Evaluation of heart rate as marker of stress during road transport in horses

Background: Nowadays horse transportation represents an increasingly practice as a greater number of horses are subjected to transport for several purpose including sport competitions, breeding and selling. In the past, horses were usually transported by train and ship however, at the present time, they move mainly by road with trailers or vans. Transport represents a potential stressor that might compromise horse performance therefore, the chance to monitor horse welfare during transportation is of great interest. The autonomic nervous system and its regulation of cardiovascular function have been considered suitable indicators of stress and welfare in humans and animals. Measuring the vagal tone provide a best knowledge about stress vulnerability and the magnitude of a stress response. Considering that heart rate (HR) represents the effect of the vagus, the aim of this study was to evaluate if this parameter is an affordable indicator of stress in horses subjected to different experimental conditions concerning the duration and the time of the day of road transportation. Materials, Methods & Results: Twelve clinically healthy athletic Italian Saddle horses, divided into three equal groups, were transported over two different distances (110 Km and 225 Km) at the same time of the day (5.00 pm) (group A and B), and over the same distance (110 Km) during the evening (5.00 pm) and during the morning (8.00 am) (group A and C). Each journey was divided into 3 parts (T1, T2, T3) on the basis of road characteristics: T1 and T3 periods represented the time spent travelling on secondary roads characterized by several changes of direction and average speed of 35-40 Km/h; T2 was travel duration on nearly completely rectilinear motorways with average speed of 70 Km/h. Mean HR recorded at rest for each horse was 38 ± 3 beats/min. On HR values recorded during transportation one-way ANOVA showed significant statistical differences of HR values in T2 vs T1 and T3 periods within the group A (P < 0.0001) and C (P = 0.003); no significant statistical difference was found in T1, T2 and T3 periods within group B. T tests showed that mean HR values were lower in group B than in group A, and higher in group C than group A only in T2. Discussion: Even if transport includes a series of potential stressors such as handling, loading, unloading, unfamiliar environments, oscillation and vibration of the mean of transport, noise, social regrouping, poor ventilation, deprivation of both food and water; in the present study our recordings showed that HR changed irrespective of the experimental characteristics of the journey including the different duration of each transportation. We found that neither the average speed of the mean of transport or the characteristics of the road determined significant changes in horse HR. We also found no influence of the time of the day on HR trend during transportation in horses. This might be due to the fact that HR varied when posture and other external stimuli changed during transport masking the biological rhythms that usually affect the cardiovascular activity and the HR diurnal variability that suits the needs of different levels of activity at different time of the day. On the basis of these results, HR seemed to be an extremely variable parameter profoundly affected by the temporary responses of the horses to sudden environmental incidents.

Evaluation of heart rate as marker of stress during road transport in horses / Evaluation of heart rate as marker of stress during road transport in horses

Background: Nowadays horse transportation represents an increasingly practice as a greater number of horses are subjected to transport for several purpose including sport competitions, breeding and selling. In the past, horses were usually transported by train and ship however, at the present time, they move mainly by road with trailers or vans. Transport represents a potential stressor that might compromise horse performance therefore, the chance to monitor horse welfare during transportation is of great interest. The autonomic nervous system and its regulation of cardiovascular function have been considered suitable indicators of stress and welfare in humans and animals. Measuring the vagal tone provide a best knowledge about stress vulnerability and the magnitude of a stress response. Considering that heart rate (HR) represents the effect of the vagus, the aim of this study was to evaluate if this parameter is an affordable indicator of stress in horses subjected to different experimental conditions concerning the duration and the time of the day of road transportation. Materials, Methods & Results: Twelve clinically healthy athletic Italian Saddle horses, divided into three equal groups, were transported over two different distances (110 Km and 225 Km) at the same time of the day (5.00 pm) (group A and B), and over the same distance (110 Km) during the evening (5.00 pm)

Background: Nowadays horse transportation represents an increasingly practice as a greater number of horses are subjected to transport for several purpose including sport competitions, breeding and selling. In the past, horses were usually transported by train and ship however, at the present time, they move mainly by road with trailers or vans. Transport represents a potential stressor that might compromise horse performance therefore, the chance to monitor horse welfare during transportation is of great interest. The autonomic nervous system and its regulation of cardiovascular function have been considered suitable indicators of stress and welfare in humans and animals. Measuring the vagal tone provide a best knowledge about stress vulnerability and the magnitude of a stress response. Considering that heart rate (HR) represents the effect of the vagus, the aim of this study was to evaluate if this parameter is an affordable indicator of stress in horses subjected to different experimental conditions concerning the duration and the time of the day of road transportation. Materials, Methods & Results: Twelve clinically healthy athletic Italian Saddle horses, divided into three equal groups, were transported over two different distances (110 Km and 225 Km) at the same time of the day (5.00 pm) (group A and B), and over the same distance (110 Km) during the evening (5.00 pm)

Platelet rich plasma intralesional injection as bedside therapy for tendinitis in athletic horse

Background: Tendinitis result in a considerable economic loss to the equine industry due to decreased performance, prolonged rehabilitation, recurrent injuries and early retirement. It is well known that damaged tendons have a low healing potential and old therapies often lead to mechanical side effect of a scar tissue with reduced functionality and high risks of re-injury. Regenerative therapies that induce the restoration of the tendon's normal structure and function, rather than formation of less functional scar tissue, decrease the risk of re-injury tissue repair. In particular, platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy reproduce those processes of development in which there are spatial and temporal interactions between scaffold, growth factors and cell populations that lead to a normal structure and function of neo-formed tendon tissue. According to this knowledge, the aim of this study was to assess autologous PRP therapy as bedside procedure to treat equine tendon injuries. Materials, Methods & Results: Following a clinical and ultrasound examination, fifteen Thoroughbred horses affected by tendinitis of the superficial or deep digital flexor tendons were treated with intralesional injection of autologous PRP on-field preparation. On each horse blood samples were aseptically collected from the jugular vein into sterile tubes. Two sequential centrifugations of whole blood, added with Anticoagulant Citrate Dextrose Solution "A", were performed at 400 g for 10 min and at 620 g for 12 min, respectively, to obtain the PRP. After the PRP injection, horses were subjected to a standardized rehabilitation program that lasted about 6 months and an ultrasound checkup on the 50th day after the administration of PRP showed echographic aspect of the treated tendons comparable to healthy tendons. At the time of ultrasound checkup, all horses showed a marked clinical improvement. A month after completing the rehabilitation program the horses return to train and compete in 1200 m gallop competitions, on average once a month. In no case re-injury occurred within 12 months from the beginning of the therapy. Discussion: PRP treatment improves the regeneration of tissues with a low healing potential like tendons through increased levels of several growth factors including transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), that are released after platelet degranulation in the damage site and enhance tissue regeneration by stimulating cell proliferation. The effects of PRP therapy in equine tendinitis include also the enhanced gene expression of tendon matrix molecules, including cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and the increased collagen type I/collagen type III ratio, with no concomitant increase in the catabolic molecule matrix metalloproteinase. There are many methods for sampling and preparing PRP: test tubes, quadruple blood bags, apheresis, manual preparation or automatic preparation systems; but most of these methods require expensive and sophisticated technical equipment. Since treated horses showed neither local nor systemic side effect after the PRP administration, our study suggests that maintaining aseptic conditions PRP treatment is a minimally invasive and low cost therapy that is quite easy and safe to realize in the field to treat equine tendinitis. After a year follow-up all horses treated with the PRP were either performing at their previous workload and they were back in racing. None of them showed signs of re-injury.

Platelet rich plasma intralesional injection as bedside therapy for tendinitis in athletic horse / Platelet rich plasma intralesional injection as bedside therapy for tendinitis in athletic horse

Background: Tendinitis result in a considerable economic loss to the equine industry due to decreased performance, prolonged rehabilitation, recurrent injuries and early retirement. It is well known that damaged tendons have a low healing potential and old therapies often lead to mechanical side effect of a scar tissue with reduced functionality and high risks of re-injury. Regenerative therapies that induce the restoration of the tendons normal structure and function, rather than formation of less functional scar tissue, decrease the risk of re-injury tissue repair. In particular, platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy reproduce those processes of development in which there are spatial and temporal interactions between scaffold, growth factors and cell populations that lead to a normal structure and function of neo-formed tendon tissue. According to this knowledge, the aim of this study was to assess autologous PRP therapy as bedside procedure to treat equine tendon injuries. Materials, Methods & Results: Following a clinical and ultrasound examination, fifteen Thoroughbred horses affected by tendinitis of the superficial or deep digital flexor tendons were treated with intralesional injection of autologous PRP on-field preparation. On each horse blood samples were aseptically collected from the jugular vein into sterile tubes. Two sequential centrifugations of whole blood, a

Background: Tendinitis result in a considerable economic loss to the equine industry due to decreased performance, prolonged rehabilitation, recurrent injuries and early retirement. It is well known that damaged tendons have a low healing potential and old therapies often lead to mechanical side effect of a scar tissue with reduced functionality and high risks of re-injury. Regenerative therapies that induce the restoration of the tendons normal structure and function, rather than formation of less functional scar tissue, decrease the risk of re-injury tissue repair. In particular, platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy reproduce those processes of development in which there are spatial and temporal interactions between scaffold, growth factors and cell populations that lead to a normal structure and function of neo-formed tendon tissue. According to this knowledge, the aim of this study was to assess autologous PRP therapy as bedside procedure to treat equine tendon injuries. Materials, Methods & Results: Following a clinical and ultrasound examination, fifteen Thoroughbred horses affected by tendinitis of the superficial or deep digital flexor tendons were treated with intralesional injection of autologous PRP on-field preparation. On each horse blood samples were aseptically collected from the jugular vein into sterile tubes. Two sequential centrifugations of whole blood, a

Evaluation of heart rate as marker of stress during road transport in horses / Evaluation of heart rate as marker of stress during road transport in horses

Background: Nowadays horse transportation represents an increasingly practice as a greater number of horses are subjected to transport for several purpose including sport competitions, breeding and selling. In the past, horses were usually transported by train and ship however, at the present time, they move mainly by road with trailers or vans. Transport represents a potential stressor that might compromise horse performance therefore, the chance to monitor horse welfare during transportation is of great interest. The autonomic nervous system and its regulation of cardiovascular function have been considered suitable indicators of stress and welfare in humans and animals. Measuring the vagal tone provide a best knowledge about stress vulnerability and the magnitude of a stress response. Considering that heart rate (HR) represents the effect of the vagus, the aim of this study was to evaluate if this parameter is an affordable indicator of stress in horses subjected to different experimental conditions concerning the duration and the time of the day of road transportation. Materials, Methods & Results: Twelve clinically healthy athletic Italian Saddle horses, divided into three equal groups, were transported over two different distances (110 Km and 225 Km) at the same time of the day (5.00 pm) (group A and B), and over the same distance (110 Km) during the evening (5.00 pm)

Background: Nowadays horse transportation represents an increasingly practice as a greater number of horses are subjected to transport for several purpose including sport competitions, breeding and selling. In the past, horses were usually transported by train and ship however, at the present time, they move mainly by road with trailers or vans. Transport represents a potential stressor that might compromise horse performance therefore, the chance to monitor horse welfare during transportation is of great interest. The autonomic nervous system and its regulation of cardiovascular function have been considered suitable indicators of stress and welfare in humans and animals. Measuring the vagal tone provide a best knowledge about stress vulnerability and the magnitude of a stress response. Considering that heart rate (HR) represents the effect of the vagus, the aim of this study was to evaluate if this parameter is an affordable indicator of stress in horses subjected to different experimental conditions concerning the duration and the time of the day of road transportation. Materials, Methods & Results: Twelve clinically healthy athletic Italian Saddle horses, divided into three equal groups, were transported over two different distances (110 Km and 225 Km) at the same time of the day (5.00 pm) (group A and B), and over the same distance (110 Km) during the evening (5.00 pm)

Platelet rich plasma intralesional injection as bedside therapy for tendinitis in athletic horse / Platelet rich plasma intralesional injection as bedside therapy for tendinitis in athletic horse

Background: Tendinitis result in a considerable economic loss to the equine industry due to decreased performance, prolonged rehabilitation, recurrent injuries and early retirement. It is well known that damaged tendons have a low healing potential and old therapies often lead to mechanical side effect of a scar tissue with reduced functionality and high risks of re-injury. Regenerative therapies that induce the restoration of the tendons normal structure and function, rather than formation of less functional scar tissue, decrease the risk of re-injury tissue repair. In particular, platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy reproduce those processes of development in which there are spatial and temporal interactions between scaffold, growth factors and cell populations that lead to a normal structure and function of neo-formed tendon tissue. According to this knowledge, the aim of this study was to assess autologous PRP therapy as bedside procedure to treat equine tendon injuries. Materials, Methods & Results: Following a clinical and ultrasound examination, fifteen Thoroughbred horses affected by tendinitis of the superficial or deep digital flexor tendons were treated with intralesional injection of autologous PRP on-field preparation. On each horse blood samples were aseptically collected from the jugular vein into sterile tubes. Two sequential centrifugations of whole blood, a

Background: Tendinitis result in a considerable economic loss to the equine industry due to decreased performance, prolonged rehabilitation, recurrent injuries and early retirement. It is well known that damaged tendons have a low healing potential and old therapies often lead to mechanical side effect of a scar tissue with reduced functionality and high risks of re-injury. Regenerative therapies that induce the restoration of the tendons normal structure and function, rather than formation of less functional scar tissue, decrease the risk of re-injury tissue repair. In particular, platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy reproduce those processes of development in which there are spatial and temporal interactions between scaffold, growth factors and cell populations that lead to a normal structure and function of neo-formed tendon tissue. According to this knowledge, the aim of this study was to assess autologous PRP therapy as bedside procedure to treat equine tendon injuries. Materials, Methods & Results: Following a clinical and ultrasound examination, fifteen Thoroughbred horses affected by tendinitis of the superficial or deep digital flexor tendons were treated with intralesional injection of autologous PRP on-field preparation. On each horse blood samples were aseptically collected from the jugular vein into sterile tubes. Two sequential centrifugations of whole blood, a