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.
Rose RJ, Ilkiw JE, Hodgson D.Thirty-one horses competing in a 100 kilometre endurance ride had electrocardiograms recorded before and after the ride from which the heart score of each horse was calculated. Blood was also taken to determine the packed cell volume (PCV) and total plasma protein (TPP) before the ride, after 60 kilometres (mid-ride) and at completion of the ride. Statistical analysis of the heart scores showed that a faster group of horses had significantly higher heart scores than either a slower group or those eliminated due to inadequate recovery of heart rate. No horses developed electrocardiogram abnorma...
Smith JE, Mohandas N, Shohet SB.Deformability is an important aspect of erythrocyte physiology and has been extensively studied using human red cells. We have studied erythrocytes from 25 different animals using a viscometric technique. Erythrocyte diameters ranged from 3.3 microns in the goat to 11.4 microns for the elephant seal. Erythrocytes from most species deformed readily when a fluid shear stress was applied. A deformability index of the stressed cell defined as (length - width)/(length + width) correlated with cell size. The erythrocytes of four animals (pygmy goat, goat, Batanga horse, and miniature horse) deformed...
Ryder OA, Hansen SK.A (G + C)-rich density satellite DNA (rho = 1.713 gm/cc) has been purified from splenic DNA of Przewalski's horse, Equus przewalskii, by successive equilibrium density gradient centrifugations. The purified satellite, which may comprise as much as 29% of the total DNA, renatures rapidly; however, analyses of native, single-stranded, and reassociated molecules by analytical ultracentrifugation and melting properties suggest that some sequence heterogeniety exists in the 1.713 gm/cc satellite. Complementary RNA (cRNA) transcribed from satellite DNA has been utilized for in situ hybridization stu...
Gunson DE.Despite being a very widespread protein, collagen is an unusual molecule possessing a great tensile strength conferred by a rope-like structure and intermolecular crosslinks. Our current knowledge of the biosynthesis of collagen is providing some insights into certain diseases of connective tissue and is also helping us to understand the healing processes of wounds and diseased tissues.
Eriksson H, Augustinsson KB.A plausible mechanism of action of horse serum butyrylcholinesterase is proposed. It includes substrate activation at the level of deacylation. The rate constant for the acylation of the enzyme appears to be much greater than the rate constant for the deacylation, at low substate concentrations. At higher substrate concentrations the rate constants become more similar. No interaction between the four subunits in binding of inhibitors or in the catalysis was observed. There is one esteratic and one anionic site per subunit apparent from labelling studies with [32P]diisopropylfluorophosphate and...
Bethune JL, Budreau AJ, Kägi JH, Vallee BL.Traditionally, the charge of a protein molecule as determined by electrophoresis has been compared to that revealed by pH titration, and any lack of coincidence has been ascribed to ion binding, and the two results have been brought into agreement by adjustment of binding parameters (1). Metallo-thionein allows a unique opportunity to examine the validity of the electrophoretic approach, since the amino acid sequence and metal atom binding studies allow the absolute charge of the molecule to be computed (2). This then can be compared to the charge determined from electrophoretic mobility measu...
Matthews AG.Evidence is presented to suggest that the acidic prealbumin esterases in horse serum represent a protease-inhibitory protein. The esterase activity may arise from residual enzymic activity of the bound protease.
Gay CC, Speirs VC, Christie BA, Smyth B, Parry B.Six horses, which had a foreign body obstruction of the small colon showed abdominal pain of progressing severity and intestinal tympany. On rectal examination the caecum and large colon were distended with ingesta and gas but the obstructing mass could be palpated in only 3 cases. All horses had elevated indirect blood pressure and in 3 there was also fluid distension of the stomach. Only one horse had known access to foreign material in the diet, but a further 3 were related to an exceptionally dry climate period. Five of the 6 horses recovered following surgery.
Ganjam VK.Changes in the daily secretory patterns of testosterone and other 17 beta-hydroxyandrogen, total oestrogens and total corticoids were investigated in 7 stallions. Pulsatile fluctuations in plasma hormone levels were found in the serial blood samples collected hourly for 24 h in all animals. The plasma profiles indicated that corticoids, oestrogens and androgens were secreted episodically at all times in stallions. A significant correlation was observed between the precursor and products of delta 4-ene and delta 5-ene pathways and in inverse correlation (r = -0.68; P less than 0.01) was observe...
Vivrette SL, Irvine CH.Acyclic mare given oestradiol for 3 days to simulate the preovulatory plasma oestradiol surge showed a non-significant 37% decrease in plasma LH during treatment. When GnRH analogue injections were given with oestradiol on Days 1--3, oestradiol had no effect on each GnRH-induced LH increase, but LH increases were more prolonged following subsequent GnRH injections on Days 4--7 when oestradiol was no longer being given. A much greater prolongation of LH release occurred when the course of GnRH injections was commenced after oestradiol treatment ceased; the LH response was almost identical to th...
Kay PH, Dawkins RL, Bowling AT, Bernoco D.A cDNA probe to the alpha subunit of the murine acetylcholine receptor was used to demonstrate restriction fragment length polymorphism in an acetylcholine receptor gene in the horse. Three different patterns of polymorphism have been observed with fragment sizes of 4.3 and 2.9 kilobases (kb) (pattern 1), 4.3 and 2.5 kb (pattern 2) and 4.3, 2.9 and 2.5 kb (pattern 1,2). Analysis of a three generation pedigree has suggested that patterns 1 and 2 represent two allelic forms of the gene encoding the alpha subunit of the acetylcholine receptor. These data provide a basis for the examination of the...
Simons V.After her final year studying veterinary medicine at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and before starting an internship, Vicky Simons took on the job of creating a life-size equine anatomical model 'anatohorse' (also known as Geoff).
Current and emerging issues: reminder of the notifiable status of porcine epidemic diarrhoeaHighlights from the scanning surveillance networkUpdate on international disease threatsReview of animal health threats by the Veterinary Risk Group These are among matters discussed in the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA's) disease surveillance report for July 2017.
Lear TL, Trembicki KA, Ennis RB.Giemsa-11 (G-11) staining and in situ hybridization were used to identify the equine chromosome complement of horse x mouse somatic cell hybrids. The presence of horse chromosomes in somatic cell hybrids was determined by differential G-11 staining. The slides were then destained and hybridized with biotinylated total horse (Equus caballus) genomic DNA without suppression. Fluorescence detection permitted rapid confirmation of horse chromosomal DNA in the hybrid cells.
Stevenson K.As a recipient of the Worshipful Company of Farriers' equine veterinary studies award, Edinburgh vet student Karis Stevenson got the opportunity to learn firsthand what farriers do. She spent a week with Stephen Newman near Paisley. Here, she gives a snapshot of what she learnt.