Hair cortisol concentration is inversely related to the severity of equine squamous gastric disease

Miguelita Prinsloo; Philip Hynd; Samantha Franklin; Sarah Weaver; Robin van den Boom

doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.05.009

Hair cortisol concentration is inversely related to the severity of equine squamous gastric disease

Vet J. 2019 Jul:249:58-59. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.05.009. Epub 2019 May 24.

Authors

Miguelita Prinsloo¹, Philip Hynd², Samantha Franklin³, Sarah Weaver², Robin van den Boom⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
² Department of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
³ Department of Equine Health, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
⁴ Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.vandenboom@uu.nl.

PMID: 31239166
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.05.009

Abstract

Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) is common in horses and many factors, including stress, may play a role in lesion development. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) provides a measure of medium to long-term stress and therefore, the relationship between HCC and ESGD was examined in this study. Hair samples were collected from 25 horses and gastroscopy was performed to determine the presence and severity of ESGD. Hair cortisol concentrations were lower in horses with ESGD (P = 0.014), and negatively correlated with lesion severity. Mares had lower HCC than geldings (P = 0.031), and a higher prevalence of ESGD, while age had no significant effect. Further studies are required to determine the relevance of the association between HCC and ESGD.

Keywords: Cortisol; Equine gastric ulceration syndrome; Equine squamous gastric disease; Hair; Horse.

MeSH terms

Animals
Epithelial Cells
Female
Hair / chemistry*
Horse Diseases / metabolism*
Horses
Hydrocortisone / metabolism*
Male
Stomach Diseases / metabolism
Stomach Diseases / veterinary*

Substances

Hydrocortisone