Health

EVSNET (Equine Veterinary Surveillance Network for the UK Equine Population) will use health data from diagnostic laboratories and veterinary practices.

“Our results may aid in development of a point‐of‐care device to identify hyperinsulinemic horses using a single unstimulated blood sample.”

Study team found a significant correlation of blink rate with conventional measures of stress.

Findings support using DNA testing for the gene in Connemara ponies to assist in mate selection and clinical management, researchers say.

Temperature-sensing microchips inserted into the muscle through the skin provided readings that correlated well with the core body temperature of horses before, during and after exercise.

Horses fed flaxseed oil, when compared to those fed soybean oil, had better lipid profiles, improved blood parameters and enhanced antioxidant defence.

The Equine Acute Abdominal Pain Scale appears to require no training, is easy to use in clinical cases, and can improve equine welfare.

Among the abnormalities identified on the images from five healthy horses were mucosal erosion, ulceration and haemorrhage, areas of thickened mucosa, and parasites.

Researchers say that while Britain is currently free of locally acquired cases – with only occasional human cases arising from travel abroad – the virus could emerge.

Infected animals are often not identified and remain for long periods as possible sources of infection for horses and other species, including humans, according to scientists.

The state has robust systems to monitor and limit the spread of the virus, but vigilance remains essential, say researchers.

It is estimated that 90% of the global horse population resides in areas where the tick-borne disease is endemic.

“Some of the metabolites that we identified could also serve as performance indicators of the horses while others could be used to optimize diet to enhance performance.”

“The prevalence of 23.3% demonstrates that a significant proportion of 3 to 14-year-old native ponies and cobs in the UK are at increased risk of developing laminitis,” the study team reported.

Studies in live horses with sarcoids and melanomas are required to more fully assess the anti-tumor effects of topically applied NVX-207.

Silibinin may ultimately prove useful for treating several inflammatory conditions in horses, but further research is needed.