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The renal resistive index (RRI) is used as a measurement of downstream resistance in arteries. The aim of this study was to assess the RRI of the arcuate arteries by pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasonography in healthy conscious horses and donkeys, and to verify any differences related to age, breed, bodyweight (BW) or body condition (BCS). Thirty-three healthy conscious horses and nine donkeys had their systolic and diastolic flow velocities at the level of the arcuate arteries estimated by pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound, and the RRI was calculated. The relationship of RRI with age, breed (Trotters vs. other breeds), bodyweight (BW), and body condition score (BCS) were evaluated. PW Doppler evaluation of RRI was successfully applied in most of the horses, but to date not in the donkeys. In horses, median RRI values for the right kidney (0.58±0.006) were statistically higher than for the left (0.51±0.006). For the donkeys the values were comparable. There was no significant difference in RRI between horses younger or older than 15 years, and between breeds in horses. No correlation with age, BW or BCS was found in either horses or donkeys.

Transportation of horses has been associated with colic and changes to the gastrointestinal microbiome. Percutaneous abdominal ultrasonography using wireless, point-of-care transducers can be used to assess gastrointestinal motility in field settings. Characterization of intestinal motility and salivary cortisol responses of horses completing commercial transportation of 10-12h. Prospective observational study of 30 horses with diverse signalment and transport histories. Clinical parameters, sonographic assessment of intestinal motility and saliva samples, were collected before departure (Tpre or T0), after off-loading (T1) and 2h after arrival (T2). After transportation, intestinal motility grades were reduced [Tpre median (IQR) composite motility grade: 8 (7-10), T1: 6 (4-7), T2: 7 (6-7);  < 0.001] and qualitative changes were observed in small intestinal sonographic appearance. High ambient temperatures during transport were associated with reduced intestinal motility at T1 (composite motility grade vs arrival temperature -0.45,  = 0.017) and T2 (cecal motility grade vs arrival temperature -0.74,  < 0.001). Horses with high heart rates, high sweat scores or abnormal demeanour on arrival demonstrated decreased intestinal motility. Salivary cortisol concentrations increased after transportation (mean difference, 95% CI, for T0 vs T1 was 1.66, 1.09-2.53 nmol/L) and were inversely associated with intestinal motility. Signalment and past travel history were not predictive of intestinal motility, but horses with unknown or no prior travel history (mean 12.8, 95%CI 8.2-17.4 nmol/L) had higher cortisol concentrations prior to departure than horses known to have travelled previously (7.9, 5.8-9.9 nmol/L,  = 0.023). These findings suggest that transportation is associated with transient reductions in intestinal motility, particularly during hot ambient conditions and in horses with increased cortisol response. Possible effects of provision of water and food during transport warrant further investigation.

Working equids are often used to exhaustion, living and dying in conditions below minimal welfare standards. Due to their poor welfare status, euthanasia should be considered in certain conditions. The study aimed to describe the population and the disease frequency of the working equids admitted at an equine clinic in Cairo (i.e., Egypt Equine Aid (EEA)) from 2019 to 2022 and identify possible associations between physical parameters at admission and the outcome. Records of 1360 equids admitted at EEA were reviewed. The majority of the admitted equids were horses (65.6%), followed by donkeys (33%), in particular stallions (68.7%), from 1 to 15 years old (74.8%). Hospitalisation was mainly due to wounds (28.9%), orthopaedic problems (27.4%), colic (8.5%), or infectious diseases (7.4%). The majority of the equids were discharged, but 5.1% died on their own, without human intervention, and 23% were euthanised. Text mining revealed the anamnesis’s most frequent words were ‘accident’, ‘lameness’, and ‘wound’. In addition, owners sometimes reported using inappropriate remedies (e.g., firing) before hospitalisation. Multivariable ordinal regression analysis performed between physical parameters and the outcome (ordered based on severity: discharged, euthanasia, and dead) revealed that sex (male vs. female: OR = 1.33; p < 0.05), colour of the mucous membrane (pathological vs. physiological: OR = 1.72; p < 0.01), and capillary refill time (pathological vs. physiological: OR = 1.42; p = 0.02) increased the likelihood of a non-survival outcome. In conclusion, early euthanasia should be considered for these equids, to minimise prolonged suffering. Moreover, owners’ education is recommended to guarantee minimal welfare standards to the working equids.

After breeding or artificial insemination, especially with frozen/thawed semen, mares often develop a persistent uterine inflammation, which is diagnosed by intra-uterine fluid accumulation. Here, we explored whether intra-uterine fluid accumulation affects corpus luteum function and tested the hypothesis that intra-uterine fluid accumulation after artificial insemination alters blood flow in the corpus luteum and plasma progesterone concentrations. A total of 40 Standardbred mares were artificially inseminated with frozen-thawed semen 30 to 36 h after induction of ovulation, and cases with or without intra-uterine fluid accumulation were detected by ultrasound 12 h after insemination. Luteal blood flow was measured by Power Doppler ultrasonography 3 and 6 days after ovulation, progesterone concentration was measured in peripheral plasma by ELISA 6 days after ovulation, and pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasonography 14 days after ovulation. Luteal blood flow increased between 3 and 6 days after ovulation, but blood flow did not differ significantly between cases with (n = 28) and without (n = 25) intra-uterine fluid accumulation after insemination. Surprisingly, progesterone concentrations were higher in cases of intra-uterine fluid accumulation than cases without (9.3 ± 1.1 vs. 6.6 ± 0.5 ng/mL, p = 0.048). Pregnancy was less likely in cases with intra-uterine fluid accumulation than in cases without (10/28 vs. 17/25, p = 0.019), and there was a negative correlation between the severity of intra-uterine fluid accumulation and per cycle pregnancy rate. These data suggest that although intra-uterine fluid accumulation increases the secretion of progesterone, pregnancy is more dependent on uterine health than ovarian function.

Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by Babesia and Theileria species. Despite its presence in Europe, no laboratory testing is required for animal movement, even though some countries remain free of this disease. Differentiating between species and genotypes is crucial to determine the most effective treatment, as dosage, active compounds, and duration vary. However, diagnosis is often challenging due to genetic variability and the limited sensitivity of molecular methods. The aims of this study were to compare the performances of different molecular diagnostic tests to identify the most effective assay for piroplasm DNA detection and to genetically characterize the piroplasms identified in horses in Northern Italy from 2016 to 2022. Among 63 horses tested, 24 (38.1%) were positive in at least one of the tests used. Four horses tested positive for Babesia caballi with identical nucleotide sequences, while 22 horses tested positive for genetically different Theileria species, including Theileria equi, Theileria haneyi-like species, and Theileria sp. Africa. Two horses were coinfected by Babesia caballi and Theileria haneyi-like species. The best diagnostic approach to avoid false negative results was a combination of different assays. Further studies will be necessary to better assess the prevalence and genetic diversity of piroplasms involved in equine piroplasmosis.

Assay of steroid hormones in hair has become an attractive alternative for studies focusing on the perinatal period in equine medicine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate mares’ and foals’ hair ALLO concentrations and their ratio in relation to clinical conditions and selected clinical parameters. The 37 mare–foal pairs were categorized into healthy (group H; n = 15) and sick (group S; n = 22) groups. ALLO from hair was measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Foal ALLO and foal/mare ALLO ratio were lower in group S compared to group H (p < 0.001). Moderate positive correlations were found between both the foal ALLO and foal/mare ALLO ratio and the mare’s gestation length (p = 0.003; r = 0.476 and p = 0.002; r = 0.487), between the foal ALLO and foal’s weight (p = 0.042; r = 0.336), and between the foal/mare ALLO ratio and foal’s Apgar score (p = 0.047; r = 0.410). Based on a logistic regression model, a strong relationship (R2 = 0.75) emerged between ALLO concentrations and foals’ clinical outcome, with concentrations of the hormone predicting foals’ clinical outcome with high accuracy (86.8%). Decreased foal ALLO and foal/mare ALLO ratio in sick foals appear to be potential biomarkers of prenatal disease toward the end of pregnancy.

Equine fetal hair starts to grow at around 270 days of pregnancy, and hair collected at birth reflects hormones of the last third of pregnancy. The study aimed to evaluate cortisol (CORT) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) concentrations and their ratio in the trichological matrix of foals and mares in relation to their clinical parameters; the clinical condition of the neonate (study 1); the housing place at parturition (study 2). In study 1, 107 mare-foal pairs were divided into healthy (group H; n = 56) and sick (group S; n = 51) foals, whereas in study 2, group H was divided into hospital (n = 30) and breeding farm (n = 26) parturition. Steroids from hair were measured using a solid-phase microtiter radioimmunoassay. In study 1, hair CORT concentrations measured in foals did not differ between groups and did not appear to be influenced by clinical parameters. A correlation between foal and mare hair CORT concentrations (p = 0.019; r = 0.312, group H; p = 0.006; r = 0.349, group S) and between CORT and DHEA-S concentrations in foals (p = 0.018; r = 0.282, group H; p < 0.001; r = 0.44, group S) and mares (p = 0.006; r = 0.361, group H; p = 0.027; r = 0.271, group S) exists in both groups. Increased hair DHEA-S concentrations (p = 0.033) and decreased CORT/DHEA-S ratio (p < 0.001) appear to be potential biomarkers of chronic stress in the final third of pregnancy, as well as a potential sign of resilience and allostatic load in sick foals, and deserve further attention in the evaluation of prenatal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in the equine species. In study 2, hormone concentrations in the hair of mares hospitalized for attended parturition did not differ from those that were foaled at the breeding farm. This result could be related to a too brief period of hospitalization to cause significant changes in steroid deposition in the mare’s hair.

The importance of prompt evaluation and care of the newborn is essential for reducing neonatal mortality, which represents a major cause of loss in camelids. This study investigated the blood gases, acid-base and electrolyte profiles in healthy dromedary calves during the first 3 weeks of life, assessing possible associations with age. Twenty-one dromedary camel calves aged 1 to 21 days were sampled, and venous whole blood analyzed through a VETSTAT® analyzer. The following parameters were measured: sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl–), hydrogen ion concentration (pH), partial pressure carbon dioxide (pCO2), partial pressure oxygen (pO2), total hemoglobin concentration (tHb), hemoglobin oxygen saturation (sO2), total carbon dioxide (tCO2), bicarbonate (HCO3–), base excess (BE) and anion gap (AG). Calves were divided in two groups; younger calves (1–10 d), and older calves (11–21 d). Statistical analysis showed an effect of age, with lower K+ (p < 0.001) and higher Na+ and Cl− (p < 0.05) mean concentrations in the younger calves compared to the older ones, and higher pCO2 and lower sO2 mean concentrations in the older group. These preliminary results firstly described the blood gas, acid-base and electrolyte profiles in the healthy dromedary calf during the first 3 weeks of age, suggesting an effect of age on some parameters.

Background Different methods to measure tissue perfusion are available in equine neonatology, but they are not representative of microvascular derangements. Objective To evaluate the feasibility of the sidestream dark‐field (SDF) capillaroscopy to visualize the capillary microvasculature in conscious newborn foals, the differences between two imaging sites and times of measurements, and the measurements' reproducibility. Methods Seventeen healthy newborn foals were enrolled. Three sites at the upper and lower lip mucosa were assessed by SDF, using a hand‐held capiscope, at 24 h and at 4–5 days after birth. Videos were assessed independently by two observers for quality and for semiquantitative calculation of microvascular parameters, including vascular density (VD), microvascular flow index (MFI), proportion of perfused vessels (PPV), and functional capillary density (FCD). Data were analyzed using unpaired and paired Student's T‐tests to assess differences between sites and time‐points. Bland–Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess measurement reproducibility. Results Differences were found between the upper and the lower lip for VD at both 24 h and 4–5 days, and for FCD at 24 h, and between the two time‐points for PPV at the lower lip. ICC for measurement reproducibility was good for all parameters (0.64–0.79) for the lower lip, and was good for VD and FCD (0,76–0,79) and fair to moderate for MFI and PPV (0.31–0.41) for the upper lip. Conclusions Measurement of the capillary microvasculature is feasible in the conscious newborn foal. The lower lip has the best measurement reproducibility. Further investigations are warranted in cardiovascularly compromised cases, particularly in septic foals. This study evaluated the feasibility and reproducibility of sidestream dark‐field (SDF) imaging to visualize the capillary microvasculature in conscious newborn foals. Seventeen healthy newborn foals were assessed on the upper and lower lip mucosa at 24 h and at 4–5 days after birth, and semiquantitative microvascular parameters calculated. The SDF is feasible in the conscious newborn foal. The lower lip performed best with reproducibility; there were differences in microvascularization between sites and time‐points. This technique could detect microvascular changes in normal and cardiovascularly compromised foals.

There is a wide array of evidence across species that exposure to antibiotics is associated with dysbiosis, and due to their widespread use, this also raises concerns also in medicine. The study aimed to determine the changes on the fecal microbiota in hospitalized neonatal foals administered with broad-spectrum antimicrobials and supplemented probiotics. Fecal samples were collected at hospital admission (Ta), at the end of the antimicrobial treatment (Te) and at discharge (Td). Feces were analysed by next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene on Illumina MiSeq. Seven foals treated with IV ampicillin and amikacin/gentamicin were included. The mean age at Ta was 19 h, the mean treatment length was 7 days and the mean time between Te and Td was 4.3 days. Seven phyla were identified: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria, TM7 and Verrucomicrobia. At Ta, Firmicutes (48.19%) and Proteobacteria (31.56%) were dominant. The alpha diversity decreased from Ta to Te, but it was the highest at Td. The beta diversity was higher at Ta than at Te and higher at Td than at Te. An increase in Akkermansia over time was detected. The results suggest that the intestinal microbiota of neonatal foals rapidly returns to a high diversity after treatment. It is possible that in foals, the effect of antimicrobials is strongly influenced or overshadowed by the time-dependent changes in the developing gut microbiota.