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.
Beck C, Hitchens PL, Whitton RC.Post-mortem studies have shown that fractures involving the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal or fetlock joint are associated with focal areas of microdamage. Identification of computed tomography (CT) features consistent with microdamage and their association with fracture may aid in identification of horses at risk of fracture. Objective: To identify CT features associated with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Post-mortem CT images of 367 limbs from 157 Thoroughbred racehorses were graded for CT features. Multi...
Jacob O, Hause B, Peters-Smith K, Adam EN, Page AE, Floyd C, Tucker C, Eertink LG, Wang D, Li F.Equine sarcoids are the most identified skin tumors of horses, which are highly associated with bovine papillomavirus infection. Sarcoids can impair the use of the horse and are difficult to treat, resulting in significant economic losses and a welfare concern. There is no vaccine available to protect global equines from sarcoids. We aimed to determine the safety and protective antibody response in horses immunized with a recombinant baculovirus vector vaccine expressing the L1 protein of bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1). A group of 10 clinically healthy, sarcoid-free horses were immunized ...
Roustaei A, Masoudifard M, Azari O, Keshipour H, Koohestani O.The effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX), as a sedative drug, on echocardiographic measurements have been investigated in many species but not in horses. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the echocardiographic and clinical effects of two sedative doses of DEX in healthy horses. Six female crossbred horses weighted 250-330 kg underwent echocardiography before and after sedation by intravenous administration of a low dose of 3.5 μg/kg (LD) and a high dose of 7 μg/kg (HD) of DEX. A significant increase (p≤ 0.05) was observed in the diameters of the pulmonary artery and the left atrium measu...
Rosada T, Lis K, Bartuzi Z, Ukleja-Sokołowska N.The domestic horse is the third most common source of animal allergens. Currently, five equine allergens have been classified (Equ c 1, 2, 3, 4, 6). Despite the apparently low exposure to allergens, equine allergy is still of great clinical importance. The aim of the study was to analyze equine allergy based on the results of ImmunoCAP ISAC and Allergy Xplorer ALEX tests. The study was retrospective. A total of 1553 patients were analyzed. Immunological tests were performed using the ImmunoCAP ISAC and Allergy Xplorer ALEX systems. From all the results, those with a positive result for at leas...
Harding C, Viljanto M, Hincks P, Habershon-Butcher J, Paine SW.Omeprazole is a gastric acid secretion inhibitor used as an effective anti-ulcer drug. Based on oral administration studies, its International Screening Limit (ISL) was established in plasma and urine at 1 ng/mL with a Detection Time (DT) of 48 h. A novel formulation of injectable omeprazole has since been released, and therefore, a pharmacokinetic study was performed to assess the DT above the ISL against current advice. Six Thoroughbred horses were given four repeated weekly intramuscular administrations of omeprazole (4 mg/kg). Plasma and urine omeprazole concentrations were measured ...
Wright CA, Lawton K, Barnum S, Craig BW, Farwell BR, Blea J, McCook C, Pusterla N.This study aimed to determine if exercise increases the frequency of selected respiratory viruses/bacteria shedding in non-clinical horses using nose wipes. Nose wipes were taken pre- and post- exercise from 133 healthy horses of various ages and disciplines. Wipes were assayed for the presence of selected common (equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV), EHV-4, S. equi spp equi) and commensal (EHV-2, EHV-5, S. equi spp zooepidemicus) respiratory pathogens. The frequency of detection increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the post-exercise wipes for EHV-1, EHV-2, EHV-5, and S. zooepidemicus. EHV-4 and S. equ...
Dedecker L, Ceriotti S, Mora-Pereira M, Knych HK, Zuber E, Lascola KM.To describe and compare the pulmonary and plasma pharmacokinetics of different oral formulations of chloramphenicol administered as a single dose to healthy adult horses. Unassigned: A single dose of chloramphenicol was administered to 6 healthy, university-owned fasted adult horses IV (25 mg/kg), orally as commercial tablets (50 mg/kg), or orally or intragastrically as compounded suspension (50 mg/kg), according to a randomized crossover protocol. Plasma was collected 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes and 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after drug administration. Bronchoalveolar lavage (B...
Johnston TJ, Stewart AJ, Dryburgh EL, Bertin FR.Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is diagnosed by measuring the ACTH concentrations. Due to the reported instability of ACTH, it is recommended to transfer centrifuged plasma into cryovials; however, in practice, cryovials are infrequently used, and serum (red-top) tubes are used instead. This study investigated whether this procedure affects ACTH concentrations and the diagnosis of PPID. Unassigned: This was a cohort study. Blood was collected into EDTA tubes from 9 horses with PPID and 7 controls. After centrifugation, plasma was either aliquoted into a cryovial or into a serum tu...
Milner PI, Bardell D.Predicting outcome in horses presenting with colic remains challenging. Objective: To test whether arterial blood samples in horses admitted for colic predict outcome to hospital discharge for different colic types. Methods: Arterial blood samples collected on admission from 358 horses undergoing medical or surgical management of colic were evaluated for pH, PaO, PaCO, Na, K, iCa, Cl, HCO (P), HCO (P, set), Base (B), Base (ecf) and anion gap. Categories were small intestinal non-strangulating (SINS) or strangulating (SIS) lesions, large colon non-volvulus (LCNV) or volvulus (LCV), small colo...
While CENP-A is the epigenetic determinant of the centromeric function, the role of CENP-B, a centromeric protein binding a specific DNA sequence, the CENP-B-box, remains elusive. In the few mammalian species analyzed so far, the CENP-B box is contained in the major satellite repeat that is present at all centromeres, with the exception of the Y chromosome. We previously demonstrated that, in the genus Equus, numerous centromeres lack any satellite repeat. Results: In four Equus species, CENP-B is expressed but does not bind the majority of satellite-based centromeres, or the satellite-free on...
Pozor MA, Macpherson ML, Kelleman AA, Smith H, McNaughten JW.This retrospective study aimed to validate the usefulness of spectral Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosing testicular dysfunction in stallions. The first part of the study included a pony stallion with age-related testicular degeneration (18 - 21 yrs. old). Testicular dimensions, spectral Doppler parameters of testicular blood flow, and semen parameters were obtained numerous times from this pony over four consecutive years. While testicular volume decreased dramatically, and the stallion became azoospermic, there were no changes in any of the spectral Doppler parameters of testicular blood f...
Haenni M, Murri S, Drapeau A, Rafidinarivo I, Gilles S, Keck N, Léon A, Sulter A, Tricaud MC, François P, Madec JY.Staphylococcus aureus is an important zoonotic pathogen that has often been seen in animals through the prism of the MRSA clonal complex (CC) 398 in pigs and in-contact humans. The goal of this study was first to assess the prevalence of MRSA, and second to look for MSSA CC398 in cats, dogs and horses in France. Methods: Clinical S. aureus isolates (n = 479) were collected from 186 cats, 143 dogs and 150 horses during 2022-2023 all over the French territory. Antibiograms were performed on all isolates. MRSA and MSSA CC398 isolates were subject to WGS. Core genome (cg) MLST-based and SNP-ba...
Hartwig S, Burron S, Richards T, Rankovic A, Ma DW, Pearson W, Ellis J, Trevizan L, Seymour DJ, Shoveller AK.Camelina sativa is an oilseed crop rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA), an n-3 fatty acid (FA), and is resistant to harsh climates and pests. Previously, supplementation with camelina oil (CAM) in horses had no adverse effects on basic health parameters and had comparable skin and coat parameters as both flaxseed oil (FLX) and canola oil (OLA). Further, the plasma FA profile of horses was reflective of their respective treatment oil. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of dietary CAM supplementation on skin FA profile, immune, and inflammatory responses as compared to two commonl...
Orozco Lopez D, Garcia-Lopez JM, Carpenter R, Bras JJ, Richardson DW, Ortved KF.To describe the outcome of metacarpophalangeal (MCPJ) and proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) arthrodesis using a locking compression-distal femur plate (LCP-DFP) in Thoroughbred racehorses with traumatic disruption of the suspensory apparatus (TDSA) at risk of PIPJ subluxation. Methods: Multicenter retrospective study. Methods: Twenty-six Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Records of Thoroughbred racehorses with TDSA that had undergone MCPJ and PIPJ arthrodesis using an LCP-DFP at three referral hospitals between 2020 and 2024 were reviewed for inclusion. The preoperative data collected incl...
Barnabé A, Delcourt V, Loup B, Montanuy W, Trévisiol S, Popot MA, Garcia P, Bailly-Chouriberry L.Doping control screening analyses usually involve visual inspection of extracted ion chromatograms (EIC) by a trained analytical chemist, followed by further investigations if needed. This task is both highly repetitive and time-consuming, given the hundreds of compounds and metabolites to be screened in tens of thousands of samples per year. With the recent widespread adoption of machine learning in analytical chemistry and the training of high-performance convolutional neural networks (CNN), these operations can be automated with high accuracy and throughput. Applying this technology to dopi...
Talib MT, Nasir A, Kashif M, Rahman A, Rehman AU, Akbar H, Nadeem A, Howe DK, Azam MN.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-Neospora (N.) caninum and anti-N. hughesi antibodies in horses and to appraise the associated risk factors in the two central districts (Jhang and Toba Tek Singh) of Punjab Province, Pakistan. A total of 300 horse sera were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to Neospora spp. using a competitive ELISA. The overall prevalence of antibodies against Neospora species in horses was 25 % (75/300; 95 % CI 20.1-29.9). The prevalence of antibodies to N. caninum and N. hughesi species was 12.3 % (37/300; 95 % CI 8.6-16) and 19.3 % (5...
Harbowy RM, Nielsen BD, Colbath AC, Robison CI, Buskirk DD, Logan AA.Though circular exercise is commonly used in equestrian disciplines, it may be at the detriment of horses' musculoskeletal system. To investigate the effects of circular exercise on bone and joint health, 42 lambs were randomly assigned to a non-exercised control, straight-line, small circle, or large circle exercise regime at a slow (1.3 m/s) or fast (2.0 m/s) speed for 12 wk. Blood samples were taken biweekly. Animals were humanely euthanized upon study completion, and the fused third and fourth metacarpals were collected for biomechanical testing and bone density analysis. Fast groups were ...
Ulaangerel T, Mu S, Sodyelalt J, Yi M, Zhao B, Hao A, Wen X, Han B, Bou G.The success or failure of embryo fixation is crucial for embryo attachment and later development. As an epithelial chorioallantoic placenta-type animal, the horse has a special process of embryo implantation, and the mechanism of embryo fixation in horses is still unclear. Methods: In this study, the structural and transcriptomic characteristics of endometrial tissue from the fixed and nonfixed sides of 20-day gestation embryos in Mongolian horses were investigated to search for important genes and potential molecular markers associated with the fixation phase of equine embryos. Results: A com...
Attia MM, Omar HM.This study aimed to collect data on the most common parasites of the family equidae which is spp. During this study we focused on the prevalence rate in the world; the distribution of the six known species: life cycle and the pathogenesis of the larvae inside the hosts were investigated around the world. Molecular as well as serological diagnoses were analyzed. Possible treatment strategies which were fully studied; are also, included. () and larvae are the main present larvae in equine; other species, such as , , and may be present. Although the female flies' egg-laying behavior can annoy...
O'Connell E, Dyson S, McLean A, McGreevy P.Euphemisms, anthropomorphisms, and equivocation are established characteristics of traditional equestrian language. 'Evasion', 'resistance', and 'disobedience' are common labels assigned to unwelcome equine behaviours, implying that the horse is at fault for not complying with the human's cues and expectations. These terms appear to overlook multiple motivations that may directly result in the horse offering unwelcome responses, which may then inadvertently be reinforced. This article revisits some of the anthropocentric inferences in these terms and explores the harmful consequences of such c...
Płoneczka-Janeczko K, Armstrong E, Siemieniuch-Tartanus M, Magdziarz M.The aim of the study was to explore and characterise healthy foals' eye microbiomes in the first two months of life. Unassigned: Conjunctival swabs were collected three times, not later than 12 h after delivery and again at the end of the first and the second months of life from six clinically healthy foals of the Polish Konik breed. The average interval between the first and second samplings was 33.3 days and between the second and third was 35.6 days. Next-generation sequencing performed on a MiSeq sequencer in paired-end technology was used to analyse the composition of the conjunctival mic...
Kozak S, Merda D, Chesnais V, Breuil MF, Harrison M, Zdovc I, Golob M, Petry S, Duquesne F.Taylorella equigenitalis is the causative agent of contagious equine metritis, an internationally regulated sexually-transmitted infection in horses, which is of great concern as it usually results in temporary infertility. Taylorella asinigenitalis, the second member of the genus, is mainly found in donkeys and is considered non-pathogenic, although a first natural outbreak was reported in 2019 in the United Arab Emirates. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is currently used to study the epidemiology of Taylorella spp. but, while highly transposable and reproducible, it only focuses on < 0.5...
Boger BL, Kinsley MA, Yob CJ, Knott LE, Manfredi JM.To determine if equine platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) and, if so, to quantify the amount of Dkk-1 in bovine thrombin (BT)-activated PRP and a control platelet lysate created using a freeze-thaw (FT) method. Unassigned: 10 adult horses were used in this experimental study. Blood was collected and processed in November 2019 and stored at -80 °C until the ELISAs were performed in October of 2023. Blood was collected from each horse, and PRP was created using a commercially available kit. Known concentrations of platelets were activated using BT or by an FT cycle to create...
Barot D, Usimaki A, Linardi RL, Arensberg CM, Ortved KF.Quantify the concentration of α2-macroglobulin (A2M), immunomodulatory cytokines, and TGF-β1 factors in 4 commercially available autologous blood-based products including conditioned A2M (CA2M; Alpha2EQ; Astaria Global), autologous protein solution (APS; Pro-Stride; Zoetis), platelet-rich plasma (PRP; Restigen; Zoetis), and autologous conditioned plasma (ACP; Arthrex ACP). We hypothesized that CA2M would have higher concentrations of A2M and lower concentrations of cytokines and growth factors compared to APS, PRP, and ACP. Unassigned: Blood was obtained from 6 healthy, adult horses and proc...
Lindqvist A, Nyman G, Rydén A, Wattle O.This study aimed to assess and compare the recovery of ponies and horses following general anesthesia in two different settings: a recovery box with an inflexible, adjustable ceiling, and free recovery without restraints. Our primary objective was to evaluate the effect of adjustable ceilings on the prevention of premature attempts to rise during recovery. The secondary aim was to compare the physiological stress indicators during recovery. Methods: Prospective, randomized, experimental study. Methods: Six healthy ponies and 10 healthy horses. Methods: This study used a crossover design with t...
Heath HD, Peng S, Szmatola T, Ryan S, Bellone RR, Kalbfleisch T, Petersen JL, Finno CJ.Allele-specific expression (ASE) analysis provides a nuanced view of cis-regulatory mechanisms affecting gene expression. Results: An equine ASE analysis was performed, using integrated Iso-seq and short-read RNA sequencing data from four healthy Thoroughbreds (2 mares and 2 stallions) across 9 tissues from the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes (FAANG) project. Allele expression was quantified by haplotypes from long-read data, with 42,900 allele expression events compared. Within these events, 635 (1.48%) demonstrated ASE, with liver tissue containing the highest proportion. Genetic var...
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...
van Loon JPAM, Trindade PHE, da Silva GV, Keus J, Huberts C, de Grauw JC, Lanci A.Pain assessment based on facial expressions has been described in foals. Objective: To extend previous pilot findings of the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain in Foals (EQUUS-FAP FOAL). Methods: Prospective blinded case-control study (known groups analysis). Methods: Video recordings (30-60 s) of n = 100 foals (38 patients and 62 controls) were collected. Videos were randomised and scored by two observers, blinded for the condition of the animals. Inter- and intra-observer agreement was tested by Intra Class Correlation (ICC) analysis. Differences between pati...
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 ...
Kunz IGZ, Reed KJ, Metcalf JL, Hassel DM, Coleman RJ, Hess TM, Coleman SJ.The gastrointestinal microbiota (GIM) plays an essential role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis with disruptions having profound effects on the wellbeing of the host animal. Parasitic infection is a long-standing issue for the equine industry, and the use of anthelmintic drugs for parasite control has long been standard practice. The impact of anthelmintic treatment on the GIM in healthy horses is not well known. This study evaluated the hypothesis that anthelmintic administration will alter the equine fecal microbiota in horses without an observed helminth infection. Ten horses were treat...
Henson FM, Bowe EA, Davies ME.To identify the effect of fibroblastic growth factor-2 (FGF-2) on the intrinsic damage-repair response in articular cartilage in vitro. Methods: Articular equine cartilage explants, without subchondral bone, had a single impact load of 500 g applied from a height of 2.5 cm. Explants were then cultured in 0, 12, 25, 50 or 100 ng/ml FGF-2 for up to 28 days. Unimpacted discs served as controls for each time-point. Histological and immunohistochemical techniques were used to quantify and characterise the response of putative chondrocyte progenitor cells (CPC) to damage and FGF-2 treatment. Results...
Reuss SM, Chaffin MK, Cohen ND.To describe frequency, types, and clinical outcomes of extrapulmonary disorders (EPDs) in foals in which Rhodococcus equi infection was diagnosed, and to identify factors determined at the time of admission that differentiated foals that developed EPDs from foals with R equi infection identified only in the lungs. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 150 foals aged 3 weeks to 6 months with a diagnosis of R equi infection. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for information on date of admission, signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic testing, treatment, duration of hospitali...
García-Carrasco JM, Muñoz AR, Olivero J, Segura M, Real R.West Nile virus is a widely spread arthropod-born virus, which has mosquitoes as vectors and birds as reservoirs. Humans, as dead-end hosts of the virus, may suffer West Nile Fever (WNF), which sometimes leads to death. In Europe, the first large-scale epidemic of WNF occurred in 1996 in Romania. Since then, human cases have increased in the continent, where the highest number of cases occurred in 2018. Using the location of WNF cases in 2017 and favorability models, we developed two risk models, one environmental and the other spatio-environmental, and tested their capacity to predict in 2018...
Zerbe H, Schuberth HJ, Engelke F, Frank J, Klug E, Leibold W.In order to investigate pathogenic mechanisms of acute endometritis in cows and mares, we established an in vivo model in both species. Based on the results of an in vitro transmigration system, human recombinant interleukin-8 (rhIL-8; 1.25 microg per mare and 5 microg per cow in 50 ml phosphate-buffered saline) was used to attract polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes (PMNs) into the uteri. Peak numbers of uterine neutrophils were attracted after 6h, in both cows and mares. On average, mares responded more sensitively than cows, with 15 times higher numbers of rhIL-8-attracted uterine neu...
Cheung WK, Working DM, Galuppo LD, Leach JK.Adipose stromal cells (ASC) are a promising alternative to progenitor cells from other tissue compartments because of their multipotential and capacity to retrieve significantly more progenitor cells. Initial cell samples are heterogeneous, containing a collection of cells that may contribute to tissue repair, but the sample becomes more homogeneous with each passage. Therefore, we hypothesized that the osteogenic potential of culture-expanded ASC would differ from uncultured ASC. Methods: Adipose tissue was collected from a yearling colt, and ASC were isolated and expanded using standard prot...
Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Norrdin RW, Park RD, James SP.Subchondral bone plays a role in the pathogenesis of osteochondral damage and osteoarthritis in horses and humans. Osteochondral fragmentation and fracture, subchondral bone necrosis and osteoarthritis are common diseases in athletic horses, and subchondral bone is now thought to play an integral role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. There have been numerous research efforts focused on articular cartilage damage and its pathogenesis, yet comparatively little effort focused on subchondral bone pathology or the coordinated disease states of the osteochondral tissues. The purpose of this re...
Salazar P, Traub-Dargatz JL, Morley PS, Wilmot DD, Steffen DJ, Cunningham WE, Salman MD.To determine outcome of equids in the western United States with clinical signs of West Nile virus (WNV) infection and identify factors associated with risk of death in infected equids. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 484 equids in Nebraska and Colorado. Methods: Owners of 484 equids with laboratory-confirmed West Nile virus infection in Nebraska and Colorado were contacted by telephone, and a questionnaire was used to obtain information on signalment, management, clinical signs, date of disease onset, duration of disease, WNV vaccination status, and health status at the time of the i...
Bruhn O, Grötzinger J, Cascorbi I, Jung S.Antimicrobial peptides play a pivotal role as key effectors of the innate immune system in plants and animals and act as endogenous antibiotics. The molecules exhibit an antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotic pathogens with different specificities and potencies depending on the structure and amino-acid composition of the peptides. Several antimicrobial peptides were comprehensively investigated in the last three decades and some molecules with remarkable antimicrobial properties have reached the third phase of clinical studies. Next to the peptides themselves, numerou...
Sherman AB, Gilger BC, Berglund AK, Schnabel LV.We aimed to determine and compare the in vitro effects of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and mesenchymal stem cell supernatant (MSC-Sp) on the wound healing capacity of equine corneal fibroblasts using a scratch assay. Bone marrow aspirates and eyes were collected from normal, euthanized horses with subsequent isolation and culture of BM-MSCs and corneal stromal cells. Corneal stromal cells were culture-expanded in the culture well of transwell plates and then treated with an autologous BM-MSC suspension (dose: 2.5 × 105/100 μL media with the BM-MSCs con...
Allen WR, Stewart F.A tough, elastic glycoprotein capsule envelops the equine blastocyst between Days 6 and 23 after ovulation. It maintains the spherical configuration of, and provides physical support for, the embryo as it traverses the entire uterine lumen during Days 6-17, propelled by myometrial contractions that are stimulated by pulsatile release of prostaglandin F2alpha and prostaglandin E2. The capsule also accumulates constituents of the exocrine secretions of the endometrial glands ('uterine milk') as nutrients for the mobile embryo as it releases its antiluteolytic maternal recognition-of-pregnancy si...
Apostolakos I, Franz E, van Hoek AHAM, Florijn A, Veenman C, Sloet-van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Dierikx C, van Duijkeren E.To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of ESBL/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in faecal samples from horses at one equine clinic in the Netherlands. A total of 91 horses, including residents and patients, were sampled. ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli were identified by a combination disc diffusion test. Phylogenetic groups and MLST were determined. ESBL/AmpC genes were analysed using PCR and sequencing. Plasmids were characterized by transformation and PCR-based replicon typing. Subtyping of plasmids was done by plasmid MLST. At least one E. coli isolate with a confirmed ESBL/AmpC gene...
Cook CR.Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a rapidly growing field within veterinary medicine. Ultrasound for musculoskeletal disorders has been commonly used in equine and human medicine and is becoming more commonly performed in small animal patients due to the increase in the recognition of soft tissue injuries. Ultrasound is widely available, cost-effective, but technically difficult to learn. Advantages of musculoskeletal ultrasound are the opposite limb is commonly used for comparison to evaluate symmetry of the tendinous structures and the ease of repeat examinations to assess healing. The article d...
Tinker MK, White NA, Lessard P, Thatcher CD, Pelzer KD, Davis B, Carmel DK.A 1 year prospective study was conducted on 31 horse farms to identify risk factors for equine colic. Farms were randomly selected from a list from 2 adjacent counties of Virginia and Maryland, USA. The association between colic and farm or individual horse risk factors related to management, housing, pasture, use, nutrition, health and events was first examined by univariate statistical analysis. Individually significant (P < = 0.25 for farm factors, P < = 0.10 for horse factors) variables were used in a stepwise multivariable forward logistic regression to select explanatory factors (P < = 0...
Gallardo Bolaños JM, Miró Morán Á, Balao da Silva CM, Morillo Rodríguez A, Plaza Dávila M, Aparicio IM, Tapia JA, Ortega Ferrusola C, Peña FJ.Apoptosis has been recognized as a cause of sperm death during cryopreservation and a cause of infertility in humans, however there is no data on its role in sperm death during conservation in refrigeration; autophagy has not been described to date in mature sperm. We investigated the role of apoptosis and autophagy during cooled storage of stallion spermatozoa. Samples from seven stallions were split; half of the ejaculate was processed by single layer centrifugation, while the other half was extended unprocessed, and stored at 5°C for five days. During the time of storage, sperm motility (C...
Horohov DW.The modern horse, Equus caballus has historically made important contributions to the field of immunology, dating back to Emil von Behring's description of curative antibodies in equine serum over a century ago. While the horse continues to play an important role in human serotherapy, the mouse has replaced the horse as the predominant experimental animal in immunology research. Nevertheless, continuing efforts have led to an improved understanding of the equine immune response in a variety of infectious and non-infectious diseases. Based on this information, we can begin to identify specific ...
Payne SL, Salinovich O, Nauman SM, Issel CJ, Montelaro RC.Comparisons of peptide and oligonucleotide maps of glycoproteins and RNA from nine isolates of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) that were generated during parallel infections of two Shetland ponies revealed that each isolate was structurally unique. Each EIAV isolate contained a unique subset of variant peptides, oligonucleotides, or both, indicating that structural variation in EIAV is a random and noncumulative process and that a large spectrum of possible EIAV variants can be generated in infected animals.
Pusterla N, Hussey GS.Equine myeloencephalopathy (EHM), an uncommon manifestation of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) infection, can cause devastating losses on individual farms, boarding stables, veterinary hospitals, and show and racing venues. An improved understanding of EHM has emerged from experimental studies and from data collected during field outbreaks at riding schools, racetracks, horse shows, and veterinary hospitals throughout North America and Europe. These outbreaks have highlighted the contagious nature of EHV-1 and have prompted a reevaluation of diagnostic procedures, treatment modalities, preventati...
Scoles GA, Hutcheson HJ, Schlater JL, Hennager SG, Pelzel AM, Knowles DP.We report an outbreak of equine piroplasmosis in southern Texas, USA, in 2009. Infection prevalence reached 100% in some areas (292 infected horses). Amblyomma cajennense was the predominant tick and experimentally transmitted Theileria equi to an uninfected horse. We suggest that transmission by this tick species played a role in this outbreak.
Landman MA, de Blaauw JA, van Weeren PR, Hofland LJ.A population of 805 horses (70 per cent dressage, 20 per cent show jumpers and 10 per cent trotters) with orthopaedic problems was examined for signs of lameness and back problems, irrespective of their original complaints. In the horses with a back problem the prevalence of lameness was 74 per cent, and back problems were diagnosed in 32 per cent of the lame horses. These percentages were significantly higher than those recorded in a control population of 399 horses, of which 20 per cent were lame and 12 per cent had back problems. In the group of horses with orthopaedic problems there was a ...
Hackett ES, McCue PM.Glucose assessment and regulation are important factors in the treatment of hospitalized horses and foals. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare glucose measurement by a veterinary glucometer, adjusted by code for use in horses and foals, to a reference chemistry analyzer. It was hypothesized that the veterinary glucometer and reference analyzer would yield similar results and that interpretation of glucose values obtained from a veterinary glucometer would result in clinically appropriate decisions. Methods: Fifty blood samples from adult horses and 50 blood samples from neonata...
Weiss M, Horzinek MC.In equine dermis cells infected with Berne virus particles were first detected 10 h after infection. Virions were encountered in all parts of the Golgi system and, infrequently, in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. A unique form of budding of preassembled rigid tubular nucleocapsids was demonstrated. Masses of tubular nucleocapsids of a lesser diameter and electron density were prominent in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of infected cells. Within the Golgi system and cytoplasmic cisternae virions appeared as straight or slightly curved rods. Extremely long, aberrant virions (250 nm) were occasio...
Scase T, Brandt S, Kainzbauer C, Sykora S, Bijmholt S, Hughes K, Sharpe S, Foote A.The aetiology of genital squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in horses remains unknown, but the similarity to the disease in man, for which papillomavirus infection has been shown to be a causal factor, requires to be investigated in horses. Objective: One or more novel papillomaviruses cause equine genital SCC and its associated premalignant lesions. Methods: DNA was extracted from samples of equine genital SCC and performed rolling circle amplification, in order to identify closed circular DNA viral genomes within the samples. The amplified DNA was subcloned and sequenced and the DNA sequence comp...
McFarlane D, Dybdal N, Donaldson MT, Miller L, Cribb AE.Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a spontaneously occurring progressive disease affecting aged horses and ponies. The pathogenesis of PPID is poorly understood, but the available evidence supports a loss of dopaminergic inhibition of the melanotropes of the pars intermedia. Horses with PPID have increased plasma concentrations of pars intermedia pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides that decrease in response to dopamine or dopamine agonist administration. Dopamine and dopamine metabolite concentrations are decreased in the pars intermedia of affected horses compared to age...
Copas VE, Durham AE.Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a common endocrinopathy, frequently diagnosed via plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations. Seasonal variation in plasma ACTH concentrations has been described in normal horses prompting caution in diagnosing PPID at certain times of the year. The aims of this study were to determine appropriate reference intervals for equine plasma ACTH throughout the year; and to examine the circannual variation of plasma ACTH concentrations in PPID cases. Objective: Plasma ACTH can be used as a test for PPID throughout the year with the use of ...
Martin BB, Reef VB, Parente EJ, Sage AD.To determine results for horses undergoing a high-speed treadmill examination, including videoendoscopy of the pharynx and larynx before and during exercise, echocardiography before and after exercise, and electrocardiography before, during, and after exercise, because of poor performance. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 348 horses. Results: A definitive diagnosis was obtained for 256 (73.5%) horses. One hundred forty-eight horses had dynamic obstruction of the airway during exercise, 33 had clinically important cardiac arrhythmias alone, 22 had a combination of dynamic airway obstructi...
Raza A, Qamar AG, Hayat K, Ashraf S, Williams AR.Control of equine nematodes has relied on benzimidazoles (BZs), tetrahydropyrimidines and macrocyclic lactones. The intensive use of anthelmintics has led to the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in equine cyathostomins and Parascaris equorum. Field studies indicate that BZ and pyrantel resistance is widespread in cyathostomins and there are also increasing reports of resistance to macrocyclic lactones in cyathostomins and P. equorum. The unavailability of reliable laboratory-based techniques for detecting resistance further augments the problem of nematode control in horses. The onl...
McGivney BA, Eivers SS, MacHugh DE, MacLeod JN, O'Gorman GM, Park SD, Katz LM, Hill EW.Selection for exercise-adapted phenotypes in the Thoroughbred racehorse has provided a valuable model system to understand molecular responses to exercise in skeletal muscle. Exercise stimulates immediate early molecular responses as well as delayed responses during recovery, resulting in a return to homeostasis and enabling long term adaptation. Global mRNA expression during the immediate-response period has not previously been reported in skeletal muscle following exercise in any species. Also, global gene expression changes in equine skeletal muscle following exercise have not been reported...
Bhoora R, Quan M, Franssen L, Butler CM, van der Kolk JH, Guthrie AJ, Zweygarth E, Jongejan F, Collins NE.A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay using a TaqMan minor groove binder (MGB) probe was developed for the detection of Babesia caballi infection in equids from South Africa. Nine previously published sequences of the V4 hypervariable region of the B. caballi 18S rRNA gene were used to design primers and probes to target unique, conserved regions. The B. caballi TaqMan MGB qPCR assay was shown to be efficient and specific. The detection limit, defined as the concentration at which 95% of positive samples can be detected, was determined to be 0.000114% parasitized eryt...
