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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.
Identification of a Novel Slow-Gray STX17 Lineage in Japanese Thoroughbreds via a Multi-tiered Copy Number Analysis Workflow. Gray is a dominant coat color phenotype in horses caused by a ~ 4.6 kb tandem triplication within intron 6 of syntaxin 17 (STX17). The copy number variation (CNV) of the duplicated segment influences the graying rate. The rare G2 allele (CNV = 2) is associated with a slower graying rate compared to the common G3 allele (CNV = 3) and is also relevant to melanoma risk. Current assays are limited because long and accurate PCR (LA-PCR) detects only the presence or absence of duplications, while droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) cannot reliably distinguish certain genotypes such as G3/g and ...
Sperm Energy-restriction and Recovery (SER) enhances equine sperm function and embryo development after ICSI. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are extensively used in domestic animal reproduction; however, improving their efficiency and consistency remains a major challenge for achieving reliable reproductive outcomes. The equine industry faces unique challenges related to sperm capacitation, which limited the success of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) for many years. Consequently, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) became the most widely used technique for commercial in vitro embryo production. Even though a successful IVF protocol was recently developed, substantial opportunit...
Preliminary investigation of ghrelin in horses and ponies: receptor expression and associations with prandial state, morphometry and signalment. The hormone ghrelin has had limited attention in Equidae, despite connections with appetite and metabolic health in other species. Ghrelin influences hunger and food intake, energy expenditure and storage, glucose metabolism, and thermoregulation, through its receptor-mediated effects on tissues and via interaction with other hormones. There are two circulating forms, acylated and des-acylated ghrelin, considered to have distinct effects on metabolism in other species. The aims of this study were to confirm the presence of ghrelin receptors in equine tissues, to validate an assay for the measu...
Hair steroid hormones concentrations in jennies and their donkey foals from parturition to 6 months postpartum. The period after parturition/birth represents a delicate time for the dam and the offspring, during which several physiologic changes occur under finely tuned hormonal control, with the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis playing a key role. This period, well studied in horses, received little attention in donkeys, despite the importance of species-specific knowledge for population preservation programs in many endangered donkey breeds. The present study aimed to investigate cortisol (C), DHEA(S), 17-β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), and allopregnanolone (AlloP) ha...
A new single-antigen serological test accurately detects horses infected with Streptococcus equi subsp equi. To develop an accurate serological test for detecting horses infected with Streptococcus equi subsp equi (SEE). Unassigned: The study was designed as a prospective experiment. First, 89 proteins either expressed on the surface or secreted by SEE were cloned, expressed in a cell-free culture system, and printed onto a microarray. Microarrays were probed with serum from 30 horses with strangles, 30 horses with no history of infection or immunization against SEE, and 18 horses infected with Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus (SEZ); serum samples were collected between 2020 and 2021 from Texas...
Activity type, sex, season, and number of prior starts are associated with proximal sesamoid bone fractures in Thoroughbred racehorses in South Korea. To identify risk factors associated with proximal sesamoid bone fractures in Thoroughbreds in South Korea. Unassigned: A retrospective case-control design with multivariable logistic regression was used. This study included 138 Thoroughbreds diagnosed with proximal sesamoid bone fractures following racetrack activity between 2020 and 2025. Additionally, 580 healthy Thoroughbreds (635 observations) with at least 1 racetrack activity during the same period were included as controls. Unassigned: A total of 7 risk factors were identified. Races or trials had markedly higher fracture risk than race...
Gastroscopic Evaluation of Gastric Mucosa in Horses Treated With Flunixin Meglumine or High-Dose Firocoxib: A Descriptive Pilot Study. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is common in horses, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a known risk factor for gastrointestinal ulceration. Although COX-2 selective NSAIDs such as firocoxib theoretically offer a better safety profile, endoscopic evidence for their mucosal safety at high off-label doses is lacking. Objective: To compare the effects of label-dose flunixin meglumine and high-dose firocoxib on the gastric mucosa of a small selected group of horses using serial gastroscopy and histopathology in a descriptive pilot study. Methods: Twenty mixed-breed horses w...
Agreement of a veterinary-specific oscillometric noninvasive arterial blood pressure monitor (SunTech Vet30) with invasive arterial blood pressure in anaesthetised horses. To evaluate agreement between a veterinary-specific oscillometric noninvasive arterial blood pressure monitor and invasive arterial blood pressure (IBP) measurements in anaesthetised horses. Methods: Prospective clinical method-comparison study. Methods: A group of 46 horses undergoing general anaesthesia in dorsal recumbency. Methods: Paired invasive and oscillometric blood pressure measurements were recorded at 15-minute intervals. IBP was measured via a facial artery catheter, and systolic (SAP), diastolic (DAP), and mean arterial pressures (MAP) were recorded. Oscillometric measurements we...
Genes Associated With Fracture Risk in Thoroughbred Horses Have Novel Roles in Osteogenesis. Bone fractures in Thoroughbred racehorses are a major welfare problem. Genetic factors contribute to fracture risk. Cell models have previously identified 112 differentially expressed genes in bone-forming osteoblasts derived from horses at high and low genetic risk of fracture. However, 42 of these genes have no published role in bone. In this study, we identified novel roles for a subset of these genes in bone formation. Twenty-six of the 42 genes were expressed in Saos2 cells during basal culture and/or after 21 days of osteogenic culture. Five of these genes (ADSSL1, CABP1, ENO2, SPARCL1...
Synovial fluid oxidative stress index as a biomarker for arthritis severity in thoroughbred racehorses. Arthritis is a major cause of lameness in racehorses. Even when lameness improves, it may recur after training resumes, making it difficult to determine the disease state and when to end treatment. This retrospective observational study examined whether oxidative stress in synovial fluid could assess arthritis status in racehorses. Synovial fluid samples obtained during routine clinical practice from horses with arthritis and control samples obtained from horses without clinical or radiographic evidence of carpal joint disease were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 72 Thoroughbreds in Japan...
Genomic diversity and historical legacy of Baroque horses: a living cultural heritage. Baroque horses represent a distinctive group of breeds that emerged mainly between the 16th and 18th centuries, shaped by the demands of European royalty and their courts. Although recognised as separate breeds, they share common ancestry, breeding goals, and historical gene flow. This study aimed to evaluate their genomic diversity, population structure, and admixture patterns. We analysed 1 160 individuals from eight breeds - Lipizzan, Old Kladruby Horse, Pura Raza Española, Lusitano, Friesian, Criollo, Peruvian Paso, and Puerto Rican Paso Fino - using 34 026 single-nucleotide polymorphis...
Detection of ionisable lipids in equine plasma by supported liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry for doping control of mRNA agents. Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) has emerged as a new class of therapeutic agent with unprecedented potential. In particular, the lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mRNA formulations enabled safe and effective delivery of mRNA in vivo, leading to the success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. To control the potential misuse of LNP-mRNA agents in equine sports, a simple and sensitive method has been developed for the detection of ionisable lipids in equine plasma using supported liquid extraction (SLE) followed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. To overcome th...
Antibiofilm action of ozonated sunflower oil against bacteria isolated from the uterus of mares susceptible to endometritis. This study aimed to characterize the antibiofilm action of ozone-enriched sunflower oil (O) against pathogens associated with endometritis in mares. Initially, samples from 41 mares with a history of subfertility were stored in BHI broth and 0.9% NaCl solution. The samples underwent microbial culture, identification, and sensitivity testing at LABRAPE-UFRPE, Brazil. Biofilm production was evaluated by the crystal violet method. Subsequently, biofilm-forming bacteria were subjected to the action of different concentrations of ozonated sunflower oil. Of the 21 isolates tested for biofilm produc...
USE OF GUAIFENESIN-KETAMINE-XYLAZINE INFUSION FOR MAINTENANCE OF ANESTHESIA IN CAPTIVE PREZEWALSKI HORSES (EQUUS FERUS PRZEWALSKI ): A CASE SERIES. This case series documents the use of triple drip, a combination of IV guaifenesin, ketamine, and xylazine (GKX) to extend the length of anesthesia in zoo-owned Przewalski horses (). In three separate procedures involving two different animals, GKX was used to prolong and deepen the plane of anesthesia for 90 to 120 min beyond an initial induction dart containing ketamine, butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine. The depth of anesthesia was sufficient to permit surgical excision of SC abscesses and other procedures. Throughout the anesthetic events, the horses breathed spontaneously and maint...
Rapid bacterial community profiling of equine faecal, skin, milk and saliva samples using Oxford Nanopore long-read 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The composition of the equine gut microbiome is associated with many aspects of gastrointestinal, respiratory and musculoskeletal health that have been reported in the horse. Scientific studies exploring the microbiome non-intestinal ecological niches in or on horses are lacking. The clinical use of bacterial community profiling in horses is currently limited by cost and by slow analytical workflows. Most equine microbiome studies have relied on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of bacterial DNA, using high-throughput short-read sequencing technologies. This is often provided by an external servic...
Circulating microRNAs as potential predictive biomarkers of equine metabolic syndrome. Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a complex endocrine disorder characterized by insulin dysregulation (ID), and an increased risk of developing laminitis, often accompanied by generalized or regional adiposity. Despite growing awareness of EMS, early and accurate diagnosis remains challenging. In this pilot study, we investigated changes in the levels of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in plasma samples from horses diagnosed with EMS (n=13), compared to overweight/obese (OW/OB) non-ID horses (n=16) and healthy controls (n=16). Using a targeted OpenArray, followed by a Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's...
Administration Study of Bedinvetmab, an Antinerve Growth Factor Monoclonal Antibody, in Horses for Doping Control Purposes. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) represent a novel therapeutic approach for managing acute and chronic pain in humans and animals. However, their potential misuse as pain-masking agents in competitive equine sports raises significant welfare and integrity concerns. To enhance understanding of the elimination profile of anti-NGF mAb if misused in horses, this study describes the first administration of bedinvetmab (a canine anti-NGF mAb) in three geldings, establishing its plasma elimination profile following subcutaneous administration. Bedinvetmab plasma concen...
Tick-borne bacterial and protozoal pathogens in horses in Austria – A cross-sectional study on current and past infections and potential risk factors. Tick-borne bacterial and protozoal pathogens are a major threat to equine health worldwide. In Austria, studies on pathogens such as piroplasms, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia spp. in horses are scarce and do not cover the countrywide horse population. To address this, blood samples from horses without prior record of infection with tick-borne pathogens (n = 588) were tested for the presence of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi or A. phagocytophilum DNA by PCR and for specific antibodies against these pathogens and Borrelia burgdorferi with commercially available assays. While no DNA of ...
Thoroughbred horses susceptible to Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis have elevated skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacities. Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis (RER) is a skeletal muscle disease that can intermittently impede careers of equine athletes. Manifesting as episodes of muscular stiffness and degeneration, RER causes lost training and competition days. RER is associated with abnormal intracellular calcium (Ca) regulation. Calcium released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to initiate contraction may also be transported into mitochondria, which impacts energy production. RER-susceptible horses exhibit down-regulated mitochondrial proteins but upregulated mitochondrial genes. Thus, mitochondrial function may ...
Cutaneous Equine Sarcoidosis: A Case Series and Investigation Into a Potential Association With Equine Gammaherpesviruses-2 and -5 in 30 Equids. Gammaherpesviruses have been associated with granulomatous inflammation in the skin of various species. Equine sarcoidosis (idiopathic granulomatous disease) can cause granulomatous dermatitis, and its cause remains unknown. Objective: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the possible association between equine gammaherpesviruses-2 and -5 (EHV-2, -5) and cutaneous equine sarcoidosis (cES). Methods: Thirty client-owned equids. Methods: All animals had histologically and clinically confirmed cES. Signalment, geographical location and clinical features were recorded. Gram, Ziehl-Nielsen ...
Effects of Nebulized Alpha-2 Macroglobulin in Horses with Lower Airway Inflammation. Equine asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease with limited safe long-term treatments. Alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M), a natural anti-inflammatory protease inhibitor, may provide a novel non-steroidal therapeutic option for horses with lower respiratory tract inflammation. Objective: To characterize the impact of nebulization with alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) on clinical signs, bronchoalveolar lavage cytology, and local and systemic cytokine response in horses with lower respiratory tract inflammation. Methods: Thirteen university-owned horses with lower airway inflammation were randomized...
Surface electromyography and joint angle kinematics of horses at walk and trot on a treadmill. This study aimed to evaluate electromyographic and kinematic parameters of the thoracic and pelvic limbs of horses at a walk and trot on a treadmill. Eleven Brazilian Sport Horses trained for Eventing were assessed in a completely randomized design under two conditions: walk (1.8 m/s) and trot (3.6 m/s). Horses were evaluated on a high-speed treadmill using surface electromyography (sEMG) and kinematic analysis. sEMG was performed bilaterally on the mm. extensor carpi radialis and mm. flexor carpi ulnaris; bilateral muscles of the pelvic limb: mm. tensor fascia latae and mm. biceps femoris u...
Seroprevalence, Risk Factors, and Environmental Correlates of Babesia caballi, Toxoplasma gondii, and Coxiella burnetii in Equids from Southwestern Greece. Equids, primarily horses, are mostly used for recreational purposes, although in some rural areas they also serve as working animals, maintaining close and frequent contact with humans. Their risk of exposure to vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens can be affected by host-related factors, management practices and environmental conditions. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for infections by , , , and sensu lato in equids from Southwestern Greece. A total of 159 equids were tested using commercial serological assays. Weighted prevalence estimates were...
Interleukin 12 on extracellular matrix-related factors and functional characteristics of equine endometrial fibroblasts. Tissue fibrosis is described as the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. This process is associated with inflammation, and the interaction between fibroblasts and immune cells plays a key role, driving the progression of fibrosis. Results of recent study suggest that interleukin (IL)-12 may play a role in the processes associated with the development of fibrosis. This proinflammatory cytokine is synthesized and released by macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine: (i) the expression of IL-12 and its receptor ...
Auscultatory findings and left atrial function as indicators of mitral valve regurgitation severity in horses. Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is frequently detected in horses, but its classification and prognostication remain challenging. This study investigated whether auscultatory findings and left atrial function are associated with MR severity. Methods: Fifty controls (no/trivial MR) and 101 MR horses (58 mild, 36 moderate, seven severe) were retrospectively evaluated. All were in sinus rhythm and underwent auscultation and echocardiography. Mitral regurgitation severity was graded using a scoring system. Systolic murmur characteristics (duration, type and grade) were recorded. Left atrial functio...
Correction: Phenylbutazone concentrations in synovial fluid following administration via intravenous regional limb perfusion in the forelimbs of six adult horses. [This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1810077.].
Prevalence of insulin dysregulation in a sport horse population as determined by traditional and stall-side testing. The prevalence of insulin dysregulation (ID) has not been investigated in sport horses. Stall-side insulin assays offer convenience but need further validation. Objective: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for ID in a sport horse population using an oral sugar test (OST) and assess agreement between stall-side and validated laboratory assays for insulin quantification. Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study. Methods: One hundred eighty sport horses presenting for orthopaedic evaluation at a university hospital (N = 140) or local farms (N = 40) were tested for ID using...
Using a wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) patch adapted for 7-day monitoring in the horse. Arrhythmias can cause poor performance and sudden death in horses. Long-term (>24 h) electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring has been used to identify arrhythmias in humans and is superior to short-term monitoring for transient arrhythmia detection. Televet is the current equine gold-standard ECG device. The Cardea SOLO™ (CS) is a single-use monitor with automated ECG analysis software allowing ECG monitoring for 7 days. Objective: Our objective was to validate the performance of the CS compared to the Televet. Methods: Method validation. Methods: ECGs were performed on 12 healthy horses s...
Determining optimal practices for foal weaning – A protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Weaning is a stressful time in a foal's (Equus caballus) life. As humans artificially manage weaning in domestic horses, it provides an opportunity to safeguard horse welfare early in life, with potential long-term benefits. While numerous studies have examined the effects of different weaning and management interventions on foal stress, optimal weaning practices have yet to be identified. Overall purpose of the study: To identify which weaning interventions and management practices have the greatest potential to improve foal welfare based on physiological and behavioural outcomes. Research qu...
