Topic:Diagnosis
Diagnosis in horses involves the systematic identification of diseases and conditions affecting equine health. This process relies on a combination of clinical evaluations, laboratory tests, imaging techniques, and other diagnostic tools to assess the health status of horses. Veterinarians utilize these methods to identify symptoms, determine the underlying causes of health issues, and formulate appropriate treatment plans. Diagnostic procedures in equine medicine can include blood tests, ultrasound, radiography, endoscopy, and more specialized tests such as genetic screening or advanced imaging modalities like MRI and CT scans. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various diagnostic techniques, their applications, and advancements in the field of equine veterinary medicine.
Role of Laparoscopy in Diagnosis and Management of Equine Colic. Laparoscopy can be valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of specific types of colic in horses. Most commonly, it is used for horses with chronic recurrent colic for further diagnosis, such as by taking biopsies or to perform treatment. Laparoscopy is also often used for prevention of colic, for example, by closing the nephrosplenic space or epiploic foramen. There are fewer indications for laparoscopy in acute colic, though in some cases the technique can be useful for diagnosis, after which the procedure is converted to a hand-assisted laparoscopy. However, manipulation of the intestine is ...
Retrospective Analysis of Official Data on Anthrax in Europe with a Special Reference to Ukraine. Anthrax is an acute infectious zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis that mostly affects grazing livestock and wildlife. Furthermore, B. anthracis is considered one of the most important biological agents of bioterrorism that could also be potentially misused in biological weapons. The distribution of anthrax in domestic animals and wildlife in Europe with a particular focus on Ukraine as a country of war was analyzed. Between 2005 and 2022, 267 anthrax cases were registered at the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH) in animals in Europe, including 251 cases in domestic animals ...
General and comparative aspects of endometritis in domestic species: A review. Endometritis is a leading cause of sub- and infertility in domestic animal species. The healthy uterus is colonized by commensal bacteria, viruses and yeast/fungi that represent the nonpathogenic microbiota. A shift in the number or type of organisms accompanied by immune dysfunction, however, may trigger uterine infection and inflammation. Metritis is associated with inflammation of all uterine layers (endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium), whereas endometritis is a more superficial inflammation involving solely the endometrium. Endometritis generally occurs at two time points in domestic ...
Ultrasonography-based diagnosis of hemorrhage syndrome in adipose tissues in the crest of the neck of heavy horse breeds. Hemorrhage syndrome in adipose tissues in the crest of the neck (HSCN), specifically in hemorrhagic adipose tissues on the longitudinally sectioned surface of the neck fat at the dorsal nuchal ligament, is prevalent in heavy horse breeds. Herein, we aimed to establish an ultrasonographic method to successfully diagnose HSCN in heavy horse breeds and assess its efficacy. Horses with homogeneous echogenicity images were included in the control group, whereas those with linear high-echogenicity images were classified as having HSCN. Horses with confirmed linear high-echogenicity images exhibited ...
First report of Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis in South American territory and confirmation of Leishbunyavirus infecting this parasite in a mare. Epidemiological data related to leishmaniases or Leishmania infection in horses are scarce. However, studies carried out in different regions in the world showed equids parasitised by Leishmania braziliensis, L. infantum and L. martiniquensis. Objective: Identify the Leishmania species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in a mare, living in Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil), and search the presence of Leishmania viruses in the isolated parasite. Methods: Isoenzymes and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting ITSrDNA region followed by sequencing were conducted for typing the isolated parasite. A se...
Incidence of disease, injury and death in Thoroughbred foals and yearlings on stud farms in the UK and Ireland. Up-to-date estimates of early-life morbidity and mortality in Thoroughbreds are lacking. Methods: A birth cohort was established on Thoroughbred stud farms across the UK and Ireland. All veterinary interventions for disease or injury between birth and 18 months of age or leaving the study were recorded. Multilevel Poisson regression models with farm and foal as random effects were fitted to estimate incidence rates. Results: Data were available for 3328 foal-months at risk for 275 foals on seven farms. The overall rates of disease and injury requiring veterinary intervention and mortality were...
Horse Grimace Scale Does Not Detect Pain in Horses with Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is a highly prevalent and presumptively painful condition, although the amount of pain horses might experience is currently unknown. The aims of this study were to determine if the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) could identify pain behaviours in horses with and without EGUS and if severity would be positively associated with the HGS score. Horse grimace scale scores were assessed blindly using facial photographs by seven observers and involved evaluation of 6 facial action units as 0 (not present), 1 (moderately present) and 2 (obviously present). Lameness exami...
5’UTR Variant in KIT Associated With White Spotting in Horses. Mutations in KIT, a gene that influences melanoblast migration and pigmentation, often result in mammalian white spotting. As of February 2023, over 30 KIT variants associated with white spotting were documented in Equus caballus (horse). Here we report an association of increased white spotting on the skin and coat with a variant in the 5'UTR of KIT (rs1149701677: g.79,618,649A>C). Horses possessing at least one alternate allele demonstrate phenotypic characteristics similar to other KIT mutations: clear borders around unpigmented regions on the body, face, and limbs. Using a quantitative ...
Effect of Firocoxib and Flunixin Meglumine on Large Colon Mural Thickness of Healthy Horses. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration carries risks of gastrointestinal toxicity. Selective COX-2 inhibitors ("coxibs") were designed to reduce risks of adverse effects but are still associated with gastrointestinal complications in humans. The effect of coxibs on colonic inflammation and integrity in horses is unknown. The study objective was to compare the effects of the coxib firocoxib and the nonselective NSAID flunixin meglumine on ultrasonographic indicators of colonic inflammation in healthy horses. Twelve healthy adult horses were administered flunixin meglumine (1...
Characterization of Raid Hipico Uruguayo Competencies by Ride Type: Causes of Death and Risk Factors. RHU is the oldest endurance sport in Uruguay. However, despite 80 years of racing, there are no studies to characterize this type of competition, explore rates and causes of death, and identify the associated risk factors. The aim was to characterize the Raid Hipico Uruguayo (RHU) competencies according to the distance (short (SR, 60 km) vs. long (LR, 80-115 km)), the causes of deaths, and the associated risk factors. The study population comprised horses ( = 16,856) that participated in RHU rides from 2007 to 2018. LR were more frequent than SR ( < 0.001). The average speed of winners was ...
Current Topics in Medical Colic. The list of medical causes of acute or chronic colic in horses is extensive. The purpose of this article is to review 4 medical causes of equine colic with a focus on newer trends in treatment. The 4 topics selected include gastric impaction, gastric glandular disease, colon displacement, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Colic Surgery: Recent Updates. The following article provides an overview of the last 5 years of research and innovation within the field of equine colic surgery, focusing on new techniques, new or recently described lesions, prevention of lesion recurrence or postoperative complications, and updates in prognoses. Early surgical intervention is an important factor in horse survival.
Shoe configuration effects on third phalanx and capsule motion of unaffected and laminitic equine hooves in-situ. Equine shoes provide hoof protection and support weakened or damaged hoof tissues. Two hypotheses were tested in this study: 1) motion of the third phalanx (P3) and hoof wall deformation are greater in laminitic versus unaffected hooves regardless of shoe type; 2) P3 displacement and hoof wall deformation are greatest while unshod (US), less with open-heel (OH), then egg-bar (EB) shoes, and least with heart-bar (HB) shoes for both hoof conditions. Distal forelimbs (8/condition) were subjected to compressive forces (1.0x102-5.5x103 N) while a real-time motion detection system recorded markers o...
Serum C-reactive Protein and Protein Electrophoretic Pattern Correlated With Age in Horses. Inflammaging or chronic, low-grade inflammation is a phenomenon characterizing age-related pathologies and natural processes in aging tissues. This study aimed to investigate the effect of age on the serum levels of C-reactive protein and protein electrophoretic pattern in horses. Thirty Italian Saddle horses from the same horse training center, were enrolled and divided in three equal groups according to their age: Group A (2-4 years), Group B (7-10 years), Group C (15-20 years). Blood samples were collected from each horse to evaluate hematological parameters and the serum concentration of C...
Medical causes of poor performance and their associations with fitness in Standardbred racehorses. Poor performance is a multifactorial syndrome of racehorses, commonly associated with subclinical disorders, which can be diagnosed by exercise testing. Objective: Describe the prevalence of medical causes of poor performance in Standardbreds unassociated with lameness, and evaluate their relationships with fitness variables measured by exercise treadmill test. Methods: Hospital population of 259 nonlame Standardbred trotters referred for poor performance. Methods: The horses' medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Horses underwent a diagnostic protocol including resting examination, p...
The use of shotgun label-free quantitative proteomic mass spectrometry to evaluate the inflammatory response in aqueous humor from horses with uveitis compared to ophthalmologically healthy horses. The objective of this study was to use shotgun label-free tandem mass spectrometry (LF-MS/MS) to evaluate aqueous humor (AH) from horses with uveitis (UH) compared to ophthalmologically healthy horses (HH). Methods: Twelve horses diagnosed with uveitis based on ophthalmic examination and six ophthalmologically healthy horses (postmortem) purchased for teaching purposes. Methods: All horses received a complete ophthalmic examination and physical exam. Aqueous paracentesis was performed on all horses and AH total protein concentrations were measured with nanodrop (TPn) and refractometry (TPr). A...
Juvenile idiopathic epilepsy in Arabian horses is not a single-gene disorder. Valued for their temperament, beauty, athletic ability, and exhibition in the show ring, Arabian horses are an important component of the horse industry. Juvenile idiopathic epilepsy (JIE), a seizure disorder, is most often reported in Arabian foals from birth to 6 months of age. Affected foals exhibit tonic-clonic seizures lasting as long as 5 min and risking secondary complications like temporary blindness and disorientation. Some foals outgrow this condition, while others die or suffer lifelong complications if not treated. Previous work suggested a strong genetic component to JIE and propo...
Multi-Centered Field Evaluation of a Salmonella spp. Point-of-Care PCR Assay Using Equine Feces and Environmental Samples. The introduction of microfluidic card technology has opened the field for rapid point-of-care (POC) molecular assays, including fecal and environmental Salmonella spp. testing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel POC PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella spp. in feces and environmental samples. A total of 143 fecal samples and 132 environmental samples were collected for POC PCR Salmonella spp. testing as well as qPCR testing. Each sample was inoculated into selenite broth and incubated for 18 to 24 hours. For the POC PCR assay, 14 μl of selenite broth were mixed with 126 μ...
Collaborative study for the calibration of a replacement International Standard for Diphtheria Antitoxin Equine. The International Standard for Diphtheria Antitoxin Equine is essential for the standardisation of assays used to determine the potency of therapeutic diphtheria antitoxin products produced from equine serum. This paper describes the production and characterization of the 2nd International Standard for Diphtheria Antitoxin Equine and its calibration in International Units. Calibration was performed by toxin neutralization test in vivo and in vitro (Vero cell assay), and potency was expressed relative to the 1st International Standard to ensure continuity of the International Unit. The candidat...
Cryptosporidium equi n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Cryptosporidiidae): Biological and genetic characterisations. The horse genotype is one of three common Cryptosporidium spp. in equine animals and has been identified in some human cases. The species status of Cryptosporidium horse genotype remains unclear due to the lack of extensive morphological, biological, and genetic data. In the present study, we have conducted biological and whole genome sequence analyses of an isolate of the genotype from hedgehogs and proposed to name it Cryptosporidium equi n. sp. to reflect its common occurrence in equine animals. Oocysts of C. equi measured 5.12 ± 0.36 μm × 4.46 ± 0.21 μm with a shape index of 1...
Comparison of 4 agar gel immunodiffusion kits for serologic detection of equine infectious anemia virus antibodies. Using 85 sera collected from horses that had been experimentally infected with equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) and 200 field sera collected from racehorses in Japan, we compared 4 agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) kits for serologic detection of EIAV antibodies from Idexx, VMRD, IDvet, and the National Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, China (NECVB). The positive control lines were sufficiently clear in all kits for evaluation to be made, with slight differences in sharpness: NECVB was the sharpest, followed by VMRD, IDvet, and Idexx. The test results for all 285 samples...
Detection of Chlamydia abortus in aborted chorioallantoises of horses from Western Canada. Chlamydiae are reported to cause abortion in several species, however the association between Chlamydia sp. and equine abortions is poorly understood. A zoonotic transfer event of C. psittaci from aborted equine tissues in Australia has emphasized the need to better understand the prevalence of this pathogen in equine populations. The prevalence of chlamydia in equine abortions in North America has not been investigated thoroughly. We examined 99 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded placental samples submitted between 2009 and 2020 from equine abortions in Western Canada using chlamydia-specific ...
Prevalence, Risk Factors and Diagnosis of Helminths in Thoroughbred Horses Kept at Training Centers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of helminths in Thoroughbred horses in Rio de Janeiro; make correlations with risk factors for these infections; and compare the efficiency of three floatation solutions applied in the quantitative Mini-FLOTAC technique. Fecal samples from 520 horses were collected from six training centers between 2019 and 2021. These were subjected to the Mini-FLOTAC technique using three solutions: NaCl (density = 1.200 g/mL), ZnSO4 (1.350 g/mL) and ZnSO4 (1.200 g/mL); and also to qualitative techniques. Information on the horses' sex and age of hors...
Serological and Bacteriological Surveillance of Glanders Among Horses in Central Region of Iran. Glanders is the oldest and very contagious disease among horses caused by Burkholderia mallei. The disease occurs as a chronic form in horses. Hence, because of the prolonged shedding, numerous horses can potentially get infected by one horse with glanders. Glanders is endemic in Iran and this causes occasional occurrence in horse population of the country. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of B.mallei infection in horses in two central provinces of Iran. A total of 517 serum samples were collected from stable horses in Tehran and Alborz provinces. Among the studied horses, ...
Horses as Sentinels for the Circulation of Flaviviruses in Eastern-Central Germany. Since 2018, autochthonous West Nile virus (WNV) infections have been regularly reported in eastern-central Germany. While clinically apparent infections in humans and horses are not frequent, seroprevalence studies in horses may allow the tracing of WNV and related flaviviruses transmission, such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and Usutu virus (USUV), and consequently help to estimate the risk of human infections. Hence, the aim of our study was to follow the seropositive ratio against these three viruses in horses in Saxony, Saxony Anhalt, and Brandenburg and to describe their geograp...
A Three-Monoclonal Antibody Combination Potently Neutralizes BoNT/G Toxin in Mice. Equine-derived antitoxin (BAT) is the only treatment for botulism from botulinum neurotoxin serotype G (BoNT/G). BAT is a foreign protein with potentially severe adverse effects and is not renewable. To develop a safe, more potent, and renewable antitoxin, humanized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated. Yeast displayed single chain Fv (scFv) libraries were prepared from mice immunized with BoNT/G and BoNT/G domains and screened with BoNT/G using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Fourteen scFv-binding BoNT/G were isolated with K values ranging from 3.86 nM to 103 nM (median K 2...
What Is the Microbiota and What Is Its Role in Colic? The fecal microbiome of the horse is reflective of the large colon and plays an important role in the health of the horse. The microbes of the gastrointestinal tract digest fiber and produce energy for the host. Healthy horses have Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Verrucromicrobia as the most common phyla. During gastrointestinal disease such as colic or colitis, the microbiome shows less diversity and changes in bacterial community composition.