Haematological changes following reining trials in Quarter Horses

Background: It is well known that exercise induce physiological stress on horses body system, causing signifi cant changes in blood components. Haematological changes associated with exercise have been widely analyzed to provide information about health status and athletic performance in horses. Numerous studies have been performed to investigate the response of haematological parameters to various types of exercise. However, only few studies dealt with reining horses. Reining is a typical Western discipline characterized by man oeuvres requiring fast and powerful muscle contractions and motor skills. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a reining training session on some hematological parameters. Material, Methods & Results: In the present study, eight Quarter Horses aged 5-15 years (three stallions and fi ve mares; mean body weight 480 ± 60 kg) were used to establish physiologic responses to a reining training session. All subjects were housed at the same horse training centre in Sicily, Italy. All horses were subjected to the reining pattern 5 of National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), consisting of 2 large circle gallop (G1; G2), 1 small circle lope (L1), 1 stop (STOP), 4 spins (S1), 2 large circle gallop (G3; G4), 1 small circle lope (L2), 1 stop (STOP), 4 spins (S2), 1 large circle gallop (G5), lead change (LC1), 1 small circle lope (L3), 1 large circle gallop (G6), lead change (LC2), 1 large circle gallop (G7), lead change (LC3), 2 rollbacks (RB1, RB2), 1 stop (STOP) and backing (B). Blood samples were collected from each animal before (T0) and immediately after completion of the pattern (T1). Further samples were collected after 1 h (T2), 2 h (T3) and 24 h (T4) after exercise, during the recovery period…(AU)

Haematological changes following reining trials in Quarter Horses

Background: It is well known that exercise induce physiological stress on horse’s body system, causing signifi can’t changes in blood components. Haematological changes associated with exercise have been widely analyzed to provide information about health status and athletic performance in horses. Numerous studies have been performed to investigate the response of haematological parameters to various types of exercise. However, only few studies dealt with reining horses. Reining is a typical Western discipline characterized by man oeuvres requiring fast and powerful muscle contractions and motor skills. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a reining training session on some hematological parameters. Material, Methods & Results: In the present study, eight Quarter Horses aged 5-15 years (three stallions and fi ve mares; mean body weight 480 ± 60 kg) were used to establish physiologic responses to a reining training session. All subjects were housed at the same horse training centre in Sicily, Italy. All horses were subjected to the reining pattern 5 of National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), consisting of 2 large circle gallop (G1; G2), 1 small circle lope (L1), 1 stop (STOP), 4 spins (S1), 2 large circle gallop (G3; G4), 1 small circle lope (L2), 1 stop (STOP), 4 spins (S2), 1 large circle gallop (G5), lead change (LC1), 1 small circle lope (L3), 1 large circle gallop (G6), lead change (LC2), 1 large circle gallop (G7), lead change (LC3), 2 rollbacks (RB1, RB2), 1 stop (STOP) and backing (B). Blood samples were collected from each animal before (T0) and immediately after completion of the pattern (T1). Further samples were collected after 1 h (T2), 2 h (T3) and 24 h (T4) after exercise, during the recovery period

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

Pulsed wavedoppler ultrasonographic evaluation of mammary blood flows speed in cows during different productive periods

Circulatory phenomena are complex organic functions that depend on several factors as blood viscosity, vascular walls elasticity, cardiac pump rhythm, discontinuous activity, various resistance to blood flow in tissues and spontaneous or induced vasomotor responses. Doppler ultrasonographic method is a valid tool for performing mammary blood flow recordings. Seven Bruna Italiana cows (average age 5 years) during 3 different period of lactation (40, 100, 210 days after the delivery) and during the dry period (290 days after the delivery) were used for our study. Systolic and diastolic flow speeds recordings of right and left external pudendal arteries (before the cranial and the caudal mammary bifurcation) were carried out on each subjects by means of a Pulsed Doppler System. By appliyng repeated measures ANOVA between the different lactation phases and the dry period systolic and diastolic blood flows both for right and left external pudendal artery showed the same pattern. The systolic speed of right and left external pudendal arteries showed the following statistical significances: systolic speed before milking (F (3,18)=37.71; P

Pulsed wavedoppler ultrasonographic evaluation of mammary blood flows speed in cows during different productive periods

Circulatory phenomena are complex organic functions that depend on several factors as blood viscosity, vascular walls elasticity, cardiac pump rhythm, discontinuous activity, various resistance to blood flow in tissues and spontaneous or induced vasomotor responses. Doppler ultrasonographic method is a valid tool for performing mammary blood flow recordings. Seven Bruna Italiana cows (average age 5 years) during 3 different period of lactation (40, 100, 210 days after the delivery) and during the dry period (290 days after the delivery) were used for our study. Systolic and diastolic flow speeds recordings of right and left external pudendal arteries (before the cranial and the caudal mammary bifurcation) were carried out on each subjects by means of a Pulsed Doppler System. By appliyng repeated measures ANOVA between the different lactation phases and the dry period systolic and diastolic blood flows both for right and left external pudendal artery showed the same pattern. The systolic speed of right and left external pudendal arteries showed the following statistical significances: systolic speed before milking (F (3,18)=37.71; P

Pulsed wavedoppler ultrasonographic evaluation of mammary blood flows speed in cows during different productive periods

Circulatory phenomena are complex organic functions that depend on several factors as blood viscosity, vascular walls elasticity, cardiac pump rhythm, discontinuous activity, various resistance to blood flow in tissues and spontaneous or induced vasomotor responses. Doppler ultrasonographic method is a valid tool for performing mammary blood flow recordings. Seven Bruna Italiana cows (average age 5 years) during 3 different period of lactation (40, 100, 210 days after the delivery) and during the dry period (290 days after the delivery) were used for our study. Systolic and diastolic flow speeds recordings of right and left external pudendal arteries (before the cranial and the caudal mammary bifurcation) were carried out on each subjects by means of a Pulsed Doppler System. By appliyng repeated measures ANOVA between the different lactation phases and the dry period systolic and diastolic blood flows both for right and left external pudendal artery showed the same pattern. The systolic speed of right and left external pudendal arteries showed the following statistical significances: systolic speed before milking (F (3,18)=37.71; P

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