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.
Barakzai SZ, Finnegan C, Dixon PM, Hillyer MH, Boden LA.The prevalence of the use of tongue ties, calculated from 60 randomly selected race meetings held in the UK during 2001 to 2003, was 5.0 per cent. After its first use on an individual horse a tongue tie was used in an average of 77 per cent of its races during the first 12 months, but after this time period, in only 55 per cent of its races. Thirty-nine per cent of horses that underwent surgery for dorsal displacement of the soft palate raced with a tongue tie preoperatively, and 41 per cent of these surgical cases raced with a tongue tie postoperatively.
Musilova P, Kubickova S, Horin P, Vodicka R, Rubes J.Cross-species chromosome painting has been applied to most of the species making up the numerically small family Equidae. However, comparative mapping data were still lacking in Asiatic asses kulan (Equus hemionus kulan) and kiang (E. kiang). The set of horse arm-specific probes generated by laser microdissection was hybridized onto kulan (E. hemionus kulan) and kiang (E. kiang) chromosomes in order to establish a genome-wide chromosomal correspondence between these Asiatic asses and the horse. Moreover, region-specific probes were generated to determine fusion configuration and orientation of...
Sun WC, Moore JN, Hurley DJ, Vandenplas ML, Fortes B, Thompson R, Linden J.Adenosine is an endogenous nucleoside that has potent receptor-mediated immunomodulatory effects on macrophage/monocyte function. In this study, we determined the effects of an adenosine A(2A) receptor agonist, ATL313, on the expression of mRNAs for four pro-inflammatory mediators, IL-1beta, IL-8, COX-2, and TNF-alpha, and the mRNA and protein for the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 in equine monocytes incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results indicate that ATL313 significantly reduces LPS-induced expression of COX-2 and TNF-alpha, enhances the expression of IL-10 and IL-8, but do...
Zaneb H, Kaufmann V, Stanek C, Peham C, Licka TF.To assess differences in activities of back and pelvic limb muscles by use of surface electromyography (SEMG) in chronically lame and nonlame horses during walking and trotting. Methods: 12 nonlame horses and 12 horses with unilateral chronic mild to moderate pelvic limb lameness. Methods: On each horse, bipolar electrodes were attached to the skin over the midpoints of the right and left longissimus thoracis (Lot), semitendinosus (Set), biceps femoris (Bif), gluteus medius (Glm), and extensor digitorum longus (Edl) muscles. For each muscle, synchronous kinematic and SEMG recordings were made ...
Peretich AL, Abbott LL, Andrews FM, Dhar MS.To determine whether expression of mRNA for sodium-potassium adenosine-triphosphatase (NAKA) and sodium-hydrogen exchanger (NHE) in samples of the nonglandular portion of the equine gastric mucosa was altered by exposure to volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in an acidic environment. Methods: 10 horses (5 or = 12 years old). Methods: Samples of the nonglandular portion of the gastric mucosa were collected and exposed in Ussing chambers to Ringer's solution (control samples), Ringer's solution containing a mixture of VFAs (pH, 1.5 or 4.0), or Ringer's solution containing acetic acid (pH, 1.5 or 4.0)....
Williams LA.Many skin disorders in horses share the same appearance-hair loss of various degrees, itchiness, lesions that may or may not be painful to the touch, oozing sores, or skin that is reddened, crusty, scaly, flaky, thickened or swollen- making diagnosis sometimes difficult. A horse owner's documentation of a horse's medical history, the history of the skin disorder, and the horse's environment assists veterinarians and compounding pharmacists in their diagnosis and treatment. This article discusses some of the common skin problems that affect horses, takes a look at causes, and provides a case re...
Lampe V, Dierks C, Distl O.Osteochondrosis (OC) is an inherited developmental disease in young horses most frequently observed in thoroughbreds, trotters, warmblood and coldblood horses. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for equine OC have been identified in Hanoverian warmblood horses employing a whole genome scan with microsatellites. A QTL on ECA16 reached the genome-wide significance level for hock osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD). The aim of this study was to refine this QTL on ECA16 using an extended marker set of 34 newly developed microsatellites and 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We used the same 14 pate...
Goehring LS, van Maanen C, Berendsen M, Cullinane A, de Groot RJ, Rottier PJ, Wesselingh JJ, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Equid herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1)-associated myeloencephalopathy (EHM) may follow an infection with the virus in horses. This study tested three hypotheses: (1) a large inhaled dose of a neuropathogenic EHV-1 strain would induce a cell-associated viraemia in all infected horses; (2) neurological disease will only occur in viraemic horses, and (3) the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition following EHV-1 viraemia will be an indicator for EHM. Four EHV-1 seronegative horses were inoculated with EHV-1 by inhalation. Three developed clinical signs of neurological disease, which were mild in two hor...
Sprague LD, Zachariah R, Neubauer H, Wernery R, Joseph M, Scholz HC, Wernery U.The internationally mandatory complement fixation test (CFT) for testing of equine sera for the absence of glanders has repeatedly led to discrepant results. Not only do "false positive" sera pose a problem for the diagnostician and the animal health authorities but they can also result in significant financial losses for the animal owners.Due to the very low prevalence of glanders in the horse population it is of major importance to use tests with a high specificity to overcome unreliable predictive values. We have compared formalin-fixed B. mallei whole cell antigen and a well characterised ...
Singh BR.Vancomycin resistant and multi-drug-resistant enterococci are the major emerging pathogens in surgical, neonatal, and tertiary care units. Methods: In this study, 267 enterococci from different clinical and non-clinical samples of equine origin were tested for their antimicrobial drug sensitivity against 19 antimicrobials using disc diffusion method. Results: A total of 80.2% enterococci tested were resistant to vancomycin and 99.6% to multiple-drugs. There was a significant association between haemolytic potential and vancomycin resistance (chi(2), 0.00). Enterococci isolates from healthy equ...
Bugno M, Slota E, Witarski W, Gerber V, Klukowska-Roetzler J.The results obtained in the present study enabled the physical map of the donkey genome to be extended with markers associated with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), a major performance-limiting disease of Equidae. The equine BAC clone containing the IL4R and CLCA1 genes were localized to EAS 14q13 and EAS 6q15 respectlivy by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Identification of their locus confirmed the distribution of syntenic regions between the domestic horse and the domestic donkey within the chromosomes analysed.
Ichibangase T, Imai K.To extend the applicability of the fluorogenic derivatization-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (FD-LC-MS/MS) method, which consists of fluorogenic derivatization (FD), separation by liquid chromatography (LC), and identification by LC-tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) proteomic analysis, we applied it to Thoroughbred horse muscle. With the optimization of the protein extraction and separation procedure, reproducible chromatograms were obtained and the changes in protein expressions during exercise were able to be analyzed. To quantify the changed protein expressi...
Bosch G, van Schie HT, de Groot MW, Cadby JA, van de Lest CH, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.Tendon injuries are notorious for their slow and functionally inferior healing. Intratendinous application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been reported to stimulate the repair process of tendon injuries, but there is little conclusive evidence for its effectiveness. A placebo-controlled experimental trial was performed to test the hypothesis that a single intratendinous PRP treatment enhances the quality of tendon repair, as evidenced by improved biochemical, biomechanical, and histological tissue properties. In six horses, tendon lesions were created surgically in the Superficial Digital F...
Tatarniuk DM, Bell C, Carmalt JL.Disease of the paranasal sinuses of the horse is common and treatment often involves lavage and sometimes surgery. The development of minimally-invasive, sinus-specific treatments, such as balloon sinuplasty, requires a thorough understanding of this complex anatomical region. To improve this understanding, 10 heads from dead horses of various ages were grossly dissected. The heads were transected sagittally and each half was dissected to expose the left and right nasomaxillary apertures and associated structures which were then photographed and measured. Entrances from the rostral and caudal ...
Skiöldebrand E, Ekman S, Heinegård D, Hultenby K.The present study was designed to delineate the presence of COMP at the ultrastructural level comparing concentrations between two areas of articular cartilage from the equine third carpal bone, subjected to different loading, from trained and untrained horses. We also analyzed the fibril thickness of collagen type II in the same compartments and zones. Samples were collected from high load-bearing areas of the dorsal radial facet (intermittent high load) and an area of the palmar condyle (low constant load) in five non-trained and three trained young racehorses. The data show that COMP is muc...
Berg L, Koch T, Heerkens T, Bessonov K, Thomsen P, Betts D.Orthopaedic injury is the most common cause of lost training days or premature retirement in the equine athlete. Cell-based therapies are a potential new treatment option in musculo-skeletal diseases. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been derived from multiple sources in the horse including bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. The objective of this study was to provide an in vitro comparison of the chondrogenic potential in MSC derived from adult bone marrow (BM-MSC) and umbilical cord blood (CB-MSC). Results: MSC from both sources produced tissue with cartilage-like morphology that stain...
Fintl C, Pearson GT, Mayhew IG, Stewart Lowden C, Hopwood PA, Palgrave CJ, Proudman CJ, Barrie Edwards G, Taylor SE, Hudson NP.Previous immunohistochemical studies targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase (c-Kit) have demonstrated an apparent reduction in the number of gastrointestinal pacemaker cells--the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC)--in horses with intestinal motility disorders. This study compared the level of transcription of the c-kit gene encoding this receptor in horses with and without such motility disorders. Transcription levels of this gene were also compared to the density of ICC immunohistochemically positive for the c-Kit antigen. Intestinal samples were collected from 18 horses with intestinal diseas...
Hyttinen MM, Holopainen J, van Weeren PR, Firth EC, Helminen HJ, Brama PA.The aim of this study was to record growth-related changes in collagen network organization and proteoglycan distribution in intermittently peak-loaded and continuously lower-level-loaded articular cartilage. Cartilage from the proximal phalangeal bone of the equine metacarpophalangeal joint at birth, at 5, 11 and 18 months, and at 6-10 years of age was collected from two sites. Site 1, at the joint margin, is unloaded at slow gaits but is subjected to high-intensity loading during athletic activity; site 2 is a continuously but less intensively loaded site in the centre of the joint. The degr...
Giesecke K, Sieme H, Distl O.Stallion fertility is of high economic importance for the horse industry. The discovery of molecular mechanisms affecting fertility will be facilitated by the horse genome assembly and the development of novel tools for analysing complex genetic traits. Genetic markers in candidate genes, such as CRISP3, SPATA1 and INHBA, in breeding stallions have been associated with pregnancy rate per oestrus in mares. This paper reviews candidate autosomal, X and Y genes for stallion fertility, including genes encoding hormones and their receptors of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, proteins of the seminal...
Raeside JI, Christie HL, Waelchli RO, Betteridge KJ.Estrogen production by the trophoblast is considered important in early equine pregnancy and leads to high concentrations in yolk-sac (Y-S) fluid. The embryo proper is a potential site for their action. We examined estrogen metabolism in the embryo proper because some actions of estrogens are derived from locally formed metabolites. The embryo proper, as well as separated extraembryonic tissues, of conceptuses collected about day 25 of pregnancy, were incubated with (3)[H]-estrone (E(1)) and (3)[H]-estradiol (E(2)). Steroids were recovered from media by solid-phase extraction and eluted separa...
Kihurani DO, Carstens A, Saulez MN, Donnellan CM.Gastroscopy with air insufflation was performed in 10 ponies, after which a transcutaneous ultrasound examination of the stomach and duodenum was performed immediately and at 1, 2, and 4 h postgastroscopy, and 24 h after feeding. Stomach measurements included the dorsoventral and craniocaudal dimensions, as well as the stomach depth from the skin surface and stomach wall thickness at the different time periods. Gastric wall folding was observed in one pony, becoming most distinct 2-4 h postgastroscopy. An undulating stomach wall was noted in eight other ponies postgastroscopy. These observatio...
Ebling AJ, McKnight AL, Seiler G, Kircher PR.The complexity of the equine skull makes the temporomandibular joint a difficult area to evaluate radiographically. The goal of this study was to determine the optimal angle for a complementary radiographic projection of the equine temporomandibular joint based on a computed tomography (CT) cadaver study. CT was performed on six equine cadaver heads of horses that were euthanized for other reasons than temporomandibular joint disease. After the CT examination, 3D reconstruction of the equine skull was performed to subjectively determine the angle for a complementary radiographic projection of ...
Karatepe B, Babür C, Karatepe M, Kiliç S.The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii specific antibodies in local horses from four districts of Niğde in the middle of Turkey, between April-June 2004. Serum samples were obtained a total of 125 horses which consisted of 81 (50 female, 31 male) 1-10 years old and 44 (25 female, 19 male) 11-20 years old and tested for antibodies to T. gondii using the Sabin Feldman Dye Test (SFDT). According to the results of the SFDT, antibodies to T. gondii were found by the SFDT in 9 (7.2%) of 125 sera with the titers of 1:16 (8 horses) and 1:64 (1 horse). Antib...
Bacigalupo MA, Meroni G, Secundo F, Scalera C, Quici S.Highly luminescent Eu(3+) and Tb(3+) complexes of 10-[4-(3-isothiocyanatopropoxy)benzoylmethyl]-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7 triacetic acid Eu(3+) is a subset of 1 and Tb(3+) is a subset of 1 were conjugated with a goat anti-rabbit IgG and a rabbit anti-mouse IgG, respectively, and applied as markers in a time resolved immunoassay for simultaneous quantitative determination of anabolic compounds clenbuterol (CL) and hydrocortisone (HC). The assay was performed in horse urine, using a monoclonal antibody specific to CL and a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific to the free HC. These lant...
McWilliam HE, Nisbet AJ, Dowdall SM, Hodgkinson JE, Matthews JB.Parasitic nematodes of the group Cyathostominae are an important cause of disease in horses. This group consists of approximately 50 species, all of which have similar life cycles that involve encystment of larval stages in the large intestinal wall. Encysted larvae can persist for months to years and, occasionally, large numbers can accumulate and emerge synchronously to cause severe pathology, resulting in diarrhoea, weight loss, colic and/or oedema. This syndrome, known as larval cyathostominosis, can be fatal in up to 50% of cases, despite treatment. There is no diagnostic method that enab...
de la Rebière de Pouyade G, Grulke S, Detilleux J, Salciccia A, Verwilghen DR, Caudron I, Gangl M, Serteyn DD.The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of postoperative laminitis in colic cases and to determine if low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is effective in preventing this complication. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: Client-owned horses. Interventions- SC administration of enoxaparin during the postoperative period. Results: Medical records of 360 horses undergoing surgery for colic and surviving at least 3 days were evaluated. Fifty-six horses admitted before 1995 did not receive LMWH (control group) and 304 admitted after 1995 received LMWH as a prophylaxis for lam...
Hague BA, Honnas CM.Trauma to the oral cavity can result in an array of injuries affecting teeth, bone, and soft tissue. A thorough examination of the oral cavity is often facilitated by employing a full-mouth speculum after the horse has been tranquilized. Identification of broken, loose, or split teeth; fractures of the premaxilla or mandible; and avulsion or laceration of soft tissue structures such as the lips or tongue is usually straightforward. Treatment options vary depending on the structure involved; however, appropriate treatment generally results in a functional and cosmetically acceptable end result....
Alexander SL, Irvine CH, Livesey JH, Donald RA.The effect of an acute fall in plasma cortisol on the secretion of CRH, arginine vasopressin (AVP), and ACTH was studied using our nonsurgical technique for collecting pituitary venous (PV) blood from horses. PV blood from six mares was collected continuously and divided into 30-sec segments for 0.5 h before and during a 3-h infusion of metyrapone, an 11-beta-hydroxylase inhibitor. During treatment, plasma cortisol fell (P < 0.01) to a mean nadir of 15% of pretreatment levels, and 11-deoxy-cortisol rose (P < 0.02). Three mares became mildly agitated during treatment. Mean PV concentratio...
Crecan CM, Morar IA, Lupsan AF, Repciuc CC, Rus MA, Pestean CP.Both as an aid for less experienced clinicians and to enhance objectivity and sharp clinical skills in professionals, quantitative technologies currently bring the equine lameness diagnostic closer to evidence-based veterinary medicine. The present paper describes an original, inertial sensor-based wireless device system, the Lameness Detector 0.1, used in ten horses with different lameness degrees in one fore- or hind-leg. By recording the impulses on three axes of the incorporated accelerometer in each leg of the assessed horse, and then processing the data using custom-designed software, th...
Bertone AL, McIlwraith CW, Jones RL, Norrdin RW, Radin MJ.Both tarsocrural joints of 4 horses were inoculated with 1.5 X 10(5) colony-forming units of Staphylococcus aureus. On days 1, 3, and 6, each horse had one tarsocrural joint lavaged with a balanced electrolyte solution and had the contralateral tarsocrural joint lavaged with 0.1% povidone-iodine solution. All horses were orally administered trimethoprim (5 mg/kg)/sufadiazine (25 mg/kg) combination twice daily and phenylbutazone (2 g) once daily for the duration of the study (21 days). On days 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 14, and 21, synovial fluid specimens were collected and analyzed for color, clarity, to...
Baldani CD, Nakaghi AC, Machado RZ.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...
Rocha T.Contagious equine metritis (CEM), a highly contagious bacterial venereal infection of equids, caused by Taylorella equigenitalis, is of major international concern, causing short-term infertility in mares. Portugal has a long tradition of horse breeding and exportation and until recently was considered CEM-free. However, in 2008, T. equigenitalis was isolated at our laboratory from a recently imported stallion and 2 mares from the same stud. Following this first reported outbreak, the Portuguese Veterinary Authority (DGVA) performed mandatory testing on all remaining equines at the stud (n=30)...
Hines MT, Palmer GH, Byrne KM, Brassfield AL, McGuire TC.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood were obtained from each of 17 adult Arabian mares and absolute numbers and relative lymphocyte proportions were determined for total T lymphocytes, using CD2 as a marker, CD4 + T lymphocytes, CD8 + T lymphocytes, CD5 + lymphocytes, and sIgM + B lymphocytes. The marked variation in BALF cell recovery resulted in wide variation in absolute values for each lymphocyte subset. The relative proportions of gated BALF lymphocytes were much less variable and provided a basis for comparison of lymphocyte subsets between the BALF and peripheral blo...
Dobrinski I, Ignotz GG, Fagnan MS, Yudin SI, Ball BA.The periacrosomal plasma membrane of spermatozoa is involved in sperm binding to oviductal epithelial cells and to the zona pellucida. A protein of 68-70 kD molecular mass was purified biochemically from the isolated periacrosomal plasma membrane of equine spermatozoa as a possible receptor for adhesion of spermatozoa to oviductal epithelial cells. A polyclonal antibody raised in rabbits against the purified equine sperm membrane protein recognized the 70 kD and an antigenically related to 32 kD protein in preparations of isolated periacrosomal sperm plasma membrane and in detergent extracted ...
Delesalle C, Dewulf J, Lefebvre RA, Schuurkes JA, Van Vlierbergen B, Deprez P.Hypocalcaemia is a common finding in horses with enterocolitis and severe gastrointestinal disorders. The aims of this study were to investigate in colic horses 1)the parameters related to hypocalcaemia, 2)the influence of hypocalcaemia on outcome and 3)the possible beneficial effect of Ca2+ substitution. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Intensive care unit. Methods: One hundred forty-four horses that were admitted with an acute abdomen during a 1.5 year period were enrolled and daily evaluated for clinical criteria and whole blood ionized Ca2+ levels. Colic horses with hypocalca...
Fernández-Hernández P, Marinaro F, Sánchez-Calabuig MJ, García-Marín LJ, Bragado MJ, González-Fernández L, Macías-García B.Equine fertilization cannot be performed in the laboratory as equine spermatozoa do not cross the oocyte's zona pellucida . Hence, a more profound study of equine oviductal fluid (OF) composition at the pre-ovulatory and post-ovulatory stages could help in understanding what components are required to achieve fertilization in horses. Our work aimed to elucidate the proteomic composition of equine OF at both stages. To do this, OF was obtained postmortem from oviducts of slaughtered mares ipsilateral to a pre-ovulatory follicle ( = 4) or a recent ovulation ( = 4); the samples were kept at -80°...
Fülber J, Agreste FR, Seidel SRT, Sotelo EDP, Barbosa ÂP, Michelacci YM, Baccarin RYA.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising therapy for the treatment of equine joint diseases, studied due to their possible immunomodulatory characteristics and regenerative capacity. However, the source of most suitable MSCs for producing cartilage for regenerative processes in conjunction with biomaterials for an enhanced function is yet to be established. Objective: To compare the chondrogenicity of MSCs derived from synovial fluid, bone marrow, and adipose tissue of horses, using the aggrecan synthesis. Methods: MSCs from ten horses were cultured, phenotypic characterization was ...
Bugno-Poniewierska M, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, -Kajtoch AP, Fornal A, Piórkowska K, Ropka-Molik K.The highly selective breeding of Arabian horses results in inbreeding depression and genetic disorders, thereby causing significant economic loss. The Polish population of Arabians has a great impact on many breeding programmes. The aim of the current study was to monitor genetic variants involved in the most common genetic disorders of this breed. A total of 808 elite Arabian horses were screened for cerebellar abiotrophy (CA), severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and lavender foal syndrome (LFS) genetic disorders by Sanger sequencing and allelic discrimination methods. The investigated po...
Kumar P, Timoney JF.Light and electron microscope studies were conducted on the nasopharynx and the nasopharyngeal tonsil of 15 young horses. The nasopharynx and nasopharyngeal tonsil was lined with pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium and goblet cells. The lymphoepithelium of the nasopharyngeal tonsil was folded forming crypts, the mucosa of which was modified into follicle associated epithelium characterized by stratified cuboidal epithelium, loss of cilia, absence of goblet cells and infiltration of lymphocytes. The lamina propria mucosae of the nasopharyngeal tonsil contained well-developed lymphoid ...
Swanstrom MD, Stover SM, Hubbard M, Hawkins DA.To determine the relative contributions of the muscles, tendons, and accessory ligaments to the passive force-length properties of the superficial (SDF) and deep digital flexor (DDF) myotendinous complexes. Methods: 8 cadaveric forelimbs from 6 adult Thoroughbreds. Methods: In vitro, limb configurations during slack position and myotendinous lengths during subsequent axial loading of forelimbs were recorded before and after transection of accessory ligaments. Expressions were derived to describe the force-length behavior of each muscle, tendon, and accessory ligament-tendon unit; linear stiffn...
Back W, van der Lugt JJ, Nikkels PG, van den Belt AJ, van der Kolk JH, Stout TA.An extreme form of abnormal development, dwarfism, is common in man and some animals, but has not been officially reported in horses. Within the Friesian horse breed, congenital dwarfism has been recognised for many years, but no detailed report exists on its phenotype. The most salient feature of the dwarf syndrome is the physeal growth retardation in both limbs and ribs. Affected animals have approximately 25% shorter fore- and hindlimbs and approximately 50% reduced bodyweight. Postnatal growth is still possible in these animals, albeit at a slower rate: the head and back grow faster than t...
Horspool LJ, McKellar QA.A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of seven short-chain fatty acids in equine caecal liquor. Samples were cleaned up on a Sep-pak (C18) cartridge, and the analyte was eluted from the extraction cartridge and filtered through a 0.45 micron cellulose nitrate filter. The analyte was chromatographed by ion exchange HPLC. Detection was by UV at 210 nm. Recovery from phosphate buffer (0.05 M, pH 7.0) and equine caecal liquor was 76.95% (lactic), 76.76% (valeric). The limit of (propionic), 89.35% (isobutyric), 88.73% (butyric), 80.33% (isovaleri...
Gorman T, Aballay J, Fredes F, Silva M, Aguillón JC, Alcaíno HA.Crude and partially purified somatic (S) and excretory-secretory (ES) antigens of Fasciola hepatica were subjected to Western blot analysis in order to identify polypeptides that would enable specific and sensitive immunodiagnosis of horse and pig fasciolosis to be undertaken. Sera from 20 horses and 20 pigs with natural infections of F. hepatica and the same number of uninfected hosts of each species were tested, together with sera from 2 pigs with Cysticercus cellulosae infections. Using crude S antigens, sera from infected horses and pigs reacted specifically with a wide range of polypeptid...
Gehlen H, Bildheim LM.An effect of aging on cardiac morphology and function has been shown in humans. In horses, cardiac wall motion analysis using two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D-ST) has not yet been reported. Our study included 57 horses of different warmblood breeds between 3 and 30 years old. Age had a significant influence on left ventricular free wall (LVFW) systolic strain rate ( ≤ 0.05) and early diastolic relaxation ( ≤ 0.01). In the interventricular septum (IVS), systolic ( ≤ 0.01) and late diastolic ( ≤ 0.05) contraction velocities also increased with age. In our study, 2D-ST revealed import...
Sweeney CR, Sweeney RW, Benson CE.Results of bacteriologic culture of specimens obtained from 14 horses with pneumonia and from 15 horses that were clinically healthy (nonpneumonia group) were compared. Specimens were obtained by use of an endoscopic guarded tracheal swabbing method and percutaneous tracheal aspiration. The percentage of agreement between the 2 tracheal specimens for the horses of the pneumonia group was 79% for aerobic isolates and 100% for anaerobic isolates. The percentage of agreement between results of the 2 tracheal specimens for horses of the nonpneumonia group was 80% for aerobic organisms and 93% for ...
Robertson TP, Moore JN, Noschka E, Lewis TH, Lewis SJ, Peroni JF.To determine the effects of inhibition of Rho-kinase or Src-family protein tyrosine kinases (srcPTK) on agonist-induced contractile responses in equine laminar arteries and veins. Methods: Laminar arteries and veins obtained from 13 adult mixed-breed horses. Methods: Laminar vessels were mounted on myographs and exposed to phenylephrine (PE), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), prostaglandin F(2) (PGF(2)), and endothelin-1 (ET-1) with or without the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 (10 microM), srcPTK inhibitor PP2 (10 microM), or a negative control analogue for PP2 (PP3; 10 microM). Results: Responses to...
Dorph K, Haughan J, Robinson M, Redding LE.To characterize antimicrobial use on four racetracks in the eastern US during the peak racing 2017-2018 seasons. Handwritten daily treatment sheets provided by attending veterinarians who listed treatments administered to horses stabled at the racetrack were obtained. Information contained in the treatment sheets included the date, name of the horse and its trainer, type of treatment, and a brief (usually 1-word) indication for treatment. The handwritten data listed on the racetrack treatment sheets were manually transcribed and analyzed. A total of 2,684 antimicrobial prescriptions were recor...
This Opinion piece is offered as a cursory overview of sperm development, function, and transport through the eyes of an equine veterinarian. My professional background is predominantly clinical in nature, but my fascination with sperm function and preservation has led to a fairly sizeable review of the scientific literature over the years in hopes of extracting laboratory findings that have application to my daily activities in the clinical arena. Spermatozoa are quite unique among cellular types with regard to both form and function, and represent the only endogenously derived cell type that...
Veronesi F, Passamonti F, Moretti A, Morganti G, Vardi DM, Laus F, Marenzoni ML, Spaterna A, Coletti M, Fioretti DP.The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a commercially available rapid enzyme-linked immonosorbent assay, the Snap® 4Dx test, in the detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum antibodies in horses. Two hundred apparently healthy horses (asymptomatic) and 244 animals showing clinical symptoms (symptomatic), were tested for A. phagocytophilum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using both the Snap® 4Dx kit and an indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), with the latter serving as a comparative test. Horses belonging to the symptomatic group were also tested for evidence of active...
Gutiérrez-Cepeda L, Crespo F, Blazquez JC, Serres C.The Purebred Spanish Horse, according to our clinical experience, is characterized by having a high number of stallions that do not meet the international commercial recommendations for equine-sperm cryopreservation. This means that artificial insemination with frozen semen from these stallions is less widespread than in other breeds. In this study, we investigated if the incorporation of single-layer colloidal centrifugation prior to cryopreservation in clinical conditions could increase the number of ejaculates of Purebred Spanish stallions suitable for this processing, observing the influen...
Kästner SB, Haines DM, Archer J, Townsend HG.Twenty-four Quarter Horse and Quarter Horse-cross yearlings were experimentally infected with influenza A virus (Influenza A/equine/Saskatoon/90 [H3N8]) by nebulisation. In a double blind controlled trial the horses were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 8 animals. Group 1 received a placebo, (carrier syrup), Group 2 the labelled dose and Group 3 twice the labelled dose of clenbuterol hydrochloride. All treatments were given per os b.i.d. for 10 days and started on the day of infection. The horses were monitored for clinical signs of influenza infection for 14 days. Bronchoalveolar lavages were...
Haddad NS, Pedersoli WM, Ravis WR, Fazeli MH, Carson RL.Healthy mature pony mares (n = 6) were given a single dose of gentamicin (5 mg/kg of body weight) IV or IM 8 days apart. Venous blood samples were collected at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 45 minutes and at 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 40, and 48 hours after IV injection of gentamicin, and at 10, 20, 30, and 45 minutes and at 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18, 24, and 30 hours after IM injection of gentamicin. Gentamicin serum concentration was determined by a liquid-phase radioimmunoassay. The combined data of IV and IM treatments were analyzed by a nonlinear least-square...
Tarr CJ, Thompson PN, Guthrie AJ, Harper CK.The carrier prevalence of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), lavender foal syndrome (LFS) and cerebellar abiotrophy (CA) in Arabian foals in South Africa was determined in order to quantify the potential impact of these conditions locally. Furthermore, the carrier prevalence of SCID prior to and following the introduction of a genetic test was compared to evaluate the effect of testing in the population. Objective: To estimate the carrier prevalence of SCID, LFS and CA in registered purebred Arabians born in South Africa in the 2004/5 and 2009/10 foaling seasons and compare the changes i...
Ravary B, Fecteau G, Higgins R, Paré J, Lavoie JP.Bacteriologic detection of Salmonella spp. from feces of animals admitted to Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, in Saint-Hyacinthe was carried out during a 1-year period to estimate the prevalence of bovine and equine salmonellosis. Prevalence at the time of hospitalization was quite low: 1.4% in cattle and 1.7% in horses. Incidence was 15.1 cases/100 animal/year in cattle and 38.7 cases/100 animal/year in horses. Serotype typhimurium was the most prevalent in both species. In cattle, cases were evenly distributed over the year. In hors...
Tnibar A.Recent clinical and experimental trials have demonstrated that intra-articular 2.5% Polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) is highly effective (82.5% free of lameness horses at 2 year follow-up), lasting and safe for the treatment of equine osteoarthritis (OA). Over the last decade, intra-articular 2.5% PAAG has shown to be a potent and promising drug in the medication of OA in horses, as no other single medical treatment for OA has such prolonged efficacy. Most of these studies were presenting some limitations. Preliminary observations on the mechanisms of action of intra-articular 2.5% PAAG support ...
equine sarcoids are the most frequent skin tumors in equidae worldwide. It is well known that delta bovine papillomaviruses are their causative agents. We have recently shown the presence in equine sarcoids of abnormal vessel structures, which could cause a hypoxic condition. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) in a subset of BPV positive equine sarcoids and explore the relationship with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Results: 80% of equine sarcoids showed strong cytoplasmic staining in >60% of neoplastic f...
