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.
Thomason JJ.Objectives were to examine the deformation of the healthy equine front hoof during locomotion, by recording strains on its outer surface, and to test whether its mechanical behaviour is significantly altered under different locomotory conditions and variation in hoof shape. Strains were recorded in vivo from 5 rosette gauges around the circumference of the right forehooves of 12 horses. The magnitudes and orientations of principal strains at the midstep were compared statistically for different conditions of shoeing (shod vs. unshod), gait (walk vs. trot), substrate (treadmill vs. ground), and...
Pollitt CC, Pass MA, Pollitt S.A method for culturing explants of lamellar hoof was developed to investigate the process of lamellar separation that occurs in laminitis. Explants, consisting of hoof wall, dermal and epidermal lamellae and the adjacent sub-lamellar connective tissue remained intact when cultured in tissue culture medium for 2 days. However, when cultured in the presence of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activator aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA), the lamellae separated when tension was applied by pulling the hoof wall in an opposite direction to the connective tissue. The separation occurred between th...
Newlyn HA, Collins SN, Cope BC, Hopegood L, Latham RJ, Reilly JD.A finite element model of donkey hoof wall was constructed from measurements taken directly from the hoof capsule of the left forefoot. The model was created with a 2 mm mesh and consisted of 11,608 nodes. A linear elastic analysis was conducted assuming isotropic material properties in response to a 375 newton (N) load, to simulate static loading. The load was applied to the wall via 400 laminae in order to simulate the way in which the pedal bone is suspended within the donkey hoof capsule. Displacement, stress concentration, principal strain, and force distribution across the hoof wall were...
Pollitt CC, Davies CT.The effect of alimentary carbohydrate overload on hoof temperature was investigated to determine the state of the sublamellar vasculature preceding the onset of equine laminitis. Hoof, core and ambient temperatures and heart rate were logged continuously in 21 mature Standardbred horses kept in an environmental chamber set at 10 degrees C. Recording hoof temperature was a successful, noninvasive, method to measure indirectly, shifts in digital blood flow against a background of cold induced, physiological, vasoconstriction. High hoof temperatures were assumed to indicate digital vasodilation a...
Lanovaz JL, Clayton HM, Watson LG.This study was designed to test the impact characteristics of the equine digit in vitro with the objective of providing a better understanding of the role of the digital structures in the attenuation of impact shock. Uni-axial accelerometers were mounted on cadaver digits on the distolateral hoof wall, the proximolateral hoof wall, the dorsal surface of the second phalanx, and the mid-lateral first phalanx. The hoof-mounted accelerometers were aligned with the hoof tubules while the bone-mounted accelerometers were oriented along the longitudinal axis of the bone. Each digit was mounted in a t...
Guignot F, Ottogalli M, Yvon JM, Magistrini M.The objective of this study was to perform intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on in vitro matured equine oocytes and to improve in vitro embryonic development on Vero cells after activation of the microinjected oocytes with calcium ionophore. After maturation (23 or 40 h, 38.5 degrees C, 5% CO2), the cumulus-oocyte complexes were denuded, centrifuged and all oocytes exhibiting the first polar body were microinjected. ICSI was performed using fresh semen from three fertile stallions. Microinjected oocytes were activated with calcium ionophore A23187 (10 min, 10 microM) and cultured individ...
Kasapi MA, Gosline JM.Possible functions of equine hoof wall tubules were investigated in this study. Hydration tests were conducted on blocks of hoof wall tissue in order to test the hypothesis that hollow tubules facilitate the conduction of water vapour distally. Although water loss or gain was inhibited through the outer wall surface, the increase in surface area provided by medullary spaces was ineffective in facilitating hydration through the face with exposed tubule ends. Rather, hollow tubules appear to allow for a higher dehydration rate through their exposed ends. Analysis of medullary space indicates tha...
Wattle O.The equine skin and its appendages (chestnut, hoof capsule, ergot, sebaceous glands, sweat glands and hair) consist mainly of keratinocytes. The intermediate filament cytoskeleton of these cells in involved in specialised functions, such as mechanical co-ordination of the cytoskeleton of the cell or tissue. In this study, 7 monoclonal antibodies, one polyclonal antibody and immunoblot analysis were used to characterise cytokeratins (separated by 1- and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis) from the hoof wall and chestnut. The tissue distribution of these cytokeratins was studied by immunohistoche...
Ley WB, Scott Pleasant R, Dunnington EA.Studies evaluating nutritional and seasonal influences on hoof strength and composition in horses, as well as the scientific justification for feeding supplements to improve hoof quality, are lacking. The horseman and veterinarian need controlled studies in this area to make informed decisions. This project quantified, in 2 trials, relative elasticity, tensile strength, % moisture, and mineral composition of hooves of 48 mature Thoroughbred mares maintained on different nutritional/management regimens, sampled quarterly over 12 month periods. Tensile strength was positively associated with sul...
Pass MA, Pollitt S, Pollitt CC.Explants of horses' hooves remained intact for up to 8 days when incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (D-MEM) containing 25 mmol/l glucose but separated within 36 h when incubated in saline. The separation occurred between the basal epidermal cells and their basement membrane which is characteristic of the hoof separation that occurs in laminitis. Separation of hoof explants was prevented by addition of glucose to saline and was induced by adding 2-deoxyglucose or aminophenylmercuric acetate to D-MEM. Glucose consumption by the hoof explants was inhibited by 2-deoxyglucose and aminoph...
Bragulla H, Budras KD, Reilly JD.The fetal development of the white line (Zona alba) in the equine hoof is described. Its specific structure of lamellar and interlamellar horn, which in turn is composed of cap and terminal horn, is formed in the second half of the hoof's fetal development. In equine fetuses with a crown-rump length of less than 550 mm, the hoof capsule lacks a 'characteristic' white line since no borders between stratum medium, stratum internum and sole horn are discernible. In the hoof of an equine fetus with a crown-rump length of 550 mm, a narrow white line has taken shape. Its shallow lamellae are arrange...
Kerban A, Boerboom D, Sirois J.The time- and gonadotropin-dependent regulation of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) has not been characterized in vivo in preovulatory follicles of large monoovulatory species or sexually mature animals. The objectives of this study were to clone equine StAR and describe the regulation of its messenger RNA (mRNA) in equine follicles after the administration of an ovulatory dose of hCG. The screening of an equine follicle complementary DNA (cDNA) library with a mouse StAR cDNA probe revealed two forms of equine StAR that differ only in the length of their 3'-untranslated region (3'...
Adams MN, Turner TA.Forelimbs from 3 anesthetized horses and 16 fresh cadaver horses were used to describe the endoscopic anatomy of the intertubercular bursa and outline the surgical portals that provide the greatest access to structures within the bursa. A lateral arthroscopic portal was made proximal to the deltoid tuberosity of the humerus into the distal bursal recess. A second portal was created proximal to the humeral tubercles that entered the proximal bursal space. These approaches provided consistent viewing and instrument access to the lateral intertuberal groove, the greater and intermediate humeral t...
Brück I, Greve T, Hyttel P.The present study characterised the oocyte-follicular connection (i.e., oocyte fixation site) in Graafian follicles of the mare morphologically. Antral follicles were dissected in toto from ovaries obtained from oestrous, dioestrous and transitional mares after slaughter. The location of the cumulus oophorus complex in relation to the ovulation fossa, the width and density of the blood vessels surrounding the cumulus oophorus complex, the relative dimensions and histological aspects of the cumulus oophorus were investigated. For ultrastructural analysis of the junctional regions, cumulus-oocyt...
Brama PA, TeKoppele JM, Beekman B, van Weeren PR, Barneveld A.To investigate the influence of age, osteoarthritis (OA), and osteochondrosis (OC) on the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in the synovial fluid (SF) of equine joints. Methods: SF was collected from normal and osteoarthritic metacarpophalangeal joints (normal: 14 adult, 28 juvenile; OA: 22 adult). And from normal and osteochondrotic tarsocrural joints (5 months: 11 normal, 8 OC; 11 months: 7 normal, 6 OC). Subsequently, overall MMP activity was measured. Results: The level of active MMPs was almost twofold higher in SF from juvenile horses (age up to 11 months) than in SF from mature an...
Ninfali P, Aluigi G.The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) was measured both in whole (ORAC-T) and deproteinized (ORAC-AS) plasma samples of human, pig, cow, rabbit, dog, cat, sheep, horse, dolphin, turkey, guinea-hen and chicken. In the 12 species, ORAC-T data, expressed as micromoles of peroxyl radicals trapped by 11 of sample, were found scattered between 8,600 and 23,000 micromol/l. The species with the highest ORAC-T values were cat among mammals and chicken among avies. ORAC-AS values ranged between 600 and 2000 micromol/l, with the highest values found in dolphin and sheep among mammals, while chick...
Gallagher PC, Lear TL, Coogle LD, Bailey E.BLAST searches of 61 equine microsatellite sequences revealed two related families of retroposons. The first family included seven markers, all of which showed significant homology to the Equine Repetitive Element-1 (ERE-1) Short Interspersed Nucleotide Element (SINE) sequence. Length of homology ranged from 76 to 171 bases with identities to the ERE-1 consensus sequence ranging from 71% to 83%. The second family referred to as Equine Repetitive Element-2 (ERE-2) has a consensus sequence that showed homology to ERE-1 over approximately 60 bases. These 60 bases comprised subunit I. Sequence com...
Breidenbach A, Fuhrmann H, Busche R, Sallmann HP.A simple and sensitive method for direct and continuous monitoring of free fatty acid (FFA) release, by measuring the pH-sensitive change in relative fluorescence intensity of seminaphthofluorescein (SNAFL-1) is described. The method was designed to use a small number of adipocytes isolated from fat pads of rats and biopsy specimens of horses for the detection of decreasing pH in fat cell suspensions caused by released FFA into the incubation medium. Species specific differences of lipolysis were demonstrated when adipocytes of rats and horses are incubated with stimulators or inhibitors of li...
Gilroy BJ, Lofstedt J, Pack L, McBurney SR.Sinus cysts are epithelium-lined, fluid-filled cavities that can occur in the paranasal sinuses of horses. Extensive damage to the permanent tooth buds was a significant feature in this case. The sequellae of these abnormalities, although not apparent at the time of presentation, remain an important consideration for prognosis.
Dyson DH, Pascoe PJ, McDonell WN.The purpose of this study was to determine the heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) effect of glycopyrrolate in anesthetized horses with low HR ( 5 beats/min within 10 min), glycopyrrolate (same dose) was administered. Heart rate increased by > 5 beats/min in 3 out of 9 horses following the initial glycopyrrolate treatment. Overall changes in HR and mean BP were not significantly different, while systolic and diastolic BP increased significantly (P 5 beats/min, which was significant. A significant increase in BP was produced following treatment with 2.5 micrograms/kg BW, but not followi...
Sayegh AI, Anderson NV, Harding JW, Cerpovicz P, DeBowes RM, Ritter RC, Baker GJ, Reeck G.To purify and characterize pepsinogens in equine gastric mucosa. Methods: Stomachs collected from 2 healthy horses at necropsy. Methods: After collection, stomachs were placed immediately in ice before storage at -48 C. After slow thawing, the mucosa was scraped off while the tissue was immersed in 0.1M potassium phosphate (pH 7.4) at 4 C, then was homogenized. The filtered extract was subjected to anion-exchange chromatography. Fractions that were found to contain pepsin or pepsinogen were further chromatographed. Individual fractions were tested for pepsinogen or pepsin content by monitoring...
Wunn D, Wardrop KJ, Meyers K, Kramer J, Ragle C.To develop methods to isolate, culture, and characterize equine hoof endothelial cells (EC) and keratinocytes. Methods: Cells harvested from the forelimbs of 8 horses. Methods: EC were obtained via catheters placed in the palmar digital arteries of the disarticulated lower portion of the forelimbs from 4 horses that had been heparinized prior to euthanasia. Phosphate-buffered saline solution was used to remove and discard RBC from blood vessels, and collagenase was used to loosen and flush EC from the vasculature. Hoof keratinocytes were obtained from 4 recently euthanatized horses by use of d...
Kasapi MA, Gosline JM.Small-scale components of the equine hoof wall were tested to determine their mechanical roles in the morphological hierarchy. Macroscale tensile tests conducted on samples of the inner wall tubules and intertubular material showed a sixfold difference in mean initial stiffnesses (0.47 and 0.08 GPa, respectively), indicating that the inner wall tubules stiffen the wall along its longitudinal axis. The similarity in material properties of tubule and intertubular samples from the mid-wall suggests that tubules in this region offer only minor reinforcement along the longitudinal axis. Microscale ...
Schooley EK, Hendrickson DA.Tumors of the musculoskeletal system are rare in horses; however, they must be taken seriously. Diagnosis requires observation of clinical signs, radiographic findings, and histological examination. Veterinarians must realize prognosis is not favorable for most tumors; however, some of these tumors can be treated or at least ameliorated. Tumors discussed in this article include: osteoma and osteosarcoma; osteoblastoma; chondrosarcoma; fibroma and fibrosarcoma; plasma cell myeloma; synovioma; rhabdomyosarcoma and tumors metastatic to the musculoskeletal system.
Ogilvie GK.The importance of paraneoplastic syndromes is often underestimated in the horse. Clinically, paraneoplastic syndromes can cause greater morbidity than the actual physical presence of the malignant tumor. The appearance may be the first sign of a malignancy and may be so severe that appropriate therapy for the underlying cancer is not initiated. This article reviews some of the most common paraneoplastic syndromes that are likely to occur in the horse.
Théon AP.Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for equine tumors. Conservative treatment approaches which preserve function and appearance are increasingly used in clinical practice. This article covers the principles and applications of two conservative treatment modalities including local chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The therapeutic benefit of local chemotherapy is based on the direct drug delivery to tumor tissue, i.e., topical and intratumoral administration of cytotoxic agents in slow release formulation. This treatment modality is very effective for cutaneous tumors and does not result in any p...
Rebhun WC.This article reviews options in dealing with tumors of the cornea and conjunctiva, nictitating membrane neoplasms, and eyelid neoplasms. Orbital tumors, optic nerve and other intraocular tumors are also discussed.
Traub-Dargatz JL.This article is a review of reports on neoplasia of the equine urinary tract. Clinical signs associated with equine patients with urinary tract neoplasia are summarized along with a description of diagnostic methods used in such patients. The prognosis for treatment of urinary tract neoplasia is guarded. A review of the limited treatments that have been reported to date are also provided in this article.
Gürelli G, Göçmen B.Species composition and distribution of large intestinal ciliates were investigated in the feces from 15 Turk rahvan horses, living in the vicinity of Izmir, Turkey. Twenty-two ciliate genera consisting of 36 species were identified. This is the first report on intestinal ciliates in Turk rahvan horses and no previously unknown species were observed. The mean number of ciliates was 14.2±13.9×10(4) cells ml(-1) of feces and the mean number of ciliate species per host was 9.9±7.1. No ciliates were observed in 2 horses. Bundleia and Blepharocorys were considered to be the major genera since th...
Genton M, Robert C, Jerbi H, Huet H, Cordonnier N, Vitte-Rossignol A, Perkins JD, Rossignol F.To describe the innervation of the thyrohyoideus (TH) muscle and to confirm our findings with stimulation of first cervical (C1) nerve branches. Methods: Ex vivo phase 1 and clinical phase 2. Methods: Fourteen head and neck specimens and 17 client-owned horses. Methods: In phase 1, the cranial nerve (CN) XII and the C1 nerve were dissected with their branches in 20 dissections were performed on 14 specimens (6 left and right side and 8 only left or right) Anatomy was noted. Samples of nerve bifurcations were collected for histological confirmation of anatomical findings. First cervical nerve b...
Brown MP, Pool RR.Braided carbon fiber sutures were used to repair surgically transected or lacerated digital flexor tendons of 20 mature horses (10 experimental and 10 clinical cases). In addition, 4 experimental horses had tenectomies that were not surgically repaired; these served as controls for the horses with carbon-implanted tendons. Six of the 10 clinically affected horses were returned to their intended use; 2 were euthanatized because of complications and 2 were still recuperating. The experimental horses were euthanatized at 12 days and 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 months. Tendon scars were structurally and fu...
Carroll JF, Schmidtmann ET, Rice RM.One hundred ten white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) were captured on horse farms in south-central Maryland, examined for ticks, and tested for specific antibodies to Ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of Potomac horse fever. Peromyscus leucopus were consistently infested with immature American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis), with monthly prevalences as high as 80%. Sera from all 97 P. leucopus tested for antibodies to E. risticii were negative. This indicates that P. leucopus is not a reservoir of E. risticii, and suggests that immature D. variabilis do not acquire E. risticii in ...
Herholz CP, Gerber V, Tschudi P, Straub R, Imhof A, Busato A.To investigate whether volumetric capnography indices could be used to differentiate between horses without recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and horses with RAO that were in clinical remission or that had clinically apparent RAO. Methods: 70 adult Swiss Warmblood horses (20 used for pleasure riding and 50 used for dressage or show jumping). Methods: Horses were allocated to 4 groups on the basis of history, clinical signs, results of endoscopy, and cytologic findings (group 1, 21 healthy horses; group 2, 22 horses with RAO that were in remission; group 3, 16 horses with mild RAO; group 4, 11...
Serteyn D, Blais D, Abou Madi NA, Coppens P, Mottart E, Philippart C.Ketamine (0.3 mg/kg) administered intravenously to 12 halothane anesthetized horses caused a significant respiratory depression during ten minutes when respiration was spontaneous. Significant hemodynamic effects were not observed except for cardiac index. Clinical application was also discussed. Ketamine (0.3 mg/kg) administered intravenously to 12 halothane anesthetized horses caused a significant respiratory depression during ten minutes when respiration was spontaneous. Significant hemodynamic effects were not observed except for cardiac index. Clinical application was also discussed.
Patterson-Kane JC, Harrison LR.A 5-month-old male Thoroughbred foal with a history of chronic septic arthritis of the tibiotarsal joint and recent respiratory distress was euthanized and a postmortem examination performed. A giant diverticulum communicating with the lateral aspect of the right atrial cavity of the heart was observed. Histologically, the wall was comprised of myocardial tissue containing cavernous vascular spaces. There was gross and histologic evidence of right-sided heart failure. Congenital right atrial diverticula are rare anomalies in humans and have not previously been reported in foals.
Andrews FM, Rosol TJ, Kohn CW, Reed SM, DiBartola SP.Three horses less than or equal to 3 years old were evaluated because of stunted growth, weight loss, anorexia, depression, and lethargy of at least 1 month's duration. A neonatal foal was examined after its death. In each case, gross and microscopic renal lesions were compatible with bilateral renal hypoplasia (ie, cortical hypoplasia with severe medullary hypoplasia). In young horses with renal failure, bilateral renal hypoplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis, and may represent a congenital lesion.
Harrison LJ, May SA, Edwards GB.Over a period of 16 years, 26 horses were treated for open fractures involving the splint bones. Treatment consisted of surgical excision of fracture fragments and sequestra, and curettage of infected and unhealthy tissues. The splint bone distal to the fracture was removed in nine horses in which the attachment of the splint bone to the cannon bone via the interosseous ligament did not provide adequate stability. In two horses it was considered necessary to stabilise the proximal fragment by internal fixation and infection developed in both of them; one of these horses was destroyed on humane...
Rantanen NW.Ultrasound examination offers important diagnostic and prognostic information in renal disease of the horse. Differentiation between acute nephrosis and chronic renal disease can usually be made because of the advanced degree of morphologic change usually prevalent in chronic conditions. Dilatations of the recesses and pelvis (hydronephrosis) as well as the relative thickness of the renal cortex and medulla are readily determined. Mineral densities (calculi) are recognizable by their characteristic acoustic shadowing.
Naylor JM, Robinson JA, Crichlow EC, Steiss JE.Electromyography (EMG) was used to detect myotonic discharges in Quarter Horse breeding stock and to follow the results of mating horses with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HPP). The studies were performed on two brood mare farms. A total of six breeding stock showed myotonic discharges and 15 were nonmyotonic. Myotonic discharges were seen in five of six horses belonging to the blood line previously implicated as being predisposed to HPP. Two of these horses had shown clinical signs of HPP. Only one of 15 breeding horses unrelated to the HPP predisposed blood line showed myotonic discharges...
The Horserace Betting Levy Board formulates codes of practice for the control of contagious equine metritis and other equine bacterial venereal diseases, and equine viral arteritis and equid herpesvirus 1. This year's codes have just been published and the code of practice for EVA, reproduced below, has been substantially amended following the recent outbreak in the UK. The code is intended for use by veterinary surgeons and breeders of thoroughbred and non-thoroughbred horses. The HBLB states that its recommendations represent the minimum measures necessary to monitor for the presence of equi...
Murray MD, Snowdon WA.The distributions of the following feral animals are given -- cattle, buffalo, pig, goat, deer, camel, horse, donkey, fox, dog and cat -- and the native dingo. The possible role these and the native rodents, marsupials and monotremes would play should an exotic disease of livestock enter Australia is discussed. It is considered that feral animals would be important in creating foci from which the disease would spread.
Bosken JM, Tobin T, Mundy GD, Fisher M, Gantz MG, Banks RO.Postrace urine samples from thoroughbred horses were examined to compare osmolality and specific gravity between horses treated with furosemide and those not treated. Samples were assigned to groups in relation to reported medication (furosemide) status, race finish position, and distance of race. Urine osmolality was significantly (P <.05) lower in samples from horses treated with furosemide when compared with untreated horses. Specific gravity determinations are less precise at measuring urine osmolality at lower levels (1.01 g/ml or less). The measurement of osmolality is a superior meth...
Gray PR, Derksen FJ, Broadstone RV, Robinson NE, Johnson HG, Olson NC.Airway obstruction and hyperreactivity are characteristics of human asthma and of "heaves," a naturally occurring respiratory disorder of horses and ponies. We measured pulmonary function and plasma immunoreactive 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (i15-HETE) concentrations in simultaneously collected carotid artery and right ventricle blood samples in five affected ponies and their age- and gender-matched control ponies. Measurements and sampling were performed before (Period A), during (Period B), and following recovery from (Period C) acute airway obstruction precipitated by housing ponies in ...
Safronova LD, Pimenova TI.The cytogenetic study performed has shown that karyotyping of meiotic cells can be based on the synaptonemal complexes (SC) of spreading pachytene spermatocytes of bull and of horse. The horse SC karyotype has not been previously described. A comparison of the relative length of SC with metaphase chromosomes of bull and horse somatic cells has revealed the correspondence of the chromosome length in pachytene of meiosis and metaphase, which is in agreement with the data on house mouse and Chinese hamster. The method of spreading pachytene cells may be of great practical importance in studies of...
Christensen P, Whitfield CH, Parkinson TJ.The ability of the glycosaminoglycan, heparin, and the calcium ionophore, A23187, to induce acrosome reaction in equine spermatozoa was assessed using semen from 3 warmblood stallions of known high fertility. After collection of semen, the spermatozoa were washed and incubated in vitro with heparin or A23187. Incubation periods were 0, 4, 6 or 8 h with 0, 1, 10 or 100 microg/ml heparin or 0, 10, 30 or 60 min with 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 or 10 microM A23187, respectively. Acrosome reactions were determined by staining the spermatozoa with naphthol yellow S plus erythrosin B, and sperm viability was ass...
Doyle LK, Hogg CO, Watson ED, Donadeu FX.The response of follicles to IGF1 was compared between the transition into the ovulatory season (transitional period) and the ovulatory season (ovulatory period) in eight mares using a cross-over experimental design within periods. Granulosa cells were collected from follicles 15-24 or 25-34 mm and expression of IGF1R, IGF2R, FSHR, LHCGR and PAPPA was determined by qPCR. In addition, 10 mg IGF1 or vehicle were injected into the largest follicle (transitional period) or the second largest follicle (ovulatory period) of a follicular wave before the beginning of diameter deviation between the two...
de la Rúa-Doménech R, Mohammed HO, Cummings JF, Divers TJ, de Lahunta A, Valentine B, Summers BA, Jackson CA.We have conducted an ambidirectional study to estimate the incidence of equine motor neuron disease (EMND) in the northeastern US. The clinical and pathological features of EMND are similar to those described in human motor neuron disease. We have also collected data on all EMND cases reported in the US and described the geographic distribution of the disease. To identify factors associated with the risk of EMND, the authors assembled 163 control horses from the population in which cases were identified. The significance of association between the hypothesized factors and the risk of EMND was ...
Wotman KL, Johnson AL.Many systemic diseases have ocular manifestations. In some cases, ocular abnormalities are the most obvious or first recognized sign of disease that prompts veterinary evaluation. In other cases, the systemic disease leads to secondary ocular changes that might lead to loss of vision or globe if not addressed. Therefore, recognition of ocular abnormalities that might result from systemic diseases is an essential skill for the equine practitioner. This article provides practitioners with information regarding the most common systemic diseases of horses in North America that have ocular manifest...
Murray MJ.Hypothyroidism was diagnosed in a neonatal Thoroughbred foal that was weak, hypothermic, and septicemic. Administration of thyroid-releasing hormone elicited attenuated increases in concentrations of free and total triiodothyronine and thyroxine, as compared with a clinically normal, age-matched foal. The foal died of apparent respiratory insufficiency, pre- and postmortem findings compatible with hypothyroidism included hypothermia, large thyroid glands with distended, colloid-filled follicles, and severe, diffuse atelectasis, with thickened alveolar septae and degenerating alveolar squamous ...
Johnson PE, Maister SG, Knowles JR.Phosphoglycerate kinase has been isolated in crystalline form from horse muscle. A convenient isolation procedure is described that yields homogeneous enzyme of specific activity 700 units/mg (30 degrees C). The enzyme is monomeric, and has a molecular weight 47 000. Of the eight cysteine residues in the protein, two react rapidly with Nbs21 with the concomitant loss of the catalytic activity. Since the isolation of phosphoglycerate kinase from yeast (Bücher, 1955) there have been several reports of purification methods yielding enzyme approaching molecular homogeneity, from rabbit muscle (Be...
Hemberg E, Einarsson S, Jones B, Mikko S.The objective of this study was to investigate the presence and origin of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) in the amniotic fluid of mares giving birth to healthy foals. Material from 25 mares was included. Amniotic fluid was collected during parturition before breakage of the amniotic vesicle. Manual microscopic cytologic evaluation was made on cytospin preparations after staining. PMNLs were found in all amniotic samples examined. The genomic DNA was extracted from 12 of the amniotic fluid samples and was genotyped. The results indicate that the PMNLs originate from the foetus.
Becsek A, Tzanidakis N, Blanco M, Schmicke M, Bollwein H.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of maternal, hormonal, and fetal factors on early fetal volume (FV) measurements in mares obtained by three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound. Furthermore, postpartum parameters were explored in regard to their association with early FV. For this purpose, 149 German warmblood mares that were artificially inseminated and confirmed to be pregnant between days 14-16 of gestation, were examined transrectally at day 45 ± 1 of gestation with the portable 3D ultrasound device Voluson® i (GE, Zipf, Austria). FV was calculated by using the extension so...
Wawrzykowski J, Rapacz-Leonard A, Wiącek D, Kankofer M, Janowski T.Protein profile of the placenta expresses its function and maintenance. Any alterations can be reflected in qualitative and quantitative changes in this profile. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of protein profile in the placenta of mares suffering from the retention of foetal membranes (FMR) by two separation methods and the comparison with physiologically released tissues. Placentas from 14 healthy, heavy draft mares were collected immediately after the expulsion of newborn. Tissues after homogenization and staining with fluorescent dyes were subjected to electrophoretic as we...
Vilaregut L, Lores M, Wilsher S.This review details the current state of knowledge about the equine yolk sac and its remnant (YSR) in the pregnant mare, which, incidentally, is the only animal species known to exhibit large and/or ossified YSR. It also describes the clinical significance of the YSR and details a case of a strangulating YSR that caused fetal death and abortion.
Newcombe JR, Martinez TA, Peters AR.We conducted a series of trials over a four-year period on a total of 2,346 mares, to determine the effect of a single dose of the GnRH analog buserelin (20 to 40 microg i.m. or s.c.) on pregnancy rates when given between 8 and 12 days after service. Although there were some statistically significant improvements in pregnancy rates in individual trials, meta-analysis of the data overall showed significant improvements at all times examined, i.e. 13 to 16, 19 to 23, 28 to 31 and 38 to 42 days after service. These results indicate that treatment of mares with 20 to 40 microg buserelin between Da...
Salas-Romero J, Gomez-Cabrera K, Molento MB, Lyons ET, Delgado A, González L, Arenal A, Nielsen MK.Equine cyathostomin parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses and have been shown to cause severe inflammatory disease in the large intestine of horses. Decades of intensive anthelmintic therapy have led to widespread anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomins across the world. In Cuba, no anthelmintic products are formulated and sold for equine usage and little is known about anthelmintic efficacy of ruminant and swine formulations used. A strongyle fecal egg count reduction test was used to assess the efficacy of a liquid formulation of ivermectin labelled for use in swine, ruminants and carn...
