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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.
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.
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 ...
Equine adenovirus 1 isolated from cauda equina neuritis. Equine adenovirus 1 was recovered after four to six passages from two out of three cases of cauda equina neuritis (CEN) using kidney monolayers. Similar treatment of lumbo-sacral spinal cord from six normal horses did not yield adenovirus. All three cases of CEN had antibodies to the neuritogenic myelin protein P2 while immunofluorescence demonstrated that autologous IgG bound to the myelin of affected nerves. Adenovirus was not detected in neural tissue by immunofluorescence.
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...
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.
Standardization of an experimental disease model of Streptococcus zooepidemicus in the equine. A reproducible experimental disease model in horses using Streptococcus zooepidemicus was developed. An intravenous challenge dose of 1 X 10(10) colony-forming units (CFU), followed 24 h later with another challenge of 1 X 10(8) CFU of Strep. zooepidemicus produced the desired disease model. The disease was characterized by depression, pyrexia, anorexia, abnormal lung sounds, inflammation of joints, moderate to severe lameness, gradual loss of condition and emaciation. The effects of the disease on hematology, serum chemical profile and different protein fractions were studied. The disease sta...
Granulomatous colitis associated with small strongyle larvae in a horse. Horses presented with chronic weight loss are difficult to manage clinically. A diagnosis of granulomatous colitis due to mucosal stages of cyathostomes (small strongyles) should be considered in those cases exhibiting weight loss, intermittent diarrhea, hypoalbuminemia, increased serum globulins, and low fecal egg counts. Treatment can be attempted with larva-cidal doses of fenbendazole or ivermectin. Clinical and necropsy findings in one such case are presented.
Potassium concentration in equine red blood cells: normal values and correlation with potassium levels in plasma. The concentration of potassium in plasma and in red blood cells was determined in 948 horses. The coefficient of correlation between the two parameters was low. In 436 of these horses, which were clinically healthy, the red blood cell potassium (RBCK+) levels did not fit within a normal distribution curve, but a bimodal distribution was observed with a section point at 90 mmol/litre. In 90 per cent of these normal horses, mean RBCK+ content was 97.5 mmol/litre. In the remaining 10 per cent, mean RBCK+ concentration was 93.8 mmol/litre. A subdivision into a 'low potassium group' and a 'high pot...
Sand-induced diarrhea in a foal. A diagnosis of sand enteropathy was made in a 3 1/2-month-old Quarter Horse filly. Clinical signs included diarrhea and weight loss of 2 1/2 months' duration. Abdominal radiographs were useful in diagnosis of the condition and in evaluating response to therapy. The filly responded to treatment with psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid although full recovery took 2 months. Diagnosis and treatment of sand enteropathy is discussed.
A health index to evaluate clinically a beta-hemolytic streptococcal infectious disease model in the horse. Quantification of the clinical manifestations of a disease has been a serious problem particularly as related to clinical trials or drug efficacy studies. Historically, this quantification has been limited to categorizing each patient into one of three or four groups, e.g. worse, no improvement, improved. This problem becomes serious when an investigation utilizes an experimentally induced animal disease model. A health index, which quantifies the clinical state of horses which have an experimentally induced beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, is described. Aspects of experimental design a...
Clinicopathological studies on neurectomy in equids. Clinical and pathological changes following neurectomy were studied experimentally in 46 male and female equids. Sixty-three operations were performed using either the traditional or the Fackelman and Clodius methods of neurectomy. The effect of arteriovenous ligation was studied in 12 animals and 20 angiograms were performed post mortem to study the arterial pattern of the extremities of the operated limb. Neuroma formation (31 cases) and sloughing of the hoof (five cases) were the two main untoward sequelae. Neurectomy by the technique of Fackelman and Clodius proved superior to the traditio...
Relationship between potassium administration, hyperkalaemia and the electrocardiogram: an experimental study. Hyperkalaemia affected the equine myocardium. The minimum plasma potassium concentration required to induce electrocardiographic changes was 6.2 mmol/litre and severe cardiotoxic effects were observed at levels of 8.0 to 10.1 mmol/litre in this experimental situation. The most consistent sign of hyperkalaemia was broadening and flattening of the P wave, which was generally associated with a change in T waves in the chest lead from negative to positive. The more pronounced the hyperkalaemia, the less pronounced the P wave and the more peaked positive the T wave. Severe hyperkalaemia was associa...
Determination of red blood cell potassium content in horses with diarrhoea: a practical approach for therapy. The concentration of potassium in the red blood cells in 15 horses with severe diarrhoea was determined. The red blood cell potassium content (RBCK+) was low compared with levels obtained in normal horses. The decrease in the RBCK+ was used to evaluate the total body potassium deficit. This calculated amount was administered orally, following each RBCK+ determination. In those horses which recovered, RBCK+ content returned to normal levels. During treatment, refilling of the red blood cells with potassium occurred only gradually as long as the diarrhoea persisted. In each case, oral loading wi...
Hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome in a foal. A necropsy diagnosis of hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome was made in a day-old foal. The cardiac abnormalities included mitral and aortic valve atresia, patent ductus arteriosus, and a secundum atrial septal defect. The left ventricle was hypoplastic and nonfunctional. The brief survival of the foal was a consequence of left-to-right shunting through the atrial septal defect and right-to-left shunting through the patent ductus. The information is presented to demonstrate the existence of the syndrome as a congenital defect in the horse and to clarify the necropsy findings for the practiti...
Haematological and biochemical values in horses naturally infected with Strongylus vulgaris. The concentrations of serum proteins (beta 1, beta 2, gamma, alpha 1, alpha 2 globulins and albumin) and absolute numbers of eosinophils, neutrophils and lymphocytes were examined in 64 naturally infected horses and ponies in which the number of larvae of Strongylus vulgaris in the cranial mesenteric artery and the severity of the lesion of verminous arteritis could be determined. The horses were grouped according to the number of larvae found and the severity of the arteritis. The results demonstrated that, although some significant deviation from a random distribution occurred in certain of ...
Acute diarrhea in horses of the Potomac River area: examination for clostridial toxins. Fecal specimens from horses in Montgomery County, Md, and in Fairfax and Loudoun counties, Va, were examined for Clostridium perfringens type A enterotoxin and for C difficile cytotoxin (92 and 108 specimens, respectively). The toxins were found in feces from horses that had experienced an acute diarrhea syndrome and from clinically normal horses. The toxins did not appear to be primary determinants of the diarrhea syndrome, although they may have contributed to the spectrum of clinical entities observed.
The regulatory peptide system of the large bowel in equine grass sickness. In recent years, distinct changes in regulatory peptides have been found in a number of gastrointestinal diseases. Grass sickness is a fatal disease of horses for which the etiology has yet to be fully ascertained. In this study, the peptide-containing nerves and ganglionic and mucosal endocrine cells of the ileum, colon and rectum were investigated in horses with sub-acute or chronic grass sickness and compared with normal controls using immunocytochemistry, at both the light and electron microscopical levels, and radioimmunoassay. A substantial loss of both peptide-containing cells and nerve...
Heparin anticoagulant therapy in equine colic. In horses with large bowel disease, those with circulating endotoxins but no evidence of altered hemostasis had a good prognosis for survival. Those with circulating endotoxins and evidence of altered hemostasis (fibrin degradation products) had a poor prognosis. Portal vein infusion of endotoxins over 24 hours caused hoof discomfort, evidenced by shifting of weight and standing with all 4 feet together, and a decreased hoof temperature. Clinical signs appeared within 30 minutes of initiation of infusion and subsided within 4 hours despite continued infusion. Long-term heparin therapy results ...
Practical toxicologic diagnosis. Strychnine toxicosis is characterized by inducible tetanic seizures and metaldehyde poisoning by fine fasciculations progressing to generalized tremors and seizures. Intoxication with 1080 causes seizures, random running movements, vomiting, defecation, urination, acidosis and hyperglycemia. Intoxication with rodenticides causing coagulopathy is characterized by hemorrhage into body cavities but not necessarily external hemorrhage. Anticholinesterase insecticides cause salivation, urination and defecation, while chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides cause CNS disturbances. Ethylene glycol intox...
