College of Veterinary Medicine

Education:

BVSc, Massey University, Palmerston, New Zealand, 1975
PhD, Department of Pathology, University of Florida, 1987

Honors and Awards:

Veterinary Parasitology Prize, Masey University, 1972
B.V.Sc. with Distinction, 1975
Massey University Scholarship, 1974
Outstanding Large Animal Intern Award, University of California, Davis, 1977
Resident of the Year Award, University of Florida, Gainesville, 1980
Large Animal Clinician of the Year, University of Florida, 1989
Daniels Young Clinical Investigator, University of Florida, 1991
Large Animal Medicine Clinician of the Year, University of Florida, 1991

Research Interests:

Expertise includes general internal medicine and a special interest in clinical neurology.  Research interests are also in the area of inflammation/endotoxemia and in the diagnosis and biology of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Through this work, the pathogenesis of endoxemia in horses has been clarified and at least one new treatment developed and extensively used. In the field of EPM, Dr. MacKay has contributed to an understanding of the life cycle of the parasite and is actively involved in developing new and more satisfactory diagnostic tests.

Selected Publications:

For Publications Extracted From Medline Click HERE

Moore BD, Balasuriya UB, Watson JL, Bosio CM, MacKay RJ, MacLachlan NJ. Virulent and avirulent strains of equine arteritis virus induce different quantities of TNF-alpha and other proinflammatory cytokines in alveolar and blood-derived equine macrophages. Virology. 2003 Sep 30;314(2):662-70.

Porter MB, MacKay RJ, Uhl E, Platt SR, de Lahunta A. Neurologic disease putatively associated with ingestion of Solanum viarum in goats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2003 Aug 15;223(4):501-4, 456.

Gillis KD, MacKay RJ, Yowell CA, Levy JK, Greiner EC, Dame JB, Cheadle MA, Hernandez J, Massey ET. Naturally occurring Sarcocystis infection in domestic cats (Felis catus). Int J Parasitol. 2003 Jul 30;33(8):877-83.

Franklin RP, MacKay RJ, Gillis KD, Tanhauser SM, Ginn PE, Kennedy TJ. Effect of a single dose of ponazuril on neural infection and clinical disease in Sarcocystis neurona-challenged interferon-gamma knockout mice. Vet Parasitol. 2003 May 30;114(2):123-30.

Porter MB, Long MT, Getman LM, Giguere S, MacKay RJ, Lester GD, Alleman AR, Wamsley HL, Franklin RP, Jacks S, Buergelt CD, Detrisac CJ. West Nile virus encephalomyelitis in horses: 46 cases (2001). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2003 May 1;222(9):1241-7.

Dame, J.B., Cutler, T.J., Tahnauser, S., Ellison, S., Greiner, E.C., MacKay, R.J. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis: mystery wrapped in enigma. Parasitol. Res. 86:940-943, 2000.

Long, MT, Hines, MT, Knowles, DP, Tanhauser, SM, Dame, JB, Cutler, TJ, MacKay, RJ, Sellon, DC: “Sarcocystis neurona: parasitemia in a severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) horse fed sporocysts”, Exp. Parasitol., 100(3):150-154, 2002

Giguere, S, Viel, L, Lee, E, MacKay, RJ, Hernandez, J, Franchini, M: “Cytokine induction in pulmonary airways of horses with heaves and effect of therapy with inhaled fluticasone propionate”. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 85(3-4):147-158, 2002

Furr, M, Mackay, RJ, Granstrom, Schott II, DH, Andrews, F: “Clinical diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM)”. J.Vet. Int.Med. 16:618-621, 2002.

MacKay, RJ: “Case notes and commentary”, On the true definition of dysphagia. Comp.Cont.Ed.Pract.Vet., 23:1024-1028, 2001.

Cheadle, MA, Yowell, CA, Sellon, DC, Hines, M, Ginn, PE, Marsh, A.E., MacKay, RJ, Dame, JB, Greiner, EC. Corrigendum to "The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is an intermediate host for Sarcocystis neurona", Int.J Parasitol. 31:843-849, 2001.

Furr, M, Kennedy, T, Mackay, R, Reed, S, Andrews, F, Bernard, B, Bain, F, Byars, D: “Efficacy of ponazuril 15% oral paste as a treatment for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis”, Vet.Therapeutics 2:215-222, 2002.

MacKay, RJ: “Life cycle of Sarcocystis neurona: An update”, Suppl.Compend Contin.Educ Pract. Vet. 23:3-9, 2001.