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.
Zabrecky KA, Slovis NM, Constable PD, Taylor SD.Accurate diagnostic markers for sepsis in neonatal foals are needed. Plasma C-reactive protein concentration (p[CRP]) and haptoglobin concentration (p[Hp]) are well-established biomarkers of infection in humans, but studies are lacking in foals. Objective: p[CRP]) and p[Hp] are increased in septic foals compared to sick nonseptic and healthy control foals, and are predictive of survival. Methods: Eighty critically ill foals (40 septic, 40 sick nonseptic) and 39 healthy control foals <1 week of age. Methods: Multicenter, prospective observational clinical study. Venous blood was collected at a...
Mir IA, Kumar B, Taku A, Bhardwaj RK, Bhat MA, Badroo GA.The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Rhodococcus equi infection in equines of Jammu and Kashmir, India, and evaluate the zoonotic threat posed by this organism to equine owners and tourists. One hundred and forty-one samples (98 samples from adult animals ≥5 years old and 43 samples from foals less than 6 months old) were collected in duplicate from nasopharyngeal tract of equines for isolation and direct PCR. A total of 12 isolates of R. equi were recovered, of which 9 were from foals and 3 from adult animals. Therefore, the present study recorded prevalence rates ...
Wilkins PA, Sheahan BJ, Vander Werf KA, Castagnetti C, Hardy J, Schoster A, Boston RC.A variety of measures of L-lactate concentration ([LAC]) in the blood of critically ill neonatal foals have shown utility as prognostic indicators. These measures, evaluating either the severity of hyperlactatemia or the duration of exposure to hyperlactatemia, perform fairly well and have correctly classified 75-80% of foals examined in several studies. The area under the L-lactate concentration versus time curve (LACArea) encompasses both severity and duration of hyperlactatemia and should improve correct classification of patient survival. Objective: LACArea is larger in nonsurviving critic...
Hiraga A, Sugano S.Since the first recording of electrocardiograms (ECGs) of a horse in Japan was carried out in 1944, studies on ECGs have been performed intensively. During the early stages of research from the 1950s to 1960s, leads to use for ECG recording were evaluated using several different approaches including unipolar leads, bipolar limb leads, and bipolar chest leads. Based on these studies, the AB lead, which is oriented along the long axis of the heart, became the standard reference method in Japan. Electrodes of the AB lead are placed on the upper 1/4th point along a straight line between the wither...
Bienert-Zeit A, Gietz C, Staszyk C, Kietzmann M, Stahl J, Ohnesorge B.To monitor concentrations of sulfadimidine in the paranasal sinus mucosa (PSM) of unsedated horses following IV administration of trimethoprim-sulfadimidine via in vivo microdialysis. Methods: 10 healthy adult horses. Methods: Concentric microdialysis probes were implanted into the subepithelial layers of the frontal sinus mucosa of standing sedated horses. Four hours after implantation, trimethoprim-sulfadimidine (30 mg/kg) was administered IV every 24 hours for 2 days; dialysate and plasma samples were collected at intervals during that 48-hour period and analyzed for concentrations of sulfa...
Gonzalez LM, Kinnin LA, Blikslager AT.To characterize epithelial cells of the small intestine and colon in horses without clinical gastrointestinal abnormalities with an emphasis on the stem cell niche constituents. Methods: Mucosal biopsy specimens from small and large intestines obtained from 12 horses euthanized for reasons unrelated to gastrointestinal disease or systemic disease. Methods: Intestinal biopsy specimens were collected by sharp dissection immediately following euthanasia. Specimens were prepared for immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopic imaging to detect and characterize ea...
Hine L, Laven RA, Sahu SK.To compare the variation in rectal temperature measurement by digital, mercury and ethanol thermometers in cattle, horses and sheep. Methods: Seven different makes of thermometer (four digital, two mercury, and one ethanol; (n=27) were tested individually in a calibrated water bath to identify whether there was an effect of thermometer make on recorded temperature. In addition, rectal temperatures of four cattle, four sheep and four horses were recorded using the same thermometers, by seven persons, with each person being assigned to one thermometer make. Results: In the water bath test, mean ...
Barba M, Stewart AJ, Passler T, Wooldridge AA, van Santen E, Chamorro MF, Cattley RC, Hathcock T, Hogsette JA, Hu XP.The route of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in horses remains undetermined, but transmission by insects is suspected. Objective: To investigate house flies (Musca domestica L.) as vectors of C. pseudotuberculosis transmission in horses. Methods: Eight healthy, adult ponies. Methods: Randomized, controlled, blinded prospective study. Ten wounds were created in the pectoral region where cages for flies were attached. Three ponies were directly inoculated with C. pseudotuberculosis. Four ponies were exposed for 24 hours to 20 hours C. pseudotuberculosis-inoculated flies. One negativ...
Galuppi R, Piva S, Castagnetti C, Iacono E, Tanel S, Pallaver F, Fioravanti ML, Zanoni RG, Tampieri MP, Caffara M.The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence, pattern of spread and risk factors for the transmission of cryptosporidiosis in foals and mares hospitalized in a University Equine Perinatology Unit, where a new subtype family of Cryptosporidium horse genotype was described by Caffara et al. (2013). Mares (36) and foals (37) hospitalized during the 2012 foaling season were included. Multiple sampling from each animal was performed (a total of 305 stool samples were collected). One hundred and eleven environmental samples (gauze swabs) were also collected before and after the breeding season....
Haase B, Rieder S, Leeb T.White spotting phenotypes have been intensively studied in horses, and although similar phenotypes occur in the donkey, little is known about the molecular genetics underlying these patterns in donkeys. White spotting in donkeys can range from only a few white areas to almost complete depigmentation and is characterised by a loss of pigmentation usually progressing from a white spot in the hip area. Completely white-born donkeys are rare, and the phenotype is characterised by the complete absence of pigment resulting in pink skin and a white coat. A dominant mode of inheritance has been demons...
Vemming DC, Steenkamp G, Carstens A, Olorunju SA, Stroehle RM, Page PC.Dental care is an integral part of equine veterinary practice. The objectives of this cross sectional study were to describe the prevalence of dental disorders in an abattoir population of horses, and to compare oral examination of intact and bisected heads. Heads from 40 horses, 19 males and 21 females, were examined and divided into immature, adult or older horses based on dental age. Older horses had a significantly higher prevalence of infundibular caries (91.7%), diastemata (66.7%) and fractures (58.3%), whereas dental wear disorders affected all age groups. Gasterophilus spp. larvae were...
Starke SD, Clayton HM.The study of animal movement commonly requires the segmentation of continuous data streams into individual strides. The use of forceplates and foot-mounted accelerometers readily allows the detection of the foot-on and foot-off events that define a stride. However, when relying on optical methods such as motion capture, there is lack of validated robust, universally applicable stride event detection methods. To date, no method has been validated for movement on a circle, while algorithms are commonly specific to front/hind limbs or gait. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate kinemati...
Peffers MJ, McDermott B, Clegg PD, Riggs CM.The aim of the study was to characterise the protein complement of synovial fluid (SF) in health and osteoarthritis (OA) using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) following peptide-based depletion of high abundance proteins. Methods: SF was used from nine normal and nine OA Thoroughbred horses. Samples were analysed with LC-MS/MS using a NanoAcquity™ LC coupled to an LTQ Orbitrap Velos. In order to enrich the lower-abundance protein fractions protein equalisation was first undertaken using ProteoMiner™. Progenesis-QI™ LC-MS software was used for label-free quantification. ...
Human rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and children under the age of 5 years in both developed and developing countries. Human lactadherin, a milk fat globule membrane glycoprotein, inhibits human rotavirus infection in vitro, whereas bovine lactadherin is not active. Moreover, it protects breastfed infants against symptomatic rotavirus infections. To explore the potential antiviral activity of lactadherin sourced by equines, we undertook a proteomic analysis of milk fat globule membrane proteins from donkey milk and elucidated its amino acid sequence. Alignm...
Dryburgh EL, Marsh AE, Dubey JP, Howe DK, Reed SM, Bolten KE, Pei W, Saville WJ.Sarcocystis neurona is considered the major etiologic agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a neurological disease in horses. Raccoon ( Procyon lotor ) is considered the most important intermediate host in the life cycle of S. neurona in the United States; S. neurona sarcocysts do mature in raccoon muscles, and raccoons also develop clinical signs simulating EPM. The focus of this study was to determine if sarcocysts would develop in raccoons experimentally inoculated with different host-derived strains of in vitro-cultivated S. neurona merozoites. Four raccoons were inoculated wi...
Szarka S, Prokai L.We report a high-throughput chip-based nanoelectrospray ionization method coupled with Fourier transform mass spectrometry to screen for local anesthetics in samples collected by swabbing. These drugs have been used to mask pain on the limbs of walking horses after forbidden practices of soring or physical abuse. Optimized for lidocaine, the method afforded sub-ppm mass accuracy for nine local anesthetics included in the study. From doped cotton swabs, two third and all of the analytes were detected after adding 10 ng and 100 ng of each drug, respectively. Benzocaine and/or lidocaine were ...
Peachey LE, Pinchbeck GL, Matthews JB, Burden FA, Mulugeta G, Scantlebury CE, Hodgkinson JE.Cyathostomins are the most important gastrointestinal nematode infecting equids. Their effective control is currently under threat due to widespread resistance to the broad spectrum anthelmintics licenced for use in equids. In response to similar resistance issues in other helminths, there has been increasing interest in alternative control strategies, such as bioactive plant compounds derived from traditional ethnoveterinary treatments. This study used an evidence-based approach to evaluate the potential use of plant extracts from the UK and Ethiopia to treat cyathostomins. Plants were shortl...
Swaab ME, Mendez-Angulo JL, Groschen DM, Ernst NS, Brown MP, Trumble TN.A circumferential hoof clamp method to induce controlled and reversible lameness in the forelimbs of eight horses was assessed. Peak vertical forces and vertical impulses were recorded using a force plate to verify induced lameness. Video recordings were used by blinded observers to determine subjective lameness using a 0-5 scale and any residual lameness following clamp loosening. Tightening of clamps resulted in consistent, visible lameness in the selected limbs in all horses. Lameness was confirmed by significant decreases from baseline in the peak vertical force (P <0.01). Lameness wa...
Mendoza L, Piquemal D, Lejeune JP, Vander Heyden L, Noguier F, Bruno R, Sandersen C, Serteyn D.Osteochondrosis (OC) is a developmental disease in horses which has a significant impact on the horse's welfare and performance. The early disturbance in the process of endochondral ossification progresses to inflammatory and repair processes in older horses. Previously, differentially expressed genes in leukocytes of OC-affected horses have been identified. The aim of the present study is to detect age-related changes in these differentially expressed genes. Methods: The expression of OC-related genes was analysed by real-time PCR and subsequent statistical analysis (ΔΔCT) in the leukocytes...
van der Kolk JH, Pacholewska A, Gerber V.The search for new markers of diseases in human as well as veterinary medicine is ongoing. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have emerged as potential new biomarkers. MiRNAs are short sequences of RNA (∼22 nucleotides) that regulate gene expression via their target messenger RNA (mRNA). Circulating miRNAs in blood can be used as novel diagnostic markers for diseases due to their evolutionary conservation and stability. As a consequence of their systemic and manifold effects on the gene expression in various target organs, the concept that miRNAs could function as hormones has been suggest...
Ruggeri E, DeLuca KF, Galli C, Lazzari G, DeLuca JG, Carnevale EM.Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an established method to fertilise equine oocytes, but not all oocytes cleave after ICSI. The aims of the present study were to examine cytoskeleton patterns in oocytes after aging in vitro for 0, 24 or 48h (Experiment 1) and in potential zygotes that failed to cleave after ICSI of oocytes from donors of different ages (Experiment 2). Cytoplasmic multiasters were observed after oocyte aging for 48h (P<0.01). A similar increase in multiasters was observed with an increased interval after ICSI for young mares (9-13 years) but not old (20-25 years) mares...
Martin-Alonso A, Abreu-Yanes E, Feliu C, Mas-Coma S, Bargues MD, Valladares B, Foronda P.The nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the causative agent of human angiostrongyliasis, the main clinical manifestation of which is eosinophilic meningitis. Although this parasite has been found recently in its definitive rat host in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), showing a widespread distribution over the north-east part of the island, there are no available data regarding which snail and/or slug species are acting as intermediate hosts on this island. Consequently, the objective of this work was to determine the possible role of three mollusc species, Plutonia lamarckii, Cornu aspers...
Santos VG, Bettencourt EM, Ginther OJ.Persistent CL (PCL; n = 10) in mares was studied daily from Day 20 (Day 0 = ovulation) to the ending ovulation. In addition, the 10 days before ovulation at the end of a PCL were compared with the end of an interovulatory interval (IOI; n = 28) during the same months. Concentration of P4, cross-sectional area of CL, and percentage of CL with Doppler signals of blood flow during PCLs remained constant from 64 to about 33 days before the end of luteolysis and then decreased linearly. Concentration of LH between Day 20 and beginning of the ovulatory LH surge increased linearly. A dominant follicl...
Sule WF, Oluwayelu DO, Adedokun RA, Rufai N, McCracken F, Mansfield KL, Johnson N.To investigate exposure of Nigerian horses to West Nile virus (WNV), we determined the seroprevalence rate of anti-WNV antibody in a cohort of 145 horses. Serum samples were collected from three locations in southwestern Nigeria between October, 2011, and July, 2012. The horses were asymptomatic and unvaccinated against WNV at the time of sampling. All sera were tested using a competition enzyme-linked immmunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by an immunoglobulin M (IgM)-specific ELISA. High rates of anti-WNV antibody prevalence were observed in all locations with a mean level of 90.3% (95% confidence...
Hepworth-Warren KL, Wong DM, Fulkerson CV, Wang C, Sun Y.To determine clinical characteristics, clinicopathologic data, and bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility results associated with septic arthritis in foals ≤ 180 days old. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 83 foals with septic arthritis. Methods: Medical records at 2 teaching hospitals between 1998 and 2013 were searched to identify those for foals ≤ 180 days old with confirmed infection of ≥ 1 synovial structure. Data extracted from the records included signalment, clinicopathologic information, bacteriologic culture and antimicrobial susceptibility results, and o...
Tavalla M, Sabaghan M, Abdizadeh R, Khademvatan S, Rafiei A, Razavi Piranshahi A.Because of the economic importance of the Arab race horses and also the role of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. in abortion and reproductive failure of these animals, we decided to perform this study. Objective: We designed this study to investigate the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora spp. antibodies in Arab horses from 12 cities of Khuzestan province in southwest of Iran. Methods: From October 2009 to March 2011, a total of 235 blood samples were collected from jugular veins of Arab horses of different ages and genders from 12 cities of Khuzestan province. All t...
House JA.AHS is a noncontagious vector-borne disease of Equidae caused by Orbiviruses. Species susceptibility in decreasing order is horses, mules, donkeys, and zebras. The main vectors of AHS are culicoides. The disease is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, but epizootics have occurred outside of this area on several occasions. The most recent outbreaks outside of the endemic area were in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal between 1987 and 1990. AHS causes mortality up to 95% and is classically divided into four clinical forms: the pulmonary, cardiac, mixed, and horse fever forms. Pathologic changes are subcuta...
Giesecke K, Sieme H, Distl O.Stallion fertility is of high economic importance for the horse industry. The discovery of molecular mechanisms affecting fertility will be facilitated by the horse genome assembly and the development of novel tools for analysing complex genetic traits. Genetic markers in candidate genes, such as CRISP3, SPATA1 and INHBA, in breeding stallions have been associated with pregnancy rate per oestrus in mares. This paper reviews candidate autosomal, X and Y genes for stallion fertility, including genes encoding hormones and their receptors of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, proteins of the seminal...
Wong JKY, Choi TLS, Kwok KY, Lei ENY, Wan TSM.Equine hair is becoming an increasingly popular biological matrix for doping control of horse sports; one of the reasons for this is the significantly longer detection window hair can offer. Hair analysis opens up the opportunity for longitudinal monitoring of drug exposure which would otherwise not be possible with the more traditional and common biological matrices, such as urine and blood. As such, there is a need for more multi-target screening methods covering a broad range of prohibited substances in equine hair at the required sensitivities for equine doping control. This paper describe...
Wilkins PA, Sheahan BJ, Vander Werf KA, Castagnetti C, Hardy J, Schoster A, Boston RC.A variety of measures of L-lactate concentration ([LAC]) in the blood of critically ill neonatal foals have shown utility as prognostic indicators. These measures, evaluating either the severity of hyperlactatemia or the duration of exposure to hyperlactatemia, perform fairly well and have correctly classified 75-80% of foals examined in several studies. The area under the L-lactate concentration versus time curve (LACArea) encompasses both severity and duration of hyperlactatemia and should improve correct classification of patient survival. Objective: LACArea is larger in nonsurviving critic...
Miller CA, Durham AC, Schaffer PA, Ehrhart EJ, Powers BE, Duncan CG.Equine cutaneous lymphoma is an uncommon disease that can present with variable clinical signs, immunosuppression, and rapid systemic disease progression. Various subtypes of equine lymphoma have been described and classified according to a veterinary adaptation of the World Health Organization classification system, but little data is available regarding the association between lymphoma subtypes and epidemiological criteria and/or clinical outcome. The objective of the current study was to classify previously diagnosed cases of equine cutaneous lymphoma and correlate subtypes with clinical da...
Hill DE, Forbes L, Kramer M, Gajadhar A, Gamble HR.The horse is considered an aberrant host for the nematode parasite Trichinella spiralis, and many aspects of the biology and epidemiology of Trichinella infection in the horse are poorly understood. It has been reported that experimentally-infected horses produce a transient serological response to infection and that muscle larvae are cleared more rapidly than in parasite-adapted hosts such as the pig and humans. However, limited numbers of animals have been studied, and both the longevity of larvae in horse musculature and the immune response to Trichinella larvae remain unclear. In this stud...
Verwilghen DR, Martens A, Busschers E, Franck T, Deberg M, Henrotin Y, Vanderheyden L, Serteyn D.The measurement of biomarkers that reflect cartilage breakdown is a powerful tool for investigating joint damage caused by disease or injury. Particularly in cases of osteochondrosis, synovial concentrations of these biomarkers may reveal the presence of osteoarthritic changes. Coll2-1, Coll2-1 NO2 and myeloperoxidase have recently been introduced in equine osteoarticular research but comparison between the concentrations of these markers in OCD affected and healthy joints has not been made. Therefore, this study aimed at reporting the synovial concentrations of these biomarkers in joints affe...
Cook VL, Holcombe SJ, Gandy JC, Corl CM, Sordillo LM.Monocytes are among the initial cells that interact with circulating LPS. Binding of LPS to monocyte surface receptors triggers an intracellular signaling cascade and results in the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Ethyl pyruvate, a stable derivative of pyruvate, has been effective in mitigating LPS induced alterations in isolated human monocytes. We hypothesized that ethyl pyruvate would suppress proinflammatory gene expression in LPS-stimulated equine monocytes without affecting cell viability. Equine monocytes were isolated from whole blood using a sediment-gradient centrifugation p...
Lindroth KM, Dicksved J, Pelve E, Båverud V, Müller CE.Free faecal liquid (FFL) is a condition in horses which manifests as differential defecation of solid and liquid phases of faeces. The etiology of FFL is currently unknown, but deviances in the hindgut microbiota has been suggested to be of importance. The present study aimed to compare the faecal bacterial composition of farm-matched horses with (case, n = 50) and without (control, n = 50) FFL. Samples were collected at three different occasions. The V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced using Illumina sequencing. Also, samples were cultivated for detecti...
Belli CB, Fernandes WR, Torres LN, Sucupira MCA, de Sá LRM, Maiorka PC, Neuenschwander HM, de Barros AMC, Baccarin RYA.Copper toxicity is thought to be a rare condition in horses. However, the number of cases diagnosed in Brazil is growing. This article aims to describe cases of copper toxicity involving horses from different geographic locations and discuss findings of physical examinations, differential diagnoses and potential causes. Five cases referred from 4 different properties where at least 15 other horses were affected were described. Hemolytic anemia and hemoglobinuria, presence of Heinz bodies and elevated aspartate aminotransferase and gamaglutamil transferase levels were detected in all cases. The...
Nishi S, Watabe H, Hirai H.The production of antibody to homologous alpha fetoprotein (AFP) in rabbits, rats, and horses by immunication with human AFP is reported. The antigens were administered subcutaneously 5 times at intervals of 7-10 days. Rabbits and dogs received 1 mg of human AFP/ml of the homologous pooled newborn serum with each injection while the rats received 1/2 of the dose. The horses received 5 mg/ml/injection. 2 weeks after the last injection, antisera were collected and immunologic assays were performed by the Ouchterlony method and the reversed version of the Mancini method. High titered antibodies w...
Harris PA, Marlin DJ, Gray J.In order to investigate the effect of age, sex and month on the response of plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatine kinase (CK) to exercise, blood samples were collected once a month between March and September from a group of 40 2- and 3-year-old (2yo and 3yo) thoroughbred racehorses (kept under the same managemental regimen) at rest before exercise (PRE) and at 2 (2H) and 24 h (24H) post-exercise. The absolute change in activities between the 2H and PRE samples (2H delta) and the 24H and PRE samples (24H delta) was also calculated. Age had a significant effect on all measured an...
Ichibangase T, Imai K.To extend the applicability of the fluorogenic derivatization-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (FD-LC-MS/MS) method, which consists of fluorogenic derivatization (FD), separation by liquid chromatography (LC), and identification by LC-tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) proteomic analysis, we applied it to Thoroughbred horse muscle. With the optimization of the protein extraction and separation procedure, reproducible chromatograms were obtained and the changes in protein expressions during exercise were able to be analyzed. To quantify the changed protein expressi...
Schaer BL, Ryan CT, Boston RC, Nunamaker DM.There is a need to determine accelerations acting on the equine hoof under field conditions in order to better assess the risks for orthopaedic health associated with shoeing practices and/or surface conditions. Objective: To measure the acceleration profiles generated in Thoroughbred racehorses exercising at high speeds over dirt racetracks and specifically to evaluate the effect of a toe grab shoe compared to a flat racing plate, using a newly developed wireless data acquisition system (WDAS). Methods: Four Thoroughbred racehorses in training and racing were used. Based on previous trials, e...
Svansson V, Roelse M, Olafsdóttir G, Thorsteinsdóttir L, Torfason EG, Torsteinsdóttir S.Horses are hosts to two types of gammaherpesviruses, equine herpes virus (EHV) 2 and 5. While EHV-2 is ubiquitous in adult horses, EHV-5 has been less frequently described. Due to strong serological cross-reactivity, EHV-2 and -5 cannot be discriminated in broad spectrum antibody tests and are thus commonly referred to as gamma-EHV. Total IgG and IgG subclass response against gamma-EHV were determined in serum from 41 healthy Icelandic horses, thereof 20 adults, 10 foals aged 10 months, and 11 foals aged 1-4 months. Additionally, in 10 of the adult horses, interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleuki...
Suganuma K, Acosta TJ, Valinotti MFR, Sanchez AR, Mossaad E, Elata A, Inoue N.Despite the epidemic situation of animal trypanosomosis caused by Trypanosoma evansi, Trypanosoma equiperdum and Trypanosoma vivax in South American countries, there are no reports for the prevalence of animal trypanosomes in Paraguay. In this study, 408 blood samples were obtained from apparently healthy horses from sixteen departments of Paraguay, for routine medical check-up from August to September 2019, and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based cross-sectional study was carried out to identify trypanosome prevalence. The prevalence of Trypanozoon (T. evansi and T. equiperdum) and T. viv...
Eckert JV, Myer RO, Warren LK, Brendemuhl JH.Mature horses were used to determine apparent DM, OM, NDF, and CP digestibility values of 2 bermudagrass (BG; Cynodon dactylon) hays, Coastal (CB) and Tifton 85 (T85), and Florigraze perennial peanut (PP; Arachis glabrata) hay. In addition, N, Ca, and P balances were determined in horses fed those hays. Five mature Thoroughbred geldings and 1 Quarter Horse gelding (mean initial BW = 542 +/- 37 kg) were used (5 horses for the last period) in a 3 x 3 repeated Latin square design, with 2 horses per hay and 3 adjustment and collection periods. Horses were randomly assigned to pairs and the initial...
Reardon RJ, Boden L, Stirk AJ, Parkin TD.Accurate diagnosis of racing injuries can be difficult. The objectives of this study were to describe the postmortem (PM) defined distribution of fatal distal limb fractures (DLF) affecting Thoroughbreds racing in Great Britain between February 1999 and August 2005 and then assess the accuracy of veterinary racecourse diagnoses and examine whether these improved following introduction of a computerised recording system. PM examinations were performed on limbs distal to radius or tibia from all cases of fatal DLF occurring on British racecourses during the study period. Results of these examina...
Marshall K, Marsella R.Increased antimicrobial resistance highlights the need for alternatives to antibiotics. Bacteriophages, which are benign viruses that kill bacteria, are promising. We studied the efficacy of topical bacteriophages for treating equine staphylococcal superficial pyodermas. Eight isolates were tested against a bacteriophage bank, and a cocktail consisting of two bacteriophages was prepared. Twenty horses with clinical and cytological evidence of superficial pyoderma and confirmed infection based on swabbed culture were enrolled in the study. Each horse received both the bacteriophage cocktail a...
Liu Y, Bailey KE, Dyall-Smith M, Marenda MS, Hardefeldt LY, Browning GF, Gilkerson JR, Billman-Jacobe H.The human and domestic animal faecal microbiota can carry various antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), especially if they have been exposed to antimicrobials. However, little is known about the ARG profile of the faecal microbiota of healthy foals. A high-throughput qPCR array was used to detect ARGs in the faecal microbiota of healthy foals. Objective: To characterise the faecal microbiota and ARG profiles in healthy Australian foals aged less than 1 month. Methods: Observational study. Methods: The faecal microbiota and ARG profiles of 37 Thoroughbred foals with no known gastrointestinal ...
Kwasnik M, Gora IM, Rola J, Zmudzinski JF, Rozek W.The phylogenetic analysis of influenza virus is based mainly on the variable hemagglutinin or neuraminidase genes. However, some discrete evolutionary trends might be revealed when more conservative genes are considered. We compared all available in GenBank database full length NS sequences of equine influenza virus including Polish isolates. Four nucleotides at positions A202, A237, T672 and A714 and three amino acids at positions H59, K71 and S216 which are also present in A/eq/Pulawy/2006 and A/eq/Pulawy/2008 may be discriminating for the Florida sublineage. Threonine at position 83 seems t...
Wall GV, Wright IM, Barnardo C, Erasmus BJ, van Staden V, Potgieter AC.African horse sickness virus (AHSV) non-structural protein NS4 is a nucleocytoplasmic protein that is expressed in the heart, lung, and spleen of infected horses, binds dsDNA, and colocalizes with promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of AHSV NS4 in viral replication, virulence and the host immune response. Using a reverse genetics-derived virulent strain of AHSV-5 and NS4 deletion mutants, we showed that knockdown of NS4 expression has no impact in cell culture, but results in virus attenuation in infected horses. RNA sequencing (RN...
Pozor MA, Sheppard B, Hinrichs K, Kelleman AA, Macpherson ML, Runcan E, Choi YH, Diaw M, Mathews PM.Placental changes associated with SCNT have been described in several species, but little information is available in this area in the horse. We evaluated the ultrasonographic, gross, and histopathological characteristics of placentas from three successful and five unsuccessful equine SCNT pregnancies, established using cells from a single donor horse. Starting at approximately 6-month gestation, the pregnancies were monitored periodically using transrectal (TR) and transabdominal (TA) ultrasonography (US) to examine the placentas, fetal fluids, and fetuses. Of the five mares that aborted, one...
Rubio-Martínez LM, Cruz AM, Gordon K, Hurtig MB.To characterize the microstructure of subchondral bone (SCB) plate and trabecular bone (TBB) of the distopalmar aspect of the condyles of third metacarpal bones (MC3s) from Thoroughbred racehorses at 2 different stages of SCB disease via micro-computed tomography (CT). Methods: 12 pairs of MC3s from Thoroughbred racehorses euthanized for various reasons. Methods: MC3s were collected from horses with mild (n = 6) or severe (6) SCB disease, as determined via micro-CT. Cubic (6 x 6 x 6-cm) specimens of SCB plate and TBB were cut from the palmar aspect of condyles and sagittal ridges and examined ...
Sokół R, Michalski MM.The presence of Hippobosca equina strongly influences the behaviour and health status of horses. The aim of the study was to analyse the invasion dynamics of the forest fly in Polish primitive horses (Equus caballus gmelini) in the Popielno Forest Reserve (northeastern Poland). Observations were carried out from May to September, every two weeks for two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) in five study groups: in 11-12-year-old mares with foals, 6-7-year-old leading stallions, 1.5-year-old fillies, 1.5-year-old colts and 9-10-year-old working geldings. Adult H. equina were counted in the preferr...
Lundström TS, Dahlén GG, Wattle OS.Swedish equine dental practices have empirically found that the prevalence of infundibular caries as a primary disorder in the first permanent premolar teeth (P2) of the horse upper jaw has increased during the last 10 years. A previously unknown bacterial species, Streptococcus devriesei (CCUG 47155T), which is related to Streptococcus mutans, has recently been isolated from these carious lesions. To understand the aetiology of caries in horses, it is essential to elucidate the relationship between S. devriesei and P2 infundibular caries. Methods: The anterior infundibulum of maxillary P2, or...
Diyes GCP, Rajakaruna RS.Otobius megnini infests mainly domesticated and wild animals and occasionally humans. It has been identified as an agent of human and horse otoacariasis in Sri Lanka. The number of nymphal stages in the life cycle of O. megnini varies from one to three in different geographic regions. The present study determined the life cycle of O. megnini infesting the racehorses in Nuwara Eliya. A tick colony was initiated from fully engorged nymphs collected from horses and maintained at 10°C, 22°C and 28°C. Immature stages were reared on New Zealand rabbits. Only the larvae weighing more than 0.9mg (8...
Church ML, Norman JC.The main objective was to record electroretinogram (ERG) parameters of normal thoroughbred mares using the HMsERG, a mini-Ganzfeld electroretinographic unit, and a contact lens electrode. The second objective was to determine whether IV detomidine hydrochloride at 0.015 mg/kg is consistently an effective choice for sedation of horses undergoing this ERG protocol. Methods: The study population consisted of 30 normal thoroughbred mares. ERG data were harvested using a protocol that included three different light intensities (10, 3000, and 10,000 mcd s/m(2)) and a 30-Hz flicker at 3000 mcd s/m(2)...
Bischofberger AS, Tsang AS, Horadagoda N, Dart CM, Perkins NR, Jeffcott LB, Jackson CJ, Dart AJ.To investigate the effect of activated protein C (APC) on second intention healing of distal limb wounds in horses. Methods: In this experimental study of eight Standardbred geldings, six full-thickness skin wounds (2 × 1.5 cm) were created on one metacarpus (biopsy limb) and five similar wounds were created on the contralateral metacarpus (photographed limb). Three wounds on the biopsy limb were treated topically with 190 µg APC on days 1, 3, 6 and 9, while the remaining three wounds were untreated (control). One treated and one control wound were biopsied on days 4, 7 and 11 for hi...
Grillos AS, Roach JM, de Mestre AM, Foote AK, Kinglsey NB, Mienaltowski MJ, Bellone RR.Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome Type 1 (WFFS) is an autosomal recessive disorder reported previously only in warmbloods and thought to be caused by a variant in the gene procollagen-lysine,2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 1 (PLOD1, c.2032G>A, p.Gly678Arg). Given the presentation of this Thoroughbred case, we hypothesised that a similar genetic mechanism caused this phenotype. Objective: To describe the pathological and genetic findings on a foal presenting to a veterinary practice in the UK with skin lesions similar to other Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, including those documented for warmbloods with W...
