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.
de Oliveira UV, Varjão JL, de Jesus Deiró AG, Maciel BM, Silva FL, Pinheiro AM, Gondim LFP, Munhoz AD.The aim of this study was to isolate from equids destined for slaughter in a Brazilian slaughterhouse. A total of 354 equids were analyzed, with blood samples collected from all the animals and samples of masseter muscle and brain tissue collected from 319 animals. A serological test was conducted to detect equids with specific antibodies for . Molecular detection of by nested PCR was performed on the tissue samples collected. Tissue samples were tested by murine bioassay in an attempt to isolate either the parasite or the parasite DNA. Real-time PCR was performed on the brain samples from 1...
Delcourt V, Garcia P, Chabot B, Aber N, Pescher M, Cacault M, Scholtes P, Loup B, Barnabé A, Popot MA, Bailly-Chouriberry L.Thymosin 4 (TB4) is a ubiquitous, highly conserved and abundant peptide among mammals with a critical role in cytoskeleton organization. In spite of its yet non-authorized use as a medicine and being forbidden by the IFHA, the FEI, and the WADA, intelligence and doping control laboratories reported numerous products available online claiming to contain a synthetic acetylated fragment of TB4 or TB4 itself, promoted as a growth factor with regenerative properties. In this article, the first estimation of the endogenous TB4 concentration in racing horses' blood samples was performed through a po...
To provide some glimpses on the possibility of shaping the human gut microbiome (GM) through probiotic exchange with natural ecosystems, here we explored the impact of 15 days of daily interaction with horses on the GM of 10 urban-living Italian children. Specifically, the children were in close contact with the horses in an "educational farm", where they spent almost 10 h/day interacting with the animals. The children's GM was assessed before and after the horse interaction using metabarcoding sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, along with the horses' skin, oral and fecal microbiomes. Targ...
Philip M, Kal AKK, Subhahar MB, Karatt TK, Graiban FM, Ajeebsanu MM, Joseph M, Jose SV.Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors are a newer class of drugs that induce bronchodilation and have anti-inflammatory effects, making them susceptible to misuse as performance enhancers in competitive sports. Methods: This study explores the metabolic conversion of PDE4 inhibitor ibudilast in thoroughbred horses after oral administration and in vitro using equine liver microsomes and Cunninghamella elegans. A liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry method was used to postulate the plausible structures of the detected metabolites. Results: A total of 20 in vivo metabolites wer...
Cheung HW, Wong KS, Tam JCL, Farrington AF, Bond AJ, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) continue to be a significant threat to the integrity of human and equine sports. Besides conventional direct testing, monitoring the biomarkers associated with the effects of ESAs may provide a complementary approach via indirect detection to enhance doping control. In this study, we applied label-free proteomics to discover plasma protein biomarkers in Thoroughbred geldings after administration with a long-acting form of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO), methoxy polyethylene glycol epoetin beta, Mircera. Increased haematocrit, haemoglobin and r...
Loy J, Cawley A, Sornalingam K, Scrivener CJ, Keledjian J, Noble GK.Altrenogest is a synthetic progestin that suppresses reproductive behaviours and assists pregnancy maintenance in female horses. Two formulations are available, a 'weekly' intramuscular injection and a daily oral formulation. Altrenogest administration has returned positive swabs for steroids; consequently, using injectable altrenogest in racing mares is prohibited. Oral administration may be permitted in race mares if there is one clear day between dosing and racing. The only pharmacokinetic data available were generated from geldings. Therefore, to assist veterinarians and analysts in determ...
Kopecka A, Novotna T, Svobodova Z, Drabkova Z.This study describes a case of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a horse. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of Senecio ovatus poisoning. A six-year-old 450-kg Irish cob mare was presented to the Equine Clinic of the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno (Czechia) with symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, which progressively worsened with time despite intensive therapy and led to euthanasia. A complex diagnostic and therapeutic approach including the post-mortem patoanatomical and histopathological examination is described here. Regar...
Delcourt V, Pinetre J, Chabot B, Barnabé A, Cacault M, Loup B, Becher F, Fenaille F, Popot MA, Garcia P, Bailly-Chouriberry L.Data-independent acquisition (DIA) methods employing a scanning quadrupole were recently described across multiple platforms. These strategies display remarkable performances in untargeted proteomics studies thanks to rapid duty cycles, leading to ultrashort liquid chromatography gradients while maintaining enough data points per peaks when coupled to fast-scanning mass analyzer. In this article, we perform the evaluation of three data acquisition strategies named diaPASEF,slicePASEF, and prmPASEF on a trapped ion mobility spectrometry quadrupole-time-of-flight (TIMS-Q-TOF) mass spectrometer f...
da Silva NV, Bernardino Júnior R, Nomelini QSS, Pereira GF, Delfiol DJZ, Nogueira GM.The passive stay apparatus works by blocking flexion of the knee and tarsus joints in the horse, preventing muscle fatigue. During ambulation, if this mechanism fails to release, the animal will present upward fixation of the patella, which in severe cases, can only be treated by medial patellar desmotomy (MPD). The objective of this study was to investigate the possible electromyographic and behavioral changes, after the impairment of the passive stay apparatus, in horses who have undergone MPD surgery. Five horses presenting dorsal fixation of the patella underwent electromyographic measurem...
de Albuquerque CV, da Silva Andrade M, de Freitas MS, Paulino PG, Santos HA, de Tarso Landgraf Botteon P.Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) and Equine Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (EGA) are diseases that affect horses, transmitted by ixodid ticks, causing a nonspecific febrile syndrome. Equine Piroplasmosis is endemic in Brazil, and most horses are in enzootic stability. Serological and molecular studies carried out on horses in Brazil have shown the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, however, the clinical relevance of this infection has not yet been established. The present study aims to evaluate the importance of Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, and A. phagocytophilum as etiological agents in horses wi...
Bussiman F, Alves AAC, Richter J, Hidalgo J, Veroneze R, Oliveira T.Gait scores are widely used in the genetic evaluation of horses. However, the nature of such measurement may limit genetic progress since there is subjectivity in phenotypic information. This study aimed to assess the application of machine learning techniques in the prediction of breeding values for five visual gait scores in Campolina horses: dissociation, comfort, style, regularity, and development. The dataset contained over 5000 phenotypic records with 107,951 horses (14 generations) in the pedigree. A fixed model was used to estimate least-square solutions for fixed effects and adjusted ...
Hosek L, James RJ, Taylor WTT.Among the most widely used methods for understanding human-horse relationships in the archaeological record is the identification of human skeletal pathologies associated with mounted horseback riding. In particular, archaeologists encountering specific bony changes to the hip, femur, and lower back often assert a causal link between these features and prolonged periods of mounted horseback riding. The identification of these features have recently been used to assert the early practice of mounted horseback riding among the Yamnaya culture of western Eurasia during the third and fourth millenn...
Arifianto D, Esfandiari A, Wibawan IWT, Amrozi A, Maharani M, Darsono D, Setiadi H, Setiyono A.Horses used for antisera production are repeatedly hyperimmunized to produce high levels of specific antibodies. This prolonged process can lead to various health issues, including amyloidosis, which involves the accumulation of amyloid proteins in organs and tissues, potentially causing organ dysfunction and failure. These horses are often retired when they no longer produce adequate antibody levels. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of prolonged antisera production on the health of retired horses by examining their blood biochemistry and serum amyloid A (SAA) levels, which are indicato...
Veitch KE, Szczykutowicz TP, Brounts SH, Ergun DL, Muir P, Loeber SJ.To evaluate the radiation dose to personnel locations during simulated head and limb scans with a novel equine standing CT (sCT) system. Methods: Measurements were made with the use of a helical fan beam sCT system (Equina; Asto CT Inc). Scatter radiation was measured in different positions in the sCT room to mimic the location of the control operator, horse handler, and lead rope handler during simulated equine head and limb imaging. Operator/handler dose was quantified at each location using entrance air kerma measured with a spherical ionization chamber and electrometer. Results: Radiation ...
Navarrete-López P, Asselstine V, Maroto M, Lombó M, Cánovas Á, Gutiérrez-Adán A.RNA molecules within ejaculated sperm can be characterized through whole-transcriptome sequencing, enabling the identification of pivotal transcripts that may influence reproductive success. However, the profiling of sperm transcriptomes through next-generation sequencing has several limitations impairing the identification of functional transcripts. In this study, we explored the nature of the RNA sequences present in the sperm transcriptome of two livestock species, cattle and horses, using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology. Through processing of transcriptomic data derived from bovine and...
Derbala MK, Abu-Seida AM, El-Metwally AE, Asfour HAE.Embryo transfer (ET) is regarded as one of the reproductive methods for genetic improvement initiatives in the horse business. The current study aimed to increase the success rate of ET by re-flushing and re-transferring of embryos from contaminated recipient mares into second healthy recipients. The study involved 25 recipient mares that demonstrated embryonic vesicles inside intraluminal fluid (ILF) on ultrasound scanning 2 ± 0.5 days after ET. Seven recipient mares were left without re-flushing and re-transferring of embryos (control group) and 18 recipient mares (treated group) were subje...
Lee S, Shin KY, Lee K, Seo JP.Few studies have investigated the adequate contrast enhancement (CE) evaluation depending on concentration, volume, and rate of administration of contrast media (CM) and the scan parameters in equine contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Objective: To investigate CE of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) and veins depending on the computed tomography (CT) voltage and concentration, volume, and rate of CM administration during intra-arterial CECT of equine distal forelimbs. Methods: In vivo experiments. Methods: Six horses underwent 54 CT scans. First, the CE of DDFT and veins was eva...
Correa-Piña BA, Castillo-Paz AM, Davila U, Rodriguez-Garcia ME.The aim of this work is to investigate the changes in the physicochemical properties of hydroxyapatite (HAp) extracted from horse humerus bones of different ages (1, 3, 6, and 8 years) subjected to low temperature calcination (600°C). Thermal analysis revealed significant mass loss due to water, collagen, organic compounds, carbonates, and age-related magnesium out-diffusion. Higher fat content in older bones contributed to increased mass loss. Phosphorus content remained constant across age groups, while calcium and sodium showed age-related fluctuations. Magnesium levels decreased with ag...
Cornell TR, Fye BL, Nyassi E, Ceesay F, Jallow M, Langendonk RF, Wootton DG, Pinchbeck G, Scantlebury CE.Exposure rates to species, the causative agent of equine epizootic lymphangitis (EL), are unknown amongst working equids in The Gambia. The primary aims of this study were to estimate anti- antibody seroprevalence in the equid population in rural The Gambia and to explore risk factors for seropositivity. Unassigned: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted (February-July 2022), representing baseline measurements of a longitudinal cohort study. Horses ( 463) and donkeys ( = 92) without EL signs were recruited in 18 study sites. Following informed owner consent, equid clinical and m...
Aguiar LH, Pinto CRF.Sperm capacitation is considered the main factor limiting conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) in horses. A recent scientific breakthrough in sperm processing for IVF in horses has resulted in embryos and foals being produced; however, various aspects of the IVF process remain to be fully elucidated. Lysine acetylation has been shown to play a role in sperm capacitation in several species and the objective of this study was to detect and evaluate this process in the horse. Ejaculates of two stallions were collected and incubated in different conditions with deacetylase inhibitors to induc...
Meiseberg LK, Delarocque J, de Buhr N, Ohnesorge B.Equine asthma is a common, non-infectious, chronic lung disease that affects up to 80% of the horse population. Strict phenotyping and identification of subclinically asthmatic horses can be challenging. The aim of this study was to describe equine asthma phenotypes (mild, moderate, and severe asthma) defined by BALF cytology and occurrence of clinical signs in a population of privately owned horses and to identify the variables and examination steps with best discriminative potential. The standardised examination protocol included clinical examinations, blood work, airway endoscopy with bronc...
Zemek CHK, Kemp KL, Bertin FR.Characterizing the lipid response to an oral glucose test (OGT) might improve our understanding of Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Objective: To describe the effects of an OGT on lipid metabolism and determine the value of measuring triglyceride and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations in hyperinsulinemic (HI) and insulin-resistant (IR) horses. Methods: Twenty horses including 7 HI-IR horses, 4 HI-non-IR horses, and 9 non-HI-non-IR horses (control). Methods: Cross-sectional design. Horses underwent an OGT, with blood samples collected at 0, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Insulin, glucose, tri...
Kong FKW, Wong ASY, Cheung RKK, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.In order to control the potential misuse of perfluorocarbons as an oxygen carrier in equine sports, a simple and sensitive method for detecting perfluorocarbons in equine plasma by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry using negative chemical ionization with methane as reagent gas has been developed and fully validated. The method covers seven perfluorocarbons, which are the active components in blood substitute products, and shows good sensitivity and robustness. Limits of detection as low as 0.01 ng/mL could be achieved by the method. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first r...
Mata F, Franca I, Araújo J, Paixão G, Lesniak K, Cerqueira JL.Hoof trimming and shoeing determine the horse's hoof shape and balance. Hoof conformation plays a crucial role in limb biomechanics and can consequently prevent or predispose to injury. This study investigated the relationship between the morphometric characteristics of the horse's hoof, specifically, the dorsal hoof wall angle (DHWA), the coronet band circumference (CBC), and lameness in 73 horses categorised as undertaking either show jumping, dressage, or riding school activities. Results from logistic regression indicated that horses with either a combination of acute DHWA with large CBC, ...
Malsa J, Reigner F, Riou M, Gesbert A, Guégnard F, Perrot N, Serreau D, Fleurance G, Sallé G.The increasing emergence of anthelmintic-resistant parasitic isolates prompts us to reassess the management of intestinal strongylosis in horses. Additionally, societal demand is shifting toward reducing the use of chemical treatments, aligning with environmentally-friendly practices and the exploration of natural alternatives. In this context, we provide an initial view of the antiparasitic activity and the effect on immune circulating blood cells of three commercialized plant-based feed additives in ponies. Three treatments, based either on mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), echinacea (Echinacea ...
Wu Y, Li L, Bai W, Li T, Qian X, Liu Y, Wang S, Liu C, Wan F, Zhang D, Liu Y, Wu K, Ling Y, Zhou H, Meng F, Zhang Y, Cao J.Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is an important pathogen of the MicroRNA virus family. Infection of livestock can cause physical weakness, weight loss, reduced milk production, and a significant reduction in productivity for an extended period. It also causes a high mortality rate in young animals, seriously affecting livestock production. The host range of FMDV is mainly limited to cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and sheep, while odd-toed ungulates such as horses and donkeys have natural resistance to FMDV. The mechanism underlying this resistance in odd-toed ungulates remains unclea...
Gaber JTH, Cuervo-Arango J, Plaza-Dávila M, Martínez-Boví R.This experiment was performed to evaluate whether intrafollicular treatment of PGE2 or PGF2α administered in early estrus would induce normal ovulation, progesterone production (Experiment 1) and pregnancy (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, mares in estrus after 2 days of endometrial edema were injected in all largest dominant follicles (28-35 mm in diameter) with 0.5 mL of sterile water containing 500 μg PGE2 (n = 6), 125 μg PGF2α (n = 6) or placebo (n = 7) (Hour 0). Ultrasound examinations were performed daily, until ovulation or anovulation was detected, and daily blood samples ...
Klingberg J, Richards S, Hochwallner T, Kennan L, Keledjian J.Bisphosphonate drugs and myo-inositol trispyrophosphate are of concern to the racing industry and have been listed as prohibited substances in equine sports. The current bisphosphonate plasma screening analysis employed at the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory involves the use of sequential solid-phase extraction procedures, passing the samples through a mixed mode cartridge, followed by a weak anion exchange cartridge. The eluates collected following the second extraction are then methylated and analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Under these extraction conditions, some b...
Knych HK, Blea J, Scollay M, Kass PH, McKemie DS.Ethanol, a central nervous system depressant and banned substance in horseracing, has reportedly been administered to horses prior to competition to "calm a horse's nerves." In this study, the pharmacokinetics of two metabolites of ethanol were studied to better understand the behavior of this compound in the horse and provide a scientific basis for regulation of its administration. Six horses received a single intravenous (30 mL; 1200 mg) and oral (90 mL; 3600 mg) administration of ethanol (vodka, 40% ABV) in a balanced cross-over design. Blood and urine samples were collected at vari...
Aoun R, Takawira C, Lopez MJ.To provide an overview of available research about effects of horseshoes on equine kinetics and kinematics. Methods: The terms, "horse/equine," "hoof," "shoes/horseshoes," "kinetics," and "kinematics" were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International, and United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library for manuscripts from first availability to 2024. Independent reviewers used preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines to map and extract evidence-based data from sources. Metrics included partici...
von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Thompson RA, Krücken J, Grant W, Bowman DD, Schnyder M, Deplazes P.Anthelmintic resistance (AR) has thus far only rarely been reported for intestinal helminths of dogs and cats, in contrast to parasites of livestock and horses. We highlight possible reasons for this striking and important discrepancy, including ecological, biological and genetic factors and/or intervention regimens of key intestinal helminths concerning both host groups. In view of the current knowledge related to the genetics, mechanisms and principles of AR development, we point at issues which in our view contribute to a comparatively lower risk of AR development in intestinal helminths of...
Tessier L, Bienzle D, Williams LB, Koch TG.Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have attracted interest for their cytotherapeutic potential, partly due to their immunomodulatory abilities. The aim of this study was to test the robustness of our equine cord blood (CB) MSC isolation protocol, to characterize the CB-MSC before and after cryopreservation, and to evaluate their immunosuppressive phenotype. We hypothesized that MSC can be consistently isolated from equine CB, have unique and reproducible marker expression and in vitro suppress lymphoproliferation. Preliminary investigation of constitutive cytoplasmic Toll-like recepto...
Boscan P, Van Hoogmoed LM, Farver TB, Snyder JR.To evaluate the effects of morphine administration for 6 days on gastrointestinal tract function in healthy adult horses. Methods: 5 horses. Methods: Horses were randomly allocated into 2 groups in a crossover study. Horses in the treatment group received morphine sulfate at a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg, IV, every 12 hours for 6 days. Horses in the control group received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution at a dosage of 10 mL, IV, every 12 hours for 6 days. Variables assessed included defecation frequency, weight of feces produced, intestinal transit time (evaluated by use of barium-filled spheres and radio...
Katila T.This review suggests a classification for uterine diseases of mares. Information is presented on the prevalence of endometritis in the past and at present. The review describes uterine sampling techniques for mares: swabbing, cytobrushing, low volume lavage and biopsy. The performance of culture, cytology and histology and threshold values is discussed. Correlations between different diagnostic methods and fertility are presented, as well as specificities, sensitivities and positive and negative predictive values of the diagnostic methods. The necessity for double-guarded techniques is emphasi...
Comin A, Veronesi MC, Montillo M, Faustini M, Valentini S, Cairoli F, Prandi A.Stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and elevated cortisol concentrations in fetal plasma are associated with foal maturity, viability and adaptation to independent life. However, non-invasive measurement of cortisol in hair samples has not yet been validated in horses. The current study developed a radioimmunoassay to analyse cortisol in horse hair and was used to measure cortisol hair concentration at birth and at 30 and 60 days of age as a retrospective study of HPA axis activity. Cortisol was detectable in the hair of foals from birth until 2 months, but decreased w...
De Schauwer C, Van de Walle GR, Van Soom A, Meyer E.In the past decade, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have received much attention in equine veterinary medicine. The first therapeutic use of equine MSC was reported in 2003. Since then, the clinical application of MSC has been exploding with thousands of horses now treated worldwide. At present, MSC are mainly used in veterinary medicine to treat musculoskeletal diseases based on their ability to differentiate into various tissues of mesodermal origin. This is in marked contrast to human medicine, where MSC therapies are primarily focused on immune-mediated, inflammatory, and ischemic diseases. I...
McGuire TC, Poppie MJ, Banks KL.Thirty sick Arabian foals and 78 clinically normal Arabian foals were examined for combined (B- and T-lymphocyte) immunodeficiency. Diagnosis was based on lymphocyte counts and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) content or microscopic examination of lymphoid organs. Ten of the 30 sick foals and 2 of the 78 clinically normal foals had combined immunodeficiency. The 2 affected foals in the group of 78 subsequently developed fatal pneumonia.
Lymphocyte counts were made from 9 of the 12 immunodeficient foals; the range was 0 to 936/cmm., whereas the normal mean was 4,119/cmm., with a standard deviation ...
Moore JN, Vandenplas ML.Some veterinarians describe particularly sick horses or neonatal foals as being endotoxemic, whereas others refer to the same animals as having the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This article reviews the basis for the use of each of these terms in equine practice, and highlights the mechanisms underlying the response of the horse's innate immune system to key structural components of the microorganisms that initiate these conditions, including how some of those responses differ from other species. Current approaches used to treat horses with these conditions are summarized, and cauti...
Li F, Wang R, Guo Y, Li N, Feng Y, Xiao L.Limited data are available on infection rates and genetic identity of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Giardia duodenalis in horses and donkeys. In this study, 865 fecal specimens were collected from donkeys (n = 540) and horses (n = 325) in three provinces and autonomous regions in northern China during 2015-2019. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected and genotyped by PCR and sequence analyses of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and G. duodenalis was detected and genotyped by PCR and sequence analyses of the β-giardin, glutamate dehydrogenase, and triosephosphate isomerase g...
Li X, Ni HB, Ren WX, Jiang J, Gong QL, Zhang XX.Toxoplasmosis, one of the most common zoonoses worldwide, is caused by Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Horses are an intermediate host of T. gondii, representing a potential risk for humans. To determine the T. gondii seroprevalence in horses worldwide, a global meta-analysis was conducted. A total of 35 publications were obtained by searching the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Chinese Web of knowledge (CNKI) and Wanfang databases. A total of 12,354 horses were assessed, of which 1580 were positive for T. gondii. The pooled overall seroprevale...
Vokes J, Lovett A, Sykes B.Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a term that has been used since 1999, initially being used to describe all gastric mucosal disease in horses. Since this time, the identification of two distinct main disease entities of the equine gastric mucosa have been described under the umbrella of EGUS; these are Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD) and Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD). In 2015 the European College of Equine Internal Medicine (ECEIM) released a consensus statement defining these disease entities. This document highlighted the lack of evidence surrounding EGGD compared to ...
Linardi RL, Dodson ME, Moss KL, King WJ, Ortved KF.Cartilage injury occurs commonly in equine athletes, often precipitating posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Orthobiologics such as autologous conditioned serum (ACS) and autologous protein solution (APS) may be useful in decreasing posttraumatic inflammation, thereby preventing PTOA. The objective of this study was to quantify cytokine concentrations in ACS and APS and evaluate the protective effects of ACS and APS on inflamed chondrocytes cultured . We hypothesized that the combination of platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF) and anti-inflammatory cytokines present in APS would be superior...
Ishihara A, Shields KM, Litsky AS, Mattoon JS, Weisbrode SE, Bartlett JS, Bertone AL.This study evaluated healing of equine metatarsal osteotomies and ostectomies in response to percutaneous injection of adenoviral (Ad) bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, Ad-BMP-6, or beta-galactosidase protein vector control (Ad-LacZ) administered 14 days after surgery. Radiographic and quantitative computed tomographic assessment of bone formation indicated greater and earlier mineralized callus in both the osteotomies and ostectomies of the metatarsi injected with Ad-BMP-2 or Ad-BMP-6. Peak torque to failure and torsional stiffness were greater in osteotomies treated with Ad-BMP-2 than Ad-B...
Scoggin CF.Advancing age can adversely affect a thoroughbred brood-mare's reproductive efficiency and influence the commercial and athletic potential of her progeny. Causes for the decline in fertility include decreased oocyte and embryo quality, anatomical defects and endometrial degeneration. In addition, evidence exists that as the age of a dam increases, her foals will be at increased risk of morbidity and mortality during the neonatal period. Health issues can have lasting and deleterious effects on surviving foals, including decreased sale value and reduced athletic performance. The purpose of this...
Muscatello G.Rhodococcus equi pneumonia is a worldwide infectious disease of major concern to the equine breeding industry. The disease typically manifests in foals as pyogranulomatous bronchopneumonia, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Inhalation of aerosolised virulent R. equi from the environment and intracellular replication within alveolar macrophages are essential components of the pathogenesis of R. equi pneumonia in the foal. Recently documented evidence of airborne transmission between foals indicates the potential for an alternative contagious route of disease transmission. In the...
Cabezas J, Rojas D, Navarrete F, Ortiz R, Rivera G, Saravia F, Rodriguez-Alvarez L, Castro FO.Adult stromal mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been postulated as responsible for cell renewal in highly and continuously regenerative tissues such as the endometrium. MSCs have been identified in the endometrium of many species including humans, rodents, pets and some farm animals, but not in horses. The objective of this work was to isolate such cells from the endometrium of mares and to compare their main biological attributes with horse adipose-derived MSCs. Here we successfully isolated and characterized endometrial MSCs (eMSCs) from mares. Said cells showed fibroblast-like morphology, ...
Snider TA, Sepoy C, Holyoak GR.The equine endometrial biopsy, an important tool in equine reproduction science, has experienced a rich period of increasing knowledge, development, and application over the past 40 y. Much of the foundational work in this field was conducted by Dr. Robert M. Kenney. In view of his recent passing, this review is dedicated to our alumnus, Dr. Robert M. Kenney (OSU, 1954). In this manuscript, we pay tribute to Kenney-eponymous for the equine endometrial biopsy grading system-by reviewing the procedure. We present this review in three parts: 1) how observational data are acquired; 2) how these da...
Ortega Ferrusola C, González Fernández L, Salazar Sandoval C, Macías García B, Rodríguez Martínez H, Tapia JA, Peña FJ.In order to evaluate to what extent the changes that occur during cryopreservation involve the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PT-pore), a specific inhibitor was used during the cryopreservation process of stallion spermatozoa. Four ejaculates from each of 7 stallions were frozen using a standard protocol. Before freezing, each ejaculate was split into three subsamples. The first was supplemented with 2.5 microM bongkrekic acid (BA) and the second with 5 microM BA. The third subsample served as control. The BA significantly reduced the percentage of spermatozoa depicting active cas...
Eberhardt C, Amann B, Feuchtinger A, Hauck SM, Deeg CA.Reactive gliosis is a well-established response to virtually every retinal disease. Autoimmune uveitis, a sight threatening disease, is characterized by recurrent relapses through autoaggressive T-cells. The purpose of this study was to assess retinal Müller glial cell function in equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), a spontaneous disease model resembling the human disease, by investigating membrane proteins implicated in ion and water homeostasis. We found that Kir2.1 was highly expressed in diseased retinas, whereas Kir4.1 was downregulated in comparison to controls. Distribution of Kir2.1 appea...
Kydd JH, Wattrang E, Hannant D.In general, vaccines containing inactivated equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) fail to prevent abortion in pregnant mares following infection with a virulent strain of EHV-1. We have tested the hypothesis that resistance to EHV-1-induced abortion in pregnant mares is associated with high frequencies of EHV-1 specific, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in the circulation. To test this theory, three groups of pregnant mares were assembled with varying backgrounds of infection or vaccination in an attempt to mimic the immune status of the general p...
Phillips JC, Lembcke LM.Melanomas are among the most common skin tumors in horses, with prevalence rates reaching as high as 80% in adult gray horses. Most melanocytic tumors are benign at initial presentation; however, if left untreated, up to two-thirds can progress to overt malignant behavior. Standard local treatment options can be used to treat solitary early-stage lesions but do not address the underlying risk of recurrent tumor formation or the transformation to a malignant phenotype. An understanding of the specific molecular genetic factors associated with tumor formation should lead to targeted therapies th...
Murray MJ, Grodinsky C, Anderson CW, Radue PF, Schmidt GR.Gastroendoscopic examinations were performed on 187 horses, ranging from one to 24 years. Eighty-seven horses had clinical problems including chronic, recurrent colic for seven or more days (25), one or more episodes of colic within the previous seven days (13), or acute colic (10), diminished appetite (53), poor bodily condition (40), and/or chronic diarrhoea (9). One hundred horses that had no signs of gastrointestinal problems were examined as part of a gastroendoscopic survey. Lesions observed in the squamous fundus, squamous mucosa adjacent to the margo plicatus along the greater curvatur...
Denoix JM.Tendons and ligaments of the equine distal limbs have a prominent anatomic, functional, and clinical importance. This article reviews the descriptive and topographic anatomy of these structures in details. Special information is given about the mechanical properties and functional anatomy of the flexor tendons, accessory ligaments, and third interosseous muscle, as well as about their roles during the standing position and gaits.
Kinney RM, Tsuchiya KR, Sneider JM, Trent DW.Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus is a mosquito-borne pathogen that has caused encephalitis in equine species and humans during sporadic outbreaks in the western hemisphere. The last, and most widespread, VEE outbreak occurred in South America, Central America, Mexico and the U.S.A. (Texas) during 1969 to 1972. We have cloned and sequenced the genome of a virulent VEE subtype I-AB virus, strain 71-180, isolated in Texas in 1971. Thirty-four nucleotide differences were detected between the genome of 71-180 virus and that of the subtype I-AB Trinidad donkey (TRD) virus isolated during t...
MacLeod JN, Burton-Wurster N, Gu DN, Lust G.Fibronectin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein encoded by a single gene. Alternative RNA splicing has been reported at three sites, ED (extra type III domain)-A, ED-B, and the variable or V region. Articular cartilage fibronectin monomers are rarely (ED-A)+, but approximately 25% are (ED-B)+. RNA gel electrophoresis and Northern blot analysis identified two (ED-B)+ and two (ED-B)- fibronectin transcripts in cartilage, each pair differing by approximately 750 bases. This difference results from a previously unreported RNA splicing pattern that eliminates not only the V region but also nucl...
Kuwahara M, Hiraga A, Kai M, Tsubone H, Sugano S.We studied the influence of training on autonomic nervous function in the horse. For this purpose, Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded before and after training from 24 Thoroughbred horses (2-year-olds) and autonomic nervous function was evaluated by the power spectral analysis of heart rate (HR) variability. We obtained HR, low-frequency (LF) power, high-frequency (HF) power, and LF/HF ratio from recording. We set LF at 0.01-0.07 Hz and HF at 0.07-0.6 Hz. The HF power is thought to reflect primarily parasympathetic nervous function. Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous sys...
Pusterla N, Wilson WD, Mapes S, Finno C, Isbell D, Arthur RM, Ferraro GL.The objective of this study was to determine viral loads, strain (neuropathogenic versus non-neuropathogenic) and state (lytic, non-replicating, latent) of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the blood and nasopharyngeal secretions of adult horses following natural exposure. The index case, a 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding with confirmed EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy, as well as potentially exposed horses, were sampled over a period of 3 weeks. The study population comprised of 39 adult Thoroughbred horses and 35 adult "pony" and outrider horses of various...
