This study evaluated the prophylactic effectiveness of hyperimmune plasma (HIP) as an aid in the prevention of pneumonia caused by experimental infection with Rhodococcus equi. Thirty neonatal foals were administered R. equi HIP or saline at 2 days of age and were infected with virulent R. equi at 7 days. All foals developed signs or symptoms of respiratory disease. Radiographic scores on day 2...

The incidence of developmental orthopedic disease on a commercial Thoroughbred farm was studied over a four year period. A total of 271 foals were monitored. DOD was diagnosed in 10% of the foals. Fetlock OCDs tended to occur before 180 days of age while hock, shoulder and stifle OCDs occurred around 300-350 days of age. Foals that developed hock and stifle OCDs as yearlings tended to be large ...

Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes pneumonia in young foals but does not induce disease in immunocompetent adult horses. Clearance of R. equi depends mainly on gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production by T lymphocytes, whereas the predominance of interleukin 4 (IL-4) is detrimental. Young foals, like neonates of many other species, are generally deficient in the...

Cytokines produced by T helper (Th) cells are important in orchestrating the immune response during health and disease. Recent reports indicated that cytokine mRNA expression in foals is often quantitatively lower than that of adult horses suggesting that foal T cells are not fully mature. Here, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from foals and adult horses were stimulated with phorbol 12-myris...

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY Osteosynthesis of third metacarpal (McIII) and third metatarsal (MtIII) bone fractures in horses is a surgical challenge and complications surrounding the repair are common. Retrospective studies evaluating surgical repair, complications and outcome are necessary to increase knowledge and improve success of long bone fracture repair in the horse. OBJECTIVES To eva...

The purpose of this study was to report the use and assess the effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for the treatment of carpal joint valgus deformities (CJVDs) in young foals. Only foals with CJVDs greater than 5 ̊ were included in the study. Foals were assigned to 3 treatment groups based on their degree of CJVD measured during the initial evaluation: valgus deformity (VD) of 5 ̊ ...

BACKGROUND In the first phase of life, in which the immune system is primed and the bacterial colonization of epithelial surfaces takes place, foals are highly susceptible to bacterial infections. Next to strategies to optimize maternally acquired immunity in individual foals, current research explores other options to modulate immune responses in foals. During the past decades, oligosaccharide...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the differences related to age ad gender in some blood parameters of Arabian horses bred in Turkey. In this study, 12 mares, 10 stallions, 90 foals (5 to 6 months old), and 35 yearlings were used. it was indicated that total erythrocyte count (RBC) and leukocyte count (WBC) was in normal ranges for mares and stallions while RBC and WBC values were...

Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes pneumonia in foals but does not induce disease in adult horses. Virulence of R. equi depends on the presence of a large plasmid, which encodes a family of seven virulence-associated proteins (VapA and VapC to VapH). Eradication of R. equi from the lungs depends on gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production by T lymphocytes. The o...

BACKGROUND The carrier status of lavender foal syndrome (LFS), cerebellar abiotrophy (CA), severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and occipitoatlantoaxial malformation (OAAM1) in foals with juvenile idiopathic epilepsy (JIE) is unknown. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES To determine the carrier status of LFS, CA, SCID, and OAAM1 in foals with JIE. ANIMALS Ten foals with JIE. MATERIALS AND METHODS A...