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.
Binder H, Jakob C, Bucher P.Successful application of embryo transfer (ET) has become common practice in cattle, horses, sheep, goats and a variety of other species held in captivity. Yet in cattle only has the technique been established commercially. In 1994 more than 100,000 bovine embryos have been transferred in European countries. Important progress in transvaginal ovum pick up (OPU), in vitro production (IVP) and cryopreservation have further improved the applicability of ET. Direct transfer simplifies the procedure considerably allowing individual transfers and eliminating the need of synchronizing recipients. In ...
Bucci TJ, Hansen DK, LaBorde JB.Two of five pregnant rabbits gavaged with purified fumonisin B1 at 1.75 mg/kg/day died, one after 9 and one after 13 doses. Microscopic examination revealed focal small hemorrhages in cerebral white matter in both animals, with malacia and hemorrhage also present in the hippocampus of one. The lesions were bilateral. Both animals also had marked degeneration of renal tubule epithelium and of hepatocytes. Apoptosis was the dominant degenerative change in kidney and liver. Fumonisin is known to cause leukoencephalomalacia and hemorrhage in equines, but CNS changes associated with exposure to fum...
Le Bars J, Le Bars P.Successful investigation and prevention of mycotoxic problems requires close collaboration between scientists from several disciplines ranging from agronomists and technologists required during production of food and feeds, to toxicologists and pathologists examining the effects of mycotoxins on animals and man. Zootoxic metabolites following fungal infection result from four general mechanisms: (i) secondary fungal metabolism (mycotoxins, eg, aflatoxins); (ii) bioconversion of vegetal compounds (eg, dicoumarol); (iii) plant reactions (phytoalexins, eg, coumestrol); and (iv) plant-fungus assoc...
Littlewood JD, Rose JF, Paterson S.A single blind controlled clinical trial of oral ivermectin paste at a dose rate of 0.1 mg/kg daily for seven days for the treatment of chorioptic mange in horses was carried out. There was a statistically significant reduction in the numbers of mites in the samples taken from the treated horses compared with the untreated horses, but the mites were not eliminated from all the treated animals. Two further groups of horses were treated, one at a dose rate of 0.1 mg/kg daily for 10 days and the other with two doses of 0.2 mg/kg given two weeks apart. There were no statistically significant diffe...
Vatistas NJ, Wright IM, Dyson SJ.Forty-eight horses with osteochondritic lesions of the femoropatellar joint were treated, 23 of them by an arthrotomy and 25 by arthroscopy. Follow-up information was obtained from either the owner or the referring veterinarian by telephone inquiry. There were no statistical differences between the groups of horses undergoing the two procedures with regard to age, sex, breed, the involvement of one or both limbs, the size of the lesion, and the duration of either the surgery or anaesthesia. However, the horses treated by an arthrotomy spent 14.5 days in hospital after the operation whereas tho...
Wiler R, Leber R, Moore BB, VanDyk LF, Perryman LE, Meek K.V(D)J rearrangement is the molecular mechanism by which an almost infinite array of specific immune receptors are generated. Defects in this process result in profound immunodeficiency as is the case in the C.B-17 SCID mouse or in RAG-1 (recombination-activating gene 1) or RAG-2 deficient mice. It has recently become clear that the V(D)J recombinase most likely consists of both lymphoid-specific factors and ubiquitously expressed components of the DNA double-strand break repair pathway. The deficit in SCID mice is in a factor that is required for both of these pathways. In this report, we show...
van der Kolk JH, Grinwis GC.A three-year-old pregnant Dutch Warmblood mare was referred to the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, because of weight loss for 1 month. The main clinical features were (beside weight loss) moderate ventral oedema, enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, and uniform thickening of the wall of the jejunum. Haematological evaluation revealed leukocytosis (15.9 G.l-1 with 18% lymphocytes and 1% eosinophils) and a decreased total serum protein and albumin concentration (35 g.l-1 and 36.3% albumin). At necropsy transmural eosinophilic enteritis was found in ...
Lassen ED, Swardson CJ.In diseased animals, laboratory evaluations of erythrocytes, leukocytes, and hemostasis provide important information that contributes to either narrowing the list of potential diagnoses or to determining a specific diagnosis. To adequately interpret the results of these evaluations, normal erythrocyte and leukocyte kinetics and normal hemostatic function must be understood. In addition, knowledge of common diseases resulting in abnormalities of these laboratory tests and of typical changes in these tests caused by these diseases is vital. This article has reviewed normal erythrocyte and leuko...
Crabill MR, Watkins JP, Schneider RK, Auer JA.To determine the technique used, and the outcome for, double-plate fixation of comminuted fractures of the second phalanx of horses. Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records. Methods: 10 horses with comminuted fractures of the second phalanx that were treated by use of double-plate fixation. Methods: Two 4- to 6-hole dynamic compression plates were abaxially placed to achieve arthrodesis of the proximal interphalangeal joint and fixation of the fracture of the second phalanx. Results: Arthrodesis and fracture healing were detected in all horses. Conclusions: Horses with comminuted fr...
Johnson PJ.Laboratory electrolyte and acid-base analyses are important for the characterization and assessment of the severity of disorders of fluid balance, and they enable the veterinarian to institute appropriate corrective therapeutic interventions. Abnormalities of electrolytes or acid-base rarely define the diagnosis, but certain diseases are characterized by predictable trends in these parameters. Important clinical situations in which assessment of electrolyte and acid-base status should be regarded as important to the equine practitioner include diarrhea, severe colic, peritonitis, pleuritis, dy...
Granstrom DE.This article reviews recent advances in laboratory diagnosis of equine parasitic diseases. Laboratory diagnosis of most equine parasitic diseases continues to rely on standard methods. Only laboratory diagnostic tests for EPM, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis were included. The criteria for testing and interpretation of results for each new diagnostic method were explained. Western blot and PCR testing for EPM and immunofluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies for cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis were reviewed.
Fowden AL, Silver M.With the use of [U-14C]glucose tracer methodology, the rates of umbilical uptake, utilization, oxidation, and production of glucose were determined in nine chronically catheterized fetal foals in the fed state between 268 and 325 days of gestation (term approximately 335 days). At the same time, the rates of umbilical O2 and lactate uptake were measured in all nine fetuses by Fick principle. The mean fetal rates of umbilical glucose uptake, glucose utilization, and CO2 production from glucose carbon were 36.9 +/- 2.5, 36.4 +/- 1.7, and 117.7 +/- 17.4 mumol.min-1.kg fetal body wt-1, respectivel...
Battelli G, Galuppi R, Pietrobelli M, Tampieri MP.Fecal examinations of horses (Equus caballus) from studs in the province of Udine (Friuli Venezia Giulia region, east-northern Italy), carried out during two periods of the year 1993, revealed coccidian oocysts in six foals, two stallions and one mare. The species was identified as Eimeria leuckarti. This species was reported only once in Italy, more than 20 years ago (1972). For this reason, the prevalence of the parasite and the description of immature and sporulated oocysts are given.
Steiner A, Roussel AJ.Hypodynamic gastrointestinal disorders in horses and cattle that are thought to benefit from treatment with drugs restoring and coordinating gastrointestinal motility include postoperative ileus and large colon impaction in the horse and displacement of the abomasum and dilatation of the cecum in cattle. Important physiologic, pathophysiologic and pharmacologic mechanisms involved in the intrinsic control of gastrointestinal motility include cholinergic, adrenergic, dopaminergic, serotoninergic, and opioid-mediated pathways. Preliminary results suggest that cisapride, acting on 5-Hydroxytrypta...
Madigan JE, Rikihisa Y, Palmer JE, DeRock E, Mott J.The original objective was to determine seroprevalence of Ehrlichia risticii antibody among horses in California. On the basis of the unexpected results of the survey, an investigation into the accuracy and reproducibility of results of the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test for E risticii was carried out. Methods: Prospective, seroprevalence study. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 655) and horses with clinical signs of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis (EME; n = 514) from various regions of California. Methods: The IFA test was performed. Results were compared with results of an ELISA and with ...
Barlough JE, Madigan JE, DeRock E, Dumler JS, Bakken JS.A Thoroughbred filly that developed clinical signs of equine granulocytic ehrlichiosis following inoculation with the human granulocytotropic ehrlichia was shown to be resistant to challenge with Ehrlichia equi, a closely related agent. This result further substantiates the close and potentially conspecific relationship between these two granulocytotropic ehrlichiae.
Moslemi S, Silberzahn P, Gaillard JL.19-Norandrostenedione was synthesized in vitro from dehydroepiandrosterone by explants of equine full-term placenta. The synthesis of 19-norandrostenedione was inhibited by two specific aromatase inhibitors, 4-hydroxyandrostenedione and fadrozole.
Mills PC, Dunnett M, Smith NC.The pharmacokinetics of oral and intravenous allopurinol was studied in five horses and compared with intravenous oxypurinol. The plasma concentration vs. time curves, following intravenous administration of 5 mg/kg, were best described by the biexponential equations Cp = 106.58e(-25.14t) + 159.93e(-10.96t) for allopurinol and Cp = 321.09e(-9.72t) + 82.39e(-0.44t) for oxypurinol, with an elimination half-life (t1/2 beta) of 0.09 h and an area under the curve (AUC) of 19.8 mumol.h/L after intravenous administration, while the t1/2 beta and AUC of oxypurinol were 1.09 h and 231 mumol.h/L, respec...
Broad TE, Ede AJ, Forrest JW, Lewis PE, Phua SH, Pugh PA.DNA repeats, revealed initially by digestion of horse DNA with restriction enzymes, were cloned and characterized by cross-hybridization studies and nucleotide sequencing. The Sau-like family of tandem repeats contained two classes of repetitive elements with unit repeats of about 80 bp that shared no sequence similarity. Both unit repeats were present, frequently in tandem, in cloned segments of horse DNA of less than 600 bp. Evidence is presented, based on their ladderlike patterns of hybridization to horse DNA and their high level of similarity to published sequences of satellites from equi...
Firth EC, Klarenbeek A.A foal with retained cartilage in the distal metaphysis of the right and left radii and third metacarpal bones had abnormal physeal vasculature. In areas where cartilage was retained, vessels crossed the physis, and branched at the physeal-metaphyseal junction or at the site of retained cartilage. Vessels appeared to be involved in re-initiation of endochondral ossification and in the repair reponse to the presence of retained cartilage. In areas where the physis was radiographically and histologically normal, no vessels crossed the physis. A function of transphyseal vessels may be as a reserv...
Yvorchuk-St Jean K, Gaughan E, St Jean G, Frank R.To evaluate the effect of a porous bovine-derived collagen membrane (PBCM) on the rates of wound healing, cellular events, presence of granulation tissue, and appearance at termination of the study in surgically created full-thickness cutaneous wounds of the distal portion of the extremities of horses. Methods: Treated wounds (n = 12) received a PBCM dressing and control wounds were covered with a nonadherent dressing. Forelimbs and hind limbs were cross paired; the right forelimb and left hind limb always received the same dressing application, as did the left forelimb and right hind limb. Li...
Larsen M, Nansen P, Henriksen SA, Wolstrup J, Grønvold J, Zorn A, Wedø E.This study was undertaken to examine the potential of the nematode-trapping microfungus Duddingtonia flagrans to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of horses and subsequently to destroy free-living stages of cyathostomes in faecal cultures. Three different oral dose levels were tested, two horses being used for each level. Faeces were collected twice daily and the numbers of parasite eggs per gram of faeces were determined. The numbers of infective third stage larvae which developed in faecal cultures were determined after the cultures had been incubated for 2 weeks at 24 degre...
Daels PF, Mohammed HO, Odensvik K, Kindahl H.To determine the relative role of endogenous prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) secretion in cloprostenol-induced abortion in mares that no longer require luteal progesterone secretion for maintenance of pregnancy, and to evaluate the ability of a prostaglandin cyclooxygenase inhibitor (flunixin meglumine) to prevent cloprostenol-induced abortion. Methods: The effect of flunixin meglumine on PGF2 alpha secretion and outcome of pregnancy was compared between mares treated with cloprostenol only and mares treated with cloprostenol plus flunixin meglumine. Methods: Five pregnant mares, aged 4 to...
Palmer JL, Bertone AL, Malemud CJ, Carter BG, Papay RS, Mansour J.The relevance of site and the influence of exercise on third carpal articular cartilage proteoglycan (PG) were assessed in 16 horses. Six horses were exercised (exercised group) for 30 minutes, 3 times/wk, for 6 weeks. The other 10 horses (nonexercised group) were housed in box stalls for the same 6-week period. At week 6, articular cartilage from the proximal surface of the right third carpal bone was harvested and cultured with radioactive sulfate to label newly synthesized PG. Endogenous PG was measured by use of a uronic acid assay. Newly synthesized and endogenous PG were characterized by...
Ekman S.Lesions in the cervical spine of 28 young horses (Standardbred Trotters and Swedish Warmbloods), killed because of longstanding or severe ataxia, are described. The material consists of all horses with ataxia available for necropsy and presented to the large animal clinic of the School of Veterinary Medicine, Uppsala and the Animal Hospital in Helsingborg during 1981 through 1983. After a clinical and radiographic examination, including myelography in all but 2 cases, the horses were killed and necropsy was performed. The cases were divided into three categories based on the radiographic and p...
Fowden AL, Mijovic J, Ousey JC, McGladdery A, Silver M.The activities of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P), fructose diphosphatase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), aspartate and alanine transferases were measured in liver and kidney of fetal foals between 100-318 days of gestation (term approximately 335 days) and during the immediate postnatal period (0-48 h after birth). All 5 enzymes could be detected in the fetal liver and kidney at the youngest gestational age studied. Mean fetal activities were lower than those observed in their mothers and showed no change with gestational age for the majority of enzymes studied. However, renal PEPCK a...
Edwards VL, Loux S, Embertson R.Juvenile Thoroughbreds can be expensive to raise and train to race. Part of the economic return in these juveniles are the weanling, yearling and 2-year-old in training sales at which major surgeries must be declared. Objective: To determine if surgically corrected large colon displacements were associated with a reduction of sales price and racing performance. We hypothesised that the surgery would be associated with a reduced sales price but would not be associated with a reduction in race earnings or starts. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: The medical, sales and racing records...
The Journal of nutritionDecember 1, 1993
Volume 123, Issue 12 2152-2157 doi: 10.1093/jn/123.12.2152
Lawrence L, Soderholm LV, Roberts A, Williams J, Hintz H.Four standardbred horses were used in a Latin square design experiment to evaluate the effects of feeding status on metabolic response to exercise. Horses were deprived of food overnight and then fed 0 (control condition), 1, 2 or 3 kg of corn grain approximately 2.5-3 h before exercise. The exercise test consisted of a warm-up phase (heart rate mean = 144 beats/min) followed by 800 m of walking and then a high intensity work bout for 1600 m (heart rate mean = 206 beats/min). All tests were conducted on a high speed equine treadmill on which the horses had been previously conditioned. During e...
Wassall DA, Gregory RJ, Phipps LP.The detection of antibodies against Trypanosoma equiperdum in 689 equid sera was compared by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the complement fixation test (CFT) and an indirect immunofluorescent test (IIF). CFT was the least sensitive technique, susceptible to anti-complementary factors and the most technically demanding. IIF was more sensitive, but was only suitable for testing limited numbers of samples. In this study, ELISA was the most sensitive test, the least labour intensive and lends itself to a considerable degree of automation. It is suggested that ELISA would be relatively...
Rahman AZA, Adzahan NM, Zakaria Z, Mayaki AM.Horse wounds can be easily infected with bacteria depending on the nature of its cause such as laceration, abrasion, or puncture as well as the nature of its environment. Various treatments are available in managing open wounds, including the usage of topical antibiotics and antiseptics. However, antibiotic resistance has been a major concern attributed with chronic wound infection. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of ionized water at different pH against the growth of common bacteria from horse wounds. Methods: Ten swab samples from equine infected wounds were collected and bact...
Cullinane A, Garvey M, Walsh C, Gibbons J, Creighton A.The association between poor performance and respiratory disease in Thoroughbred racehorses that do not have a structural abnormality of the respiratory tract, is often based on anecdotal evidence. The objective of this scoping review was to examine the scientific evidence for such associations. Publications were selected based on a search of three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and CAB Direct), in English and without date restriction, followed by a screening process to exclude non-relevant papers, duplicates, and reviews. This process identified 996 publications of which 20 were analysed using th...
Ishak GM, Dutra GA, Gastal GDA, Elcombe ME, Gastal MO, Park SB, Feugang JM, Gastal EL.This study aimed to gain insight on the effect of different seasons of the year on the expression pattern of growth factor and hormone receptors involved in follicle development. A novel follicle wall biopsy technique was used to collect in vivo follicle wall layers (ie, granulosa, theca interna, and theca externa) and follicular fluid samples from growing dominant follicles, simultaneously and repeatedly, using the same mares during the spring anovulatory (SAN), spring ovulatory (SOV), summer (SU), and fall ovulatory (FOV) seasons. The immunofluorescent expression patterns of epidermal growt...
Freeman KP, Roszel JF, McClure JM, Mannsman R, Patton PE, Naile S.Thirty-six transtracheal washing (TTW) and 12 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens collected in clinical practice from horses with and without respiratory disease were reviewed. Cytological features were considered in accordance with the presenting complaint, clinical signs, clinical diagnoses, microbiological, radiographic and/or endoscopic findings, therapy, and response to therapy. The trichrome-stained TTW and BAL specimens were useful in interpreting the results of concurrent microbiological cultures, and determining whether a condition was present based on occurrence of typical cytolog...
Mathisen SR, Wu HD, Sauvage LR, Walker MW.Because repeat sternotomies are becoming much more prevalent with repeat coronary bypass operations, prevention of direct adhesions of the heart and grafts to the back of the sternum by use of synthetic or xenograft material to close the pericardiotomy has become a matter for investigation. In this study bovine and equine glutaraldehyde-processed xenografts were implanted bilaterally in dogs for implant intervals of 6 weeks and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The bovine and equine xenografts both performed well in resisting the adhesion of the heart to their inner surfaces and less well in resisting a...
King SS, Douglas BL, Roser JF, Silvia WJ, Jones KL.There is a well-documented increase in luteolytic failure, resulting in spontaneously prolonged corpus luteum (SPCL) function, during estrous cycles of horses in autumn. The cause of this phenomenon may be due to seasonal alterations in PGF(2alpha) and/or in prolactin (PRL) secretion around luteolysis. To investigate this, progesterone (P4), 13, 14-dihydro, 15-keto PGF(2alpha) (PGFM) and PRL concentrations were compared between summer and autumn estrous cycles during natural luteolysis and luteolysis induced by benign uterine stimulation. A single estrous cycle from mares in June-July (n=12) w...
Revold T, Ihler CF, Karlström K, Larsen S, Essén-Gustavsson B.The trotting speed of Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotters (NSCTs) is, although inferior to Standardbred speeds, gradually increasing. This development is mainly attributed to breeding progresses. Characteristics of the middle gluteal muscle have recently been described in a small number of these horses but the actual spread in muscle parameters within the population is unknown. Objective: To describe the characteristics of the middle gluteal muscle and their naturally occurring variability in young NSCT horses and investigate possible association with body size, individual breeding index an...
Rumpler MJ, Kandala B, Vickroy TW, Hochhaus G, Sams RA.Glycopyrrolate (GLY) is an antimuscarinic agent that is used in humans and domestic animals primarily to reduce respiratory tract secretions during anesthesia and to reverse intra-operative bradycardia. Although GLY is used routinely in veterinary patients, there is limited information regarding its pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties in domestic animals, and an improved understanding of the plasma concentration-effect relationship in racehorses is warranted. To accomplish this, we characterize the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) actions of GLY during and after a 2...
Hewson J, Arroyo LG.Evaluation of the upper and lower respiratory tract of horses requires strategic selection of possible diagnostic tests based on location of suspected pathologic lesions and purpose of testing and must also include consideration of patient status. This article discusses the various diagnostic modalities that may be applied to the respiratory system of horses under field conditions, indications for use, and aspects of sample collection, handling, and laboratory processing that can impact test results and ultimately a successful diagnosis in cases of respiratory disease.
Melrose PA, Knigge KM.The present study describes the topography of immunoreactive (ir) oxytocin (OXY) and vasopressin (AVP) neurons in the forebrain of Equus caballus and the coexistence of ir proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides in the same cells. These data are compared to those for other mammalian species and the possible significance of species variations is considered. As expected, magnocellular neurons of the equine hypothalamus, which contain ir OXY or AVP, have prominent discernible projections to the neurohypophysis. Further, as in other mammalian species, the field of ir OXY perikarya generally ex...
Jones ARE, Ragle CA, Mattoon JS, Sanz MG.To describe the use of non-contrast-enhanced CT to identify deep digital flexor (DDF) tendinopathy in horses with lameness attributed to pain in regions distal to the metatarsophalangeal or metacarpophalangeal joints. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 28 client-owned horses. Methods: Medical records were searched to identify horses that underwent non-contrast-enhanced CT with or without high-field MRI as part of an evaluation for lameness localized to areas distal to the metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joint in ≥ 1 limb. Horses were included in the study if they had ≥...
Nino-Fong R, Esparza Gonzalez BP, Rodriguez-Lecompte JC, Montelpare W, McD￮ L.Bone repair in horses implies invasive surgeries and increased cost. Research on musculoskeletal disorders therapy in horses includes cell-based therapy with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Mesenchymal stromal cells can be obtained from bone marrow (BMMSCs). Unfortunately, BMMSCs have limited cell replication . The objective of this study was to develop a biologically immortalized equine stem cell line derived from bone marrow, with unlimited proliferation and the ability to differentiate into bone cells. Equine BMMSCs were transfected and immortalized with human telomerase reverse transcri...
Hodgson DR, Rose RJ, Allen JR, Dimauro J.Muscle biopsy samples were collected from the left middle gluteal muscle of horses participating in competitive barrier trials. Twelve horses were biopsied the day before and within 30 minutes of completion of an 800 m barrier trial. A further six horses were sampled the day before, and within 30 minutes of, completion of a 1200 m barrier trial. Serial muscle sections were examined histochemically for myosin adenosine triphosphatase activity after acid preincubation, to demonstrate type I, IIA and IIB fibres. The glycogen content in the individual fibres was assessed using the periodic acid Sc...
Madelin TM, Clarke AF, Mair TS.Sera from 54 two- to three-year-old Thoroughbred horses from an English racing stable were examined for precipitins to antigen extracts prepared from 18 species of moulds (fungi and thermophilic actinomycetes) isolated from the same stable. Twenty-seven horses exhibited serum precipitins to one or more antigens; sixteen of the mould antigens elicited positive reactions in sera from one or more horses. Significantly more precipitins occurred in sera of those horses stabled in a barn than among those stabled in individual boxes. This indicated a possible association between type of housing, leve...
Miserez R, Frey J, Krawinkler M, Nicolet J.A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for identification of Taylorella equigenitalis was developed. The oligonucleotide primers are based on the DNA sequence of the rrs gene of T. equigenitalis, encoding for the 16S ribosomal RNA. Analysis of 21 strains of T. equigenitalis from England, USA and Switzerland showed an amplification product of 410 bp with identical Sau3A restriction profile. The sensitivity of the PCR-Assay was estimated to detect 50 to 500 bacteria of T. equigenitalis in a mixture with frequently found contaminants. Further analysis of culture from 60 genital swabs, taken in the cou...
Sabbagh M, Danvy S, Ricard A.Genetic parameters and environmental factors were estimated for foaling ease (FE) and stillbirths (SBs) in four breeds of draft horses based on 11 229, 38 877, 35 764 and 13 274 FE and SB scores recorded between 1998 and 2010 for Ardennais (A), Breton (B), Comtois (C) and Percheron (P), respectively. Incidences for the three FE categories were: easy or without help 91.0% (A) to 95.4% (B), difficult 3.4% (B) to 7.1% (A) and intervention of a veterinarian 1.1% (B) to 1.9% (A). The frequency of SB ranged between 5.4% (B) and 9.4% (A). A multiple-trait threshold animal model was used that included...
Vilasi S, Dosi R, Iannuzzi C, Malmo C, Parente A, Irace G, Sirangelo I.In protein deposition disorders, a normally soluble protein is deposited as insoluble aggregates, referred to as amyloid. The intrinsic effects of specific mutations on the rates of protein aggregation and amyloid formation of unfolded polypeptide chains can be correlated with changes in hydrophobicity, propensity to convert alpha-helical to beta sheet conformation and charge. In this paper, we report the aggregation rates of buffalo, horse and bovine apomyoglobins. The experimental values were compared with the theoretical ones evaluated considering the amino acid differences among the sequen...
Mason DE, Muir WW, Olson LE.Smooth muscle strips from the midcervical portion of the trachea and bronchial smooth muscle strips from third-generation airways of horses were placed in tissue baths, and isometric contractile force was measured. Active force was measured in response to electrical stimulation and exogenous acetylcholine. Square-wave electrical stimuli were applied at various voltages (10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25 V), frequencies (3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 Hz), and pulse durations (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 ms). Isometric contractile force increased as voltage, frequency, and pulse duration increased. Maximal contract...
Willette C, Aarnes TK, Lerche P, Ricco-Pereira C, Ballash GA, Bednarski RM.To assess anesthetic induction, recovery quality and cardiopulmonary variables after intramuscular (IM) injection of three drug combinations for immobilization of horses. Methods: Randomized, blinded, three-way crossover prospective design. Methods: A total of eight healthy adult horses weighing 470-575 kg. Methods: Horses were administered three treatments IM separated by ≥1 week. Combinations were tiletamine-zolazepam (1.2 mg kg), ketamine (1 mg kg) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg) (treatment TKD); ketamine (3 mg kg) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg) (treatment KD); and tiletamine-zolazepam (2.4 mg ...
Strickland K, Smith F, Woods M, Mason J.Four horses were stabled and fed a diet of hay ad libitum, and 2 kg oats per animal per day, for a month. The basic diet was then supplemented with molybdenum, at a rate of 20 mg/kg dry matter for 4.5 months. For one month of this period the diet was supplemented also with sulphur at a rate of 1.2 g/kg dry matter. Analyses of jugular blood samples, obtained at intervals varying between two and 20 days, showed no evidence of a decline in total plasma copper or of an increased proportion of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) insoluble copper in plasma over this period. In separate studies, two other hor...
Otzen H, Sieme H, Oldenhof H, Ertmer F, Kehr A, Rode K, Klose K, Rohn K, Schoon HA, Meinecke B.In this study, endometrosis and angiosclerosis in mares were studied. Endometrosis is a severe, progressive, and irreversible fibrotic condition that affects the endometrium, whereas angiosclerosis refers to thickening of vessel walls due to degenerative changes leading to reduced elasticity of the walls and lower perfusion. Histologic evaluations were performed on biopsies and compared with vascular features of the endometrial surface obtained via narrow-band imaging (NBI) hysteroscopy. First, it was determined if hysteroscopic evaluation of the endometrium using NBI resulted in a better visu...
Cianci J, Boyle AG, Stefanovski D, Biddle AS.Anecdotal accounts correlate equine colic onset to changing weather conditions; however, atmospheric effects on colic have not been studied extensively. We hypothesized that changes in barometric pressure would increase the likelihood of a colic diagnosis compared with other noncolic sick events. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to look for associations between colic diagnosis and barometric pressure. The University of Pennsylvania Field Service electronic medical records were searched by identifiable examination type via billing procedure codes collecting 3,108 emergent and...
Hassall L, Rigsby P, Stickings P.The International Standard for Diphtheria Antitoxin Equine is essential for the standardisation of assays used to determine the potency of therapeutic diphtheria antitoxin products produced from equine serum. This paper describes the production and characterization of the 2nd International Standard for Diphtheria Antitoxin Equine and its calibration in International Units. Calibration was performed by toxin neutralization test in vivo and in vitro (Vero cell assay), and potency was expressed relative to the 1st International Standard to ensure continuity of the International Unit. The candidat...
Skiöldebrand E, Ekman S, Heinegård D, Hultenby K.The present study was designed to delineate the presence of COMP at the ultrastructural level comparing concentrations between two areas of articular cartilage from the equine third carpal bone, subjected to different loading, from trained and untrained horses. We also analyzed the fibril thickness of collagen type II in the same compartments and zones. Samples were collected from high load-bearing areas of the dorsal radial facet (intermittent high load) and an area of the palmar condyle (low constant load) in five non-trained and three trained young racehorses. The data show that COMP is muc...
Lowis TC, Hyland JH.This project surveys the reproductive performance of 154 foaling Thoroughbred mares on a commercial stud in southern Victoria. Of these, 96 were served on foal heat (FHS) and 58 were served at a subsequent prostaglandin-induced oestrus (PGS). The PGS group of mares performed more favourably in all aspects except the foaling-to-conception interval where there was a 9.4 day advantage to the FHS group. The first service conception rate in the FHS group was 47.9% compared with 55.2% in PGS mares. Second heat period conception rates were 46% vs 57.7% for FHS and PGS mares, respectively. Overall con...
