Exercise-induced changes in skin temperature and blood parameters in horses

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of training on haematological and biochemical blood parameters as well as on the changes in body surface temperature in horses. In order to identify the predictive value of surface temperature measurements as a marker of animal's performance, their correlations with blood parameters were investigated. The study was carried out on nine horses divided into two groups: routinely ridden and never ridden. Infrared thermography was used to assess surface temperature changes before (BT) and just after training (JAT) on a treadmill. Seven regions of interest (ROIs) located on the neck, shoulder, elbow, back, chest, gluteus and quarter were analysed. The blood samples were taken BT, JAT and 30 min after training (30AT). Haematological parameters including white blood cells, lymphocytes (LYMs), monocytes (MONOs), granulocytes (GRAs), eosinophils (EOSs), haematocrit (HCT) and platelets (PLTs) as well as biochemical parameters such as glucose (GLUC), urea, chemnormalNa+, chemnormalK+ and chemnormalCa2+, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were analysed. Our results indicated a significant increase in surface temperature JAT (p=0.043) in the neck, shoulder, elbow, gluteus and quarter in routinely ridden horses. Significant changes in EOS (p=0.046) and HCT (p=0.043) in the case of the never-ridden and routinely ridden group, respectively, were found between the times of blood collection. In addition, there was a significant effect of the horse group and the time of blood collection on the CPK activity (p=0.025 to p=0.045) and urea concentrations (p=0.027 to p=0.045). In the routinely ridden horses, there were significant correlations between the changes in MONO (ρ=0.40), GRA (ρ=-0.40), PLT (ρ=-0.77), HCT (ρ=-0.36), GLUC (ρ=0.56) and urea (ρ=0.56) and the total ROI temperature changes. Moreover, significant correlations between the changes in MONO (ρ=-0.86), EOS (ρ=-0.65), GLUC (ρ=0.85), urea (ρ=0.85), chemnormalNa+ (ρ=0.59) and chemnormalK+ (ρ=-0.85) and the total ROI temperature changes were found in never-ridden horses. Different changes in body surface temperature and blood parameters in routinely ridden and never-ridden horses could be associated with different conditioning and performance. A significantly higher surface temperature in routinely ridden horses, as well as the dynamics of changes in HCT, CPK and urea after training indicate better performance of these horses. Significant correlations between MONO, GLUC, and urea and a total ROI surface temperature as well as a negative correlation between MONO and the total ROI temperature in never-ridden horses indicated poor performance.

Infrared Thermography Correlates with Lactate Concentration in Blood during Race Training in Horses

“…However, the authors did not investigate LAC. Soroko et al [21] used a treadmill in their study, but the biomechanical differences between exercise on a treadmill and a racetrack should be emphasized [2,34]. On the treadmill, the length of the gait is longer than for overground conditions [2].…”

“…In our study, the highest increase in T Max, T Min, and T Aver occurred in ROIs 9-11 (m. latissimus dorsi, m. obliquus externus abdominis, and m. pectoralis transversus regions) immediately after exercise, possibly as a consequence of the most loaded muscle during that type of exercise. The most recent work assessed the effects of training on hematological and biochemical blood parameters [33], as well as on the changes in body surface temperature in horses [21]. The authors indicated a significantly higher surface temperature in neck, back, gluteal, and quarter muscles after training, connected with the dynamics of changes in HCT, CPK, and, urea.…”

“…Recently, IRT was widely incorporated into equine veterinary medicine to detect lameness [17], as well as to estimate the stress reaction during endurance exercise [18], predisposition to effort [19], and to detect performance-enhancing techniques [20]. Correlations between changes in body surface temperature and blood parameters were also investigated in order to identify the predictive value of surface temperature measurements as a marker of animal performance [21]. In this promising research, measurement of hematological parameters, including hematocrit (HCT), and biochemical parameters, such as creatine phosphokinase activity (CPK) and concentrations of glucose (GLU), urea, sodium (Na + ), potassium (K + ), and calcium (Ca 2+ ), were taken into consideration.…”

The Pattern of Superficial Body Temperatures in Leisure Horses Lunged with Commonly Used Lunging Aids

“…The changes in superficial temperatures may be caused by a combination of physical activity and physiological stress responses [15,29,30], which is not easy to differentiate. Interestingly, infrared thermography has been used to identify physiological stress in horses based on the evaluation of eye temperature [31], which showed positive correlations with heart rate, heart rate variability, stress related behaviors, and cortisol concentration [32].…”

Parámetros hematológicos en caballos peruanos de paso en la provincia de Lambayeque

“…Como es de conocimiento, el caballo peruano de paso no es usado exclusivamente para el trabajo, sino más bien para exhibiciones y concursos. Durante el tiempo previo a dichos eventos, los caballos son sometidos a entrenamientos durante largos periodos; pudiendo denotar cambios hematológicos y bioquímicos en relación con aquellos que no son forzados a estas prácticas y ejercicios intensos (30,31,32). Esto pudiera ser un factor condicionante, de cambios en los valores hematológicos en el Caballo Peruano de Paso.…”