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Two Game-Changing Discoveries Suggest New Treatment For Horses Suffering From Uveitis

Globally, equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is the most common cause of blindness in horses. The painful condition was not well understood until recently, but two new discoveries are providing hope for horses suffering from the disease.

Leptospira is often the bacterial infection behind ERU. Leptospirosis can be carried by small rodents that excrete leptospira in their urine, which can contaminate a horse's water and food. Standing water poses an increased risk of leptospira infection. Leptospires can survive in a horse's kidneys and eyes for extended periods. ERU is the result of a systemic infection; it can occur months to years after acute infection.

Drs. Bettina Wollanke, Hartmut Gerhards and Kerstin Ackermann reported that a chronic leptospiral infection in the eye cavity is only possible through biofilm formation. Biofilm is a thin, slimy film of bacteria that adheres to a surface.

Though antibiotics are often used in ERU treatment, biofilm bacteria are often resistant as the biofilm acts as a literal barrier to the infection. Additionally, the specific type of bacteria and antibiotic, as well as growth conditions, all play a role in how effective antibiotics can be.

This explains why ERU episodes are sporadic as well as why they can last for many years. It also explains why clinical signs may occur months or years after the systemic infection.

The trio concluded that ERU can be treated by the removal of the vitreous material that fills the middle part of the eye, where leptospirosis can reside undetected for years. The researchers note that it is important to determine that the horse is suffering from ERU and not another form of uveitis, in which case the removal of the material may not be helpful.

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The study team notes that if the eye does not improve that surgery may be needed.

More research is needed. Read more at HorseTalk.

The post Two Game-Changing Discoveries Suggest New Treatment For Horses Suffering From Uveitis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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New Pathogen Discovery Diagnostic Laboratory Under Construction At UKVDL

The University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is excited to announce the opening of a New Pathogens Discovery Diagnostic Laboratory this fall. The laboratory will serve as an extension to the existing UKVDL Molecular Biology, Virology and Bacteriology laboratories to help identify potential pathogens, both endemic and emerging, that may can cause morbidity and mortality in animals.

Pathogen detection will be done using cutting-edge Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, metagenomics and bioinformatics methods. The Gluck Equine Research Center has plans for a similar laboratory, primarily for infectious disease discovery research.

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Traditionally, the identification of infectious disease agents in specimens/animals submitted to the UKVDL has been done through microscopic observation (morphology and Gram stain), bacterial media culture, viral cell culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and other traditional diagnostic methods.

Reliable cultivation of bacteria was first done by Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch in the late 19th century, and both were named the Fathers of Microbiology for their contributions.

The first virus (vaccinia) was grown in cell culture in 1913. The PCR method was discovered in 1985 by Kary Mullis, an industrial chemist. Unfortunately, conventional bacterial and viral cultures can take days, weeks and even months to lead to pathogen identification and sometimes grow nothing at all. Unlike culture, PCR can only identify specific agents that might be suspected.

In 2015, the UKVDL acquired a MALDI-TOF instrument (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight) for identification of culturable bacteria and fungi by using mass spectrometry and laser technology. The instrument can identify most agents within minutes, improving the turn-around time by about 24 hours. However, the organism must first be cultured, which still requires about 24 hours or more depending on the microorganism.

The implementation of NGS and leading-edge bioinformatics systems in the new UKVDL laboratory will assist UKVDL pathologists and microbiologists and Gluck scientists in the discovery of new pathogens and identify known pathogens more precisely than traditional methods. It will also enable innovative disease surveillance methods for endemic and emerging animal diseases.

Metagenomics is a method to study organisms that are difficult or impossible to culture, some of which may be potential pathogens. We are happy to announce that Litty Paul, PhD, an experienced investigational biologist, has been recruited to the UKVDL to design and launch the new NGS laboratory.

Tissue samples from sick or deceased animals are sent to a diagnostic laboratory by a veterinarian or an owner curious about the cause (etiology) of an illness or death loss. Once this new method is validated, the laboratory will extract and sequence the genetic material from the samples and store them in databases. The databases will then be analyzed by state-of-the-art bioinformatics software that can identify and classify the community of microorganisms present in the samples, which can aid in disease diagnosis. Even more powerful is the ability to compare analyses from sick and healthy animals to help identify and characterize new and emerging pathogens.

Several of the 60-member veterinary diagnostics laboratories (VDLs) of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) are already utilizing this technology.

This past spring, many Bluegrass horse farms were experiencing outbreaks of severe diarrhea in very young foals, and traditional diagnostic tests were not useful in providing the answers. Samples were gathered systematically from many local Thoroughbred farms by Emma Adam, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVS, assistant professor, research and industry liaison at the Gluck Equine Research Center, and brought to the UKVDL for testing in the microbiology laboratory of Erdal Erol, DVM, MSc, PhD, head of diagnostic microbiology and professor at the UKVDL.

He then forwarded select samples to the Texas A&M VDL and the University of Missouri for electron microscopy (EM) for testing. Both labs identified rotavirus on EM. Oddly, all PCR tests for rotavirus group A run at UKVDL had been negative. Feng Li, DVM, PhD, professor and William Robert Mills Chair in Equine Infectious Disease at the Gluck Center, sent fecal specimens to the South Dakota State University VDL for NGS and metagenomics analysis. This collaborative effort identified a novel group B rotavirus in the foal specimens. Until this time, only group A rotavirus was targeted by the UKVDL PCR test.

This is a prime example of the outstanding collaborative diagnostic effort among the UKVDL, Gluck Center and other institutions, and demonstrates how these new methods can rapidly identify a new, emerging pathogen.

This data enabled Erol and Li to swiftly develop and validate a new PCR that can now identify the new group B rotavirus in about four hours. This test is now offered by UKVDL. The good news is the UKVDL is now prepared to detect the new virus in upcoming foaling seasons.

Once NGS technology is in place at the UKVDL and the Gluck Center, new and emerging pathogens in horses and other animals will be detected faster and easier than ever before.

Erdal Erol, DVM, MSc, PhD, head of diagnostic microbiology and professor, and Litty Paul, PhD, both from the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, provided this information.

Selecting Horse Hay: Separating Fact From Fiction

Horse people are often described as picky, fussy or difficult when it comes to hay selection. This description is not surprising because many horses are either very valuable or viewed as part of the family.

It is often a lack of knowledge about selecting quality hay that gives horse owners a bad name and forces them to pay more for hay than their neighbors with other types of livestock. Myths develop because of a piece of truth that becomes inflated and held as absolute truth without justification. To improve our knowledge of hay selection, here are a few common myths about hay, how these myths came to be accepted and, finally, “the truth.”

Note: For the purposes of this article, “high quality hay” refers to hay with a high nutritive value.

Myth: Second cutting hay is always the best cutting.

How it came about: The number one factor that determines hay quality is stage of maturity at harvest. Cool season grasses such as orchardgrass and timothy will produce a seedhead in the spring, often just in time for the first cutting. For the hay producer, this means an increase in yield and therefore more bales can be harvested and sold. However, this also means that fiber is elevated in the crop, therefore reducing quality. Because seedheads are only produced one time per year in cool season grasses, subsequent cuttings do not contain them and second or later cuttings will be generally less fibrous as a result. Second cuttings tend to cure more quickly and are less likely to experience rain damage; both contribute to higher quality relative to first cutting.

Truth: First cutting hay can be high quality if cut early and second cutting can be low quality if it cut late. Stage of maturity and other management factors affect hay quality at harvest. High quality (or low quality) hay can be harvested from late spring to late fall if weather and management conditions are right. Quality should never be assessed based on cutting number, but on a laboratory-performed analysis.

Myth: Horses require higher quality hay than cattle.

How it came about: Some horses, especially those with high nutrient requirements, do require higher quality hay than cattle. Horses and cattle have very different digestive tracts. Cattle are ruminants and are able to breakdown fiber very efficiently, whereas horses are monogastrics with a functional large intestine (hindgut fermenters) and are less efficient at fiber digestion. Therefore, cattle can perform well on lower quality hay that horses cannot digest well.

Truth: Individual needs of the animal should dictate the quality of hay provided. An easy-keeping Quarter Horse in light work does not need the same quality of hay as a Thoroughbred at the peak of its racing career. Similarly, an open Angus cow does not need the same quality of hay that a high producing dairy Holstein needs at the peak of lactation. Consider the current body condition, level of work and pasture availability of your horse. Then choose hay that will meet the needs of your horse without excess based on a hay test.

Myth: (Fill in the blank) is the best type of hay.

How it came about: Statements such as this often come from horse owners that have moved from one area of the country (or world) to another and are not accustomed to the local hay. Different forages are adapted to different soils and climate conditions, so the most common hays available for horses vary among regions.

Truth: Hay quality is not about the forage species or even the variety. Forage species used for hay will fall into one of two categories: grasses or legumes. Grasses can include orchardgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, bermudagrass, timothy, teff and smooth bromegrass. Legumes include alfalfa, red and white clover, lespedeza and birdsfoot trefoil. When managed and harvested correctly, legumes will be higher in quality than grasses; however there will be little difference between different grasses or between different legumes when all other factors are held constant. Buying quality, local hay will likely save money due to reduced transportation costs. Make sure to address any concerns with a specific grass or legume species, such as endophyte infected tall fescue. If you are concerned about feeding a certain species of hay, ask your local county extension agent or equine nutritionist about it.

Myth: Forage stored as round hay bales or as silage contain diseases such as botulism and should not be fed to horses.

How it came about: The botulism bacterium prefers moist conditions and is commonly found in the soil, in stream sediments and in the intestinal tracts of fish and mammals. Silage (haylage) by definition is stored with higher moisture than hay, and when not properly handled, can allow the botulism bacterium to flourish. Hay that is conserved in large round bales is usually baled at a similar (often lower) moisture content as small square bales and thus is different than haylage. However, if round hay bales are stored outside, they can get wet from rain, encouraging the growth of bacteria and mold.

Truth: Proper storage, handling and feeding of round hay bales will minimize the risk of botulism in horses. Round hay bales should be covered when stored and fed using a hay feeder to reduce contamination from trampling and urination. Round bales that show clear signs of mold should not be fed to horses. Feeding silage to horses is much more common in other countries than in the U.S. Silage should be put up at the proper moisture content for the style of storage, kept airtight until feeding and fed quickly to reduce the risk of botulism. Silage should always be tested for forage quality before feeding. In botulism prone areas, a veterinarian should be consulted about the use of silage and the inclusion of a vaccination against botulism to protect horses.

Myth: Don't feed hay that has been rained on.

How it came about: Rain negatively affects hay in a variety of ways:

Rain on recently cut hay can prolong plant respiration and reduce energy content.

Rain on legumes will cause leaves to separate from the stems (called leaf shatter) and therefore remove the more nutritious portion of the plant. Fibrous stems will then be more concentrated in the final product, causing a decrease in quality.

Rain will also cause leaching of sugar and other carbohydrates, proteins and minerals.

Heavy rain can splash soil up onto curing hay, which can increase dustiness and rapidity of molding.

Truth: Rained on hay can be acceptable quality. While rain usually negatively affects hay, to what degree depends on several factors, including what type of hay is being harvested, how much/how intense the rain fell, stage of curing when it rained and what the producer has done to counteract these negative effects. For example, if light rain occurs within a day of cutting, it has very little effect on hay quality. All hay, especially material that has been rained on should be tested for quality and inspected for mold or dustiness before use.

Myth: Hay should be stored for six weeks before feeding.

How it came about: This myth likely came about from hay testing. After hay is stored in a barn, it will continue to cure for four to eight weeks. During this curing period, the quality of the hay can change slightly.

Truth: Hay can be fed at any time after harvesting. Hay should not be tested until it has been stored for six to eight weeks to increase the accuracy of the hay test. While feeding hay sooner will not be harmful to horses, it will be difficult to balance the ration because the quality of the hay is unknown.

Myth: Green is good; brown is bad.

How it came about: Often, hay that has been harvested too late or mishandled will lose its green color due to processes such as heating and bleaching. Green hay is less likely to have gone through these processes and more likely to be of quality.

Truth: A hay test is the only way to truly evaluate quality. No quality factors directly affect color or vice versa. Therefore, color is an inconsistent factor to evaluate the quality of hay.

Myth: Feeding hay causes a large, distended digestive tract, known as a hay belly.

How it came about: Hay belly usually results when malnourished horses are provided large quantities of low quality, high fiber hay. The horse will usually be thin over the neck, withers, ribs and hindquarters; however the belly will appear large because the horse is consuming large amounts of hay.

Truth: A balanced ration that includes quality pasture or hay will maintain a horse at an ideal condition without excessive gut fill.

It is important to remember that horses evolved consuming forage, and whether in the form of pasture or hay, is an important component in the equine diet. Choosing hay for your horse will depend on your horse's current condition, work level, pasture availability and the logistics of management on your farm. Hay should always be inspected and found to be free from contaminants such as weeds, insects, mold, dust and other foreign material. The nutritional value of the hay should also be evaluated prior to feeding so that a ration can be formulated that will meet the needs of your particular horse.

Anthrax: More Than A Bioterrorism Weapon, Just As Deadly For Horses

Most people know anthrax as a bioterrorism tool, but it can also harm livestock. Anthrax occurs naturally as a spore-forming bacterium in the soil in many parts of the United States. Once it is ingested or inhaled by an animal, the bacteria travels to lymph nodes, where it multiplies and circulates throughout the body.

Anthrax infection often gives no warning, making it an especially deadly disease. Though cattle are most often affected by the disease, horses can also be infected with anthrax. Horses that work with cattle, in competition or on a working ranch may be more at risk of anthrax exposure, according to a recent report by Quarter Horse News. Horses that live in cattle-abundant states, like Texas, may also be at additional risk of getting anthrax. Anthrax can remain viable in the soil for years if left undisturbed.

Anthrax has its deadly effects by not allowing blood to clot. Horses infected with anthrax may have a high heart rate, show signs of colic, and go off their feed. Some horses will have swelling, stagger while moving, or have seizures. Horses generally die between two and four days after developing anthrax signs and are usually diagnosed post-mortem.

If handlers suspect anthrax is the cause of a horse's illness, animal health officials should be notified because humans can contract anthrax through inhaling spores or through cuts in the skin.

Anthrax outbreaks often take place in areas that have alkaline soils or those that are exposed to extreme weather events, like drought followed by flooding. Wet winter weather followed by a dry spring and then heavy rainfall are perfect conditions for anthrax to thrive. Pastures with poor drainage and lots of organic matter are particularly at risk.

There is an anthrax vaccination available, but horse owners should discuss their horse and management strategies with a veterinarian before administering the vaccine, as there are other ways to prevent anthrax outbreaks. Horses living in anthrax-prone areas could be fed off the ground if conditions seem ripe for an anthrax outbreak. If horses have traveled through mucky areas or through areas where cattle have been, washing them with soap and water may lower anthrax risk.