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.
Menassé I.After a brief reference to the importance of the non-parenteral route of vaccination of domestic animals in general, the author deals, for each animal species separately, with the most important vaccines utilised by this method of administration. On the basis of bibliographical data, he describes the history of this use, discusses the results of the application in the field and draws the relative conclusions.
Stewart M.The structure of vertebrate skeletal muscle is reviewed. The mechanism of muscular contraction and its control is then discussed from the point of view of molecular structure. Contraction takes place by a sliding filament mechanism produced by cross-bridges which form between thick and thin filaments. Control is exercised by tropomyosin and troponin. When the calcium concentration is low, these proteins interfere with the formation of cross-bridges and prevent contraction, but when the calcium concentration is increased, they no longer interfere and contraction proceeds.
Houpt KA.Knowledge of animal behavior is an important asset for the veterinarian; therefore a course in veterinary animal behavior is offered at the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine as an elective. The course emphasizes the behavior of those species of most interest to the practicing veterinarian: cats, dogs, horses, cows, pigs and sheep. Dominance heirarchies, animal communication, aggressive behavior, sexual behavior and maternal behavior are discussed. Play, learning, diurnal cycles of activity and sleep, and controls of ingestive behavior are also considered. Exotic and zoo animal beha...
Sebek Z, Wallner H, Sixl W, Kaaserer G, Valová M.Results are presented of a serological examination of 1,547 domestic animals (cattle, pig, sheep, horse, goat, dog, cat) from 9 Tyrolian districts (Austria), performed in order to disclose the incidence of leptospirosis. Completely significant titres were domonstrated by means of the MAL test in the serotypes icterohaemorrhagiae or copenhageni, sorex-jalna, bratislava, sejroe and saxkoebing. In addition, antibodies were confirmed against L. bataviae, L. pomona, L. tarassovi and L. bulgarica, but the titres were insignificant. Of the animals examined, 7.2% gave positive reactions in titres of 1...
Velle W.This presentation is limited to the three groups of steroid sex hormones which alone or in combination have been shown to be anabolic when used in farm animals. It seems essential for realistic evaluation of public health aspects of use of these hormones that the discussions include naturally occurring levels of the hormones. The following topics will be dealt with for each group of hormones: 1. Types and sources; 2. Production rates; 3. Plasma levels; 4. Tissue concentrations; 5. Metabolism and excretion. Gestagens. Progesterone and 20-dihydroprogesterones are mainly produced in ovaries and p...
O'Neill HJ, Gershbein LL.The lipids of human and equine smegma pools were saponified and the total fatty acids submitted to temperature programmed gas chromatography (GC) analysis. In contrast to the human products, the horse smegma fatty acids contained very low odd saturated as well as olefinic branched chain acid contents. The cyclopropane fatty acid, 9,10-methyleneoctadecanoic acid, occurred in smegma sampled from men over 35 years of age but could not be detected in the pool from persons of 17-20 years of age nor in any of the equine mixtures. The alcoholic fraction from horse smegma contained about 85% sterol, t...
Cappugi G, Chellini PC, Nassi P, Ramponi G.A ninhydrin-negative peptide fraction obtained from tryptic digest of carboxymethyl acylphosphatase was isolated by chromatography on a column of PA 28 Beckman resin and analysed for the amino acid composition. Degradation with carboxypeptidase B and A indicated that the sequence of this peptide was: X-Thr-Ala-Arg. The amino-terminal residue was identified as N-acetylserine by high voltage electrophoresis. It is therefore suggested that the sequence of the NH2-terminal portion of CM-acylphosphatase is N-acetyl-Ser-Thr-Ala-Arg. Digestion with carboxypeptidase A and B indicated also that the COO...
Grosskopf JF, Smuts EG.Blood was collected from 28 zebra mare (Equus burchellia antiquorum) immediately after being shot in the Kruger National Park. The serum was separated within two hours after collection and then stored at -15 degrees C for later assay. Of these, thirteen selected samples were tested for gonadotrophic activity. The stage of pregnancy was determined from a foetal growth curve. Blood samples from pregnant horse mares were collected by venipuncture. Nine mares were sampled. Seven blood samples at different stages of pregnancy were collected from one mare, four from another and only one sample each ...
McLean JG, Lewis IM.The oxygen affinities of horse and human haemoglobins were compared in the absence and presence of the allosteric effector 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). Horse haemoglobin solutions showed significantly smaller responses to the presence of 2,3-DPG, and this difference may be due to different amino acid substitutions at position NA2(2)beta. Horse haemoglobin solutions from erythrocytes containing different ratios of the two different haemoglobin types showed similar oxygen affinities in the absence and presence of 2,3-DPG. Horse haemoglobins in solution were found to autoxidise to methaemogl...
Sonnichsen HV.Dexon is a new, synthetic, absorbable suture material. Its applicability for suturing distally in the extremities of horses was tested in 65 cases. The indications included burried sutures as well as skin closure. It was concluded that the material can be used with advantage in cases traditionally sutured with catgut, vetafil or mersilene. It is technically a pleasant material and has further the advantage that it shall not be removed.
Garcia MC, Ginther OJ.Three experiments were performed to study the luteinizing hormone (LH) and ovulatory responses to various doses and methods of administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in estrous pony mares and the influence of estradiol-17beta (E2-17beta) on LH response to GnRH treatment. In experiment 1, single injections of synthetic GnRH were subcutaneously given to 5 groups of estrous (day 2) mares (3 mares/group) on a body weight basis as follows: group A--isotonic saline solution; group B--GnRH, 0.14 mug/kg; group C--GnRH, 0.28 mug/kg; group D--KGnRH, 0.59 mug/kg; and group E--GnRH, 2.37 ...
Fujita S, Cleve H.The major glycoproteins of horse and swine erythrocyte membranes were isolated and examined chemically and immunologically. The major glycoprotein of horse erythrocyte membranes had a molecular weight of 33 000 and consisted of 46.2% protein and 53.8% carbohydrate, of which 9.4% was hexose, 10.1% hexosamine and 33.7% sialic acid. This glycoprotein was associated with activity for the infectious mononucleosis heterophile antigen. There were two different major glycoproteins in swine erythrocyte membranes. One major glycoprotein had a molecular weight of 46 200 and consisted of 34.2% protein and...
Jeffcott LB.The mechanism of transfer of maternal immunity to the foal is reviewed. Maximal efficiency of macromolecular absorption by specialized cells of the small intestine exists soon after birth. The absorptive cells are progressively replaced by more mature-looking cells incapable of taking up large molecules and the rate of absorption is reduced in a linear decline and ceases completely within 24 hr. Passive antibody levels fall rapidly in the first 4 weeks of life to less than half their original values and have usually completely disappeared by 6 months of age. The foal shows immunological compet...
Aguilera R, Becchi M, Mateus L, Popot MA, Bonnaire Y, Casabianca H, Hatton CK.A gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry method for confirmation of hydrocortisone abuse in horseracing and equine sports is proposed. Urinary hydrocortisone was converted to a bismethylenedioxy derivative which presents good gas chromatographic properties and brings an extra carbon contribution of only two carbon atoms. Synthetic hydrocortisone has a different 13C abundance from that of natural urinary horse hydrocortisone and the difference is significant, therefore exogenous and endogenous hydrocortisone can be distinguished.
Mancini RA, Suman SP, Konda MK, Ramanathan R, Joseph P, Beach CM.Research focused on determining the fundamental mechanisms by which lactate influences color stability has not considered a direct effect of lactate on myoglobin. Thus, the objective of this study was to use Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry to examine lactate adduction to myoglobin. Equine oxymyoglobin and equine carboxymyoglobin (0.15mM) were incubated with sodium lactate (200mM) at 4 degrees C, pH 5.6 in 50mM sodium citrate buffer or at 37 degrees C, pH 7.4 in 50mM sodium phosphate buffer, simulating typical meat storage and physiological condition...
Shaw FD, Morton H.The developing embryo/fetus bears antigens which are foreign to the mother and it could be expected that immune rejection of the conceptus would occur. One of the reasons why the fetus is not rejected is because a depression of the maternal immune response takes place during pregnancy. Serum from pregnant animals of several species has been shown to contain a factor, early pregnancy factor (EPF), which is immunosuppressive. EPF has been detected as early as six hours after mating and its detection could aid diagnosis of early pregnancy in all species.
Cazalet E.The paper examines the responsibilities of the veterinary surgeon in relation to the advances more recently made in the field of equine cardiology. Notwithstanding such advances it is stated that the normal established legal principles apply, in particular in relation to the preparation of certificates, namely that the veterinary surgeon must be sufficiently expert to give the opinion sought, that he must make himself fully aware of the purpose for which the certificate is required and that he must make clear the nature and limitations of any examination carried out.
Nasir L, Reid SW.The evolutionary conserved region of the equine homologue of the p53 gene from the donkey genome was PCR amplified and cloned. The 1380 bp fragment consisted of exons 5 to 9 and the intervening introns. The exonic and intronic DNA sequences showed a variable but high level of homology with previously published human sequences. The aminoacid sequences corresponding to the evolutionary conserved domains II, III, and V were identical to the human regions, whilst domain IV was 96% homologous.
Spiridonov SI, Gontarenko IA, Mukusheva MK, Fesenko SV, Semioshkina NA.The paper describes mathematical models for 137Cs behavior in the organism of horses and sheep pasturing on the bording area to the testing area "Ground Zero" of the Semipalatinsk Test Site. The models are parameterized on the base of the data from an experiment with the breeds of animals now commonly encountered within the Semipalatinsk Test Site. The predictive calculations with the models devised have shown that 137Cs concentrations in milk of horses and sheep pasturingon the testing area to "Ground Zero" can exceed the adopted standards during a long period of time.
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.
Aggarwal BB, Farmer SW, Papkoff H, Stewart F, Allen WR.Serum of the pregnant donkey, like that of the mare, contains a gonadotrophin of chorionic origin. The chorionic gonaditrophin of the donkey (dCG) has been isolated in purified form from the serum of pregnant donkeys using methodology previously employed for the purification of pregnant mare chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG). Unlike eCG, dCG is predominatly an LH in biological tests. In the in-vitro rat Leydig cell assay, dCG was as active as eCG, but in the in-vitro rat seminiferous tubule assay for FSH and in the augmentation assay, dCG was considerably less potent than eCG (1-10%). Specific rat...
Clerbaux T, Serteyn D, Willems E, Brasseur L.The equine blood oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve has been traced in its entirety in standard conditions and the effects of temperature, pH and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate on this curve have been measured. When compared to that of human blood, the curve showed a higher oxygen affinity of hemoglobin (23.8 +/- 0.8 versus 26.6 mm Hg). The effect of the pH, expressed by d log P50/dpH, was found to be identical in man and horse (-0.47). The effect of temperature, however, expressed by d log P50/dT, proved to be lower in the horse (0.016 versus 0.024). The P50 showed an increase of 1 mm Hg each time 2,3-...