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.
Cuervo-Arango J, Newcombe JR.The most common pathological anovulatory condition that occurs spontaneously during the breeding season in the mare is the haemorrhagic anovulatory follicle (HAF). A relatively high proportion of mares, soon after ovulation, develop a corpus haemorrhagicum (CH) with a central lacuna. This type of corpora lutea may resemble an HAF, which may complicate the accurate diagnosis of ovulation. The main objective of this study was to compare the ultrasound data of mares examined frequently with HAFs and CHs to elucidate whether it is possible to distinguish them from each other. A total of 135 ovulat...
Setterbo JJ, Fyhrie PB, Hubbard M, Upadhyaya SK, Stover SM.Racetrack surface is a risk factor for Thoroughbred racehorse injury and death that can be engineered and managed. To investigate the relationship between surface and injury, the mechanical behaviour of dirt and synthetic track surfaces must be quantified. Objective: To compare dynamic properties of a dirt and a synthetic surface in situ using a track-testing device designed to simulate equine hoof impact; and to determine the effects of impact velocity, impact angle and repeated impact on dynamic surface behaviour. Methods: A track-testing device measured force and displacement during impact ...
Proops L, McComb K.It has recently been shown that some non-human animals can cross-modally recognize members of their own taxon. What is unclear is just how plastic this recognition system can be. In this study, we investigate whether an animal, the domestic horse, is capable of spontaneous cross-modal recognition of individuals from a morphologically very different species. We also provide the first insights into how cross-modal identity information is processed by examining whether there are hemispheric biases in this important social skill. In our preferential looking paradigm, subjects were presented with t...
Signer-Hasler H, Flury C, Haase B, Burger D, Simianer H, Leeb T, Rieder S.The molecular analysis of genes influencing human height has been notoriously difficult. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for height in humans based on tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of samples so far revealed ∼200 loci for human height explaining only 20% of the heritability. In domestic animals isolated populations with a greatly reduced genetic heterogeneity facilitate a more efficient analysis of complex traits. We performed a genome-wide association study on 1,077 Franches-Montagnes (FM) horses using ∼40,000 SNPs. Our study revealed two QTL for height at withers on c...
Gürelli G, Göçmen B.Species composition and distribution of intestinal ciliates were investigated in the feces from 15 racing horses living near Izmir, Turkey. Thirty-seven species belonging to 21 genera were identified. Although no new species were observed, this is the first report on intestinal ciliates in racing horses living in Turkey. The mean number of ciliates was 26.4 ± 13.9 × 10(4) cells ml(-1) of feces and the mean number of ciliate species per host was 18.8 ± 7.1. No ciliates were observed in one horse. Bundleia and Polymorphella were found to be the two dominant genera, occurring in high proportio...
Frellstedt L, McKenzie HC, Barrett JG, Furr MO.Endotoxemia is responsible for severe illness in horses. Individuals can become clinically unresponsive to the endotoxin molecule after an initial exposure; a phenomenon referred to as 'endotoxin tolerance' (ET). ET has been observed clinically in horses in vivo; however, cytokine expression associated with ET has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a method for inducing ET in equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro, and to describe selected cytokine responses which are associated with ET. ET was induced by culturing cells with three c...
Dupuis MC, Zhang Z, Durkin K, Charlier C, Lekeux P, Georges M.We used the data from a recently performed genome-wide association study using the Illumina Equine SNP50 beadchip for the detection of copy number variants (CNVs) and examined their association with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN), an important equine upper airway disease compromising performance. A total of 2797 CNVs were detected for 477 horses, covering 229 kb and seven SNPs on average. Overlapping CNVs were merged to define 478 CNV regions (CNVRs). CNVRs, particularly deletions, were shown to be significantly depleted in genes. Fifty-two of the 67 common CNVRs (frequency ≥ 1%) we...
Douthit TL, Bormann JM, Gradert KC, Lomas LW, DeWitt SF, Kouba JM.This experiment was conducted to evaluate if consumption of endophyte-infected fescue alters digital circulation in the distal thoracic limb of the horse and to assess if soundness of the hooves of horses is affected by consumption of endophyte-infected fescue. Twelve American Quarter Horses (mean initial BW 459 ± 31 kg), 6 mares and 6 geldings, were used in this 90-d study that comprised high-endophyte (E+) and low-endophyte (E-) treatment groups. Fescue seed was integrated into the E+ diet at a rate sufficient to bring total ergovaline to 200 μg/kg, and endophyte-free fescue seed was incor...
Kim DS, Kim DW, Kim MY, Nam SH, Choi SH, Kim RN, Kang A, Kim A, Park HS.A conjoined gene is defined as one formed at the time of transcription by combining at least part of one exon from each of two or more distinct genes that lie on the same chromosome, in the same or opposite orientation, which translate independently into different proteins. We comparatively studied the extent of conjoined genes in thirteen genomes by analyzing the public databases of expressed sequence tags and mRNA sequences using a set of computational tools designed to identify conjoined genes on the same DNA strand or opposite DNA strands of the same genomic locus. The CACG database, avail...
Berlin D, Nasereddin A, Azmi K, Ereqat S, Abdeen Z, Eyal O, Baneth G.Trypanosoma evansi is the cause of surra in horses, camels and other domestic animals. Following the first outbreak of surra in horses and camels in Israel in 2006, a survey of the prevalence of the parasite in the Israeli horse population was conducted using serology, PCR followed by the reverse dot blot (RDB) technique and blood smear microscopy. In total, 614 horses from 7 regions were sampled. The CATT/T. evansi kit was used for serology for all the horses. Horses from the Arava and Dead Sea region, where the first outbreak occurred, were sampled again one year later and both samples were ...
Lizarraga I, Beths T.To compare the effects of xylazine on mechanical nociceptive thresholds in donkeys and horses. Methods: Randomized, controlled, crossover, Latin-square, operator-blinded design. Methods: Six 3.1 ± 0.89 year old standard donkeys weighing 145.0 ± 30.5 kg and six 9.6 ± 4.4 year old Thoroughbred horses weighing 456.0 ± 69.0 kg. Methods: Each animal received one of four doses of xylazine (0.5, 0.7, 0.9, and 1.1 mg kg(-1) ), or acepromazine (0.05 mg kg(-1) ) or saline solution (0.9%) intravenously and mechanical nociceptive thresholds were assessed over 90 minutes. The areas under the threshold ...
Brosnan RJ, Steffey EP, Escobar A.To test the hypothesis that hypercapnic hyperpnea produced using endotracheal insufflation with 5-10% CO(2) in oxygen could be used to shorten anesthetic recovery time in horses, and that recovery from sevoflurane would be faster than from isoflurane. Methods: Randomized crossover study design. Methods: Eight healthy adult horses. Methods: After 2 hours' administration of constant 1.2 times MAC isoflurane or sevoflurane, horses were disconnected from the anesthetic circuit and administered 0, 5, or 10% CO(2) in balance O(2) via endotracheal tube insufflation. End-tidal gas samples were collect...
Sahmi F, Nicola E, Price CA.The objective was to establish a cell line-based bioassay for FSH in horse serum for screening samples with high eCG bioactivity. A cell line (HEK293) was transiently cotransfected with an FSH reporter expression plasmid and a cAMP-responsive β-galactosidase reporter plasmid. Cells were bulk frozen, and thawed for assay purposes. This assay was specific for FSH, with no cross-reaction with LH or insulin-like growth factor-1. Standard curves (eCG) and serum samples from pregnant mares passed parallel line bioassay validity tests (linearity and parallelism). Estimates of bioactivity with this b...
González-Fernández L, Morrell JM, Peña FJ, Macías-García B.The present study aimed to elucidate the effects that osmotic shock exerts on equine spermatozoa. To achieve this goal, a retrospective study of the cellular volume of 40 equine ejaculates subjected to osmolarities ranging from 75 to 900 mOsm in Biggers-Whitten-Whittingham (BWW) media was performed using a Multisizer3 Coulter Counter®. The 300 mOsm BWW solution was used as control. The sperm volume ranged between 37.93±0.6 (mean±Standard Error of the Mean (SEM)) in 75 mOsm BWW to 21.61±0.27 (mean±SEM) for 900 mOsm BWW. Thus the spermatozoa behaved as linear osmometers when adjusted to the...
Alrtib AM, Philip CJ, Abdunnabi AH, Davies HM.There are many reports describing fractures in the bony elements of the equine fetlock joint and a few of these discuss possible relationships of these fractures to the mechanical loading of these bones. The likelihood of fracture must be related to the size and shape of bones involved, but information concerning the normal range in size and shape of these bones in horses is lacking. This study aimed to identify morphometrical variations of these bones within different groups of horses. Right and left metacarpal, proximal phalangeal and proximal sesamoid bones were collected from 10 Thoroughbr...
Dugdale AH, Grove-White D, Curtis GC, Harris PA, Argo CM.Body condition scoring systems were originally developed to quantify flesh cover in food animals and are commonly used to evaluate body fat in Equidae. The relationship between concurrent estimates of body fat content (eTBF%, deuterium oxide dilution; range, 2.7-35.6%) and subjective appraisals of body 'fatness' (body condition score, BCS; range, 1.25-9/9), was investigated in 77 mature horses and ponies. Univariate (UVM, r(2)=0.79) and multivariable (MVM, r(2)=0.86) linear regression models described the association, where BCS and eTBF% were explanatory and outcome variables, respectively. Ot...
Barbić L, Listeš E, Katić S, Stevanović V, Madić J, Starešina V, Labrović A, Di Gennaro A, Savini G.West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen with rapid global expansion. The virus circulation is confirmed in many countries of Mediterranean Basin and Southern and Central Europe. In our study detection of specific WNV antibodies was performed in horses and cattle sera samples collected from October 2010 to April 2011. Serum samples were randomly taken from different parts of Croatia and tested by IgG and IgM ELISA. Positive serological results were confirmed by virus neutralization assay (VN-assay) and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Results showed that WNV antibodie...
Levi O, Affolter VK, Benak J, Kass PH, Le Jeune SS.To (1) determine if histologic scores of pelvic flexure biopsies can predict short-term survival in horses with large colon volvulus (LCV) and (2) identify clinical variables predictive of short-term survival. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n = 28) with LCV (≥ 360°). Methods: Medical records (January 2000-February 2008) of 28 horses were reviewed and clinical data recorded. Pelvic flexure biopsies were reviewed by 2 board-certified veterinary pathologists, unaware of clinical history and outcome, using 2 scoring systems. Exact logistic regression analysis was used to determine the r...
Nielsen MK, Vidyashankar AN, Olsen SN, Monrad J, Thamsborg SM.Nematodes belonging to the order Strongylida are ubiquitous in grazing horses, and the large strongyle Strongylus vulgaris is considered the most pathogenic. This parasite was originally described widely prevalent in equine establishments, but decades of frequent anthelmintic treatment appears to have reduced the prevalence dramatically. Increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomin parasites have led to implementation of selective therapy to reduce further development of resistance. It has been hypothesized that S. vulgaris could reoccur under these less intensive treatment cir...
Peloso JG, Cohen ND.To determine the value of serial measurements of peritoneal fluid lactate concentration (PFL) for detecting strangulating intestinal lesions (SLs) in referred horses with signs of colic. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: 94 horses with signs of colic. Methods: Medical records of horses evaluated between September 2006 and February 2010 because of signs of colic were reviewed. All included horses had ≥ 2 peritoneal fluid samples collected, including one at admission and another within 1 to 6 hours after admission. Of the 94 horses, 26 were assigned to the SL group on the basis of ...
Toscan G, Cezar AS, Pereira RC, Silva GB, Sangioni LA, Oliveira LS, Vogel FS.Several formulations of macrocyclic lactones (abamectin, ivermectin, moxidectin), including ivermectin combined with pyrantel (tetrahydropyrimidine) and ivermectin combined with praziquantel (pyrazinoisoquinolin derivative), were tested regarding their efficacy to control gastrointestinal nematodes of horses on a stud farm in southern Brazil. In addition, we tested a pharmaceutically produced generic paste containing ivermectin 4%. Similar formulations of avermectins had different efficacies measured by reduction of EPG. Levels of efficacy of the tested drugs varied against Strongylus edentatu...
Bresgen C, Lämmer M, Wagner B, Osterrieder N, Damiani AM.Equine herpesvirus type 1 and type 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) cause infections of horses worldwide. While both EHV-1 and EHV-4 cause respiratory disease, abortion and myeloencephalopathy are observed after infection with EHV-1 in the vast majority of cases. Disease control is achieved by hygiene measures that include immunization with either inactivated or modified live virus (MLV) vaccine preparations. We here compared the efficacy of commercially available vaccines, an EHV-1/EHV-4 inactivated combination and an MLV vaccine, with respect to induction of humoral responses and protection of clinical d...
Warmuth V, Eriksson A, Bower MA, Barker G, Barrett E, Hanks BK, Li S, Lomitashvili D, Ochir-Goryaeva M, Sizonov GV, Soyonov V, Manica A.Despite decades of research across multiple disciplines, the early history of horse domestication remains poorly understood. On the basis of current evidence from archaeology, mitochondrial DNA, and Y-chromosomal sequencing, a number of different domestication scenarios have been proposed, ranging from the spread of domestic horses out of a restricted primary area of domestication to the domestication of numerous distinct wild horse populations. In this paper, we reconstruct both the population genetic structure of the extinct wild progenitor of domestic horses, Equus ferus, and the origin and...
Starke SD, Willems E, Head M, May SA, Pfau T.Flexion tests are a common tool during the prepurchase and clinical lameness examination, yet studies quantifying the effect of flexion, apart from distal forelimb flexion in sound horses, are sparse. Objective: To investigate the effect of proximal hindlimb flexion on perceivable and measurable changes in movement symmetry in horses with objective movement symmetry falling within the margins of 'sound'. Methods: Thirteen horses, selected based on objective movement symmetry, were instrumented with inertial sensors on left and right tuber coxae and over the os sacrum. Vertical movement symmetr...
McCracken MJ, Kramer J, Keegan KG, Lopes M, Wilson DA, Reed SK, LaCarrubba A, Rasch M.Subjective evaluation of mild lameness has been shown to have poor interobserver reliability. Traditional methods of objective lameness evaluation require specialised conditions and equipment. Wireless inertial sensor systems have been developed to allow for simple, rapid, objective lameness detection in horses trotted over ground. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivities of an inertial sensor system and subjective evaluation performed by experienced equine practitioners at detecting lameness in horses. We hypothesised that the inertial sensor system would identify...
Schumacher J, Taintor J, Schumacher J, Degraves F, Schramme M, Wilhite R.The role of the communicating branch between the medial and lateral palmar nerves of horses (i.e. the ramus communicans) in conveying sensory impulses proximally should be determined to avoid errors in interpreting diagnostic anaesthesia of the palmar nerves. Objective: Sensory nerve fibres in the ramus communicans of horses pass proximally from the lateral palmar nerve to merge with the medial palmar nerve, but not vice versa. Objective: To determine the direction of sensory impulses through the ramus communicans between lateral and medial palmar nerves. Methods: Pain in a thoracic foot was c...
McCue ME, Anderson SM, Valberg SJ, Piercy RJ, Barakzai SZ, Binns MM, Distl O, Penedo MC, Wagner ML, Mickelson JR.The GYS1 gene mutation that is causative of Type 1 Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM) has been identified in more than 20 breeds of horses. However, the GYS1 mutation frequency or Type 1 PSSM prevalence within any given breed is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of the GYS1 mutation and prevalence of genetic susceptibility to Type 1 PSSM in selected breeds from Europe and North America. The GYS1 mutation was detected in 11 breeds, including, in order of increasing allele frequency, Shires, Morgans, Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, Paints, Exmoor Ponies, Saxon-Thu...
Whyard JM, Brounts SH.This study compared post-operative complications and survival in horses with right dorsal displacement of the large colon (RDD) and horses with other non-strangulating large colon (NSLC) lesions. Data were obtained from medical records of horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy from 2000 to 2016 and from owner questionnaire. Of 137 horses that fitted the inclusion criteria, 67 (49%) had RDD and 70 (51%) had NSLC lesions. Twenty-eight horses with RDD (42%) and 27 horses with NSLC (39%) experienced ≥ 1 complication after surgery. The RDD group showed more severe complications than the NSLC gr...
Baptista VDS, Guttmann PM, Rusca AC, Moreira da Silva K, Macieira DB, de Alencar NX, Lessa DAB.Ten mule foals were used to investigate serum IgG concentration. Blood was collected from mares and foals on the day following parturition (D1), at 48 and 72 hr after birth (D2 and D3), and on D7, D14, D21, D28, D35, D42, and D60. Serum IgG concentration was determined by zinc sulfate turbidity test and was above 400 mg/dl at all time points, except for one foal on D2. Mean values were above 800 mg/dl from D1 to D7 and at D60. The difference between mares and foals at each collection time was significant, except at D1. For all other days, foal IgG values were lower than the mare IgG values. Me...
Washburn LR, Somerson NL.Crude lipoprotein-containing fractions obtained from sera of three different animal species were tested, in combination with bovine serum in Mycoplasma pneumoniae culture medium. All sera yielded at least one lipoprotein-containing component which was considerably more effective in promoting mycoplasma growth than the unfractionated serum sample from which it was derived. The very low activity of certain whole-serum samples tested in this investigation suggests that toxic substances may be present in whole serum which are not contained in the lipoprotein preparations. The greatest activity app...
Pfau T, Persson-Sjodin E, Gardner H, Orssten O, Hernlund E, Rhodin M.Differences in movement asymmetry between surfaces and with increasing speed increase the complexity of incorporating gait analysis measurements from lunging into clinical decision making. This observational study sets out to quantify by means of quantitative gait analysis the influence of surface and speed on individual-rein movement asymmetry measurements and their averages across reins (average-rein measurements). Head, withers, and pelvic movement asymmetry was quantified in 27 horses, identified previously as presenting with considerable movement asymmetries on the straight, during trot i...
Murray MJ, Grodinsky C.Gastric fluid pH was measured in five adult horses following nasogastric administration of famotidine, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg bodyweight (bwt); ranitidine, 4.4 and 6.6 mg/kg bwt and an antacid containing magnesium hydroxide (40 mg/ml) and aluminium hydroxide (45 mg/ml), 120 and 180 ml. Fluid was aspirated through a 16 French nasogastric feeding tube at 15 min intervals, and pH was measured using a pH meter. Basal gastric fluid pH was measured at 20 min intervals for 6 h in each horse and, with the exception of two measurements of 4.66 and 4.17, ranged from 1.42 to 2.41, with a mean pH of 1.88...
Vezzosi T, Vitale V, Sgorbini M, Tognetti R, Bonelli F.Continuous electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring is the gold standard for diagnosing arrhythmias that occur intermittently or under exercise. The aim of this study was to compare two different methods for 24-hour Holter monitoring in horses, a 7-electrode system (7-ES) versus a 4-electrode system (4-ES), assessing the recording performance at rest and during exercise. Six standardbred horses were included in the present prospective study. Two different methods for 24-hour Holter monitoring were used in each horse with a washout period of one week between each recording method. In the first 15 ...
Yang Q, Lopez MJ.The equine hoof capsule, composed of modified epidermis and dermis, is vital for protecting the third phalanx from forces of locomotion. There are descriptions of laminitis, defined as inflammation of sensitive hoof tissues but recognized as pathologic changes with or without inflammatory mediators, in the earliest records of domesticated horses. Laminitis can range from mild to serious, and signs can be acute, chronic, or transition from acute, severe inflammation to permanently abnormal tissue. Damage within the intricate dermal and epidermal connections of the primary and secondary lamellae...
Verdegaal EJMM, Delesalle C, Caraguel CGB, Folwell LE, McWhorter TJ, Howarth GS, Franklin SH.OBJECTIVE To evaluate use of a telemetric gastrointestinal (GI) pill to continuously monitor GI temperature in horses at rest and during exercise and to compare time profiles of GI temperature and rectal temperature. ANIMALS 8 Standardbred horses. PROCEDURES Accuracy and precision of the GI pill and a rectal probe were determined in vitro by comparing temperature measurements with values obtained by a certified resistance temperature detector (RTD) in water baths at various temperatures (37°, 39°, and 41°C). Subsequently, both GI and rectal temperature were recorded in vivo in 8 horses over...
O'Driscoll JG, Troy PT, Geoghegan FJ.The clinical pattern, bacteriological investigation and subsequent treatment of a serious outbreak of venereal disease in stud farms on both sides of the Irish Sea is described. The consistency with which Bacillus proteus was isolated from infected mares and stallions was remarkable. Prompt treatment with ampicillin, to which the organism was sensitive in vitro, eradicated the disease. No local treatment was applied.
Watson ED, Thomson SR.The density and distribution of MHC Class II positive cells and subpopulations of lymphocytes were studied in the endometrium of genitally normal mares and mares susceptible to endometritis. In genitally normal mares, more MHC Class II positive cells were present in the epithelium and stratum compactum during oestrus than dioestrus. Significantly more CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes were present in the stratum compactum than in the stratum spongiosum. CD4+ lymphocytes were present in greater numbers than CD8+ lymphocytes in the stratum compactum but approximately equal numbers were present in the st...
Loux SC, Conley AJ, Scoggin KE, El-Sheikh Ali H, Dini P, Ball BA.Steroid production varies widely among species, with these differences becoming more pronounced during pregnancy. As a result, each species has its own distinct pattern of steroids, steroidogenic enzymes, receptors, and transporters to support its individual physiological requirements. Although the circulating steroid profile is well characterized during equine pregnancy, there is much yet to be explored regarding the factors that support steroidogenesis and steroid signaling. To obtain a holistic view of steroid-related transcripts, we sequenced chorioallantois (45 days, 4 months, 6 months, 1...
Klumplerova M, Splichalova P, Oppelt J, Futas J, Kohutova A, Musilova P, Kubickova S, Vodicka R, Orlando L, Horin P.The mammalian Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a genetic region containing highly polymorphic genes with immunological functions. MHC class I and class II genes encode antigen-presenting molecules expressed on the cell surface. The MHC class II sub-region contains genes expressed in antigen presenting cells. The antigen binding site is encoded by the second exon of genes encoding antigen presenting molecules. The exon 2 sequences of these MHC genes have evolved under the selective pressure of pathogens. Interspecific differences can be observed in the class II sub-region. The family E...
Quigley A, Sekiya M, Garcia-Campos A, Paz-Silva A, Howell A, Williams DJL, Mulcahy G.Fasciola hepatica is a common parasite of livestock in Ireland, causing significant economic losses and affecting animal welfare. A previous abattoir study of 200 horses led to an estimated 9.5 % prevalence of infection in horses slaughtered in Ireland. However, the epidemiology and pathogenic significance of this infection in this species is not well-described. The objectives of this study were to determine the susceptibility of horses to oral challenge infection with F. hepatica metacercariae, and to document the course of the infection along with serological and biochemical response. We att...
Jaqueth AL, Hathaway M, Catalano DN, Linders NC, Mottet R, Martinson KL.Social media are an ever-present part of daily life and for researchers and may be a useful platform to increase potential participant pools for Web-based surveys. Although survey usage to evaluate practices in the equine community is not new, the use of social media to advertise and enhance the usage of Web-based surveys is novel. In 2018, the University of Minnesota (UMN) equine Extension program developed and administered two Web-based surveys through the UMN equine Extension Facebook page and monthly e-newsletter. Surveys focused on industry practices and motivating factors behind the usag...
To determine risk factors for Clostridium piliforme infection in neonatal foals on a Thoroughbred breeding farm in California. Methods: Case-control and retrospective cohort studies. Methods: 322 neonatal Thoroughbred foals either born on the study farm or born elsewhere but traveled to the farm with their dam during the 1998, 1999, and 2000 breeding seasons. Methods: Mare and foal records from 1998, 1999, and 2000 were examined, using case-control design methods to determine variables associated with increased risk of C. piliforme infection in foals. Important risk factors identified in the c...
VanderBroek AR, Reef VB, Aitken MR, Stefanovski D, Southwood LL.Auscultation and ultrasonography are noninvasive techniques used to assess gastrointestinal motility in horses. Recently, noninvasive acoustic gastrointestinal surveillance (AGIS) biosensors evaluating intestinal motility have been validated in humans. Objective: To compare AGIS to auscultation and ultrasonography for detecting decreased motility after xylazine administration. Methods: Randomised, blinded, controlled cross-over proof of principle study. Methods: Six healthy horses were evaluated under fasted and nonfasted conditions and randomly assigned to receive treatment with 0.4 mg/kg xyl...
Donovan CE, Hazzard T, Schmidt A, LeMieux J, Hathaway F, Kutzler MA.We investigated the effect of immunization against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) using a commercial canine GnRH vaccine on estrus suppression and unwanted estrous behavior in mares. In experiment 1, mares were immunized (n = 6) twice with vaccine (5 mL) given intramuscularly 4 weeks apart or received a control diluent (n = 5). Transrectal ultrasonographic examination of the reproductive tracts was performed three days a week for 40 weeks after initial vaccination. Blood samples were collected weekly for GnRH antibody titer and progesterone concentration determination. In experiment 2, ...
Panzer RB.The traditional Chinese (TC) and transpositional (TP) methods of animal acupoint location result in different acupoint charts. Representative TC and TP equine zangfu organ shu-association acupoint charts are compared to each other and to a human chart. Despite their differences, practitioners of both methods appear to achieve equally effective therapeutic results--a phenomenon termed "traditional Chinese/transpositional equal efficacy" (TTEE). Common veterinary acupuncture practices, traditional Chinese medical theory, spinal cord anatomy, and a preliminary equine "association segment" chart a...
Brosnahan MM.Medical humanities is a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary field of study that has experienced explosive growth in the United States since the 1960s. Two key components of medical humanities include first, the use of literature, poetry, and visual arts in the education of medical students, and second, the representation or examination of medical culture by scholars in the humanities, arts, and social sciences such as literary and film creators, sociologists, and anthropologists. The American Association of Medical Colleges recently reported that as of 2018, approximately 94% of medical schoo...
Dalgleish R, Love S, Pirie HM, Pirie M, Taylor DJ, Wright NG.A natural outbreak of strangles occurred in a group of 19 young experimental ponies. The disease was diagnosed in 11 of them within two days of their arrival at Glasgow University veterinary school and five others developed clinical signs within a further four days, a morbidity rate of 84 per cent. All of the affected ponies had typical signs of strangles including dullness, anorexia, pyrexia, regional lymphadenitis, occasionally with rupture of the lymph node, conjunctivitis and a mucopurulent nasal discharge. Nine of the affected ponies were destroyed during the clinical phase of the disease...
Dini P, Loux SC, Scoggin KE, Esteller-Vico A, Squires EL, Troedsson MHT, Daels P, Ball BA.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have important posttranscriptional regulatory abilities, and there is considerable interest in evaluating their expression patterns in different pathophysiological states. The most common method of quantifying miRNA expression is quantitative reverse transcription PCR; however, the identification of tissue-specific and species-specific reference miRNA is a prerequisite for miRNA expression analysis. Currently, no reference genes have been described for evaluating miRNA expression in equine serum and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) during pregnancy. The aim of the present stud...
Jeffcott LB.This article is presented as an introduction to the complex subject of back pain and its management in horses. It considers some of the historical perspectives and deals with some of the limiting factors when attempting to evaluate back pain. The clinical indications of a back problem are considered, as is the important distinction of primary versus secondary back pain. Finally, a list of considerations capable of causing back pain and impaired performance is included.
Almeida JC, Vidotto O, Ferreira EP, Ribeiro LP, Mongruel AC, Vieira TS, Freire RL, Mota RA, Vieira RF.Although the infection by Toxoplasma gondii in horses is usually asymptomatic, it may be characterized by the presence of tissue cysts and maintenance of detectable antibody titers. The aim of this study was to detect anti-T.gondii antibodies and to determine risk factors associated in sport horses from Paraíba State, Northeastern Brazil. A total of 138 apparently healthy sport horses of different age and gender were sampled. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were detected in 16/138 (11.6%; 95% CI: 6.77-18.14%) horses by indirect immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFA). A significant associat...
Resende CF, Santos AMD, Filho PMS, de Souza PG, Issa MA, Filho MBC, Victor RM, Câmara RJF, Gonçalves GP, Lima JG, Maciel E Silva AG, Leite RC....Glanders and brucellosis are zoonotic infectious diseases that affect equids in several countries worldwide. On Marajó Island (Amazon region of Brazil), Marajoara and Puruca horses, which are well adapted to the climatic and territorial adversities of the region, play a fundamental role in the local economy and in the sociocultural lives of the population. However, these animals have undergone a drastic reduction in number, markedly due to precarious veterinary care, unknown causes of morbidity and mortality, and disordered crossing with other breeds introduced to the island. Thus, this study...
