Clinical examination in horses involves a systematic evaluation of the animal to assess its health status and identify any potential medical issues. This process typically includes a thorough physical assessment, which may cover observation of behavior and posture, palpation of body structures, auscultation of heart and lung sounds, and examination of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Additional diagnostic tools such as thermography, endoscopy, or imaging techniques may be utilized to gather more detailed information. Clinical examination serves as a foundational step in veterinary diagnostics, aiding in the detection and management of diseases or injuries in horses. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore methodologies, advancements, and findings related to clinical examination practices in equine medicine.
Curtin DJ.An aggressive mare, presented for prebreeding examination, was found to have a significantly enlarged ovary (soccer ball size). A granulosa thecal cell tumor was initially suspected. Following laboratory and repeated clinical examination, the mare was diagnosed with an ovarian hematoma, which regressed with treatment.
Doucet MY, Vrins AA, Dionne R, Alva R, Ericsson G.The efficacy of a paste formulation of the H+, K+, -ATPase inhibitor omeprazole was evaluated in standardbred racehorses for the treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers. Twenty standardbred racehorses in training, aged 2 to 9 years, were enrolled from 2 training centres in this field trial. Endoscopic examinations confirmed the presence of gastric ulcers in all horses, prior to allocation and treatment and on day 0. Lesions were scored on a scale of 0 to 3 (intact epithelium to extensive ulceration). Replicates were formed, based on training level and location. Within replicates, 1 horse wa...
van Hoogmoed LM, Snyder JR, Thomas HL, Harmon FA.Prepurchase examinations of horses are used increasingly as a means of evaluating future soundness. Data is lacking in the literature of the radiographic findings and results of the lameness examination of comprehensive prepurchase examinations. Objective: To summarise the clinical and radiographic findings of prepurchase examinations and determine if radiographic findings correlated with the lameness examination and sale outcome. Methods: Records of 510 cases were reviewed, radiographs evaluated and grades assigned the navicular bone, distal phalanx, and tarsus. Follow-up information on the h...
Denoix JM, Thibaud D, Riccio B.Bisphosphonates, such as tiludronate, are used to normalise bone metabolism via inhibition of bone resorption. Areas of increased bone resorption and formation are typical lesions in a diseased navicular bone. Objective: To determine if bone remodelling changes occurring in navicular disease may be corrected with therapies regulating bone metabolism. Methods: We designed a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to compare 2 doses of tiludronate, 0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg bwt administered via daily i.v. injections over 10 days for the treatment of navicular disease. Seventy-three horses, s...
Kolm G, Zappe H, Schmid R, Riedelberger K, Van den Hoven R.Five horses with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were treated with 0.11 (0.01) mg/kg bodyweight of montelukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, once a day for 26 days. The horses were evaluated clinically and endoscopically and subjected to arterial blood gas analysis and lung function tests before and after the period of treatment, and the plasma concentrations of montelukast were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The treatment did not result in statistically significant differences in the total score...
Brosnahan MM, Paradis MR.To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics, management practices, and owner perception of a population of geriatric horses, and to compare these data with findings in a group of younger horses. Methods: Original study. Methods: 218 horses. Methods: Data were collected via a survey tool from owners of 165 horses that were > or = 20 years of age and 53 horses that were < 20 years of age. Results: Compared with young horses, the geriatric group included a significantly greater number of ponies; geriatric horses were also more likely to have a history of colic, dental disease, ...
Chevalier H, Posner LP, Ludders JW, French TW, Erb HN, Gleed RD.To determine accuracy and precision of a point-of-care hemoglobinometer for measuring hemoglobin concentration and estimating PCV in horses. Methods: Prospective trial. Methods: 55 horses. Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 43 horses examined at a veterinary teaching hospital. Hemoglobin concentration was measured with the hemoglobinometer and by means of the standard cyanmethemoglobin method; PCV was measured by centrifugation. Blood samples were also obtained from 12 healthy horses, and PCV of aliquots of these samples was altered to approximately 5 to 80% by removing or adding plasma...
MacNeill AL, Alleman AR, Franklin RP, Long M, Giguère S, Uhl E, López-Martinez A, Wilkerson M.A 5-year-old Paso-Fino mare was presented for severe respiratory distress. The mare had foaled 2 months prior to presentation. The horse was in poor body condition with a dull hair coat. A mild fever was noted during physical examination and increased bronchovesicular sounds were auscultated. Thoracic radiographs showed an interstitial pattern and an alveolar infiltrate with distinct air bronchograms. Moderate purulent inflammation with increased mucus was observed in tracheal wash fluid, but no infectious agents were identified. A bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) contained a large amount of mucus...
Spadavecchia C, Arendt-Nielsen L, Andersen OK, Spadavecchia L, Doherr M, Schatzmann U.To compare nociceptive withdrawal reflexes (NWRs) evoked from the distal aspect of the left forelimb and hind limb in conscious standing horses and to investigate NWR recruitment for graded electrical stimulation intensities. Methods: 20 adult horses. Methods: Surface electromyographic (EMG) activity evoked by transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the digital palmar (or plantar) nerve was recorded from the common digital extensor and cranial tibial muscles. Stimuli consisted of 25-millisecond train-of-5 constant current pulses. Current intensity was gradually increased until NWR threshold i...
Ferrucci F, Zucca E, Croci C, Di Fabio V, Ferro E.The severity of the erosive and ulcerative lesions of the squamous gastric mucosa in 10 standardbred racehorses in training was classified according to a standard scoring system. Each horse was then treated orally for 30 days with 50 g/100 kg bodyweight daily of a pectin-lecithin complex mixed into the feed. At the end of the period of treatment, the gastric lesions were re-evaluated gastroscopically and the scores were compared with those assigned at the previous evaluation. In three of the horses the gastric ulcerations had healed completely, and in six others the lesions had improved signif...
Nollet H, Van Ham L, Deprez P, Vanderstraeten G.Transcranial magnetic stimulation is rapidly developing as a powerful, non-invasive tool for studying the descending motor tracts in humans. The applications of the test in animals are for the moment restricted to small animals. However, this non-invasive, sensitive and painless technique appears promising as a test of motor tract function in horses where the neurological examination is mainly restricted to clinical evaluation and some ancillary tests, such as radiography, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and electromyography. In this review, we want to discuss the history, basic principles, techn...
van der Linden MA, Laffont CM, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.A retrospective study was performed on 649 horses admitted to the Clinic of Equine Internal Medicine (Utrecht University) for gastrointestinal colic. The aim of this study was to provide a better guideline for determining prognosis in horses with colic. Short- and long-term survival were evaluated, and Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the clinical and clinicopathologic variables usable to predict survival. Intestinal displacements and strangulations were the most frequently diagnosed causes of colic. Regarding the surgically treated horses, 54% were discharged and 88% of these...
Estepa JC, Garfia B, Gao PR, Cantor T, Rodriguez M, Aguilera-Tejero E.Parathyroid hormone (PTH) plays a critical role in the regulation of mineral metabolism in mammals. Until recently, the standard method for PTH measurement has been the 2nd generation intact-PTH (I-PTH) assay. Current evidence indicates that the I-PTH assay binds to the PTH molecule and to an inactive N-terminally truncated PTH fragment that tends to accumulate in the blood of uraemic patients. Therefore, a new 3rd generation PTH assay that detects only the whole PTH molecule (W-PTH; cyclase-activating PTH [CAP]) has been developed. Objective: To validate this more specific W-PTH assay for mea...
Dyson S, Murray R.There has been no large study of horses with suspected sacroiliac (SI) joint region pain in which the clinical diagnosis has been supported by either abnormal radiopharmaceutical activity in the SI joint region or by periarticular infiltration of local anaesthetic solution. Objective: To describe the clinical features of horses with SI joint region pain, to document the age, breed, sex, discipline, size and conformation of affected horses and to compare these with the author's (SD) normal case population and to document the results of infiltration of local anaesthetic solution around the SI jo...
Kaps S, Richter M, Spiess BM.To determine corneal sensitivity in healthy adult horses in order to establish reference values. Methods: One hundred eyes of 50 healthy adult horses. Methods: Corneal sensitivity was determined by evaluating the corneal touch threshold (CTT) in five different corneal regions using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. Results: Comparing CTT values (in mm filament length) of the five prescribed corneal regions revealed regional variations in corneal sensitivity, with the central region (21.15 +/- 6.23 mm) being the most sensitive, followed by the nasal (20.75 +/- 5.14 mm), temporal (20.70 +/- 5.37 mm...
Kempson SA, Davidson ME, Dacre IT.Two hand rasps (tungsten chip blade, solid carbide blade) and an electrically-driven solid carbide axial bur were used to treat the cheek teeth of 2 horses immediately postmortem. All teeth were normal and were rasped to a standard considered satisfactory in practice. Six teeth from each horse served as untreated controls. Following treatment, the teeth were extracted and the clinical crown removed and prepared for scanning electron microscopy. Teeth were also extracted and examined from a horse that had excessive dental treatment previously. Dental debris created by the procedures was collect...
Wilkins PA.Lower airway problems of the adult horse are commonly encountered by the practitioner. Particularly susceptible populations include horses transported for any significant distance and young horses grouped together for training and/or competition. This article presents some of the commonly encountered problems of this patient population, including bacterial pneumonia/pleuropneumonia and influenza, and some uncommon ones, including pulmonary edema, pneumothorax/hemothorax, and acuterespiratory distress syndrome. Information is presented that should allow the practitioner to diagnose these proble...
Birks EK, Durando MM, McBride S.EIPH is a condition affecting virtually all horses during intense exercise worldwide. The hemorrhage originates from the pulmonary vasculature and is distributed predominantly bilaterally in the dorsocaudal lung lobes. As the condition progresses, the lung abnormalities extend cranially along the dorsal portions of the lung. An inflammatory response occurs in association with the hemorrhage and may contribute to the chronic sequela. Although conflicting opinions exist as to its affect on performance, it is a syndrome that is thought to increase in severity with age. The most commonly performed...
Roy MF, Lavoie JP.Respiratory disorders are among the most common problems leading horse owners to seek veterinary attention. Accurate diagnosis of these conditions allows for proper treatment to be instituted, much to the benefit of the patient and satisfaction of the client. As an introduction to this issue on equine respiratory disorders, we review some of the tools that are available to equine veterinarians for the diagnosis of respiratory disorders. Physical and endoscopic examination, radiology, diagnostic ultrasound, techniques for sampling the respiratory tract, hematology, blood gas analysis, respirato...
Davidson EJ, Martin BB.Wastage of performance horses because of respiratory dysfunction is common. Appropriate identification of the disease is paramount for treatment recommendations. Diagnostic modalities for upper respiratory tract dysfunction include a thorough physical examination, radiographic evaluation when appropriate, and upper respiratory tract endoscopy. Anatomical deviations or structural are easily identified during resting evaluation, while exercise testing is often necessary to assess thedynamic properties of the upper airway. Utilizing the many diagnostic tools available allows the clinician to make...
Léguillette R.Heaves, or recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), is a chronic respiratory disease featuring lower airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and mucus accumulation. Inhaled organic dusts and T helper 2 type immunologic reactions are involved in the complex pathophysiology of RAO. Clinical signs vary and alternate with remission periods. The diagnosis is often based on history and clinical examination in severe cases, but bronchoalveolar lavage may be useful for the detection of early cases. The most important aspect of treatment is to avoid exposure to allergens. Corticosteroids may be administer...
Elce YA, Ross MW, Davidson EJ, Tulleners EP.To describe the surgical technique, complications, and outcome of thyroidectomy in 6 horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Six horses, 10 to 22 years of age, with unilateral, rapidly enlarging thyroid masses. Methods: Medical records between 1985 and 2000 were reviewed for horses that had unilateral thyroidectomy. Retrieved data included signalment, physical, clinical, and ultrasonographic examination findings, surgical technique, complications, and outcome. A minimum of 6 months follow-up was obtained. Results: Six horses were identified. Three horses had tracheal compression and 2 o...
Dekker R, Groothoff JW, Eisma WH, ten Duis HJ.To determine whether equestrian injuries result in long-term residual symptoms and to establish the risk factors for these outcomes. Methods: Retrospective, descriptive. Methods: A total of 88 patients older than 17 years of age who had been admitted to the Department of Surgery, University Hospital Groningen during the period 1990-1998 because of an equestrian injury were included in the study. After an average period of five years an inventory was made using the Sickness Impact Profile 68 (SIP68), if absenteeism from work or sport and disabilities or handicaps were experienced. Following thi...
Komáromy AM, Andrew SE, Sapp HL, Brooks DE, Dawson WW.The goal of our study was the evaluation of a practical method for the recording of flash electroretinograms (ERGs) in sedated, standing horses with the DTL microfiber electrode. Methods: The horses were sedated intravenously with detomidine hydrochloride (0.015 mg/kg). The pupil was dilated and the auriculopalpebral nerve was blocked. The ERGs were recorded with the active electrode on the cornea (DTL), the reference electrode near the lateral canthus, and the ground electrode over the occipital bone. The light intensities of the white strobe light were 0.03 cd x s/m2 (scotopic) and 3 cd x s/...
De Clercq D, van Loon G, Nollet H, Delesalle C, Lefère L, Deprez P.Between 1999 and 2001, seven horses with fever, dysphagia and a history of chronic upper respiratory tract infection lasting between three weeks and three months were examined. They had been treated unsuccessfully with a variety of antibiotics for three to four weeks. A deep abscess in a retropharyngeal lymph node was diagnosed in each case by clinical examination, endoscopy and echographic examination of the retropharyngeal region. The infected retropharyngeal lymph node of each horse was punctured with a spinal needle under ultrasound guidance. Pus was aspirated from four of the horses, and ...
Sutton DG, Bahr A, Preston T, Christley RM, Love S, Roussel AJ.Disordered gastric motility may be a significant factor in the pathogenesis of many equine conditions. Although tests for liquid phase emptying rate have been validated in the horse, there are no effective tests for solid phase emptying measurement that can be performed routinely in the field. Objective: The objective of this study was the assessment of a novel stable isotope technique, the 13C-octane acid breath test (13C-OABT), for the measurement of gastric emptying of solid ingesta, by direct comparison with the optimum method of gastric scintigraphy. Methods: To facilitate dual measuremen...
Stieler Stewart AL, Sanchez LC, Mallicote MF, Muniz AL, Westerterp MS, Burrow JA, MacKAY RJ.Erythromycin (ERY) induces anhidrosis in foals. Azithromycin (AZI) and clarithromycin (CLA), often combined with rifampicin (RIF), are commonly used to treat Rhodococcus equi infections, but effects on sweating have not been investigated. Objective: To determine the effects of AZI, CLA and RIF on sweat responses in normal foals. Methods: Each experiment was a blinded, duplicated, six foal × three period counterbalanced within subjects design (12 foals/experiment). Methods: Antimicrobials were given orally for 5 days. In Experiment 1, ERY, AZI and CLA were given. In Experiment 2, ERY, RIF and ...
Brinsko SP.Many procedures performed as part of routine broodmare practice are based on sound clinical judgment and experience or scientific evidence; however, others are based on perceived problems and needs to address them. This article presents four procedures commonly used in broodmare practice, for which there is questionable evidence to substantiate their use.
Céleste CJ, Szöke MO.Hoof injuries are common in horses. Some wounds can pose diagnostic and treatment challenges because of the rigid nature of horn,the tissue involved, the deeper underlying structures eventually invaded, or the pattern of healing. By combining knowledge about the anatomy and biomechanical properties of the foot and healing characteristics of the hoof with adapted general principles of wound management, satisfactory clinical outcomes usually result.
Krueger CR, Hackett ES, Hess AM, Mama KR.To compare the Element point-of-care (POC) portable blood gas analyzer with a laboratory-based bench-top reference analyzer using whole blood samples obtained from horses presenting to a referral center with various disorders in order to determine agreement between these analyzers. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: The study was conducted at a university teaching hospital at moderate altitude. Methods: One hundred paired samples from 80 horses >1 year of age were collected after obtaining informed client consent. Fifty paired samples were from patients admitted for elective pro...
Ruffin DC, Schumacher J, Comer JS.A mare at 126 days of gestation was examined because of signs of abdominal pain. The cause of abdominal pain could not be determined by physical examination. Lack of response to analgesics and small intestinal distention on palpation per rectum prompted exploratory celiotomy. Small intestine was found to be entrapped by the uterus, which had undergone torsion. The uterus was returned to its correct position, and the small intestine was decompressed. After surgery, the mare was treated with orally administered progestin to prevent abortion. The mare recovered and delivered a live foal at 354 da...
Penell JC, Bonnett BN, Pringle J, Egenvall A.Computerized diagnostic information offers potential for epidemiological research; however data accuracy must be addressed. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the completeness and correctness of diagnostic information in a computerized equine clinical database compared to corresponding hand written veterinary clinical records, used as gold standard, and to assess factors related to correctness. Further, the aim was to investigate completeness (epidemiologic sensitivity), correctness (positive predictive value), specificity and prevalence for diagnoses for four body systems and cor...
Bostedt H, Hospes R, Herfen K.Basing on exact investigations of normal behaviour and abnormalities in newborn and up to 24 hours old foals a program for evaluation, comprehending exogeniously judgable criteria, was developed. It aims at a quick recognition of aberrations in behaviour. The program includes a score, which allows early diagnosis of even subtile abnormalities. As a result, a veterinary surgeon should be consulted if the score exposes a critical situation, so that therapy can be started in time. Furthermore informations about investigations on blood-glucose- and immunoglobulin-G-concentration in relation to neo...
Abushhiwa MH, Elmeshreghi TN, Alrtib AM, Bennour EM, Oheida AH.Orthopedic diseases involving the forelimb fetlock joint of horses other than those used in professional racing have not been widely reported in the literature. One of these problems is the exostosis on the proximal forelimb phalanx (P1), which has not been reported previously in Western Libya. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of P1 exostosis in traditional equestrian horses (known locally as Sarj horses) of different breeds in Libya that participated in a special social event and described its clinical findings radiographic appearance. The current study involved 60 horses admitte...
Schroeder EL, Gardner AK, Mudge MC.Cecal or colonic gas tympany of any cause may result in increased intraabdominal pressure, causing a significant decrease in venous return and cardiac output. Trocarization of the large colon or cecum in the event of large intestinal tympany may resolve gas distension and accompanying increased intraabdominal pressures sufficiently enough to promote resolution of a displaced large colon. Furthermore, trocarization of the medical colic may decrease morbidity and mortality associated with severe intraabdominal hypertension. Methods: This how-to description details the technique of transcutaneous...
Gerard MP, Bowman KF, Blikslager AT, Tate LP, Bristol DG.To determine whether complete cecal bypass, by jejunocolostomy or ileocolostomy, is an effective treatment for horses with cecal impaction. Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records. Methods: 9 horses with cecal impaction managed by jejunocolostomy (3) or ileocolostomy (6) performed with or without typhlotomy for evacuation of cecal contents. Methods: Information on age, breed, gender, duration of medical treatment, preoperative abnormalities, surgical procedure, and postoperative complications was retrieved from the medical records. Follow-up data were obtained via telephone intervie...
Tate LP, Koch DB, Sembrat RF, Boles CL.A surgical technique for resection of a portion of the trachea followed by end-to-end anastomosis was developed on 4 clinically normal horses. The trachea healed without complications in 3 of the horses in which 3 tracheal cartilages were removed. Five tracheal cartilages were removed from the 4th horse. It had to be euthanatized because of excessive suture line tension and wound disruption, which occurred during recovery from anesthesia. Suture line tension was measured on 3 other clinically normal horses positioned in dorsal recumbency immediately after euthanasia after 3 and 5 tracheal cart...
Miro J.Ultrasonography has become indispensable in the control of equine reproduction. Mare ovary layers are inverted with respect to other species, with the follicles and corpus luteum found inside the ovary; only large follicles protrude from the organ's surface. This renders the making of diagnoses via rectal palpation of the ovaries very difficult. Ultrasound imaging, however, provides another avenue of examination. Since its first use in 1980, the diagnostic potential of ultrasonography has greatly improved. Colour Doppler ultrasonography can even asses blood flow, allowing for much better monit...
Rose RJ.In this paper on the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis in horses, both degenerative arthritis and septic arthritis are considered. Diagnosis should be made on the combination of clinical examination together with the use of diagnostic aids such as radiology, intra-articular local anaesthesia and synovial fluid analysis. Intra-articular therapy appears to be the most effective in the treatment of degenerative arthritis. Excellent responses to therapy have been reported with corticosteroids, sodium hyaluronate, orgotein and synovial fluid transfer, where joints showed an absence of degenerati...
Dietz HH.25 horses were subjected to the D(+)-xylose absorption test. 1 gram of D(+)-xylose/kg bw. was administered orally. Based upon the shape of the absorption curves the 25 patients were divided into four groups. Group 1 11 patients with a normal absorption curve (Figure 3) Group 2 5 patients with a flat absorption curve (Figure 4) Group 3 3 patients with a flat absorption curve (Figure 5) Group 4 7 patients with an intermediary type of absorption curve (Figure 6). Administration of sodium chloride in equimolar concentrations did not improve the absorption of D(+)-xylose. 73 per cent of the horses ...
Cheramie HS, O'Ggrady SE.There are many different commercially available hoof repair/adhesive products. The application of these products in the treatment of various foot conditions is continuing to evolve based on sound medical and farriery principles as well as imagination. Successful application of these products depends largely on using proper hoof wall preparation and adhesive application techniques. Success also depends on a realistic expectation of the final outcome when accounting for the physical limitations of the adhesive products and the underlying hoof problem. Our results with these techniques have been ...
Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR, van den Bogert AJ.Gait analysis plays a major role in the clinical evaluation of equine lameness. It is generally accepted that the clinician expresses the grade of lameness as a subjective score. In this study lameness was objectively assessed using a standardized transient lameness model, in which lameness was induced by intra-articular injection of bacterial endotoxin into the radiocarpal joint of ponies. Lameness was scored by an experienced clinician, and locomotion was recorded simultaneously using a CODA-3 apparatus. The obtained kinematic gait parameters correlated well with the clinical lameness score ...
Rizk A, Hamed M.Fractures of the rostral mandible in horses are the most common type of jaw fractures. The present study was performed for stabilization of rostral mandibular fracture with cerclage wire. In a retrospective case series, six client-owned horses with unilateral mandibular fractures were admitted to our clinic and suffered from a major gingival wound at rostral part of mandible. Rostral mandibular fracture was diagnosed through clinical examination and radiography. Fractured region was repaired by cerclage wire under the effect of general anesthesia and wires were maintained for 6-12 weeks. The r...
Keg PR, van den Belt AJ, Merkens HW, Barneveld A, Dik KJ.The influence of regional nerve blocks on lameness resulting from tendon injury was studied in six horses. Tendonitis was induced in the midmetacarpal region of the Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon (SDF), Deep Digital Flexor Tendon (DDF) and the Suspensory Ligament (SL) through collagenase injections. The results were evaluated through sequential clinical examinations, ultrasonographic imaging and kinetic gait analysis (force plate) during a period of 144 days post injury and subsequently compared with gross and microscopic findings. The lameness corresponding to the SDF and DDF tendon lesion...
There are a wide variety of laboratory tests available to assess damage to and functional impairment of the liver, though the effectiveness of these tests varies greatly depending upon the type of damage and the animal species involved. Species differences in tissue localization, metabolism, specificity and sensitivity of parameters relating to the liver influence the choice of tests. Some tests can be applied usefully to most animal species while others may be highly specific in one species but show very low discriminatory potential in others. The tests available, and their use in veterinary ...
Rossdale PD.The place of clinical research in the veterinary profession is discussed against the author's personal experiences and in the context of how research workers, clinicians, teachers and veterinary students might be brought into a more cohesive unit through the development of a Faculty of clinical research and experimental medicine. It is argued that students should receive training in research and teaching and that efforts should be made to break down the attitude of "them" and "us" which tends to separate the clinicians and academics.
Nakazawa M, Isayama Y, Kashiwazaki M, Yasui T.A protein antigen that reacted in the agar gel diffusion (AGD) test and which had equi factor(s) activity, was partially purified from the culture supernatant of Rhodococcus equi by successive column chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose and Sepharose 4B. Employing a standard foal serum, the concentration of this antigen was adjusted for the AGD test. Optimal dilutions of the antigen reacted in the AGD test with sera from foals naturally infected with serologically different R. equi. The antigen prepared was considered suitable for use in field surveys of R. equi infection. Accordingly...
Shih AC.Monitoring variables of cardiac performance in horses is challenging owing to patient size, temperament, and anatomic peculiarities. Blood pressure is a major determinant of afterload, but it is not a reliable surrogate of cardiac performance and tissue perfusion. Cardiac output, together with arterial and venous oxygen content, provides insight as to the adequacy of delivery of blood and oxygen to the body as a whole and can be used to gauge the fluid responsiveness and cardiovascular status of the patient. Measurement of intracardiac pressures serves to assess cardiac filling pressures, myoc...
Flanagan S, Rowe Á, Duggan V, Markle E, O'Brien M, Barry G.Warmblood Fragile Foal syndrome (WFFS) is an autosomal recessive condition that affects the maturation of collagen in affected foals. Foals affected with the disease typically die or are euthanised shortly after birth. WFFS is caused by a single nucleotide change at position 2032 of the equine PLOD1 gene, causing an impairment of the wild-type enzyme. A commercial test for the causative genetic mutation is currently available from companies operating under licence from Cornell University but it has limitations. This test requires amplification of a region of the PLOD1 gene encompassing the sit...
Plue RE, Wall HG, Daurio C, Attebery DK, Cox JL, Wallace DH.Omeprazole has been shown to promote healing of spontaneously occurring gastric ulcers in horses when administered for 28 days at a dose of 4 mg/kg bwt/day and to prevent recurrence of ulcers in almost all horses when treatment is continued at a dose of at least 2 mg/kg bwt/day. The purpose of the 3 studies reported here was to 1) evaluate the evolution of potential effects of omeprazole paste (GastroGard), at a dose of 20 mg/kg bwt/day (5x the recommended dose) for 91 days in mature Thoroughbred horses; 2) evaluate the safety in young horses of omeprazole paste when dosed at 4 mg/kg bwt/day (...
Steward ML.This article describes the use of the wooden shoe in the treatment of chronic laminitis. The shoe, designed to provide a solid base and full roller motion, offers mechanical advantages and enables reduction and redistribution of forces within the hoof capsule.
Scheffer CJ, Blaauw G, Dik KJ, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.A mini-Shetland stallion was referred with bilateral pruritus localized to the anterior neck. More detailed clinical examination also revealed ataxia, and diagnostic imaging, including pre- and post-contrast computed tomography, revealed an old fracture of C2. Spinal cord compression was diagnosed. The probable causal relation between the fracture, the ataxia, and the localized pruritus seems comparable to the 'contusio cervicalis posterior' in humans, in which spinal cord trauma may cause pruritus in the associated dermatome.
Conrado FO, Iapoce N, Batista-Linhares M, Lopez S, Matthews MH, McKinney CA, Rothacker C.An 18-year-old, grey, Thoroughbred Cross gelding was referred to the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University following a 3-week history of low-grade fever of unknown origin, distal limb swelling, and weight loss. Clinical examination identified a few black, round, smooth nodules along the ventral aspect of the proximal tail. Transabdominal ultrasound showed a markedly enlarged heterogenous spleen, hyperechoic liver nodules, and evidence of peritonitis with fibrin deposition. A mature neutrophilia was noted on complete blood count with variable numbers of phagocytized granule...
Myrna KE.This article provides a brief, clinically relevant review of neurologic disorders of the eye. A description of the neuro-ophthalmic examination is provided. Stepwise descriptions of the most common neuro-ophthalmic abnormalities are provided along with common rule outs.
Vilar JM, Rivero MA, Arencibia A, Morales I, Pinedo M.The authors propose a standard protocol of ultrasonographic exploration of the tarsal region in transversal and longitudinal planes, with the aim to spread with an accurate location of the anatomical structures. For this study, 10 adult horses of different races and ages (ranged 5-10 years) were used, with the characteristic of not having suffered any kind of tarsic pathology. The equipment was a real time ultrasound machine with a 7.5 mHz lineal transducer. Some different anatomical structures in this region of the hind-limb such as the tendons, ligaments, muscles and articular components wer...
Cichocki BM, Myrna KE, Moore PA.To describe and evaluate a modified penetrating keratoplasty technique utilizing ACell® for management of equine deep stromal or full-thickness corneal stromal abscesses (SA). Methods: Cases presenting to the University of Georgia Ophthalmology service for surgical management of SA necessitating penetrating keratoplasty (PK) were included in the study population. Surgery entailed the use of an ACell® disk sutured within the deep level of a stepped full-thickness corneal incision with an overlying conjunctival pedicle flap placed in the superficial step incision. Patients were evaluated for s...
