Abstract Background Healthcare‐associated infections increase morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs in both human and veterinary medicine, and environmental contamination can contribute to their occurrence. Monitoring of environmental cleaning is an important component of multimodal infection control strategies. Fluorescent tagging is a low‐cost, practical approach that correlates with reduced environmental contamination in human and small animal hospitals. Its applicability in equine hospitals, where surface characteristics and contamination risks differ, has not yet been evaluated. Objectives To evaluate fluorescent tagging as a monitoring tool for environmental cleaning in an equine hospital, to assess the impact of active feedback, and to validate an objective ImageJ‐based assessment against subjective evaluation. Study Design Before‐after study. Methods A commercial fluorescent dye was applied to surfaces in examination rooms and stalls. Fluorescent tag removal was evaluated visually and objectively using standardised photography and ImageJ‐based green intensity analysis. Surfaces were sampled repeatedly across two study phases, separated by structured feedback to cleaning staff. Aerobic colony counts (ACC) were performed during phase II adjacent to fluorescent tags to assess bacterial contamination before and after cleaning. Results Objective ImageJ‐based analysis accurately distinguished between removed, partially removed, and not removed fluorescent tags, and there was strong agreement with subjective visual assessment. In examination rooms, provision of feedback resulted in a significant overall improvement in cleaning efficacy, particularly in orthopaedic treatment rooms (room1: log‐odds ratio = 1.71; q ‐value = 0.033, room2: log‐odds ratio = 2.11; q ‐value = 0.01), whereas no improvement was observed in stables ( q ‐value >0.05). The ACC were not associated with fluorescent tag removal grades ( q ‐value >0.05). Main Limitations Subjective and objective assessments were performed by the same non‐blinded examiner, single centre design and limited ACC assessment. Conclusions Fluorescent tagging is a feasible monitoring method for assessing environmental cleaning efficacy in an equine hospital, and objective quantification correlated closely with subjective visual assessment. Active feedback improved cleaning performance in examination rooms but not in stables.
Abstract Background Breeding stallions are subjected to sustained seasonal metabolic, endocrine, and immune demands requiring systemic energy engagement. Prospective longitudinal data in the same individuals are limited. Objectives To screen adaptive responses of breeding stallions of clinical relevance through longitudinal characterisation of temporal changes across the mating season and negative photoperiod: (i) health and nutritional status; (ii) oxidative status and immune modulation; and (iii) metabolic and endocrine biomarkers as correlates of reproductive potential. Study Design Prospective longitudinal observational cohort study. Methods Ten clinically healthy breeding stallions (mixed breeds, age 8–22 years; bwt 496–625 kg) were assessed at P0 (start), P1 (mid‐season), P2 (end of season) and P3 (negative photoperiod). Bodyweight, body condition score (BCS; Henneke 1–9) and muscle condition score (MCS; 1–5) were recorded alongside complete blood count, plasma leptin, testosterone, catalase, non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and beta‐hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Six derived leucocyte ratios were calculated. Non‐parametric repeated‐measures tests were applied (Friedman/Kruskal–Wallis; Wilcoxon post hoc with Bonferroni correction). Results Bodyweight was stable ( p = 0.86), yet pre‐season NEFA were increased (P0: 0.354 mmol/L; p < 0.05 vs. subsequent time points) without ketonaemia, indicating subclinical negative energy balance. MCS peaked at mid‐season ( p = 0.005). Leptin declined from P0 (3.70 ng/mL) to P3 (1.11 ng/mL; p = 0.001); testosterone fell from P0 to P3 ( p = 0.033), with greater attenuation in stallions aged >13 years. Leucocytes fell from 7.59 to 0.83 × 10 9 /L at P2 ( p < 0.001), recovering at P3. Derived ratios confirmed proportional immunosuppression (NLR stable P0–P2, doubling at P3; p = 0.0004) and a 13‐fold PLR rise at P2 ( p < 0.001). NLR correlated with testosterone ( r = −0.315; p = 0.048) and ELR with leptin ( r = −0.372; p = 0.018). Intra‐timepoint correlations between testosterone and WBC were consistently negative (P0: r = −0.090; P1: r = −0.202; P2: r = −0.298; P3: r = −0.559, p = 0.093). Conclusions The mating season elicits subclinical metabolic adaptations and marked reversible leukopenia in clinically healthy stallions. Derived ratios demonstrate proportional immunosuppression and a leptin–eosinophil axis, supporting an integrated biomarker‐based approach to preventive medicine.
Abstract Background Heel movement is critical to shock absorption and vascular perfusion of the equine digit. Conventional horseshoeing techniques are suspected to restrict natural hoof deformation, affecting hoof biomechanics. Several studies have explored the effects of shoeing on hoof function, though many have been limited to artificial conditions, cadavers, or homogenous populations. Objective We aimed to compare the effects of two aluminium shoeing techniques, nail‐on versus indirect glue‐on fabric cuff shoes, on heel movement in horses. Our objective was to determine which technique allowed greater heel movement on hard and soft footing. Study Design A controlled in vivo experimental study using a repeated‐measures design. Methods Fifteen healthy horses underwent three trials: (1) indirect glue‐on fabric cuff shoes, (2) barefoot, and (3) aluminium nail‐on shoes. A displacement sensor was affixed to the heels of one forelimb. Measurements were taken on hard and soft footing. Data were analysed using mixed‐model ANOVA to determine differences in heel movement. Results Heel movement was significantly greater when barefoot ( p < 0.0001). Mean heel displacement for the walk on hard ground was highest in barefoot horses (3.03 ± 0.67 mm), followed by glue‐on shoes (2.23 ± 0.58 mm), and aluminium nail‐on shoes (1.96 ± 0.48 mm). At the trot, mean heel movement was greatest in barefoot horses (3.29 ± 0.62 mm), followed by glue‐on shoes (2.56 ± 0.55 mm), and aluminium nail‐on shoes (2.12 ± 0.47 mm). Main Limitations The two main limitations were: (1) The lack of an absolute zero baseline measurement, preventing differentiating between heel expansion and contraction. (2) Low heel conformation in some horses prevented recordings on soft footing, reducing the statistical power. Conclusions This study reinforces previous findings that shoeing restricts heel movement. Indirect glue‐on shoes allow for more heel movement than nail‐on shoes at the trot; both techniques limit heel movement compared to barefoot.
