Pregnant mares are often removed from work during gestation. However, little is known about the e... more Pregnant mares are often removed from work during gestation. However, little is known about the effects of exercise on the pregnant mare and her foetus. In the present study, maternal and foetal heart rates were monitored by electrocardiography before and after exercise in four equine pregnancies (days 250–285). Exercise consisted of lungeing mares in 20 m circles for 5, 10 and 20 min. Following exercise, significant increases in maternal heart rate were detected (P<0.0001) but not in foetal heart rate (P = 0.4331). All mares gave birth to normal foals uneventfully. While these findings suggest that moderate exercise of the pregnant mare does not appear to be harmful to the equine foetus, data are insufficient to draw conclusions. A larger, more controlled study is necessary.
Note: Dates displayed on video recordings (May 2016) do not match when the study was performed (J... more Note: Dates displayed on video recordings (May 2016) do not match when the study was performed (July, August 2017). extendedview_appendedvideo.mp4 This is an extended video segment which includes all of the particles deposited on the cervix of the mare in vivo (1-5 um green microspheres, 70 um green microspheres, 50 um bichromal microspheres, and carbon). At 45 s into the video movement represented in Figure 5 can be observed. The particle is in the top right of the screen, just below the magnification marker. The particle moves abruptly to the right, but with a slight back ward (to the left) movement of the top surface of the microsphere. This movement was predicted prior to the study as evidence supportive of mucociliary propulsion from below, but in this video recording is too limited to constitute proof. Erythrocytes moving through capillaries can be seen, from 59 s, and with most clarity at 1 m in 20 s. Figure_4_appendedvideo Shows a flash of light from the particle circled in Figure 4. This is interpreted as the particle distorting the meniscus, possibly as a result of rotation. Figure_7_appendedvideo Fluid movement can be seen through small vessels in the upper left quadrant of the black box. Figure_8_appendedvideo Particles observed within the two boxes may be seen to be progressing independently. The green polyethylene microspheres (blue box in Figure 5) move convincingly to the lower right of the field. The carbon particles in the red box in Figure 5 are static or moving very slowly to the upper left. Note: Dates displayed on video recordings (May 2016) do not match when the study was performed (July, August 2017).
Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), causes the potentially fatal respiratory disease ca... more Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), causes the potentially fatal respiratory disease called “strangles” in horses, while the closely related Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) causes potentially fatal infections in humans. A study was undertaken to determine the survival of these two organisms in equine compost. Compost piles of equine bedding and feed waste were inoculated with 10 x 1010 c.f.u. of S. zooepidemicus and samples taken at 48, 96, 168 and 336 hours relative to samples placed in the pile at 0 hours. No Streptococci were isolated at 48 hours or subsequent time-points. Next, S. equi was similarly inoculated into equine compost, with samples taken at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 168 and 336 hours later. No Streptococci were isolated at any time-point. To rule out killing of S. equi by microflora in equine waste, samples of soiled bedding, both autoclaved and un-autoclaved (with water added to match autoclaved moisture) were inoculated with 10 x...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Jan 15, 1993
A 5-year-old stallion was referred because of signs of abdominal pain. During the initial examina... more A 5-year-old stallion was referred because of signs of abdominal pain. During the initial examination, signs of pain were elicited when the right seminal vesicle was palpated per rectum. Signs of pain were also elicited during sexual arousal and attempts at semen collection. The right seminal vesicle was subsequently determined to be abnormal by ultrasonographic and endoscopic examination. The stallion was treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for 6 weeks. Five months later, there had been no recurrence of the condition.
A total of 22 clinical streptococcal isolates, predominantly Streptococcus zooepidemicus, associa... more A total of 22 clinical streptococcal isolates, predominantly Streptococcus zooepidemicus, associated with endometritis in horses were tested for their ability to withstand the natural bactericidal properties of freshly obtained blood. During a 3-hour incubation in blood from a single horse, 8 of these isolates survived and grew, the remainder were killed. To determine whether this ability to grow extended to blood of other horses, 5 of these growing isolates were tested for their ability to grow in the blood of 5 additional horses. The same 5 horses were used for each isolate. The isolates grew in blood of some of the horses, but were killed in blood of the others. However, the horse's blood that mediated killing was different for each isolate. Killing required leukocytes, but the specificity for killing appeared to reside in plasma, although plasma by itself was not bactericidal. Heat-stable and heat-labile components in plasma, interpreted as antibody and complement, respectiv...
Pregnant mares are often removed from work during gestation. However, little is known about the e... more Pregnant mares are often removed from work during gestation. However, little is known about the effects of exercise on the pregnant mare and her foetus. In the present study, maternal and foetal heart rates were monitored by electrocardiography before and after exercise in four equine pregnancies (days 250–285). Exercise consisted of lungeing mares in 20 m circles for 5, 10 and 20 min. Following exercise, significant increases in maternal heart rate were detected (P<0.0001) but not in foetal heart rate (P = 0.4331). All mares gave birth to normal foals uneventfully. While these findings suggest that moderate exercise of the pregnant mare does not appear to be harmful to the equine foetus, data are insufficient to draw conclusions. A larger, more controlled study is necessary.
Note: Dates displayed on video recordings (May 2016) do not match when the study was performed (J... more Note: Dates displayed on video recordings (May 2016) do not match when the study was performed (July, August 2017). extendedview_appendedvideo.mp4 This is an extended video segment which includes all of the particles deposited on the cervix of the mare in vivo (1-5 um green microspheres, 70 um green microspheres, 50 um bichromal microspheres, and carbon). At 45 s into the video movement represented in Figure 5 can be observed. The particle is in the top right of the screen, just below the magnification marker. The particle moves abruptly to the right, but with a slight back ward (to the left) movement of the top surface of the microsphere. This movement was predicted prior to the study as evidence supportive of mucociliary propulsion from below, but in this video recording is too limited to constitute proof. Erythrocytes moving through capillaries can be seen, from 59 s, and with most clarity at 1 m in 20 s. Figure_4_appendedvideo Shows a flash of light from the particle circled in Figure 4. This is interpreted as the particle distorting the meniscus, possibly as a result of rotation. Figure_7_appendedvideo Fluid movement can be seen through small vessels in the upper left quadrant of the black box. Figure_8_appendedvideo Particles observed within the two boxes may be seen to be progressing independently. The green polyethylene microspheres (blue box in Figure 5) move convincingly to the lower right of the field. The carbon particles in the red box in Figure 5 are static or moving very slowly to the upper left. Note: Dates displayed on video recordings (May 2016) do not match when the study was performed (July, August 2017).
Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), causes the potentially fatal respiratory disease ca... more Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), causes the potentially fatal respiratory disease called “strangles” in horses, while the closely related Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) causes potentially fatal infections in humans. A study was undertaken to determine the survival of these two organisms in equine compost. Compost piles of equine bedding and feed waste were inoculated with 10 x 1010 c.f.u. of S. zooepidemicus and samples taken at 48, 96, 168 and 336 hours relative to samples placed in the pile at 0 hours. No Streptococci were isolated at 48 hours or subsequent time-points. Next, S. equi was similarly inoculated into equine compost, with samples taken at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 168 and 336 hours later. No Streptococci were isolated at any time-point. To rule out killing of S. equi by microflora in equine waste, samples of soiled bedding, both autoclaved and un-autoclaved (with water added to match autoclaved moisture) were inoculated with 10 x...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Jan 15, 1993
A 5-year-old stallion was referred because of signs of abdominal pain. During the initial examina... more A 5-year-old stallion was referred because of signs of abdominal pain. During the initial examination, signs of pain were elicited when the right seminal vesicle was palpated per rectum. Signs of pain were also elicited during sexual arousal and attempts at semen collection. The right seminal vesicle was subsequently determined to be abnormal by ultrasonographic and endoscopic examination. The stallion was treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for 6 weeks. Five months later, there had been no recurrence of the condition.
A total of 22 clinical streptococcal isolates, predominantly Streptococcus zooepidemicus, associa... more A total of 22 clinical streptococcal isolates, predominantly Streptococcus zooepidemicus, associated with endometritis in horses were tested for their ability to withstand the natural bactericidal properties of freshly obtained blood. During a 3-hour incubation in blood from a single horse, 8 of these isolates survived and grew, the remainder were killed. To determine whether this ability to grow extended to blood of other horses, 5 of these growing isolates were tested for their ability to grow in the blood of 5 additional horses. The same 5 horses were used for each isolate. The isolates grew in blood of some of the horses, but were killed in blood of the others. However, the horse's blood that mediated killing was different for each isolate. Killing required leukocytes, but the specificity for killing appeared to reside in plasma, although plasma by itself was not bactericidal. Heat-stable and heat-labile components in plasma, interpreted as antibody and complement, respectiv...
Uploads
Papers by Robert Causey