Weight loss in horses refers to a reduction in body weight that can occur due to various factors such as inadequate nutrition, illness, parasitic infections, dental problems, or increased energy expenditure. It is a condition that can affect horses of all ages and breeds and may indicate underlying health issues. Monitoring weight changes is important for maintaining equine health and ensuring optimal performance. This topic includes research on the causes, diagnosis, and management of weight loss in horses. Studies often focus on nutritional assessments, veterinary evaluations, and the development of feeding strategies to address and prevent weight loss. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, implications, and treatment approaches for weight loss in horses.
Entwisle IG, Byrne DP, Lester GD, McConnell EJ.Sand enteropathy is a common disease in horses worldwide. The presence of sand does not always cause disease. The amount of sand required to cause clinical disease is not well established. Objective: To establish a weight-indexed cut-off for the diagnosis of clinically relevant sand enteropathy based on radiographic area. Methods: Cross-sectional. Methods: Abdominal radiographs were acquired from clinically normal horses and compared with horses with clinical sand enteropathy. Sand area and sand area per kilogram of body weight were calculated. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve w...
Nikvand AA, Jalali SM, Bahrami S, Rahij Torfi H.Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi) is a hemoprotozoan parasite affecting camels and equids, such as horses, mules, and donkeys, and is known to cause surra disease in these animals. Despite the worldwide distribution of T. evansi infections in equids, surra has not been reported in Arabian horses in Khuzestan Province for over 60 years. In September 2018, a 7-year-old Arabian mare was referred from a 10-horse farm in the suburbs of Ahvaz City. The mare presented with a history of weight loss, poor appetite, and proximity to a camel herd. Physical examination revealed a poor body condition score ...
Ohmura H, Ebisuda Y, Takahashi Y, Mukai K.Pre-exercise cooling may prevent exertional heat illness in horses. We hypothesized that pre-exercise cooling before warm-up in a hot environment would not affect performance but would mitigate reductions in body weight and increases in body temperature following exercise. Six trained Thoroughbred horses were studied using a randomized, crossover design with three pre-treatments: 30-min walk on a treadmill at 1.7 m/sec (WALK), 30 min of standing (REST), and a 10-min pre-cooling shower at 26.2 ± 0.8°C (SHOWER). All horses underwent each pre-treatment, followed by a warm-up and main exercise i...
Penazzi L, Pagliara E, Nervo T, Ala U, Bertuglia A, Romano G, Hattab J, Tiscar PG, Bergagna S, Pagliasso G, Antoniazzi S, Cavallarin L, Valle E....Foals commonly experience diarrhoea in the first weeks of life. Although this condition is rarely life-threatening, it can have significant health consequences. This study investigated whether new-born foals can benefit from a dietary supplement of nucleotides, as already demonstrated in other species. Dietary nucleotides have positive effects on rapidly proliferating tissues and are considered "semi-essential nutrients" since cells have only a limited capacity to synthesize these compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate whether providing foals with a dietary nucleotide supplementat...
Gallacher K, Champion K, Denholm KS.Foals suffer from total failure to transfer passive immunity (TFTPI) when serum immunoglobulin (IgG) is <4 g/L, and partial failure to transfer passive immunity (PFTPI) when serum IgG is 4-8 g/L. Objective: To explore risk factors for poor serum IgG concentration. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Data from 535 Thoroughbred foals born to 177 mares were analysed and included foal sex, birthweight, month and year of birth and colostrum Brix %. Associations between dam age and colostrum Brix (%); and between foal serum IgG and liveweight gains were also measured. Pre-suckle...
Carter MM, Leatherwood JL, Paris BL, Moore GE, George JM, Martinez RE, Karges K, Cox JR, Arnold CE, Glass KG, Bradbery AN, Rodiles A, Wickersham TA.Thirty mature Quarter Horse geldings were used in a completely randomized 32-d study to test the hypotheses that supplemental live Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 improves apparent digestion, stabilizes the fecal pH, reduces gut permeability, maintains microbial communities, and decreases inflammation in horses fed a high-starch diet. Horses were stratified by body weight, age, and body condition score (BCS) to one of two treatments: concentrate formulated with 2g starch • kg BW-1 • meal-1 (CON; n=15) or the same concentrate top-dressed with 25g/d Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 ...
Charles A, Kerckhove HV, De Maré L, Cassart D, Ficheroulle J, Pouyade GR, Tosi I.A Standardbred racehorse was presented for exercise intolerance, weight loss, pyrexia and facial deformity. Radiography and ultrasonography revealed periostitis and regional soft tissue swelling of maxillary bones. Computed tomography excluded any dental or sinus origin of these abnormalities. Further deformities on distal limbs and skin lesions appeared during hospitalization. Radiography identified bilateral periostitis and soft tissue swelling in the distal radius and metatarsal bones, as observed in the head, suggestive of hypertrophic osteopathy (HO). Skin biopsies revealed granulomatous ...
Lensing R, Wirth C, Thünker F, Merle R, Barton AK.Gastric pH is a key factor in the development of equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). Although acid injury is unlikely the primary cause of equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD), low pH may promote mucosal damage. Gastric pH is influenced by roughage uptake, as chewing increases the alkaline saliva production. The proton pump inhibitor omeprazole is currently recommended by the American/European College of Veterinary/Equine Internal Medicine (ACVIM/ECEIM) for ESGD and EGGD. We hypothesized that dental disorders decrease saliva production and gastric pH, predisposing horses to EGUS. Gastro...
Gartland B, Strunk W, Schulte B, DeGraves F, Koostra J.Horses can become obese and develop related health issues such as laminitis from excessive grazing on high-quality pasture grass; limiting pasture intake can allow weight loss to occur. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of space-restricted rotational grazing on body weight (BW) and time budgets in horses. Eight mature geldings and mares with maintenance-only requirements were randomly assigned to either a space-restricted rotational grazing group (SRG; BW 512 ± 6 kg; n = 4) or a continuous grazing group (CG; BW 517 ± 49 kg; n = 4) for 42 d SRG horses grazed an area with...
Timko K.Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the horse encompasses a group of infiltrative gastrointestinal disorders resulting in malabsorption, maldigestion, weight loss, colic, and sometimes diarrhea. The type of IBD can be classified as granulomatous, lymphocytic-plasmacytic, or eosinophilic enterocolitis. The diagnosis of IBD in equids is based on consistent clinical signs and clinicopathologic findings in conjunction with confirmatory histopathology from a gastrointestinal biopsy. Treatment usually consists of a combination of immunosuppressive medications, anthelmintics, and dietary modification...
Craven A, Todd-Donato A, Stokol T, Liepman R, Glasberg I, Wilkins P, Luethy D, Wong D, Schoster A, van den Brom-Spierenburg AJ, Tomlinson JE.Prognostic indicators for equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF), an interstitial fibrosing lung disease, are poorly described. Objective: Describe diagnostic findings and outcome predictors for EMPF. Methods: Forty-six adult horses with EMPF. Methods: Retrospective multicenter case series from 2009 to 2019. Radiographic (n = 27) and ultrasonographic studies (n = 19) from EMPF horses and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology from 6 EMPF and 13 asthma cases were independently reviewed and blinded to diagnosis and outcome. Associations between predictor variables and surviv...
Ward AB, Harris PA, Argo CM, Watson CA, Burns NM, Neacsu M, Russell WR, Grove-White D, Morrison PK.Native ponies are at increased risk of obesity and metabolic perturbations, such as insulin dysregulation (ID), a key risk factor for endocrinopathic laminitis. Management and feeding practices can be adapted to maintain healthy body condition and support metabolic health, but owners may inadvertently provide their ponies with inappropriate management leading to obesity and exacerbating risk of metabolic disease. Adoption of preventative weight management approaches (WMAs), including regular monitoring of body condition, providing appropriate preserved forage, promoting seasonal weight loss, a...
Starrett A, Smith R, Urso PM, Urschel KL, Anderson MJ, Suagee-Bedore JK.Irregular wear patterns are theorized to cause poor feed digestion and weight loss in the horse. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that dental correction would increase postprandial nutrient concentrations and reduce fecal particle size (FPS) in clinically healthy mares. The study was conducted in 16 mares of mature age (4-17) who had not received dental care in the previous year. A diet consisting of ad libitum Coastal Bermudagrass hay and 1.36 kg of a pelleted feed was fed daily prior to and during the study. Eight mares received dental work and eight served as untreat...
Hyde KA, Altman A, Banasek R, Gastal MO, Gastal EL.Hay wastage when feeding round bales due to contamination, deterioration, and animal refusal can accrue large financial losses for farmers. The present study investigated the efficiency of the conventional Tombstone-style feeder system compared to the Hay Saver feeder system to reduce hay wastage in feeding round hay bales. Mares were distributed equally into two groups, Tombstone and Hay Saver, and fed six bales per group over 48 days. Hay wastage was collected daily, dried, and weighed, while the mares were weighed weekly. Overall, the Hay Saver feeder showed less hay wastage, higher mean ma...
Bou T, Ding W, Liu H, Gong W, Jia Z, Dugarjaviin M, Bai D.The proportion of different muscle fibers is essential for the horse breed's aptitude for athletic activities. Adaptation of locomotor muscle is correlated with altered physiologic conditions. To investigate the adaptive changes of muscle fiber phenotype and transcriptome in horse skeletal muscle during dietary restriction (DR). The muscle fiber type distribution and deep RNA-seq analysis of detecting differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs), miRNA (DEMIRs), lncRNAs (DELs), circRNAs (DECs), and their function analysis were investigated in gluteus medius muscle of Mongolian horses during DR. A tot...
Townsend KS, Johnson PJ, Donnelly LL, LaCarrubba AM, Lattimer JC, Havis B, Springer NL, Kim DY.A 26-year-old mule gelding was evaluated for chronic weight loss and decreased appetite. The mule had been losing weight and intermittently hypophagic for approximately 7 months. Laboratory analysis of whole blood and plasma identified severe total hypercalcemia, marked hypophosphatemia, markedly increased parathyroid hormone concentration, and marked lymphocytosis. A sestimibi scan intended to identify parathyroid gland tissue was nondiagnostic. Results of flow cytometry and PCR for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) were consistent with a B cell lymphoproliferative disorder, likely chro...
Kellon EM, Gustafson KM.Sodium-Glucose CoTransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, the -flozin group of drugs, which block glucose reuptake in the renal proximal tubule, are being increasingly used off-label to treat horses with refractory hyperinsulinemia. After 2 years of use by animals in our group, a horse on canagliflozin was incidentally noted to be hyperlipemic. We have been following a cohort of equines (n = 20) treated with SGLT2 inhibitors due to refractory hyperinsulinemia. The animals are owned by members of the Equine Cushing's and Insulin Resistance Group and treated by their attending veterinarians. The index ...
Pratt-Phillips S, Munjizun A.There is ample research describing the increased risk of health concerns associated with equine obesity, including insulin dysregulation and laminitis. For athletes, the negative effect of weight carriage is well documented in racing thoroughbreds (i.e., handicapping with weight) and rider weight has been shown to impact the workload of ridden horses and to some degree their gait and movement. In many groups of competitive and athletic horses and ponies, obesity is still relatively common. Therefore, these animals not only are at risk of metabolic disease, but also must perform at a higher wor...
Acevedo HD, Hassebroek AM, Leventhal HR, Duhamel GE, Carvallo FR.A 17-y-old Rocky Mountain gelding was presented to the Virginia-Maryland Veterinary Teaching Hospital because of a 4-wk history of anorexia, weight loss, lethargy, and fever of unknown origin. Abdominal ultrasound revealed lymphadenomegaly of the abdominal and colonic lymph nodes, thickening of the wall of the large colon, and a mass associated with the large colon. The horse was euthanized given a poor prognosis. On autopsy, an ~20-cm diameter mass was found within the mesocolon between the right ventral and right dorsal colon. The mass had invaded through the colonic walls and formed a fistu...
Furtado T, Perkins E, Pinchbeck G, McGowan C, Watkins F, Christley R.While equine obesity is understood by equine professionals to be a serious and widespread welfare problem, thus far approaches to reducing the prevalence of obesity in the UK's leisure horses have mainly been limited to educating owners about the dangers of obesity in their horses. In human health, approaches to behavior change encourage holistic thinking around human behavior, recognizing the importance of the connection between the individuals' knowledge, attitudes, habits, and the social and physical environments. This study used qualitative data from interviews with horse owners and profes...
Schusser GF, Köller G, Recknagel S, Lindner A.The hay producing plants, concentrate, straw and meadows could be contaminated by the aerosols of glyphosate based herbicide during spraying process of crops and pre-harvest desiccation treatment of cereals. The aim of this study is to investigate the concentration of glyphosate in the duodenal fluid of horses with gastric ulcer syndrome. The stomach and duodenum of referred untreated horse patients (n=92) with colic, weight loss, diarrhoea, anemia or performance intolerance were endoscopically examined right after the admission. Duodenal fluid (40 ml) was collected from the duodenal region ...
Straticò P, Razzuoli E, Hattab J, Guerri G, Celani G, Palozzo A, Bonanni D, Fruscione F, Varasano V, Petrizzi L, Marruchella G.A 7-year-old Friesian stallion with a history of oesophageal stenosis, weight loss, inappetence, and recurrent hyperthermia was referred for gastroscopy. The stomach mucosa surrounding the oesophageal opening showed a large, necrotic, and ulcerated mass. On post-mortem examination, a very large, cauliflower-like neoplasm was seen, affecting non-glandular gastric mucosa. Nodular lesions were observed, scattered on the omentum, the spleen, and the liver. Microscopic findings allowed the diagnosis of gastric squamous cell carcinoma with abdominal metastasis. Biomolecular investigations demonstrat...
Fowler AL, Pyles MB, Hayes SH, Crum AD, Harris PA, Krotky A, Lawrence LM.There is little information about how weight change in horses impacts bone turnover and the metabolism of minerals associated with bone. This study evaluated weight change in mature horses as a factor that could alter bone turnover and fecal P output. Fifteen horses (555 ± 8 kg) were assigned to three treatments: weight loss (LO; n = 5), weight maintenance (MA; n = 5), and weight gain (GA; n = 5). Diets contained 75%, 100%, and 145% of maintenance digestible energy requirements for the three treatments, respectively, but contained similar amounts of protein and minerals. At the end of t...
Olsen E, van Galen G.Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rare in horses with an overall prevalence reported to be 0.12%. There is often a continuum from Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) to CKD, and patients with CKD may be predisposed to episodes of AKI. The most common clinical signs are non-specific with weight loss, polyuria/polydipsia and ventral edema. Less common clinical signs are poor appetite and performance, dull hair coat, oral ulcerations, gastro-intestinal ulceration, gingivitis, dental tartar and diarrhea. Rarely, horses may develop forebrain signs. Creatinine increases when at least 2/3 of kidney function have...
Radcliffe RM, Hill JA, Liu SY, Cook VL, Hurcombe SDA, Divers TJ.Abdominocentesis is commonly used to evaluate the abdominal cavity of the horse. This technique provides valuable diagnostic information as well as the means to monitor patients with abdominal diseases being managed medically and to determine their need for surgical management. Complications are uncommon and include trauma to the gastrointestinal tract or spleen, septic peritonitis, or abdominal wall infection. Methods: This review describes the indications, utility, patient preparation, and instructions for performing abdominocentesis as well as possible complications reported in horses. Step...
Gastal MO, Pastorello M, Godoi DB, Gastal EL.The aim of this study was to compare the dominant follicle (DF) and gonadotropin dynamics for 9 days before ovulation in postpartum lactating (PP Lactating) versus non-postpartum cycling (N-PP Cycling) mares. Every PP Lactating mare on the day of parturition was paired with a N-PP Cycling mare, and the data analyses considered the partum-ovulation interval (POI) and the postpartum interovulatory interval (PPIOI) in PP Lactating mares and two interovulatory intervals in N-PP Cycling mares. The results of the present study revealed several novel and unique aspects of DF development and FSH and L...
Villagrán CC, Vogt D, Gupta A, Fernández EA.A 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was evaluated for chronic weight loss, diarrhea, and pruritus. Physical examination revealed several ulcerative lesions on the skin and mucosal membranes. Diagnostic imaging findings were consistent with enteritis, typhlitis, and colitis. Multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED) was diagnosed upon necropsy. This disease may be considered a form of equine inflammatory bowel disease complex which can be challenging to diagnose, requiring histological assessment, and in some cases, the use of immunohistochemical markers. Key clinical message: Mu...
Dugdale AH, Curtis GC, Cripps P, Harris PA, Argo CM.Increased prevalence of obesity among UK horses and ponies demands evidence-based advice to promote weight loss. Objective: Restriction of dry matter intake (DMI) to 1% of body mass (BM, 67% [corrected] of predicted maintenance digestible energy [DE] requirements) would promote weight loss without compromise to health. Methods: Five mature (mean ± s.e. 10 ± 2 years), overweight/obese pony mares (BM, 257 ± 20 kg: body condition score [BCS] 6.8/9 ± 0.5) were studied over 12 weeks. Animals were individually housed. Daily provision of a chaff-based, complete diet (measured DE, 8.5 MJ/kg DM) wa...
Laurenza C, Ansart L, Portier K.A retrospective analysis was performed to determine mortality and morbidity rates for elective and emergency cases in an equine university teaching hospital. It investigated the effect of horse-, anesthetic-, timing, and clinician experience-related variables on anesthetic complications. In total, 1,161 horses undergoing general anesthesia between January 2012 and December 2016 were included in the study. Patient information and details of the anesthetic, recovery period and immediate complications were retrieved from an archival database. Statistical analysis of qualitative and quantitative f...
Nawrocka D, Kornicka K, Śmieszek A, Marycz K.Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a steadily growing life-threatening endocrine disorder linked to insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and systemic inflammation. Inflammatory microenvironment of adipose tissue constitutes the direct tissue milieu for various cell populations, including adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs), widely considered as a potential therapeutic cell source in the course of the treatment of metabolic disorders. Moreover, elevated oxidative stress induces inflammation in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs)-the first-line cells exposed to dietary compounds. In...
Dugdale AH, Grove-White D, Curtis GC, Harris PA, Argo CM.Body condition scoring systems were originally developed to quantify flesh cover in food animals and are commonly used to evaluate body fat in Equidae. The relationship between concurrent estimates of body fat content (eTBF%, deuterium oxide dilution; range, 2.7-35.6%) and subjective appraisals of body 'fatness' (body condition score, BCS; range, 1.25-9/9), was investigated in 77 mature horses and ponies. Univariate (UVM, r(2)=0.79) and multivariable (MVM, r(2)=0.86) linear regression models described the association, where BCS and eTBF% were explanatory and outcome variables, respectively. Ot...
Friend TH.The aim of this study was to characterize progressive dehydration, stress responses, and water consumption patterns of horses transported long distances in hot weather and to estimate recovery time after 30 h of transport. Thirty adult mares and geldings were deprived of access to feed and water for 6 h, blocked by age, sex, breed, and body condition score, and assigned to one of the following treatments: penned, offered water (Penned/Watered, n = 5); penned, no water (Penned, n = 5); transported, offered water (Transported/Watered, two groups of n = 5); or transported, no water (Transported, ...
Giles CJ, Urquhart KA, Longstaffe JA.Clinical and laboratory findings are recorded from a series of 15 cases (aged one to 16 years) of sudden-onset chronic diarrhoea with weight loss, progressing in many cases to emaciation and death, associated with the emergence of fourth stage cyathostome (trichoneme) larvae in large numbers through the colonic and caecal mucosae. Apart from a single incident in mid-October, disease only occurred in winter and spring (January to May). Characteristic features included hypoalbuminaemia, increased alpha and beta plasma globulin levels and neutrophilia without left shift. Faecal egg counts were fr...
Dolan E, O'Connor H, McGoldrick A, O'Loughlin G, Lyons D, Warrington G.In this study, we describe diet and lifestyle practices of professional jockeys. Participants completed a 59-item nutrition, lifestyle, and health questionnaire (n = 21) and a 7-day estimated food diary (n = 18). Acute weight loss strategies included the use of saunas (86%), exercising to induce sweating (81%), and restricted energy intake (71%). Of the smokers (38%), 56% used smoking to control weight. Most (86%) jockeys reported attaining a 2-kg weight loss for racing (if required) 24-48 h before or on the designated race-day. Mean daily energy intake (1803 ± 564 kcal) was low and appeared ...
Olsen E, van Galen G.Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rare in horses with an overall prevalence reported to be 0.12%. There is often a continuum from Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) to CKD, and patients with CKD may be predisposed to episodes of AKI. The most common clinical signs are non-specific with weight loss, polyuria/polydipsia and ventral edema. Less common clinical signs are poor appetite and performance, dull hair coat, oral ulcerations, gastro-intestinal ulceration, gingivitis, dental tartar and diarrhea. Rarely, horses may develop forebrain signs. Creatinine increases when at least 2/3 of kidney function have...
Carter RA, McCutcheon LJ, Valle E, Meilahn EN, Geor RJ.To determine effects of exercise training without dietary restriction on adiposity, basal hormone and lipid concentrations and glucose and insulin dynamics in overweight or obese, insulin-resistant horses. Methods: 12 overweight or obese (body condition score > or = 7), insulin-resistant (insulin sensitivity < or = 1.2 x 10(-4) L/min/mU) geldings. Methods: 4 horses remained sedentary, and 8 horses were exercised for 4 weeks at low intensity and 4 weeks at higher intensity, followed by 2 weeks of detraining. Prior to and after each training period, frequently sampled IV glucose tolerance ...
Adams AA, Katepalli MP, Kohler K, Reedy SE, Stilz JP, Vick MM, Fitzgerald BP, Lawrence LM, Horohov DW.Advanced age is associated with a low-grade, systemic inflammatory response characterized by increased inflammatory cytokine production both in vitro and in vivo, termed inflamm-aging. It is also known that increased white adipose tissue, associated with obesity, leads to increased production of inflammatory cytokines. To date, it is unknown whether increased adiposity contributes to the age-related increased inflammatory status. Here we show that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from old horses compared to young horses have increased inflammatory cytokine production; moreover, fat ol...
Lavoie JP, Drolet R, Parsons D, Leguillette R, Sauvageau R, Shapiro J, Houle L, Hallé G, Gebhart CJ.Proliferative enteropathy (PE) is a transmissible enteric disease caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. An outbreak of equine PE was diagnosed in foals from 3 breeding farms. Most foals had been weaned prior to the appearance of clinical signs, which included depression, rapid and marked weight loss, subcutaneous oedema, diarrhoea and colic. Poor body condition with a rough haircoat and a potbellied appearance were common findings in affected foals. Respiratory tract infection, dermatitis and intestinal parasitism were also found in some foals. Haematological and plasma biochemical abnormalities...
Peregrine AS, McEwen B, Bienzle D, Koch TG, Weese JS.From 1991 to 2003, 24 cases of larval cyathostominosis were diagnosed at postmortem in equids, 15 (63%) from 2001 to 2003. Cases occurred from September to May, the majority from October to December. Median age was 12 mo. Diarrhea, colic, and weight loss were common clinical signs. Hypoalbuminemia and microcytosis were consistent findings. Cyathostominose larvaire chez des chevaux en Ontario: une maladie émergente? De 1991 à 2003, 24 cas de cyathostominose larvaire ont été diagnostiqués à l’examen post mortem chez des équidés dont 15 (63 %) entre 2001 et 2003. Les cas étaient rappor...
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...
Coleman MC, Whitfield-Cargile CM, Madrigal RG, Cohen ND.Metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans have been linked to alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota and metabolome. Knowledge of these associations has improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of these diseases and guided development of diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic interventions. The cellular and molecular pathophysiology of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and obesity in horses, however, remain ill-defined. Thus, the objectives of this study were to characterize the fecal microbiome, fecal metabolome, and circulating lipidome in obese and non-o...
Wylie CE, Collins SN, Verheyen KL, Newton JR.Laminitis is a highly debilitating disease of the foot known to have a complex and multifactorial aetiology of metabolic, inflammatory, traumatic or vascular origin. The disease has major welfare implications due to unrelenting pain associated with degenerative changes, which often necessitate euthanasia on welfare grounds. Despite this, there have been few high-quality studies investigating risk factors for equine laminitis, and only a limited number of risk factors have been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to conduct a case-control study of risk factors for active episodes...
Schumacher J, Edwards JF, Cohen ND.A review of reported cases of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) of horses for which no etiology was identified included cases of granulomatous enteritis (GE), multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED), lymphocytic-plasmacytic enterocolitis (LPE), and idiopathic eosinophilic enterocolitis (EC). The terms EC and MEED were both used to describe a disease in horses characterized by infiltration of intestine and extraintestinal tissues with eosinophils. We use EC to describe IBD characterized by only intestinal infiltration by eosinophils. Horses with GE, MEED, or LPE are usually e...
Bamford NJ, Potter SJ, Baskerville CL, Harris PA, Bailey SR.The importance of including exercise with dietary modification for the management of obese equids is not clearly understood. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a practical low-intensity exercise regimen, in addition to dietary restriction, on indices of insulin sensitivity (SI) and plasma adipokine concentrations in obese equids. Methods: Twenty-four obese (body condition score [BCS] ≥ 7/9) horses and ponies. Methods: Over a 12-week period, animals received either dietary restriction only (DIET) or dietary restriction plus low-intensity exercise (DIET+EX). All animals were provided wit...
Ireland JL, Clegg PD, McGowan CM, Platt L, Pinchbeck GL.Geriatric horses (aged≥15 years) now represent a substantial proportion of the equine population, yet mortality rates for aged horses in the UK have not previously been described. Although post-mortem studies have provided some data regarding specific causes of death, "old age" is a common owner-reported reason for euthanasia of adult horses, indicating further elucidation of reasons for death or euthanasia is required for the geriatric equine population. The objective of this cohort study was to describe mortality rates, causes of death or euthanasia and factors associated with mortality in...
Sellon DC, Roberts MC, Blikslager AT, Ulibarri C, Papich MG.A randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial was performed to determine whether butorphanol administered by continuous rate infusion (CRI) for 24 hours after abdominal surgery would decrease pain and surgical stress responses and improve recovery in horses. Thirty-one horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy for abdominal pain were randomly assigned to receive butorphanol CRI (13 microg/kg/h for 24 hours after surgery; treatment) or isotonic saline (control). All horses received flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg IV q12h). There were no significant differences between treatment and control horse...
Furtado T, Perkins E, Pinchbeck G, McGowan C, Watkins F, Christley R.Equine obesity is considered one of the most serious welfare concerns in UK leisure horses, yet little is known about how horse owners conceptualise their horse's weight as part of its health, or how they plan and carry out weight management. Objective: This study aimed to further our understanding of leisure horse owners' perceptions of equine health and awareness of excess fat in order to clarify our understanding of successful strategies for managing equine weight. Methods: This study used a qualitative research methodology. Methods: Data comprised 16 threads from online UK equine discussio...
Geor RJ, Harris P.Insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinemia increase risk for development of laminitis in horses and ponies. Obesity also has been associated with heightened risk for laminitis, likely by means of development of IR. Dietary factors, particularly the nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) load, modulate risk for laminitis in these animals by means of exacerbation of IR or gastrointestinal disturbances that trigger the condition. Specific dietary management strategies to lessen risk for laminitis include caloric restriction to promote weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity in obese animals and s...
Morgan RA, Keen JA, McGowan CM.Treatment of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is essential to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of laminitis. Calorie restriction and increased exercise are the mainstays of treatment but there is potential for poor owner compliance. Objective: To determine whether significant weight loss accompanied by improvements in measures of insulin sensitivity can be achieved in horses and ponies with EMS managed by their owners in their normal environment under veterinary guidance. Methods: Retrospective clinical case series. Methods: Horses and ponies attending 2 university hospitals for ...
Wilson G, Drust B, Morton JP, Close GL.Professional jockeys are unique amongst weight-making athletes given that they face the requirement to make weight daily. Furthermore, unlike other weight-limited sports, jockeys who have engaged in rapid weight loss cannot fully rehydrate prior to competition because post-race weight must not be more than 1 kg different to their pre-race weight. As such, jockeys have reported a variety of acute and chronic methods to make weight that include sporadic eating, caloric restriction, diuretics, laxatives, vomiting and fluid restriction as well as regular use of sweat suits and saunas. Typical dai...
Morrison PK, Newbold CJ, Jones E, Worgan HJ, Grove-White DH, Dugdale AH, Barfoot C, Harris PA, Argo CM.Obesity is an important equine welfare issue. Whilst dietary restriction is the most effective weight-loss tool, individual animals range in their weight-loss propensity. Gastrointestinal-derived bacteria play a fundamental role in host-health and have been associated with obesity and weight-loss in other species. This study evaluated the faecal microbiome (next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes) of 15 obese Welsh Mountain pony mares, in the same 11-week period across 2 years (n = 8 Year 1; n = 7 Year 2). Following a 4-week acclimation period (pre-diet phase) during which t...
Dolan E, McGoldrick A, Davenport C, Kelleher G, Byrne B, Tormey W, Smith D, Warrington GD.Horse-racing jockeys are a group of weight-restricted athletes, who have been suggested as undertaking rapid and extreme weight cycling practices in order to comply with stipulated body-mass standards. The aim of this study was to examine bone mass, turnover and endocrine function in jockeys and to compare this group with age, gender and body mass index matched controls. Twenty male professional jockeys and 20 healthy male controls participated. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans and early morning fasting blood and urine samples were used to measure bone mass, turnover and a hormonal profi...
Wilson G, Hawken MB, Poole I, Sparks A, Bennett S, Drust B, Morton J, Close GL.Despite the performance concerns of dehydration in other sports, there are currently no data on the effects of rapid weight-loss on the physical and cognitive performance of jockeys in a sport-specific context. In a randomised crossover design, eight Great Britain (GB) male licensed jockeys were assessed for chest strength, leg strength, simulated riding performance (assessed by maximum pushing frequency on a mechanical riding simulator during the final two furlongs of a simulated 2 mile race) and simple reaction time after performing 45 min of exercise, during which euhydration was maintained...
de Laat MA, Hampson BA, Sillence MN, Pollitt CC.Obesity in horses is increasing in prevalence and can be associated with insulin insensitivity and laminitis. Current treatment strategies for obesity include dietary restriction and exercise. However, whether exercise alone is effective for decreasing body fat is uncertain. Objective: Our hypothesis was that twice daily use of a dynamic feeding system for 3 months would induce sustained, low-intensity exercise thereby decreasing adiposity and improving insulin sensitivity (SI). Methods: Eight, university-owned, mixed-breed, adult ponies with body condition scores (BCS) ≥5/9 were used. Metho...
Jaqueth AL, Iwaniuk ME, Burk AO.It has been estimated in the United States and abroad that 20%-51% of the equine population suffers from over-conditioning or obesity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of over-conditioning in the equine population in Maryland, to characterize weight control measures used, and to ascertain how control measures impact the operation. Over-conditioning was defined as a body condition score of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale. All licensed horse operators in Maryland were invited to participate in an online survey. A total of 93 farm operators completed the survey with 238 ponies...
Cummings JF, de Lahunta A, George C, Fuhrer L, Valentine BA, Cooper BJ, Summers BA, Huxtable CR, Mohammed HO.A spontaneous motor neuron disease or neuronopathy was identified in 10 horses from the northeastern United States. Signs of generalized weakness, muscle fasciculations, muscle atrophy and weight loss progressed over 1 to several months in young and old horses of various breeds. Pathologic studies revealed that degeneration and loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain stem resulted in axonal degeneration in the ventral roots and peripheral and cranial nerves and denervation atrophy of skeletal muscle. Many spinal neurons were swollen, chromatolytic and contained neurofilamentous accu...
