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.
Caudron I, Grulke S, Farnir F, Aupaix R, Serteyn D.This study is part of a work to develop a radiographic method that defines objectively the individual conformation of an equine digit and its appropriate trimming. The authors used isolated distal limbs on a rotation support to study the influence of induced foot rotations on several angles measured from specific radiographs. The results of this work enabled the authors to quantify the rotation of the proximal phalanx compared to the distal, and to determine exactly the possible rotation in the distal interphalangeal joint. It was also observed that, faced with a forced rotation of the foot, t...
Marsh AE, Barr BC, Packham AE, Conrad PA.Neospora hughesi n. sp. was isolated from the central nervous system tissue of an adult equine (Equus caballus) from California. The tachyzoites are crescent-shaped, approximately 2 x 5 microm (1.8-3.0 x 4.0-7.0 microm), with characteristic apical complex structures consisting of an anterior polar ring, conoid, numerous rhoptries filled with a uniform electron-dense material, and 22 microtubules extending posteriorly from the polar ring. Comparison of N. hughesi to canine and bovine Neospora caninum isolates showed phenotypic differences in immunoreactive proteins. Molecular analysis of the sm...
Caudron I, Grulke S, Farnir F, Aupaix R, Serteyn D.This study is part of a work to develop a radiographic method that defines objectively the individual conformation of an equine digit and its appropriate trimming. The authors used isolated distal limbs fastened on a rotation support with variable inclinations to study the influence of induced asymmetric bearings on various angles measured from specific radiographs. The digit responded to asymmetric bearings by 1. deformation of the hoof; 2. rotation of the phalanges; and 3. joint asymmetry or local articular space narrowing. The two last situations occurred mainly in the distal interphalangea...
Williamson RM, Beveridge I, Gasser RB.To compare the sensitivities of three coprological techniques for the diagnosis of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in horses and to assess the value of the methods for diagnosis of horses at risk of clinical cestodiasis. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from necropsied horses with or without A perfoliata infection and examined using one sedimentation and two different flotation methods. The coprological results were compared with worm counts performed at necropsy of the horses and the degree of mucosal damage. In addition, the efficiency of recovery of A perfoliata eggs from faeces wa...
Pusterla N, Lutz H, Braun U.Four clinically healthy horses which were negative for antibodies to Ehrlichia phagocytophila, the agent of bovine ehrlichiosis, were infected experimentally with E phagocytophila-containing bovine leucocytes, administered intravenously. The horses were examined daily for four weeks, and blood samples were collected daily for cytological, haematological and biochemical examination and for a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An indirect immunofluorescence test was used to determine when the horses seroconverted and the duration of positive titres. There were no abnormal clinical, haematol...
Eksell P, Axelsson M, Broström H, Ronéus B, Häggström J, Carlsten J.The present field study was performed to estimate the prevalence of radiographic signs of bone spavin (RSBS) and to evaluate some possible risk factors for RSBS in the Icelandic horse in Sweden. The survey included horses from 11 farms involving 379 horses, comprising 238 geldings, 125 mares and 16 stallions. Age ranged from 0 to 19 years with a mean age of 8.1 years. Horses were radiographed with a dorsolateral-plantaromedial-oblique projection of both tarsi. Information about age, gender, origin, working intensity, number of gaits and age when saddle broken were obtained by interviewing the ...
Chiaradia E, Avellini L, Rueca F, Spaterna A, Porciello F, Antonioni MT, Gaiti A.Since it has been suggested that lipid peroxidation following free radical overproduction may be one of the causes of physical exercise-induced myopathies and hemolysis in horses, we looked for the possible relationships between these phenomena and muscle fiber damage. We use a homogeneous group of Maremmana stallions which, after a 3-month training period, underwent a series of physical exercises of increasing intensity. We determined the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), one of the main lipid peroxidation end-products, and glutathione the substrate of one of the most important free radical ...
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...
Ward CL, Wood JL, Houghton SB, Mumford JA, Chanter N.Seventy-three bacterial isolates from 65 horses with and without evidence of lower airway disease were identified to assess whether the association with disease was accounted for by a small or large number of species. Just over half (50.5 per cent were Actinobacillus equuli, 17.8 per cent were A suis-like, 11 per cent were Pasteurella pneumotropica, 8.2 per cent were A lignieresii, 6.8 per cent were P haemolytica and 5.5 per cent were P mairii. These results suggest that a range of Actinobacillus and Pasteurella species can be isolated from the lower airways of horses, with many of the isolate...
el Hasnaoui H, el Harrak M, Tber A, Fikri A, Laghzaoui K, Bikour MH.An indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) technique was used to screen and quantify antibodies against African horse sickness virus (AHSV) in equine sera. Results obtained with the IFA assay were compared directly with those obtained with standard complement fixation (CF) and virus neutralisation (VN) tests using horse sera from experimental studies and samples from the field. Positive fluorescent antibody titres were detected from as early as 7 days after primary vaccination and persisted for at least six months. The IFA technique offers a clear advantage over CF tests, where the antibodies are ...
Rubio C, Cubillo MA, Hooghuis H, Sanchez-Vizcaino JM, Diaz-Laviada M, Plateau E, Zientara S, Crucière C, Hamblin C.The mortality rate in susceptible populations of horses during an epizootic of African horse sickness (AHS) may be in excess of 90%. Rapid and reliable assays are therefore essential for the confirmation of clinical diagnoses and to enable control strategies to be implemented without undue delay. One of the major objectives of a recent European Union funded project was the validation of newly developed diagnostic assays which are rapid, sensitive, highly reproducible and inexpensive, for the detection of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) antigens and antibodies. The Laboratorio de Sanidad y ...
Lord CC, Woolhouse ME, Mellor PS.Factors affecting epidemics of African horse sickness in Spain were studied using a mathematical model. The model examined the likelihood of an epidemic after the introduction of the virus, and the effectiveness of vaccination strategies. Two host species (horses and donkeys) and one vector species (the biting midge Culicoides imicola) were included. A stratified random sampling method (Latin hypercube sampling) was used for sensitivity analysis of the likelihood of an epidemic. Systematic variation of vaccination parameters was used to consider alternative control strategies. In general, when...
Huovilainen A, Ek-Kommonen C.A serological study for antibodies against equine arteritis virus (EAV) in Finland was performed during 1996. All equine sera delivered to the Virology Unit at the National Veterinary and Food Research Institute were tested with a micro-neutralization test, using the Arvac strain as antigen. The study also included imported horses to evaluate EAV circulation in the countries of origin. Nucleocapsid gene sequences of 2 Finnish equine semen isolates were amplified with RT-PCR and sequenced. The genetic relationships of those isolates with strains isolated elsewhere in the world were analyzed. Th...
Kitchen DL, Merritt AM, Burrow JA.To determine gastric secretory responses in horses treated with histamine and to determine the dose of histamine needed to elicit maximal gastric secretion. Methods: 6 adult horses with an indwelling gastric cannula. Methods: Gastric contents were collected in 15-minute periods, and volume, pH, hydrogen ion concentration, hydrogen ion output, sodium concentration, and sodium output were determined. Values were determined without any treatment (baseline), after administration of pyrilamine maleate (1 mg/kg of body weight, i.v., given during a 15-minute period), and during 1-hour infusions of hi...
Daels PF, Albrecht BA, Mohammed HO.The onset of eCG secretion in pregnant mares coincides with an increase in luteal steroid production and a relative shift toward androgen and estrogen synthesis. However, a cause-effect relationship between eCG and the shift in luteal steroidogenesis has not been demonstrated. In this study, we have investigated the effect of eCG on steroid production by the corpus luteum (CL) during equine pregnancy. All mares were supplemented with 44 mg altrenogest (a progestogen) per day on Days 18-50. Increasing doses of eCG were administered on Days 26-28, before the onset of endogenous eCG secretion, to...
Fagliari JJ, McClenahan D, Evanson OA, Weiss DJ.To determine whether plasma protein concentrations were altered in ponies with alimentary laminitis. Methods: 12 adult ponies. Methods: Acute laminitis was induced in 6 ponies by oral administration of carbohydrate (85% corn starch, 15% wood flour); the other 6 ponies were used as controls. A physical examination was performed and blood samples were collected immediately before and 4, 8, 12, 24, and 28 hours after administration of carbohydrate. Plasma protein concentrations were determined by means of sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results: 19 plasma proteins rang...
Hardy J, Bertone AL, Muir WW.To determine oxygen metabolism, permeability, and blood flow in isolated joints in response to interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) and contribution of innervation. Methods: One metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of 24 adult horses. Methods: The MCP joint was isolated for 6 hours in a pump-perfused, auto-oxygenated, innervated or denervated preparation. Isolated joints were assigned to the following 4 groups: control, control-denervated, inflamed, and inflamed-denervated, and inflammation was induced by intra-articular injection of IL-1beta. Circuit arterial and venous pressures, flows, and blood gas ten...
Okumura M, Fujinaga T.To establish a sensitive and specific monoclonal antibody (MAB) against equine keratan sulfate (KS) and to develop an enzyme immunoassay for measurement of the concentration of KS in serum and synovial fluid from horses. Methods: 18 synovial fluid and 48 serum samples were obtained from clinically normal horses and horses with arthritis. Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized with chondroitinase-ABC-digested proteoglycan monomer from equine joint cartilage, and MAB were raised, using Sp2/O cells as a fusion partner. A competitive ELISA was optimized, using one of the established MAB, and KS conce...
Cardwell BE, Fitch GQ, Geisert RD.Progestogens and follicular stimulants have proved reasonably successful for estrus synchronization, but time of ovulation relative to removal of the progestogen is not clearly established. We monitored time of ovulation in ewes following synchronized estrus. Ovaries of 40 Dorset and Rambouillet x Dorset ewes were evaluated during the spring and fall (20/replicate). Ewes were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (n = 20/group): implant-only (I) ewes received a norgestomet implant for 10 d; and implant + PMSG (PI) ewes received a norgestomet implant for 10 d with an i.m. injection o...
McClanahan S, Hunter J, Murphy M, Valberg S.Propylene glycol and mineral oil are commonly used in the veterinary profession for treatment of bovine ketosis and equine impactions, respectively. Accidental administration of 6.0 ml propylene glycol/kg of body weight in horses causes severe depression, ataxia and malodorous breath and feces. However, appropriate medical therapy can result in successful treatment of this toxicosis.
Fogarty U, Perl D, Good P, Ensley S, Seawright A, Noonan J.A cluster of 6 cases of equine granulomatous enteritis is described. Aluminium was demonstrated in the tissues and lesions of these horses and in the intimal bodies of intestinal vessels. The relationship between granulomatous lesions, aluminium, acidity and invading microorganisms, particularly parasites, is presented and discussed.
Krieger RI, South P, Mendez Trigo A, Flores I.Methomyl (S-methyl-N-((methylcarbamoyl)oxy) thioacetimidate) toxicity was studied in horses using i.v. dosages from 0.01 to 3.0 mg/kg. Doses of 1-3 mg methomyl/kg produced increased GI motility and respirations, facial fasiculations, salivation, lacrimation and convulsions. The only effect at 0.5 mg/kg was increased GI sounds in 1/4 horses. This extensively used crop insecticide had been associated with episodes of morbidity and mortality and led to speculation that it was extremely potent to the horse. This was not supported by these clinical studies.
Freden GO, Provost PJ, Rand WM.To assess clinical utility of abdominal fluid analysis in predicting outcome, lesion type, and whether medical or surgical treatment is indicated for horses with colic. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 218 horses > 1 year old. Methods: Horses were classified on the basis of age, site of lesion, lesion type (nonstrangulating vs strangulating), type of treatment (medical vs surgical), and outcome (survival vs nonsurvival). Sensitivity and specificity of using age and results of abdominal fluid analysis, individually and in combination, to predict lesion type, type of treatment, and outc...
Lichtenfels JR, Kharchenko VA, Krecek RC, Gibbons LM.The results of an international collaborative effort to prepare a recommended list of scientific names for the small strongyles (Nematoda: Strongyloidea: Cyathostominea) of horses, donkeys and zebras are reported. Fifty-one valid species are recognized in 13 genera, including Cyathostomum, Coronocyclus, Cylicodontophorus, Cylicocyclus, Cylicostephanus, Skrjabinodentus, Tridentoinfundibulum, Petrovinema, Poteriostomum, Parapoteriostomum, Hsiungia, Cylindropharynx and Caballonema. In addition, 42 other species level names are listed as synonyms of the 51 recognized species or as species inquiren...
Anderson RC, Linder KE, Peregrine AS.Although the original description given by Stefanski (1954) was satisfactory, Anderson & Bemrick (1965), in describing H. deletrix (= Micronema deletrix), claimed Stefanski's description was "inadequate" and the species a "species inquirenda". Thus, infections in horses and humans have been assigned to H. deletrix. We believe the species reported in horses and humans is H. gingivalis and that H. deletrix is its synonym. H. gingivalis is separated herein from forms found free-living. The genital tract in the advanced fourth stage of H. gingivalis is didelphic and amphidelphic and terminal e...
Garbís SD, Hanley L, Kalita S.Thiazide-based diuretics are included in the list of banned drugs in the horse-racing industry. One effect of their misuse is increased urine flow, contributing to dilution of other doping agents. Their determination is essential in ensuring compliance to horse-racing regulation. This study evaluates the feasibility of using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) with electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interfaces to analyze thiazidic diuretics in equine urine samples. Existing LC and gas chromatography/MS methods are limited in their applicability to thiazide an...
Ireland FA, Loch WE, Worthy K, Anthony RV.Pregnant pony mares in Group A (n = 4) received i.m. injections at 07:00 and 17:00 h of 0.8 mg bromocriptine/kg body weight 0.75 per day beginning on Day 295 of gestation and continuing until parturition. Group B (n = 4) was treated similarly, but perphenazine was administered orally at 0.375 mg/kg body weight twice a day beginning on Day 305 of gestation and continuing until parturition. Mares in Group C (n = 3) received i.m. injections of saline. Mean plasma prolactin and progesterone concentrations were greater (P less than 0.05) for mares in Group C than in Groups A and B from 295 to 309 d...
Pauli B, Althaus S, Von Tscharner C.Migrating fourth-stage larvae of Strongylus vulgaris, a parasite of equines, damage the intima of the anterior mesenteric artery and its larger branches and induce thrombus formation on the injured sites. As the time of larval passage through each of these branches has been exactly determined in earlier experiments, the aim of the present studies is to contribute to a more complete understanding of repair mechanisms in the process of time after thrombotic vascular injuries. Methods: five foals were separated individually to specially cleaned stables and given anthelmintic treatment till the ag...
Nickels FA, Sande R.The radiographic and arthroscopic findings in the equine stifle were compared. Survey radiography, contrast arthrography, and arthroscopy were performed on both stifles of 10 horses. Nine of the horses were euthanatized to evaluate the effects of the techniques on the joints. Techniques for double-contrast arthrography and arthroscopy were developed, and the findings were compared. Survey radiography identified only osseous structures. Double-contrast arthrography of the femoropatellar joint demonstrated articular surfaces of the trochlea, patella, and joint capsule. Those of the femorotibial ...
Adam E.Emma Adam of the Gluck Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky in the USA provides an update on rotaviruses, particularly the group B equine rotavirus identified in 2021.
Hallamaa RE.Mitochondrial changes of healing sarcoids were followed in 17 affected horses. Biopsies of this fibroblastic skin tumour were collected both before and during the treatment and tumour regression. The therapy consisted of the partial excision of tumours, repeated immunizations with autogenous polymerized tumour particles and supportive dietary treatment with stannic chloride and folic acid. Presence of transformed, electron-dense mitochondria in different phases of healing was studied by successive biopsy from regressing tumours. Additionally, the relation of these transformed mitochondria to t...
Shults T, Kownacki AA, Woods WE, Valentine R, Dougherty J, Tobin T.In horses given (rapid IV) methylphenidate (Ritalin, alpha-phenyl-2-piperidinacetic acid methyl ester; 0.70 mg/kg), plasma concentrations of the drug decreased rapidly at first, with an apparent alpha half-life of about 19 minutes, and then more slowly, with an apparent beta half-life of about 2.4 hours. These data were well fitted by a 2-compartment open model. In blood, about 40% of the methylphenidate present was in the plasma fraction, and of this, about 80% was plasma-protein bound. If given by subcutaneous or IM injection, plasma concentrations of methylphenidate peaked in about 1 hour a...
Siemsen DW, Kirpotina LN, Malachowa N, Schepetkin IA, Porter AR, Lei B, DeLeo FR, Quinn MT.The development of new advances in understanding the role of neutrophils in inflammation requires effective procedures for isolating and purifying neutrophils. Methods for isolating human neutrophils are fairly standard, and some are covered in other chapters of this volume and previous editions. However, procedures for isolating neutrophils from nonhuman species used to model human diseases vary from those used in isolating human neutrophils and are not as well developed. Since neutrophils are highly reactive and sensitive to small perturbations, the methods of isolation are important to avo...
Haschek WM, King JM, Tennant BC.Of 2 horses with renal cell carcinoma, 1 had massive ascites but no other signs of urinary tract disease; the other had hematuria. In both horses, the tumors were palpable as large perirenal masses. The tumor mass of horse 1 almost completely replaced the left kidney, and there were tumor implants on the serosa of abdominal organs. The right kidney of horse 2 was compressed peripherally by the tumor, which completely filled the renal pelvis. The prevalence of renal cell carcinoma in horses and dogs necropsied at the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine between 1953 and 1976 was simila...
Stick JA, Boles C.Three foals with chronic cough, bilateral nasal discharge, and pneumonia were found to have a subepiglottic cyst as the inciting cause. Consistent findings were dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia, in addition to the abnormal respiratory noise usually found in the adult horse with a subepiglottic cyst. Histologic examination of the cysts suggested their origin was traumatic rather than embryonic.
Wheeler SJ.Sensory nerve conduction velocity was measured in the lateral palmar nerve of 8 horses. The limb temperature was manipulated by external means and monitored. Alterations in the nerve conduction velocity related to limb temperature variation were identified at both increased and decreased temperatures. These were quantified and a mean value of 2.15 +/- 0.2 m/s/degree Celsius was determined. The effect of altered limb temperature should be considered in nerve conduction velocity determinations.
Marzok M, Kandeel M, Babiker H, Alkhodair KM, Farag A, Ibrahim H, El-Ashker M, Alghuwainem Y, El-Khodery S.The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic meta-analysis on echocardiographic measurements in normal Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. The current systematic meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). All the available published papers on the reference values of echocardiographic assessment via M-mode echocardiography were searched, and fifteen studies were finally selected for analysis. In both fixed and random effect, the confidence interval (CI) for the interventricular septum (IVS) was 2.8-3.1 and 4.7-7.5; for the ...
Romness N, Fenner K, McKenzie J, Anzulewicz A, Burattini B, Wilson B, McGreevy P.An evidence-based understanding of dangerous or unwelcome behaviour in horses would greatly benefit both horses and humans who interact with them. Using owner-reported data from the Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ), the current study investigated in-hand behaviours associated with dangerous or unwelcome ridden behaviours, notably bolting, rearing and bucking. Respondents ( = 1584) to the ridden horse section of the E-BARQ answered 42 demographic questions, followed by 268 behavioural items. Parallel analysis was conducted to group individual behaviours into rotat...
Breuer J, Schmoll F, Uhlig A, Schusser GF.Equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) caused by Lawsonia (L.) intracellularis is an emerging disease in foals, particularly in North America. Since a case report in Germany exists, the objective of this study was to examine the incidence of L. intracellularis-antibodies in healthy horses from two German breeding farms. In group 1, serum samples from 24 (year 1) and 16 (year 2) Haflinger mares and their foals were taken. In group 2, over a period of five months, serum samples of six warmblood mares and foals were collected monthly from birth until the foals became seronegative. Serum samples w...
Moore C, Stefanovski D, Luethy D.Antemortem definitive diagnosis of lymphoma in horses is often difficult. Thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) assay is a potentially useful biomarker for lymphoma in horses. Objective: To report the clinical performance of a commercially available TK1 assay for diagnosis of lymphoma in horses. We hypothesized that there would be no association between serum TK1 activity and a diagnosis of lymphoma in horses. Methods: Forty-two hospitalized horses, 14 with a definitive diagnosis of lymphoma, 4 with other neoplasia, and 24 with inflammatory disease. Methods: Retrospective medical record review, groups were...
Bostedt H, Hospes R, Herfen K.Basing on exact investigations of normal behaviour and abnormalities in newborn and up to 24 hours old foals a program for evaluation, comprehending exogeniously judgable criteria, was developed. It aims at a quick recognition of aberrations in behaviour. The program includes a score, which allows early diagnosis of even subtile abnormalities. As a result, a veterinary surgeon should be consulted if the score exposes a critical situation, so that therapy can be started in time. Furthermore informations about investigations on blood-glucose- and immunoglobulin-G-concentration in relation to neo...
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...
Milne EM, Pemberton AD, McGorum BC, Dixon PM, Scudamore CL, Miller HR.The concentration of alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API) was measured in the pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) while they had clinical signs and while they had none. The concentrations of total protein, albumin and API were significantly higher in the PELF of animals with clinical signs of COPD. The correlation between albumin and API in the PELF suggested that most of the API was derived from the serum.
Stevenson AJ, Weber MP, Todi F, Mendonca M, Fenwick JD, Young L, Kwong E, Chen F, Beaumier P, Timmings S.The variability in plasma and urine equine procaine measurement between three independent laboratories using current methods led to the development of a sensitive, reliable, and reproducible high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Standardbred mares were administered either a penicillin G procaine preparation intramuscularly or procaine hydrochloride subcutaneously, and blood and urine were collected at defined time intervals. By HPLC the detection limits for procaine in plasma and urine were 1 and 10 ng/mL, respectively. In contrast procaine in plasma could not be detected by GC-NPD, ...
Díaz S, Kienast ME, Villegas-Castagnasso EE, Pena NL, Manganare MM, Posik D, Peral-García P, Giovambattista G.In order to detect switching and/or manipulation of samples, the owner of a stallion asked our lab to perform a DNA test on a positive doping urine sample. The objective was to compare the urine DNA profile versus blood and hair DNA profiles from the same stallion. At first, 10 microsatellite markers were investigated to determine the horse identity. No results were obtained when horse specific markers were typed in the urine sample. In order to confirm the species origin of this sample we analyzed the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. This analysis from blood and hair samples produced reproduc...
Osborne VE.Foaling figures for Thoroughbred mares in Australia show a puzzling disparity between conception and foaling rates in the second half of the 22 years of official data collection between 1950 and 1972. In the first 9 years of the survey, the live foal percentages rose in parallel with conception rates, but then a divergence of the figures occurred with the conception rate continuing to improve by 6-25% while the foaling rate improved by only 0-01% over the same period. An hypothesis supported by data from two studs is considered that stress factors additional to those experienced by mares in th...
Yoshida T, Ohta Y.The experiment was conducted to estimate dietary threonine (Thr) requirement using plasma amino acid concentrations as a criterion in mature thoroughbreds. Four adult thoroughbreds were used, and a 4 × 4 Latin square design was used for four dietary Thr levels. Plasma Thr concentration was constant until 0.41%, and then increased rapidly with increasing dietary Thr levels. The Thr requirement was estimated to be 67% of lysine with plasma Thr concentration at four Thr levels.
Kopper JJ, Travers JL, Schott HC, Cook VL.To investigate effects of body condition on permeability of intestinal mucosa in horses. Methods: 13 horses (7 obese and 6 lean) from 8 to 15 years of age. Methods: Body condition score was assessed, and an oral sugar test (OST) was performed to evaluate glucose and insulin dynamics. Horses were allowed a 2-week diet acclimation period and were then euthanized. Tissue samples were collected from the jejunum, ileum, cecum, pelvic flexure, right dorsal colon, and rectum. Mucosal permeability was assessed by measuring transepithelial resistance and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) flux across tissue samp...
Ginther OJ.Recent findings on the origin and development of twins from ovulation (Day 0) to fixation (mean: Day 16) are reviewed. Available data show that almost all twins originate from multiple ovulations. Results of recent ultrasound studies indicate that the number of days between double ovulations does not affect the conception rate per ovum or embryo survival during the first 16 days after each ovulation. Embryo reduction is the natural elimination of excess embryos so that only one embryo enters the foetal stage. In two studies, embryo reduction before or on the day of fixation was not considered ...
Whitelock RG.This paper quantifies the extent of the radiation hazard to personnel from horses undergoing scintigraphy using technetium99m methylene diphosphonate (99Tcm-MDP). From the data produced it is possible to derive safe working protocols which are comfortably within the legislated limits for whole body doses as set out in the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985. Measurements were made of the surface and environmental activities which result from individuals undergoing scintigraphic evaluation and also from urine contaminated bedding. The use of both high and low activities in the assessment of th...
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 ...
Fintl C, Milne EM, McGorum BC.To determine whether urinalysis can aid the diagnosis of equine grass sickness, samples of urine from 15 horses with acute grass sickness, eight horses with subacute grass sickness, 17 co-grazing horses and 17 stabled control horses were analysed. The samples from all of the horses with grass sickness had a significantly higher specific gravity, higher protein and creatinine concentrations and a significantly lower pH; the samples from the horses with acute grass sickness also had significantly higher glucose concentrations. These differences may support a diagnosis of grass sickness but they ...
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.
Miro J.Ultrasonography has become indispensable in the control of equine reproduction. Mare ovary layers are inverted with respect to other species, with the follicles and corpus luteum found inside the ovary; only large follicles protrude from the organ's surface. This renders the making of diagnoses via rectal palpation of the ovaries very difficult. Ultrasound imaging, however, provides another avenue of examination. Since its first use in 1980, the diagnostic potential of ultrasonography has greatly improved. Colour Doppler ultrasonography can even asses blood flow, allowing for much better monit...
