Tursi M, Poser H, Janus I, Guglielmini C.This study documents the pathology of a horse with signs of depression, lack of appetite, and weight loss. Its condition was found to be caused by an aortic sinus of […]
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...
Jeon S, Cho K, Ok G, Lee S, Park H.The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of weight loss practices on nutritional status, bone health, and injury history among Korean professional jockeys. Methods: Forty-three male jockeys completed a questionnaire to assess their weight loss practices. Of these, 10 jockeys were selected for in-depth assessment of their nutritional status, bone health, and injury history. Results: The questionnaires revealed that 81.4% of jockeys lost weight every week mainly by dieting and/or exercising. None of the jockeys consumed enough food during the weight loss period. Two jockeys were d...
Eberhardt C, Malbon A, Riond B, Schoster A.CASE DESCRIPTION A 27-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare was evaluated because of a history of lethargy, reluctance to move, weight loss, persistent hyperproteinemia, and recurrent episodes of mild lameness. CLINICAL FINDINGS Hematologic evaluation revealed anemia (RBC concentration, 3.84 × 10 cells/μL), thrombocytopenia (47 × 10 thrombocytes/μL), and hyperproteinemia (total protein concentration, 11.2 g/dL) with hyperglobulinemia and hypoalbuminemia. Results of protein electrophoresis of serum and urine samples indicated a monoclonal gammopathy; the paraprotein was identified as a κ light cha...
Biscoe EW, Whitcomb MB, Vaughan B, Dechant JE, Magdesian KG.OBJECTIVE To describe clinical features and outcome of horses with severe large intestinal thickening diagnosed with transabdominal ultrasonography. Methods: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 25 horses. PROCEDURES Medical records of horses that underwent transabdominal ultrasonography between 2003 and 2010 were reviewed. Horses were included if the wall of the large intestine was ≥ 9 mm thick in any of 6 abdominal zones. RESULTS Median age was 13 years (range, 3 to 28 years). Horses were initially examined because of colic, diarrhea, inappetence, weight loss, lethargy, fever, or hematuria. ...
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...
Oliver-Espinosa O.Chronic diarrhea in the horse is defined as diarrhea present for more than several days with little if any improvement. The diagnosis and treatment of horses with chronic diarrhea usually present a great challenge to the clinician. There are many limitations to treatment of these patients given the limited numbers in which a final diagnosis can be achieved. The lack of knowledge of the alterations of horse microbiota during chronic diarrhea and the multiplicity of causes also make treatment challenging. A poor prognosis is often attached to chronic diarrhea, particularly in cases with neoplasi...
Boshuizen B, Ploeg M, Dewulf J, Klooster S, Bruijn M, Picavet MT, Palmers K, Plancke L, Cock H, Theelen M, Delesalle C.Diagnosing IBD in horses is challenging and requires a multimodal approach, since no conclusive diagnostic test is available. The objectives of this study were to provide an overview of population characteristics, results of applied diagnostic tests, treatment modalities and outcome in a large group of horses thought to have IBD and that were presented to four large equine referral hospitals, and to provide an exploratory investigation of possible associations between results of applied diagnostic tests, applied treatment modalities and outcome. A retrospective case series was performed across...
Fortin JS, Royal AB, Kuroki K.A 21-year-old American Saddlebred mare died with a history of weight loss and breathing difficulties of 1 month duration. Post-mortem examination revealed a copious pleural effusion with multifocal to coalescing numerous white to grey nodular masses on the serosal surface of the pericardium, lungs and thoracic cavity. In addition, the left thyroid gland was markedly enlarged. A thoracic mesothelioma and C-cell adenoma with amyloid deposits of the left thyroid gland were diagnosed by histopathology and confirmed by immunohistochemistry employing antibodies against cytokeratin (CK), vimentin an...
Wilson G, Lucas D, Hambly C, Speakman JR, Morton JP, Close GL.To formulate individualized dietary strategies for jockeys, it is vital that energy requirements are quantified. We measured total energy expenditure (TEE) over two separate weeks in spring and summer using doubly labelled water in a group of male flat jockeys (n = 8, 36.9 ± 5.7 years, 164 ± 8 cm, 54.6 ± 2.5 kg). Total energy intake (TEI) was self-recorded, as were all riding and structured exercise activity. Mean daily TEE was 10.83 (±2.3) and 10.66 (±1.76) MJ, (p = .61) respectively. Self-reported TEI were 6.03 (±1.7) and 5.37 (±1.1) MJ (p = .40), respectiv...
Hughes K, Scott VHL, Blanck M, Barnett TP, Spanner Kristiansen J, Foote AK.Hemangiosarcoma is an uncommon tumor in horses. We characterized 3 cases of equine renal hemangiosarcoma, focusing on clinical and pathologic features, and describe occurrence of the epithelioid variant of hemangiosarcoma in one of these cases. Nuclear expression of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) was assessed to analyze potential inappropriate STAT3 activation as a component of tumor pathogenesis. Clinical signs in the 3 horses included insidious weight loss, followed in one case by serosanguineous nasal discharge and terminal epistaxis, and nonspecific signs of abdominal pain. Two of the heman...
Auyyuenyong R, Henze A, Ungru J, Schweigert FJ, Raila J, Vervuert I.Obesity is a key component of equine metabolic syndrome, which is highly associated with laminitis. Feed restriction and/or exercise are known to alleviate the detrimental effects of insulin resistance in obese ponies. However, little is known about changes in the serum lipid patterns due to weight reduction and its association with disease outcomes. Therefore, the lipid patterns in the serum of 14 mature ponies before and after a 14-week body weight reduction program (BWRP) were investigated by multi-one-dimensional thin-layer chromatography (MOD-TLC). Additionally, sensitivity to insulin (SI...
Greco-Otto P, Massie S, Shields E, Roy MF, Pajor E, Lu00e9guillette R.The Heavy Horse Pull is a competition where teams of two horses pull an increasingly heavy sled for a short distance. Similar to human wrestlers, some horses may undergo rapid weight change in order to enter a lower weight category. The objectives were to study the physiological effects of this practice as well as of the pulling competition in draft horses. Results: Fifty horses were divided into light-, middle- and heavyweight categories based on their arrival weights and competed 1-3 days after. Body weight was measured upon arrival and pre-competition. Blood was sampled for chemistry and h...
Nawrocka D, Kornicka K, u015amieszek 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...
Vergnano D, Bergero D, Valle E.Nutrition plays a very important role in the healthy and in the ill horse. Although research in this field clearly shows that incorrect nutritional practices may lead to severe pathologies, inappropriate feeding plans often continue to be used. A clinical nutrition counselling (CNC) service could thus be of great use to both horse owners and veterinarians. The aim of this study was to provide information on equine patients referred to the CNC service of the University of Turin and to provide standard dietary protocols as used in our Veterinary Teaching Hospital for the most common nutrition-re...
Southwood LL, Lindborg S, Myers M, Aceto HW.To compare long-term outcome of Salmonella-positive versus Salmonella-negative horses discharged from hospital after colic surgery. Methods: Retrospective case-control. Methods: Horses discharged from the hospital after colic surgery. For each horse with positive culture for Salmonella enterica (SAL-POS, n = 59), at least 2 horses testing negative for S. enterica (SAL-NEG, n = 119) were enrolled. Methods: Owners were interviewed via phone at least 12 months after surgery regarding: (1) complications after discharge from the hospital; (2) duration of survival; and (3) return to prior or...
Browne NS, Scarratt WK, Robertson J.A 10-year-old Andalusian mare was presented for evaluation of weight loss, increasing periods of recumbency, and swelling of the lower limbs. Radiographs revealed severe palisading to solid periosteal new bone formation in numerous locations. Necropsy revealed a metastatic malignant adenocarcinoma of ovarian origin with secondary hypertrophic osteopathy. Une jument d’Andalousie âgée de 10 ans a été présentée pour évaluation à la suite d’une perte de poids, de périodes croissantes de décubitus et d’enflure dans les membres inférieurs. Les radiographies ont révélé des lésio...
Silva SR, Payan-Carreira R, Guedes CM, Coelho S, Santos AS.Obesity and emaciation in horses have major detrimental effects on health and morbidity, reproductive failure, work performance or carcass quality. Scoring is a current management tool used to assess and monitor equine body condition due to its simplicity and low cost. However, accurate assessment of obesity remains a challenge, even though a number of approaches have been tested, particularly for research purposes on adiposity. Their merit is usually validated by comparison with standard scoring methods. The overall aim of this study was to establish the correlation between post-mortem nape f...
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...
Husulak ML, Lohmann KL, Gabadage K, Wojnarowicz C, Marquu00e9s FJ.Two horses from Saskatchewan were presented with signs of sweating, muscle fasciculations, weight loss, and generalized weakness. The horses were diagnosed with equine motor neuron disease (EMND), by histological assessment of a spinal accessory nerve or sacrocaudalis dorsalis medialis muscle biopsy. This is the first report of EMND in western Canada. Deux chevaux de la Saskatchewan ont été présentés avec des signes de sudation, de fibrillations musculaires, de perte de poids et de faiblesse généralisée. On a diagnostiqué la maladie équine des motoneurones (MEMN) chez les chevaux en ...
Conway ED, Stiles J, Townsend WM, Weng HY.OBJECTIVE To compare the anticollagenase efficacy of fresh feline, canine, and equine serum and plasma on in vitro corneal degradation. SAMPLE Grossly normal corneas from recently euthanized dogs, cats, and horses and fresh serum and plasma from healthy dogs, cats, and horses. PROCEDURES Serum and plasma were pooled by species and used for in vitro experiments. Corneas were collected and stored at -80°C. Sections of cornea were dried, weighed, and incubated in saline (0.9% NaCl) solution with clostridial collagenase and homologous fresh serum or plasma. Corneal degradation was assessed as the...
Swerczek TW.Unexplained clinical signs of weight loss and emaciation were reported in a herd of Thoroughbred horses grazing spring pastures on a central Kentucky farm, even though supplemental grain and hay were provided. Results: A buttercup plant, Ranunculus bulbosus L, was abundantly present in all pastures and paddocks on the farm. All horses, especially lactating mares and their foals, had mild to severe weight loss as assessed by body condition. Seven mares on the farm had been confirmed pregnant between 30 and 45 days of gestation, but were later found to have aborted. Two 2-year-old fillies develo...
Hatazoe T, Kawaguchi H, Hobo S, Misumi K.Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) generally occurs in older horses showing hirsutism, delayed molting, weight loss, polydipsia, polyuria, laminitis, and reproductive disorders (in broodmares), but there have been no reports on stallions. This report presents a case of a 21-year-old Thoroughbred stallion that developed hirsutism and experienced delayed molting. There were no abnormal findings for semen quality or the stallion's sexual desire. The horse was diagnosed with PPID based on dexamethasone suppression test and plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone. It was then ...
Jago RC, Handel I, Hahn CN, Pirie RS, Keen JA, Waggett BE, McGorum BC.Objective criteria for predicting survival of chronic grass sickness cases are currently lacking. Objective: To determine whether the rate and/or magnitude of bodyweight change during hospitalisation of chronic grass sickness cases can provide an objective predictor of survival to discharge from hospital. Clinicians' recorded indication(s) for euthanasia were also reviewed. Methods: Single centre retrospective observational study. Methods: Case records of all horses admitted for management of chronic grass sickness to The Dick Vet Equine Hospital between 1998 and 2013 were analysed. Case backg...
Grimmer NM, Gimbar RP, Bursua A, Patel M.The literature regarding rhabdomyolysis secondary to illicit drug use is sparse. Clenbuterol is a bronchodilator approved for veterinary use, which in high doses can increase protein deposition and lipolysis similarly to anabolic steroids, and is thereby abused for bodybuilding and weight loss effects. Clenbuterol has previously been described in case reports to be cardiotoxic, with patient presentations similar to overdoses of sympathomimetic substances, but reports of rhabdomyolysis are limited to a single case series in horses. Methods: We report the first case of rhabdomyolysis secondary t...
Glunk EC, Hathaway MR, Grev AM, Lamprecht ED, Maher MC, Martinson KL.Modern horse management systems tend to limit a horse's opportunity to forage, rely on meal feeding, and may contribute to the increase in equine obesity. The use of slow-feed hay nets represents an opportunity to extend foraging time while feeding a restricted diet. The objectives of this study were to determine if limit feeding combined with a slow-feed hay net would affect morphometric measurements and postprandial metabolite and hormone patterns in overweight adult horses. Eight adult Quarter horses (BW 563 kg ± 4.6 kg; BCS 7.2 ± 0.3) were used in a randomized complete block design, with...
Koskinen MJ, Hewetson M, Pu00f6ytu00e4kangas MR.Infiltrative disease of the intestine is an important cause of weight loss in the horse. Infiltration of inflammatory or neoplastic cells into the intestinal wall and intestinal fibrosis cause changes in the integrity of the intestinal wall. This may lead to altered intestinal permeability which can be measured using the contrast medium iohexol. Objective: To determine if iohexol intestinal permeability, as evaluated by serum iohexol concentration, could be used to differentiate between healthy horses and horses with infiltrative disease of the large colon. Methods: Prospective non-randomised ...
Wilson G, Hill J, Sale C, Morton JP, Close GL.To test the hypothesis that daily weight-making is more problematic to health in male compared with female jockeys, we compared the bone density and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in weight-matched male and female Flat jockeys. RMR (kcal·kg(-1) lean mass) was lower in males compared with females as well as lower bone-density Z scores at the hip and lumbar spine. Data suggest the lifestyle of male jockeys compromise health more severely than females, possibly because of making weight more frequently.
Bockisch F, Aboling S, Coenen M, Vervuert I.Vitamin-D intoxication by yellow oat grass is often reported under the syndrome of enzootic calcinosis in ruminants in the upper regions of the Alps. The intake of Trisetum flavescens in ruminants and horses induces calcification of soft tissue, including vessels, tendons and ligaments, lung, heart and kidneys. Clinical symptoms, including a reluctance to move, inappetence, body-weight loss and impaired organ function, are frequently observed. To date, there are only a very few case reports about yellow-oat-grass intoxication in horses. The present case report describes Vitamin-D intoxication ...
Nawrocka D, Kornicka K, u015amieszek 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...
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...
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...
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, ...
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...
Lavoie JP, Drolet R, Parsons D, Leguillette R, Sauvageau R, Shapiro J, Houle L, Hallu00e9 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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
Argo CM, Curtis GC, Grove-White D, Dugdale AH, Barfoot CF, Harris PA.Evidence-based, weight loss management advice is required to address equine obesity. Changes in body mass (BM), body condition score (BCS), heart (HG) and belly circumference (BG), direct (ultrasonographic) and indirect (D(2)O dilution, bioelectrical impedance analysis [BIA]) measures of body fat as well as indices of insulin resistance (IR) were monitored in 12 overweight (BCS ≥ 7/9) horses and ponies of mixed breed and gender for 16 weeks. Animals were randomly assigned to two groups (Group 1, n=6, BCS 7.6/9 ± 0.6, 489 ± 184.6 kg; Group 2, n=6, BCS 8.1/9 ± 0.6, 479 ± 191.5 kg). Daily d...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.Over the past few years, cyathostomiasis has become increasingly recognized as a clinical problem of horses in the United States. Clinical cyathostomiasis has been reported frequently in Europe for a considerable time. This clinical syndrome is usually related to the sudden release of large numbers of the larval stages of small strongyles from the mucosa of the large intestine. Typical clinical signs include diarrhea, ventral abdominal edema, pyrexia, colic, weight loss, and poor body condition. Hypoalbuminemia and the presence of large numbers of small strongyles being passed in the feces are...
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 ...
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...
Pratt SM, Spier SJ, Carroll SP, Vaughan B, Whitcomb MB, Wilson WD.To determine clinical signs, results of diagnostic testing, and outcome in horses with internal Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 30 horses. Methods: Information pertaining to clinical data, results of diagnostic tests, and costs of hospitalization and treatment was extracted from medical records of affected horses. Results: Internal C. pseudotuberculosis infection was diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs, diagnostic imaging, and clinicopathologic data, including results of serologic tests and bacterial culture. The most common clinical si...
Stull CL.Nine trailer loads of horses (n = 306) transported to slaughter facilities with distances ranging 596 to 2,496 km were studied to characterize the type of horses used in commercial markets and the physiological responses and number of injuries due to transportation under summer environmental conditions. Slaughter horse candidates were middle-aged (11.4+/-.4 yr), possessed moderately fleshy body condition, weighed 432+/-3.3 kg, and were of Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred breeding. The mean weight loss during commercial transport was 4%. The percentage of injured horses was greater (P < .05) fo...
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...
Wallis N, Raffan E.Obesity is one of the most prevalent health conditions in humans and companion animals globally. It is associated with premature mortality, metabolic dysfunction, and multiple health conditions across species. Obesity is, therefore, of importance in the fields of medicine and veterinary medicine. The regulation of adiposity is a homeostatic process vulnerable to disruption by a multitude of genetic and environmental factors. It is well established that the heritability of obesity is high in humans and laboratory animals, with ample evidence that the same is true in companion animals. In this r...
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...
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...
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