mykkänen A, Andersson LS, Velie BD, Andersson L, Árnason T, Lindgren G.Previous studies showed a positive effect of the DMRT3 "gait keeper" mutation on harness racing performance in Standardbreds, French-, and Nordic trotters. The mutation has also been shown to influence riding traits in multiple breeds. This study investigated the effect of the DMRT3 mutation on harness racing performance and riding traits in Finnhorses. Finnhorses used for harness racing (n = 180) and for riding (n = 59) were genotyped for the DMRT3 mutation. For the trotters the genotypes were evaluated for association with racing performance (number of starts, victories, placings, earnings, ...
Takai S, Anzai T, Fujita Y, Akita O, Shoda M, Tsubaki S, Wada R.Rhodococcus equi strains of intermediate virulence (IMV) for mice possess a 20kDa protein designated Virulence Associated Protein B (VapB) and a virulence plasmid of 79-100kb, and can be recovered from the submaxillary lymph nodes of pigs. The pathogenicity of such R. equi strains for foals is unknown. In this study, two foals, 42 and 43 days of age, were infected intratracheally with 10(6) and 10(9) cells of R. equi IMV strain A5, respectively. The foal infected with 10(9) cells of strain A5 became clinically ill, with the onset of illness (pyrexia and depression) occurring 21 days after inoc...
Pawlina K, Gurgul A, Szmatoła T, Koch C, Mählmann K, Witkowski M, Bugno-Poniewierska M.Equine sarcoids are the most common neoplasms occurring in horses. Despite frequent occurrence, they are still not well described at the molecular level. Thus, in the present study, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of sarcoid miRNAome profile to identify aberrantly expressed microRNAs, along with their structural variants, potentially useful as biomarkers and, in a wider perspective, broaden the knowledge about this tumor and underlying mechanisms. To this end, we conducted next generation sequencing and as a result we identified both known and potentially novel miRNAs. Differ...
Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar Schmidt C, Michel V....In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of animal welfare legislation. This opinion deals with the protection of horses and donkeys during transport. While the opinion focuses primarily on road transport of horses, there are specific sections dealing with the transport of horses on roll-on-roll-off ferries, horses transported by air and the transport of donkeys. In addition, the opinion covers welfare concerns in relation to a specific scenario identified by the European Commission related to the transport of horses on long journe...
