Development of a fixed list of descriptors for the qualitative behavioral assessment of thoroughbred horses in the racing environment.

Introduction: Horse racing is a major sport practiced worldwide. The environment to which horses are exposed during race meetings can influence their behavior. However, to the best of our knowledge, a method for assessing a horse's response to its surroundings during the pre- and post-race periods has not yet been reported. This study aimed to create a standard list of descriptors for use in a qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) focused on assessing the emotional expressivity of horses before and after racing events. Materials and methods: Seventy pre- or post-race 30-second videos of horses were randomly selected from our database of 700 videos. A panel of 8 experienced equine sports medicine specialist veterinarians watched a 60 min presentation on QBA. The panel then watched all videos randomly, simultaneously, individually, continuously, and without any verbal interaction, describing the descriptors related to the emotional expressivity of the horse after each video using a method known as free-choice profiling (FCP). Results: The initial selection of descriptors was based on those indicated by more than one evaluator in the same video, or descriptors with more than 20 occurrences. The second selection was performed based on the content validity index (CVR) to select the descriptors retained in the previous step. Another panel of six veterinarians scored each of the descriptors retained for content validity on a visual scale. Interobserver reliability was estimated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and its respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). A natural language processing (NLP) algorithm was used to analyze the behavior (positive or negative polarity) of the descriptors based on the lexicoPT package of R software. Discussion/Conclusion: NLP analysis considered the descriptors "agitated," "troubled," "restless" and "irritated" to have a negative polarity, while "focused," "relaxed" and "peaceful" had a positive polarity. In the principal component analysis (PCA), descriptors in a negative state were associated with each other and inversely associated with descriptors in a positive state. We conclude with a fixed list of descriptors to be used in a QBA to assess emotional and welfare expressivity in racehorses' pre- and post-race environments.

Efficacy of oral Cynara scolymus and Silybum marianum on toxicity of imidocarb dipropionate in horses.

BACKGROUND: Despite hepatotoxic effects, imidocarb dipropionate is the drug of choice for treatment of equine piroplasmosis. It is important, therefore, to identify adjuvant therapies that may improve the safety of imidocarb dipropionate by reducing the risk of liver damage during its use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective and hepatoregulatory effects of treatment with Cynara scolymus and Silybum marianum during administration of imidocarb dipropionate. METHODS: Ten healthy horses, seroconverted to Theileria equi by C-ELISA, were treated with 5 mg/kg/day of imidocarb dipropionate for three consecutive days. The study population was divided into two groups. The control group did not receive any complementary treatments. The treated group received a daily oral supplement containing C scolymus and S marianum for 30 days. Physical, haematological and histological examinations of hepatic fragments were performed. RESULTS: All haematological values remained within normal range for the study population. Histological analysis revealed that treated group animals had 62 per cent less lobular inflammation, 55 per cent less pigment accumulation, 65 per cent less steatosis and 57 per cent less portal inflammation than control group animals, with an equivalent percentage of hydropic degeneration. CONCLUSION: C scolymus and S marianum supplements resulted in beneficial hepatoprotective effects in horses treated with imidocarb dipropionate.

Effects of Joint Lavage with Dimethylsulfoxide on LPS-Induced Synovitis in Horses-Clinical and Laboratorial Aspects.

Several studies in human and equine medicine have produced controversial results regarding the role of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as a therapeutic agent. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of joint lavage with different DMSO concentrations on biomarkers of synovial fluid inflammation and cartilage degradation in joints with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced synovitis. Twenty-six tibiotarsal joints of 13 horses were randomly distributed into four groups (lactated Ringer's solution; 5% DMSO in lactated Ringer's; 10% DMSO in lactated Ringer's; and sham). All animals were evaluated for the presence of lameness, and synovial fluid analyses were performed at 0 h, 1 h, 8 h, 24 h, and 48 h (T0, T1, T8, T24, and T48, respectively). The white blood cell counts (WBC), total protein (TP), urea, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), hyaluronic acid (HA), and chondroitin sulfate (CS) concentrations were measured. The WBC counts and PGE2, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TP concentrations increased in all groups at T8 compared to baseline values (p<0.05). At T48, only the 5% DMSO and 10% DMSO groups showed a significant decrease in WBC counts (p<0.05). Furthermore, the 10% DMSO group had lower concentrations of PGE2 and IL-1ß at T48 than at T8 (p<0.05) and presented lower IL-6 levels than the5% DMSO and lactated Ringer's groups at T24. All groups showed an increase in CS concentration after LPS-induced synovitis. Joint lavage with 10% DMSO in lactated Ringer´s has anti-inflammatory but not chondroprotective effects.