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.
Chatha MA, Ahmad N, Abbas MA, Saadullah M, Khan JA.This study was designed to explore the impact of intrinsic (breed of foal, age of dam, and age of foal at weaning) and extrinsic (season of birth and housing type) factors on the growth and survival of foals in the subtropical conditions of Pakistan. For the growth study, retrospective data analysis of foals (n = 150) born from purebred brood mares of Thoroughbred, Arabs, and Percheron breeds (n1, n2, and n3 = 50 each) was made. Six hundred and twenty-four (n = 624) foals born between 2020 to 2022 were observed for the study of foal survival rate. The survival of these foals till the age of on...
Barbazanges P, Couroucé A, Le Digarcher G, Cardwell JM, Schmitt E, Toquet MP, Lemonnier LC, Richard EA.Fungi are ubiquitous in horses' environment. Their contribution to the pathophysiology of severe asthma (SA) is acknowledged, while controversies remain for mild-moderate asthma (MA). Objective: We hypothesised that fungi are a risk factor for asthma. Our objective was to compare different combinations of analytical methods (cytology, culture) and sampling sites (tracheal wash (TW), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)) in relation to clinical status (control, MA, SA). Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study. Methods: The study population included asymptomatic racing horses in the field and ...
Petano-Duque JM, Urueña-Martinez E, Cabezas-Callejas LL, Perilla-Amaya J, Rueda-García V, Rondón-Barragán IS, Lopera-Vásquez R.EHV-1 is one of the most prevalent viral pathogens in horses; however, its prevalence is not well defined by cross-reactions of serological tests. Thus, this study aims to determine EHV-1/-4 prevalence in Colombian creole horses from Ibagué, Tolima, using molecular techniques, as well as to determine possible risk factors associated with viral infection. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 110 equines blood, serum, and semen samples from Ibagué, Tolima. Antibodies against EHV-1/-4 were determined through indirect ELISA. EHV-1 was detected by amplifying the glycoprotein H gene through ...
Knych HK.Pharmacokinetics is the study of the movement of drug in the body and includes the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Pharmacodynamics is the pharmacologic effect of the drug on the body. The pharmacokinetics of a drug determines its pharmacologic effect. Pharmacokinetic studies describe drug concentrations while pharmacodynamics allow for assessment of drug effects. Combined pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies allow for integration of drug concentrations with pharmacologic effect. Data generated from pharmacokinetic studies can be especially useful in establ...
Finno CJ.In the field of equine muscle disorders, many conditions have a genetic basis. Therefore, genetic testing is an important part of the diagnostic evaluation. Validated genetic tests are currently available for 5 equine muscle disorders: hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, malignant hyperthermia, glycogen branching enzyme disease, type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy, and myosin heavy chain myopathy. These diseases should be tested for in the appropriate breeds with clinical signs of disease or as part of breeding management. Genetic testing in veterinary medicine is not regulated, and therefore,...
Ding L, Wang Y, Zhang L, Luo C, Wu F, Huang Y, Zhen Y, Chen N, Wang L, Song L, Pool K, Blache D, Maloney SK, Liu D, Yang Z, Huang X, Li C, Yu X....Here, we describe the Herbivore Transcriptome Integrated Resource Database (HTIRDB, https://yanglab.hzau.edu.cn/HTIRDB#/). The HTIRDB comprises the self-generated transcriptomic data from 100 to 105 tissues from two female domestic herbivores from six species (cattle, donkey, goat, horse, rabbit, and sika deer) and two breeds of sheep, and an extra 28,710 related published datasets. The HTIRDB user-friendly interface provides tools and functionalities that facilitate the exploration of gene expression between tissues and species. The tools for comparative transcriptomics can be used to identif...
Durward-Akhurst SA, Valberg SJ.Several inflammatory myopathies have an infectious or immune-mediated basis in the horse. Myosin heavy chain myopathy is caused by a codominant missense variant in MYH1 and has 3 clinical presentations: immune-mediated myositis, calciphylaxis, and nonexertional rhabdomyolysis in Quarter Horse-related breeds. An infarctive form of purpura hemorrhagica affects numerous breeds, presenting with focal firm, painful muscle swelling, and subsequent infarction of multiple tissues. While Streptococcus equi equi is often the inciting cause, anaplasmosis, sarcocystis, piroplasmosis, viruses, and vaccines...
Ishihara T, Nieves E, Reed R, Hofmeister E.Dobutamine is used to treat hypotension in isoflurane-anaesthetised horses but may produce arrhythmias. Halothane is a volatile anaesthetic that was, historically, widely used in horses, but in one study, 56 of 200 halothane-anaesthetised horses (28%) developed arrhythmias after dobutamine administration. Although isoflurane has largely replaced halothane, it is unknown how isoflurane and dobutamine interact in the development of arrhythmias. Methods: The medical records of horses undergoing general anaesthesia at the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 2015 were reviewed ret...
Perera TRW, de Ruijter-Villani M, Gibb Z, Nixon B, Sheridan A, Stout TAE, Swegen A, Skerrett-Byrne DA.Embryo-maternal signaling during the establishment of pregnancy in horses remains one of the biggest mysteries in large animal physiology. Early pregnancy loss represents a major source of economic loss to the breeding industry. This study aimed to investigate the systemic changes associated with early pregnancy by mapping the proteome of blood plasma at 14 days in pregnant and non-pregnant mares. Methods: Plasma proteomes were analysed in commercially bred pregnant (n = 17) and non-pregnant (n = 17) Thoroughbred mares at 14 days after ovulation, using high-resolution mass spectrometry. D...
Al-Khaldi KO, Al-Ruzaiqi KH, Babji AS, Lim SJ, Sadiq MB, Yimer N.Exercise-induced oxidative stress and inflammation adversely affect the health and performance of athletic horses. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of edible bird's nest (EBN) supplementation and its potential anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in Arabian race stallions during exercise. Key objectives included assessing EBN's impact on hepatic and renal function, hematological profiles, and sialic acid (SA) levels. Unassigned: Two experiments were conducted on 18 Arabian stallions. In Experiment 1, six healthy stallions were divided into control (n = 2) and EBN-supplemented ...
François AC, Cesarini C, Taminiau B, Renaud B, Kruse CJ, Boemer F, van Loon G, Palmers K, Daube G, Wouters CP, Lecoq L, Gustin P, Votion DM.Hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine are protoxins responsible for atypical myopathy in equids. These protoxins are converted into toxins that inhibit fatty acid β-oxidation, leading to blood accumulation of acylcarnitines and toxin conjugates, such as methylenecyclopropylacetyl-carnitine. The enzymes involved in this activation are also present in some prokaryotic cells, raising questions about the potential role of intestinal microbiota in the development of intoxication. Differences have been noted between the faecal microbiota of cograzers and atypical myopathy-affected horses. Ho...
Drzewiecka EM, Molcan T, Sadowska A, Piotrowska-Tomala K, Słyszewska M, Dias GF, Skarżyński DJ, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A.Mares with endometrosis exhibit histological changes not only in the endometrium but also in the myometrium that suggest possible functional impairment. The molecular background of these changes is not well understood. We hypothesize that the transcriptomic profile of the mare myometrium varies depending on the degree of endometrosis in mares. Myometria were collected from mares in the mid-luteal phase of the estrous cycle with endometrium categories I, IIA, IIB, and III (∑n = 23), according to Kenney and Doig´s histopathological classification. Myometrial RNA was isolated and subjected...
Stucchi L, Rossi R, Mainardi E, Ferrucci F.Endurance is an equestrian discipline that primarily relies on aerobic metabolism. Intense aerobic exercise produces reactive oxygen species due to an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant substances, known as oxidative stress, which may reduce athletic performance. This study evaluated the effects of a feed supplement containing natural antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids on the blood antioxidant activity and the athletic condition of endurance horses undergoing an exercise test. Twelve Arabian endurance horses were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. At T0, blood lactate, ...
Jasiński T, Turek B, Kaczorowski M, Brehm W, Skierbiszewska K, Domino M.The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a unique joint that enables mandibular movement. Temporomandibular diseases (TMDs) impair joint function, leading to more or less specific clinical signs. Objective: To compile and disseminate clinical data and research findings from existing publications on equine TMD. Methods: Systematic review. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, literature searches were conducted in PUBMED, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge. The inclusion criteria covered case reports and research articles on equine TMDs. The selected records were grouped considering septic TMJ arthri...
Fegraeus K, Riihimäki M, Nordlund J, Akula S, Wernersson S, Raine A.Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a valuable tool for investigating cellular heterogeneity in diseases such as equine asthma (EA). This study evaluates the HIVE™ scRNA-seq method, a pico-well-based technology, for processing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from horses with EA. The HIVE method offers practical advantages, including compatibility with both field and clinical settings, as well as a gentle workflow suited for handling sensitive cells. Our results show that the major cell types in equine BAL were successfully identified; however, the proportions of T cells and macropha...
Wong D, Sahoo DK, Faivre C, Kopper J, Dersh K, Beachler T, Esser M.Oxidative injury occurs in septic people, but the role of oxidative stress and antioxidants has rarely been evaluated in foals. Objective: To measure reactive oxygen species (ROS), biomarkers of oxidative injury, and antioxidants in neonatal foals. We hypothesized that ill foals would have higher blood concentrations of ROS and biomarkers of oxidative injury and lower concentrations of antioxidants compared to healthy foals. Methods: Seventy-two hospitalized and 21 healthy neonatal foals. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide [HO]), biomarkers of oxidati...
Aziz KJ, Barwary LTOA, Issa NA, Abdulwahid MJ.This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Theileria equi (T. equi) and Babesia caballi (B. caballi) in racing horses in Erbil Province, Iraq, and to assess the associated hemato-biochemical changes in infected animals. Methods: A total of 196 horses, including 155 clinically healthy and 41 clinically suspected infected animals, were examined using Giemsa-stained blood films and PCR to determine the prevalence rates. Additionally, the hemato-biochemical parameters of infected horses were compared to a non-infected control group (n = 10). Results: The prevalence of T. equi and B. cabal...
Caddey B, Fisher S, Barkema HW, Nobrega DB.SUMMARYNumerous questions persist regarding the role of companion animals as potential reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant organisms that can infect humans. While relative antimicrobial usage in companion animals is lower than that in humans, certain antimicrobial-resistant pathogens have comparable colonization rates in companion animals and their human counterparts, which inevitably raises questions regarding potential antimicrobial resistance (AMR) transmission. Furthermore, the close contact between pets and their owners, as well as pets, veterinary professionals, and the veterinary clin...
Wang J, Ren W, Li Z, Ma S, Li L, Wang R, Zeng Y, Meng J, Yao X.This study aims to analyze the whole-genome DNA methylation differences in Yili horses before and after racing, with the goal of identifying differentially methylated genes associated with racing performance and exploring the epigenetic mechanisms underlying exercise in horses. Blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of the top 3 Yili horses in a 5000 m race, which included 25 competitors, both prior to and within 5 min after the race. Genomic DNA was extracted, followed by sequencing using Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) to assess DNA methylation levels, differentially me...
Webster AP, Price T, Ingersoll T, Suagee-Bedore JK, White RR.Our objectives were to use a quantitative literature review to explore dietary and feed factors influencing apparent total-tract digestibility of dry matter (DMD), crude protein (CPD), neutral detergent fiber (NDFD), ether extract (EED), non-structural carbohydrates (NSCD), non-fiber carbohydrates (NFCD), and residual organic matter (rOMD) in equine diets, and to assess their contributions to digestible energy (DE) supplies. Data from 54 studies were modeled using linear mixed-effect regressions, with publication as a random effect to account for study variability. For each nutrient, five mode...
Rossi HS, Mykkänen AK, Junnila JJT, Hyytiäinen HK.Pulse oximetry has not been thoroughly evaluated for assessment of oxygenation in conscious foals. Compared with invasive arterial blood sampling, it is a painless and non-invasive method for real-time monitoring of blood oxygen saturation. The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the usability, validity, and reliability of pulse oximetry at two measuring sites (lip and caudal abdominal skin fold) for blood oxygen saturation measurement in conscious foals with and without respiratory compromise. Thirty-two foals under one month of age were used. Nineteen foals had normal resp...
Shi Y, Maga EA, Mienaltowski MJ.Diarrhea is a common disease that could threaten the welfare of newborn foals. While there are several forms of foal diarrhea, the etiologies can be considered known pathogenic or non-pathogenic in nature. Moreover, there are likely differences in the composition of microbial populations in the gastrointestinal tracts of foals depending upon the etiology of diarrhea. Our study aims to examine the microbial population in the feces of foals with both pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrheas to discern differences in their microbial compositions. Results: Foal diarrhea samples tested positive or n...
The AnalystJanuary 23, 2025
doi: 10.1039/d4an01501k
Göktaş EF, Kabil E, Söylemez Yeşilçimen E, Dirikolu L.Various technical methodologies are required to accurately detect substances of different chemical and pharmacological properties in biological samples, which are increasing in number and variety daily. Therefore, laboratories where many samples and different factors are analyzed simultaneously need methods with easy sample preparation, short analysis times and low analysis costs. In this study, the objective was to scan substances susceptible to chemical degradation, amenable to analysis without hydrolysis, and exhibiting short-term stability by employing a straightforward, expeditious, and c...
Fakheri A, Esmaeilnejad B, Akbari H, Molaei R.Strongyle nematodes pose a major challenge in veterinary parasitology, causing significant economic losses in livestock due to resistance to conventional treatments. Current anthelmintics, like Ivermectin, often encounter resistance issues. This study aims to address these gaps by synthesizing Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) and Copper-Doped CQDs (Cu@CQDs) using glucose extract, and evaluating their nematicidal properties against strongyles in vitro. We assessed the nematicidal effects of CQDs and Cu@CQDs through larval feeding inhibition of first-stage larvae (L1), egg hatch inhibition (EHI), and ...
Larson MA, Credille BC, Berghaus LJ, Papich MG, Beasley EM.To investigate the disposition of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite, ciprofloxacin, in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF), peritoneal fluid, and CSF in horses following IV administration of enrofloxacin at doses of 5 mg/kg and 7.5 mg/kg of body weight. Unassigned: 6 healthy, mature mares were randomly assigned to receive a single dose of enrofloxacin at either 5 mg/kg or 7.5 mg/kg in a crossover design with a washout period of 10 days. Concentrations of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were determined in plasma, PELF, peritoneal fluid, and CSF. Unassigned: Both doses of enrofl...
Whitlock F, van Dijk J, Hodgkinson JE, Grewar JD, Newton JR.Anthelmintic resistance (AR) threatens effective equine parasite control. Quarterly data summaries from faecal worm egg count testing (FWECT) performed by UK laboratories have appeared in Equine Quarterly Disease Surveillance Reports (EQDSR) since 2007, but have not previously been assessed. Objective: To assess strongyle FWECT methods and thresholds used by UK laboratories. To investigate factors associated with quarterly laboratory FWECT positivity rates between 2007 and 2023. Methods: Laboratory surveys and analysis of laboratory summary data. Methods: Laboratories were surveyed in Q3 2018 ...
Folgmann MS, Stock KF, Feige K, Delling U.There is very little information available about the health status of young stallions from the German Warmblood population that will, once licensed, shape the future of equestrian sport and horse breeding. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of clinical findings at licensing examinations of candidate stallions and the influences of season of birth, age at licensing, year of licensing, and the evaluator on the distribution of recorded findings. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Clinical records of 1655 candidate stallions presented for licensing in 2018-2020 were reviewed. ...
Nowicka B, Polkowska I, Zeliszewska-Duk P, Torres A, Duk M.Similarly, in humans and horses, thoracic and lumbosacral back pain cause more disability and work interruptions worldwide than any other disease. Given that there are few effective treatments for back pain in humans and animals, primary prevention strategies and a reduction in pain factors may be crucial. In the analysed data obtained for the horses studied, the pattern of changes in adipocytokine concentrations, including resistin, visfatin and leptin, was noted for those with back pain compared to the control animals. Concentrations of selected adipocytokines in horses from the back pain gr...
CT arthrography (CTA) for evaluating cartilage defects would be beneficial in clinical practice. Since the contrast medium (CM) volume is often driven by operator experience, the aim was to evaluate the minimum volume of iodinated CM for CTA sufficient to identify iatrogenic cartilage defects in horse fetlock. The study was conducted on ex-vivo 32 distal limbs from adult horses collected at slaughter. Iatrogenic cartilage defects were arthroscopically made on fetlock, at 5 predetermined locations. Subsequently, CT scans were performed, according to the following protocol: precontrast scan, fol...
Ciamillo S, Stefanovski D, Kulp J, van Eps A.To determine the relationship between hoof surface (HS), hoof wall (HW), and lamellar tissue (LAM) temperature during distal limb cooling and evaluate 4 cooling methods in ambulatory horses over extended periods using HW to estimate LAM temperature. Methods: 8 healthy, university-owned horses were enrolled. Temperature was measured over 4 hours at LAM, HS, and HW for 4 cooling methods: ice sleeve (SLEEVE), ice pack system (ICEPACK), low-volume ice water immersion (LV-IMMERSION), and high-volume ice water immersion (HV-IMMERSION). The relationship between HW, HS, and LAM was mathematically mode...
Poissant J, Gavriliuc S, Bellaw J, Redman EM, Avramenko RW, Robinson D, Workentine ML, Shury TK, Jenkins EJ, McLoughlin PD, Nielsen MK, Gilleard JS.Horses are ubiquitously infected by a diversity of gastro-intestinal parasitic helminths. Of particular importance are nematodes of the family Strongylidae, which can significantly impact horse health and performance. However, knowledge about equine strongyles remains limited due to our inability to identify most species non-invasively using traditional morphological techniques. We developed a new internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) DNA metabarcoding 'nemabiome' assay to characterise mixed strongyle infections in horses and assessed its performance by applying it to pools of infective larvae ...
Martig S, Chen W, Lee PV, Whitton RC.Musculoskeletal injuries are a common cause of lost training days and wastage in racehorses. Many bone injuries are a consequence of repeated high loading during fast work, resulting in chronic damage accumulation and material fatigue of bone. The highest joint loads occur in the fetlock, which is also the most common site of subchondral bone injury in racehorses. Microcracks in the subchondral bone at sites where intra-articular fractures and palmar osteochondral disease occur are similar to the fatigue damage detected experimentally after repeated loading of bone. Fatigue is a process that h...
von Samson-Himmelstjerna G.During the past two decades anthelmintic resistance in equine parasites has been found in the group of small strongyle species (cyathostomins) and in the ascarid species Parascaris equorum. The ubiquitous nature and possible severe consequences of disease with these nematodes make them the prime targets of current worm control programmes. Traditional control strategies mainly rely on the strategic application of anthelmintics, currently represented by three major drug classes: benzimidazoles (BZ), the tetrahydropyrimidine pyrantel (PYR) and macrocyclic lactones (ML). Following decades of routi...
Nielsen MK.Anthelmintic resistance is reported in equine nematodes with increasing frequency in recent years, and no new anthelmintic classes have been introduced during the past 40 years. This manuscript reviews published literature describing anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomins, Parascaris spp., and Oxyuris equi with special emphasis on larvicidal efficacy against encysted cyathostomin larvae and strongylid egg reappearance periods (ERP). Resistance to benzimidazoles and pyrimidines is highly prevalent in cyathostomin populations around the world, and macrocyclic lactone resistance has been docume...
Moodley A, Stegger M, Bagcigil AF, Baptiste KE, Loeffler A, Lloyd DH, Williams NJ, Leonard N, Abbott Y, Skov R, Guardabassi L.Region X of the protein A gene (spa) was sequenced from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates originating from animals, humans and the environment at veterinary hospitals in the UK and Ireland. MRSA transmission between animals and veterinary staff was assessed on the basis of spa typing, PFGE and epidemiological data. Methods: MRSA isolates from dogs (n = 27), horses (n = 9), cats (n = 6), staff (n = 22) and environmental surfaces (n = 3) were analysed by PFGE and spa typing. Known contacts between human and animal MRSA carriers were ascertained from the veterinary hospi...
Scepek S, Coorssen JR, Lindau M.Using the patch-clamp technique, we studied the role of protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation on the exocytotic fusion of secretory granules with the plasma membrane in horse eosinophils. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) had no effect on the amplitude and dynamics of degranulation, indicating that the formation of fusion pores is insensitive to activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Fusion pore expansion, however, was accelerated approximately 2-fold by PMA, and this effect was abolished by staurosporine. Elevating intracellular Ca2+ to 1.5 microM also resulted in a 2-fold accelera...
Dobbe JC, van der Meer Y, Spaan WJ, Snijder EJ.The recent development of arterivirus full-length cDNA clones makes possible the construction of chimeric arteriviruses for fundamental and applied studies. Using an equine arteritis virus (EAV) infectious cDNA clone, we have engineered chimeras in which the ectodomains of the two major envelope proteins, the glycoprotein GP(5) and the membrane protein M, were replaced by sequences from envelope proteins of related and unrelated RNA viruses. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we monitored the transport of the hybrid GP(5) and M proteins to the Golgi complex, which depends on their heterodime...
Muir P, McCarthy J, Radtke CL, Markel MD, Santschi EM, Scollay MC, Kalscheur VL.The mechanisms that regulate functional adaptation of the articular ends of long bones are poorly understood. However, endochondral ossification of articular cartilage and modeling/remodeling of the subchondral plate and epiphyseal trabeculae are important components of the adaptive response. We performed a histologic study of the distal end of the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone of Thoroughbreds after bones were bulk-stained in basic fuchsin and calcified sections were prepared. The Thoroughbred racehorse is a model of an extreme athlete which experiences particularly high cyclic strains in ...
Youngstrom DW, Barrett JG, Jose RR, Kaplan DL.Natural extracellular matrix provides a number of distinct advantages for engineering replacement orthopedic tissue due to its intrinsic functional properties. The goal of this study was to optimize a biologically derived scaffold for tendon tissue engineering using equine flexor digitorum superficialis tendons. We investigated changes in scaffold composition and ultrastructure in response to several mechanical, detergent and enzymatic decellularization protocols using microscopic techniques and a panel of biochemical assays to evaluate total protein, collagen, glycosaminoglycan, and deoxyribo...
Leclere M, Lavoie-Lamoureux A, Gélinas-Lymburner E, David F, Martin JG, Lavoie JP.Recent studies suggest that airway smooth muscle remodeling is an early event in asthma, but whether it remains a dynamic process late in the course of the disease is unknown. Moreover, little is known about the effects of an antigenic exposure on chronically established smooth muscle remodeling. We measured the effects of antigenic exposure on airway smooth muscle in the central and peripheral airways of horses with heaves, a naturally occurring airway disease that shares similarities with chronic asthma. Heaves-affected horses (n = 6) and age-matched control horses (n = 5) were kept on pastu...
Fureix C, Jego P, Sankey C, Hausberger M.This study aimed to determine whether horses have a kind of memory of humans (based on previous interactions), leading to a general significance of humans revealed by their reactions to humans in subsequent interactions. Subjects were 59 adult horses used to interact daily with humans. Three types of behavioural tests involving an unknown experimenter evaluated three possibly different memorized types of human-animal interactions (not work-related, using work-related objects, unfamiliar working task). We also performed standardized observations of routine interactions between each horse and it...
Hortensius RA, Harley BA.The design of biomaterials for regenerative medicine can require biomolecular cues such as growth factors to induce a desired cell activity. Signal molecules are often incorporated into the biomaterial in either freely-diffusible or covalently-bound forms. However, biomolecular environments in vivo are often complex and dynamic. Notably, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), linear polysaccharides found in the extracellular matrix, are involved in transient sequestration of growth factors via charge interactions. Biomaterials mimicking this phenomenon may offer the potential to amplify local biomolecular...
De Schaepdrijver L, Simoens P, Lauwers H, De Geest JP.In this paper a morphological study of the retinal vascular patterns in various species of domestic animals is reported. A classification of these patterns into four well-defined groups is described. In the domestic ruminants, pigs and carnivores the retina contains a compact plexus of blood vessels located in the major part of the light-sensitive portion of the retina (euangiotic or holangiotic pattern). In other domestic animals blood vessels are present only in a smaller part of the retina. In the rabbit, vessels are confined to a broad horizontal band coincident with the area of dispersion...
Bertin FR, de Laat MA.Insulin dysregulation is the hallmark of equine metabolic syndrome and has received attention because of its direct association with laminitis. In the absence of an adequate treatment for laminitis, a focus on prophylaxis is needed, making early detection of individuals at risk of developing laminitis one of the main challenges in equine endocrinology. Recent studies have shown that insulin dysregulation goes beyond tissue insulin resistance and it is now demonstrated that the equine enteroinsular axis plays a major role in insulin secretion and equine hyperinsulinaemia. In this review, we dis...
Tanaka T, Kasai H, Yamashita A, Okuyama-Dobashi K, Yasumoto J, Maekawa S, Enomoto N, Okamoto T, Matsuura Y, Morimatsu M, Manabe N, Ochiai K....Equine hepacivirus (EHcV) has been identified as a closely related homologue of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, but not in Asian countries. In this study, we genetically and serologically screened 31 serum samples obtained from Japanese-born domestic horses for EHcV infection and subsequently identified 11 PCR-positive and 7 seropositive serum samples. We determined the full sequence of the EHcV genome, including the 3' untranslated region (UTR), which had previously not been completely revealed. The polyprotein of a Japanese EHcV strain showed ap...
Evangelista MC, Monteiro BP, Steagall PV.Facial expressions of pain have been identified in several animal species. The aim of this systematic review was to provide evidence on the measurement properties of grimace scales for pain assessment. The protocol was registered (SyRF#21-November-2019), and the study is reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting the development, validation, and the assessment of measurement properties of grimace scales were included. Data extraction and assessment were performed by 2 investigators, following the COnsensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement INstruments ...
de Grauw JC, van de Lest CH, van Weeren PR.Inflammation is an important feature of many joint diseases, and levels of cartilage biomarkers measured in synovial fluid may be influenced by local inflammatory status. Little is known about the magnitude and time course of inflammation-induced changes in cartilage tissue turnover as measured in vivo by synovial fluid markers. We aimed to study temporal changes in concentrations of inflammatory mediators, matrix metalloproteinase activity and cartilage biomarkers over 1 week in joints with experimentally induced inflammation. Methods: Localized inflammation was induced in the intercarpal joi...
Basile M, Boivin S, Boutin A, Blois-Heulin C, Hausberger M, Lemasson A.Laterality is now known to be an ubiquitous phenomenon among the vertebrates. Particularly, laterality of auditory processing has been demonstrated in a variety of species, especially songbirds and primates. Such a hemispheric specialization has been shown to depend on factors such as sound structure, species specificity and types of stimuli. Much less is known on the possible influence of social familiarity although a few studies suggest such an influence. Here we tested the influence of the degree of familiarity on the laterality of the auditory response in the domestic horse. This species i...
Gallo N, Natali ML, Sannino A, Salvatore L.Type I collagen has always aroused great interest in the field of life-science and bioengineering, thanks to its favorable structural properties and bioactivity. For this reason, in the last five decades it has been widely studied and employed as biomaterial for the manufacture of implantable medical devices. Commonly used sources of collagen are represented by bovine and swine but their applications are limited because of the zoonosis transmission risks, the immune response and the religious constrains. Thus, type-I collagen isolated from horse tendon has recently gained increasing interest a...
van Eeden C, Williams JH, Gerdes TG, van Wilpe E, Viljoen A, Swanepoel R, Venter M.To determine which agents cause neurologic disease in horses, we conducted reverse transcription PCR on isolates from of a horse with encephalitis and 111 other horses with acute disease. Shuni virus was found in 7 horses, 5 of which had neurologic signs. Testing for lesser known viruses should be considered for horses with unexplained illness.
Bulmer LS, Murray JA, Burns NM, Garber A, Wemelsfelder F, McEwan NR, Hastie PM.Gut microbiota have been associated with health, disease and behaviour in several species and are an important link in gut-brain axis communication. Diet plays a key role in affecting the composition of gut microbiota. In horses, high-starch diets alter the hindgut microbiota. High-starch diets are also associated with increased behavioural reactivity in horses. These changes in microbiota and behaviour may be associated. This study compares the faecal microbiota and behaviour of 10 naïve ponies. A cross-over design was used with experimental groups fed high-starch (HS) or high-fibre (HF) die...
Ueti MW, Palmer GH, Kappmeyer LS, Statdfield M, Scoles GA, Knowles DP.The protozoan parasite Babesia equi replicates within erythrocytes. During the acute phase of infection, B. equi can reach high levels of parasitemia, resulting in a hemolytic crisis. Horses that recover from the acute phase of the disease remain chronically infected. Subsequent transmission is dependent upon the ability of vector ticks to acquire B. equi and, following development and replication, establishment of B. equi in the salivary glands. Although restriction of the movement of chronically infected horses with B. equi is based on the presumption that ticks can acquire and transmit the ...
Uldahl M, Clayton HM.Information is needed to guide sport administrators in formulating rules for equipment use in competitions. Objective: To seek associations between spurs, bits, nosebands and whips with injuries in horses during competitions in four equestrian sports. Methods: Cross sectional study. Methods: Post competition evaluations were performed in 3143 horse/rider combinations competing in Danish Equestrian Federation competitions in dressage, showjumping, eventing and endurance by trained evaluators who recorded the presence and type of spurs, bits, nosebands, and whips. Further evaluations recorded no...
Kydd JH, Smith KC, Hannant D, Livesay GJ, Mumford JA.Twelve adult ponies and 2 conventional foals were exposed intranasally to EHV-1, strain Ab4 (TCID50 10(-6.6) and samples of respiratory tract associated lymphoid tissues were recovered between 12 h and 13 days after infection. Infectious virus was detected in tissue homogenates using susceptible cell monolayers and expression of viral antigens was monitored using indirect immunoperoxidase histochemistry on paraffin sections. The results showed both infectious EHV-1 and viral antigens in respiratory tract associated lymph nodes 12 h after exposure. Infected leucocytes were identified morphologi...
Kennedy R, Lappin DF, Dixon PM, Buijs MJ, Zaura E, Crielaard W, O'Donnell L, Bennett D, Brandt BW, Riggio MP.Equine periodontal disease is a common and painful condition and its severe form, periodontitis, can lead to tooth loss. Its aetiopathogenesis remains poorly understood despite recent increased awareness of this disorder amongst the veterinary profession. Bacteria have been found to be causative agents of the disease in other species, but current understanding of their role in equine periodontitis is extremely limited. The aim of this study was to use high-throughput sequencing to identify the microbiome associated with equine periodontitis and oral health. Subgingival plaque samples from 24 h...
Couëtil LL, Rosenthal FS, DeNicola DB, Chilcoat CD.To evaluate the association among clinical signs, results of cytologic evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and measures of pulmonary function in horses with inflammatory respiratory disease. Methods: 9 healthy horses, 5 horses with inflammatory airway disease (IAD), and 9 horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Clinical examination, lung function tests, and BAL were performed on each horse. Results: Standard lung mechanics of horses with exacerbated COPD differed significantly from those of healthy horses; however, there were few differences among horse...
Lindenberg F, Krych L, Kot W, Fielden J, Frøkiær H, van Galen G, Nielsen DS, Hansen AK.Shortly after birth the mammalian gut is colonized, by a transient microbiota, highly susceptible to environment and diet, that eventually stabilizes and becomes the resident gut microbiota. In a window of opportunity during the colonization, oral tolerance is established towards resident bacteria. In this study, the development of the equine gut microbiota was investigated in ten foals from parturition until post weaning. We found great differences in the core species of the gut microbiota composition between time-matched samples on Day 7 and 20 post-partum. Between day 20 and Day 50 post-par...
Balaggan KS, Binley K, Esapa M, MacLaren RE, Iqball S, Duran Y, Pearson RA, Kan O, Barker SE, Smith AJ, Bainbridge JW, Naylor S, Ali RR.We evaluated the efficacy of equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV)-based lentiviral vectors encoding endostatin (EIAV.endostatin) or angiostatin (EIAV.angiostatin) in inhibiting angiogenesis and vascular hyperpermeability in the laser-induced model of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). Equine infectious anaemia virus.endostatin, EIAV.angiostatin or control (EIAV.null) vectors were administered into the subretinal space of C57Bl/6J mice. Two weeks after laser injury CNV areas and the degree of vascular hyperpermeability were measured by image analysis of in vivo fluorescein angiograms. Compar...
Diab SS, Songer G, Uzal FA.Clostridium difficile is considered one of the most important causes of diarrhea and enterocolitis in horses. Foals and adult horses are equally susceptible to the infection. The highly resistant spore of C. difficile is the infectious unit of transmission, which occurs primarily via the fecal-oral route, with sources of infection including equine feces, contaminated soil, animal hospitals, and feces of other animals. Two major risk factors for the development of C. difficile associated disease (CDAD) in adult horses are hospitalization and antimicrobial treatment, although sporadically, cases...
