Postprandial arterial vasodilation in the equine distal thoracic limb.
Authors: Hoffmann K L, Wood A K, Griffiths K A, Evans D L, Gill R W, Kirby A C
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Postprandial Arterial Vasodilation in the Equine Distal Thoracic Limb Feeding triggers a predictable increase in blood flow to the equine foot through measurable changes in the digital arteries—a physiological response that has received surprisingly little attention despite its potential relevance to foot health and lameness management. Using duplex Doppler ultrasonography, Hoffmann and colleagues monitored the lateral proper palmar digital artery in five horses over four hours following meals, measuring arterial diameter and blood velocity alongside systemic markers including blood glucose, insulin, heart rate and plasma protein. The postprandial period consistently produced significant vasodilation and increased blood velocity in the digital artery, accompanied by elevated plasma glucose and insulin levels, whilst feeding frequency (twice versus four times daily) did not substantially alter this response. These findings demonstrate that normal metabolic demands following feed intake redistribute blood flow peripherally to the foot, establishing a clear baseline against which abnormal vascular responses in laminitis, navicular disease or other vascular-related lameness might be identified. For practitioners, this research validates duplex ultrasonography as a non-invasive clinical tool for investigating digital vasculature in conscious horses and suggests that future diagnostic protocols could measure postprandial vascular responses as an indicator of circulatory pathology or metabolic dysfunction affecting the distal limb.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Normal postprandial vasodilation increases blood flow to the foot, which may be therapeutically relevant for management of chronic foot conditions
- •Duplex Doppler ultrasonography is a viable noninvasive tool for assessing peripheral vascular function in clinical practice
- •Feeding frequency does not appear to influence postprandial vascular response, simplifying feeding management considerations
Key Findings
- •Postprandial feeding caused significant increases in lateral proper palmar digital artery diameter and blood velocity over 4 hours
- •Plasma glucose and insulin levels increased postprandially, correlating with increased foot blood flow
- •Feeding frequency (2 vs 4 times daily) had no effect on vascular or metabolic variables measured
- •Duplex Doppler ultrasonography successfully measured arterial parameters noninvasively in conscious horses