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.
Kumar P, Timoney JF, Sheoran AS.The aim of this study was to characterise the morphological and histochemical features of equine nasopharyngeal tonsillar tissue. Nasal and oropharyngeal tonsillar tissue has been described as the gatekeeper to mucosal immunity because of its strategic location at the entrance to the respiratory and alimentary tracts. A combination of light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy has revealed the presence of follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) overlying lymphoid tissue of the equine nasopharyngeal tonsil caudal to the pharyngeal opening of the guttural pouch. Membranous microvillus (M)...
Holcombe SJ, Jackson C, Gerber V, Jefcoat A, Berney C, Eberhardt S, Robinson NE.We examined the effect of stabling on upper and lower airway inflammation in 14 yearling Arabian horses that had been at pasture since birth. Horses were divided into 2 groups of 7. One group was stabled for 3 months and the other remained at pasture. The groups were then switched over for another 3 months. The nasopharynx, guttural pouches and trachea were examined endoscopically and bronchoalveolar lavage performed every month. An upper airway inflammation score was devised based on the magnitude of pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia and guttural pouch inflammation. During stabling this score r...
Suwannachot P, Verkleij CB, Kocsis S, van Weeren PR, Evertst ME.The purpose of the present study was to determine whether training and detraining affect the Na+,K+-ATPase concentration in horse skeletal muscles, and whether these effects are specific for the muscles involved in the training programme. Twenty-four Dutch Warmblood foals age 7 days were assigned randomly to 3 groups: Box (box-rest without training), Training (box-rest with training: short-sprint) and Pasture (pasture without training). Exercise regimens were carried out for 5 months and were followed by 6 months of detraining. Five of the foals in each group were subjected to euthanasia at ag...
Sheoran AS, Timoney JF, Tinge SA, Sundaram P, Curtiss R.The aim of this study was to investigate the intranasal immunogenicity for the horse of a Deltacya Deltacrp-pabA mutant (MGN-707) of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. typhimurium). MGN-707 caused no sign of disease, was not detected in feces and a single administration induced strong Salmonella-specific serum and nasal mucosal antibody responses. All ponies had made strong salmonella specific serum IgGa, IgGb, IgA and IgM antibody responses by day 25 after the first immunization. IgM responses to salmonella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were short lived whereas salmonella specific serum ...
Hagiwara K, Asakawa M, Liao L, Jiang W, Yan S, Chai J, Oku Y, Ikuta K, Ito M.To investigate the animals infected with Borna disease virus (BDV) in Xinjiang, China, we examined for BDV antibodies in the sera from groups of 20 horses, sheep and cattle, and from 165 wild rodents (18 species) by ELISA and immunoblot. The serological study disclosed the presence of antibodies to both BDV-p24 and -p40 in the horses (20%) and sheep (25%), whereas no apparent positive reaction was detected either in cattle or rodents. The results suggested that BDV is prevalent in horses and sheep in the district investigated.
Tetens J, Barker SA, Waguespack M, Hosgood G.The objectives were to use high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to validate an established method for adenine nucleotide separation in equine colonic mucosal tissue, to determine the inherent variability in the tissue and extraction method, and to determine the stability of ATP, ADP, and AMP in the tissue with time. Equine colonic mucosal tissue obtained from a single horse was immediately submersed in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -70 degrees C. Samples were lyophilized, extracted, and separated by HPLC. The limit of quantitation was 0.05 microg/mL. The coefficient of variation for ...
Davies Morel MC, O'Sullivan JA.Ovarian activity was monitored in 2181 oestrous cycles from 1136 thoroughbred brood mares to accurately determine overall ovulation rate, the relative distribution of ovulations between left and right ovary, whether mare age had an effect on these parameters and whether ovulation pattern in one cycle affected the pattern within the next. Ultrasonic scanning was used in preference to rectal palpation and slaughterhouse material due to its greater accuracy. Mare's ages ranged from 3 to 22 years. The results obtained indicated a similar incidence of ovulation occurring on the right (49.5% of all ...
Takahashi T, Hiraga A, Ohmura H, Kai M, Jones JH.To determine the frequency of epistaxis during or after racing among racehorses and identify factors associated with development of epistaxis. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 247,564 Thoroughbred and 4,045 Anglo-Arab race starts. Methods: Race start information (breed, age, sex, racing distance, and race type) was obtained for Thoroughbred and Anglo-Arab horses racing in Japan Racing Association-sanctioned races between 1992 and 1997. All horses that raced were examined by a veterinarian within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the race; any horse that had blood at the nostrils was examin...
Willis AM, Robbin TE, Hoshaw-Woodard S, Wilkie DA, Schmall ML.To evaluate the effect of topical administration of 2% dorzolamide hydrochloride or 2% dorzolamide hydrochloride-0.5% timolol maleate on intraocular pressure (IOP) in clinically normal horses. Methods: 18 healthy adult horses without ocular abnormalities. Methods: The IOP was measured at 5 time points (7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, 3 PM, 7 PM) over 11 days. On days 1 and 2, baseline values were established. On days 3 through 5, horses received 2% dorzolamide HCI (group D, n = 9) or 2% dorzolamide HCl-0.5% timolol maleate (group DT, 9) in 1 randomly assigned eye every 24 hours immediately following each d...
Beard WL, Holcombe SJ, Hinchcliff KW.To determine the effect of a tongue-tie on upper airway mechanics in clinically normal horses exercising on a treadmill following sternothyrohyoid myectomy. Methods: 6 Standardbreds. Methods: Upper airway mechanics were measured with horses exercising on a treadmill at 5, 8, and 10 m/s 4 weeks after a sternothyrohyoid myectomy was performed. Pharyngeal and tracheal inspiratory and expiratory pressures were measured by use of transnasal pharyngeal and tracheal catheters connected to differential pressure transducers. Horses were fitted with a facemask and airflow was measured by use of a pneumo...
Faber M, Johnston C, Schamhardt H, van Weeren R, Roepstorff L, Barneveld A.To determine movements of the vertebral column of horses during normal locomotion. Methods: 5 young Dutch Warmblood horses that did not have signs of back problems or lameness. Methods: Kinematics of 8 vertebrae (T6, T10, T13, T17, L1, L3, L5, and S3) and both tuber coxae were determined, using bone-fixated markers. Measurements were recorded when the horses were trotting on a treadmill at a constant speed of 4.0 m/s. Results: Flexion-extension and axial rotation were characterized by a double sinusoidal pattern of motion during 1 stride cycle, whereas lateral bending was characterized by 1 pe...
Fontaine GL, Belknap JK, Allen D, Moore JN, Kroll DL.To study expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in the digital laminae of horses in the prodromal stage of experimentally induced laminitis. Methods: 8 healthy adult horses with no signs of laminitis. Methods: Black walnut extract was administered via nasogastric tube to 4 horses, and water was administered to the remaining 4 (controls). Complete blood counts and physical examinations were performed every 30 minutes after administration of black walnut extract or water. General anesthesia was induced when total WBC count decreased by 30% in horses given the black walnut extract and 3 hours...
Cornelisse CJ, Holcombe SJ, Derksen FJ, Berney C, Jackson CA.To determine the effect of a tongue-tie on upper airway mechanics in exercising horses. Methods: 5 Standardbreds. Methods: Peak inspiratory and expiratory tracheal and pharyngeal pressures and airflow were measured while horses exercised on a treadmill with and without a tongue-tie. Respiratory rate was also measured. Horses ran at speeds that corresponded to 50 (HR50), 75, 90 (HR90), and 100% of maximal heart rate. The tongue-tie was applied by pulling the tongue forward out of the mouth as far as possible and tying it at the level of the base of the frenulum to the mandible with an elastic g...
Carr EA, Théon AP, Madewell BR, Griffey SM, Hitchcock ME.To determine the incidence of bovine papillomavirus (BPV) type 1 or 2 in sarcoids and other samples of cutaneous tissues collected from horses in the western United States. Methods: 55 horses with sarcoids and 12 horses without sarcoids. Methods: Tissue samples (tumor and normal skin from horses with sarcoids and normal skin, papillomas, and nonsarcoid cutaneous neoplasms from horses without sarcoids) were collected. Tissue samples were analyzed for BPV-1 or -2 DNA, using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The PCR products from 7 sarcoid-affected ho...
Peck KE, Hines MT, Mealey KL, Mealey RH.To validate use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in determining imipramine concentrations in equine serum and to determine pharmacokinetics of imipramine in narcoleptic horses. Methods: 5 horses with adult-onset narcolepsy. Methods: Blood samples were collected before (time 0) and 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 45 minutes and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after IV administration of imipramine hydrochloride (2 or 4 mg/kg of body weight). Serum was analyzed, using HPLC, to determine imipramine concentration. The serum concentration-versus-time curve for each horse was analyzed se...
Wagner IP, Hood DM, Hogan HA.To determine whether the bending modulus and yield strength of the outer stratum medium (SM) differed from those of the SM zona alba (SMZA) and to what degree they differed. In addition, a comparison was made among our values and values reported elsewhere. Methods: 10 normal equine feet. Methods: A 3-point bending technique was used to determine the bending modulus and yield strength of the outer SM and SMZA. Efforts were made to minimize biological and technical factors that could influence the bending modulus. Results: Bending modulus of the outer SM was (mean +/- SD) 187.6 +/- 41.3 MPa, whe...
Freeman DE, Kilgallon EG.To determine if venous strangulation obstruction (VSO) of the distal half of the equine small intestine would increase length of that segment. Methods: Halothane-anesthetized horses were assigned randomly to 3 groups of 5 horses: Group 1 (controls)--the entire small intestine was measured and rubber-shod clamps were applied to mark each end of the most distal 50% of the small intestine; Group 2--same procedure, except that VSO was induced in the distal 50% of the small intestine for 180 minutes; and Group 3--same initial procedure, except that VSO was induced for 90 minutes and followed by rep...
Theoret CL, Barber SM, Moyana TN, Gordon JR.To map the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1), TGF-beta(3), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in full-thickness skin wounds of the horse. To determine whether their expression differs between limbs and thorax, to understand the pathogenesis of exuberant granulation tissue. Methods: Six wounds were created on one lateral metacarpal area and one midthoracic area of each horse. Sequential wound biopsies allowed comparison of the temporal expression of growth factors between limb and thoracic wounds. Methods: Four 2- to 4-year-old horses. Methods: Wounds were assessed g...
Hay WP, Mueller PO, Harmon B, Amoroso L.To evaluate the efficacy of 1% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions in horses. Methods: Prospective, controlled, experimental study. Methods: Twelve healthy adult horses. Methods: The effect of 1% SCMC on adhesion formation was evaluated in 12 healthy horses by using an established model of serosal trauma to induce intraabdominal adhesions. After ventral median celiotomy, 2 separate areas of the jejunum were abraded, and three 2-0 chromic gut sutures were placed in each abraded area. Jejunal resection and end-to-end anastomosis was p...
Watt BC, Edwards RB, Markel MD, McCabe R, Wilson DG.To compare the biomechanical characteristics and mode of failure of 2 parallel-screw techniques for proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis in horses. Methods: Randomized block design, blocking for horse (1-5), method of screw fixation (three 4.5-mm vs two 5.5-mm), side (left limb vs right limb), and end (front limb vs hind limb). Constructs were loaded to failure in 3-point bending in a dorsal-to-palmar (plantar) direction. Methods: Twenty limbs (10 limb pairs) from 5 equine cadavers. Methods: A combined aiming device was used to facilitate consistent screw placement. Three parallel 4.5-mm...
Labruna MB, Kerber CE, Ferreira F, Faccini JL, De Waal DT, Gennari SM.From December 1998 to March 1999, 40 stud farms were studied in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. During visits to farms, horses reared under grazing conditions were examined for the presence of ticks. On each farm visit, horse pastures were closely inspected and a questionnaire was given to the farm supervisor with the purpose of gaining information about ecological and management variables (independent variables) that could be associated with the presence and infestation levels of ticks on the farm (dependent variables). Three tick species were found during the study. Anocentor nitens, Amblyo...
Nagarajan MM, Simard C.A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifying a region of the gag gene of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) was developed for the rapid and direct detection of proviral DNA from the peripheral blood of naturally infected horses and was compared with the Coggins test. DNA prepared from white blood cells of 122 field horses from 15 stables with reported cases of EIAV and one seronegative stable were analysed. Amplifications of expected size fragments were obtained by nested PCR for 88 horses using two different sets of primers targeting the gag region. The specificity of the amplified ...
Lorch G, Hillier A, Kwochka KW, Saville WJ, Kohn CW, LeRoy BE.To compare a radioallergosorbent test and 2 ELISA with intradermal testing for the determination of environmental allergen hypersensitivity in horses with and without atopic diseases. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: 10 horses with recurrent urticaria, 7 with atopic dermatitis, 16 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 22 without atopy. Methods: History, physical examination, hemogram, serum biochemical analyses, bronchoalveolar lavage, and an intradermal test (used as the criterion standard) with a regional panel of 73 allergens were performed in all horses. Serum was an...
McIlnay TR, Miller SM, Dugan SJ.Obstruction of the nasolacrimal outflow pathway in horses is not uncommon. Causes of obstruction include foreign bodies, trauma, and congenital abnormalities. Placement of a nasolacrimal retention stylette may prove challenging.
Andrew SE, Ramsey DT, Hauptman JG, Brooks DE.To determine density of corneal endothelial cells and corneal thickness in eyes of euthanatized horses. Methods: 52 normal eyes from 26 horses. Methods: Eyes were enucleated after horses were euthanatized. Eyes were examined to determine that they did not have visible ocular defects. Noncontact specular microscopy was used to determine density of corneal endothelial cells. Corneal thickness was measured, using ultrasonic pachymetry or specular microscopy. Results: Mean density of corneal endothelial cells was 3,155 cells/mm2. Cell density decreased with age, but sex did not affect cell density...
Hawkins JF, Andrews-Jones L.To develop a technique for neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser ventriculocordectomy in standing horses and document healing in horses undergoing laser ventriculocordectomy. Methods: 6 horses between 2 and 32 years old. Methods: Under endoscopic guidance, the left laryngeal ventricle was everted with grasping forceps and excised with an Nd:YAG laser, using 60 watts of power in a noncontact fashion (6,403 to 9,197 Joules). Following removal of the ventricle, the vocal cord was photoablated. Horses were examined endoscopically 2, 7, 14, 21, 30, and 47 days after ventriculocordectomy,...
Couëtil LL, Rosenthal FS, DeNicola DB, Chilcoat CD.To evaluate the association among clinical signs, results of cytologic evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and measures of pulmonary function in horses with inflammatory respiratory disease. Methods: 9 healthy horses, 5 horses with inflammatory airway disease (IAD), and 9 horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Clinical examination, lung function tests, and BAL were performed on each horse. Results: Standard lung mechanics of horses with exacerbated COPD differed significantly from those of healthy horses; however, there were few differences among horse...
Dejardin LM, Arnoczky SP, Cloud GL, Stick JA.To evaluate changes in strain patterns in normal equine hooves following 4-point trimming, using photoelastic stress analysis. Methods: 15 equine front limbs with normal hoof configuration. Methods: Limbs were disarticulated at the carpometacarpal joint. Weight-bearing surfaces of each hoof were trimmed level to ensure 100% ground contact. Hoof walls were coated with a custom-made strain-sensitive plastic, and limbs were loaded to a third of body weight. Using a polariscope, strain distribution, magnitudes, and directions were evaluated in level hooves as well as before and after standardized ...
Xuan X, Igarashi I, Tanaka T, Fukumoto S, Nagasawa H, Fujisaki K, Mikami T.A latex agglutination test (LAT) using recombinant equi merozoite antigen 1 (EMA-1) for the detection of antibodies to Babesia equi was developed. The LAT was able to differentiate very clearly between sera from B. equi-infected horses and sera from Babesia caballi-infected horses or from normal horses. The LAT results were identical to those of a previously developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These results indicate that LAT using recombinant EMA-1 might be very useful as a routine screening method for the diagnosis of B. equi infection.
Siciliano PD, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW.Twelve Quarter Horses, 18 to 24 mo of age and having an average body weight of 460+/-12 kg, were randomly assigned to one of two exercise treatments (control and exercise) to study the effect of initiation of exercise training in young horses on vitamin K status. The control treatment consisted of hand-walking the horses 7 min/d and 5 d/wk for 180 d. Exercise consisted of the following treadmill exercise regimen: 2 min at 4.5 to 5.4 m/s, 3 min at 13.4 to 14.3 m/s, and 2 min at 4.5 to 5.4 m/s on 5 d/wk for 180 d. Both groups were allowed free access to brome grass hay (273 mg of phylloquinone/1...
Hudson NP, Mayhew IG, Pearson GT.Intracellular microelectrode recordings were made from smooth muscle cells in cross-sectional preparations of equine ileum, superfused in vitro. Membrane potential oscillations and spike potentials were recorded in all preparations, but recordings were made more readily from cells in the longitudinal muscle layer than from cells in the circular layer. The mean (se) resting membrane potential (RMP) of smooth muscle cells in the longitudinal muscle layer was -51.9 (1.2) mV, and the membrane potential oscillations in this layer had a mean amplitude of 4.8 (0.4) mV, a frequency of 9.0 (0.1) cycles...
Zizzadoro C, Belloli C, Badino P, Ormas P.A method for the separation of pure and viable lymphocytes and granulocytes from the same blood sample in horses was reported. By centrifuging equine heparinized blood at 100 xg for 10 min at room temperature (r.t.), the resulting supernatant plasma was an almost pure (97.71 +/- 0.30%; n = 15) suspension of highly viable (98.72 +/- 0.28%) lymphocytes. When sodium citrate was used as an anticoagulant, lymphocyte suspensions collected in the same manner showed lower purity (87.89 +/- 1.59%; n = 9) and higher yields (56.56 +/- 3.89%, n = 9 versus 36.11 +/- 2.23%, n = 15). Where needed, a further ...
Bertone JJ, Traub-Dargatz JL, Fettman MJ, Wilke L, Wrigley RH, Jaenke R, Paulsen ME.Sequential reciprocals of serum creatinine concentration and sodium sulfanilate clearance half-times were used to monitor a horse with chronic renal failure. The horse was diagnosed as having polycystic kidney disease; at least one cyst was of distal tubular origin. Using the plots of the sequential data, a reasonably accurate prediction was made for complete renal decompensation to develop.
Richardson LE, Wakley GK, Franklin SH.Dorsal displacement of the soft palate is a common cause of upper airway obstruction in racehorses and is of unknown aetiology. To determine whether the palate may displace for structural reasons, knowledge of the normal soft palate is required. The present study aimed to describe, qualitatively and quantitatively, the structure of the normal equine soft palate using histomorphometry. In soft palates from 12 Thoroughbreds, glandular tissue predominated (ca. 40% of total area), located mainly in the rostral and ventral regions. Rostrally, muscles attached to a tendinous aponeurosis located dors...
Brito LF, Kelleman A, Greene LM, Raz T, Barth AD.A 5-year-old Arabian stallion was managed for breeding with fresh/extended semen during a period of 8 months with a resulting per cycle pregnancy rate of 26.3%. The stallion was in good health and no abnormalities of the reproductive tract were observed. Evaluation of several ejaculates revealed that sperm production and semen quality were mostly unchanged during the period of evaluation, that sperm production was normal and that semen quality was extremely poor. The most prevalent sperm defects were abnormal heads and mid-pieces. Most abnormal heads were microcephalic and/or tapered and consi...
Weishaupt MA, Musterle B, Bertolla R, Wehrli S, Geyer H, Wampfler B, Jordan P, Kummer M, Auer JA, Fürst A.To correctly shoe a horse requires the farriers to have a good working knowledge of postural anomalies and movement patterns, as well as of the different concepts of horseshoeing and to be able to apply the appropriate technique to every individual horse they shoe. The correct technique for specific problem cases is frequently a subject of debate amongst specialists and many theories would benefit from objective gait analyses. The case study presented examines the influence of different shoeing conditions on selected gait analysis parameters. The measurements were conducted on a Warmblood mare...
Frazer GS, Rossol TJ, Threlfall WR, Weisbrode SE.Endometrial fibrosis is a major cause of infertility in broodmares. Because of the proven anti-inflammatory effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and its influence on collagen, the effect of DMSO on the endometrium was investigated in mares. Solutions of DMSO (25%, 50%, or 75%) were infused into the uterus of clinically normal mares. Examination of serially obtained biopsy specimens revealed epithelial ulceration and stromal inflammation that were proportional to the DMSO concentration infused, but vasodilatation was not observed. In all mares, the endometrium had returned to normal by day 21 a...
Troncoso I, Calvanese R, Saravia F, Muñoz-Leal S, Zegpi NA, Ortega R.Equine coital rash (ECE) is a highly contagious benign infection that induces lesions on external genitals, and it is caused by the equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV-3). Although the disease is globally distributed, its presence in Chile has not been documented from a genetic point of view. Here, we performed polymerase chain reaction screenings for EHV-3 in lesions of external genitals in four horses belonging to a riding station at Bulnes, Ñuble Region, Chile. We sequenced a fragment of the glycoprotein G (gG) gene from three horses with clinical signs of ECE. The sequences were identical betw...
Sikora M, Nowak M, Racheniuk H, Wojtysiak K, Kozdrowski R.Endometritis and endometrosis have been and still are the major reasons for infertility in mares. The diagnosis of endometritis can be based on cytology and microbiology, but endometrial biopsy is still the only way to diagnose endometrosis in the mare. Our study attempted to determine if a single biopsy using his-topathology and immunohistochemistry is sufficient to ascertain reasons for infertility in Icelandic mares. The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between deviations in endometrial biopsies in terms of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 (PTGS-2) and fibronec...
Sato T, Sato G, Shoji Y, Itou T, Sakai T.After RNA extraction from horsehair shafts and roots, the mRNAs of beta-actin, muscle-type phosphofructokinase, and transforming growth factor-beta1 were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. Low amounts of RNA were present in the horsehair. These specific mRNA transcripts were readily detected when more than three hair roots were used. However, detection of the mRNA transcripts was difficult in the hair shaft. These findings indicate that the small amounts of residual RNA in horsehair roots can be utilized as samples for molecular biological analysis.
Uzal FA, Woodman MP, Giraudo CG, Robles CA, Doxey DL.'Mal seco' is an almost invariably fatal disease of horses in Argentina and Chile, which resembles grass sickness, a dysautonomia of horses in Europe. The aetiology of mal seco remains unknown. An attempt to reproduce the disease was made by feeding horses with Festuca argentina, a plant considered to be toxic to animals and which was consistently found in the diet of nine horses suffering from mal seco. Three horses were fed with F argentina ad libitum for 28 days. The plant was infected with an endophytic fungus, whose morphological characteristics were in agreement with descriptions of Acre...
Carver C, Bruemmer J, Coleman S, Landolt G, Hess T.Laminitis associated with equine metabolic syndrome causes significant economic losses in the equine industry. Diets high in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) have been linked to insulin resistance and laminitis in horses. Nutrigenomic studies analyzing the interaction of diets high in NSCs and gene expression regulating endogenous microRNAs (miRNA) are rare. This study's objectives were to determine whether miRNAs from dietary corn can be detected in equine serum and muscle and its impacts on endogenous miRNA. Twelve mares were blocked by age, body condition score, and weight and assigned to...
Traub-Dargatz JL, McKinnon AO, Thrall MA, Jones RL, Bruyninckx W, Blancquaert AM, Dargatz DA.We evaluated the efficacy of 3 treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in horses: prednisone (400 mg/horse, PO, daily; n = 7), methyl sulfonmethane (10 g/horse, PO, q 12 h; n = 6), and clenbuterol hydrochloride (0.4 mg/horse, PO, q 12 h; n = 7). A fourth group acted as controls (n = 6) and was not treated. The treatment period lasted 10 days. Each horse was a member of 2 different groups for 10 days, separated by an 18-day interval of no treatment. All horses were housed together in an outdoor pen without bedding. Horses were fed alfalfa/grass hay mix ad libitum from a large feede...
Malan FS, Reinecke RK.A single oral dose of fenbendazole (FBZ) at 10 mg/kg body mass was given to 5 donkeys. A further 5 donkeys were dosed with a medicated lick (1 mg FBZ/g lick) until the oral consumption was 10 mg/kg body mass. In both trials FBZ was highly effective against adults of the following genera: Cyathostomum, Cylicocyclus, Cylicostephanus, Cylicodontophorus, Poteriostomum, Cabellonema, Craterostomum and Triodontophorus; similarly high efficiency was obtained against the following species: Habronema majus, Habronema musca, Strongylus vulgaris and Oxyuris equi and worms identified as belonging to the su...
Shawley RV, Rolf LL.Crystalline cantharidin in an alfalfa cake or in aqueous suspension was given to 8 horses at a dosage level of 450 to 489 micrograms/kg of body weight (group 1) and 2 horses at a dosage level of 720 micrograms/kg (group 2) via nasogastric tube. Both group 2 horses and 1 group 1 horse died. Horses were evaluated at 6-hour intervals for 36 hours and then again at postcantharidin hours 48. Data evaluation consisted of a comparison of the nonsurvival and survival data to one another and their respective base-line values at each sampling period, irrespective of the route of administration and dosag...
Knych HK, Stanley SD, Harrison LM, Mckemie DS.The use of corticosteroids, such as betamethasone, in performance horses is tightly regulated. The objective of the current study was to describe the plasma pharmacokinetics of betamethasone as well as time-related urine and synovial fluid concentrations following intra-articular administration to horses. Twelve racing-fit adult Thoroughbred horses received a single intra-articular administration (9 mg) of a betamethasone sodium phosphate and betamethasone acetate injectable suspension into the right antebrachiocarpal joint. Blood, urine, and synovial fluid samples were collected prior to and...
Stanley SM, Wilhelmi BS, Rodgers JP.A comparison of the sensitive analytical methods of radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) combined with gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry for the specific and reliable screening of dexamethasone in equine post-race urine is presented. Results from analyses of samples collected from a mare during 144 hours post administration of 26 mg of dexamethasone sodium phosphate are described.
Baba AI, Gaboreanu M, Rotaru O, Kwieczinsky R.Malignant melanomas in 5 horses, 1 calf, 1 cow and 2 pigs were described. The disease, in white or gray horses, was tegumentally located and generalized in the organs of the abdominal cavity. Microscopically, dendritic and fusiform pigment cells and multinucleated cells were identified. In the hypophysis there microcysts and in one case a hypophyseal adenoma were encountered. Electronmicroscopically, differentiated melanophores and melanophages were also found. The mature melanosomes were intensely black and the elementary granules concentrically and lamellarly arranged. In cattle, the general...
Slivinska K, Karbowiak G, Gawor J, Wróblewski Z, Jaworski Z, Jastrzębska E, Demeshkant V.The influence of internal and external parasites on the health of Polish konik horses housed in different types of management strategies in Poland is discussed. This study includes consolidated data of different authors from the past 50 years, supplemented by results of more recent research. A total of 38 species of helminths (i.e., 37 Nematoda and one Cestoda) and five Diptera species were recorded from the horses. Protozoan parasites, Cryptosporidium spp. and Theileria equi, and the Rickettsiales, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, were observed for the first time in Poland.
McLaughlin SA, Whitley RD, Gilger BC.The lens represents a unique tissue in light of its embryologic development, retention of old cells and nuclear make-up, transparent nature, immune privileged status, and metabolic restrictions. Disorders of malformation and malposition occur, but cataract development is the most common and significant problem for owners and animals. Technologic and pharmacologic advances have allowed surgical removal of equine cataracts to become an acceptable alternative, capable of returning a visually impaired horse to a functional status. Uveal inflammation represents the greatest threat to successful sur...