Our Research
Liver disease is an under recognized but potentially serious medical condition affecting horses of all ages and breeds. Our research is currently focused in four main areas.
1. Viral hepatitis
In recent years we have discovered two new viruses that cause liver disease in horses: equine parvovirus-hepatitis and equine hepacivirus.
Our research in this area focuses on:
- How viruses cause liver disease
- How to diagnose viral liver disease in horses
- How many horses are exposed to liver viruses and how they get infected
- How to prevent and treat viral liver disease in horses
2. High GGT syndrome
Highly athletic horses, such as racehorses, can develop a condition where one of their liver markers becomes increased during training. This is thought to be associated with poor performance.
Our research in this area focuses on:
- What causes high GGT syndrome
- The performance effects of high GGT syndrome
- Treatments to ameliorate the syndrome
3. Donkey liver disease
Donkeys are an increasingly popular pet in the United States. Despite their similarity to horses, they are different and carry their own set of medical conditions. Liver disease is recognized as an important cause of illness in donkeys, but there is very little information available.
Our research in this area focuses on:
- The causes of liver disease in donkeys, including the role of viral infections
- How often are donkeys affected by liver disease
4. Diagnostic Tests
Liver disease can often be detected on routine bloodwork, but typically an ultrasound and liver biopsy are required to determine the cause and extent of disease and to provide a prognosis. There are many situations where liver biopsy might not be feasible.
Our research in this area focuses on:
- Evaluating shear wave elastography as an ultrasound technique to stage liver fibrosis
- Evaluating blood biomarkers for fibrosis
With funding from the American Association of Equine Practitioners we are currently enrolling horses with liver disease. If you are able to bring your horse to New Bolton Center for evaluation and are interested to learn more about participating, please contact Joy Tomlinson, DVM, PhD, DACVIM at joytom@vet.upenn.edu.
Publications
Dr. Tomlinson’s research focuses on equine viral hepatitis, including the pathogens equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) and equine hepacivirus (EqHV). Read her research focused in this area of animal care.