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Journal of veterinary internal medicine2021; 35(5); 2427-2436; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16229

Effect of a long-term high-energy diet on cardiovascular parameters in Shetland pony mares.

Abstract: Changes in cardiovascular parameters, including blood pressure (BP) and cardiac anatomical dimensions, are an inconsistent feature of the equine metabolic syndrome. The order in which these changes arise is unknown. Objective: Determine the order in which EMS-associated changes in cardiovascular parameters arise. Methods: Twenty Shetland pony mares. Methods: High-energy (HE) diet mares were fed 200% of net energy requirements for 1 (n = 3) or 2 (n = 7) consecutive diet-years, with 17 weeks of hay-only between years. Noninvasive BP measurements and echocardiograms were performed during both years. Resting 24-hour ECGs and measurements of autonomic tone (splenic volume and packed cell volume [PCV]) were performed at the end of diet-year 1. Results were compared to control mares receiving a maintenance diet for 1 (n = 7) or 2 (n = 3) consecutive years. Results: In year 1, HE mares had significantly higher values than control mares for mean relative left ventricular wall thickness (P = .001). After 2 diet-years, mean systolic (P = .003), diastolic (P < .001) and mean arterial BP (P = .001), heart rate (HR; P < .001), and mean left ventricular wall thickness (P = .001) also were significantly increased in HE compared to control mares. No pathological arrhythmias or differences in splenic volume or PCV were detected. Conclusions: Ingesting a HE diet first induced minor changes in BP, and progressed to left-sided cardiac hypertrophy in Shetland pony mares. These findings are of interest given the increasing incidence of obesity in horses.
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2021-08-05 PubMed ID: 34350640PubMed Central: PMC8478035DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16229Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research examines how a long-term high-energy (HE) diet influences cardiovascular parameters in Shetland pony mares, finding that such a diet first leads to minor changes in blood pressure (BP), and then to left-sided cardiac hypertrophy.

Study Objective

  • The primary objective of this research was to figure out the chronology of changes in cardiovascular parameters related to Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), a condition similar to metabolic syndrome in humans. This is achieved by observing the effects of a long-term high-energy diet on Shetland pony mares.

Methods

  • Twenty Shetland pony mares participated in the research. Some were fed a high-energy diet providing 200% of their net energy requirements for one or two consecutive years, with 17 weeks of hay-only diet in between the years. This group is referred to as the HE diet group.
  • The others were maintained on a diet suitable for their needs for one or two consecutive years. They are considered the control group.
  • During both years, researchers carried out noninvasive BP measurements and echocardiograms. At the end of the first diet year, resting 24-hour ECGs and measures of autonomic tone (i.e., splenic volume and packed cell volume [PCV]) were also performed.

Results

  • In the first year of the diet, the mares on the high-energy diet had significantly higher relative left ventricular wall thickness compared to the control group.
  • By the end of the second year of the diet, the HE diet group showed significantly increased mean systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP, heart rate, and left ventricular wall thickness than the control group.
  • Despite these changes, no pathological arrhythmias or distinctions in splenic volume or PCV were found.

Conclusion

  • The research concludes that consuming a high-energy diet initially causes minor changes in BP and then leads to left-sided cardiac hypertrophy in Shetland pony mares. Considering the rising incidence of obesity in horses, this is crucial information. It suggests that a diet high in energy could put equines at risk of developing heart disease.

Cite This Article

APA
D' Fonseca NMM, Beukers M, Wijnberg ID, Navas de Solis C, de Ruijter-Villani M, van Doorn DA, Stout TAE, Roelfsema E. (2021). Effect of a long-term high-energy diet on cardiovascular parameters in Shetland pony mares. J Vet Intern Med, 35(5), 2427-2436. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16229

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 35
Issue: 5
Pages: 2427-2436

Researcher Affiliations

D' Fonseca, Nicky M M
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Beukers, Martjin
  • Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Wijnberg, Inge D
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Navas de Solis, Cristobal
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
de Ruijter-Villani, Marta
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
van Doorn, David A
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  • Division of Nutrition, Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Stout, Tom A E
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Roelfsema, Ellen
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Female
  • Heart Rate
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Metabolic Syndrome / veterinary
  • Obesity / veterinary

Grant Funding

  • 317146 / FP7 People: Marie-Curie Actions
  • PAVO

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Matos JI, Pitti L, Parra-Quijano M, Arencibia A, Ramírez G, Díaz-Bertrana ML. Integrative anatomical and two-dimensional ultrasonographic assessment of the heart in Shetland ponies. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1721000.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1721000pubmed: 41624284google scholar: lookup
  2. Hartwig S, Rankovic A, McCrae P, Gagliardi K, Burron S, Ellis J, Ma DWL, Shoveller AK. The effects of a plant-based and a plant- and marine-based n-3 oil supplement on behavioral reactivity, heart rate variability, and plasma fatty acid profile in young healthy horses. J Anim Sci 2025 Jan 4;103.
    doi: 10.1093/jas/skaf117pubmed: 40202435google scholar: lookup
  3. Williams NJ, Furr M, Navas de Solis C, Campolo A, Davis M, Lacombe VA. Investigating the Relationship Between Cardiac Function and Insulin Sensitivity in Horses: A Pilot Study. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:899951.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.899951pubmed: 35873691google scholar: lookup
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