Emergency Management of Equid Foals in the Field

Foal emergencies can be intimidating to manage in the field, yet many conditions will respond well to the supportive care possible on the farm. Triage of the foal targets focused supportive care to stabilize the foal before referral to a hospital or to facilitate the management in the field. There are many diagnostic and therapeutic options available in the field setting to support a successful outcome on the farm.

Coagulation Assessment in the Equine Patient

Horses with clinical signs of unprovoked or excessive hemorrhage should be evaluated for underlying platelet defects or coagulopathies. This article provides an overview of preliminary screening and definitive tests to assess coagulation and identify hemostatic defects in horses, as well as a review of the hemostatic disorders most frequently encountered in clinical practice.

Identification of potential platelet alloantigens in the Equidae family by comparison of gene sequences encoding major platelet membrane glycoproteins

BACKGROUND

Platelet alloantigens in horses may play an important role in the development of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate genes encoding major platelet glycoproteins within the Equidae family in an effort to identify potential alloantigens.

METHODS

DNA was isolated from blood samples obtained from Equidae family members, including a Holsteiner-Oldenburg cross, a Quarter horse, a donkey, and a Plains zebra (Equus burchelli). Gene sequences encoding equine platelet membrane glycoproteins IIb, IIIa (integrin subunits αIIb and β3), Ia (integrin subunit α2), and Ibα were determined using PCR. Gene sequences were compared to the equine genome available on GenBank. Polymorphisms that would be predicted to result in amino acid changes on platelet surfaces were documented and compared with known alloantigenic sites documented on human platelets.

RESULTS

Amino acid differences were predicted based on nucleotide sequences for all 4 genes. Nine differences were documented for αIIb, 5 differences were documented for β3, 7 differences were documented for α2, and 16 differences were documented for Ibα outside the macroglycopeptide region.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents the first effort at identifying potential platelet alloantigens in members of the Equidae Family based on evaluation of gene sequences. The data obtained form the groundwork for identifying potential platelet alloantigens involved in transfusion reactions and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). More work is required to determine whether the predicted amino acid differences documented in this study play a role in alloimmunity, and whether other polymorphisms not detected in this study are present that may result in alloimmunity.

Equine cloning: applications and outcomes

Cloning is one of several new assisted reproductive techniques being developed for clinical use in the equine industry. Potential uses of equine cloning include: (1) the preservation of genetics from individual animals that would otherwise not be able to reproduce, such as geldings; (2) the preservation of genetic material of endangered and/or exotic species, such as the Mongolian wild horse (Przewalski’s horse); and (3) because of the companion animal role that horses fill for some individuals, it is likely that some horse owners will have individual animals cloned for emotional fulfillment. Although equine cloning has been successful, like other species, it remains a very inefficient process (<3% success). In most species, the inefficiency of cloning results from a high incidence of embryonic, fetal and/or placental developmental abnormalities that contribute to extremely high rates of embryonic loss, abortion and stillbirths throughout gestation and compromised neonatal health after birth. The present review describes some of the ultrasonographic, endocrinological and histopathological characteristics of successful (produced viable offspring) and unsuccessful (resulted in pregnancy failure) cloned equine (mule and horse) pregnancies we have produced. A total of 21 cloned mule pregnancies were established using fetal fibroblast cells, whereas a total of seven cloned horse pregnancies were established using adult cumulus cells. Three of the cloned mule conceptuses were carried to term, resulting in the birth of three healthy clones. This information adds to an accumulating body of knowledge about the outcome of cloned equine pregnancies, which will help to establish when, and perhaps why, many cloned equine pregnancies fail.