Centinaio, A., Cominardi, M., Bergero, D., Rose, G. A., McLeod, G.
L.P. Veterinario FEI, Clinica Veterinaria della Brughiera, Via Monte Rosso 51, Cardano al Campo (VA), Italy.
The aim of this preliminary work was to evaluate the effects of a new machine (GO2Altitude) in horses with haemolytic parasite infections or anaemia compared to traditional drug therapy. The study was carried out on two groups of horses. Group I included 44 horses that were positive for haemolytic parasitoses, and was then subdivided into two subgroups depending on the therapy followed: Group I/A, 22 horses treated with a sterilizing therapy and traditional reconstituent therapy and Group I/B, 22 horses treated with a sterilizing therapy and afterwards with the GO2Altitude. Group II included horses that, although did not have important alterations in their blood parameters, had underlined a number of red blood cells near the lowest physiological limit (threshold for anaemia). Two subgroups were obtained following the treatment used: Group II/A, 10 horses treated with traditional reconstituent therapy and Group II/B, 10 horses treated with traditional reconstituent therapy (10 days treatment) and afterwards with GO2Altitude. A first blood sample was taken before any kind of treatment; a second sample was taken after 20 days and a third at 50 days from the first blood sample. Erythrocytes, haemoglobin, haematocrit, MCH, MCHC and MCV were evaluated in each sample. For the horse near the threshold for anaemia, the innovative treatment proposed improved these parameters. The results obtained confirm the initial hypothesis of the efficiency of GO2Altitude to help recover those subjects with haemoparasitic pathologies and with anaemia, and therefore places interesting perspectives to a wide range of use of this instrument for the sport horse.