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Currently, diagnosis of Parascaris equorum infection in equids is limited to patent infections. The goals of this study were to culture P. equorum larvae in vitro and identify excretory-secretory (ES) products for prepatent diagnostic testing. Parascaris equorum L2/L3 larvae were hatched and cultured for up to 3 weeks for ES product collection. Fifth stage (L5) P. equorum were also cultured for ES product collection. Examination of ES fractions by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and silver stain revealed L2/L3 products ranging from 12-94 kDa and L5 products ranging from 12-189 kDa. Western blot analyses were conducted using polyclonal antibodies produced against P. equorum or Baylisascaris procyonis L2/L3 ES products, sera from rabbits inoculated with B. procyonis or Toxocara canis eggs, and sera from animals naturally infected with P. equorum or T. canis. Western blot results indicated parasite antigens migrating at 19 and 34 kDa may be useful for specifically detecting P. equorum infections.

Summary Three diets were fed to 6 horses in a 3 × 6 Latin rectangle experiment to determine if dietary fibre could improve hydration status in response to dehydration with frusemide. Frusemide was used to simulate dehydration from exercise‐induced sweat loss. Diets contained similar dry matter (DM), energy, protein and electrolyte content, but differed in total dietary fibre (TDF) and/or soluble fibre (SDF). The 3 diets were: 1) HIGH‐HIGH (high TDF, high SDF); 2) HIGH‐LOW (high TDF, low SDF); and 3) LOW‐LOW (low TDF, low SDF). In each 10 day period, water intake and faecal moisture content were assessed on Day 7. On Day 10, feed and water were withheld and horses were dehydrated with frusemide (1 mg/kg bwt, i.m.). Plasma volume (PV), plasma total protein (TP), packed cell volume (PCV) and plasma electrolyte concentrations were determined before and after frusemide administration. Water consumption was greater (P<.05) when horses received diets high in TDF. Faecal moisture content was greatest (P<.01) when horses received the HIGH‐HIGH diet. The decline in PV and the rise in plasma TP concentration following frusemide administration were similar for all diets. When horses received the HIGH‐HIGH diet, they had a greater (P<.05) bodyweight before dehydration and lost more (P<.05) bodyweight in response to frusemide. A greater loss of bodyweight in response to frusemide without a proportional loss of PV when horses received the HIGH‐HIGH diet suggests that a diet high in SDF may provide the horse with a source of dispensable water in the hind gut during dehydration.

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