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Topic:Veterinary Research
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.
Sex determination in horses – current status and future perspectives. In the equine species, sex determination of the conceptus is of growing interest for the breeding industry. In horses, the sex ratio of the offspring depends on changes in body condition of the mother at conception and under natural conditions may thus markedly deviate from an expected 1:1 ratio. Insemination with sex-sorted spermatozoa allows a pronounced shift of the sex ratio but at present pregnancy rates are low and vary considerably under field conditions. In equine embryo transfer programmes, sex determination in embryos before transfer via genetic methods is a promising approach with h...
Surgical technique and short-term outcome for experimental laparoscopic closure of the epiploic foramen in 6 horses. To describe a laparoscopic technique for, and short-term outcome after, closure of the epiploic foramen (EF) in horses. Methods: Descriptive, experimental study. Methods: Healthy, adult horses (n = 6). Methods: Laparoscopic portals to approach the EF were identified in standing horses. Under laparoscopic observation, the gastropancreatic fold and right lobe of the pancreas were grasped with Babcock forceps and secured to the caudate hepatic lobe using helical titanium coils to obliterate the EF. Surgical procedure time and intra- and postoperative complications were recorded. Serial analys...
Expression of aldo-keto reductase 1C23 in the equine corpus luteum in different luteal phases. Regression of the corpus luteum (CL) is characterized by a decay in progesterone (P4) production (functional luteolysis) and disappearance of luteal tissues (structural luteolysis). In mares, structural luteolysis is thought to be caused by apoptosis of luteal cells, but functional luteolysis is poorly understood. 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20α-HSD) catabolizes P4 into its biologically inactive form, 20α-hydroxyprogesterone (20α-OHP). In mares, aldo-keto reductase (AKR) 1C23, which is a member of the AKR superfamily, has 20α-HSD activity. To clarify whether AKR1C23 is associated wi...
Alterations in sclerostin protein in lesions of equine osteochondrosis. Osteochondrosis (OC) is a common and clinically important joint disease that occurs in many species, including humans, pigs, chickens and horses. It has been described as a focal failure of endochondral ossification (EO), but no cellular/molecular mechanisms are fully described that explain the cause of this condition. Recently a Wnt signalling inhibitor, sclerostin, has been described in osteoarthritic cartilage, where it has been proposed to protect damaged cartilage from degradation. Cartilage degradation is a key event in EO, thus, abnormalities of sclerostin in growth cartilage could, pot...
The utility of low-density genotyping for imputation in the Thoroughbred horse. Despite the dramatic reduction in the cost of high-density genotyping that has occurred over the last decade, it remains one of the limiting factors for obtaining the large datasets required for genomic studies of disease in the horse. In this study, we investigated the potential for low-density genotyping and subsequent imputation to address this problem. Results: Using the haplotype phasing and imputation program, BEAGLE, it is possible to impute genotypes from low- to high-density (50K) in the Thoroughbred horse with reasonable to high accuracy. Analysis of the sources of variation in imput...
The microvasculature in the equine distal phalanx: implications for fracture healing. To describe the intra-osseous microvasculature of the distal phalanx of the equine forelimb with regard to its potential clinical relevance. Methods: Eleven clinically normal equine forelimbs were used from six adult horses (range: 4 to 18 years old) euthanatized for reasons unrelated to lameness. In each limb the median artery was catheterized at the level of the carpus and India ink was injected under constant manual pressure. The limbs were frozen and 5 mm thick sections of the foot were cut in the sagittal, coronal, or transverse planes on a band saw. The sections were fixed in 10% formali...
Evaluation of transabdominal ultrasound as a tool for predicting the success of abdominocentesis in horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the transabdominal ultrasonography as a tool for predicting the success of abdominocentesis in horses. Patients were included in the study if a complete transabdominal ultrasonography examination and abdominocentesis were performed as part of the clinical work-up. Ultrasonographically, the amount of peritoneal fluid was assessed using a 4-point grading system, as well as the amount of peritoneal fluid collected. A χ(2) or Fischer exact test was performed to test for an association between the ultrasonography findings and fluid retrieved, and between the t...
Phylogenetic analysis of Staphylococcus aureus CC398 reveals a sub-lineage epidemiologically associated with infections in horses. In the early 2000s, a particular MRSA clonal complex (CC398) was found mainly in pigs and pig farmers in Europe. Since then, CC398 has been detected among a wide variety of animal species worldwide. We investigated the population structure of CC398 through mutation discovery at 97 genetic housekeeping loci, which are distributed along the CC398 chromosome within 195 CC398 isolates, collected from various countries and host species, including humans. Most of the isolates in this collection were received from collaborating microbiologists, who had preserved them over years. We discovered 96 bi-a...
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase, carbapenemase and AmpC producing Enterobacteriaceae in companion animals. Organisms in the family Enterobactericeae including, Escherichia coli, commonly cause community and hospital-associated infections in both humans and companion animals. The increasing prevalence of infections with organisms producing broad spectrum β-lactamses such as the ESBLs (particularly the CTX-M type), AmpC and carbapenemase enzymes are threatening the future of the β-lactam drugs. While a number of organisms within the Enterobacteriaceae producing these enzymes have been isolated from cats, dogs and horses, E. coli, including isolates indistinguishable from strains found in people, ha...
Prevalence of cutaneous pathological conditions and factors associated with the presence of skin wounds in working equids in tropical regions of Veracruz, Mexico. A wide spectrum of welfare issues is encountered on working equids. The objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the prevalence of cutaneous lesions in working equids in tropical regions of the North-Central of Veracruz State, Mexico, (ii) to identify the most prevalent cutaneous pathological conditions in this population of working equids, and (iii) to identify risk factors associated to the presence of work-related skin wounds. A number of 467 working equids presented for treatment at Donkey Sanctuary Mobile Clinic Program - National Autonomous University of Mexico from seven differen...
Characterization of a mucoid clone of Streptococcus zooepidemicus from an epizootic of equine respiratory disease in New Caledonia. Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (Sz) is a tonsillar and mucosal commensal of healthy horses with the potential to cause opportunistic infections of the distal respiratory tract stressed by virus infection, transportation, training or high temperature. The invasive clone varies from horse to horse with little evidence of lateral transmission in the group. Tonsillar isolates are non-mucoid although primary isolates from opportunist lower respiratory tract infections may initially be mucoid. In this study, a novel stably mucoid Sz (SzNC) from a clonal epizootic of respiratory disease ...
Preliminary pharmacokinetics of morphine and its major metabolites following intravenous administration of four doses to horses. The objective of the current study was to describe the pharmacokinetics of morphine and its metabolites following intravenous administration to the horse. A total of eight horses (two per dose group) received a single intravenous dose of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 mg/kg morphine. Blood samples were collected up to 72 h postdrug administration, analyzed using LC-MS/MS and pharmacokinetic parameters determined. Behavior, step counts, and gastrointestinal activity were also assessed. The beta and gamma half-life for morphine ranged from 0.675 to 2.09 and 6.70 to 18.1 h, respectively, following admini...
Urogenital surgery performed with the mare standing. Many urogenital procedures of the mare are commonly performed with the mare standing. Ovariectomy via colpotomy was described as early as 1903, and the Caslick vulvoplasty was first described in 1937. As knowledge expands and instruments become more specialized, techniques will improve. With the introduction of laparoscopy, clinicians have not only been able to improve the previously described urogenital procedures but also to devise new procedures. This article describes multiple surgeries of the female urogenital tract, all of which can be performed with the mare standing, and describes a va...
In vitro metabolism of testosterone in the horse liver and involvement of equine CYPs 3A89, 3A94 and 3A95. Testosterone (TES) 6-β-hydroxylation is a significant metabolic step in the biotransformation of TES in human liver microsomes and reflects cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4/5 specific metabolic activity. Several CYP3A enzymes have been annotated in the horse genome, but functional characterization is missing. This descriptive study investigates TES metabolism in the horse liver in vitro and the qualitative contribution of three CYP3A isoforms of the horse. Metabolism of TES was investigated by using equine hepatocyte primary cultures and liver microsomes. Chemical inhibitors were used to determine t...
Advancing maternal age predisposes to mitochondrial damage and loss during maturation of equine oocytes in vitro. In many mammalian species, reproductive success decreases with maternal age. One proposed contributor to this age-related decrease in fertility is a reduction in the quantity or functionality of mitochondria in oocytes. This study examined whether maternal age or (in vitro maturation). IVM affect the quantity of mitochondria in equine oocytes. Oocytes were collected from the ovaries of slaughtered mares categorized as young (<12 years) or aged (≥12 years) and either denuded and prepared for analysis immediately (not-IVM) or matured in vitro for 30 hours before preparation (IVM). The m...
Resolving an inflammatory concept: the importance of inflammation and resolution in tendinopathy. Injuries to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in equine athletes, but the healing response is poorly understood. One important drive for the healing of connective tissues is the inflammatory cascade, but the role of inflammation in tendinopathy has been contentious in the literature. This article reviews the processes involved in the healing of tendon injuries in natural disease and experimental models. The importance of inflammatory processes known to be active in tendon disease is discussed with particular focus on recent findings ...
The influence of static magnetic fields on canine and equine mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proliferation rate and morphological changes of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells of canine and equine origin (Eq- and CaAdMSC). Investigated cells were exposed to a static magnetic field (MF) with the intensity of 0.5 T. Proliferation activity of cells was determined with the Alamar Blue assay. Obtained results, normalized in respect to the control culture, showed that EqAdMSC exposed to MF maintained a high proliferation status, whereas proliferation activity of CaAdMSC cultured in the presence of MF was decreased. Estimations of population doub...
Neospora spp. antibodies in horses from two geographical regions of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The aims of this study were to determine occurrences of Neospora spp. IgG antibodies in horses from two geographical regions of the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, and identify risk factors for infection. Analyses were performed on 615 samples using the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT ≥ 1:50). Out of the 615 samples, 25 (4.1%) were positive for Neospora spp. The titers for Neospora spp. were distributed as follows: 1:50 (13), 1:100 (eight), 1:200 (three) and 1:400 (one). Out of the 311 samples taken in the mountain region, eight were positive (2.6%). Among the samples from th...
Evaluation of a single intra-articular injection of autologous protein solution for treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. To evaluate intra-articular autologous protein solution (APS) for the treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. Animals-40 client-owned horses with naturally occuring osteoarthritis. Methods: APS was generated from a dual-device system that concentrated plasma and WBC proteins and enriched platelet growth factors. Horses were randomly assigned to receive an intra-articular injection of 5 mL of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (n = 20) or APS (20), exercised on a treadmill, and evaluated on the basis of lameness grades, kinetic gait analysis, joint circumference, and range of motion for 14 days. Horses...
Genome-wide detection of copy number variations among diverse horse breeds by array CGH. Recent studies have found that copy number variations (CNVs) are widespread in human and animal genomes. CNVs are a significant source of genetic variation, and have been shown to be associated with phenotypic diversity. However, the effect of CNVs on genetic variation in horses is not well understood. In the present study, CNVs in 6 different breeds of mare horses, Mongolia horse, Abaga horse, Hequ horse and Kazakh horse (all plateau breeds) and Debao pony and Thoroughbred, were determined using aCGH. In total, seven hundred CNVs were identified ranging in size from 6.1 Kb to 0.57 Mb across a...
Alternatives to conventional evaluation of rideability in horse performance tests: suitability of rein tension and behavioural parameters. Rideability, i.e. the ease and comfort with which a horse can be ridden, is considered to be one of the most important traits in riding horses. However, at present rideability is evaluated rather subjectively in breeding horse performance tests. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role horse behaviour as well as degree and quality of rein tension might play in judges' evaluation of horses' rideability. Mares (n=33) and stallions (n=13) from two different mare- and one stallion-testing station were observed twice during their performance test dressage training. During these rides, ...
High concentrations of myeloperoxidase in the equine uterus as an indicator of endometritis. Intraluminal fluid and excessive abnormal hyperedema are regularly used for the diagnosis of endometritis in the mare, which is routinely confirmed by the presence of neutrophils on endometrial smears. Studies show a relation between neutrophils and myeloperoxidase (MPO), an enzyme contained in and released by neutrophils during degranulation or after cell lysis. This enzyme has been found in many fluids and tissues, and associated with different inflammatory pathologies in the horse. The aims of this study were to assess the presence and concentration of MPO in the equine uterus, and to inves...
Effects of cyclic equibiaxial mechanical stretch on α-BK and TRPV4 expression in equine chondrocytes. Chondrocytes are regularly exposed to load-induced stimuli and have the capability to sense and respond to applied mechanical stress. However, the mechanisms involved in chondrocyte mechanotransduction are not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of cyclic equibiaxial mechanical stretch on the expression of α-BK and TRPV4 channels. Results: Freshly isolated equine articular chondrocytes were subjected to mechanical stress (8% elongation at frequency of 0.5 Hz for 8 h). Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of BKCa and TRPV4 channel prote...
Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of Lawsonia intracellularis infections. Proliferative enteropathy is an infectious disease caused by an obligate intracellular bacterium, Lawsonia intracellularis, and characterized by thickening of the intestinal epithelium due to enterocyte proliferation. The disease is endemic in swine herds and has been occasionally reported in various other species. Furthermore, outbreaks among foals began to be reported on breeding farms worldwide within the past 5 years. Cell proliferation is directly associated with bacterial infection and replication in the intestinal epithelium. As a result, mild to severe diarrhea is the major clinical si...
[Helminth control in the adult horse: the need for a re-orientation]. The epidemiological situation of strongyle infections in adult horses in Switzerland is characterized by a strong dominance of small strongyles (Cyathostominae) and an overall low level of egg shedding in the faeces. The prevailing attitude towards anthelmintic therapy considers neither husbandry conditions nor pasture hygiene measures. Instead, calendar-based routine medication, comprising usually 3 to 4 annual treatments, is the typical strategy. Such an approach, however, often results in an excessive administration of anthelmintics. With respect to the continuous spread of drug resistant c...
Development of coronal cementum in hypsodont horse cheek teeth. The horse is a grazing herbivore whose cheek teeth are hypsodon; that is, they possess long crowns that are completely covered by coronal cement at eruption. For elucidation of the sequential events in the formation of this coronal cementum in the mandibular horse cheek teeth, in the present study the lower 3rd permanent premolar teeth (PM4 ) from 3.5-, 4-, and 5-year-old horses were compared by using radiography, microcomputed tomography (Miro-CT), light microscopy (LM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The present study clearly showed that prior to coronal cementogenesis tartrate-resi...
Genetic risk factors for insidious equine recurrent uveitis in Appaloosa horses. Appaloosa horses are predisposed to equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), an immune-mediated disease characterized by recurring inflammation of the uveal tract in the eye, which is the leading cause of blindness in horses. Nine genetic markers from the ECA1 region responsible for the spotted coat color of Appaloosa horses, and 13 microsatellites spanning the equine major histocompatibility complex (ELA) on ECA20, were evaluated for association with ERU in a group of 53 Appaloosa ERU cases and 43 healthy Appaloosa controls. Three markers were significantly associated (corrected P-value <0.05): a SNP ...
Comparison of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses of foals and adult horses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Equine neonates have reduced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared to adult horses after administration of killed vaccines. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that newborn foals can mount strong immune responses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Methods: Healthy 4-day-old foals (n=7), 4-month-old foals (n=7) and adult horses (n=6) were vaccinated once with live M. bovis BCG. Age-matched animals (n=5 per group) were used as unvaccinated controls. Relative vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations and whole blood mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and ...
Comparative evaluation of aqueous humor viscosity. To evaluate aqueous humor viscosity in the raptor, dog, cat, and horse, with a primary focus on the barred owl (Strix varia). Methods: Twenty-six raptors, ten dogs, three cats, and one horse. Methods: Animals were euthanized for reasons unrelated to this study. Immediately, after horizontal and vertical corneal dimensions were measured, and anterior chamber paracentesis was performed to quantify anterior chamber volume and obtain aqueous humor samples for viscosity analysis. Dynamic aqueous humor viscosity was measured using a dynamic shear rheometer (AR 1000 TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, US...
