Bluetongue campaign hits the road The Joint campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB) has begun a series of events for farmers, vets and the wider livestock industry to explain the current situation ...surrounding bluetongue and the risk to the UK, and to give information about the disease and vaccinating against it.
Reasons for performing the study
Most complications in equine castrations result from insufficient ligation and contamination.
Objectives
Stapling instruments reduce tissue handling, decrease ...surgical time, minimise contamination and provide secure visceral and vascular closure when used correctly. Using a stapler device might therefore increase ligation security and decrease contamination, and by this, reduce the complication rate seen in routine castration.
Study design
The applicability and safety of a TA‐30 premium stapler as a ligation method in castration of the horse was tested in 15 horses under general anaesthesia in dorsal recumbency. Three horses were cryptorchids, one horse suffered a scirrous chord, and one horse suffered an infectious orchitis.
Methods
The vaginal process was approached inguinally. A noncutting emasculator was applied to compress the closed vaginal process. Consecutively a TA‐30 Premium stapler was applied to the compressed site. The distal part of the vaginal process was then removed, the stapler device was released and the incision was closed. The TA‐30 stapler accommodates 3 different staple cartridges of 30 mm width, accommodating 1.0 to 2.5 mm tissue thickness. The thickness of the vaginal process after compression was measured to be 1.0 mm (0.9–1.1 mm) in 10 fresh specimens. The 30‐V3 cartridges (triple row, 1 mm closed diameter) were chosen in 9 horses with smaller vaginal processes and the 30‐3.5 cartridges (double row 1.5 mm closed diameter) in 6 other horses with larger vaginal processes.
Results
All horses recovered without intra‐ or post operative complications.
Conclusions
A TA‐30 stapler is a safe ligation instrument in equine castrations. The use of titanium staples may reduce infection rate in routine castrations, even more in ligation of precontaminated vaginal processes in cases of post operative haemorrhage control after practice castrations or in closing the vaginal process after the removal of an infected testis or scirrous chord.
Ethical animal research: Ethical committee oversight not currently required by this congress: procedures were performed as part of clinical investigations. Explicit owner informed consent for participation in this study was not stated. Sources of funding: None. Competing interests: None.
African horse sickness virus (AHSV) is a virus species in the genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae. There are nine serotypes of AHSV showing different levels of cross neutralization. AHSV is ...transmitted by species of Culicoides biting midges and causes African horse sickness (AHS) in equids, with a mortality rate of up to 95% in naive horses. AHS has become a serious threat for countries outside Africa, since endemic Culicoides species in moderate climates appear to be competent vectors for the related bluetongue virus (BTV). To control AHS, live-attenuated vaccines (LAVs) are used in Africa. We used reverse genetics to generate "synthetic" reassortants of AHSV for all nine serotypes by exchange of genome segment 2 (Seg-2). This segment encodes VP2, which is the serotype-determining protein and the dominant target for neutralizing antibodies. Single Seg-2 AHSV reassortants showed similar cytopathogenic effects in mammalian cells but displayed different growth kinetics. Reverse genetics for AHSV was also used to study Seg-10 expressing NS3/NS3a proteins. We demonstrated that NS3/NS3a proteins are not essential for AHSV replication in vitro. NS3/NS3a of AHSV is, however, involved in the cytopathogenic effect in mammalian cells and is very important for virus release from cultured insect cells in particular. Similar to the concept of the bluetongue disabled infectious single animal (BT DISA) vaccine platform, an AHS DISA vaccine platform lacking NS3/NS3a expression was developed. Using exchange of genome segment 2 encoding VP2 protein (Seg-2VP2), we will be able to develop AHS DISA vaccine candidates for all current AHSV serotypes.
African horse sickness virus is transmitted by species of Culicoides biting midges and causes African horse sickness in equids, with a mortality rate of up to 95% in naive horses. African horse sickness has become a serious threat for countries outside Africa, since endemic Culicoides species in moderate climates are supposed to be competent vectors. By using reverse genetics, viruses of all nine serotypes were constructed by the exchange of Seg-2 expressing the serotype-determining VP2 protein. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the nonstructural protein NS3/NS3a is not essential for virus replication in vitro. However, the potential spread of the virus by biting midges is supposed to be blocked, since the in vitro release of the virus was strongly reduced due to this deletion. VP2 exchange and NS3/NS3a deletion in African horse sickness virus were combined in the concept of a disabled infectious single animal vaccine for all nine serotypes.
Introduction
Muscle glycogen is a potentially limiting substrate for horses during intense exercise. Low‐starch, high‐fat concentrates have become popular for performance horses, but their effect on ...muscle glycogen usage and repletion is unclear.
Methods
Six Thoroughbred horses were studied in a 3 x 3 Latin Square design to measure the effect of non‐structural carbohydrate (NSC), fat and fiber intake on glycogen repletion following intense exercise. Horses were fed isocaloric, isonitrogenous rations that supplied high (HS), medium (MS) or low (LS) NSC intake. The horses were fed 1.25% BW/d grass‐hay and 1.0% BW/d concentrate. These rations provided 45%, 36% and 18% of total digestible energy (DE) from NSC, 11%, 15% and 23% of total DE from fat, and 30%, 33% and 45% of total DE from fiber. During each 1‐month period horses were trained for three weeks on a high‐speed treadmill followed by a three‐day glycogen‐depletion period comprising multiple bouts of intense exercise. Muscle biopsies were taken before and 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours post‐depletion. A standardized exercise test (SET) was performed on day 1 of the depletion period.
Results
During the SET, lactate was lower in LS compared to MS or HS (P<0.05). Heart rate, plasma glucose, VO2, VCO2 were unaffected by treatment. Muscle glycogen depletion averaged 33%, 30%, and 36% in the HS, MS and LS treatments. Muscle glycogen repletion was significantly lower in the LS group 72 hours post exercise (P<0.05).
Conclusions
Low NSC concentrates may not provide enough substrate for glycogen repletion following multiple bouts of intense exercise.
Ethical Animal Research
Approved by Kentucky Equine Research animal use committee. Sources of funding: Kentucky Equine Research and Cargill. Competing interests: Some of the concentrates tested are owned by the funding sources. Dr Pagan is president of Kentucky Equine Research.
Post-breeding endometritis (i.e., inflammation/infection of the endometrium), is a physiological reaction taking place in the endometrium of mares within 48 hours post-breeding, aimed to clear ...seminal plasma, excess sperm, microorganisms, and debris from the uterine lumen in preparation for the arrival of an embryo. Mares are classified as susceptible or resistant to persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE) based on their ability to clear this inflammation/infection by 48 hours post-breeding. Mares susceptible to PBIE, or those with difficulty clearing infection/inflammation, have a deficient immune response and compromised physical mechanisms of defense against infection. Molecular pathways of the innate immune response known to be involved in PBIE are discussed herein. The role of the adaptive uterine immune response on PBIE remains to be elucidated in horses. Advances in the pathobiology of microbes involved in PBIE are also revised here. Traditional and non-traditional therapeutic modalities for endometritis are contrasted and described in the context of clinical and molecular aspects. In recent years, the lack of efficacy of traditional therapeutic modalities, alongside the ever-increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, has enforced the development of non-traditional therapies. Novel biological products capable of modulating the endometrial inflammatory response are also discussed here as part of the non-traditional therapies for endometritis.
The Eneolithic Botai culture of the Central Asian steppes provides the earliest archaeological evidence for horse husbandry, ~5500 years ago, but the exact nature of early horse domestication remains ...controversial. We generated 42 ancient-horse genomes, including 20 from Botai. Compared to 46 published ancient- and modern-horse genomes, our data indicate that Przewalski's horses are the feral descendants of horses herded at Botai and not truly wild horses. All domestic horses dated from ~4000 years ago to present only show ~2.7% of Botai-related ancestry. This indicates that a massive genomic turnover underpins the expansion of the horse stock that gave rise to modern domesticates, which coincides with large-scale human population expansions during the Early Bronze Age.
Introduction
Despite the range of oral joint supplements available, there has been very limited research into their efficacy.
Aims
To determine effect of an oral joint supplement on orthopaedic, ...physiotherapy and handler evaluation in horses.
Methods
Twenty‐four mature horses were included in the study. Horses were excluded if they were in poor body condition, had health problems or greater than 2/5 lameness. Supplement Sa (containing chondroitin sulfate 1.62 g/100 kg bwt, glucosamine 1.9 g/100 kg bwt, vitamin C 0.8 g/100 kg bwt, methyl sulphonyl methane 2.56 g/100 kg bwt, DHA 0.66 g/100 kg bwt), EPA 0.34 g/100 kg bwt or placebo P (carrier/flavours only) were given to horses in their feed for 21 days each in a triple‐blind crossover design; all horses received supplement and placebo in random order. Horses were evaluated at Days 0 (baseline), 21 (after first treatment) and 42 (after second treatment). Assessments included: clinical orthopaedic evaluation for straight line and lungeing circle (walk and trot), and during ridden exercise (walk, trot and canter); handler field evaluation, during groundwork and while ridden, grading‐specific criteria; grading of range of motion (ROM) and muscle tone based on standardised physiotherapy criteria. All evaluators were blinded to treatment. Significance indicates P<0.05.
Results
S was associated with significantly lower lameness grade in a straight line and circle than either P or baseline. Both S and P were associated with significantly improved ROM and muscle tone over baseline. Handler scores for ridden and groundwork were significantly higher with S compared with P or baseline. After S, horses were graded significantly higher for field ‘ease‐of‐movement’ compared with P or baseline.
Conclusions and practical significance
Oral administration of this supplement was associated with less lameness, improved ridden/groundwork scores and improved ‘ease‐of‐movement’ in the field. Improvement in physiotherapy assessment with both treatments over time suggests effects of ongoing training on ROM and muscle tone.
Ethical animal research
This study involved informed consent of the persons responsible for horses used in the study.Sources of funding: World Horse Welfare. Competing interests: David Marlin and Rebecca Frost are employed by Science Supplements. Vicki Adams and Rachel Murray are involved with Science Supplements on a consultancy basis.
Aims
To develop, describe and evaluate clinical applicability of pudendal nerve block using a peripheral nerve locator.
Methods
In a pilot study, 6 ponies were used to determine the correlation ...between nerves serving the perineal region (namely pudendal, caudorectal and perineal nerves) and the muscle contractions observed when an electrolocation technique was used. After appropriate electrolocation a small volume of lidocaine/methylene blue solution was injected under general anaesthesia. The dye location relative to the specified nerves was examined after humane euthanasia followed by dissection of the relevant region. In a second experiment, 7 Thoroughbred horses were used to evaluate the appropriate volume of lidocaine solution for the nerve block. Lidocaine/methylene blue solution was injected after positive electrolocation immediately (5–40 min) after euthanasia. A stained segment of 2 cm or more of the nerve was deemed to be sufficient and was evaluated after dissection. Finally, evaluation of a bilateral pudendal nerve block was used to provide anaesthesia and analgesia in 10 clinical cases involving both mares and geldings.
Results
Anal twitch alone was associated with injection of the caudal rectal nerve, whereas combined twitch of the anus and perineum was required for reliable location and injection of the pudendal nerve. Injection was more accurate in standing rather than laterally recumbent horses. A volume of 10–20 ml bilaterally, reliably provided at least 60 min of clinical analgesia for perineal surgery. Procedures satisfactorily completed included; urethral extension and perineal body repair in mares and penile examination, removal of penile tumours and penile amputation in male patients.
Conclusions and practical significance
Pudendal nerve block is a practical and effective alternative to epidural analgesia for selected standing surgical procedures of the reproductive tract in male and female horses.
Ethical animal research
The Cornell University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved the project and informed client consent was obtained. Sources of funding: None. Competing interests: None.
Foreword and Acknowledgements Gallacher, K; Campoy, L; Bezuidenhout, AJ ...
Equine veterinary journal,
09/2013, Volume:
45, Issue:
S44
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Aims To develop, describe and evaluate clinical applicability of pudendal nerve block using a peripheral nerve locator. Methods In a pilot study, 6 ponies were used to determine the correlation ...between nerves serving the perineal region (namely pudendal, caudorectal and perineal nerves) and the muscle contractions observed when an electrolocation technique was used. After appropriate electrolocation a small volume of lidocaine/methylene blue solution was injected under general anaesthesia. The dye location relative to the specified nerves was examined after humane euthanasia followed by dissection of the relevant region. In a second experiment, 7 Thoroughbred horses were used to evaluate the appropriate volume of lidocaine solution for the nerve block. Lidocaine/methylene blue solution was injected after positive electrolocation immediately (5-40min) after euthanasia. A stained segment of 2cm or more of the nerve was deemed to be sufficient and was evaluated after dissection. Finally, evaluation of a bilateral pudendal nerve block was used to provide anaesthesia and analgesia in 10 clinical cases involving both mares and geldings. Results Anal twitch alone was associated with injection of the caudal rectal nerve, whereas combined twitch of the anus and perineum was required for reliable location and injection of the pudendal nerve. Injection was more accurate in standing rather than laterally recumbent horses. A volume of 10-20ml bilaterally, reliably provided at least 60min of clinical analgesia for perineal surgery. Procedures satisfactorily completed included; urethral extension and perineal body repair in mares and penile examination, removal of penile tumours and penile amputation in male patients. Conclusions and practical significance Pudendal nerve block is a practical and effective alternative to epidural analgesia for selected standing surgical procedures of the reproductive tract in male and female horses. Ethical animal research The Cornell University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved the project and informed client consent was obtained. Sources of funding: None. Competing interests: None. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
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