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Sidewinder Gait Bears Startling Similarity To Its Namesake

Named for the venomous snake, older horses afflicted with sidewinder syndrome have hindquarters that list to one side when they walk. This condition can be challenging to diagnose as there isn't a lot of research available on the abnormality, says New Bolton Center's Dr. Amy Johnson. The movement is considered a syndrome because it is a symptom and not a disease in itself and has different potential causes.

Johnson sees sidewinder gait come on suddenly in horses that are in their late teens and older. The affected horse's hind legs move so significantly to the side that the horse travels on three tracks. If the horse is drifting to the left, the left hind foot will be away from the body and the right hind will be in line with the left front when walking.

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When standing still, the affected horse often weights one hind leg more than the other – often the one that is closest to the body. Some sidewinder horses will spin in a circle when they walk or lean against a wall or fence to support their weak side.

Some causes of sidewinder gait include EPM, arthritis, or fractures. It's important to complete tests to determine if the cause is neurologic or musculoskeletal. Some horses have an acute onset of the gait abnormality, but may recover and go back to normal; the gait may or may not return. If it does come back, the hind end doesn't always track to the same side as before. Johnson hypothesizes that these cases may be caused by degenerative, age-related changes that create intermittent muscle spasms. Weather may also play a role, as Johnson sees more sidewinder gait in colder months. She believes this may be caused by aggravated arthritis or horses that are slipping on bad footing.

Often the older horses that develop sidewinder gait are euthanized, and even in necropsies it isn't always apparent what caused the gait abnormality.

Prognosis for complete recovery is poor. Some horses improve with exercise, while others need stall rest to avoid exacerbating the condition. Steroid use can cause issues in older horses that are already prone to endocrine issues and laminitis.

EPM is the only disease associated with sidewinder gait that can be treated. For horses with an inconclusive reason for the abnormal gait, it's difficult to predict which will improve and whether improvement will be permanent.

International Veterinary Scholarship Program Launched For Equine Research

The University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) – together with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and MARS EQUESTRIAN™ – has launched a new, international scholarship program aimed at advancing the health and welfare of the horse while providing an unparalleled learning experience for one aspiring veterinary investigator.

Through its interdisciplinary, mentorship-based approach, the MARS EQUESTRIAN Veterinary Research Scholar program offers the unique opportunity to conduct research alongside internationally-renowned experts in equine health and veterinary welfare while pursuing two advanced credentials: the Graduate Certificate in Animal Welfare and Behavior at Penn Vet during year one, followed by the Master of Research (MRes) program at the RVC in year two.

Building upon Penn Vet's MARS EQUESTRIAN Early Career Investigator Program launched in November of 2020, this new format offers the candidate an exclusive opportunity to refine critical research skills and expand animal welfare knowledge while learning on location at both the RVC in London, England and Penn Vet's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States.

Penn Vet's Dr. Kyla Ortved, assistant professor of large animal surgery at New Bolton Center, will serve as the primary mentor for the program's embedded research project. A clinical expert in equine orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, Ortved's research program seeks to better understand attributes of the equine joint in order to improve clinical outcomes associated with osteoarthritis following injury in horses.

“There are two fundamental components to a successful career in the veterinary medicine field: exceptional mentorship and the continuous pursuit of applicable knowledge,” said Ortved. “The multidisciplinary approach of the MARS EQUESTRIAN Veterinary Research Scholar program is set to provide both of these cardinal elements through an experiential learning environment that will ultimately culminate in delivering meaningful advancements that will have a very real, positive impact on the lives our equine partners.”

The selected candidate will also learn from leading experts in animal welfare including Penn Vet's Dr. Tom Parsons, professor of swine production medicine, director of Penn Vet's Swine Teaching & Research program and one of the founding members of Penn Vet's Animal Welfare and Behavior Certificate program. This certificate, coupled with the RVC's MRes program, will balance pragmatic understandings of multi-species health, behavior, and well-being with interdisciplinary problem-solving skills that can be directly deployed through the program's research projects.

“I am delighted that the RVC is able to support this new transatlantic initiative for veterinary graduates following a generous donation from MARS EQUESTRIAN,” said Professor Richard Bomphrey, Interim Vice Principal for Research at the Royal Veterinary College. “It strengthens the ties between the RVC, the University of Pennsylvania and MARS EQUESTRIAN while providing an outstanding training and research opportunity. We look forward to welcoming the successful scholar and helping them to make an impact in equine research.”

“MARS EQUESTRIAN is thrilled to support this truly unique and innovative international program unlike anything else offered in veterinary medicine training,” said Bridgett McIntosh, PhD, Director at MARS Equestrian. “Our goal is to continue to drive the field forward in creating a better world for horses by engaging and training the next generation of veterinarians.”

The MARS EQUESTRIAN Veterinary Research Scholar program is open to interested UK, US and international candidates holding a veterinary degree (DVM/VMD/BVSc or equivalent). The chosen candidate will receive an annual stipend and tuition as well as travel expenses. The program will commence in September 2021 in the United States before moving to the UK in October 2022 until its conclusion in September 2023.

The deadline to submit applications for consideration is June 30, 2021 or until an acceptable candidate is identified.

Reade more here.

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UPenn Researchers Develop Test To Detect Gene Doping In Racehorses

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) have successfully developed a new test to systemically detect the local administration of illicit, gene doping therapies in equine athletes. The findings from the novel study, supported in part by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) and the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, are a significant breakthrough in the collective fight to advance the welfare and integrity of sport for both horses and humans.

Unlike other small molecule pharmaceuticals, gene doping agents trigger cells to produce performance enhancing proteins. These proteins, which often are more elusive due to their virtually indistinguishable characteristics from naturally occurring proteins within the body, can make it more difficult to determine whether or not an animal or human has had gene therapy administered. Until now, that is.

Led by Mary Robinson, PhD, VMD, DACVCP, assistant professor of Veterinary Pharmacology and director of the Equine Pharmacology Laboratory at Penn Vet's New Bolton Center, the team of Penn Vet researchers have created and validated a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction test – commonly known as a PCR test – that is able to detect the presence of a gene doping agent in plasma and synovial fluid after its intra-articular administration in horses.

“For the first time, we have demonstrated that a PCR test performed on a blood sample can detect the local administration of a gene therapy into the joint of a horse,” said Robinson. “While this test is currently limited in that it can only detect a specific gene therapy, it provides proof of concept that a gene therapy administered into the joint can be detected in a blood sample in a manner that is quick, convenient, and consistent with our long-term goal of deploying pre-race testing someday in the future,” she added.

Not only were the Penn Vet researchers able to detect the presence of this product in equine joint fluid after gene therapy was administered intra-articularly, they were also able to detect it in blood for up to 28 days. This represents a significantly robust window of time that could be useful for pre-race as well as out of competition testing.

“The ability to detect the presence of these gene doping agents in blood after local administration to joints just magnifies the implications of this game-changing development,” said Joanne Haughan, one of the lead investigators on the study. “The science is closing in on those who seek to use these advancements for wrongful means; the more we learn with each study, the harder it will be for individuals who seek to cheat the system using gene doping strategies.”

This ongoing body of research in gene doping is being performed concurrently with Penn Vet's larger multi-tiered, multi-year project to expand upon New Bolton Center's equine BioBank. Established in 2017 using internal funds from the Raymond Firestone Trust Research Grant and expanded in 2018 with support from the PHBA, the growing database collects and analyzes multiple types of samples, looking for a myriad of potential biomarkers in equine athletes. With the goal of someday creating “biological passports,” researchers believe these biomarkers could also be key in detecting gene doping as well as predicting injuries before they happen.

“As breeders, protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our horses is a deeply profound and personal priority for our membership,” said Brian Sanfratello, Executive Secretary of the PHBA. “These scientific discoveries get us one step closer to our dream of someday keeping equine sport completely clean. We are proud to support Dr. Robinson and her team of experts as they continue to incrementally drive us closer and closer to making that dream a reality.”

With the completion of a third study on the horizon, Penn Vet's researchers seek to further expand and refine their testing methodology in order to create screening tests that would successfully identify multiple gene doping agents for even longer periods of time.

“We still have a lot of work to do to better understand the nature of bio-markers and how to fully harness their capabilities, but the science for detecting gene doping is getting there and much more quickly than any of us could have anticipated when we started this research,” added Robinson. “Ideas that once may have seemed unattainable – like a hand-held, stall-side testing device – are now coming into sight as real and tangible possibilities. We just need continued support to help get us there.”

Dr. Mary Robinson is an assistant professor of veterinary pharmacology and director of the Equine Pharmacology Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

Additional investigators on the study include Penn Vet's Faculty and Staff including Dr. Joanne Haughan, Dr. Zibin Jiang, Dr. Darko Stefanovski, Dr. Kyla Ortved, and fourth year Penn Vet student Ms. Kaitlyn Moss.

This study is currently supported in part by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association and the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, in addition to grants from the University of Pennsylvania McCabe Fund (Ortved) and New Bolton Center's Raymond Firestone Trust Research Grant (Haughan and Robinson). Individuals or organizations who would like to support the program through a financial donation are encouraged to contact Margaret Leardi, Director of Development for New Bolton Center, at mleardi at vet. upenn.edu.

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