Since the late 1980s a distinct form of focally-extensive mucoid to mucopurulent uterine body chronic placentitis,caused by nocardioform organisms, hasbeen recognised in horses in the USA state of Kentucky and possibly in other areas. This disease has led to increasing numbers of foal losses from late abortions, still-births, prematurity, or early neonatal deaths. The foals are usually not infe...

Placental neoplasia was observed in an otherwise healthy Quarter Horse mare; subsequently, the mare’s 52-day-old foal was examined because of hindlimb ataxia, urinary incontinence and abnormal raised lesions of the distal limbs. Clinical and biochemical findings were supportive of liver disease and lumbosacral injury. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the abdomen suggested a liver mass which was c...

In mammal circulation, various ferritin-binding proteins (FBPs) are thought to be involved in the clearance of circulating ferritin after complex formation with it. However, horse FBPs are known to cause inhibitory effects on ferritin immunoassay due to the concealment of the ferritin molecule to anti-ferritin antibodies used in the ferritin immunoassay. These inhibitory effects are eliminated ...

A 6-week-old, Arabian-cross male foal was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine for a 1-week history of progressive weakness and intermittent right thoracic limb lameness. The foal had a normal birth, was healthy, had been active, and had not exhibited any abnormalities of gait before presentation. The current owner had acqu...

The transformation from fetus to neonate represents a series of rapid and dramatic physiologic changes during which the placenta is replaced by the lungs as the primary organ of gas exchange. The transition goes smoothly most of the time; however, in human medicine (we do not know in equine medicine), approximately 10% of the time active intervention of a skilled individual or team is necessary...

Aspect-oriented programming is a paradigm in software engineering and FOAL logos courtesy of Luca Cardelli programming languages that promises better support for separation of concerns. The third Foundations of Aspect-Oriented Languages (FOAL) workshop was held at the Third International Conference on Aspect-Oriented Software Development in Lancaster, UK, on March 23, 2004. This workshop was de...

A 3.5-month-old, 170-kg, Thoroughbred colt was referred to University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center for evaluation of dullness and dermatitis of the pasterns and muzzle. The pastern dermatitis affected all 4 limbs, appeared 10 days before presentation, and was treated by the owner with an iodine solution and triple antibiotic ointment, with no improvement. Dermatitis of the muzzle appeare...

BACKGROUND Cytosine-phosphate-guanosine oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) has been used successfully to induce immune responses against viral and intracellular organisms in mammals. The main objective of this study was to test the effect of CpG-ODN on antigen presenting cells of young foals. METHODS Peripheral blood monocytes of foals (n = 7) were isolated in the first day of life and monthly th...

Despite a large body of safety data, concern exists that porcine zonae pellucidae (PZP) immunocontraception--used to manage wild horse populations--may cause out-of-season births with resulting foal mortality. Our study at Assateague, Maryland indicated the effects of immunocontraception on season of birth and foal survival between 1990 and 2002 on wild horses from Assateague Island. Among 91 m...

Physiological responses to weaning procedures were studied in 21 foals assigned to one of five treatments: (1) abrupt, total separation of mare and foal, no preweaning creep feed (TSNC); abrupt, total separation with preweaning creep feed (TSC); partial separation of mare and foal allowing fenceline contact, no preweaning creep feed (PSNC); (4) partial separation with creep feed (PSC); and (5) ...