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Biofilms May Be To Blame For Non-Healing Wounds In Horses

Bacteria in equine wounds can be hard to detect and incredibly resistant to efforts to eradicate them. Bacteria that gather and embed themselves in a slimy matrix made up of sugar residue create a biofilm, which hides the bacteria from the host's immune response and from antibiotics.

Biofilms often delay wound healing and cause chronic inflammation. In addition, they're often hard to detect. If a horse has a leg wound that's not healing well despite traditional care like debridement and routine antimicrobial use, a biofilm could be to blame.

In a recent study, Dr. Charlotte Marx and researchers from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine investigated the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) on biofilms. MSCs are cells that can turn into other types of cells; they take part in the multiplying, inflammatory and remodeling phase of tissue repair.

MSCs have been shown to have antibacterial properties and they promote wound healing; Marx wanted to see if MSCs might prevent biofilm formation. The team used a 3D equine skin model for the study.

The team found that MSCs decreased the viability of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in mature biofilms and that they increased the immune response of surrounding cells. Their findings support the use of MSCs for infected wounds.

Undergraduate Research Study Shows More Turnout Time Means Less Time Off

A group of Centenary University students have recently completed a study showing that increased turnout time may lead to a reduction in soft tissue injuries. The research project, led by undergraduate Abigail Reilly and associate professor Dr. Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy, examined six years of data collected from the horses used in the school's riding program. They discovered that the horses turned out for at least 12 hours a day had a 25 percent lower incidence of soft tissue injuries.

Injuries to tendons and ligaments often require time off from training, resulting in lost riding and competition time. Factors contributing to soft tissue injury include fitness level and an increase in acute workload.

Tendons adapt and change in response to equine movement, Reilly said. She hypothesized that horses that are allowed pasture time move more, promoting development of collagen fibers, which give tendon elasticity. Turnout time also increases fitness levels.

Reilly used the school's horses, which are not elite athletes, to investigate if horses that are turned out regularly have a higher baseline fitness level and are therefore less prone to injury. She used the medical history of 146 horses donated to the Centenary University Equestrian Center between 2014 and 2020 to determine the date of the initial injury, which was confirmed by the resident vet using ultrasounds, MRI or the process of elimination in exams.

Reilly then compared the data of horses that received more than 12 consecutive hours of turnout to those that didn't get at least 12 hours of time on pasture. Injuries were only included if the horse was in an established herd on a set schedule for more than 30 days. Twelve hours of turnout was chosen as it has been shown to be the amount of time required for a physiological change in response to exercise to occur.

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Reilly found that 51 percent of horses who received less than 12 hours of turnout sustained a soft tissue injury (45 of 89 animals), while only 25 percent of horses that got more than 12 hours of turnout sustained soft tissue injuries (14 of 57).

The results suggest that the more turnout time non-elite horses receive, the less likely they are to sustain a soft tissue injury. The findings support the idea that a horse on multiple hours of turnout maintains a baseline level of fitness that better prepares them for heavier workloads.

Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Putting Broodmares Under Lights

Veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital answer your questions about sales and healthcare of Thoroughbred auction yearlings, weanlings, 2-year-olds and breeding stock.

Question: When it comes to putting broodmares under lights for cycling are overhead lights or mask lights better? And why does it work?

Dr. Peter Sheerin, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital: In many breeds, Jan. 1 is considered the birthdate for all horses in the breed, no matter when they are born. This can put late-born foals at a disadvantage when competing or at yearling sales. Because of this, many breeders want their mares to foal as early as possible.

The horse is considered a long day breeder, meaning they are cycling when the days are longer. Mares left at natural conditions in the Northern Hemisphere will typically start cycling late March to early April. Mares further north will start cycling later than mares closer to the equator. Researchers determined that by artificially increasing the day length and the amount of light that mares were exposed to, one could get mares to cycle earlier. Mares did not begin to cycle for 60 to 75 days after the beginning of exposure to longer days. So, for a breeding season that starts Feb. 15, one would start lights Dec. 1 at the latest.

They also determined that light alone was not the only factor that influenced when the mares would begin cycling. Temperature and body condition also played a role. Mares in colder environments began cycling later than mares in warmer environments. Thin mares began cycling later than mares in good body condition. It was also discovered that mares needed 14.5 to 16 hours of daylight to respond to the light therapy and that the light must be added in the evening. Using this information, it was suggested mares be kept under lights in a barn until approximately 11 p.m. There are some variations to this regime that can be used, but they require more effort with respect to gradually adjusting the start exposure to correspond with sunset or a shorter period of light nine hours after the onset of darkness.

With that background, we get to your question: Which is better, overhead lights or light masks? The answer is it depends. With overhead lights, the mares are in stalls or in a catch pen for an extended period. You can turn them out when the lights go off, but there is increased labor involved with turnout, cleaning stalls, more hay and straw used, cost of disposal of extra dirty bedding, and higher electric bills, among other things. If mares are in a catch pen outside under lights some considerations include: do you have enough lights that they are exposed to sufficient intensity of light for the entire time and are the temperatures extreme enough to influence when they start cycling. The light masks (Equilume®) have an initial cost to purchase and then an annual cost to replace the light source. There is also the issue of weather conditions that need to be considered.

Both systems work well. You will just need to put pencil to paper to determine which works best for you. A few considerations include: how many mares you want to start cycling early, what your facilities are like, what your labor costs are, and what your weather conditions are like.

Dr. Sheerin was born and raised in New York City. His first experience with horses was soon after his family moved to Lagrangeville, a small town north of the city. He began working on a Thoroughbred breeding farm where he gained experience in all aspects of the Thoroughbred industry. During high school, he also competed on the varsity crew team, and his love of rowing took him to Syracuse University where he majored in biology.

Following graduation, Dr. Sheerin moved to Florida to manage a small Thoroughbred breeding farm in Ocala. Several years later, he began graduate research in equine reproductive physiology at the University of Florida under mentor Dr. Dan Sharp while managing the endocrinology lab at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Sheerin then entered veterinary school, where he expanded his interest in theriogenology, particularly large animal theriogenology.

Dr. Sheerin became board certified in theriogenology in 2001 upon completion of his residency at the University of Florida.. He is a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Society for Theriogenology. Dr. Sheerin has lectured both nationally and internationally on the reproductive aspects of the mare and stallion.

Dr. Sheerin and his wife Barb have three daughters.

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UC Davis Farrier Earns Research Degree, Brings Knowledge To Clinical Cases

Farriery has historically been rooted in practice-based approaches, often largely reliant on visual observations and anecdotal evidence. There is a movement to bring more data-driven science to the art of caring for horses' hooves, and UC Davis veterinary hospital farrier Shane Westman is a big proponent. With a keen interest in research, and the opportunities available to him through his position at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Westman recently earned a Graduate Diploma in Equine Locomotor Research (GradDip ELR) through London's Royal Veterinary College.

The program, which Westman completed in three years while navigating complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that interrupted class schedules and limited travel, provides participants with scientific and academic skills to produce original research to the highest professional standard. Topics range from academic writing and communication skills to data processing and analysis.

“My goal is to utilize these new skills to help with my everyday practice at the university,” said Westman. “Combining these objective approaches with advanced equipment at a state of the art facility like the UC Davis veterinary hospital could help expand the knowledge base of what we do as farriers.”

The final module of the course requires participants to undertake an original research project. Westman's study, formally titled “Effect of an adhered fiberglass and methyl methacrylate solar-hoof casting technique on stabilization of type III distal phalanx fractures,” investigated a hoof casting technique for stabilizing coffin bone fractures. This novel approach is a technique that he learned from a fellow farrier that specializes in racehorses.

Westman said that it has been used successfully in the clinic, but the aim of his study was to collect data to determine if the glue and fiberglass material that is bonded to the hoof sole and hoof wall (not just wrapped around the hoof) stabilized the bone in the hoof capsule. He plans to submit his findings to the journal Veterinary Surgery.

To complete this research, Westman worked closely with UC Davis equine surgery residents Drs. Tom Cullen, Thomas Bergstrom, and Lisa Edwards, with guidance from Research Engineer Tanya Garcia-Nolen, under the mentorship of Dr. Susan Stover, director of the J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory.

“Shane's vision was realized as a result of his ambition and innovation, along with the resources, people, equipment, and facilities at UC Davis that enable these types of research projects,” said Stover. “The team environment supports learning and facilitates advances on many levels.”

The knowledge that Westman gained through this program will provide UC Davis veterinary students, residents, faculty, and patients with access to advanced approaches to clinical care.

“I want to use this new knowledge and the tools and resources that I have at the university to expand the knowledge base of what we do as farriers,” said Westman. “I really enjoy helping the students, residents, and faculty with research ideas and implementation, and look forward to being a more valuable contributor to the team.”

The UC Davis farrier shop at the hospital's Large Animal Clinic (LAC) plays an integral part of providing high-level diagnostics and cutting-edge therapeutic services to UC Davis clients.

“This remarkable achievement is the result of Shane's passion for his role as a therapeutic farrier,” said LAC Director Dr. Bret McNabb. “We are fortunate to have someone on our team whose interests and dedication to equine podiatry serve our clients in delivering world-class care to their horses while providing unique training opportunities for future veterinarians.”

Westman is one of only two farriers in the western United States to boast this credential, the other being Tim Shannon, past distinguished UC Davis Annual Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecturer.

The UC Davis Center for Equine Health provided partial support for Westman's training.

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