Kris Hughes

Academic Staff/Clinicians

Professor Kris Hughes

BVSc (Hons 1) FANZCVS DipECEIM Associate member ACVIM

Clinical Director, Professor and Registered Specialist in Equine Medicine

Kris graduated with a BVSc from the University of Sydney (USyd) in 1995, and after 4 years in private veterinary practice, returned to USyd to undertake speciality training in equine medicine. Kris is a registered specialist in equine internal medicine, having obtained Australasian and European speciality qualifications and has worked in academia at the USyd, University of Glasgow and now CSU as associate professor in equine medicine.

His research interests include lower airway diseases of horses, including immunological aspects; methods of non-invasive diagnosis of inflammatory airway diseases and pulmonary function testing; equine gastroenterology; pharmacological cardiac stress testing in horses, equine endocrinology and parasitology.

His clinical and research interests have resulted in over 60 peer-reviewed publication,  over 40 conference presentations and 12 book chapters. Other professional contributions include examination at specialty level for the European College of Equine Internal Medicine, and Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, and acting as a peer-reviewer for several national and international journals.

As Discipline Head for the Equine group, Kris oversees the didactic and clinical teaching of veterinary undergraduate students, which includes problem-based learning, lectures and work-place learning at the Veterinary Clinical Centre (VCC). Through these educational formats, the Equine group is involved in the teaching of students from 3rd year to 6th year. As part of the final year of the veterinary course, students spend an intensive 3 week rotation at the VCC in small groups, gaining valuable clinical experience and tuition from staff in equine medicine and surgery and related fields, including diagnostic imaging, anaesthesia and theriogenology.

Kris is also course and subject coordinator for the Doctorate or Veterinary Studies (DVStud) and Master of Veterinary Studies (MVStud) programs at Charles Sturt. These higher degree by research programs also incorporate subjects for high-level professional development to prepare candidates for specialist examinations in the chosen discipline.

  • Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (Equine Medicine)
  • Diplomate, European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
  • Member of the examination committee, European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
  • Specialist registration in Equine Medicine, Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW
  • Member of the British Equine Veterinary Association
  • Use of exhaled breath analysis for the assessment of lower respiratory tract health and disease in horses
  • Equine parasitology, including anthelmintic resistance
  • Diagnostic testing in equine neurological disease
  • Equine endocrinology
  • Pharmacological cardiac stress testing in horses
  • Epidemiological aspects of rhabdomyolysis in endurance horses
  • Equine gastroenterology
  • Studies of effects of certain pharmaceutical agents on renal physiology in horses

Publications

  • Rendle DI, Doran G, Hughes KJ, Edwards, S (2015). Pharmacokinetics of pergolide mesylate in horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 76(2):155-60
  • Armstrong SKA, Woodgate R, Gough S, Heller J, Sangster N and Hughes KJ (2014). Assessment of the efficacy of ivermectin, pyrantel and fenbendazole against Parascaris equorum infection in foals in Australia. Veterinary Parasitology. 205(3-4):575-80
  • Hughes KJ, Laidlaw EH, Reed SM, Keen J, Abbott J, Trevail T, Hammond G, Parkin TDH and Love S (2014). Intra- and inter-operator variability in cervical vertebral sagittal diameter ratios in horses with neurological disease. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 28, 1860-70.
  • Rendle DI, Litchfield E, Gough S, Heller J and Hughes KJ (2014). The effects of sample handling and N-phenylmaleimide on equine adrenocorticotropic hormone. Equine Veterinary Journal. doi: 10.1111/evj.12319.
  • Raidal SL, Hughes KJ, Charman A-L, Nielsen SG, Phillips JK, Noble GK (2014). Meloxicam and phenylbutazone effects on renal responses to furosemide, dobutamine and exercise in horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 75, 668-79.
  • Rendle DI, Litchfield E, Heller J, Hughes KJ (2014). Investigation of rhythms of secretion and repeatability of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations in healthy horses and horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Equine Veterinary Journal. 46, 113-117. doi: 10.1111/evj.12114.
  • Cathcart MP, Love S, Sutton DGM, Reardon RJR and Hughes KJ (2013). The application of exhaled breath analysis in racing Thoroughbreds and influence of high intensity exercise and ambient temperature on concentrations of carbon monoxide and pH in exhaled breath. The Veterinary Journal. 197, 318-323. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.12.022.
  • Whittaker AG, Love S, Parkin TDH, Duz M, Cathcart M, Hughes KJ (2012). Assessment of the impact of collection temperature and sampler design on the measurement of exhaled breath condensate pH in healthy horses. The Veterinary Journal. 191, 208-212.
  • Hughes KJ, Nicolson L, Da Costa N, Franklin SH, Allen KJ, Dunham SP (2011) Evaluation of cytokine mRNA expression in bronchoalveolar lavage cells from horses with inflammatory airway disease. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology. 140, 82-89.
  • Whittaker AG, Love S, Parkin TDH, Duz M and Hughes KJ (2009). Stabling causes a significant increase in the pH of the equine airway. Equine Veterinary Journal. 41, 940-943.