Risk factors in equine transport‐related health problems: A survey of the Australian equine industry

Padalino, Barbara; Raidal, Sharanne; Hall, Evelyn; Knight, Peter; Celi, Pietro; Jeffcott, L. B.; Muscatello, Gary

doi:10.1111/evj.12631

Cited by 21 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Abdominal auscultation also suggested decreased GI motility in transported horses, as has been reported previously, but decreased GI motility was not observed after confinement. Decreased GI motility is consistent with well‐characterized sympathoadrenal neuroendocrine responses to transportation and GI problems, notably colic and colitis, are commonly associated with transportation of horses . Road transportation has been recently determined to influence fecal microbiome and metabolic responses to diet and exercise .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

“…Horses travel frequently for performance, breeding, and other purposes. Transportation has been suggested as a risk factor for gastric ulceration and a recent survey of transport‐associated health problems indicated that gastrointestinal (GI) problems occur frequently in association with transportation of horses . Limited evidence currently is available regarding the effects of transportation on gastric ulceration or gastric pH.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Transportation has been suggested as a risk factor for gastric ulceration 13 and a recent survey of transport-associated health problems indicated that gastrointestinal (GI) problems occur frequently in association with transportation of horses. 14 Transportation is associated with factors that may contribute to gastric ulceration such as physiologic stress responses (increased heart rate and serum cortisol concentrations), [15][16][17][18][19][20][21] changes in feeding practices and water consumption, 22,23 and changes in GI microbiota. 12,24 Our study was conducted to determine the impact of 12 hours of transportation without food or water on gastric ulcer scores and gastric fluid (GF) pH in horses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares

Padalino

Davis

Raidal

2020

Veterinary Internal Medicne

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Background Transportation has been suggested as a risk factor for gastric ulceration in horses, but limited evidence supports this assumption. Animals Twenty‐six Standardbred, Thoroughbred, and Warmblood mares from a university teaching herd. Methods Twelve mares were confined for 12 hours, overnight, in reproductive stocks with indwelling nasogastric tubes (NGTs) to assess pH of gastric fluid (GF). Gastric ulceration was assessed endoscopically before and after confinement. Subsequently, 26 horses were transported for 12 hours, overnight, in 2 consignments. During transportation, GF was aspirated from indwelling NGT placed in the same 12 mares used in the confinement study, and gastric ulceration was assessed endoscopically before and after transportation in all horses. Results The median pH of GF in confined horses was 1.70‐2.49 at each sampling point, and there was no apparent effect on gastric squamous ulcer scores. The median pH of GF from the same 12 horses at corresponding sampling times during transportation was 6.82‐7.22. Transportation was associated with increased gastric squamous ulcer scores, particularly in horses fasted for gastroscopy and NGT placement immediately before departure. Gastric emptying appeared delayed after transportation in horses fed before departure. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Transportation is associated with increased gastric squamous ulceration and with increased pH of GF. These findings may be a consequence of impaired gastric emptying and reflux of alkaline small intestinal content, with factors such as duodenal bile salts and short‐chain fatty acids mediating mucosal injury.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares

Padalino

Davis

Raidal

2020

Veterinary Internal Medicne

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“…This cross‐sectional online survey study by B. Padalino and colleagues in Australia and the USA aimed to provide information on the risk factors for illness and injury associated with equine transportation .…”

Section: Injuries and Illness Associated With Transportationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Highlights of recent clinically relevant papers

Wright¹

2017

Equine Veterinary Education

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“…Respiratory disease is a common consequence of equine transportation [ 1 – 6 ]. The risk of transport associated respiratory disease in the horse may be influenced by pre-existing inflammation of the airways [ 7 , 8 ], journey duration [ 9 – 11 ], head position [ 2 , 12 , 13 ], air quality inside the truck (increased concentration of ammonia and carbon monoxide gas [ 14 , 15 ]), transport-associated effects on immunity [ 16 – 19 ], thermal stress en route [ 20 ] and transport-related dehydration [ 12 , 21 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behaviour during transportation predicts stress response and lower airway contamination in horses

et al. 2018

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This study aimed to document the effects of an eight hour journey on behavioural, clinical, haematological, environmental and respiratory parameters, and to identify possible associations between factors. Twelve horses underwent clinical examination, respiratory endoscopy with tracheal wash (TW) aspiration, and collection of venous and arterial blood before (BJ) and after the journey (AJ). TW were submitted for conventional quantitative bacteriological evaluation and genetic microbiome analyses. Behaviour was assessed in stables prior to transportation and throughout the journey. Transportation caused mild, but significant, effects on fluid and electrolyte balance and an acute phase response, characterized by neutrophilia, hyperfibrinogenaemia and hyperglobulinaemia. The proportion of neutrophils in TW, tracheal mucus and TW bacterial concentration was increased AJ, with preferential replication of Pasteurellaceae. Horse behaviour en route predicted clinical and respiratory outcomes. The frequency of stress related behaviours was greatest in the first hour of the journey, and balance-related behaviours were most common in the final hour of the journey. Horses which lowered their heads less frequently en route and showed more stress-related behaviours had higher physiological stress (serum cortisol and heart rate on arrival), increased tracheal mucus and inflammation scores, and higher TW bacterial concentration AJ (P<0.05). Six horses with abnormal lung auscultation AJ proved to have had higher tracheal inflammation scores at preloading (P = 0.017), an overall higher concentration of bacteria in their TW (P = 0.013), and an increased percentage of neutrophils in TW at five days AJ (P = 0.003) in comparison to the other horses. While transport-related health problems are multifactorial, clinical examination, including auscultation and endoscopic inspection of the lower respiratory tract before and after journey, and behavioural observation en route may identify animals at increased risk of transport associated respiratory disease.

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Risk factors in equine transport‐related health problems: A survey of the Australian equine industry

Abstract: Horses undertaking journeys of longer than 24 h are at greater risk for the development of severe disease or death. Further studies on long-haul transportation effects are required to safeguard the welfare of horses moved over long distances.

Cited by 21 publications

References 33 publications

Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares

Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares

Highlights of recent clinically relevant papers

Behaviour during transportation predicts stress response and lower airway contamination in horses

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