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Weaning is a development stage that brings maternal independence, change of management and feeding, leading to immune deficit. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hematological and biochemical parameters of foals in weaning phase after intravenous administration of hyperimmune plasma (1 mL/Kg) in low dose. Ten foal weaned from the Mangalarga Machador breed were used, being divided in control (GC; n=5) and treated group (GT; n=5). The results obtained show that hematological and biochemical parameters of foals that received low doses of hyperimmune plasma were within the reference range for the equine species.

Summary Mycobacterial infections are rare in horses, donkeys and mules. Although there are a few reports in horses, mycobacterial disease is poorly documented in the donkey. Mycobacterial infection of equine species typically affects the alimentary tract, causing granulomatous enterocolitis resulting in diarrhoea and chronic weight loss, while lymph nodes and liver may also be affected. We now document recurrent oesophageal obstruction, secondary to cranial mediastinal lymphadenitis caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MAC infection in a donkey in the UK.

Nutritional supplements are widely used in the equine industry with the aim of improving horse health, sports or reproductive performances. Over the years, a number of studies have focused on investigating the effects of several dietary compounds on the quality and preservation of stallion semen. This paper reviews the literature available on the use of nutritional supplementation for the improvement of reproductive performance and semen quality in equine species, critically appraising the benefits and negative effects of several compounds found in complementary feeds such as PUFAs from different sources, vitamins and antioxidants, carnitine and botanical extracts. Different nutraceuticals have been highlighted to improve stallion fertility by providing optimal levels of antioxidants, with the most promising results obtained by the combination of PUFAs and antioxidants that resulted to be essential for the maintenance of normal reproductive functions and the reduction of cryodamage in cooled and frozen equine semen.

Maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) is a process by which an early conceptus signals its presence to the maternal system and prevents the lysis of the corpus luteum, thus ensuring a maternal milieu supportive of pregnancy continuation. It is a fundamental aspect of reproductive biology, yet in the horse, the mechanism underlying MRP remains unknown. This review seeks to address some of the controversies surrounding the evidence and theories of MRP in the equine species, such as the idea that the horse does not conform to the MRP paradigm established in other species or that equine MRP involves a mechanical, rather than chemical, signal. The review examines the challenges of studying this particularly clandestine phenomenon along with the new tools in scientific research that will drive this quest forward in coming years, and discusses the value of knowledge gleaned along this path in the context of clinical applications for improving breeding outcomes in the horse industry.

Haemoprotozoan infections causes devasting loss to the livestock population through mortality and morbidity thereby reducing their production and lowered working efficiency. The present study was conducted to investigate the haemoprotozoan infection in equines in the district Larkana in northern Sindh, Pakistan. A total of 300 blood samples were collected from different species of equines in various localities of Larkana. The study was carried on stray and reared equines, including horses, donkeys and mules. The overall prevalence rate of protozoan infection in equines was found as 23.33% (70 animals) at different talukas/tehsils of district Larkana. Equine species wise haemoprotozoan infection was recorded as 7.69%, 24.11% and 20% in horses, donkeys and mules, respectively. Overall age-wise protozoan prevalence was determined as 18.5% in below 2 year and 23.80% in above 2 years age group. Whereas, in horses the infection rate was noted as 7.69% in above 2 years age group. The donkeys, above 2 years age group were susceptible for haemoprotozoan infections, which was recorded as 24.70% as compared to below 2 years age group (18.51%). In case of mules, the infection rate was recorded as 20% in above 2 years of age group. Overall gender-wise protozoan prevalence was found 43.46% in male equines, whereas in female, it was 21.73%. Equine species wise infection was recorded high in male of horses (9.09%), donkeys (24.13%) and mule (20%) as compared to female horses (0%), donkeys (23.80%) and mule (0%). Housing wise prevalence was recorded as high (51.51%) in chhapra than open (15.97%) and paka (24.39%).The management wise infection was recorded as 100% in stray equines as compared to reared ones (22.81%). The current study provides a baseline data on the prevalence of haemoprotozoans in equines in northern Sindh which may be helpful in designing control strategies for infectious diseases in equines.

Colic horses show systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) clinical signs. Procalcitonin (PCT) showed increased circulating levels in sick horses. This study compares plasma PCT concentrations in healthy vs. SIRS negative/positive colic horses over time, and evaluates PCT and SIRS score potential correlation, to verify the usefulness of PCT for the evaluation of SIRS severity. Ninety-one horses were included, 43/91 were healthy, on basis of physical examination, blood work and SIRS score (score = 0), while 48/91 were sick colic horses, classified as SIRS-negative (score &lt, 2) and positive (score ≥ 2). Moreover, a 0–6 point-scale SIRS score was calculated (assessing mucous membrane color and blood lactate concentration). PCT was evaluated at admission, and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, using a commercial kit for equine species. We verified by the ANOVA test PCT differences between healthy vs. colic horses, healthy vs. SIRS-negative or SIRS-positive colic horses, at all sampling times, and the correlation between the SIRS score at admission with the SIRS score. Statistically significant differences were detected between healthy vs. all colic horses and between healthy vs. SIRS-positive or negative horses at all sampling times. No correlation was observed between the SIRS score at admission and PCT values. PCT was statistically higher in colic horses compared to the healthy ones, suggesting a role as a biomarker for colic.

By exploring the various approaches that artists employed to represent the equine species, Chapter Four will seek to identify how donkeys have been subjected to speciesism. Considered utilitarian, difficult to manage and legendarily stubborn, donkeys have been seen as less desirable aesthetically in stature, as pets, and in myth and lore, thereby being disposed to over work, arduous transport, and implorable human labor conditions. Demonstrating resistance versus yielding behaviors to various human endeavors, donkeys have been perceived as vacillating, weak-willed, corruptible, or cowardly, rendering them as marginalized and in gendered terms. The visual representation of donkeys contributed firstly to the cultural indifference toward them and secondly to their subjugation. Later, artists such as Theodore Gericault and Rosa Bonheur may have influenced the humane and ethical changes necessary for donkey reform in the romantic depictions of the equine species.

The physiological role of L-carnitine in equine species is worthy of investigation; however, the systemic content of free L-carnitine and its dynamic change in growing foals as well as in exercising horses are still poorly investigated. In this study, the influence of age and exercise on free serum L-carnitine levels was evaluated in equine species. Ten foals were monitored from 6 up to 18 months of age (group 1), whereas 60 horses were divided in six groups in accordance with their age: group 2, 2-year-old; group 3, 3-year-old; group 4, 4-year-old; group 5, 5-year-old; group 6, 6-year-old; group 7, 7-year-old. To assess the age and sex effect on free serum L-carnitine values, blood samples were collected from foals and horses. Adult horses (groups 2–7) were subjected to a simulate 1,660-m race, and blood samples were collected before the simulate race (TPRE), within 10 minutes (TPOST10) from the end of race, and after 30 minutes (TPOST30) from the end of race. The amino acid levels were influenced by age (P

Os antiinflamatórios não esteroidais (AINE's), por serem comercializados, suprimidos-se entre os medicamentos mais prescritos no mundo, possuindo ação anti-inflamatória, analgésica e antipirética por inibição das prostaglandinas mediante bloqueio das cicloxigenases (COX). Atualmente sabe-se da existência de três enzimas COX com ações distintas. Postulou-se que as propriedades farmacológicas dos AINE's decorrem principalmente da ação inibitória da COX-2, enquanto que as reações adversas são geradas da inibição da COX-1, criando subgrupos de AINE's: preferenciais, seletivos e não seletivos para COX-2. A introdução dos inibidores da COX-2 na prática clínica visa manter a eficácia antiinflamatória sem os efeitos adversos indesejáveis. Todavia, estudos comprovados toxidade associada ao seu uso. Objetivou-se com este trabalho levantar informações sobre os efeitos do uso prolongado de inibidores da COX-2 na espécie de AINE. Para isso, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica buscando estudos sobre os efeitos do uso de inibidores da COX-2 em cavalos. Foi observado que esta classe de medicamentos diversos efeitos tóxicos para uma espécie, principalmente em situações onde existiram sobredosagens, uso por tempo prolongado e associação com outros AINE's. São necessárias para o controle de comercialização desses fármacos. A escolha do fármaco no tratamento deve ser individualizada a cada paciente, levando em consideração seus fatores de risco e benefícios. Seu uso de forma racional é um importante aliado dos clínicos veterinários na promoção da saúde e bem-estar-animal.

OBJECTIVE To describe an animal health database used to facilitate effective disaster response and retrospective analysis of data concerning animals other than cats and dogs affected by the 2018 California Camp Fire. ANIMALS Veterinary medical entries (n = 206) for evacuated or rescued animals (151) of various species, including avian, bovine, camelid, caprine, equine, ovine, and porcine species, temporarily housed at the Butte County fairgrounds in Gridley, Calif. PROCEDURES Case data were collected via a standardized form by volunteers with the University of California-Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team during triage and treatment of animals brought to the shelter. Collected data were entered into a database. Multiple correspondence analysis was used to evaluate associations among patient species, types and severity of injuries, and behavior. RESULTS Burns, respiratory disease, gastrointestinal illnesses, and lacerations were the most prevalent illnesses and injuries among the overall shelter population for the first 12 days of the Camp Fire. Ovine patients were more likely to have had respiratory illness than were other species. The most prevalent medical conditions among equine patients were lacerations and gastrointestinal illnesses. Severe burns were most common among porcine, camelid, and avian patients. The temporal distribution of cases suggested the immediate evacuation of equine species and the delayed movement of bovine and avian species to the shelter. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Collection of animal health information through the database allowed assessment of prevalent medical conditions among various farm animals following a wildfire. Adaptation of this database to other disasters could improve emergency response protocols by providing guidance for management of resources and allow retrospective assessment for response improvement.

Tractography, a noninvasive technique tracing brain pathways from diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) data, is increasingly being used for brain investigation of domestic mammals. In the equine species, such a technique could be useful to improve our knowledge about structural connectivity or to assess structural changes of white matter tracts potentially associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The goals of the present study were to establish the feasibility of DTI tractography in the equine brain and to provide a morphologic description of the most representative tracts in this species. Postmortem DTI and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) of an equine brain were acquired with a 3-T system using a head coil. Association, commissural, and projection fibers, the three fiber groups typically investigated in tractography studies, were successfully reconstructed and overlaid on SWI or fractional anisotropy maps. The fibers derived from DTI correlate well with their description in anatomical textbooks. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using postmortem DTI data to reconstruct the main white matter tracts of the equine brain. Further DTI acquisitions and corresponding dissections of equine brains will be necessary to validate these findings and create an equine stereotaxic white matter atlas that could be used in future neuroimaging research.

Background: Compared to horses and ponies, donkeys have increased degradation of dietary fiber. The longer total mean retention time of feed in the donkey gut has been proposed to be the basis of this, because of the increased time available for feed to be acted upon by enzymes and the gut microbiota. However, differences in terms of microbial concentrations and/or community composition in the hindgut may also underpin this. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine the effect of equine type on the faecal microbiota of three types of domesticated equines: pony, donkey and pony × donkey hybrid (i.e. mule/hinny).Results: Equine type had no significant effect on faecal dry matter content or faecal concentrations of bacteria, archaea and anaerobic fungi. However, equine type did significantly affect the faecal community composition of prokaryotes and anaerobic fungi. Two bacterial genera were significantly higher in donkey compared to both pony and pony x donkey: Lachnoclostridium 10 and ‘probable genus 10’ from the Lachnospiraceae family. Equine type also significantly affected the anaerobic fungal community composition. Piromyces was significantly lower in donkey compared to pony × donkey, with pony not significantly differing from either equine type. In contrast, the uncultivated genus SK3 was only found in donkey (4 of the 8 animals), and not at all in pony or pony × donkey. Anaerobic fungal diversity, as indicated by the number of OTUs, was also significantly higher in donkey, with no significant differences found between pony and pony × donkey.Conclusions: Donkey faecal microbiota differed from that of both pony and pony × donkey. These differences related to an increase in the relative abundance and diversity of taxa with known, or speculated, roles in plant material degradation. These findings are consistent with the previously reported increased fiber degradation in donkeys compared to ponies, and suggests that the hindgut microbiota play a role as well as differences in total retention time of feed. This offers novel opportunities to generate more energy from dietary fiber, decreasing the need for energy dense feeds which are a risk factor for gut-mediated disease.

The efficiency of a culture system is related to the elaboration and replacement of a medium with conditions suitable for follicular development. Recent investigations suggested that in vitro culture medium should be replaced after specific time periods in various species. However, the suitable interval for the exchange of in vitro culture medium has not yet been established in equine species. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of medium exchange intervals of 24 hours (T24) or 48 hours (T48) for in vitro culture of preantral follicles at 2 or 6 days. At the end of the culture period, the fragments were processed using classical histology. Equine preantral follicles were classified according to morphological integrity and developmental stage. Data analysis was performed using Fisher’s test with a significance level of p0.05). Compared to the medium replacement at six days of culture, there was a statistically significant difference for T24 (68.9%, p

This work represents the first contribution for the application of the video image analysis (VIA) technology in predicting lean meat and fat composition in the equine species. Images of left sides of the carcass (n=42) were captured from the dorsal, lateral and medial views using a high-resolution digital camera. A total of 41 measurements (angles, lengths, widths and areas) were obtained by VIA. The variation of percentage of lean meat obtained from the forequarter (FQ) and hindquarter (HQ) carcass ranged between 5.86% and 7.83%. However, the percentage of fat (FAT) obtained from the FQ and HQ carcass presented a higher variation (CV between 41.34% and 44.58%). By combining different measurements and using prediction models with cold carcass weight (CCW) and VIA measurement the coefficient of determination (k-fold-R 2) were 0.458 and 0.532 for FQ and HQ, respectively. On the other hand, employing the most comprehensive model (CCW plus all VIA measurements), the k-fold-R 2 increased from 0.494 to 0.887 and 0.513 to 0.878 with respect to the simplest model (only with CCW), while precision increased with the reduction in the root mean square error (2.958 to 0.947 and 1.841 to 0.787) for the hindquarter fat and lean percentage, respectively. With CCW plus VIA measurements is possible to explain the wholesale value cuts yield variation (k-fold-R 2 between 0.533 and 0.889). Overall, the VIA technology performed in the present study could be considered as an accurate method to assess the horse carcass composition which could have a role in breeding programmes and research studies to assist in the development of a value-based marketing system for horse carcass.

Rhodococcus hoagii (formerly Rhodococcus equi), originally isolated from equine species, is primarily transmitted through inhalation of contaminated aerosols such as dust and even breath of infected livestock. Pasteurella multocida is a common cause of cellulitis secondary to canine and feline bites. These are 2 zoonotic microbes that can present with potentially life-threatening, systematic illness in immunocompromised patients. In this brief report, we delineate the clinical course of a 42-year-old post-operative patient (status post-elective exploratory laparotomy, extensive adhesiolysis, and excision of enterocutaneous fistula with creation of an end ileostomy) who developed multiple infections involving these two zoonotic microbes. The patient is an enthusiast of exotic animals with an extensive occupational history as a zookeeper. She was determined to be HIV negative but has a significant history of Crohn’s disease managed with systemic immunosuppressive therapy. This case highlights her unusual constellation of post-operative infections and her subsequent medical management.

O abdome agudo na espécie equina é considerado uma emergência, sendo de grandeimportância a determinação precoce da necessidade ou não da intervenção cirúrgica comomedida terapêutica. Os objetivos dessa descrição de casos foram: identificar quais os achadosultrassonográficos (US) que auxiliam na determinação do paciente clínico ou cirúrgico, qual apossibilidade de identificação da causa da cólica e expor as dificuldades de execução datécnica. Foi realizado um estudo prospectivo observacional para análise ultrassonograficatransabdominal em 16 equinos com sinais de dor abdominal aguda. Um aparelho portátil dealta resolução, acoplado a um transdutor convexo multifrequencial de 2,5 a 5,0 MHz foiutilizado. Como resultados verificou-se que o exame US transabdominal contribuiu para adeterminação da conduta a ser adotada em todos os casos. Propiciando o diagnóstico final,detectando achados sugestivos de processo obstrutivo ou descartando-o. Os achadosimportantes para tomada de decisão e que indicam processo obstrutivo foram: a identificaçãode anormalidades na topografia intestinal, alterações de motilidade e grau de distençãointestinal, principalmente em intestino delgado, alterações no conteúdo intraluminal e emalguns casos do espessamento de parede intestinal. A atitude do animal em resposta a dor,como agitação/excitação, tremores musculares e eventualmente o tipo de conteúdointraluminal são alguns fatores que podem prejudicar a análise. Concluiu-se que o exame UStransabdominal auxilia na determinação da próxima conduta a ser adotada, cirúrgica ouclínico dos animais com síndrome cólica.

A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2016 to May 2017 in selected districts of Northwest Ethiopia (Jawi, South Achefer, Dembecha and Jabitehenan) with the aim of determining the prevalence of bovine and equine trypanosomosis, estimating the apparent density of vectors and assessing the effectiveness of control measures of the disease. A total of 1257 animals of which 803 bovine and 454 equine were examined for the determination of prevalence using blood sample collected from ear vein of animals. The buffy coat technique was employed to determine the prevalence and the packed cell volume (PCV) value. During sampling animals were categorized into age, body condition score, sex and hair coat color. A total of 40 monoconical traps 10 per district were deployed to estimate the apparent density of vectors. To assess control measures representative number of farmers were interviewed with a prepared questionnaire and using secondary data from veterinary offices. The overall prevalence of trypanosomosis was 7.47% and 4.40% for bovine and equine species, respectively. The prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis was 9.46%, 6.13%, 8.11% and 5.98% while prevalence in equine was 7.8%, 5.3%, 2.7% and 1.8% in Jawi, South Achefer, Dembecha and Jabitehenan districts, respectively. Significance differences in the prevalence of trypanosomosis were observed in hair coat color, age and body condition score in bovine while only body condition was significant in equine. The mean PCV value of parasitemic animals was significantly (P

Background Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a major equine acute phase protein and of great value in detection and monitoring of inflammation. A new immunoturbidometric assay based on monoclonal antibodies (VET-SAA, Eiken Chemical Co., Japan) may be useful for SAA measurements in routine diagnostic laboratories. The aim of the study was to validate the VET-SAA immunoturbidometric assay and use it to measure serum SAA concentrations in a variety of clinical cases. Precision was assessed by intra- and interassay coefficients of variation of repeated measurements of serum pools (low, intermediate, high concentrations of SAA). Accuracy was estimated by linearity under dilution. Detection limit was determined by replicate determinations of ionized water. Measurements were compared to measurements performed in a previously validated SAA assay (LZSAA assay, Eiken Chemical Co., Japan). Subsequently, the VET-SAA assay was used for measuring serum SAA concentrations in horses with and without inflammation. Results Detection limit was 1.2 mg/L. Without modifications, the assay measured SAA concentrations with acceptable reliability in a broad concentration range (0 to > 6000 mg/L). In the 0–3000 mg/L range, the assay demonstrated good precision and accuracy, and concentrations correlated well with those obtained in the LZSAA assay, albeit with a slight systematic bias. Concentrations of SAA assessed in horses with and without inflammation followed the expected pattern, with significantly higher concentrations in horses with systemic inflammation than in healthy horses and horses with non-inflammatory disease. Conclusions The assay was unique in its ability to measure SAA concentrations with acceptable reliability over an extreme concentration range. This is relevant in the equine species, where SAA concentrations may reach very high concentrations.

Simple Summary In recent years, the sensitivity and interest of veterinary practitioners and owners both for elderly pets and for those suffering from chronic or degenerative diseases, has increased considerably. As for the horse, both the progression of age, or an intense sport activity, are accompanied by the onset of chronic arthritic forms that affect the animal welfare and significantly limit its movements. To date, the available drugs cannot eradicate the causes of these diseases, whose symptoms are usually treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs, although extremely effective, due to the side effects, can only be used for short periods of time. As an alternative to these treatments, we investigated here the use of a natural product, the extract of Indian celery seeds, that in humans is employed as a supplement with anti-inflammatory properties, for long lasting treatments of chronic osteo-arthropathies. The improvements obtained and the lack of side effects for prolonged treatments, suggest that also in the equine species the Indian celery seed extract can be successfully administered to ameliorate both well-being and quality of life of subjects suffering from chronic joint diseases. Abstract The extract of the seeds from Indian celery, Apium greaveolens (CSE), tested in experimental animals (rodents), and in humans affected by chronic osteoarthritic diseases, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects that can be compared, to some degree, to those of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). In view of a potential use of CSE in the equine species, it was tested on horses affected by chronic articular pathologies. The trial was performed on 20 horses divided into three different groups, orally treated with 0 (controls), 7.0 or 30 g of CSE BID. Basic orthopedic examinations were conducted, vital signs were observed, and blood samples collected. Improvement was observed at the highest dosage tested (30 g of CSE BID), as reflected in the score values of three clinical parameters, (i) amplitude and (ii) sensitivity to passive flexion and (iii) flexion test. Since the improvement of these parameters can be correlated with a lower perception of the pain, the present data suggest that the CSE treatment can have an analgesic effect in horses affected by chronic osteoarthritic diseases.

La vía intranasal es reconocida en medicina humana como una vía muy promisoria para la administración sistémica y cerebral de fármacos. Es una vía de administración indolora, incruenta, económica y práctica. Por sus características, es muy útil para la aplicación de fármacos en pacientes con alteraciones orales, con diarrea o que no cooperen. Además, es una potencial vía directa al sistema nervioso central (SNC). Su uso en medicina veterinaria es muy raro, salvo para la administración de tratamientos locales. En la especie equina, aun cuando no hay estudios completos y profundos sobre las características anatomofisiológicas de la cavidad nasal, su gran superficie e irrigación (área potencial de absorción) permiten inferir su viabilidad para la administración sistémica de fármacos. En el presente artículo se discuten las características de la cavidad nasal de los equinos en relación a las diversas vías de absorción sistémica y del transporte nariz-cerebro de fármacos, así como las potenciales aplicaciones de esta vía de administración., The intranasal route is recognized as a very promising route for the systemic and cerebral administration of drugs in human medicine. It is a painless, noninvasive, economical, and practical administration route. Due to its characteristics, it is very useful for the application of drugs in noncooperative patients, as well as those with oral alterations or diarrhoea or, being a potential direct route to the central nervous system (CNS). However, its use in veterinary medicine is very rare, except for the administration of local treatments. Even though there are no complete and thorough studies on the anatomophysiological characteristics of the nasal cavity in the equine species, its large surface area and irrigation and consequent potential absorption area suggest a promising alternative for the systemic administration of drugs. In the present article, the characteristics of the nasal cavity of horses in relation to the various routes of systemic absorption and nosebrain passage of drugs are discussed, as well as the potential applications of this route of administration., Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias

A atividade assistida por animais (AAA) é utilizada como uma interação alternativa as terapias tradicionais, na qual o animal é usado como mediador para estabelecer relações informais com fins recreativos e de entretenimento. Assim, desenvolveu-se este estudo com objetivo analisar a interação entre treze pessoas diagnosticadas com transtornos mentais e a espécie equina, dentro do contexto de atividades assistidas por animais, em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde na cidade de Pelotas-RS. As atividades foram divididas em dois momentos: encontros presenciais utilizando dois equinos selecionados e treinados, e encontros remotos através de plataforma digital durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Durante os encontros, presencias e virtuais, foram observados comportamentos e reações dos pacientes e questionamentos sobre suas percepções das atividades. Fizeram parte das avaliações também a equipe de saúde da Unidade e os próprios participantes. Com essa experiência foi possível observar que a intervenção foi positiva para os pacientes, demonstrando a importância dos equinos como mediadores na comunicação e interação social dos participantes com transtornos psiquiátricos. Assim, a atividade assistida por equinos mostrou-se uma potencial alternativa terapêutica em diferentes serviços de saúde mental.

Management of excessive feral horse (Equus ferus caballus) and burro (Equus asinus) populations in the United States and globally has been a controversial subject for decades. I reviewed all available US federal feral horse and burro daily gather reports from 2010 to 2019 to extract equine species, technique (bait trapping or helicopter gathering), reason (emergency or other), number gathered, number of mortalities, and mortality attributes (acute or chronic/pre-existing condition, specific cause). I found 70 reports (bait trapping burros n = 10, bait trapping horses n = 24, helicopter gathering horses n = 21) from 9 states (AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WY) representing 28,821 horses and 2,005 burros. For bait trapping, 100 animals died (4 burros, 96 horses) with 16 acute causes (1 burro, 15 horses) and 84 chronic/pre-existing causes (3 burros, 81 horses). For helicopter gathering, 268 horses died with 62 acute causes and 206 chronic/pre-existing causes. Mortality ratios did not differ by capture technique (P > .05) for broken necks, emaciation, acute causes, or chronic/pre-existing causes. The most common mortality-causing problems were structural deformations, club foot, blindness, and emaciation. The more horses gathered per day resulted in a greater proportion of chronic/pre-existing mortalities for both trapping techniques, but only an increase of acute mortalities for helicopter gathering. The slope suggests 1 acute mortality for every 300 horses gathered. The capture mortality rate across all gathers [1.1% (368 mortalities out of 30,826 horses and burros captured)] is below a general threshold of 2% suggested for wildlife studies.

BackgroundMules and other equine species have been used in warfare for thousands of years to transport goods and supplies. Mules are known for ‘braying’, which is disadvantageous in warfare operations. This article explores the fascinating development of surgical techniques to stop military mules from braying, with particular emphasis on the key role played by the otolaryngologist Arthur James Moffett in devoicing the mules of the second Chindit expedition of World War II.MethodThe PubMed database (1900–2017) and Google search engine were used to identify articles related to devoicing mules in the medical and veterinary literature, along with information and images on the Chindit expedition.ResultsThis paper reviews the surgical techniques aimed at treating braying in mules, ranging from ventriculectomy and arytenoidectomy to Moffett's approach of vocal cordectomy.ConclusionMoffett's technique of vocal cordectomy provided a quick, reproducible and safe solution for devoicing mules. It proved to be advantageous on the battlefield and demonstrated his achievements outside the field of medicine.

Internal parasites directly affect the health and production of working equines, which contributes to the reduction in their work output and ultimately in the income of the owner and the community. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to April 2017 in and around Guder town, west Shewa, central Ethiopia to estimate the prevalence of equine internal parasites and assess the potential associated risk factors. A total of 384 faecal samples from equine species (152 donkeys, 107 horses, 125 mules) were collected and examined for the presence of eggs of parasites using standard coprological methods. Out of these, 341(88.8%) equines were found positive for one or more internal parasites. The prevalence of internal parasites in donkeys, horses, and mules was 95.4%, 89.7%, and 80% respectively.Out of 341 positive samples, the species of parasites found were Strongylus spp. (40.8%), Parascaris equorum , (25.5%), Oxyuris equi , (17.6%), Strongyloides species(8.8%), Fasciola (10.6%), Dictyocoulus arnifieldi ,(10%) and Anoplocephala species (1.5%). Single (86.2%) and mixed (13.8%) parasite species. There was significant difference ( p

Internal parasites of horses comprise an intractable problem conferring disease, production and performance losses. Parasitism can rarely be controlled in grazing horses by management alone and anthelmintic drugs have formed the basis of therapy and prophylaxis for the last sixty years. The pharmacology of the anthelmintic drugs available dictate their spectrum of activity and degree of efficacy, their optimal routes of administration and characteristics which prevent some routes of administration, their safety tolerance and potential toxicities and as a consequence of their persistence in the body at effective concentrations their use in epidemiological control programmes. Their use has also resulted in the selection of parasites with genetically controlled characteristics which reduce their susceptibility to treatment, characteristics which are often common to whole chemical classes of anthelmintics. Pharmacological properties also confer compatibility in terms of safety and persistence with other anthelmintic drugs and thus the potential of combinations to treat parasites from different phylogenetic groups such as nematodes, cestodes and trematodes and also the potential by agency of their different molecular mechanisms of action to delay the selection of resistant genes. The major groups of anthelmintics now available, the benzimidazoles (BZD), macrocyclic lactones (MLs) and tetrahydropyrimidines are all highly effective against their targeted parasites (primarily nematodes for BZD's and ML's and cestodes for tetrahydropyrimidines) easily administered orally to horses and are well tolerated with wide margins of safety. Nevertheless, some parasitic stages are inherently less susceptible such as hypobiotic stages of the small strongyles (cyathostomins) and for some such as the adult stages of cyathostomins resistance has developed. Furthermore, for some less common parasites such as the liver fluke unlicensed drugs such as the salicylanilide, closantel have been used. A deep understanding of the pharmacology of anthelmintic drugs is essential to their optimal use in equine species.

A eletrocardiografia computadorizada é mais precisa e prática quando comparada à convencional e por essa razão vem ganhando espaço na rotina clínica. No entanto os valores de referência devem diferir para os dois métodos. O objetivo desse trabalho foi analisar e comparar o exame eletrocardiográfico computadorizado com o exame obtido pelo método convencional em equinos. O estudo demonstrou diferenças na amplitude da onda P (P

Made available in DSpace on 2015-02-02T12:39:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014Bitstream added on 2015-02-02T13:07:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 S0103-84782014005040584.pdf: 704010 bytes, checksum: 92a3547a845a79cac108303c24af5864 (MD5) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar e comparar os registros eletrocardiográficos de 50 equinos American Miniature Horse, clinicamente saudáveis, obtidos pelos métodos convencional e computadorizado, para a padronização do método informatizado. As medidas de duração e amplitude das ondas e intervalos e frequência cardíaca foram analisadas nas derivações do plano frontal e na derivação base-ápice. Diferenças quanto à duração da onda P, foram encontradas nas derivações I e aVL, e do complexo QRS, em todas as derivações do plano frontal. Quanto à derivação base-ápice, houve diferença na duração do intervalo QT e da onda T, assim como na amplitude da onda S. Concluiu-se, portanto, que ocorre superestimação da duração do complexo QRS no método computadorizado e que, devido às diferenças inerentes de cada método, torna-se importante a utilização de valores de referência para o método computadorizado também na espécie equina The aim of this study was to analyze and compare electrocardiographic records of 50 horses American Miniature Horse, clinically healthy, obtained by conventional methods and computerized, to the standardization of the computerized method. The measures of duration and amplitude of waves and intervals and heart rate were analyzed in the leads of the frontal plane and base-apical lead. Differences about the duration of the P wave were found in I and aVL derivations, and QRS complex, in all derivations of the frontal plane. As for basis-apical derivation, there was no difference in the duration of the QT interval and the T wave and the amplitude of the S wave, therefore concluding that overestimation occurs in the duration of the QRS complex in computerized method and that due to inherent differences of each method, it becomes important the use of reference values for the computerized method also in the equine species Universidade Estadual Paulista Departamento de Clínica Veterinária Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia UNESP Departamento de Bioestatística Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu Universidade Estadual Paulista Departamento de Clínica Veterinária Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia UNESP Departamento de Bioestatística Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu

Summary Lameness due to stifle and especially meniscal lesions is frequent in equine species. In humans, mechanoreceptors involved in proprioceptive function are well studied. Given the high incidence of meniscal injuries in horses, and the lack of information concerning them in equine menisci, our objective was to study these corpuscles in six healthy anterior horns of the equine medial meniscus, which is the most common localisation reported for equine meniscal injuries. Immunohistochemical stainings were performed using antibodies against high molecular weight neurofilaments and glial fibrillary acidic proteins. From a purely fundamental point of view, our work highlights for the first time the presence of Ruffini, Pacini and Golgi corpuscles in equine meniscus. They were found, isolated or in clusters and always located at the vicinity of blood vessels, at the level of the anterior horn of the equine medial meniscus. This morphological approach could serve as a basis for clinical studies, to evaluate the impact of these corpuscles on the poor sportive prognosis in equine meniscal tears.

Remerciements à l'Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation (IFCE); Developmental programming in equine species: relevance for the horse industry

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 10% copaiba oil in experimentally induced wounds in horses. Four wounds were made in the lumbar and metacarpal regions of eight adult horses. In the treatment group, the wounds received 10% copaiba oil and in the control group 0.9% sodium chloride, in the daily dressing for 21 days. The wounds were evaluated three, 7, 14, and 21 days postoperatively. No significant differences were observed between the groups. The mean lumbar wound contraction rates were 80.54% and 69.64%, for the control and treated groups, respectively. For the wounds in the metacarpal region, these averages were 44.15% and 52.48%, respectively. Under the experimental conditions of the present study, it is concluded that 10% copaiba oil has beneficial in wound healing in the equine species and suggest that copaiba oil can be used as a therapeutic possibility in equine wound therapy. RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do óleo de copaíba a 10% em feridas induzidas experimentalmente em equinos. Quatro feridas foram confeccionadas nas regiões lombares e metacarpianas de oito cavalos adultos. No grupo tratamento, as feridas receberam óleo de copaíba a 10% e no grupo controle, cloreto de sódio a 0,9% nos curativos diários durante 21 dias. As avaliações das feridas foram feitas aos 3, 7, 14, e 21 dias de pós-operatório. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os grupos estudados. As médias das taxas de contração das feridas lombares foram 79,24% e 69,64%, para o grupo controle e tratado, respectivamente. Nas feridas do metacarpo, estas médias foram 44,78% e 52,05%, respectivamente. Nas condições experimentais deste estudo, conclui-se que o óleo de copaíba a 10% foi benéfico na cicatrização de feridas na espécie equina, sendo uma alternativa terapêutica para cura de feridas nesta espécie.

The common domestic equine species present various hematological differences within reference values as a result of age, breed, sex, physical activity, among others. Therefore, it is important that reference intervals should be established for these particularities. This work aimed to evaluate sequential changes in hematological parameters of healthy Thoroughbred foals from birth to six months of life. Blood samples were collected immediately after birth (before the intake of colostrum), at 24 h, 7 days, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months of age in order to measure packed cell volume (PCV), total plasma protein (TPP), fibrinogen and white blood cells (WBC). Descriptive statistics, analysis of one-way AOV and comparison between means by LSD test were accomplished. Hematological values were assessed in 1426 samples. The curve variations in PCV, total plasma protein, fibrinogen and WBC values observed in healthy Thoroughbred foals from birth to 6 months were similar to those described for other breeds. However, we verified higher TPP values than mean reference values at all ages. The ranges of fibrinogen and WBC showed small intervals and maximum values below the hematologic reference values for all ages. These changes in hematologic values provide useful information for clinical evaluation of Thoroughbred foals. As espécies domésticas de equídeos apresentam diferença nos valores hematológicos de referencia devido à idade, raça, sexo, atividade física, entre outros.Tendo em vista estas particularidades, é importante o estabelecimento de parâmetros de referência. O objetivo deste trabalhado foi avaliar as mudanças sequenciais de parâmetros hematológicos de potros Puro Sangue Inglês, saudáveis, do nascimento aos seis meses de vida. Amostras sanguineas foram coletadas imediatamente após o parto (antes da ingestão de colostro), as 24h, 7 dias, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 e 6 meses de idade para mensuração de hematócrito, proteínas plasmáticas totais (PPT), fibrinogênio e leucócitos totais. Foi realizada estatística descritiva, análise de variância simples (teste One-way AOV) e comparação entre as médias pelo teste de LSD. A avaliação hematológica foi realizada em 1426 amostras. A curva de variação do hematócrito, PPT, fibrinogênio e leucócitos totais observada nos potros do nascimento aos 6 meses de idade foram similares às descritas para outras raças. No entanto, valores médios de PPT foram mais elevados durante todo o período. As médias de fibrinogênio e leucócitos apresentaram pequenos intervalos e máximos valores abaixo dos valores de referencia em todos os momentos. As alterações em valores hematológicos têm importância na avaliação clínica de potros Puro Sangue Inglês.

Ascending infections of equine uterus frequently result in placentitis and abortions; most of these infections are bacterial and are less commonly due to fungi. This report describes an abortion case in an Arab mare due to Candida guilliermondii that was diagnosed via cytological, histological, cultural and biomolecular assays. The histological lesions found were severe necrotizing placentitis associated with fetal pneumonia. To our knowledge this is the first case of C. guilliermondii abortion reported in equine species.

Progress in mass spectrometry-based methods for veterinary research and diagnostics is lagging behind compared to the human research, and proteome data of domestic animals is still not well represented in open source data repositories. This is particularly true for the equine species. Here we present a first Equine PeptideAtlas encompassing high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry analyses of 51 samples representing a selection of equine tissues and body fluids from healthy and diseased animals. The raw data were processed through the Trans-Proteomic Pipeline to yield high quality identification of proteins and peptides. The current release comprises 24,131 distinct peptides representing 2636 canonical proteins observed at false discovery rates of 0.2 % at the peptide level and 1.4 % at the protein level. Data from the Equine PeptideAtlas are available for experimental planning, validation of new datasets, and as a proteomic data mining resource. The advantages of the Equine PeptideAtlas are demonstrated by examples of mining the contents for information on potential and well-known equine acute phase proteins, which have extensive general interest in the veterinary clinic. The extracted information will support further analyses, and emphasises the value of the Equine PeptideAtlas as a resource for the design of targeted quantitative proteomic studies.

A 5-year-old Mangalarga mare was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Veterinary Medical School in Botucatu with a complaint of a persistent 2-month ovarian follicle which had grown progressively to 20 cm in diameter. Ultrasonography showed a circular, cystic structure in the right ovary, whose wall was thickened and interior was filled with anechoic content. Ovarian neoplasia was suspected, and a unilateral ovariectomy was performed through the paralumbar fossa, using general anesthesia through inhalation. Histopathological evaluation concluded that the ovarian enlargement was caused by a fibrothecoma. The present report describes features of fibrothecoma, which is extremely rare in the equine species.

Thecomas are tumors originating from the ovarian stroma and of rare occurrence in the equine species. Clinical, ultrasonographic, endocrine, and histopathologic descriptions of thecoma are scarce. This article aims to describe a case of ovarian changes in a mare with anomalous growth of the right ovary and anestrus for 1 year. After surgical removal, the ovarian growth was diagnosed as a thecoma. Histopathological findings were consistent with the findings previously described in the literature, characteristic of a thecoma, and decisive for the correct diagnosis.

Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is one of the most significant pathogens that affects equine species worldwide, causing sporadic abortion, neonatal deaths, chorioretinopathy, as well as neurological and upper respiratory tract diseases. Currently, conventional PCR targeting different genes is used widely for the molecular detection of EHV-1, but the low viral titer in some clinical samples can lead to false negative results. In this study, we aimed to assess gold nanoparticle (GNP)-assisted PCR as an inexpensive, highly efficient, and sensitive method for the detection of EHV-1, and to compare its results with conventional PCR and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Out of 83 field samples, 28.9%, 26.5%, and 15.6% were EHV-1-positive by qPCR, GNP-assisted PCR and conventional PCR, respectively. All three techniques specifically target the viral glycoprotein B gene. The optimized GNP-assisted PCR showed no cross-reactivity with EHV-1-negative samples (diagnosed by qPCR). GNP-assisted PCR is a powerful new tool for EHV-1 detection and surveillance, because of its simplicity, sensitivity and specificity. It can be used as an alternative to qPCR in laboratories that cannot afford the expense of a qPCR system.

HORSES participate in several equestrian sport disciplines, and the musculoskeletal problems that can arise from these athletic performances pose new and constant challenges to the equine practitioner, especially regarding the diagnosis of lameness. Often, a thorough clinical examination does not allow for precise identification of the source of pain. Furthermore, manipulative tests of the proximal limb joints are particularly non-specific and inconclusive. The same is true for muscle atrophies, although they are more severe when relating to pain originating from proximal limb disorders than those caused by distal limb-associated conditions (Dyson 2011). When facing such challenges, the practitioner must employ complementary techniques such as intra-articular analgesia to aid in the precise determination of the injury site. Intra-articular analgesia of the elbow usually alleviates, but seldom eliminates, pain arising from this joint (Dyson 2011); nevertheless, the technique is extremely useful as a diagnostic tool in the equine species. Given the low prevalence of elbow-related pain in horses, intra-articular injections at this site are rare. Therefore, clinical experience with the procedure is also limited and papers discussing this technique, such as the one by Bodaan and others (2016) summarised on p 173 of this issue of Veterinary Record , have special relevance. The authors not only describe the available techniques to pursue analgesia of the humeroradioulnar joint but also explain the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, decreasing the probability of a false-negative or false-positive response to a joint block. In adult horses, elbow lameness can be associated with direct trauma, falls or even collisions with objects or other horses. One of the possible consequences of these events is osteoarthritis, especially after fractures and collateral ligament injuries (Garvican and Clegg 2008), and osteoarthritis is more commonly found in older athletic horses. Lesions in the lateral collateral ligament are more frequently observed than …

This is a comprehensive study of fatty acid (FA) profiles in milk from bovine, caprine, ovine, asine, and equine species. Milks from these species are universally common as constituents in a variety of different food and dairy products. We have obtained structural information on FAs, and discussed their correlation to health effects. The extracted fat from all species were derivatized to FA methyl esters for analysis by GC-MS. Large differences in the lipid content and FA composition between ruminants and non-ruminants were observed. Ovine milk showed the highest lipid content of all the animals tested, both ruminants and non-ruminants. Among the ruminants, bovine milk was richer in saturated FAs (69.7%) than ovine- and caprine milk (57.5 and 59.9%, respectively). Ovine milk contained the highest amounts of monounsaturated FAs (39.1%) and also odd- and branched-chain FAs (5.5%). Milk from the monogastric animals, mares and donkeys, were highest in polyunsaturated FAs with a content of 19.3 and 14.2%, respectively. The assumed health negative trans FAs were analyzed to be highest in the ruminant milk (0.7–1.0%). Milk from these species contained also the highest amount of the health beneficial CLA (0.4–0.7%). Practical applications: This is a comprehensive study of milk from five species analyzed under identical conditions. The different fatty acids and their derivatives are increasingly important components because of the contradictory reports on positive and negative effects on human health. New information on the composition of milk from different species is of great importance. The results may give valuable information to producers and nutritional advisors on the consumption of milk and milk products.

Summary Reasons for performing study: To date, no information is available on the true biological elimination half-life (T1/2) of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in the equine species. Such data are required to better evaluate the optimal time to acquire the cTnI sample following acute myocardial injury. Objective: To determine the T1/2 of equine cTnI. Methods: Four healthy ponies received i.v. injections of recombinant equine cTnI. Plasma cTnI concentrations were measured with a point-of-care cTnI analyser at multiple time points after injection. Standard pharmacokinetic analysis was performed to establish the T1/2 of cTnI. Results: The average T1/2 of cTnI was determined to be 0.47 h using a single rate elimination model. Conclusion: The elimination of recombinant equine cTnI following i.v. administration is very rapid. Establishing the T1/2 of troponin provides critical information in understanding the clinical application of this cardiac biomarker in equine practice.

This study was conducted on 1178 lamed animals of equine species. Cases were classified according to the species, affected part of the foot, and nature of the affection. Hoof affections represented in about 722 animals with 61.3 % of total lame animals. The percentages of hoof affections were higher in forefeet than hind feet. The present study revealed that sandy cracks, toe- in and long toe were the predominant hoof wall affections. The corn was the highest sole affections followed by white line disease and the lowest percentages were flat foot and bruised sole. The highest affection percentage in frog was thrush followed by picked up nail and the lowest was in under run heel.

Guttural pouch mycosis is an emergency disease of the upper respiratory tract in equine species. In the present report a case of guttural pouch mycosis in a female, seven year-old pregnant donkey is described. A serious dyspnea which necessitated tracheotomy and preceding epistaxis was the most important clinical fea - ture of guttural pouch mycosis in the donkey. A full and rapid effectiveness of the topical therapy, the protocol for which is described, is the main distinguishing feature with regard to treatment. In the Authors' knowledge a detailed description of clinical features, treatment and follow up of guttural pouch mycosis in a donkey is not available in the scientific literature. The anatomical and physiological peculiarity of donkeys could explain some of the differences with horses in clinical presentation and therapeutic management.

Summary This paper gives a brief review of the cytogenetic knowlege of equine species, the chromosomal errors currently known to exist, and an account of the interspecific hybrids that have served man during the 4500 years of domestication of horse and donkey.

Metabonomics is a recent method devoted to the high throughput metabolic phenotyping of biological systems usable to perform a deep functional exploration when physiological, toxicological, genetic or nutritional perturbations are considered. From some pivotal examples, will be illustrated some concepts such as “metabolic disruptions” or “set of metabolic biomarkers”, which are routinely used in toxicological studies of living systems with the final aim to (i) better characterize some homeostatic rules involved in response to toxic insults and (ii) to better know prediction rules usable to classify unknown individuals given the knowledge of dedicated reference data set. Hereafter are presented illustrative cases concerning the use of steroidal anabolics in growing cattle, the characterization of secondary metabolites present in a plant which is toxic for equine species, or the description of some metabolic effects induced by an endocrine disruptor widely used in plastic industry.