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Topic:Veterinary Science
Veterinary science and horses encompass the study and application of medical, surgical, and therapeutic practices to maintain and improve the health and welfare of equines. This field addresses a wide range of topics, including disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as nutrition, reproduction, and behavior. Research in veterinary science for horses often involves understanding the pathophysiology of equine-specific diseases, developing advanced diagnostic techniques, and improving treatment protocols. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of veterinary science related to horses, providing insights into the latest advancements and methodologies in equine healthcare.
Variation in fecal testosterone hormone concentration with season and harem size in Misaki feral horses. On Misaki peninsula, Japan, fecal samples were collected from 14 Misaki stallions at monthly intervals for 12 consecutive months. The fecal testosterone concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay. We examined monthly fecal testosterone hormone patterns and the relationship between fecal testosterone concentration and breeding season and later harem size. Marked monthly variations in fecal testosterone concentration were observed. The fecal testosterone concentration began rising in March; the highest mean monthly concentration, 2.87 +/- 0.18 ng/g, was found in April, and the level remained...
Effects of feeding state on glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to a starchy meal in horses: a methodological approach. A standardised methodology is required for classification of starchy diets. One important question is what feeding status is optimal to describe glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to the respective starchy diet. Four horses were fed, in a randomised order, four different feeding protocols relative to offering hay before or after cracked corn (CC): (i) ad libitum hay for 12 h before feeding CC and ad libitum hay after CC intake for 9 h (+CC+), (ii) ad libitum hay for 12 h before feeding CC and no hay after CC intake for 9 h (+CC-), (iii) feed restriction for 12 h before feeding CC and ad libi...
Viability of Rhodococcus equi and Parascaris equorum eggs exposed to high temperatures. There is great concern about the potential pathogen contamination of horse manure compost spread in the same fields horses graze in. To ensure that pathogen destruction occurs, temperatures need to be sufficiently high during composting. Here, we investigated the survival rate of two marker organisms, Rhodococcus equi and Parascaris equorum eggs, exposed to temperatures potentially encountered during horse manure composting. Our results show that the time required to achieve a 1 log10 reduction in R. equi population (D-value) are 17.1 h (+/-1.47) at 45 degrees C, 8.6 h (+/-0.28) at 50 degrees ...
Managing the effects of the weather on the Equestrian Events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. This paper describes a 3 year project to investigate and manage the effects of the local weather conditions on horses competing in the 2008 Olympic Games. The first part of the investigation involved estimating the expected heat load on horses during competition and suggesting measures to ensure their safety based on data collected from dedicated weather monitoring at both Olympic venues during August 2006, 2007 and 2008. The aim of the second part was to establish a reliable system of point forecasting to monitor and predict inclement weather that might affect the competitions. This involved ...
Changes in collagen fibril network organization and proteoglycan distribution in equine articular cartilage during maturation and growth. The aim of this study was to record growth-related changes in collagen network organization and proteoglycan distribution in intermittently peak-loaded and continuously lower-level-loaded articular cartilage. Cartilage from the proximal phalangeal bone of the equine metacarpophalangeal joint at birth, at 5, 11 and 18 months, and at 6-10 years of age was collected from two sites. Site 1, at the joint margin, is unloaded at slow gaits but is subjected to high-intensity loading during athletic activity; site 2 is a continuously but less intensively loaded site in the centre of the joint. The degr...
Magnetic resonance imaging anatomy of the normal equine larynx and pharynx. The purpose of the present study was to describe normal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging anatomy of the equine larynx and pharynx and to present the optimal protocol, sequences, and possible limitations of this examination technique. Using a 0.3 T unit, the laryngeal and pharyngeal regions was imaged in two horses. The protocol consisted of sagittal and transverse T2-weighted (T2w) fast spin echo, transverse T1-weighted (T1w) spin echo, and dorsal high-resolution T1w gradient echo (both pre- and postcontrast enhancement) sequences. Euthanasia was performed at the end of the imaging procedure. M...
Whole blood selenium concentrations in endurance horses. Exercise causes an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species, which can result in oxidant/antioxidant disequilibrium. Deficiency of antioxidants can further alter this balance in favor of pro-oxidation. Selenium (Se) is one of many antioxidant catalysts, as a component of the glutathione peroxidase enzymes. Soils and forages vary widely in Se concentration and a deficient diet can lead to sub-clinical or clinical deficiency in horses. Endurance horses are prone to oxidative stress during long periods of aerobic exercise and their performance could be affected by Se status. This stu...
Population viability analysis on domestic horse breeds (Equus caballus). In this study, we performed a population viability analysis on 3 domestic horse breeds (Equus caballus) of Danish origin, namely, the Frederiksborg, the Knabstrupper, and the Jutland breeds. Because of their small population sizes, these breeds are considered endangered. The Vortex software simulation package was used for the population viability analysis. First, we investigated the future viability of these breeds based on present demographic and environmental parameters. Second, a sensitivity analysis revealed the most important variables for the viability of these breeds. Third, we examined...
Effect of type of grain and feed processing on gastrointestinal retention times in horses. Gastrointestinal retention time may affect digestive processes in the horse. To evaluate the effect of processing of grains on mean retention time in different segments of the gastrointestinal tract, 4 Norwegian Cold-blooded trotters (cecally cannulated, approximately 500 kg of BW) were used. Barley, maize, and wheat were all ground, pelleted, extruded, and micronized to create a total of 12 processed grains. After an adaptation period of 5 d, each horse was given 0.2 kg of Yb-mordanted grain together with their morning meal, which consisted of 2 kg of hay and 1 kg of one of the grains. Fecal ...
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in horses and horse personnel: an investigation of several outbreaks. At the Veterinary Microbiological Diagnostic Center, the Netherlands, the percentage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates found in equine clinical samples increased from 0% in 2002 to 37% in 2008. MRSA of spa-type t064, belonging to MLST ST8 and spa-types t011 and t2123, both belonging to the livestock-associated MLST ST398, predominated. During an outbreak of post-surgical MRSA infections in horses at a veterinary teaching hospital in 2006/2007, MRSA isolates of spa-type t2123 were cultured from 7 horses and 4/61 personnel which indicated zoonotic transmission. After...
Risk factors for West Nile virus seropositivity of equids in Guadeloupe. In Guadeloupe, West Nile virus (WNV) activity was first observed in equids in 2002, and a high seroprevalence was found in 2003. The objective of our study was to determine individual and environmental factors associated with the risk of WNV seropositivity during 2002-2003. Fieldwork was conducted to retrospectively determine the location of equids at the time of virus circulation and to collect information regarding environmental and individual variables. Sera were collected from 369 equids out of an estimated total population of less than 500. Thirty-four environmental and individual variabl...
Detection and identification of rickettsial agents in ticks from domestic mammals in eastern Panama. Several outbreaks of Rocky Mountain spotted fever have occurred in recent years in Colombian communities close to the border with Panama. However, little is known about rickettsiae and rickettsial diseases in eastern Panamanian provinces, the Darien Province and the Kuna Yala, located north of the endemic area in Colombia. In 2007, 289 ticks were collected in several towns from dogs, horses, mules, cows, and pigs. DNA was extracted from 124 Dermacentor nitens, 64 Rhipicephalus sanguineus, 43 Amblyomma ovale, 35 A. cajennense, 10 Boophilus microplus, 4 A. oblongoguttatum, and 9 A. cajennense ny...
Effects of different forms of exercise on post inhibitory rebound and unwanted behaviour in stabled horses. It is unknown if different locomotor activities are equally effective at meeting the stabled horse's need for exercise and if they attenuate unwanted behaviour. Objective: Alternative forms of exercise influence the intensity of locomotor activities during a period of turn-out (the so-called rebound effect) and the occurrence of unwanted or undesirable activities during standard handling situations. Methods: Twenty-four horses kept in stables were randomly assigned to one of 4 exercise regimes (walker, treadmill, turn-out and riding) for 4 consecutive days. Because these forms of exercise prov...
Stability of common biochemistry analytes in equine blood stored at room temperature. Time delays between collection of blood samples and biochemical analysis of equine blood are unavoidably common in equine practice. The effect that delays may have on the accuracy of results of blood biochemical analyses is not well established. Objective: Delays in processing of blood of up to 72 h results in alterations in measured levels of common biochemical analytes that are of potential clinical relevance. Separation of serum prior to storage is protective against the effects of time delays. Methods: Samples of clotted blood, separated serum and oxalate fluoride plasma from 20 horses wer...
The effect of training on stride parameters in a cohort of National Hunt racing Thoroughbreds: a preliminary study. The influence of training on stride parameters is controversial and to date there is no information on how training influences stride parameters during high-speed locomotion in the field. Objective: To determine the influence of training on stride variables during high-speed locomotion in Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Speed, stride frequency, stance and protraction times were quantified in 8 Thoroughbreds with foot mounted accelerometers and GPS sensors during their first week of canter after the summer break and 6 months into training. Results: At a speed of 11 m/s, stride frequency was (...
The effect of rising and sitting trot on back movements and head-neck position of the horse. During trot, the rider can either rise from the saddle during every stride or remain seated. Rising trot is used frequently because it is widely assumed that it decreases the loading of the equine back. This has, however, not been demonstrated in an objective study. Objective: To determine the effects of rising and sitting trot on the movements of the horse. Objective: Sitting trot has more extending effect on the horse's back than rising trot and also results in a higher head and neck position. Methods: Twelve horses and one rider were used. Kinematic data were captured at trot during over gr...
Intensity of activation and timing of deactivation modulate elastic energy storage and release in a pennate muscle and account for gait-specific initiation of limb protraction in the horse. The equine biceps brachii (biceps) initiates rapid limb protraction through a catapult mechanism. Elastic strain energy is slowly stored in an internal tendon and is then rapidly released to protract the forelimb. The muscle fibres are short, have little scope for length change and can therefore only shorten slowly compared with the speed at which the whole muscle must shorten, which makes them poor candidates for driving rapid limb protraction. We suggest that the muscle fibres in the biceps act to modulate the elastic energy output of the muscle-tendon unit (MTU) to meet the demands of locom...
Visual laterality in the domestic horse (Equus caballus) interacting with humans. Most horses have a side on which they are easier to handle and a direction they favour when working on a circle, and recent studies have suggested a correlation between emotion and visual laterality when horses observe inanimate objects. As such lateralisation could provide important clues regarding the horse's cognitive processes, we investigated whether horses also show laterality in association with people. We gave horses the choice of entering a chute to left or right, with and without the passive, non-interactive presence of a person unknown to them. The left eye was preferred for scannin...
Pneumocephalus secondary to removal of an osteoma from the paranasal sinuses of a horse. A 2-year-old Quarter Horse was evaluated because of a progressive left-sided facial deformity and unilateral nasal and ocular discharge. Results: Physical examination revealed convexity of the left frontonasal region, left-sided nasal and ocular discharge, and decreased air flow through the left nares. Radiography and computed tomography revealed an extensively mineralized mass occupying most of the left paranasal sinuses. Results: The mass was surgically debulked, but complete removal was precluded because the mass was tightly adhered to the frontal and maxillary bones. Results of histologic ...
Attributing attention: the use of human-given cues by domestic horses (Equus caballus). Recent research has shown that domestic dogs are particularly good at determining the focus of human attention, often outperforming chimpanzees and hand-reared wolves. It has been suggested that the close evolutionary relationship between humans and dogs has led to the development of this ability; however, very few other domestic species have been studied. We tested the ability of 36 domestic horses to discriminate between an attentive and inattentive person in determining whom to approach for food. The cues provided were body orientation, head orientation or whether the experimenters' eyes we...
Development of a metabonomic approach based on LC-ESI-HRMS measurements for profiling of metabolic changes induced by recombinant equine growth hormone in horse urine. Despite the worldwide existing regulation banning the use of the recombinant equine growth hormone (reGH) as growth promoter, it is suspected to be used in horseracing to improve performances. Various analytical methods previously developed to screen for its misuse have encountered some limitations in terms of detection timeframes, in particular during the first days following reGH administration. A novel strategy involving the characterization of global metabolomic fingerprints in urine samples of non-treated and reGH-treated horses by liquid chromatography-electrospray-high-resolution mass s...
New insights into the mechanisms of fertilization: comparison of the fertilization steps, composition, and structure of the zona pellucida between horses and pigs. The mechanism of fertilization remains largely enigmatic in mammals. Most studies exploring the molecular mechanism underlying fertilization have been restricted to a single species, generally the mouse, without a comparative approach. However, the identification of divergences between species could allow us to highlight key components in the mechanism of fertilization. In the pig, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and polyspermy rates are high, and spermatozoa penetrate easily through the zona pellucida (ZP). In contrast, IVF rates are low in the horse, and polyspermy is scarce. Our objective was ...
A preliminary study of the effects of handling type on horses’ emotional reactivity and the human-horse relationship. Handling is a crucial component of the human-horse relationship. Here, we report data from an experiment conducted to assess and compare the effect of two training methods. Two groups of six Welsh mares were trained during four sessions of 50 min, one handled with traditional exercises (halter leading, grooming/brushing, lifting feet, lunging and pseudo-saddling (using only girth and saddle pad) and the second group with natural horsemanship exercises (desensitization, yielding to body pressure, lunging and free-lunging). Emotional reactivity (ER) and the human-horse relationship (HHR) were as...
Comparison of analyses of respiratory gases made with the K4b2 portable and Quark laboratory analysers in horses. Measurements of minute ventilation (VE) and expired oxygen and carbon dioxide fractions (FeO2 and FeCO2) were measured at rest and during exercise in seven warmblood horses performing two consecutive standardised incremental treadmill exercise tests at submaximal speed, using the portable K4b2 telemetric unit and the laboratory Quark metabolic cart in random order. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were estimated using the Haldane equation. There were no significant differences between the measurements made with the two devices. However, VE was overestimated when th...
Protein oligomerization induced by oleic acid at the solid-liquid interface–equine lysozyme cytotoxic complexes. Protein oligomeric complexes have emerged as a major target of current research because of their key role in aggregation processes in living systems and in vitro. Hydrophobic and charged surfaces may favour the self-assembly process by recruiting proteins and modifying their interactions. We found that equine lysozyme assembles into multimeric complexes with oleic acid (ELOA) at the solid-liquid interface within an ion-exchange chromatography column preconditioned with oleic acid. The properties of ELOA were characterized using NMR, spectroscopic methods and atomic force microscopy, and showed...
