Abstract
This study aimed to assess the biophysical parameters of the skin in Polish Konik horses (Polish primitive horses). According to the authors, this is the first assessment performed on such a wide scale in this group of animals. The evaluation carried out is innovative both with regards to the breed of the animals and the wide scope of the physicochemical skin assessment. The study group comprised mares, stallions and geldings, and the evaluations concerned transepidermal water loss, corneometry, pH, skin temperature assessment and mexametry. These parameters were assessed in five skin regions: the lips, the right ear, the prosternum, the right side of the neck and the chest. The measurements were taken after spreading the hair apart, with the use of a Multiprobe Adapter System (MPA®) and dedicated probes (Courage + Khazaka electronic GmbH, Cologne, Germany). The measurements revealed statistically significant differences in the values of transepidermal water loss in the lips in mares compared with stallions (P = 0.023) and also in stallions compared with geldings (P = 0.009). Corneometry showed significantly higher results in the neck region in mares compared with stallions (P = 0.037) and the prosternum areas in mares and geldings compared with stallions (P = 0.037 and P = 0.018). Skin pH measurement on the right side of the neck rendered significantly higher values in stallions than in mares (P = 0.037). In geldings, the skin temperature was significantly higher than in stallions (P = 0.049). Once the appropriate physicochemical values for specific animal species and breeds are determined, non-invasive methods of skin examination in many diseases and also methods of evaluation of the efficacy and/or adverse effects of applied medications can be established.
Highlights
IntroductionThere is a constant need to develop new, primarily non-invasive methods of skin assessment
In veterinary dermatology, there is a constant need to develop new, primarily non-invasive methods of skin assessment
In the prosternum, the results were significantly higher in mares compared with stallions (P = 0.037) and in geldings compared with stallions (P = 0.018)
Summary
There is a constant need to develop new, primarily non-invasive methods of skin assessment. There is a demand for new techniques which can assess the skin condition of an animal and evaluate treatment progress in skin diseases or the efficiency of new generation drugs. Amount of 2% of the subsidy referred to Art. 387 (3) of the Law of 20 July 2018 on Higher Education and Science, obtained in 2019
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