Which dissertation will win the Audevard Trophy - In Equine Vets We Trust?
Last April, Audevard launched Audevard Trophy – In Equine Vets We Trust, open to all students registered at a Veterinary School in Europe or in the UK.
Through this initiative, Audevard aims to support future equine vets at the start of their careers and to promote the sharing of scientific knowledge within the industry.
A cash prize of €2,000 will be awarded to the author of the dissertation in the field of equine health that receives the most votes.
After deliberation, our jury, made up of renowned European veterinarians such as Dr Emmanuelle Van Erck Westergren (ECEIM, ESMP) and Dr Matt Chesworth (ECVS, Newmarket Equine Hospital) selected 5 finalists.
It's your turn to vote!
If you are a veterinary surgeon or a veterinary student, discover the 5 dissertations that caught the attention of the jury and vote for the one you would like to see win the Audevard Trophy.
INDUCTION OF OVULATION IN MARES WITH A SINGLE INTRAVENOUS INJECTION OF LECIRELIN AT A DOSE OF 200 ΜG: A COMPARATIVE TRIAL WITH THE GOLD STANDARD, HCG (HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHIN)
L. Berlande, L. Vavasseur, C. Gourtay, L. Briot, JF. Bruyas
ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, France; Veterinary Clinic of Argentan, Argentan, France; IFCE, Le Pin au Haras, France; ONIRIS, Nantes, France
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to test whether an intravenous injection of 200 μg of lecirelin could be a safe and effective alternative to 1,500 IU of hCG. We compared ovulation times after lecirelin and hCG injections in 42 mares over 156 cycles, with each mare serving as her own control.
This study provides encouraging results regarding the effectiveness of a single injection of 200 μg of lecirelin. However, the rate of ovulation within 48 hours post-injection is significantly different between hCG (88%, 66/75 cycles) and lecirelin (64%, 48/75). The success rate of ovulation induction within the 24-48 hour post-injection interval is also significantly different between hCG and lecirelin, with 76% (57/75) and 60% (45/75), respectively. The rate of late ovulations after 48 hours is notably higher after lecirelin injection (36%) compared to hCG (12%). The main cluster of ovulations occurs between 24 and 36 hours, with 41% after lecirelin and 61% after hCG.
There is no difference in pregnancy rates after hCG or lecirelin injections, which are 54% and 68%, respectively.
This study shows that lecirelin is less effective than the gold standard hCG, but it suggests further studies using either higher doses or subcutaneous administration for injections. Its advantages in terms of cost, adherence to cascade rules, and ease of use (single injection) make lecirelin an alternative to hCG worth further exploration.
DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF SWIMMING STRATEGIES IN HORSES IN A POOL
Pauline Gaulmin, Frédéric Marin, Claire Moiroud, Audrey Beaumont, Sandrine Jacquet, Emeline De Azevedo, Pauline Martin, Fabrice Audigié, Henry Chateau, Chloé Giraudet
1. EnvA, CIRALE, Maisons-Alfort, France; 2. Univ Lyon, Univ Gustave Eiffel, Univ Claude Bernard Lyon 1, LBMC UMR_T 9406, Lyon, France; 3. LIM France, Nontron, France; 4. UTC, BMBI, UMR 7338, Compiègne, France
ABSTRACT
This thesis is part of the CAPT-ESE project, launched in 2020, which brings together a multidisciplinary team. Research on equine swimming is conducted at the Kinésia center at CIRALE, the equine hub of EnvA in Normandy. This study is based on 124 underwater videos taken of 11 horses. Veterinary analysis identified three swimming strategies: (S1) two-beat with lateral overlap, (S2) two-beat with diagonal overlap, and (S3) four-beat. Moreover, kinematic analysis using an algorithm allowed these movements to be classified into four categories. These categories were then matched with the identified swimming strategies, with a 97.6% correlation. The results show that lateral and diagonal ratios are discriminating parameters. The study also revealed both inter- and intra-individual variability in swimming strategies. These results contribute to a better understanding of locomotor patterns in horses during aquatic training and may assist in adapting rehabilitation processes.
EVALUATION OF THE VALUE OF GAMMAGLUTAMYLTRANSPEPTIDASE (GGT) ASSAY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF GASTRIC ULCERS IN HORSES.
Lorenzo HARDY
ABSTRACT
Gastric ulcers in horses represent a complex, multifactorial condition, the pathophysiology of which is still poorly understood. However, this syndrome, divided into two diseases corresponding to the two stomach mucosae, can affect all horses in a group in certain studies, with effects ranging from underperformance to colic. Gastroscopy remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Other diagnostic methods have therefore been studied, and previous research has shown increased gamma- glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity in ulcerated horses.
The aim of this study was to experimentally determine a threshold value for GGT activity for diagnostic purposes and to gather prevalence data from the horses studied.
Two groups of 30 horses, with and without clinical signs compatible with gastric ulcers, were selected and underwent gastroscopy and blood sampling. The overall prevalence of gastric ulcers among asymptomatic horses was 90%, with 80% and 37% for non-glandular and glandular cases, respectively. ROC curve analysis indicated that a serum GGT activity cut-off value of 21 IU/L could be useful for diagnosing glandular gastric disease. However, various biases and measurement specificities mean that this value is currently of limited practical use.
KERATOMA IN HORSES: RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON 32 CASES EXAMINED AT CIRALE BETWEEN 2010-2017 AND 2021-2022
Eloïse JOUVE-LEROY
ABSTRACT
Keratoma is an excessive and disorganized formation of keratin in the stratum internum of the hoof wall, which can cause foot pain by compressing the sensitive laminae. The main objectives of our study were to describe the population of affected horses in France, identify potential risk factors that could help veterinarians suspect or even diagnose keratoma early, and highlight prognostic factors regarding the horse's future sporting performance. The results showed that affected horses were presented for consultation due to a deterioration in locomotion or lameness, either permanent or intermittent (50%). A majority of these horses had a lameness grade higher than 1.5/5. Additionally, nearly all keratomas were located in the forelimb (89%) and predominantly in the toe area (68%). Furthermore, most horses presented with a physical hoof abnormality (88%), which could be a direct consequence of the keratoma, such as a white line defect (25%). Some horses (37%) also had a secondary lesion on the same limb as the keratoma, but with a secondary clinical significance (60%). Regarding imaging investigations, most keratomas were visible on radiographs with osteolysis of the solar border of the distal phalanx (74%), and half of the horses (48%) showed bone edema on MRI. Finally, half of the studied population (44%) returned to a competition level equal to or higher than before the consultation. In terms of sports prognosis, the study found that the presence of osteolysis on radiography did not negatively impact the horse's sports prognosis. However, the study could not account for the effect of treatment type (surgical excision or not) on the sports prognosis.
A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY INTO THE INFLUENCE OF BODY WEIGHT AND CONDITION ON PLASMA LACTATE CONCENTRATION IN HORSES PRESENTING WITH GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE.
Cassidy SMITH
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to compare plasma lactate levels in horses and ponies of varying body conditions presenting with gastrointestinal disease. Higher lactate concentrations have previously been identified in ponies compared to horses, but it remains unknown if a higher body condition in ponies contributes to this finding or if there are other factors at play. Given that lactate is used to quantify the severity of gastrointestinal disease it is important that the mechanism and role of other influencing factors is understood. Retrospective data from the Royal Veterinary College Equine Hospital (RVCEH) were obtained from the period of 2021 and 2023 and analysed using Excel and Prism to look for statistical significance within the data subsets. 132 equids were included in the study, of which 64.4% (n=85) were >14.2 hands high (hh) and classified as a horse, the rest were classed as ponies. Countering previous studies, ponies did not appear to have a statistically significant higher BCS than horses where p = 0.42. However, ponies in this study had a statistically higher median lactate concentration [LAC] of 1.7mmol/L (range 0.4-9.9mmol/L) than horses who had a median [LAC] of 1.0mmol/L (range 0.4 to 9.9mmol/L; p = 0.0055). Although body condition has not been found to influence [LAC], breed of the equid (horse or pony) does. The exact physiology of this mechanism has not yet been decided but would be a basis for future studies which might warrant further amendments in our diagnostic workup of our smaller equine companions.
Stay tuned!
Winner will be announced on January 6th, 2025 onLaboratoire Audevard's LinkedIn page and by email.
