Effects of a Gastroscopic Procedure on Salivary Cortisol Release and Fecal Cortisol Metabolites in Young Racehorses
by
, , , and
Sabina Ostermeier
1, 
Rupert Palme
2,
Ingrid Vervuert
3,*,
Barbara Glomm
3,
Karsten Feige
1,
Sabine Macho-Maschler
2,
Uta König von Borstel
4 and
Monica Venner
5 1
Equine Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, 30559 Hanover, Germany
2
Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
3
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Leipzig University, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
4
Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
5
Equine Clinic Destedt GmbH, Destedt, 38162 Cremlingen, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2024, 14(22), 3332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223332
Submission received: 9 October 2024
/
Revised: 11 November 2024
/
Accepted: 13 November 2024
/
Published: 19 November 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Equids)
Simple Summary
Gastroscopy is a minimally invasive, safe method to evaluate the equine stomach. This procedure is important for a precise diagnosis in case of suspected gastric disease for the adequate treatment and management of equine patients. However, horses might experience stress while undergoing gastroscopy. In this study, a moderate salivary cortisol release and a mild increase in fecal cortisol metabolites were detected in two-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses after gastroscopy. However, in comparison to other stressful situations, such as transportation, gastroscopy performed in the horse’s familiar environment can be considered a minor stress event.
Abstract
In this study, gastroscopy was performed twice in 31 two-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses in training. Salivary cortisol (SC) and fecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentrations were determined to measure the stress impact. One gastroscopy was performed at the beginning and one six months later at the end of the horses’ first training season. According to the Wilcoxon signed rank test, a mild but significant increase of SC (1st gastroscopy: p = 0.0045, 2nd gastroscopy: p < 0.0001) and FCM (1st gastroscopy: p < 0.0001, 2nd gastroscopy: p = 0.0006) values after gastroscopy compared to basal values was detected.
