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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.
Surveillance of equine respiratory viruses in Ontario. The objective of this project was to develop and implement an active surveillance program for the early and rapid detection of equine influenza viruses in Ontario. For this purpose, from October 2003 to October 2005, nasopharyngeal swabs and acute and convalescent serum samples were collected from 115 client-owned horses in 23 outbreaks of respiratory disease in Ontario. Sera were paired and tested for antibody to equine influenza 1 (AE1-H7N7), equine influenza 2 (AE2-H3N8), equine herpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV1 and EHV4), and equine rhinitis A and B (ERAV and ERBV). Overall, the cause-specific mor...
Trophoblast stem cell marker gene expression in inner cell mass-derived cells from parthenogenetic equine embryos. Although putative horse embryonic stem (ES)-like cell lines have been obtained recently from in vivo-derived embryos, it is currently not known whether it is possible to obtain ES cell (ESC) lines from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and parthenogenetic (PA) embryos. Our aim is to establish culture conditions for the derivation of autologous ESC lines for cell therapy studies in an equine model. Our results indicate that both the use of early-stage blastocysts with a clearly visible inner cell mass (ICM) and the use of pronase to dissect the ICM allow the derivation of a higher proportion...
In vivo confocal microscopy of equine fungal keratitis. To describe in vivo corneal confocal microscopy of horses with fungal keratitis and correlate findings with clinical, histopathological, and microbiological evaluations of clinical cases and an ex vivo experimental equine fungal keratitis model. Methods: A total of 12 horses with naturally-acquired fungal keratitis and ex vivo equine corneas experimentally infected with clinical fungal isolates. Methods: Horses with naturally-acquired fungal keratitis were examined with a modified Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II and Rostock Cornea Module. Confocal microscopy images of clinical isolates of Asper...
Infrared spectroscopy reveals both qualitative and quantitative differences in equine subchondral bone during maturation. The collagen phase in bone is known to undergo major changes during growth and maturation. The objective of this study is to clarify whether Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy, coupled with cluster analysis, can detect quantitative and qualitative changes in the collagen matrix of subchondral bone in horses during maturation and growth. Equine subchondral bone samples (n = 29) from the proximal joint surface of the first phalanx are prepared from two sites subjected to different loading conditions. Three age groups are studied: newborn (0 days old), immature (5 to 11 months ol...
Epidemiology of equine sarcoids in horses in western Canada. Sarcoids are the most common tumor of the equine skin but only 1 study describing the epidemiology of sarcoids in Canadian horses has been published. The records of 5 veterinary diagnostic laboratories in western Canada were searched to identify submissions of sarcoids from horses. The submission records and diagnostic reports of 802 separate submissions of equine sarcoids were reviewed for age, breed, and gender of the horse and the number, location, and clinical type of sarcoid. From these records, the 307 submissions to laboratories in Saskatchewan were compared to a reference group to test...
Mediolateral hoof balance in relation to the handedness of apprentice farriers. Horses that had been trimmed and shod by apprentice farriers were sourced from the Royal School of Military Engineering, Melton Mowbray (37 horses) and from the Household Cavalry, Knightsbridge (54 horses). The lateral and medial hoof wall angles of both forelimbs were measured using a Ruidoso hoof gauge by the same operator. The difference between the lateral and medial hoof wall angles for each horse was calculated and the results were compared between right-handed and left-handed farriers using the Mann-Whitney U test (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the mediolateral hoof bal...
Influence of endemic goitre areas on thyroid hormones in horses. The aim of this study was to investigate thyroid hormone levels in horses stabled in two different locations on the island of Sicily. The study was carried out on a total of 72 clinically healthy Sanfratellano horses ranging in age from 5 to 9 years and weighing 585 ± 40 kg. The results showed higher thyroxine values (P < 0.02) in horses stabled in an endemic goitre area (group II) than those observed in horses in a non-endemic area (group I). Unexpectedly, the T(4)/T(3) and the fT(4)/fT(3) rations were both lower in group I than in group II. The percentages of fT(4) to T(4) and of fT(3) to T...
Phylogenetic analysis of bovine papillomavirus E5 detected in equine sarcoids in Poland. The aim of the study was to analyse a part of the sequence of the E5 gene of bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) associated with equine sarcoids in Polish horses. Samples of 40 skin lesions obtained from 29 horses were collected for molecular examination. The PCR amplicons of BPV DNA were detected in 38 specimens. After phylogenetic analysis 37 specimens were recognized as BPV-1 and one as BPV-2. Phylogenetic analysis has allowed the classification of the amplicons into two phylogenetic groups (A1,) and four separate isolates (2, 10, 16, 17).
Doping control analysis of insulin and its analogues in equine urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Insulin and its analogues have been banned in both human and equine sports owing to their potential for misuse. Insulin administration can increase muscle glycogen by utilising hyperinsulinaemic clamps prior to sports events or during the recovery phases, and increase muscle size by its chalonic action to inhibit protein breakdown. In order to control insulin abuse in equine sports, a method to effectively detect the use of insulins in horses is required. Besides the readily available human insulin and its synthetic analogues, structurally similar insulins from other species can also be used a...
Evaluation of the effects of the R- and S-enantiomers of salbutamol on equine isolated bronchi. Equine obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as heaves or recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a common equine pulmonary disease with some similarities to human asthma and COPD, which represents a major cause of morbidity and loss of lung performance. Salbutamol has been widely used for the treatment of human airway diseases and has usually been prepared as the racemic form of the drug. However, recently the R-enantiomer of salbutamol has been introduced into clinical practice in the treatment of asthma in humans and this has been suggested to be an improvement on the racemic form of the ...
Reliability of an injury scoring system for horses. The risk of injuries is of major concern when keeping horses in groups and there is a need for a system to record external injuries in a standardised and simple way. The objective of this study, therefore, was to develop and validate a system for injury recording in horses and to test its reliability and feasibility under field conditions. Methods: Injuries were classified into five categories according to severity. The scoring system was tested for intra- and inter-observer agreement as well as agreement with a 'golden standard' (diagnosis established by a veterinarian). The scoring was done ...
Markers of stemness in equine mesenchymal stem cells: a plea for uniformity. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are a very promising subpopulation of adult stem cells for cell-based regenerative therapies in veterinary medicine. Despite major progress in the knowledge on adult stem cells during recent years, a proper identification of MSC remains a challenge. In human medicine, the Mesenchymal and Tissue Stem Cell Committee of the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) recently proposed three criteria to define MSC. Firstly, cells must be plastic-adherent when maintained under standard culture conditions. Secondly, MSC must express CD73, CD90 and CD105, and lac...
Comparison of equine bone marrow-, umbilical cord matrix and amniotic fluid-derived progenitor cells. The aim of the study was to compare in vitro the stemness features of horse progenitor cells derived from bone marrow (BM-MSCs), amniotic fluid (AF-MSCs) and umbilical cord matrix (EUC-MSCs). It has been suggested that there may be a stem cell population within both umbilical cord matrix and amniotic fluid. However, little knowledge exists about the characteristics of these progenitor cells within these sources in the equine species. This study wanted to investigate an alternative and non-invasive stem cell source for the equine tissue engineering and to learn more about the properties of thes...
Finite element analysis of a novel pin-sleeve system for external fixation of distal limb fractures in horses. The transfixation pin cast (TPC) is an external skeletal fixation technique used to treat horses with distal limb fractures, but its use is often associated with pin-loosening and an increased risk of treatment failure. To address implant loosening, the pin sleeve cast system (PSC) was recently designed and consists of a pin-sleeve unit inserted into the bone. Each pin runs through a sleeve placed in the bone, making contact at two fixed points only within the sleeve. Each pin is attached to a ring embedded in a resin cast. In this report, the mechanical performance of a traditional TPC pin ar...
Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genotyping of Taylorella equigenitalis isolates collected in the United States from 1978 to 2010. Taylorella equigenitalis is the etiologic agent of contagious equine metritis (CEM), a venereal disease of horses. A total of 82 strains of T. equigenitalis isolated in the United States were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) after digestion of genomic DNA with restriction enzyme ApaI. Twenty-eight of those strains isolated from horses in the 2009 U.S. outbreak (CEM09) were further analyzed with NotI and NaeI enzymes. When ApaI alone was used for analysis, the 82 isolates clustered into 15 different genotypes that clearly defined groups of horses with known epidemiological co...
Screen and confirmation of PEG-epoetin β in equine plasma. Methods have been developed to screen for and confirm darbepoetin alfa, recombinant human EPO, and methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin β (PEG-epoetin β) in horse plasma. All three methods screen samples with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirm by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This report focuses on PEG-epoetin β. The ELISA assay was able to detect PEG-epoetin β at 0.02 ng/mL in 50 µL of horse plasma. Many samples had high background levels of immunoreactivity; however, introducing polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) into the samples before...
Ticks on birds in a forest fragment of Brazilian cerrado (savanna) in the municipality of Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is a report of tick species, parasite prevalence and infestation intensity of birds in a forest fragment (18° 56' 57'' S and 48° 12' 14'' W) within the Brazilian cerrado (savanna), in the municipality of Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 162 birds from 26 species were captured. One adult tick, 296 larvae and 67 nymphs were found on passerine birds. Of these, it was identified 31 larvae and 27 nymphs of Amblyomma longirostre, 17 nymphs of A. nodosum, one A. cajennense larvae and one male of Rhipicephalus sanguineus. All other ticks were identified as Amblyomma sp. la...
Characterization of spinal ganglion neurons in horse (Equus caballus). A morphometric, neurochemical and tracing study. Spinal ganglion (SG) neurons have been widely described in rodents, and classified according to various criteria. On the basis of such studies, many features of rodent SG neurons have become benchmarks to classify these cells. However, these traits cannot be confirmed in all other species. In the present study, horse SG neurons were morphometrically and neurochemically characterized by detecting the neuronal markers calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and isolectin B4 (IB4) from Griffonia simplicifolia. Moreover, spinal cord staining ...
Serosurvey of antibodies against spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. in horse farms in Northern Paraná, Brazil. Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is an emerging disease most likely caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. The objective of the present study was to estimate the seroprevalence of BSF rickettsia infections in equines from six horse farms located in Londrina County, Paraná, Southern Brazil. Six owners of horse farms situated in Cambé, Santa Fé, Guaraci and Londrina municipalities participated in the study. All farms were located in areas where BSF has not been reported. A total of 273 horses were sampled and their sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using R. rickettsii and R. ...
Occurrence of Theileria equi in horses raised in the Jaboticabal microregion, São Paulo State, Brazil. Blood and serum samples from 170 horses raised in the Jaboticabal microregion, São Paulo State, Brazil, were collected and tested by microscopic examination of blood smears, indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) for Theileria equi infections. The association among the test results was verified by the McNemar test. During the examination of thin blood smears, parasites were detected in six (3.52%) horses. Anti-T. equi antibodies were detected in 100% sera samples, with titers ranging between 1:80 and 1:5120. The nPCR based on the T. equi merozoit...
Installation of mechanical ventilation in a horse stable: effects on air quality and human and equine airways. To examine the effects of installing a mechanical ventilation system at a riding-school stable on indoor air quality and human and horse airways. Methods: The intervention was the installation of mechanical ventilation in a riding-school stable. Carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia, particles, horse allergen, microorganisms and endotoxins were measured in the stable. The stable-workers and riding-students completed a questionnaire and underwent the following tests: analysis of nasal lavage for inflammation biomarkers; levels of exhaled nitrogen oxide (NO); measurements of daily peak-expiratory flow (...
Identification of Pythium insidiosum by nested PCR in cutaneous lesions of Brazilian horses and rabbits. Pythium insidiosum is a fungus-like organism present in subtropical and tropical areas, such as Brazil, known to infect humans and various animal species. P. insidiosum is the etiological agent of pythiosis, an emerging and granulomatous disease characterized mainly by cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions in horses, the principal species affected. Accurate diagnosis of pythiosis and identification of its causal agent by microbiological and serological tests can be often difficult and inconclusive principally for horses and humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of the prev...
BPV-1 infection is not confined to the dermis but also involves the epidermis of equine sarcoids. In equids, bovine papillomaviruses of type 1 (BPV-1) and less frequently type 2 induce common, locally aggressive skin tumours termed sarcoids. Whereas BPV infection in cattle usually involves the epidermis and is productive in this skin layer, infection in equids is currently thought to be abortive, with virus solely residing as multiple episomes in dermal fibroblasts. Based on recent observations that do not agree with this assumption, we hypothesised that BPV also infects equid epidermis and is active in this skin layer. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a proof-of-principle study on ei...
Different contribution of bovine papillomavirus type 1 oncoproteins to the transformation of equine fibroblasts. Equine sarcoids represent the most common skin tumours in equids worldwide, characterized by localized invasion, rare regression and high recurrence following surgical intervention. Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) and less commonly BPV-2 are now widely recognized as the causative agents of the disease. Fibroblasts isolated from sarcoids are highly invasive. Invasion is associated with a high level of viral gene expression and matrix metalloproteinase upregulation. However, it remains unclear to what extent BPV-1 proteins are involved in the transformation of equine cells. To address this ...
Equine disorders of sexual development in 17 mares including XX, SRY-negative, XY, SRY-negative and XY, SRY-positive genotypes. We described the clinical, cytogenetic and molecular findings of 17 clinical equine cases presented for abnormal sexual development and infertility. Six horses with an enlarged clitoris had an XX, SRY-negative genotype, which displayed male-like behavior (adult individuals). Bilateral ovotestes were noted in 2 of those cases, while another case showed increased levels of circulating testosterone. Six horses with a female phenotype, including normal external genitalia, had an XY, SRY-negative genotype. These individuals had small gonads and an underdeveloped internal reproductive tract. Four ho...
Properties of an equine herpesvirus 1 mutant devoid of the internal inverted repeat sequence of the genomic short region. The 150 kbp genome of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is composed of a unique long (UL) region and a unique short (Us) segment, which is flanked by identical internal and terminal repeat (IR and TR) sequences of 12.7 kbp. We constructed an EHV-1 lacking the entire IR (vL11ΔIR) and showed that the IR is dispensable for EHV-1 replication but that the vL11ΔIR exhibits a smaller plaque size and delayed growth kinetics. Western blot analyses of cells infected with vL11ΔIR showed that the synthesis of viral proteins encoded by the immediate-early, early, and late genes was reduced at immediate-early...
Quantitative analysis of collagen fiber organization in injured tendons using Fourier transform-second harmonic generation imaging. Fourier transform-second harmonic generation (FT-SHG) imaging is used as a technique for evaluating collagenase-induced injury in horse tendons. The differences in collagen fiber organization between normal and injured tendon are quantified. Results indicate that the organization of collagen fibers is regularly oriented in normal tendons and randomly organized in injured tendons. This is further supported through the use of additional metrics, in particular, the number of dark (no/minimal signal) and isotropic (no preferred fiber orientation) regions in the images, and the ratio of forward-to-...
External characteristics of the lateral aspect of the hoof differ between non-lame and lame horses. During a pre-purchase examination (PPE) there is always a debate about how clinical findings of the hoof different from ideal should be interpreted in relation to future lameness risk and/or unsuitability of the horse for the potential purchaser. The objectives of this study were to describe and compare external angular measurements, linear ratios and hoof capsule characteristics of non-lame and lame feet. Photographs of feet from 300 horses with foot pain and 25 non-lame horses were analysed. Hoof wall, heel and coronary band angles and hoof wall length and height, weight-bearing length, coro...
Radiologic anatomic variation of the carpus in horses with carpal lameness and control horses. Our purpose was to describe the variation of the radiologic appearance of the carpus of horses of different breeds, discipline, and gender with lameness related to the carpus and control horses, with particular reference to the ulnar carpal bone. Two hundred and eighty-six sets of carpal radiographs from 222 horses were analyzed. Breed, gender, discipline, and cause of lameness were recorded. Chi square tests were used to test for associations between radiologic findings and gender, breed and discipline, to test for associations between different radiologic findings, and to test for associatio...
Repeatability and reproducibility of transabdominal ultrasonographic intestinal wall thickness measurements in Thoroughbred horses. The aims of this study were to assess the repeatability and reproducibility of transabdominal ultrasonography to assess intestinal wall thickness in adult Thoroughbred horses (n = 8). Ultrasonographic cineloops were captured by one examiner from each horse for five consecutive days. During each examination at least three cineloops were obtained for five different intestinal tract locations. Measurements were performed by three separate observers to assess reproducibility and measured on three separate occasions by three observers to evaluate short-term repeatability. The repeatability of measu...
