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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Congenital heart defects in Arabian horses and the prospects...
Equine veterinary journal2024; doi: 10.1111/evj.14062

Congenital heart defects in Arabian horses and the prospects of genetic testing: A review.

Abstract: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) can have profound and potentially life-threatening consequences on horses' health and performance capability. While CHDs are rare in the general horse population, the Arabian breed is disproportionately overrepresented and thus is widely suspected to be genetically predisposed. This review discusses the most common CHDs in Arabian horses, including ventricular septal defect (VSD), tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), patent duct arteriosus (PDA), tricuspid valve atresia (TVA) and atrial septal defect (ASD). This review also explores how future research into the genetic factors that likely underpin many CHDs can revolutionise the way these disorders are managed in Arabian horses.
© 2024 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2024-01-25 PubMed ID: 38272847DOI: 10.1111/evj.14062Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article reviews congenital heart defects common in Arabian horses and discusses the potential benefits of studying genetic factors for better management of these disorders.

Common Heart Defects in Arabian Horses

  • The article outlines the most common Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs) seen in Arabian horses. These include Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), Patent Duct Arteriosus (PDA), Tricuspid Valve Atresia (TVA), and Atrial Septal Defect (ASD).
  • Each of these defects comes with its own set of challenges and threats to the overall health and performance capability of the horse. But irrespective of the specific CHD, the implications are often severe and sometimes life-threatening.

Genetic Predisposition in Arabian Horses

  • Despite CHDs being infrequent in the general horse population, they are disproportionately represented in the Arabian breed. The paper argues this overrepresentation is a strong indication of a genetic predisposition towards CHDs in Arabian horses.

Importance of Genetic Research

  • In the presence of a suspected genetic predisposition, the paper underscores the importance of further research into the genetic factors that could underlie these CHDs.
  • Such genetic research could uncover the specific genes responsible for the relative prevalence of these CHDs in Arabian horses. Understanding these genetic markers could revolutionise how these disorders are managed, potentially paving the way for early detection, treatment, or even prevention of these life-threatening defects.

Future Prospects

  • The paper concludes by raising the prospects of genetic testing as the potential future in managing CHDs in Arabian horses. If successful, genetic testing could help breeders in making informed choices and potentially minimize, if not eliminate, the risk of breeding Arabian horses with these genetic predispositions.

Cite This Article

APA
Brown C, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Decloedt A, Beijerink N, Hamilton NA, Velie BD. (2024). Congenital heart defects in Arabian horses and the prospects of genetic testing: A review. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14062

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Brown, Caitlin
  • Equine Genetics and Genomics Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Stefaniuk-Szmukier, Monika
  • Department of Animal Molecular Biology, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland.
Decloedt, Annelies
  • Equine Cardioteam Ghent, Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Beijerink, Niek
  • Veterinaire Specialisten Vught, Vught, The Netherlands.
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Hamilton, Natasha A
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Velie, Brandon D
  • Equine Genetics and Genomics Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

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