Oxidative Stress Associated With Spasmodic, Flatulent, and Impaction Colic in Draft Horses

Association of the severity of colic in horses with oxidative stress biomarkers, acute-phase proteins, and certain trace elements

Sixty-one horses were enrolled in this study and divided into 3 different groups according to their severity of colic (heart rate, oral mucous membrane color, and abdominal distention): a strangulating colic (SC) group (n=21), non-strangulating colic (NC) group (n=20), and control group (n=20) consisting of randomly selected normal horses without signs of colic. The serum concentrations of haptoglobin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), zinc, iron, and copper were evaluated in all horses. The average concentration of TNFα in the SC group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.001). The TNFα concentration was higher in the NC group compared with the control group (P<0.001). Furthermore, the average concentration of TNFα tended to be higher in the SC group compared with the NC group (P=0.052). The average concentration of haptoglobin in the SC group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.001). The average concentration of NO was higher in the SC group compared with the NC group. (P=0.016) The average concentration of MDA was higher in the SC group compared with the control group (P=0.042). Furthermore, the concentration of MDA was higher in the SC group compared with the NC group (P=0.048). TNFα in horses with signs of colic may be a reliable indicator of prognosis and the severity of clinical signs. The haptoglobin concentration may be a useful marker in cases where animals are referred to clinicians a few days after the onset of colic. The concentrations of MDA and NO should be interpreted with caution.

Incidence, risk factors, and therapeutic management of equine colic in Lamongan, Indonesia

Background and Aim

Colic is among the common health issues in equine health management. Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are the most frequent causes of colic, but dysfunction of other organs and systems inside the abdominal cavity may also contribute. Therefore, it is crucial to identify risk factors for colic of specific etiologies. This study aimed to examine the incidence, risk factors, and best therapeutic management practices for horses with colic.

Materials and Methods

A cohort of 256 horses living in Lamongan, East Java, Indonesia, was randomly recruited based on reports of colic symptoms by owners. Diagnosis and treatment were then conducted with the help of owners. Symptom profiles, risk factors, and therapeutic management strategies were analyzed by Chi-square tests.

Results

Of 256 horses enrolled, 217 (84%) were diagnosed with colic, of which 172 (79.3%) were cases of spasmodic colic, 33 (15.2%) of impaction colic, and 12 (5.5%) of intestinal obstruction/displacement. Male sex (χ2 = 16.27; p < 0.001), wheat bran feeding (χ2 = 15.49; p < 0.001), concentrate feed intake >5 kg/day (χ2 = 24.95; p < 0.001), no regular anthelmintic drug treatment (χ2 = 67.24; p < 0.001), GI parasite infection (χ2 = 65.11; p < 0.001), recurrent colic (χ2 = 91.09; p < 0.001), poor body condition score (χ2 = 71.81; p < 0.001), limited daily water access (χ2 = 127.92; p < 0.001), and indications of dental disease (χ2 = 9.03; p < 0.001) were identified as risk factors. The most effective therapies were gastric intubation (χ2 = 153.54; p < 0.001), Vitamin B complex injection (χ2 = 32.09; p < 0.001), fluid therapy (χ2 = 42.59; p < 0.001), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug injection (NSAID).

Conclusion

Colic is highly prevalent among horses in Lamongan, East Java, Indonesia. Proper diet, workload management, regular access to clean drinking water, and dental care can reduce colic risk. Recommended therapies include NSAID injection without other analgesics or spasmolytics, fluid therapy, Vitamin B complex, and gastric intubation.

Measures of Oxidative Status Markers in Relation to Age, Sex, and Season in Sick and Healthy Captive Asian Elephants in Thailand

Oxidative stress is a pathological condition that can have adverse effects on animal health, although little research has been conducted on wildlife species. In this study, blood was collected from captive Asian elephants for the assessment of five serum oxidative status markers (reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations; malondialdehyde, MDA; albumin; glutathione peroxidase, GPx; and catalase) in healthy (n = 137) and sick (n = 20) animals. Health problems consisted of weakness, puncture wounds, gastrointestinal distress, eye and musculoskeletal problems, and elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD). Fecal samples were also collected to assess glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) as a measure of stress. All data were analyzed in relation to age, sex, sampling season, and their interactions using generalized linear models, and a correlation matrix was constructed. ROS and serum albumin concentrations exhibited the highest concentrations in aged elephants (>45 years). No sex differences were found for any biomarker. Interactions were observed for age groups and seasons for ROS and catalase, while GPx displayed a significant interaction between sex and season. In pairwise comparisons, significant increases in ROS and catalase were observed in summer, with higher ROS concentrations observed only in the adult female group. Lower catalase activity was exhibited in juvenile males, subadult males, adult females, and aged females compared to subadult and adult elephants (males and females) in winter and the rainy season. There was a positive association between catalase activity and fGCMs (r = 0.23, p < 0.05), and a number of red blood cell parameters were positively associated with several of these biomarkers, suggesting high oxidative and antioxidative activity covary in red cells (p < 0.05). According to health status, elephants with EEHV-HD showed the most significant changes in oxidative stress markers, with MDA, GPx, and catalase being higher and albumin being lower than in healthy elephants. This study provides an analysis of understudied health biomarkers in Asian elephants, which can be used as additional tools for assessing the health condition of this species and suggests age and season may be important factors in data interpretation.

Changes in Oxidative Status Biomarkers in Saliva and Serum in the Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome and Colic of Intestinal Aetiology: A Pilot Study

Changes in the oxidative status of the blood of horses suffering from gastric ulcers and colic of intestinal aetiology (CIE) have been reported. However, saliva can also be a source of biomarkers of oxidative status. Therefore, this study aims to validate automated assays for the measurement of oxidative status biomarkers (ferric reducing ability of saliva/serum-FRAS/FRAP, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity-CUPRAC, the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity-TEAC, uric acid, and advanced oxidation protein products-AOPP) in the saliva and serum of horses, to assess their changes in the different ulcer gastric diseases (squamous-ESGD and glandular-EGGD) and CIE, and to evaluate their relationship with serum amyloid A (SAA), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status. The assays showed a low imprecision and good linearity with enough sensitivity in both fluids. In EGGD, higher levels of FRAS, uric acid, and AOPP in saliva were observed compared to the healthy group, correlating with the salivary ADA levels. Horses with CIE showed increases in uric acid concentrations in serum associated with their SIRS status and outcome of the disease. In conclusion, analytes related to the oxidative status can be measured in the saliva and serum from horses by automated assays, and some of them can potentially be assessed as biomarkers in horses with gastric ulcers and CIE.

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress Parameters in Healthy Saddle Horses in Relation to Housing Conditions, Presence of Stereotypies, Age, Sex and Breed

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of many horse diseases and it has been shown that housing has important implications for the psychophysical well-being of horses. The aim of this study is to determine if there are any differences between the redox status in horses in relation to housing conditions. The four housing conditions analyzed were: single box, without external access and without contact (Cat A), single box with external access and possibility of partial contact (Cat B), group housing with box and large paddock (Cat C), pasture with more than 7 horses and the possibility of green forage for the whole year (Cat D). A group of 117 healthy horses were selected in several private stables in Northern Italy. All subjects treated with any type of drug were excluded. At the end of the enrollment, the 117 selected horses were divided into the four housing categories. Stereotypies were highest in the group of horses in single box, without external access and without contact (Cat A). Oxidative stress was evaluated by testing plasma or serum samples for the following parameters: superoxide anion (WST), nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (d-ROMs), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Simultaneously with the blood sampling, the owners completed a questionnaire with all the management aspects of the horse (signaling, feeding, equestrian activity, vaccinations, foot management etc.). The statistical evaluation was carried out based on the categories previously described, on the presence and absence of stereotypies and on some signaling data obtained from the questionnaire. There were no significant differences in the parameters analyzed between the categories. No significant redox status differences were detected based on the presence or absence of stereotypies. Interestingly, when the age was introduced as selection (<14 and >14 years old) parameter inside the categories, statistical significance was observed for some of the stress markers considered. Finally, independently of the housing conditions, the horses of the most two represented breeds exhibited different values of FRAP. All these aspects are commented in the discussion.

Estimation of Nitrite-Nitric Oxide Derivative-In Horses with Intestinal Colic by ESR Spectroscopy

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of horses are caused by many factors and have a complex pathogenesis. Developing effective methods of differential diagnostics is of high fundamental and applied importance. The pathogenesis of diseases of the digestive tract of horses accompanied by the development of inflammation and oxidative stress, can be associated with a lack of the nitrogen monoxide which controls many signaling pathways in the body. The level of the nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the regulation of the immune and nervous systems, the tone of all the blood vessels, and the courses of many pathological processes. The nitric oxide activates guanylate cyclase (sGC) and leads to vascular relaxation. The aim of this investigation was to study the metabolites of nitric oxide in horses suffered from intestinal diseases. The levels of nitric oxide in the blood serum of horses depending on their age and health state was studied. The concentration of nitrites in the blood serum of horses aged 6–25 years was 3.4 ± 4.2 μM, and in the young horses (1–5 years) the level of this indicator was 8.2 ± 5.4 μM. A sharp decrease in nitrite was observed in all the horses with intestinal diseases of 2 ± 0.9 μM, especially with tympanitic caecun of 0.6 ± 0.4 μM and with spasmodic colic of 1.8 ± 0.5 μM. The level of nitrosylhemoglobin HbNO in the blood of the diseased animals was higher than that in clinically healthy horses, regardless of age.

Evaluation of podocin in urine in horses using qualitative and quantitative methods

No sensitive method for diagnosing early kidney dysfunction in horses has been identified so far. Many studies carried out in humans and small animals show that podocin can be useful to diagnose various kidney diseases, mainly affecting the glomeruli. The aim of this study was to perform a qualitative and quantitative analysis of podocin in urine samples obtained from healthy horses, horses with clinical kidney dysfunction and horses at risk of acute kidney injury. The study objectives aimed to assess: (1) whether the selected podocin tryptic peptide for LC-MS-MRM allows for podocin detection in horse; and (2) whether the species-specific ELISA test makes this detection possible as well;, (3) whether the chosen methods are sensitive enough to detect kidney dysfunction and glomerular injury, (4) whether the results of the tests applying both methods correspond with one another, (5) whether the results correlate with the hematological and biochemical data. The signals that may indicate the presence of trypsin fragments of podocin were found in three healthy horses, all the horses diagnosed with kidney dysfunction and half of the animals at risk for acute kidney injury. The concentration of podocin, diagnosed with the ELISA test was as follows: from 0.19 to 1.2 ng/ml in healthy animals, from 0.19 to 20.0 ng/ml in AKI horses, from 0.29 to 5.71 ng/ml in horses at risk for acute kidney injury. The results of both methods corresponded significantly. Podocin may be a potential biomarker of clinical kidney disease in horses and may be used in the detection of glomerular injury. However, its use is limited by the possibility of physiological podocyturia. LC-MS-MRM seems to be a more sensitive method to evaluate the presence of podocin than the ELISA test, whilst selected tryptic peptides of podocin appear to apply to horses. The ELISA test showed greater effectiveness in excluding the disease than in confirming it.

Colic in a working horse population in Egypt: Prevalence and risk factors

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY

Colic is an important health problem in managed horse populations. Currently, there is limited information about colic prevalence and risk factors for colic in working horse populations.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, colic in a working horse population in Egypt and to describe management practices in this working horse population.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

Owners of 350 working horses were interviewed. Data about their horses, management and colic episodes in the preceding 12 months were collected. Dental examination was conducted on 342 horses and blood samples (n = 100) were collected for immunodiagnosis of tapeworm (Anoplocephala perfoliata) infection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for a history of colic in the preceding 12 months.

RESULTS

The 12-month prevalence of colic was 54.6%. Severe and moderate tapeworm infection intensity was identified in 3% and 26% of horses tested, respectively. Horses that had severe dental disease (odds ratio [OR] 6.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-24.3, P<0.001), that displayed stereotypic behaviour (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.15-3.5, P = 0.013), were fed ground corn during the 'dry season' (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.03-2.6, P = 0.035) or that had received an anthelmintic in the previous 6 months (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.3, P = 0.003) were more likely to have a history of colic in the preceding 12 months. Horses fed on rice bran during the 'green season' (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.26-0.9, P = 0.015) and that displayed geophagia/coprophagia (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.05-0.73, P = 0.001) were less likely to have a history of colic.

CONCLUSIONS

Colic is common in this working horse population and this study has identified factors associated with altered likelihood of colic. The study provides important information that may be used to inform future prospective studies investigating colic in working horse populations and to assist development of preventive healthcare strategies. The Summary is available in Chinese - see Supporting information.