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.
Smith BP.The science of control of infectious diseases in hospitals was born in 1847 when Semmelweis, a physician, ordered his medical students to scrub their hands in chlorinated lime water between patients and demonstrated that this simple procedure resulted ina dramatic decline in patient morbidity and mortality. In the late nineteenth century came huge breakthroughs in the understanding that microorganisms cause many disorders, and methods to eliminate and control these microorganisms were attempted. By 1910, sterile instruments, gowns, masks, and gloves had become standard for surgical procedures ...
Båverud V.C difficile has emerged as an important cause of diarrheic disease in horses. C difficile diarrhea is usually diagnosed in mature horses, mostly when they are treated with antimicrobials and hospitalized. It is important for clinicians at veterinary hospitals to have knowledge about the organism and the infection. To prevent C difficile diarrhea, judicious use of antimicrobials is important, as is minimizing different stress factors at the animal hospital or clinic. Infected horses must be isolated. Routine examination for C difficile and toxin A or B is recommended in horses with antibiotic-a...
Weese JS.Because nosocomial and zoonotic diseases are inherent and ever-present risks in veterinary hospitals, proactive policies should be in place to reduce the risk of sporadic cases and outbreaks. Policies should ideally be put in place before disease issues arise, and policies should be effectively conveyed to all relevant personnel. Written policies are required for practical and liability reasons and should be reviewed regularly. Although no infection control program can eliminate disease concerns, proper implementation of barrier precautions and isolation can reduce the exposure of hospitalized...
Cohen ND, Lester GD, Sanchez LC, Merritt AM, Roussel AJ.To determine factors associated with development of postoperative ileus (POI) in horses undergoing surgery for colic. Methods: Prospective case-control study. Methods: 251 horses undergoing colic surgery, of which 47 developed POI. Methods: Signalment, history, clinicopathologic data, pre- and postoperative treatments, lesions, complications, costs, and outcome were recorded for all horses during hospitalization. Results: Variables associated with increased odds of POI included small intestinal lesion, high PCV, and increased duration of anesthesia. There was modest evidence that pelvic flexur...
Lehner AF, Hughes CG, Karpiesiuk W, Harkins JD, Dirikolu L, Bosken J, Camargo F, Boyles J, Troppmann A, Woods WE, Tobin T.Amitraz (N'-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-N-[[(2,4-dimethylphenyl)imino]methyl]-N-methyl-methanimidamide) is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist used in veterinary medicine primarily as a scabicide- or acaricide-type insecticide. As an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, it also has sedative/tranquilizing properties and is, therefore, listed as an Association of Racing Commissioners International Class 3 Foreign Substance, indicating its potential to influence the outcome of horse races. We identified the principal equine metabolite of amitraz as N-2,4-dimethylphenyl-N'-methylformamidine by electrospray ionization(+...
Schuler LA, Khaitsa ML, Dyer NW, Stoltenow CL.To characterize an outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in horses in North Dakota in 2002, evaluate vaccine effectiveness, and determine horse characteristics and clinical signs associated with infection. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 569 horses. Methods: Data were obtained from veterinary laboratory records, and a questionnaire was mailed to veterinarians of affected horses. Results: Affected horses were defined as horses with typical clinical signs and seroconversion or positive results of virus isolation; affected horses were detected in 52 of the 53 counties and concentrate...
Gross DK, Morley PS, Hinchcliff KW, Reichle JK, Slemons RD.The purpose of this investigation was to determine if naturally occurring acute infectious upper respiratory disease (IRD) caused by equine influenza virus is associated with ultrasonographically detectable pleural and pulmonary abnormalities in horses. Standardbred racehorses were evaluated for signs of IRD, defined as acute coughing or mucopurulent nasal discharge. For every horse with IRD (n = 16), 1 or 2 horses with no signs of IRD and the same owner or trainer (n = 30) were included. Thoracic ultrasonography was performed within 5-10 days of the onset of clinical disease in horses with IR...
McCowan C, Stanley RG.Abstract A heavily pigmented tumor was removed from the lateral, perilimbal, bulbar conjunctiva of a bay Thoroughbred horse. Excision was incomplete and the base of the tumor was lasered on the assumption that the tumor was a melanoma. No other ophthalmic lesions were seen. Histology showed the mass to be a pigmented squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The prognosis and recommended treatment protocols are different for SCC and melanoma. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of an ocular, pigmented SCC in the veterinary literature.
Ollivier FJ, Brooks DE, Van Setten GB, Schultz GS, Gelatt KN, Stevens GR, Blalock TD, Andrew SE, Komaromy AM, Lassaline ME, Kallberg ME, Cutler TJ.Levels of tear film matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity are significantly elevated in horses with ulcerative keratitis and contribute to the excessive breakdown of stromal collagen. Changes in the amount of proteolytic activity in horse tear film during corneal healing and stromal remodeling have not yet been reported, but we hypothesize they should decrease. In the present study we analyzed serial tear fluid from horses with ulcerative keratitis to identify any changes in MMP activity during corneal healing and stromal remodeling. Methods: Samples of tear fluid were obtained from both e...
Rothschild CM, Sellon DC, Bryan GM, Gay JM, Hines MT.The objectives of this study were to observe the effects of trimethoprim-sulfadiazine on equine tear production and to determine normal fluctuations in Schirmer tear test (STT) values in horses. A randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded clinical trial measuring STT values in 15 horses over an 8-week period was performed. The treatment group (eight horses) received 30 mg/kg trimethoprim-sulfadiazine orally once a day and the control group (seven horses) received placebo (flour) at the same time. All horses were housed outdoors throughout the study. Schirmer tear test values were measured at 0, ...
Roumen MP, Borgsteede FH, Vos JH.In autumn 2002 and 2003, the Animal Health Service received several young horses for post mortem investigation that had died or had been euthanised. It was found that severe cyathostominosis was the cause of death. The aetiology, pathology and diagnosis of this infection is discussed. Advice is given for preventative measures and usage of anthelmintics.
Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Cornelissen BP, Laan TT, Enzerink E, Ensink JM.Rectal tears occur incidentally and often have a poor prognosis. Early recognition of the problem and adequate therapy determine the outcome. The history, clinical examination, therapy, and outcome of two horses with grade IIIb and grade IV rectal tears are discussed.
MacEachern KE, Smith GL, Nolan AM.Hypoxaemia accompanies dorsal recumbency in the horse and frequently complicates general anaesthesia. The physiology associated with this phenomenon is poorly understood. One possible cause of poor tolerance to dorsal recumbency is an absent or reduced response to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). This study compared the HPV response in isolated pulmonary artery vessels from equivalent regions of equine and bovine lung. Methods: Equine and bovine, in vitro study. Methods: Equine and bovine pulmonary arteries were removed from the lungs of euthanased horses and cattle. Measurements of i...
Deane JC, Dagleish MP, Benamou AE, Wolf BT, Marlin D.To evaluate the consistency of partial pressures (P) of arterial oxygen (aO(2)), arterial carbon dioxide (aCO(2)) and pH measurements in equine carotid arterial blood samples taken into syringes made from three different materials and stored at room temperature or placed in iced water for measurement at three different times. Methods: Prospective observational study over 19 days. Methods: Four clinically normal Thoroughbred or Thoroughbred-cross horses (three geldings, one mare, mean age 6.25 years, range 5-7 years). Methods: Identical blood samples were taken on two separate occasions from th...
Matthews JB, Dowdall SM, Baudena MA, Klei TR, Kaplan RM, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Drögemüller M, Schnieder T.This collection of articles provides an in depth account of five presentations delivered during the Symposium on Equine Cyathostomins held at the 19th International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP), New Orleans, Louisiana,10–14 August 2003. The symposium was organized and chaired by Ray M. Kaplan and Jacqui B. Matthews and focused on new developments in two major areas of current importance: the immunobiology of cyathostomin–horse interactions and anthelmintic resistance.
Balasuriya UB, MacLachlan NJ.The members of the family Arteriviridae, genus Arterivirus, include equine arteritis virus (EAV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) of mice, and simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV). PRRSV is the newest member of the family (first isolated in North America and Europe in the early 1990s), whereas the other three viruses were recognized earlier (EAV in 1953, LDV in 1960, and SHFV in 1964). Although arterivirus infections are strictly species-specific, the causative agents share many biological and molecular properties, inclu...
Weishaupt MA, Wiestner T, Hogg HP, Jordan P, Auer JA.The objective of this study was to establish representative treadmill ground reaction force (GRF) and interlimb co-ordination time data of clinically sound horses at the trot. It was anticipated that these normative standards would provide a reference data base against which lame horses could be compared. GRF-time histories were collected from 30 Warmblood riding horses with easy, wide natural gaits. Data were recorded of all four limbs simultaneously by the use of an instrumented treadmill. A total of 912 stride cycles per limb were analysed for force, time and spatial parameters and were ave...
Peyrou M, Doucet MY, Vrins A, Concordet D, Schneider M, Bousquet-Mélou A.Population pharmacokinetic of marbofloxacin was investigated on 21 healthy and 16 diseased horses to assess interindividual variability of drug exposure. Demographic, physiologic and disease covariables were tested using mixed effects models. As a preliminary analysis, this study has demonstrated that none of the tested covariables were significant in regression models for compartmental volumes or clearance of distribution, but the clinical status of the horse (healthy/diseased) was a significant covariable (P < 0.01) for systemic clearance. Clearance had a lower mean and a higher variance ...
Van Erck E, Votion D, Kirschvink N, Genicot B, Lindsey J, Art T, Lekeux P.The objective of this paper was to determine if changes in ventilation patterns could influence the outcome of respiratory function measurements performed with our impulse oscillometry system (IOS) in horses. In a first study, IOS tests were performed in vitro on six isolated equine lungs. Lung inflation levels were controlled by modifying depressurisation inside an artificial thorax and different ventilation patterns were imposed. In a second in vivo study, transient variations in breathing pattern were evaluated both with the IOS and a current reference technique (CRT) in five healthy mature...
Ren J, Prescott JF.An 81 kb virulence plasmid containing a pathogenicity island (PI) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals but its specific function in virulence and regulation of plasmid-encoded virulence genes is unclear. Using a LacZ selection marker developed for R. equi in this study, in combination with an apramycin resistance gene, an efficient two-stage homologous recombination targeted gene mutation procedure was used to mutate three virulence plasmid genes, a LysR regulatory gene homologue (ORF4), a ResD-like two-component response regulator homologue (ORF8), a...
Cope RB, Camp C, Lohr CV.Despite the well-founded reputation of plants of the genus Taxus as being amongst the most toxic plants for domestic livestock in the US, there are surprisingly few published case reports of yew poisoning in horses. This report documents 2 acute fatalities in horses in the central Willamette Valley, OR associated with the consumption of Taxus sp. The predominant features of the intoxication were peracute death, with no signs of struggling or convulsions, in otherwise fit and well managed adult horses. The most significant gross necropsy findings were limited to pulmonary congestion and hemorrh...
Olivier-Carstens A.Ultrasonographic examinations were performed on the solar aspect of the distal phalanx of 10 feet of five normal live horses (Group 1), 22 feet of seven normal cadavers (Group 2), and nine feet of five horses with pathology of the dorsal solar aspect of the distal phalanx (Group 3). Lateromedial radiographs of the distal phalanx were made in all groups, and in Group 2, digits were sagitally sectioned after imaging. The ultrasonographic and radiographic appearance of the sagittal solar aspect of the distal phalanx was described. Measurements of the distance between the sole and the distal tip o...
Herrera HM, Dávila AM, Norek A, Abreu UG, Souza SS, D'Andrea PS, Jansen AM.In order to better understand the enzootiology of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi in the Brazilian Pantanal we examined domestic and wild mammals by microhematocrit centrifuge technique (MHCT), immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). T. evansi infection was detected in all species sampled with exception of the sheep and the feral pig. High parasitemias were observed in capybaras (5/24), coatis (18/115), horses (31/321) and dogs (3/112). Among these species, only the capybaras did not develop anemia. Low parasitemias, only detected by PCR, were ...
Youngblood RC, Filipov NM, Rude BJ, Christiansen DL, Hopper RM, Gerard PD, Hill NS, Fitzgerald BP, Ryan PL.Consumption of wild-type (toxic) endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+) by horses during late gestation is known to adversely affect pregnancy outcome; however, little is known of the potential disruptive consequences of E+ consumption by mares during the critical phases of placentation and fetal development in early pregnancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the detrimental effects of feeding E+ to mares during early gestation. Mares (n = 12) paired by stage of gestation (d 65 to 100) were assigned to diets (six per diet) consisting of endophyte-free (E-) or E+ tall fescue seed (50% ...
Kaplan RM, Klei TR, Lyons ET, Lester G, Courtney CH, French DD, Tolliver SC, Vidyashankar AN, Zhao Y.To determine prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostome nematodes of horses in the southern United States. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 786 horses on 44 farms and stables in Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, and Louisiana. Methods: Fecal egg count (FEC) reduction tests were performed on 44 large farms and stables. Horses on each farm were treated with an oral paste formulation of fenbendazole, oxibendazole, pyrantel pamoate, or ivermectin at recommended label dosages. A mixed linear model was fitted to the percentage reduction in FEC, accounting for differences ...
Kurien BT, Everds NE, Scofield RH.Animal urine collection is a vital part of veterinary practice for ascertaining animal health and in scientific investigations for assessing the results of experimental manipulations. Untainted animal urine collection is very challenging, especially with small rodents, and is an almost impossible task under conditions of microgravity. The fundamental aspects of urine collection are: (1) ease of collection, (2) quality of sample, (3) prevention of contamination, (4) severity of procedures used, (5) levels of pain caused to the animal and (6) refinement of methods to reduce stress, pain or distr...
D'Amours GH, Taylor SM, Olfert ED, Simko E, Allen AL.To develop a method to reliably induce congenital hypothyroidism in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) and assess similarities between the resultant developmental abnormalities and those described in horses with congenital hypothyroidism. Methods: 35 female guinea pigs and their offspring. Methods: Guinea pigs were allocated to control groups or groups treated with a low-iodine diet before and throughout gestation; an s.c. injection of 100 or 200 microCi of radioactive iodine 131 (131I) on day 40 of gestation; or 0.1% propylthiouracil (PTU) continuously in the drinking water, beginning day 3 or 40 ...
Backstrom KC, Bertone AL, Wisner ER, Weisbrode SE.To determine whether human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) gene in collagen matrix could safely promote bone formation in diaphyseal or subchondral bones of horses. Methods: 8 clinically normal adult horses. Methods: Amount, rate, and quality of bone healing for 13 weeks were determined by use of radiography, quantitative computed tomography, and histomorphometric analysis. Diaphyseal cortex and subchondral bone defects of metacarpi were filled with hPTH(1-34) gene-activated matrix (GAM) or remained untreated. Joints were assessed on the basis of circumference, synovial fluid analysis, pain on flex...
Azab W, El-Sheikh A.Equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) is an important equine pathogen that causes respiratory tract disease among horses worldwide. Glycoprotein K (gK) homologues have been identified in several alphaherpesviruses as a major player in virus entry, replication, and spread. In the present study, EHV-4 gK-deletion mutant has been generated by using bacterial artificial chromosome technology and Red mutagenesis to investigate the role of gK in EHV-4 replication. Our findings reported here show that gK is essential for virus replication in vitro and that the gK-negative strain was not able to be reconstitut...
Biggi M, Dyson S.The significance of distal border fragments of the navicular bone is not well understood. There are also no objective data about changes in thickness and proximal/distal extension of the palmar cortex of the navicular bone. Objective: To describe the distribution of distal border fragments and their association with other radiological abnormalities of the navicular bone and describe the shape of the navicular bone in sound horses and horses with foot-related lameness, including navicular pathology. Methods: Sound horses had radiographs acquired as part of a prepurchase examination. Lame horses...
Fubini SL, Boatwright CE, Todhunter RJ, Lust G.Intra-articularly administered, long-acting corticosteroids are a beneficial treatment for many equine joint disorders because they alleviate inflammation and signs of pain, but they also exert detrimental effects on the biochemical composition and morphologic features of articular cartilage. Chondroprotective drugs have been shown to mitigate some of the deleterious effects of intra-articularly administered corticosteroids on articular cartilage of laboratory animals. Twenty-one ponies were assigned at random to receive 1 of 3 treatments in the right middle carpal joint. Group-1 ponies (n = 8...
Tamekuni K, Toledo Rdos S, Silva Filho Mde F, Haydu VB, Pacheco RC, Cavicchioli JH, Labruna MB, Dumler JS, Vidotto O.Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is an emerging disease most likely caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. The objective of the present study was to estimate the seroprevalence of BSF rickettsia infections in equines from six horse farms located in Londrina County, Paraná, Southern Brazil. Six owners of horse farms situated in Cambé, Santa Fé, Guaraci and Londrina municipalities participated in the study. All farms were located in areas where BSF has not been reported. A total of 273 horses were sampled and their sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using R. rickettsii and R. ...
Borkent D, Reardon R, Dixon PM.Infundibular caries (IC) is an important equine dental disorder that can cause premature wear, fractures and apical infection of affected maxillary cheek teeth. No accurate prevalence values for IC are available for UK horses. The feeding of high levels of concentrates is believed to increase its prevalence, but no objective information is available on such possible environmental risk factors. The aims of the study were to document the prevalence of IC in UK horses, assess its distribution and severity between infundibulae and teeth in affected horses and examine for potential risk factors for...
Silva A, Wagner B, McKenzie HC, Desrochers AM, Furr MO.The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the effects of equine soluble CD14 (sCD14) and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to equine CD14 on lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) secretion from equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC); and to (2) determine serum concentrations of sCD14 in a population of horses with gastrointestinal diseases or other illnesses likely to result in endotoxemia. Equine PBMC isolated from 10 healthy horses were incubated with Escherichia coli LPS plus CD14 mAb or sCD14 and assayed for TNF-α activity. Pre-incubation with CD14 mAb d...
Johnson PJ, Messer NT, Ganjam VK, Thompson DL, Refsal KR, Loch WE, Ellersieck MR.There exists a need for better diagnostic tests to characterise thyroid disease in horses. Currently available diagnostic tests fail to differentiate between thyroid gland disorders and thyroid abnormalities resulting from pituitary or hypothalamic problems. Objective: To evaluate the effects of treatment with propylthiouracil (PTU) and bromocryptine (BROM) on serum concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), reverse T3 (rT3) and equine thyroid-stimulating hormone (e-TSH, thyrotrophin) in mature horses. Methods: Healthy mature horses were treated using either PTU or BROM for 28 da...
Brink P, Wright JC, Schumacher J.The glutaraldehyde test (GT), a rapid and inexpensive test, has been utilized empirically for many years in bovine practice for diagnosing inflammatory diseases. GT is used primarily to demonstrate increased serum concentrations of fibrinogen and globulin. Glutaraldehyde binds with free amino groups in fibrinogen and immunoglobulin to create a clot in a first degree chemical reaction. The clotting time of the GT estimates the content of proteins produced in response to inflammation. The applicability of GT for diagnosing inflammation in the horse has never been investigated. The objective of t...
Wijnberg ID, Franssen H, van der Kolk JH.To determine the influence of age on results of quantitative analysis of electromyographic (EMG) needle examination in the subclavian, triceps, and lateral vastus muscles of Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: 7 healthy young Dutch Warmblood horses (range, 13 to 18 months old), 7 healthy adult Dutch Warmblood horses (range, 4 to 10 years old), and 7 healthy elderly Dutch Warmblood horses (range, 18 to 21 years old). Methods: An EMG needle examination was performed to evaluate insertional activity, spontaneous activity, and motor unit action potential (MUAP) variables. Although all horses were con...
Hertzsch R, Richter A.Based on their performance-enhancing potential, caffeine and theophylline are prohibited substances in equine sports. Residues in horses can be caused by wilful application or by unintended uptake of contaminated feed. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities recently introduced international residue limits (IRLs) to facilitate the discrimination between pharmacological relevant and irrelevant concentrations in doping samples. The objective of this study was to investigate the scientific validity of these IRLs. A systematic analysis was performed to assess the IRLs by different ...
Hawe C, Dixon PM, Mayhew IG.The electrodiagnostic measurement of the thoracolaryngeal reflex (TLR) ('slap test') latency was compared to 5 other diagnostic techniques used for evaluation of laryngeal function, namely laryngeal muscle palpation, resting and immediately postexercise endoscopic examinations, and palpable and endoscopic responses to the TLR. Compared to resting endoscopy, the electrodiagnostic measurement of TLR latency was not found to be an accurate test for the evaluation of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN), nor was laryngeal muscle palpation or the endoscopic response to the TLR. Twenty-five (71%) of...
Poss M, Young S.A 4-year-old horse was evaluated at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for rapidly progressing cerebellar disease. Euthanasia was elected and at postmortem examination a proliferative mass encompassing the right side of the cerebellum was discovered. The lesion was characterized by large, convoluted, vascular folia and absence of the core of central white matter. Histologically, there was a diminution or loss of the internal granule cell layer, cavitation of the central white matter, and absence of Purkinje cells. The molecular layer was thickened with myelinated axons ...
Widenhouse TV, Lester GD, Merritt AM.To determine the effect of pH with or without pepsin or taurocholic acid on the bioelectric properties of gastric squamous mucosa in horses. Methods: Gastric tissues obtained from 16 adult horses that did not have evidence of gastric disease. Methods: Bioelectric properties of squamous mucosa were determined, using modified Ussing chambers. Tissues then were exposed to mucosal pepsin (1 mg/ml) or taurocholic acid (2.5 mM) under neutral (pH 74) or acidic (pH 1.7) conditions. Results: Exposure of mucosal sheets to an acidic pH resulted in an immediate and sustained decrease in transmembrane pote...
Peyrou M, Bousquet-Melou A, Laroute V, Vrins A, Doucet MY.Enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin are two veterinary fluoroquinolones used to treat severe bacterial infections in horses. A repeated measures study has been designed to compare their pharmacokinetic parameters, to investigate their bioavailability and to estimate their absorbed fraction and first-pass effect by using plasma, urinary and metabolite data collected from five healthy mares. Clearance and V(d(ss)) were greater for enrofloxacin (mean +/- SD = 6.34 +/- 1.5 mL/min/kg and 2.32 +/- 0.32 L/kg, respectively) than for marbofloxacin (4.62 +/- 0.67 mL/min/kg and 1.6 +/- 0.25 L/kg, respectively...
Venugopalan CS, Moore RM, Holmes EP, Sedrish SA, Koch CE.1. The role of endothelium in modulating equine colonic vessel responses to histamine (HST), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), bradykinin (BK) and acetylcholine (ACh) was evaluated in vitro. 2. Segments of mesenteric arteries and veins were collected from the left ventral colon of six adult horses destined for euthanasia for reasons unrelated to cardiovascular or gastrointestinal systems. Vessels were gently cleansed and cut into 4 mm wide rings. 3. Three vessel conditions namely endothelium intact, endothelium removed and N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-treated were used for both art...
To evaluate the effects of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) alone and PEEP preceded by lung recruitment manoeuvre (LRM) on lung volumes and respiratory system mechanics in healthy horses undergoing general anaesthesia. Methods: Controlled, prospective clinical study. Methods: A group of 15 horses undergoing arthroscopy. Methods: Following anaesthetic induction, initial ventilatory settings were: tidal volume 15 mL kg, inspiratory:expiratory ratio 1:2, respiratory rate to maintain end-tidal CO between 5.3-6.6 kPa (40-50 mmHg). The following settings were implemented sequentially: zero PE...
Ogden NKE, Jukic CC, Zedler ST.To describe a surgical technique for rostral mandibulectomy and reconstruction of the mandibular symphysis. Methods: Case report. Methods: One 5-month-old warmblood cross filly. Methods: A preoperative diagnosis of a juvenile ossifying fibroma was made on the basis of clinical appearance and was later confirmed via histology. The tumor was large, rapidly growing and extending to the caudal aspect of the mandibular symphysis. Computed tomography was performed for surgical planning. The tumor was excised by performing a mandibulectomy caudal to the symphysis. The mandibular symphysis was reconst...
Eysker M, Boersema JH, Kooyman FN.The effect of three albendazole treatments at 5-week intervals, beginning at turnout in April, on cyathostome infections in Shetland ponies was compared with the effect of sequential treatments with albendazole, oxfendazole and oxibendazole. The results showed a substantial reduction in faecal egg output after the first albendazole treatment. Since faecal egg counts remained very low, no estimation of the effect of the second treatment was possible. The third treatment with albendazole and oxibendazole was followed by an increase in faecal egg counts to values of greater than 100 eggs g-1 with...
Rankins EM, Malinowski K.The New Jersey horse racing industry has declined over the last 5 years as indicated by decreases in the number of racing days, stallions standing, mares bred, and foals registered. These changes were hypothesized to have potential negative consequences for veterinary practices. The objective of the survey was to investigate changes in veterinary practice revenue and staff over a five-year period. Members of the New Jersey Association of Equine Practitioners completed a survey detailing their involvement in the horse racing industry and breeding of racehorses. A response rate of 49% was achiev...
Rahman A, Uzal FA, Hassebroek AM, Carvallo FR.Pneumonia is a significant disease of horses. Although pneumonia has traditionally been studied in racehorses, little information is available for non-racing horses. Non-racing horses that died with pulmonary lesions ( = 156) were available from cases submitted for autopsy from January 2015 to June 2020. Bronchopneumonia (35%), interstitial pneumonia (29%), embolic pneumonia (21%), granulomatous pneumonia (13%), and pleuritis (2%) were observed in the examined horses. Seventy-four horses died or were euthanized because of pulmonary diseases, and 82 horses died or were euthanized because of...
Rijkenhuizen AB, Németh F, Dik KJ, Goedegebuure SA.A macroscopical, arteriographical and histological study was made of the arterial supply of the navicular bones of horses with clinical and/or radiographic signs of navicular disease. Based on the clinical and radiological findings the navicular bones of 40 Warmblood horses are divided into four different groups. In the pattern of the arteriogram obvious changes are noticed: an imbalance and a distal to proximal shift between the distal and proximal arterial supply occur, indicating a reduction of the distal blood supply with a compensatory reaction of the proximal, medial and lateral supply. ...
Herdrich MRA, Arrieta SE, Nelson BB, Frisbie DD, Moorman VJ.OBJECTIVE To determine accuracy for a technique of needle redirection at a single craniolateral site for injection of 3 compartments of the equine stifle joint, describe the external needle position, and identify the location of the needle tip within each joint compartment. SAMPLE 24 equine cadaver stifle joints. PROCEDURES Stifle joints were placed in a customized stand. After the needle was placed, external needle position was measured and recorded. Each joint compartment (medial and lateral compartments of the femorotibial joint and the femoropatellar joint) was injected with a solution con...
Lucas Castillo JA, Gozalo-Marcilla M, Werneck Fonseca M, Possebon FS, da Rosa AC, de Araujo Aguiar AJ.Information on appropriate protocols for sedation of Nordestino donkeys is scarce. Objective: To evaluate the sedative and cardiorespiratory effects of low doses of intravenous (i.v.) xylazine with and without acepromazine in 'Nordestino' donkeys. Methods: Seven healthy female Nordestino donkeys (150 ± 18 kg) were included in this blinded, randomised, crossover experiment. Methods: Four treatments were administered, consisting of two i.v. injections, at baseline (T0, 1st injection) and 15 min later (T15, 2nd injection). Treatments included acepromazine 0.05 mg/kg bwt + saline (AS), saline + x...
Diel de Amorim M, Bramer SA, Rajamanickam GD, Klein C, Card C.Our objectives were to examine changes in endometrial and luteal gene expression during estrus, diestrus, pregnancy and treatments to induce luteolysis and putatively induce luteostasis. Groups were: Diestrus (DIEST), Estrus (ESTR), Pregnant (PREG), Oxytocin (OXY), Carbetocin (CARB), and Meclofenamic acid (MFA). Blood was obtained from day (D)12 to D15 for measurement of oxytocinase, also referred to as leucyl-cysteinyl aminopeptidase (LNPEP) and progesterone. Luteal biopsies were obtained on D12 and D15 and an endometrial biopsy on D15. Real-time RT-PCR was performed for the following genes: ...
Langton CM, Riggs CM, Evans GP.The velocity of ultrasound waves through bone has been used widely as a non-invasive method for assessing bone quality. Accurate measurement of velocity depends on accurate assessment of the distance travelled by the sound wave. It has been argued that the sonic pathway is deflected around the marrow cavity and so does not follow a straight line through the bone; therefore, correction factors have been developed to account for the extra distance travelled. This hypothesis was examined in vitro using sections from the equine third metacarpal bone. Two 1 MHz transducers used with the transmittin...
Diaz FA, Gutierrez EJ, Cramer E, Paccamonti DL, Gentry GT, Bondioli KR.Satisfactory pregnancy rates can now be achieved following the cryopreservation of large equine embryos. Nonetheless, its wide application might be limited by the fact that the cryopreservation of large equine embryos requires a specialized micromanipulation equipment and micromanipulation/vitrification skills. Alternatives should be developed to increase its utilization and widespread application in the commercial equine industry. To determine if large equine embryos are able to remain viable during transport from farms to specialized centers for embryo cryopreservation, we evaluated pregnanc...
Nieto JE, Van Hoogmoed LM, Spier SJ, Vatistas NJ, Snyder JR, Timmerman BL.To use an extracorporeal circuit to evaluate effects of intraluminal distention on the jejunum of healthy horses. Methods: 2 jejunal segments from each of 5 horses. Methods: Jejunal segments were harvested and maintained in an extracorporeal circuit. One segment was subjected to distention (intraluminal pressure, 25 cm H2O) followed by decompression, and 1 segment was maintained without distention. The influence of distention-decompression on vascular resistance was calculated. Mucosal permeability was evaluated by measuring the clearance of albumin from blood to lumen. After distention and de...
Stojiljkovic N, Leroux F, Bubanj S, Popot MA, Paris A, Tabet JC, Junot C.There is an urgent need to implement holistic and untargeted doping control protocols with improved discriminatory power, compared to conventional methods that only target doping agents. Metabolomics, which aims to characterize all metabolites present in biological matrices, could fulfill this need. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of environmental factors on the ability to obtain a metabolic signature of stanozolol administration in horse doping situation. Urine samples from 16 horses breeded in two different places were collected over a one-year period, befor...
Fenwick BW, Schore CE, Osburn BI.Equine, caprine, ovine, canine and feline peripheral blood lymphocytes were evaluated in a short term dose-response study for their in vitro blastogenic responsiveness to human recombinant interleukin-2(125) (HrIL-2(125] alone or in combination with phytohemagglutinin-P, concanavalin-A, and pokeweed mitogen. HrIL-2(125) induced lymphocyte proliferation in all of the animals tested. The magnitude of the proliferative response varied among the species of animal tested. In all cases the proliferative response was dependent on the concentration of HrIL-2(125). HrIL-2(125) at a minimum concentratio...
Vergari C, Pourcelot P, Ravary-Plumioën B, Dupays AG, Jacquet S, Audigié F, Denoix JM, Laugier P, Mitton D, Crevier-Denoix N.Equine superficial digital flexor tendons (SDFT) are often injured, and they represent an excellent model for human sport tendinopathies. While lesions can be precisely diagnosed by clinical evaluation and ultrasonography, a prognosis is often difficult to establish; the knowledge of the injured tendon's mechanical properties would help in anticipating the outcome. The objectives of the present study were to compare the axial speed of sound (SOS) measured in vivo in normal and injured tendons and to investigate their relationship with the tendons' mechanical parameters, in order to assess the ...