Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN)
Equine Expert Network
Quarterly Veterinary Report

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Strangles and EHV-1 Resources

The OAHN Equine network has put together a list of Strangles and EHV-1 resources for veterinarians and owners. They are available at:

Equine Strangles Resources – Ontario Animal Health Network (oahn.ca)

Equine Herpesvirus-1 Resources – Ontario Animal Health Network (oahn.ca)

The Ontario map of facilities dealing with Strangles and EHM can be found here:

Equine Disease Tracking Network v 2.1 (arcgis.com)

Strangles and EHM alert notifications are available at:

• Ontario Equine Disease Alerts – Ontario Animal Health Network (oahn.ca)
• Outbreaks | Equine Disease Communication Center (equinediseasecc.org

BITS ‘N SNIPS (or “things we talked about on the network call”)

Dermatology getting you down?

This quarter some of our network discussion centred around challenging dermatologic cases and, in particular, treating cases where the owner is unwilling or unable to support further diagnostics. What first line treatment is appropriate and effective? Well we don’t have a great solution as there is no “cheat sheet” available that can show a lesion and a likely diagnosis.

However, we can provide some resources which may help:

Equine Dermatology app.: Equine Dermatology on the App Store

The App contains 166 first class, labeled examples of equine skin disease. All of the pictures are on the phone or iPad and no internet connection is required after the first use. Authored by Sue Paterson MA VetMB DVD DipECVD MRCVS this App is more than an atlas of skin disease.  Extensive notes are also included covering;
• Overview of each disease

• Clinical signs
• Diagnosis
• Treatment

Artificial intelligence is the future they say and that is no different in the area of dermatology. There are several human dermatology applications available. Hopefully, the equine industry can take a page from them and develop a similar app that involves taking an image of the skin lesion with a smartphone and receiving the most likely diagnosis!   Digital Skin Care: Top 8 Dermatology Apps – The Medical Futurist

Zoetis is getting close with their Vetscan Imagyst: AI dermatology test, geared towards companion animal medicine. This deep-learning program can analyse skin impression smears, ear and skin swabs to aid in the management of common dermatological issues.  Vetscan Imagyst AI Dermatology | Zoetis

We may not have AI in the field of equine dermatology … yet… but we have some great specialists in Ontario who may be able to assist when needed:

Veterinary Allergy, Dermatology, and Ear Referral Clinic  (Dr. Anthony Yu, Dr. Liz Goodale)

Find a Veterinary Dermatologist – ACVD

Equine dermatology resources:

Effective Equine Dermatology Diagnostics Guide

Overview of the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune skin disorders in horses. Lefrançois J, Sauvé F.Can Vet J. 2024 Sep;65(9):964-969.

Insect Bite Hypersensitivity in Horses: Causes, Diagnosis, Scoring and New Therapies. Cox A, Stewart AJ.Animals (Basel). 2023 Aug 4;13(15):2514.Free PMC article. 

Equine allergic skin diseases: Clinical consensus guidelines of the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology. Marsella R, White S, Fadok VA, Wilson D, Mueller R, Outerbridge C, Rosenkrantz W.Vet Dermatol. 2023 Jun;34(3):175-208

Guide to diagnosing and managing skin diseases in horses. Long S.Vet Rec. 2023 Apr;192(8):341. doi: 10.1002/vetr.2984.PMID: 37084195 Review.

Skin Disorders of the Donkey and Mule. Knottenbelt DC.Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2019 Dec;35(3):493-514.

Autoimmune diseases affecting skin melanocytes in dogs, cats and horses: vitiligo and the uveodermatological syndrome: a comprehensive review. Tham HL, Linder KE, Olivry T.BMC Vet Res. 2019 Jul 19;15(1):251. Free PMC article.

Atopic Dermatitis in Animals and People: An Update and Comparative Review. Marsella R, De Benedetto A.Vet Sci. 2017 Jul 26;4(3):37. Free PMC article. 

The approach to the equine dermatology case in practice. Knottenbelt DC.Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2012 Apr;28(1):131-53. 

 

Network Member Reports

Southwestern Region (Melissa McKee)	We continued to see an increased number of laminitis cases, many of which have been unusually severe this summer and fall.  We haven’t had any classical PHF cases so far. Only one horse has been treated with oxytetracycline so far and none have tested positive. We are vaccinating more horses for PHF so that may be one explanation. It may be possible that some of our laminitis cases are PHF. We are seeing more asthma cases in the riding and racing populations, likely due to the tropical and prolonged growing season. We had a viral wave go through the standardbred racing population which knocked back some 2 year olds.  We had one horse develop a strangles abscess in the hamstring in a barn that gets the IN vaccine but that horse was not vaccinated (not sure if it was the vaccine strain). A lot of medical colics and corneal ulcers probably related to allergies/conjunctivitis and eye-rubbing. We also saw a lot of challenging skin cases, with hives, crusting and alopecia.
Western Region (Tara Foy)	We had cases of EEE and WNV in the area. Several conjunctivitis cases were examined likely in part due to the horrible fly season.   Some horses had fevers of unknown origin that seemed to recover without treatment.  We did not see an increase in laminitis or skin cases. We have had the usual viral respiratory cases in the Standardbred industry.
Eastern Ontario (John Donovan)	We saw a lot of neurologic horses, mainly due to EEE and WNV. We have instituted a mass vaccination campaign and have revaccinated and boostered about 20% of our population. The laminitis crisis continued and worsened with the fall grass. Ophthalmologic (conjunctivitis with secondary ulcers from itchy eyes) and  allergy cases were increased as well as urticaria. PHF cases have slowed down. Many of our clients vaccinate for PHF and we see less severe symptoms in vaccinated horses. We had a primary clostridal case with ongoing diarrhea which was treated supportively.   We noted an increase in skin cases as well such as pastern dermatitis and cellulitis. Many of our skin cases have responded well to grisefulvin.
Guest Jenna Donaldson	We treated some weanlings with typical equine proliferative enteritis (Lawsonia intracellularis) on unvaccinated farms. We also had a couple of PHF positive cases which, prior to last year, we hadn’t seen any in our population. We also had a slight uptick in colic cases in September when the weather was fluctuating.
Ontario Veterinary College (Memo Arroyo)	We saw a number of colics this quarter, mainly medical colics (displacements and impactions). Several horses with pneumonia were admitted, as well as horses with corneal ulcers and uveitis.  We saw a few interesting cases of equine proliferative enteritis  (Lawsonia intracellularis) in older horses (1-2 years of age).  These horses were admitted with severe hypoproteinemia, thickened intestine on ultrasound but not necessarily diarrhea.  We saw some cases of laminitis and a number of PHF cases , some of which were severe and didn’t respond to treatment. Some of the PHF cases presented just with laminitis. Should we routinely be testing laminitis cases for PHF this time of year?  We are now starting to see colicky horses with edematous colons (2.5 cm thick wall).

AHL Pathology (Emily Ratsep)

6 yo TB mare diagnosed with a body pregnancy. She was referred to an equine hospital for colic where she aborted. “The umbilical cord was attached to the caudal aspect of the uterine body. This is a rare condition and there is little information on how it can result in fetal loss. In a study including 30 body pregnancies, 83% of caudal body pregnancies resulted in abortion while only 22% of cranial body pregnancies led to abortion, suggesting that caudal attachment may be less compatible with life. Mares with caudal body pregnancies aborted by 43 days gestation, by 4 months or 9 months. It is likely that the mare’s clinical signs also contributed to the abortion. This fetus size was approximately 150 days of gestation and it was autolyzed, which indicates it was dead in the uterus for about 48h. “. 20 yo WB mare was diagnosed with a small intestinal perforating ulcer. The small intestine had an ulcer that communicated grossly with the mesentery and was coated with fibrin and feed material. Histologically, there was progressively maturing granulation tissue extending into the serosa transmurally, suggesting past perforation. There was extensive submucosal and serosal edema and inflammation. This inflammation is interpreted as a result of bacterial transmigration secondary to the ulcer. 80 day old TB colt was diagnosed with osteomyelitis due to Rhodococcus equi.  He had a 3 day history of diarrhea and fever. Fecal PCR results were positive for Rhodococcus and fecal culture positive for Salmonella. Thoracic ultrasonography revealed marked bilateral comet tails cranioventrally and mild comet tails generalized throughout both lung fields with evidence of small abscesses bilaterally cranioventrally. The colt also developed an acute RH lameness with effusion of the RH fetlock Cytology results were normal so physitis was suspected. Intermittent lameness and fevers continued and involved both hind limbs. CT scan performed under general anesthesia showed physitis of the distal aspect of P1 on the RH and multifocal random osteomyelitis of P2 on the LH. Due to poor prognosis the foal was humanely euthanized. Histology showed lesions present at the physis in the proximal and distal phalanx of the RH and the proximal and middle phalanx of the LH, which supports a hematogenous pathogenesis. Gram staining of the sample of the middle phalanx of the left hindlimb revealed rare gram-positive bacteria within macrophages. Histologic examination of samples of the mass within the left caudal lung lobe confirmed a pyogranulomatous abscess and samples of all other lung lobes had random foci of viable and degenerate neutrophils. Bacterial culture of the lung revealed 3 + Rhodococcus hoagii. Based on communication with the Animal Health Lab Bacteriology service, there is disagreement among taxonomists, and R. hoagie and R. equi are considered the same bacteria.. As Rhodococcus was identified with antemortem PCR in feces, within the lung lesion at post-morteum, and gram-positive intracellular bacteria are present within macrophages in the lesions of osteomyelitis, this foal likely suffered from systemic spread of this bacteria. Rhodococcus is well documented to affect the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems with hematogenous spread to the joints and the development of osteomyelitis is associated with poorer outcomes. 16 yo TB gelding was diagnosed with hemoperitoneum secondary to splenic fracture. Horse presented with colic signs that had begun earlier that morning. On admission the horse was tachycardic, tachypneic, and had a systemic lactate of 11. Abdominal ultrasound showed 20cm of hyperechoic fluid. Abdominocentesis was performed and had a PCV of 40. Horse received 2 doses of IV tranexamic acid and IV fluids On friday morning PCV had dropped to 21 and continued to decline. On Saturday morning PCV was 13 and repeat ultrasound had at least 30cm of blood in the abdomen. Suspect the bleeding was coming from the spleen as abdominal ultrasound showed a clot adjacent to the spleen. When rDVM tubed the horse prior to admission, the horse lost its balance and fell down. Unsure if the bleeding was causing the colic signs to begin with or if the fall resulted in damage/fracturing of the spleen. In the histologic sample of the splenic fracture site, there is no evidence of neoplasia or infectious organisms. The cause of the splenic fracture is likely an acute traumatic event as there is only fibrin present in the defect. This lesion is aged to be more than 24 hours but less than 86 hours old as there are macrophages present, some performing erythrophagocytosis, however, there is no hematoidin breakdown pigment present. 24 yo mixed breed mare was diagnosed with a mesenteric abscess due to S. zooepidemicus. There mare presented with severe colic sings and underwent exploratory laparotomy. The small intestine was entrapped within a mesenterial volvulus. When it was reduced, the most cranial part was adhered to a firm structure within the mesentery which was determined to be an abscess at postmortem. . Adhesions resulting from this mass are the likely cause of obstruction and colic. Streptococcus equi spp. zooepidemicus cultured from this lesion is thought to be disseminated through the blood, perhaps from previous pneumonia.

OMAFA (Hannah Golightly & Alison Moore)

Immediately Notifiable Diseases: Case Reports to OMAFA Equine Herpesvirus-1: There were 0 facilities affected by EHM due to EHV-1 in Q3. Strangles: During Q3 there were 8 new facilities managing Strangles located in: United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, City of Ottawa, Wellington County (2), Simcoe County, Oxford County, Renfrew County, United Counties of Prescott and Russell. AHL S Equi PCR Testing Activity  (as of 10/28/24) Equine Influenza: In Q3, there were no facilities positive for influenza. West Nile virus:  In Q3, 9 horses tested positive for WNV. Eastern Equine Encephalitis:  In Q3, 23 horses tested positive for EEE. Q3 Equine Syndromic Surveillance: Graphs of disease syndromes based on samples sent for testing to the Animal Health Laboratory. This information is compiled based on the type of sample, test ordered, and key terms included in the submission history (if provided).

 

Please follow:

Outbreaks | Equine Disease Communication Center (equinediseasecc.org) for reported outbreaks!

Syndromic and AHL Laboratory Data Surveillance

Survey – Key points

• 24 Counties represented
• 53% equine, 20% equine and food animal, 7% mixed animal, 13% equine and small animal and 7% referral practice veterinarians responded.
• 25% of veterinarians reported working with pleasure/backyard horses, 25% with performance/Competition/Show horses, 17% with foals, breeding and young stock, 9% with draft horses, 9% with mules/donkeys, 11% with racehorses, and 4% with buggy horses.
• Increases in Q3 were noted for (foal): Rhodococcus equi pneumonia, orthopedic infections, angular limb deformities
• Increases in Q3 were noted for (adult) Equine asthma, Potomac Horse Fever, West Nile virus encephalitis, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, pastern dermatitis, PPID, Strangles, laminitis, soft tissue injuries in hunter/jumper horses, anaplasmosis, fever of unknown origin, severe bacterial/fungal disease, insect hypersensitivity, colitis

New conditions or those without a diagnosis:

• Fevers of unknown origin, some with vague respiratory signs
• Septic peritonitis, no history of colic
• Several fungal keratitis cases

Equine Research from Ontario and Around the World

Researchers in Ontario

Endothelial glycocalyx degradation in critically ill foals.Gomez DE, Kamr A, Gilsenan WF, Burns TA, Mudge MC, Hostnik LD, Toribio RE.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2748-2757. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17196. Epub 2024 Sep 14.PMID: 39275920 Free PMC article.

What the hay: predicting equine voluntary forage intake using a meta-analysis approach.Leishman EM, Sahar M, Cieslar S, Darani P, Ellis JL.Animal. 2024 Sep;18(9):101266. doi: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101266. Epub 2024 Jul 18.PMID: 39216152 Free article.

Molecular testing for equine herpesviruses 1 (EHV-1) in healthy postpartum broodmares.Arroyo LG, Gomez DE, Moore A, Papapetrou M, Lillie BN.Can Vet J. 2024 Aug;65(8):813-816.

Prostaglandin-related genes are differentially expressed in equine endometrium with different biopsy grade, degrees of inflammation, and fibrosis.Byron M, Lection J, Foster RA, Chenier T, Wagner B, Diel de Amorim M.Theriogenology. 2024 Oct 1;227:151-156. 

Researchers around the world

Antimicrobial Resistance / Use

Antimicrobial Resistance in Equines: A Growing Threat to Horse Health and Beyond-A Comprehensive Review. Kabir A, Lamichhane B, Habib T, Adams A, El-Sheikh Ali H, Slovis NM, Troedsson MHT, Helmy YA.Antibiotics (Basel). 2024 Jul 29;13(8):713. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13080713.PMID: 39200013 Free PMC article. 

Diagnostic utility of acute phase proteins and their ability to guide antibiotic usage in pigs, horses, and cattle: a mapping review.Jakobsen N, Weber NR, Larsen I, Pedersen KS.Acta Vet Scand. 2024 Sep 5;66(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s13028-024-00766-6.PMID: 39237955 Free PMC article. Review.

Behaviour

Social facilitation of trotting: Can horses perceive and adapt to the movement of another horse? Bogossian PM, Pereira JS, da Silva NF, Hilgert AR, Seidel SRT, Fülber J, Belli CB, Fernandes WR.PLoS One. 2024 Aug 26;19(8):e0309474. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309474. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39186726 Free PMC article.

Gastroenterology

Gut Microbiota Profiling as a Promising Tool to Detect Equine Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Sävilammi T, Alakangas RR, Häyrynen T, Uusi-Heikkilä S.Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 18;14(16):2396. doi: 10.3390/ani14162396.PMID: 39199930 Free PMC article.

Return of showjumping horses to sporting activity after colic surgery. Giusto G, Gandini M.Equine Vet J. 2024 Aug 28. doi: 10.1111/evj.14407. Online ahead of print.

Genetics

An intronic copy number variation in Syntaxin 17 determines speed of greying and melanoma incidence in Grey horses. Rubin CJ, Hodge M, Naboulsi R, Beckman M, Bellone RR, Kallenberg A, J’Usrey S, Ohmura H, Seki K, Furukawa R, Ohnuma A, Davis BW, Tozaki T, Lindgren G, Andersson L.Nat Commun. 2024 Aug 29;15(1):7510. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51898-2.PMID: 39209879 Free PMC article.

Health Management

What the hay: predicting equine voluntary forage intake using a meta-analysis approach. Leishman EM, Sahar M, Cieslar S, Darani P, Ellis JL.Animal. 2024 Sep;18(9):101266. doi: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101266. Epub 2024 Jul 18.PMID: 39216152 Free article.

Early-life gut bacterial community structure predicts disease risk and athletic performance in horses bred for racing. Leng J, Moller-Levet C, Mansergh RI, O’Flaherty R, Cooke R, Sells P, Pinkham C, Pynn O, Smith C, Wise Z, Ellis R, Couto Alves A, La Ragione R, Proudman C.Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 7;14(1):17124. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-64657-6.PMID: 39112552 Free PMC article.

Effects of pacing strategy on metabolic responses to 2-min intense exercise in Thoroughbred horses. Takahashi K, Mukai K, Ebisuda Y, Sugiyama F, Yoshida T, Hatta H, Kitaoka Y.Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 7;14(1):18352. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-69339-x.PMID: 39112781 Free PMC article.

The Effects of L-citrulline Supplementation on the Athletic Performance, Physiological and Biochemical Parameters, Antioxidant Capacity, and Blood Amino Acid and Polyamine Levels in Speed-Racing Yili Horses. Li P, Sun S, Zhang W, Ouyang W, Li X, Yang K.Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 22;14(16):2438. doi: 10.3390/ani14162438.PMID: 39199970 Free PMC article.

Gene doping in horse racing and equine sports: Current landscape and future perspectives. Puchalska M, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O.Equine Vet J. 2024 Sep 12. doi: 10.1111/evj.14418. Online ahead of print.

Immune Response
A Comparative Review of Cytokines and Cytokine Targeting in Sepsis: From Humans to Horses. Hobbs KJ, Bayless R, Sheats MK.Cells. 2024 Sep 5;13(17):1489. doi: 10.3390/cells13171489.PMID: 39273060 Free PMC article. 

Infectious Disease

Hyalomma marginatum – an emerging tickborne disease vector for the UK? Armstrong D.Vet Rec. 2024 Aug 17;195(4):e4622. doi: 10.1002/vetr.4622.

 Immune horses rapidly increase antileukoproteinase and lack type I interferon secretion during mucosal innate immune responses against equine herpesvirus type 1. Holmes CM, Babasyan S, Eady N, Schnabel CL, Wagner B.Microbiol Spectr. 2024 Oct 3;12(10):e0109224. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01092-24. Epub 2024 Aug 20.PMID: 39162558 Free PMC article.

Genetic and antigenic characterization of two diarrhoeic dominant rotavirus A genotypes G3P[12] and G14P[12] circulating in the global equine population. Uprety T, Soni S, Sreenivasan C, Hause BM, Naveed A, Ni S, Graves AJ, Morrow JK, Meade N, Mellits KH, Adam E, Kennedy MA, Wang D, Li F.J Gen Virol. 2024 Aug;105(8):002016. doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.002016

Acute leptospirosis in horses: A retrospective study of 11 cases (2015-2023). Ramsay L, Eberhardt C, Schoster A.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2729-2738. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17184. Epub 2024 Aug 28.PMID: 39194176 Free PMC article.

Streptococcus equi subspecies equi from strangles suspected equines: molecular detection, antibiogram profiles and risk factors. Bekele D, Dessalegn B, Tadesse B, Abey SL.BMC Vet Res. 2024 Aug 23;20(1):377. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04236-z.PMID: 39180060 Free PMC article.

Aspergillus Fumigatus Spore Proteases Alter the Respiratory Mucosa Architecture and Facilitate Equine Herpesvirus 1 Infection. Portaels J, Van Crombrugge E, Van Den Broeck W, Lagrou K, Laval K, Nauwynck H.Viruses. 2024 Jul 27;16(8):1208. doi: 10.3390/v16081208.PMID: 39205182 Free PMC article.

New insights in the diagnosis and treatment of equine piroplasmosis: pitfalls, idiosyncrasies, and myths. Mendoza FJ, Pérez-Écija A, Kappmeyer LS, Suarez CE, Bastos RG.Front Vet Sci. 2024 Aug 14;11:1459989. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1459989. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39205808 Free PMC article.

The circulation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus between humans, horses and the environment at the equine clinic. Papouskova A, Drabkova Z, Brajerova M, Krutova M, Cizek A, Tkadlec J.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2024 Nov 4;79(11):2901-2905. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkae303.PMID: 39212167 Free PMC article.

Genomic revelations: investigating rotavirus A presence in wild ruminants and its zoonotic potential. Šenica P, Žele Vengušt D, Vengušt G, Kuhar U.Front Vet Sci. 2024 Aug 15;11:1429654. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1429654. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39211480 Free PMC article.

Association of Borrelia burgdorferi with nuchal bursitis and elevated outer surface protein A-specific serum antibodies in horses of the northeastern United States. Pearson EK, Guarino C, Cercone M, Divers T, Lambert J, García-López J, Johnson AL, Engiles JB, Marconi R, Smith J, Brown K, Pinn-Woodcock T.J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2024 Sep 6;262(11):1476-1484. doi: 10.2460/javma.24.05.0312. Print 2024 Nov 1.PMID: 39241798

Prevalence and risk factors associated with nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant staphylococci in horses and their caregivers. Bullone M, Bellato A, Robino P, Nebbia P, Morello S, Marchis D, Tarducci A, Ru G.Vet Res. 2024 Sep 9;55(1):108. doi: 10.1186/s13567-024-01364-0.PMID: 39252070 Free PMC article.

Protective immune response against Rhodococcus equi: An innate immunity-focused review. da Silveira BP, Cohen ND, Lawhon SD, Watson RO, Bordin AI.Equine Vet J. 2024 Sep 11. doi: 10.1111/evj.14214. Online ahead of print.

Neurology

Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on trigeminal-mediated headshaking in 17 horses. Franzen V, Gruber NA, Klußmann S, Schoster A, May A.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2758-2765. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17194. Epub 2024 Sep 12.PMID: 39264234 Free PMC article.

Parasitology

Farm size and biosecurity measures associated with Strongylus vulgaris infection in horses. Hedberg Alm Y, Tydén E, Martin F, Lernå J, Halvarsson P.Equine Vet J. 2024 Aug 22. 

Effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on clinical outcomes and fecal microbiota of foals with diarrhea. Bell J, Radial SL, Cuming RS, Trope G, Hughes KJ.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2718-2728. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17185. Epub 2024 Sep 12.PMID: 39266472 Free PMC article.

Pharmacology

Endocannabinoid system and phytocannabinoids in the main species of veterinary interest: a comparative review.Di Salvo A, Chiaradia E, Sforna M, Della Rocca G.Vet Res Commun. 2024 Oct;48(5):2915-2941. doi: 10.1007/s11259-024-10509-7. Epub 2024 Aug 20.PMID: 39162768 Free PMC article. 

Bee-Inspired Healing: Apitherapy in Veterinary Medicine for Maintenance and Improvement Animal Health and Well-Being. Stevanović J, Glavinić U, Ristanić M, Erjavec V, Denk B, Dolašević S, Stanimirović Z.Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024 Aug 9;17(8):1050. doi: 10.3390/ph17081050.PMID: 39204155 Free PMC article. 

Oral trazodone results in quantifiable sedation but does not result in a xylazine-sparing effect in healthy adult horses. Swanton WE, Johnson R, Zhao Q, Schroeder C.Am J Vet Res. 2024 Sep 6;85(11):ajvr.24.07.0185. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.24.07.0185. Print 2024 Nov 1.PMID: 39241804 Free article.

Transdermal carbon dioxide may accelerate hoof growth in healthy, sound horses in a short-term, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Rudnick MJ, Stewart HL, Burleson MD, Levine DG.Am J Vet Res. 2024 Sep 10;85(11):ajvr.24.06.0161. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.24.06.0161. Print 2024 Nov 1.PMID: 39255834 Free article. 

Reproduction

Review of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae as venereal pathogens in horses.  Scholtz M, Guthrie AJ, Newton R, Schulman ML.Equine Vet J. 2024 Aug 5. doi: 10.1111/evj.14201. Online ahead of print.

 Quantitative microCT imaging of a whole equine placenta and its blood vessel network. Laundon D, Proudley E, Basford PJ, Katsamenis OL, Chatelet DS, Cleal JK, Gostling NJ, Chavatte-Palmer P, Lewis RM.Placenta. 2024 Sep 2;154:216-219. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.07.313. Epub 2024 Jul 31.PMID: 39096863 Free article.

Molecular detection of Chlamydia abortus in endometrial biopsies of mares from western Canada. Ricard RM, Wobeser B.J Vet Diagn Invest. 2024 Aug 17:10406387241267864. doi: 10.1177/10406387241267864. Online ahead of print.PMID: 39152698 Free article.

Cervix-Deep Rectal Temperature Differential on the Day of Ovulation is Correlated With Embryo Recovery Results in Mares. Funes J, Ismer A, Hoogewijs M, Wilsher S.Reprod Domest Anim. 2024 Sep;59(9):e14716. doi: 10.1111/rda.14716.

Feeding a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Product to Mares in Late Gestation Alters the Biological Activity of Colostrum. Terpeluk ER, Schäfer J, Finkler-Schade C, Rauch E, Rohn K, Schuberth HJ.Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 24;14(17):2459. doi: 10.3390/ani14172459.PMID: 39272244 Free PMC article.

Respiratory 

Steamed hay and alfalfa pellets for the management of severe equine asthma. Symoens A, Westerfeld R, Vives BM, André V, Moulon L, Collomb M, Richard H, Juette T, Bédard C, Leclère M.Equine Vet J. 2024 Aug 20. 

Explainable machine learning for assessing upper respiratory tract of racehorses from endoscopy videos. Tahir AM, Guo L, Ward RK, Yu X, Rideout A, Hore M, Wang ZJ.Comput Biol Med. 2024 Oct;181:109030. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.109030. Epub 2024 Aug 21.PMID: 39173488 Free article.

Time to resolution of airway inflammation caused by bronchoalveolar lavage in healthy horses. Woodrow JS, Hopster K, Palmisano M, Payette F, Kulp J, Stefanovski D, Nolen-Walston R.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2776-2782. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17169. Epub 2024 Aug 28.PMID: 39198933 Free PMC article.

Aspergillus fumigatus antigen-reactive Th17 cells are enriched in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in severe equine asthma. Wjst VF, Lübke S, Wagner B, Rhyner C, Jentsch MC, Arnold C, Lohmann KL, Schnabel CL.Front Immunol. 2024 Aug 20;15:1367971. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1367971. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39229267 Free PMC article.

Association between equine asthma and fungal elements in the tracheal wash: An environment-matched case-control study. Dély S, Gerber V, Peters LM, Sage SE.PLoS One. 2024 Sep 6;19(9):e0309835. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309835. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39240830 Free PMC article.

Sports medicine

Evaluation of variants in the ENTPD1 and ENTPD2 genes in athletic horses with exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage.  Leite RO, Albertino LG, Sperandio LMS, Campos F, Campos R, Borges AS, Oliveira-Filho JP.BMC Vet Res. 2024 Aug 6;20(1):346. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04192-8.PMID: 39103835 Free PMC article.

Environmental conditions in equine indoor arenas: A descriptive study. McGill S, Coleman R, Hayes M.J Equine Vet Sci. 2024 Oct;141:105165. d

Digital video analysis reveals gait parameters that predict performance in the jumping test phase of three-day eventing.Johns LT, Smythe MP, Dewberry LS, Staiger EA, Allen K, Brooks SA.J Equine Vet Sci. 2024 Oct;141:105166

Platelet-Rich Plasma and Related Orthobiologics for the Treatment of Equine Musculoskeletal Disorders-A Bibliometric Analysis from 2000 to 2024. Carmona JU, Carmona-Ramírez LH, López C.Vet Sci. 2024 Aug 21;11(8):385. doi: 10.3390/vetsci11080385.PMID: 39195839 Free PMC article. Review.

Kinematic Responses to Water Treadmill Exercise When Used Regularly within a Sport Horse Training Programme: A Longitudinal, Observational Study. Nankervis K, Tranquille C, Tacey J, Deckers I, MacKechnie-Guire R, Walker V, Hopkins E, Newton R, Murray R.Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 18;14(16):2393. doi: 10.3390/ani14162393.PMID: 39199927 Free PMC article.

Comparison of a hand-held high-end resolution infrared thermography (FLIR P640) and a smartphone infrared thermographic device (FLIR One) for the assessment of skin surface temperature after anaesthetising the median nerve in Healthy horses. Ferlini Agne G, Adamson K, McGlinchey L, Kravchuk O, Santos L, Schumacher J.PLoS One. 2024 Aug 30;19(8):e0309603. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309603. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39213320 Free PMC article.

Effect of balanced vs. standard protein on muscle mass development in exercising horses. Graham-Thiers PM, Bowen LK.Transl Anim Sci. 2024 Aug 16;8:txae118. doi: 10.1093/tas/txae118. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39219716 Free PMC article.

Equine Nuclear Medicine in 2024: Use and Value of Scintigraphy and PET in Equine Lameness Diagnosis. Spriet M, Vandenberghe F.Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 28;14(17):2499. doi: 10.3390/ani14172499.PMID: 39272284 Free PMC article. 

Sports medicine – bone and joint

Effects of intra-articular anesthesia of the tarsometatarsal joint on skin sensation of the distal limb in horses.  Osborne C, Elce YA, Byrant B, Meehan-Howard L.Can Vet J. 2024 Aug;65(8):808-812.

Determinants of joint effusion in tarsocrural osteochondrosis of yearling Standardbred horses. Bertuglia A, Pallante M, Pagliara E, Valle D, Bergamini L, Bollo E, Bullone M, Riccio B.Front Vet Sci. 2024 Jul 24;11:1389798. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1389798. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39113724 Free PMC article.

Radiological abnormalities of the cervicothoracic vertebrae in Warmblood horses with primary neck-related clinical signs versus controls. Dyson S, Quiney L, Phillips K, Zheng S, Aleman M.Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2024 Aug 19

Advancements in Subchondral Bone Biomechanics: Insights from Computed Tomography and Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging in Equine Models. Malekipour F, Whitton RC, Lee PV.Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2024 Dec;22(6):544-552. doi: 10.1007/s11914-024-00886-y. Epub 2024 Sep 14.PMID: 39276168 Free PMC article. 

Welfare

‘Chat’ hatches could boost stabled horses‘ wellbeing. Loeb J.Vet Rec. 2024 Aug 3;195(3):92-93. doi: 10.1002/vetr.4545.

“How long is life worth living for the horse?” A focus group study on how Austrian equine stakeholders assess quality of life for chronically ill or old horses. Long M, Grimm H, Jenner F, Cavalleri JV, Springer S.BMC Vet Res. 2024 Aug 6;20(1):347. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04211-8.PMID: 39107791 Free PMC article.

Time budgets and weight shifting as indicators of pain in hospitalized horses. Nowak M, Martin-Cirera A, Jenner F, Auer U.Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2024 Jul 23;5:1410302. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1410302. eCollection 2024.PMID: 39109240 Free PMC article.

Enhancing the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS): Proposed updates and anatomical descriptors for pain assessment. Werner LC, de Oliveira GM, Daros RR, Costa ED, Michelotto PV.Vet J. 2024 Oct;307:106223. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106223. Epub 2024 Aug 12.

Horse Owners’ Knowledge of Fundamental Care and their Perceptions on the Implementation of a Mandatory Certificate of Knowledge. Watney M, Lancaster B, Randle H.J Appl Anim Welf Sci. 2024 Aug 28:1-20.

Assessing the Peripheral Levels of the Neurotransmitters Noradrenaline, Dopamine and Serotonin and the Oxidant/Antioxidant Equilibrium in Circus Horses. Cocco R, Sechi S, Rizzo M, Arrigo F, Giannetto C, Piccione G, Arfuso F.Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 14;14(16):2354. doi: 10.3390/ani14162354.PMID: 39199887 Free PMC article.

Effects of weaning-related stress on the emotional health of horses-A scoping review. Dwyer J, Roshier AL, Campbell M, Hill B, Freeman SL.Equine Vet J. 2024 Aug 29. doi: 10.1111/evj.14412. Online ahead of print.

Horse Sector Participants’ Attitudes towards Anthropomorphism and Animal Welfare and Wellbeing. Fiedler JM, Ayre ML, Rosanowski S, Slater JD.Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 26;14(17):2482. doi: 10.3390/ani14172482.PMID: 39272267 Free PMC article.

ResearchONequine.ca is a website developed by the Ontario Animal Health Network equine network to help increase research awareness and to connect researchers from academia, industry and government with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of all equines. It was supported by OAHN and the Ontario Association of Equine Practitioners.