Observations on the development of the horse chestnut leafminer on red horse chestnut (Aesculus x carnea H.) were carried out in Wrocław, Lower Silesia, Poland, in 2001–2003. Three generations of the pest were recorded to lay eggs on the red horse chestnut leaves. Although females of each generation deposited eggs abundantly, the hatching larvae died after a short period of feeding in the plant’s leaves and the species did not complete its development on this tree. Mostly L1 and L2 larvae were found inside the leaf mines. The observed leaf damage was, therefore, negligible.
Asthma is one of the most common non-infectious respiratory diseases in horses. Ultrasound examination is a widely available non-invasive additional diagnostic tool. To date, there are no studies focusing on ultrasonographic findings in horses with asthma. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence and severity of ultrasound lesions in lung tissue in horses with asthma. Lung ultrasonography was carried out on six healthy horses (controls) and 12 horses with asthma (six with mild and six with severe asthma). The sonographic changes in three lung sections were assessed using a scoring system. The most common changes present in all the animals were comet- tail artefacts. More advanced lesions were present in horses with severe asthma. Statistically significant differences in the overall average intensity of the ultrasound changes were seen between the controls and the study group and between the horses with mild and severe asthma. The lesions were usually located in the caudal lung regions, but they were also present in other areas as the disease progressed. Ultrasonography is a useful additional diagnostic tool enabling an assessment of the stage of the asthma progression. It is a very sensitive technique that visualizes minor lesions in the lung tissue even in clinically healthy animals. Due to its low specificity, it cannot replace endoscopy and the bronchoalveolar lavage in horses with asthma.
Observations on the incidence, harmfulness and some elements of Cameraria ohridella control on white horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) were carried out in Wrocław, Poland, in 2001–2003. Three generations of the pest developed on A. hippocastanum. The leaf infestation by pest’s larvae increased systematically throughout the spring-summer season. Cultural control by removing the fallen leaves was suggested. Using this procedure, the abundance of the pest was considerably reduced, therefore, the percentage of the leaf damage was lower and the trees lost these leaves later in the season.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the newly isolated Lactobacillus plantarum LUHS135 and Lactobacillus paracasei LUHS244 strains grown in potato juice (with a cell count of 8.0-9.0 log10 CFU/ml) on the blood and faeces parameters of exercising horses. The horses were classified into four different groups: a control group (which received no probiotics); the first group (which received 200 ml of L. plantarum culture in potato juice); the second group (which received 200 ml of L. paracasei culture in potato juice); and the third group (which received an L. plantarum and L. paracasei mix (with the mix consisting of 100 ml of each). Indices for the blood and faeces microflora were obtained before and after treatment of horses (on days zero and thirty). It was observed that the count for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the faeces was significantly higher on day thirty, whereas it was lower when it came to the total enterobacteria count (TCE). Despite the ambiguous influence of any treatment on blood parameters, the L. plantarum × L. paracasei mixture increased the concentration of HGB and O2 saturation in blood samples which were taken from the horses. L. paracasei significantly decreased the lactate concentration levels in horse blood samples. As a result of the present study, it can clearly be seen that the strains being used revealed their potential application as probiotics; however, further studies are required to prove the survival and action mechanisms of the newly isolated strains.
The aim of this study was to assess sand accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract and fecal sand excretion in Silesian foals using three diagnostic methods and taking into account the sex and age of the animals. Another aim of the study was to compare the three diagnostic methods. The study was carried out on 21 clinically healthy Silesian foals (10 females and 11 males) from 9-28 weeks old grazed on permanent pasture. The sand intake was assessed using a sedimentation test, abdominal ultrasonography and a quantitative evaluation of sand per 100 g of stool. In the sedimentation test, the sand was palpable in the stool of 57.1% of the horses, and clearly visible in 42.9% of the animals. The ultrasound examination revealed the presence of sand in the gastrointestinal tract in 66.7% of the horses. It was limited to a single location in 60% of the horses, while it was present in several regions in 40% of the horses. The mean amount of sand was 0.14 ± 0.33 g per 100 g of stool. It did not exceed 0.1g in 71.4% foals, while it ranged from 0.1-0.5 g in 23.8% foals. In 4.8% of the animals, it amounted to 1.6 g per 100 g of stool. There was no correlation between age and gender and the results. There was a positive correlation between the ultrasound examination and the sedimentation test.
Sand may be accumulated in the gastrointestinal tract of foals without any clinical signs. The amount of sand excreted in the stool is not an indicator of the amount of sand accumulated in the gastrointestinal tract. An abdominal ultrasound examination should be combined with a sedimentation test for more specific results.
The chronic degenerative endometritis (CDE) is recognised as directly related to age and infertility in the mare. In this study, the 14 days post ovulation (PO) pregnancy rate was assessed in 60 barren mares affected by CDE, submitted to platelet-rich-plasma intrauterine infusion (PRPI) 24 hours PO. Data showed a significant positive effect of PRPI on the chance to become pregnant in mares affected by Kenney I-II CDE. The overall 14 days PO pregnancy rate was 75%. Sixty-nine % of the overall pregnancies was achieved with the 1st PRPI, but an additional 31% was obtained with the 2nd PRPI at the subsequent heat, increasing significantly the number of pregnancies. Although the 1st PRPI lead to a higher pregnancy rate than the 2nd PRPI (52 vs 23%), the repetition of the treatment had a significant positive effect on the overall pregnancies. Mare’s young age positively influenced the chance to become pregnant and was associated to endometritis Kenney I. Mares with endometritis Kenney I had better chance to become pregnant than those with endometritis Kenney II. The PRPI proved, therefore, to be beneficial in barren mares with CDE, and resulted in high overall pregnancy rate achievement in barren mares.
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