Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Veterinary Research
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.
Water and cryoprotectant permeability of mature equine oocytes: experimental measurements and in silico predictions. Vitrification of equine oocytes is an essential practice for advancing assisted reproductive technologies however, its efficiency remains limited due to the lack of stage and species-specific information on membrane permeability parameters. In this study, water (L) and CPA permeability (P) for dimethyl sulfoxide (Me₂SO) and ethylene glycol (EG) were measured in in vitro matured (MII) equine oocytes. Cumulus oocyte complexes were obtained from abattoir ovaries or by ovum pick-up and matured in vitro for 30 h at 6% CO. Oocytes followed ideal osmometer behavior principles, with an osmotically ...
Thoracic electrical impedance tomography using a two-plane electrode configuration in horses. Traditional one-plane (oneP) electrical impedance tomography (EIT) electrode configurations limit evaluation to a convex lens-shaped lung slice, prone to overrepresentation of central areas. Two-plane (twoP) EIT is expected to refine this technique and result in more representative lung imaging. Objective: To compare ventilation distribution using single slice reconstructions, obtained with twoP or oneP. Methods: Computational modelling and in vivo exploratory randomised experimental trial. Methods: A finite element simulation model of oneP and twoP was calculated to estimate captured lung fie...
Seroprevalence of Orthoflaviviruses in horses in 3 different Algerian climatic zones between 2021 and 2023. Orthoflaviviruses are etiological agents of neurological diseases in equines. Horses are susceptible to equine Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Usutu virus (USUV), and West Nile virus (WNV), although mostly WNV has been associated with clinical disease. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of TBEV, USUV and WNV in 289 healthy horses from nine provinces of Algeria. This study was conducted between March 2021 and December 2023. Sera that tested positive, doubtful, or negative close to the doubtful threshold in the Orthoflavivirus-ELISA were further tested by the virus...
Topical betulinic acid for treatment of equine melanoma and sarcoid. Betulinic acid, a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties in vitro, including activity against equine melanoma and sarcoid. However, there is limited in vivo evidence evaluating its clinical efficacy. The objective of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a compounded 1% betulinic acid cream for the treatment of equine cutaneous melanoma and sarcoid. Unassigned: This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled client-owned horses with melanoma or sarcoid tumors. Horses received either a...
Feasibility of a hand-held myotonometry device for measuring biomechanical muscle parameters in horses. To evaluate the feasibility of a hand-held myotometry device for measuring the biomechanical parameters (frequency, stiffness, and decrement) of the longissimus dorsi muscle in the thoracolumbar region of healthy horses. Unassigned: Data were obtained from 50 adult horses. The biomechanical parameters were measured using a MyotonPRO device in triple-scan mode. Measurements were recorded on both sides, with the horses standing square. The analysis focused on whether there were differences between the sides and correlations between the variables. Unassigned: The mean muscle frequency (hertz) was...
Evaluation of doppler indexes of the lateral palmar digital artery in lame sport horses. Although lateral palmar digital artery (LPDA) flow velocity does not differ between forelimbs, horses with lameness typically reduce loading of the affected limb during the weight-bearing phase. This study aimed to assess whether Pulsed-Wave (PW) Doppler indices of the (LPDA) blood flow differ between the two forelimbs in horses with unilateral forelimb lameness, and whether these differences correlate with lameness severity. Twenty-seven lame and 15 healthy horses were enrolled. All Doppler ultrasonographic examinations were performed by a single operator, blinded to both the presence or abse...
Extinct Dalian horse as a genetic bridge between Late Pleistocene North American and Eurasian equids. Pleistocene caballine horses exhibited considerable genetic diversity and maintained broad population connectivity across their range. The extinct Dalian horse (Equus dalianensis) from northeastern China likely contributed to this network. Here, we sequenced 20 complete mitochondrial and two nuclear genomes, establishing the Dalian horse as a distinct genetic clade within Northeast Eurasian caballines and extending its known geographic distribution. Ancestry component analyses revealed a distinctive component of Eastern Beringian (E-EBer), i.e. American ancestry in Dalian horses, absent from o...
Integrative and conjugative elements carrying high-level gentamicin resistance genes in Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis from horses. In streptococci, the acquisition of high-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR) abolishes the synergy with beta-lactams, constituting a medical concern for humans and animals. This synergy between gentamicin and beta-lactams is useful to treat severe infections like endocarditis, among others. HLGR has been characterized mostly in roup B Streptococci mediated by the bi-functional gene (6)-(2).HLGR- subsp. () (=27) were isolated from the uterus of mares during a routine screening before fecundation. One HLGR- was isolated from a lymph node of a mare. The mares resided in six different studs locat...
Effect of N-acetyl cysteine treatment on uterine cytokine and chemokine profiles in mares with persistent breeding-induced endometritis. Persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE) is a major cause of infertility in mares. Recent research has shown that PBIE-affected mares treated with intrauterine N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) 12 hours before breeding showed no improvement in clinical signs at 12- and 60-hours post-breeding. Objective: The present study was designed to examine the effects of NAC treatment on the uterine inflammatory cytokine and chemokine profiles in PBIE-affected mares. Methods: Using a randomized, blinded, cross-over design, mares susceptible to PBIE (n=9) were allocated to Control and Treatment cycles with at...
Retained fetal membranes in light breed mares hospitalized for attended parturition. Retention of fetal membranes (RFM) is well described in draft breeds, whereas data on light breed mares remains limited and inconsistent. Objective: This retrospective study aimed to describe the frequency, associated factors, treatments, and consequences of RFM in light breed mares hospitalized for attended parturition. Methods: Medical records of 321 light breed mares hospitalized for attended parturition at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Bologna, were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included: breed, previous history of RFM, age, parity, assisted reproductive techni...
Outcomes and racing performance in thoroughbreds following a long-term injury sustained during a jump race in Great Britain. Limited literature is available about the career outcomes of horses sustaining a long-term injury (LTI) in a jump race. Methods: All Thoroughbreds that sustained an LTI, defined as any non-fatal musculoskeletal injury requiring a minimum 90-day break from racing, in a British jump race between May 2018 and April 2023 were followed up for at least 24 months and outcomes described. Pre-injury racing performance was compared between horses that did and did not return to racing, and post-injury racing performance was compared between horses that sustained tendon/ligament injuries and fractures. R...
Derivation of Equine Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells via the Neural Crest Pathway and Characterisation by Immunophenotype and Tri-Lineage Differentiation. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) hold promise for treating different equine conditions but enter senescence during culture. Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to derive MSC-like cells (iMSCs) can increase cell availability and diminish the need for invasive and repeated tissue harvesting. While human iMSCs are intensively studied, research on equine iMSCs (eqiMSCs) is very limited and has focused on strategies for spontaneous differentiation to obtain these cells. The aim of this study was to obtain MSC-like cells from equine iPSCs (eqiPSCs) by directing their differentiation vi...
Use of Intraperitoneal Lidocaine in Horses Undergoing Laparotomy for Colic. Perioperative lidocaine is widely used in horses with acute abdomen for its analgesic, prokinetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-endotoxic effects, although evidence of its visceral analgesic efficacy remains inconclusive. Given the potential of alternative routes of administration for local anaesthetics, this prospective, randomised, unblinded clinical trial evaluated whether intraperitoneal (IP) lidocaine improves early postoperative recovery, including recovery from anaesthesia and the first 24 h after laparotomy for colic. A Multifactorial Numerical Rating Composite Pain Scale for equines wa...
Characterization of Capillary Zone Electrophoresis in Horses and Donkeys. There are no capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) comparative studies between horses and donkeys. Our objectives were to compare CZE results between both species, establish reference intervals (Ris), study age- and sex-related changes, determine the prevalence of bisalbuminemia, and correlate spectrophotometric albumin results with those calculated based on two different CZE methods. We performed CZE in 50 healthy horses and 49 healthy donkeys. There were significant differences ( < 0.03) in every protein fraction percentage and concentration (except for the β-globulins percentage) between...
Composition of allogeneic equine orthobiologics and their repeated intra-articular administrations. Orthobiologics such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2MG) are increasingly used for equine musculoskeletal injuries. However, their composition and safety with repeated allogeneic intra-articular administration remain poorly investigated. Objective: To characterise orthobiological preparations with or without 1 h incubation at 37°C (PRP, PRP + Inc, A2MG, A2MG + Inc) and evaluate immunological safety following repeated intra-articular administration (autologous and allogeneic) of PRP combined with A2MG + Inc in healthy horses. Methods: In vivo experiments...
Cardiac Cost During Submaximal Exercise as a Practical Monitoring Tool in French Standardbred Trotters: Short-Term Reproducibility of Non-Invasive Field-Derived Indicators. Routine monitoring in racehorses requires indicators that are reproducible and practical under real training conditions. This observational study evaluated the short-term reproducibility of cardiovascular and speed indicators in French Standardbred trotters, with a particular focus on cardiac cost (CC), defined as the ratio of heart rate to speed (beats·m). The full dataset comprised 483 sessions from 60 trotters and was used to describe age-related patterns. For reproducibility analyses, consecutive monitored sessions within the same horse were grouped into follow-up blocks when the interval...
Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Genetic Loci Associated with Body Measurement Traits in Yanqi Horses. Body measurement traits are a direct production indicator reflecting growth status and guiding genetic selection. Identifying molecular markers associated with body measurement traits could accelerate animal breeding programs. The Yanqi horse, an important indigenous breed in Xinjiang, is primarily distributed in the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. However, molecular markers linked to body measurement traits in Yanqi horses remain uncharacterized. In the present study, whole-genome resequencing was performed on 183 Yanqi horses, yielding 13,366,672 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP...
Electromyographic activity of equine abdominal muscles during single and double riding in hippotherapy. Background: Hippotherapy is a therapeutic intervention that uses the horse as a biomechanical and sensorimotor agent to promote rehabilitation in individuals with physical and neurological disabilities. Depending on patient needs, riding may be performed with a single rider or with double riding, in which a therapist accompanies the practitioner on the horse. However, the effects of these riding configurations on equine trunk muscle activity remain poorly understood, despite their relevance for both horse welfare and the quality of therapeutic stimuli delivered to the patient.Methods: Nine cli...
Theileria equi sensu lato genetic diversity and phylogeny: new insights from mitochondrion, apicoplast and nucleus multilocus gene analysis. Equine piroplasmosis is a significant tick-borne disease with a global distribution. Among the two causative agents, Theileria equi has undergone numerous taxonomic reclassifications over time, reflecting advances in our understanding of its biology, molecular characteristics, and phylogenetic relationships. Formerly named Babesia equi, now classified in the Equus group apart from Babesia and Theileria species, its genus name will again certainly change. The genetic diversity also within T. equi lead to the renaming of one lineage as Theileria haneyi. Theileria equi should better now be consid...
The effect of romifidine on endoscopic grading of laryngeal function in horses. To our knowledge, the effect of sedation with romifidine on the grading of laryngeal function in horses has not been studied. Our objective was to examine the effects of romifidine on the grading of laryngeal function and the cross-sectional area of the rima glottis (CSARG). Methods: Ten horses underwent three endoscopic examinations of the larynx: once while unsedated (group R1), once after being sedated with romifidine (0.04 mg/kg intravenously; group R2) and once again, while still sedated, after receiving a repeat dose of romifidine (0.08 mg/kg intravenously, total dose; group R3). The r...
Combined PRP and CCP Therapy Suppresses Inflammation and Protects Cartilage in Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and Cervus and Cucumis polypeptide (CCP) injections in rats with post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA). The model was established by transection of the anterior cruciate ligament, and the animals were subsequently treated with PRP and CCP. Articular cartilage degeneration was assessed through gross morphological observation, histopathological staining, and a standardized scoring system. Concurrently, pain-related behaviors, joint swelling, levels of inflammatory cytokines, and markers associated with extracellular ...
Horse Welfare 12: A Human Behavior Change Framework for Improving Horse Welfare. To improve horse welfare do we need more science or a different scientific approach? For over 40 years researchers have called for change to improve horse welfare. During this time, publications have grown exponentially, improving our understanding of horse's needs and the need for change. However, the translation of science into practice is arguably too slow, and yet, there is scant industry-specific research to guide change efforts. To assist behaviour change research, this paper recasts an influential, highly regarded systems thinking framework, the Meadows 12, for the horse industry as the...
Accuracy of Computed Tomography in Diagnosing Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis Relative to Histopathological Findings-An Ex Vivo Study of 41 Horses. Computed tomography (CT) is used to support the diagnosis of equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease; however, its diagnostic accuracy remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between CT findings and histopathological manifestations of osteoarthritis (OA) in equine TMJs. A total of 82 TMJs were CT-imaged, sampled, grouped into age-related and OA-related groups, and analyzed for frequency distributions, correlations, and CT-based TMJ OA diagnosis. CT findings were observed in 79% of joints, including 'CT anatomical variations' considering to reflect age-related remode...
Genomics in Equine MEED: Whole-Genome Sequencing and Target Mutation Identification. Multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED) is a rare and severe equine disorder characterized by chronic eosinophilic inflammation, epithelial disruption, and multi-organ involvement, with an undefined genetic basis. We performed the high-depth (~40×) whole-genome sequencing of an affected horse and compared it to 40 control genomes. Over 6.3 million variants were identified, with moderate- and high-impact variants enriched in low-frequency categories, including rare and private variants absent from the controls. The affected horse was dominated by missense mutations, with rela...
Investigation of Metformin Contamination in Horses: Implications for Environmental Exposure and Doping Control. Metformin is a diabetes medication with minimal therapeutic efficacy in veterinary medicine. However, recently there have been several adverse analytical findings in regulatory samples collected from racehorses. Metformin is commonly prescribed to humans, is excreted unchanged in urine, and is resistant to environmental degradation, raising concerns with respect to environmental contamination. In this study, six horses were exposed to shavings contaminated with metformin-positive urine at concentrations of 10, 135, and 270 μg/mL. Blood (plasma, serum, whole blood, and red blood cells) and u...
Evaluation of Circadian Variations of Central Corneal Thickness and Its Correlation With Intraocular Pressures in Healthy Horses. Circadian variations in central corneal thickness (CCT) and their correlation with intraocular pressure (IOP) have not been reported in horses. This information may be clinically relevant when interpreting IOP readings. Methods: Twenty-four eyes of 6 healthy adult gelded males and 6 healthy adult intact mares were evaluated. Rebound tonometry (TonoVet, Jorgensen Laboratories) followed by ultrasonic pachymetry (iPac Pachymeter, Reichert technologies) was performed in both eyes every 3 h over 24 h during the natural 14-h daylight summer photoperiod. Results: Central corneal thickness varied ...
Bronchoalveolar lavage changes the ultrasonographic and radiographic appearances of lungs in adult horses. To describe the effect of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on the ultrasonographic and radiographic appearances of lungs of horses being evaluated for equine asthma syndrome (EAS). Unassigned: Prospective observational study enrolling 32 adult horses evaluated for EAS. Ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations of the thorax were performed before and within 3 hours following BAL and scored using previously validated systems. The differences in scores between groups (normal, mild EAS, moderate/severe EAS) were evaluated through the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the differences in scores before and f...
Ultrasound guidance aids in determining the success of equine temporomandibular joint arthrocentesis. The equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is divided into two non-communicating joint (discotemporal DTJ and discomandibular DMJ) compartments. Ultrasound has been extensively used as a diagnostic tool in the horse, but previous work has reported that ultrasound-guidance did not improve the success rate of TMJ arthrocentesis. However, this research focused only on the larger, easily accessed, DTJ compartment. However, most of the osseous pathology of the equine TMJ has been reported to be in the smaller DMJ. Unassigned: To determine whether using ultrasound-guidance would reduce the number of a...
Protective effects of adiponectin receptor agonists against equine lamellar endoplasmic reticulum stress. Lamellar endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs in hyperinsulinemia-associated and sepsis-related laminitis. Adiponectin is associated with reduced laminitis risk and inhibits ER stress in other species. Objective: To induce ER stress in ex vivo equine lamellar cells using pharmacological agents. To determine whether co-treatment with adiponectin receptor agonists (ARAs) reduces ER stress. Methods: In vitro. Methods: Lamellar cells from n = 4-5 horses were treated with tunicamycin or thapsigargin (10-1000 nM) for 2-24 h. ER-stressed cells were co-treated with full-length adiponectin ...
Comparison of Two Different Finite Element Modeling Pipelines for Virtual Mechanical Testing of The Distal Third Metacarpal Bone In Thoroughbred Racehorses. Condylar stress fracture of the third metacarpal bone (MC3) in Thoroughbred racehorses is a common catastrophic injury and identification of horses at heightened risk remains subjective. Standing computed tomography (sCT) is a practical screening tool that enables patient-specific finite element analysis (FEA) of the distal MC3 and prediction of subchondral bone strain, as a potential objective classifier of racehorses at heightened risk. The goal of this study was to compare two independently developed sCT-based subject-specific FEA pipelines for virtual mechanical testing of the distal MC3. ...
