Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Clinical Pathology
Clinical pathology in horses involves the study and analysis of biological samples to diagnose and monitor diseases and health conditions. This discipline encompasses various laboratory tests and procedures that assess the physiological and biochemical status of equines. Common analyses include hematology, biochemistry, urinalysis, and cytology, each providing insights into different aspects of equine health. Hematology evaluates blood components, such as red and white blood cells and platelets, to identify conditions like anemia or infection. Biochemistry tests measure enzymes, electrolytes, and metabolites to assess organ function and metabolic status. Urinalysis examines urine samples for indicators of renal function and systemic diseases. Cytology involves the microscopic examination of cells from tissues or fluids to detect abnormalities. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, applications, and diagnostic value of clinical pathology in equine medicine.
Eosinophilic myeloproliferative disorder in a horse. An eosinophilic myeloproliferative disorder resulted in edema and hemorrhagic diathesis in a 10-month-old Standardbred colt. Laboratory abnormalities included severe thrombocytopenia, anemia, mild hypoproteinemia, and marked eosinophilia. Circulating eosinophils were immature or atypical with variation in granule size, disproportionate nuclear to cytoplasmic maturation, and abnormal nuclear size and shape. Bone marrow aspirate had mainly atypical eosinophil precursors, few erythroid precursors, and no megakaryocytes. A blood transfusion and dexamethasone therapy resulted in some improvement; h...
Equine plasma banking: collection by exsanguination. A procedure was developed for the collection, preparation, storage, and administration of equine plasma. The technique involved exsanguination of anesthetized donor horses via carotid artery catheterization with a large-bore cannula. Blood was collected into plastic bags, allowed to settle by gravity, then transferred into storage bags and frozen. These were quickly thawed when needed.
External lipomas in three horses. Lipomas involving the musculoskeletal system were seen in 3 horses. The lipomas were on the thorax of 2 horses and the stifle of the third horse. The thoracic lipomas were surgically removed. No recurrence has been noted by 8 months in either case. The lipoma on the stifle had invaded the surrounding tissue and the horse was euthanatized. Unlike mesenteric lipomas, which occur in older horses, these lipomas all occurred in horses less than 2 years of age.
Evaluation of ivermectin against later fourth-stage Strongylus vulgaris in ponies at two and five weeks after treatment. The efficacy of ivermectin against later fourth-stage Strongylus vulgaris larvae was studied in pony foals at 14 and 35 days after treatment. These foals had been reared parasite-free, inoculated with 500 infective larvae and 56 days later given either ivermectin at 200 micrograms/kg or a placebo intramuscularly. At necropsy, foals were examined for lesions and larvae grossly and histologically. Ivermectin was found to be highly effective (98.6%) against later fourth-stage larvae in five foals which were examined at 35 days after treatment, but not in five others examined at 14 days (72.5%). I...
Transient Horner’s syndrome following routine intravenous injections in two horses. Horner's syndrome developed in 2 horses after routine jugular venipuncture. Signs included unilateral sweating of the face in both horses and ptosis in 1 horse. The signs resolved within 14 hours. Signs of a perivascular injection did not develop in either horse. Although Horner's syndrome has been reported after perivascular jugular injections these cases illustrate that the syndrome may develop following routine intravenous injections.
Pitfalls in immunofluorescence testing in dermatology. III. Pemphigus-like antibodies in the horse and direct immunofluorescence testing in equine dermatophilosis. Indirect immunofluorescence testing for pemphigus-like antibodies was performed on 79 horses: 28 horses with various nonpemphigus dermatologic diseases, 21 horses with various nondermatologic diseases, and 30 normal horses. Pemphigus-like antibodies were detected in 6 horses: 3 normal horses with titers of 1:40, 2 horses with dermatophilosis at titers of 1:10 and 1:80, and 1 horse with lymphosarcoma at a titer of 1:320. It was concluded that equine pemphigus-like antibodies are a potential source of misinterpretation and misdiagnosis in indirect immunofluorescence testing. Direct immunofluores...
Streptococcus durans: an unexpected enteropathogen of foals. Streptococcus durans was isolated from a foal with profuse watery diarrhea and caused a similar syndrome when inoculated into foals via the orogastric route. The most consistent and striking histological feature was the extensive colonization of the mucosal surface of the small intestine by S. durans. Associated mucosal changes were mild to modeate, and brush border lactase and alkaline phosphatase production were depressed. S. durans also induced acute diarrhea in young gnotobiotic piglets. Mucosal changes were mild and, as with foals, the mucosal surface of the small intestine was colonized ...
Serum testosterone levels in young normal horses. Serum testosterone levels were measured in normal young male horses (29 to 34 weeks old). No differences were found between gelded and intact males. The values for all the horses were low. On the basis of their testosterone levels, all the horses were prepubertal.
Skeletal disease in a hypothyroid foal. Hypothyroidism was diagnosed in a 5-month-old Thorough-bred colt by clinical and clinico-pathology examinations, thyroid stimulating hormone response test and by microscopic evaluation of the thyroid gland. Skeletal lesions included delayed appearance of ossification centers and delayed development of bone in cartilage models, delayed closure of epiphyseal plates, transverse trabeculation in metaphyses, osteochondrosis dissecans and subchondral cysts.
Cynoglossum officinale (hound’s-tongue)–a cause of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning in horses. The death of 10 horses was attributed to feeding dried grass hay containing hound's-tongue, Cynoglossum officinale. Affected horses developed weight loss, icterus, photosensitization, and hepatic encephalopathy. Histologic examination of the liver of 3 of the horses revealed megalocytosis, biliary hyperplasia, and fibrosis characteristic of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning. Hound's-tongue was found to contain large quantities (0.6% to 2.1%, dry matter basis) of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which, when fed to a pony for 20 days, caused liver fibrosis and biliary hyperplasia.
Papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas of horses. In a retrospective study encompassing 13 years of diagnostic work, papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas from horses were screened for papilloma-virus antigens, using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. Papillomas were most commonly found on the penis and vulva, followed by cutaneous, ocular, and oral locations. Squamous cell carcinomas were most frequently located on the third eyelid and cornea, followed by genital, oral, maxillary sinus, and cutaneous sites. Papillomavirus structural antigens were detected in 7 cutaneous and 5 genital papillomas, but not in squamous cell carcinomas.
Persistent vaginal haemorrhage in five mares caused by varicose veins of the vaginal wall. Persistent bleeding from the vulva was the only presenting clinical sign in five non-pregnant pluriparous mares varying in age from eight to 20 years. These were two hunter types, one shire, one thoroughbred and one Arab pony. The haemorrhage originated from ulcerated varicose veins present on the dorsal wall of the vagina adjacent to the vestibulovaginal junction. All five mares were successfully treated, by submucosal resection (two), ligation of vessels (two) or diathermy (one). In four mares there was evidence of vulval incompetence caused by depression of the perineum. The importance of t...
The starch digestion test in the horse. Variable results were obtained when the starch digestion test was carried out on a suspected case of malassimilation in a horse. In order to re-evaluate this test, 15 starch digestion tests were carried out using 4 horses. Results showed a marked variation in the increase in plasma glucose levels between individual horses and especially between poor and good condition horses when the dose of starch was based on body mass. Results also suggest that a fixed dose of starch may give more consistent results.
Results of treatment of subchondral bone cysts in the medial condyle of the equine femur with an autogenous cancellous bone graft. The results of surgical treatment of 10 subchondral bone cysts, all located in the medial femoral condyle, are presented. A cancellous bone graft was used in nine cases and a two component acrylic bone cement was used in the case of an extremely large cyst. Eight out of the 10 cases made a satisfactory clinical recovery.
Arterial blood gas tension and acid base balance during exercise in horses with pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia. Arterial blood gas and acid-base values during maximal exercise over a 1.2 km distance were recorded in four Thoroughbred horses before and after the chemical induction of pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia (PLH). Samples were collected after galloping 0.8 km and 1.2 km, immediately upon stopping and 5 mins after exercising. In only one horse was any difference noted in the pre and post PLH induction results. The horse was more hypercapnoeic at the 1.2 km mark and also took much longer to complete the gallop when it had PLH. However, it also had signs of lower respiratory disease. In the other ho...
Observations on structure and function of the equine mitral valve. The anatomy of the equine mitral valve and certain variations observed in 60 adult horses are described. The functional role of this valve, sited between the left atrium and the high pressure-generating left ventricle, is discussed in relation to its anatomical structure. A method of examining the left side of the heart post mortem is described.
A congenital vascular naevus in a foal. This paper describes a case of a congenital vascular malformation in the skin of a colt. The lesion arose at the coronary border of the right hind leg. The microscopic structure of a biopsy suggested that the lesion, consisting of multiple foci of closely-packed convoluted small vessels in the dermis, represented a marked exaggeration of glomi which normally occur in considerable numbers in this region of the skin. On the basis of the clinical, macroscopic and histological findings, this lesion was considered to be an hamartoma, rather than a true tumour, and was therefore termed a congenital ...
