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Simple Summary: Horses worldwide are plagued by gastrointestinal parasites that can lead to severe health problems. The occurrence and intensity of these worm infections vary based on the geographical location, season, and animal management strategies applied. One of these strategies is to monitor the parasite situation in different parts of the world. This research investigates the abundance, proportions, and risk factors of strongyle egg shedding of horses in Italy. Overall, the results showed that approximately 40% of all horses in Italy shed strongyle eggs and that almost 90% of stables have at least one infected animal. In addition, most parasite eggs are found in just a small fraction of the horse population, confirming the need for improved parasite control strategies. Current equine helminth control strategies play a key role in strongyle epidemiology and anthelmintic resistance and have led to the recommendation for new treatment plans, which include diagnostic and efficacy surveillance. Assessing the equine strongyle distribution patterns would thus be useful and this study describes the strongyle prevalence in the equine population in Italy through coprological analysis and coproculture. In addition, individual data on each animal were collected in order to identify risk factors associated with strongyle egg shedding. Of the total number of stables investigated, 86.4% were found to have at least one positive animal and a 39.5% prevalence of strongyle egg shedding with a mean eggs per gram (EPG) of 245. A total of 80% of the total recorded EPG was shed from 12.8% of positive horses, thus confirming the need for new targeted intervention strategies. Significant differences in parasite prevalence were found based on season, sex, geographical distribution, management and rearing system, and breed. Significantly lower EPG values were found in horses that had received anthelmintic treatment, and macrocyclic lactones (MLs) were the most effective. Lastly, although large strongyles are more pathogenic, horses in Italy are mainly burdened by small strongyles, which pose an important animal health risk requiring continuous parasitological monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aim of this literature review was to summarize the current knowledge on the application of ultrasonography in diagnosis, staging and monitoring of helminthic diseases in domestic animals. We selected and analyzed 122 papers about the application of ultrasonography in parasitic disease in ruminants, equids, swine, and companion animals. Helminths can be recognized in ultrasound images by their morphology, size, and location. In some cases, the parasites are not directly seen by ultrasound, but the lesions caused by them can be easily visualized. Ultrasound imaging is taking on an increasingly important role in veterinary parasitology. The aim of this review was to summarize the current knowledge on the application of ultrasonography in diagnosis, staging and monitoring of helminthic diseases in domestic animals. Only peer reviewed papers written in English language were included in this systematic review. All papers concerning unicellular parasites, wild animals, non-domestic experimental animals, or ex vivo or in vitro applications of ultrasonography were excluded from the review. A total of 122 papers met the inclusion criteria. Among them 47% concerned nematodes, 37% cestodes, and 16% trematodes with the genus Dirofilaria, Echinococcus, and Fasciola the most represented, respectively. Helminths can be recognized in ultrasound images by their morphology, size, and location. In some cases, the parasite stages are not directly seen by ultrasound, but the lesions caused by them can be easily visualized. Ultrasound imaging is taking on an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, staging, monitoring, and control of parasitic diseases in veterinary medicine. However, it cannot replace the clinical approach and the diagnostic tests commonly used in veterinary parasitology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The nutritional management of gestating animals requires the adequate provision of nutrients and energy through the diet and an appropriate drinking water supply. While those are the basic principles to ensure proper feeding of pregnant animals, the fate of nutrients in the post absorption stage, with consequent distribution and delivery to key organs, appears to be pivotal for their optimal utilization. Besides, the augmented nutrient and energy requirements of the mother/fetus binomial justify the monitoring of metabolic conditions, crucial for correct nutritional assessment. In this regard, levels of serum protein fractions (SPF) circulating in the bloodstream of gestating animals are known to shift across the different phases of pregnancy in several animal species, including in women. In fact, some of these serum proteins serve as carriers for a series of molecules of strategic importance in the metabolic crosstalk between the mother and the developing fetus. The literature regarding SPF levels in pregnant jennies appears to be limited at present. Results from the monitoring of SPF in pregnant Sardo breed jennies at early-, mid-, and late gestation are reported here. A viable tool for the monitoring of the systemic condition of the pregnant jenny may be the determination of serum protein fraction (SPF) levels, including metabolic profiling. Tissue development and composition of the growing fetus requires the mother to provide adequate nutrients to its body parts and organs. In this regard, body fluid distribution and strategic molecule transportation can be screened using SPF electropherograms and analysis of intermediate metabolites. The nutritional and health status of 12 jennies (age: 5–8 years; BW at the start: 135–138 kg; Body Condition Score, BCS [1 to 5 points] = 2.25–2.50; 4th month of gestation) were monitored throughout gestation (approximate gestation period 350–356 d). All animals were pasture-fed and were offered hay ad libitum. Individual blood samples were collected within the 4th, 7th, and 10th month following conception (ultrasound scanning). Serum biochemistry, in particular, the analysis of 6 fractions of serum proteins was carried out. The significant decrease in circulating albumin in jennies from mid- to late-gestation (p < 0.001) suggests a considerable role of dietary amino acids in the synthesis of protein for fetal tissue formation as well as body fluid distribution and blood pressure control of the jenny in those stages. Moreover, α1-globulin decreased significantly in late gestation (p < 0.047), corresponding to major organ development in the terminal fetus and supported by lipid transportation in the bloodstream of the jenny. Similarly, α2-globulin decreased in late gestation (p < 0.054) as haptoglobin, an important component for the transport of free circulating hemoglobin, is likely used for fetal synthesis. Mid-gestation, appears to be a crucial moment for adequate dietary nutrient supplementation in order to prevent homeostasis perturbation of jennies, as observed in this trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]