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Examining the Impact of Environmental Factors (Climate Change and Air Quality) on Equine Health

Retrospektive Studie der Pferde mit chronisch rekurrierender Blinddarmobstipation nach chirurgischer Versorgung mittels Erweiterungsplastik des Ostium caecocolicum

Muhammad Talal Ahmad , Zulqar Nain , Andi Fauzi

Abstract

The increasing effects of environmental change on the equine population, such as global warming, climatic changes and deteriorating air quality, have been faced in a greater proportion. This paper looks at the interaction between variables related to climate change, including heat stress, changed precipitation cycles, and extreme weather, and air pollutants, including particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen oxides and wildfire smoke, to affect equine health, welfare and performance. Based on an extensive review of veterinary science, environmental health and equine management literature, the paper examines the physiological, respiratory, metabolic, and behavioral consequences of ecological stresses experienced by horses. It has been shown that high temperatures and humidity exacerbate the thermoregulatory load, resulting in dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, reduced athletic capacity, and a predisposition to heat-related infections. The paper also describes how climate-related alterations in pasture quality, vector ecology, and pathogen survival are modifying the dynamics of equine diseases, increasing the incidence of parasitic infections, vector-borne diseases, and plant toxicities. Moreover, protracted droughts and intense rainfall also affect the availability of fodder, water quality, and stable conditions, thereby increasing the risk of gastrointestinal diseases and poor welfare. Exposure to wildfire smoke has become a major seasonal issue in most locations, particularly affecting performance horses and individuals with underlying respiratory conditions, especially those who are young or elderly. The results underscore the need to implement environmental risk assessment in veterinary and equestrian management practices. Finally, this study demonstrates that climate change and deteriorating air quality are the primary drivers of complex risks to equine well-being and require policy intervention, evidence-based management, and joint action by veterinarians, researchers, and horse owners to ensure the long-term health and well-being of the equine population.

Keywords: Environmental Factors (EF), Climate (CC), Air Quality (AQ), Equine Health (EH), Well-Being (WB)

Pengliang Li, Xuyan Wu, Wei Wang, Cheng Zhang, Xiaochen Yang, Jixiang Li

Abstract

Impaction is one of the most common disease of the cecum in horses. It is important to distinguish between acute and chronic recurrent cases. Acute impaction occurs suddenly and resolves within a few days with medical and/or surgical treatment whereas in chronic cases the impaction within the base or the whole cecum occurs repeatedly at irregular intervals. The chronic recurrent cecal impaction (CRCI) is characterized by hypertrophy of muscle in the cecal base or entire cecum. The pathogenesis is not fully understood: hypothesis is that the cecal impaction induces a distension during the contraction of the circular muscle layer which is a stimulus of a hypertrophy of the circular and longitudinal muscle layer in the cecum. Furthermore, neuronal density in the plexus myentericus was found to be decreased significantly in the cecal wall of CRCI. Initially, in cases of CRCI the cecocolic orifice is not entirely blocked allowing partial transit of ingesta. Hypertrophy of the muscle layer (longitudinal and circular muscle) begins at the cecal base and as the disease progresses, the cecocolic opening becomes completely obstructed due to the automatic closure mechanism. The rectal and ultrasound exam are the most useful diagnostic steps while different degrees of cecal impaction and/or tympany, a marked thickening and cecal wall contractility due to palpation are found. The hypertrophy can be regarded as a pathognomonic sign. Treatment in our study was done by surgical enlargement of the cecocolic orifice (created by Huskamp 1990). Tissue samples of defined cecal regions were taken during surgery or necropsy: the circular and longitudinal muscle layer were significantly thicker, linear neuron densities were significantly lower each compared to clinically healthy horses. Based on smooth muscle thickening and neuron deficit, rectally palpable and ultrasound visible cecal wall thickening, horses suffering from CRI have a poor prognosis. Surgery by enlargement of the cecocolic orifice in horses with CRCI have a better prognosis if only the cecal base has a thickening and a normal cecal body wall.

Keywords: horses, chronic recurrent cecal impaction, surgical treatment enlargement cecocolic orifice, long-term survival

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Examining the Impact of Environmental Factors (Climate Change and Air Quality) on Equine Health

Retrospektive Studie der Pferde mit chronisch rekurrierender Blinddarmobstipation nach chirurgischer Versorgung mittels Erweiterungsplastik des Ostium caecocolicum

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