Equine Upper Respiratory Tract Dynamics

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Equids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 10204

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Clinical Research Laboratory, Centre for Interdiciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: respiratory medicine; equine dynamic upper airway obstruction; sport medicine; equine asthma; allergy
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Guest Editor
Immunoallergology University Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon and Immunoallergology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, 1649-035 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: respiratory medicine; allergic disease; allergen immunotherapy; equine asthma

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Guest Editor
1. Equine Academic Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusofona University (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
2. CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: respiratory medicine; dynamic upper airway obstruction; equine asthma; sport medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The horse, being an obligate nasal breather, cannot switch to oronasal breathing during exercise, during which they are subjected to a large increase in airflow and nasopharyngeal turbulence, which predisposes to a loss of nasopharyngeal stability. The early detection of upper respiratory tract dysfunctions reduces the risk of poor performance and discomfort and contributes to an increase in the longevity of sport horses which is crucial as their peak in performance is between 12 and 18 years of age.

Furthermore, there is a significant influence of the ridden head and neck position on pharyngeal diameter. Therefore, the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) has advised further research to be done on the physiological/psychological effects of lesser degrees of poll flexion in the ridden horse.

All of this has prompted the journal Animals to call for a Special Issue on Equine Upper Respiratory Tract Dynamics. In this Special Issue of Animals (a Q1 Veterinary Sciences Journal, 2021 Impact factor of 3.231, and 2021 CiteScore of 2.7) we aim to gather high-quality papers addressing Equine Upper Respiratory Tract Dynamics, its functional limitations, dynamic dysfunctions, the implication of ridden head positions and the welfare of sport horses.

This letter is an invitation to all who would like to contribute papers to this Issue in any of the formats supported by this journal.

Researchers working in equine anatomy, physiology, internal medicine, sport medicine, surgery, pharmacology, behavior and welfare are welcome to contribute original novel research and unique case reports or case series, as well as insightful in-depth reviews with the aim of bringing together the latest findings on this topic.

Dr. Paula Tilley
Prof. Dr. Manuel Branco Ferreira
Dr. Joana de Sousa Azevedo Simões
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • equine
  • equine upper respiratory tract
  • equine upper respiratory tract functional limitations
  • equine upper respiratory tract dynamic dysfunctions
  • equine ridden head position
  • welfare of the sport horse

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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23 pages, 5226 KiB  
Article
Effects of a 15° Variation in Poll Flexion during Riding on the Respiratory Systems and Behaviour of High-Level Dressage and Show-Jumping Horses
by Paula Tilley, Joana Simões and José Paulo Sales Luis
Animals 2023, 13(10), 1714; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101714 - 22 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 9566
Abstract
From previous studies, the International Society for Equitation Science has advised that further research be conducted on the physiological/psychological effects of less-exacerbated poll flexion angles. We aimed to evaluate the effects of two riding poll flexion positions with a difference of only 15° [...] Read more.
From previous studies, the International Society for Equitation Science has advised that further research be conducted on the physiological/psychological effects of less-exacerbated poll flexion angles. We aimed to evaluate the effects of two riding poll flexion positions with a difference of only 15° on the respiratory systems and behaviour of horses through an evaluation of dynamic airway collapse via over-ground endoscopy, the pharyngeal diameter, pleural pressure, arterial oxygenation and lactate, HR/RR, and the occurrence of conflict behaviours. Twenty high-level dressage and twenty show-jumping horses underwent a 40 min ridden test at a ground angle of 85°; 3 weeks later, they underwent a ridden test at a 100° ground angle (the angle between the ground and the line from the forehead to the muzzle) and in a cross-over design. Using a mixed model for repeated measures, Wilcoxon/Friedman tests were carried out according to the experimental design and/or error normality. For both groups, at 100°, conflict behaviours and upper airway tract abnormalities were significantly more frequent, and the pleural pressure was higher, and the pharyngeal diameter was lower. At 85°, relaxation behaviours were significantly more frequent. Lactate was significantly higher at 100° only in the dressage horses. Compared to the first test at 85°, the HR/RR were significantly lower at the beginning of the second test (at 100°) but higher at the end. The significant differences identified in these dressage and show-jumping horses support the idea that an increase of just 15° in riding poll flexion can have negative effects on the respiratory system and behaviour of a horse and therefore on its welfare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Equine Upper Respiratory Tract Dynamics)
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