Sustainable equine parasite control: perspectives and research needs

Clinically important equine parasites are ubiquitous in managed horse populations. The traditional approach to parasite control is frequent administration of anthelmintics to all horses on a farm. However, increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance is forcing horse owners and veterinarians to shift this control paradigm. Treatment regimens involving routine deworming of all horses throughout the year are now being replaced by more sustainable approaches, which take in to account the importance of maintaining adequate parasite refugia. The selective therapy principle has been recommended for more than 15 years, but there is limited experience with this approach. The relative magnitude of the faecal egg count for an individual horse is a consistent trait, and this provides a reliable basis for selective therapy. But no studies have evaluated the consequences of selective therapy in the long-term, and such studies are strongly needed to validate this approach. Importantly, it remains unclear how selective therapy may affect the prevalence and intensity of other parasites of significant pathogenic potential (e.g. Strongylus vulgaris), which have become uncommon due to years of intensive chemotherapy. Consequently, a selective approach requires vigilant surveillance of the parasite fauna and intensity. This places a demands for reliable diagnostic tools. Also noteworthy is the fact that the majority of equine nematode parasites are more pathogenic during their larval stages, when they cannot be detected by traditional egg counting techniques. Consequently, parasite-specific diagnostic tools capable of assessing prepatent parasite burdens, and able to differentiate between strongyle species of different pathogenic potentials, would be of great value to the equine clinician. Tools for detecting infections with the tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata are laborious, difficult to interpret, and at present there is no established method to evaluate treatment efficacy. Thus, better diagnostic tools are needed for tapeworms as well. Biological control, especially the predacious fungi have demonstrated good potential as an adjunct for strongyle control and such a product could easily have a market in equine establishments. In summary, there is general agreement that the traditional treat-all at frequent interval approach should be abandoned, and that optimal parasite control can be maintained with far fewer anthelmintic treatments. But better diagnostic techniques and more evidence documenting the long-term consequences of selective therapy programs are needed to develop and validate systems for sustainable equine parasite control.     

Tensions used on girths on thoroughbred racehorses

OBJECTIVE: To determine commonly used girth tensions in Thoroughbred racehorses in the Melbourne metropolitan area. DESIGN: A prospective industry survey. METHODS: Strappers were instructed to tension girths, using the same saddle, under-saddle packing and girth, sufficiently to hold the saddle for racing. These tensions were continuously recorded by an in-line load cell in the girth. Seventeen strappers from five stables participated in the study, which was conducted on 91 horses. RESULTS: Resting girth tensions varied considerably. The mean tension on inhalation was 13 +/- 0.4 kg. Male strappers recorded higher tensions than females for all indices measured. Age and girth size of the horse did not significantly influence results. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that there is no standard for application of a girth and saddle in the Thoroughbred racing industry and the range of tensions applied was large. Strappers were unable to reliably apply the same tensions between horses. Values recorded at the extremes of the range seem inappropriate for racing conditions as low values would result in slippage of the saddle and higher values may result in girth galls and possible reduction in athletic performance. Further work is necessary to determine the point at which girth tension affects performance.     

Population Pharmacokinetics of Tobramycin in Horses

Population pharmacokinetics of tobramycin was investigated in 28 healthy horses, with an aim to assess interindividual variability in the disposition of the antibiotic. Additionally, a covariate model for improved prediction of the concentrations in a particular animal was developed. A two-compartmental model best described the data. The final population covariate regression model was based on relationships between body weight and central and peripheral volumes of distribution, and between creatinine clearance and systemic tobramycin clearance. The value of population systemic tobramycin clearance and its interindividual variation (CV) were 0.087 L.hr⁻¹.kg⁻¹ and 6.0%, respectively. The respective values for central and peripheral volumes of distribution were 0.652 L.kg⁻¹ with CV of 17.7% and 1.56 L.kg⁻¹ with CV of 4.5%. In horses with decreased glomerular filtration rate, lower tobramycin clearance is predicted with the population model that requires administration of lower dose than that accepted for treatment of horses with normal kidney function. Population pharmacokinetic analysis allows study of basic disposition of tobramycin in horses with sparse data. The prediction power of the regression model was improved by inclusion of covariables such as body weight and creatinine clearance. This model can be used in direct patient care for the construction of dosing strategy in individual clinical cases.     

Baby pig diarrhea caused by coccidiosis

Summary

An outbreak of coccidiosis on two Belgian farms is described. Diarrhea started in piglets at 9 or 10 days of life. Zero to three pigs died per litter. The morbidity rate varied from 70 to 90 per cent. Histological examination of the intestines revealed shortening of villi and different stages of the life cycle of coccidia were seen in the enterocytes. Virological examination was negative for corona‐, corona‐like, and rota‐virus. A haemolytic E. coli strain was isolated in one case. As for treatment, good results were obtained by the adding of 1 kg amproleum pre‐mix per ton sow feed. Scouring pigs were treated orally with 2 cc of an amprol solution once a day. The diarrhea stopped one day after treatment.     

Assisted Reproduction in Horses: What Can Be Learned from Assisted Reproduction in Cattle?

Researchers and practitioners of assisted reproduction in horses have borrowed heavily from similar bovine practices over the years. However, most procedures required species-specific experiments for optimization. Furthermore, the flow of information occurs in both directions; some procedures, for example, vitrification of embryos and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, were made efficacious in horses before cattle. The great advantage of research in cattle is the availability of large numbers of animals and embryos for testing hypotheses economically. Objectives of cattle breeding generally are more scientific than those concerning horses, and it is likely that much can be learned in the future from genetic tools being developed for cattle breeding. A genetic advantage of cattle breeding over horse breeding is the extremely large genetic and phenotypic databases of some breeds, which can be matched to genomic information.     

Effect of the microclimate on horses during international air transportation in an enclosed container

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the microclimate is detrimental to horses during international air transportation in an enclosed container. PROCEDURE: On each of two 12 h and two 24 h flights three horses were transported in an enclosed container designed to prevent exposure to insect vectors. Heart rates were monitored throughout and blood samples were collected periodically. Air in the container was sampled for bacteria and fungal spores and the temperature and relative humidity were recorded inside and outside the container periodically during the flight. On the two 12 h flights similar observations were made on three horses transported in regular open containers, which were used as controls. RESULTS: Heart rates during the flights reflected any agitation of the horses. Agitation was only mild and generally associated with take-off and landing. There were no changes in haematological or blood biochemical values that suggested any detrimental effects of the flights. The temperature in the Airstable was relatively constant during each flight (means ranged from 18.7 to 23.4 degrees C) and was significantly warmer than in the cargo hold (range 13.9 to 18.3 degrees C). Relative humidity fluctuated more widely and reflected the ambient humidity during airport stops. The numbers of bacteria and fungal spores in the Airstable air varied during the flights but were of no apparent significance to the horses' health. CONCLUSION: The Airstable proved a convenient means to transport horses on international flights and caused no discernible ill effects on the horses studied.     

Pharmacokinetics of Sulpiride After Intravenous,Intramuscular, and Oral Single-Dose Administration in Nurse Mares

Sulpiride (SLP) is an antipsychotic drug used in humans. Although no pharmacokinetic data are available for horses, it is commonly used to encourage ovulation in noncycling mares and to stimulate lactation in adoptive mares. The aim of this study is to assess the pharmacokinetics profile of SLP after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and oral (PO) administrations in normal horses. Animals (n = 6) were treated with 1 mg/kg SLP, administered by IV, IM, and PO routes according to a randomized crossover design (3 × 3 Latin square). Blood samples (5 mL) were collected at a programmed time and analyzed using a validated with fluorescence detection method. SLP was present at a detectable concentration up to 24 hours postadministration for all routes, except for one animal in the PO group. IV and IM administrations gave similar curves, with an IM average bioavailability of 118.0%. These high values were mainly the result of the profile generated by two horses, in which a secondary concentration peak occurred in the terminal phase of the curve. After PO administration, AUC_0-∞, and consequently bioavailability (20.4%), was low. This finding could be owing to the physicochemical features of the drug. Indeed, considering that SLP is a weak base, existing in the ionized form at gastric and physiological pH, it is unsurprising that it is poorly absorbable, especially in horses with a particularly acidic gastric pH. In conclusion, injective routes are definitely preferable to PO dosing because of the low bioavailability using this route.     

First case report of ultrastructural cutaneous abnormalities in equine atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease that affects humans and animals. Skin impairment has been described in human and canine AD. Equine AD is recognized in practice but little is known about its pathogenesis. As remarkable similarities exist across species in terms of cutaneous manifestations of AD, it was speculated that skin abnormalities may also exist in atopic horses. This case report describes the ultrastructure of the stratum corneum of two normal and two atopic horses. Biopsies were taken from sites predisposed to AD and examined using electron microscopy. Stratum corneum in normal samples was compacted with organized lipid lamellae while in atopic samples disorganized lipid lamellae, retained lamellar bodies and amorphous lipids were found. These changes are very similar to what reported in AD in other species. It is currently unknown whether these abnormalities in atopic horses are primary or secondary and their importance in allergen penetration.