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.
Gerber V, Straub R, Marti E, Hauptman J, Herholz C, King M, Imhof A, Tahon L, Robinson NE.Endoscopic scoring of airway mucus quantity and quality has not been critically assessed. Objective: To evaluate mucus scores for 1) observer- and horse-related variance and 2) association with inflammation, mucus viscoelasticity and measured volume. Methods: Variance of scoring within and between observers and over time within horses were determined for airway mucus accumulation, apparent viscosity, localisation and colour, and correlations of mucus accumulation scores with neutrophil ratios in secretions. The relationship of accumulation score to measured volumes of 'artificial mucus' was in...
Lippold BS, Hildebrand J, Straub R.It has been shown that the selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist tegaserod induces an increase in frequency and amplitude of contractions in isolated muscle preparations of equine ileum and pelvic flexure. Objective: To investigate the effects of tegaserod on gut motility and transit of spheres in normal horses. Methods: Six mature Freiberger horses were kept under standardised conditions. Effects of tegaserod (0.02 mg/kg bwt i.v. b.i.d. for 2 days) or vehicle on intestinal transit of barium-filled spheres, defaecation and gut sounds were studied in a cross-over design. Spheres were given via stoma...
León G, Lomonte B, Gutiérrez JM.Early adverse reactions occur in a number of patients treated with heterologous antivenoms and have been associated with anticomplementary activity (ACA). In order to reduce the ACA of equine whole IgG antivenoms produced by caprylic acid fractionation, three different fractionation protocols were compared: (a) routine caprylic acid fractionation; (b) caprylic acid fractionation followed by beta-propiolactone treatment; and (c) caprylic acid fractionation followed by ion-exchange chromatography using a quaternary ammonium membrane. The three protocols yielded products with similar physicochemi...
Kersten AA, Edinger J.Little information exists about the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the equine sacroiliac region, but knowledge of the ultrasonographic anatomy is necessary to understand the possible pathological changes in sacroiliac diseases. Objective: The normal ultrasonographic appearance of soft tissues and bony structures of the sacroiliac region in horses was studied in order to establish clinically relevant reference parameters. Methods: Thirteen cadaver specimens were examined using a transcutaneous approach above the tubera sacrale to image the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and the tendon of the...
Döpke C, Gröne A, von Borstel M, von Oppen T, Boéve MH, Baumgärtner W.A 17-year-old horse developed severe proptosis of the left eye over a period of 1.5 years. At post-mortem examination a neoplasm was found involving the left ethmoid bone, left maxillary sinus, left orbit, left superior turbinate, and the left eye. Tumour cells were arranged in nests separated by a fine fibrovascular stroma. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells were labelled by antibodies against neurofilament protein, synaptophysin, glial fibrillary acidic protein and S-100 protein antigen, but were negative for chromogranin A, cytokeratin and desmin. Electronmicroscopically, the cells sho...
Cole FL, Mellor DJ, Hodgson DR, Reid SW.The proportion of the horses, of both sexes and of different ages, breeds and levels of activity, owned by a stratified random sample of Australian owners, which had suffered one or more episodes of exertional rhabdomyolysis during the previous 12 months was determined. The proportion in the general population was 1.9 per cent, and horses which exercised were significantly more likely to have experienced the condition than horses which did not. There were significant differences between the sexes and between certain breeds and activity groups in the proportions of horses affected.
Silva LA, Gastal EL, Beg MA, Ginther OJ.The equine embryonic vesicle is mobile on Days 12-14 (Day 0 = ovulation), when it is approximately 9-15 mm in diameter. Movement from one uterine horn to another occurs, on average, approximately 0.5 times per hour. Mobility ceases (fixation) on Days 15-17. Transrectal color Doppler ultrasonography was used to study the relationship of embryo mobility (experiment 1) and fixation (experiment 2) to endometrial vascular perfusion. In experiment 1, mares were bred and examined daily from Day 1 to Day 16 and were assigned, retrospectively, to a group in which an embryo was detected (pregnant mares;...
Malisauskas M, Ostman J, Darinskas A, Zamotin V, Liutkevicius E, Lundgren E, Morozova-Roche LA.In amyloid diseases, it is not evident which protein aggregates induce cell death via specific molecular mechanisms and which cause damage because of their mass accumulation and mechanical properties. We showed that equine lysozyme assembles into soluble amyloid oligomers and protofilaments at pH 2.0 and 4.5, 57 degrees C. They bind thioflavin-T and Congo red similar to common amyloid structures, and their morphology was monitored by atomic force microscopy. Molecular volume evaluation from microscopic measurements allowed us to identify distinct types of oligomers, ranging from tetramer to oc...
Spyrou V, Papanastassopoulou M, Koumbati M, Nikolakaki SV, Koptopoulos G.Molecular analysis of the regulatory and structurally important genetic segments of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) in mules is presented. We have previously reported clinicopathological and laboratory findings in mules infected with EIAV, both naturally and after experimental inoculation. In this study the fragment coding for integrase, gp90, tat and the fusion domain of gp45 of the proviral genome from these animals was sequenced and compared with one another and with that of EIAV strains already published in the literature. Significant variations were observed mainly in the sequences ...
Donaldson MT, McFarlane D, Jorgensen AJ, Beech J.To evaluate the correlation between plasma alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) concentration and body mass index (BMI) in healthy horses. Methods: 82 healthy horses. Methods: Plasma alpha-MSH concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. At the time blood samples were collected, body condition scores (BCS) were determined and measurements of girth circumference, body length, and height were obtained. Weight was estimated by use of the following formula: estimated weight (kg) = [girth (cm)2 x length (cm)]/11,877. Body mass index was calculated as estimated weight (kg)/height (m...
Mealey KL, Matthews NS, Peck KE, Burchfield ML, Bennett BS, Taylor TS.To compare plasma disposition of the R(-) and S(+) enantiomers of carprofen after IV administration of a bolus dose to donkeys and horses. Methods: 5 clinically normal donkeys and 3 clinically normal horses. Methods: Blood samples were collected from all animals at time 0 (before) and at 10, 15, 20, 30, and 45 minutes and 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 24, 28, 32, and 48 hours after IV administration of a bolus of carprofen (0.7 mg/kg). Plasma was analyzed in triplicate via high-performance liquid chromatography to determine the concentrations of the carprofen enantiomers. A plasma concent...
Toutain PL, Reymond N, Laroute V, Garcia P, Popot MA, Bonnaire Y, Hirsch A, Narbe R.To determine pharmacokinetic parameters for meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in horses. Methods: 8 healthy horses. Methods: In the first phase of the study, horses were administered meloxicam once in accordance with a 2 x 2 crossover design (IV or PO drug administration; horses fed or not fed). The second phase used a multiple-dose regimen (daily oral administration of meloxicam for 14 days), with meloxicam administered at the recommended dosage (0.6 mg/kg). Plasma and urine concentrations of meloxicam were measured by use of validated methods with a limit of quantification of...
Siger L, Bowen RA, Karaca K, Murray MJ, Gordy PW, Loosmore SM, Audonnet JC, Nordgren RM, Minke JM.To determine the onset of immunity after IM administration of a single dose of a recombinant canarypox virus vaccine against West Nile virus (WNV) in horses in a blind challenge trial. Methods: 20 mixed-breed horses. Methods: Horses with no prior exposure to WNV were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (10 horses/group). In 1 group, a recombinant canarypox virus vaccine against WNV was administered to each horse once (day 0). The other 10 control horses were untreated. On day 26, 9 treated and 10 control horses were challenged via the bites of mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) infected with WNV. Cl...
Pomar FJ, Teerds KJ, Kidson A, Colenbrander B, Tharasanit T, Aguilar B, Roelen BA.The occurrence of pregnancies and births after embryo transfer (ET) of in vivo produced embryos is generally more successful compared to that of embryos produced in vitro. This difference in ET success has been observed when embryos of morphological equal (high) quality were used. The incidence of apoptosis has been suggested as an additional criterion to morphological embryo evaluation in order to assess embryo quality and effectively predict embryo viability. In this study, equine, porcine, ovine, caprine and bovine in vivo and in vitro produced morphologically selected high quality (grade-I...
Ribeiro MG, Seki I, Yasuoka K, Kakuda T, Sasaki Y, Tsubaki S, Takai S.We investigated the prevalence of virulent Rhodococcus equi in clinical isolates from 41 foals (19 sporadic and seven endemic cases) in Brazil between 1991 and 2003. Of the 41 virulent isolates, six contained an 85-kb type I plasmid, 33 contained an 87-kb type I plasmid, both of which have been found in isolates from the Americas, and the remaining two contained a new variant, which did not display the EcoRI, EcoT22I and BamHI digestion patterns of the 11 representative plasmids already reported (85-kb types I-IV; 87-kb types I and II; 90-kb types I-V). We tentatively designated the new varian...
Morton AJ, Campbell NB, Gayle JM, Redding WR, Blikslager AT.Synovitis in horses is frequently treated by administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which inhibit cyclooxygenase isoforms (COX-1 and COX-2). Constitutively expressed COX-1 is involved in physiologic functions such as maintenance of gastric mucosal integrity, whereas COX-2 is up-regulated at sites of inflammation. Thus, COX-2 inhibitors reduce inflammation with reduced gastrointestinal side effects as compared to non-selective COX inhibitors. The objective of the present study was to compare the anti-inflammatory effects of the preferential COX-2 inhibitor etodolac wi...
Marques SM, Scroferneker ML.The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of Onchocerca cervicalis in 1200 adult horses from rural areas of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Umbilical skin specimens measuring 2 x 2 cm were minced, suspended in 10 ml of distilled water and incubated at room temperature overnight. The liquid volume was centrifuged and the sediment was screened for microfilariae. The ligamentum nuchae were totally removed, preserved in ice and dissected for the detection of adult forms of Onchocerca cervicalis. Microfilariae of Onchocerca cervicalis were detected in midventral skin biopsy samples in ...
Drogemuller M, Schnieder T, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G.P-glycoproteins (Pgps) are adenosine triphosphate-binding transporter proteins thought to be associated with multi-drug resistance in mammals and protozoans and have been suggested to be involved in the mechanism of ivermectin (IVM) resistance in Haemonchus contortus. Until now, resistance to IVM has not been reported in cyathostomins in horses in spite of its widespread and frequent use. Reasons for this might be differences in the molecular mechanism of the development of resistance. Based on this hypothesis, the present study was carried out to find homologues of Pgp in cyathostomins. A 416...
Steinbach TJ, Reischauer A, Kunkemöller I, Mense MG.A neonatal foal was presented with a 6.5-cm pedunculated mass arising from the upper deciduous incisors. The distal end was soft and covered by haired skin, whereas the proximal end was firm, covered with mucosal epithelium, and at the point of transection contained a fully developed tooth. Microscopically, the mass was covered by epidermis and mucosal epithelium and the remaining portion of the mass consisted of mature collagen, nonneoplastic fat and smooth muscle, and a single tooth within a bony socket. The mass is consistent with an oral choristoma and has features similar to those describ...
Pu F, McKinney AR, Stenhouse AM, Suann CJ, McLeod MD.A study of the equine phase II metabolism of the anabolic agent boldenone is reported. Boldenone sulfate, boldenone glucuronide and their C17-epimers were synthesised as reference standards in our lab and a method was developed for their detection in a horse urine matrix. Solid phase extraction was used to purify the analytes, which were then detected by ion trap LC/MS. Negative and positive ionisation mode MS(2) were used for the detection of sulfate and glucuronide conjugates, respectively. Boldenone sulfate and 17-epiboldenone glucuronide were detected as the major and minor phase II metabo...
Lindsey AC, Varner DD, Seidel GE, Bruemmer JE, Squires EL.Practical application of sex-selected spermatozoa in the horse industry would be greatly improved by the ability to develop simplified methods for shipping, storing, and inseminating sex-selected spermatozoa. Acceptable pregnancy rates have been achieved using fresh sex-sorted stallion sperm, however many stallion owners are reluctant to send their stallions to the sorter location for collection during the breeding season. Furthermore, the technology would be more applicable if the hysteroscopic insemination technique was not necessary for adequate pregnancy rates. Hysteroscopic insemination r...
Zevenhoven-Dobbe JC, Greve S, van Tol H, Spaan WJM, Snijder EJ.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) contains seven structural proteins that are all required to produce infectious progeny. Alphavirus-based expression vectors have been generated for each of these proteins to explore the possibilities for their constitutive expression in cell lines. This approach was successful for minor glycoproteins GP(2b), GP(3) and GP(4) and for the E protein. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that cell lines expressing these proteins could rescue EAV mutants that were disabled in the expression of the corresponding gene, resulting in the production of virus particles carrying t...
Dunkel B, Shokek AB, Wilkins PA.A neonatal foal with signs of rectal bleeding was diagnosed with an intraluminal rectal mass and intussusception on surgical exploration of the abdomen. Histologically, the mass consisted of cystic spaces lined by simple columnar epithelium with numerous goblet cells and was surrounded by thin bands of smooth muscle in a myxomatous stroma. Although the mass shared similarities with retrorectal cystic hamartoma (tailgut cyst) and juvenile polyps, described in human medicine, location and histologic findings were not entirely consistent with either condition.
Ibrahim el SM, Pagmajav O, Yamaguchi T, Matsumura T, Fukushi H.Nucleotide sequences of the intergenic region between ORF 62 and ORF 63 of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) isolates were analyzed. The sequences of this region consisted of variable and conserved domains among EHV-1 isolates. An EHV-1 mutant, Ab4-GFP, was constructed by inserting a green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression cassette flanked by lox P at both ends into the intergenic region between ORF 62 and ORF 63. Another mutant, Ab4-loxP, which contains one lox P site, was constructed by excision of the GFP cassette from the Ab4-GFP virus genome by cre enzyme. The recombinant Ab4-GFP formed sma...
Prieto D, Arcos LR, Martínez P, Benedito S, García-Sacristán A, Hernández M.The distribution of neuropeptide Y (NPY)-immunorective nerves and the receptors involved in the effects of NPY upon electrical field stimulation (EFS)- and noradrenaline (NA)-elicited contractions were investigated in horse penile small arteries. NPY-immunoreactive nerves were widely distributed in the erectile tissues with a particularly high density around penile intracavernous small arteries. In small arteries isolated from the proximal part of the corpora cavernosa, NPY (30 nM) produced a variable modest enhancement of the contractions elicited by both EFS and NA. At the same concentration...
Crevier-Denoix N, Ruel Y, Dardillat C, Jerbi H, Sanaa M, Collobert-Laugier C, Ribot X, Denoix JM, Pourcelot P.The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that tendon echogenicity is associated with the material properties of the corresponding tendon site, especially in case of lesions, due to local changes in tendon matrix composition. Four normal and nine spontaneously injured equine superficial digital flexor tendons (SDFT) were isolated then ultrasonographically examined under tension, in a special device placed in a water bath. Ultrasonographic transversal images (7.5MHz linear transducer) of five segments along each tendon were digitized, and analyzed in order to measure the mean cross...
Masterson MA, Welker B, Midla LT, Meiring RW, Hoblet KH.While many other veterinary schools have moved away from a traditional university-based ambulatory practice, the Ohio State University's Large Animal Practice has continued to provide a cost-effective and valuable method of preparing students for today's careers in veterinary medicine. The practice provides a full array of services to production, equine, and camelid clients, including herd health, individual animal medicine and surgery, and emergency services. Acquiring established practices from alumni has formed the client base. Four full-time veterinarians operate the clinic. While these sa...
Carregaro AB, Mataqueiro MI, Soares OA, Queiroz-Neto A.The study of caffeine in racing horses has been of growing concern in veterinary sports medicine since the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) stated that it has no valid therapeutic use in racehorses. We examined the kinetic alterations in the urinary excretion and salivary secretion of caffeine in seven horses subjected to urinary acidification using ascorbic acid because this procedure can simulate the acidosis that follows anaerobic exercise. They participated in two treatment groups: the control group (SG) received 500 ml of saline and then 2.0 mg kg(-1) caffeine i.v....
Fielding CL.With advances in technology and owner education, field management in equine veterinary medicine continues to evolve. Equine gastrointestinal disease is one of the most common types of emergencies evaluated by equine practitioners, and many of these patients can be effectively managed in the field. Although the equine veterinarian must make numerous decisions, fluid therapy, pain management, and antimicrobial use are 3 of the major choices that must be addressed when initiating field treatment of equine gastrointestinal disease. This article addresses the practical use of these 3 treatment cate...
Fontenot RL, Langston VC, Zimmerman JA, Wills RW, Sloan PB, Mochal-King CA.To determine meropenem concentrations in radiocarpal (RC) joint fluid and plasma after intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP). Methods: In vivo experimental study. Methods: Nine healthy adult mares. Methods: Meropenem (500 mg) was injected in the forelimb of standing sedated horses via IVRLP with a pneumatic tourniquet inflated to 400 mmHg. Synovial fluid was collected from RC joints at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 18 hours after meropenem injection. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein at the same time points and at 5 and 15 minutes following injection. Meropenem concentr...
Austin SM, DiPietro JA, Foreman JH, Baker GJ, Todd KS.Sixteen helminth-free pony foals were inoculated with a mean (+/- SD) 2,000 (+/- 545.5) infective Parascaris equorum eggs (day 0). Foals were allocated to replicates of 4, and treatments within each replicate were assigned at random. Treatment administered on postinoculation day (PID) 28 included no treatment (control), 0.2 mg of ivermectin/kg of body weight, 10 mg of oxibendazole/kg, or 6.6 mg of pyrantel base (pamoate)/kg. Paste formulations of the anthelmintics were administered orally. The foals were euthanatized 14 days after treatment (PID 42) and examined for P equorum larvae in the sma...
Tulleners E, Mann P, Raker CW.Epiglottic augmentation with injectable bovine collagen or an autogenous or allogenous auricular cartilage graft was performed in 12 horses with endoscopically and radiographically normal epiglottises. The grafting procedures were easy to perform and did not cause apparent discomfort. Cartilage graft extrusion or resorption may have occurred, but was not seen by endoscopy and lateral laryngeal radiography. Only collagen implants remained evident endoscopically, as smooth round submucosal bulges ventral to the epiglottic cartilage. Two horses with collagen implants, and all horses with cartilag...
Vaid RK, Shanmugasundaram K, Anand T, Bera BC, Tigga M, Dedar R, Riyesh T, Bardwaj S, Virmani N, Tripathi BN, Singh R. is a well-known Gram-negative bacterial pathogen causing a plethora of diseases in different animals. Although its infection has been reported from pigs and dogs in India, no report of B. bronchiseptica from horses is described. We report for the first time, isolation, identification and characterization of strains of B. bronchiseptica from respiratory infection in horses from different states in India. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed resistance to penicillins, ceftazidime, and chloramphanicol. The virulence capability of the strains was confirmed by sequencing genes such as a...
Kreider JL, Ogg WL, Turner JW.Six mature stallions were used to test the effect of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha ) on sperm production and seminal characteristics. Semen was collected from each stallion twice weekly 1 hr following a 10 mg intramuscular injection of PGF2 alpha or a sham injection. A switchback design was used so that three stallions received PGF2 alpha and three served as controls during the first 9 weeks (period 1). Treatment regimens were reversed during the second 9 weeks (period 2). Treatment of stallions with PGF2 alpha resulted in an increase (P less than .05) in gel free seminal volume and a dec...
Lindberg A, Näsman-Glaser B, Lindgren JA, Robinson NE.To evaluate leukotriene (LT) biosynthetic capacity in lung tissue from healthy horses and horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Methods: Lung parenchyma and airway specimens from 8 RAO-affected and 5 healthy horses. Methods: Horses were stabled for > or = 72 hours. Blood was drawn before euthanasia, after which lung specimens were collected. Tissue strips from small airways and parenchyma were incubated in organ baths with the precursor LTA4 or stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187 or the tripeptide N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP), with or without exogenous arachidonic acid, in the...
Huthmann S, Gasse H, Jacob HG, Rohn K, Staszyk C.The equine cheek tooth battery is part of a very dynamic system. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the curvature and position of the teeth are also involved in such dynamical processes. The alveolar crest was labelled with a radiodense marker (48 cadaver heads, 15 skulls) and laterolateral radiographs were taken. Then a geometrical method was elaborated to determine a cheek tooth's curvature and its position by means of specific angles. This method respects the remarkable changes of the equine dentition throughout life by considering two items: (1) the alveolar crest was taken a...
Coutinho da Silva MA, Seidel GE, Squires EL, Graham JK, Carnevale EM.The effects of semen extender components on the ability of stallion sperm to bind to the zona pellucida (ZP) and the suitability of using bovine ZP for a ZP-binding assay for stallion sperm were investigated in a series of experiments. In Experiment I, binding of stallion sperm to both bovine and equine ZP was significantly increased when a skim milk-based extender (EZM) was used. In Experiment II, a threefold increase in sperm binding to ZP was observed when sperm were diluted in EZM compared with diluents, which contained no milk (TALP, LAC, and EmCare). In Experiment III, centrifuging the s...
Greiner EC, Fadok VA, Rabin EB.Twenty-three species of Culicoides were trapped near pruritic horses during a 2-year survey in Florida. Nearly 99% of the biting midges collected were represented by Culicoides insignis Lutz, C. edeni Wirth and Blandon, C. stellifer (Coquillett), C. niger Root and Hoffman, C. haematopotus Malloch and C. venustus Hoffman. The relative contribution to the total catch by each of these species varied among collection sites. Seasonally, different species attain their largest population sizes at different times. Association of species collected in light traps with the seasonality of lesion developme...
Hinton S, Schroeder O, Aceto HW, Berkowitz S, Levine D.Castration is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the horse. Complication rate and types of complications associated with use of the Henderson equine castrating instrument have not been determined. Objective: To determine the complication rate and type of complications encountered when using the Henderson equine castrating instrument in equine ambulatory practice. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Medical records of horses undergoing routine castration using the Henderson drill were identified and evaluated for the occurrence of complications. The relationship be...
Patterson SD, Bell K.Twelve equine protease inhibitory alleles, PiE, H, J, K, L2, O, P, Q, R, V, X, Z, have been characterized in terms of isoelectric point, molecular mass and inhibitory activity to bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin by ISO-DALT electrophoresis. Protein maps for 20 Pi alleles including those of the eight 'Thoroughbred' alleles (PiF, G, I, L, N, S1, S2, U) have now been determined. Five pairs of alleles, S1/S2, G/K, L/L2, P/R and U/Z, possessed varying numbers of common proteins ranging from one protein in the case of G/K and L/L2 to six in the case of U/Z. Based on these results and studies of the a...
Numazawa M, Osawa Y.The metabolic pathway leading to equilin and equilenin biosynthesis in the pregnant mare is different from that of estrone and estradiol and it is apparently cholesterol-independent. The precise precursors and intermediates and the stereomechanism of equine placental aromatization have not been established. [1,2-3H, 4-14C]3-Hydroxy-3,5,7-androstatrien-17-one was synthesized as a potential substrate and the 3H-distribution was analyzed by biochemical and chemical derivatization methods. The substrate was converted to equilin, equilenin and Heard's ketone by horse placental microsomes with a sp....
Jaqueth AL, Turner TR, Iwaniuk ME, McIntosh BJ, Burk AO.Warm season wear-tolerant turfgrasses, such as those used on golf courses and athletic fields, may be valuable forages on equine operations because of their potential to remain viable during heavy hoof traffic. Crabgrass may also be suitable as it thrives in conditions where other grasses have limited success. The objective of this study was to assess the relative traffic tolerance and nutritional composition of five warm-season (WS) turfgrass cultivars of bermudagrass and zoysiagrass and one WS forage-type crabgrass. All cultivars were established by seed in replicated monoculture plots. Simu...
Ramery E, Fievez L, Fraipont A, Bureau F, Lekeux P.The long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) plays an important role in host defence and its over-expression may contribute to airway injury. The aim of the present study was therefore to characterize in more detail PTX3 and its expression in the horses' airway. Six healthy horses and six horses affected by recurrent airway obstruction (R.A.O.) were submitted to a dusty environment challenge. PTX3 DNA and cDNA were cloned and sequenced. PTX3 expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells, BALF supernatant and bronchial epithelial cell...
Haase F, Siewert C, von Rautenfeld DB, Fischbach JU, Seifert H.Measuring the leg volume of horses is useful for diagnostic and treatment of different diseases in relation to swollen legs. In the present study different methods to quantify the limb volume are compared, the water displacement method, an optoelectronic 2-dimensional body scanner, the so-called perometer and calculation of volume by applying the disc model. As reference method the golden standard of human medicine - the water displacement method was used. We took volume measurements from different tall horses in a defined section of the forelegs between the coronary band and the carpal joint....
Reeben M, Koho NM, Raekallio M, Hyyppä S, Pösö AR.Transport of lactate across membranes is facilitated by proton-monocarboxylate transporters (MCT). The most widely distributed isoform is MCT1, which needs an ancillary protein CD147. Studies on erythrocytes have shown that high activity of MCT1 is inherited as the dominant allele and that activity is regulated through CD147. Mutations of human MCT1 have been described that appear to impair lactate transport in muscles and cause exertional rhabdomyolysis. There are no reports of this potential relationship in the horse. Objective: To obtain sequences of equine MCT1 and CD147 to examine differe...
Ginther OJ.Variation is the principal barrier to progress in unraveling the complexities of biological mechanisms. The resulting slow research progress is well illustrated in the chronology of events in elucidating the mechanism for regression of the corpus luteum (luteolysis) during the equine estrous cycle. Many of the underlying foundations of the female reproductive system in farm animals were developed during the 1930s to 1950s, despite the lack of methods for determining the concentrations of circulating hormones. In the 1960s, a uterine luteolysin was postulated on the basis of several experimenta...
Souza SS, Aguiar FLN, Alves BG, Alves KA, Brandão FAS, Brito DCC, Raposo RDS, Gastal MO, Rodrigues APR, Figueiredo JR, Teixeira DÍA, Gastal EL.Ovarian tissue transplantation methods using cooled and cryopreserved samples have been attractive options for fertility preservation in animal models and humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of previous exposure to cooling, cryopreservation, and VEGF on the overall efficiency of equine ovarian tissue after heterotopic xenotransplantation in mice. The end points evaluated were follicular morphology and development, follicular and stromal cell densities, angiogenesis (i.e. the density of new and mature blood vessels), collagen types I and III fiber densities, and total fibro...
Chen CH, Albers JJ.The abilities of apolipoprotein A-I species isolated from humans, horses, sheep, goats and rabbits to activate purified human lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase and the enzyme from homologous plasmas and plasma of other mammalian species were compared. Each purified apolipoprotein A-I species was individually incorporated into phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol vesicles by the cholate dialysis method to form proteoliposome common substrates (apolipoprotein A-I/phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol molar ratio of 1:250:12.5) for the enzyme activity assay. All apolipoprotein A-I species tested had the ...
Colborne GR, Heaps LA, Franklin SH.Joint congruity and ligaments restrain the distal limb joints from excessive motion in the transverse and frontal planes, but the magnitudes and direction of the horizontal twisting moments around the hoof's centre of pressure (CoP) that induce these motions are unknown. Objective: To quantify the horizontal moment around the vertical axis through the hoof's CoP at walk, and to determine whether these are symmetric. Methods: Nine sound Thoroughbred horses (mean age 53 years; mean mass 502 kg) were led at walk in a straight line across a Kistler force platform. Five trials were collected for ea...
Kilcoyne I, Dechant JE, Nieto JE.The objective of the article is to determine the synovial fluid concentrations of amikacin sulfate (AS) after performing an intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with the tourniquet in place for 10 minutes and compare this with 30 minutes. This is a randomised crossover experimental design. Animals were seven healthy adult horses. Horses underwent two IVRLP procedures in a randomised, crossover design. The horses received IVRLP with 2 g AS diluted to 60 ml using 0.9% saline in the cephalic vein of alternate limbs with the tourniquet in place for either 10 or 30 minutes, with a ...
Pollaris E, Broeckx BJG, Vlaminck L. It has been suggested that fissures of the occlusal surface of equine cheek teeth may develop into crown fractures. To examine the evolution of fissures present on the occlusal surface of cheek teeth. Furthermore, to investigate the presence of a fissure as a risk factor for the development of a subsequent crown fracture. Observational longitudinal study. Bi-annual dental examinations were performed on 36 horses for 3 years. Video-recordings were made to evaluate the evolution of detected fissures. The effect of possible predictors on the development of tooth fractures was investigated by ...
Ishigami N, Horiba K.A 41-year-old woman presented with symptoms of cardiac tamponade. Diagnosis of a primary malignant tumor in the right atrium without distant metastasis was made by echocardiography, computed tomography and coronary angiography. Aggressive surgery consisting of resection of the tumor including the right atrial wall together with the right coronary artery and sinus node was performed. This was followed by coronary artery bypass grafting with myocardial electrode implantation for reconstruction of the right atrial wall using an equine pericardium. Final diagnosis was of angiosarcoma by pathologic...
Yin X, Guo M, Gu Q, Wu X, Wei P, Wang X.Tetherin is an interferon-inducible host cell factor that blocks the viral particle release of the enveloped viruses. Most knowledge regarding the interaction between tetherin and viruses has been obtained using the primate lentiviral system. However, much less is known about the functional roles of tetherin on other lentiviruses. Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is an important macrophage-tropic lentivirus that has been widely used as a practical model for investigating the evolution of the host-virus relationship. The host range of EIAV is reported to include all members of the Equidae ...
Wood AD, Sinovich M, Prutton JSW, Parker RA.To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonographic guidance for injection near the ventral rami of the cervical spinal nerves (VRCSN). Methods: Ex vivo study. Methods: Ten cadavers (n = 40 injections). Methods: Left and right VRCSN at C4/5 and C5/6 were infiltrated at the intervertebral foramen (IVF) under ultrasonographic guidance. A vertically orientated 3.5-MHz curvilinear probe was used to identify the craniocaudal midpoint of the articular process joint (APJ). The probe was moved ventrally until the IVF was identified. An 18-gauge 15-cm-long spinal needle was aimed immediately below the ventral...
Matera MG, Calzetta L, Sanduzzi A, Page CP, Cazzola M.It has been demonstrated in mammals that the airway hyper-responsiveness, which accompanies viral infections, is the result of increased reflex bronchoconstriction due to inhibition of muscarinic prejunctional receptors, which belong to M2 subtypes. Multiple mechanisms account for virus-induced M2 receptor dysfunction. Viral neuraminidase may deglycosylate the M2 receptor, decreasing acetylcholine affinity. Equine influenza remains a common viral respiratory disease of horses worldwide, which results in loss to the equine industry, by decreasing performance, convalescence time and loss of peak...
Cleaver BD, Grubaugh WR, Davis SD, Sheerin PC, Franklin KJ, Sharp DC.Melatonin is thought to play a role in relaying photic information to the central nervous system as part of the seasonal reproductive cycle of the mare. However, the mechanisms by which melatonin may act are unknown. Therefore, this study was designed to determine whether exposure to constant light would, by reducing circulating melatonin concentrations, have any effect on hypothalamic gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) content and circulating levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Blood samples were collected for 12 h at 15-min intervals from 8 ovariect...
Adam-Castrillo D, White NA, Donaldson LL, Furr MO.To determine effects on anal pressure of horses after local injection of the external anal sphincter with Clostridium botulinum toxin type B. Methods: 11 healthy adult horses. Methods: Peak and resting anal sphincter pressures were measured with a custom-made rectal probe that was connected to a pressure transducer. Pressures were measured before treatment and after injection with botulinum toxin type B (BTB) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Dose titration with 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,500 U of BTB was completed. Physical changes, behavior, and anal pressure were recorded for each horse. Result...
Delarocque J, Frers F, Huber K, Jung K, Feige K, Warnken T.Insulin dysregulation (ID) is an equine endocrine disorder, which is often accompanied by obesity and various metabolic perturbations. The relationship between weight variations and fluctuations of the insulin response to oral glucose tests (OGT) as well as the metabolic impact of ID have been described previously. The present study seeks to characterize the concomitant metabolic impact of variations in the insulin response and bodyweight during repeated OGTs using a metabolomics approach. Methods: Nineteen Icelandic horses were subjected to five OGTs over one year and their bodyweight, insuli...
