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Topic:Clinical Findings
Clinical findings in horses encompass a range of observable signs and symptoms identified during veterinary examinations that contribute to diagnosing and managing equine health conditions. These findings can include physical observations, such as changes in behavior, posture, or gait, as well as physiological measurements like heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature. Diagnostics may also involve laboratory tests, imaging, and other diagnostic procedures to assess organ function and detect abnormalities. Recognizing and interpreting clinical findings are essential components of veterinary practice, aiding in the identification of diseases, monitoring treatment progress, and guiding therapeutic interventions. This page brings together peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, interpretations, and implications of clinical findings in the context of equine health care.
Acute leukemia in six horses (1990-2012). Acute leukemia is rare in horses. Herein we describe historical, clinicopathologic, and postmortem findings in 6 horses with acute leukemia. Medical records of horses with >20% bone marrow blasts and cytochemical or immunophenotyping results were reviewed. Affected horses were 2-8 y of age and of different breeds and sex. Horses were presented acutely with nonspecific signs (e.g., fever, lethargy). Characteristic hemogram findings were bi- or pancytopenia with low blast numbers. Histologic examination revealed extramedullary infiltrates, especially in lymph nodes, spleen, kidney, liver, and lu...
Ultrasonographic assessment of the atlanto-occipital space in healthy Thoroughbred foals and Thoroughbred foals with neonatal maladjustment syndrome. Ultrasonography of the atlanto-occipital (AO) space may be useful as a non-invasive diagnostic tool in neonatal foals. The aims of the study were establish a range of values for ultrasonographic measurements of the AO space in healthy Thoroughbred foals and to compare these variables in healthy foals with foals diagnosed with neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS). Ultrasonography of the AO space was performed on 38 healthy Thoroughbred foals and 28 Thoroughbred foals with NMS≤4days of age. Transverse image spinal cord height (P=0.001), width (P<0.001) and spinal cord cross sectional area ...
Laparoscopic evaluation of the small intestine in the standing horse: Technique and effects. To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes after laparoscopic evaluation of the small intestines via laparoscopy. Methods: Prospective pilot study. Methods: Healthy adult horses (n = 5). Methods: Horses were restrained in standing stocks and received an infusion of detomidine. One port was placed in the left last intercostal space and 3 ports were placed in the right paralumbar fossa. The small intestine was run with atraumatic laparoscopic grasping forceps, from the duodenocolic plica to the ileocecal plica. Postoperative pain was scored every 4 hours for the first 48 hours. Horses...
Clinical Serum Therapy: Benefits, Cautions, and Potential Applications. Blood serum from immunized humans or animals (e.g., horses) contains relevant antibodies and has been used as serum therapy to treat many diseases or envenomation events. The effectiveness of blood serum was initially discovered in 1890 when Kitasato and von Behring observed the effectiveness of this type of therapy against diphtheria and tetanus. Serum therapies played an important role in the advancement of modern medicine prior to the development of penicillin and steroids. At present, several types of serum therapy remain in clinical use. However, some physicians have a limited understandi...
Heart rate variability parameters in horses distinguish atrial fibrillation from sinus rhythm before and after successful electrical cardioversion. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common pathological arrhythmia in horses. After successful treatment, recurrence is common. Heart rate monitors are easily applicable in horses and some devices offer basic heart rate variability (HRV) calculations. If HRV can be used to distinguish between AF and sinus rhythm (SR), this could become a monitoring tool for horses at risk for recurrence of AF. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess whether in horses AF (before cardioversion) and SR (after cardioversion) can be differentiated based upon HRV parameters. Methods: Cohort study with in...
Correlation between capillary oxygen saturation and small intestinal wall thickness in the equine colic patient. The surgical evaluation of haemorrhagic infarcted intestine and the decision for or against bowel resection require a lot of experience and are subjective. The aim of this prospective, clinical study was to examine the correlation between oxygen saturation and small intestinal wall (IW) thickness, using two objective methods. In 22 colicky horses, the blood flow, oxygen saturation and relative amount of haemoglobin were measured intraoperatively via laser Doppler and white light spectroscopy (O2C, oxygen to see, LEA Medizintechnik) at six measuring points (MPs) in small and large intestines. F...
Abnormal pregnancies associated with deviation in progestin and estrogen profiles in late pregnant mares: A diagnostic aid. Measurement of progestines and estrogens in maternal plasma has been advocated as an indicator of foeto-placental function. The goals of the present study were as follows: to determine progestin and estrogen concentrations in mares with normal and abnormal pregnancies during late gestation, evaluate the diagnostic value of hormone concentrations, and investigate the relationship between hormone concentrations after treatment and the survival of foals. Blood samples were collected monthly from 459 pregnant mares between Day 201 of gestation and foaling. Progestin and estrogen concentrations wer...
Castration in the standing horse combining laparoscopic and conventional techniques. Standing laparoscopic castration without orchidectomy has been shown to be a reliable method of castration in animals with abdominal cryptorchidism, but it cannot be recommended as a method of castration in those with inguinal cryptorchidism or normal males. An alternative laparoscopic method for the castration of horses with descended testes was developed. Objective: To report the results of laparoscopy-assisted abdominal transection of the spermatic cord and a modified open method in the standing horse for castration of descended testes in unilateral abdominal cryptorchids. Methods: Descript...
Cardiovascular findings in ponies with equine metabolic syndrome. OBJECTIVE To determine whether hypertension, high sympathetic tone, resting and exercising arrhythmias, and echocardiographic changes consistent with hypertensive cardiomyopathy were associated with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) in ponies. DESIGN Prospective case-control study. ANIMALS 19 privately owned ponies with a diagnosis of EMS (history of laminitis, body condition score ≥ 7/9, cresty neck score ≥ 3/5, and abnormal oral sugar test result; cases) and 20 healthy control ponies. PROCEDURES Heart rate (HR), noninvasively measured arterial blood pressure (BP), markers of autonomic tone...
Pulsed inhaled nitric oxide improves arterial oxygenation in colic horses undergoing abdominal surgery. To evaluate the effect of pulsed inhaled nitric oxide (INO) on arterial oxygenation in horses during abdominal surgery. Methods: Prospective, randomized, clinical trial. Methods: Thirty horses that underwent abdominal surgery at the University Animal Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden. Methods: Anaesthesia was induced according to a standard protocol - romifidine, butorphanol, diazepam and ketamine and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. Fifteen horses were administered pulsed INO and 15 served as controls. After baseline data collection, pulsed INO delivery commenced. Arterial and venous blood wer...
Equine colic: clinical epidemiology and associated risk factors in and around Debre Zeit. A prospective study was conducted to describe clinical epidemiology of equine colic in the Society for Protection of Animal Abroad and Donkey Sanctuary Project Clinic, at Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, from November 2014 to April 2015. The objectives were to describe clinical epidemiology of equine colic, to characterize the main types of equine colic, and to determine the major risk factors associated with equine colic. The method which was used in the study was attending clinical case of equine and assessing physiological parameters, fecal egg count, abdominal sounds, and rectal examination as well a...
Effects of clarithromycin, azithromycin and rifampicin on terbutaline-induced sweating in foals. 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 ...
Algometry to measure pain threshold in the horse’s back – An in vivo and in vitro study. The aim of this study was to provide information on algometric transmission of pressure through the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues of the equine back. Using a commercially available algometer, measurements were carried out with six different tips (hemispheric and cylindrical surfaces, contact areas 0.5 cm2, 1 cm2, and 2 cm2). In nine live horses the threshold of pressure that lead to any reaction was documented. In postmortem specimens of five euthanized horses the transmission of algometer pressure onto a pressure sensor placed underneath the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues at the level of the ...
Effects of dystocia on blood gas parameters, acid-base balance and serum lactate concentration in heavy draft newborn foals. Dystocia is often lethal for neonatal foals; however, its clinicopathological features remain largely unknown. We investigated the effect of dystocia on the foal blood profile. Venous blood samples were collected from 35 foals (5 Percheron and 30 crossbreds between Percheron, Belgian, and Breton heavy draft horses) at 0 hr, 1 hr, 12 hr and 1 day after birth. Dystocia was defined as prolonged labor >30 min with strong fetal traction with or without fetal displacement. The dystocia group (n=13) showed lower mean values for pH (P<0.01), bicarbonate (P<0.01), total carbon dioxide (P<0....
Randomized, controlled clinical trial of safety and plasma concentrations of diclofenac in healthy neonatal foals after repeated topical application of 1% diclofenac sodium cream. OBJECTIVE To determine the plasma pharmacokinetics and safety of 1% diclofenac sodium cream applied topically to neonatal foals every 12 hours for 7 days. ANIMALS Twelve 2- to 14-day old healthy Arabian and Arabian-pony cross neonatal foals. PROCEDURES A 1.27-cm strip of cream containing 7.3 mg of diclofenac sodium (n = 6 foals) or an equivalent amount of placebo cream (6 foals) was applied topically to a 5-cm square of shaved skin over the anterolateral aspect of the left tarsometatarsal region every 12 hours for 7 days. Physical examination, CBC, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, gastric endos...
Pain Management in Horses. There has been great progress in the understanding of basic neurobiologic mechanisms of pain, but this body of knowledge has not yet translated into new and improved analgesics. Progress has been made regarding pain assessment in horses, but more work is needed until sensitive and accurate pain assessment tools are available for use in clinical practice. This review summarizes and updates the knowledge concerning the cornerstones of pain medicine (understand, assess, prevent, and treat). It highlights the importance of understanding pain mechanisms and expressions to enable a rational approach...
Bilateral oblique facial clefts, rudimentary eyes and hydrocephalus in an aborted equine foetus. Knowledge of congenital malformations and their causes in horses is generally sparse. Such conditions require more scientific attention to improve their diagnostics and inform prevention strategies. Here, a unique syndrome of bilateral oblique facial clefts (meloschisis), rudimentary eyes and hydrocephalus is reported in an equine foetus spontaneously aborted at gestation day 224. The cause of abortion was considered to be intrauterine death caused by umbilical cord torsions and subsequent compromised blood flow, but the aetiology of the malformation could not be determined. A detailed history...
Atrial fibrillation management in a breeding stallion. A 20-year-old warmblood breeding stallion presented to a University practice for semen collection and evaluation was incidentally diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF). Electrocardiogram recordings during breeding revealed inappropriately rapid tachycardia and occasional ventricular premature depolarizations/aberrant ventricular conduction. Transvenous electrical cardioversion was performed. After successful cardioversion the horse displayed supraventricular ectopy and atrial contractile dysfunction and was administered sotalol hydrochloride in an attempt to decrease the risk of AF recurrenc...
Proximal interphalangeal joint ankylosis in an early medieval horse from Wrocław Cathedral Island, Poland. Animal remains that are unearthed during archaeological excavations often provide useful information about socio-cultural context, including human habits, beliefs, and ancestral relationships. In this report, we present pathologically altered equine first and second phalanges from an 11th century specimen that was excavated at Wrocław Cathedral Island, Poland. The results of gross examination, radiography, and computed tomography, indicate osteoarthritis of the proximal interphalangeal joint, with partial ankylosis. Based on comparison with living modern horses undergoing lameness examination...
Injuries of the Sagittal Groove of the Proximal Phalanx in Warmblood Horses Detected with Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging: 19 Cases (2007-2016) Sagittal groove injuries of the proximal phalanx are an important cause of lameness in performance horses. The purpose of this retrospective case series study was to describe standing low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of these injuries in a group of Warmblood horses. Horses with an MRI diagnosis of sagittal groove injuries involving the proximal phalanx and that had follow-up MRI and clinical outcome information were included. Findings from clinical examinations, diagnostic tests, and other imaging modalities were recorded. All MRI studies were retrieved for re-evaluat...
Effects of sedation and salbutamol administration on hyperpnoea and tidal breathing spirometry in healthy horses. Sedation is often required to perform pulmonary function testing (PFT) in horses, but drug effects may influence respiratory function. The current study was designed to characterise the effects of sedation and bronchodilator administration on absolute and relative indices of pulmonary function during eupnoeic respiration and carbon dioxide-induced hyperpnoea (rebreathing) in healthy horses using a pneumotachographic spirometry system. Sedation with acetylpromazine (ACP), xylazine, or both drugs in combination was associated with significant reductions in respiratory frequency, minute ventilati...
Right ventricular function during acute exacerbation of severe equine asthma. Pulmonary hypertension has been described in horses with severe equine asthma, but its effect on the right ventricle has not been fully elucidated. Objective: To evaluate right ventricular structure and function after a 1-week period of pulmonary hypertension secondary to acute exacerbation of severe equine asthma. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: A clinical episode of severe equine asthma was induced experimentally in six susceptible horses. Examinations in remission and on day 7 of the clinical episode included a physical examination with clinical scoring, echocardiography, arterial bloo...
Applicability of fetal thoracic aortic diameter measurement in the prediction of birth weight in Holstein-Friesian cows – Short communication. Transabdominal ultrasonography has been shown to be a useful and reliable method for assessing fetal well-being in horses and cattle. To test the applicability of fetal aortic diameter measurement in cattle, 44 late-term pregnant cows and heifers were examined 21 to 0 days prior to calving. Mean fetal aortic diameter was 2.07 ± 0.14 cm and mean fetal heart rate (FHR) was 109 ± 17 bpm. Three dead calves were dissected and their aortic diameter was measured in a water bath. The mean birth weight (n = 44) was 39.9 ± 5.8 kg. There was a significant negative correlation between FHR and fetal aor...
Clinical study evaluating the accuracy of injecting the distal tarsal joints in the horse. Osteoarthritis (OA) of the centrodistal (CD) and tarsometatarsal (TMT) joints is a common cause of lameness in horses. Intra-articular diagnostic anaesthesia and/or therapeutic injection are relied upon to help diagnose and treat many horses with OA of these joints. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of arthrocentesis of the CD and TMT joints using a sample population of equine surgeons and surgery residents. Methods: Randomised experimental study. Methods: Six operators each injected four CD and four TMT joints in 12 sedated horses. The operators were randoml...
Repeated intra-articular injection of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells causes an adverse response compared to autologous cells in the equine model. Intra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is efficacious in osteoarthritis therapy. A direct comparison of the response of the synovial joint to intra-articular injection of autologous versus allogeneic MSCs has not been performed. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical response to repeated intra-articular injection of allogeneic versus autologous MSCs prepared in a way to minimize xeno-contaminants in a large animal model. Intra-articular injections of bone marrow-derived, culture-expanded MSCs to a forelimb metacarpophalangeal joint were performed at week 0 ...
Left paralumbar laparoscopic bilateral ovariectomy in mares. To develop a novel technique for left paralumbar laparoscopic bilateral ovariectomy in standing, sedated mares. Methods: Prospective descriptive clinical study. Methods: Twelve client-owned mares. Methods: Healthy mares with normal ovarian palpation and ultrasonographic appearance were enrolled. Horses were restrained in standing stocks and administered a variable rate infusion of sedation. A left paralumbar bilateral ovariectomy was performed with 1 laparoscopic and 3 instrument portals. Access to the right ovary was facilitated by retracting the descending colon and associated mesentery with...
A pilot study of the effects of acupuncture treatment on objective and subjective gait parameters in horses. To investigate whether acupuncture can alter gait in horses as assessed by objective and subjective parameters. Methods: Prospective, randomized, singleblinded, crossover study. Methods: Eight adult horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to a treatment (three acupuncture treatments in 8 days) or control group. Subjective and objective gait analyses were performed before and after each treatment and at 1, 3 and 7 days after the last treatment (time-points 1-9, respectively). Horses were assessed at the trot in a straight line on a hard surface and on the lunge on the left and right rein...
Effects of sensor position on kinematic data obtained with an inertial sensor system during gait analysis of trotting horses. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of altering location of right forelimb and pelvic sensors on kinematic data obtained with a commonly used inertial sensor system during gait analysis of trotting horses. DESIGN Experimental study. ANIMALS 12 horses with mild to moderate lameness of at least 1 hind limb, with or without lameness of the forelimbs. PROCEDURES All horses were examined while trotting on a high-speed treadmill. The right forelimb sensor was tested at 3 anatomic locations in random order: dorsal midline and 2 cm medial and lateral to that midline. During another treadmill session, t...
