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Kenneth W Hinchcliff

Publications and source records attributed to Kenneth W Hinchcliff.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Glycemic index of a meal fed before exercise alters substrate use and glucose flux in exercising horses.

In a randomized, balanced, crossover study each of six fit, adult horses ran on a treadmill at 50% of maximal rate of oxygen consumption for 60 min after being denied access to food for 18 h and then 1) fed corn (51.4 kJ/kg digestible energy), or 2) fed an isocaloric amount of alfalfa 2-3 h before exercise, or 3) not fed before exercise. Feeding corn, compared with fasting, resulted in higher plasma glucose and serum insulin and lower serum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations before exercise (P < 0.05) and in lower plasma glucose, serum glycerol, and serum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations and higher skeletal muscle utilization of blood-borne glucose during exercise (P < 0.05). Feeding corn, compared with feeding alfalfa, resulted in higher carbohydrate oxidation and lower lipid oxidation during exercise (P < 0.05). Feeding a soluble carbohydrate-rich meal (corn) to horses before exercise results in increased muscle utilization of blood-borne glucose and carbohydrate oxidation and in decreased lipid oxidation compared with a meal of insoluble carbohydrate (alfalfa) or not feeding. Carbohydrate feedings did not produce a sparing of muscle glycogen compared with fasting.

Animal Feed↗

Plasma thyroid hormone concentrations in dogs competing in a long-distance sled dog race.

Plasma thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), total protein, and albumin concentrations were measured in 15 dogs both before and after completion, and in an additional 16 dogs before and 24 dogs after completion, of a long-distance sled dog race. The plasma T4 concentration (mean +/- SD) decreased significantly from 18.2 +/- 5.4 nmol/L before to 14.3 +/- 3.5 nmol/L after the race in dogs evaluated at both times and decreased significantly from 21.8 +/- 10.5 nmol/L before to 15.8 +/- 4.9 nmol/L after the race in dogs sampled only before or only after the race. The mean plasma T3 concentrations in dogs measured twice decreased significantly from 1.20 +/- 0.48 nmol/L before to 0.74 +/- 0.42 nmol/L after the race, as well as in dogs measured either before (1.28 +/- 0.36 nmol/L) or after (0.69 +/- 0.28 nmol/L) the race, respectively. Plasma total protein and albumin concentrations decreased significantly after completion of the race. No significant change was noted in 4 control dogs that did not compete in the race and were tested during a similar time period. The plasma concentrations of T4 and T3 were lower than the normal reference range established for this laboratory in 23 and 39%, respectively, of Alaskan sled dogs tested before the race. Plasma thyroid hormone concentrations frequently are below normal in conditioned Alaskan sled dogs and are further reduced after prolonged submaximal exercise.

Animals↗

Actinobacillus sp. bacteremia in foals: clinical signs and prognosis.

Medical records of 101 blood culture-confirmed bacteremic foals were reviewed to determine whether foals with Actinobacillus sp. bacteremia are affected at an earlier age, have more severe signs of disease, and have a worse prognosis than do foals with bacteremia of other causes. Thirty percent (30/101) of bacteremic foals had Actinobacillus sp. cultured, and these were 2 times more likely to die (crude odds ratio [OR(CR)] 0.8, 4; P = .14), with a survival rate of 43% (13/30) compared to the overall survival rate of 55% (56/101). When compared to other bacteremic foals, foals with actinobacillosis were 7 times more likely to have been sick from birth (adjusted odds ratio [OR(ADJ)] 2, 26; P = .003) and 6 times more likely to have diarrhea (OR(ADJ) 1, 22; P = .009). By bivariate analysis. foals with Actinobacillus sp. bacteremia were 5 times more likely to have a sepsis score >11 (OR(CR) 1, 18; P = .007), 6 times more likely to be obtunded (OR(CR) 2, 20; P = .005), and 3 times more likely to have pneumonia (OR(CR) 1, 7; P = .03). Furthermore, Actinobacillus sp. bacteremic foals were 27 times more likely to have a segmented neutrophil count <3.3 X 10(9) cells/L (OR(ADJ) 4, 166: P < .0001) and were 4.5 times more likely to have a band neutrophil count >0.46 x 10(9) cells/L (OR(ADJ) 1, 17; P = .02) when compared to foals that had bacteremia caused by either gram-negative enteric or gram-positive organisms. Sepsis score was < or = 11 in 49% (29/59) of bacteremia foals aged <13 days for which a discernible sepsis score was calculable. Results of this study should improve the diagnostic sensitivity of clinical examinations of neonatal foals, thereby facilitating treatment decisions.

Actinobacillosis↗

Pulmonary ultrasonographic abnormalities associated with naturally occurring equine influenza virus infection in standardbred racehorses.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if naturally occurring acute infectious upper respiratory disease (IRD) caused by equine influenza virus is associated with ultrasonographically detectable pleural and pulmonary abnormalities in horses. Standardbred racehorses were evaluated for signs of IRD, defined as acute coughing or mucopurulent nasal discharge. For every horse with IRD (n = 16), 1 or 2 horses with no signs of IRD and the same owner or trainer (n = 30) were included. Thoracic ultrasonography was performed within 5-10 days of the onset of clinical disease in horses with IRD. Horses without IRD were examined at the same time as the horses with IRD with which they were enrolled. The rank of the ultrasound scores of horses with IRD was compared to that of horses without IRD. Equine influenza virus was identified as the primary etiologic agent associated with IRD in this study. Mild lung consolidation and peripheral pulmonary irregularities were found in 11 (69%) of 16 of the horses with IRD and 11 (37%) of 30 of control horses. Lung consolidation (median score = 1) and peripheral irregularities scores (median score = 1) were greater in horses with IRD compared to horses without IRD (median score = 0; P < .05). Pleural effusion was not observed. Equine influenza virus infection can result in abnormalities of the equine lower respiratory tract. Despite the mild nature of IRD observed in this study, lung consolidation and peripheral pulmonary irregularities were more commonly observed in horses with clinical signs of IRD. Further work is needed to determine the clinical significance of these ultrasonographic abnormalities.

Acute Disease↗

Measurement of serum IgG in foals by radial immunodiffusion and automated turbidimetric immunoassay.

Hypogammaglobulinemia as a result of failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) is an important risk factor for infectious disease in neonatal foals. The current gold standard for determining serum immunoglobulin concentrations is radial immunodiffusion (RID). The purpose of this study was to compare immunoglobulin concentrations measured by RID with those determined by an automated turbidimetric immunoassay (TIA), which has a much shorter turnaround time. Immunoglobulin concentrations were measured by both RID and TIA in serum collected from 84 neonatal foals. Sixty-seven foals had results within the linear range for both assays. Sensitivity and specificity of TIA for diagnosis of FTPI with IgG < or = 800 mg/dL were 0.81 (95% CI 0.70-0.88) and 0.86 (95% CI 0.76-0.93) and with IgG < or = 400 mg/dL were 0.63 (95% CI 0.35-0.86) and 0.92 (95% CI 0.87-0.95), respectively. A significant linear relationship was found between IgG concentrations determined by TIA and RID (TIA = 0.9511RID + 8.4354; R2 = .59, P < .0001). The coefficients of variation for between-run and within-run precision for the TIA were 2.5 and 3%, respectively. Storage of samples from 10 foals at -20 degrees C for 10-12 months resulted in a reduction in TIA-measured serum IgG concentration of -17.6% (SD = 3.7%), indicating that long-term storage of samples at -20 degrees C should be avoided. The results of this study indicate that measurement of serum IgG by TIA can be used to evaluate foals for FTPI.

Animals↗

Usefulness of a commercial equine IgG test and serum protein concentration as indicators of failure of transfer of passive immunity in hospitalized foals.

Detection of failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) is important in reducing morbidity and mortality in neonatal foals. We investigated the performance of a commercial equine IgG test (SNAP Foal IgG Test Kit) to diagnose FTPI in hospitalized foals. Furthermore, we evaluated the usefulness of serum total protein (STP) and serum globulin (SG) concentrations as indicators of FTPI. Serum IgG concentration was measured by means of the SNAP test and single radial immunodiffusion, and SG and STP concentrations were determined by means of a clinical chemistry analyzer. Subjects were 67 hospitalized foals <19 days old. The SNAP test was repeated on 37 samples from 29 foals, with identical results for 24 samples (kappa statistic, 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.82). The sensitivity of the SNAP test to detect serum IgG concentration [IgG] < or =400 and < or =800 mg/dl was 90% (95% CI, 71-98%) and 95% (85-99%), respectively, and the specificity was 79% (71-82%) and 52% (39-57%), respectively. Sensitivity for detection of [IgG] < or =400 mg/dl was not affected (P > .05) by plasma fibrinogen concentration, sepsis score, or bacteremia. Specificity for detection of [IgG] < or = 800 mg/dl was lower (P < .05) in foals with sepsis score < or =11 (50% [31-60%] versus 100% [8-100%]) and bacteremia (25% [5-56%] versus 62% [45-62%]). Sensitivity and specificity of [STP] < or = 5.0 g/dl for [IgG] < or =800 mg/dl was 94% (83-99%) and 47% (30-56%), respectively. Performance of the SNAP test in hospitalized foals is impaired because of low specificity, but can have usefulness provided that the properties of the test and characteristics of the foal being examined are considered when interpreting the results. The STP and SG concentrations are poor sole indicators of FTPI in hospitalized foals, but may be useful adjunctive tests.

Animals↗