Changes of cortisol and whole blood level induced by equine osteopathic treatment

Abstract

Introduction: Osteopathy is a branch of complementary veterinary medicine involving gentle manipulation to promote healing in damaged and stiff muscles and joints. Even thou many researches are done for humans, but there is still little known about horse body reaction to treatment. The aim of study was to find osteopathy effect on horse haematology and blood cortisol levels. Materials and methods. Eight clinically healthy and regularly trained Hanoverian breed horses (8 geldings, mean age from 7±1) were enrolled in the study. Animal were treated osteopathicly in their stables to cause less stress to the horses. Each horse was treated one hour. Four periods were chosen for blood samples: before the treatment P(0), after treatment P(1), one hour post treatment P(3) and two hours post treatment P(4). Blood samples were taken by puncture of the jugular vein and collected in a test tubes (BD Serum Tubes, UK) with silica particles added to trigger coagulation for checking cortisol and (BD Vacutainer, UK) with anticoagulant EDTA for morphological tests. Aftr taking blood samples they were placed into transport refrigerator (0–4 °C), and brought to the examination centre of Veterinary Academy,LUHS. Blood parameters were assessed by AIA- 360 automated immunoassay analyser (Tosoh Bioscience, Inc., San Francisco, USA) and by automatic morphologic analyser “Abacus Junior Vet” (Diatron Messtechnik GmbH, Austria). Results and conclusion. The study showed that P(1) cortisol level was highest and indicated significant difference p < 0.05 compared with P(3), which dropped lower even compare with P(0). As well osteopathic treatment had impact on changes of RBC, HGB, HCT, WBC and LYM, which were statistically significant p < 0.05. Blood value measurements dropped lower 26.75% till P(3) and then went up again 18.33% in P(4) in comparison with starting point P(0). The findings undoubtedly show huge body reaction in physio. [...].