Hematological and hormonal (cortisol and insulin) evaluation in equines submitted
to urban policing activity
Fonseca, Leandro Abreu1; Girardi, Fabrícia Módolo2; Barioni, Graziela3; Gonçalves,
Roberto Calderon4; Vivas, Bruno Espíndula2; Modenesi, Paulo2; Pacheco, João Luiz5;
Soares, Alessandra6
Exercise is probably the main physiological stimulus to the body and the best example of
a “normal stress” to which an animal can be submitted. Cortisol is an important
regulatory glucocorticoid secreted by the horse’s adrenal cortex that increases blood
glucose concentration when released. Cortisol secretion was found to be related to
anaerobic activity, suggesting that lactate may be a stimulator of cortisol concentration.
Physical exercise can cause many changes in horses, like a variation on hematological
and hormonal parameters. The urban policing activity can influence hematological
parameters by the action of adrenalin or cortisol during or after the exercise, and
variations on carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and protein absorption and
metabolism can occurs in horses of policing. The influence of urban policing activity in
22 adult male Crioula cross equines was evaluated. All animals were kept in stalls, with
standardized feeding at the Regimento de Polícia Montada do Espírito Santo, Serra/ES.
Hematological parameters and serum insulin and cortisol concentration were evaluated in
animals at rest and after exercise. It was concluded that the horses submitted to the
activity of policing urban suffer the effects of physical exercise, reflected by the decrease
in the serum levels of insulin. No significant differences were found in hematological
evaluation and serum cortisol. Probably the cortisol concentration suffered the influence
of circadian cycles, modifying the interpretation of results.
Número de aprovação pelo comitê de ética: 97/2006 – CEEA, UNESP – Botucatu/SP
1
MV, MSc. Professor do Setor de Patologia Clínica do curso de Medicina Veterinária, UVV.
Aluno (a) do curso de Medicina Veterinária, UVV, Vila Velha, ES, Rua Comissário José Dantas de
Melo, 21, Boa Vista, Vila Velha-ES, e-mail: [email protected]
3
MV, Professora Dra. do curso de Medicina Veterinária, UVV, Vila Velha, ES.
4
MV, Professor Assistente Dr., Departamento de Clínica Veterinária, FMVZ, Unesp, Botucatu, SP.
5
MV, Capitão da Polícia Militar, Regimento de Polícia Montada do Espírito Santo, Serra, ES.
6
MV, Tortuga Companhia Zootécnica Agrária, São Paulo, SP.
2