Subclinical diseases underlying poor performance in endurance horses: diagnostic methods and predictive tests.
Abstract: Thirty-eight endurance horses underwent clinical and ancillary examinations, including haematological and biochemical evaluation, standardised exercise tests both on a treadmill and in the field, Doppler echocardiography, impulse oscillometry, video endoscopy and collection of respiratory fluids. All of the examined poorly performing horses were affected by subclinical diseases, and most of them had multiple concomitant disorders. On the contrary, the well-performing horses were free of any subclinical disease. The most frequently diagnosed diseases were respiratory disorders, followed by musculoskeletal and cardiac problems. Poor performers exhibited lower speeds at blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l (VLA4) and at heart rates of 160 (V160) and 200 bpm (V200) on the treadmill and in the field, as well as slower recovery of heart rate.
Publication Date: 2011-07-27 PubMed ID: 21795311DOI: 10.1136/vr.d4142Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Animal Health
- Athletic Horses
- Athletic Performance
- Blood
- Cardiovascular Health
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Management
- Echocardiography
- Endurance
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Exercise Test
- Heart Rate
- Musculoskeletal System
- Respiratory Disease
Summary
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The research investigates the impact of subclinical diseases on the performance of endurance horses, finding that horses with lower performance often struggle with such conditions, the most common being respiratory, musculoskeletal, and cardiac problems.
Research Methodology
- Thirty-eight endurance horses were examined for this study, with their performance and overall health taken into consideration.
- The researchers applied a combination of clinical and ancillary examinations. These tests included hematological and biochemical evaluations, standardized exercise tests on treadmills and fields, Doppler echocardiography, impulse oscillometry, video endoscopy, and collection of respiratory fluids.
Research Findings
- Every poorly performing horse examined was discovered to have underlying subclinical diseases.
- Most of these poorly performing horses were found to have multiple concomitant disorders.
- In stark contrast, the horses with better performance were free from any detectable subclinical disease.
Common Conditions in Poorly Performing Horses
- From the tested group, the most frequently diagnosed health problems were respiratory disorders. These took precedence over other conditions, followed by musculoskeletal and cardiac problems.
- Poor performers also exhibited lower speeds at blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l (VLA4) and at heart rates of 160 (V160) and 200 bpm (V200) on both the treadmill and in the field.
- They likewise exhibited slower recovery of heart rate after exercise, indicating potential cardiovascular complications.
Implication of Findings
- The findings suggest that underlying subclinical diseases can significantly affect the performance of endurance horses.
- Early detection of these clinical conditions via comprehensive medical examinations can guide the treatment and management strategies, ultimately improving horse performance and welfare.
- The study exceptionalizes the health of horses as relating directly to their performance, shifting the focus towards preventive medicine and early detection in animal sports science.
Cite This Article
APA
Fraipont A, Van Erck E, Ramery E, Richard E, Denoix JM, Lekeux P, Art T.
(2011).
Subclinical diseases underlying poor performance in endurance horses: diagnostic methods and predictive tests.
Vet Rec, 169(6), 154.
https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.d4142 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Sports Medicine Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, B-4000 Liege, Belgium. audrey.fraipont@ulg.ac.be
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomarkers / blood
- Blood Gas Analysis / veterinary
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Heart Rate / physiology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Lactates / blood
- Male
- Musculoskeletal Diseases / diagnosis
- Musculoskeletal Diseases / epidemiology
- Musculoskeletal Diseases / physiopathology
- Musculoskeletal Diseases / veterinary
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Physical Endurance / physiology
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Prevalence
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / diagnosis
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / epidemiology
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / physiopathology
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Bollinger L, Bartel A, Weber C, Gehlen H. Pre-Ride Biomarkers and Endurance Horse Welfare: Analyzing the Impact of the Elimination of Superoxide Dismutase, δ-Aminolevulinic-Dehydratase, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances, Iron, and Serum Amyloid A Levels in Elite 160 km Endurance Rides.. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 17;13(10).
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Ferrucci F. Impact of Lower Airway Inflammation on Fitness Parameters in Standardbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 21;12(22).
- Bollinger L, Bartel A, Küper A, Weber C, Gehlen H. Age and Hydration of Competing Horses Influence the Outcome of Elite 160 km Endurance Rides.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:668650.
- Stucchi L, Alberti E, Stancari G, Conturba B, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. The Relationship between Lung Inflammation and Aerobic Threshold in Standardbred Racehorses with Mild-Moderate Equine Asthma.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jul 27;10(8).
- Kinnison T, Cardwell JM. Conflict Between Direct Experience and Research-Based Evidence Is a Key Challenge to Evidence-Based Respiratory Medicine on British Racing Yards.. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:266.
- Léguillette R, Bond SL, Lawlor K, Haan T, Weber LM. Comparison of physiological demands in Warmblood show jumping horses over a standardized 1.10 m jumping course versus a standardized exercise test on a track.. BMC Vet Res 2020 Jun 8;16(1):182.
- Rossi H, Virtala AM, Raekallio M, Rahkonen E, Rajamäki MM, Mykkänen A. Comparison of Tracheal Wash and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cytology in 154 Horses With and Without Respiratory Signs in a Referral Hospital Over 2009-2015.. Front Vet Sci 2018;5:61.
- Couëtil LL, Cardwell JM, Gerber V, Lavoie JP, Léguillette R, Richard EA. Inflammatory Airway Disease of Horses--Revised Consensus Statement.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Mar-Apr;30(2):503-15.
- Back H, Penell J, Pringle J, Isaksson M, Ronéus N, Treiberg Berndtsson L, Ståhl K. A longitudinal study of poor performance and subclinical respiratory viral activity in Standardbred trotters.. Vet Rec Open 2015;2(1):e000107.
- Valberg SJ, McKenzie EC, Eyrich LV, Shivers J, Barnes NE, Finno CJ. Suspected myofibrillar myopathy in Arabian horses with a history of exertional rhabdomyolysis.. Equine Vet J 2016 Sep;48(5):548-56.
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