The danger and vulnerability associated with a preterm birth seem to be closely correlated with a dysfunction of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, whose maturation in the foal is without a doubt as delicate as it is important. Not only is this endocrine cascade vital for the foal in order to cope with neonatal stress, it also appears to be fundamental for the final fetal intrauterine maturation, as well as for the onset of foaling. Equine gestation exhibits some rather unique features, indicating a somewhat different significance of the endocrine changes associated with HPA maturation, compared to many other species. This hormonal cascade is rapid and confined to a narrow time during late gestation in the horse, and the risk of the foal completely missing it therefore becomes prominent. Induced parturition in the mare may be operated through uterotonic agents, which occasionally bring about premature foals. Desirable seems the ability to initiate equine labour while simultaneously enhancing fetal HPA maturation, as in humans and ruminants through perinatal glucocorticoid administration. However, similar treatment in the horse has resulted in various, sometimes fatal, outcomes. In the light of the distinctive features of Equine gestation, difficulties are encountered following such administration of glucocorticoids and ACTH.

Historically, the horse has in many ways been important to human beings. Today, Equine Assisted Therapy is a form of treatment in which the horse is used as a tool from the treatment of the client. Supported Equine therapy has a therapeutic purpose and may vary depending on the patient's needs and the professionals work competence. Various studies show that animals have a positive impact on people. The aim of our study was to explore how Equine Assisted Therapy is used within the practical fields of social work in Sweden.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is considered a specific and a sensitive biomarker of cardiac disease, and due to a high inter-species sequence homology; human cTnI assays can often be used in veterinary medicine. The main aim of this study was to perform an initial evaluation of a human cTnI test, the Meritas Troponin I test, for measurement of equine plasma cTnI, in order to investigate whether the test could be a possible subject for a more comprehensive validation. The hypothesis was that the test could measure equine cTnI, as there is a good homology between equine cTnI and human cTnI. The evaluation included a dilution parallelism, an intra-assay precision study and measurement of plasma cTnI healthy horses. In the dilution parallelism and the intra-assay precision study, equine plasma with previously established high cTnI concentration, according to another cTnI assay, was used. In addition, cTnI concentration was measured in plasma, collected from 19 horses, without signs of disease at physical and ECG examinations. The obtained curve in the dilution parallelism was linear, indicating that the Meritas Troponin I test can be used to measure different concentrations of equine cTnI in plasma.

The Swedish Lapphund is one of our eleven Swedish domestic breeds of dogs and one of Sweden?s oldest dogbreeds. The Finnish Lapphund?s origin and physical conformation is similar to that of the Swedish Lapphund. One aim of this study was to examine whether the average litter size differs between these two closely related breeds, and if so, try to find causes for this.

In this study we have examined in which way the horse is used in Equine Assisted Therapy, and what effects the treatment staff experience and describes that the interaction with horses has on girls who self-harms. Our Empirical data was collected through qualitative methods such as interviews, participant observation and informal interviews with a total of six different informants, from five different activities with Equine Assisted Therapy for girls who self-harms. In the analysis we have assumed symbolic interactionism, a theory focusing on the human as a social being, where the self-image alters in the social interaction with other human beings. We interwove this theory with the Biophilia hypothesis, an explanatory model concerning human?s relationship to animals and nature.The conclusions we have found in the results are:Equine Assisted Therapy is a complementary treatment comprises both horseback riding and exercises which is not based on the horsebackEquine Assisted Therapy almost always involves three parts, the therapist, the client and the horse.

Abortion during late gestation is often caused by placental dysfunction such as placentitis. To prevent this from happening the placenta can be monitored pre partum so treatment can be started at an early stage. Methods for monitoring the placenta include hormonal monitoring, presence of clinical signs of placental dysfunction and ultrasonographic evaluation of the fetus and the placenta. Transrectal ultrasonography provides a very good image of the caudal portion of the allantochorion where an ascending placentitis normally establishes. An increased combined thickness of the uterus and the placenta, CTUP, has been associated with placental failure. This study included ten Swedish standardbred trotter mares in late gestation. They were monitored by transrectal ultrasonography of the placenta two times with approximately a month in between. CTUP was measured on each examination.

In this study we have examined in which way the horse is used in Equine Assisted Therapy, and what effects the treatment staff experience and describes that the interaction with horses has on girls who self-harms. Our Empirical data was collected through qualitative methods such as interviews, participant observation and informal interviews with a total of six different informants, from five different activities with Equine Assisted Therapy for girls who self-harms. In the analysis we have assumed symbolic interactionism, a theory focusing on the human as a social being, where the self-image alters in the social interaction with other human beings. We interwove this theory with the Biophilia hypothesis, an explanatory model concerning human?s relationship to animals and nature.The conclusions we have found in the results are:Equine Assisted Therapy is a complementary treatment comprises both horseback riding and exercises which is not based on the horsebackEquine Assisted Therapy almost always involves three parts, the therapist, the client and the horse.

Hambert, M. Degree project in social work. Malmö University: Faculty of health and society, Department of social work, 2014. Equine assisted therapy is for many a yet unknown form of rehabilitation. In the current situation there is a lack of documented research on horses' involvement in rehabilitation and social work. Studies show that animals, and especially horses, can have a positive impact on human well-being, both physically and mentally.

The pig industry suffers economical loss due to stillbirths, piglet mortality and low birth weight. This is due to breeding programs that have resulted in larger litters. It has been suggested that these problems are due to the metabolic state of the sow during gestation and the fact that she might not be able to supply her foetuses with enough nutrients for survival and a high and even birth weight. A lot of research has been done to investigate whether body weight and back fat thickness of the sow has any impact on her reproductive traits and if there are any special feed components that improve reproduction. Fibers and unsaturated fatty acids have a positive impact on reproductive traits as long as the sow is fed a sufficient amount of energy and protein during gestation and lactation.

The aim of this study was, that from a view of professional's understand the meanings of including horses in therapy. In order to achieve the aim of the study, qualitative method was used and therewith interviews was performed with professionals who work with equine- assisted therapy. The professionals did also have an education which allowed them to independently treat clients and besides that at least five years of experience of equine- assisted therapy. The issues of the study was to understand the professionals? view of the horses role in equine-assisted therapy, which opportunities and constraints professionals consider that equine-assisted therapy entails and also if the horse could bring something unique to therapy.

Healthy, natural pastures is very valuable for biodiversity in the form of both plants and animals. An efficient use of pastures helps to preserve biodiversity, but grazing animals needs to be de-wormed to keep them healthy and to prevent harmful parasites spread on the pasture. The awareness about the environmental impact of the frequent use of deworming agents is low among the public. Some people are unaware that the absorption in horses of anthelmintics is incomplete, which make the circumstances about enviromental effect important to investigate further. The scientific evidence in this area is limited and more studies and trials are needed to deepen the knowledge about the effects of anthelmintics in the environment.

The purpose of this literature study was to describe techniques for monitoring general anesthesia and standing chemical restraint in the horse. A number of various techniques and devices related to e.g. blood pressure measurement, blood gas analysis and pulse oximetry are defined, and finally their clinical relevance and reliability are discussed. The equine patient is generally far more exposed to anesthesia-related risks than other smaller species. Complications such as hypotension and hypercapnia are commonly seen during general anesthesia. Thus, close monitoring is essentially performed by the veterinary nurse, whom is responsible for monitoring the anesthetized patient.

This study was conducted at the University of Bath, UK, from September to December 2014 as part of an ongoing research project aimed at elucidating how the Grb10 gene might act as a mediator of long-term health effects (such as predisposition to obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension) caused by environmental factors during development. This phenomenon is known as developmental programming. The purpose of this thesis was not primarily to answer any of the broader questions posed by this research project at large since this would require much more data than is reasonable to acquire over the course of a few months, but rather to evaluate the methods used in this project and reveal whether they are working the way they are presumed to. In the research project, which employs mice with the Grb10 gene knocked out as well as wild-type control mice, a dietary restriction model is utilized during gestation, which is supposed to generate offspring with lower birth weight and subsequent detrimental health effects in adulthood. This is supposed to be achieved by restricting the protein content of the pregnant mothers? diet to 9 % (as opposed to the control diet of 20 %) throughout gestation.

Obese horses with insulin resistance are often also afflicted with laminitis. Horses with these symptoms are given the diagnosis equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Signs of insulin resistance are excessive accumulation of adipose tissue on the neck, around the withers and on the dorsal area of the hindquarters. Insulin resistance means that the function of insulin is defective and does not stimulate glucose uptake by the cells in the body in the correct way. This will result in an increased insulin release.

Rotavirus causes diarrhea in young mammals all over the world, including infant humans. The diarrhea leads to severe dehydration that can be fatal if left untreated. The dehydration can be treated with fluid therapy and the infection heals itself. Despite the relatively easy treatment half a million children under the age of five dies every year due to diarrhea caused by rotavirus. Rotavirus sorts into the family Reoviridae and is a double-stranded RNA virus with a segmented genome.