Animals (Nov 2024)

Effects of a Gastroscopic Procedure on Salivary Cortisol Release and Fecal Cortisol Metabolites in Young Racehorses

  • Sabina Ostermeier,
  • Rupert Palme,
  • Ingrid Vervuert,
  • Barbara Glomm,
  • Karsten Feige,
  • Sabine Macho-Maschler,
  • Uta König von Borstel,
  • Monica Venner

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223332
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 22
p. 3332

Abstract

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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 p p = 0.0006) values after gastroscopy compared to basal values was detected.

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