Do light emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting infrared or red light help wound healing?
Research conducted at the Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden looked at the effect of pulsating visible red light (wavelength 637nm) and near infrared light (NIR) (wavelength 956nm) on experimental skin wounds on horses.
Peter Michanek and colleagues used eight healthy adult standardbred horses in the randomised controlled study. The research team made a circular (2cm diameter) surgical skin wound on both sides of the neck of each horse.
The wound on one side was chosen at random to receive the light treatment. The opposite side was left untreated. Light therapy followed a standardised protocol and was given by the same operators throughout the study. Treatment was applied daily (comprising red light for 95 seconds and NIR light for 185 seconds) 5 days a week for 4 weeks.
Wound healing was monitored by someone who did not know whether the wound had received light treatment or not.
The researchers found that the difference in wound area between treated and control wounds did not differ significantly at any stage of the study. It actually took longer for treated wounds to heal completely compared with the untreated wounds. The researchers point out that, although significant, the difference was small and probably not of clinical significance.
They conclude that, in this study, pulsating visible red light or NIR was no better than no treatment in promoting healing of experimental skin wounds.
For more details, see:
Effect of infra-red and red monochromatic light on equine wound healing.
P Michanek, T Toth, E Bergstrรถm, H Treffenberg-Petterson, A Bergh.
How does the horse owner’s attitude towards horse ownership
affect horse welfare?
Research from the University of Melbourne, Australia, examined
the relationships between horse owner background factors (such as age, income,
place of residence, knowledge and experience) and their attitudes towards horse
husbandry and management behaviour.
Lead researcher Lauren M. Hemsworth, of the Animal Welfare
Science Centre, in the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences,used
a questionnaire to assess the owners’ attitude to horse ownership and
management, together with an on-site inspection of horse husbandry and
management on premises in Victoria, Australia. Data from 57 owners and 98 horses
were included in the study.
She found relationships between horse owner background
factors and the owners’ attitudes towards horse husbandry and management
behaviour in areas such as parasite control, hoof care, and dental care. For
example, favourable behavioural beliefs towards appropriate parasite control were
associated with a young age and frequent riding instruction.
A full account of the work is published in the journal
Animals.
The authors report that, “generally, belief variables
correlated significantly with background factors that were primarily related to
knowledge and experience. Further, beliefs concerning three key husbandry
practices (parasite control, hoof care, and dental care) all appear to be
predicted to some degree by background factors associated with knowledge and
experience.”
So, they suggest that an educational strategy to improve the
horse owner’s appreciation of the welfare implications of their behaviour may
be important in safeguarding recreational horse welfare, but further research
is warranted.
For more details, see:
The Human–Horse Relationship:
Identifying the Antecedents of Horse Owner Attitudes towards Horse Husbandry and
Management Behaviour. Lauren M. Hemsworth, Ellen C.
Jongman and Grahame J. Coleman Animals (2021),11, 278.
If you have had a fall in the past 12 months, you are urged to take part in research on stirrup safety.
If you ride, then falls go with the territory. One aspect of falls and injuries that is often speculated about but to date has not been properly studied is the role that the stirrups play in safety or risk of injury.
Dr David Marlin, Cambridge (UK) and Dr Jane Williams, Hartpury University (UK) have set up a survey to collect data on recent falls (within the past 12 months). The aim is to try and understand what factors related to the stirrups may increase or reduce the risk of injury in riders.
The survey consists of 19 short questions and should take about 4 minutes to complete. No personal data will be collected.
Horse owners in the United States are invited to take part
in a survey looking at the US equine industry.
The survey aims to gauge participation trends and management
practices in the U.S. equine industry. It also seeks to gather information
regarding the most important issues facing the industry.
If you currently own or manage at least one horse, pony,
mule or donkey, are 18 years of age or over, and live in the United States, you
are eligible to participate. It is anticipated that the survey, which the
promoters emphasize is anonymous, will take 15 minutes to complete.
Organized by American Horse Publications, a non-profit association,
and sponsored by pharmaceutical company Zoetis, the survey is open until March
30, 2021.
Abdominal
surgery is a major undertaking in horses, and not without significant risks to
the patient. Colic operations, especially those that involve opening the gut
wall, risk contaminating the wound with bacteria such that surgical site
infection (SSI) is a potential complication.
Medical
grade honey (MGH) has been used successfully to treat established infections in
both humans and animals, and has been shown to improve wound healing of equine
lacerations and significantly reduce infection rate.
Would
the application of MGH help abdominal surgical wounds to heal?
A study
by Gustafsson and colleagues investigated whether medical grade honey gel,
applied on the linea alba during wound closure, would decrease the prevalence
of incisional infections in horses undergoing colic surgery.
Figure 1: Example of intra-lesional application of L-Mesitran Soft (MGH) following colic surgery
The linea
alba is the fibrous band that runs along the midline of the belly, between the
abdominal muscles. Being composed of
fibrous connective tissue it contains no major blood vessels making it a
suitable site for incisions for abdominal surgery.
In this prospective randomized controlled trial,
108 horses that underwent colic surgery at Koret School of
Veterinary Medicine in Israel were enrolled.
Horses were randomized to
control or treatment (MGH) group. In the treatment group, following closure of
the linea alba, MGH gel (L-Mesitran Soft) was placed in the incision followed
by routine closure of subcutaneous tissue and skin (Figure 1).
Horses were excluded from the study if they needed a
second abdominal surgery (n=4) or did not survive for at least two weeks
post-operatively (n=15).
The clinicians report that a single
intra-incisional application of MGH gel strongly reduced incisional infection
rate from 32.5% (13/40) in the control group to 8.2% (4/49) in the treatment
group (p=0.02).
No adverse reactions were observed
with the subcutaneous application of MGH after colic surgery.
A full report is published in the
Equine Veterinary Journal.
The authors conclude that intra-incisional
application of MGH gel on the linea alba is a simple and rapid procedure that
was safe and did not result in any adverse effects. A single local prophylactic
treatment with MGH in the abdominal incision during surgery significantly
decreased the prevalence of incisional infections in horses undergoing colic
surgery. They suggest that more research is necessary to explore this promising
approach in indications outside the equine colic field, e.g., in surgeries with
a high risk of SSIs.
For more details, see:
Intra‐incisional medical grade honey decreases the
prevalence of incisional infection in horses undergoing colic surgery: a
prospective randomised controlled study.
Gustafsson, K., Tatz, A.J., Slavin, R.A., Sutton, G.A.,
Dahan, R., Abu Ahmad, W. and Kelmer, G.
The National Equine Forum (NEF) will be delivered in a
virtual format in 2021. The main Forum, on
Thursday 4th March, will
be preceded by two special interest webinars, to be held in January.
The first webinar “Just in Time – Using Science to Save our
Breeds”, (7pm Wednesday 13th January 2021), will be delivered by industry
leaders, with opportunities for discussion and questions from the audience.
Chaired by Prof Tim Morris, the webinar will include
speakers: Tullis Matson, Simon Cooper, Paul Flynn and Andy Dell.
They will look at the magnitude of the decline of the UK’s
native breeds and how their future can be safeguarded. The impact of the
extinction vortex on the natural world and how it applies to equine breeds will
be covered and the challenging situation of inbreeding in Thoroughbreds
explored.
The advantages of DNA analysis will be debated, to show how
science can provide breed societies and breeders with support to guide
decisions that can increase effective populations. This will be endorsed with a
case study to show proof of concept that breeds in decline have a chance to be
saved when genomics and kinship analysis are utilised.
The second webinar “Great Weight Debate (equine)”, (7pm
Wednesday 27th January 2021), will take a practical look at different
perspectives on equine weight management, from across the equestrian sector,
including the views of a horse owner, livery yard owner and coach, an equine
welfare officer, an equine vet, a nutritionist and a competition judge.
The panel of speakers will aim to identify what is
preventing owners/carers from managing horse weight effectively, despite many
previous and ongoing attempts from industry to effect change. They will also
explore how any obstacles may be overcome and the discussions will be supported
by a human behaviour change researcher.
The 29th National Equine Forum, themed Positivity and
Progress will be held on Thursday 4th March 2021. The morning session will
provide critical insight to welfare, trade and biosecurity, followed by
positive innovations for the sector, borne from Covid-19. The afternoon session
will provide updates from the two special interest webinars, a session on how
new technology is helping riders and a revisit to access and accidents, with
amendments to The Highway Code.
Tickets are priced at £5.00 for each webinar and £10.00 for
the Forum itself and there is no booking fee. Webinar tickets are available
now. NEF tickets will be available in January.
Puncture wounds at the coronary band or in the sole are not
uncommon in horses. Although the site of
the injury may be obvious, it is often less clear whether any foreign material
remains buried in the wound.
Researchers at the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital,
University of Liverpool, conducted a study to compare the value of different
imaging techniques for identifying foreign bodies in horses’ feet.
Nadine Ogden and colleagues assessed the ability of three
equine veterinarians, experienced in advanced imaging interpretation, to
identify foreign bodies buried in the cadaver specimens of horses’ feet. They
used five different materials: slate, glass, dry wood, soaked wood and plastic.
Each foot had two different foreign bodies implanted, at the coronary band and
in the sole.
Computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
and digital radiography (DR) were used to obtain images, which were then
examined by the clinicians.
The researchers found little variation between the clinicians
studying the images. CT was the most useful imaging modality, having a higher
visibility score, sensitivity/specificity, and interrater agreement for
detection of all materials; particularly slate, glass, and dry wood, compared
to the other imaging modalities.
They found that foreign bodies were often visible on MRI,
although the images were generally not clear enough to determine the type of
material involved. They also found that
even relatively large foreign bodies consisting of plastic or wood were not
detectable on DR.
The work is published in Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound.
The authors comment that although it is not usually necessary to identify the
specific material involved, it is important to select an appropriate imaging technique to detect the suspected
foreign body.
They suggest that, in cases with negative findings on MRI
and DR, where there is a suspected foreign body within the hoof, particularly
in cases where plastic or wood fencing or glass materials have been found at
the scene of injury, CT examination should be considered.
For more details, see:
CT more accurately detects foreign
bodies within the equine foot than MRI or digital radiography
Nadine K E Ogden, Peter I Milner,
John D Stack, Alison M Talbot
Horses undertaking strenuous or prolonged exercise in hot
and humid environments may produce heat
more quickly than they can lose it, putting
them at risk of postexercise exertional heat illness.
Investigations into heat production and cooling require a
way to monitor body temperature. Ideally this should be easy and safe to do in
an excitable horse after exercise.
In practice, reading the rectal temperature with a thermometer
is a common starting point – but may not be ideal, particularly if repeated
readings in excited horses are required. The “gold standard” for monitoring is
to record the central venous temperature (CVT) using a thermocouple introduced
into the jugular vein.
Temperature sensitive microchips (percutaneous thermal
sensing microchip (PTSM)) can be used to measure tissue temperature in a
non-invasive manner. But does the site of implantation affect the accuracy?
Researchers at the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences,
and the School of Veterinary Science, at the University of Queensland,
investigated the use of PTSMs for monitoring temperature in horses after
strenuous exercise.
Microchips used for identification purposes are generally implanted
in the nuchal ligament in the neck. In a preliminary study, the research team found
that temperature recorded by a PTSM chip implanted in the nuchal ligament correlated
poorly with the CVT during and immediately after exercise. This was probably
due to the poor vascular supply of the nuchal ligament compared to other
muscles, they suggest.
The researchers also found poor correlation between rectal
temperature and CVT immediately after exercise and for at least 8 min after exercise.
Because of this, and for safety reasons, they suggest that rectal temperature
should not be used to measure temperature after exercise.
Of the implantation sites they tested, they found that the most
reliable was the pectoral muscles, which closely matched the CVT, followed by
the gluteal muscles and the splenius muscle.
They conclude that PTSMs provide a simple, safe, quick,
accurate, and non-invasive way of measuring body temperature of horses
immediately after high-speed exercise. They recommend further studies to
validate this method under field conditions and in equine athletes working in
extreme environments and intensive activity in various equestrian sports.
For more details, see:
The Use of Percutaneous Thermal Sensing Microchips for Body
Temperature Measurements in Horses Prior to, during and after Treadmill
Exercise
Hyungsuk Kang, Rebeka R Zsoldos, Solomon M Woldeyohannes,
John B Gaughan, Albert Sole Guitart
Research
suggests that mild to moderate pain does not interfere with the hormone tests
used to diagnose PPID.
A
diagnosis of PPID (pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, also known as Cushing’s
Disease) can be supported by assessing the ACTH levels at rest and by measuring
the response to a TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone) stimulation test.
In
PPID, the over-active pituitary gland secretes higher than normal amounts of
ACTH and other hormones. But pain itself may also cause increased ACTH levels.
Many
horses with PPID eventually develop laminitis. Indeed, many are first suspected
of having PPID when they show signs of laminitis.
Does
the pain associated with laminitis affect the value of ACTH as a diagnostic
test for PPID? Heidrun Gehlen and colleagues at the Equine Clinic, and the Institute of Veterinary
Epidemiology, Freie University Berlin, Germany conducted a study to investigate.
Fifteen
horses being treated at the Equine Clinic for colic, laminitis or orthopaedic
conditions with low to moderate intensity pain were included in the study. Horses were aged less than15 years, with
no signs of PPID.
Samples were collected for basal ACTH
concentrations, and a TRH-stimulation test was performed.
The intensity of pain was assessed using a
composite, multifactorial pain scale. Each horse served as its own control
as it was re-tested after the pain had subsided.
The researchers found no significant
difference in the ACTH concentration in horses with pain and the controls,
between different pain intensities or between disease groups.
They conclude that “measuring the
basal ACTH concentration and performing the TRH stimulation test for the
diagnosis of PPID seem to be possible in horses with a treated low to moderate
pain condition.”
They
suggest that “measurement of ACTH and the performance of the TRH stimulation
test for PPID diagnostics can, therefore, be performed on horses in pain as
long as they are not suffering from massive pain or showing a significantly
disturbed general condition.”
For
more details, see:
Can
Endocrine Dysfunction Be Reliably Tested in Aged Horses That Are Experiencing
Pain?
Heidrun
Gehlen, Nina Jaburg, Roswitha Merle, and Judith Winter
In this free webinar, Dr Sue Dyson shares some of the
research that has looked at signs and behaviours horses display when they are
experiencing pain, many of which can be very subtle.
She also discusses the sensitive issue of the impact of
rider size on equine performance. Sue explains the influence that riders can
have on their horses and what we, as owners, can do to ensure we are able to
assess and recognise signs of discomfort and pain as soon as possible.
Betulinic acid shows promise as a possible topical treatment
for Equine malignant melanoma (EMM) according to recent laboratory research.
Melanomas are common in grey horses affecting up to 80% of
them by the time they are 15 years old. Current treatment options are limited,
and often not very successful.
Lisa A. Weber, Jessica Meiรner of the Foundation University
of Veterinary Medicine Hannover and colleagues investigated the effects of the betulinic
acid (BA) on equine melanoma cells and equine dermal fibroblasts in cell culture.
They also looked at its spread through isolated equine skin.
They found that betulinic
acid inhibited cell proliferation and reduced cell viability of both equine
melanoma cells and fibroblasts. However,
the results did not show a selective effect on cancer cells compared with
normal cells.
In isolated skin preparations, they found that BA could penetrate
the stratum corneum and spread through the epidermal and dermal layers.
The research team conclude that “the potent percutaneous
permeation of BA in normal skin together with its anticancer effects on equine
melanoma cells suggest that this substance may exert antitumoral effects in
vivo.”
They suggest that their findings support the use of BA in
further preclinical and clinical trials for topical EMM treatment.
For more details, see:
Betulinic acid shows anticancer activity against equine
melanoma cells and permeates isolated equine skin in vitro.
Lisa A. Weber, Jessica Meiรner, Julien Delarocque, Jutta
Kalbitz, Karsten Feige, Manfred Kietzmann, Anne Michaelis, Reinhard Paschke,
Julia Michael, Barbara Pratscher, and Jessika-M. V. Cavalleri
A wireless
endoscopy capsule can be used to inspect the inside of the horse’s
gastro-intestinal tract.
The “ALICAM system”
capsule is 11mm in diameter and 33mm long. It contains 4 micro-cameras, mounted
at 90°
to provide a 360°panoramic view. The cameras are activated by
movement (this helps prolong the battery life and so increase the length of the
digestive tract that can be imaged.) When activated, the cameras record images
at the rate of 20 /second and store them on the capsule’s internal memory chip.
Images are only available
for inspection once the capsule has passed through the digestive tract and has
been retrieved from the manure (using radiography).
Researchers at
the University of Calgary have been studying the technique.
Five adult horses
with no signs or history of gastro-intestinal disease were included in the study.
The researchers assessed different protocols for preparing the horses and found
that the one giving most useful images was to starve the horse for 24 hours before
introducing the capsule.
Satisfactory images
were obtained of the pylorus, major duodenal papilla, individual villi, and
ileocecal junction. Visualization of large intestinal mucosa was poor.
Among the abnormalities identified on the images were mucosal
erosion, ulceration and haemorrhage, areas of thickened mucosa, and evidence of
parasitism.
On average, it
took 6.5 days from introduction for the capsule to be retrieved in the manure.
The researchers
conclude: “this novel endoscopic capsule appears safe, practical, and
non-invasive in horses; however, variability in capsule excretion time must be
taken into account for clinical application.”
For more details,
see:
A wireless endoscopy capsule
suitable for imaging of the equine stomach and small intestine
Mei Steinmann, Rebecca J.
Bezugley, Stephanie L. Bond, Jill S. Pomrantz, and Renaud Lรฉguillette
How do horses react to changes in their routine? It may come
as no surprise that horses notice when their meal is late.
Research by Manja Zupan and colleagues at the University of
Ljubljana, Slovenia examined the effect of altering the morning feeding time on
eight horses kept in individual boxes.
The study extended over ten weeks. During that time, the
morning feed (normally at six o’clock) was given an hour early on Thursdays,
and an hour later on Saturdays.
The researchers monitored the effect of the change on the
horses’ behaviour.
They found that, when horses were fed early, they spent less
time eating hay, more time resting and less often took a look toward the door.
When feeding was delayed, the horses more often performed
pawing the ground, kicking, comfort behaviour (such as grooming), and looking
toward the door.
They conclude “Our results indicate that deviations from the
regular feeding schedule affected the behaviour of horses and compromised their
temporal predictability.”
For more details, see:
The Effect of an Irregular Feeding
Schedule on Equine Behavior
Three scientists with an interest in equine behaviour have
joined forces to launch a YouTube channel called “Equine Science Talk
International” dedicated to explaining the discoveries of equine research and
what they mean for riders, trainers, and researchers.
Professor Konstanze Krรผger of Nurtingen-Geisslingen
University is Germany’s first Professor of Equine Management. Her main areas of
research are the behaviour of wild living horses, and social learning and
social cognition in horses.
She is joined by Dr Laureen Esch, a veterinary surgeon, whose
doctoral thesis was on equine behaviour, now specialising in equine dentistry,
and Dr Isabell Marr, an independent horse trainer for western riding, who qualified
as a stable manager before moving on to study animal biology and biomedical
sciences.
Translations are provided by Kate Farmer, a journalist,
horse trainer and independent equine behaviour researcher. The videos are available
in English and German.
Topics covered include: How do horses interpret the world
differently on their left and right sides? Why do some horses become aggressive?
The key to successful training, and the meaning of positive and negative
reinforcement.
Nutrition, in particular the problem of obesity, is the
subject of the latest episode of the Morris Animal Foundation’s “Fresh Scoop”
podcast, which is now available.
Host Dr Kelly Diehl speaks with Dr Patricia Harris who is Head
of the Equine Studies Group at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute. She also
is on the board of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition.
Dr. Harris discusses the equine obesity epidemic and the
value of regularly assessing a horse’s body condition. She also offers advice
for owners on how to help their horse lose weight as well as strategies to
prevent obesity.
Obesity is a globally recognized welfare issue in horses, affecting
about a third of the equine population. It is associated with an increased risk
of health issues including laminitis and colic, and carries direct negative
consequences on horses’ skeletal and immune systems.
“Fresh Scoop” is a monthly podcast from the Morris Animal
Foundation aimed practicing veterinarians, veterinary technicians or students,
as well as animal-loving science enthusiasts.
Episodes are available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music
and Stitcher, as well as the Foundation’s podcast page.
Owners are invited to help in a study into the ageing
process in horses.
University of Kentucky researchers are looking for owners of
horses that live in the USA to take part in an online survey. The survey focuses
on horses and ponies aged 15yrs and over, although owners of younger horses can
also take part.
Your responses and opinions will greatly help the research
team understand more about the health status and management of horses aged 15+
years, and how the aging process in horses is perceived.
A salutary reminder of
the danger of importing anthelmintic resistance is given in a recent report.
Martin K Nielsen, Schlaikjer Professor of Equine Infectious
Disease at the M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary
Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, and others, describe a case of macrocyclic
lactone (ML) resistance in a group of Thoroughbred yearlings imported from
Ireland to the US.
The findings emphasise that the global movement of horses
has the potential to quickly spread ML-resistant parasites around the world.
Anthelmintic resistance to benzimidazole and pyrantel is widespread
among the cyathostomins (small redworms). The macrocyclic lactones (such as ivermectin
and moxidectin) are generally effective, but there have been occasional reports
of resistance.
Thoroughbred yearlings imported from Ireland to the US were
found to have evidence of ML resistance when faecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests
were carried out. The three batches of imported yearlings had FECR test results
ranging from 93.5% to 70.5%. (FECR test is the standard method of assessing
resistance in cyathostomins. If the FEC is not reduced by 95% or more after
treatment with a macrocyclic lactone such as ivermectin, that is interpreted as
evidence of resistance.) When the test was repeated after a further ivermectin treatment
in two of the groups the FECR results were even lower.
In contrast, three groups of US bred yearlings had FECR test
results of 99-100% after treatment with ivermectin.
Full details of the study are published in the International
Journal of Drugs and Drug Resistance. The authors point out that “this case
clearly illustrates the importance of quality routine FECR testing, which
immediately informed the farm manager of the situation and allowed him to react
in time by keeping the populations completely separate, thereby avoiding an
introduction of the resistant parasites to the entire facility.”
They strongly recommend that equine operations heed this
threat to equine health, and routinely monitor anthelmintic efficacy on a
yearly basis.
For more details, see:
Importation of macrocyclic lactone
resistant cyathostomins on a US thoroughbred farm M K Nielsen, M Banahan, R M Kaplan
Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist
(2020)14:99-104. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.09.004
Moody mares may benefit from ovariectomy to alter their
behaviour and rideability, according to a recent report.
Some mares are difficult to manage and perform poorly as a
result. They may be uncooperative or aggressive when handled on the ground. They
may kick, buck or rear when ridden or may be aggressive towards other horses.
Unwanted behaviour may result from pain from orthopaedic or
other sources. Sometimes it is related to the mare coming in season, in which
case it may be improved by suppressing the oestrus cycle.
Some ovarian tumours, although less common, may produce
similar effects. Treatment of these cases is likely to involve removing the
affected ovary (ovariectomy).
But sometimes there is no obvious explanation for the unwanted
behaviour. Would removing both ovaries (bilateral ovariectomy) help?
A study by Daniel Taasti Melgaard, of the Horsholm Equine
Clinic, Fredensborg, Denmarkand colleagues looked at whether removing the
ovaries from mares with unexplained unwanted behaviour improved the mare’s
behaviour or rideability.
Twenty-eight mares underwent surgical removal of both
ovaries once the clinicians had ruled out painful causes and after the mares
had not responded to a trial period of hormone therapy to suppress oestrus
behaviour.
Owners reported that, after bilateral ovariectomy, 80%
(8/10) of mares with normal ovaries and 57% (8/14) of mares with ovarian
neoplasia were easier to ride. Behaviour was reported to be better in 40%
(4/10) of mares with normal ovaries, and in 43% (6/14) of mares with ovarian
neoplasia.
A full, open access, report is published in the journal
Animals.
The authors emphasise the importance of a thorough
diagnostic work up to rule out other conditions, such as orthopaedic,
alimentary, vaginal or uterine pathology, before considering ovariectomy for
unwanted behaviour.
They suggest that, despite the significant improvement
observed in the present study, further research is necessary to confirm whether
mares with unwanted behaviour not obviously related to the oestrus cycle and to
painful conditions may benefit from ovariectomy to alter their behaviour and
rideability.
“In conclusion”, they write, “a significant improvement was
observed in rideability and behaviour post- ovariectomy, but no statistical
difference in improvement after ovariectomy between mares with ovarian
neoplasia and mares with histopathologic normal ovaries was observed. The
results suggest that mares with and without neoplasia can equally benefit from
ovariectomy to improve behaviour and rideability.”
For more details, see:
Moody Mares - Is Ovariectomy a
Solution? Daniel Taasti Melgaard, Trine
Stokbro Korsgaard, Martin Soendergaard Thoefner, Morten Roenn Petersen, Hanne
Gervi Pedersen. Animals (Basel) (2020) doi: 10.3390/ani10071210
Horses wearing a blanket or rug in the winter ate less hay
than did their non-blanketed neighbours, a recent study found.
Healthy horses maintain their body temperature within a narrow
range (98.5°F
to 101°F
/ 36.9°C
to 38.3°C)
despite a wide variation in environmental conditions.
In cold weather they use various physiological and
behavioural methods to conserve body heat, such as piloerection, shivering,
facing away from the wind. Eating roughage generates heat and so helps maintain
body temperature.
Research by Michelle De Boer and others at the University of
Wisconsin–River Falls, assessed the effect of wearing a blanket on horses’ feed
intake, body weight (BW), and body condition scores (BCSs). A report of the
work is published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science,
The project was carried out over the winter of 2019-2020,
when environmental temperatures typically average about -10°C.
Sixteen adult horses were recruited to the study: eight wore
a medium weight blanket; the others did not. All horses lived in a dry lot and
were fed grass-legume hay ad lib. The researchers recorded hay intake and
monitored horses’ body weight and condition score before during and at the end
of the study.
Horses without blankets maintained their body weight and
condition score despite the cold weather.
The researchers found that the average estimated dry matter
intake (DMI) was lower for blanketed horses (2.31% BW) than for non-blanketed ones
(2.51% BW) – equivalent to an average of 1kg daily.
The results suggest horses wearing blankets conserve energy leading
to decreased feed intake. Horse owners may save (a small amount of) money from
reduced hay and labour costs when using a blanket.
The researchers emphasised that, when blanketing a horse, it
is important to monitor them regularly to evaluate health, welfare, and BW and
condition.
For more details, see:
Dry Matter Intake, Body Weight, and Body Condition Scores of Blanketed and Nonblanketed Horses in the Upper Midwest Michelle De Boer, Alexandra Konop, Bailey Fisher, Krishona Martinson Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (2020) vol 94, 103239
Most horses throw off the infection, caused by Streptococcus
equi, within a few months of an outbreak. But some remain infectious. These
carriers usually retain the infection in the guttural pouches at the back of
the throat. They carry and excrete the bacteria without showing any sign of
disease.
The best way to identify carriers is by culturing a series
of swabs from the nasopharynx, or by examining a guttural pouch wash for
Streptococcus equi DNA (a qPCR test). Such methods can be time consuming and
costly.
A study by John Pringle and colleagues at the Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, and the Equine Veterinary Clinic,
Destedt, Germany, followed three groups of horses for between six months and two
years after strangles outbreaks.A full
report of the work is published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Carriers were defined as horses from which S. equi could be
cultured, or S. equi DNA could be found on qPCR test, in samples from the
nasopharynx or guttural pouches.
The researchers compared the clinical appearance, guttural
pouch endoscopy, and inflammatory markers between carriers and non-carriers and
found no real difference between the two groups. Neither did serology distinguish
carriers from non-carriers.
“Of particular concern however was that two of the culture
positive carriers 14 months after outbreak A, and the culture positive mare
associated with outbreak A tested seronegative,” they report, “suggesting lack
of persistence of seropositivity despite carriage of viable S. equi.”
They conclude: “Silent carriers of S. equi do not differ
clinically or on markers of inflammation to their noncarrier herd‐mates.
Moreover, serology alone will not distinguish carriers in comingled horses.”
For more details, see the Open Access article:
Markers of long term silent carriers of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi in horses John Pringle, Monica Venner, Lisa Tscheschlok , Andrew S. Waller, Miia Riihimรคki Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15939
