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.
Nankervis K, Tranquille C, Tacey J, Deckers I, MacKechnie-Guire R, Walker V, Hopkins E, Newton R, Murray R.Repeated exposure to water treadmill (WT) exercise could elicit kinematic responses reflecting adaptation to WT exercise. The study's aim was to compare the responses of a group of sport horses to a standardised WT exercise test (WTSET) carried out at three time points, week 0 (n = 48), week 20 (n = 38), and week 40 (n = 29), throughout a normal training programme incorporating WT exercise. Horses were recruited from the existing client populations of two commercial water treadmill venues for the purpose of this longitudinal, observational study. Limb, back, poll, wither, and pelvic kinematics...
Malalana F.Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancerous cells through the use of cytotoxic drugs. Whilst the use of systemic (intravenous) chemotherapy in equine practice is generally limited to the management of lymphoma, cytotoxic drugs are commonly used in the treatment of accessible skin tumors, either by topical application in the form of ointments or injected intralesionally. These drugs should be employed with caution due to the risk of serious adverse effects. In addition, extreme caution should be followed when preparing, handling, administering, and disposing them, due to their carcinogenic, muta...
Pudert T, Fries GF, Lotz H, Röcken M, Cruz AM.To assess the use of a newly developed aiming compression device (ACD) for screw insertion in non-fractured navicular bones (NB) in cadavers. Methods: Cadaveric study. Methods: A total of 10 cadaveric front limbs of adult horses. Methods: Placement of a 3.5 mm cortical screw in non-fractured NB under radiographic guidance was performed in 10 cadaver limbs in a standing position. An ACD was used to stabilize the NB and to guide the drilling process. Preparation and surgical time as well as the number of radiographic images were noted. A postoperative scoring system was used to assess screw pl...
Graham-Thiers PM, Bowen LK.Twelve horses weighing 570 ± 35 kg were split into two groups (standard protein, STD, and balanced protein, BAL) to evaluate the effect of balanced vs. unbalanced protein on muscle mass. Groups were fed grass hay and a 12% CP feed (one formulated for balanced protein). Horses were out of work for 14 wk prior and participated in 1 to 2 h of light-to-moderate exercise 5 d/wk for 12 wk. A 4-d total urine and feces collection period was conducted at the start and end of the study. Urine and feces samples were analyzed for nitrogen (N) to calculate N balance. Muscle mass status was evalua...
Mendoza FJ, Pérez-Écija A, Kappmeyer LS, Suarez CE, Bastos RG.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a global tick-borne disease of equids caused by the intraerythrocytic apicomplexan parasites and , and the more recently discovered . These parasites can be transmitted by several tick species, including , , and , but iatrogenic and vertical transmission are also common. Clinical signs of EP include poor performance, fever, icterus, abortions, among others, and peracute or acute forms of infection are associated with high mortality in non-endemic areas. EP is a reportable disease and represents an important barrier for the international trade of horses and other e...
Pasch L, Stefanovski D, Dobbie T, Lewis G, Turner RM.Historically, 8 × 0.5 ml straws, containing approximately 800 million sperm and 250 million progressively motile sperm were provided as a single 'breeding dose' of cryopreserved stallion semen. With the use of deep horn artificial insemination, there is a trend to reduce the number of 0.5 ml straws sold as a breeding dose, sometimes down to as little as one straw. Our aims were to determine if the number of straws provided as a breeding dose, as well as other mare, stallion and management factors, have an impact on pregnancy outcome in mares inseminated with cryopreserved semen. Unexpectedly,...
Elkhawagah AR, Donato GG, Poletto M, Martino NA, Vincenti L, Conti L, Necchi D, Nervo T.This study aimed to investigate the effect of mitochondria-targeted antioxidants (Mitoquinone, MitoQ) on the quality of frozen-thawed stallion semen. Semen samples collected from three fertile stallions aged 10 - 13 years, were filtered, centrifuged in a skimmed milk-based extender, and diluted to a final concentration of 50 × 106 sperm/mL in freezing medium. Diluted semen was divided into five experimental groups supplemented with MitoQ at concentrations of 0 (control), 25, 50, 100, and 200 nM and then subjected to freezing after cooling and equilibration. After thawing, semen was evaluated ...
Hackett ES, McOnie RC, Buote NJ, Fubini SL.Equine minimally invasive surgical techniques are frequently utilized in the treatment of a variety of conditions. Standing sedated endoscopic surgery is commonly selected in horses, requiring specialized facilities, anesthetic protocols, and surgeon and assistant expertise. This review examines current methods and potential strategies in equine soft tissue surgery, in which there is an emphasis on laparoscopic urogenital and gastrointestinal diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Thoracoscopy is less frequently reported in horses and may be underutilized. Optimizing procedures and outcomes in...
Werner LC, de Oliveira GM, Daros RR, Costa ED, Michelotto PV.The use of grimace scales enables the clinical identification of changes in the facial expressions of animals caused by pain. The Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) is one such tool, comprising a pain coding system based on facial expressions and assessing six Facial Action Units (FAUs). Each FAU is accompanied by descriptions and anatomical details to assist the evaluator. However, the morphological descriptions for certain FAUs in the HGS are not sufficiently detailed, potentially hindering accurate interpretation. This study is an analytical investigation aimed at enhancing the morphoanatomical deta...
Mazzuchini MP, Lisboa FP, Segabinazzi LG, Canisso IF.Endometritis is the leading cause of mare subfertility. Most mares respond to standard therapy, but alternative therapies have been developed for mares failing to respond. This study aimed to investigate a commercially available, yet unassessed, product labeled as a uterine sanitizer to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activity against microorganisms associated with endometritis and its in vitro stability to dilute antibiotics. In experiment 1, the microdilution broth technique and antimicrobial effects were assessed against Escherichia sp, Staphylococcus sp., Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas s...
Stevanović J, Glavinić U, Ristanić M, Erjavec V, Denk B, Dolašević S, Stanimirović Z.This review aims to present current knowledge on the effects of honey bee products on animals based on in vivo studies, focusing on their application in clinical veterinary practice. Honey's best-proven effectiveness is in treating wounds, including those infected with antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, as evidenced in horses, cats, dogs, mice, and rats. Propolis manifested a healing effect in numerous inflammatory and painful conditions in mice, rats, dogs, and pigs and also helped in oncological cases in mice and rats. Bee venom is best known for its effectiveness in treating neuropathy an...
de Souza AF, Pereira CAM, Fürst A, Kümmerle JM, De Zoppa ALDV.The implantation of unicortical cortex screws in the proximal hole of locking compression plates (LCP) has been recommended for proximal interphalangeal (PIP) arthrodesis in horses to prevent fractures resulting from stress risers in the proximal phalanx (P1). However, this cortex screw fixation technique may limit efficient dorsal compression of the PIP joint by the plate, potentially affecting the stability of the construct. In this study, we aimed to measure stress and strain in P1 and the plate using an ex vivo model of PIP arthrodesis in horses. We employed various implantation methods an...
Ventura MCDS, Neves JMM, Pinheiro RDS, Santos MVC, de Lemos ERS, Horta MAP.Rabies, a zoonotic viral disease, poses a significant threat due to its adaptability to diverse environments. Herbivore rabies, predominantly affecting cattle, horses, and goats in Brazil, remains a concern, results in substantial losses in the livestock industry, and poses risks to public health. Rabies virus transmission, primarily through hematophagous bats in Latin America, underscores the need for effective strategies, and vaccination plays a crucial role in controlling herbivorous rabies, with systematic vaccination beingly the primary method. Efforts to control rabies in herbivores incl...
Woodrow JS, Palmisano M, Kulp J, Hopster K.Complications from general anesthesia, including pneumonia and decreased wound healing, are influenced by changes in immune cell function secondary to sedatives and anesthetics. It was hypothesized that immune cell function would be depressed in the early postanesthetic period. The objective was to investigate airway immune cell function before and after a general anesthetic episode in an equine in vivo model using ex vivo cell stimulations with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for assessment of immune function. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: Six healthy, adult, institution-owned ...
Michanek P, Bröjer J, Lilliehöök I, Fjordbakk CT, Löwgren M, Hedeland M, Bergquist J, Ekstrand C.Canagliflozin (CFZ) is a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor that has shown promising results as a drug for the treatment of insulin dysregulation in horses. Even though CFZ is used clinically, no pharmacokinetic data has previously been published. In this study, the pharmacokinetics of CFZ after administration of a single oral dose of 1.8 mg/kg in eight healthy Icelandic horses was examined. Additionally, the effect of treatment on glucose and insulin levels in response to a graded glucose infusion was investigated. Plasma samples for CFZ quantification were taken at 0, 0.33, 0.66, 1, ...
Tan Yi Shean L, Milne EM, Shaw DJ, Maxwell S, Del-Pozo J.Lipofuscin is a complex mixture of highly oxidized, cross-linked macromolecules that accumulates in neurons with age and some neurodegenerative diseases. Equine dysautonomia (ED) is a polyneuropathy that mainly affects autonomic and enteric nervous systems, resulting in alimentary tract dysfunction. Our main aim was to determine whether neuronal lipofuscin increased with increasing duration of ED. We investigated the prevalence of lipofuscin in cranial cervical ganglia of horses with acute (AED), subacute (SED), and chronic ED (CED), young controls (of similar age to ED cases), and aged contro...
Bermukhametov Z, Suleimanova K, Tomaruk O, Baimenov B, Shevchenko P, Batyrbekov A, Mikniene Z, Onur Girişgin A, Rychshanova R.A total of 396 samples were taken from the hearts, oesophagi, and diaphragms of 132 horses slaughtered at slaughterhouses in 2023 for subsequent examination. Methods: The histological method revealed pathomorphological changes in the muscle tissue. The molecular method identified the pathogen species. Results: Histological examination revealed thick-walled cysts with internal septa and numerous bradyzoites, and mononuclear inflammatory cells with pericyst infiltrates. Microcyst samples were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Molecular genetic analysis allowed for the identification of 18 ...
Wolschrijn CF, Smit IH, Schouten J, Moller Te NCR.Facial expressions are important in pain recognition in horses, but current observation-based pain scales remain subjective. A promising technique to quantitatively measure subtle changes in expression patterns, including changes invisible to the human eye, is surface electromyography (sEMG). To achieve high-quality and reliable sEMG signals, unilateral placement of bipolar electrodes is required in relation to the motor endplates (MEP). We aimed to localize the nerve entry points (NEPs; where the nerve branch first pierced the muscle belly) and the direction of the terminal nerve endings to e...
Flores JG, Bueno VC, Bastos HBA, Rechsteiner SMDEF.Reproductive biotechniques in the equine species have advanced in the last decade and horse breeders have started to question the possibilities of interfering in the determination of foal sex. The aim of the present study was to verify whether the variables mares and stallion's age, side of the ovary containing the preovulatory follicle, preovulatory follicle diameter, time between breeding and ovulation, and ovulation inducing hormones influence the sex of the foal. A total of 259 reproductive cycles of 160 mares and 22 Thoroughbred stallions were used. Statistical analysis was performed usin...
Lawson JM, Salem SE, Miller D, Kahler A, van den Boer WJ, Shilton CA, Sever T, Mouncey RR, Ward J, Hampshire DJ, Foote AK, Bryan JS, Juras R, Pynn OD....Chromosomal abnormalities are a common cause of human miscarriage but rarely reported in any other species. As a result, there are currently inadequate animal models available to study this condition. Horses present one potential model since mares receive intense gynecological care. This allowed us to investigate the prevalence of chromosomal copy number aberrations in 256 products of conception (POC) in a naturally occurring model of pregnancy loss (PL). Triploidy (three haploid sets of chromosomes) was the most common aberration, found in 42% of POCs following PL over the embryonic period. O...
Richards S, Palmer D, Cawley A, Wainscott M, Keledjian J.An improved screening workflow and a robust capillary flow LC-MS confirmatory method for the detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) has been implemented to increase the sensitivity of rHuEPO detection and to reduce the number of suspect samples committed to confirmatory testing. The influence of repeated dosing of epoetin-β on the detection window of rHuEPO in equine plasma was assessed using the optimised method. Samples were initially assessed using an economical R&D Human EPO Duo-Set ELISA Development System. Samples indicating a result greater than the batch baseline were ...
Vernemmen I, Buschmann E, Demeyere M, Verhaeghe LM, Van Steenkiste G, Decloedt A, van Loon G.Improved characterization of arrhythmias is based on minimally invasive catheterizations. However, these catheterizations have been poorly explored in horses because apart from 3-dimensional (3D) mapping systems, continuous guidance of the catheter's position with adequate detail is difficult using current imaging modalities. Objective: Position multiple electrophysiology catheters simultaneously at predetermined strategical positions in the heart using transthoracic echocardiographic guidance. Methods: Eight adult healthy horses. Methods: Observational study. Two electrophysiological studies ...
Puccetti M, Pilati N, Beccati F, Denoix JM.To describe the clinical diagnosis, ultrasound findings, and outcome of 11 endurance horses with injuries to the serratus ventralis thoracis (SVT) or serratus ventralis cervicis (SVC) muscle. Methods: 11 endurance horses competing in medium- to high-level competitions and presenting with lameness caused by injuries to the SVT or SVC muscle, as confirmed by ultrasonography. Methods: Physical examinations revealed swelling caudal to the shoulder region associated with dorsocranial displacement of the scapula and edema of the ventral thorax for horses with SVT injuries. Swelling cranial to the sc...
Elzahaby D, Mirra A, Levionnois OL, Spadavecchia C.Inhalational anaesthetic agents are routinely used in veterinary anaesthesia practices, yet their consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. We conducted a 55-day observational study at a veterinary teaching hospital in Switzerland, monitoring isoflurane and sevoflurane consumption across small, equine and farm animal clinics and analysed the resulting environmental impact. Results revealed that in total, 9.36 L of isoflurane and 1.27 L of sevoflurane were used to anaesthetise 409 animals across 1,489 h. Consumption rates varied among species...
Ringo RS, Choonnasard A, Okabayashi T, Saito A. can establish persistent infections in animals such as equids, pigs, nonhuman primates, rodents, and possums. Some can even cause overt and severe diseases such as Equine Arteritis in horses and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome in pigs, leading to huge economic losses. have evolved viral proteins to antagonize the host cell's innate immune responses by inhibiting type I interferon (IFN) signaling, assisting viral evasion and persistent infection. So far, the role of the glycoprotein 5 (GP5) protein in IFN signaling inhibition remains unclear. Here, we investigated the inhibito...
Korim F, Revajová V, Koľvek F, Bujňák L, Hreus S, Všianský D.The parotid duct has been reported to be the most common site of sialoliths in horses. In this case report, we described the first confirmed case of the equine sialolithiasis in Slovakia. The work was aimed to describe the transcutaneous approach to removing the sialolith, which manifested as a hard painless mass in the area of the maxillary cheek teeth, in a 14-year-old Slovakian warmblood mare. Pathological-anatomical and histological examination after extirpation confirmed the presence of parotid duct ectasia resulting from calculus. The mineral composition of the sialolith was determined w...
Froidurot A, Jacotot E, Julliand S, Grimm P, Julliand V.Despite their low quantity and abundance, the cellulolytic bacteria that inhabit the equine large intestine are vital to their host, as they enable the crucial use of forage-based diets. Fibrobacter succinogenes is one of the most important intestinal cellulolytic bacteria. In this study, Fibrobacter sp. HC4, one cellulolytic strain newly isolated from the horse cecum, was characterized for its ability to utilize plant cell wall fibers. Fibrobacter sp. HC4 consumed only cellulose, cellobiose, and glucose and produced succinate and acetate in equal amounts. Among genes coding for CAZymes, 26% o...
Duysens J, Graide H, Niesten A, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Deby-Dupont G, Franck T, Ceusters J, Serteyn D.Muscle-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (mdMSCs) hold great promise in regenerative medicine due to their immunomodulatory properties, multipotent differentiation capacity and ease of collection. However, traditional in vitro expansion methods use fetal bovine serum (FBS) and have numerous limitations including ethical concerns, batch-to-batch variability, immunogenicity, xenogenic contamination and regulatory compliance issues. This study investigates the use of 10% equine platelet lysate (ePL) obtained by plasmapheresis as a substitute for FBS in the culture of mdMSCs in innovative 2D and 3...
Giontella A, Silvestrelli M, Cocciolone A, Pieramati C, Sarti FM.Morphological scoring is a common evaluation method for domestic animals. The National Association of Maremmano Breeders (ANAM) has provided a dataset containing the records of 600 horses, four metric measurements (cm) and 24 traits with a continuous evaluation scale, each one with 15 classes. Moreover, a body condition score (BCS) with five classes is included. In this study, factor analysis was conducted to create a small number of informative factors (3) obtained from these traits, and a new BLUP-AM-MT index was established. The New Estimated Breeding Value (NEBV1) of each horse was compute...
Jung H, Yoon M.Spermatogonial stem cells originate from gonocytes and undergo self-renewal and differentiation to generate mature spermatozoa via spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubules of the testis in male mammals. Owing to the unique capacity of these cells, the spermatogonial stem cell transplantation technique, which enables the restoration of male fertility by transfer of germlines between donor and recipient males, has been developed. Thus, spermatogonial stem cell transplantation can be used as an important next-generation reproductive and breeding tool in livestock production. However, in large ...
Gustafson MB, Martin RB, Gibson V, Storms DH, Stover SM, Gibeling J, Griffin L.This work determined whether mineral dissolution due to prolonged testing or storage of bone specimens in normal saline would alter their elastic modulus. In one experiment, small pieces of equine third metacarpal bone were soaked in normal saline supplemented with varying amounts of CaCl2. Changing Ca ion concentrations in the bath were monitored and the equilibrium concentration was determined. In a second experiment, the elastic moduli of twenty 4 x 10 x 100 mm equine third metacarpal beams were determined non-destructively in four-point bending. Half the beams were then soaked for 10 days ...
Shi MW, Zhang NA, Shi CP, Liu CJ, Luo ZH, Wang DY, Guo AY, Chen ZX.Many animal species present sex differences. Sex-associated genes (SAGs), which have female-biased or male-biased expression, have major influences on the remarkable sex differences in important traits such as growth, reproduction, disease resistance and behaviors. However, the SAGs resulting in the vast majority of phenotypic sex differences are still unknown. To provide a useful resource for the functional study of SAGs, we manually curated public RNA-seq datasets with paired female and male biological replicates from the same condition and systematically re-analyzed the datasets using stand...
Cook D, Brooks S, Bellone R, Bailey E.Champagne coat color in horses is controlled by a single, autosomal-dominant gene (CH). The phenotype produced by this gene is valued by many horse breeders, but can be difficult to distinguish from the effect produced by the Cream coat color dilution gene (CR). Three sires and their families segregating for CH were tested by genome scanning with microsatellite markers. The CH gene was mapped within a 6 cM region on horse chromosome 14 (LOD = 11.74 for theta = 0.00). Four candidate genes were identified within the region, namely SPARC [Secreted protein, acidic, cysteine-rich (osteonectin)], SL...
Morris GJ, Faszer K, Green JE, Draper D, Grout BW, Fonseca F.The cellular damage that spermatozoa encounter at rapid rates of cooling has often been attributed to the formation of intracellular ice. However, no direct evidence of intracellular ice has been presented. An alternative mechanism has been proposed by Morris (2006) that cell damage is a result of an osmotic imbalance encountered during thawing. This paper examines whether intracellular ice forms during rapid cooling or if an alternative mechanism is present. Horse spermatozoa were cooled at a range of cooling rates from 0.3 to 3,000 degrees C/min in the presence of a cryoprotectant. The ultra...
Marlin DJ, Scott CM, Schroter RC, Mills PC, Harris RC, Harris PA, Orme CE, Roberts CA, Marr CM, Dyson SJ, Barrelet F.The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of different environmental conditions on physiological response to exercise. Four winter acclimatised, nonheat acclimated horses of different breeds were exercised at 20 degrees C/40% RH (CD), 30 degrees C/40% RH (HD) and 30 degrees C/80% RH (HH). The exercise test was designed to represent the structure and intensity of a One star Speed and Endurance test (competition exercise test [CET]). All 4 horses were able to complete the full CET (60 min + 30 min active recovery) in CD and HD, but only one horse completed the CET in HH. Two horse...
Kaiser TM, Fortelius M.A new approach of reconstructing ungulate diet, the mesowear method, was recently introduced by Fortelius and Solounias ([2000] Am Mus Novitat 3301:1-36). Mesowear is based on facet development on the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. Restricting mesowear investigation to maxillary cheek teeth would allow mesowear investigation only in assemblages of large numbers of individuals and therefore would generally restrict this method to relatively few assemblages of recent and fossil ungulates. Most of the fossil, subfossil, and recent ungulate osteological assemblages that may be assigned to a singl...
Kakoi H, Tozaki T, Gawahara H.To assess the genetic diversity of Japanese native horse populations, we examined seven such populations using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite analyses. Four reference populations of Mongolian horses and European breeds were employed as other equids. In the mtDNA analysis, the control region (D-loop) of 411 bp was sequenced, and 12 haplotypes with 33 variable sites were identified in the Japanese native horses. The phylogenetic tree constructed by haplogrouping and using worldwide geographic references indicated that the haplotypes of the Japanese native horses were derived from s...
Álvarez-Narváez S, Giguère S, Cohen N, Slovis N, Vázquez-Boland JA.Multidrug resistance has been detected in the animal and zoonotic human pathogen Rhodococcus equi after mass macrolide/rifampin antibioprophylaxis in endemically affected equine farms in the United States. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) R. equi emerged upon acquisition of pRERm46, a conjugative plasmid conferring resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, streptogramins, and, as we describe, tetracycline. Phylogenomic analyses indicate that the increasing prevalence of MDR R. equi since it was first documented in 2002 is caused by a clone, R. equi 2287, attributable to coselection of pRErm46 with a ch...
Klein C.Maintenance of pregnancy is dependent on the exchange of signals between the conceptus and the endometrium. The objective of this study was to use next-generation sequencing to determine transcriptome blueprints of the conceptus and endometrium 16 days after ovulation in the horse. There were 7760 and 10 182 genes expressed in the conceptus and endometrium, respectively, of which 7029 were present in both. Genes related to developmental processes were enriched among conceptus-specific transcripts, whereas many endometrium-specific genes had known roles in cell communication, cell adhesion and ...
Fenner K, Hyde M, Crean A, McGreevy P.Owner-reported behavioural observations form an essential part of the veterinarians' diagnosis and treatment plan. The way we train and manage horses affects their behaviour and, in turn, their health and welfare. Current horse training and management practices are largely driven by traditional techniques and longstanding methodologies. These approaches generally lack an evidence base for evaluation purposes. The absence of evidence and evaluation contributes to the persistent use of risky practices and this, in turn, increases risk of potential harms for both horse and rider, and fuels questi...
Bressan FF, Bassanezze V, de Figueiredo Pessôa LV, Sacramento CB, Malta TM, Kashima S, Fantinato Neto P, Strefezzi RF, Pieri NCG, Krieger JE....Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have enormous potential in developmental biology studies and in cellular therapies. Although extensively studied and characterized in human and murine models, iPSCs from animals other than mice lack reproducible results. Herein, we describe the generation of robust iPSCs from equine and bovine cells through lentiviral transduction of murine or human transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc and from human and murine cells using similar protocols, even when different supplementations were used. The iPSCs were analyzed regarding morphology, gene and...
Björnsdóttir S, Harris SR, Svansson V, Gunnarsson E, Sigurðardóttir ÓG, Gammeljord K, Steward KF, Newton JR, Robinson C, Charbonneau ARL....Iceland is free of the major infectious diseases of horses. However, in 2010 an epidemic of respiratory disease of unknown cause spread through the country's native horse population of 77,000. Microbiological investigations ruled out known viral agents but identified the opportunistic pathogen subsp. () in diseased animals. We sequenced the genomes of 257 isolates of to differentiate epidemic from endemic strains. We found that although multiple endemic clones of were present, one particular clone, sequence type 209 (ST209), was likely to have been responsible for the epidemic. Concurrent ...
Kienapfel K, Link Y, König V Borstel U.Much controversy exists among riders, and in particular among those practicing dressage, regarding what can be considered an "appropriate" Head-Neck-Position (HNP). The objective was to assess the prevalence of different HNPs in the field, the behavioural reactions of horses during warm-up and competition rides in relation to HNP and the relation between HNP and marks achieved in the competition. Horses (n = 171) were selected during dressage competitions according to their HNP (3 categories based on the degree of flexion), and their behaviour was recorded during 3 minutes each of riding i...
Vázquez-Morón S, Avellón A, Echevarría JE.The Lyssavirus genus includes seven species or genotypes named 1-7. Rabies genotypes correlate with geographical distribution and specific hosts. Co-circulation of different lyssaviruses, imported cases, and the presence of unknown viruses, such as Aravan, Khujand, Irkut and West Caucasian Bat Virus, make it necessary to use generic methods able to detect all lyssaviruses. Primer sequences were chosen from conserved regions in all genotypes in order to optimise a generic RT-PCR. Serial dilutions of 12 RNA extracts from all seven Lyssavirus genotypes were examined to compare the sensitivity of ...
Amin TM, Sirs JA.A comparative study has been made of the blood rheology, and its component factors, in horse, sheep, cattle, goat, camel, pig, dog, rabbit and man. The erythrocyte flexibility of horse red cells is high relative to man, that of pig, dog, camel and rabbit comparable, but less flexible, and sheep, cattle and goat relatively inflexible. The erythrocyte flexibility of horse, sheep, cattle and goats does not vary with the plasma fibrinogen level, as occurs with human and rabbit cells. Washing erythrocytes and then suspending them in isotonic saline makes the erythrocytes of all species relatively i...
Mares-Guia MA, Rozental T, Guterres A, Gomes R, Almeida DN, Moreira NS, Barreira JD, Favacho AR, Santana AL, Lemos ER.Over the last recent years, the number of Q fever cases have has increased throughout the world. An epidemiological investigation was performed in the area in which the first molecular documentation of Q fever in Brazil was previously reported. Methods: Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and PCR of Coxiella burnetii targeting the htpAB gene were performed in samples from 14 dogs (blood); 1 cat (blood); 10 goats (blood, milk, vaginal swab and anal swab); 3 sheep (blood); and 2 horses (blood). Results: Two dogs, two sheep and five goats were seroreactive. DNA was amplified from 6 milk and 2...
Abdelgawad A, Hermes R, Damiani A, Lamglait B, Czirják GÁ, East M, Aschenborn O, Wenker C, Kasem S, Osterrieder N, Greenwood AD.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disorders and abortion in equids while EHV-1 regularly causes equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), a stroke-like syndrome following endothelial cell infection in horses. Both EHV-1 and EHV-9 infections of non-definitive hosts often result in neuronal infection and high case fatality rates. Hence, EHV-1 and EHV-9 are somewhat unusual herpesviruses and lack strict host specificity, and the true extent of their host ranges have remained unclear. In order to determine the seroprevalence of EHV-1 and EHV-9, a sensitive and specific pepti...
Clérico G, Taminelli G, Veronesi JC, Polola J, Pagura N, Pinto C, Sansinena M.Oocyte vitrification is considered experimental in the horse with only three live foals reported. The oxidative conditions induced by vitrification could in part explain the poor results and melatonin, a powerful antioxidant, could stimulate ROS metabolization and restore mitochondrial function in these oocytes. Our objective was to determine the oxidative status of vitrified equine oocytes and to analyze the effect of melatonin on mitochondrial-specific ROS (mROS), oocyte maturation, ICSI embryo development and viability. Immature, abattoir-derived oocytes were held for 15 h and vitrified in...
Riesenberg A, Feßler AT, Erol E, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Stamm I, Böse R, Heusinger A, Klarmann D, Werckenthin C, Schwarz S.The aim of this study was to determine the MICs of 32 antimicrobial agents for 200 isolates of Rhodococcus equi of animal origin by applying a recently described broth microdilution protocol, and to investigate isolates with distinctly elevated rifampicin MICs for the genetic basis of rifampicin resistance. Methods: The study included 200 R. equi isolates, including 160 isolates from horses and 40 isolates from other animal sources, from the USA and Europe. MIC testing of 32 antimicrobial agents or combinations thereof followed a recently published protocol. A novel PCR protocol for the joint ...
Haussler KK.The clinical assessment of pain is subjective; therefore, variations exist between practitioners in their ability to identify and localize pain. Due to differing interpretations of the signs or severity of pain equine practitioners may assign varying levels of clinical significance and treatment options. There is a critical need to develop better tools to qualify and quantify pain in horses. Palpation is the most common method to detect local tenderness or sensitivity. To quantify this applied pressure, pressure algometry has been used to gradually apply pressure over specified landmarks until...
Martin RB, Lau ST, Mathews PV, Gibson VA, Stover SM.We studied birefringence as an indicator of collagen fiber orientation in the diaphysis of the equine third metacarpal bone. We had previously shown that tissue from the lateral cortex of this bone is stronger monotonically, but less fatigue resistant, than tissue from the medial and dorsal regions. To learn whether collagen fiber orientation might play a role in this regional specialization, we tested three hypotheses using the same specimens: (1) collagen fiber orientation is regionally dependent; (2) remodeling changes collagen fiber orientation; (3) longitudinal collagen fibers correlate p...
Riemersa DJ, Schamhardt HC.A clamp designed for holding tendons in force/elongation studies is described. No slippage occurred when tensile forces up to 13,800 N were applied to horses digital flexor tendons fixed in this clamp.
Alexander SL, Irvine CH, Ellis MJ, Donald RA.We have used the technique which we have developed for collecting pituitary venous blood from conscious, undisturbed horses to study the effect of acute vigorous exercise on the secretion of CRF, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and ACTH. Pituitary venous (pit) blood was collected every 1-5 min from nine trained racehorses at rest in the stable. The horses then trotted quietly for 10 min, after which they galloped as fast as possible for 4-6 min, before returning to the stable where sampling continued. In Exp 1 (n = 5) no blood samples were taken during exercise, whereas in Exp 2 (n = 4), pit blood ...
Innes JF, Clegg P.Examples of naturally occurring musculoskeletal disorders are extremely common in veterinary species and provide a valuable comparative research resource, which can provide compelling comparative data on the aetiopathogenesis and treatment of many common human musculoskeletal diseases. In particular, orthopaedic diseases are a common morbidity in both dogs and horses. In this review, we give an overview of the common musculoskeletal diseases encountered in these species: for instance, tendon and ligament injuries, arthropathies and stress fractures, as well as an insight into the basic biology...
Edmunds DH, Whittaker DK, Green RM.The progress of artificial caries-like lesions created in human, bovine, equine, and ovine enamel has been studied. Lesions were produced by exposure to an acid gel system or by 5-day exposure to a sequential batch culture technique using Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10832. Longitudinal ground sections were prepared. The lesions were of similar appearance in all species when examined in polarized light. The depth in human enamel was approximately half that in the animal species. Microradiography confirmed subsurface demineralization in all four species. Similar depth ratios were seen in the scann...
Tecles F, Cerón JJ.Whole blood cholinesterase was measured using acetyl-, butyryl- and propionylthiocholine as substrates in 10 healthy adult dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, sheep and cows, in order to determine and characterise the cholinesterase activity in whole blood of the main domestic animals. An in vitro exposure test with two anticholinesterase compounds, the organophosphate insecticide coumaphos and the carbamate insecticide imidocarb, was also performed. In whole blood of ruminants and pigs, acetylthiocholine yielded the highest cholinesterase activity and other substrates were poorly hydrolysed; in ...
Evans DL, Harris RC, Snow DH.At 2 and 5 mins after an 800-m gallop, venous blood was collected from 26 Thoroughbred racehorses for measurement of blood lactate concentration, packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin concentration. In addition, 14 racehorses were given a strenuous submaximal treadmill exercise test. Heart rates during and after exercise at 10 m/sec on a treadmill inclined at 5 degrees were recorded. Blood samples at 2 and 5 mins after exercise were used to measure PCV, blood and plasma lactate and ammonia concentrations. Results of each exercise test were compared with the retrospective performance of hors...
